Carl Orff’s iconic Carmina burana is back at SPAC for the first time in over 15 years. This choral and orchestral masterpiece features maestro Fabio Luisi and an international roster of vocalists alongside the capital region’s own Albany Pro Musica.
Program
| Beethoven | Symphony No. 8 |
| Orff | Carmina burana |
Performers
Fabio Luisi | conductor
Audrey Luna* | soprano
Sunnyboy Dladla* | tenor
Sean Michael Plumb* | baritone
Albany Pro Musica | chorus
Philadelphia Girls & Members of the Philadelphia Boys Choir
*Indicates SPAC Debut
Fabio Luisi
Fabio Luisi is Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Principal Conductor of the Danish Radio National Symphony Orchestra (DR Symfoni Orkestret), Emeritus Conductor of the Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale RAI based in Torino, Principal Conductor of the NHK Orchestra in Tokyo and Honorary Conductor of Teatro Carlo Felice of Genova, his native town.
He conducts the world’s most prestigious orchestras, including The Philadelphia Orchestra, Münchner Philharmoniker, Cleveland Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Filarmonica della Scala, and Berliner Philharmoniker. Luisi received a Grammy Award for his conducting of the last two operas of The Ring of the Nibelung, and the DVD of the same cycle, recorded live at the Metropolitan and released by Deutsche Grammophon, was named Best Opera Recording in 2012.
Audrey Luna
Grammy Award-winning soprano Audrey Luna regularly performs on the world’s greatest stages including the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Royal Opera HouseCovent Garden, Houston Grand Opera, Teatro La Fenice, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Den Norske Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opéra de Montréal, Cleveland Orchestra, Opera Hong Kong, Berlin Philharmonic, Salzburg Festival, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, San Francisco Symphony, Seattle Symphony, London SymphonyOrchestra, and Carnegie Hall.This season she joins Vancouver Opera to sing one of her signature roles, the Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflöte.
Sunnyboy Dladla
One of the most exciting and sought after rossinian voices of his generation. The unique sound of his voice, described as “a crisp, clearly focused, brightly timbred, radiantly present voice, agile and coloratura oriented” (Die Deutsche Bühne), and his outstanding stage presence have allowed him to combine an active opera career with frequent concert performances.
His plans for the 2022-2023 season include a return to the Edinburgh Festival with Carmina Burana under the baton of Sir Donald Runnicles and a production at the Opernhaus Zurich with Lessons in Love and Violence by G. Benjamin. At the Staatsoper Hannover he will be seen in Barbiere di Siviglia as Count Almaviva, The Turn of the Screw as Peter Quint and a new role debut as Leopold in La Juive by Halevy.
The 2023-2024 season will bring Sunnyboy a house debut at Gran Teatre del Liceu Barcelona as Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola, a new role debut as Oraspe in Aureliano in Palmira at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, and Carmina Burana with the London Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda. He will also be returning to the role of Count Almaviva in Barbiere di Siviglia as a guest at the Staatsover Hannover.
Sean Michael Plumb
Hailed for his “full, exciting lyric baritone” (Opera News) and “elegant lyricism and responsive musicality” (The New York Times), Sean Michael Plumb returns to the Ensemble of the Bayerische Staatsoper in the 2023-24 season where his performancesinclude Figaro in Il barbiere di Sivigliaand Marcello in La bohème. In a return engagement with the Metropolitan Opera, he bowsas Schaunard in La bohème. Debuts of the season include Il barbiere di Sivigliaat Seattle Opera, Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxosat the Hong Kong Arts Festival, and Carmina Buranawith the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Albany Pro Musica
José Daniel Flores-Caraballo, Opalka Family Artistic Director
Albany Pro Musica (APM) is the preeminent choral ensemble in New York’s vibrant Capital Region and is renowned for its distinctive artistic style and mastery of a wide range of musical genres. Critically acclaimed for its performances of intimate a cappella pieces and large-scale choral works alike, APM is led by Opalka Family Artistic Dr. José Daniel Flores-Caraballo and is Chorus-in-Residence at the historic Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Now celebrating his tenth season with APM, Maestro Flores-Caraballo has led the organization since 2014 and has elevated the ensemble through ambitious programming, prestigious national and international collaborations, a renewed commitment to civic and educational engagement, and a bold vision for the future. albanypromusica.org
This program is made possible in part by the generous support of RPI
Our 2024 New York City Ballet & The Philadelphia Orchestra residencies are made possible with support from DeCrescente, Mackey Auto Group and Kids in Free sponsor, Fenimore Asset Management, as well as, additional supporting corporate sponsors & individual contributors.
