Grammy winner Mark S. Doss returns to London's Royal Opera House in Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana

CASPER, WY--(Marketwired - October 04, 2017) - Starting this November, international opera star Mark S. Doss will once again grace the stage of London's prestigious Royal Opera House (Covent Garden) as Alfio in Pietro Mascagni's Cavalleria rusticana (dates: November 29, and December 2, 6, 9, 12, 15, 19 and 22, 2017).

"I am honored and excited to return to London's Covent Garden and perform in The Royal Opera's Olivier Award-winning production of Mascagni's operatic classic," says Mr. Doss, a Grammy Award winning bass-baritone. "It remains one of the finest embodiments of the Verismo genre, in which the stage focuses on the real lives of real people."

Reprising Alfio with new energy, vigor

Acclaimed by critics and audiences for his signature performances as Méphistophélès in Faust and the title roles in Verdi's Macbeth and The Flying Dutchman, Mr. Doss portrays Alfio, the flamboyant, whip snapping town carter in Cavalleria rusticana ("Rustic Chivalry"), a late 19-century opera performed in one act, set in a Sicilian village during Easter. Reprising this stage role for the first time since the 2013 production at Seville's Teatro de la Maestranza, Mr. Doss says his time away from the jovial character has provided him with fresh perspective to once again take on the part.

"I relish the opportunity to reinterpret Alfio," Mr. Doss says. "My array of stage work over the last few years has helped me find new vigor and emotional highs for the character. In many respects, Alfio is a driven, larger-than-life figure with bravado to match. I look forward to singing the more gratifying, longer lines of Alfio's role. The top notes of the aria, the abrupt change in tempo midway through, and the cracking of the whip during the singing will be extremely exciting for all to hear."

A bittersweet connection

The forthcoming performances of Cavalleria rusticana will also be bittersweet for Mr. Doss. The run will follow in the days after the close of Chicago's famed Monastero's Ristorante this November, serving its last patrons after 55 years. Known for their support of the Windy City's performing arts scene and its up-and-coming artists, the Monastero Family's restaurant is where Mr. Doss first sang Alfio's aria "Il cavallo scalpita" ("The horse pawing the ground") at a dining engagement during his time with Lyric Opera of Chicago. He says Alfio's aria and his other spotlight performances made over the years at Monastero's allowed him to try out parts from new roles in front of restaurant patrons, which many times included esteemed colleagues and supporters of the arts.

Mr. Doss added that his association with the Monastero Family has been highlighted by his entry into their Bel Canto Foundation Competition for opera singers in 1985, becoming that year's grand prize winner. The prize included a trip to Busseto, Italy, and the opportunity to study with noted Verdi tenor, the late Carlo Bergonzi. He then went on to the International Verdi Competition the following year, subsequently winning first prize.

"For over half-a-century, Monastero's has been a place for Chicagoans to dine and listen to great singing. I am immensely appreciative for the opportunities they gave me to grow as a performer," Mr. Doss says. "I am proud to be among the grand prize winners of their Bel Canto Foundation, but even more proud to be part of the Monastero Family's legacy of nurturing and grooming young singers for the opera world."

Upcoming concert performances

Before taking to the stage in London, Mr. Doss will be the featured artist in performances with the Wyoming Symphony Orchestra in Casper, Wyoming (October 7, 2017) and the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra in Bozeman, Montana (October 28-29, 2017). Both concerts will include an array of arias, alongside song selections from folk, stage and screen genres, with Mr. Doss performing the works of Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, Mussorgsky, Boito, Ravel, and Copland, amongst others. Additional details about the performances can be found at www.marksdoss.com in the upcoming events section.

Media and industry recognition

In recent years, Mr. Doss' performances and storied career have earned him significant media attention. TV appearances include ABC, NBC, FOX, KPBS, CBC's George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, CBC Toronto, Rogers TV, and OMNI, as well as an array of print and radio interviews (The Chicago Sun-Times, The National Post, The Toronto Star, NPR-KUSC Los Angeles, WUSF Tampa, and Radio Canada International, amongst others).

In addition to his Grammy, Mr. Doss is a recipient of the prestigious Entertainment Award from Planet Africa, recognizing his achievements both as an artist and for being a positive role model for youth, both in Canada and in the United States.

You can connect with Mark S. Doss through his Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Mark-S-Doss/78423203990), watch his YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/marksdoss) and follow him @marksdoss on Twitter (http://twitter.com/marksdoss).

ABOUT MARK S. DOSS:

Mark S. Doss (www.marksdoss.com) is a celebrated bass-baritone whose accomplishments include a Grammy Award for his work on the recording of Semele (Handel), and numerous engagements with the famous Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy. Mr. Doss began his musical studies to aid in his ambitions to become a Catholic priest, but instead found opera to be his true calling. He has since emerged as one of the opera world's leading singers, performing nearly 100 stage roles to date with more than 60 major opera companies around the globe.

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