ST Roles
Nevada Opera is proud to present Sweeney Todd, featuring the amazing Virtual Theater Design of director Joachim Schamberger. Of Joachim Schamberger's production of Sweeney Todd, the Shreveport Times reported "It was refreshing that Shreveport Opera choose a director [Joachim Schamberger] who pushed us to look at Sweeney Todd anew... and embraced new possibilities"o
Joachim Schamberger's virtual theater design brings film and stage together in one spectacular production. Starring Metropolitan Opera baritone Gary Simpson re-creating one of his favorite roles, Sweeney Todd, Nevada Opera's Sweeney Todd promises to be a sell-out hit! Recent reviews described Gary thus "... not only filled the theater with his big, warm baritone... he avoided the broad slyness of the standard characterizations..." Starring with Gary Simpson is Cami Thompson, also recreating her role as Mrs. Lovett. A Reno favorite, Cami has recently received this review "...singer/songwriter/bandleader Cami Thompson is outstanding as the spunky Jeannette Burmeister, the showbiz pianist. She has a lot of pizzazz singing "Jeanette's Showbiz Number." This consummate artist is a fail-safe comic engine as Jeannette, who doesn't mince words when assessing her very immature colleagues." If that isn't enough, Jon Ames "who impressed with his deep, ultra low voice" is back with Nevada Opera for the role of Judge Turpin and we welcome Katie Dixon as Johanna who recently received this review for Phantom of the Opera "Katie Dixon's powerful, controlled, and operatic soprano voice soars in the role of Christine... her vocals gloriously fill the theater, and her strong performance reaches an emotional peak..." Also debuting with Nevada Opera for this production is Jamin Flabiano as Tobias. His recent review for a comic part paints him "...as good a physical comedian as I've ever seen, and a fine tenor who more than amply played the goofball sidekick." Back from the summer's Artown Festival is Aaron Shaw as Pirelli. Aaron received an ovation this summer for his portrayal of Eisenstein in NVO's Artown production of Die Fledermaus.
Principal roles (Click on NOA artist name for bio and photo)
|
Character |
NOA Artist |
Voice Type |
Description |
|
Director |
Joachim Schamberger |
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|
|
Sweeney Todd/Benjamin Barker |
Gary Simpson |
Morose and brooding, a barber by profession who returned to London (after fifteen years of unjust incarceration in an Australian penal colony) to seek revenge first on the corrupt judge who sent him there, and then simply on whoever proves unfortunate enough to end up in his shop. |
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|
Mrs. Nellie Lovett |
Cami Thompson |
A cheery and chatty but wholly amoral restaurateur whose business has become run down due to a scarcity of meat and who would like to be more than a landlady to Mr. Todd. |
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|
Anthony Hope |
Baritone/Tenor |
A young, naïve sailor who has rescued Todd and falls in love with Johanna Barker. |
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|
Johanna Barker |
Katie Dixon |
Todd's beautiful young daughter, claimed by Judge Turpin as his own ward. |
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Judge Turpin |
John Ames |
Bass or Bass-Baritone |
A corrupt and depraved judiciary official who twists the system to serve his own ends and who has become infatuated by Johanna as she has matured. |
|
Tobias Ragg |
Tenor |
A simple young lad who works first for Pirelli, and then for Mrs. Lovett, but does not trust Todd. |
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Beadle Bamford |
Tenor/Countertenor |
Turpin's right-hand man and accomplice to his dirty deeds. |
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Beggar Woman/Lucy Barker |
Mezzo-soprano |
A mad crone with a filthy tongue whose interjections go unheeded, but who is eventually revealed to be Lucy Barker, the wife of Benjamin Barker. |
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Adolfo Pirelli/Danny O'Higgins |
Tenor |
An Irish charlatan and former employee of Benjamin Barker's who has since developed a public persona as a flashy, Italian barber; he attempts to blackmail Todd whom he ultimately recognizes from his youth. (In some productions, Pirelli has been played by a woman but still portrayed as a male character.) |
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
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