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Charlotte Master Chorale Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Opera Carolina
present 9/11 Memorial Concert* September 11, 2026
Knight T heater at Levine Center for the Arts
Remarks and a Moment of Silence. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Requiem, K. 626 ***
Ave Verum Corpus, K. 618 Conductor
Stefano V ignati Soprano Yunah Lee
Mezzo Lisa Chavez
Tenor Arthur Espiritu
Bass Justin Hopkins
Chorus Master Kenney Potter * In honor of those who served on 9/11, a portion of tonight’s ticket sales will support Charlotte Rotary’s 9/11 Scholarship Fund, providing four-year college scholarships to the children of Charlotte-Mecklenburg first responders.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Requiem, K. 626 1. REQUIEM Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion, et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem. Exaudi orationem meam, ad te omnis caro veniet. Requiem aeternam dona ets, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.
1.REQUIEM Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine on them. Thou, O God, art praised in Sion, and unto Thee shall the vow be performed in Jerusalem. Hear my prayer, unto Thee shall all flesh come. Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine on them.
Kyrie eleison. Christe eleison. Kyrie eleison.
Lord have mercy upon us. Christ have mercy upon us. Lord have mercy upon us.
2. DIES IRAE Dies irae, dies illa Solvet saeclum in favilla, Teste David cum Sibylla. Quantus tremor est futurus Quando judex est venturus Cuncta stricte discussurus.
2. DIES IRAE Day of wrath, that day Will dissolve the earth in ashes As David and the Sibyl bear witness. What dread there will be When the Judge shall come To judge all things strictly.
3. TUBA MIRUM Tuba mirum spargens sonum Per sepulcra regionum Coget omnes ante thronum.
3. TUBA MIRUM A trumpet, spreading a wondrous sound Through the graves of all lands, Will drive mankind before the throne.
Mors stupebit et natura Cum resurget creatura Judicanti responsura. Liber scriptus proferetur In quo totum continetur, Unde mundus judicetur.
Death and Nature shall be astonished When all creation rises again To answer to the Judge. A book, written in, will be brought forth In which is contained everything that is, Out of which the world shall be judged.
Judex ergo cum sedebit Quidquid latet apparebit, Nil inultum remanebit. Quid sum miser tunc dicturus, Quem patronum togaturus, Cum vix justus sit securus?
When therefore the Judge takes His seat Whatever is hidden will reveal itself. Nothing will remain unavenged. What then shall I say, wretch that I am, What advocate entreat to speak for me, When even the righteous may be secure? 1
4. REX TREMENDAE Rex tremendae majestatis, Qui salvandos salvas gratis, Salve me, fons pietatis.
4. REX TREMENDAE King of awful majesty, Who freely savest the redeemed, Save me, O fount of goodness.
5. RECORDARE Recordare, Jesu pie, Quod sum causa tuae viae, Ne me perdas ilia die. Quaerens me sedisti lassus, Redemisti crucem passus, Tamus labor non sit cassus. Juste judex ultionis Donum fac remissionis Ante diem rationis.
5. RECORDARE Remember, blessed Jesu, That I am the cause of Thy pilgrimage, Do not forsake me on that day. Seeking me Thou didst sit down weary, Thou didst redeem me, suffering death on the cross. Let not such toil be in vain. Just and avenging Judge, Grant remission before the day of reckoning.
lngemisco tamquam reus, Culpa rubet vultus meus, Supplicanti parce, Deus. Qui Mariam absolvisti Et latronem exaudisti, Mihi quoque spem dedisti. Preces meae non sum dignae, Sed tu bonus fac benigne, Ne perenni cremet igne. Inter oves locurn praesta, Et ab haedis me sequestra, Statuens in parle dextra.
I groan like a guilty man. Guilt reddens my face. Spare a suppliant, O God. Thou who didst absolve Mary Magdalene And didst hearken to the thief, To me also hast Thou given hope. My prayers are not worthy, But Thou in Thy merciful goodness grant That I burn not in everlasting fire. Place me among Thy sheep And separate me from the goats, Setting me on Thy right hand.
6. CONFUTATIS Confutatis maledictis Flammis acribus addictis, Voca me cum benedictis. Oro supplex et acclinis, Cor contritum quasi cinis, Gere curam mei finis.
