Organization

Singer

Soprano

Heather Johnson

Jane Arnold

Mezzo-soprano

Charlotte Blais

Meg Weathers

Tenor

Andrew Bidlack

Rob Hall

Baritone

Craig Verm

Doug Hansen

Bass-baritone

Kevin Burdette

Beck Weathers

Bass

Matthew Trevino

Guy Cotter

Stephen Maus

Mike Groom

Conductor

Joseph Mechavich

Stage director

Leonard Foglia

Video designer

Elaine J McCarthy

Lighting designer

Kathryn Eader

Chorus master

Cina Crisara

Costume designer

David C Woolard

Austin Opera

English

Everest

Austin

United States

The Long Center

Everest Talbot

Public

Approved

Austin Opera’s season continues with the company premiere of Everest, January 23 – 26, 2020 at the Long Center. This opera, with music by Joby Talbot and libretto by Gene Scheer, tells the tale of one of the deadliest years in recorded history, 1996, at Mount Everest.

Bad weather has affected 1996’s climbing season – causing multiple expeditions to attempt to summit on
May 10-11. A bottleneck of climbers at the famous Hillary Step has delayed the progress of Rob Hall’s group and has splintered the group in two as a ferocious storm brews and rages around them. The climbers will struggle to overcome elements in their quest for survival.

Austin Opera’s cast features three of the stars of the original Dallas Opera production in 2015. Making their company debuts are bass-baritone Kevin Burdette as Texas native Beck Weathers and tenor Andrew Bidlack as expedition leader Rob Hall. Baritone Craig Verm returns to Austin Opera for his fifth role as doomed climber Doug Hansen. Rounding out the group of adventurers is soprano Heather Johnson, performing Hall’s wife, Jan Arnold.

This 75-minute production features projections portraying the vastness of the mountainous space and nuances of light and weather while the cast of climbers, in heavy gear, at the front of the stage display the human drama unfolding as the orchestra creates the sounds of weather on stage with the vocal artists. This white-knuckle rush will take Austin Opera audiences on a journey like never before.

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew