cold mountain program
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ÂTRANSCRIPT
F E B . 5 , 7 M , 1 0 , 1 2 , 1 4 M , 2 0 1 6A C A D E M Y O F M U S I C
P A R T O F T H E K I M M E L C E N T E R F O R T H E P E R F O R M I N G A R T S
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This is u lt r a- l u x u ry . This is This is 5 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 05 0 0 wa l n u t. wa l n u t.
O N LY 3 8 E XC L U S I V E R E S I D E N C E S
F U L LY C U S T O M I Z A B L E F L O O R P L A N S
E X PA N S I V E 2 0 F T. B A L C O N I E S
AUTOM ATED ROBOTIC PA R KING SYSTEM
Once in a Lifetime LocationOnce in a Lifetime Location
PHILADELPHIA’S ULTRA-LUXU R Y DEVELOPER
2 1 5 . 5 7 4 . 0 5 0 05 0 0 W A L N U T. N E T
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8 Cold Mountain
12 Synopsis & Running Time
14 Program Notes
17 Director’s Note
18 Composer & Librettist
20 Q&A with Jennifer Higdon
23 A Civil War Perspective
24 Artist Bios
28 Orchestra & Chorus
4 Letter from the Chairman
5 Board of Directors
6 Welcome from the General Director
31 Leadership Support & Major Gifts
33 Annual Fund Support
38 Corporate Council
44 Administration
45 Up Next: The Elixir of Love
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Image: Isabel Leonard and Nathan Gunn in the World Premiere production of Cold Mountain. Photo by Ken Howard for The Santa Fe Opera
CONTENTS
OPERA PHILADELPHIA GENERAL INFORMATIONPROGRAM INFORMATION
Dear Friends,
As I have been reflecting on the path that led us to this East Coast Premiere of Cold Mountain, I have often returned to this thought: In opera, just as in life, time seems to pass us by both very quickly and very slowly.
It has been nearly five years since Opera Philadelphia joined with our friends at The Santa Fe Opera to announce that we were co-commissioning the first opera by Philadelphia-based composer Jennifer Higdon, who would join with renowned librettist Gene Scheer to create a most American opera based on the National Book Award-winning novel by Charles Frazier.
To give you a sense of how much time – and how much progress – has passed since then, consider this: When we made that announcement, we hadn’t even staged the first work in Opera Philadelphia’s American Repertoire Program, Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters. That came 10 months later. Tonight, Cold Mountain becomes the SIXTH production from our company’s commitment to new American opera, all staged in the past 3 ½ years here in Philadelphia.
It takes a marvelous Board of Directors, an enthusiastic opera-loving audience, a talented group of artists, and a dedicated staff to embrace this level of commitment to new work. It also takes the bold leadership of our General Director & President David B. Devan. In January, we celebrated David’s 10-year anniversary with the company, and I cannot think of a more appropriate tribute to him than to reflect upon how far he has led this company in the past decade. From his slow and steady support of the creative team behind Cold Mountain (and the creative teams behind many new works in the pipeline for future seasons) to his fast-paced darting around the Academy of Music and the Perelman Theater on performance nights, David always sets the proper pace for growth, innovation, and artistic excellence at Opera Philadelphia.
Thank you for joining us for Cold Mountain.
Sincerely,
D A N I E L K . M E Y E R , M . D .C H A I R M A N
F R O M T H E C H A I R M A N
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Daniel K. Meyer, M.D., ChairmanDavid B. Devan*, President
Frederick P. Huff, Vice ChairPeter Leone, Vice Chair
Alice Strine, Esq., Vice ChairScott F. Richard, Secretary
Thomas Mahoney, TreasurerStephen A. Madva, Esq., Chairman Emeritus
Benjamin Alexander
Sandra Baldino
F. Joshua Barnett, M.D., J.D.
Willo Carey
Nicholas Chimicles, Esq.
Ady L. Djerassi, M.D.
Charles C. Freyer, Esq.
Ehab Hammad
Mark Hankin
Frederick P. Huff
Caroline Kennedy
Joel M. Koppelman
Beverly Lange, M.D.
Ellen Berman Lee
Gabriele Lee
Peter Leone
Thomas Mahoney
Daniel K. Meyer, M.D.
Agnes Mulroney
Scott F. Richard
Harold Rosenbluth
Stephen G. Somkuti, M.D.
Jonathan H. Sprogell
James B. Straw
Alice Strine, Esq.
Kenneth R. Swimm
Maria Trafton
Charlotte Watts
Donna Wechsler
Honorary Members
Dennis Alter
Alan B. Miller
H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest
List as of January 2016*Ex officio
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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D AV I D B . D E VA NG E N E R A L D I R E C T O R & P R E S I D E N T@ d d e v a n
For more of David’s thoughts, read his blog at operaphila.org/devantagepoint
WELCOME
Dear Friends,
In August, it was my honor to accompany a group of Opera Philadelphia patrons to attend the World Premiere performance of Cold Mountain at The Santa Fe Opera. I am proud to say that Philadelphia was well represented as our hometown composer, Jennifer Higdon, basked in the enthusiastic applause that Saturday evening in New Mexico.
This acclaimed new opera based on the novel by Charles Frazier is anchored by Jennifer’s music and supported by Gene Scheer’s skillful libretto, Lenny Foglia’s able direction, the skills of the design team, and the talents of a world-class cast, orchestra, and chorus. This incredible array of artists gave their all and they were met with unprecedented enthusiasm, with six sold-out performances and international media attention.
I was just one of the dozens of Philadelphians who traveled to Santa Fe to share in the opening with Jennifer, and it is a thrill to now share Cold Mountain with our entire city. You are witnessing one of five performances of the opera, which has been surrounded with a number of special events including lectures, film screenings, and backstage tours. And, since we do things BIG in Philadelphia, we’ve turned our city into one big book club, reading and discussing Cold Mountain through the 2016 One Book, One Philadelphia initiative from the Free Library of Philadelphia and the Mayor’s Office.
Thank you for joining us for the East Coast Premiere of Cold Mountain. Please join me in enthusiastically applauding the team that brought this opera to the Academy of Music stage.
Sincerely,
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IT’S WARM INSIDE.Never mind the thermometer. It’s always warm at The Hill in winter, with lots to do indoors. Like water volleyball in our Aquatic Center. Wine tastings and lectures. Special interest clubs and art exhibits. Concerts and cultural programs. Dinner with friends. Afternoons with a best seller. Alas, there’s no shoveling, but you’ll get used to that.
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OPERA PHILADELPHIACold Mountain
East Coast PremiereAmerican Repertoire Program
Co-commission and co-production with The Santa Fe Opera and Minnesota Opera,in collaboration with North Carolina Opera
Music Jennifer Higdon
Text Gene Scheer Based on Charles Frazier’s National Book Award-winning novel, Cold Mountain
Conductor Corrado Rovaris
Director Leonard Foglia
Set Design Robert Brill*
Costume Design David C. Woolard
Lighting Design Brian Nason
Projections Design Elaine McCarthy*
Fight Director Rick Sordelet*
Chorus Master Elizabeth Braden
Wig & Make-up Design David Zimmerman
Stage Manager Becki Smith
*Opera Philadelphia debut
Production underwritten in part by The Wyncote Foundation as recommended by Frederick R. Haas and Daniel K. Meyer, M.D., Ms. Barbara Augusta Teichert, and The General Director's Council
Production supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts and by theAaron Copland Fund for Music
Events surrounding Cold Mountain are supported in part by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Wallace Foundation
Part of One Book, One Philadelphia—A Project of the Free Library of Philadelphia
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W.P. INMAN
Jarrett Ott
ADA MONROE
Isabel Leonard*
RUBY THEWES
Cecelia Hall
TEAGUE
Jay Hunter Morris
STOBROD/BLIND MAN
Kevin Burdette
VEASEY
Paul Groves*
LUCINDA
Marietta Simpson*
REVEREND MONROE/PANGLE/
HOME GUARD
Anthony Michaels-Moore
OWENS/ETHAN/HOME GUARD
Marcus DeLoach*
JUNIOR/CHARLIE
Alasdair Kent*
SARARachel Sterrenberg
LILAHeather Stebbins
KATIE/SIREN #1Heather Phillips*
OLIVIA/SIREN #2Lauren Eberwein*
CLAIRE/SIREN #3Olivia Vote*
REID/HOME GUARDRoy Hage
THOMASJohn David Miles
LAURAAimee Pilgermayer
BIRCHAndrew Farkas*
GRACEFrancesca Luzi*
OWENS’ SONJackson Williams
Cold Mountain
*Opera Philadelphia debut
THE
CAST
OPERADELAWARE •IS A REVELATION•
HAMLETMaestro Anthony Barrese leads the OperaDelaware Orchestra and Chorus with a stellar cast including Joshua Kohl, Sarah Asmar, Tim Mix, Lara Tillotson and Ben Wager Directed by E. Loren Meeker.
“The Wilmington Grand Opera House is a smaller version of Philadelphia’s Academy of Music...Its intimacy allows everyone to see the singers’ facial expressions...it’s a pity that few
Philadelphians seem to have discovered it.” -Steve Cohen, Broad Street Review
FALSTAFFMaestro Giovanni Reggioli, leads
a thrilling cast including Steven Condy, Grant Youngblood, Victoria
Cannizzo, Sharin Apostolou and Ryan MacPherson. Directed by Dean Anthony.
•COME REVEL WITH US•MAY 14-22, 2016
For performance schedule, tickets and travel info call 302-442-7807 or visit operade.org
FRANCO FACCIO
GIUSEPPE VERDI
Operatic exhumations
of this importance are
virtually unheard of...
