David Pittsinger Signs On for Seven-Week Run in South Pacific

David Pittsinger will return to the Broadway revival of South Pacific as Emile de Becque for a seven-week run, February 2-March 21, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater. Pittsinger, who played the part in the winter and spring of 2009 and also on selected stops on the show’s national tour, will replace Tony Award winner Paulo Szot, who departs on January 24 to prepare for his Metropolitan Opera debut in Shostakovich’s The Nose. Szot will return to South Pacific on March 30.

In the week before and after Pittsinger’s run (January 26-31 and March 23-28), Emile will be played by William Michals, who has understudied the part since the Tony-winning revival opened in April 2008, directed by Bartlett Sher.

Pittsinger made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Truelove in The Rake’s Progress and has appeared at the Met in Don Carlo, La Boheme, Die Zauberflote and Giulio Cesare and this season’s production of Tosca. Other operatic credits include the role of Zoroastro in Handel’s Orlando at both Glimmerglass Opera and New York City Opera and numerous appearances with leading opera companies throughout the United States, South America and Europe.

South Pacific stars Laura Osnes as Ensign Nellie Forbush, Andrew Samonsky as Lt. Cable, Loretta Ables Sayre as Bloody Mary and Danny Burstein as Luther Billis.