Tosca - II Festival Under the Stars

Music by Giacomo Puccini Italian libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa & Luigi Illica Performed in Italian with English surtitles

Ramón Tebar conductor Naples Festival Orchestra

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Cambier Park Sunday, March 13 & Tuesday, March 15, 2022 7:00 pm

DIRECTOR’S N O T E S

Tosca has endured and enraptured devotees of opera for 122 years. Though its story is rooted in the complex politics of a specific conflict during convoluted French Revolutionary Wars (the context of which is largely forgotten by American audiences of today), we are still entranced by it. Puccini composed an opera where the passion, the violence, the tragedy, and the lust are all immediate, palpable, and resonant.

For this reason, Tosca has historically been divisive. Famously called a “shabby little shocker” by musicologist Joseph Kerman, I find a quote from a contemporary review of the play on which Tosca is based to be more resonant: “[it contains scenes] not only shocking to the nervous system and grossly offensive to persons of true sensibility, but which might inflict irreparable injury on persons yet unborn.”

But it is precisely this shock to the nervous system that animated Puccini to write what I consider to be his best and most engaging opera and preserving those emotions in his music. Tosca is a work that is not afraid to confront and portray the most extreme ends of the human experience.

When I approach Tosca, I attempt to do so through Puccini’s eyes when he first saw the play in Milan. I want to engage with this now very familiar story in a way that lets us feel that shock to the nervous system that galvanized him to write such a gripping and tightly paced thriller. To that end, I was inspired by two chief sources.

The first is a genre of Italian films called giallo, a 1960s and 70s descendent of the verismo operas that inspired Puccini.

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DIRECTOR’S N O T E S

Giallo, a uniquely Italian take on what essentially is the slasher film, deals luridly with violence and passion and are filled with striking visuals and deep, saturated colors – a compelling and gorgeous aesthetic applied to a shocking narrative. The second is where we are here in Naples tonight: under the stars and seated before a massive stage.

A setting more familiar to a music festival or rock concert than a traditional theater. I hope you’ll enjoy as much as I have seeing this story faithfully played out through the lens of a unique aesthetic, and feel the same emotions that inspired Puccini to write one of the greatest stage works of all time.

Dan Wallace Miller,

Stage Director

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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 Ann Toomey Floria Tosca Ramón Vargas Mario Cavaradossi Mark Delavan Baron Scarpia Eleomar Cuello Cesare Angelotti/Jailer Rafael Porto A Sacristan Wesley Frye Spoletta Skyler Schlenker Sciarrone Emilie Faiella A Shepherd Boy

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

Tonight’s performance will last approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes (Including two 15-minute intermissions)

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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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DAN WALLACE MILLER S T A G E

D I R E C T O R

Hailed as a “visionary director” by The Stranger, Dan Wallace Miller’s stage direction is “riveting ... well executed, and relevant.” (CityArts) As Founder and Artistic Director of Vespertine Opera Theater, Mr. Miller dedicates his career to presenting operas in unique spaces that are dramatically engaging and cleverly innovative. His unique concepts and perceptive direction have proven that he is a force to be reckoned with. 2020 engagements were to include directing Don Giovanni with Opera Naples, La Traviata with Inland Northwest Opera, and La Voix Humaine/The Telephone with Opera on the James. Recently, Dan directed a filmed version of Tosca for Seattle Opera, as well as a Die Walküre in concert, Dido and Aeneas for Central City Opera, and Orfeo ed Euridice for Inland Northwest Opera.

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ANN TOOMEY F L O R I A

T O S C A

American soprano Ann Toomey is a 2016 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions national semifinalist and 2019 Richard F. Gold Career Grant Recipient. In the 2021-2022 season, Ann Toomey makes her role debut as the title role of Puccini’s Tosca with Sarasota Opera and performs the title role of Susannah with Wolf Trap Opera. Ms. Toomey also sings the title role in Korngold’s Die Kathrin with the Chicago Folks Operetta, she returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago as the cover of the Lady in Waiting in Macbeth and she sings as Lady Billows in Britten’s Albert Herring at Princeton Symphony Orchestra. On the concert stage, she sings Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in Orlando. During the 2018-2019 season, she performed as Musetta in La bohème with Lyric Opera of Chicago, completing her three-year residency with the Ryan Opera Center. She debuted at Lyric Opera of Chicago as First Lady in Die Zauberflöte and was also seen as the Fifth Maid in Elektra. She covered several roles during her time in Chicago, including Elettra (Idomeneo), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), and Micaëla (Carmen).

