This year's Fresno's Grand Opera season opens with a return engagement by Andrea Bocelli. The Grammy-winning tenor will perform Dec. 10 at the Save Mart Center, the venue he helped open in 2003.
Ronald D. Eichman, general director of Fresno Grand Opera, says the combination of Bocelli selecting Fresno as the only non-major market on his tour and a joint performance of "Macbeth" with Opera Santa Barbara shows the local cultural scene is getting more respect.
"This is another step in taking Fresno to the next level. It has been a challenging rise, but we are now getting national recognition. It's as if we returned to the glory years of the 1920s when the Barton Opera House was a stop for all major performers traveling from Los Angeles to San Francisco," Eichman says.
Season tickets, which include performances of "Rigoletto" and "Macbeth," go on sale at 10 a.m. today. Single performance tickets go on sale Oct. 26.
Bocelli's appearance will feature special guest David Foster and the Fresno Grand Opera Orchestra and Chorus. It's one of six holiday concerts for Bocelli in North America.
The performance of "Rigoletto," featuring Metropolitan Opera artists, will be Jan. 29 and 31 at the Saroyan Theatre.
Eichman is particularly excited about the joint production of "Macbeth" with Opera Santa Barbara because there will be performances in Fresno and Santa Barbara, plus there are talks about performing in Los Angeles.
He says Opera Santa Barbara is a good partner because they have similar aspirations for growth to Fresno Grand Opera's. Santa Barbara Opera recently spent $1 million to stage the world premiere of Stephen Schwartz's "Seance on a Wet Afternoon."
"Macbeth" will feature Metropolitan Opera baritone Mark Rucker in the title role. Rucker previously sang the title role in the local company's 2001 production of "Rigoletto." Performances will be April 30 and May 2.
"Our company is 12 years old. When the company was formed, we talked about where we would like the company to go. This is where we want to be," Eichman says.
This season's Fresno Grand Opera includes:
*Andrea Bocelli, Dec. 10 at Save Mart Center.
*"Rigoletto," Jan. 29 and 31, William Saroyan Theatre.
*"Christmas on Van Ness," Dec.12, First Congregational Church
*"Opera on Van Ness," March 7, First Congregational Church.
*"From Mao to the Met," April 11, Fresno Memorial Auditorium.
*"Macbeth," April 30 and May 2, William Saroyan Theatre.
TV and movie critic Rick Bentley can be reached at rbentley@fresnobee.com or (559) 441-6355.
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