In the News

September 11, 2013 (Barbara Rose Shuler )

That rascal Don Giovanni has arrived in Carmel Valley! Mozart's extraordinary opera based on the escapades of the infamous seducer Don Juan opens Thursday at Hidden Valley Music Seminars.

"Don Giovanni" makes ideal late-summer fare with its gorgeous music set to the libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte blending serious and comic moments in a fast-paced account of the notorious womanizer.

Hidden Valley Opera Ensemble, which produced this opera in 1974, brings back the ensemble's co-founder, Robert Darling as designer and director.

Maestro Stewart Robertson conducts and Roy Malan returns as the concertmaster. A young professional international cast has been gathered for the opera, which will will be sung in English in a translation by W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman.

Baritone Gregory Gerbrandt returns to Hidden Valley to sing the title role. He appeared in the company's 2011 production of "Gift of the Magi."

Gerbrandt has toured internationally, including performances at the Fundaci-n Teatro Nacional Sucre in Quito, Ecuador as Riff in "West Side Story," and as Theo in the world premiere of Kamran Ince's "Judgment of Midas" with the Bilkent Symphony/American Opera Projects in New York City.

Igor Vieira sings Leporello, Don Giovanni's servant. Vieira has professionally performed 71 different operatic roles with companies including the San Francisco Opera, the Teatro Municipal of Rio de Janeiro, Opera du Villecroze (France,) Lyric Opera of Kansas City,

Center City Opera, Teatro Barakaldo (Spain,) among others. German-American soprano Jennifer Jakob appears as Donna Anna.

Hailed for her "soaring" vocals and "attractive stage presence," Jakob is a veteran of the Verbier Festival Academy in Switzerland and has appeared in the role of Susanna in Mozart's "Le nozze di Figaro."

She has sung with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and apprenticed in Verdi'a "La Traviata," conducted by Frédéric Chaslin at Santa Fe Opera.

American soprano Anna Noggle sings Donna Elvira, a performer with a dramatic stage presence and "powerful rich voice."

The New York Times described her recent portrayal of the Governess in Britten's "The Turn of the Screw" at Symphony Space as "riveting" and vocally "superb."

Noggle has previously performed as Donna Elvira in "Don Giovanni" as well as other Mozartean roles in various internaitional prouctions. Zachary Engle is Don Octavio. Zerlina and Mazetto are sung by Nora Graham-Smith and Ryan Bradford with Art Schuller in the role of the Commendatore.

Performances start at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Saturday and Thursday, Sept. 19, and Friday, Sept. 20. Matinee performances take place at 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, Sept. 15 and 22. For more informaiton call 659-3115.