For the Israeli Opera, the show must go on
The Israeli Opera has announced its 2020- 21 season program, adjusted to meet requirements of the current pandemic.
“We are ready to open the season with a special program composed of premieres of beloved opera hits, as well as original productions with Israel’s most prominent creators and soloists, and with an outline that will ensure our audiences safety, as well as the safety of our musicians. Now all we are waiting for is a government approval of our plan so we can open our doors to the public,” said Israeli Opera general manager Zach Granit.
In the program for the upcoming year are new productions of Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore; Carlo Menotti’s The Medium; Bellini’s I Capuleti ed i Montecchi ( Romeo and Juliet); and Rossini’s L’Italiana in Algeri.
Two new Israeli works, commissioned by the Israeli Opera will premiere in the new season: Mothers ( Imahot), an original opera by David Sebbah, together with the opera’s solo singers and actresses from the Gesher Theater; and Hanoch Levin in the Opera, sketches and songs by Levin set to music by five Israeli composers.
Granit also said that after seven months of idly sitting at home, the singers, musicians, producers, dress- makers, light workers, sound people and everyone involved in the intricate productions are all aching to return to work, and are waiting for the government to give them the green light to reopen according to the outlines set in September.
As part of the new plan, based on experience gathered in the last year, the productions will be short with no intermissions, a limited number of participants, no choir and a reduced orchestra. In the first phase, the opera will conduct small productions in front of small crowds seated on the stage, with social distancing.
Dates for the productions will be announced as soon as restrictions on gatherings are lifted.