yale opera scenes
DESCRIPTION
Yale Opera, under the artistic direction of Doris Yarick-Cross, performs scenes from Rossini's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia," Bizet's "Carmen," Donizetti's "L'elisir d'amore," and Massenet's "Manon" and "Werther." On Saturday, Yale Opera performs scenes from Puccini's "La Boheme," Bellini's "I Capuleti e i Montecchi," Rossini's "Otello," Bizet's "Les pêcheurs de perles," and Gilbert & Sullivan's "The Pirates of Penzance."TRANSCRIPT
Robert Blocker, Dean
November 2-3, 2012
Yale OperaDoris Yarick Cross, artistic director
OPERA
SCENES
presented by
douglas dickson · timothy shaindlin musical preparation & direction
hans nieuwenhuisstage director
valerie m. webstercostume designer
william b. warfellighting designer
wendall k. harringtonprojection design supervisor
Projections designed by students of the Yale School of Drama projection design program
Yale Opera presents
Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Memorial Hall november 2 & 3, 2012 fri & sat · 7:30 pm
friday: Il barbiere di Siviglia, Werther, Manon, L’elisir d’amore & Carmensaturday: La Bohème, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Otello,
Les pêcheurs de perles & The Pirates of Penzance
OPERA
SCENES
Scene 1Setting: A small town in Spain, early morning.After his morning workout, Figaro heads to his barbershop.
Scene 2Setting: Rosina’s room in the house of her tutor, Don Bartolo.
Cast, in order of vocal appearance
FigaroCount AlmavivaRosinaBartoloBasilio
brian vu, baritonenikhil navkal, tenoraleksandra romano, mezzo-sopranoalexander hahn, bass-baritonedavid leigh, bass
Il barbiere di SivigliaExcerpts from Act 1
Music by Gioachino Rossini
Performed in Italian with projected English translationMusical direction by Douglas DicksonProjection design by Brian Dudkiewicz
With Arash Noori, guitar
Friday, November 2
Setting: Elegant house in France, Christmas Eve, 1875.Charlotte has recently married Albert. She has not seen her former lover, Werther, for many months, but received many letters from him….
WertherExcerpt from Act III
Music by Jules Massenet
Performed in French with projected English translationMusical direction by Timothy ShaindlinProjection design by Michael Bergmann
Friday, November 2
Cast, in order of vocal appearance
CharlotteSophie
vivien shotwell, mezzo-sopranoclaudia rosenthal, soprano
Setting: Hotel lobby in Amiens, France, 1875.Young Manon is being sent to a convent and is waiting for her cousin to escort her.
intermission
ManonExcerpt from Act I
Music by Jules Massenet
Performed in French with projected English translationMusical direction by Timothy Shaindlin
Projection design by Benjamin Ehrenreich
Friday, November 2
Cast, in order of vocal appearance
LescautManonDes Grieux
stephen daniel, baritonejenna siladie, sopranoesteban cordero, tenor
Setting: Small town in Italy, late afternoon.Adina, having previously ignored the farmer boy, Nemorino, is now smitten with him and vies for his affection. Therefore she seeks consul-tation from the “Doctor” Dulcamara, who promotes love potions…
Friday, November 2
L’elisir d’amoreExcerpt from Act II
Music by Gaetano Donizetti
Performed in Italian with projected English translationMusical direction by Douglas Dickson
Projection design by Oliver Wason
Cast, in order of vocal appearance
AdinaDulcamaraNemorino
catherine affleck mcphail, sopranoalexander hahn, bass-baritonegaleano salas, tenor
Setting: A cheap inn located in Seville, Spain, just before sunrise.Carmen awaits the newly-freed soldier, José, whom she met some time ago. He had been imprisoned after helping Carmen to escape her own arrest.
Friday, November 2
CarmenExcerpt from Act II
Music by Georges Bizet
Performed in French with projected English translationMusical direction by Timothy Shaindlin
Projection design by Christopher Ash
Cast, in order of vocal appearance
Don JoséCarmenZunigaRemendadoDancaïroFrasquitaMercédèsChorus
esteban cordero, tenorkelly hill, mezzo-sopranodavid leigh, bassgaleano salas, tenorbrian vu, baritonejenna siladie, sopranoaleksandra romano, mezzo-sopranotutti
Scene 1Setting: Giulietta’s room in Verona, Italy, 13th Century.Despite her betrothal to Tebaldo, Giulietta has fallen madly in love with Romeo, a member of the rival family. She is anxiously trying to devise a way to escape her wedding with Tebaldo that is to take place the following morning.
