II Festival Under the Stars

Based on an idea by Jerome Robbins Music by Leonard Bernstein Book and Lyrics by Betty Comden & Adolph Green

Ramón Tebar conductor Naples Festival Orchestra Cambier Park Monday, March 14, 2022, 7:00 pm

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By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., Sole Agent for Leonard Bernstein Music Publishing Company LLC, publisher and copyright owner.

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.

SUPPORT OUR MISSION CLICK HERE TO MAKE YOUR GIFT

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CAST Sherrill Milnes Narrator Craig Verm Gabey Alex Mansoori Chip Skyler Schlenker Ozzie Emilie Faiella Ivy Smith Katrina Thurman Hildy Megan Moore Claire Rafael Porto Pitkin/Announcer/Workman I Helen Tintes Madame Dilly Linda Collazo Diane Dream/Dolores Dolores Wesley Frye Rajah Bimmy

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ENSEMBLE Jason Bahr A New Sailor Rebecca Bahr High School Girl Drazen Balarin Tom Michael Bombyk The Professor David Scott Brown Third Workman Salomon Cardenas Claudia Cespedes High School Girl Scott Conover Andy Eleomar Cuello A New Sailor Steven Espinosa Boss Valeria Estrada Elizabeth Feins Lucy

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ENSEMBLE C O N T I N U E D

Marcello Musca Fourth Workman Charley Nevaril A Sailor Mary Jane Oliveira Little Old Lady Stephanie O’Neill High School Girl Natalia Salazar Rachel Sill Maria Fe Soto High School Girl Sumaira Tennent Caitlyn Walters High School Girl

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DANCERS

Sarah Cammarata Anthony Cola Hugo Moreno Eric Rivas Brooke Rosenbluth Ashley Rubin Rachael Switzer John Trunfio

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ARTISTIC STAFF Mark Danni Stage Director Karen Molnar Danni Choreographer Luther Frank Lighting & Video Designer Barbara Erin Delo Costume Designer Gina Weiner Wig, Hair and Make-up Designer Karen Furno Sound Designer Robin Frank Chorus Master

Tonight’s performance will last approximately 2 hours (with one 15-minute intermission)

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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

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.

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MARK DANNI

S T A G E

D I R E C T O R

Mark Danni is the Founding Artistic Director of TheatreZone, Naples’ professional Equity theatre company and the Director of Theater at The Community School Naples. He has directed and collaborated on joint productions with Opera Naples, Gulfshore Opera, and Florida Gulf Coast University, where he has been training students and helping them gain work-force experience in a professional theatre company. After starting his New York City career as a drummer/percussionist on Broadway for Chicago, Grand Hotel, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables, Joseph…

Dreamcoat, Annie Get Your Gun and Nunsense, he moved up to conduct the national tours of Les Misérables & Barnum. He also toured with The Phantom of The Opera, 42nd Street, Hair, Evita and Fame. As a director, Mark’s Off-Broadway directing credits include Aggravation, and What Would Esther Williams Do In A Situation Like This? Mark was invited to re-create his critically acclaimed TheatreZone production of Sweeney Todd with Opera Roanoke in Roanoke, VA, and directed productions of The Medium and The Telephone at Artis-Naples, and West Side Story (starring Grammy Award winner Isabel Leonard) at Opera Naples.

Originally from Buffalo, NY, Mark attended Baldwin-Wallace University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), and the American Federation of Musicians (AFM)

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KAREN MOLNAR C H O R E O G R A P H E R

Karen Molnar Danni is the resident choreographer and associate artistic director at TheatreZone here in Naples.

