Preludes Tickets are On Sale Now!
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​Music, Lyrics, Book and Orchestrations by Dave Malloy
We (finally!) present our long-awaited production of Preludes, Dave Malloy's musical fantasia set in the hypnotized mind of Sergei Rachmaninoff.  Delving into the composer’s troubled psyche, Preludes deftly blends the classical and the contemporary in a meditation on ambition, failure, and lilacs.
Woman's Club of Wisconsin
813 E Kilbourn Ave, 53202
Friday, April 1 - 7:30 PM
Saturday, April 2 - 2:00 PM
Monday, April 4 - 7:30 PM
Tuesday, April 5 - 2:00 PM
Thursday, April 7 - 7:30 PM
Friday, April 8 - 7:30 PM
​Saturday, April 9 - 2:00 PM
Cast
Rachmaninoff: Ruben Piirainen
Rach: Joe Picchetti
Dahl: Jenny Wanasek
Natalya: Natalie Ford
Chaliapin: Gage Patterson
Chekhov, et al: Joel Kopischke
Creative Team
Stage Director: Jill Anna Ponasik
Music Director: Ruben Piirainen
Lighting Designer: Jim Padovano
Sound Designer: Colin Gawronski
Costume Designer: Lisa Quinn
Synthesizers: Marty Butorac & Dave Bonofiglio
General/Adult: $32
Student/Artist: $20
Order Online!
Safety: In alignment with new local and national guidance from the Milwaukee Health Department and the CDC,
we will not be requiring proof of vaccination or a negative test result for attendance.
​Mask wearing in the venue will be encouraged but not required.

Parking:  Limited self parking is available at the Woman’s Club lot, as well as ample street parking.

The Aria Project continues!

Eight local artists use iconic arias to share something about their personal pandemic experiences.
We’ll deliver one aria to your inbox, free each month, ​from October to May.
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This month, beloved tenor Nathan Wesselowski sheds a furtive tear with
"Una furtiva lagrima" from Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore.
Directed by Catie O'Donnell
From Nathan...
“Una furtiva lagrima” from L’elisir d’amore is the aria I most sing and is one of my favorites. I chose this aria for the mere fact that it is what kept my chops up during the pandemic.  As many artists do in the Milwaukee area, I have a side hustle driving for Uber between gigs. This rendition of “Una furtiva lagrima” closely mirrors what would happen from time to time while driving people to their destinations and at that point, any audience was a valued audience.
Spreading the love of singing brought joy to those who requested. I did not just offer it up to anyone, but if a conversation led to it, I rarely refused. (Do not worry, no one was injured and we were stationary for the filming of this aria) I can’t wait to hit the stage again."
In case you missed it, check out the
​previous installments of The Aria Project here!
And next up on
The Aria Project...
Resplendent Soprano
Cecilia Davis performs a unique rendition
of "Piangerò la sorte mia"
​from Handel's Giulio Cesare!
And coming up in June...
L'Orfeo
June 8-12, 2022 (Live/Indoor)
Sponsored by Jan Serr and John Shannon
Music by Claudio Monteverdi   |  Libretto by Alessandro Striggio
English Translation by Danny Brylow and Joseph Krohlow
We close our season with a co-production of Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, partnering with Aperi Animam to commission and perform a new English translation of this masterpiece of early opera, now fully realized with lights, staging, costumes, ​the whole shebang!
Graphic Design: Andrea Klohn
Help bring this season to life!
Donate Now!
Can’t wait to see you inside, outside and online!
Our season was supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board
with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Our Mission

We are Milwaukee’s micro-brewery for opera, proudly producing small batches of high quality, local lyric theatre.
​​We tell stories through music...unconventionally.
Milwaukee Opera Theatre is a registered 501(c)(3) organization.