–George Loomis
FINANCIAL TIMES
Faccio’s ‘Amleto’ is a major work... worthy of being placed between Verdi and Verismo.–Enrico GirardiCORRIERE DELLA SERA
*Save 30% on a special AMTRAK companion fare to Wilmington. Visit operade.org/PlanYourVisit
EAST COAST PREMIERE
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Approximate running time for Cold Mountain is two hours and 45 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission
ACT ITeague, the leader of the local Home Guard, is hunting down Civil War deserters.
W.P. Inman, a Confederate soldier, decides to desert and return home to his beloved Ada. On his journey, Inman meets Solomon Veasey, whom he stops from committing murder. Meanwhile, the once-privileged Ada lives a life of deprivation at Black Cove Farm until she meets Ruby, a mountain woman who teaches Ada about farming and surviving.
Inman reencounters Veasey near a river while fleeing the Home Guard, and bargains with him for passage across the water. Fate and weather conspire against the pair, who capsize and drift downriver. The next morning, Lila and her three sisters stumble upon the two men. Lila’s husband drugs Inman and Veasey before giving them up to the Home Guard. The men are put on a chain gang of deserters.
Back at the farm, Ruby finds her estranged father, Stobrod, trying to steal food. She wants nothing to do with him, despite his assertions that he has changed. When Teague approaches, Ruby hides her father, but later orders him to stay away.
Meanwhile, Inman starts an insurrection, but the guards shoot the entire chain gang and leave. A wounded Inman is the lone survivor. He relives the day he bid Ada farewell, but the memory dissolves to the gruesome reality of war: Inman, chained to six dead men, loses consciousness.
SYNOPSIS
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INTERMISSION
ACT IILucinda, a runaway slave, is rifling through the pockets of the dead prisoners when Inman stirs and startles her. She frees him, and Inman continues his journey.
Back at Black Cove Farm, Stobrod and his traveling companion Pangle are still relying upon Ruby and Ada for sustenance. Stobrod tries to convince Ruby that he is a new man, but she remains skeptical.
Inman now happens upon Sara, a war widow, who is trying desperately to comfort her baby. Inman helps her, gains her trust, and is invited to spend the night.
At Black Cove Farm, Teague appears. He has brought a copy of the newspaper that lists the names of deserters. Ruby sees her father’s name, as Teague intended.
The next morning, Inman and Sara must react quickly when Union soldiers appear.
At a campfire in the woods, Teague and his men confront Stobrod and Pangle. Both men are shot and left for dead.
Ada goes hunting deep in the woods, where she and Inman finally reunite. Although both are deeply altered by the war, they manage to promise themselves to each other−but Teague is not done pursuing deserters. And the next morning when they wake, they are unaware that it will be the last morning they spend together…
Your Happily Ever After.
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By Gene Scheer
Gene Scheer is one of the opera world’s most esteemed and busiest librettists. In adapting the story of Cold Mountain as a libretto, Scheer found himself−like the novel’s protagonist, W.P. Inman−on a long and eventful journey, but Scheer’s experience, unlike Inman’s, offered artistic collaboration and creative challenge at every turn.
In his essay “Why Read the Classics?” Italo Calvino defines a classic as “a book that has never finished saying what it has to say.” Having spent almost two years distilling Charles Frazier’s beautiful novel Cold Mountain into a libretto, I still find myself surprised by the wondrous ways that this book continues to resonate deeply, how it always seems to have something more to say.
At the start of the project I went down to Asheville, North Carolina, to meet Charles and Katherine Frazier. When I arrived in Asheville, Charles picked me up himself and drove us through the woods, up to the real Cold Mountain. As we drove, ascending higher and higher, I wondered whether Charles was nervous about handing over his novel to me. Maybe that was because I was nervous myself about finding a way to transform his book into an opera−into a treatment that would convey not just the power of the story, but the power of Charles’s beautiful language. Because it is Charles’s exquisite voice that anchors the novel and allows the reader not only to understand but also to feel the struggles being depicted.
When I began work on Cold Mountain, I had recently completed an opera based on Moby-Dick. That project also took years to complete, but I was secure at least in the knowledge that Herman Melville would not be phoning or emailing to let me know what he thought of my work. I’ll admit that was comforting.
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PROGRAM NOTES: ASCENDING COLD MOUNTAIN
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As we got out of the car and I had my first glimpse of Cold Mountain off in the distance, it became clear that this was to be a different kettle of fish. As Charles looked out at Cold Mountain, he began to describe how his father had told him a story about an ancestor, a great-uncle, who was wounded in the Civil War and walked all the way home. I thought about the eight years he had spent writing this very personal novel. And I thought about the fact that, unlike Moby-Dick, which is surely the most famous novel that relatively few people have actually read, this novel has most likely been read and is still clearly remembered by many who would come to see the opera.
My primary goal in writing this libretto was to produce something that would be faithful to the spirit of the novel, to create the scaffolding around which Jennifer Higdon could re-imagine the story through her inspired music. When adapting something for an opera, my starting thought is not “How can I improve this work?” but rather “How can I enable music to explore the feelings woven into the marrow of the source material?”
The first question I need to answer, therefore, is not what to cut, is not even what to include, but rather: What is it about this story that music can communicate on its own? How can the narrative be structured in a way to allow music to take the lead and reinvent the experience?
It may seem self-evident, but this is why opera exists. We come to opera for the unique catharsis that only music can provide.
Running counter to that imperative is the strong gravitational pull I feel of wanting to include all of the wonderful details that make up the source material. I’ve often sat at my computer for days struggling and asking myself: “How can I not include that?” It seems essential because, in the written form, all of the details of a great literary work are essential. But the written elements of an opera are a different matter. And, curiously, transforming narrative art into an active theatrical form does not mean that the narrator no longer exists. Rather, the narrative voice in opera is reborn in the voice of the composer. Literary details that seem to have been jettisoned reemerge and are reborn in a vocabulary of direct emotion, the vocabulary of music.
After taking a few pictures of Cold Mountain, Charles and I headed back into town for a dinner with Katherine and a few of the Fraziers’ close friends. They all made me feel very welcome and were careful not to pepper me, at least at first, with too many questions about how Charles’s novel might be reinvented as an opera. This was, after all, a dinner to get to know each other. It was an opportunity to earn Charles’s and Katherine’s trust that his characters Inman, Ada, and Ruby were being placed in good hands.
As the night proceeded, and glasses of bourbon were consumed, the topic eventually turned to opera and how the transformation from page to stage takes place. I explained that my principal task
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was to structure the story in a way that made it as active as possible. More specifically, I described how I am always trying to distill a story to its essence in ways that create opportunities for characters to make active choices, both large and small, which ultimately change the trajectories of their lives.
By “active” I did not mean frenetic, or even physical. Nor was I looking for “choices” that result in histrionic confrontations. What I intended to convey is that the transformative journeys that Inman, Ada and Ruby undertake result from acts of their will. Certainly, each of them is reshaped by the experience of the war. But the drama is not about what the war does to them; it is about how they respond, moment by moment, how they choose to grow and to endure.
Before writing the text of a libretto, my first task is always to create an outline, an exercise that is not dissimilar to creating an outline for a silent film. Without the availability of spoken language to communicate all the details about characters and situations, silent film depended on whittling a story down to active, dramatic gestures> The subtlety in the best silent films comes from the magical marriage of performance and camera. In opera, the partner to performance is the music, and the challenge for the librettist is to provide just enough language−to create space for the music to breathe and reinvent the story.
Asked to give an example of this during our dinner table discussion in Asheville, I turned to a masterpiece, La bohème. I described a beautiful moment in the opening scene between Rodolfo and Mimì. She has come to his garret to get her candle lit. Her key falls on the floor and both get down on their knees to search for it in the dark. Rodolfo finds the key and quickly pockets it, not wanting her to leave. Their hands touch and he begins his aria: “Che gelida manina” (“how cold your little hand is”). The text of the aria is quite beautiful. But the decision to have them search for a key in the dark, creating the chance for innocent deception and a casual but electric touch, is where the libretto’s success actually begins, for it has created a moment worthy of being sung.
After nearly five wonderful hours of food, drink and conversation, the dinner was over. The next day I set off for an inn just off the Appalachian Trail. Amazingly, I discovered once there that the inn was an old farmhouse that had been run by women when the men were off fighting the “war of Yankee Aggression.” I had stumbled into a perfect place to begin my work on the opera.
I spent a few weeks there, thinking and writing. Hiking along the Appalachian Trail, I imagined Inman in these woods, where everything “seemed vertical.” Sitting at my writing table, I felt as though I could hear Ruby and Ada outside on the porch. I still hear their voices; sometimes they are speaking and now sometimes singing, but they are still out there. It seems certain they will never finish saying what they have to say.
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Sincerely Yours –Letters set to Music
presents
Saturday, April 2, 2016 at 8:00 PM at Haverford CollegeSunday, April 3, 2016 at 3:00 PM at the The Academy of Vocal Arts
Tickets - $25Call 215.438.1702 or Visit www.lyricfest.org
Newly commissioned songs by: Benjamin C.S. Boyle, John Conahan, Daron Hagen, Juliana Hall, Lori Laitman,Thomas Lloyd and Logan Skelton. With singers Kelly Ann Bixby, Katy Pracht, Andrew Fuchs and Keith Phares with Laura Ward, piano
By Leonard Foglia
Several years ago, I was invited to a July 4th celebration at Arlington House in Virginia, which overlooks the Potomac River and the National Mall in Washington, D.C. I was told we would have a spectacular view of the fireworks. What better way to celebrate our nation’s birthday, I thought. This will be fun!
