Opera Naples Festival Under the Stars - Joseph Calleja by Elliot Taylor

JOSEPH CALLEJA I N

C O N C E R T

Ramón Tebar, Conductor Naples Festival Orchestra Wednesday, March 10th, 2021 7:00 pm at Baker Park

Sondra Quinn Executive Director

Ramón Tebar Artistic Director

Since 2006, Opera Naples brings internationally acclaimed artists to perform in some of the most beloved operas and world-class performances, earning significant praise from both critics and patrons. Just two years after its inception, Opera Naples was named Best Performing Arts Group by Gulfshore Life magazine! A community-based, nonprofit arts organization rooted in volunteerism, education and audience engagement, Opera Naples conducts an educational outreach program in local schools and an artist-in-residence program for emerging opera singers and the Opera Naples Academy, a 10-day intensive for exceptional professional opera singers to train with such opera luminaries as Sherrill Milnes, Veronica Villaroel, Manny Perez, and Maestro Ramón Tebar. Opera Naples produces a full season of opera and concerts in its permanent home, the Wang Opera Center, and main stage operas in Hayes Hall at Artis-Naples.

Mission Statement: To be a professional opera company known for excellence and innovation by presenting quality opera, musical performances, education, and community engagement programs.

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PERFORMANCES

from L’amico Fritz (Suardon, 1891) Intermezzo (from Act III)

Pietro Mascagni (1863-1945)

from Adriana Lecouvreur (Colautti, 1902) Francesco Cilea “La dolcissimma effigie” (1866-1950) (“The sweet effigy” – Maurizio’s Aria from Act I) from Rigoletto (Piave, 1851) Giuseppe Verdi “Questa o Quella” (1813-1901) (“This or that woman” – The Duke’s Aria from Act I) from L’arlesiana (Marenco, 1897) Francesco Cilea “È la solita storia del pastore” (Lamento di Federico) (“It’s the usual tale of the shepherd” – Federico’s Lament/Aria from Act II) from Manon Lescaut (Illica/Praga/Oliva, 1893) Intermezzo (from Act II)

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)

from Pagliacci (Leoncavallo, 1892) Ruggero Leoncavallo “Vesti la giubba” (1857-1919) (“Dress the jacket” – Canio’s Aria from Act I) from Tosca (Illica/Giacosa, 1900) Giacomo Puccini “E lucevan le stelle” (“And the stars were shining” – Cavaradossi’s Aria from Act III)

INTERMISSION

PERFORMANCES C O N T I N U E D

from Pagliacci (Leoncavallo, 1892) Intermezzo (between Acts I & II)

Ruggero Leoncavallo

Moon river (Mercer, 1961 – arranged by Annunzio Paolo Mantovani)

Amazing Grace

Henry Mancini (1924-1994) Christian Hymn

(Newton, 1779 – arranged by Annunzio Paolo Mantovani)

Charmaine (1926 – arranged by Annunzio Paolo Mantovani)

Lew Pollack/Ernö Rapée (1895-1946/1891-1945)

from Cavalleria Rusticana (Targioni-Tozzetti/Menasci, 1890) Pietro Mascagni Intermezzo

‘A vucchella (D’Annunzio, 1907 – arranged by Luca Logi) Francesco Paolo Tosti (1846-1916) Ideale (Errico, 1882 – arranged by Steven Mecurio) Torna a Surriento (G. De Curtis, 1895 – arranged by Luca Logi)

from Edgar (Fontana, 1888) Prelude from Act III Mattinata (1904 – arranged by Lorin Maazel)

! 3

Ernesto De Curtis (1875-1937) Giacomo Puccini Ruggero Leoncavallo

Please be sure that your cell phones and electronic devices have been silenced. The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited

TRANSLATIONS “La dolcissimma effigie” The sweet smiling effigy, in you I see a dear mother again. In your heart, I see my homeland, a sweet place. I see the aura again that will open my mind. Beautiful you are, like my flag, of the flaming fists within the vapor. You are happy, like the chimera. Della Gloria promised to the winner. You are beautiful, you are joyful. “Questa o Quella” This woman or that woman are equal to the all the others I see around me. The core of my being I will not yield to one beauty or another. Their attractiveness is what they are gifted from fate and embellishes life. Perhaps today this girl welcomes me, perhaps tomorrow another girl will demand me. Constancy is a tyrant to the heart and it is a hated cruel disease to only those who want you to be faithful. There can be no love if there is no freedom. Husbands’ jealous rage, lovers’ woes I despise, I defy the hundred eyes of Argo, if I fancy a few beauties.

