Leonora Program

Lawrence Edelson, Edlis Neeson General Director

NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE

LEONORA OCTOBER 1/4/6, 2024 | STUDEBAKER THEATER

COT thanks Nancy Dehmlow and the Morse & Genius Operating Reserve Fund for their generous support of the 2024/25 Season. Leadership support for COT’s production of Leonora has been provided by Julie & Roger Baskes, Bill & Orli Staley, and the COT President’s Council.

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WELCOME FROM GENERAL DIRECTOR LAWRENCE EDELSON

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to Chicago Opera Theater, not only as General Director, but as the stage director for our North American Premiere of Ferdinando Paër’s Leonora.

For the past four weeks, I have had the great pleasure of collaborating with conductor Jane Glover, an extraordinary group of singers, and our exceptional designers and production team to bring Leonora to life.

While I have been studying this score for over year, hearing this music come off the page and working with this cast has been an incredible experience, and we are all so excited to share this unjustly neglected opera with you.

There are many reasons why composers and their works fall off of our radar, but it is a huge mistake to think that just because we haven’t heard Paër’s operas performed in the US that they aren’t worthy of our attention. Leonora was written in 1804, an exhilarating period of transition and innovation, marked by the fusion of Classical refinement with emerging Romantic sensibilities. While Paër wrote over 50 operas – many of which were celebrated and widely produced in the early 19th century - Leonora is one of his best known works, in part because it is based on the same libretto that inspired Beethoven’s later opera Fidelio.

In fact, Beethoven not only owned a copy of the score to Leonora, he once joked that the funeral march in Paër’s Achille was so fine he “would have to compose it.” In 1810, Paër composed a bridal march for Napoleon's wedding to Marie Louise, Duchess of Parma. In 1812, he succeeded Spontini as conductor of the Opéra-Italien in Paris, a position he held until 1823 when he retired and was succeeded by none other than Rossini, who as a boy made his debut in Paër’s Camilla. A leading figure in the musical life of Paris, Paër gave voice lessons to legendary soprano Giuditta Pasta, composition lessons to the young Franz Liszt, and he was responsible for introducing Chopin and Bellini in the most important salons of the French capital.

I have always been fascinated by composers and operas that were acclaimed in their time and then fall out of the public sphere. There are so many exciting operas that are waiting for rediscovery, and I love that we can focus on these corners of the repertoire at COT. When I joined COT, Paër’s Leonora was one of the first operas I considered bringing to Chicago audiences. Leonora was the second of four operas that were written based on the same libretto – the most famous, of course, being Beethoven’s Fidelio. In 2020, there were world-wide celebrations of the 250th Anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, and as part of this milestone, there was renewed interest in Paër’s opera. Leonora premiered in 1804 - a year before the first version of Fidelio - and it was frequently performed across Europe in the early 19th century. In the 1820s, the version of Fidelio we know today began being produced more frequently, and Paër’s opera was subsequently neglected for well over a century.

While there had been some interest in Leonora in the 1970’s - and even a heavily cut recording with a starry cast - we have only recently been able to get a clear picture of the opera Paër wrote. The first critical edition of Leonora was prepared for performances in Austria in 2020, and a recording of those concert performances was issued shortly thereafter. When I heard this new recording, I was blown away. The musical

Behind the scenes in rehearsal, with Vanessa Becerra (left) as Leonora and Edgardo Rocha (right) as Florestano. Photo by Michael Brosilow.

musical invention - both orchestrally and vocally - is remarkable, and the contrast between Paër’s realization of the story and Beethoven’s is fascinating. Knowing that Lyric Opera was planning on bringing Fidelio back to the stage this fall, it was clear to me that we had to produce Leonora, providing a rare opportunity to see these two operas side by side.

Now, let me be clear: Beethoven’s Fidelio is a remarkable work.

By producing Paër’s Leonora we are not suggesting it is “better” than Fidelio. I think such comparisons are counterproductive. I find it much more interesting to appreciate the unique perspectives each composer/librettist team brings to this story.

