Rogue Opera is very pleased to welcome Maestro Martin Majkut as our Conductor for our production of Donizetti's Elixir of Love. Having just concluded a very successful season with the Rogue Valley Symphony, he immediately went into rehearsals for Elixir of Love, and we are thrilled that Martin has brought his extensive knowledge of music, most especially opera, to our company.

A magic potion, a love struck youth and his beautiful dream girl provide the creative background for this Italian melodramma by Gaetano Donizetti. Rogue Opera will present Elixir of Love under the Artistic Direction of Noel Koran, and Conducted by Martin Majkut in three performances in May: at the Craterian Ginger Rogers Theater in Medford May 4th at 8 p.m. and May 6th at 3 p.m, and at the Grants Pass Performing Arts Center on May 12th at 3 p.m. Craterian tickets can be purchased through their box office at 541-779-3000 or on their website www.craterian.org. Tickets for the Grants Pass performance are $30 and youth under 22 are $10 and can be purchased at Great Northwest Music Company in Grants Pass or by contacting Rogue Opera at 541-608-6400 or office@rogueopera.org.

The performance will be sung in Italian with English supertitles. Pre-performance talks by Noel Koran, Artistic Director will be offered an hour prior to all performances.

Elixir of Love is a tried and true love triangle with all the misunderstandings and angst of an 1830s melodrama. Toss in the “Elixir” potion that is hawked by the traveling quack salesman, Dr. Dulcamara and you have high drama peppered with one of the most famous opera arias, “una furtiva lagrima”.

The Elixir of Love cast includes two returning singers to Rogue Opera from past performances of “The Marriage of Figaro” and “La Traviata”.

The brilliant, young international baritone, Kreshnik Zhabjaku, will be playing the character of Belcore. Originally from Albania, Kreshnik now resides in New York and has captured the hearts and minds of opera lovers throughout the United States and Europe.

James Callon will also be returning to Rogue Opera from the last year’s cast of “La Traviata” to play Nemorino, the poor peasant who is tormented by the landowner, Adina. A tenor, James has been delighting audiences from Tulsa Opera, L A Opera companies to the San Francisco bay area with his top notch acting performances as well as his expressive vocal interpretations.

Laura Portune, soprano, has performed with such companies as San Diego Opera, Indianapolis Opera, and Lyric Opera San Diego. Ms. Portune has sung with the North Czech Philharmonic, Greek Symphonic Orchestra, and Chicago Chamber Orchestra. In her debut with Rogue Opera, Laura will be playing the haughty and beautiful landowner, Adina.

Igor Vieira, baritone, is also making his debut with Rogue Opera this year as Dr. Dulcamara. Igor has been hailed by Opera News Magazine as “superb,” and “show stealing,” and as “a triumph” by the San Francisco Chronicle. He made his debut in his native Rio de Janeiro at age 17 singing the role of Dancaire in Bizet’s Carmen.

The setting for this opera is a bucolic agricultural area in the 1930’s reminiscent of the Rogue Valley. It is a theatre experience not to be missed! More on Elixir of Love here

Katherine Gracey Website (painting) Pat Moore Website(digital image)