Other choreography credits include: FILM: Italian Lessons. OFFBROADWAY: Space Trek: A Musical Parody, Sea Fever, What Would Esther Williams Do … REGIONAL: A Chorus Line, Baby, Cole, Crazy For You, West Side Story, Pippin, Grease, Guys And Dolls, Hello Doll!y, Man Of La Mancha, and many more. COLLEGIATE: Merrily We Roll Along at Yale University. Acting Credits: TOURS: On The Town (Flossie/Dance Capt.), Wizard Of Oz (Glinda). OFFBROADWAY: Revival of Irene (with Lee Roy Reams). REGIONAL: The Secret Garden (Lily), Company (Joanne), Show Boat (Ellie May), No, No Nannette (Lucille), High Spirits (Elvira), Nine (Luisa), Chess (Svetlana), Jekyll & Hyde (Emma), Baby (Pam), Mack & Mabel (Lottie); Little Shop of Horrors (Audrey), Anything Goes (Reno Sweeney), Gypsy (Tessitura) and many more. FILM and TV: Guiding Light, One Life To Live, Sex And The City, For Richer Or Poorer, Step Mom, The Astronaut’s Wife. Karen holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in musical theatre and marketing from BaldwinWallace University in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity Association, the Screen Actors’ Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

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SHERRILL MILNES N A R R A T O R

Sherrill Milnes is universally acclaimed as the foremost operatic baritone of his generation. With his powerful voice, commanding stage presence, and rugged handsomeness, he received the kind of adulation that is usually reserved for tenors. He sang over 650 performances at the Met, where he was honored with sixteen new productions, seven opening nights, and ten national telecasts. As a leading artist in all of the world’s great opera houses, Mr. Milnes performed and recorded with the likes of Domingo, Pavarotti, Caballé, Sutherland, Sills, Horne, Price, and Tebaldi. He is the winner of three Grammy Awards, and the most recorded American singer of his time. In 2008 he received the Opera News Award for Distinguished Achievement.

Driven by his dedication to make the vocal arts vibrant, vital, and entertaining in today’s world, Mr. Milnes continues to give masterclasses, judge competitions, and mentor new generations of singers. With his wife, Maria Zouves, he co-founded and runs the Sherrill Milnes VOICE Programs: VOICExperience Foundation and the Savannah VOICE Festival, which provides training for aspiring young artists while fostering new audiences for the arts.

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CRAIG VERM G A B E Y

Praised for his arrestingly vibrant and robust baritone, Craig Verm has brought his riveting dramatic portrayals to stages around the world. In the 2021-2022 season, Mr. Verm has made a return to one of his signature roles, the title role of Don Giovanni, with San Antonio Opera. In 2022, he will return to Madison Opera for the role of Jupiter in Offenbach’s Orpheus in the Underworld. Recently, he received high praise for his performances of the title role in Billy Budd for de Moines Metro Opera. John van Rhein of the Chicago Tribune said, “The strong baritone voice, strapping physique and winning stage presence of Craig Verm created a sympathetic Billy” and Opera Today said Verm “was every moment the star vocal and theatrical presence that galvanized the performance.” Verm made an impressive debut as a last-minute substitute in Mozart’s Don Giovanni for the Dallas Opera. His performances received critical acclaim for “succeeding in the daunting assignment... with his own credible realization of the iconic character.” Mr. Verm continued his long-standing relationship with Pittsburgh Opera, opening their season as Don Giovanni, followed by performances of Riolobo in Florencia en el Amazonas. Further performances in the season included his debut at the Barbican Centre as Doug Hansen in Joby Talbot’s Everest, a role he created in performances with The Dallas Opera, Jupiter in Orpheus in the Underworld with Madison Opera, and Marcello in La bohème with Opera Naples.

