Delaware Valley Opera reaches new crescendo

By TOM KANE

NARROWSBURG, NY — Gloria Krause gets more and more daring as she ages. The 82-year-old general manager of the Delaware Valley Opera has taken on a schedule beyond all season schedules, at least for the DVO, which is now in its 19th season.

For years the Narrowsburg-based company has produced two operas in July and August, which brought six or seven performances to the Tusten Theatre. This summer, the DVO will present three operas and a Broadway review for a total of 18 performances, three of which will be staged at Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake, NY.

Three of the operas, to be performed in their original Russian, Italian and French, are the most demanding in the opera canon. They are “Eugene Onegin” by Peter Tchaikovsky, “La Traviata” by Giuseppe Verdi and “The Tales of Hoffman” by Jacques Offenbach. English translations are projected high on a screen above the stage.

The Broadway review, “Broadway A La Mode,” will highlight the music of George Gershwin, Cole Porter and Jerome Kern.

The company will produce the operas in conjunction with the Hudson Opera Theatre, a new alliance that has given Krause the nerve to set this year’s ambitious program. Ron DeFesi, the DVO’s artistic director, also directs the Hudson group.

This summer is also the first time the DVO will stage performances during the week, including Wednesday and Thursday matinees. Matinees will continue on Sunday afternoons at 3:00 p.m. All other performances are Saturday and Sunday evenings at 7:30 p.m.

“DVO’s expanded season of three operas instead of two is definitely ambitious, but in this stage of their development, I think they needed a new model,” said Elaine Giguere, executive director of the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance. “The quality of the performances is outstanding and the price unbeatable, so I hope people come out and support them.”

Individual tickets are $20. For group purchases, the DVO offers special rates.

For a complete schedule of the DVO’s 2005 season call 845/252-3136.