Lamorinda residents can catch a professional opera performance for free when Festival Opera stages Donizetti's comic classic "The Elixir of Love" at Orinda Community Park on Thursday, July 23.
The show starts at 6 p.m. and runs about 90 minutes. No tickets required.
The Walnut Creek-based nonprofit is marking its 35th anniversary season with the outdoor production, part of its annual "Opera in the Parks" series. The performance is sung in Italian in a family-friendly abridged format, according to a BroadwayWorld announcement published June 26.
Zachary Gordin, Festival Opera's general and artistic director, will direct and narrate the show. Longtime company pianist Chun Mei Wilson provides the musical accompaniment.
"These free outdoor performances provide a wonderful entrée for people of all ages to experience the joy of live opera in a welcoming setting, whether they are longtime opera lovers or discovering the art form for the very first time," Gordin said in the June 26 announcement.
The cast features soprano Marielle Leiboff as Adina and tenor Spencer Greene as Nemorino, joined by baritone Liam Daley as Sergeant Belcore, baritone Igor Vieira as the traveling "doctor" Dulcamara, and soprano Rachel Nelson as Gianetta. The story follows a shy villager who buys a supposed love potion to win over the woman he adores, with comic misunderstandings piling up before a happy ending.
The opera includes the famous tenor aria "Una furtiva lagrima" and is one of the most frequently performed operas in the world.
Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs, and a picnic. Food trucks will be on site, and wine is welcome, according to the Moraga Citizens Network event listing published July 19.
Festival Opera was founded in 1991 by Dr. Theodore Weis and is now in its 35th season. The company's alumni have gone on to perform in major opera houses worldwide, according to its website.
A second free outdoor performance of "The Elixir of Love" is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, at 4 p.m. at Walnut Creek's Civic Park.
Upcoming community events
- Thursday, July 23, 6 p.m. — Festival Opera presents "The Elixir of Love," Orinda Community Park. Free admission.
- Sunday, July 26, 4 p.m. — Festival Opera presents "The Elixir of Love," Civic Park, Walnut Creek. Free admission.
