Prologue: 1954, Hollymeade: The Nightmare Room (Turing’s Kitchen)
Sc. 1: 1930: The Cave of Wonders: An abandoned stone church
Sc. 2: 1939: The Universal Machine: Sporting Oak on the Shoals at Bosham Bay
Sc. 3: 1942: World At War: Bletchley Park, Hut 8
Sc. 4: 1946: The Social Contract: Guildford, Sara Turing’s home
Sc. 5: 1952: Pick-up on Oxford Street: Manchester, Oxford Street, Regal Cinema
Sc. 6: 1952: Burglary and Buggery: Hollymeade; the morning after
Sc. 7: 1952: Gross Indecency: The local magistrate’s chambers, a distant back room
Sc. 8: 1954, Hollymeade: The Nightmare Room (Turing’s Kitchen)
LDOAT Rehearsal Photo by Michael BrosilowAlan Turing Christopher Morcom
Joan Clarke
Fred Clayton/Judge Harrison
Sara Turing
Don Bayley/Bobby/Prosecutor
Steve Todd/Arnold Murray
Wren #1
Wren #2
Wren #3
Crypt #1 & Fagmaster #1
Crypt #2
Crypt #3
Fagmaster #2
Cover Alan Turing
Cover Christopher Morcom
Cover Joan Clarke
Cover Fred Clayton/Judge Harrison
Cover Sara Turing
Jonathan Michie
Joseph Leppek
Taylor Raven
Richard Ollarsaba
Teresa Castillo
David Salsbery Fry
Justin Berkowitz
Corinne Costell*
Veena Akama-Makia*
Pauline Tan*
Sam Grosby
Brian Pember
Pete Wesoloski
William Roberts
Brian Hupp
Karlos Piñero-Mercado*
Pauline Tan*
Samson McCrady
Corinne Costell*
Cover Don Bayley/Bobby/Prosecutor
Cover Steve Todd/Arnold Murray
William Powell III
Curtis Bannister
*Denotes COT Young Artist | ^ Denotes Soloist
From left to right Joseph Leppek (Christopher Morcom), Taylor Raven (Joan Clarke), Jonathan Michie (Ian Turing). Enigma machines courtesy of the National Cryptologic Museum, NSA. Photos by Todd Rosenberg
Veena Akama-Makia*^
Jesus Alfredo Jimenez
Carolyn Boudreau
Tabes Bridges
Conor Broaders
Corinne Costell*^
Matthew Cummings
Anna Donnelly
Jeremy Edelstein
Amber Farish
Sarah Fisk^
Sam Grosby^
Alana Grossman
Erin Henke
Elena Hensel
Andrew Major
Samson McCrady
Ian Morris
Brianna Murray
Brian Pember^
Karlos Piñero-Mercado*
Russel Pinzino
Josh Pritchett
William Roberts
Rachel Sparrow
Pauline Tan*^
Gabrielle Timofeeva
Pete Wesoloski^
*Denotes COT Young Artist | ^ Denotes Soloist
Andy Cahoon
Jamey Feshold
Cody Powell
Peter Vamvakas
Costume Design sketches by Nora Marlow SmithLighting Designer
Projection Designer
Chorus Master
Orchestra Contractor
Rehearsal Pianist
Paul Whitaker
Anthony Churchill
A.J. Keller
Ross Beacraft
Josh Quinn
Second Rehearsal Pianist/Supertitle Operator
Assistant Conductor
Assistant Director
Production Stage Manager
Wig & Makeup Designer
Costume Director Assistant Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Technical Director
Lighting Supervisor
Props Coordinator
Dialect Coach
Costume Shop Manager/Wardrobe
Wig and Makeup Assistant
Stitcher/Wardrobe
Costume Crafts
Draper
Jennifer Allor*
Catherine O'Shaughnessy
Kyle Weiler
Rachel Henneberry
Rebecca A. Scott
Brenda Winsted
Adrienne Bader
Alycia Martin
Jason Kingsley
Aaron Lichamer
Ivy Treccani
Susan Gosdick
Samantha Nix
Aliza Feder
Veronica Stark
Melissa Bochat
Alice Broughton
Edlis Neeson General Director
Elizabeth Morse & Genius Music Director
Director of Artistic Operations
Artistic Operations Assistant
Director of Production
Director of Development
Grants Manager
ASHLEY MAGNUS
LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA
BRITTANY NELSON
ANDREW WOLFFKING
DEBORAH VANDERGRIFT MEAGHAN SMALLWOOD BREA WILLIAMS
Development & Audience Services Manager
Director of Community Programming
Finance Manager
Marketing Manager
Marketing Consultant
ANGELA YU
VERONICA CHAMBERLAIN
JENNY RUDNICK
EMMELLY VILLAGRAN COLLEEN FLANIGAN
From left to right: Jonathan Michie (Alan Turing), COT Elizabeth Morse and Genius Music Director and Conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya. Photo by Michael BrosilowViolin I
Isabella Lippi+
Azusa Tashiro
John Xia
Heather Boehm
Emelinda Escobar
Helen Kim Lee
Cristina Buciu
Violin II
Elizabeth Huffman
Eric Pidluski
Lori Ashikawa
Elizabeth Choi
Kamen Vatchev
Wendy Evans
Viola
Daniel Golden
Oana Tatu
Mason Spencer
Dorthy Okpebholo
Nick Munagian
Cello
Nazar Dzhuryn
Melissa Bach
Andrew Snow
Margaret Daly Bass
Timothy Shaffer
Greg Heintz
Tracy Dullea
Flute/Piccolo
Laura Hamm
Piccolo
Eliza Bangert
Oboe
Grace Hong
Alto/Baritone Saxophone
Jeremy Ruthrau
Clarinet/Bass Clarinet
Gene Collerd
Bassoon/Contrabassoon
Karl Rzasa
Horn
Greg Flint
Trumpet
Ross Beacraft
Trombone
Adam Moen
Tuba
Charlie Schuchat
Harp
Lillian Lau
Keyboard
Yasuko Oura
Timpani/Percussion
Bobby Everson
+Denotes Concertmaster
President
Secretary
Immediate Past President
Directors
Susan J. Irion
Allen Heinemann
Henry Fogel
Peter Ascoli
Ron Bauer
Merrill Blau
Paul E. Freehling
Michael G. Hanson
Stephanie Hart
Mary Lunz Houston
Maria Lagios
Roger Baskes
Nancy Dehmlow
Honorary Trustees
Joan W. Harris
James G. McCormick
David McNeel
Susan Noel
Dorothy Osborn
Pavitra Ramachandran
Robert E. Shapiro
Virgina Tobiason
Gael Neeson
Gregory O'Leary
Scenic Design sketches by Benjamin Olsen
In 2012 when librettist David Simpatico and I began working on this opera, our hero Alan Turing was unknown to me. David’s description showed Turing as a legend and
tragic figure– the father of computer science, and a war hero chemically castrated by his own country for his sexual orientation, then … a heartbreaking suicide. In addition to his important story, Alan’s life had a perfect medium: David’s warm wit and deep humanity maneuver these urgent, weighty topics with a delicate touch. For me- a Taiwanese-American female composer, this opera paints a portrait of discrimination. I thought it was most important to depict institutional discrimination, and the people of his society who were trying their best.