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ALEX MANSOORI C H I P

Called “Outstanding” and “Hilarious” by critics, tenor Alex Mansoori has been hailed as “solid and convincing” and “smartly characterized” by The New York Times. Specializing in character tenor roles, Mr. Mansoori’s varied repertoire runs the gamut from Handel and Mozart to Bernstein and Sondheim. This season, Mr. Mansoori returned to Opera Tampa as the Four Servants in Les contes d’Hoffmann and to the Naples Philharmonic for their performances of Handel’s Messiah. Previous Opera Naples appearances include Goro in Puccini’s iconic Madama Butterfly, Monostatos in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, and his role debut of Pang in Puccini’s Turandot. Recent seasons have seen him appear as Dr. Caius in Falstaff for Opera Colorado, in the dual roles of Don Basilio and Don Curzio in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Tampa, Pang in a concert version of Turandot with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and with the Naples Philharmonic for their 2020 Holiday Pops concerts led by Jack Everly. He also made his debut at The Tanglewood Festival in multiple roles in Bernstein’s Candide and with the Dallas Opera as Bardolfo in Falstaff. Upcoming seasons have him returning to Opera Colorado for Turandot and multiple performances with the New York Festival of Song.

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SKYLER SCHLENKER O Z Z I E

Baritone Skyler Schlenker has most recently studied under Carol Vaness at the Aspen Music Festival and School and at Indiana University. He began studying voice in his mid-twenties after playing football in college and studying drama and psychology.

Before formally studying voice, he became a young artist at the Brevard Music Center’s Janiec Opera Company, and soon after began playing and covering supporting and leading roles at the Aspen Music Festival and School as an opera fellow. He has performed challenging roles, including the role of Yeshua in Mark Adamo’s The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd, and Marcello and Ford in the Jacobs School of Music’s productions of La bohème and Falstaff. He joins Opera Naples to sing the roles of Older Thompson in Glory Denied, and the Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, among others.

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EMILIE FAIELLA I V Y

S M I T H

Soprano Emilie Faiella most recently performed as Mabel (The Pirates of Penzance) with Opera Naples, Jeannette (The Blacksmith) with Opera Lafayette, and as Lucy (The Telephone), Geraldine (A Hand of Bridge), and Lola (Gallantry) in Portland Opera’s An American Quartet. Her past roles include the Vixen (The Cunning Little Vixen), the Girl (Afterlife), Selena (Dolores Claiborne) and Yniold (Pelléas et Mélisande) with Boston University’s Opera Institute, as well as Gretel (Hänsel und Gretel), Ginevra (Ariodante), Zerlina (Don Giovanni) and others. She is a District Winner of the 2020 MONC Auditions and finalist of the 2020 Classical Singer Competition, and received Second Prizes at the 2019 Rochester International Vocal Competition and 2017 James Toland Vocal Arts Competition. Emilie is affiliated with Houston Grand Opera’s YAVA, CoOPERAtive’s Fellowship program, and SongFest’s Young Artist program, and received her M.Mus. at Boston University. Her upcoming engagements include the role of Young Alyce in Opera Naple’s Glory Denied.

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KATRINA THURMAN H I L D Y

Soprano Katrina Thurman is a versatile artist whose repertoire encompasses over 45 roles in six languages and has taken her to theaters including The Metropolitan Opera, Opéra de Lyon and Festival Lyrique de Belle-Ile en Mer (France), Oper Bonn (Germany), Opera Philadelphia, Dallas Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Florentine Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Omaha, Utah Opera, Tulsa Opera, American Opera Projects, Syracuse Opera, Sacramento Opera, Anchorage Opera, Shreveport Opera, and Indianapolis Opera. Notable roles for Ms. Thurman include Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Musetta (La bohème), Hanna Glawari (The Merry Widow), Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Gilda (Rigoletto), Gabrielle (La vie Parisienne), Aljeja (Janacek’s From the House of the Dead), Mrs. Naidoo (Glass’s Satyagraha), Maria (The Sound of Music), Rosabella (The Most Happy Fella), and Bianca/Lois Lane (Kiss Me, Kate). This season, she produces and performs in Love Notes 2.0 … Sour Notes with East Passyunk Opera Project, debuts with Opera Naples as Hildy in On the Town and makes her stage debut with The Metropolitan Opera as Meretaten in Akhnaten. For more information, visit katrinathurman.com and follow her on Instagram @katrinasoprano.

