a production still from Tales of Hoffman, a robot girl fans herself while impressed onlookers stare.

Season 2022-23

Butler Opera Center

Shakespeare Gala • Song Re-Imagined • Proving Up • Les Contes D’Hoffmann

Butler Opera Center

Past Season Galleries

 

a painting of a mystical forrest, filled with lush greenery, strong tree trunks, and floating twinkles of light.
Shakespeare Gala
October 2022

Works by
Giuseppe Verdi • Charles Gounod • Benjamin Britten • Ambroise Thomas
 

Photos by Amitava Sarkar and Lazaro Gonzales

Production Still: A woman clad in black lifts a sword above her head, looking up at the blade in a powerful pose.
Production Still: A woman clad in black lifts a sword above her head, looking up at the blade in a powerful pose.
Production Still from the gala: A woman in a white dress sits not he lap of a man in a dark suit. They sit at a small cafe table, a projection of a lush hillside through windows behind them.
Production Still from the gala: A woman in a white dress sits not he lap of a man in a dark suit. They sit at a small cafe table, a projection of a lush hillside through windows behind them.
production still from the gala: A singer sits on a bench in the foreground dressed in a suit and scarf, with an orchestra on stage behind him.
production still from the gala: A singer sits on a bench in the foreground dressed in a suit and scarf, with an orchestra on stage behind him.
production still of a group of singers, clad in black, on a solemn stage
production still of a group of singers, clad in black, on a solemn stage
production still from the gala: A singer sits on a bench in the foreground dressed in a suit and scarf, with an orchestra on stage behind him.
production still from the gala: A singer sits on a bench in the foreground dressed in a suit and scarf, with an orchestra on stage behind him.
Production still from Shakespeare Gala, a man and woman hold each other closely, seated on a chaise lounge, she buries her head into his shoulder while he looks off into the distance.
Production still from Shakespeare Gala, a man and woman hold each other closely, seated on a chaise lounge, she buries her head into his shoulder while he looks off into the distance.
production still a group of singers on stage, in formal dress. a singer stands in front, arms outstretched, wearing a red cape.
production still a group of singers on stage, in formal dress. a singer stands in front, arms outstretched, wearing a red cape.
production still of a group of singers, clad in black, on a solemn stage
production still of a group of singers, clad in black, on a solemn stage
An abstract image of a smoke filled stage, lit up with red and orange colored lights
Song Re-Imagined
November 2022

Works by
Schumann • Strauss • Liszt • Shostakovich
 

Photos by Tzu-Chin Hsu

Production Still: A woman stands on stage in formal pink gown with a pianist behind her. A garden of pink flowers is projected on the stage behind her.
Production Still: A woman stands on stage in formal pink gown with a pianist behind her. A garden of pink flowers is projected on the stage behind her.
a man in a brown suit sings on stage, accompanied by a pianist behind him
a man in a brown suit sings on stage, accompanied by a pianist behind him
A woman in a red gown sings on stage with a pianist behind here. Sketches of Grecco-Roman busts are projected in the background.
A woman in a red gown sings on stage with a pianist behind here. Sketches of Grecco-Roman busts are projected in the background.
Three singers stand down stage, fists raised in the air in triumph. A Van Gogh inspired painting of a sunlit wheat field is projected behind them.
Three singers stand down stage, fists raised in the air in triumph. A Van Gogh inspired painting of a sunlit wheat field is projected behind them.
Two women with their heads covered by shawls perform on stage.
Two women with their heads covered by shawls perform on stage.

