Man of La Mancha plays through August 9 and is performed in English. Ticket prices range from $31 to $108; based on availability. A longtime favorite of opera and Broadway audiences, Director Paul Curran speaks to its enduring popularity.  “Man of La Mancha ultimately asks of us a very big question. Who are we as human beings?  What do we believe in? Is that dream really so impossible?” notes Curran.

With music by Mitch Leigh, lyrics by Joe Darion and book by Dale Wasserman, Man of La Mancha is presented as a play within a play. The lead character of Don Miguel de Cervantes (Robert Orth) awaits his trial by the Spanish Inquisition by acting out a story for his fellow prisoners. He becomes Don Quixote, a fanciful knight on a quest to rid the world of his mortal enemy. Along his quest, Quixote and his sidekick Sancho Panza (Keith Jameson) face many obstacles. Quixote also pledges his adoration and must fight for the honor of Aldonza (Lucy Schaufer), the woman he adores. The signature song, “The Impossible Dream” embodies the quest to stay true to one’s ideals in the face of all odds. While it’s an uplifting story overall, Man of La Mancha does include violence, specifically sexual violence, which is why this Central City Opera production is rated PG-13.  

Take the Boomer Bus!  (Saturday, July 25) Opera goers between the ages of 50 to 65 can travel to Central City in style in 2015. The Boomer Bus will be offered on Saturday, July 25 for the matinee of Man of La Mancha. Boomers will board a bus in Denver (10:00 a.m. from Sports Authority in Glendale and 10:30 a.m. from Simms Steakhouse off of 6th Ave), enjoy a glass of champagne and a live history presentation of Central City and CCO, a catered lunch in the gardens, a behind the scenes experience, a Short Works opera scenes program and a full live 2:30 pm matinee performance in the Opera House. www.centralcityopera.org/boomer

Man of La Mancha Production Team 
Paul Curran returns as Stage Director for Man of La Mancha. His past Central City Opera engagements include The Rape of Lucretia, 2008; Les Contes d’Hoffmann, 2004; Director and Set Designer, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2002; and as Artistic Consultant, 2006-Present. Curran’s most recent credits are La donna del lago, Metropolitan Opera; Tristan und Isolde, Teatro La Fenice; and Faramondo, International Handel Festival.

Making his Central City Opera debut as Scenic and Costume Designer is Court Watson. His credits are extensive and most recently include King for a Day, Annie Get Your Gun, and Blizzard at Marblehead Neck (Glimmerglass Festival), Les Contes d’Hoffmann (National Center for the Performing Arts, Beijing, directed by Francesca Zambello), and Baden-Baden 1927 (Gotham Chamber Opera, directed by Paul Curran.

The Company also welcomes back Adam Turner as the Conductor and Chorus Master. He has led performances for Central City Opera of The Marriage of Figaro, Dead Man Walking, Carmen, La Bohème, and Oklahoma!  Mr. Turner recently appeared in concert with singer-songwriter Ben Folds, conducting members of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Festival Resident Lighting Designer David Martin Jacques returns for his 15th festival to light both La Traviata and Man of La Mancha, along with 2015 Wig and Makeup Designer/Supervisor, Dave Bova, who made his CCO debut in 2012. Jacques has been lauded for his design of more than 300 theatre, opera, television, dance and special event productions. Some of Mr. Bova’s recent credits include Violet on Broadway and Marie Antoinette for Steppenwolf Theatre.

Man of La Mancha Performing Artists
Returning to the stage are critically-acclaimed principal artists from recent years including those from last summer’s The Sound of Music: Robert Orth and Lucy Schaufer. Mr. Orth’s recent roles with Central City encompass Owen Hart, Dead Man Walking; Max Detweiler, The Sound of Music, 2014; Frederik Egerman, A Little Night Music, 2009; Horace Tabor, The Ballad of Baby Doe, 2006. He has performed internationally in 134 roles in opera and musicals.

