Opera performances are rare occurrences in the Buffalo area, which makes events such as the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra’s collaboration with SUNY Fredonia’s Hillman Opera on Verdi’s “La Traviata” a special occasion.

Performances will take place Saturday (March 1) at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday (March 2) at 2:30 p.m. at Kleinhans Music Hall.

The event is described as “semi-staged,” but will still take place on a grand scale. The lead roles will feature Hailey Clark, Joseph Dennis, and Troy Cook, all of whom have national and international operatic credits to their name (you can see bios HERE).

They will perform alongside graduate students from the Hillman Opera program, the Hillman Opera Chorus, the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus and the full Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra led by Music Director JoAnn Falletta.

It is the third operatic collaboration between the Hillman Opera Program and the BPO, beginning with Bizet’s “Carmen” in June 2019, followed post-COVID with Mozart’s “Magic Flute,” in April 2022. Additional SUNY Fredonia vocal collaborations have included choral performances of Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” Verdi’s “Requiem” and, most recently, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

The English National Opera offers this synopsis of the story:

A tragic opera written by Italian composer, Giuseppe Verdi, La traviata follows the story of Violetta (a high-class courtesan in 19th-century Paris) and her passionate love affair with Alfredo (a young nobleman).  

Despite their developing romance, the relationship is soon put under pressure as societal expectations, misunderstandings and illness threaten to tear them apart – ultimately leading to a heart-breaking conclusion. 

The opera will feature stage direction from Fredonia professor Paul Mockovak. Full credits are HERE.

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Can’t get enough opera … or Verdi? The 1891 Fredonia Opera House’s “Live at The Met” series will feature Verdi’s Aida Saturday (March 1) at 1 p.m. American soprano Angel Blue stars as the Ethiopian princess torn between love and country in a new production by Michael Mayer. The Opera House is at 9 Church St., Fredonia.

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If you like your classical music in a more informal setting, Stephen Guerra and Titus Stevens will be performing a set of Brazilian classical music from 3 to 5 Saturday (March 1) at Duende @ Silo City, 85 Silo City Row, Buffalo.

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The Van Kuijk Quartet has won a whole lot of prizes, awards and recognition as a top string quartet, recording at least a half dozen albums over the past decade. The quartet will be performing in the Mary Seaton Room at Kleinhans Music Hall on Tuesday (March 4) at 7:30 p.m. It’s a Buffalo Chamber Music Society event.

They’ll be performing music from Mendelssohn, Debussy, Tournier, Fauré and Capletsic. Here’s the music video from “Les chemins de l’amour,” from their 2024 album “Impressions parisiennes.”

Do you have a classical music event coming up? Make sure to submit it for The Buffalo Hive event calendar. Email news to editor@thebuffalohive.com.