Artaserse

An opera seria in three acts by Leonardo Vinci

Friday, June 27, Sunday, June 29, and Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Jarvis Opera Hall, DePaul University, Chicago

Haymarket presents a new, fully staged production of Leonardo Vinci’s 1730 tour de force opera, Artaserse. This rarely performed opera is an immersive time capsule that bridges centuries, revealing the genius of Vinci and the grandeur of 18th-century theatrical art to opera enthusiasts and newcomers alike. Murderous ambition tests the strength of a royal dynasty in an intriguing tale of assassination and reconciliation underscored by Vinci’s dazzling music!

Artaserse

Music by Leonardo Vinci
Libretto by Pietro Metastasio

Friday, June 27, 2025 at 2pm
Sunday, June 29, 2025 at 2pm
Tuesday, July 1, 2025 at 6pm

Performance length: 4 hours, including two 15-minute intermissions

You’re invited: Opening night toast
Join Haymarket’s cast, orchestra, and production team immediately following the performance on June 27. All ticket holders are invited!

Jarvis Opera Hall
Holtschneider Performance Center at DePaul University
800 W. Belden Ave, Chicago, IL 60614

About the production

Haymarket’s production of Artaserse is set to become its second recording with Chicago’s GRAMMY© Award-winning label Cedille Records, and offers audiences the special opportunity to experience Vinci’s gripping 18th-century masterpiece that premiered to great acclaim in Rome in 1730 in its full dramatic splendor. Set to a libretto by the illustrious Pietro Metastasio, Artaserse is a work of striking emotional depth and virtuosic brilliance. Haymarket revives this Baroque gem featuring a sensational cast, a colorful orchestra of period instruments, and sets and costumes to evoke ancient Persia, showcasing our company’s passionate commitment to historical performance. 

Vinci’s Artaserse premiered in 1730 with a cast of five superstar castrati, taking both male and female roles. For its 2025 Chicago premiere, Haymarket presents a cast of virtuosic singers to take on the extreme vocal demands of the score. “Astonishing countertenor” (The New York Times) Kangmin Justin Kim returns to Haymarket following his sensational 2023 performances as Cleopatra in Hasse’s Marc’Antonio e Cleopatra to lead an all-star cast in the title role of Artaserse. Rising star countertenor Key’mon Murrah, praised for his “resplendent, voluptuous tone” (Opera News), makes his Haymarket debut as Arbace, wrongly accused of murdering his best friend’s father. Mezzo-soprano Emily Fons, “one of the best singing actresses of her generation” (Opera News), takes the role of Arbace’s betrothed, Mandane. Male soprano and 2024 Handel Aria Competition winner Elijah McCormack returns to HOC in the role of Artaserse’s betrothed, Semira. Fresh from his 2024 Haymarket debut in the title role of Handel’s Tamerlano, countertenor Ryan Belongie portrays the conniving Megabise. Emmy-winning, Billboard-charting tenor Eric Ferring, known as “a prodigiously gifted lyric tenor” (Opera News) for his “fine, gleaming tenor” (New York Classical Review), returns to Haymarket to perform the role of the murderous Artabano.

Craig Trompeter, praised for his “marvelous” conducting (Opera Magazine), leads Haymarket’s acclaimed period orchestra, bringing Vinci's rich score to life with a vibrancy and tonal color reminiscent of the original 18th-century performances. Gut strings, natural horns and trumpets, period kettle drums, oboes, and theorbo create a warm and nuanced soundscape. The ensemble’s historically informed approach captures the subtleties of Baroque phrasing, ornamentation, and dynamic contrast, transporting lucky listeners to the 1700s. 

Internationally renowned countertenor and director Drew Minter joins Haymarket’s expert period creative team as stage director. Exquisite period-inspired costumes, designed by Stephanie Cluggish, with wig and makeup design by Megan Pirtle, reflect the opulence and fashion of the era, transporting the audience to the courtly world of ancient Persia. Wendy Waszut-Barrett’s set designs, inspired by 18th-century theatrical conventions, offer painted backdrops and ingenious stage machinery to create dramatic effects and transitions. Lighting designer Brian Schneider evokes the flickering glow of candlelit performances, adding a sense of intimacy and immediacy to the production. Haymarket’s general director Chase Hopkins serves as creative producer.

Tickets

Order your tickets online, in person, or by phone through the DePaul University School of Music box office.

If you need ticketing assistance, please contact the DePaul University School of Music box office by email (musicboxoffice@depaul.edu) or by phone (773-325-5200). The box office is open Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–3pm.

Early-bird ticket pricing

Purchase tickets now to take advantage of early-bird prices for this performance. Due to limited seating and high demand at the Jarvis Opera Hall, this special pricing will end May 27.

