It gives me great pleasure to invite you to the 2008–2009 IU Opera and Ballet Theater Season, the 60th Anniversary of IU Opera Theater! We hope you will celebrate this landmark occasion with us all year long.

In September, our opera season opens with a new production of Verdi’s sumptuous La Traviata, followed by Otto Nicolai’s rollicking The Merry Wives of Windsor and Prokofiev’s fantastical The Love for Three Oranges. Spring 2009 commences with a new production of Massenet’s fairytale-esque Le Cendrillon, with Handel’s high-intrigue Giulio Cesare and a new production of Frank Loesser’s touching The Most Happy Fella (starring Jacobs Professor Timothy Noble!) wrapping up this historic year. You won’t want to miss any of these exceptional productions!

We eagerly anticipate the second IU Ballet Theater season with Michael Vernon as chair of the Department of Ballet: Ballets of Our Time, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, and Variations on a Russian Theme.

Your subscription guarantees you the very best seats in the house. In addition, you’ll receive the benefits of free ticket exchanges (subject to upgrade fees, if any), the privilege to renew your seats from season to season, and free lost ticket replacement. You also will be able to buy tickets to the ballet productions before they go on sale to the general public.

Thank you for your support and patronage. We look forward to having you join us as we bring you another opera and ballet season of great drama and passion!

GWYN RICHARDS, DEAN