“È la solita storia del pastore” The poor boy wanted to tell it, but fell asleep. There is oblivion in sleep, how I envy him! I too would like to sleep like this - within sleep to find oblivion! I only want to find peace: If only I could forget everything. But all struggles are in vain. I still see before me her sweet visage ... But all struggles are in vain. Why must I suffer so much pain? She! How she always spoke to my heart! Fatal vision, leave me. You hurt me so much! Oh poor me!

“Vesti la giubba” To act! When, taken by delirium, I no longer know what I’m saying or what I’m doing! But yet, it’s required. Force yourself! Bah! perhaps you are a man? You’re a Clown! Put on the costume and powder your face, the people pay and now they want to be amused. And if Harlequin steals Columbina from you, laugh, clown, and they’ll all applaud. Turn the convulsion and weeping into a joke, and the sobbing and the sorrow into a grimace. Ah! laugh, clown, about your shattered romance! Laugh at the pain which is poisoning your heart.

“E lucevan le stelle” And the stars were shining, and the earth was perfumed. The gate to the garden creaked and a footstep rustled the sand to the path. Fragrant, she entered, and fell into my arms ... Oh, soft kisses, oh sweet abandon, As I trembled, I unloosened her veils and disclosed her beauty. Oh, vanished forever is that dream of love. Fled is that hour, and desperately I die. And never have I loved so much.

‘A vucchella You are like a small flower, and you have a small mouthjust a little, a little faded. Oh, give it, give it to me, It’s like a small rose! Give me a kiss, give it to me Candida! Give it to me and take it, a small kiss, like your small mouththat looks like a small rose, just a little, a little faded.

Ideale I followed thee when like a rainbow seeming thy light the heavens unclouded. I followed thee a rainbow torchlight gleaming when night’s veil all enshrouded. And thee I found in the sunlight, existence, in the perfume of flowers. And my home once so lovely in the distance, seemed changed to fairy bowers. By thee entranced, thy voice so sweet ascended while of hours I dreamed. And every torment, every sorrow, in life ended as if love’s day had beamed. Come back, my sweet Ideal. Come for one moment to smile like love’s morning, and to me love’s sun will shine, by thee reflected. My life with love adorning, my life with love’s light adorning. Come back, my sweet Ideal! Return, return!

Torna a Surriento See the sea how beautiful it is, it inspires all kinds of emotions, like you with people who care you make them daydream. Behold, look at this garden, sense, smell these orange buds there isn’t a perfume so fine, going straight in your heart. And you say: “I’m leaving, goodbye!” You’re walking away from this heart, from this land of love: Do you have the heart not to return? But don’t leave me, don’t give me this torment, come back to Sorrento, make me live! See the sea of Sorrento, the buried treasure it has! Those who traveled all over the world, haven’t seen anything like it. Behold these Sirens all around, that look at you enchanted, and love you so much, they’d love to kiss you. Mattinata The dawn, wearing a white dress, is already allowing the sun to cross the threshold. It’s already caressing with her pink fingers, the crowd of flowers! The Creation all around seems moved by an arcane shiver, and you are not getting up, and I’m singing painfully in vain. Put your white gown on and let your cantor cross the threshold! Light lacks where you are missing, and love is born where you are.

JOSEPH CALLEJA T E N O R

Blessed with a golden-age voice that routinely inspires comparisons to “legendary singers from earlier eras: Jussi Björling, Beniamino Gigli, even Enrico Caruso” (Associated Press), Maltese-born Joseph Calleja has quickly become one of the most acclaimed and sought-after tenors today. His expansive discography and frequent appearances on the world’s leading opera and concert stages prompted NPR to hail him as “arguably today’s finest lyric tenor,” and led to his being voted Gramophone magazine’s 2012 Artist of the Year. A Grammynominated recording artist for Decca Classics, he has released five solo albums for the label. This season brings Joseph Calleja to the Metropolitan Opera (Tosca), the Bavarian State Opera (Norma/Carmen), the Vienna State Opera (Rigoletto) or the Festival in Aix-en-Provence (Tosca), amongst others. He will be singing at the BBC Proms, concerts in Aalborg, Vilnius, Cracow and Budapest and give recitals at the Vienna State Opera and the Naples Opera in Florida.

