Opera 'round K-Town

2020/ 2021 performing arts series

featuring

Keely Futterer Stephen Hobe Nicholas Huff and Carthage Opera Workshop

Allison Hull, stage director Gregory Berg, music director

Sunday, May 16, 2021 3 p.m.

A. F. Siebert Chapel

program There is no intermission.

Excerpts from: “Avant de quitter ces lieux” from Faust Steve Hobe

Charles Gounod (1818-1893)

“Una furtiva lagrimar” Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1856) from The Elixir of Love Nicholas Huff “Bel raggio” Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) from Semiramide Keely Futterer “Dove sono” Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) from The Marriage of Figaro London Roysden ‘22 “Smanie” Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) from Cosi fan tutte Sarah Jenkins ‘21 Tipsy Aria Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) from La Perichole Morgan Taylor ‘21

**************

“Ah, fuggi!”

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) from Don Giovanni London Roysden ‘22 “Voi che sapete” Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) from The Marriage of Figaro Morgan Taylor ‘21

program “Ah, mes amis” Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1856) from The Daughter of the Regiment Nicholas Huff “Hocus Pocus!”

Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) from Hansel and Gretel Sarah Jenkins ‘21 Song to the Moon from Rusalka Keely Futterer “Largo al factotum” from The Barber of Seville Steve Hobe

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)

**************

Opening Scenes Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) from The Magic Flute

I. O help me! (Tamino; Three Ladies)

II. I am a man of widespread fame (Papageno)

III. O image angel-like and fair (Tamino)

IV. Oh tremble not, my son. Arise. (Queen of the Night)

V. Quintet (Papageno, Tamino, Three Ladies) Nicholas Huff, Tamino London Roysden ‘22, First Lady Sarah Jenkins ‘21, Second Lady Morgan Taylor ‘21, Third Lady Steve Hobe, Papageno Keely Futterer, Queen of the Night

guest biographies Nicholas Huff Tenor, NICHOLAS HUFF’s “Vocal and dramatic fearlessness” (Voix des arts) has led him to leading roles across the country including Lucano in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea; Peter Quint, the leading tenor role in Britten’s eerie drama Turn of The Screw; Bill in Barber’s short opera A Hand of Bridge; Don Basilio in Mozart’s charming classic, Le nozze di Figaro, his performance possessing “Strength and Integrity” (Rochester City Newspaper), Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore; and Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi. Nicholas’ music theater inroads include singing as Marius in Les Miserables; and Don Quixote in music theater golden-age classic Man of La Mancha. Mr. Huff has performed roles in new operas such as Joseph Treat in Victoria Bond’s modern work Mrs. President, and even created roles like Niño Polilla in the world and international premieres of No se culpe a nadie and Fabian Hart in Jake Heggie’s magicalrealism, action opera If I Were You for the renowned Merola Opera Program; and most recently sang as Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Florida Grand Opera “Impeccable control over fiato […]” (El Nuovo Herald).

Mr. Huff has been part of several young artist programs, from the Toronto Summer Opera Workshop, to both the Summer Residency and year-long studio at the Milwaukee Florentine Opera, as well as the Florida Grand Opera studio, and Merola Opera’s Young Artist Program. From Kenosha, Nicholas studied at Carthage College where he earned his BA in Vocal Performance, and the Eastman School of Music where he earned an MM in Vocal Performance & Literature. Nicholas is a senior adviser and founding associate of Brew City Opera, and President of the Kenosha Opera Festival. www.NicholasHuff.pw

Keely Futterer Soprano KEELY FUTTERER has been praised by Opera News as a “high-quality lyric soprano with a keen verbal nuance,” and has been seen in performances across the globe in China, Italy and the United States. Career highlights of Ms. Futterer include the leading ladies of Elle in La Voix Humaine, the title role of Suor Angelica, Adina in L’elisir d’amore, and Countess Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro. Recently, she received critical acclaim for her role debut of Marie

guest biographies in La fille du Régiment at Opera Saratoga, where she was reviewed as having “one of the most gorgeous voices you can imagine with charm to match.

Hers [was] a performance you will remember and speak about for years.”