Arlington House, known for many years as the Custis-Lee Mansion, was once the home of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. After Lee went off to lead the Confederate Army, Union troops occupied his property with its enviable view of our nation’s capital. To ensure he never returned, they began burying Union officers in his wife’s garden, then outside his front door. As the dead multiplied, they eventually surrounded the house completely and filled the grounds. Arlington National Cemetery was born.
While being given a tour of the cemetery that day, I learned that more Americans have been killed by other Americans than by any foreign entity since the founding of this country. More than 600,000 Americans died in the Civil War.
As I walked among the graves that day, it was difficult to join in on the “oohs” and “aahs” every time a new explosion of color appeared in the night sky. The pyrotechnic display was no match for the power exerted by so much of our nation’s blood beneath my feet.
Buried and forgotten, In our beautiful country Where we lie buried. We rest beneath every step you take, In the dust, in the ground on which you tread.
−Excerpt from Gene Scheer’s libretto of Cold Mountain
The house, which is now a memorial to General Lee, is filled with memorabilia. On the walls are quotes attributed to him. One stood out to me: “It’s a good thing war is so terrible or we’d get to liking it too much.”
If only, I thought. If only.
A NOTE FROM THE DIRECTOR
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JENNIFER HIGDON | COMPOSERPulitzer Prize-winner Jennifer Higdon (b. Brooklyn, NY, December 31, 1962) is one of America’s most acclaimed and most frequently performed living composers. Higdon started late in music, teaching herself to play flute at the age of 15 and beginning formal musical studies at 18, with an even later start in composition at the age of 21. Despite this late beginning, Jennifer has become a major figure in contemporary Classical music and makes her living from commissions. These commissions represent a range of genres, from orchestral to chamber, to choral, as well as vocal and wind ensemble. Cold Mountain is her first opera.
The Washington Post called her “a savvy, sensitive composer with a keen ear, an innate sense of form and a generous dash of pure esprit,” and her works have been performed throughout the world, enjoyed by audiences at several hundred performances a year and on over four dozen CDs. Her orchestral work blue cathedral is one of the most performed contemporary orchestral compositions by a living American with more than 500 performances worldwide since its premiere in 2000.
Higdon’s list of commissions and performing organizations is extensive and includes The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Chicago Symphony, The Atlanta Symphony, The Baltimore Symphony, The Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, The London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Luzern Sinfonieorchester, The Hague Philharmonic, The Melbourne Symphony, The New Zealand Symphony, The Pittsburgh Symphony, The Indianapolis Symphony, The Dallas Symphony, as well as such groups as the Tokyo String Quartet, eighth blackbird, and the President’s Own Marine Band. She has worked with musicians that include Nathan Gunn, Isabel Leonard, Hilary Hahn, and Yuja Wang.
Her Percussion Concerto won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Classical Composition in January, 2010. Higdon also received the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Music for her Violin Concerto, with the committee citing Higdon’s work as “a deeply engaging piece that combines flowing lyricism with dazzling virtuosity.” Learn more at jenniferhigdon.com.
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GENE SCHEER | LIBRETTISTGene Scheer’s work is noted for its scope and versatility. He has collaborated with composer Jake Heggie on a number of different projects, including the critically acclaimed 2010 Dallas Opera world premiere, Moby-Dick, starring Ben Heppner as Captain Ahab; Three Decembers (Houston Grand Opera), which starred Frederica von Stade; and the lyric drama To Hell and Back (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra), which featured Patti LuPone. Other works by Scheer and Heggie include Camille Claudel: Into the fire, a song cycle premiered by Joyce di Donato and the Alexander String Quartet. Scheer worked as librettist with Tobias Picker on An American Tragedy, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 2005. Their first opera, Thérèse Raquin, written for the Dallas Opera in 2001, was cited by Opera News as one of the ten best recordings of 2002.
Other recent collaborations include the lyrics for Wynton Marsalis’s It Never Goes Away, featured in Marsalis’s work Congo Square. With the composer Steven Stucky, Scheer wrote the oratorio August 4, 1964. The Grammy-nominated work was premiered by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in 2008 and was performed by the orchestra, with Jappvon Sweeden conducting, at Carnegie Hall. Also a composer in his own right, Scheer has written a number of songs for singers such as Renée Fleming, Sylvia McNair, Stephanie Blythe, Jennifer Larmore, Denyce Graves, and Nathan Gunn. The distinguished documentary filmmaker, Ken Burns, prominently featured Scheer’s song “American Anthem” (as sung by Norah Jones) in his Emmy Award-winning World War II documentary for PBS entitled The War. Learn more at genescheer.com.
C U R T I S
LA BOHÈME OCTOBER 3-4
MANON NOVEMBER 19-22
World Premiere
EMPTY THE HOUSE JANUARY 21-24
CAPRICCIO MARCH 2, 4, 6 Collaboration with Opera Philadelphia and Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO MAY 4, 7, 8
Special Gala Performance: Amadeus Affair, May 6
TICKETS STARTING AT $5 CURTIS.EDU/TICKETS
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Q&A WITH COMPOSER JENNIFER HIGDON
Q: Though Cold Mountain had its world premiere in Santa Fe, its ties to Philadelphia are strong. Could you talk about that?
A: Cold Mountain was really born in Philadelphia. I wrote all of it here. And it took over my life for two years. It was pretty obvious; everyone could tell I was distracted. The characters drove me crazy, living with me 24 hours a day, every day. They were present in my head wherever I was−on the street, at the supermarket, in my dreams. Sometimes I thought, how do you keep from going mad? But when it was done I felt kind of bereft. I saw this imaginary room in my head, and Ada [the leading female role] walked out and closed the door. Then there was silence−a very loud silence. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Q: What were the toughest parts of composing the opera?
A: It was totally heartbreaking to deal with the death of Inman [a Civil War soldier, the main character]. I mean, I’d spent two years trying to keep him alive and now I was going to kill him? I had to work up the strength to do that scene. I’d be weeping over the manuscript paper just trying to get it out. Teague [a member of the local militia and a sadist] was something else. I couldn’t stand him. I had to chew a lot of gum when I was writing his music because it settled my stomach!
Q: The opera had a strong connection with The Curtis Institute of Music where you teach, right?
A: Yes. It was workshopped at Curtis with 12 students taking on the different roles. We rehearsed Act I for a week in 2012, and I asked them lots of questions about how the music sat for the voice and what was awkward to sing or needed adjustment. So they were teaching me, which was fascinating. Act II went a bit easier, and that was workshopped at Curtis a year later.
Q: Can you describe your relationship with the author of the book?
A: When I first met Charles I was really nervous. I was thinking, I’m responsible for his characters, and he doesn’t know me or anything about opera−he grew up listening to southern rock basically. But he was so supportive. Before I left him and his wife, I said,
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Photo by Sarah Bloom
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“I promise to take care of Inman and Ada. I’ll do them justice.” And he really did like the opera. At the end of the premiere I went backstage and he was so moved he was in tears.
Q: What about the librettist, Gene Scheer?
A: Frazier’s book is huge, and I’d made the decision that the whole opera had to come in at two-and-one-half hours, so we had to decide what points in the story would make a good opera. Gene and I met at the Starbucks at 10th and Chestnut one day back in 2010 and we pulled out the parts that we each felt were relevant. We mapped it all out in an hour, though I had thought it would take weeks. We were like minds. So I knew right away that he was the guy for the project.
Q: You had considered a number of literary sources for your first opera before you came upon Charles Frazier’s National Book Award-winning novel Cold Mountain. Was it a natural fit for you?
A: It was. Finding the story took years, and getting the rights to turn it into an opera was extremely difficult, but after reading the first few pages of the novel, I knew this was the book. It just felt right. And since I grew up right in that area of North Carolina, I was very familiar not only with the music but with how different strata of people speak in the south. Gene is a New Yorker and he’s Jewish, and some of the conversation, like the use of double negatives, wasn’t familiar to him, so I would adjust his language to fit with each of the characters.
Q: How would you describe the music?
A: I’ve heard people define the music as neo-romantic, but for me it just sounds southern. It’s different from a lot of the music I’ve written−it’s more in the category of my bluegrass concerto. When someone asks me about it, I say, “It has tunes; you’ll know what’s going on.” And it’s singable though it’s not easy to learn, because my rhythms tend to be kind of quirky and complex.
Q: Did you use original folk music from the area in the opera?
A: I debated that. For instance, there is a church scene in the opera with a fiddling tune, and I had to decide whether to use a standard tune like some of the ones Charles Frazier references in the book. But I decided to compose my own in that style, and I alternated rhythms that you’d not find in the original tunes, so that gave it a little more interest.
Q: The choruses in the opera seem to have really touched audiences. What do you think makes them so powerful?
A N I N T E R N AT I O N A L E V E N T:A D I A L O G U E B E T W E E N T H E 1 7 T H A N D 2 1 S T C E N T U R I E S
T HE CROS S INGD O N A L D N A L LY | C O N D U C T O R
W W W . C R O S S I N G C H O I R . C O M
Seven Responses has been suppor ted by The Pew Center for Ar ts & Her i tage.
FRIDAY, JUNE 24 + SATURDAY, JUNE 25T H E P H I L A D E L P H I A C AT H E D R A L
with I C E a n d Q U I C K S I LV E R B A R O Q U E
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A: The story is so moving, and that was what inspired the choruses. The sheer pain and love and agony of those shared moments just needed that music. It’s that simple, and it’s what came out. I honestly don’t know where it came from. I actually feel it was channeled through me.
Q: You were best known as an orchestra composer before composing this opera. How did you approach the orchestral writing in Cold Mountain?