Scene 2Setting: Outside Giulietta’s house, almost directly afterwardRomeo awaits Lorenzo to bring word of Giulietta , but her father has prevented Lorenzo from delivering the message to Romeo. He is instead confronted by Tebaldo…
Saturday, November 3
I Capuleti e i MontecchiExcerpt from Act II
Music by Vincenzo Bellini
Performed in Italian with projected English translationMusical direction by Timothy Shaindlin
Projection design by Reid Thompson
Cast, in order of vocal appearance
GiuliettaLorenzoCapellioRomeo Tebaldo
alison king, sopranodavid leigh, bassstephen daniel, baritonevivien shotwell, mezzo-sopranogaleano salas, tenor
Setting: Bedroom of Desdemona in Venice, Italy, 16th Century.General Otello was falsely informed that his beloved Desdemona had been unfaithful. With premonitions of their doomed future, Desdemona awaits Otello who has been blinded by jealousy.
Saturday, November 3
OtelloAct III
Music by Gioachino Rossini
Performed in Italian with projected English translationMusical direction by Timothy ShaindlinProjection design by Carmen Martinez
Cast, in order of vocal appearance
DesdemonaEmiliaGondolierOtelloDogeElmiroRodrigo
claudia rosenthal, sopranokelly hill, mezzo-sopranogaleano salas, tenor (offstage)nikhil navkal, tenorbrian vu, baritonestephen daniel, baritonegaleano salas, tenor
Setting: Rooftop in Paris, on a summer day in 1955.The artists, Rodolfo and Marcello, discuss their lovers who have abandoned them for wealthier interests. Rodolfo and his ex, Mimi, had always had a very tumultuous relationship partly due to Mimi’s severe and fatal illness.
intermission
Saturday, November 3
La BohèmeAct IV
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Performed in Italian with projected English translationMusical direction by Douglas Dickson
Projection design by Nicholas Hussong
Cast, in order of vocal appearance
MarcelloRodolfoSchaunardCollineMusettaMimì
nathan milholin, baritoneesteban cordero, tenorbrian vu, baritonealexander hahn, bass-baritone jenna siladie, sopranocatherine affleck mcphail, soprano
Setting: Sri Lanka, present day, after midnight.Zurga has convicted his friend, Nadir, to death after Nadir had broken an oath to avoid contact and intimacy with the priestess, Leïla.
Saturday, November 3
Les pêcheurs de perlesExcerpt from Act III
Music by Georges Bizet
Performed in French with projected English translationMusical direction by Timothy Shaindlin
Projection design by Reid Thompson
Cast, in order of vocal appearance
ZurgaLeïla
nathan milholin, baritonealison king, soprano
Setting: A church ruin in England during the reign of Queen Victoria.Young Frederic has celebrated his 21st birthday and therefore the end of his apprenticeship as a pirate. He has returned home to see his beloved, Mabel, and her father, the Major General.
Saturday, November 3
The Pirates of PenzanceExcerpts from Act II
Music by Arthur Sullivan, libretto by W.S. Gilbert
Performed in EnglishMusical direction by Douglas Dickson
Projection design by Meredith Ries
Cast, in order of vocal appearance
MabelFredericMajor GeneralSergeantPolicemenEdithPirate KingRuthPiratesDaughters
catherine affleck mcphail, sopranonikhil navkal, tenorstephen daniel, baritonedavid leigh, bassesteban cordero, galeano salas, tenorsclaudia rosenthal, sopranosalexander hahn, bass-baritonekelly hill, mezzo-sopranonathan milholin, brian vu, baritonesalison king, jenna siladie, sopranosaleksandra romano, vivien shotwell, mezzo-sopranos
Biographies
Hans NieuwenhuisStage Director
Hans Nieuwenhuis studied law at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam before devoting his professional life to the theater as an actor, writer, and ultimately as a stage director. His inter- national career started in 1981 with the staging the U.S. premiere of Philip Glass’s Satyagraha for the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Art Park Festival (Lewiston, NY). Since then, he directed more then 90 productions around the world. He has directed productions with L’Opera de Nice, the Canadian Opera Company, San Francisco Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera Omaha, Lincoln Center, Opera Studio Nederland, and Bangkok Opera. Mr. Nieuwenhuis has collabo- rated with many renowned conductors, including Richard Bonynge, Christopher Keene, Edo de Waart, Hans Vonk, Nicholas McGegan, Jean Fournet, and Ton Koopman. Recent projects in-cluded Dido and Aeneas for Opera Zuid in Holland and L’Opera Royal de Wallonie in Belgium, Le Nozze di Figaro for Hawaii Opera, Die Fledermaus for IOP Opera (Netherlands & Belgium) and Così fan tutte for Opera Studio Nederland.