6. CONFUTATIS When the accursed have been confounded And given over to the bitter flames, Call me with the blessed. I pray in supplication on my knees. My heart contrite as the dust, Safeguard my fate.
7. LACRIMOSA Lacrimosa dies illa Qua resurget ex favilla Judicandus homo reus. Huic ergo parce, Deus, Pie Jesu Domine, Dona eis requiem. Amen.
7. LACRIMOSA Mournful that day When from the dust shall rise Guilty man to be judged. Therefore spare him, O God. Merciful Jesu, Lord Grant them rest. Amen. 2
8. DOMINE JESU Domine, Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae, libera animas omnium fidelium defunctorum de poenis inferni, et de profundo lacu. Libera eas de ore leonis, ne absorbeat eas tartarus, ne cadant in obscurum, sed signifer sanctus Michael repraesentet eas in lucem sanctam, quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus.
8. DOMINE JESU Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory, deliver the souls of all the faithful departed from the pains of hell and from the bottomless pit. Deliver them from the lion’s mouth. Neither let them fall into darkness nor the black abyss swallow them up, and let St. Michael lead them into the holy light which once Thou didst promise to Abraham and his seed.
9. HOSTIAS Hostias et preces tibi, Domine, laudis offerimus; tu suscipe pro animabus illis, quarum hodie memoriam facimus: fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam, quam olim Abrahae promisisti et semini ejus.
9. HOSTIAS We offer unto Thee this sacrifice of prayer and praise. Receive it for those souls whom today we commemorate. Allow them, O Lord, to cross from death into the life which once Thou didst promise to Abraham and his seed.
10. SANCTUS Sanctus. Sanctus, Sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth! Pleni suni coeli et terra gloria tua. Osanna in excelsis.
10. SANCTUS Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. Hosanna in the highest.
11. BENEDICTUS Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini. Osanna in excelsis.
11. BENEDICTUS Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
12. AGNUS DEI Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem. Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona eis requiem sempiternam.
12. AGNUS DEI Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant them rest. Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, grant them everlasting rest.
Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine, cum sanctis tuis in aeternum, quia pius es.
May eternal light shine on them, O Lord. with Thy saints for ever, because Thou art merciful.
Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis, cum Santis tuis, in Aeternum, quia Pius es.
Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and may perpetual light shine on them, with all your Saints, because You are merciful. 3
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Ave Verum Corpus, K. 618 Ave, verum corpus natum de Maria Virgine: vere passum, immolatum in cruce pro homine: cuius latus perforatum fluxit aqua et sanguine: esto nobis praegustatum, in mortis examine.
Hail the true body, born of the Virgin Mary: You who truly suffered and were sacrificed on the cross for the sake of man. From whose pierced flank flowed water and blood: Be a foretaste for us in the trial of death.
Meet the Artists STEFANO VIGNATI, Conductor Stefano Vignati is General Director, Music Director and Principal Conductor of Opera Carolina, becoming the first Italian to hold this position in Opera Carolina’s 77-year history. He also serves as Principal Guest Conductor of the New York City Opera and as Artistic and Music Director of the International Lyric Academy. His recent and upcoming engagements include Turandot (China Tour 2026 with Festival Puccini, Torre del Lago) Gianni Schicchi/Suor Angelica, Die Zauberflöte at Opera Carolina, Il Trittico Teatro Pergolesi Spontini in Jesi, Rigoletto Macedonia National Opera, Falstaff Teatro Comunale di Vicenza, La traviata Taormina Opera Festival, Jerusalem Opera Festival, Carmen New York City Opera, Mascagni’s L’Amico Fritz Festival Mascagni in Livorno. Vignati has also conducted other concert engagements at New York City Opera, Orchestra Sinfonica del Friuli Venezia Giulia, St. Petersburg State Orchestra, and Orchestra of Teatro Carlo Felice di Genova. Previous engagements include La Traviata Macedonian Opera and Ballet, Le Nozze di Figaro Opera Carolina and Teatro Comunale of Vicenza, Die Zauberflöte and Beethoven’s IX Symphony Teatro Comunale of Vicenza, and Verdi Tribute Opera Recital with Barbara Frittoli and Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Maestro Vignati was a guest conductor of the UNM Symphony Orchestra in New Mexico, Amarillo Symphony of Dallas, Tonhalle Zürich and Wuhan Philharmonic Orchestra in China. He was the artistic and music director of the Tuscia Opera Festival in Italy and was previously appointed Artistic and Music Director of the Italian American Opera Foundation in Los Angeles, and in 2010 Artistic Director of the Viterbo Baroque Festival. He earned his master’s in conducting from the University of Denver, after which he was a professor at Drake University where he was also Director and Principal Conductor of the Drake Opera Theater.
