Central Florida Vocal Arts And Opera Del Sol Present SCALIA/GINSBURG

Central Florida Vocal Arts begins 2024 with the Southeast regional premiere of Scalia/Ginsburg, a contemporary opera by Derrick Wang based upon the opinions of Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, in the Alexis and Jim Pugh Theater at Dr. Phillips Center.

Scalia/Ginsburg is a one-act operatic comedy by composer-librettist Derrick Wang about the unlikely friendship between Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia - and the pivotal moment that would change the Supreme Court for years to come. With stage direction by David Bracamonte, Scalia/Ginsburg will feature musicians from Alterity Orchestra under the baton of music director and pianist Philip King.

Justice Ginsburg herself wrote, "If I could choose the talent I would most like to have, it would be a glorious voice. I would be a great diva, perhaps Renata Tebaldi or Beverly Sills or, in the mezzo range, Marilyn Horne."

Mezzo-soprano Jacqueline Pileckas will step into the shoes - or collar - of RBG on the stage of the Alexis and Jim Pugh Theater at Dr. Phillips Center. Ms. Pileckas has previously sung with Bold City Opera, ISOFOM, the Vienna Summer Music Festival, Red River Lyric Opera, and Opera Tampa.

She has previously appeared with Central Florida Vocal Arts in productions of The Secret Garden and The Mikado. The role of Antonin Scalia will be sung by tenor Alex Mansoori, whose varied repertoire runs the gamut from Handel and Mozart to Bernstein and Sondheim. 

Scalia/Ginsburg will open on Friday, March 15, commemorating Justice Ginsburg's 91st birthday, and a lead-up event with the Timucua Arts Foundation will take place on Tuesday, February 27. With only three performances, this (gentle) parody of operatic proportions is not to be missed!