Pittsburgh, PA…

November 30, 2016

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Pittsburgh Opera continues its 78th season with the Pennsylvania premiere of Handel’s Richard the Lionheart, at Pittsburgh CAPA Theater January 21st -29th.

Before he wrote his famous Messiah, George Frideric Handel composed a number of beautiful operas. He wrote Richard the Lionheart (Riccardo Primo) for the Royal Academy's 1726–27 opera season in London. It was neglected for a considerable amount of time before being resurrected in Europe in the mid 1960’s. This will only be the second time Richard the Lionheart has been performed in the United States (the first was by Opera Theatre of St. Louis in 2015).

The story takes place in Cyprus in the late 1100’s, and is about King Richard the First of England’s pending marriage to the Spanish princess Costanza.

This is a traditional, Baroque opera, so in order to make the live accompaniment sound authentic, Pittsburgh Opera is partnering with Chatham Baroque to add three classical Baroque performers to its orchestra. Founded in 1990, Chatham Baroque continues to excite local, national and international audiences with dazzling technique and lively interpretations of 17th - and 18th - century music played on authentic instruments of the period.

Pittsburgh Opera is also proud to partner with Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama to create custom sets for these performances.

Our CAPA Theater productions are dedicated to showcasing Pittsburgh Opera’s talented Resident Artists, and provide audiences the opportunity to see tomorrow’s big league opera stars today.

On stage January 21, 24, 27 & 29, 2017, Richard the Lionheart offers the rare opportunity to see a ‘new’ 300-year old opera by one of the most celebrated composers in history. Most tickets are $50.75 and are available online.

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Cast and Artistic Team

The Story, in brief