UNCG Opera Falstaff in the Semi-Finals for The American Prize

photo from 2019 production of Falstaff

UNCG Opera Theatre’s production of Falstaff has advanced to the semi-final round in the 2019-2020 American Prize competition for all three areas in which it was entered.   Those areas are:  Production, Conducting (Peter Perret), and Stage Direction (David Holley).

Falstaff , Verdi’s last opera, is a revenge comedy based on Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor .   The UNCG production, mounted in the spring of 2019 and directed by David Holley, included 10 principals, a chorus of 30, and the University Symphony Orchestra.  Metropolitan Opera baritone Richard Zeller was in the title role.  Costumes were designed by Deborah Bell and created with the help of costume design students.  The set was designed by Randy McMullen with design and production students, and Chip Haas served as technical director.

Other schools that made it to the semi-finals for “Recognition of Production” include Arizona State, University of Colorado Boulder, LSU, Michigan State, University of Houston Moores Opera Center, SUNY-Potsdam Crane School of Music, and University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts is the nation’s most comprehensive series of contests in the performing arts, unique in scope and structure. Founded in 2010, contestants hail from all fifty states, representing literally hundreds of communities and arts organizations across the nation.

UNCG Opera Theatre was awarded third place in the American Prize competition last year for its 2018 Magic Flute.