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YUNAH LEE, Soprano Korean American lyric Soprano Yunah Lee has been praised in the U.S., Europe, and Asia for her “handsomely colored full lyric sound” (Opera News) and “picture perfect” acting (Berkshire Fine Arts). Performances in the title role of Madama Butterfly were hailed in Germany as “a revelation… [her] voice unites the girlish innocence and the wistful sensuality [of Cio Cio San]” (Online Musik Magazine). Ever since she made her professional debut with New York City Opera while a student at the Juilliard School, Ms. Lee has been in demand for operatic engagements all around the world. She is known internationally for her signature role as Madama Butterfly, having performed the role of Cio Cio San nearly 200 times with opera theaters in New York, including the Metropolitan Opera, Boston, New Jersey, Michigan, Florida, North Carolina, Virginia, Memphis, Minnesota, Quebec, Kentucky, Ohio, Dallas, Austin, Colorado, California, Utah, Washington D.C, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, and Switzerland, among others. Ms. Lee’s lush lyric soprano voice is especially well-suited to Puccini’s heroines, such as Mimì in La bohème, which she has sung in over 70 performances. Her other operatic roles include Nedda, Liu, Micaela, Adina, Zerlina, Donna Elvira, Contessa Almaviva, Pamina, Leila, Antonia, Marguerite, Juliette, and Suor Angelica. She made her role debut in Korea in the title role in Dvořák’s opera Rusalka with the Korea National Opera, and as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. As an active concert singer, Ms. Lee has sung Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, Haydn’s The Creation, and Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with the New York Oratorio Society at Carnegie Hall, and Verdi’s Requiem with National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall, among others. Ms. Lee also performed in Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with the Hiroshima Symphony in Hiroshima for a special concert commemorating the 60th anniversary of the atomic bomb blast. She received her training at The Juilliard School and The Juilliard Opera Center in New York, following her completion of a Bachelor of Music degree at Hanyang University in Seoul, Korea. She currently serves on the voice faculty at the University of Arizona’s School of Music LISA CHAVEZ, Mezzo Lisa Chavez finished the 2026 season with a wide range of “Opera’s Greatest Hits”. She made her Azucena debut with Sarasota Opera, played the dutiful cartaker Suzuki in a company debut with North Carolina Opera, found her long lost son as Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro, and hilariously ended the summer in a shipwreck as Isabella in L’Italiana in Algeri. The 26/27 season starts with 2 new roles, and a Mozart masterpiece. Lisa returns to Sarasota Opera as the Witch in their fall production of Hansel and Gretel directly after performances of Carlota in Hector Armienta’s Zorro with Opera in Williamsburg. Recent debuts include Lithuanian National Opera and Ballet Theatre singing the three Mezzo leads of Frugola, Principessa, and Zita in a new production of Puccini’s Il Trittico, Mezzo soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with the Savannah Philharmonic, and Adalgisa in Bellini’s Norma with Opera Tampa. Along with standard repertoire, Ms. Chavez has shown her strength in her interpretations of new works. She originated the role of Maggie in the World Premiere of Stonewall by Iain Bell and Mark Campbell with New York City Opera. In addition to Stonewall, Lisa has performed in multiple American operas including; the title role in the New York premiere of Tobias Picker’s Dolores Claiborne with New York City Opera, Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti with Opera Parallèle, the Secretary in the Menotti’s The Consul, and Madame Volanges in Dangerous Liaisons. Ms. Chavez was also seen via live telecast across Europe on Mezzo TV performing the role of Elizabeth Proctor in Robert Ward’s The Crucible.
