March 2019

The plot outline of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is familiar to opera-lovers: a naïve young geisha enters into marriage with a callow American naval officer. She believes he will return for her, even in the face of abandonment. When he returns at last, it is only to claim the child she bore him. Devastated, she takes her life in ritual suicide. The fact is that once Japan opened for trade with the West in 1853, the influx of American and European wealth into what had been a feudal society produced many “Butterflys.” Women were all too happy to interact with visitors to their country, largely as business transactions.And none of them – not one of them – committed suicide when those relationships came to an end.So why the violent end for Puccini’s heroine? Is it simply a bit of lurid violence to make a more sensational tale? Or can Butterfly’s final action be explained through the lens of Japanese culture?Was Cio-Cio-San really a geisha? She refers to herself as such on two occasions in the opera. But this status seems at odds with other aspects of the libretto. During the Meiji restoration (1867-1913) there were three classes of women in Japanese society:

• Geishas were basically professional entertainers, highly trained in traditional Japanese music, dance, and social graces. Sexual activity was

A WINTERS’ TALE

MEET THE ARTIST

Continued on page 4

Continued on page 2

A Rationale for Cio-Cio-San’s Tragic FateBy GLENN WINTERS

By POWERS PETERSON

Growing up in a family of professional musicians and singers, soprano Danielle Pastin caught the singing bug early on. Hoping to become a professional jazz singer, she took lessons in high school. While driving home from a jazz festival she heard a broadcast of Tristan und Isolde on the radio. Even after her arrival home she stayed in the car just to listen to the opera finish. Her voice teacher had been classically trained and “then everything just clicked.” When she received a full tuition scholarship to study at the University of Maryland, “that cinched it.”Danielle made her Metropolitan Opera debut in Tchaikovsky’s Pique Dame in 2011. She sang the role of Masha, the maid to Liza, sung by Karita Mattila. Danielle’s entry required her to follow Ms. Mattila onto the stage. During the technical rehearsal, however, Danielle

INSIDEINSIDEThe Editor’s Notes 2

The Chairman’s Corner 3

At The Harrison 3

Behind the Scenes 5

Opera Education 6

Guild Volunteers 7

Save the Date 7

Board Bio 8

VOG Calendar 8

The Met Live in HD 8

The Do-It-Yourself Diva

Danielle Pastinxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Photo by Artemas Photography

March 2019 2

not part of the job. They were permitted to marry if both parties consented.

• Rashamen, a lower social class, functioned as temporary wives for Westerners stationed in Japan. Supervised by the government, these temporary marriages were arranged through a broker and regulated by a signed contract. The contract guaranteed financial consideration for the woman.

• “Pleasure girls,” on the other hand, were common prostitutes, unrecognized by the government and operating in the shadows of Japanese life.

This creates confusion regarding Butterfly’s status: is she a geisha or a rashamen? In Act I, Scene 1, Pinkerton describes how his “pearl of a broker” Goro has arranged a 999-year marriage contract with the option to leave each month. A geisha might well feel distraught if abandoned by her husband, but a rashamen bride had no expectation of permanent marriage. When the husband left, they said farewell with a handshake and a supply of currency for the woman.Was Butterfly confused? Misled? Was she exaggerating in calling herself a geisha? Pinkerton and Goro clearly believe she is a rashamen. If Pinkerton, like thousands of other Western men, believes this temporary marriage is a no-harm, no-foul Japanese custom, does this change our perception of him? Is he, if certainly no saint, somewhat less villainous?Though it is the invention of the American author Long, Butterfly’s suicide is explainable in terms of Japanese society; namely, in the term gaijin.Gaijin means “foreigner;” it is a concept born of Japan’s tradition of being a closed society. This is a difficult concept for Americans to grasp, as we are a nation of immigrants. Our tradition is that German immigrants become “German-Americans;” likewise “African-Americans,” “Italian-Americans,” “Irish-Americans” and so on. In other words, we’re a melting pot. Come to America and you become an American.