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MEGAN MOORE C L A I R E

During the 2021-22 season, American mezzo-soprano Megan Moore will make her Metropolitan Opera debut in Brett Dean’s Hamlet under the baton of Nicholas Carter and directed by Neil Armfield; join Harry Bicket and The English Concert in London to record Handel cantatas La Lucrezia and Il delirio amoroso; and appear in concert at Shriver Hall with violist Jordan Bak in a program that includes a world-premiere piece by Jessica Meyer. Ms. Moore will give recitals in New York, Washington, D.C, and Alabama. She will also make a special appearance with the Borromeo String Quartet to sing Handel arias from Hercules and Alcina in Zankel Hall. Recent performance highlights include her Santa Fe Opera debut creating the role of Ino in the world premiere of The Lord of Cries composed by John Corigliano with libretto by Mark Adamo; singing the role of Medea in Handel’s Teseo conducted by Gary Thor Wedow and directed by Stephen Wadsworth with Juilliard 415; and participating in Carnegie Hall’s SongStudio with Renée Fleming in partnership with her frequent collaborator, pianist Francesco Barfoed. Ms. Moore has performed the roles of Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Costanza (L’isola disabitata), Doraballa (Così fan tutte), Nicklausse (Les Contes d’Hoffmann), Arsamene (Serse), Blanche de la Force (Dialogues des Carmélites), and Cendrillon (Cendrillon). She has worked with conductors Ramón Tebar, Nimrod David Pfeiffer, and Caren Levine. In 2021, Ms. Moore won first prize at the

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MEGAN MOORE C L A I R E

Copenhagen Lied-Duo Competition, the Jensen Foundation Vocal Competition, and Young Concert Artists International Auditions. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, Ms. Moore has trained at the Internationale Meistersinger Akademie, Eastman School of Music, Miami University, and holds an Artist Diploma in Opera Studies from The Juilliard School.

RAFAEL PORTO

P I T K I N /A N N O U N C E R / W O R K M A N

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Brazilian bass-baritone Rafael Porto recently performed the role of Guard in David Lang’s world premiere of prisoner of the state

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RAFAEL PORTO

P I T K I N /A N N O U N C E R / W O R K M A N

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with the New York Philharmonic led by Jaap van Zweden and Putnam in Jake Heggie’s world premiere of If I Were You conducted by Nicole Paiement with San Francisco Opera’s Merola Opera Program. During the 2021-22 season, Mr. Porto will reprise the role of Leporello in Don Giovanni led by Patrick Summers at Aspen Music Festival; sings Dancaïre in Carmen with Opera San José under the baton of Joseph Marcheso; and performs with Amarillo Opera on their spring Gala. Recent roles include Alisdoro (La Cenerentola), Leporello (Don Giovanni), Belcore (L’elisir d’amore), Sacristan, Jailer (Tosca), Bonze, Commissioner (Madama Butterfly), Luther, Crespel (Les contes d’Hoffmann), Don Basilio, Bartolo (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Bartolo (Le Nozze di Figaro), Capitán (Florencia en el Amazonas), Dr. Grenvil (La Traviata), and Billy Jackrabbit, José Castro (La Fanciulla del West) with Florida Grand Opera, Nashville Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Northern Lights Music Festival, and Philharmonia Orchestra of New York. In concert, he has appeared with orchestras in the works of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Mendelssohn, and Vaughan Williams. Mr. Porto has worked under the baton of Raymond Leppard, Alberto Zedda, Ramón Tebar, Joseph Rescigno, Timothy Myers, among others. He participated as a Young Artist at The Glimmerglass Festival; Apprentice Artist at the Merola Opera Program; Young Artist at La Musica Lirica; and a Studio Artist at Florida Grand Opera. Mr. Porto received his education from the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University and Butler University in Indianapolis.

