Tulsa Opera Artistic Director Tobias Picker Brings Baseball Fans to Opera

Nov. 01, 2020

Tulsa Opera and Artistic Director Tobias Picker have been in the headlines recently following the huge success of their season opener, Rigoletto, presented at Tulsa's ONEOK Field. Director James Robinson's production featuring Sarah Coburn, Todd Thomas, Joshua Weeker, Morris Robinson and Allegra De Vita in principal roles, reduces the opera from its traditional three-act structure to one 90 minutes act, scored for string quartet and piano. Ingeniously presented at ONEOK Field, the production drew scores of news fans to opera and allowed for social distancing measures to be observed by performers and audience members. Characters were recast as members of the "Mantua Dukes" baseball team and the park's Jumbotron brought the action on the field up close and personal for the 1000+ audience.

Tobias Picker recently sat down with Susan Elliott, News Editor of Musical America, for a One to One interview in which he discusses the first-ever baseball Rigoletto. Listen to their engaging discussion here:

(Tobias Picker is featured in a One to One Interview with Musical America's News Editor, Susan Elliott)

Tulsa Opera’s series "Tulsa Opera LIVE" hosted by Tobias Picker returns on Tuesday, November 10 at 7:30pm CST. Join Tobias Picker and director James Robinson for a lively discussion about more plans for innovative programming and a sneak peak at the film of the first-ever baseball Rigoletto that will be released on November 12!

Tobias Picker and James Robinson will also discuss their longtime collaboration, including the forthcoming Opera Theatre of Saint Louis world premiere of Picker's Awakenings, which has been postponed due to the pandemic.

Registration is limited, so please visit TulsaOpera.com/LIVE to learn more about this event and register.