Opera in the Park
Saturday, July 23 at 8pm | Garner Park
Free
Join us to celebrate the power of community connection through beautiful performances, beautiful music, and a beautiful night. Opera in the Park is the very definition of what Madison Opera means to our community. Garner Park fills with music, as our soloists share their favorite opera and musical theater numbers. As the night goes on, the stars come out in the sky, and light sticks come out in the audience.
Starring:
Soprano Vanessa Becerra, mezzo-soprano Margaret Gawrysiak, tenor Limmie Pulliam, and baritone Michael Adams
The Madison Opera Chorus and Madison Symphony Orchestra
Conducted by John DeMain
Repertoire will be announced in June.
Garner Park opens at 7am on the day of the concert. Blankets, chairs, food, and beverages are allowed.
Note: As of April 10, Opera in the Park 2022 is scheduled as normal. Should public health conditions dictate, we will make appropriate changes and post updates on this webpage.
Prelude Dinner
The closest you can get to the stars under the night sky! Support Opera in the Park by joining us for a special Prelude Dinner on Saturday, July 23, 2022 (rain date of July 24) in Garner Park. Attendees receive a dinner catered by Upstairs Downstairs Catering, wine and beer, VIP seating at the concert, complimentary glow sticks, and an invitation to an artist’s reception following the concert.
Beverage service for the evening will begin at 6pm in the white tent next to the stage, with dinner served promptly at 6:30pm. The performance will begin at 8pm.
Opera in the Park
Saturday, July 23 at 8 PM
Garner Park
FREE
(rain date July 24)
Cast
Vanessa Becerra
Soprano
Madison Opera Debut
Recently: Noémie, Cendrillon (Metropolitan Opera); Alicia Hernández, Rise (Washington National Opera); Marzelline, Fidelio (Austin Opera); Rosina, The Barber of Seville (Intermountain Opera Bozeman); Ópera Afuera (Minnesota Opera); Entre Amigos (Ft. Worth Opera)
Upcoming: Belle, La Belle et La Bete (Opera Parallele); Marie, The Daughter of the Regiment (Minnesota Opera)
Margaret Gawrysiak
Mezzo-Soprano
Madison Opera Debut
Recently: Madame Larina, Eugene Onegin (Seattle Opera, Atlanta Opera); Older Woman, Flight (Seattle Opera); Marcellina, The Marriage of Figaro (Opera Colorado); Old Lady, Candide (Ravinia Festival)
Upcoming: Marcellina, The Marriage of Figaro (Madison Opera)
Limmie Pulliam
Tenor
Madison Opera Debut
Recently: Manrico, Il Trovatore (Los Angeles Opera); Turiddu, Cavalleria Rusticana (Vashon Opera); Otello, Otello (Livermore Valley Opera, Cleveland Orchestra); Soloist, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (Memphis Symphony)
Upcoming: Otello, Otello (Cleveland Orchestra); Prince, Rusalka (Portland Opera)
Michael Adams
Baritone
Madison Opera Debut
Recently: Sharpless, Madama Butterfly (Dallas Opera); Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro (Austin Opera); The Count / The Herald, Der Schatzgräber (Deutsche Oper Berlin); Figaro, The Barber of Seville (Utah Opera); Belcore, The Elixir of Love (Seattle Opera)
Upcoming: Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro (Madison Opera)
John DeMain
Conductor
Madison Opera Debut: The Magic Flute (1995)
Recently at MO: Orpheus in the Underworld, She Loves Me, Fellow Travelers, La Traviata
Recently: Blue (Glimmerglass Festival); Candide (Gran Teatre de Liceu); Porgy and Bess (Seattle Opera)
Upcoming: Salome, Trouble in Tahiti / The Seven Deadly Sins (Madison Opera)
The History of Opera in the Park
Opera in the Park 2021
Saturday, July 24, 2021 – 8pm
Garner Park
Kyle Ketelsen – bass/baritone
Amanda Majeski – soprano
Stephanie Rhodes Russell – conductor
Andrew Stenson – tenor
Rehanna Thelwell – mezzo-soprano
Suzanne Beia – violin
Xavier Pleindoux – violin
Christopher Dozoryst – viola
Karl Lavine – cello
David Scholl – bass
Stephanie Jutt – flute
Marc Fink – oboe
JJ Koh – clarinet
Cynthia Cameron – bassoon
Linda Kimball – French horn
Ricardo Almeida – French horn
Nick Bonaccio – percussion
Johanna Weinholts – harp
Scott Gendel – keyboard
Anthony Cao – keyboard
Digital Opera in the Park 2020
Saturday, July 25, 2020 – 8pm
Available Online
Andres Acosta- tenor
Jasmine Habersham – soprano
Weston Hurt – baritone
Karen Slack – soprano
Suzanne Beia – violin
John DeMain – piano
Scott Gendel – piano
Madison Opera Chorus
Anthony Cao – piano, chorusmaster
Guest Pianists: Rolando Salazar, Bethany Self, Laura Ward, Marika Yasuda
Opera in the Park 2019
Sunday, July 21, 2019 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
David Blalock- tenor
