2023-2024 Season Announcement

Opera Las Vegas announces its milestone 25^th Anniversary Season, led off by the World Premiere of a comic opera, Behold the Man, with music by Paul Fowler and libretto by Andrew Flack.

General Director, Jim Sohre notes “Although our company has presented a number of West Coast Premieres of several other recent works, it is tremendously exciting to be entrusted to create and present our first World Premiere. We are exuberant that Paul and Drew entrusted us with this notable debut, and it is certainly a bang-up start to our landmark celebration. ”

The true story of the opera’s plot relays the well-intended “restoration” of a historic fresco of Christ in the tiny town of Borja, Spain, during which an octogenarian amateur artist feels called by God to freshen up the town’s lone cultural asset. When Cecilia Giménez badly botched the unremarkable “Behold the Man” image, the unimaginably bad results commanded international attention, provoking a widely shared meme, and generating intense tourist interest along with newly found money for Borja.

The creators will be in attendance at the two performances at the College of Southern Nevada’s Horn Theatre, on 30 September at 7:30 pm and 1 October at 2:00 pm. Although the now-famous Cecilia is too frail to attend, her niece  Marisa Ibáñez will travel from Spain to represent the family and town.

The OLV season is always anchored by a classic, and this year is no exception.  On 7 and 9 June 2024, Opera Las Vegas will return to its spring home at the Judy Bayley Theatre on the campus of the university of Nevada Las Vegas, for one of the most popular operas of all time, Giacomo Puccini’s immortal masterpiece, La bohème.

This world-famous opera contains some of the most beautiful and tuneful music of all time, and the tale of ill-fated lovers never fails to move audiences to fall in love with it all over again.  The basis for the story found additional popularity and resonance in the musical, Rent, but nothing can eclipse the enduring appeal of Puccini’s original magnum opus.

Both of these staged productions will be conducted by award-winning Music Director Joshua Horsch, leading the cast and members of the Las Vegas Philharmonic in the pit. Maestro Horsch, who is now in his fifth season with the company said: “We’re thrilled to present our 25^th anniversary season to Las Vegas audiences featuring one of the most beloved operas of all time alongside the world premiere of a terrific new comic opera. Our audiences can look forward to world-class singing supported by the wonderful musicians from our partners at the Las Vegas Philharmonic.”

In between these two Main Stage events, there are plentiful and diverse performances on the docket. For elegant outings you’ll want to save-the-date for Pasta and Puccini, a mini gala featuring popular opera selections and fine food at Monzú Italian Oven and Bar on 25 October 2023; and a special 25^th Anniversary Salute at Myron’s Cabaret Jazz, The Smith Center on 10 March 2024.

A unique partnership for Celebración Latina - A Mariachi Fiesta will find OLV collaborating with the College of Southern Nevada's Award-winning Mariachi Plata, at the Horn Theatre for a festive presentation of traditional music and Zarzuela on 18 February 2024. 

Opera on  Wheels programming will once again feature free outreach show in diverse demographics, including: 

- Voices Raised for Vets, opera, operetta, and musical comedy selections by and about soldier characters, in honor of those who served and those who serve, at Winchester Dondero Cultural Center, 9 November 2023.

- Holiday on Broadway, seasonal tunes (some famous, some not), excerpted from stage shows, at Windmill Library, 16 December 2023.

- Opera Legends in Black, a tribute concert applauding celebrated African American opera stars and composers, who achieved great accomplishments in challenging times, West Charleston Library, 20 January 2024.

- Opera with Class educational initiatives will include ongoing programming of O is for Opera in area schools, and a young family friendly opera tour (grown-ups like it, too!) of John Davies’ The Billy Goats Gruff, now being scheduled between 4-12 May 2024.

If that were not yet an embarrassment of riches, Mark Shunock’s prestigious Mondays Dark fund-raising series at the popular music venue, The Space, has selected Opera Las Vegas as one of its non-profit beneficiaries at their event on 20 November 2023.

This Silver Anniversary Season aspires to provide the Silver State with a schedule of professional events committed to fulfilling Opera Las Vegas’ motto:  Enthralling Stories. Exhilarating Music. Exquisite Singing. For more information and tickets, please visit:  www.operalasvegas.com