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HELEN TINTES M A D A M E

D I L LY

Helen Tintes is a versatile singer-actress who performs in opera, operetta and musical theater in roles including Carmen, Azucena, Suzuki, Marcellina, the Witch in Hansel and Gretel and Mme. Giry in The Phantom of the Opera. Tintes has sung with numerous European and USA companies including Staatstheater Kassel (Germany), Theater an der Wien, Chicago Opera Theatre, F-M Opera, St. Petersburg Opera and Gulfshore Opera, as well as at numerous European festivals. An international operatic highlight was performing with Gwyneth Jones in Strauss’ Elektra at the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona, Spain. As a concert artist, Tintes has appeared as mezzosoprano soloist with orchestras, fine arts series and universities throughout the USA and is a frequent recitalist in German Lied and Spanish/ Latin American song. Tintes has taught voice at important conservatories and universities, including the Music and Arts Private University of Vienna (MUK), Northwestern University, the University of South Carolina (Columbia) and Ave Maria University.

She has also performed and given masterclasses throughout Europe and in China. Currently, Tintes serves as adjunct voice faculty at Florida Gulf Coast University (Ft. Myers, FL). She is delighted to perform this season with Opera Naples!

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LINDA COLLAZO

D I A N E

D R E A M / D O L O R E S D O L O R E S

Hailed as having a voice that is “elastic and luxurious” (Ars Raving Mad), Bronx-native Mezzo-Soprano Linda Collazo has performed at Carnegie Hall, the United Palace Theater, the United Nations, Lincoln Center, and with the Metropolitan Opera Guild. Roles include Armelinde in Viardot’s Cendrillon with City Lyric Opera, Lola (cover) in Cavalleria Rusticana with New Camerata Opera, Vera in The Consul with Encompass New Opera Theater, Orlofsky (cover) in Die Fledermaus and Meg Page (cover) in Falstaff with Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance, Solo Handmaiden in Turandot with Sarasota Opera, Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti, Cherubino and Dorabella (cover) in Le Nozze di Figaro and Così fan tutte, La Cesca and Zita in Gianni Schicchi, and Hansel in Hansel & Gretel. She won the Woodmere and Bronx Arts Ensemble Competitions and an encouragement award from the MONC auditions. She is a graduate of the Macaulay Honors College.

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WESLEY FRYE R A J A H

B I M M Y

Wesley Frye (he/him) has been praised for his “big...sensitive,” and “handsome” tenor voice, receiving several laudatory reviews in Minneapolis for performances as Male Chorus in Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia and Haydn’s Paukenmesse.

Wesley was the 2018 recipient of the Opera Omaha Award at the Metropolitan Opera District Auditions in Lincoln, Nebraska, and was a Wisconsin District Finalist in 2020. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Wesley was slated to make a debut with the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra as the tenor soloist in their performance of Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. Recent performance credits include: King Kaspar (Amahl and the Night Visitors, Skylark Opera), Goro (Madama Butterfly, Opera West), Faust (Faust, Opera Reading Project), and Gabriel von Eisenstein (Die Fledermaus, Opera on the Lake). Wesley holds a B.A. in Voice Performance from Luther College, as well as a M.M. in Voice Performance from the University of Minnesota, where he studied with John De Haan.

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SARAH CAMMARATA D A N C E R

Sarah is elated to be dancing in On The Town with Opera Naples! She currently resides in Orlando, Florida where she has performed as a singer/dancer with both Universal Studios (Celestina Warbeck & The Banshees), and SeaWorld Orlando (O Wondrous Night). Sarah’s career has also taken her world-wide; she has traveled through Asia with the International Tour of The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy Gale), as well as throughout Europe with Viking Ocean Cruises (Lead Vocalist). Favorite regional credits include: Footloose (Urleen), Evita (Mistress), How To Succeed…

Trying (Smitty), Annie (Star-to-be), Sister Act (Mary Martin-ofTours), Show Boat (Ellie), and Junie B. Jones The Musical (Junie).

Thanks to Opera Naples & Karen Danni for this opportunity, and love to Chris!

