PHOTOS

by Karen Almond/The Dallas Opera

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

VIDEOS

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PODCASTS

Meeting Ahab: Tenor, Ben Heppner We've waited a long, long time for this; but we finally have the great Canadian heldentenor Ben Heppner in our cast of Moby Dick, singing the role of Captain Ahab. In this interview with Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach for San Diego Opera, the tenor talks about the creation of the role, its similarity to other roles he sings and the challenges of wearing a peg leg! Enjoy.

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Meeting Queequeg: Bass-Baritone Jonathan Lemalu Bass-baritone Jonathan Lemalu has had a meteoric rise in the opera world. This singer from a Samoan family in New Zealand is a favorite with conductors and audiences because of his natural presence, friendliness and, of course, his sumptuous voice. In this interview with Nicolas Reveles, Director of Education and Outreach, Jon talks about his background, his training and the role of Queequeg which he debuted at the world premiere of Jake Heggie's Moby-Dick at Dallas Opera in 2010.

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An Interview with Pip: Soprano Talise Trevigne What's it like to be the only woman in a cast literally overrun with men? Find out as soprano Talise Trevigne, who graced our stage last season as Micaela in Carmen, speaks with Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach. Talise talks about the opera Moby-Dick, its overwhelming music and the challenges of taking on a 'pants' role as Pip, the cabin boy of Captain Ahab. Not incidentally, her big moment in this opera is sung from 30 feet in the air!

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Putting Moby-Dick in Context Our series continues, putting the four opera productions of 2012 into a historical and cultural context. For the Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer opera Moby-Dick, the context is obvious: 19th century whaling and its influence on the writing of Herman Melville's epic novel which was first published in 1851. Let Nicolas Reveles, the Geisel Director of Education and Outreach, explain it all to you!

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The Male Chorus in Moby-Dick

Among the unique features of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer's opera Moby-Dick is the use of an all-male chorus. That's to be expected, of course, since the story is set entirely at sea on the Pequod, a whaling ship out of Nantucket. The only female voice in the opera is the role of Pip, the cabin boy, which is sung by a soprano. It turns out that there's an interesting tradition of the use of the male chorus in opera. Listen in as our Director of Education, Nicolas Reveles, explores this interesting vocal 'color' in Moby-Dick and other great works.

The Role of Captain Ahab in "Moby-Dick"

You've got to be sure that one of the first things Jake Heggie did when he sat down to compose Moby-Dick to Gene Scheer's wonderful libretto was that he had to decide what voice-type Captain Ahab was. The choice he made? Heldentenor! You might find that to be an odd choice, or a fortuitous one. You decide, but after you listen to Dr. Nicolas Reveles's podcast this week!

Meet Jake Heggie Moby-Dick

One of the most exciting things to happen on the cultural landscape of San Diego next season is the West Coast premiere of Jake Heggie and Gene Scheer's opera Moby-Dick. In this podcast hosted by Nicolas Reveles we'll experience some of the earlier music of composer Heggie, including a couple of art songs and excerpts from Dead Man Walking, his first opera, commissioned by San Francisco Opera. You'll easily hear that this composer's music is readily accessible and melodic, with a dramatic & theatrical sense that attracts audiences of all ages!

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OPERA SPOTLIGHT: MOBY-DICK

Produced by San Diego Opera and UCSD-TV, the award-winning San Diego Opera Spotlight gives you a unique and entertaining look behind-the-scenes of Moby-Dick. You'll see how the singers, directors, conductor and crew work together to create each opera, get a sneak peek at rehearsal footage and hear exclusive interviews with the stars.

Watch Now!

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STARS IN THE SALON:  MOBY-DICK

February 9, 2012 at 5:30pm

Join the stars of Moby-Dick in Stars in the Salon (formerly Artists’ Roundtables). This is a thrilling experience for anyone who loves opera. We welcome our distinguished guest panels for a provocative look at the music, characters and behind-the-scenes work which is so important to each productions. The Civic Theatre’s beautiful Beverly Sills Salon acts as the setting for this enjoyable discussion where audience members have a chance to meet the stars and ask their own questions of the leading singers, conductors and directors first hand!

All sessions are open to the public and free of charge.

Watch Now!

MOBY-DICK

“Moby-Dick, the opera, is a TRIUMPH”  The Dallas Morning News

At the world premiere performance in April 2010, the audience broke into spontaneous applause three times during the first act and screamed and yelled its approval at the curtain calls with shredded programs fluttering down from the highest seating levels. This world premiere is based on Herman Melville’s 19th century literary masterpiece, Moby-Dick, exploring the lethal power of obsession and the need for human connection and understanding in an increasingly multicultural world; one filled with mysterious encounters, exotic characters and one man’s quest for a white whale that leaves death and destruction in its wake.

The actions of this large and emotionally irresistible work are played out against a multimedia-enriched staging that ranges from striking to near miraculous. Using dazzling computer-generated effects, the visual impact of Moby-Dick pulls you into the action from the first chord of the achingly beautiful music. Directed by Leonard Foglia with huge nautical sets designed by Robert Brill, Jake Heggie’s monumental composition and Gene Scheer’s libretto is a vibrant piece of compelling musical theater.

The running time is approximately 3 hours including one intermission.