On the concert stage, she has performed Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915 with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, has covered Renée Fleming in the world premiere of Kevin Puts’ Letters from Georgia, and has performed as the soloist in Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mahler’s Symphony 2 and Mozart’s Requiem.

Ms. Futterer, a frequent performer of contemporary opera, has performed Isabella Beecher in Victoria Bond’s Mrs. President with Rochester Lyric Opera, the role of Sara Turing in the workshop of The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing with American Lyric Theatre, and the role of The Witch Mother in the American premiere of Glass’s The Witches of Venice with Opera Saratoga.

She has recently found success in the semifinals of the Opera Birmingham Competition, the finals of the Rochester Classical Idol and the Shreveport Opera Competition in addition to taking third place at the International Vocal Competition in Bologna, Italy. Ms. Futterer was a resident artist at Tulsa Opera this past spring, performing Kate Pinkerton and covering Cio Cio San. This season she will make her debut as Violetta Valéry in a new production of La Traviata entitled Viva, Violetta! with Opera in the Rock, and reprise Marie in La fille du régiment with the Kenosha Opera Festival. www.KeelyFutterer.com

Steve Hobe Baritone Stephen Hobe has flourished in classical and crossover repertoire in hometown Chicago. Mr. Hobe is “a generous performer,” lauded for his charismatic and often quirky performances of particularly Italian and Contemporary American repertoire. Mr. Hobe spent his last two seasons as a Studio Artist with Madison Opera, while also singing with St. Petersburg Opera and Florentine Opera. Mr. Hobe is slated to perform with Opera on the James in the 2021-2022 season. Off stage, Mr. Hobe works as a paleontologist and museum educator, and is the co-founder of Janus Concert Series in Chicago. www.stephenhobe.com

carthage student biographies Sarah Jenkins ‘21 Sarah just graduated magna cum laude from Carthage as a Music Education and Vocal Performance major. This May project marks her seventh stint with Carthage’s Opera Workshop. Her previous productions include scenes from The Magic Flute, a fully-staged Schubertiad, and a program of balcony scenes. Sarah was a 2018 semi-finalist and a 2019 finalist in statewide Wisconsin NATS competition. She has sung with both the Carthage Choir and Lincoln Chamber Singers, and has been a past participant in the Honors Recital. She is originally from Crystal Lake, IL. London Roysden ‘22 Londen is projected to graduate one year from now as a Music Education and Vocal Performance major. Her first Carthage Opera Workshop production was our most recent Gilbert & Sullivan gala. She has also sung in scenes from The Magic Flute and The Elixir of Love as well as in our program of balcony scenes. She was first runner-up for junior women in the 2020 Wisconsin NATS competition. London has twice earned a place on the music department’s Honors Recital and soloed with the Wind Orchestra. She is the president-elect of the Carthage Choir. London is from Kenosha.

Morgan Taylor ‘21 Morgan just graduated summa cum laude from Carthage with a Music Education and Vocal Performance major and a French minor. This May production is her fourth stint with Carthage’s Opera Workshop. She also sang in a production of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors with Racine’s Belle Ensemble. Morgan earned a place on the music department’s most recent Honors Recital, singing songs of Tchaikovsky. She served as president of the Carthage Choir this past year, and is also responsible for helping to create Carthage’s sketch comedy club. Morgan is from Elmhurst, IL.

upcoming events Student Recital: Nelson Monday, May 17 • 7:30 p.m.

A. F. Siebert Chapel • Tickets required Graduate Recital: Beelow Saturday, June 5 • 7:30 p.m.

Campbell Student Union Auditorium • Tickets required Graduate Recital: Grogg Monday, June 7 • 7:30 p.m.

Campbell Student Union Auditorium • Tickets required Graduate Recital: Gillian Tuesday, June 15 • 7:30 p.m.

Campbell Student Union Auditorium • Tickets required

connect with us

tickets required

carthage.edu/fine-arts facebook.com/carthagefinearts instagram.com/carthagefinearts

Get tickets 24/7 at carthage.edu/tickets 262-551-6661 noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday – Friday

This concert was made possible by the support of the Racine Community Foundation grant.