Winter theater season
launches with
‘Dutchman’

Hawaii Opera Theatre opens its season today, with the work that launched Richard Wagner's career.

In "The Flying Dutchman," a sea captain condemned to roam the high seas for eternity captivates the heart of a young maiden who vows to break the curse with her devotion to him. Randy Locke returns to HOT in the role of the sea captain Erik, with Lori Phillips playing Senta.

Performances take place 8 p.m. today, 4 p.m. Sunday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

All performances will be at the Neal S. Blaisdell Concert Hall.

Other works in the season are:

"Susanna": In her HOT directorial debut, Executive Director Karen Tiller presents Carlisle Floyd's work based on the Biblical story of Susannah and the Elders. A charismatic itinerant preacher, driven by lust and ambition, seduces the young Susannah, ultimately sacrificing her redemption to the unforgiving justice of a rural Tennessee mountain town. Kelly Cae Hogan stars as Susannah. Performances run Feb. 11, 13 and 15.

"Turandot": Giacomo Puccini's spectacular final masterpiece closes HOT's winter season, with Karen Huffstodt as Princess Turandot, whose cruel, cold beauty rules Peking. Death meets every suitor who fails to solve the three riddles to win her hand. A stranger meets the challenge, and provokes her with a single riddle of his own. Henry Akina directs and Ty Paterson conducts. Quinn Kelsey stars as Pong/Mandarin, Lea Woods Friedman is Liu, and Warren Mok plays Calaf. Performances run Feb. 25 and 27, and March 1 and 3.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, 8 p.m. on Fridays and 4 p.m. on Sundays, with one 7:30 p.m. presentation of "Turandot" on March 3. Single tickets are priced from $29 to $100. Season tickets are still available from $81 to $288. For more information, call 596-7858.