Verismo Opera to Present La Boheme at bergenPAC. Opening October 19.

The New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera, the only grand opera company in Bergen County, New Jersey, concludes its 25th anniversary season, Vive la France, with Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème. Artistic Director Lucine Amara, a Met Opera legend, invites the public to see Puccini’s renowned, romantic score on Sundays, October 19 and 26, 3:00 p.m., at the Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC), located at 30 North Van Brunt Street, in Englewood, New Jersey.

“In our production of La Bohème, you will experience many things never seen in any other production. With the director’s eye for intense detail, the characters are beyond alive. The relationship between the men is so developed and natural you’ll forget they’re singing! Rodolfo and Mimi have far more intimate moments in both their famous arias--with movement and coloration never seen before.

“Our Bohème will make you laugh and break your heart! I highly recommend this production. And I should know; I sang so many Mimis at the Metropolitan Opera, I have lost count,” said Amara.

Set in the backdrop of Paris, France, the audience hears Puccini’s unmatched gift for melody. La Bohème tells the poignant story of simple joy and heartbreak among a group of young Parisian artists in this universally popular classic. Under the direction of Stage Director and Canadian soprano Evelyn La Quaif, the fully staged production presents the cast singing in Italian with English supertitles provided. Verismo Opera presents the production in four acts to the Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa.

Spiro Malas as Benoit

Bass baritone Spiro Malas, a Drama Desk award nominee and television actor in several TV shows, including Sex and the City and Law & Order, will debut with Verismo Opera and perform the role of Benoit. Malas has performed with the Met Opera in La Bohème, Tosca, Die Fledermaus, Der Rosenkavalier, among others. He also performed with Boston Opera, Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Miami Opera, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera and Seattle Opera. His television credits include Sex and the City and Law & Order.

On his Drama Desk Award nominated performance of Tony Esposito in the Broadway play, The Most Happy Fella, Frank Rich of the New York Times stated: “As acted by Mr. Malas, Tony’s inner growth and redemption become the very soul of musical drama, especially as delineated in one gorgeous Loesser song after another.”

Cast

October 19th Performance. Canadian soprano Sharon Azrieli Perez returns to Verismo Opera and performs the role of Mimi. Previously, she appeared with the company as Aida in Aida and Leonora in Il Trovatore. Andrew Porter from The New Yorker described her as “a mistress of merry inflections, piquant phrasing, and pointed words.”

Azrieli Perez will be joined by tenor José Heredia performing the role of Rodolfo in his first appearance with Verismo Opera. A native of the Dominican Republic, Heredia made his professional oratorio debut at the Cadet Chapel in West Point, New York singing Handel’s Messiah and completed concert tours throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, Italy and Korea.

Young Joo An, the second prize winner in the New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera’s 2013 Annual International Vocal Competition, debuts with Verismo Opera as Marcello. Verismo Opera welcomes baritone Gustavo Morales in the role of Schaunard and newcomers soprano Jeanai La Vita as Musetta and bass Thomas Goldstein as Colline.

October 26th Performance. Soprano StacyLyn Bennett, who previously appeared as Cio-Cio-San in Verismo Opera’s 2012 production of Madama Butterfly, will assume the role of Mimi. Tenor Edgar Jaramillo performs the role of Rodolfo, having first appeared with the company as Turiddu in its production of Cavalleria Rusticana. Previously, he performed the role of Rodolfo with Opera Manhattan Repertory and Operesque Classical Concerts in New York City.

Baritone Jonathan Scott returns to the Verismo Opera stage this fall to perform the role of Marcello. Scott, a finalist in the 2013 New Jersey Association of Verismo Opera Annual International Vocal Competition, performed as Giorgio Germont in the company’s April 2014 production of La Traviata. Verismo Opera welcomes soprano Justyna Giermola as Musetta and baritone Kevin Grace as Schaunard.

Bass-baritone Hyong Sik Jo will premiere with Verismo Opera as Colline. His son, 12-year-old Sehjin Jo, will make his operatic debut as A Boy in the second act and perform on October 19 and 26.

Vocalists appearing on both days are bass baritone Spiro Malas, as Benoit; bass Jonathan Dauerman, as Alcindoro; bass Joshua Miller, Custom Sergeant; James Haugham as Parpignol; and Giovanni Simone as Toy Seller.

A live orchestra performs under the baton of Principal Conductor/Music Director Anthony Morss. Associate Conductor/Chorus Director Mara Waldman directs the Verismo Opera Chorus. The cast performs in period costumes designed by Catherine Mirabella and Barbara Konig.

Special Ticket Rates

Verismo Opera’s Bring the Family to the Opera Program announces special discount ticket offers to see the company’s full production of La Bohème on October 19 and 26, 2014. Discount ticket rates for senior citizens, ages 65 and over, and children, ages 12 and under, are available now through October 26, 2014 to see La Bohème. Senior citizens, ages 65 and over, purchasing regular-priced tickets on non-sale dates are entitled to a 10% discount. The company is offering a reduced rate of $10 on all tickets for children, ages 12 and under, when accompanied by a ticket-holding adult to see La Bohème on October 19 or October 26, 2014.

Special ticket offers are not available online and may be purchased only at bergenPAC’s box office, located at 30 North Van Brunt Street, Englewood, New Jersey, and by calling (201) 227-1030 or toll-free at 1-888-PACSHOW. All special ticket offers must be requested before the purchase.

Group discounts are available on $55 and $45 tickets only with a minimum purchase of 50 tickets. For special group rates only, call 201-224-2809. This discount is not available online.

bergenPAC is handicapped accessible. Upon request to the house manager, hearing assist systems are available in bergenPAC’s lobby.

The 2014 season is made possible, in part, with funds provided by the New Jersey Council on the Arts/Department of State, through grand funds administered by the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs. Other supporters include Children’s Aid Foundation, Robert J. Campbell, MD, Cesare L. Santeramo, KSJ, Paul Weiss Matching Fund, The Gerda Lissner Foundation, Inc., and Vanguard Charitable Endowment Fund.

For more information about the nonprofit, tax-exempt organization, visit Verismo Opera’s web site, www.verismopera.org; follow the company on Facebook, http://bit.ly/9JXTP8, or Twitter @NJVerismoOpera; or call (201) 886-0561.