Dvořák’s gripping opera, Rusalka, often compared to Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, ushers his heroine, Rusalka, through the joys of falling in love, coupled with the heartbreak of broken commitments as the result of several tragic decisions.
Sung in Czech, the opera truly “resonates with Dvořák’s passion for Czech folklore and fairy tales.” He “juxtaposes the mortal and the mythical with beautiful folk melodies and luminous arias.”
Soprano Sara Gartland, who portrays the role of Rusalka, and soprano Laura Wilde, who assumes the role of Rusalka’s rival, the Foreign Princess, reveal their insight on Dvořák’s timeless Czech fairy tale.
"Let me get right to the point: This is the Rusalka I have been waiting for all my life." - Opera Today
The Des Moines Metro Opera cast for Rusalka includes:
Rusalka – Sara Gartland, soprano
Jezibaba – Jill Grove, mezzo-soprano
Prince – Evan Leroy Johnson, tenor
Vodnik – Zachary James, bass
Foreign Princess – Laura Wilde, soprano
Rusalka will be followed by one more mainstage Des Moines Metro Opera production, Flight, a Luther College production of Cosi fan Tutte, and a Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre performance of Turandot.
Rusalka show times will be:
- Saturday at 8 pm – October 13
- Sunday at 11 pm – October 14