This opera presents Alan at seven different moments in life. We usher our listeners through these memories with interludes that we call “chat clouds.” These “chat clouds” transport the listeners with a sonic approximation of internet chatter, filled with information that brings them to the next moment. The aural depiction of these "chat clouds" was inspired by the animated movies and television series of Masamune Shirow's cyberpunk manga Ghost in the Shell. Another sonic influence was Walt Disney’s fantastical Snow White, one of Alan’s greatest obsessions.
I thank David Simpatico, Cori Ellison, Mark Adamo, American Lyric Theater, Lawrence Edelson, Steve Weiner, Bhaskaran Swaminathan, Donald Nally, and my family (present and departed) for their unflagging support. Working with COT is a dream come true. I am so grateful to COT and Maestro Lidiya Yankovskaya whose impeccable musicianship, profound intelligence, and consummate artistry has aided our Turing journey since 2015. We were fortunate to have our orchestral reading – an invaluable asset in the development of such an ambitious opera - here with the good people of COT. Chicago has my heart and deepest gratitude.
n years ago, when very few people d even heard of Alan Turing, composer tine F. Chen and I wanted to honor m as the genius, war hero, and gay man t he was, who broke the Nazi Enigma de, helped save the world, and opened
the door to the future in which we now live.
Having been erased from his own legacy by the Official Secrets Act forbidding public discussion of his codebreaking duties in World War II, we wanted to restore Turing to his rightful place in global history. We wanted to celebrate him as a remarkable gay man forced to suffer the dual indignities of criminal charges and chemical castration for the simple act of having sex with a man. Church and State combined through the odious Gross Indecency laws to strip people of their right to live authentically, to love genuinely, denying them the rights of their fellow citizens.
Something is wrong in a civic system that rips the heart out of its people. If you don’t think it can happen here, think again: It is already happening.
Ten years later, our world has changed. Turing has been popularized in film, and exonerated from his conviction, but the oppression he once faced now runs rampant across the globe. Here, in the United States, countless ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bills are currently being passed state by state. These bills are designed not only to deny the LGBTQ+ community the rights that are due them, but also to deny their very existence by forbidding any mention of them in our schools, in order to dehumanize them. These bills, aimed at denying myself, my friends, my family and countless others the rights to which we are entitled as citizens, are sanctioned oppression, and must be stopped.
We can either learn from history, or we are condemned to repeat it. The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing demands that we examine institutionalized prejudice, reject its principals, and embrace a healthier, more inclusive future. Which is what Alan Turing had in mind all along.
Justine F. Chen | Composer
Justine F. Chen is sponsored by Bhaskaran Swaminathan
The “propulsive, emotionally resonant” (NY Times) music of New York composer JUSTINE
F. CHEN has been commissioned and presented by New York City Opera, New York CityBallet,TheJuilliardSchool,CarnegieHall,AmericanLyric Theater,BanffMusicCentre,Bowdoin,NewYorkFestivalof Song,TapestryOpera,JACKQuartet,OPERAAmerica, AmericanComposersOrchestra,MerolaOpera,WQXR, MarylandOperaStudio,andResonanceWorks.Herfirst opera,TheMaidenTower,waspresentedbyJuilliard,NYCO’s VOX2006Showcase,andChantsLibres.Whenfeaturedin VOX2008,hersecondopera,Jeanne,waspraisedas“lyrical, atmospheric...striking…balancesdespairandhumor.”(NY Times)
RecentProjects: THELIFEANDDEATH(S)OFALANTURING,a full-scaleopera(librettistDavidSimpatico); SHALLOWBREATH ANDSTEALTH,anoratorio(textfrompoetJenaOsman’s MotionStudies)forDonaldNallyandTheCrossing; Iridescent Gest,asoloworkforthevirtuosocellistMattHaimovitz; LETTERTOMYCHILDREN,afilmopera/monodrama(librettist JacquelineGoldfinger), ALIGHT,asongcycleexploringAsianAmericana(poetOpheliaHuKinney); QuarantineB*tch: R.S.V.P. (poetChristinaKelly); SEVENSISTERS,achamber opera(librettistStephanieFleischmann); TWA,achamber opera(librettistJacquelineGoldfinger).
RecentHonors:GrantsfromtheJeromeFundforNewMusic, FrancesGoeletCharitableLeadTrust,OPERAAmerica’s FemaleDiscoveryGrant.RecentResidencies:ChicagoOpera Theater’sVanguardInitiative;MarylandOperaStudioandthe UniversityofMaryland;ArtistScholaratManhattanSchoolof Music.RecentBroadcasts:WNYC’sStudio360,WBAI,WQXR, WRTI,WNPR,WCPT,IndieOperaPodcast,OperaBoxScore, andCincinnatiSongInitiative.
Chen’soratorio SHALLOWBREATHANDSTEALTH willbe releasedonCDbyTheCrossinginNovember2023.Virtuoso cellistMattHaimovitzwillalsoreleasehislatestPrimavera ProjectcommissionsonCDinNovember2023,including Chen’s IridescentGest.
ShereceivedherDMAincompositionfromTheJuilliard School,whereshealsoearnedherBachelor’sandMaster’sin violinandcomposition.SheisanalumnaofAmericanLyric Theater’sComposerLibrettistDevelopmentProgram.For moreinformation,pleasevisithttps://www.justinefchen.com/
David Simpatico has been presented at major theatres around the globe, including London’s Hammersmith Apollo, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Lincoln Center/Avery Fisher Hall, Edinburgh Fringe
Festival, Franklin Furnace and New York Public Theatre.
His musical adaptation of Twelve Angry Men, music and lyrics by Michael Holland, received its world premiere production in June, 2022 at Theatre Latte Da in Minneapolis, directed by Peter Rothstein. His grand opera, The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing, with music by Justine F. Chen, receives its world premiere at Chicago Opera Theater in March, 2023, also directed by Peter Rothstein. This last January, David directed a sold-out concert presentation of his new blues opera, That Hell-Bound Train, with composer Lisa DeSpain, at the National Opera Center in New York City.
