Hawaii Opera Theatre’s ‘Opera for Everyone’ Returns For The Flying Dutchman

Honolulu, HI – Hawaii Opera Theatre’s (HOT) Education Program will once more bring Opera for Everyone (OFE) to the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall for the Final Dress Rehearsal of The Flying Dutchman on February 11, 2015 at 7:00pm. 

Since 1991, HOT’s Opera for Everyone Program has offered students from elementary through high school and college classes (24 and under) the opportunity to enjoy the live opera experience for $7 at the Final Dress Rehearsal of each production. Teachers and others working with Hawaii’s youth may reserve seating for the final full orchestra dress rehearsal. HOT also extends this offer to families interested in attending OFE.

The Flying Dutchman has captivated audiences for over a century and has been the inspiration in countless popular culture references including the cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants, the best-selling Twilight Series, and the film franchise, The Pirates of the Caribbean. This classica Wagner opera tells the tale of a legendary ghost ship, The Flying Dutchman, captained by a man simply known as the Dutchman, who is cursed to wander the sea.  His only chance at redemption comes once every seven years. If the Dutchman can find a wife that will be true to him, then he shall be set free of his curse.

Imported from the Glimmerglass Festival in New York, HOT’s production of The Flying Dutchman features the same star-studded cast as the original, including Bass-Baritone Ryan McKinny (The Dutchman), Soprano Melody Moore (Senta), and Hawaii’s second son, Tenor Jay Hunter Morris (Erik), who was last seen here during the 2013-14 Opera Season’s production of Turandot. This production will be sung in German, with English translations projected above the stage.

To learn more about Opera for Everyone and to download the Student Group and Family Brochures, visit http://www.hawaiiopera.org/education-outreach/student-dress-rehearsals/

For more information about HOT’s Education & Outreach Program, please contact Erik D. Haines, Director of Education, at e_haines@hawaiiopera.org. For Tickets to Opera for Everyone, please contact Blythe Kelsey, Education Coordinator, at b_kelsey@hawaiiopera.org or by calling (808) 596-7372. The deadline to register is Feb. 9, 2015.

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Since 1961, Hawaii Opera Theatre (HOT), formerly a division of the Honolulu Symphony society and incorporated in 1980, has served to enhance the quality of life in Hawaii by presenting opera performances of the highest standards, while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Through 3 productions annually in the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall, HOT offers opera to over 14,000 residents and visitors each season, thereby increasing the public’s awareness and exposure to opera s a multi-media art form.

Directed by Artistic Director, Henry G. Akina, and Executive Director, Simon Crookall, HOT partners with the Hawaii Symphony to provide the orchestra. Auditions to cast principal roles are generally held in NY, and attract singers from the mainland, Europe, and Asia. The Opera Chorus is a local volunteer organization.