St. Petersburg Opera Company presents Pinocchio, an opera for all ages!
ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Oct. 25, 2021) – The St. Petersburg Opera Company is thrilled to present Pinocchio, an opera for the entire family, on November 13th, 14th, 20th, and 21st at Opera Central, 2145 1st Ave South, St. Petersburg, FL 33712.
This one-hour adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s timeless tale of the puppet who longs to become a real boy was adapted by John Davies. Maestro Mark Sforzini conducts a chamber orchestra, performing music by Mozart, Donizetti, Offenbach, and Verdi. It’s the perfect introduction to opera for the young and the young at heart!
In this enchanting story, Pinocchio becomes friends with Olympia, a miraculous mechanical doll – a character from Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann. “In my adaptation,” noted Davies, “Olympia’s friendship with Pinocchio gives her the boost she needs to become a real girl.”
This year, in conjunction with Pinellas County Schools, more than 800 third graders will be bussed to Opera Central for special morning performances of Pinocchio. At St. Petersburg Opera, we believe that introducing young people to our unique form of musical storytelling both entertains them as well as stimulates their creative curiosity, thus planting a seed that will grow the next generation of opera lovers.
The stellar eight-member cast includes mezzo-soprano Sarah Klopfenstein as Pinocchio, coloratura soprano Holly Flack as Olympia, and tenor Kevin Mitchell as Geppetto.
Performances will be held at Opera Central on Saturday, November 13th at 7:30 pm, Sunday, November 14th at 3 pm, Saturday, November 20th at 3 pm, and Sunday, November 21st at 3 pm.
Single tickets are available at $15 for adults and $5 for youth (18 and younger). Sponsored by Gloria Matyszyk & Richard Caldwell, Elaine Stupp, St. Petersburg Opera Guild, Pinellas County Schools, and Irene Athos. Tickets for Pinocchio are available online at www.stpeteopera.com, or by phone at (727)-823-2040.
About the St. Petersburg Opera Company Founded in 2007 by Maestro Mark Sforzini, the mission of the St. Petersburg Opera Company – a not-for-profit 501(c)3 corporation – is to enrich the cultural lives of the residents of and visitors to the Tampa Bay area, by presenting fully staged professional opera productions of the highest quality, and to make opera accessible to present and future audiences through community outreach, educational initiatives, and collaboration with other arts organizations.