Following the success of last year's inaugural Jerusalem International Opera Festival, the Municipality of Jerusalem and the Israeli Opera presents the second Jerusalem International Opera Festival in September 2012, featuring three spectacular events at the Sultan's Pool, at the foot of the Old City walls.

As a prelude to the September festival and to coincide with the Masada Opera Festival in June 2012, three opera concerts will also take place in Zedekiah's cave in the Old City, June 6-14. These concerts will feature 60 minutes of Verdi magic with highlights from La Traviata performed by leading Israeli Opera singers accompanied by a small ensemble. And all this within the breathtaking beauty and intimacy of Zedekiah’s Cave in the Old City – a unique location for an opera concert.

The Jerusalem International Opera Festival will open on September 6 at Sultan's Pool with one of the most popular operas in the repertoire - La Boheme.  This spectacular opera production will feature a gigantic chorus, children's chorus and international opera soloists in ravishing costumes, along with mesmerizing projections onto the Old City walls

On September 9, Sultan's Pool will host Avinu Malkeinu, a concert of opera hits and cantorial music in which leading international cantors and opera tenors will perform some of the beloved cantorial gems in the repertoire together with the greatest tenor arias of all time.

The festival closes on September 11 with a magical mix of opera and movies: Pretty Woman Meets The Fifth Element. In this production, clips from movies including Pretty Woman, Moonstruck, The Fifth Element, Amadeus, A Room with a View, Casino Royal, Driving Miss Daisy and Bend it Like Beckham will be projected on a huge screen on the Old City Walls, while opera soloists perform live on stage the music associated with those films.

More information on the program and tickets packages  available at
www.jerusalem-culture.com/Opera_Festival