At each opera’s core is the profound love between Leonora and her imprisoned husband, Florestano, a love so powerful that it drives her to sacrifice her own safety in a daring attempt to free him. This tale of love is set against the backdrop of a corrupt system where justice is overshadowed by tyranny, with Florestano’s unjust imprisonment serving as a stark reminder of the oppression that can arise under such power. While the story that inspired the opera took place during the French Revolution, it is very easy for contemporary audiences to see the parallels, as we don't have to look far to see individuals abusing their power for self-protection .inspired and political gain.

Don Pizzarro costume design by Brenda Winstead.

For me, however, one thing that is striking about Leonora is that this is an opera semiseria, juxtaposing serious subject matter with more comic scenes. Librettists Giuseppe Maria Foppa and Giacomo Cinti really lean into these lighter scenes, which are much more prevalent than in Beethoven’s adaptation of the story.

What are we to make of this? On one level, the lighter scenes provide moments of contrast. However, I think they serve a deeper purpose. When we see these scenes juxtaposed with the abuse of power that lies at the heart of this story, they help to shine a light on the complicity of those in society who live in their own worlds and choose not to see. How is it that people can ignore – or even be oblivious to – the oppression that surrounds them?

In addition, Leonora does not have a chorus. This also changes the dynamic of the narrative significantly.

Paër’s opera takes on a different type of intimacy. This is not a story of community liberation, rather it is an individual tale of love and bravery - though certainly one that can - and has been - held up as an example for others in the pursuit of freedom and justice. That Leonora’s love for Florestano is always front and center should come as no surprise when one considers that the alternate title for Leonora is L'amor conjugale, or Married Love.

Whether you are familiar with Beethoven's Fidelio or you are discovering the story of Leonora’s love and bravery for the first time through the music of Paër, it is our great pleasure to introduce you to this beautiful opera. Our ability to bring rarely produced and new works to Chicago audiences is only possible because of your passion and commitment. Thank you for joining us, and for your support of Chicago Opera Theater.

With all best wishes, Lawrence Edelson Edlis Neeson General Director

First Production October 3, 1804 Composer: Ferdinando Paër Librettists: Giuseppe Maria Foppa & Giacomo Cinti

CAST IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE Marcellina, Rocco’s Daughter Keely Futterer Giachino, Rocco’s Assistant Alex Soare Rocco, Prison Guard Joo Won Kang Leonora, Disguised as Fedele, Florestano’s Wife Vanessa Becerra Don Pizzarro, Governor of the Prison Matthew Pearce Florestano, A Prisoner Edgardo Rocha Don Fernando, The King’s Minister Kameron Alston A Captain of the Guard Aaron Israel Levin

COVERS Cover Marcellina Marissa Howard Cover Giachino Peter Morgan Cover Rocco Laureano Quant Cover Leonora Hayley Fox Cover Don Pizzarro Dylan Morrengiello Cover Florestano Joseph Leppek Cover Don Fernando Sam Grosby

North American Premiere

ARTISTIC

ORCHESTRA

Conductor & Fortepiano Dame Jane Glover DBE

Violin I Isabella Lippi Eric Pidluski Azusa Tashiro Tom Yang Jeri Lou Zike Wendy Benner

Director Lawrence Edelson Scenic Designer Cameron Anderson Costume Designer Brenda Winstead Lighting Designer Josh Epstein Hair & Makeup Supervisor Rebecca A. Scott Intimacy & Fight Director Katherine (Kat) Coyl Assistant Conductor Andrew Whitfield Assistant Director Diane Machin Orchestra Contractor Ross Beacraft Répétiteur Yasuko Oura Second Répétiteur Paula Gelpi Dialect Coach Alessandra Visconti

PRODUCTION Stage Manager Kristen Barrett Assistant Stage Manager Colt Luedtke Technical Director Emmanuel Jimenez Props Supervisor Mariah Bennett Lighting Supervisor Aaron Lichamer Costume Director Brenda Winstead Assistant Costume Director Savana Nix

Chicago Opera Theater orchestra musicians are members of the American Federation of Musicians (AFM).

Assistant Scenic Designer Lauren M. Nichols

Chicago Opera Theater singers, dancers, and staging staff are members of the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA).