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Meet the Artists ARTHUR ESPIRITU, Tenor Arthur Espiritu was born in the Philippines and moved to the United States. He studied at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and at the University of New Orleans. He sang at Oper Frankfurt, Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, Theater Basel, Oper Klosterneuburg, Theater Magdeburg, Oper Leipzig, Baden-Baden Festival, Teatro alla Scala, Théâtre des Champs-Élysée, Teatro Piccolo Milano, Santa Fe Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Theater of St.Louis, Marlboro Music Festival, Louisiana Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Opéra Royal de Versailles, Brucknerhaus Linz, Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Giuseppe Verdi, Esplanade Concert Hall in Singapore, Berlin Philharmonic Digital Concert Hall, Israeli Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, Staatsoper Hannover, Oper Frankfurt, Israeli Opera Tel Aviv, and Sydney Opera House. Current and future projects, include: Roderigo in Otello with The Metropolitan Opera, Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera with Oper Bonn, Prinz in Rusalka, Rodolfo in La bohème with Oper Köln, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Oper Leipzig, Leicester in Maria Stuarda with Irish National Opera, Alfredo in La traviata with Theater Basel and Don Carlo (title role) and Pollione in Norma with Oper Klosterneuburg. JUSTIN HOPKINS, Bass Notable past engagements include Publio in La Clemenza di Tito with Wiener Festwochen, and Grand Théâtre de Genève, Weill’s Love Life and Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Opera North, Zuniga in Carmen with Austin Lyric Opera, Masetto in Don Giovanni and Colline in La bohème with Opera Vlaanderen, Narumov in Pique Dame, Gralsritter in Parsifal, a project based on Verdi’s Nostalgia e Rivoluzione, Carl Ekdahl in Mikael Karlsson’s Fanny and Alexander with La Monnaie, Joe in Show Boat (Francesca Zambello) with Glimmerglass Festival, Nourabad in Les Pêcheurs de Perles and Philip Glass’s Hydrogen Jukebox with Fort Worth Opera, Frere Laurent in Romeo et Juliet with Opera Philadelphia, and Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, and Berger/Mèdecin in Pelléas Et Mélisande with Verbier Festival. Current and most recent projects of American bass-baritone Justin Hopkins include Grenvil in La traviata with Opera Vlaanderen Antwerp, Olim in Der Silbersee with Chicago Opera Theatre, The Young Syrian in Gerald Barry’s Salome with LA Phil, Mosè in Mosè in Egitto with Opera Southwest, and Angelotti in Tosca with Cincinnati Opera. KENNEY POTTER, Chorus Master Kenney Potter has served as Conductor and Artistic Director of the Charlotte Master Chorale since 2015. His choirs have received wide-spread acclaim including winning the Grand Prix for best choir in the Pärnu International Choral Festival in Pärnu, Estonia. As a performer, he has been a featured soloist and conductor in Carnegie Hall, and was choir soloist for the Grammy-winning Oregon Bach Festival choir as well as the International Bach Academy, conducted by Helmuth Rilling. Under his leadership, the Master Chorale has received critical acclaim for artistic excellence and creative programming. Dedicated to education, Dr. Potter enjoyed a career as Professor of Music at Wingate University and he currently serves as President of ECS Publishing Group.