Back To Top

a small pioneer house sits near a cliff in a wooded area, silhouetted against a stormy sky. In the clouds above the house, the figure of a female apparition looks down on the home.
Proving Up
February 2023

Music by 
Missy Mazzoli
 

Libretto by  
Royce Vavrek
 

Photos by Amitava Sarkar

a group of singers clad in pioneer costume sits solemnly on a stage drenched in yellow light in front of a ramshackle living structure and a clothesline holding a few dreary garments.
a group of singers clad in pioneer costume sits solemnly on a stage drenched in yellow light in front of a ramshackle living structure and a clothesline holding a few dreary garments.
singers clad in dreary pioneer dress sing to the audience on a stage lit dimly in orange light, as if at sunset.
singers clad in dreary pioneer dress sing to the audience on a stage lit dimly in orange light, as if at sunset.
a man squats on the ground reading a letter, two women crouch near him reacting in agony to the contents of the letter.
a man squats on the ground reading a letter, two women crouch near him reacting in agony to the contents of the letter.
3 women clad in pioneer costumes sit on stage. A central figure appears somber but tall on stage, while another woman leans into her shoulder, and the third lays her head in the strong woman's lap.
3 women clad in pioneer costumes sit on stage. A central figure appears somber but tall on stage, while another woman leans into her shoulder, and the third lays her head in the strong woman's lap.
two sickly looking young women stare through a crooked window frame, singing with creepy, forlorn faces.
two sickly looking young women stare through a crooked window frame, singing with creepy, forlorn faces.
a woman crouches beside a young, shirtless boy who looks sullen and defeated. He is smeared in blood, with bloody handprints on his torso.
a woman crouches beside a young, shirtless boy who looks sullen and defeated. He is smeared in blood, with bloody handprints on his torso.

Back To Top

A steam-punk mechanical head in profile amidst flowing purple ribbons, and a background of cogs and sprockets.
LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN
April 2023

Music By 
Jacques Offenbach

Libretto By 
Jules Barbier

Photos by Nathan Russell
 

a Woman in and ornate gown and headpiece stand on stage, with huge wing-like spans of cloth extending from her back up into the sky high above the stage. she is surrounded by singes in victorian formal wear.
a Woman in and ornate gown and headpiece stand on stage, with huge wing-like spans of cloth extending from her back up into the sky high above the stage. she is surrounded by singes in victorian formal wear.
A life-sized steam-punk robot stand on stage, robotically fanning herself with a fan, while party-goers clad in victorian formal attire gawk at her from afar.
A life-sized steam-punk robot stand on stage, robotically fanning herself with a fan, while party-goers clad in victorian formal attire gawk at her from afar.
Two men sit cross-legged on the ground. A third man crouches near the man on the left, covering his ears while he tells sings to the other man.
Two men sit cross-legged on the ground. A third man crouches near the man on the left, covering his ears while he tells sings to the other man.
A woma in an ornate gold dress sits on a chaise lounge on a dimly lit stage, singing an aria, while a man in a velvet dinner coat crouches beside her, with his head in her lap.
A woma in an ornate gold dress sits on a chaise lounge on a dimly lit stage, singing an aria, while a man in a velvet dinner coat crouches beside her, with his head in her lap.
A man dances on a long bar table, while singers clad in victorian peasant clothes lounge in the chairs, drinking beer and enjoying the performance.
A man dances on a long bar table, while singers clad in victorian peasant clothes lounge in the chairs, drinking beer and enjoying the performance.
A steam-punk android teeters precariously on stage with a surprised look on her face.
A steam-punk android teeters precariously on stage with a surprised look on her face.
An inventor outfitted in "mad-scientist" clothing with an oversized monocle on one eye shows off his steam-punk android invention to a group of amazed aristocrats at a party.
An inventor outfitted in "mad-scientist" clothing with an oversized monocle on one eye shows off his steam-punk android invention to a group of amazed aristocrats at a party.
A man in a velvet overcoat watches a woman pirouette awkwardly across stage as she impersonates the movements of Hoffman's steam-punk robot girl.
A man in a velvet overcoat watches a woman pirouette awkwardly across stage as she impersonates the movements of Hoffman's steam-punk robot girl.
A woman in a beautiful green victorian gown stands alone on stage, holding a letter, and singing solemnly.
A woman in a beautiful green victorian gown stands alone on stage, holding a letter, and singing solemnly.

Back To Top