Career highlights include: The Screams of Kitty Genovese, (winner Jonathan Larson Award; music by Will Todd); book/stage adaptation of Disney’s High School Musical; libretto for choral symphony, Garden of Light (composer Aaron Jay Kernis). Plays include: Mary, Macs, Secret of Life, Waiting for the Ball to Drop; Wilde about Whitman, Ex-Gay Bar.
David is an alumnus of the Composer Librettist Development Program at American Lyric Theater. He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. He has received support from Edward Albee Foundation, Millay Colony, NY Theatre Workshop, Eugene O’Neill Foundation and Rhinebeck Writer’s Retreat. David is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild, and with playwright Darrah Cloud, is co-founder of A Howl of Playwrights in Rhinebeck
Lidiya Yankovskaya is a fiercely committed advocate for Slavic masterpieces, operatic rarities, and contemporary works on the leading edge of classical music. She has conducted more than 40 world premieres, including 17 operas, and her strength as a visionary collaborator has guided new perspectives on stagedandsymphonicrepertoirefrom Carmen and QueenofSpades to PriceandProkofiev.SinceherappointmentasElizabethMorseand GeniusMusicDirectorofChicagoOperaTheaterin2017,Ms.
YankovskayahasledtheChicagopremieresofJakeHeggie’s Moby-Dick, Rachmaninov’s Aleko,JobyTalbot’s Everest,Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta,and Adamo’s BecomingSantaClaus,aswellastheworldpremiereofDan Shore’s FreedomRide.Herdaringperformancesbeforeandamidthe pandemicearnedrecognitionfromtheChicagoTribune,whichpraised heras“theverymodelofhowtosurviveadversity,andalsohowto thriveinit,”whilenamingher2020ChicagoanoftheYear.
Inthe2022/23season,Ms.Yankovskayamakesaseriesofmajor orchestraldebuts,includingperformanceswithLosAngeles Philharmonic,NewYorkPhilharmonic,NationalSymphonyOrchestra, DetroitSymphonyOrchestra,SacramentoPhilharmonic,Knoxville Symphony,andRichmondSymphony.ShereturnstotheChicago SymphonyOrchestrafortheirMusicNOWseries,conductingaworkby CSOComposer-in-ResidenceJessieMontgomery.Shealsodebutsat SantaFeOperainanewproductionofDvořák’s Rusalka,atStaatsoper HamburgwithEugeneOnegin,andatEnglishNationalOpera, conductinganewstagedproductionofGórecki’s SymphonyofSorrowful Songs.Sheleadsthelong-awaitedworldpremieresof EdwardTulane at MinnesotaOperaand TheLifeandDeath(s)ofAlanTuring atChicago OperaTheater,whereshealsoconductstheChicagopremiereof Szymanowski’s KrólRoger.
Ms.Yankovskayahasrecentlyconducted Carmen atHoustonGrand Opera, DonGiovanni atSeattleOpera, Piade’Tolomei atSpoletoFestival USA, DerFreischütz atWolfTrapOpera, EllenWest atNewYork’s PrototypeFestival,and TakingUpSerpents atWashingtonNational OperaandtheGlimmerglassFestival.Ontheconcertstage,recent engagementsincludeChicagoSymphonyOrchestra,DallasSymphony Orchestra,FortWorthSymphonyOrchestra,OmahaSymphony,Rhode IslandPhilharmonic,andJuliaWolfe’s AnthraciteFields withBangona
CanAll-Starsand TheChoirofTrinityWallStreet atCarnegieHall.
Ms.YankovskayaisFounderandArtisticDirectoroftheRefugee OrchestraProject,whichproclaimstheculturalandsocietalrelevance ofrefugeesthroughmusic,andhasbroughtthatmessagetohundreds ofthousandsoflistenersaroundtheworld.
Peter works extensively as a director of theater, musical theater, opera and new work development. He is the Founding Artistic Director of Theater Latté Da, a Twin Cities-based company dedicated to adventurous musictheater. Since the company’s inception in 1992, Peter has directed 82 main-stage productions, including 13 world
premieresand13areapremieres.In2012thecompanylaunchedNEXT,a majornewworksinitiativeforthedevelopmentofnewmusic-theater.
Directinghighlightsinclude OtherDesertCities,M.Butterfly and Private Lives fortheGuthrieTheater,record-breakingproductionsof Annie, The WizardofOz,andtheworldpremiereofDisney’s HighSchoolMusicalfor theChildren’sTheatreCompany; Cosifantutte fortheMinnesotaOpera; Doubt, OnceonthisIsland and MissJulieforTenThousandThings; Guysand Dolls and Oklahoma! forSeattle’s5thAvenueTheatre;andaward-winning productionsof SpringAwakening,LaBohème,OldWickedSongs and Violet forTheaterLattéDa.
Peterfrequentlydirectsworkshopsofnewplays,musicalsandoperaswith TheaterLattéDa,thePlaywrights’Center,Philadelphia’sPlayPennandthe IllusionTheatre,whereheisanartisticassociate.
Heisthecreatorof AllIsCalm:TheChristmasTruceof1914,which premieredinalivebroadcastonMinnesotaPublicRadioandhassince beenbroadcastaroundtheglobe.In2018,AllisCalmreceiveditsOffBroadwaydebutattheSheenCenterforThought&Culture,forwhichit wona2019DramaDeskAwardforUniqueTheatricalExperience.This originaldocu-musicalhaditsworldpremiereinalivebroadcaston MinnesotaPublicRadioin2007.Sincethattime,theshowhasenjoyed globalsuccessreachingmorethan50citiesplayingprestigiousvenues suchasTheKennedyCenter(Washington,D.C.),CalPerformances (Berkeley,CA)andtheMetropolitanMuseumofArt(NewYork).Theshow hastoured11seasonacrossNorthAmericaandhasbeenlicensedand performedbytheatercompaniesandchorusesacrosstheUSandCanada. Peterisalsothecreatorof SteerageSongalongwithmusicianand storytellerDanChouinard. SteerageSong isanewmusicalaboutthe EuropeanAmericanimmigrantexperiencebetween1845and1924seen throughthelensofthecurrentimmigrationdebate.Theworkincludes songsfrom25countriesandisperformedin18differentlanguages.
PeterhasbeennamedoneofMinnesota’sArtistsoftheYearbytheStar Tribune(2001,2007,2011),TheaterArtistoftheYear(2010)byLavender Magazine,BestDirectoroftheYear(2006,2010)byCityPagesandArtist oftheYearbyCityPages(2012).HehasreceivednineIveyAwardsfor OverallExcellence,andhasbeenawardedgrantsandfellowshipsfromthe NationalEndowmentfortheArts,TheaterCommunicationsGroup,the MinnesotaStateArtsBoardandtheMcKnightFoundation.