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RAMON VARGAS M A R I O

C AVA R A D O S S I

One of the most sought-after, leading tenors of our time, Ramón Vargas now regularly performs to great acclaim at all the major opera houses worldwide: Teatro Colón de Buenos Aires (La Favorita, The Tales of Hoffmann), Royal Opera House (Un Ballo in Maschera, La Bohème, Rigoletto, La traviata), Teatro alla Scala (Falstaff, Rigoletto, La Traviata), Metropolitan Opera New York, performing 19 different roles and over 220 performances (Attila, La bohème, Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Cenerentola, L’elisir d’amore, Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, Der Rosenkavalier), Teatro Real (Werther, Un Ballo in Maschera), Opéra National de Paris (Rigoletto, La Traviata, Lucia Miller, Idomeneo and Titus), San Francisco Opera (Un Ballo in Maschera, L’elisir d’amore, Lucia di Lammermoor), Wiener Staatsoper (La bohème, L’elisir d’amore, Lucia di Lammermoor, Maria Stuarda, Roberto Devereux, Don Carlos, Un Ballo in Maschera, Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Arena di Verona (Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Rigoletto), and many others.

In addition to his operatic career, he is also an accomplished

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concert singer. In 1998, he gave a memorable recital at La Scala and his renditions of popular Mexican songs have been met with enthusiasm at massive concerts across Europe and Mexico.

Throughout his career he has been awarded some of the most important prizes such as the Lauri Volpi Award for the Best Opera Singer (1993), Gino Tani Award for the Arts (1995), Opera Now Artist of the Year (2000), Festspiele magazine Best tenor in the world (1999), ECHO Klassik - Singer of the Year Award (2001), Puccini Award by the Puccini Foundation (2005), Rodolfo Celletti Award (2017), Opera News Award in New York (2018).

Ramón Vargas’ multi-awarded discography Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Scala di Seta, Tancredi, Maometto II, Il Turco in Italia, La Favorite, Zaira, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Werther, Goyescas, Falstaff, Alzira, I Masnadieri (Opéra de Monte- Carlo), Don Giovanni (Grand-Théâtre de Genève), Un Ballo in Maschera (Hamburgische Staatsoper, Grand-Théâtre de Genève and Teatro Real in Madrid). Among his recent and future engagements we highlight Roberto Devereux (LA Opera), Un Ballo in Maschera (Teatro Real, Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria), Les contes d’Hoffmann (Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires), Un ballo in maschera (Grand-Théâtre de Genève, Hamburgische Staatsoper and Wiener Staatsoper), Don Carlo (Los Angeles), I masnadieri (Opéra Monte-Carlo); La Bohéme (Staatsoper Berlin), Don Giovanni (Grand-Théâtre de Genève), La clemenza di Tito (Opéra de Paris), Jerusalem (Teatro Regio di Parma), Don Carlo (Wiener Staatsoper), Simon Boccanegra (Opéra de Paris and Opéra Monte-Carlo), Tosca (Greek National Opera), La Gioconda (Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse), Luisa Miller and Simon Boccanegra (Hamburgische Staatsoper), I lombardi alla prima crociata (Opéra Royal de Wallonie), Tosca (Teatro Cervantes in Malaga and Naples) and Das Lied von der Erde (Alicante).