A: I had studied a lot of operas over a five-year period, especially those by Benjamin Britten, because I figured his musical language was the closest to mine. My own experience in writing for orchestra definitely helped me with color. People seem stunned by the colors in the orchestral music and tell me they’ve never heard music like this in an opera. One surprising thing was that when we were rehearsing in Santa Fe, we found that we could always hear the singers, but there were spots where you had trouble hearing the orchestra. It’s usually the opposite. I guess I was overcompensating. So I made small changes as we went.
Q: How did the opening go?
A: It was wild. All the tickets were sold, the librettos, everything in the store. People were trying to scalp tickets and doing everything they could to get back for a second and third hearing. They added chairs and sold folding chairs. There was standing room. It was the first time in Santa Fe that they were entirely sold out.
Q: What’s the next opera going to be?
A: First I have to recover from this one!
Diana Burgwyn is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia
23
In Mid-December, my sons had a music recital as part of a holiday open house at the Belmont Mansion, home to Philadelphia's Underground Railroad Museum. My family toured the exhibits, and we were overwhelmed by the first-person accounts of victims of American slavery’s cruelty. We listened to historians, dressed in authentic Colored Troops uniforms, describe the experiences and contributions of the Union's 200,000 African-American soldiers. And my mother, down from New York for her grandsons' performance, reminded me of our own roots; my grandmother's grandfather, as a teenager in Virginia, had escaped slavery to join the Union Army. As I thought about what his odyssey must have been like —my oldest is just thirteen— it struck me:
" We are about to present a love story set in the Confederacy, in Philadelphia, during Black History Month.”
While sharing in the excitement of this vital new American opera’s East Coast Premiere, I had a simmering concern about the need for more cultural context in our presentation, which finally emerged when faced with visceral references from my own ancestry. I fully acknowledge the authenticity of the story and perspective we will enjoy with Cold Mountain, but I'm reminded of the authentic stories and perspectives that we bring to the opera as an audience, and how they sculpt our encounters with artistic work woven from historical fabric.
I am particularly proud of Opera Philadelphia’s achievements in bringing diverse voices and stories to the operatic stage, whether through the contemplations on a jazz giant in Charlie Parker's YARDBIRD, the mashup of hip-hop and opera for the upcoming We Shall Not Be Moved, or the groundbreaking casting of Eric Owens and Morris Robinson in Don Carlo. But in our expanding civic role, we cannot rest when we present a piece that evokes our nation's greatest internal conflict, so saturated with conflicting emotion and opinion, and very much relevant to our social struggles of today. Though the African-American Civil War experience goes largely unaddressed in this particular work, it will rightfully haunt the perspective of many as they consider this opera, especially at this time when we traditionally increase our focus on the historical saga of Black Americans.
A Civil War PERSPECT IVE
By Derren MangumASSOC IATE D I RECTOR OF INST I TUT IONAL G IV ING
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PAUL GROVES(New Orleans, Louisiana)
Tenor
VEASEYOpera Philadelphia debut
Recent Activities: Painter/Prince, Lulu, The Metropolitan Opera; Title Role, Le Cid, Odyssey Opera; Eumople, Perséphone, Festival d-Art
Lyrique d’Aix en Provence
JARRETT OTT*(Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania)Baritone
W.P. INMAN
2015 Marchese D’Obigny, La traviata
2015 Prison Patient #1, Oscar
Recent Activities: Marullo, Rigoletto, The Santa Fe Opera; Guglielmo, Così fan tutte, Annapolis Opera; Roderick/Sam, The Long Christmas Dinner, American Symphony Orchestra
LAUREN EBERWEIN*(Qualicum Beach, BC)
Mezzo-soprano
OLIVIA / SIREN #2
Opera Philadelphia debut
Recent Activities: Komponist, Ariadne auf Naxos, Curtis Opera Theatre and Opera Philadelphia; Shéhérazade, Curtis Symphony Orchestra;
Dido, Dido and Aeneas, Curtis Opera Theatre
LEONARD FOGLIA(Washington, Virginia)
DIRECTOR
2014 A Coffin in Egypt
Recent Activities: The Gin Game, Broadway; El Pasado Nunca Se Termina, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Everest, The Dallas Opera
KEVIN BURDETTE(New York, New York)
Bass
STOBROD / BLIND MAN
2014 Doctor Bartolo, The Barber of Seville
2012 Prophet, Dark Sisters
Recent Activities: Eric Gold & Ghost of Bazzeti, Great Scott, The Dallas Opera;
Sulpice, La fille du Régiment,, The Santa Fe Opera; Stobord & Blindman, Cold Mountain, The Santa Fe Opera
ELIZABETH BRADEN(Easton, Pennsylvania)
CHORUS MASTER
2015 Oscar
2006 Margaret Garner
2004 The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein(Partial Listing)
Recent Activities: La traviata, Opera Philadelphia; ANDY: A Popera, Opera Philadelphia and The Bearded Ladies; Director of Music, Wallingford Presbyterian Church
ROBERT BRILL(San Diego, California)
SET DESIGN
Opera Philadelphia debut
Recent Activities: Everest, The Dallas Opera; The Manchurian Candidate, Minnesota Opera; Cabaret, Broadway Revival
MARCUS DELOACH(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Baritone
OWENS / ETHAN / HOME GUARD
Opera Philadelphia debut
Recent Activities: Schaunard, La bohème, Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Ping, Turandot, Wichita Grand Opera;
Maximillian, Candide, London Symphony Orchestra
ARTISTS
*Opera Philadelphia Emerging Artist
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ROY HAGE*(Beirut, Lebanon)
Tenor
REID / HOME GUARD
2015 Gastone, La traviata
2015 Prison Chaplain, Oscar
2014 Second Jew, Salome
Recent Activities: Le Chevalier Des Grieux, Manon Lescaut, Curtis Opera Theatre; Home Guard/Reid, Cold Mountain, The Santa Fe Opera; Tom Rakewell, The Rake’s Progress, Curtis Opera Theatre
CECELIA HALL(Durham, North Carolina)
Mezzo-soprano
RUBY THEWES
2013 Zerlina, Don Giovanni
Recent Activities: Ramiro, La finta giardiniera, The Santa Fe Opera; Rosina, The Barber of Seville, Canadian Opera Company; Javotte, Manon
Lescaut, The Metropolitan Opera
ALASDAIR KENT*(Perth, Australia)
Tenor
JUNIOR / CHARLIE
Opera Philadelphia debutRecent Activities: Prince Claus (cover), Becoming Santa Claus, Dallas Opera; Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni, The Academy of Vocal Arts; Ernesto (cover), Don Pasquale, Merola Opera Program
ISABEL LEONARD(New York, New York)Mezzo-soprano
ADA MONROE
Opera Philadelphia debut
Recent Activities: Rosina, The Barber of Seville, The Metropolitan Opera; Angelina, La cenerentola, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Ada, Cold Mountain,
The Santa Fe Opera
ARTISTS
ELAINE MCCARTHY(Arlington, Massachusetts)
PROJECTION DESIGN
Opera Philadelphia debut
Recent Activities: Great Scott, The Dallas Opera; Iolanta, The Dallas Opera; Everest/La Wally, The Dallas Opera
ANTHONY MICHAELS-MOORE(Santa Fe, New Mexico)
Baritone
REVEREND MONROE / PANGLE / HOME GUARD
1988 Guglielmo, Così fan tutte
Recent Activities: Recital, Pontarddulais Male Choir; Don Carlo di Vargas, La
Forza del destino, English National Opera; Monroe/Pangle, Cold Mountain, The Santa Fe Opera
JAY HUNTER MORRIS(Roswell, Georgia)
Tenor
TEAGUE
2003 Sam Polk, Susannah
2000 Narraboth, Salome
Recent Activities: Captain Ahab, Moby Dick, Los Angeles Opera; Teague, Cold
Mountain, The Santa Fe Opera; Erik, The Flying Dutchman, Washington National Opera
BRIAN NASON(New York, New York)
LIGHTING DESIGN
2014 A Coffin in Egypt
Recent Activities: Madea on the Run, National Tour; West Side Story, Asolo Repertory Theater; Cold Mountain, The Santa Fe Opera
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ARTISTS
HEATHER PHILLIPS(North Canton, Ohio)
Soprano
KATIE / SIREN #1
Opera Philadelphia debut
Recent Activities: Katie, Cold Mountain, The Santa Fe Opera; Elvira, L'italiana in Algeri, Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Nanetta, Falstaff,
Arizona Opera
CORRADO ROVARIS(Bergamo, Italy)
CONDUCTOR
2015 Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD
2006 Cinderella1999 The Marriage of
Figaro(Partial Listing)
Recent Activities: Artosphere Festival, Blackford Schönberg;
Donizetti Festival, Anna Bolena; Donizetti Festival, Bellini, Chopin, Mendelssohn
OLIVIA VOTE(St Mary's City, Maryland)
Mezzo-soprano
CLAIRE / SIREN #3
Opera Philadelphia debut
Recent Activities: Il tramonto, Hugo Wolf String Quartet; Laurene, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (workshop), The Santa Fe Opera; Dryade,
Ariadne auf Naxos, Opernhaus Zurich
MARIETTA SIMPSON(Bloomington, Indiana)
Mezzo-soprano
LUCINDA
Opera Philadelphia debut
Recent Activities: Old Lady, Candide, Glimmerglass Opera; Mezzo Soloist, St. Matthew Passion,
Mendelssohn Club of Philadelphia; Queenie, Showboat, Houston Grand Opera
RACHEL STERRENBERG*(Madison, Georgia)
Soprano
SARA
2015 Annina, La traviata
2015 Chan Parker, Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD
Recent Activities: Soprano soloist, Carmina Burana, Reading Choral Society; Anne Trulove, The Rake’s Progress, Curtis Opera Theatre; Soprano soloist, Curtis Symphony Orchestra
