Puccini opera coming to Oak Ridge and Vonore in June

The Oak Ridger

This June, Marble City Opera will present two site-specific performances of "Il Tabarro" by renowned composer Giacomo Puccini, the opera announced. Tickets are now available.

On Saturday, June 22, a performance will be at the Port of Tellico, 280 Tellico Port Road in Vonore, Tennessee. The Sunday, June 23 performance will be at Melton Lake Park, 697 Melton Lake Drive in Oak Ridge.

Both performances will begin at 7 p.m. and will last about an hour, a news release said.

"Il Tabarro" is a one-act opera, one of the three by Puccini collectively known as “Il trittico.” The story takes place in the 1910s aboard a barge anchored on the bank of the Seine River in Paris. Barge captain Michele correctly guesses that his wife, Giorgetta, is having an affair with one of his barge hands. Michele catches a longshoreman named Luigi on his way to meet Giorgetta late one night and operatic tragedy ensues.

Tickets to "Il Tabarro" are available at MarbleCityOpera.com/tickets. General admission is $40. VIP tickets including a pre-show reception with refreshments are $50.

In advance of the site-specific staged performances, Marble City Opera will present a concert version of "Il Tabarro" aboard the Star of Knoxville riverboat on June 13. Cruise tickets are $75 each and include a pasta bar and tea. There is also a cash bar on the ship.

Singers are Marble City Opera’s Executive Artistic Director Kathryn Frady as Giorgetta; Eddie Brennan as Luigi; Jacob Lassetter as Michele; Chris Plaas as Tinca; Maurice Hendricks as Talpa; Ema Mitrović as La Frugola; Breyon Ewing as the Song Vendor; and Elena Klein as a Lover. The stage director is Marya Barry. The orchestra conductor is Andy Anderson.

Kathryn Frady performs at the opera's 10th season benefit in January 2023.
Kathryn Frady performs at the opera's 10th season benefit in January 2023.

Marble City Opera brings world class singers, directors, and conductors to the stage while maintaining a dedication to creating opportunities for local, regional, and emerging artists, the release said.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Puccini opera coming to Oak Ridge and Vonore in June

Advertisement