Renée Fleming stars as Clarissa Vaughan in the world premiere of The Hours, a two-act opera with music by Kevin Puts, libretto by Greg Pierce and directed for the stage by Paula Suozzi. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts The Philadelphia Orchestra and Philadelphia Symphonic Choir at Verizon Hall on March 18 and 20.
The Hours, based on Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and award-winning Paramount Pictures film, chronicles a day in the life of three women from different eras connected through Virginia Woolf’s novel Mrs. Dalloway.
Fleming plays Clarissa Vaughn, a modern-day a contemporary version of Mrs. Dalloway. She, along with Virginia Woolf (Jennifer Johnson Cano and Laura Brown (Kelli O’Hara), struggles with the notion of living her life for someone else. The brilliant cast also includes baritone Brett Polegato (as Clarissa’s best friend Richard), tenor Jamez McCorkle (Virginia’s husband Leonard), mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel (Clarissa’s partner Sally), bass-baritone Brandon Cedel (Laura’s husband Dan) and soprano Raven McMillon in three roles.
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Photo: Andrew Eccles
