Nashville Opera Declares Their Run of THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER One Of The Most Sucessful In The Company's History

By: Dec. 04, 2009
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Nashville Opera's production of Philip Glass' The Fall of the House of Usher was one of the most successful in the company's 29 year history. Playing to capacity crowds over its three-performance run at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center's James K. Polk Theater, the work attracted an eclectic group of long-standing opera patrons, film buffs, theater-goers, and even a few zombies. The Tennessee premiere also drew a large percentage of ticket buyers from across the Southeast who cited their interest in experiencing the rarely staged work by one of the most influential and innovative contemporary composers.

"We are thrilled by the success of The Fall of the House of Usher," says Carol Penterman, Executive Director. "Nashville is a wonderfully creative community that strongly supports both traditional works as well as stagings of newer and less familiar pieces. The sales figures, audience reactions, and the reviews validate our artistic vision of presenting the broad scope that encompasses this great art form."

Director John Hoomes and Production Designer Barry Steele integrated state-of-the-art video projection with the live performances by placing the principal artists between a rear-projection screen and a front scrim. The full-motion video content effectively surrounded the cast and enhanced the show's dark and somber mood. Mr. Hoomes and Mr. Steele's unique interpretation of the opera generated interest from respected publications including: The Wall Street Journal, American Record Guide, Opera News, The Tennessean, and Broadwayworld.com. The production also coincided with Opera Volunteers International's (OVI) Focus Meeting which brought an international delegation to the city for a weekend symposium held at the Noah Liff Opera Center, Nashville Opera's award-winning headquarters located in West Nashville.

The opera's Gothic subject matter was promoted to the city's large pool of zombie buffs through Facebook, and included the company's first-ever "Zombie Dress-up Contest" which was held during intermission of the Sunday matinee performance. Participants were asked to arrive at the theatre dressed as a zombie and were even seated in a specially reserved section during the show. The winning contestant was selected by a panel of celebrity experts and received a zombie DVD prize package plus a pair of tickets to the upcoming production of Giuseppe Verdi's "Rigoletto."

About Nashville Opera
Nashville Opera, Tennessee's largest professional opera company, is dedicated to creating legendary productions and programs. Among the most successful regional companies in the United States of America, Nashville Opera has presented three different world premiere operas since its inception in 1981. Main stage performances are presented at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, and play to over 17,000 people annually. Nashville Opera's extensive education and outreach touring program reaches over 25,000 students in 18 counties throughout Middle Tennessee. These projects are supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Tennessee Arts Commission, and the Metro Nashville Arts Commission.



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