Virginia Opera
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AT THE
EDYTHE C. & STANLEY L. HARRISON OPERA HOUSE |
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Peter Mark was Founding General and Artistic Director 1975-2000, Artistic Director 2000-2010, and is now Artistic Director Emeritus.
Recruited in 1975 by Founding President Edythe C. Harrison to be Virginia Opera Association's first General and Artistic Director, Peter Mark took the reins of the fledgeling opera company, moving it from its $33k pilot project TRAVIATA (with Diana Soviero, Raymond Gibbs, and Jake Gardner) in June 1975 to a highly respected and unique full-fledged opera company on a budget of $7 million by the 2000 season, functioning with regular seasons in three cities in the Commonwealth (over 50 mainstage performances annually) emanating from its home base, the Norfolk Center Theater -- renovated and reopened in 1993 as the Harrison Opera House -- to Richmond and Fairfax, Virginia -- while presenting over 600 education performances throughout the Commonwealth in schools and community venues annually.
Maestro Mark functioned as Virginia Opera's Artistic Director and Principal Conductor from 1975 throughout the first decade of the 21st Century, introducing new singers, directors, repertoire, and productions , including Strauss' SALOME and ELEKTRA, Wagner's DIE WALKUERE and TRISTAN, Handel's RODELINDA and AGRIPPINA, among many Virginia and World Premieres.
Maestro Mark functioned as Virginia Opera's Artistic Director and Principal Conductor from 1975 throughout the first decade of the 21st Century, introducing new singers, directors, repertoire, and productions , including Strauss' SALOME and ELEKTRA, Wagner's DIE WALKUERE and TRISTAN, Handel's RODELINDA and AGRIPPINA, among many Virginia and World Premieres.
Video clips below represent the range of Virginia Opera productions and casts presented in all three cities:
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Michael Hayes sings "Nessun dorma" in VOA's 2004 TURANDOT
Eilana Lappalainen, Gustavo Manzitti, Nmon Ford, and Jeneice Golbourne in TROVATORE in 2008
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Sujung Kim and Jane Redding star in VOA's 2007 AGRIPPINA
Veronica Mitina, Jason Detweiler, and Patrick Miller in VOA's 2008 EUGENE ONEGIN
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Cristina Nassif wows Virginia audiences as CARMEN in 2006
Michael Redding, Kearstin Piper Brown and Timothy Robert Blevins in VOA's 2009 PORGY & BESS
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