June 14, 2019 at 7:30pm
June 16, 2019 at 2:00pm
Huntington Avenue Theatre
LA BELLE HÉLÈNE (THE BEAUTIFUL HELEN)
By Jacques Offenbach
Libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy
Fully staged, Performed in English
An irresistible opéra bouffe with a brilliant libretto, La belle Hélène wickedly parodies the well-known legend of Helen’s elopement with Paris. The dashing Prince of Troy wins Helen’s love with the assistance of a cunning oracle who outwits her husband and an assortment of royal Grecian heroes. With sparkling orchestral panache, some of Offenbach’s best-loved melodies, and an epidemic of marital infidelity, it’s no wonder this opera received over 700 performances when it premiered! Fans of our 2017 production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Patience, praised by The Boston Globe as, “a tour-de-force,” will be delighted as Odyssey Opera continues their exploration of comedic masterpieces from the nineteenth century.
“The Odyssey Opera Orchestra sparkled like Veuve Clicquot under Gil Rose’s effervescent conducting.”
–American Record Guide
Cast and Creative
Ginger Costa-Jackson
HELEN, QUEEN OF SPARTA
Ben Wager
CALCHAS
Adam Fisher
PARIS
David McFerrin
AGAMEMNON, KING OF KINGS
Jaime Korkos
ORESTES
Alan Schneider
MENELEUS
Christian Figueroa
ACHILLES, KING OF PHTHIA
Steven Goldstein
AJAX 1, KING OF SALAMIS
Gregory Zavracky
AJAX 2, KING OF LOCRIS
Mara Bonde
BACCHIS
Felicia Gavilanes
LEOENA
Rachele Schmiege
PARTHOENIS
Frank Kelley
STAGE DIRCTOR
Gil Rose
CONDUCTOR
PRODUCTION TEAM
Brooke Stanton…Costume Designer
Janie Howland…Scenic Designer
Karen Perlow…Lighting Designer
Rachel Padula-Shufelt…Hair and Make-up Designer
