Singer

Featuring Guest Violinist Gennaro Desiderio and Guest Singers Gabriel Preisser and Raphaella Medina.

EPSG:4326

American Music: Celebration of Love 2026

Sharon L. Morse Performing Arts Center

Opera Orlando is thrilled to present a unique operatic experience with "Beatrice Benedict / Cavalleria Rusticana" at the esteemed Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. This innovative production will take place in Steinmetz Hall on April 25 & 27, 2025, offering performances at 7:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively.

This exceptional event combines Hector Berlioz’s "Beatrice Benedict," based on Shakespeare’s "Much Ado About Nothing," with Pietro Mascagni’s "Cavalleria Rusticana" into a single, compelling performance. Audiences will be transported to an Easter day in the Sicilian town of Messina, where they will first be delighted by Berlioz’s comedic tale of love and misunderstandings in the town square, culminating in joyous weddings and a happy conclusion. The mood shifts as the same setting becomes the backdrop for Mascagni’s powerful verismo opera, weaving a story of passion, betrayal, and tragedy.

This all-new opera mash-up is the brainchild of Opera Orlando's artistic director, Grant Preisser, who leads the production. Making his company debut, conductor Pasquale Valerio brings his expertise to the forefront, accompanied by the talents of the Opera Orlando Chorus and Youth Company, as well as dancers from the Orlando Ballet.

"Beatrice Benedict" will be performed in English, while "Cavalleria Rusticana" will be sung in Italian, with both operas featuring English and Spanish supertitles. The total runtime for the evening is 2 hours and 45 minutes, including one intermission.

Subscriptions for the 24/25 season are now available, offering special season launch pricing until July 4. Subscribers can save up to 50% and enjoy an additional 10% discount on two subscriber add-on productions. This is a unique opportunity to experience the fusion of comedy and tragedy in one unforgettable evening at the Dr. Phillips Center.

For more information on tickets and subscriptions, please visit the Dr. Phillips Center's official website or contact the Bill & Mary Darden Box Office at 407.358.6603.

Beatrice Benedict / Cavalleria Rusticana

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts

The stunningly gorgeous Bella Collina property in Montverde, FL serves as the perfect stand-in for the Donati estate in this one-night-only mash-up of two comedic one-acts by two of opera greats. Enjoy Rossini’s The Marriage Contract and Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi with friends, food, wine, and an incredible cast of singers headlined by Opera Orlando general director and Grammy-award winning baritone Gabriel Preisser as Gianni Schicchi himself. Music director and pianist Kyle Naig and stage director Grant Preisser lead this immersive double-feature about family, money, marriage, and contracts, and the antics of the dysfunctional Donati household is sure to have the audience in stitches.

Bella Notte at Bella Collina

The Club at Bella Collina

Mozart’s comedic and mystical singspiel (a predecessor to musical theater) transports the audience to the mythical realm of Ozymandia where the story unfolds in frames like a graphic novel bringing all of the arts together to tell this fantastical tale. Artistic director Grant Preisser directs this all-new production inspired by the fine art anime of Yoshitaka Amana, with dance choreographed by Maxine Montilus, puppetry by MicheLee Puppets, and music conducted by Chaowen Ting, making her Company debut. She will take the podium and lead the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, along with a stellar cast including Metropolitan Opera soprano Kathryn Bowden as Queen of the Night, bass William Meinert as Sarastro, the stunning, up-and-coming soprano Magdalena Kuźma as Pamina, and renowned baritone Brian James Myer as Papageno. The cast also includes members of the Opera Orlando Chorus and Youth Company.

Mezzo-soprano

Raphaella Medina

Events

Past events

Feb 14, 2026

American Music: Celebration of Love 2026 · The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra

25 - 27 Apr, 2025

Beatrice Benedict / Cavalleria Rusticana · Opera Orlando

About

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