The 2006-2007 season is on!  Director Brian Salesky has lined up a season of favorites sure to please both seasoned opera lovers and newbies alike.

The season kicks off--and quite a kick it is!--in October with an all-day celebration of the 250th birthday of the W.A. Mozart.  Among other events, the KOC Chorus will present an afternoon concert of sacred music, and the celebration will culminate in a mammoth concert featuring excerpts from all of Mozart best-loved operas featuring great soloists, the Chorus, and members of the Knoxville Symphony. 

In February, just in time for Valentine's day, the company will stage an all new production of Puccini's masterpiece, La Boheme.  Guys, take note:  this is a tear-jerker sure to win points with the ladies.  Will poor artist Rudolfo win the heart of sweet flower girl Mimi?  And when is vivacious Musetta going to get rid of that old letch and find her true love?  All will be revealed in time.

Then, as part of the 2007 Rossini Festival (now moved to May to hopefully avoid the scary weather), George Bizet's Carmen will bring her, uhhh... "charms" to the stage of the Tennessee Theater.  The music of Carmen will probably be familiar to everyone, as it has been used in numerous movies, television shows, and radio and TV commercials over the years.  With bar fights, street riots, and tender (or torrid) love scenes... oh yeah, there's some great singing in there, too... the opera has always been a favorite with opera fans in Knoxville.

All in all, a great season for opera officionados and newbies alike.