During the last three decades, Hans Nieuwenhuis has devoted himself to aspiring young opera singers: he has taught and directed for the San Francisco Opera Merola and Adler Fellow Program, Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, Yale University and Michigan University in the USA, the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble in Toronto and McGill University in Montreal, the music conservatories in Utrecht, Amsterdam and Maastricht in the Netherlands, the conservatories in Yinchuan and Chengdu in China, and the Tchaikovsky Conservatorium in Moscow. He is a regular guest teacher at the Opera Studio of the National Theatre in Tokyo. Hans previously directed Bluebeard’s Castle for Yale Opera.
Nieuwenhuis was founder and, from 1992 to 2011, General Director of Opera Studio Nederland. The Opera Studio, funded by the Dutch government, offers an extensive training program for a select group of young singers from around the world. Currently Mr. Nieuwenhuis is General Director of the Orfeo Foundation, an international organization established to promote collaboration between young artists programs around the world and to advising young opera singers. Hans was recently appointed Knight of the Order of Orange-Nassau by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands for his work in opera, theater, and music.
Douglas DicksonMusical Direction and Accompaniment
Douglas Dickson received his B.A. degree from Princeton University and his M.M.A. from the Yale School of Music. On various occasions the Washington Post has called him an “intelligent, sensitive” pianist with “superb technique,” a “skillful pianist,” and has praised him for the “finely integrated oneness” he achieves as an accompanist. Mr. Dickson has performed in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and South America in venues ranging from Japan’s Expo Hall to the Cincinnati Coliseum.
While still in college, he was the accompanist for the American Boychoir. As part of Duodecaphonia, a prize-winning piano duo, he has performed at the Kennedy Center and elsewhere. Mr. Dickson has been music director for productions at Quinnipiac University, the Yale School of Drama, Opera Theater of Connecticut, and Connecticut Experimental Theater. He was music director and conductor for Yale Opera’s production of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, and he conducted a
concert featuring Yale Opera with the Orchestra Verdi in Milan. He has taught at Quinnipiac University since 1993, and joined the Yale faculty in 1998. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in an all-Ives concert at Weill Recital Hall. For Naxos, he has recorded more than eighty Charles Ives songs.
Timothy ShaindlinMusical Direction and Accompaniment
A native of New York City, Timothy Shaindlin joined the Yale School of Music faculty in 2008. After studies at The Juilliard School and Indiana University, he worked for the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, San Diego Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Pittsburgh Opera. He has also coached for Glimmerglass Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Hawaii Opera Theatre. In Europe, he worked for Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu and played master classes for Tito Gobbi. He has played classes and coachings for such artists as Joan Sutherland, Birgit Nilsson, Beverly Sills, Marilyn Horne, Natalie Dessay, Ben Heppner, Luciano Pavarotti, Eleanor Steber, Samuel Ramey, Regine Crespin, Thomas Hampson, and Frederica von Stade. Mr. Shaindlin’s work on the podium includes conducting engagements with the Wolf Trap Opera Festival, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Pittsburgh Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Chicago Light Opera Works, and Eugene Opera. He has assisted such renowned conductors as Christoph Eschenbach, Sir Andrew Davis, Daniel Barenboim, Valery Gergiev, Richard Bonynge, Bruno Bartoletti, Donato Renzetti, Louis Langrée, Edoardo Müller, Yves Abel, Daniele Gatti, Antonio Pappano, and Paul Gemignani.
