Atlanta Opera to Conclude 2012-13 Season with THE ITALIAN GIRL IN ALGIERS, 4/27-5/5

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The Atlanta Opera, one of the nation's finest regional opera companies enriching lives through the power of opera, concludes its 2012-2013 season with a production of Gioachino Rossini's The Italian Girl in Algiers. This will be the first time The Atlanta Opera has produced this opera, and it will be presented on April 27 and 30 and May 3 and 5 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre.

Nicknamed "The Italian Mozart," Rossini wrote The Italian Girl in Algiers when he was only 21 years old, and it is considered one of his most successful comedies. A story set inside a pop-up book in the 1930s, the opera begins with Mustafà, the Bey of Algiers, bored with his harem and wife. With plans to divorce his wife and add an Italian beauty to his harem, he orders his captain, Haly, to find an Italian girl for him. Haly captures Isabella, The Italian Girl, as she is searching for her boyfriend, Lindoro, who, unbeknownst to her, has also recently been captured by Mustafà. Hilarity ensues as Lindoro and Isabella plan and eventually succeeds in an escape. Mustafà recognizes that Italian girls are just too clever for him and also realizes he truly loves his wife.

Singing the role of the clever Isabella is mezzo-soprano Sandra Piques Eddy, who delighted Atlanta audiences as Cherubino in The Marriage of Figaro in 2008. Tenor Michele Angelini, debuting with The Atlanta Opera, sings Lindoro. In his Atlanta Opera debut, Turkish bass Burak Bilgili will be performing the role of Mustafà. Singing Taddeo, an elderly admirer of Isabella's, is Bruno Praticò, also in his Atlanta Opera debut. Soprano Ashley Emerson (Elvira), bass-baritone Frederick Jackson (Haly), and Maria McDaniel (Zulma) also will be joining the cast. Conducting The Italian Girl in Algiers is the Carl and Sally Gable Music Director Arthur Fagen. Atlanta resident Ken Yunker will celebrate his 50th production as lighting designer with The Atlanta Opera during The Italian Girl in Algiers. Helena Binder will be making her directorial debut with this Atlanta Opera production.

The Italian Girl in Algiers will be sung in Italian with projectEd English translations.

Single tickets are $25 - $132 plus convenience fees. To purchase, visit atlantaopera.org, call 404-881-8885 or 1-800-35-OPERA (Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.), or visit the Bank of North Georgia Box Office at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre (Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; and two hours prior to a performance on day of show).

The Italian Girl in Algiers features Music by Gioachino Rossini and Libretto by Angelo Anelli. It is sung in Italian with ProjectEd English Translations, with sets from Santa Fe Opera. This is an Atlanta Opera Premiere. Approximate Running Time: 2 hours 45 minutes, including 1 intermission.

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