Mezzo-Soprano Lucy Schaufer is Aldonza in this production of Man of La Mancha. Central City Opera audiences last saw her as Elsa Schraeder in 2014’s The Sound of Music. Her recent credits include Susanna, The Ghosts of Versailles, Los Angeles Opera; Old Woman, Flight (London premiere), Opera Holland Park; Ma Moss, The Tender Land, Opéra de Lyon.

As Sancho Panza, Keith Jameson makes his Central City Opera debut, after acclaimed performances in the roles of Candide, Candide, Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo; Bardolfo, Falstaff, Saito Kinen Festival Matsumoto and  Alméric, Iolanta, Metropolitan Opera. Debuting artist Adelmo Guidarelli (also currently in La Traviata) is featured as The Innkeeper/Governor. Mr. Guidarelli has performed internationally including his 2014 debut at Lincoln Center.

The 2015 Central City Opera Festival continues with two one-act operas performed in Central City and on the road, both in English. The Prodigal Son will be performed in English in Central City July 29 and August 5; in Colorado Springs July 30. Don Quixote and the Duchess is in Central City July 28 and August 1; August 6 in Ft. Collins. Also running at the Central City Opera House now through August 8 is one of opera’s greatest romances, Verdi’s La Traviata. Single tickets for the 2015 Festival range from $25 to $108 and are subject to change based on availability. Two-pack subscriptions for La Traviata and Man of La Mancha start at $47 and include a savings of up to 25% off of single tickets. Groups of 10 or more also save 25%. For complete information on the entire 2015 Festival, visit www.centralcityopera.org

Man of La Mancha:

• Performed in English.
• Estimated running time: 2 hours and 25 minutes with one 20-minute intermission – subject to change

FULL PRODUCTION CREDITS
Written by: Dale Wasserman
Music by: Mitch Leigh
Lyrics by: Joe Darion
Original Production Staged by: Albert Marre
Originally Produced by: Albert W. Selden and Hal James
Conductor: Adam Turner
Director: Paul Curran
Assistant Director: Jennifer Williams
Set and Costume Designer: Court Watson
Assistant Costume Designer: Jess Gersz
Lighting Designer: David Martin Jacques
Wig/Makeup Designer: Dave Bova
Chorus Master: Adam Turner
Musical Preparation: Michael Baitzer, Thomas Getty, Jay Rozendaal
Stage Manager: Rachel L. Ginzberg
Assistant Stage Manager: Bryce Bullock
Fight Choreographer: Brian LeTraunik

Cast In Order of Vocal Appearances
Don Quixote (Cervantes): Robert Orth
Sancho Panza: Keith Jameson
Aldonza: Lucy Schaufer
The Innkeeper/Governor: Adelmo Guidarelli
Carrasco/Duke: Andy Berry
Padre: Michael Kuhn
Antonia: April Martin
Barber: Alex Scheuermann
Pedro, head muleteer: Alexander James York
Anselmo: James Dornier
Housekeeper: Molly Jane Hill
Jose: Gabriel Wernick
Juan: Nicholas DeMeo
Paco: Makoto Winkler
Tenorio: Isaac Assor
Maria, the innkeeper’s wife: Hannah Christine Busch
Fermina: Christina Bakhoum
Moorish Dancer: Maya Kherani
Captain of the Inquisition: Joshua Arky
Guards, Men of the Inquisition, and Gypsies: Bonfils-Stanton Apprentice and Studio Artists

Performance dates (all at the Central City Opera House):  Matinees at 2:30 pm: July 22*, 25, 26*, 28; August 1, 5, 7, 9
Evenings at 8:00 pm: July 18, 24, 30    * Opera Bus available

Box Office:  Save time and money by ordering online – just $4 per transaction! Walk-up Sales: Monday–Friday, 10am–4pm at the Denver office, 400 S. Colorado Blvd., Suite 525. Tickets start at $31. Purchase a Two Pack Subscription (with Man of La Mancha) starting at $47.