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‘Accidental’ cast brings world-class opera talent to Tucson

November 12, 2009 (9:59 am) | Permanent Link

by Teya Vitu

Arizona Opera is getting soprano Molly Fillmore for Salome straight from the San Francisco Opera, where she sang Salome on Oct. 30 when soprano Nadja Michael called in sick.

Fillmore sang with baritone Greer Grimsley, her Jochanaan in San Francisco, and the duo team up again Nov. 14 at Arizona Opera’s Salome at the Tucson Music Hall.

“It’s a coup,” said Arizona Opera artistic director Joel Revzen, who will conduct Salome here. “You could have flown to San Francisco and got a hotel. For a fifth of the price, you can hear the same artists here.”

That is a fluke, because Fillmore just signed on with Arizona Opera two weeks ago, three days before rehearsals started. She was a last-minute replacement for soprano Robin Follman, who called in pregnant with twins.

The second soprano portraying Salome is even more famous and also a replacement. Nancy Gustafson came on board about a month ago after soprano Kelly Cae Hogan got a call from the Metropolitan Opera for From the House of the Dead.

Gustafson is a longtime veteran more likely to sign at major opera houses rather than regional opera like Arizona Opera, but she was available at a moment’s notice, Revzen said.

Gustafson sang Salome two years ago at La Scala Opera and will sing Salome at the Vienna State Opera in May and the final scene from Salome with the Los Angeles Philharmonic in January. She sings the Nov. 15 Salome in Tucson

“Nancy just said this cast can be on any major stage in the country,” Revzen said about Arizona Opera’s accidental lineup.

Revzen pointed out that Arizona Opera rarely gets major singers playing the same leading roles here that they sing in Vienna and at La Scala.

Gustafson and Fillmore bring two different Salomes to Tucson.

“What you’re getting with Nancy is a complete portrayal of all aspects of Salome,” Revzen said. “There’s a lot of subtlety in her interpretation. You get Salome’s determination. Molly really conveys the youth of Salome, the real inner you of Salome seeking a different world.”

Revzen knew San Francisco Opera was doing an October Salome and when he needed a last-minute replacement, he called the company and asked if their cover Salome, Fillmore, was available. Revzen said Grimsley, a world-renowned Jochanaan, vouched for Fillmore.

San Francisco Opera let Fillmore come to Arizona Opera while Salome was still in production, but had to call her back to fill in for the main Salome. Fillmore’s Oct. 30 Salome in San Francisco was her first performance in the role.

“I’m glad San Francisco gave her a warm-up for us,” Revzen kidded.

Cast changes also struck Herod, originally slated for tenor John Mac Master, who was released to sing Tristan in Act II of “Tristan und Isolde” with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra with Daniel Harding in Paris, Dortmund and Frankfurt.

Herod will now be sung by Chris Merritt, who made his debut in 1975 at the Santa Fe Opera.

DETAILS

Arizona Opera

Salome by Richard Strauss

Where: Tucson Music Hall

When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14

2 p.m. Nov. 15

Tickets: $16 to $100

Info: azopera.com, 293.4336