HEATHER STEBBINS(Wellsville, New York)
Soprano
LILA
Opera Philadelphia debut
Recent Activities: Ariadne, Ariadne auf Naxos, Opera Philadelphia and Curtis Opera Theatre; Soloist, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra;
La Ciesca, Gianni Schicchi, Curtis Opera Theatre
DAVID C. WOOLARD(New York, New York)
COSTUME DESIGN
2015 Oscar
Recent Activities: Dames at Sea, Helen Hayes Theater; Incedent at Vichy, Signature Theater; Cold Mountain, The Santa Fe Opera
DAVID ZIMMERMAN(Mt. Pleasant, Texas)
WIG & MAKE-UP DESIGN
2015 La traviata2015 Charlie Parker’s
YARDBIRD2013 The Magic Flute(Partial Listing)
Recent Activities: Becoming Santa Claus, The Dallas Opera; Faust, International Music Festival, Macau, China; Great Scott, The Dallas Opera
*Opera Philadelphia Emerging Artist
27
ADDITIONAL CASTARTISTIC
Assistant Director .................................................. Keturah Stickann
Principal Pianist ............................................................... Lisa Keller
Musical Assistant ....................................................... Grant Loehnig
Diction Coach .....................................................................Erie Mills
Dialect Specialist ......................................................... Lydia Mackay
Supertitle Operator ..........................................................Tony Solitro
PRODUCTION/TECHNICAL
Properties Supervisor ................................................... Shane Dreher
Assistant Lighting Designer ..............................................Chris Frey
Associate Projections Designer ...................................Austin Switser
Technical Director ................................................Stephen Dickerson
Master Electrician............................................................Terry Smith
Properties......................................................................... Paul Lodes
Flyman ..............................................................................Mike Ruffo
Assistant Electrician ...................................................Shawn Gallen
Assistant Stage Managers ......................... Gregory Boyle, Jen Shaw
Wardrobe Supervisor .....................................................Elisa Murphy
Costume Shop Assistant.................................................Katie Foster
Cutter/Tailors ....................................................Althea “Nell” Unrath
Cutter/Drapers ..........................................Kara Morasco, Anna Light
First Hands ..........Derwin Cooper, Joyanne Rampulla, Patrick Milhall
Shopper...................................................................... Kathy Calhoun
Wig & Make-up Assistants.................... Amanda Clark, Lexi O’Reilly
Fight Captain.................... ..................................Jeffrey D. Moorhead
A Commitment to Safety: The safety and comfort of visitors, artists, volunteers, and staff at the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, and Merriam Theater are of paramount importance. In the event of an emergency, audience members will be advised of appropriate procedures by ushers and security staff. At this time, please take note of the exit nearest you. A red, illuminated EXIT sign should be visible, with an arrow indicating the direction of the exit door. Should an emergency arise, you will be directed to leave the auditorium and further instructions will be provided as to the safest and quickest way to exit the building. Patrons who need special assistance should contact an usher. Smoking is prohibited on the Kimmel Center campus.
Accessibility: The Academy of Music is wheelchair accessible from the east lobby entrance on Broad Street. Seating is available on the Parquet and Balcony levels, with accessible restrooms located on the Canteen level. Assistive listening devices are available for loan. A limited number of ADA-compliant parking spaces are available in the Kimmel Center garage.
Coat Check & Restrooms: A complimentary coat check is located on the ground floor of the Academy of Music. Restrooms are located on all levels of the Academy of Music.
Food and Beverage: Concessions by Chef Jose Garces and Garces Group are available to Academy of Music and Merriam patrons at satellite bars located in the lobbies and upper levels. Water fountains are located on all levels of the Academy of Music.
Official Ticket Outlet: Ticket Philadelphia, a division of the Kimmel Center, is the only authorized outlet for individual tickets for shows at the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, and Merriam Theater. We urge patrons to purchase tickets only through kimmelcenter.org, ticketphiladelphia.org, or the official websites of our Resident Companies. Tickets purchased from other sources are purchased at your own risk. Many unauthorized ticket sellers use website
FACILITIESnames that are similar to our website or even include the names of our various venues. These websites are not authorized to sell tickets to events in our venues. By purchasing only through our official outlets, you are assured that the ticket you receive is valid and is being sold to you at face value.
STARRING
KATE LINDSEY(photographed)
RANDALL BILLSJOHN RELYEA
ANTONY WALKERARTISTIC DIRECTOR/CONDUCTOR
CONCERTOPERA.ORG | 202-364-5826
SUPERNUMERARIES:
Fighters: John Basiulis, Adam Howard, Jeffrey D. Moorhead, David Pica, Steve Wei
Ruby's Children: Nate Braden, Nate Luzi, Cole Semel
Supernumerary: Kate Graham
28
E
VIOLIN I Dayna Anderson, ConcertmasterIgor Szwec, Assistant ConcertmasterMeichen Liao-BarnesCharles Parker Yan C. SimmonsDonna GranthamElizabeth KaderabekGuillaume CombetGared CrawfordAlexandra Cutler-FetkewiczMadison Marcucci
VIOLIN II Emma Kummrow, PrincipalSarah Dubois Paul ReiserHeather ZimmermanLisa VaupelJennifer LeeSamantha CrawfordYu-Hui Tamae LeeRachel Segal
VIOLA Jonathan Kim, PrincipalCarol Briselli, Assistant PrincipalJulia DiGaetaniEllen TrainerElizabeth Jaffe
Steven HeitlingerKathleen Foster
CELLOPriscilla Lee, Principal Vivian Barton-Dozor, Assistant PrincipalBrooke BeazleyDane Anderson Jennifer LorenzoDavid MoultonElizabeth Thompson
BASSMiles B. Davis, PrincipalAnne PetersonStephen Groat Mary Javian
FLUTEAdeline Tomasone, PrincipalEileen Grycky
OBOEGeoffrey Deemer, PrincipalJeffrey O'Donnell
CLARINETJoseph A. Smith, PrincipalAllison Herz
BASSOONJacob Smith, PrincipalJon Gaarder
FRENCH HORNAngela Bilger, PrincipalLyndsie WilsonKaren SchubertRyan Stewart
TRUMPETBrian D. Kuszyk, PrincipalSteven HeitzerFrank Ferraro
TROMBONERobert Gale, PrincipalEdward CascarellaPhilip McClelland
TUBAPaul Erion, Principal
HARPSophie Bruno Labiner, Principal
PERCUSSIONRalph Sorrentino, PrincipalChristopher HanningKenneth Riehman
TENOR Sang B. ChoChristopher HosterSteven HumesDavid Young KohWilliam Lim, Jr. A. Edward MaddisonFernando Mancillas Toffer MihalkaDonLeroy Morales George Ross SomervilleOrin Strunk
Daniel TaylorPaul L. VetranoCory O’Niell WalkerSteven Williamson
BASSGregory CantwellJeff ChapmanLucas DeJesusJames Osby Gwathney, Jr. Chris Hodges
Scott Johnson Mark MalacheskyJohn David MilesFrank MitchellCase NafzigerGarrett ObryckiRobert PhillipsLourin PlantAndrew SkitkoTim StopperJackson Williams
OPERA PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRACORRADO ROVARIS, JACK MULRONEY MUSIC DIRECTOR
OPERA PHILADELPHIA CHORUS
The Curtis Institute of Musicand Opera Philadelphia
CONGRATULATE
MIKAEL ELIASEN
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF THE CURTIS OPERA THEATRE
AND ARTISTIC ADVIS0R TO OPERA PHILADELPHIA
on 30 years of nurturingoperatic talent at Curtis
and invite you to attend an Amadeus Affair in his honor on May 6. Curtis.edu/AmadeusAffair
Top left to right: Board member and Chairman’s Council member Dr. Joshua Barnett with his wife, Dr. Heidi Kolberg; Michael Gorman, husband of Frederica von Stade (center); Board member and Chairman’s Council member Nick Chimicles and his wife, Kathleen Chimicles; Board member and Leadership Circle member Peter Leone and his wife, Judy Leone. Bottom left to right: Board Chairman and Leadership Circle member Daniel K. Meyer, M.D., composer Jennifer Higdon, Chairman’s Council member Andrew Wechsler, M.D., and his wife Board member Donna Wechsler; Chairman’s Council members Rita and Phil Harper; Chairman’s Council member John Alchin with Vice-Chairman and Chairman’s Council member Joel Koppelman and his wife, Sharon Koppelman.
Opera Philadelphia’s top giving programs, the Leadership Circle & Chairman’s Council, are comprised of passionate groups of philanthropists committed to ensuring that the future of opera is right here in Philadelphia.
Their collective generosity underwrites more than half of Opera Philadelphia’s artistic expenses each season, including productions in the Academy of Music, the nationally-lauded Aurora Series for Chamber Opera at the Perelman Theater, Opera on the Mall, and our award-winning programs for children.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT Erin Sammis, Director of Development, at 215.893.5904
T H E L E A D E R S H I P C I R C L E & C H A I R M A N ’ S C O U N C I L
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LEADERSHIP SUPPORT AND MAJOR GIFTSPeter Leone, Institutional Advancement Chair
Opera Philadelphia gratefully acknowledges the following individuals and institutions contributing more than $25,000 annually in underwriting support for artists and productions, as well as educational programs.
