Dallas Opera dives into dramatic new season with world premiere and big artist debuts

SEASON ANNOUNCEMENT

Photo by Philip Groshong/Cincinnati Opera

Dallas Opera fans who've been waiting for the 2023-24 season announcement now have plenty to applaud: The DO's 66th mainstage season will feature a highly anticipated world premiere, plus three new-to-Dallas productions, big artist debuts, some annual family favorites, and the return of live-streaming.

"We are thrilled to bring three new-to-Dallas productions and a long-awaited world premiere to our audiences, both near and far, in the 2023/2024 Mainstage Season," says General Director and CEO Ian Derrer in a March 16 release.

Giacomo Puccini’s Tosca will open the season in dramatic fashion, featuring the debut of Joseph Calleja and his “honey-tone tenor” (as dubbed by The New York Times). Alongside Calleja as the lovesick namesake of the production is Ewa Płonka. Conspiratorial Scarpia will be played by Gihoon Kim, 2021’s Cardiff Singer of the World.

The director of the high drama (in his company debut) is Andrew Nienaber, alongside Dallas Opera Orchestra and Chorus music director Emmanuel Villaume. Sets and costumes are designed by Robert Perdziola. The production is by the Cincinnati Opera with original direction by Jose Maria Condemi. Tosca will run October 13, 15 (matinee), 18, and 21, 2023.

Following Tosca is the world premiere of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, led by Grammy-Award winner Lucas Meachem as Jean-Dominique Bauby. The star-studded cast is complete with mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke, tenor Richard Croft, soprano Deanna Breiwick, bass Kevin Burdette, soprano Andriana Chuchman, and tenor Andrew Bidlack.

"The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is the remarkable true story of a man whose determination leads to one of the most poignant memoirs ever written,” says Derrer in the release. “We are honored to bring this story to our stage for the first time anywhere.”

This based-on-a-true-story tale is composed by Joby Talbot and directed by Leonard Foglia, with Villaume conducting the orchestra. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly will run November 3, 5 (matinee), 8, and 11, 2023.

Villaume says that conducting this world premiere production is an “extraordinary and rare opportunity.”

In a glorious return after a quarter century, Richard Strauss’ Elektrawill take the stage for the second time in Dallas Opera history. The Opera’s 2002 Vocal Competition winner Marjorie Owens will make her debut in the titular role, with “operatic superstar” Denyce Graves also making her debut as Klytämnestra. Additional co-stars include soprano Angela Meade as Chrysothemis, Alfred Walker debuting as Orest, and company favorite Clifton Forbis as Aegisth.

Nick Sandys is making his company debut as director, Villaume as conductor, and costumes by John Macfarlane. Elektra runs February 9, 11 (matinee), 14, and 17, 2024.

A timeless, romantic classic will debut two of the most anticipated leads this season: tenor Long Long and soprano Golda Schultz as star-crossed lovers in Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet. In his Dallas Opera return, the legendary Donnie Ray Albert will star as Lord Capulet.

This new-to-Dallas performance is co-produced alongside the Houston Grand Opera and Atlanta Opera. Nicole Paiement will conduct the orchestra and chorus while Romain Gilbert makes his Dallas Opera directorial debut. It runs March 1, 3 (matinee), 6, and 9, 2024.

The final performances of all four mainstage shows will be livestreamed by the Dallas Opera on a “pay-what-you-can” basis.

"In an exciting continuation from last season, we will livestream the last performance of all four mainstage productions," says Derrer. "Our commitment to bringing world-class opera to audiences, wherever they may be, is as strong as ever. Making these performances available on a pay-what-you’re-able basis keeps our artform accessible to all viewers."

Familiar favorites making a return to the Dallas Opera’s 66th season include the annual free People’s Choice Concert on October 7 at 7:30 pm and the Robert E. and Jean Ann Titus Family Recital on Sunday, January 24, 2024 at 2 pm.

The Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors Showcase Concert will take place on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at 7:30 pm. It is the only program of its kind globally that highlights gender imbalances of leadership and advocates for women conductors worldwide.

Family Shows are also returning in the fall and spring of 2023-24 with The Billy Goats Gruff (October 14, 2023 and March 10, 2024) and Pépito(November 12, 2023 and March 2, 2024).

The National Vocal Competition will make its return this season, with finalists set to compete on March 8, 2024 at 7:30 pm.

