NAPLES, FL (February 3, 2025) – Opera Naples announces a press conference in advance of the
2025 Festival Under the Stars, planned for Wednesday, February 26 at 10am in Cambier Park, located
at the entrance adjacent to 601 Park Street, Naples, FL 34102. Key people involved in the festival will
be present at the press conference, including Opera Naples Executive Director Melanie Kalnins, Opera
Naples Artistic and Music Director Ramón Tebar and Luciano Pavarotti Foundation President
Nicoletta Pavarotti. Members of the media are encouraged to RSVP for the event at
ralbaugh@operanaples.org or by calling 239-963-9050.
Commenting on the upcoming Festival Under the Stars, Nicoletta Pavarotti said: “After the
phenomenal success of our inaugural Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice
Competition in January, I am delighted that we will open the festival with a “Pavarotti Voices” concert
which features winners from the competition and celebrates the legacy of my late husband. I also
warmly invite Naples audiences to attend a conversation I will be hosting on March 3 at the Wang
Opera Center where I will talk about the many artistic adventures Luciano and I enjoyed together
along with my vision for the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation as we move forward.”
Artistic and Music Director Ramón Tebar added: “We continue to be so grateful to Nicoletta and her Foundation for their incredible partnership. In addition to the activities which Nicoletta mentioned, we are also thrilled to be presenting three different operas with very contrasting themes as part of our festival: Puccini’s La bohème, Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Mikado. We will also have a special day for children with our free Family & Community Day and are delighted to be again partnering with Gulfshore Ballet in two performances of Sleeping Beauty.”
2025 OPERA NAPLES FESTIVAL UNDER THE STARS
Cambier Park, February 27 to March 15
Opera Naples Artistic and Music Director Ramón Tebar leads the festival’s musical activities, conducting the Naples Festival Orchestra. The festival is notable for being the only outdoor winter opera festival in the United States. Festivalgoers will enjoy three fully staged operas featuring internationally renowned artists, plus collaborative evenings with the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation, San Francisco Opera’s Adler Program, Festival of the Arts BOCA and Gulfshore Ballet. Tickets: $28- $152. Student tickets start at $20. VIP Tables start at $390, including access to a VIP check in from 6- 7pm.
Feb 27 | The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Pavarotti Voices Concert, 7pm
Feb 28 | The Magic Flute by Mozart, 7pm
March 1 | Family and Community Day, 10am-1pm
March 1 | The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Pavarotti Voices Concert Travels to Boca, 7:30pm (note location: Mizner Park, Boca Raton)
March 2 | The Magic Flute by Mozart, 7pm
March 3 | The Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Celebrates Luciano’s 90th Anniversary: Reflections from Nicoletta Pavarotti, 7pm (note location: Wang Opera Center)
March 6 | La bohème by Puccini, 7pm
March 7 | The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan, 7pm
March 8 | La bohème by Puccini, 7pm
March 9 | The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan, 7:30pm
March 15 | Sleeping Beauty by Tchaikovsky, performed by Gulfshore Ballet, 2pm and 6pm (note location: Wang Opera Center)
THE LUCIANO PAVAROTTI FOUNDATION PAVAROTTI VOICES CONCERT
Winners from the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition will take the stage on opening night of the 2025 Opera Naples Festival Under the Stars! This exceptional concert marks the beginning of a spectacular festival, showcasing the talents of some of the world’s most gifted vocalists. Nicoletta Pavarotti, president of the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation, will graciously host the event.
THE MAGIC FLUTE by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Magic Flute is a sublime blend of music, comedy and fantasy. Composed in 1791, this tale of love, betrayal and redemption continues to mesmerize audiences with its enchanting arias, charming characters and enigmatic themes. This production promises to transport you to a world of wonder and magic, with Mozart’s timeless music and the stars shining bright above. Sung in German with English subtitles.
Ramón Tebar, conductor | Naples Festival Orchestra
Megan Barrera, stage director
Victor Cardamone, Tamino
Olivia Smith, Pamina
Samuel Kidd, Papageno
Maria Aleida Rodriguez, Queen of the Night
TBD, Sarastro
Arianna Rodriguez, Papagena
LA BOHEME by Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini’s iconic opera, La bohème, is a poignant and passionate portrayal of young love and artistic passion set against the vibrant backdrop of 19th-century Paris. This beloved masterpiece, composed in 1896, follows the tragic tale of Rodolfo and Mimi’s doomed love affair, brought to life by Puccini’s lush music and memorable characters. Sung in Italian with English surtitles.
Ramón Tebar, conductor
Naples Festival Orchestra
Megan Barrera, stage director
Caroline Corrales, Mimi
William Davenport, Rodolfo
Matthew Cossack, Marcello
Arianna Rodriguez, Musetta
Samuel Kidd, Schaunard
Jongwon Han, Colline
Scott Hetz Clark, Beniot/Alcindoro
Nathan Schafer, Parpignol
THE MIKADO by Gilbert & Sullivan
The Mikado is a witty and whimsical tale of love, politics and absurdity set in ancient Japan. This lighthearted masterpiece, composed in 1885, follows the misadventures of Ko-Ko, a hapless executioner, and Yum-Yum, a beautiful maiden, as they navigate a web of silly laws and absurd regulations. Sung in English.
Ramón Tebar, conductor
Louis Dall’Ava, stage director
Nathan Schafer, Nanki-Poo
Matthew Cossack, Ko-Ko
Scott Hetz Clark, Pooh-Bah
Jeffrey Goldberg, Pish-Tush
Louis Dall’Ava, The Mikado
Hannah Cho, Yum-Yum
Cornelia Lotito, Katisha
D’Ariel Barnard, Pitti-Sing
SLEEPING BEAUTY by Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Join Gulfshore Ballet as they present Sleeping Beauty, renowned as a masterpiece of music, dance and storytelling. Composed by Tchaikovsky in 1889, it is a testament to his genius and a showcase for a dancer’s technical skill. The ballet follows the fairy tale romance of Princess Aurora and her Prince Phillip, with a score that took Tchaikovsky just 40 days to complete.
THE LUCIANO PAVAROTTI FOUNDATION CELEBRATES LUCIANO’S 90TH ANNIVERSARY: REFLECTIONS FROM NICOLETTA PAVAROTTI
As the world celebrates the 90th anniversary of Luciano Pavarotti’s birth in 2025, President of the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Nicoletta Pavarotti shares details from her life with the famed tenor. Hear about her adventures with her late husband, including her legendary management of the Pavarotti & Friends benefit concerts, as well as her most recent professional accomplishments and pursuits.
FREE Family & Community Day!
This event features activities and special performances for the whole family. Children’s themed
opera performance of The Ugly Duckling by Opera Naples Resident Artists, plus fun activities
and games, bounce house, face painting and balloon artistry. Admission is free; no tickets
required.
Ticket availability varies by event. For tickets, please visit OperaNaples.org. Millennium Club and members may purchase tickets with Concierge Ticketing by calling Rita Albaugh at 239-963-9050 or emailing ralbaugh@operanaples.org.
Opera Naples is grateful for leadership sponsorship support from Ice Miller LLP, Starkweather & Shepley, John and Nicky Pepe, PNC Private Bank, Sally and Tom Gleason and the Luciano Pavarotti Foundation. Additional sponsorship and partnership support provided by Gulfshore Life, The Naples Press, Naples Daily News, Gulfshore Ballet, Naples Trust, International Women’s Forum, Naples Global Advisors, The Aielli Group, Turk & Turk, Winfield Coffee, City of Naples, as well as grant funding support from the Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau, Florida’s Paradise Coast, Collier Community Foundation and the Florida Theatrical Association.