It’s the season finale issue of Coloratura. “A Winters’ Tale” has brought little known and fascinating insights to each of the season’s four operas. “Meet the Artist” has shined the spotlight on some of the Metropolitan Opera-caliber singers who have graced the stage at Harrison Opera House. “Behind the Scenes” has examined components of the operatic voice. We’ve followed the Guild in its activities this year and introduced you to some of our Board members. Speaking of that, this issue’s “Board Bio” is different: the subject is the Chair of the Statewide Board of Directors of Virginia Opera. Meet Betsy Wollan on page 8.In this issue Dr. Glenn Winters has the inside track on the feudal society that is the setting for Madama Butterfly. His musings in “A Winters’ Tale” are an insight into a culture many of us have little knowledge of. “Meet the Artist” introduces a multi-talented soprano. Not only is Danielle Pastin an accomplished soprano, she also is an accomplished handywoman. “Behind the Scenes” continues it focus on the operatic voice with information on the Governor’s School for the Arts. How do you recognize operatic-level talent at an early stage? How do you build that voice while adding on the other requisite skills? See how it’s done on page 6.Finally, on page 7 we recognize all those members who contributed to the Guild’s success this season. They volunteered in ways both seen and unseen. A heartfelt “thank you” to all of them from the Guild’s Board of Directors! And thank you, readers, for supporting Coloratura. Reach me at Coloratura160@gmail.com with your ideas and thoughts.In summary, it’s been a very good year.

From the Cover

By POWERS PETERSONThe Editor’s Notes

In contrast, those who come to live permanently in Japan never become “Japanese;” they remain gaijin. My sister Juliet Winters Carpenter has lived her entire adult life as a professor at Doshisha Women’s College in Kyoto. She has raised her family there; she is beloved by her neighbors and students. But she is not one of them; after more than four decades, she is still a “foreigner” -- still gaijin.Cio-Cio-San’s problem is that rejecting her Buddhist faith and adopting Pinkerton’s Christian faith leads her family to renounce her. She makes herself a gaijin, a permanent outsider to her own people. Thus, when her American husband also rejects her, she becomes neither Japanese nor American. She has no home, no people. With no hope of acceptance, she resolves her dilemma with self-sacrifice as the orchestra thunders a native song of foreboding.

Glenn Winters

Photo by DRA

Glenn Winters

March 2019 3

Chairman’s CornerBy MARK E. BOARD

As I finish my term as Chair of the Guild, I’d like to recap some of the Guild’s initiatives, activities, and contributions. The Guild’s Board of Directors meets for a retreat every July to plan for the upcoming season. One result has been the redrafting of the Guild By-laws and the establishment of standard operating procedures for Guild officers and committees. Another has been the creation of a membership pamphlet. We established a Governance Committee to oversee policy changes, seek nominations to the Guild Board of Directors, and staff standing committees. We initiated a Junior Guild organization to introduce school age youth to Virginia Opera. Membership Co-chairs Gwendolyn Brown and Rick Shepard spearhead this effort.

The Guild’s role in supporting Virginia Opera is crucial. We participate in Norfolk’s Festevents’ Fundraising Program. Not only do we raise money for VO, but we also advertise the Guild and the Opera Company. Barbara Buchmann chairs the Fundraising Committee. We have an annual spring fundraiser, either the Merchants of Venice rummage sale or the Guild Fashion Show. Another major fundraising activity is the Gift Shop in the Harrison Marble Lobby across from the Box Office; Janita Hess is in charge.The Guild also supports VO in indirect ways. We greet and transport artists from Norfolk Airport to Harrison. Holly Tracy supervises those activities. The

Artists’ Dinner Committee, chaired by Marianne Nicholson, provides a buffet dinner during the technical rehearsal. The Events Committee, chaired by Amber Taylor Reeves, hosts our fall kick-off party, the Guild Hospitality Tent at Opera in the Park, and “Guild Nights” during the season. To end the year, we hold a Membership Meeting to elect Directors for the Guild, as well as to celebrate the Guild accomplishments.Keeping members informed is critical to any organization. Pam Hyatt and Jim Graham co-chair the Communications Committee. They established a Facebook page for the Guild and revamped our space on the opera company’s web page. We moved to an easily updated electronic directory this year. The Guild’s impressive, now four-year old newsletter, Coloratura, is distributed electronically to season ticket holders in all three markets. We also distribute a print version at the Norfolk performances. This is my last “Chairman’s Corner.” It’s been an honor to serve the Guild as Chair these past three years. I thank the other Officers and my fellow Directors for their dedication and energy in making the Guild successful. My parting words should be no surprise: See you at the opera!