Jonathan Michie | Alan Turing
Praised for his “vivid acting and virile baritone” (Bachtrack), in the 2022/23 season Jonathan Michie will create the role of Alan Turing in the world premiere of Justine Chen and David Simpatico’s The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing at Chicago Opera Theater. He returns to Oper Leipzig for debuts as Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni, Ned Keene in Peter Grimes, and Kühleborn in Lortzing’s Undine, all in brand new productions. He will also reprise the roles of Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, Konrad Nachtigall in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Le Dancaïre in Carmen, and Zwerg Adi in Schneewittchen. Recent seasons have included his Seattle Opera debut as Dandini in La Cenerentola, his Israeli Opera debut as Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, his Theater Bremen debut as Belcore in L'elisir d'amore, and a return to Florida Grand Opera for Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro. His other recent roles with Oper Leipzig include Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Marcello and Schaunard in La bohème, Dandini in La Cenerentola, Olivier in Capriccio, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Ping in Turandot.
Further roles with Oper Leipzig include Sonora in La fanciulla del West, Ottokar in Der Freischütz, the Gamekeeper in Rusalka, Le conseiller de Thou in Gounod’s Cinq-Mars, Valentin in Faust, Sam in Trouble in Tahiti, Silvio in Pagliacci, Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos, Der Tierbändiger in Lulu, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, der Einäugige in Die Frau ohne Schatten, and Hiram Otis in Getty’s The Canterville Ghost. He also recently joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for their production of Die Zauberflöte. Other notable performances include: Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Donald in Billy Budd, Noye in Noye’s Fludde, the Vicar in Albert Herring, and Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia with the Los Angeles Opera; Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette, Ping in Turandot, and Masetto in Don Giovanni with Florida Grand Opera; Prince Paul in La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein and Baron Douphol in La traviata with the Santa Fe Opera; Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia and Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus with Finger Lakes Opera; Donald in Billy Budd with Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Valentin in Faust at the Teatro Comunale Bolzano, Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos at the Beijing Music Festival, and Masetto in Don Giovanni with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival. While an apprentice artist with the Santa Fe Opera, he sang his first performances of the Vicar in Albert Herring and Count Dominik in Arabella. He sang his first performances of Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia as a member of San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program in addition to an excerpt of J. Robert Oppenheimer in Adams’ Doctor Atomic. He has performed with Oper Halle, the Chautauqua Opera, Spoleto Festival U.S.A., the Steans Institute of Music at the Ravinia Festival, City Center Encores!, Opera Saratoga, and the Ohio Light Opera.
Joey Hammond-Leppek, is a tenor originally from Novi, Michigan and now a resident of Minneapolis, MN. He is a recent graduate of
the Minnesota Resident Artist Program and was a Wolf Trap Filene Artist for the 2021 and 2022 summer, where he was seen as Little Bat in Susannah. Also in the 2022-23 season, Joey was seen as the Prince in Alma Deutcher’s Cinderella with Opera San Jose.
Highlights of his career include singing Pedrillo with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City in The Abduction from the Seraglio, where he sang with ‘clarity and enormous charm’ (KC Independent), Tony in Glimmerglass Festival’s West Side Story, where he ‘sang elegantly, danced gracefully, and had a winning chemistry with Maria’ (Classical Voice America), and a ‘well-trained and dynamic’ (Washington Classical Review) Count Barigoule in Viardot’s Cendrillon at the Wolf Trap Opera Filene Center.
Joey has also acted on film, including Minnesota Opera’s virtual production of Albert Herring as the Mayor, HGOco’s “Now, ” an operatic web episode centering LGBTQ+ issues, and his own programmed and performed piece called “A Couch Cabaret” with Minnesota Opera’s Apart Together.
Joey was honored to be a 2020 National Semifinalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and a 3rd place winner in the 2021 Cooper-Bing competition. Joey is a graduate of the Rice University Shepherd School of Music and has participated in resident artist programs across the country, including the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Glimmerglass Festival, Central City, and Opera Saratoga.
Taylor Raven | Joan Clarke
Taylor Raven is a “vocal sensation” (Washington Classical Review) quickly establishing herself in opera, concert, and recital. Ms. Raven began the 22/23 season withherdebutattheSanFranciscoOperaforatrioof operas:aworldpremiereofJohnAdams’ Antonyand Cleopatra (Charmian), DialoguesdesCarmélites (Sister Mathilde)and Latraviata (Flora).Otherhighlightsthis seasonincludedebutswithKentuckyOperaforLa Cenerentola (Angelina)andChicagoOperaTheaterfor The LifeandDeath(s)ofAlanTuring (JoanClarke),andareturnto DesMoinesMetroOperaforthetitleroleinCarmen.On theconcertstage,shewillmakeherdebutwithThe ClevelandOrchestrafor LafanciulladelWest (Wowkle) conductedbyFranzWelser-Möstandwillreturntothe MemphisSymphony.
LastseasonshemadedebutswithHoustonGrandOpera for DieZauberflöte (DritteDame),WashingtonConcert Operafor Lakmé (Mallika),andNorthCarolinaOperafor Moravec’s SanctuaryRoad.Ontheconcertstageshemade debutswiththeDallasSymphonyOrchestra,Baltimore SymphonyOrchestra,OrchestraIowa,andreturnedtothe LosAngelesPhilharmonic.Additionalengagements includedtheworldpremiereofasongcycle commemoratingthe100thanniversaryofthe Tombofthe UnknownSoldier withUrbanAriasandareturntotheroster oftheLyricOperaofChicago.
RecentengagementsincludedebutswithDesMoines MetroOperain PiqueDame (Pauline),FingerLakesOpera in IlbarbierediSiviglia (Rosina),andHandel&Haydn Societyfor BeethovenSymphonyNo.9 conductedbyMarin Alsop.TaylorisarecentgraduateoftheYoungArtist ProgramwiththeLAOpera,whereshewasseenin La clemenzadiTito (Annio), DonCarlo (Tebaldo),theKosky productionof DieZauberflöte (ZweiteDame)conductedby JamesColon,and HanselandGretel (Sandman).AsaFilene ArtistatWolfTrapOperasheperformedin Ilbarbieredi Siviglia (Rosina)and L'heureespagnole (Concepción).Onthe concertstageshemadeherAliceTullyHalldebut appearingwiththeAmericanSymphonyOrchestrafora concertofBachariasconductedbyLeonBotstein.