Subscriptions will be available on Wednesday, April 19 with packages starting at $89 for all four operas. Single tickets go on sale Friday, July 21. The Opera’s newest membership initiative, Crescendo, is in its second season and is currently accepting new membership registrations ($60). The program includes two complimentary tickets for the upcoming season with additional discounts, special event invitations, and more.

More information about the Dallas Opera’s 2023-24 season and tickets can be found on their website.

Ad Placement 300x100

Ad Placement 300x600

CultureMap Emails are Awesome

Property Showcase

44 new Dallas debutantes begin Presentation Ball prep with glam parties and glorious gowns

Meet the DSOL debs

With the start of summer vacation came the beginning of the 2023-2024 Dallas Symphony Orchestra League debutante season - even though it seems like just yesterday that the 2023 debs were Texas-dipping into society.

The DSOL introduced 44 new debs during Announcement Weekend festivities, May 18-20, in Dallas. Their parties, philanthropy, and training will culminate with the 38th Presentation Ball on February 10, 2024.

The mega-weekend began with the Announcement Party, emceed by Stan Gardner, at Dallas Country Club on the evening of Thursday, May 18. The next day, a deb and Honor Guard family dinner was held at the El Fenix downtown. Stanley Korshak hosted a couture gown show at the Bridal Salon on Saturday morning, May 20, and Patti Flowers Design Studio presented custom gowns that afternoon. (Per tradition, each deb will wear a white ballgown to her Presentation Ball.)

The 2024 Presentation Ball is under the guidance of chair Kristin Cordiak and DSOL President Nancy Labadie. Both women will lend special expertise to this year's debs: Kristin’s daughter Bronwyn made her debut in 2018 and her son Newt was an Honor Guard this year. Nancy was Ball Chair in 2016 and her son Will was an Honor Guard in 2015. Her daughter-in-law Lizzie was a debutante in 2013.

"The Dallas Symphony Orchestra League Presentation Ball has celebrated music and family for 38 years,” says Cordiak, adding that the 2024 debs "each add to the beautiful tapestry of the event as they embark on a lifelong journey of philanthropy.”

Now, for the most important part. The 2024 debutantes are: Helena Breland Bach; Erika Mae Batson; Mia Lane Blanton; Claire Elise Cahoon; Ellie McClain Gidden; Ripley Elizabeth Cooley; Kennedy Claire Downing; Electra Wallace Ford; Sarah Rose Gambrell; Catherine Lee Grayson; Camille Anne Greening; Meredith Elizabeth Hallam; Grace Soleil Handler; Caroline Parker Hart; Catherine Bradford Hunt; Isabella Ann Jackson; Ashley Elizabeth Jaynes; Ellen Taylor Jones; Minje Kwun; Emannuelle Grace Le Voyer; Claire Michael Levy; Riya Kaur Luthra; Elizabeth Myers Madison; Avery Pilar Moore; Finley Elizabeth Nelson; Day Gilmer Nettle; Lillian Susan Nettle; Mina Hiranmayee Raj; Bailey Erin Robirds; Courtenay Christianson Sands, Kathryn Bunker Sands; Caroline Robertson Smith; Sheridan Michelle Spencer; Caroline Story Stiles; Leslie Katherine Swango; Caroline Parker Teegarden; Payton Grace Thurman; Megan McKamy Dyer Underwood; Lauren Alexis Watkins; Charlotte Nicole Webb; Kelley Caroline Wheeler; Abigail Archer Willingham; Claire Anh Wooley; and Sophia Corina Yung.

Honor Guard officers presenting the debutantes for the Announcement Party were Conner Olson, John Liptack, Matthew Melcher, Eric Hirschbrich, Nicholas Arnold, Philip Jenevein, Wyatt Awtrey, Vance Miller, Thomas Liu, and Stefan Fischer.

Debs' parents and other relatives in attendance at the launch events included Laura and Jason Downing (whose daughter Kennedy is the third debutante in the family making her debut); The Hon. and Mrs. Alphonso Jackson, John and Kristina Hallam, Dena and Vaughn Miller, Elizabeth and Eric Gambrell, Cameron and Clay Smith, Suzanne and Adam Stiles, Kathryn Wheeler, Kelli and Gerald Ford, Gayle Sands, and many more.

The Assembly, a group of former debutantes who assist the Symphony League by helping with event arrangements throughout the season, was represented by Perrin Griffin, Bronwyn Cordiak, Allie McWhorter, Katie Kottwitz, Emily Stone Young, Ava Heppner, Maddy Duvall, Maddi Hendrick, and Samantha Sullivan.

