Ooh la La! Wichita Grand Opera

The sounds, sights and scents of France are coming to Wichita this fall with the Wichita Grand Opera!

The fall season kicks off on September 15 at the Orpheum, where the Wichita Grand Opera will host Caroline Campbell, a violinist whose talent and broad musical repertoire has taken her to iconic stages around the world. The performance will be her second in Wichita, according to WGO’s general and artistic director, Whitney Reader.

“Caroline made quite a splash here, creating a sensation on Valentine's Day two years ago and bringing our beloved opera company, which had just struggled through the pandemic, sizzling back onto Wichita's radar,” Reader said.” Her combination of musical virtuosity, magnificent stage presence, poise and gracious generosity … worked magic here in Wichita. We want to honor her artistry in re-offering this musical bouquet to our expanding audience, keeping alive the flame that she lit here!”

Wichita Grand Opera’s fall season is taking on a French flair, featuring several world premieres, which will include a fiery rendition of Danse Espagnole; the pastel grace of “La Vie en Rose” (merci, Édith Piaf!), arranged and orchestrated especially for this performance; a suite spotlighting the most memorable moments of the magical film composer, Ennio Morricone — which will be performed for the first time ever in Wichita — as well as many more musical bonbons. 

Campbell routinely tours with world renowned tenor Andrea Bocelli, with whom she has collaborated across continents, along with dancers Brittany O’Connor and Paul Barris, who will be making their Wichita debut alongside Caroline in the Orpheum, ICT's historic jewel box of a theater.

“One thing I really like in general, both in and outside of opera, is combining art forms!” Reader said. “In this case, a stunning violin virtuoso, full of verve and musical poetry combined with the elegance of dance ranging from classical ballet to modern interpretations and rhythms. Seeing music illuminated through motion can be very powerful; truly, dance has been the inspiration for much of the world's great music since time immemorial.”

Campbell was trained as a classical violinist and has a diverse repertoire of music she performs — from classical to rock — but one of her favorite genres is movie themes. She has recorded for major films including “Hunger Games” and “Frozen,” and will bring her passion for movie scores to Wichita in a second event this fall. The Wichita Grand Opera will host Campbell at Odd Fellow Hall in the historic Delano district on September 17, where she will perform music from films such as “James Bond” and “West Side Story.” The event is a catered private dinner and private performance by Campbell.

Reader calls the Caroline Campbell concerts an “amuse-bouche” (appetizer) to WGO's season. The Wichita Grand Opera will create a Louisiana French atmosphere with a New Orleans, French-themed, Opera Ball on October 21 at The Hudson in downtown Wichita. The event will feature the KC All-Stars (official band of the Kansas City Chiefs), a meal catered by Georges très magnifique French Bistro, and a live as well as silent auction to support the opera.

A performance of “La Bohème” will round out the fall lineup at Century II Concert Hall on November 4, celebrating all things Parisian, all things youthful, and all things concerning opera's favorite subject: l'amour. “La Bohème” takes place in 1820–30s Paris, and has long since secured its place as one of opera's most beloved and most performed gems. Reader says the Wichita Grand Opera’s performance will be a traditionally beautiful production, with sets and costumes that will take you back to 1820s Paris, and presented to Wichita's public by a world-class cast of singers, celebrating both Kansas and national talent.

“We’d like to offer something to everyone here, and in doing so, utilize some of Wichita's unique and wonderful venues,” Reader said. “If it's musical fireworks that you desire — step into the old-world atmosphere of the Orpheum Theater! If it's a whirling, French-with-a-Cajun-twist opera ball in the French Quarter of New Orleans that suits your palate, come eat, drink, dance and win a prize at the auction in the uniquely yesteryear-yet-modern vibe of the Hudson in Old Town Wichita! Or do you fancy an elegant night at the opera in the Latin Quarter of Paris? Come join us in our familiar home with our friends at Century II. We want everyone in Wichita to feel welcome and remain or become part of our family.”

You can find tickets to all of Wichita Grand Opera’s events on their website: wichitagrandopera.org or call 316.683.3444.