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MARK DELAVAN B A R O N

S C A R P I A

Mark Delavan, a singer of “incisive vocal power and fierce theatrical acuity,” is sought after throughout the United States and Europe for the most demanding roles in his operatic repertoire. He regularly appears in the title roles of Der fliegende Holländer, Falstaff, and Rigoletto, and as Iago in Otello, Scarpia in Tosca, Jochanaan in Salome, and Amonasro in Aida. In addition, as a strong character actor on stages throughout the country, he has proved himself a crossover artist of immense skill, staring as Phil Arkin in Milk and Honey with York Theatre Company, to critical acclaim. Earlier this year, he joined the Glimmerglass Festival as the title role of Der fliegende Holländer for their concert entitled “Gods and Mortals” and returns to The Metropolitan Opera for Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Tosca. This coming season, engagements include concert performances of Ralph Vaughn Williams’ Five Mystical Songs and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony for the Charleston Symphony, Posa in Don Carlos for Maryland Lyric Opera, as well as the lead role of Malignac in Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s last opera, Die Kathrin with the Folks Operetta in Chicago.

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ELEOMAR CUELLO

C E S A R E

A N G E L O T T I /J A I L E R

Baritone Eleomar Cuello is a graduate of the National Theater of Cuba and has professionally sung a variety of leading baritone roles in countries throughout Europe and South America. He has recently been seen at the Teatro Zarzuela in Madrid, the Performing Arts and Community Center of Ft. Myers, Gulf Coast Symphony, and as Alcindoro in the new production of Puccini’s La Boheme at Vero Beach Opera.

Eleomar is a recipient of various awards and prizes from the Veronica Villaroel International Singing Festival in Chile, St. Petersburg International Singing Competition, and recently was a district winner at the 2022 Florida Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. Future engagements include a return to Madrid as Diego in Don Fil de Alcala and Schaunard in La Boheme with the National Opera of Chile in the Theater Municipal of Santiago.

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RAFAEL PORTO A

S A C R I S T A N

Brazilian bass-baritone Rafael Porto recently performed the role of Guard in David Lang’s world premiere of prisoner of the state 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 at Aspen Music Festival; sings Dancaïre in Carmen with Opera San José; 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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WESLEY FRYE S P O L E T T A

Wesley Frye 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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SKYLER SCHLENKER S C I A R R O N 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 A

S H E P H E R D

B O Y

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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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

Oboe

Jennifer Grimm Elissa Lafofsky Liz Tiplitzky

Erika Yamada Jane Cai

English Horn Jeff Apana

Clarinet

Bassoon

French Horns

Stacey McColley Orlando Scalia Frank Capoferri (bass clarinet)

Carlos Felipe Viña Gabrielle Hsu Kathyrn Sleeper (Contrabassoon)

Christopher Komer Michelle Haim Katie Loesch Hector J Rodriguez

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

Trumpet

Trombone

Aeffrey Kaye Pamela Smitter

Pedro Carrero Dan Satterwhite Adrian Corredor

Tuba Lopez Horby

Timpani

Harp

Organ/ Celeste

Mark Schubert

Deborah Fleisheri

Robin Frank

Percussion Rick Urban

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OPERA NAPLES CHORUS R O B I N F R A N K , C H O R U S M A S T E R

Soprano Claudia Cespedes Emilie Faiella Elizabeth Feins Helen Henry Begoña Hooley Joanna Patti-Jaworski Roberta Privette Natalia Salazar Rachel Sill Maria Fe Soto.

Benedikte Stovall Caitlyn Walters

Alto Rebecca Bahr Linda Collazo Kimberly Conklin Valeria Estrada Ruth Faye Mary Jane Oliveira Stephanie O’Neill Daniela Pepe Rhena Ruiz Sumaira Tennent

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OPERA NAPLES CHORUS C O N T I N U E D

Tenor Drazen Balarin Michael Bombyk David Scott Brown Salomon Cardenas Heinz Keller

Bass Jason Bahr Scott Conover Steve Espinosa Frazar Henry Marcello Musca Charley Nevaril Frans Ronsholt

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OPERA NAPLES YOUTH CHORUS R O B I N

F R A N K ,

D I R E C T O R

Emir Bilen Samantha Calleja Audrey Chapman Leo Ferranti Mia Ferranti Lily Gaston Gülce Gol Maya Herbert Anastasia Konto Estrella Labadie Bianca Varetto

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

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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 A C T

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Rome, June 1800. Cesare Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, rushes into the Church of Sant’Andrea della Valle.