The CastCio-Cio-San' ' Soprano' ' Danielle PastinLt. Pinkerton' ' Tenor' ' Matthew VickersSusuki' ' ' Mezzo-soprano' Kristen ChoiSharpless'' ' Baritone' ' Levi A. HernandezGoro ' ' ' Tenor' ' Julius AhnYamadori ' ' Baritone' ' Taeeun MoonThe Bonze' ' Bass' ' Hidenori Inoue

Chorus:' ' ' Cio-Cio-san’s relatives, friends & servants

The Production

Conducted by Adam TurnerRichmond Symphony OrchestraVirginia Opera Chorus

AT THE HARRISON

Madama ButterflyMusic by GIACOMO PUCCINILibretto by LUIGI ILLICA & GIUSEPPE GIACOSA

Director' ' ' Richard GammonSet Designer' ' Wally CobergLightning Designer' Kaitlyn BreenChorus Master' ' Deniz UzMusical Preparation' Shelby Rhoades

Original 1904 poster by Adolfo Hohenstein

March 2019 4

froze the second she actually stepped onto the stage from the wings. “I simply gawked at the enormity of the space. I’d never seen anything like it before.” Ms. Mattila turned to her and said, ”Don’t worry. Everybody does that the first time here.” One of the things Danielle likes best about opera is “dressing up to become the character.” Not all costumes are glorious or elegant. Nedda in I Pagliaci is a peasant. When Danielle again sung at the Met in 2018, it was as Nedda. Like many other singers, the opportunity came because the soprano (Aleksandra Kurzak) was ill and Danielle was the understudy. Although familiar with the stage, Danielle did have to introduce herself to one of the leading actors. His name was Teeter Tot and he was the donkey she’d be riding for her entrance. “We got along famously,” she recalls.Her greatest technical challenge to date was singing “Cantata para América Mágica.” Written by the Argentine atonalist Alberto Ginastera, the 25-minute cantata requires a dramatic soprano and a percussion orchestra. Recalling this, Danielle says, “Technically, it’s more than demanding. The language is pre-

Columbian Spanish dealing with love, death, war and apocalypse.”Danielle is gearing up for her performance here as Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly. “It’s a quite challenging role. The character’s emotional arc is really so extreme. The audience likely knows the outcome, but we’re all rooting for her.” How does Danielle avoid tears when performing? “In order not to tear up at the Humming Chorus, I keep the story going in my head, trying to be where the character would be emotionally at that point. It has to be minute by minute for this woman, so I can’t get ahead of myself.” The role has similarities to

From the Cover

Liu in Turandot, which she sang at VO in 2018. “Both are women of passion and commitment, and the end for both is tragic.”She calls herself the “do-it-yourself diva” on YouTube. As the owner of several rental properties in Pittsburgh, her hometown, she’s taught herself to do repairs and, to a certain extent, construction. How did this enterprise get started? During intermission of a performance of Cosí fan tutte she received a phone call from a tenant. Water was leaking from the overhead light fixture in the kitchen. When she arrived the next morning to evaluate the problem, she found the entire ceiling had collapsed. A broken water pipe had done maximum damage. Unable to find a contractor, she undertook the cleanup and the repairs herself. After that experience she progressed to installing a toilet, doing minor plumbing, installing drywall and plastering and painting. Her next step was sharing those newfound skills on YouTube. Check out this star turn at “20,000 Leagues under the Sink” (https://youtu.be/IbtP1wwvsIk). After that, check out her performance on stage in Madama Butterfly.