William B. WarfelLighting Designer
William B. Warfel has done lighting design and production management for over 30 Yale Opera productions since 1978. He was Co-chair of Design and Professor of Lighting at the Yale School of Drama from 1967 to 1993 and is currently in private practice as a lighting designer and theater consultant in Hamden, CT. A graduate of both Yale College and the School of Drama, Mr. Warfel taught at Dartmouth College and Long Island University and worked in the lighting profession in New York City prior to returning to the New Haven area. He has lectured and taught in Finland, China, Egypt, Iceland and Sweden and has worked on consul- ting projects in Scotland, Nigeria, and Ecuador. Mr. Warfel is a founding member of the International Association of Lighting Designers.
Valerie M. Webster Costume Designer
Valerie M. Webster’s work has been seen at many regional theaters, in film, and on television. Her design credits include Giasone, Scipione afficano, La finta pazza (Yale Baroque Opera Project); Our Town (Yale Dramat); Into the Woods, Rhinoceros, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Caucasiona Chalk Circle, Godspell, and The Other Shore/The Serpent (ACES ECA); Sylvia, Black Nativity (Long Wharf Theatre); My Way, Fully Committed (Arkansas Repertory Theatre); Romeo and Juliet, Histoire du soldat (Arkansas Symphony Orchestra); Arkansas Alive, Heroes and Villains (ART Arts in Education Tour); and the feature film Solas 9. Valerie makes her home in West Haven but can be found full-time in New Haven as the costume shop manager at Long Wharf Theatre and an elective teacher in the theatre department at ACES ECA. Valerie previously designed costumes for Yale Opera’s production of Dido and Aeneas and The Scarf.
Biographies
Wendall K. HarringtonProjection Design Supervisor
Wendall K. Harrington’s career has embraced diverse disciplines including projection design for theatre, publishing, and video production. Broadway designs include: Driving Miss Daisy, Grey Gardens, They’re Playing Our Song, The Elephant Man, My One and Only, The Heidi Chronicles, The Will Rogers Follies, Having Our Say, Company, Racing Demon, Ragtime, John Leguizamo’s Freak, The Capeman, Putting it Together, and The Who’s Tommy. Off-Broadway work includes: Angels in America, Hapgood, A Christmas Carol at the Paramount; Merrily We Roll Along (three times!), and the ill-fated Whistle Down the Wind. Opera design: Julie Taymor’s The Magic Flute in Florence, Italy; A View from the Bridge at Chicago Lyric and the Met, Die Gezeichneten at L.A. Opera, The Photographer at BAM, Transatlantic, Grapes of Wrath, Rusalka, and Wuthering Heights for Minnesota Opera.
Ms. Harrington is the recipient of the Drama Desk Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the American Theatre Wing Award, the TCI Award for Technical Achievement, and the Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Projections. Ms. Harrington has been lecturing on Projection Design for the Yale School of Drama since the early ’90s.
Biographies
Catherine Affleck McPhail soprano B.A. Bishops University; M.M. University of British Columbia; Artist Diploma, The Glenn Gould School of the Royal Conservatory of Music
Esteban Cordero tenorB.M. Conservatoria de Música de Puerto Rico
Stephen Daniel baritoneB.M. Westminster Choir College of Rider University
Alexander Hahn bassB.M. Mannes College of Music; M.M. Yale University; Young Artist Programs: Chautauqua Opera
Kelly Hill mezzo-soprano B.M. University of Northern Iowa; M.M. Yale University; Young Artist Programs: Santa Fe Opera, Central City Opera
Alison King soprano B.M. University of Southern California; Young Aritst Programs: Music Academy of the West
David Leigh bass B.A. Yale College; M.M. Mannes College of Music; Young Artist Programs: Chautauqua Opera
Nathan Milholin baritone B.M. University of North Carolina School of the Arts; Young Artist Programs: Central City Opera
Student Profiles
Nikhil Navkal tenor B.M. Indiana University; M.M. Mannes College of Music; Young Artist Programs: Central City Opera
Aleksandra Romano mezzo-soprano B.A. Bard College; Young Artist Programs: Aspen Music Festival, Wolf Trap Opera
Claudia Rosenthal soprano B.A. Yale College; B.M. Hartt School; M.M. Mannes College of Music; Young Artist Programs: Wolf Trap Opera
Galeano Salas tenor B.M. University of Houston; Young Artist Programs: Wolf Trap Opera, Central City Opera
Vivien Shotwell mezzo-soprano B.A., Williams College; M.A., University of Iowa; Young Artist Programs: Calgary Opera
Jenna Siladie soprano B.M. Stetson University; Young Artist Programs: Franz Schubert Institute, Baden bie Wien
Brian Vu baritoneB.A. UCLA; Young Artist Programs: Chautauqua Institution Voice Program, Wolf Trap Opera
Yale Opera Production Staff
Special Thanks
hans nieuwenhuis Stage Director
valerie websterCostume Designer
william b. warfel Lighting Designer
erika niemiManager
katrina lynn olsonProduction Coordinator
richard a. leighStage Manager
John Roach
Yale School of Drama
Long Wharf Theatre
Southern Connecticut State University
Wendall K. Harrington and her projection design students
Rick Sordelet
melissa erdmanProperties Master and Designer
doug harryMaster Electrician
caitlin headleyWardrobe Manager
nicholas hussongProjection Programmer and Operator
jill brunelleSurtitle Operator
kelly hill, galeano salas, jenna siladie
Student Assistants
Yale Opera 2012-13 Season
Liederabenddecember 4
Morse Recital Hall | Tue | 8 pmAn evening of Russian song featuring the rising stars of Yale Opera. Free admission.
