Casanova's Homecoming Comes Home

St. Paul, Minn. — Twenty-five years after its world premiere at the brand-new Ordway Music Theatre, Dominick Argento's "Casanova's Homecoming" is back on stage, in a new revival from Minnesota Opera.

The timing couldn't be better. With today's headlines filled with Ponzi schemes and tabloid romance, "Casanova's Homecoming" shows that everything old is new again. Art imitates life in this comedy, which Minneapolis composer Dominick Argento based on actual events from the memoir of the famous 18th century seducer, Casanova.

It's a fantastic story, thickly-layered with "Gotcha!" moments, and an amazing collection of characters drawn from history. John Birge talked with singers John Fanning, who plays the con-man Casanova, and Jean Stillwell, who portrays Casanova's next target, the occult-obsessed Madame d'Urfe. And they sang a scene from the opera, in which both characters are getting something other than what they bargain for!

Guests

• John Fanning
• Jean Stillwell