US opera festival goes outdoors
mainGlimmerglass Festival is the first major US event to roll out a summer season.
Located in Cooperstown, New York, it has announced plans for an outdoor stage built on the Festival grounds.
Francesca Zambello, its director, says. ‘While this move outdoors is primarily for the health and safety of our company members, audience members and community, it is in harmony with what people love about Glimmerglass — innovative art and performances in a beautiful location.’
The Festival will present 90-minute bursts of opera and musical theatre with, among others, Amanda Castro, Denyce Graves, Gregory Kunde, Isabel Leonard, Latonia Moore, Eric Owens, Michael Mayes and Alexandria Shiner. The season will run July 15 to August 17.
You may have forgotten that the Santa Fe Opera announced their 2021 season some time ago. https://www.santafeopera.org/
Santa Fe Opera will be presenting 4 complete operas in their Festival, including the world premiere of John Corigliano’s ‘Lord of Cries’. No 90 minutes bursts in sight!
Glimmerglass only performs in the summer.
While I realize that Francesca needs to do “something” to salvage the festival and not go silent for a second year, I feel that her solution may be ill-advised. My wife and I have attended performances at the festival for many years and I can remember some really nasty thunderstorms that have crept up in the afternoons and evenings. I also remember one year when it was so hot during a matinee of La Boheme that the side walls were opened up to allow a circulation of air. Sitting out there under the hot sun during a matinee or during a heavy downpour is not my idea of an enriching or even entertaining cultural experience. “Glimmerglass on the grass”… we’ll pass!”
sorry you missed it Bob, it was a great success! fzambello@glimmerglass.org