Regieoper to be the most radically shocking to date. The inspiration for Mozart's opera was the overwhelming fascination of Europeans by all things Turkish. Orientalist elements abound in this story of a hero trying to rescue two girls from the clutches of an evil Pasha who has installed them in his harem, Seraglio. Instead of a genteel harem, Bieto has set this Abduction in a modern, garish bordello where men and women engage in extreme acts of sex and brutality. The sets consist mainly of whorehouse accoutrements, the lighting is colored and garish, and the costumes for the most part are
Celena Shafer 2004–05 season, she debuted with the New York Philharmonic in a performance of Handel's "Messiah". In April 2005, she sang the title role of "Esclarmonde" at the Washington Concert Opera. Other roles include Tytania in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", Nanetta in "Falstaff", Hero in Berlioz's "Beatrice and Benedict", Zerbinetta in a concert performance of "Ariadne auf Naxos", Blonde in "The Abduction from the Seraglio", Adele in "Die Fledermaus", and "Show Boat" for a gala benefit for Carnegie Hall. Celena Shafer Celena Shafer is an American soprano, born c. 1975 in Centerville, Utah. At age 17, Shafer won a vocal competition