A native of New York City, Alan Fischer began his professional singing career at age 6 as a soloist with the Metropolitan Opera and the New York City Opera Children's Choruses. A graduate of the NYC High School of Music and Art, he was a scholarship student with the Goldovsky Opera Institute. He graduated from City College of New

BIOGRAPHYAlan Fischer, Chair, Vocal Music Department,Governor’s School for the Arts - Norfolk

York. Fischer became an accomplished teacher specializing in operatic character development and audition presentation. Since 1994 Mr. Fischer has been the Chair of the Vocal Music Department at the Governor's School for the Arts (GSA) in Norfolk. At GSA he developed the classical vocal music program with an emphasis on opera. He has directed over 33 productions at the school.Tenor Alan Fischer maintains over 50 character and supporting roles in his repertoire. He has performed with San Francisco Opera, the Spoleto Festival, and Virginia Opera. In 2018, the Frost School of Music in Miami recognized Fischer as a “Super Teacher.”

As Nedda at Austin Lyric Opera

In Memoriam

Pamela Scott HyattDec. 11, 1949 - March 1, 2019

Musician, volunteer, and friend

Chair, Communications CommitteeVirginia Opera Guild

March 2019 5

The Governor’s School for the Arts (GSA) in Norfolk is a resource for talented high school students in the Hamptom Roads community. Drawing students from public high schools in six cities and two counties, the school offers classes in several artistic disciplines. The training in the Vocal Music Department is classically based and Alan Fischer is the chair of the Department.How are students chosen for GSA? No matter the field of study, students must audition. At the auditions imagining what the raw talent could become is the real challenge, as Fischer states. What the teachers look for is “that special something – it may be a sound, a sensitivity, or even an attitude.” What do students sing at the audition? Sometimes it’s an aria. Some sing classical Italian art songs such as “Caro Mio Ben.” Some sing a Broadway ballad. Others may sing a hymn such as “Amazing Grace.” Once accepted into the vocal music program, the 30-40 students focus on learning to sing the material while learning about the material. This involves vocal music survey classes, diction classes, theory and sight singing classes, and, of course, voice lessons. In the vocal music survey class students learn to discuss and critique performances. In workshop they learn to present a character, to surmount stage fright, and to do justice to the language. What about singing in a foreign language? For diction, students are taught the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). This alphabet has one symbol representing each distinctive oral sound. A single letter or a letter plus a diacritical mark represents a different sound. The letters are based on the Latin alphabet; therefore, most letters are either Latin or sometimes Greek. If a singer knows the symbols, then the singer knows exactly how to put that syllable into the music. Students at the GSA learn the rules of each language and the basics of pronunciation in French, German, and Italian.

How should one assess the success of GSA? One way would be to ask what’s happened to graduates. Of those who complete college with a degree in Vocal Performance, better than one in nine will have a successful professional career – meaning, financially remunerative. Examples include Ryan Speedo Green, Will Liverman, and Marjorie Owens. All have sung on stage at The Metropolitan Opera in NYC.

BEHIND THE SCENES

By POWERS PETERSONThe Voice (The Governor’s School for the Arts)

Scene from Street Scene 2018

Another way is to consider GSA’s collaboration with Virginia Opera. VO offers students opportunities to practice what they’re learning. Students have performed in VO productions, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2018) and Street Scene (2018). Fischer sums it up this way: “Who would have thought the communities of Hampton Roads had so much raw vocal talent? Well, we do, and the voices are the proof of that.”