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ANTHONY COLA D A N C E R

Anthony is thrilled to get back on the stage and to do it in his home state of Florida. He currently lives in New York City and has been seen in shows across the states. Recently he played Don in A Chorus Line at The Wick Theatre in Boca Raton. Anthony wants to thank his family and friends and cannot wait to perform this lovely bit of classic musical theatre! Enjoy the show!

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HUGO MORENO D A N C E R

Hugo was born in Lima, Peru, and grew up in South Florida.

Attended school at Ithaca College, for theatre and dance. You might have seen him in Univision’s commercial for M&M’s & My Musica VIP, and in ESPN’s SCFeatured Program 30 for 30. Recent theatre credits: Mamma Mia (Actor’s Playhouse) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Alhambra Dinner and Theatre), Jerry’s Girls and Brigadoon (Wick Theatre), West Side Story and Evita (Actor’s playhouse). He comes to life on screen and the stage and grows with each person he meets and every project that he has been fortunate to be a part of. He would like to thank his family and friends for the unconditional love and support.

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ERIC RIVAS D A N C E R

Eric is so happy to be performing again here in Naples! Recently seen in Walt Disney World’s Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage! and Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire. Favorite Regional credits: “Dick” in Dames At Sea (Theatre Zone), On The Town (Gateway Playhouse), West Side Story (Signature Theatre/ Encore Theatre), A Chorus Line (New Bedford Festival Theatre), CATS, Hello Dolly! (Cohoes Music Hall), 42nd Street (Jersey Shore Ent.), Cabaret (Palace Theatre). Showboy in Las Vegas’ JUBILEE! at Bally’s. CRUISELINES: Dancer/Singer for Disney Cruise Lines, Dance Captain/Aerial Captain for Norwegian Cruise Lines, Holland America Line. Alumni of The School at Jacob’s Pillow and Full Sail University: Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Filmmaking.

Proud member of Actors’ Equity Association.

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BROOKE ROSENBLUTH D A N C E R

Brooke is a recent student at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, and high school graduate of New World School of the Arts in Miami, FL. Some recent stage work includes: Footloose at The Muny in St. Louis, Violet in TheatreZone’s Wonderful Town, Charity in her final NWSA MainStage Production of Sweet Charity, Velma Kelly in Kidzact’s production of Chicago, Lady Mac in Macbeth at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, Jordan Baker in The Great Gatsby, as well appearing in TheatreZone’s 2021 Showstopper season. Brooke was announced Finalist in Theatre out of the nation for The National YoungArts Foundation. She was also awarded the winner of The Carbonell, Jack Zink Award out of all of Southwest Florida.

Brooke is returning to NYC to study at the Stella Adler Studio Professional Conservatory. Thank you to everyone who has continued to support me along my journey!

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ASHLEY RUBIN D A N C E R

Ashley is thrilled to be a part of this beautiful production!

National Tour - Grease! (Frenchy). Ashley was a featured soloist in the sold out Off Broadway run of I’ll Say She Is;The Lost Marx Broother’s Musical. She can be seen performing at regional theaters across the country. Other Favorite Regional credits include Victor/Victoria (Norma Cassidy); Mamma Mia (Tanya); A Chorus Line (Kristine); Promises, Promises (Margie McDougall); La Cage (Angelique).

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RACHAEL SWITZER D A N C E R

Rachael Switzer received her training at The University of Akron prior to graduating from Marymount Manhattan College with a degree in communications. She furthered her dance training in New York City. A career highlight was performing under the direction of Susan Stroman in The Merry Widow at Lyric Opera of Chicago and The Metropolitan Opera. Additional performance credits include Holland America Line, Theatrezone Naples, Busch Gardens, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, Horatio Alger Awards, and various events around the United States and The Bahamas.

She is grateful to her husband and family for their love and support.