Costume Assistant Emma Sutter

Don Pizzarro and Don Fernando suits fabricated by The Costume Shop, Chicago

LEONORA

Costume Assistant/Wardrobe Crew Rachel Parent

Drapers Margot Bardeen Talia Newton Supertitles Operator Andrew Wolffking

Violin II Elizabeth Huffman Mark Agnor Rika Seko Lori Ashikawa Kamen Vatchev Viola Claudia Lassareff-Mironoff Paul Vanderwerth Viannia Phillips Oana Tatu Cello Anna Steinhoff Nomin Zolzaya Wei Liu Denton Bass Jonathan Cegys Jason Niehoff Flute Mary Stolper Janice MacDonald Oboe Grace Hong Joseph Claude Clarinet Elizandro Garcia Montoya Barb Drapcho Bassoon Vincent DiSantis Karl Razsa Horn Gregory Flint Dan O’Connell Trumpet Ross Beacraft Christian Anderson Gregory Fudala Timpani Michael Folker

Ferdinando Paër LEONORA Historical tale in two acts Bärenreiter Urtext edition Used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, U.S. and Canadian agent for Bärenreiter-Verlag, publisher and copyright owner.

CHICAGO OPERA THEATER BOARD AND STAFF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

STAFF

President Susan J. Irion

Edlis Neeson General Director Lawrence Edelson

Secretary Allen Heinemann

Director of Development Meaghan Smallwood

Immediate Past President Henry Fogel

Director of Artistic Operations Brittany Nelson

DIRECTORS

Vanguard Program Artistic Director Lidiya Yankovskaya

Alissa Andraski Peter Ascoli Ron Bauer Merrill Blau Paul E. Freehling Michael G. Hansen Stephanie Hart Mary Houston KaTerri M. Kelly Maria Lagios James G. McCormick David McNeel Susan Noel Dorothy Osborn Pavitra Ramachandran Robert E. Shapiro Virginia Tobiason

Production Manager Josephine Kearns

HONORARY TRUSTEES Roger Baskes Nancy Dehmlow Joan W. Harris Gael Neeson Gregory J. O’Leary

Behind the scenes of Leonora rehearsal. Matthew Pearce (left) as Don Pizzarro, Edgardo Rocha (middle) as Florestano, and Vanessa Becerra (right) as Leonora.

Photo by Michael Brosilow.

Director of Operations & Audience Services Scott Gryder Director of Education & Community Engagement Veronica Chamberlain Development Manager Korey Pimental Marketing Manager Emmelly Villagran Artistic Operations Assistant Andrew Wolffking Bookkeeper Lynn Iacopelli, Quatrro Financial Services

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RELFECTIONS ON PAËR’S LEONORA "Stand back, or you're dead!"

What sounds like a line from 1950s cops and robbers movie is actually a straightforward translation of what Leonora cries out to the governor Pizzarro when he makes a move to kill the prisoner Florestano. The shocking moment comes directly after two other shocks. To the amazement of the characters who share the stage with her, Leonora has just declared that she is not the man "Fedele," as she had pretended to be, but a woman — and the wife of Florestano.

Pizzarro has made a startling revelation of his own by removing the mask he had earlier donned out of cowardice, hoping to hide his identity as he murdered Florestano. He reveals himself in order to intimidate Leonora, with what little effect it is plain for the audience to witness.

Leonora costume design by Brenda Winstead

This climactic moment from Act II of Ferdinando Paër's Leonora, like so many other passages from the opera, presents a strange mixture of the familiar and the unfamiliar. We have, on the one hand, a story, situation, and characters made famous through Ludwig van Beethoven's only completed opera Leonore (retitled Fidelio beginning with the revised version of 1814). At the same time, we find not only numerous minor differences in the working out of the action, but a new (to us) musical score by a composer who never gained a permanent place in the standard repertoire as it evolved during the century following his death, with Beethoven at its center. Leonora is thus an example of a curious phenomenon: an opera not merely obscure to modern audiences, but obscure in the specific sense of being overshadowed by a more celebrated work on the same subject, as Paisiello's Barber of Seville was eclipsed by Rossini's, and Leoncavallo's La Bohème by Puccini's.

