Pittsburgh Festival Opera

Pittsburgh Festival Opera (PFO), formerly Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, is a professional American opera company based in Pittsburgh's university and museum district. Pittsburgh Festival Opera performs at non-traditional venues around the city.

Pittsburgh Festival Opera was established in 1978 by the noted opera star Mildred Miller Posvar and Helen Knox. In 2012, Pittsburgh Festival Opera reinvented itself as a summer festival presenting staged operas, musicals, recitals, and cabaret.

PFO is currently under the leadership of Managing Director Roxy MtJoy and Artistic Director Marianne Cornetti.

Activities
Artistic initiatives have included a Music that Matters series, exploring new work that tells socially relevant stories, a Fusion Festival of American-Asian works at the Andy Warhol Museum which included the world premiere of RedDust, a multi-media opera by Mathew Rosenblum and The Sound of a Voice by Philip Glass and David Henry Hwang. Other projects have included the Pittsburgh Ring, two complete cycles of Wagner's great operas in collaboration with Long Beach Opera using Jonathan Dove's orchestral reduction.  Recent American operas include A Gathering of Sons, Just Above My Head, a world premiere jazz opera by Pittsburgher Nathan Davis. Operatic versions of classics American plays have included Lee Hoiby's Summer and Smoke, William Bolcom's A View From the Bridge and Regina, an operatic version of The Little Foxes by Marc Blitzstein. In 2020, Pittsburgh Festival Opera premieres Virgula Divina by Karen Brown and Jessica Lanay.

Aside from forays in the traditional repertory, PFO has sought to present a number of modern masterpieces which are not regularly included on standard programs: Lost in the Stars, The Emperor of Atlantis, Bluebeard's Castle, Brundibar, Der Jasager, and the English language premiere of Weill's Die Bürgschaft.

Past productions also include a "Salon Series" devoted to shorter works performed in unusual spaces, such as Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, performed in a church converted into an art gallery; Bizet's Djamileh, presented in a Persian Carpet Emporium; Thomas Pasatieri's La Divina, and Salieri's Prima la Musica, e Poi le Parole, performed in Pittsburgh's own version of the Petit Trianon Palace.

The Mildred Miller International Voice Competition

Pittsburgh Festival Opera annually hosts the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition in honor of its founder, Mildred Miller Posvar. The event, held in Pittsburgh, is a search for America's best singers. Young professionals aged 18–35 are eligible to compete for cash prizes and solo roles in the company's summer Festival. Past competition winners include Juan José de Leon, Andrey Nemzer, Meghan Kasanders, Alasdair Kent, Karen Chia-ling Ho, and Elizabeth Baldwin.

PFO previously celebrated annually The Millie Awards. The purpose was to reflect several diverse aspects of Mildred Miller's distinguished career - singing, acting, community service and education. The "Millies", as they are affectionately called, recognize and show appreciation for high accomplishments in the performing arts, honoring those individuals whose support has been instrumental in the success of Pittsburgh Festival Opera.

Community Engagement and Education

Pittsburgh Festival Opera's engagement with its community is of primary importance. Working directly with schools as well as in partnership with fellow non-profit organizations, PFO has taken opera to more than 500,000 school children in its 42 year history. In addition, it actively seeks opportunities to include students in productions, exceeding state standards for direct arts experiences and creating partnerships with the communities and the families for which it performs.

Record of Repertory

Festival 2018 - July 6–July 22, 2018

La Bohème Warhola by Giacomo Puccini
Arabella by Richard Strauss
Rhinegold by Richard Wagner
Goldie B. Locks and the Three Singing Bears by John Davies/Wolfgang A. Mozart

Festival 2017 - June 15–July 23, 2017

A Gathering of Sons (World Premiere) by Dwayne Fulton
Intermezzo by Richard Strauss
Xerxes (opera) by George F. Handel
Sweeney Todd by Stephen Sondheim
Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck

Festival 2016 - July 7–24, 2016

Carmen the Gypsy by Georges Bizet
The Silent Woman by Richard Strauss
Julius Caesar (opera) by George F. Handel
Kiss Me, Kate by Cole Porter
Little Red Riding Hood by Seymour Barab

Festival 2015 - July 10–August 2, 2015

The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Capriccio by Richard Strauss
A New Kind of Fallout by Gilda Lyons
Damn Yankees by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Wallace DePue

Festival 2014 - July 10–27, 2014

Marianne Cornetti in Concert
The Merry Widow by Franz Lehár
The Fantasticks by Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt
Ariadne on Naxos by Richard Strauss
The Jumping Frog of Calaveras County by Lukas Foss
Happy Hour! by Roger Zahab

Festival 2013 - July 6–21, 2013

The Tales of Hoffmann - Retold by Jacques Offenbach
A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim
Shining Brow by Daron Hagen
La finta giardiniera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Night Caps International by various composers

Festival 2012

The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, English translation by Jeremy Sams - June 29, July 1, 8, 14, 2012
Carmen -The Gypsy by Georges Bizet, English translation by Sheldon Harnick, musical adaption by Jonathan Eaton and Robert Frankenberry - June 30, July 6, 12, 14, 2012
Candide by Leonard Bernstein - July 7, 13, 15, 2012
Night Caps libretto by Rob Handel, music by Alberto Garcia Demestres, Robert Frankenberry, Dwayne Fulton, Daron Aric Hagen, Gilda Lyons, Eric Moe, Roger Zahab - July 6–8, 12-15, 2012

2010-2011

Euridice and Orpheus by Ricky Ian Gordon - June 9–11, 2011
The Gospel at Colonus by Bob Telson - March 25–27, 2011
Orpheus ed Euridice by Christoph Gluck - November 5–7, 2010

