Yale Students Perform Cavalli Opera as Part of Conference on the Composer

Two performances of “Giasone,” the best-known opera by Italian composer Francesco Cavalli (1602–1676), will be the centerpiece of an international Cavalli conference taking place at Yale April 30–May 2.

The opera and conference are presented by the Yale Baroque Opera Project, the Yale Department of Music and the Whitney Humanities Center (WHC).

Titled “Manuscript, Edition, Production: Readying Francesco Cavalli’s Operas for the Stage,” the conference will take place at WHC, 53 Wall Street, beginning on Thursday at 4 p.m. and concluding on Saturday afternoon. Stagecraft professionals, musical conductors and scholars will be among the conference participants.

Composed in 1649, “Giasone” is considered the most popular of the more than 30 operas Cavalli wrote. It will be performed on May 1 and May 2 at 5 p.m. at the University Theater, 222 York Street.

Early music expert Grant Herreid is the music director, and Yale Theater Studies faculty member Toni Dorfman is the stage director for this production. The cast is a mix of undergraduate and graduate students, with the exception of countertenor Jay Carter (Yale MUS ’08), who will perform the title role. The performances are free, and no ticket is needed.

The Yale Baroque Opera Project is funded by a distinguished achievement grant awarded to Ellen Rosand, the George A. Saden Professor of music.

For general information, visit www.yalebaroqueoperaproject.org, or call the Yale Department of Music at 203-432-2985.

For more information about the conference, e-mail d.ward-griffin@yale.edu; for the opera, douglas.williams@yale.edu