But which opera, historically speaking, overshadowed which? The Dresden premiere of Leonora in 1804 launched a series of further productions: Prague in 1805, Vienna in 1806, Fontainebleau, Stuttgart, and Vienna once more in 1809, Florence in 1812, Frankfurt and Berlin in 1810, Rome and Munich in 1813, and Naples in 1816. By contrast, Beethoven's Fidelio did not really take off as a popular work until the premiere of his revision of 1814, his versions of 1805 and 1806 having sunk like a stone to the bottom of the Danube.

Paradoxically, it was Franz Joseph Maximilian, the 7th Prince Lobkowitz — remembered as one of Beethoven's principal patrons — who was directly responsible for the Viennese premiere of Paër's Leonora, which took place in the Spring of 1806 in the temporary theater he had set up in his palace. (Several years earlier, Lobkowitz had inaugurated his palace theater with another Paër opera, La Testa Riscaldata.) One of the Leonora performances in the Lobkowitz palace was given expressly for the Empress Marie Theresa, whose presence would not have been possible at the time of the premiere of Beethoven's opera, when French troops had occupied Vienna and the aristocracy had largely abandoned the city.

But a comparison to Beethoven's Fidelio is hardly the most helpful framework for understanding the accomplishment represented by Paër's Leonora. For one thing, it is an oversimplification, since there were four operas based on the same story of a man unjustly imprisoned who is rescued by his wife, who has disguised herself as a man in order to gain entry into the prison. That "stand-back-or-you're-dead" moment cited above? It occurs in all four of the operas in question. Florestano's anguished cry about the darkness in which he languishes, so well known from Beethoven's Fidelio ("Gott! Wie dunkel hier")? The same cry also occurs in all four operas. The first of these works, and the obvious template for those which followed, was Pierre Gaveaux's Léonore, ou l'Amour conjugal (Paris, 1798), to a libretto by Jean-Nicolas Bouilly. Next was Paër's Leonora ossia L'Amor conjugale (Dresden, 1804), and then two operas which premiered in 1805, Johann Simon Mayr's L’Amor Coniugale (Padua), and Beethoven's Leonore/Fidelio, first heard in Vienna in all three of its versions (1805, 1806, and 1814). The very names of the characters are virtually identical in three of these operas (Mayr's L'Amor Coniugale, with a libretto by Gaetano Rossi, is the outlier here, with Slavicsounding names like Zeliska, Floreska, and Moraski to match a new Polish setting). Evidently the story had powerful resonance at the time, with its themes of virtuous daring which triumphs over the abuse of power. But the perception of political symbolism naturally shifted over time.

To Bouilly, who qualified his drama a fait historique — a true story which he had heard during his time in Tours during the Reign of Terror — the villain Pizzarro stood for the violent fanatics who had seized control of the French government in the chaotic years following the French Revolution. To German-speaking Europe in 1804-05, Pizzarro was far more likely to recall Napoleon to mind. The musicologist Kathryn L. Libin has convincingly shown this political background to have been a decisive factor in the Viennese performances of Leonora, including the support of Marie Theresa. Also significant was the soprano who took on the title role in the 1806 performances in Vienna: none other than Ferdinando Paër's wife Francesca Riccardi Paër, who had created the role in the Dresden premiere (Paër also composed roles for her in Achille, I Fuorusciti di Firenze, and Sargino). This alone would have sufficed to make Leonora, as Libin puts in, "an outstanding attraction of the concert season."

Impressive as it is, Leonora was far from Paër's most successful work. Of his Italian operas, I Fuorusciti di Firenze, Sargino, Agnese, Griselda, and Camilla all reached wider audiences, while his comic opera Le Maître de Chapelle (1821) held the stage in France all through the nineteenth century. It may well be the resemblance to Fidelio which has kept audiences particularly interested in Leonora. Paër's early successes (he was 20 at the time that his first works were performed) led to his appointment as honorary maestro di cappella at the Court theater in his native Parma, a position which also allowed him to compose works for Venice, Padua, and Milan (the prestigious La Scala theater). In 1797 he received the first of several important foreign positions when he became the Kapellmeister of the Kärtnerthortheater in Vienna. This was followed by his appointment in 1802 as court Kapellmeister in Dresden. In France he was named, in fairly rapid succession, Napoleon's maître de chapelle, singing teacher to Empress Marie Louise, director of C the Opéra-Comique, and director of the Théâtre-Italien, and following the Bourbon restoration he had the high honor of being named a member of the Institut de France. Yet unlike Luigi Cherubini or Gaspare Spontini — Italian composers of his generation who enjoyed successful careers outside of Italy — Paër continued to maintain vital contacts with operatic life on the Italian peninsula, creating important new works for Milan, Bologna, Florence, and Venice even while holding down official positions in Vienna, Dresden, and Paris.

