Opera tour Teatro Lirico D’Europa returns to Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre to perform ‘Rigoletto’ on Oct. 21
From a press release:
Opera tour Teatro Lirico D’Europa returns to the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre with Giuseppe Verdi’s popular Italian opera “Rigoletto” on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets are on sale now and available at the Kirby Center box office (71 Public Square, Wilkes-Barre), online at kirbycenter.org, and by phone at 570-826-1100. All seats are just $10, plus applicable fees, thanks to underwriting from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.
Composed in 1851, “Rigoletto” is an intriguing study of the contrasts between good and evil. Destinies collide as the womanizing Duke of Mantua and his vengeful court jester Rigoletto weave a fascinating drama of seduction, betrayal, curses, and vendettas, ending with the tragic death of an innocent young woman.
Teatro Lirico D’Europa was created in 1988 by the late Yves Josse, a former ballet divo and brilliant French arts promoter, and Giorgio Lalov, a young Bulgarian opera singer who made his debut at Teatro alla Scala in Milan at the age of 25 while participating in Scala’s famous international training program for young singers.
The collaboration between Josse and Lalov was a huge success in a very short time, resulting in tours with over 250 performances a season throughout France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Sicily, and Portugal, including performances at Salle Pleyel in Paris, Okinawa Performing Arts Center, Teatro Atlantida in Barcelona, Salida de La Compania and Teatro Cervantes in Madrid, Teatro Lope de Vega in Seville, and others.
From the very beginning, the company established itself as highly competent in delivering traditional, full-scale productions featuring a large orchestra and chorus, and professional opera singers who performed at the top national theatres in their native countries. The unusual chemistry of the company proved to be very popular with European audiences. Teatro Lirico D’Europa had completed over 2,000 performances worldwide at the time of Josse’s passing in 1995.
1995 marked a new beginning for Teatro Lirico D’Europa. Lalov shifted his focus from touring in Europe to touring in the United States. Teatro Lirico D’Europa had developed a firm history of success with a huge portfolio of hundreds of rave reviews for full scale opera productions that have been presented all over Europe at 180 different venues. The company also has a fine collection of outstanding, professionally mastered live CD recordings.
