Opera aficianados, start your engines.
Austin Opera returns to live performance with a fully-staged production of Puccini’s “Tosca” at the massive Germania Insurance Amphitheater at Circuit of the Americas, the city’s Formula 1 racetrack.
Two performance of the opera classic will be staged at the 6700-seat amphitheater April 29 and May 1.
The sheer scale of the outdoor venue will allow for ample socially distant seating with every other row left empty and at least two seats between groups, organizers say. And per stage technician union agreements and artist contracts, masks will be required throughout the venue.
Importantly, the massive outdoor production will employ more than 125 local artists and stage crew many of whom have been out of work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Austin Opera artist director Timothy Myers will conduct a full orchestra and chorus.
“We are so excited to return to our central mission of providing a fantastic live music experience to the people of Austin, and we are proud to give employment to the many hard-working musicians and artisans and stage personnel who are part of our artistic family,” says Austin Opera General Director and CEO Annie Burridge. “We are working closely with local officials to ensure a safe and healthy experience for people on both sides of the curtain.”
All ticket holders will need to complete a pre-performance health questionnaire prior to arrival. At the ticket gates, patrons will be subject to temperature checks, security screening, and bag check, pursuant with the venue’s entry policies.
Austin Opera has found inventive ways to present opera during the pandemic. This past summer, it began producing film versions of short, contemporary operas which were screened at the indie Blue Starlite Drive-in theaters, including at a pop-up location on top of downtown parking garage.
In the upcoming production, soprano Latonia Moore will sing the role of the fiery diva Tosca. A native of Houston, Moore has recently sung Tosca at Washington National Opera, Opera Australia, and in Rouen, France. Tenor Adam Smith makes his role debut as the heroic Cavaradossi, and baritone Aleksey Bogdanov is the evil Scarpia. The stage director is David Lefkowich.
Tickets begin at $39. See austinopera.org/opera/tosca