Ben Schill Photography

A Section of the International Phonetic Alphabet

March 2019 6ABOUT EDUCATIONMemories, Dreams and an Action PlanBy CECELIA SCHIEVE

About the Author: Cecelia Schieve

Cecelia Schieve is the Statewide Director of Education and Outreach for Virginia Opera. This is her first season with the company. From 2010-2018 Ms. Schieve was General Director of Opera on the James in Lynchburg, Virginia. Prior to that, she was Director of the nationally acclaimed Young Artist and Education Program at Florida Grand Opera and Opera Education Consultant for the Miami-Dade School District. She has been faculty at the New England Conservatory and the Longy School of Music, both in Boston. She has also been guest faculty at numerous universities and colleges.Ms. Schieve is a member of the Opera America Singer Training Forum and has served as an adjudicator for the Metropolitan Opera regional auditions. She is an active master class instructor in dramatic presentation in opera, operetta, art song, and oratorio. Her classes range from foundational training to next-steps techniques for skilled artists. Her goal is to help the singer present a seamless connection between artist, character, text, music, and audience.

What was your entry point to opera? Was it from a distance through cartoons, commercials, Facebook, movie soundtracks? Was it a live performance? Did friends, a relative, a date invite you? Were you required to attend an arts event in college and the other option was a bassoon recital? Or were you simply curious enough to go solo to a performance? Were you in a theater, a church basement, or in a “found space?” Maybe you were seated on a school cafetorium floor when an artist sang directly to you. That music and the story grabbed your ears, imagination, and heart.For me, those questions bring back memories of hard stone seats in an historic outdoor Italian arena. There were nighttime stars and thousands of people speaking many languages. There were a camel (!) and an elephant (!!) in the on-stage procession. It was a life-changing evening. Magical. Powerful. The talented members of the Herndon Foundation Emerging Artists Program perform statewide on the education tours. They prove that opera is accessible, emotionally forceful, and deeply satisfying. They share their love of opera, performing a wide range of programs crafted to engage audiences from uninitiated children to seasoned opera aficionados. What are we sharing from Wise County to the Eastern Shore this season? Great music and compelling stories in staged, costumed 45-minute operas for youth and families in

schools, libraries, and community venues. Here are some of the other things we do:

• Provide educational mixed-genre programs for middle and high school and college students.

• Perform concerts of opera arias and Broadway musical gems.

• Offer master classes and lectures. • Contribute to the professional

development of educators.• Introduce “Random Acts of

Culture” in venues as diverse as a VCU men’s basketball game or “Food Trucks in the Park” in Portsmouth. We also stage surprise short concerts at local gathering spots, including breweries.

• Host Student Nights at the Opera, an initiative that brings hundreds of students and teachers to the final dress rehearsal of each main stage opera.

• Have Dr. Glenn Winters give engaging informational talks at many venues in areas surrounding the company’s three performance cities.

The Education and Outreach Program strives to bring all ages and demographics to an appreciation of opera. Extend the reach of the program through a donation to the Adopt-a-School Initiative. Fund a performance at a school of your choice. For more information, contact me at 757.527.9545, ext. 3347 or Cecelia.schieve@vaopera.org. See you at the Opera!

Emerging Artists D. Elza, P. Bullock, C. Goode, and J. Tibbetts at the Holiday Party

March 2019 7

GUILD

Contact Information

Are you intrigued about the Guild? Do you want to join us to support the Virginia Opera Association? Perhaps you would enjoy volunteering for a committee or for one of our activities. And don’t forget to check us out on the Virginia Opera website.

Here’s how to contact us:

Write us Virginia Opera GuildP.O. Box 11572, Norfolk VA 23517

Call us RSVP: 757-627-9545, ext. 3584

Email us vaopera.guild@vaopera.org

Like us on Facebook: Virginia Opera Guild

We welcome our first-time Virginia Opera Guild members. As with all members, their contact information will be listed in the electronic directory just published. Welcome, all!

New Guild Members

Robert R. “Bob” Everett Norfolk

Fara and Chris Harris-Evans Norfolk

Save the Date!Save the Date!Save the Date!

