The Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre performances of Puccini’s Turandot will be held on Friday, January 19th at 7:30 and again on Sunday, January 21st at 2 p.m. at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids. Internationally acclaimed Australian Soprano Rebecca Nash stars in the title role and former NFL football player and CROT returning tenor, Ta’u Pupu’a captures the heart and soul of Prince Calaf.
Guest director for the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre’s performances of Turandot is William Ferrara. Bill Ferrara is not only a Professor and Stage Director of Opera at the University of Oklahoma but he also enjoys an international reputation as a stage director and acting and directing teacher for opera. During his career he has directed over 160 plays, musicals and operas at colleges and professional theatres in the U.S., Italy, and South America. Before joining the faculty at University of Oklahoma, he taught at the University of Northern Iowa.
Currently Mr. Ferrara also teaches acting for singers and stage directing for college teachers at the Opera Viva Summer Institute in Verona, Italy.
He has written two textbooks and is at present working on his third dedicated to the works of Puccini.
Listen right here to IPR’s Iowa Arts Showcase Spotlight interview with William Ferrara about the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre’s production of Turandot on Iowa Public Radio Classical.