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Kwamé Ryan · Music Director Christopher James Lees, Resident Conductor
Christopher Warren-Green, Conductor Laureate
MUSICIAN ROSTER FIRST VIOLINS
Calin Ovidiu Lupanu
Concertmaster The Catherine & Wilton Connor Chair
Joseph Meyer
Associate Concertmaster
Kari Giles
Assistant Concertmaster
Susan Blumberg°° Jane Hart Brendle Cynthia Burton Ayako Gamo Oliver Kot°° Lenora Leggatt Jenny Topilow Dustin Wilkes-Kim* Hannah Zhdan
SECOND VIOLINS
Kathleen Jarrell, Acting Principal The Wolfgang Roth Chair
Carlos Tarazona°
Acting Assistant Principal The Pepsi-Cola Foundation of Charlotte Chair
Monica Boboc Fengwan Chen† Sakira Harley David Horak† Tatiana Karpova Ellyn Stuart
VIOLAS
Benjamin Geller, Principal
The Zoe Bunten Merrillt Principal Viola Chair
Kirsten Swanson
Acting Assistant Principal Christina D'Antonio†
Ellen Ferdon Wenlong Huang Viara Stefanova Ning Zhao
CELLOS
Jon Lewis, Principal The Kate Whitner McKay Principal Cello Chair Allison Drenkow Assistant Principal
Marlene Ballena Jeremy Lamb Sarah Markle Nicco Mazziotto David Olson
DOUBLE BASSES
Jason McNeel, Acting Principal Judson Baines, Assistant Principal Jeffrey Ferdon Eric Thompson†
HARP
Andrea Mumm Trammell Principal The Dr. Billy Graham Chair
FLUTES
Victor Wang, Principal
The Blumenthal Foundation Chair
Amy Orsinger Whitehead Erinn Frechette
PICCOLO
Erinn Frechette
OBOES
Timothy Swanson, Principal The Leo B. Driehuys Chair‡
Erica Cice Jamison Hillian†
ENGLISH HORN Erica Cice
CLARINETS
Taylor Marino, Principal The Gary H. & Carolyn M. Bechtel Chair Samuel Sparrow Allan Rosenfeld
HORNS
Byron Johns, Principal
The Mr. & Mrs. William H. Van Every Chair
Andrew Fierova Paige Quillen
The Robert E. Rydel, Jr. Acting Third Horn Chair Christopher Caudill†
Richard Goldfaden
TRUMPETS
Alex Wilborn, Principal The Betty J. Livingstone Chair
Ayaka Miura Jesdelson Vasquez† Associate Principal The Marcus T. Hickman Chair
TROMBONES
John Bartlett, Principal Thomas Burge
BASS TROMBONE
Scott Hartman, Principal
TUBA
Colin Benton, Principal
The Governor James G. Martin Chair
TIMPANI
David Uhlmann, Principal
The Robert Haywood Morrison Chair
PERCUSSION
Brice Burton, Principal
E ♭ CLARINET Samuel Sparrow BASS CLARINET Allan Rosenfeld
BASSOONS
AJ Neubert, Principal Joshua Hood Nicholas Ritter
CONTRABASSOON Nicholas Ritter
The CSO is a proud member of the
° Non-revolving position °° Alternates between first and second violins † Acting member of the CSO ‡ Funded by The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc. * On leave This roster lists the full-time members of the Charlotte Symphony. The number and seating of musicians on stage varies depending on the piece being performed.
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Kenney Potter, Artistic Director Philip Biedenbender, Assistant Conductor & Pianist Christine Starnes, Chorus Manager
SOPRANOS Amelia Andrews Samantha Balsam Rachel Barber Romy Cawood Katie Colgate Allie Crosswhite Sarah Fink Emily Floyd Caroline Goforth Janet Hall Holly Hauser Darlene Ifill-Taylor Shelby Jackloski Monica Kennedy Amanda Kosters Kate Kumar Marcia Lacopo Sarah Lankford Kristen Levine Carey Lewis Hanna Loftus Tricia McCord Fran Morrison Elizabeth Mosley Virginia Neisler Junghee Park Chiara Ridpath Rebecca Smith Kristen Stetzer Kara Stewart Melissa Theiss Sarah Barton Thomas Ananda Thompson Kathleen Wallace Veronica Weisensee Victoria Wojciechowski Rebecca Zairo
ALTOS Carin Bissiere-Grote Brett Blumenthal Sarah Case Megan Cummings Sara Doggett Lori Garber Brooke Haney Kathleen Hartung Ally Harvel Hailey Hodges Emily Johnson Caitlin Jones Anna Judge Sydney Kopera Payton Lark Kate Lavender Trisha Lee Susan McConnell Taylor McNamara Claire Murphy Katie Porier Casey Roberts Stephenie SantilliIncatasciato Leah Schuetz Donarah Sheppard Paige Sisk Rachel Wilson TENORS Miles Caraballo Rajah Chacko Joshua Cheney Chase Douthit James Franger Alex Haertel
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David Herring Robert Hochberg David Jacobs Adam Krahn Greyson Lehman Thomas Moncrief Ryan Moran David Moser Andy Neisler Daniel Rogers Bradley Stiver Philip Tate
BASSES Tommy Ballard Nello Barone Bennett Billard Doug Demick David Dennis Josh Ellenberg Mason Escobar Preston Fender Stephen Field Evan Gray Thomas Griffin Matthew Johnson Adam Kerns Peter Leo Nyi Nyi Myin Andrew Natoli Caleb Newman Owen Peck Aden Peters Michael Stoudmire Ray Trogdon Duane Westfall Matt Wetmore