The presentation of Dallas Symphony debutantes is a time-honored tradition for many of Dallas' most influential and philanthropic families. The debs are of college age and typically are graduates of Dallas-area high schools, but may be attending college out of the area.

Participation is open to all young women. Much like a sorority, participants pay fees and participate in parties, fundraisers, classes, and other events throughout the year, all leading up to the Presentation Ball.

The Presentation Ball, which was first held in 1987, is the largest fundraiser for the DSOL. Over $15 million has been raised for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra through the annual black- or white-tie event.

Founded in 1946, the DSOL's mission is to support the Dallas Symphony Orchestra through service, education and fundraising activities. Since 1998 the League has contributed over $22 million in support of the DSO's many community initiatives.

Photo by James French

Debutante Lauren Watkins (center) with grandparents Alphonso and Marcia Jackson

Plano makes top 5 on list of best cities in the U.S. to raise a family

List News

A study proves what Plano residents already know: that the Collin County city is one of the best places to raise a family.

The list of "2023’s Best & Worst Places to Raise a Family," done by personal financial website WalletHub, ranks Plano in the top five cities, as follows:

1. Fremont, California
2. Overland Park, Kansas
3. Irvine, California
4. Plano, Texas
5. South Burlington, Vermont

WalletHub compared 182 cities across the U.S., using five criteria: Family Fun, Health & Safety, Education & Child Care, Affordability, and Socio-economics.

Plano earned high marks for its socioeconomics (factors like divorce rate, unemployment, and home foreclosures), health & safety (factors such as air quality, number of pediatricians, and access to healthy food), and affordability.

The results of this latest 2023 survey are similar to one conducted in 2022, with four of the five top cities, including Plano, returning to make the list again this year.

WalletHub is not alone in its admiration of Plano; a similar study by StorageCafe in 2022 ranked Plano the No. 1 city in the U.S. to raise a family, with excellent public schools, reasonable cost of living, fantastic parks system, and safe and clean environment being cited as factors.

Plano is the highest ranking city Texas on the WalletHub list, but 15 other Texas cities also get a mention, including six other DFW-area cities: Grand Prairie (No. 51), Irving (No. 85), Fort Worth (No. 90), Arlington (97), Garland (98), and Dallas (138).

Largest pickleball tournament is coming to Rockwall with coverage on TV

Pickleball News

A pickleball tournament is coming to town that will draw some of the biggest names in the field, as well as coverage on TV.

It's the Selkirk Texas Open, a professional and amateur pickleball tournament hosted by the Carvana PPA Tour that'll feature more than 1,500 registered athletes and welcome thousands of spectators and fans.

The tournament takes place at the Oasis Pickleball Club in Rockwall, at 5757 State Hwy 205, on June 1-4 from 10 am-6 pm. The 2023 event marks the fourth year PPA Tour returns to Rockwall.

The Selkirk Texas Open is positioned not only as the largest PPA Tour event in the history of pickleball, but also the largest pickleball tournament ever held in Texas. Much large.

This event is the first time that the PPA Tour has partnered with USA Pickleball, pickleball’s governing body, on a Golden Ticket Event.

Golden Tickets provide entry to the USA Pickleball National Championships, the crown jewel of pickleball competition, which will take place in Texas November 4-12, 2023 and host nearly 5,000 registered players.

Texas is practically Pickleball Central; it's home to more professional players than any other state, including Ben Johns, Riley Newman, Collin Johns, Lea Jansen, Vivienne David, Julian Arnold, Lauren Stratman, Dekel Bar, DJ Young, Zane Navratil, Lina Padegimaite, and Thomas Wilson.

Some of those players including world’s top male and female pros, including Ben Johns (Men’s No. 1), and Anna Leigh Waters (Women’s No. 1), Riley Newman (Men’s No. 2), and Anna Bright (Women’s No. 2), will be competing in this event.

They'll face off against pros from Russia, Slovakia, France, Germany, Israel, Mexico, and Canada. This pickleball thing has gone international.

They'll be competing for a total of $238,314 in prize money.

Aside from the massive influx of pickleball players and the sheer pickleball momentum, the tournament will also be covered on ESPN and CBS Sports. Major big deal. Also an opportunity to get yourself on TV even if it would only be a tiny speck in the audience sea.

View All Listings