Friday, February 6, 2015

Delavan to Replace Ramey in 'Susannah'



Toledo Opera-goers will be disappointed to miss Samuel Ramey, the bass-baritone who essentially made the role of Olin Blitch but had to pull out of next week's local production of Carlisle Floyd's "Susannah."

But the audience will be excited as well, since baritone Mark Delavan has been secured as a replacement. Delavan is squeezing in the preacher role before performing as Scarpia in the Lyric Opera of Chicago's upcoming production of "Tosca."

There was a momentary panic over losing Ramey, Toledo Opera executive director Suzanne Rorick admitted at an opera guild luncheon Wednesday, but this was not an unfamiliar scenario.

"It happens all the time," Rorick said, noting that about a third of productions encounter the need to replace singers in lead roles.

"Susannah," an American opera set in mid-20th-century rural Tennessee, will be offered at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Valentine Theatre in downtown Toledo. Visit the Toledo Opera website at toledoopera.org to learn more about the production and to purchase tickets.

A free public lecture, part of the Opera Extras series, is slated for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10 at Registry Bistro, 114 N. Superior St., in the Secor Building in downtown Toledo. Kevin Bylsma will share his perspective on coaching performers for "Susannah."

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