IL TROVATORE

A love triangle from which there is no escape.

Verdi’s hot-blooded thriller emphasizes the “grand” in grand opera. Count di Luna is enamored with the innocent Leonora, but he fears a rival, a troubadour, who has been heard serenading her.

Stage director John Hoomes and projection designer Barry Steele (Florencia in the Amazon, 2019) return to create an innovative, vivid production. This operatic classic receives an update as the setting moves to a post-apocalyptic dystopia, complete with stunning costumes and projections unlike anything performed on the Saenger stage.

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The fun challenge of advertising Il trovatore is that it is known as one of the most complex operas ever done. The plot is a story about the past and how it leads to the demise of nearly all of the main characters, which can leave the audience feeling lost if they do not know what is happening. By photographing each of the main characters, we were able to do an in-depth look at each of their stories and motivations on social media to help the audience understand what was to come. It' also allowed us to mix up our imaging in print advertisements.

For the main graphic used, I chose to anchor the story around Leonora, who is the young woman in the main love triangle. The original photo was taken during the filming of the promotional commercial where I was able to stretch my legs as a makeshift costume designer. Considering that this interpretation of the opera was set in the post-apocalyptic dystopia, the costuming needed to reflect that feel without cornering the director or show costumer while their ideas were still being built. Raiding the local community theatre and some amazon purchases later, I had a some costumes