“Kids in Free” Presented by Fenimore Asset Management
Did you know?! Children 12 and under are free on the lawn for Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival and all performances of New York City Ballet and The Philadelphia Orchestra (excluding movie nights, and An Evening with John Legend, when they are 50% off).
Children 12 and under are also 50% off in amphitheater for Freihofer’s Saratoga Jazz Festival and all performances of New York City Ballet and The Philadelphia Orchestra (excluding An Evening with John Legend).
No tickets are required for Kids in Free admission with an accompanying adult ticket holder – go directly to the gate! Made possible by Fenimore Asset Management.
SPAC Amphitheater
Our main stage has a 25,000 person capacity with sheltered seats for 5,200 people and a sloping lawn for an additional 20,000 people.
SPAC Amphitheater Ground Rules
Applicable for classical events including New York City Ballet and The Philadelphia Orchestra. View Live Nation event ground rules here.
Permitted Items
- Food, beverages, and disposable utensils.
- Picnic blankets and breathable ground coverings.
- Umbrellas and chairs are permitted, but will be restricted by sizing for use on the main amphitheater lawn, as follows:
- Lawn chairs must not exceed 43” when collapsed.
- Lawn chairs on the center amphitheater lawn must not exceed 26″ in height when opened.
- Only personal-sized umbrellas will be permitted on the lawn.
- NO tents of any size will be permitted on the amphitheater lawn.
Items Not Permitted
- Plastic tarps
- Tents are prohibited from the Amphitheater lawn.
- Grills, cooking equipment, or any flame that uses a liquid, gas, or gel accelerant.
- Laser pointers
- Drones
- Professional audio or video recording equipment
- Cameras with detachable lenses
- Bikes, rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, etc.
- Pets (except ADA approved service animals)
- Illegal drugs or substances
- Weapons of any kind
Grounds:
- To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all SPAC visitors and staff, all containers and packages will be inspected. This includes coolers, baskets, tote bags, purses, diaper bags, strollers, and all other containers.Any item that is not permitted to come onto the SPAC grounds should be disposed of or returned to your vehicle.
- Smoking is permitted on the SPAC grounds in designated areas only.Please ensure that all cigarette butts are disposed of properly.
- Guests are welcome to bring blankets and umbrellas but please consider others around you- if your items are disruptive to others, you may be asked to remove them.
- In the event that guests are unable to sit through the entire performance, please note that there is a grassy area behind the Julie Bonacio Family Pavilion with access to a video screen which would allow guests to continue watching the performance.
House:
- Beverages are permitted in the amphitheater, but food is not.
- As a courtesy to the performers and the audience, latecomers won’t be seated until the earliest appropriate opportunity in the performance at the discretion of the House Staff.
- Please turn off or silence all mobile devices prior to the start of the program.Texting and making calls in the theater is not allowed. Should an emergency arise in which you must use a mobile device, we ask that you step outside of the theater to avoid disturbing other guests.
- Video, photography, audio, or cell phone recording during performances is prohibited.
- SPAC has a zero-tolerance policy for harassment of any kind, including but not limited to race, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender presentation, sexual orientation, age, ability, religion, and citizenship. Harassment includes but is not limited to stalking, verbal or physical intimidation, offensive verbal comments, physical assault and/or battery, inappropriate physical contact, and unwelcome physical attention. If you are made to feel uncomfortable or unsafe, please immediately report any concerns to SPAC staff or security personnel so appropriate action can be taken.
All SPAC ground rules are subject to change. By entering the SPAC grounds, guests agree to abide by the rules listed above. Management reserves the right to modify these rules or can request to see the contents of any belongings brought on property at their discretion. We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining the utmost levels of safety and convenience for our guests and staff.
Where to Stay
Whether you’re visiting from out of town, or want to stay the night nearby after an event, Saratoga Springs has a place waiting for you. As part of our commitment to the community, SPAC is proud to collaborate with preferred hotel partners to offer the best experience to our guests.
Group Sales
Experience SPAC together! From groups of friends and family to corporate outings, senior centers, summer camps, and arts schools, we can curate a special experience for your group of 10 or more. We offer discounts, flexible options and can work with your group leader to tailor your needs for a memorable day.
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