Andy Manis
A crowded park audience watching opera at dusk.
Opera in the Park is a favorite for longtime fans and newcomers to the art form.
"Opera happens because a large number of things amazingly fail to go wrong," quipped author Terry Pratchett in his book Maskerade.
Each summer, Madison Opera's free Opera in the Park promises a night of soaring voices, captivating music, and an audience "conduct-a-long" with glow sticks, all under the stars. After last year's rainout — the first cancellation in 22 years — the event returns to Garner Park on July 20 at 8 p.m.
And yes, producing Opera in the Park requires a fair amount of good karma. Kathryn Smith, the opera’s general director since 2011, remains upbeat as well as pragmatic. She notes that much of the winning formula for the event has remained unchanged: great music performed by outstanding artists for an engaged audience and, hopefully, under a clear sky.
Planning for Opera in the Park involves hiring talented, often internationally renowned artists, selecting great repertoire, and overseeing numerous logistical details involving around 200 people.
This year's lineup includes soprano Katerina Burton, who is making her Madison Opera debut and will perform the role of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni in the coming season. The cast also includes two Wisconsinites: mezzo-soprano Emily Fons and tenor Joshua Sanders. Fons will also appear as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni. Sanders is an exciting young tenor who audiences may remember as Toby in Madison Opera’s 2015 production of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. Baritone Weston Hurt, previously in Madison Opera's production of La Traviata, rounds out the cast. They will be led by Maestro John DeMain and accompanied by the Madison Opera Chorus and the Madison Symphony Orchestra.
Smith uses a smart formula to determine Opera in the Park musical selections. The program includes some all-time opera favorites by the likes of Puccini, Verdi and Donizetti. She also schedules works from the coming season — musical numbers from Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Piazzolla’s María de Buenos Aires, and Mozart’s Don Giovanni are highlighted in this summer’s program.
The operatic selections are complemented with popular show tunes, and as in recent years, the program concludes with the sing-along, “It’s a Grand Night for Singing.”
Garner Park, with its natural amphitheater, beautiful hill, and semi-secluded location, adds to the event's charm. The nighttime stars and the glow sticks wielded by the audience during the "glow stick number" create an intimate yet grand ambiance, making every seat in the park a prime spot to experience the music.
Insider tip: For the best seat in the house, put your blanket down behind the sound tech tent. That tent comes down during the performance, and that spot offers a spectacular view and great sound!
Smith shares that, ultimately, it's the audience that brings the event to life. The concert offers them a reprieve from a chaotic world, and it embodies a human connection through music that Opera in the Park strives to achieve. Their energy and enthusiasm make the concert special, creating a unique atmosphere with an audience so attentive that you can hear a pin drop on the grass.
Opera in the Park costs around $350,000 to produce — a figure that has increased dramatically due to inflation over the years. Yet, thanks to the support of individual sponsors who have stepped forward where some companies have stepped back, the community's belief in the value of this event keeps it thriving.
Smith’s favorite Opera in the Park story revolves around a couple whose first date was at the event. Now, they are bringing their own children to Garner Park for the concert. Smith goes further: “When you see the audience leave happy, when it all works, it all just works.”
Dan Koehn last worked on Opera in the Park as a Madison Opera staffer in 2007.
