L.A. Opera to Feature ‘Florencia’ in ‘97-’98

The West Coast premiere of Mexican composer Daniel Catan’s “Florencia en el Amazonas” will be a highlight in the seven-production season of the L.A. Opera at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in 1997-98, the company’s general director, Peter Hemmings, announced Tuesday.

“Florencia,” said Hemmings, exemplifies the eclecticism L.A. Opera aims for in its repertory. “We’ve been committed to presenting rarities in every season.”

“Florencia,” a co-production of L.A. Opera, premiered last October at Houston Grand Opera, with libretto by Marcela Fuentes-Berain (with a nod to Gabriel Garcia Marquez), and Francesca Zambello directing. A story of lost love set on an Amazon riverboat, with music that evokes Puccini, it received mixed reviews at its premiere, but, wrote Times music critic Mark Swed: “Although the music is more disposable than one might like, the opera sends an audience away relatively happy.”

L.A. Opera, in its 12th season, will also present three other operas new to the company. Umberto Giordano’s “Fedora,” starring Maria Ewing and Placido Domingo; Emmerich Kalman’s operetta “Countess Maritza”; and Verdi’s “Il Trovatore.”

Being revived are Mozart’s “Magic Flute,” Puccini’s “La Boheme” and Richard Strauss’ “Salome.”

“Florencia en el Amazonas” will be sung in Spanish with English supertitles, “Countess Maritza” in English; the other five operas will be performed in their original languages, with supertitles.

Casting of the seven operas also reflects new faces and familiar singers.

Besides Ewing and Domingo, who both sang in the company’s first season in 1986-87, the roster of sopranos this season will include the veteran Hildegard Behrens (as Salome in her first appearance with the company), Ashley Putnam (as Countess Maritza), Sally Wolf (as the Queen of the Night in “Magic Flute”) and Carol Vaness (as Leonora in “Trovatore”).

Among the other singers are Vladimir Bogachov, Greg Fedderly, Rodney Gilfry, Gwendolyn Bradley, Craig Sirianni and Sheri Greenawald, who sings the title role in “Florencia.”

The season opens with “Fedora,” Sept. 3-20, and continues with the Herbert Ross production of “Boheme,” to be staged by Christopher Harlan, Sept. 6-24. Evelino Pido will conduct.

Catan’s “Florencia en el Amazonas” will take the Chandler stage, Oct. 5-18, led by the British conductor Roderick Brydn. The Santa Fe Opera production of “Countess Maritza,” conducted by Santa Fe general director John Crosby, will be performed Nov. 22-Dec. 7.

Led by Richard Hickox, “Salome” will be staged Jan. 15-31, 1998; it will be followed by “The Magic Flute,” conducted by Julius Rudel, Feb. 13-March 1, 1998. Conducted by Gabriele Ferro and directed by Stephen Lawless, “Il Trovatore” will conclude the season, April 25-May 13, 1998.

In addition to the operas, the company will present a recital by American basso Samuel Ramey, Feb. 12, 1998.