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JOHN TRUNFIO D A N C E R

John graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts in May of 2020 with a BFA in Dance along with minors in East Asian Civilization and History. Before attending NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, he was a featured dancer in Theatrezone’s equity production of Brigadoon. While attending NYU, he performed works by Wayne McGregor, Sidra Bell, Jim Martin, Ryan Mason, and Emilie Camacho. He also choreographed a variety of works on his fellow classmates. After graduating, John worked on projects with the Isadora Duncan Dance Foundation, Yu.S.Artistry, Hanna Q Dance Company, Elizabeth Burr Dance, Vive Khamsingsavath, and was also a junior artist with the Ajkun Ballet Theatre. Recently, he danced and modeled in New York Fashion Week 2022 for the designer Clara Son. John currently works as a company dancer for the Amanda Selwyn Dance Theatre where he continues to cultivate his artistry.

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BARBARA ERIN DELO C O S T U M E

D E S I G N E R

Barbara Erin Delo is a Costume Designer and Artisan working in dance, theatre and opera. A New York native, she has previously designed costumes for Williamstown Theatre Company, Theatre at St Clements (The Bigot, Off Broadway premier), Judson Church (Beyond Babel, Off Broadway Premier) Martha Graham Dance Company, Paul Taylor Dance Company, The Flea, Castillo Theatre, Parsons Dance Company, Megan Williams Dance Projects, Capital Repertory Theatre, Battery Dance Company, NYC Fringe Festival, Chain Theatre Company, Third Rail Productions as well as many other NY and regional theatres. She studied costume design at SUNY Binghamton and NYU Tisch.

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ROBIN FRANK C H O R U S

M A S T E R

Robin Frank is Chorus Master, Director of Education, and Music Administrator for Opera Naples. She has prepared the chorus for over 40 of Opera Naples’ mainstage productions and has musically directed over 20 youth and outreach productions. An accomplished pianist, she performs with various organizations including The Festival Singers of Florida, The Naples Philharmonic, and The Naples Players. Ms. Frank is an Adjunct Professor of Music at Florida Gulf Coast University. She holds a Master’s degree in Accompanying and Vocal Coaching from Westminster Choir College and an Undergraduate degree in Music Education from The Florida State University.

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WILLIAM LANGLEY

A S S I S TA N T

C O N D U C T O R

Founding Music Director of the Memphis Repertory Orchestra, William R. Langley, began his career as an orchestral conductor at age sixteen. His tenure with the MRO “Shaping the Next Generation of Orchestral Musicians” spanned a decade and included over 50 concerts and 3 recorded albums. An avid performer, the young maestro has guest conducted the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, CCM Philharmonia, Starling Chamber Orchestra, Blueshift Ensemble, and made his Carnegie Hall debut with All of the Above Ensemble in 2019. Langley holds a master’s degree in Orchestral Conducting from the College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) in Cincinnati where he studied under the tutelage of Maestro Mark Gibson. In 2019 he was selected by members of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the American Austrian Foundation to be awarded one of two esteemed Ansbacher Fellowships for Young Conductors with the opportunity to study in Austria at the Salzburger Festspiele.

In demand as a cover conductor, Langley has been a frequent cover with both the Atlanta and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra covering such conductors as Sir Donald Runnicles, Louis Langrée, Carlos Kalmar, Juanjo Mena, Ramón Tebar, Xian Zhang, and Miguel Harth-Bedoya, to name a few. Langley is currently the John L. Magro Resident Conductor with Cincinnati Opera.