Richard Ollarsaba | Fred Clayton/Judge Harrison COT DEBUT
Mexican-American bass-baritone, Richard Ollarsaba, praised by The Washington Post for his “meltingly smooth bass-baritone” and for “evoking a young Ruggero Raimondi in looksandmanner”,representedtheUSAinthe2019BBC CardiffSingeroftheWorldcompetition,wasamemberof theprestigiousPatrickG.AndShirleyW.RyanOpera CenteratLyricOperaofChicagoforthreeseasons,anda grandfinalistinthe2013MetropolitanOperaNational CouncilAuditions.Thisseasonhedebutswiththe GlimmerglassFestival,LyricOperaofKansasCity,and PortlandOperaasEscamillointheirproductionsofBizet’s Carmen.HewillalsodebutwithChicagoOperaTheaterin theworld-premiereopera TheLifeandDeath(s)ofAlan TuringbyJustineF.ChenandDavidSimpatico,andwill returntotheroleoftheCountin LenozzediFigaro with KnoxvilleOpera.
Season2021/22,hedebutedwithNewZealandOperaas Figarointheirnationaltouringproductionof Lenozzedi Figaro,withOperaGrandRapidsandOperaCarolinainthe titleroleofDonGiovanni,withtheJacksonvilleSymphony inhisroledebutasSchaunardinperformancesofPuccini’s Labohème,andreturnedtoVirginiaOperainhisroledebut asCountAlamavivainMozart’s LenozzediFigaro.
WhileattheRyanOperaCenteratLyricOperaofChicago, histenureincludedproductionsof LaTraviata,Capriccio, AnnaBolena,Tosca,ThePassenger,Otello,MadamaButterfly, Parsifal andthetitlerolein DonGiovanni –steppingintothe iconicpartwithafewhours’notice.Otheroperatic engagementsincludeAsdrubaleinRossini’s Lapietradel paragone,FallitoinGassmann’s L’operaseria,Angelottiin Tosca,andLucianoinMusto’s Bastianello withWolfTrap Opera.
AnativeofTempe,Arizona,RichardOllarsabareceivedhis BachelorofMusicfromtheClevelandInstituteofMusic andhisMasterofMusicandpost-graduatecertificatefrom theUniversityofNorthCarolinaSchooloftheArts.In additiontotheRyanOperaCenteratLyricOperaof Chicago,hetrainedatMinnesotaOpera,MusicAcademyof theWest,ChautauquaOpera,AspenMusicFestival, Tanglewood,andWolfTrapOpera.
Teresa Castillo | Sara Turing
Costa Rican-American Soprano Teresa Castillo, has been hailed by the San Francisco Gate as a “standout, bringing [vocal] power and florid elegance,” and by Opera News for exhibiting “a clean, concentratedsound,andalovely,intelligentmusicianship.”
Ms.Castillo’s2022/23seasonincludesahousedebutat theTeatroLiricodiCagliariwhereshewillperformtherole ofMariainFrancescaZambello’sproductionofBernstein’s WestSideStory andareturntotheLyricOperaofChicago whereshewillbecoveringLaComtesseAdèle(LeComte Ory).ShealsomadeahouseandroledebutswithChicago OperaTheaterasMissWordsworth(AlbertHerring)and SaraTuring(TheLifeandDeath(s)ofAlanTuring).She recentlymadeherdebutatOperaSouthwestasLa ComtesseAdèle(LeComteOry),whereshewasajumpin with24hrsnotice.Thissummer,Ms.Castillowillbe makingherLincolnCenterdebutasAnnetta(Crispinoela comare)withTeatroNuovo.
Her2021/22seasonincludeseveralhousedebuts includingtheLyricOperaofChicagowhereshecovered theroleofKöniginderNacht,OperaSanJoseintheroles ofFrasquita(Carmen)andMaria(WestSideStory),White SnakeProductionsasCirce/Siren/GreekChorusinthe premierof ASurvivor'sOdyssey:TheJourneyofPenelopeand CirceandOperaLafayetteintheirproductionofGretry’s Silvain intheroleofLucette.Summer2022,shereturned toTeatroNuovotosingtheroleofAmina(LaSonnambula), buttheshowwaspostponedduetoCovid.Her2019/20 SeasonincludedengagementsatKnoxvilleOperainthe titleroleofGounod’s RomeoetJuliette,areturntoCarnegie HallconcertunderthebatonofJohnRutter,andarecital withPittsburghFestivalOpera(bothcancelleddueto Covid-19).
Anaward-winningsoprano,Ms.Castillohasplacedinmany competitionsincludingtheLoisAlbaAriaCompetition, OperaIndex,TheJensenFoundationVocalCompetition, MildredMillerInternationalVoiceCompetition,TheAnita CerquettiInternationalCompetition,Altamura/Caruso InternationalVoiceCompetition,ClassicalSingerMagazine Competition,andtheDenverLyricOperaGuild Competition.
David Salsbery Fry is a bass singer, narrator and advocate for performers with disabilities. Praised for his “extremely sensual and almost impossibly deep tones” by concerti, he is the grand prize winner of the BiduSayãoInternationalVocalCompetition.
Atirelesssupporterofnewmusicandcomposer-performer collaboration,Mr.FryhaspremieredworksbyRobertAldridge,Shawn BroganAllison,LembitBeecher,JustineF.Chen,FrankCorcoran,Chaya Czernowin,JohnDavidEarnest,RubyFulton,JulianaHall,JennyOlivia Johnson,LouisKarchin,LowellLiebermann,AdamMaor,EricNathan, OsnatNetzer,StevePotter,ArnoldRosner,JosephSummer,Kristian Twombly,NicholasVinesandScottWheeler.Hehasalsocollaborated withMarkAdamo,JamesGranvilleEakinIII,OliverKnussen,Ari BenjaminMeyers,NicoMuhly,JohnMusto,JudithShatin,andCharles Wuorinen.
OthernotableengagementsincludeOsminin DieEntführungausdem Serail forSt.PetersburgOpera,DonBasilioin IlbarbierediSiviglia for VeroBeachOpera,Truffaldinin AriadneaufNaxos atTanglewood,Arkel in PelléasetMélisande andSarastroin DieZauberflöte inTelAviv,his
MostlyMozartdebutinStravinsky’sRenard,andOlinBlitchin Susannah withOperaatRutgers.
HiswritingincludesarticlesforClassicalSinger,TheLiberatedVoice, andOperaandDisability.HeisalsoafeaturedcontributortoClaudia Friedlander’sTheSinger’sAudition&CareerHandbookandJames Harrington’sBuildingaCareerinOperafromSchooltoStage: Operapreneurship.
