The University of Houston's Moores Opera Center continues its 25^th anniversary celebration by launching another ambitious performance season.

The season's centerpiece production will be the Texas premiere of Daniel Cátán's "Il Postino" in April 2011. The Moores Opera Center will be the first U.S. company to deliver this new work following its fall world premiere in Los Angeles starring Placido Domingo.

Keeping with tradition, the center will balance contemporary works with a unique selection of classics: Jaques Offenbach's "La Vie Parisienne" Oct. 22 - 25; Mozart's "The Magic Flute" January 27 - 31 and Benjamin Britten's "Albert Herring" Jan. 28 - 30.

"Our season proves that opera does not have to be stuffy. We promise that you will laugh, you will cry and you will hear memorable music in Houston's best theater," said Buck Ross, director of the Moores Opera Center. "It is an enormous honor for the University of Houston to be asked to do the second production of ‘Il Postino.'"

Although the season's first production kicks off in October, Houstonians can enjoy a fun evening of arias and ensembles during the benefit party "What's Opera, Duck?" Sept. 25 at Houston's Mucky Duck (2425 Norfolk St.). Performances begin at 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Moores Opera Center. Visit http://www.music.uh.edu/opera/ for details.

Another unique feature of the Moores Opera Center's 2010-2011 season is a Houston-area middle and high school tour of "Impresario, Impresario." Mozart's backstage comedy is first performed set in the 18^th century and then shifts gears and is performed again in a hilarious modern version that pits the sopranos against each other at a televised singing contest. To book this performance, school administrators can contact Young Audiences of Houston: Arts for Learning at 713-520-9267 or yahou@yahouston.org.

All operas are performed in UH's Moores Opera House. Tickets are $15 and $10 for students and seniors. A season pass covering all four operas is available for $45. For additional details on tickets, call the Moores box office at 713-743-3313 or visit www.music.uh.edu/opera/boxoffice.

The Moores Opera Center 2010 - 2011 season is as follows:

• Oct. 22 - 25: "La Vie Parisienne" by Jacques Offenbach (Sung in English with English surtitles): Tourists are coming to Paris from all over the world and the Parisians make sure everyone has a wild time. Youthful, exuberant energy explodes on the stage.
• Jan. 27 - 31: "The Magic Flute" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (sung in English with English surtitles): A zoomy new version of the classic opera pits good against evil in a quest to save the daughter of the mysterious Queen of the Night. Secret societies and rituals, trials by fire, birdmen, adventure heroes, enchantment, danger and romance combine in a science fiction setting.
• Jan. 28, 30: "Albert Herring" by Benjamin Britten (sung in English with English surtitles): A small British town is celebrating its May Festival, but no virtuous women can be located to be crowned the event's queen. With that, the title character becomes May King and everything goes fine until someone spikes the punch.
• April 8 - 11: "Il Postino" (Texas premiere; Sung in Spanish with English surtitles): Presented as part of the Moores Opera Center's Daniel Cátán Project, the opera (based on book and film) tells the story of a shy, illiterate island postman who strikes up a friendship with poet Pablo Neruda. With Neruda's help, the postman uses poetry to win the hand of his true love.

  To learn more about the Moores Opera Center, visit www.music.uh.edu/opera.

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