Pittsburgh Opera Looks Forward to Appearance with Jackie Evancho

Christopher Hahn is the first to admit that when a friend told him about the 10-year-old from Richland who sang classical music, he was a bit skeptical.

“I thought, ‘Yeah, right,' but I was really glad that I watched, because right after her performance, my phone started ringing,” he said.

Hahn is the general director of the Pittsburgh Opera, and he is, of course, referring to Jackie Evancho’s appearance last summer on America’s Got Talent.

Although Hahn doesn’t typically watch the TV show, he gravitated toward the little singing sensation and followed the rest of her appearances on the show. When he was approached about having Jackie appear with the Pittsburgh Opera, he “jumped at it.”

Jackie will perform with the Pittsburgh Opera at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, at the Benedum Center. Tickets go on sale to the general public July 25 but already are available to Pittsburgh Opera season-ticket subscribers.

According to Hahn, the ticket sales have been exceeding his expectations.

“I wasn’t sure how [subscribers] would view the concert as it isn’t one of our typical performances, but we already have about half of the tickets for the performance sold,” he said.

Hahn said the fact that Jackie is from Pittsburgh has increased interest with local subscribers, but they also have received calls from as far away as North Carolina about the sales.

“When we throw it open to the general public, [tickets] will sell extremely well,” he said, “People love the idea that they can see this performance right in their own backyard.”

Hahn views Jackie’s appearance as a benefit for the opera, for the area and for Jackie. “The Pittsburgh Opera is very highly respected. We are the eighth oldest opera in the country, and we are well known in the opera world, but this opportunity allows us to reach people that may not typically attend the opera,” he said.

He looks at the upcoming appearance as the opportunity “to remind everyone that we have this wonderful opera in our own backyard.”

For Jackie, singing with the respected opera chorus and orchestra is a remarkable opportunity as well, said Hahn.

“This is the perfect showcase for a remarkable young woman. This is a fantastic chorus and orchestra so it will be quite the opportunity for Jackie to perform with them,” he said.

And for the chorus and orchestra, it is a chance to shine as well.

“The orchestra is typically hidden in the pit and the chorus in costume, playing a role, so this is their opportunity to be on stage and perform,” said Hahn.

Although Jackie is slated for only one appearance, Hahn is open to the idea of more performances, especially if the 2,800 seats at the Benedum sell out as quickly as he anticipates.

“You never know what might happen,” he said.

For more information about Jackie’s appearance with the Pittsburgh Opera, visit www.pittsburghopera.org or Jackie’s official website at www.jackieevancho.com.