Mr.FrystudiedatJuilliard,theUniversityofMaryland,andJohns HopkinsandapprenticedwithTheSantaFeOpera.Hisrecordingsare availablefromAlbany,BMOP/sound,Navona,Naxos,NewWorld RecordsandOdysseyOpera.
MoreonMr.Fry’slifeandcareercanbefoundintheOctober2015 issueofClassicalSinger.
Justin Berkowitz | Steve Todd/Arnold Murray
Justin Berkowitz tenor, originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been praised for his “exacting and animated” performances, and is quickly gaining national attention for both his character work, as well ashis“brightfutureinbelcanto.”
Justin's2018-19seasonbeginswithanexciting,international debutwith"MusicintheAlps"inInnsbruck,Austria,where hewillperformhishighly-regardedinterpretationofOrff's TenorSoloin CarminaBurana.Next,hewillappearwith OperaAtelieratTheHarrisTheaterintwoone-actpieces, Actéon and Pygmalion.Thespringof2019willbringseveral debutsof CarminaBurana withTheMobileSymphony Orchestra,ChippewaValleySymphony,andothers.Justinis alsothrilledtoperform TheMessiah withtheNaples Philharmonicthiswinter.
2017sawexcitingChicagodebutswithTheChicago PhilharmonicastheTenorSoloistfor CarminaBurana,aswell ashisdebutwithHaymarketOperaTheaterin Arianeet Bachus, whichwasfollowedbyhisdebutwithOpera LouisianeasMonostatosin TheMagicFlute.The2016-17 seasonbeganforJustininCentralCity,COwherehe appearedasaBonfils-StantonApprenticeArtistwithCentral CityOpera,performingtherolesoftheOldMiner,Mayorof LeadvilleandChesterArthurin TheBalladofBabyDoe.This fall,JustinappearedwiththeJanesvilleSymphonyfortheir Bach Magnificat.During2017,Justinwillmakeseveral debuts,beginningwithDuPageOperaasNanki-pooin The Mikado.JustinwillthenappearwithOperaontheJamesas Dr.Cajusin Falstaff.JustinthenperformstheroleofJackin IntotheWoods withSt.PetersburgOpera.
2015-2016broughtJustinbacktothestagesoftheHarris Theater,appearinginChicagoOperaTheater's LucioSilla,and aperformanceofthetenorsoloin CarminaBurana withthe WindyCityChorusofChicago.The2014-2015season highlightsincludeconcertdebutswiththeNorthwestern UniversityConcertSeriesandAnnapolisChoralSocietyand Symphonyastenorsoloistin CarminaBurana,andthe Rochester(MI)SymphonyinMozart’sCoronationMass. Justinwasalsobeeninvitedtoperformasguestartistforthe MinnehahaMusic’sfallconcert,featuringBelCantoariasand operatichits.
With additional support from The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, The Amphion Foundation and the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation.
Partial support of this project is provided by
The Morse & Genius Reserve Fund
Commission Underwriting and Developmental Support for The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing has been provided by the Stephen M. Weiner & Don Cornuet, Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, and the American Composers Forum with funds provided by the Jerome Foundation.
The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing was developed under the auspices of the Composer Librettist Development Program at American Lyric Theater in New York City, which is made possible through lead funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, The Howard Gilman Foundation, The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music.
Additional Developmental Support for The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing was provided through The Vanguard Initiative at Chicago Opera Theater.
COT honors and thanks the Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation for its decades of support of and indelible impact on the arts community in Chicago.
Chicago Opera Theater’s Encore Society is an inspiring group of forward-thinking opera lovers who want to support the future of bold opera in Chicago. These commitments are integral to COT, helping us continue to present exciting premieres and unique productions to the community for years to come.
Patrons who have made a designation of any size through bequests, insurance policies, IRAs, or any other legacy-giving asset provision are eligible to become members of COT’s Encore Society. Members enjoy special communiques and exclusive invitations to donor events.
If you have made such arrangements, please let us know by contacting Director of Development Meaghan Stainback Smallwood at ms@cot.org or 312-874-7454.
Encore Society Members
Anonymous (2)
Lucy & Peter* Ascoli
Julie & Roger Baskes
Charlotte & Alan Bath
Judith & Merrill* Blau
Joan & Jeffrey Blumenthal
David Boyce
Janet Eyler & Edwin Walker
Megan Fellman & Anthony Rosso
Frances & Henry* Fogel
James K Genden+ & Alma Koppedraijer
Allen Heinemann* & William Borden
Mary Lunz* & James Houston
*Board Member †Deceased
Susan Irion* & Rob DeLand
Ruth Kane
Maria* & Peter Lagios
Patricia McMillen
Joanne Michalski & Mike Weeda
John H Nelson
Ed and Gayla Nieminen
Dorothy F. Osborn*
Florence Siefkins+
Lois B. Siegel
Virginia Tobiason*
Suzanne L Wagner+
Albert Walavich
Claude Weil
Roger J. Bialcik
Suzanne & William E. Bible
Kristen Bigham
Mrs. Arthur A. Billings
Brian T. Bird
Judith & Merrill* Blau
Shaun & Andy Block
Mrs. Albert Bloom
John P. Blosser
John & Claudia Boatright
Renee Menegaz-Bock & R. Darrell
Bock
Fred & Phoebe Boelter
Sheila Barton Bosron
Ann Box
Norman Boyer
Richard Boyum & Louie Chua
James Brandt
Drs. Charles & Patricia Brauner
David Braverman
Evan Bravos
Michael Brazier
Deborah Brevoort
Ella Britton-Gibson
Kathryn Brown
Ralph & Rona Brown
Archibald Bryant
Jeffrey D. Callison
Robert Calvin
Ray Carter
Joyce Chelberg
Elizabeth F. Cheney Foundation
Cynthia Cheski & Scott Elliott
Jason Cline
Margery C. Coen
Gene Collerd
Howard & Anne Conant
Dale Connelly & Donna Van Eekeren
Muniefa Cooper
Anne Cunningham
Robert & Isabel Curley
David Curry & George Kohler+
Chris Davis
De Priest Family Foundation, Inc.
