HOMETOWN FANS OF MOT...
sil
has been an MOT subscriber
since 1980, is "very enthusias-
tic" about the DOH. The Mines
regularly attend the DSO, mu-
sical events in Ann Arbor, and
the Pistons and Red Wings
games. He believes this is a
good move for MOT. "You con-
trol your own destiny," he says.
Janet Pearlman of Bloom-
field Township, also a longtime
member, goes to opera but is not
a "music person. When it's beau-
tifully done, it lifts you out of the
ordinary When it's good," Pearl-
man sighs, "it's like magic."
PHOTO BY GLENN TRI EST
anice Morganroth of
Franklin has been an
MOT subscriber with her
husband Fred since 1975.
Fred goes to opera for the "pre-
sentation, the stories them-
selves, the pageantry of opera."
Janice says she started going
because of friends who were
opera buffs. She loves "the
whole ceremony of it, people
coming together" and the ex-
citement and discussion it gen-
erates.
Harvey Kline of West Bloom-
field, who with his wife Eleanor,
PHOTO BY DIRK BAKKER
Michigan Opera Theatre's 1979 production of La &theme.
HOT MILESTONES...
PREMIERES:
• Washington Square (world)
• Anoush (American)
• The Haunted Castle (American)
• Orpheus in the Underworld (American)
• King Roger (American)
MOT MUSICAL REPEATS:
• Produced 5 times each: La Boheme,
Madame Butterfly and La Traviata
• 4 times: Tosca
• 3 times each: Faust, Magic Flute, Barber of
Seville, Carmen, Don Giovanni, The Merry
Widow and Die Fledermaus
CRITICAL SUCCESSES:
• Regina (1977-78 season)
• The Emperor Jones and The Pearl Fishers
•
•
•
•
(1978-79 season)
Joan of Arc (1979)
Of Mice and Men (1980)
Treemonisha (1982-83 season)
Orpheus in the Underworld (1986-87 season)
SONDHEIM WORSHIP:
• A Little Night Music (1983-84 season)
• Follies (1988-89 season)
• Side by Side by Sondheim (1992-93 season:
D
MUCH ADO ABOUT MOT:
• MOT's Most Happy Fella (1979) goes to
Broadway
• Moves into the list of top-10 opera
companies in the U.S. based on operating
budget and achieves 7th in audience
attendance (1986-87 season)
• Biggest grossing production: West Side Story
(1985-86)
HOT UPCOMING PRODUCTIONS...
• La Boheme — April 27-May 5, 1996
• Romeo and Juliet (ballet) — May 10-May 12,1996
• La Traviata — May 18-19; May 24-26, 1996
• Salome — June 1-2; June 7-9, 1996
MOT BROUGHT TO DETROIT...
wring its 25-year existence, MOT
has brought in new, untried tal-
ent who later became stars, as
well as rare appearances of in-
ternational operatic stars. Here are
some of those:
• Kathleen Battle made her profes-
sional debut with MOT as Rosina,
in the Barber of Seville, 1975-76
season.
• Catherine Malfitano starred in a
world premiere of Washington
Square, 1976-77 season; she later
sang her first La Traviata.
• Martina Arroyo and Leona Mitchell
sang in productions of Turandot
and Aida for MOT.
• Joan Sutherland sang Anna Bolena
on April 22, 1989, and returned for
a brand-new production of her sig-
nature role in Norma. These were
the final Norma performances of
her career.
• Ghena Dimitrova, in her North
American debut, and Alessandra
Marc sang Turandot and Ariadne,
respectively.
• Ruth Ann Swenson sang Juliette in
the 1989-90 season and Lucia in
the 1991-92 season.
• Vinson Cole has appeared three
times.
• Pavarotti performed in concert in
the 1987-88 and 1991-92 seasons.
• Maria Ewing had her company de-
but in 1970 and returns this season
for her famous Salome.
• Jerome Hines sang Boris Godunov
in 1974.
At press time, construction crews were working 'round the clock on the Detroit Opera House for Sunday's grand
opening.