I Capuleti e i Montecchifebruary 15-17
Shubert Theater | Fri & Sat, 8 pm | Sun, 2 pm Yale Opera announces a new production of Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi, conducted
by Speranza Scappucci and directed by Marc Verzatt. Tickets available at
www.shubert.com or 203 562-5666.
Master Class with Alan Heldfebruary 27
Morse Recital Hall | Tue | 7 pm The renowned bass-baritone from the
Metropolitan Opera works with students in the Yale Opera program. Free admission.
Iolantamay 3 & 4
Morse Recital Hall | Fri & Sat | 8 pm Yale Opera presents a new production of
Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta, with stage direction by Michael Gieleta and musical direction
by Timothy Shaindlin. Tickets available through the concert office.
SPERANZA SCAPPUCCI, CONDUCTORMARC VERZATT, STAGE DIRECTOR
WITH THE PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA OF YALE
February 15-16, 2013 | 8:00 p.m.February 17, 2013 | 2:00 p.m.
Tickets $19–41
Shubert Theater | 247 College Street, New Haven
203-562-5666 | 800-228-6622www.shubert.com
| Robert Blocker, Dean | music.yale.edu
Doris Yarick Cross, Artistic Director presents
music by VINCENZO BELLINI
Yale Schola Cantorum
november 10
Christ Church Episcopal | Sat | 5 pmInstitute of Sacred Music
Bach Cantatas. Masaaki Suzuki, conductor; with members of the Yale Baroque Ensemble.
Free admission.
Members of the Yale Baroque Ensemble
november 13
15 Hillhouse Avenue | Tue | 5:30 pm Collection of Musical Instruments
Featuring Holly Piccoli, violin, and David Fung, keyboards. Free admission.
Yale Brass Trio
november 14
15 Hillhouse Avenue | Tue | 5:30 pm Faculty Artist Series
Music of the Italian Renaissance and by Plog, Francaix, Jongen, and Gabaye. Free admission.
Lunchtime Chamber Music
november 7
Morse Recital Hall | Wed |12:30 pmMusic for a colorful variety of ensembles.
Free admission.
Boris Berman, piano
november 7
Morse Recital Hall | Wed | 8 pmHorowitz Piano Series
A Hundred Years Back: music written 1912–1913 by Scriabin, Prokofiev, and Debussy.
Tickets $12–22 | Students $6-9
Jian Liu, piano
november 8
Morse Recital Hall | Thu | 8 pmDoctor of Musical Arts Recital
Musical fantasies by C.P.E. Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven, and Liszt.
Free admission.
P.O. Box 208246, New Haven, CT · 203 432-4158 music.yale.edu
Robert Blocker, Dean
Concerts: Krista Johnson, Carol Jackson, Julie BlindauerCommunications: Dana Astmann, Monica Ong Reed, Austin Kase
Operations: Tara Deming, Chris MelilloPiano Curators: Brian Daley, William Harold
Recording Studio: Eugene Kimball
WSHU 91.1 fm is the media sponsor of Yale Opera and the Yale School of Music.
Upcoming Events