Remember the buzz surrounding 蜜柚直播 Opera's world-premiere of Craig Bohmler's "Riders of the Purple Sage" early this year 鈥 touted as the first truly Western opera?
Turns out our point of local pride is about to go national.
Celebrated 蜜柚直播 artist Ed Mell鈥檚 landscape artwork provides the backdrop for 鈥淩iders of the Purple Sage.鈥 鈥淚 could not believe how my work, projected on a 30-by-60-foot LED screen, looked,鈥 Mell said in February.
On Nov. 25, listeners in more than 370 cities and towns around the country will get o hear the opera as part of Chicago classical radio behemoth . It also will be broadcast through the to 50 stations around Europe next year, according to 蜜柚直播 Opera officials.
"This is a unique opportunity to bring to radio stations and their listeners the historical American West and this iconic novel through a new score," WFMT Radio Network Director Tony Macaluso said in a written release.
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"Riders," commissioned by from Phoenix composer Bohmler, was a critical hit when it opened in 蜜柚直播 in late February. It was similarly well received in Phoenix in early March.
The broadcast features soprano as the fiercely independent heroine, Jane Withersteen; baritone Joshua Jeremiah as the gunslinger Lassiter; tenor Joshua Dennis as ranch hand Bern Venters; soprano Amanda Opuszynski as the unwilling cattle rustler Bess; bass-baritone Kristopher Irmiter as Bishop Dyer; and baritone Keith Phares as Elder Tull.
Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com or 573-4642. On Twitter @Starburch
Cathalena E. Burch
Reporter
