Opera Roanoke begins its 46th season of live opera in the Roanoke Valley with Béla Bartók’s psychological opera-thriller, Bluebeard’s Castle, featuring Metropolitan Opera singers, Jennifer Johnson Cano and Kyle Albertson with orchestra, led by Maestro Steven White. Fully staged performances will run November 5 and 7 at the Jefferson Center.
After an 18-month hiatus from mainstage performances, Opera Roanoke will make its triumphant return with an opera as mind-bending and mysterious as any cinematic film. The plot centers around Duke Bluebeard and his new bride, Judith, as she comes to realize her new home, Bluebeard’s massive castle, is not all fairy tales and roses. The honeymoon period is over when she encounters seven locked doors, which she demands Bluebeard open for her. While Bluebeard warns Judith that these doors should remain closed, she is insistent that he hide nothing from her. Reluctantly, the Duke begins to open the doors to reveal what’s behind and all is not as it seems.
The drama and suspense of Bluebeard’s Castle is packed into a single act with a prologue, lasting just over an hour in total. Although the original language is Hungarian, Opera Roanoke will perform the opera in English. Audiences will find the music and drama are tightly woven together to create a one-of-a-kind opera-going experience that engages the mind and heightens the senses. Perfect for the long-time opera goers and the “opera-curious”, this show will keep you on the edge of your seat, without the traditional opera time commitment or language barrier.
Tickets start at $20 and group discounts are available. Covid-19 safety protocols are in place at the Jefferson Center and patrons are encouraged to read about those guidelines prior to attending the show. More information can be found at operaroanoke.org.
