The Italian Girl in Algiers: week 4 - week 3 - week 2 - week 1
Fidelio: week 4 - week 3 - week 2 - week 1

Fidelio - Week One

Bass-baritone Greer Grimsley, who last appeared with OCP as Escamillo in the 1992 production of Carmen, returns to the Academy of Music stage as the tyrannical prison governor Don Pizarro.

Director Robert Driver gives direction from the platform that is part of the actual set that will be seen onstage. This giant set piece, called the show deck, has been moved into the rehearsal hall so that the singers can get a feel for the space they will be performing on and the angle, also called the rake, of the stage.

Director Robert Driver goes through staging with bass-baritone Greer Grimsley as Don Pizarro.

Bass-baritone Greer Grimsley runs through a scene with Assistant Director Doris Buske in which his character, Don Pizarro, decides that he must kill his enemy Florestan.

Soprano Christine Goerke (right) returns to the Opera Company of Philadelphia as Leonore, who disguises herself as the title character Fidelio in order to save her husband. Soprano Ailyn Pérez makes her Opera Company debut as the jailer’s daughter Marzelline, who becomes infatuated with Fidelio.

Gathering to discuss a scene are (clockwise) Director Robert Driver, soprano Christine Goerke as Leonore (Fidelio), soprano Ailyn Pérez in her Company debut as Marzelline, and bass Julian Rodescu, who won critical acclaim for his performance of Sparafucile in 2007’s Rigoletto, as Rocco.

A look at the construction of some of the costumes for Fidelio, designed by artist Jun Kaneko.

A clay model used by the costume shop in order to construct and shape helmets to be worn by the prison guards.

A look at a few of the prisoners' costumes in Fidelio. The set and costume designs are by world-renowned artist Jun Kaneko in his Opera Company of Philadelphia debut.