RAMÓN TEBAR C O N D U C T O R

Artistic Director Ramon Tebar is considered one of the leading Spanish conductors of his generation. Recently appointed new Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of Valencia Symphony Orchestra in Spain for a first period of four years, he holds other notable positions in both America and Europe. Acclaimed for his musical versatility, compelling interpretations and orchestra building skills, conductor Ramón Tebar’s international reputation in both the opera and orchestral arenas continues to expand. Ramón Tebar has been recognized with various honors and awards, including the Henry C. Clark Conductor of the Year Award by Florida Grand Opera in 2010 and 2013, The Miami Herald as “Top 20 under 40” and “100 españoles by Marca España”. In 2014, he was bestowed the Cross of Officer of the Order of Mérito Civil in recognition of his cultural accomplishments by His Majesty, the King of Spain Felipe VI. Tebar has recorded for UNIVERSAL MUSIC, UNITEL CLASSICA and DECCA.

NAPLES FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA Violin I

Violin II

Mei Mei Luo (Concert Mistress) Monica Cheverson Ian Jesse Michael O’Gieblyn Erika Venable Liz Kitts

Charles Hardt (Principal) Janie Spangler Roberto Enriqes Tony Seepersad Georgeta Miller

Viola

Cello

Carl Larson (Principal) Shea Kole (Principal) Hilary Gamble Angela Maleh Nelson Armitano Jared Cooper Angela Kratchmer Suzie Kelly

Bass Hideki Sunaga (Principal) Douglas Ferreira Matt Medlock

Flute

Oboe

Jennifer Grim (Principal) Elissa Lakofsky Maria Guglielmina (Piccolo)

Erin Gittelsohn (Principal) Kendra Hawley Marco Navarrete (English Horn)

Clarinet

Bassoon

French Horn

Richard Hancock Carlos Felipe Viña Christopher Komer (Principal) (Principal) (Principal) Orlando Scalia Christina Bonatakis Stan Spinola Julian Santacoloma Andrew Karr (Bass Clarinet) Ania Kucia

NAPLES FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA C O N T I N U E D

Trumpet

Trombone

Tuba

Jeffery Kaye (Principal) Jim Hacker Douglas Michels

Domingo Pagliuca Karla Roja Orozco Jose Leonardo Leon (Bass Trombone)

Lopez Horby

Timpani

Percussion

Harp

Mark Schubert (Principal)

Gary Mayone Karly Viña

Deborah Fleisher (Principal)

Piano Robin Shuford Frank

Orchestra Contractor Mark Schubert

PRODUCTION STAFF

Robert Signom III Director of Production Michael Baumgarten Lighting Designer David Bullard Sound Designer Matthew Imhoff Technical Director Rome Brown Master Electrician Robert Klein Stage Manager Public Relations, Marketing and Design B3 Marketing Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Special Thanks: City of Naples Parks Department, Collier County Commission, The Revs Institute, United Arts Council, The Naples Players, TheatreZone, Jake Maciosek of Business Attraction Media, and Crave Catering.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Wendy Needham Chair John Pepe Vice Chair and Treasurer Linda Kehoe Secretary Jan Burrus Bill Edgerton Livio Ferrari Moira Fennessey Sally Gleason Jerry Goldberg Patrick Moran Charley Nevaril Larry Ost Susan Mullin Scott Dave Slobodien Sharon Trieser Karl Wyss Sondra Quinn ex officio Ramon Tebar ex officio Chairmen Emeriti Jerry Goldberg John Hushon Tom Moran

DONORS

With heartfelt thanks, Opera Naples acknowledges our generous sponsors who make the grandest of art forms thrive in Southwest Florida.

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OPERA NAPLES STAFF

Leah Summers Artistic Coordinator Robin Shuford Frank Director of Education and Community Outreach Patricia Chibende Finance and Operations Director Carri Kreisman Business Development and Events Manager Rita Albaugh Box Office Manager

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Cassiopeia Sponsors First Florida Integrity Bank Sally and Thomas Gleason Nicoletta and John Pepe Sandi and Tom Moran

Special Thanks The French Restaurant