Nancy Dehmlow
Marijane Deters
Diane Droste
Ingrid & Rich Dubberke
Kent Dymak & Theodore Foss
Kenneth A. East
Barbara & John Eckel
Laurence Edwards & Susan Boone
Anne Egger
Laurie Hammel & Bruce English
Erika Erich
Christine Eschete
Janet Eyler & Edwin Walker
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP‡
Kamille Fajardo
Karen & Clinton J. Feil
Marilynne Felderman
Jan Feldman
Megan Fellman & Anthony Rosso
Barry S. Finkel
Linda Fiore
Firestone Family Foundation
Colleen Flanigan
Geoffrey Flick
Nona C. Flores
Frances & Henry* Fogel
Lance & Marcy Fortnow
Eloise C. Foster
Robert Fourer
David Fox
Doug Brandt & Kathy Keegan
Diana & Neil King
Mary Klyasheff
Catherine & Douglas Knuth
Paul Kobasa
Peter Kohn & Judith Sandstrom
James K. Genden+ & Alma
Koppedraijer
Norm Ryan & Brae Korin
Axel Kunzmann & Bruce J. Nelson
Dr. Carol Kyros-Walker
Lawrence Johnson
A. Jeanne LaDuke
Maria* & Peter Lagios
Larry Lapidus
Joan & Gary Laser
Christopher Leake
Moses Lee
Lemont Fund
Michael Leppen
Mr. & Mrs. John G. Levi
Michael & Diane Levy
Elizabeth Amy Liebman
Lawrence Lipking
Barbara Lippi
Arthur & Dale Lipschultz
Chris H. Lonn
Michele Lowrie
Miles & Brittany Mabry
John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
*Board Member ‡In-kind †Deceased
Mary Mackay & Edward Wheatley
Catherine Madayag
Ashley & Brandon Magnus
Philip & Ann May
Laura G. & James* G. McCormick
Marilyn McCoy & Charles Thomas
Jeffrey & Cynthia McCreary
William A. McHugh
Jessica McJunkins
Jean McLaren & John Nitschke
Bozena McLees
Patricia McMillen
David E. McNeel*
Martina Mead & Michael Gorey
Mellon Foundation
Joanne Michalski & Mike Weeda
Donna Milanovich
David Miller
Frank Modruson & Lynne Shigley
Robert & Lois Moeller
Dave & Lizz Mook
The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust
Amanda & Arthur Moswin
Charles H. Mottier
Catherine Mouly & Ted Carlson
Masahiro Kasai & Bill Myers
Sonia Nahmod
Jennifer & Steve Nahn
National Endowment for the Arts
Negaunee Foundation
Sylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel
John H. Nelson
Donald E. Newsom
Lee Nickelson
Ed & Gayla Nieminen
Susan Noel*
Daniel Novak
Martha Nussbaum
William & Penny Obenshain
Michael & Margo Oberman
Shawn Okpebholo
Patricia A. Kenney & Gregory J. O'Leary
Irmgard & Keith Olson
Sarah & Charles Orlove
James Orr
Dorothy F. Osborn* & Bud Dobbins
Gerald Padbury
Dawn Palmer
Joan L. Pantsios
John Howard Percy
Jean Perkins & Leland Hutchinson
Nick Petros
The Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Chicago
Polk Bros. Foundation
Frank C. Pond
Sandra Popik
David Pozorski
Marianne Pyster
Susan Rabe
Pavitra Ramachandran*
Shulamit Ran Lotan
Matthew Recio
Charles & Maureen Reilly
Gerald Rizzer
Casey Robards
Nick Roman
Marsha & Robert Rosner
Heidi Rothenberg
Stephen Roy & Lloyd Kohler
Bobbie Rudnick
Richard O. Ryan
Joan & Frank R. Safford
Sage Foundation
Sahara Enterprises, Inc. Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation
David Saunders
Esther Schechter
Paul Scherer
Tamara Schiller
Russell Lascelles & Janet Schultz
Arleen & Frederic Schwartz
John N. Schwartz & James A. Mosley
Mark & Sally Schwartz
Susan H. Schwartz
Gerry Sczygiel
Barre Seid & Barbara Landis‡
Dejuan Shadd
Archietta Shannon
Michael Shapiro
Susan & Robert* Shapiro
Ilene and Michael Shaw
CharitableTrust
Rita & Jim Sheinin
Elizabeth Shepherd
John H. Shindler
Marcey & Ken Siegel
Roberta & Howard A. Siegel
Constance Simms-Kincaid
Larry Simpson
The Siragusa Family Foundation
Patricia Skigen
Meaghan & Michael Smallwood
Louise K. Smith
Sarah & Michael David Smith
Larry & Marge Sondler *Board
Laraine & David Spector
Estelle Spector
Spectrum Sports Bar & Grill Inc
Paul Sprecher
Nancy Stainback
Grace K. Stanek
Dale Starkes & Stacey Kossman
Ester Stein
Marjorie Stinespring
Ariana Strahl
James Strait
Carol Stukey
Lorraine Subra
Vivien Gross & Dan Tarlock
Texas Instruments Foundation
Tazewell Thompson
Myron & Karen Tiersky
Virginia Tobiason*
Rebecca Tung
Judith C. Tuszynski
Frances Vandervoort
Marisela Varela
David J. Varnerin
Laura Vesecky
Todd & Cari Vieregg
GIFTS IN MEMORY/HONOR OF
John Vinci
Albert Walavich
Dr. Alan J. Ward+
Louella Ward
Cynthia Winter & Nicholas Weingarten
Peter J. Wender
Drs. Dennis & Anne Wentz
Cathi White
Gerald Wilemski
Betty Winer
Claudia Winkler
Kathleen Arthur & Stephen Wood
Randi Woodworth
Mary & Michael Woolever
Debbie K. Wright
Tatyana & Boris Yamrom
Lidiya Yankovskaya & Daniel Schwartz
Dean Yannias
Michael & Jessica Young
Miriam L Young
Linda & Owen Youngman
Judith Zeitlin
Rita & Robert Zeitner
Camille Zientek
Many donors establish gifts to honor and/or remember a respected mentor or friend. These donations pay tribute to influential members of COT’s family who serve as an inspiration to the rest of the community.
In Honor of Peter Ascoli
Roberta and Howard A. Siegel
In Memory of Donna Babonas
Steve Landsman
In Memory of David Lee Bradke
Ruth Hansen & Lawrence Plotkin
In Honor of Justin Berkowitz
Kate Akos & Harry Jacobs
In Memory of Gwendolyn Britten
Jeffrey D. Callison
In Memory of John R. Buckley
Sarah & Michael David Smith
In Memory of Stefan Edlis
Gael Neeson
In Honor of Henry Fogel
David Chambers
Jamey & Melissa Sage Fadim
Ray Frick
Gaylord & William Gieseke
Negaunee Foundation
In Honor of Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer
Rita & Jim Sheinin
In Honor of Sue Irion
Robert Irion
Gaylord & William Gieseke
In Memory of George N. Kohler
David Curry
In Honor of Ashley Magnus
Donna Milanovich
Gaylord & William Gieseke
In Memory of Duncan C. McCune
Miriam L. Young
In Honor of Frank Modruson
Old National Bancorp
In Honor of Megan Monahan
Sue & Paul* Freehling
In Memory of John C. Palmer, Jr.
