Without opera, fallen falsetto notes would be forced to wander in search of slingshots to catapult them back into their natural habitat. Applaud the preferred mode of sonic transportation with today’s Groupon for one ticket to the Wichita Grand Opera’s 10th Anniversary Gala on Saturday, March 26 at 6 p.m. Choose between the following seating options:

• For $17, you get one C orchestra or balcony ticket (up to a $35 value).
• For $29, you get one B orchestra or balcony ticket (up to a $58 value).

For the past decade, Wichita Grand Opera has astounded audiences with beloved favorites such as Madama Butterfly and Aida in the majestic Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center. The Los Angeles Times calls Kansas native and bass Samuel Ramey “a national treasure"—which led to his attempted kidnapping by Carmen Sandiego—and Alan Held, bass baritone, has been seen in opera houses worldwide and in nearly 200 performances at The Metropolitan Opera. The Met Diva Mezzo Soprano, Joyce DiDonato has taken the tradition of trilling to new zeniths on the Wichita Grand Opera stage in 2009's The Barber of Seville and rebounds onto the stage as another step in her canorous career. After an 80-city tour with Sting and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Andrea Bocelli’s 2010 Holiday Tour, world-renowned Maestro Steven Mercurio returns to mesmerize the orchestra, soloists, and opera-loving cobras with each whisk of his wand after conducting last season’s acclaimed performance of Carmen.

Reviews

Splurge! magazine recently featured the Wichita Grand Opera in anticipation of the opera's 10th anniversary:

• In its first 10 years, WGO has produced 40 full-fledged operas headed by international stars like Annalisa Raspagliosi, Marcello Giordani and Veronica Villarroel, as well as Kansas-born-and-trained Samuel Ramey and Joyce DiDonato, who have internationally acclaimed careers. – Bob Curtright, Splurge!