Opera cancels 'Manon,' subs 'Love & Lust'

The nation's deepening recession has forced Mobile Opera to replace its opening production of the 2009-10 season.

Giacomo Puccini's romantic tragedy "Manon Lescaut" will be replaced with a concert event, "Love & Lust," a musical portrait "celebrating two of opera's most famous subjects," according to an opera news release. The change also prompts a single date change and a change of venue, according to executive director Earl Jackson and artistic director Andy Anderson.

"Love & Lust" will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 24 and 2:30 p.m. Oct. 25 — a Saturday night and Sunday afternoon — at the Mobile Saenger Theatre. The program will feature arias, duets and choruses from works by Mozart, Verdi, Puccini, Bizet and more. Anderson says details of the program are being finalized, but will include excerpts from "Nabucco," "Tosca," Korngold's "Die tote Stadt" and more.

The remainder of the 2009-10 season will be unchanged. Mobile Opera is still offering a lower season ticket price base starting with next season. Season tickets start at $37 for a trio package. The season includes: the annual "Messiah" Sing-In, Dec. 7 at Dauphin Way United Methodist Church; a concert version of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd," Jan. 9 at the Saenger Theatre; and Wagner's "Der fliegende Holl nder" ("The Flying Dutchman"), March 25 and 27, 2010, at Mobile Civic Center Theater.

The schedule change from a fully mounted mainstage production to a concert will save Mobile Opera more than $100,000, according to Jackson. He says times are especially difficult for nonprofit performing arts companies that have historically received a portion of their support from foundations and corporations.

However, some foundations are committed to multi-year projects and are not entertaining applications from nonprofits, he says. Many corporations have made serious cutbacks in arts support since last year.

Anderson says Mobile Opera is protecting itself and its future....