$250,000+The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Mrs. Sandra K. Baldino^
Judy and Peter Leone^
Ms. Barbara Augusta Teichert^
$100,000+Anonymous
Judith Durkin Freyer^
The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
Estate of Ellen Cole Miller*
Alice and Walter Strine, Esqs.
The Leslie Miller and Richard Worley .....Foundation
CHAIRMAN'S COUNCIL$50,000+Mr. John R. Alchin and Mr. Hal Marryatt^
Mrs. Kay Bossone^
The CHG Charitable Trust
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Huff^
Independence Foundation
Ms. Lisa D. Kabnick and Mr. John H. McFadden
Joel and Sharon Koppelman
Mr. William A. Loeb^*
Mrs. John P. Mulroney^
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts
The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage
PNC
Jean & Gene Stark^
Charlotte* and Bob Watts^
$25,000+
Drs. Renato and Beverly Baserga^
Mr. Peter Benoliel and Ms. Willo Carey
Gray Charitable Trust
Nicholas and Kathleen Chimicles
Ady L. Djerassi, M.D., and Robert Golub, M.D.
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hankin
Rita and Philip Harper
Dr. Heidi L. Kolberg and Dr. F. Joshua Barnett
Ellen Berman Lee
Gabriele Lee
The Lenfest Foundation
Mr. Thomas Mahoney^
National Endowment for the Arts
OPERA America
The Presser Foundation
Scott F. Richard^*
Mr. and Mrs. James B. Straw
Mr. Jonathan H. Sprogell and Ms. Kathryn Taylor
Wells Fargo
* Indicates membership in the Encore Society ̂ Indicates patrons who have made new or increased gifts in the past 12 months.
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
$1,000,000+The William Penn Foundation Wyncote Foundation John S. and James L. Knight
Foundation$500,000+The Wallace Foundation
Opera Philadelphia is a proud contributor of world class performances on the Kimmel Center campus and gratefully acknowledges the Center’s generous support in maintaining the Academy of Music and the Perelman Theater.
THE
G E N E R A L D I R E C T O R ’S
C O U N C I LMEMBERS of the General Director’s Council play a pivotal role in the future of Opera Philadelphia through their generous annual support, collectively underwriting principal artists, and individually sponsoring Emerging Artists. Members enjoy insider access to artistic planning and company initiatives through Strategy Sessions as well as intimate gatherings with Opera Philadelphia’s stars and leadership at private dinners, cast parties, and exclusive events. Council membership begins with annual gifts of $10,000 and can be made in convenient monthly or quarterly installments or with gifts of stock. Become an essential member of Opera Philadelphia’s donor family by joining the Council today!
Clockwise from left: General Director & President David B. Devan with General Director’s Council members Sandy and Steve Sheller at the Friends Vocal Recital and Appreciation Reception. Photo by J.R. Blackwell. General Director’s Council members Allen R. and Judith Brick Freedman with Emerging Artist Will Liverman whom they underwrote for the 2014-2015 Season. Photo by Elisa Gabor. General Director’s Council and Encore Society members Don and Dianne Cooney with baritone Jared Bybee at the Season Soirée. General Director’s Council members Robert V. Taglieri and Timothy Moir with Patrons Nancy and James Abbott at the 40th Anniversary Gala. Photo by Michael Branscom.
For more information, visit operaphila.org/gdcouncil or contact Jennifer Dubin, Associate Director, Individual Giving & Patron Services,
at 215.893.5908 or [email protected].
33
ANNUAL GIVINGWe are sincerely grateful for the generosity of the following members and institutions who support Opera Philadelphia's thrilling productions, engaging community events, and stimulating educational programs through their membership in our annual giving programs.
DIAMOND $10,000+
Lorraine and Ben Alexander*
Sarah Billinghurst and Howard Solomon
Mr. and Mrs. Julian A. Brodsky^
Constance and Michael Cone^
Dianne and Don Cooney*
Aaron Copland Fund for Music
David B. Devan and David A. Dubbeldam
Kenneth B. and Pamela R. Dunn^
Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation
Mrs. Sheila Kessler*
Donald and Gay Kimelman^
William Lake Leonard, Esq.^
Morgan Stanley Foundation
David and Susan Rattner^
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Rosenbluth^
Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rollins
Ms. Patricia S. Scott
Mr. and Mrs. Roberto Sella^
Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Memorial Fund
Mr. and Mrs. Steve Sheller^
Robert V. Taglieri and Timothy J. Moir^
GENERAL DIRECTOR’S COUNCILBEN ALEXANDER & KEN SWIMM, CO-CHAIRS
PLATINUM $15,000+
Jacob Burns Foundation, Inc./ Drs. Herbert and Rosalie† Goldberg
Mr. and Mrs. Allen Freedman^
Eugene Garfield Foundation
Linda and David Glickstein
William and Nadine Haines^
Hamilton Family Foundation
Kathy Hanrahan^
Nancy and Al Hirsig^
Mrs. Constance C. Moore*
Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer and Joe Neubauer
Dr. Renée Rollin^*
Ms. Carolyn Horn Seidle^
Kenneth and Sheila Swimm^
Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Wechsler*^
Wells Fargo Private Bank
SILVER $5,000+James and Nancy Abbott
Mrs. Carolyn R. Aller
Myron and Sheila S. Bassman^
Cecile and Eugene Block
Robert Bryan and Julie J. Bryan
Madeleine and James Carlson^
Pauline Gray and Edward S. Barnard^
Hellendall Family Foundation^
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence O. Houstoun
The McLean Contributionship
Dr. Stanley Muravchick and Ms. Arlene Olson
Mr. and Mrs. R. Anderson Pew
Dr. and Mrs. Joel Porter
In Honor of Joseph G. Leone^
Dr. Stephen G. Somkuti
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Wiener
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Williams
Drs. Anne and Jim Williamson*
Ethel Benson Wister
Mr. Robert Zimet^
PATRON PROGRAMDONNA WECHSLER, CHAIR
Sponsored by Wells Fargo Private Bank
GOLD $7,500+
Anonymous
Drs. Jean and Robert Belasco
Alpin J. and Alpin W. Cameron Memorial Fund
Mr. Robert Devoe*
Tom and Jody O’Rourke^
Philadelphia Cultural Fund
Victory Foundation
Suzanne and Robert Welsh^
34
MEMBERSHIPPARTNER $1,000+
Anonymous (2)
Mr. and Mrs. Andy Abel
Dorothy and Stanley Abelson
Ms. Mary Jo Ashenfelter Heckman and Mr. Thomas Heckman^
Ms. Susan Asplundh
Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Bazelon
Rebecca Bien and David S. Poll, M.D.
John Bisignano and Alexandra Storm^
Mrs. Elaine Camarda
William B. Carey
Drs. Judith and Jeffrey Carpenter^
Mrs. Rhonda Chatzkel^
Louis N. Cassett Foundation
Mrs. Ineke M. Dikland
Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation
Mrs. Helen Herr Ford^
Ms. Valerie Gay
Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Gillen, Jr.^
Ms. Phyllis S. Gitlin^
Dr. and Mrs. Stanley Goldfarb^
Dr. Brett Gutsche^
Mr. Donald A. Hamme, III and Dr. Christina Gregory^
In memory of Isabel Ferguson^
Dr. and Mrs. Peter M. Joseph^
Dr. Mark Hemling and Mr. John Marrazzo
Mr. Nicholas Karp^
Dr. Richard B. Kent^
Mr. and Mrs. David Levy^
Merle and Marvin LevyB.A. (Mackie) and Charlotte MacLeanEdward and Roberta Martin^
Mr. and Mrs. George MorrisMs. Susan F. Morris^
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Naidoff^
Dr. and Mrs. A. H. NishikawaMr. and Mrs. Bert Redgrave^
Michael SanyourSusan and Paul ShamanMr. and Mrs. Michael J. SmithThe Stainrook FoundationMs. Lynne Van Buskirk^
Mr. Thomas C. Woodward
BRONZE $2,500+ Anonymous (2)Drs. Ronald D. and Marcia AbrahamMr. John Aglialoro and Ms. Joan CarterBrett and Nan Altman Mr. and Mrs. Paul AndersonDr. Valerie Arkoosh and Mr. Jeffrey HarbisonMs. Theresa Baker^
Frances and Michael BaylsonMr. and Mrs. Robert Bergen^
Mrs. Joanne Berwind^
Rick and Kelly Biesecker Mr. Allen D. Black and Mr. Randolph Apgar^
Dr. Claire Boasi^*Beaty Bock and Jonathan MillerMr. and Mrs. Jeff Bohn^
Mr. Michael Bolton and Mr. Peter Keleher^
Laurie Wagman in Memory of Irvin J. BorowskyDr. Luther W. BradyMs. Annie Burridge and Mr. Paul Richichi^
Mr. Michael F. Cade and Mr. Mayron Lizardo Lopez Ruiz^
Joan and Frederick Cohen^
Dr. and Mrs. Frank CraparoDr. Richard DavidsonBarbara M. Donnelly Bentivoglio and Dr. Lamberto BentivoglioMark Duckett and Stan Gaddy^
Drs. Bruce and Toby Eisenstein
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Fanelli, Jr.^*Mr. and Mrs. David FriedmanJim and Kay Gately^
Mr. Robert H. GerlachWilliam and Joan Goldstein^
Mr. and Mrs. William A. Graham, IVMs. Carolyn L. Green and Mr. Michael T. BlakeneyDr. and Mrs. Henry J. Greenwood and Ms. Marilyn Greenwood^ Greater Philadelphia Cultural AllianceDavid and Ann Harrison, Esqs.^
Bruce and Robin HerndonMs. Rhoda K. Herrold^
Matthew and Karen Hoffer^
Dr. and Mrs. Leonid Hrebien^
