"We offer music in an intimate setting -- that's our niche."
Mary Ann Clerkin
Grand opera returns to Hartford after a five-year hiatus.
A 67-year tradition of opera in the Capital City came to a grinding halt in February 2009, when Connecticut Opera abruptly closed its doors, citing poor ticket sales and a drop in corporate sponsorship.
Now, New Britain-based Connecticut Lyric Opera has stepped in with a single performance of Strauss's lush, Viennese opera "Der Rosenkavalier" in an unlikely venue: the recently-opened Infinity Music Hall and Bistro in downtown Hartford.
Probably best known for presenting folk, rock, and alternative acts, Infinity said they are ready for a little high-brow entertainment. "We're not a jazz club; we're not a blues club. We really want to offer all different types of music," said Mary Ann Clerkin, Marketing Manager for Infinity. "We offer music in an intimate setting -- that's our niche."
The CLO-Infinity partnership may usher in a new trend in live opera performances. Unlike the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, or Milan's famed opera house La Scala, at Infinity, you can enjoy opera along with a burger and a beer. "The food is served up in our mezzanine, which offers a bird's eye view," Clerkin said. "There are tables up there, and the full bistro menu. Who doesn't love a great meal and a nice drink with their entertainment?"
Connecticut Lyric Opera will present two more operas at Infinity Music Hall this season: Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" in February, and Puccini's "La Boheme" in May.
Der Rosenkavalier gets underway at 7:30 pm on Thursday. The Bistro opens at 4:00 pm. I hear the soprano singing the Marschallin is pretty good -- her name is Kathleen Callahan-Hardman.
