Allen makes opera debut

June 22, 2007 Fellow film director William Friedkin returns to stage Puccini’s “Il Tabarro” and “Suor Angelica,” with the three one-act operas rounding out the composer’s “Il Trittico” triptych, opening the company’s 2008/2009 season. The company’s broad general director and opera singing legend Plácido Domingo recruited the notoriously LA-phobic director to his stage. “I’ve seduced many a film director into directing opera, starting with John Schlesinger and “The Tales of Hoffmann” at London’s Covent Garden,” Mr. Domingo said. “I will admit that my pursuit of Woody takes the prize of the longest pursuit, because LA Opera chairman and CEO Marc Stern and I first started talking to him some four years ago.” Friedkin previously directed for the company in 2003. The director recently released his first collection of short stories in 25 years, “Mere Anarchy.” He hosted a suprise premiere of his latest film, “Cassandra’s Dream,” in Aviles, Spain this week.

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