Event Date Location

Virginia Opera Gala April 13 Harrison Opera House

Annual Members’ Meeting May 18 Harbor’s Edge

Dan Alonso Nicole DeJesus Peter Landversicht Mark Shaw

Allen Anderson Jim Deming Adele Levesque Martha Lee Shaw

Byron Baker Audrey Fortner Don Nicholson Ruth Schepper

Mark Board Linda Doherty-Guenther Marianne Nicholson Rick Shepard

Barbara Boslego Jim Graham Donna Noonan Nick Smith

Christina Brandon Ralph Grove Walter Nulett Helmut Speckheuer

Gwendolyn Brown D J Hansen Mike Ott Mary Lou Speckheuer

Barbara Buchmann Bryan Hardman Powers Peterson Elizabeth Sullivan

Kitty Burke Carlton Hardy Amber Taylor Reeves George Skena

Katherine Burns Janita Hess Chad Reeves Elena Stevens

Jennie Calhoun Tom Horsch Ruby Reeves Dora Lee Taylor

Cora Collins Richard Hudgins Allan Reynolds Byron Tracy

Leroy Collins Angela Hurst Harriet Reynolds Holly Tracy

Dottie Davidson Pam Hyatt Joanne Rentner Kittie Whitaker

Bess Decker Patricia Ianetta Dick Rentner Millie Wilkerson

Raymond DeFrank Bob Kuhlo Christina Ruby Kelly Wyatt

Guild Volunteers: 2018-2019 Season

March 2019 8

Virginia Opera Guild CalendarVirginia Opera Guild CalendarVirginia Opera Guild Calendar

Date Time Event

Mar 9 5:30 p.m. Artists’ Dinner for Madama Butterfly

Mar 15 8:00 p.m. Madama Butterfly

Mar 17 2:30 p.m. Madama Butterfly

Mar 19 7:30 p.m. Madama Butterfly

Apr 3 4:30 p.m. Board meeting

Apr 13 6:00 p.m. Virginia Opera 2019 Gala

May 18 4:30 p.m. Annual Members’ Meeting, Harbor’s Edge

The Met Live in HDThe Met Live in HDThe Met Live in HDThe Met Live in HD

Date Time Opera / Composer

Conductor / Singers

Mar 2 12:55 p.m.

La Fille du Régiment / Donizetti

Mazzola / Yende, Blythe, Camarena, Muraro

Mar 30 12:00 p.m.

Die Walküre / Wagner

Jordan / Goerke, Westbroek, Barton, Skelton, Grimsley, Groissböck

May 11 12:00 p.m.

Dialogues des Carmélites / Poulenc

Nézet-Séguin / Leonard, Pieczonka, Morley, Cargill, Mattila, Portillo, Croft

Elizabeth (Betsy) Muhlenfeld Wollan’s introduction to Virginia Opera came in 2010. She and her husband had just retired to Richmond. Her “somewhat introverted husband was an opera nut,” so Betsy challenged him to join the Central Virginia Board of Governors as a way of getting to know people. He said he would – as long as she also did. He preferred the artistic advisory committee and she ended up chairing the Central Virginia board development committee. In 2017 she followed Allan Reynolds as chair of the Statewide Board.Betsy’s professional career was as a college professor and administrator. She holds a Doctorate in English literature and was a professor and dean at Florida State University, then president of Sweet Briar College for 14 years. During that tenure she traveled extensively, including to cities and countries that had once been behind the Iron Curtain. Those trips “opened up the history” Betsy had lived. Because she, like many of us, had been both physically and mentally far from the Iron Curtain, her trips there made her realize that “travel breaks down pre-conceived notions.” Virginia Opera is but one of Betsy’s interests. “Both the arts and history are important to educate and enlighten citizens. The cultural life of a city, or of our Commonwealth, is essential.” Another of her ongoing commitments is the American Civil War Museum in Richmond. Betsy has been on its Board for many years. She is also on the Board of the Richmond Symphony.Back to opera… Betsy’s generic favorite is usually Rigoletto because of its intriguing characters and multiple themes. Should you mention the Wiener Staatsoper, Betsy reminisces about the “magical” performance of La Sonambula she attended there. In the category of the most memorable opera, Betsy cites a not-to-be-named production of Aida. “The male chorus members were shirtless and it was totally distracting.It was just awful. I couldn’t concentrate on anything but the costumes, or lack thereof.”

CHAIR OF THE STATEWIDE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Betsy Wollan