Senior Dress Rehearsals
SWEENEY TODD (Stephen Sondheim)
Thursday, Nov. 14th, 2019 - 11 AM
Everyone’s favorite diabolical barber comes to the Detroit Opera House, serving up Mrs. Lovett’s questionable pies and a large helping of satire. Follow the title character’s thrilling journey into insanity in the name of vengeance, challenging audiences not to cringe.
TOO HOT TO HANDEL
Friday, Dec. 13th, 2019 - 11 AM
The Detroit holiday tradition that is too hot to miss! This soul-stirring, toe-tapping rendition of Handel's Messiah, never fails to bring audiences to their feet. It's an exhilarating fusion of gospel, jazz, and classical music performed by the Rackham Choir, the Too Hot Orchestra, and an all-star cast of soloists. Co-produced with Rackham Choir.
GIANNI SCHICCHI (Giacomo Puccini)
Friday, Feb. 28th, 2020 - 11 AM
Wealthy Florentine Buoso Donati has just died but all his greedy relatives can think about is their neglect in his will. The tables turn with the help of the mischievous Gianni Schicchi but not in the way that they expect. Considered one of the funniest operas of all time, Gianni Schicchi is a dark farce based on a real story included in Dante’s Inferno. The opera includes some of Puccini’s best music, including the aria “O mio babbino caro.”
DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM
Friday, Mar. 13th, 2020 - 11 AM
Celebrating its golden anniversary, Dance Theatre of Harlem returns to the Detroit Opera House with a program showcasing 50 years of their commitment to access, opportunity and excellence. Using the language of ballet they celebrate African-American culture and bring new life to the art form. Audiences have come to love their thrilling performances that empower and inspire.
CHAMPION (Terence Blanchard)
Thursday, Mar. 26th, 2020 - 11 AM
Terence Blanchard’s “opera in jazz” makes its Detroit Opera House debut March 26. Based on the real story of prized fighter Emile Griffith, Champion is a reflection on the boxer’s life as he struggles with regret, prejudice and the fluidity of sexual and societal morality. Featuring opera star Denyce Graves, Champion is a self-reflective work not to be missed.
THE VERY LAST GREEN THING (Cary John Franklin)
Friday, Apr. 24th, 2020 - 11 AM
The Michigan Opera Theatre Children’s Chorus presents the futuristic story of Cary John Franklin’s The Very Last Green Thing. The year is 2413 where students are taught and raised by an android with rare opportunities to go “outside.” After encountering a time capsule from the early 21st century, the children find a withered plant and the secrets unlocked from the planet’s past.
PAGLIACCI (Ruggero Leoncavallo)
Thursday, May 7th, 2020 - 11 AM
Leoncavallo’s tragic tale of the tears of a clown. The audience favorite tells of a clown who becomes embroiled in a fatal love triangle. The first opera ever to be recorded in its entirety, Pagliacci, with its famous “Vesti la giubba” aria, was the first opera to sell a million copies.
