April 4, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Rarely Performed Gem L’amico Fritz Closes AVA’s 90th Anniversary Opera Season
PHILADELPHIA – April 3, 2025 – The Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) proudly concludes its 90th Anniversary Opera Season with a captivating production of Pietro Mascagni’s rarely performed romantic masterpiece, L’amico Fritz. Directed by Jeffrey Buchman and marking the AVA debut of Maestro Joseph Colaneri, the production opens April 26 and runs through May 6. Resident scenic designer Cameron Anderson transports the audience to Fritz’s world of natural beauty and rustic vistas, supporting Buchman and Colaneri’s creative vision.
Premiering to critical acclaim at Rome’s Teatro Constanzi in 1891, Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz weaves a tender tale of self-discovery and love set against the scenic beauty of French vineyards. Renowned for its lush, emotive score, the opera presents a man’s struggle between the comfort of solitude and the vulnerability of embracing true love.
“Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz is a wonderfully moving love story about a man who has spent his entire life prioritizing the happiness of others over his own,” explains stage director Jeffrey Buchman. “He has saved lives, has provided care for countless orphans and has given many dowries so that those in love could marry. Mascagni’s rich score is full of beauty and melancholy, capturing both the pain and the beauty of Fritz’s complex journey as he struggles to allow himself to embrace his own happiness and his love for Suzel.”
Conductor Joseph Colaneri (AVA debut) remarks, “There’s something truly special about L’amico Fritz. Firstly, it is not a piece that is often performed, which is an exciting prospect for a conductor, but more so, Mascagni’s use of melodic tension and dynamics are exquisitely written to mirror the story. Fritz’s journey of love and discovery is driven by intense melodies that leave the audience feeling uplifted, but with a profound sense of longing.”
L’amico Fritz Performance Dates:
April 26, 29 & May 1, 7:30 PM
AVA’s Helen Corning Warden Theater
1920 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
April 28, 7:30 PM (Young Professionals Night performance, ages 45 and under)
AVA’s Helen Corning Warden Theater
1920 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103
May 3, 5:00 PM
Delaware Valley University – Life Sciences Building
700 East Butler Avenue, Doylestown, PA 18901
May 6, 7:30 PM
The Haverford School – Centennial Hall
450 Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 19041
Tickets:
AVA’s Helen Corning Warden Theater, April 26 through May1
$105 – Premium Reserved Seating
$70 -General Admission
$25 – Young Professionals Performance on April 28th (ages 45 and under)
Delaware Valley University’s Life Sciences Building, May 3rd
150 – Premium Reserved Seating
$55 – General Admission
Free for Students
The Haverford School’s Centennial Hall, May 6th
$105 – Premium Reserved Seating
$70 – General Admission
$25 – Young Professionals (ages 45 and under)
$10 – Students (available via phone or in person only)
For more information, please visit AVA’s official website at avaopera.org. To purchase tickets, call 215-735-1685 or visit the following link:
Pietro Mascagni’s L’amico Fritz
About Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA)
The mission of the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) is to be the world’s premier institution for training young artists to become international opera soloists. Through rigorous instruction and coaching, and by presentations of Resident Artists from around the world in concerts, oratorios, public programs and fully staged professional opera productions, AVA trains artists with the high potential for career success while enriching lives in Philadelphia and beyond. Gifted singers come from throughout the world to seek the exceptional guidance and training that AVA offers. Admission is determined by competitive annual auditions. AVA is distinguished by its reputation for high-quality performances that are acclaimed by critics locally, nationally, and internationally. Each year AVA Resident Artists are presented in four or five fully staged opera productions accompanied by orchestra. Resident Artists are cast in leading roles that they will in all likelihood continue to perform for the rest of their careers. Learn more about AVA at avaopera.org.
More information about AVA, its programs, and AVA’s 90th Anniversary Season performances can be found online at avaopera.org or by calling (215) 735-1685.
Contact:
Andrew Rohe
Marketing & PR Manager
Academy of Vocal Arts
1920 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: (215) 735-1685
Email: arohe@avaopera.org
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