Dawn Palmer
In Memory of Andrew Patner
Steve Robinson & Beth Schenker
In Memory of Adeline & John Popik
Sandra Popik
In Memory of Carolyn Rizzer
Gerald Rizzer
In Memory of Hal Schiff
Paul Scherer
In Memory of Frank E. Sherman
David Granato
In Honor of Meaghan Stainback
Smallwood
Anonymous
Stephen Alltop
Peggy & Ron Beata
Mr. & Mrs. Michael Oberman
Daniel Novak
Nick Roman
In Honor of Virginia Tobiason
Cheryl Berger
In Honor of Brea Williams
Nick Roman
In Honor of Dorian YankovskayaSchwartz
Patricia McMillen
In Honor of Lidiya Yankovskaya
Mark Adamo & John Corigliano
Gaylord & William Gieseke
Donna Milanovich
Shulamit Ran Lotan
Michael Shapiro
Peter J. Wender
The Vanguard Initiative is COT's fully-comprehensive program for composers ready to delve into the world of opera. This immersive two year residency includes participation in all COT productions, sessions with top industry leaders, extensive study of repertoire and vocal writing, direct insight into administrative and other behind-the-scenes processes, and culminates with the development of a full-length opera commissioned by COT. The program is guided and overseen by COT Music Director Lidiya Yankovskaya, with Composer Advisors Jake Heggie, Kamala Sankaram, and Gene Scheer.
The Vanguard Emerging Opera Composer Residency is supported by a generous grant from the Mellon Foundation.
The COT/CCPA Young Artist Program is a specialized opportunity for developing pianists and singers. It allows developing artists with exceptional career promise and mastery of basic skills to focus on all areas of their artistic growth. The program affords them professional experience, particularly in the development and performance of innovative new work, while also supporting them with voice lessons, vocal coaching, and dramatic training from the illustrious music and performance faculty at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts. Participants receive a full-tuition scholarship, as well as a monthly stipend during the performance season, which runs September – April.
Shawn E. Okpebholo 2021-2023 Gillian Rae Perry 2022-2024 Carlos R. Carrillo 2023-2025 Jennifer Allor Veena Akama-Makia Karlos PiñeroMercado Pauline Tan Corinne CostellBased in New York City, American Lyric Theater (ALT) was founded in 2005 by Lawrence Edelson to build a new body of operatic repertoire by nurturing composers, librettists and dramaturgs, developing sustainable artistic collaborations, and contributing new works to the national canon.
ALT is home to the Composer Librettist Development Program (CLDP), the only full-time professional mentorship program for emerging opera writers in the country that provides tuition-free, personalized training along with direct financial support to artists selected through an open national call. The multi-year program consists of a core curriculum of classes and workshops, followed by residencies during which artists are commissioned to write fulllength operas. Resident Artists in the CLDP are mentored by some of the country’s leading working artists, including composer/librettist Mark Adamo; composers Anthony Davis, Ricky Ian Gordon, Scott Davenport Richards, and Paul Moravec; librettists Mark Campbell and Michael Korie; mezzo soprano Adriana Zabala; and dramaturg Cori Ellison.
In 2012, ALT was the first company dedicated to artist mentorship rather than operatic production to be recognized by OPERA America as a Professional Company Member – a testament to ALT’s service to the field. To date, ALT has provided intensive, personalized mentorship to over 50 gifted operatic writers.
Alumni of the CLDP are at the forefront of creating new operas for companies nationwide, including Opera Philadelphia, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Beth Morrison Projects, and The Metropolitan Opera. In 2020, ALT adopted The Opera Writers Diversity and Representation Initiative (OWDARI), a strategic framework that has evolved into a series of tangible actions to address racial justice in ALT’s contributions to the opera field. Through the lens of the OWDARI, ALT has been diversifying the CLDP faculty and curriculum, and increasing access to ALT’s programs by breaking down geographic and financial barriers to participation. The creation of the OWDARI Advisory Committee, comprised of BIPOC artists and related experts in the field, and the appointment of conductor Kelly Kuo to the newly created position of Associate Artistic Director in 2021, have been a particularly exciting developments for ALT as the company continues to advance these goals.
For more information about ALT, please visit altnyc.org
COVID Protocols: The Harris Theater strongly recommends proper wearing of masks at all times for audiences in the theater including while in line to enter, when in close proximity to others, and throughout the performance. For more information, visit harristheaterchicago.org/faqs.
In Consideration of Other Patrons and the Performers: Photography is not permitted in the Theater at any time and texting during performance is strictly prohibited. Film or digital images will be confiscated or deleted by the Harris Theater house staff; violators will be subject to a fine. Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the house management. Smoking is prohibited within the Harris Theater. Allowance of personal items and baggage into the auditorium space is at the sole discretion of house management.
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible seating locations, swing arm aisle seating, and inclusive/wheelchair accessible restrooms are available on all auditorium seating levels. The Harris is also equipped with an FM Assistive Listening Device system. Headsets are available for check out with a valid ID. Please call the Box Office in advance at 312.334.7777 regarding ticketing and accessible seating questions. If inquiring on any additional accommodation requests to enhance your performance experience, please reach out to access@harristheaterchicago.org or call 312.334.2486 at least two weeks in advance.
Parking: Discounted parking validation is available for all ticket holders using the Millennium Park Garage. A validation machine is located on Lobby Level 5 (Upper Randolph).
Harris Theater Mission: The Harris Theater is Chicago’s home for music and dance, connecting diverse audiences with artists from across the city, the nation, and the world. Opened in 2003 in Millennium Park, the Theater was the first multi-use performance venue built in downtown Chicago since 1929, and fulfilled the city’s need for a shared home for mid-size performing arts organizations. Today, the Harris features some of the most diverse arts and culture offerings of any venue in the city, and is a distinctive model for artistic quality, collaboration, and making the performing arts relevant and accessible to the widest possible audience.
Founded on the principle of serving Chicago’s vibrant creative community, the Theater is the home venue of more than 25 not-for-profit arts and culture organizations. The Harris Theater Presents series has featured world-renowned artists and ensembles including Laurie Anderson, Batsheva Dance, English National Ballet, Joshua Bell, Renée Fleming, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the Monteverdi Choir, Angélique Kidjo, and Paris Opéra Ballet. The Theater’s community engagement initiatives build bridges between artists and community members, providing master classes, artist talks, and free tickets for more than 35 partner organizations throughout Chicago.To learn more about the Harris Theater, Chicago’s state-of-the-art 1,499-seat performance venue in Millennium Park, visit harristheaterchicago.org
