Lisette Oropesa

Kaufmann Center & Benedum Center

April 30, May 1-3 and May 2, 5, 8, 10
Various times

Don’t miss two upcoming local productions featuring Chatham Baroque, Pittsburgh Opera and Attack Theatre.

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Chatham Baroque & Attack Theatre

First up is a mini-opera produced by Chatham Baroque that will captivate audiences with a love story set on the battlefield during the First Crusade. Written by Italian composer Claudio Monteverdi (1567—1643), The Battle of Tancredi and Clorinda runs on April 30th and May 1-3 at the Kaufmann Center in the Hill District.

Leading the show’s gifted cast of dancers, players and singers in a multi-media recreation of this epic 17th-century madrigal (read: a secular vocal music composition) is Grammy Award-winning tenor and soloist Aaron Sheehan.

Attack Theatre produced new choreography for three of the show’s dancers who are reenacting the opera’s war and combat scenes, while up-and-coming vocal ensemble Ping sings the show’s vocal parts. Set against a backdrop of original video art created by Adam Paul, the dramatic production explores timeless themes such as ideological and political conflict, war, love and loss.

Do you live in the Hill District? Chatham Baroque is making 20 free tickets available (use the promo code HillDistrict) for each performance to community residents. Purchase tickets.

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Lawrence Brownlee

Next, don’t miss Attack Theatre performers on stage in the Pittsburgh Opera’s latest production, Daughter of the Regiment. Wrapping up the opera’s 76th season, the comic opera was written by Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti and is set to a French libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Jean-François Bayard.

With music director Antony Walker conducting the Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra and chorus, audiences will be treated to a colorful production featuring whimsy, charm and plenty of vocal fireworks (read: many incredible high Cs). Featuring show-stopping arias, the “frothy romantic comedy” follows fun-loving tomboy Marie as she embarks on a whirlwind madcap romance with Tonio and ultimately discovers who her real parents are.

Featuring renowned tenor and Youngstown, OH native Lawrence Brownlee as Tonio, and Lisette Oropesa as Marie, Daughter of the Regiment runs May 2, 5, 8, and 10 at downtown’s elegant Benedum Center. Directed and choreographed by Seán Curran, the show’s stellar supporting cast features Joyce Castle, Anna Singer, Kevin Glavin, Phillip Gay and Dimitrie Lazich.

Purchase tickets.

Jennifer has worked at the Mattress Factory, Brooklyn Museum of Art and Dahesh Museum of Art and is co-author of Pittsburgh Signs Project: 250 Signs of Western Pennsylvania. She also is co-coordinator of Handmade Arcade. Musically, she is in a band called The Garment District and is a founding member of Brooklyn's The Ladybug Transistor.