2009-2010

Beautiful Dreamers by Martin Giles - April 15-May 1, 2010
Love Spell (L'incantesimo) by Italo Montemezzi - February 12–14, 2010
Beggar's Holiday by Dale Wasserman - December 18–20, 2009
Brundibar music by Hans Krasa, designed by Maurice Sendak - November 6–8, 2009

2008-2009

Gianni Schicchi by Giacomo Puccini - April 24–25, 2009
Prima la Musica, e Poi le Parole by Antonio Salieri - March 24–25, 2009
Porgy and Bess by George Gershwin - February 14–15, 2009
Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss - December 27–28, 2008
La Divina by Thomas Pasatieri - November 2, 2008
Djamileh by Georges Bizet - October 3–4, 2008

2007-2008

Lost in the Stars by Kurt Weill - February 12–14, 2008
Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, December 27–30, 2007
The Impresario by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, November 11, 2007
The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - September 25, 28-30, 2007

2006-2007

Fusion Festival - The Sound of a Voice by Philip Glass and Red Dust by Mathew Rosenblum - April 26–29, 2007
Die Zauberflöte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart- collaboration with Pittsburgh Opera - March 24, 27, 30, and April 1, 2007 
Carmen Jones by Georges Bizet and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein - November 17–18, 2006
Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 14–17, 2006

2005-2006

The Ring Cycle (Rhinegold, The Valkyrie, Siegfried, Twilight of the Gods) by Richard Wagner - July 14–16 and 21-23, 2006
Noye's Fludde by Benjamin Britten and The Jackleg Testament by Jay Bolotin - March 2–5, 2006
Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 14–18, 2005

2004-2005

The Ring Cycle (Rhinegold and The Valkyrie) by Richard Wagner with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra - July 15–17, 2005
Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 8–12, 2004
The Soldier's Tale by Igor Stravinsky with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra- November 5–7, 2004 with Pittsburgh Symphony
A View from the Bridge by William Bolcom, based on the play by Arthur Miller - September 16–26, 2004

2003-2004

Summer and Smoke by Lee Hoiby, based on a play by Tennessee Williams - September 26 - October 5, 2003
Talking with Tennessee devised and directed by Jonathan Eaton - September 25 - October 5, 2003
Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 7–13, 2003
Jazzopera: Just Above My Head by Nathan Davis, based on the novel Just Above My Head by James BaldwinJune 913, 2004

2002-2003

25th Anniversary Celebration, Gala Concert of American Opera - April 27, 2003
Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti- December 12–15, 2002
The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - November 22–23, 2002

2001-2002

Bluebeard's Castle by Béla Bartók - April 26 & 28, 2002
The Emperor of Atlantis by Viktor Ullman - April 6–7, 2002
Brundibar by Hans Krása - March 7, 2002
Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 13–16, 2001

2000-2001

Madrigals of Love and War by Claudio Monteverdi - November 4–5, 2000
Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck
Amahl and Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti - December 14–17, 2000
The Cunning Vixen by Leon Janáček
Limbus - a mechanical opera by Jay Bolotin - March 27–31, 2001

1999-2000

Die Bürgschaft (The Bond) by Kurt Weill - May 25–28, 2000
Songplay by Kurt Weill/Jonathan Eaton - April 26 - May 7, 2000
Weill We're At It by Kurt Weill - collaboration with River City Brass - April 22, 2000
Nogaku-za in Taniko (The Valley Rite) attributed Komparu Zenchiku - April 10, 2000
Der Jasager (The Consenter) by Kurt Weill - April 10, 2000

1998-1999

Susannah by Carlisle Floyd - March 27 & 29, 1998
Candide by Leonard Bernstein - April 16 & 18, 1999

1997-1998

The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – April, 1997

1996-1997

The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - April 16, 1997
The Ballad of Baby Doe by Douglas Moore

1995-1996

The Bartered Bride by Bedřich Smetana - March 28 & 30, 1996

1994-1995

La Cendrillon by Jules Massenet - May 18 & 20, 1995
Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini - March 22 & 25, 1995

1993-1994

Julius Caesar in Egypt by George Frideric Handel - March 3 & 5, 1994

1992-1993

Il barbiere di Siviglia by Gioachino Rossini - April 15, 1993

1991-1992

The Crucible by Robert Ward - November 23, 1991

1990-1991

The Consul by Gian Carlo Menotti - May 19, 1991
The Abduction from the Seraglio by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - January 20, 1991
The Tender Land by Aaron Copland - November 1990

1989-1990

Orpheus and Euridice by Christoph Willibald Gluck - May 1 & 3, 1990
Regina by Marc Blitzstein - January 18, 1990
Così fan tutte by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - November 19, 1989
The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - April 3, 1989

1988-1989

The Triumph of Honor by Alessandro Scarlatti - January 22, 1989
Carmen by Georges Bizet - Summer 1989
Tartuffe by Kirke Meacham - November 20 & 22, 1998

1988

The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, August 27, 1988 at Hartwood Acres
Carmen by Georges Bizet

1987

Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck, May 2, 1987

1986

La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini

1985

Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck
Madama Butterfly by Giacomo Puccini

1984

The Brute by Lawrence Moss and A Full Moon in March by John Harbison - May 24, 1984

1982

The Marriage of Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck, November 29, 1982 with Pittsburgh Symphony
The Music Master by Giovanni Pergolesi, and Combatimento di Tancredi e Clorinda by Monteverdi, July 12, 1982

1981

The Barber of Seville by Gioachino Rossini, November 14, 1981 with the Greenville Symphony (Touring Production)

1979

La Cenerentola by Gioachino Rossini (dress rehearsal), June 1978

1978

The Telephone by Gian Carlo Menotti and La serva padrona by Giovanni Pergolesi

References

Pennsylvania opera companies
Musical groups established in 1978