Everest
by Austin Opera

Jan. 23 - Jan. 26, 2020
Thursday, Saturday-Sunday

Everest, with music by Joby Talbot and libretto by Gene Scheer, tells the tale of one of the deadliest years in recorded history, 1996, at Mount Everest. Bad weather has affected climbing season – causing multiple expeditions to attempt to summit in May. A bottleneck of climbers at the famous Hillary Step has delayed the progress of Rob Hall’s group and has splintered the group in two. The climbers will struggle to overcome elements in their quest for survival.

The cast features three of the stars of the original Dallas Opera production in 2015. Making their company debuts are bass-baritone Kevin Burdette as Texas native Beck Weathers and tenor Andrew Bidlack as expedition leader Rob Hall. Baritone Craig Verm returns for his fifth role as doomed climber Doug Hansen. Rounding out the group of adventurers is soprano Heather Johnson, performing Hall’s wife, Jan Arnold.

 

This 75-minute production features projections portraying the vastness of the mountainous space and nuances of light and weather while the cast of climbers, in heavy gear, at the front of the stage display the human drama unfolding as the orchestra creates the sounds of weather on stage with the vocal artists. This white-knuckle rush will take audiences on a journey like never before.

 

Feature by Robert Faires, Austin Chronicle, January 16, 2020

Feature by Joshua Figueroa, Sightlines Magazine, January 18, 2020


Everest
by Joby Talbot, Gene Scheer
Austin Opera

Thursday, Saturday-Sunday,
January 23 - January 26, 2020
Long Center
701 West Riverside Drive
Austin, TX, 78704

Thursday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

More information at the Austin Opera website.  (Feb. 21, 2019)