The Italian Cultural Institute of Washington, in collaboration with Washington Concert Opera (WCO), is pleased to offer an evening with Maestro Antony Walker, WCO Artistic Director & Conductor, as he leads us and Öznur Tülüoğlu, Soprano, Yi Li, Tenor, and David Hanlon, pianist for the evening and WCO Assistant Conductor & Chorus Master, in an evening dedicated to Italian composer Giacomo Puccini’s La Rondine.
The evening is a teaser to the Washington Concert Opera’s La Rondine scheduled to be performed on April 7, 2024, in the Lisner Auditorium. For more information about this event Click Here
To join us for the evening, a registration is required.
📍Embassy of Italy
3000 Whitehaven Street, NW
Washington, DC 20008
ABOUT THE OPERA
The year 2024 marks the 100th Anniversary of Puccini’s death. In celebration of his enduring legacy, WCO will present his gorgeous, moving La Rondine. The opera is notable as a lesser-known work among the composer’s tremendous output, largely due to the outbreak of World War I thwarting its originally intended premiere, plus the fact that no clear “final” performance version exists; Puccini penned three distinct versions with two different endings, but died before he could decide on his favorite. Even so, some of its arias persist in their broader popularity among discerning audiences, and thus, La Rondine as a whole has been saved from obscurity and returned to its rightful place among Puccini’s best.
ABOUT WASHINGTON CONCERT OPERA
Founded in 1986 by Stephen Crout, Washington Concert Opera (WCO) produces high quality, seldom performed masterpieces of the operatic repertoire in concert form. WCO has performed nearly 60 operas, with a roster of world-renowned artists and is committed to making opera vital and relevant for all audiences. It strives to become a nationally and internationally recognized opera company by making exceptional contributions to the field through its distinctive mission.
ABOUT THE MAESTRO
Maestro Antony Walker – Conductor
Maestro Antony Walker is Artistic Director and Conductor of Washington Concert Opera, Music Director of Pittsburgh Opera, and Conductor Emeritus of Pinchgut Opera in his native Sydney, Australia. He made his debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 2011 with Orfeo ed Euridice and since then has conducted The Barber of Seville, Les pêcheurs de perles, a Metropolitan Opera National Council Grand Finals concert, and most recently The Magic Flute. Other recent conducting appearances include Opera di Firenze (Semiramide), West Australian Opera (Le nozze di Figaro), North Carolina Opera (Manon Lescaut, Norma), Opera Australia (Carmen, Falstaff), Washington National Opera (Dialogues of the Carmelites), and many more. Remaining performances in 2023-2024 season include Iphigénie en Tauride and La Traviata (Pittsburgh Opera), and for Washington Concert Opera, Rossini’s Ermione and Puccini’s La Rondine.
ABOUT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Meg Sippey – Executive Director
Meg Sippey has over 20 years of experience in the artistic administration world including planning seasons, tours, and multi-faceted community collaborations with major orchestras and opera houses. In addition, she has extensive fundraising and marketing experience, having served in several senior level positions. Her love of working with artists stems even further back from her previous career as a professional flutist; originally starting on piano while also singing and touring with her church choir throughout high school. Meg holds degrees from Michigan State University and the Eastman School of Music.
ABOUT THE PERFORMERS
Öznur Tülüoğlu – Soprano
Praised for her “ravishing voice” and “compelling stage presence” Turkish-American soprano Öznur Tülüoğlu is establishing herself as a young, rising artist “destined for bigger things. Öznur’s current season showcases her versatility with roles such as Gilda at Mobile Opera, Young Alyce (Glory Denied) at Annapolis Opera, Aspasia (Mitridate) at Opera Neo, and Barbarina (Le Nozze di Figaro) at Annapolis Opera. Additionally, she performed at Washington National Opera to premiere the role of The Pigeon in Carlos Simon’s new children’s operetta, Don’t Let the Pigeon Sing Up Late! alongside Renée Fleming and Mo Willems. Öznur has achieved recognition as a finalist in the esteemed competitions; Jensen Foundation, Opera Mississippi, John Alexander National Vocal Competition, and Music International Grand Prix. Recently, she was awarded the encouragement award from The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Colorado-Wyoming district. Öznur will join Chautauqua Opera as an Apprentice Artist this summer in a triple bill, taking on the roles of Young Woman in A.E Reverie, Camila in Pepito, and Sandman in Hansel and Gretel. She will also appear as the Soprano Soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Chautauqua Symphony.
Yi Li – Tenor
Proving himself a formidable talent and a rising star to watch in the opera world, Tenor Yi Li is quickly gaining attention across the globe. Recently, Li débuted the role of Cheng Quing in Meredith Monk’s ATLAS with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and moved into bigger repertoire – débuting the role of Dick Johnson in La fanciulla del West in Maryland Lyric Opera’s inaugural season. Mr. Li subsequently returned there as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor and Turridu/Luigi in Il tabarro/ Cavalleria rusticana, as well as The Metropolitan Opera as the Young Lover in Il tabarro. Last season, Li returned to Maryland Lyric Opera as Fenton in Falstaff and Cassio in Otello, performed as a soloist in Tan Dun’s Buddha Passion with the Seattle Symphony, rejoined the China Now Music Festival in partnership with Bard College, sang Handel’s Messiah with the Naples Philharmonic, and Luigi in Il tabarro with On Site Opera. This season’s engagements include Canio in Pagliacci and a return to the role of Rodolfo in La bohème with Hawaii Opera Theatre.
David Hanlon – Piano
David Hanlon is a composer, conductor, and pianist who is currently writing The Pigeon Keeperwith librettist Stephanie Fleischmann, commissioned by the Opera For All Voices consortium led by Santa Fe Opera. David’s last collaboration with Stephanie was the chamber opera After the Storm, whose premiere he conducted at Houston Grand Opera (HGO). David has often written work for HGO, including the chamber opera Past the Checkpoints, about undocumented immigrants; chamber vocal piece The Ninth November I Was Hiding, about his grandfather’s arrest during Kristallnacht; and Power, based on a text by a high-schooler about bullying. Wolf Trap Opera collaborations include the recent premiere of his orchestration of Pauline Viardot’s Cendrillon, the performance of his commissioned children’s opera Listen, Wilhelmina!, and Texanische Liebeslieder, co-written with Kathleen Kelly and based on oral histories of German immigration to Texas. David is also a conductor of new works, most recently for the world premiere of El Milagro del Recuerdo at Houston Grand Opera, which he also co-arranged. Previously, David made his debut at Chicago Opera Theatre conducting Weisman/Cote’s The Scarlet Ibis. Among other world premieres, David has long been associated with mariachi operas Cruzar la cara de la luna (World premiere and recording; revivals in Houston, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Diego Opera, Arizona Opera, and New York City Opera) and El Pasado Nunca Se Termina (World premiere at Lyric Opera of Chicago; revivals at San Diego, HGO, and Fort Worth). In addition to his commissioned work at HGO, David has conducted Gregory Spears’ The Bricklayer, Jack Perla’s River of Light, and Jeeyoung Kim’s From My Mother’s Mother.