Featuring

The Cast

Artaserse: Kangmin Justin Kim, countertenor

Arbace: Key’mon Murrah, countertenor

Mandane: Emily Fons, mezzo-soprano

Semira: Elijah McCormack, male soprano

Artabano: Eric Ferring, tenor

Megabise: Ryan Belongie, countertenor

The Creative Team

Stage Director: Drew Minter

Music Director: Craig Trompeter

Set Designer: Wendy Waszut-Barrett

Costume Designer: Stephanie Cluggish

Wig Designer & Lead Makeup Artist: Megan Pirtle

Lighting Designer: Brian Schneider

Assistant Director: Hannah Zizza Stanfield

Creative Producer: Chase Hopkins

The Haymarket Opera Orchestra

Violin I: Jeri-Lou Zike, Concertmaster;

Wendy Benner, Pauline Kempf, Jaime Gorgojo

Violin II: Martin Davids, Emily Nebel, Brandi Berry Benson

Viola: Elizabeth Hagen, Kiyoe Matsuura

Cello: Anna Steinhoff, Erica Rubis

Bass: Jerry Fuller

Lute: Brandon Acker

Harpsichord: Matthew Dirst

Oboe I: Kathryn Montoya

Oboe II: Curtis Foster

Bassoon: Sally Jackson

Trumpet I: Ryan Berndt

Trumpet II: David Kjar

Horn I: John Schreckengost

Horn II: Thomas Vienna

Timpani: Brandon Podjasek

Production Team & Run Crew

Production manager: Jen Smith

Crew to be announced.

Synopsis

When King Serse is mysteriously assassinated, his son, Artaserse, ascends the throne amidst a storm of intrigue. Arbace, the son of the powerful general Artabano, finds himself unjustly accused of the murder. Secretly in love with Artaserse’s sister Mandane, Arbace must clear his name while navigating the treacherous politics of the court. Unbeknownst to all, the true murderer is Artabano, driven by ruthless ambition to place Arbace on the throne. Yet, Artabano’s devotion to his son conflicts with his insatiable hunger for power, creating a moral chasm that threatens to destroy them both.

Meanwhile, Semira, Arbace's sister and the betrothed of Artaserse, struggles with her divided loyalties. Her love for the king and her bond with her brother place her at the center of a harrowing emotional conflict. Adding to the chaos, the cunning nobleman Megabise seeks to exploit the turmoil for his gain, further endangering the fragile alliances holding the kingdom together. With love, vengeance, and familial devotion hanging in the balance, Artaserse hurtles toward a dramatic climax, where truth will be revealed, justice will be demanded, and the strength of loyalty will be tested to its limits.

About the composer

Leonardo Vinci (1690–1730) was an influential Italian composer renowned for his contributions to the opera seria genre during the early 18th century. A master of melodic invention, Vinci revolutionized Italian opera with his emphasis on expressive, lyrical arias that showcased the virtuosity of contemporary singers. He was a central figure in the Neapolitan school of opera, collaborating with prominent librettists such as Pietro Metastasio. Vinci's works, including Artaserse and Didone Abbandonata, captivated audiences across Europe and helped define the aesthetic of Italian opera in his era.

His untimely death at the height of his career marked a significant loss to the musical world. Reports suggest that his death in 1730 at the age of 40 was sudden and mysterious, leading to speculation that he was murdered, possibly due to political intrigue or personal rivalries, although definitive evidence is lacking. Vinci's connections to the Neapolitan aristocracy combined with his rumored romantic entanglements have fueled theories that his death may have been orchestrated.

About Cedille Records

Haymarket’s production of Vinci’s rare opera Artaserse will be recorded by Cedille Records for release in 2026, marking the second collaboration between the two organizations.

Cedille Records brings Chicago’s finest classical musicians to a worldwide audience. For more than three decades, Cedille has produced world-class recordings featuring outstanding classical musicians. Cedille albums have won eight GRAMMY© Awards and received 35 nominations, including six Awards for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance since 2008. In 2023, Haymarket Opera Company released its debut album with Cedille Records, the world-premiere recording of L’Amant Anonyme (The Anonymous Lover) by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges.

Production Sponsors & Support

Lead Production Sponsors: Amata Office Suites, Debra L. Cox, Nancy Dehmlow, Timothy R. and Janet Fox, Axel Kunzmann and Bruce Nelson, Gregory O'Leary and Patricia Kenney, Alexander Ripley and Edward Steinemann, David J. Rice, Candace Rudmose, Lynne and Ralph Schatz, Marjorie Stinespring, Pam and Doug Walter, Michael and Jessica Young

Supporting Production Sponsors: Debbie Crimmins and Paul Goerss, Patricia P. and Jerome E. Fuller Charitable Fund, The Lemont Fund, Byron Harrison and Brian Klinksiek, and an anonymous donor

Foundation support: The Paul M. Angell Foundation, Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Illinois Arts Council Agency, Helen and Curtis Pinnell Foundation, and the Walder Foundation

If you are interested in becoming a production sponsor, please contact general director Chase Hopkins at chase@haymarketopera.org.

If you require access support to fully participate or have any questions about accessibility, please contact us at info@haymarketopera.org. To ensure the best experience, please try to contact us at your earliest convenience.