After finding the key his sister has hidden for him, he hides in his family’s private chapel. Soon, the painter Mario Cavaradossi arrives to work on his portrait of Mary Magdalene. The painting was inspired by Angelotti’s sister, Marchesa Attavanti, whom Cavaradossi had seen praying in the church. Angelotti, who was a member of the former Bonapartiste government, emerges from his hiding place. Cavaradossi recognizes him and promises help, then hurries him back into the chapel as the singer Floria Tosca, his lover, calls from outside. When he lets her into the church, she jealously asks Cavaradossi to whom he has been talking and reminds him of their rendezvous that evening. Suddenly recognizing Marchesa Attavanti in the painting, she accuses him of being unfaithful, but he assures her of his love. When Tosca has left, Angelotti again comes out of hiding. A cannon signals that the police have discovered the escape, and he and Cavaradossi flee to the painter’s home. The sacristan enters with choirboys who are preparing to sing in a Te Deum celebrating the recent victory against Napoleon at the Battle of Marengo.

At the height of their excitement, Baron Scarpia, chief of the secret police, arrives, searching for Angelotti. When Tosca comes back looking for Cavaradossi, Scarpia shows her a fan with the Attavanti crest that he has just found. Seemingly confirming her suspicions about her lover’s infidelity, Tosca is devastated. She vows vengeance and leaves as the church fills with worshippers.

Scarpia sends his men to follow her to Cavaradossi, with whom he thinks Angelotti is hiding. While the congregation intones the Te Deum, Scarpia declares that he will bend Tosca to his will.

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SYNOPSIS A C T

I I

That evening in his chambers in the Palazzo Farnese, Scarpia anticipates the pleasure of having Tosca in his power. The spy Spoletta arrives with news that he was unable to find Angelotti.

Instead, he brings in Cavaradossi. Scarpia interrogates the defiant painter while Tosca sings at a royal gala in the palace courtyard. Scarpia sends for her, and she appears just as Cavaradossi is being taken away to be tortured. Frightened by Scarpia’s questions and Cavaradossi’s screams, Tosca reveals Angelotti’s hiding place. Henchmen bring in Cavaradossi, who is badly hurt and hardly conscious. When he realizes what has happened, he angrily confronts Tosca, just as the officer Sciarrone rushes in to announce that Napoleon has actually won the battle, a defeat for Scarpia’s side. Cavaradossi shouts out his defiance of tyranny, and Scarpia orders him to be executed.

Once alone with Tosca, Scarpia calmly suggests that he will let Cavaradossi go free if she gives herself to him. Fighting off his advances, she declares that she has dedicated her life to art and love and calls on God for help. Scarpia becomes more insistent, but Spoletta bursts in: Faced with capture, Angelotti has killed himself. Tosca, now forced to give in or lose her lover, agrees to Scarpia’s proposition. Scarpia orders Spoletta to prepare for a mock execution of Cavaradossi, after which he is to be freed. Tosca demands that Scarpia write her a passage of safeconduct. After he has done so, he attempts to make love to Tosca, but she grabs a knife from the table and stabs him. She takes the pass and flees.

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SYNOPSIS A C T

I I I

At dawn, Cavaradossi awaits execution on the ramparts of Castel Sant’Angelo. He bribes the jailer to deliver a farewell letter to Tosca, and then, overcome with emotion, gives in to his despair. Tosca appears and explains what has happened. The two imagine their future in freedom. As the execution squad arrives, Tosca implores Cavaradossi to fake his death convincingly, then watches from a distance. The soldiers fire and depart. When Cavaradossi doesn’t move, Tosca realizes that the execution was real, and Scarpia has betrayed her. Scarpia’s men rush in to arrest her, but she cries out that she will meet Scarpia before God and leaps from the battlement.

Reprinted by kind permission of the Metropowlitan Opera

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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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