Victor and Joan JohnsonMr. Jeffrey Jowett^
Mr. Matthew Karstetter and Ms. Ellen Rosenberg^
Ms. Joan C. Mazzotti and Mr. Michael C. Kelly^
Terri and Thomas Klein^
Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Lans^
Cheryl Lawson and Jennifer Higdon^
Maribeth and Steven LernerFran and Leon L. Levy^
Liddy and John LindsayWilliam LockwoodMr. Wayne R. LorgusDr. and Mrs. Michael B. LoveHarriet and Shelly Margolis^
Jeremiah and Leslie Marks^
Leonard Mellman and Deborah GlassMs. Evalind MinorDenise and Volker OakeyAnna C. O’Riordan, M.D.^
John Pcsolar and Alan SandmanMs. Harriet Potashnick and Mr. Marshall Levine Kelley S. Reilly^
Dr. and Mrs. A. Gerald Renthal^
Dr. David J. RichardsMr. David Sacker and Ms. Darcy HayesJoyce Seewald SandoMr. and Mrs. Curtis E. Sawyer^
Drs. Daniel Schidlow and Sally RosenHenry and Yumi Scott^
Dr. William Sigmund and Mr. Vito IzzoDrs. Richard and Rhonda SoricelliStacey Spector and Ira BrindDr. Laura Stanton and Mr. Kim TomlinsonMs. Kathleen Stephenson and Mr. James E. ColbergMs. Kira Sterling and Mr. Timothy Sterling Dr. and Mrs. Michael D. Strong^
Dr. and Mrs. Richard N. Taxin^
Mr. and Mrs. Jay H. TolsonMr. and Mrs. Richard L. UllmanCarol Westfall^
William A. Wheatley and Giovanna Cilia Wheatley^
Dr. Leah WhippleAna-Maria Zaugg and David Anstice
35
SUSTAINER $500+
Anonymous (3)
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald M. Agulnick
Asplundh Foundation
Mrs. Eileen M. Baird^
Brian and Max Baker
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Baker
Mr. Richard F. Baruch and Mrs. Clark Hooper^
Dr. and Mrs. Paul Batastini
Mr. John Beck^
Drs. Deidre and Michael Blank^
Mr. Andrew F. Blittman^
Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Blumental
Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Bohen
Mr. Will Sears Bricker, II
Lynn and Jerri Burket^
Mr. Yuming A. Chiu
Mrs. Mary E. Chomitz and Mr. Morton A. Collier
Mr. Patrick Connolly and Ms. Karen Carvalho
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Conrad
Mr. Mark Cornish
Mr. and Mrs. George T. Craven, Jr.^
Mr. Peter Cressman^
Mr. and Mrs. Claude DeBotton
Mr. and Mrs. Mark S. Dichter
Lois and John Durso^
Ms. Carol S. Eicher
Mr. Thomas Faracco
Mr. Arthur F. Ferguson^
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Fiorenza^
Mr. and Mrs. Barry Fisch^
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Foehl
Ms. Helen H. Ford
Mr. Andrew R. Gelber (in memory of Sylvia Gelber)
Mr. Marco Georeno
Ms. Phyllis S. Gitlin^
Deborah E. Glass
Joanne T. Greenspun
Ms. Cheryl Gunter and Mr. Paul A. Rabe
Mr. and Mrs. John B. Hagner
Mr. Luke H. Halinski^
Mr. Timothy Harris
Ms. Margaret M. Healy^
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Heist
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Helverson
Terry and Paul Hirshorn
Mr. and Mrs. L. Stockton Illoway^
Laura and Bernard Jacobson^
Marjorie and Joel Jensen
Ms. Aileen M. Kennedy
Mr. Robert E. Keppler and Mr. Edward Feldman^
Dr. and Mrs. Richard P. Kluft
John A. Kotyo, M.D.
Dr. Alfred Knudson and Dr. Anna Meadows^
Dr. Judith M. LaLonde and Mr. Peter V. Bodine^
Lucinda and Charles Landreth
Dr. and Mr. Jeffrey Martin Lang^
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Lastowski^
Dr. and Mrs. J. Frederick Laucius
Ann Csink and John Linck
Mr. Daniel Ludwig and Ms. Anne Leone^
Dr. Colin F. Mackay
Dr. & Mrs. Larry Mapow
Dr. Joel Marmar and Ms. Alexis Berg Marmar, Esq.
Mr. and Mrs. James M. Matarese^
Mr. and Mrs. Norman McCausland^
Mr. and Mrs. H.G. McDonald^
Dwight and Christina McCawley
Mr. Benjamin F. Minick
Ms. Barbara Moskow^
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Munson^
Drs. Tomoko and S. Tsuyoshi Ohnishi
Dr. and Mrs. R. Barrett Noone^
Mr. and Mrs. Mario Palumbi
Dr. and Mrs. William P. Potsic^
Plannerzone^
Catherine M. Ravé^
Ms. Barbara Rice^
Mr. Philmore Robertson
Dr. Joel Rosenbloom^
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel R. Ross
The Reverend Dr. Alan K. Salmon
Dr. Barbra Eaton and Mr. Edward Salners^
Erin and Adam Sammis^
Dr. Margot Savoy
Anne Faulkner Schoemaker
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Sharrar
Mr. James L. Smith
Dr. and Mrs. Stanton N. Smullens
Ms. Corinne R. Stone^
Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Thomas
Dr. and Mrs. Rocco P. Triolo^
Mrs. Rita Turner
Mr. John Ventura
Dr. Maria Vogiatzi^
Mr. Edward Wagner^
Mr. Peter Wender^
Ms. Nancy B. Wingo
Ms. Laura Williamson^
Dr. Robert Winn^
Mr. Richard Joseph Yoder^
* Indicates membership in the Encore Society List as of January 1, 2016
^ Indicates patrons who have made new or increased gifts in the past 12 months.
† Deceased
List as of January 1, 2016. Please accept our sincere apology if we have made an error in your listing. We encourage you to call Subscriber & Member Services at 215.732.8400 to inform us of any errors or omissions, so that we may correct our records.
B E C O M E A M E M B E R T O D A Y !
VISIT OUR INFORMATION DESK IN THE LOBBYOr, contact Subscriber & Member Services
215.732.8400 | [email protected]
Photo by Ken Howard, The Santa Fe Opera
Even when every seat in the house sel ls out, this dazzling blend of theatrical, orchestral, and vocal splendor requires considerable philanthropic support from within our community.
Play an active role in bringing great opera to Philadelphia while enjoying exclusive benef its that enhance your opera experience.
M E M B E R S E N J O Y :
Early access and savings on ticket purchases
Invitations to member-only recitals and lectures
Behind-the-scenes events like dress rehearsals and backstage tours
And much more!
Membershipsstart at $100
(or only $8 per month)
37
For more than 40 years, Dr. Rosalie Burns Goldberg was a cherished member of the Opera Philadelphia family as a subscriber, supporter, and board member.
A native New Yorker, Rosalie’s f irst opera was Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera when she was 14 years old; she saved her allowance to purchase the ticket, and from then on, she was hooked. When Rosalie and her husband, Herb, moved to Philadelphia in the 1970s, they purchased a subscription to the Philadelphia Grand Opera Company, which would merge with the Philadelphia Lyric Opera Company in 1975 to become the Opera Company of Philadelphia.
Everyone that knew Rosalie remembers her kind and thoughtful demeanor, unmatched intellect, and sage advice. She was a truly remarkable woman, and while she was immensely modest, her professional accomplishments were extraordinary. She was one of four women to be accepted to the Yale University School of Medicine in 1952, and went on to enjoy a 30-year career as a prominent neurologist at Hahnemann Medical College.
As avid supporters of the arts, Rosalie and her husband of 57 years, Herb, especially adored opera, and in addition to Opera Philadelphia, they were actively involved with the Metropolitan Opera and the Academy of Vocal Arts. For many years, Rosalie served as a Director of the Jacob Burns Foundation, which was founded by her father. Through the Foundation, they generously underwrote many Opera
Philadelphia productions over the years, including Rigoletto, Hansel and Gretel, Margaret Garner, Tea: A Mirror of Soul, Tosca, The Abduction from the Seraglio, and Don Giovanni. Additionally, Rosalie and Herb were among the f irst supporters of Opera Philadelphia’s Emerging Artists Program. Rosalie was as generous with her time as she was with her resources, and served as a treasured and dedicated member of the Opera Philadelphia Board of Directors from 2000-2012.
Rosalie was a dear and beloved member of the Opera Philadelphia family, and meant the world to all who knew her. Opera Philadelphia is honored to play a part in her legacy, and will think of her every time we bring one of her favorite works to the stage.
R EMEMBER ING
DR. ROSA L I E BURNS GOLDBERG1932–2015
C O R P O R AT E C O U N C I LThe Corporate Council generously supports Opera Philadelphia’s artistic and
educational programming through contributions and in-kind donations.
2 0 1 5 – 2 0 1 6 S E A S O N S P O N S O R S
C O R P O R AT E C O U N C I L M E M B E R S
Bank of America
Ballard Spahr LLP
BNY Mellon Wealth Management
Kalnin Graphics
Menchey Music
Morgan Stanley
PECO
Evantine Design
Exelon Business Services
LinguiSearch
MAC Cosmetics
Moonstruck Restaurant
Termini Bros. Bakery
Official Sponsor of Opera Philadelphia’s Patron Program
Intermission Reception Sponsor
Official Automotive Dealership
Official Hotel
For more information about sponsorship opportunities, or to join Opera Philadelphia’s Corporate Council, please contact Rachel McCausland, Major Gifts Officer,
at 215.893.5909 or [email protected].
