CANCELED: Opera in the Park

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© Fay Fox

A close-up of Katerina Burton.

Katerina Burton

July 22 update from Madison Opera:

Due to an unexpected thunderstorm, we postponed Opera in the Park shortly before the program began. At that time, we thought we would be able to resume the program. For the safety of everyone involved, we then decided to cancel Opera in the Park altogether.

Unfortunately, we cannot perform tomorrow (Sunday), as we had passed the deadline to reschedule the concert.

It was amazing to see so many of you gathered in the park this evening. We wish we could have shared this wonderful music and all of the artists' hard work. We look forward to seeing you in Overture Center this fall and again in the park next year.

Thank you for your support and understanding.

It started as a one-off experiment in 2002, but Opera in the Park has since become an annual, memorable evening of music under the stars. This year Madison Opera welcomes soprano Katerina Burton, tenor Martin Luther Clark mezzo-soprano Emily Fons, and baritone Weston Hurt as guest soloists, joining the Madison Opera Chorus and the Madison Symphony Orchestra. “It’s part of our reason for being — we’re here to entertain our community,” says opera general director Kathryn Smith (read Gwendolyn Rice’s preview here). The event is free, and blankets may be placed earlier in the day to save a spot. Find more info at madisonopera.org.

media release: Madison Opera’s Opera in the Park celebrates its twenty-second year on Saturday, July 22, at 8pm in Garner Park on Madison’s west side.  A Madison summer tradition, the free concert of opera and Broadway favorites draws audience members from across Wisconsin and beyond to pack a picnic, gather friends, and share a beautiful night of music under the stars. (Rain date: Sunday, July 23 at 8pm.)

Opera in the Park 2023 stars soprano Katerina Burton, mezzo-soprano Emily Fons, tenor Martin Luther Clark, and baritone Weston Hurt.  Burton makes her Madison Opera debut in the concert; recent credits include Washington National Opera and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.  Fons sang Rosina in The Barber of Seville with Madison Opera, a role she has recently sung for the Santa Fe Opera and is singing at Cincinnati Opera this summer.  Clark makes his Madison Opera debut in this concert and returns to the company as the title role in Candide in April; other recent credits include Lyric Opera of Chicago and Tulsa Opera.  Hurt sang an acclaimed Germont in La Traviata with Madison Opera in 2019; other recent credits include Arizona Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

The four soloists are joined by the Madison Opera Chorus and Madison Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John DeMain. The evening is hosted by Madison Opera’s General Director Kathryn Smith and WKOW-TV’s Wake Up Wisconsin co-anchor Mark Charter.

The repertoire at Opera in the Park 2023 spans over 300 years of music, from an opera that premiered in 1711 (Handel’s Rinaldo) to one that premiered in 2023 (The Factotum by Will Liverman and DJ King Rico).  Madison Opera’s upcoming 23/24 season is highlighted with selections from Puccini’s Tosca, Bologne’s The Anonymous Lover, and Bernstein’s Candide.  The program also features pieces from Don Carlo, La Clemenza di Tito, The Tales of Hoffmann, La Bohème, Into the Woods, My Fair Lady, and more. As always, this spectacular evening will include one number conducted by the audience with light sticks.

Prelude Dinner

The closest you can get to the stars under the night sky! Support Opera in the Park by joining us for a special Prelude Dinner in Garner Park on Saturday, July 22, 2023 (rain date of July 23). Attendees receive a dinner catered by Upstairs Downstairs Catering, wine and beer, VIP seating at the concert, glow sticks, and an invitation to an artist’s reception following the concert.

Beverage service for the evening will begin at 6 pm in the white tent next to the stage, with dinner served promptly at 6:30 pm.

Seats are $170 per person or $1,300 for a table of eight. All proceeds benefit the Opera in the Park Fund. Reservation deadline is July 7, 2023.