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NAPLES FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA Violin I

Violin II

Avi Nagin (Concertmaster) Yalien Savignon Misha Vitenson Benita Peych Dzhurkova Madison Ryan Yahao Zhou

Janie Spangler Robert Radliff Liz Kitts Oksana Gorokhovskiy Simon Popovski

Viola

Cello

Bass

Carl Larson Ian Jesse Roberto Calos Enriques Hernandez Laura Manko Sahin

Jason Calloway Susannah Kelly Aaron Merritt

Brian Powell Magdalena Luciani

Flute/ Piccolo Jennifer Grimm

Oboe/ English Horn

French Horns

Jane Cai

Christopher Komer Hector J Rodriguez

Clarinet/ Saxophone Orlando Scalia Ismael Vergara Frank Capoferri

Trumpet Jeffrey Kaye Pamela Smitter Christian Marrero

Trombone

Percussion

Piano

Domingo Pagliuca Dan Satterwhite Karla RojasOrazco

Mark Schubert Rick Urban

Mario Marra

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PRODUCTION STAFF

Tony Johnson Director of Production Dara Swisher Production Stage Manager Katia Michalopoulos Stage Manager Hannah Delmore Stage Manager Nina Agelvis Associate Video Designer Peter Leibold Associate Lighting Designer Dan Jobbins Technical Director William Langley Assistant Conductor Cordelia Wilson and Sarah Dixie Costume Coordinators Louis Dall’Ava Props Master Mario Marra Rehearsal Pianist/Resident Artist Coach

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PRODUCTION STAFF Public Relations B3 Marketing and Gravina, Smith, Matte & Arnold Credits Supertitles by Chadwick Creative Arts, Staging by Limitless Productions, Lighting, Audio and Video by Sovereign Candle Collective, Costumes by Costume World Special Thanks City of Naples Parks Department, Collier County Commission, The Naples Players, TheatreZone, Crave Catering.

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SYNOPSIS Gabey, Chip and Ozzie are among one wave of US Navy sailors from their ship on a twenty-four-hour shore leave in New York City, where none of the three has ever been. With a guidebook in hand, Chip wants to see the sights, but gets sidetracked when he gets in the sights of smitten cabbie Hildy Esterhazy, who won’t let him go as long as he’s in the city. Ozzie, who is basically following his mates, may instead want to follow anthropologist Claire Huddesen, who likes prehistoric looking men like Ozzie.

Unlike his two friends, Gabey purposefully wants to spend his time with a beautiful, sophisticated New York gal. He believes he’s found that girl, at least her photograph, when he sees a poster for the subway system’s newly crowned Miss Turnstiles for June, Ivy Smith, who he mistakenly believes is the belle of New York high society. Based on the bio on the poster, Gabey goes on a search for her. His two pals help him but manage equally to spend quality alone time with their respective new female friends. The questions become if Gabey will be able to find Ivy, if so if she will give him the time of day, and if he would feel the same about her if he knew that she’s just a working girl from small town USA trying to make it in the big city. Through it all, the six get into one misadventure after another as they take in all New York City has to offer.

On the Town is a musical based on the 1944 ballet Fancy Free, developed by Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins with book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. New York City’s pomp and fanfare sets the stage for this story of three sailors looking for love in a whirlwind 24-hour adventure, before

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SYNOPSIS heading off to battle in World War II. Bernstein introduced several popular and classic songs which remain some of his biggest Broadway hits to date. The appealing musical score, youthful exuberance of characters and the unique moment in history make On the Town a true American classic!

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sondra Quinn Executive Director Ramon Tebar Artistic Director Gerald Goldberg Chairman Emeritus Larry Ost Chairman Emeritus John Pepe Vice Chairman/Treasurer Linda Kehoe Secretary Jan Burrus Sally Gleason Wendy Needham Dr. Krzysztof Biernacki DMA Moira Fennessey Livio Ferrari Patrick Moran Brian R. Dorn Ph.D. Carl Sceusa Susan Mullin Scott

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DONORS

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

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR DONORS

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OPERA NAPLES STAFF

Leah Summers Artistic Coordinator Robin Shuford Frank Director of Education and Community Outreach Carla Calavitta Director of Development Kent Kyle Development Associate Rita Albaugh Box Office Manager

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A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Nicky & John Pepe Louise & Larry Ost Lois & Bruce Selfon Susan Mullin Wendy Needham FineMark PNC Private Bank Winfield Coffee

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