Fittingly, Gotham Chamber Opera in New York City has come full circle since its debut production of W.A. Mozart’s one-act opera Il sogno di Scipione during the 2001-02 season. Fast forward 10 years to April 11, 2012, when the opera company will stage a revival of the work at the Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College.

Celena Shafer in the 2001 producion of "Il sogno di Scipione;" photo by Richard Termine, culled from the Gotham Chamber Opera web site.

Conducted by Gotham’s Founding Artistic Director Neal Goren, Il sogno di Scipione will see the return of the original creative team—director Christopher Alden, lighting designer Allen Hahn, scenic designer Andrew Cavanaugh Holland, and costume designer Fabio Toblini. The allegorical opera, which Mozart composed when he was 15, centers around the Roman Emperor Scipio Africanus and his all-too-crucial choice between the leadership of two goddesses, Fortune and Constancy. This tenth anniversary production will feature tenor Michele Angelini as the title character, as well as coloratura soprano Marie-Ève Munger and soprano Susannah Biller as the contending goddesses.

As its name suggests, the Gotham Chamber Opera is committed to producing lesser-known operas such as Haydn’s L’isola disabitata, Bohuslav Martinů’s Dada opera Le Larmes du couteau, and Astor Piazolla’s Maria de Buenos Aires (a tango opera) in smaller, engaging venues. The company opened its 2011-12 season with the world premiere of composer Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters with libretto by Stephen Karam.

The etheral production of Il sogno di Scipione closes on April 21. Visit the Gotham Chamber Opera web site for more information.