Ben Edquist – baritone
Jeni Houser – soprano
Michele Johnson – soprano
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2018
Saturday, July 21, 2018 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by Gary Thor Wedow
Elizabeth Caballero – soprano
Levi Hernandez – baritone
John Lindsey – tenor
Brenda Rae – soprano
with
Anthony Cao – baritone
Anna Parks – mezzo-soprano
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2017
Saturday, July 22, 2017 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by Joseph Mechavich
Will Liverman – baritone
Cecilia Violetta Lopez – soprano
David Walton – tenor
Adriana Zabala – mezzo-soprano
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2016
Sunday, July 24, 2016 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by Gary Thor Wedow
Emily Birsan – soprano
Angela Brown – soprano
Sidney Outlaw – baritone
Scott Quinn – tenor
with
Kelsey Parks – mezzo-soprano
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2015
Saturday, July 25, 2015 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Meredith Arwady – contralto
Eleni Calenos – soprano
Kyle Ketelsen – bass-baritone
Anna Laurenzo – mezzo-soprano
Harold Meers – tenor
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2014
Saturday, July 26, 2014 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Wallis Giunta – mezzo-soprano
Jamie-Rose Guarrine – soprano
Kelly Markgraf – baritone
Sean Panikkar – tenor
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2013
Saturday, July 13, 2013 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Caitlin Cisler – soprano
Nmon Ford – baritone
Brian Jagde – tenor
Alexandra LoBianco – soprano
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Youth Choirs
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2012
Saturday, July 21, 2012 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by Gary Thor Wedow
Matt Boehler – bass
Emily Fons – mezzo-soprano
Caitlin Lynch – soprano
Russell Thomas – tenor
with
Caitlin Cisler – soprano
Alan Dunbar – baritone
Heath Rush – tenor
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2011
Saturday, July 16, 2010 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Maria Kanyova – soprano
Daniela Mack – mezzo-soprano
Scott Ramsay – tenor
Hyung Yun – baritone
with
Gregory Brumfield – baritone
Saira Frank – soprano
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Roderick Dixon – tenor
Anya Matanovic – soprano
Barbara Shirvis – soprano
Stephen Powell – baritone
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Youth Choirs
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Lisa Daltrius – soprano
Adam Diegel – tenor
Jennifer Holloway – mezzo-soprano
Timothy Kuhn – baritone
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Kendall Gladen – mezzo-soprano
Bryan Hymel – tenor
Luis Ledesma – baritone
Melody Moore – soprano
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Elizabeth Caballero – soprano
Stephen Costello – tenor
Lester Lynch – baritone
Leah Partridge – soprano
with
Heath Rush – tenor
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2006
Saturday, July 22, 2006 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Kristin Chávez – mezzo-soprano
Eric Fennell – tenor
Dina Kuznetsova – soprano
Guido LeBron – baritone
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2005
Saturday, July 16, 2005 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Donnie Ray Albert – baritone
Elena Bocharova – mezzo-soprano
Kyle Ketelsen – bass-baritone
Ted Lee – tenor
Barbara Quintiliani – soprano
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2004
Saturday, July 17, 2004 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by Steven White
Elizabeth Futral – soprano
Kyle Ketelsen – bass-baritone
Malcolm MacKenzie – baritone
Scott Piper – tenor
Jennifer Rivera – mezzo-soprano
with
David Wallach – tenor
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2003
Saturday, July 19, 2003 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by Steven White
Thomas Barrett – baritone
Paula Delligatti – soprano
Angela Horn – mezzo-soprano
Andrew Richards – tenor
with
Bert Adams – bass
John Green – baritone
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
Opera in the Park 2002
Saturday, July 20, 2002 – 8pm
Garner Park
Conducted by John DeMain
Robin Follman – soprano
Sari Gruber – soprano
Angela Horn – mezzo-soprano
Kyle Ketelsen – bass-baritone
Malcom MacKenzie – baritone
Andrew Richards – tenor
with
Madison Opera Chorus
Madison Symphony Orchestra
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