Center City Film and Video
PNC
Universal Health Services
Brand Communications Partner
Season Media Partners
Chariman’s Opening Night Dinner Sponsor
39
1400+PERFORMANCES
ANNUALLY
1.2 MILLION+ATTENDANCE ANNUALLY
6.3 MILLION+EMAIL IMPRESSIONS
ANNUALLY
4 MILLION+WEB HITS ANNUALLY
25 MILLION+ ON-SITE IMPRESSIONS
ANNUALLY
ADVERTISE WITH PHILADELPHIA’S
MOST IMPACTFUL ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION!
For information about advertising, contact Joe Ciresi at 215.790.5884
KIMMELCENTER.ORG/ADVERTISE
Disney’s© THE LION KING Photo: Joan Marcus
40
T H EPAT R O NP R O G R A M
FOR MORE
INFORMAT ION
about the Patron Program, visit
operaphila.org/patrons
or contact Jennifer Dubin,
Associate Director, Individual
Giving & Patron Services, at
215.893.5908 or
The Patron Program is a vital force behind Opera Philadelphia’s spectacular productions and community programs through their united annual support and enthusiasm for Opera Philadelphia and the art form. Patrons enjoy access to VIP benefits in the opera house including a VIP coat check and champagne intermission receptions, as well as exclusive social events throughout the season and priority ticketing services. Join this passionate group of opera lovers with a gift of $2,500 today!
Clockwise from top left: Patrons Robin and Bruce Herndon with tenor Lawrence Brownlee at the Meet the Artists event. Photo by Elisa Gabor. Patron John Pcsolar, countertenor David Daniels, Oscar director Kevin Newbury and composer Theodore Morrison, and Patron Alan Sandman at the Director’s Salon event. Emerging Artist Jarrett Ott with Patrons Dick and Margaret Ullman and General Director & President David B. Devan at the Friends Vocal Recital & Appreciation Reception. Photo by J.R. Blackwell. Patron Program Chair Donna Wechsler and Andrew Wechsler at the 40th Anniversary Gala. Photo by Dominic M. Mercier. Patrons Arlene Olson, Stanley Muravchick, Bernadette and Jeff Bohn at the Meet the Artists event. Photo by Elisa Gabor.
Official Sponsor of Opera Philadelphia’s Patron Program
41
THE HARD PROBLEMby Tom Stopparddirected by Blanka ZizkaJanuary 6 – February 6, 2016
AN OCTOROONby Branden Jacobs-Jenkinsdirected by Joanna SettleMarch 16 – April 10, 2016
“A rich, ideas-packed work that offers a defense of goodness whatever its ultimate source.” – The Guardian
$25 $10General Public StudentS and theater
ProfeSSionalS
TICKETS
Sarah Gliko aS
hilary
Photo by Matt SaunderS
wILMATHEATER.ORg(215) 546-7824
JuStin Jain, JaMeS iJaMeS,
ed Swidey
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42
O P E R A P H I L A D E L P H I A E N C O R E S O C I E T Y
If the Opera has played a significant role in your life, we invite you to pay it forward to future generations by including Opera Philadelphia in your estate plans.
Opera Philadelphia’s Encore Society acknowledges the generosity of those individuals who have included the company in their estate plans as an important philanthropic commitment to opera’s future in Philadelphia, and the Society is our way of honoring members today for the legacy they will leave tomorrow.
Not only do members enjoy exclusive access to events that allow them to celebrate the impact of their commitment to the organization’s continued artistic growth, but these gifts have the potential to provide valuable tax and income benefits now and in the future.*
Encore Society members Ben Alexander (left) and Sheila Kessler with baritone Mark Stone at the annual Encore Society Luncheon.
T O J O I N O R T O R E C E I V E
M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N :
Go to OPERAPHILA.ORG/ENCORE-SOCIETY
Contact Rachel McCausland, Major Gifts Officer,
at 215.893.5909 or at [email protected].
* Please consult your financial and/or legal advisors to determine which type of gift is best for you and for the legal requirements and tax advantages specific to these gifts.
OR
43
LET THE ARTS PERFORM FOR YOU.
Call Joe Ciresi at 215.790.5884 today for information about advertising in Showcase.
MOUNTAINb y c h a r l e s f r a z i e r
IN PHILADELPHIAEVERYONE IS READING
FEBRUARY 2-MARCH 30, 2016
44
LEADERSHIPDavid B. Devan General Director & President Corrado Rovaris Jack Mulroney Music DirectorAnnie Burridge Managing DirectorJeremiah Marks Chief Financial OfficerDavid Levy Senior Vice President, Artistic OperationsMichael Bolton Vice President of Community ProgramsMikael Eliasen Artistic AdvisorNathan Gunn Director, American Repertoire CouncilYoungmoo E. Kim Resident Technologist
MUSICMichael Eberhard Artistic Administrator
Elizabeth Braden Chorus Master and Music
Administrator
J. Robert Loy Director of Orchestra Personnel
& Orchestra Librarian
Sarah Williams New Works Administrator
David Hertzberg Composer in Residence
David T. Little Composer in Residence
Andrew Norman Composer in Residence
PRODUCTIONAlexander Farino Production Manager
Drew Billiau Technical Production Manager
Stephen Dickerson Technical Director
Millie Hiibel Costume Director
Meggie Scache Production Coordinator
MARKETING & MEMBERSHIPRyan Lewis Director of Marketing & Membership
Karina Kacala Marketing Manager
Michael Knight Marketing Operations Manager
Filiz O'Brien Membership Manager
Lucy Clemens Concierge
Siddhartha Misra Guest Services Associate
DEVELOPMENTErin Sammis Director of Development
Adele Mustardo Director of Events
Jennifer Dubin Associate Director, Individual
Giving & Patron Services
Rachel McCausland Major Gifts Officer
Derren Mangum Associate Director of Institutional Giving
Nathan Schultz Grants Manager
Christina Polet Advancement Research Manager
COMMUNICATIONSFrank Luzi Director of Communications
Katie Dune Multimedia Communications
Coordinator
ADMINISTRATIONKen Smith Assistant to General Director &
Board Relations Coordinator
Bethany Steel Assistant to the Managing Director
COMMUNITY PROGRAMSAdrienne Bishop Education Coordinator
FINANCEBrian Ramos Controller
Maureen McHale Senior Accountant
COUNSELBallard Spahr, LLP General Counsel
ADMINISTRATION
45
Is it a truly magic brew or just a bottle of snake oil?
When Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovaris teamed up with director Stephen Lawless to debut a new staging of The Elixir of Love that transplants the action to the World War II-era, the Santa Fe Reporter cautioned:
“Be warned, please: The Santa Fe Opera’s charming, warm-hearted new production of Gaetano Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love is liable to give you a bad case of those morning-after-the-opera, just-can’t-get-those-tunes-out-of-my-head hangovers. … Much of the credit for this happy state of things belongs to Corrado Rovaris.”
Drawing Opera Philadelphia’s 41st season to a f ittingly glorious close at the Academy of Music, Rovaris and Lawless reunite to reprise their hit take on Donizetti ’s tender bel canto comedy. Anchoring a talented cast of Opera Philadelphia favorites are soprano Sarah Shafer (Ainadamar) as Adina and tenor Christopher Tiesi (Powder Her Face) as Nemorino. A recent graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Shafer was praised for her “luminous voice” and
“intensely expressive interpretations” in the New York Times, and named “a singer to watch” by Opera News. Having already sung Donizetti ’s pining peasant at Glyndbourne and Semperoper Dresden, Tiesi has been recognized as “a great f ind as Nemorino, bringing a gloriously warm and mellow tenor voice to the role which is perfect for the lovelorn fellow” (Daily Express).
Baritone Craig Verm, who impressed as Schaunard in 2012’s La bohème, is a striking Sergeant Belcore, with bass Kevin Burdette, who delighted audiences as the hilarious Dr. Bartolo in 2014’s The Barber of Seville and appears as Stobrod Thewes in Cold Mountain, returns as the pinstriped huckster Dulcamara.
A P R I L 2 9 – M AY 8 , 2 0 1 6 | A C A D E M Y O F M U S I C
T I C K E T S O N S A L E N O WO P E R A P H I L A . O R G | 2 1 5 . 8 9 3 . 1 0 1 8
UP NEXT AT
T H E E L I X I R O F L O V ED O N I Z E T T I
Photo by Ken Howard, The Santa Fe OperaThe Academy of Music is part of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
46
S C H N Y D E R / W I M B E R LY
CHARL IE PARKER’S YARDBIRD
A P R I L 1 & 3 M , 2 0 1 6T H E A P O L L O T H E AT E R
N E W Y O R K C I T Y
T I C K E T S O N S A L E N O WO P E R A P H I L A . O R G / Y A R D B I R D
NEW YORKPREMIERE
O P E R A P H I L A D E L P H I A & T H E A P O L L O T H E A T E R P R E S E N T
Proud Supporter of Opera Philadelphia
Opera Philadelphia’s new, annual festival O makes the soaring song,
sound, and soul of opera accessible to aficionados and newcomers alike,
while opening the genre to creative opportunity. As a groundbreaking
season opener for Opera Philadelphia, O17 will feature twelve days of
opera with compelling performances all around the city.
1 2 - D A Y O P E N I N G N I G H TS E P T E M B E R 1 4 — 2 5 , 2 0 1 7
L E A R N M O R E AT O P E R A P H I L A . O R G / F E S T I VA L
HERMÈS BY NATURE