Boris Karloff made for a scary Frankenstein’s monster in the 1931 black and white horror film.
But Frankenstein’s monster as a leading man in an opera?
We’re about to find out when Arizona Opera mounts the world premiere of composer/librettist Gregg Kallor’s “Frankenstein” to open its 2023-24 season.
“Frankenstein,” which Arizona Opera workshopped in 2022 to positive response, is the company’s third world premiere, following 2017’s “Riders of the Purple Sage“ and “The Copper Queen,” which was released as a feature-length film in fall 2021.
Arizona Opera will mount the world premiere of Gregg Kallor's "Frankenstein" Oct. 21-22, at the Temple of Music and Art.
“Frankenstein,” based on the Mary Shelley novel, is one of four operas on tap for the season, which also includes a new community concert series in Tucson and a New Works Festival in Phoenix, where the bi-city company also presents operas.
Arizona Opera joined Broadway in Tucson and True Concord Voices & Orchestra in releasing their 2023-24 seasons, which round out Tucson’s vibrant and varied culture arts scene. Tucson Symphony Orchestra announced in January its upcoming season, which includes the return of cello great Yo-Yo Ma and a guest appearance by rising international soprano Federica Lombardi, wife of TSO Music Director José Luis Gomez.
Myles Frost is Michael Jackson in the musical "MJ: The Musical," coming to Centennial Hall April 2-7, 2024.
A ‘rockin’ season
Broadway in Tucson shines the spotlight on two pop music giants — Michael Jackson and Tina Turner — in its season of big musicals that includes the return of “Hairspray” and the musical comedy “Mrs. Doubtfire.”
“People love musicals in Tucson and I think that when people think Broadway, I think they think musicals,” said Broadway in Tucson General Manager Mario Di Vetta. “I think the musicals are Broadway to a lot of people.”
In addition to Turner, the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, and Jackson, the King of Pop, the season includes a bio-musical of the R&B-soul band The Temptations.
“I’m excited about next season,” Di Vetta added. “When you have a season with Tina, the Temptations and Michael Jackson? I mean, come on. That’s why I call it the ‘rockin’ 23-24 season.’”
20 years of True Concord
True Concord marks its 20th year with a season that includes Bach’s dramatic “St. John Passion,” the Tucson encore of famed soprano Nicole Cabell and the return of two of the choir’s most popular works — Mozart’s C-minor Mass, which put the choir on the choral world’s radar three years into its tenure; and Jocelyn Hagen’s multimedia large-scale choral work “Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci,” which the group performed in 2019.
Composer Raven Chacon's Pulitzer Prize-winning piece "Voiceless Mass" is part of True Concord Voices & Orchestra's season opening "Songs of America" concert Oct. 13-15.
The season kicks off with True Concord’s signature Americana concert “Songs of America,” featuring spirituals, folks songs and the world premiere of a new piece composed by the winner of True Concord’s Stephen Paulus Emerging Composers Competition. That concert also features Navajo Nation artist, performer and composer Raven Chacon’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Voiceless Mass,” which True Concord founder and Music Director Eric Holtan said celebrates and acknowledges “the space and the land that many of us have taken for granted.”
Coincidentally, Chacon’s “While hissing” art exhibit is on display at Tucson’s Museum of Contemporary Art through Oct. 22.
Holtan launched True Concord as Tucson Chamber Artists in 2004, the year he was finishing his doctoral degree in choral conducting at the University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music. The professional ensemble, whose vocalists come from throughout the United States, changed its name to True Concord in 2015.
The lineups
Season tickets are on sale now but single tickets usually aren’t released until late summer. Check with each group for more details.
Arizona Opera
The bi-city professional opera company’s season includes a world premiere, the inaugural New Works Festival for Phoenix in November and a new series of community concerts in Tucson. Performances are held at the Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave., and the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave.
Arizona Opera is mounting Rossini's classic "The Barber of Seville" next February as part of its mainstage series at Linda Ronstadt Music Hall.
“Frankenstein” by composer and librettist Gregg Kallor (world premiere), Oct. 21-22, Temple
Rossini’s “The Barber of Seville,” Feb. 3-4, Music Hall
Gounod’s “Roméo & Juliette,” March 9-10, Music Hall
Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” April 27-28, 2024, Music Hall
Broadway in Tucson
broadwayintucson.com, 520-903-2929
Broadway tours from musicals and comedies to dramas are presented at Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. on the University of Arizona campus.
Adi Roy is the titular character in Disney's "Aladdin," coming to Centennial Hall Sept. 5-10 to open Broadway in Tucson's 2023-24 season.
Disney’s “Aladdin” musical, Sept. 5-10
Return of the musical “The Book of Mormon,” Sept. 15-17
“Tina: The Tina Turner Musical,” Oct. 3-8
“Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of The Temptation,” Nov. 28-Dec. 3
25th anniversary tour of “Chicago,” Feb. 9-11, 2024
“MJ: The Musical,” April 2-7, 2024
“Hairspray,” April 23-28, 2024
“Mrs. Doubtfire” the comedy musical, May 28-June 2, 2024
True Concord Voices & Orchestra
trueconcord.org, 520-401-2651
The professional choir and orchestra, under the baton of founder Eric Holtan, celebrates its 20th year with the 2023-24 “Love 20” season. The ensemble performs at venues throughout Tucson and in Green Valley.
True Concord composers in residence Jocelyn Hagen and Timothy C. Takach, who are married, will perform a special recital with the ensemble next season.
“Songs of America,” Oct. 13-15, featuring the world premiere of the work that won the 2023 Stephen Paulus Emerging Composers Competition
“This is How We Love,” Southwest premiere of True Concord husband-and-wife composers in residence Timothy C. Takach and Jocelyn Hagen multi-movement love song, Nov. 17-19
“Lessons & Carols by Candlelight” holiday concert, Dec. 7-10
“Mozart & Hagen: Two Important Encores,” featuring Mozart’s C-minor Mass and Hagen’s “Notebooks of Leonardo Da Vinci,” Jan. 26-28, 2024
Recital: Timothy C. Takach and Jocelyn Hagen, Jan. 30, 2024, True Concord’s husband-and-wife composers in residence
“St. John’s Passion,” Feb. 23-25, 2024
Recital: Soprano Erika Burkhardt, Feb. 27, 2024
“Gloria & Bernstein,” featuring renowned soprano Nicole Cabell and Holtan’s son, Kristian Holtan, singing the boy soprano role in Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” April 5-7, 2024; part of the 2024 Tucson Desert Song Festival
Recital: Soprano Nicole Cabell, April 9, 2024; part of the 2024 Tucson Desert Song Festival
Jocelyn Hagen researched 46 prominent women whose voices are included in the text of her new work "Here I Am," commissioned by Tucson's True Concord Voices & Orchestra.
