Lyric Opera of KC's THE FLYING DUTCHMAN Opens 2/2

Lyric Opera of Kansas City presents Richard Wagner's The Flying Dutchman March 2, 6, 8, 10, 2013 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts after a 38-year absence from the Company's repertoire.

"How fitting for Lyric Opera of Kansas City to produce "The Flying Dutchman" as we enter 2013," said Deborah Sandler, Lyric Opera General Director and CEO. "After all, this is the year the international music community will focus on Richard Wagner, as we mark the 200th anniversary of his birth and the 130th anniversary of his death. This romantic and exquisite work and educational programs will deepen patrons' knowledge and appreciation of Wagner."

All New Production Designed by R. Keith Brumley
Director of Design and Technical Production, R. Keith Brumley has wowed audiences with his past work on landmark Lyric Opera productions such as Turandot (2011) and Carmen (2010). Of the Turandot production, Sarah Tyrell of KCMetropolis.org raved, "The sets were simply phenomenal."

The Muriel Kauffman Theatre lends itself to producing a large Wagnerian piece with its large stage footprint, expansive fly space and upstage scenic storage space. This larger, more contemporary venue allowed Mr. Brumley to dream big when designing the haunted ship. "We have been saving this production for the Kauffman Center to fully do the piece justice," notes Mr. Brumley. "The ship will fill the space and provide ample room for the performers to employ the ship's riggings throughout the opera."

Creating a new production of The Flying Dutchman is the realization of one of the Lyric Opera artistic staff's dreams. "We've been dreaming of doing this production for the past five years, and we're thrilled to have Bernard Uzan directing," said Lyric Opera Artistic Director Ward Holmquist. Mr. Uzan most recently directed Carmen in 2010 with the Company; this is the first time Uzan has directed The Flying Dutchman.

At its core, The Flying Dutchman is a love story. This production will have a romantic feel, with plenty of recognizable images. The artistic team found inspiration in the etchings of the 19th century French artist Gustave Doré, specifically in his work for "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." The audience will see this inspiration reflected in the projections during the overture, which were created by Venice Communications, Inc. in collaboration with Wide Awake Films.

Original Costumes Designed for Production
Lyric Opera Costume Designer Mary Traylor will design original costumes reflective of Norwegian Villagers in the late 19th century for the production. Ms. Traylor has designed all-new costumes for several Lyric Opera productions including Così fan Tutte (2011), Turandot (2011) and John Brown (2008). The costumes will be constructed by Kansas City Costume, a company which recently designed the costumes for the Broadway production of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!.

Internationally Renowned Baritone Richard Paul Fink as the Cursed Sea Captain
Richard Paul Fink (Nixon in China 2012, Rigoletto 2010) returns to the Lyric Opera to sing the title role in this Wagner masterpiece. Opera News hailed him in the role noting, "Fink was a healthy, big-voiced, commanding Dutchman." An international opera star, Fink has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, The Berlin State Opera (Berlin Staatsoper), and Sydney Opera among many others.