About the CHARLOTTE MASTER CHORALE Founded in 1951 as the Oratorio Singers of Charlotte, the Charlotte Master Chorale is an auditioned chorus that performs an annual season of masterworks and contemporary works primarily in the Charlotte region. It is the resident chorus of the Charlotte Symphony, and operates as an independent, nonprofit performing arts organization. The Charlotte Master Chorale Main Chorus, with approximately 150 singers on the roster, performs in large-scale choral-orchestral collaborations of masterpieces and contemporary works. The Chamber Singers, Charlotte’s premier chamber choir, consists of 30 singers of professional caliber drawn from the Main Chorus, renowned for vocal prowess and artistic expression. In 2026, the Charlotte Master Chorale launched the Young Singers of Charlotte, a tuition-free ensemble for rising 9th–12th grade singers from across the Charlotte region. Designed to complement school choral programs, the ensemble provides advanced choral training, performance opportunities, and mentorship while inspiring the next generation of choral artists. Additional free educational initiatives include the Young Artist in Residence and NextGen programs, which provide intensive learning opportunities for emerging high school and collegiate singers. Through these programs, the Charlotte Master Chorale remains committed to inspiring singers of all ages. The Charlotte Master Chorale has been a featured ensemble at Carnegie Hall, Piccolo Spoleto, the state and regional conferences of the American Choral Directors Association. About the CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is one of the premier music organizations in the Southeastern United States and the oldest continuously operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas. As Charlotte’s most active performing arts group, the CSO presents more than 175 concerts each season, reaching more than 160,000 music lovers. The 2026–27 season marks Music Director Kwamé Ryan’s third year at the artistic helm of the Charlotte Symphony and explores resilience through music that reflects on heroism, hope, and the human spirit. Across the Classical, Pops, Movie, and Family Series, the season features contemporary voices, celebrated guest artists, and repertoire spanning centuries. Highlights include internationally acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell, the World Premiere of a new commission by CSO Spotlight Artist Levi Taylor, monumental works such as Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, and popular programs including The Music of Tina Turner and Back to the Future in Concert. The Charlotte Symphony engages more than 15,000 students each year through four youth orchestras; in-school education programs; instrument coaching; and Bridge, a free introductory strings program for kindergarten and first-grade students with locations in under-resourced communities. Through CSO Roadshow, the Symphony’s mobile stage, the Orchestra brings live music directly into neighborhoods across the region. Since its founding in 1932, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra has played a vital cultural role in the region and remains committed to the belief that music, accessible to all, enriches and unites our community. About OPERA CAROLINA Founded in 1948 by the Charlotte Music Club as the Charlotte Opera, Opera Carolina is the largest opera company in the Carolinas; annually serving more than 65,000 people in North Carolina, South Carolina and Northern Georgia (excluding broadcasts); reaching an average of seventeen counties in the Carolinas each year through its Education & Community programs. The company has a 77-year history of excellent professional leadership, including Artistic Directors Richard Marshall, Henry Janiec, and Charles Rosekrans, and General Directors Bruce Chalmers, James Wright, and James Meena. Over the years, Opera Carolina has nearly doubled in size, producing three mainstage productions, as well as an extensive array of educational and community programming. Currently under the leadership of Maestro Stefano Vignati, who is also its Music Director and Principal Conductor, Opera Carolina continues its tradition of artistic excellence.
Kenney Potter
David Fisk
Artistic Director
President & CEO
Philip Biedenbender
Kwamé Ryan
Managing Director & Assistant Conductor
Music Director
Stefano Vignati
General Director & Principal Conductor
Claudio Ferri
Artistic Director
Special Thanks Mark Jerrell
Rob Harrington
Chair of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners
Charlotte Mayor
and
Underwriting for Opera Carolina The participation of the Charlotte Symphony and Charlotte Master Chorale in this concert is made possible in part by the Sally Ann and Joe Hall Fund of the Charlotte Symphony Endowment.