Although the earliest published scores and librettos identify Paër as the composer, the libretto itself was published without attribution, perhaps because the librettist felt disinclined to claim credit for what was little more than an Italian adaptation of Bouilly's French libretto. For years the authorship of the Italian libretto for Paër's opera was up for scholarly grabs. In some early printed editions the libretto it is attributed to the Neapolitan librettist Giovanni Schmidt, and as recently as the last printed edition of the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (mid-1980s) this was taken at face value. In the early 2000s the German scholar and Paër specialist Wolfram Enßlin declared that the librettist was Giacinto Cinto, citing as his source an annotation by Heinrich Carl Wilhelm Vitzthum von Eckstädt (1770-1837), director of the Dresden Court Theater. Not until 2016 was the matter put to rest by Iris Winkler, a musicology professor at the Katholische Universität Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, who discovered the autograph manuscript of the libretto in the hand of Giuseppe Maria Foppa, clearly proving that Foppa was the principal author — with an assist from Giacomo Cinti (not Giacinto Cinto!) for certain final touches.

One surprise in store for audience members who know Fidelio is the greater emphasis given to the comic elements of the drama, which were sharply reduced in Beethoven's final revision of his opera. This is perfectly in line, however, with the semiseria genre to which the work belongs, where serious subject matter leads to a happy ending and can be frequently counterposed, in a kind of dramatic chiaroscuro, by comic characters. Another surprise is the expanded role for Marcellina, here too a vivid contrast to Fidelio, where "Marzelline " had been significantly marginalized by the 1814 revision. Here, Marcellina is a vivacious, delightfully comic character who achieves a degree of dramatic depth in the dungeon scene when she helps to liberate Leonora and Florestano.

From the heights of fame, Paër suffered the all-too-common fate of being forgotten by later generations. But he is not merely obscure as an individual.

Paër belongs to what is now an obscure generation in the history of Italian opera. In the biography of Gioachino Rossini published in 1824 by Henri Beyle (better known as "Stendhal," under which pen name he wrote two of the greatest novels of nineteenth-century France), the two decades of Italian operatic history from roughly 1790 to 1810 were designated as dfddddddddddan

Portrait of Ferdinando Paër.

Bibliothèque Paul-Marmottan, Ville de Boulogne-Billancourt, Académie des Beaux-Arts, France.

an “Interregnum.” In Stendhal’s view, this period followed the glorious reign of Paisiello, and Cimarosa, and ended with the advent of Rossini as a new operatic king. The two decades in question remain far less known than what preceded and followed them, Beethoven's Fidelio being the principal exception. Shortly following Paër's death in Paris on May 3, 1839, the French musical journal Le Ménestrel published an anonymous obituary notice which concluded with the following assessment: "If Ferdinando Paër was not among those who make revolutions, he was among those who prepare them: he possessed that degree of talent closest to genius."

Paër actively participated in one of the most important operatic transformations of the late 18th and early 19th centuries: the integration of dramatic action and development into his ensembles, a practice originally developed in 18th-century Italian comic opera, but now convincingly imported into the most serious dramatic situations. His advanced approach is also evident in his vocal writing, particularly in the case of the male lover-protagonist. In an age of the gradual disappearance of castrato singing, composers of Paër's generation had recourse to three different solutions: make use of the decreasing number of castrato singers who remained active, assign the roles of male lovers to female singers en travesti, or focus attention on the tenor voice. As observed by the historian of singing Rodolfo Celletti, it is striking that Ferdinando Paër opted for the tenor voice for the male romantic lead in virtually all of his most successful works, thus foreshadowing Donizetti, Bellini (except for the travesti role of Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi), and Verdi; and the part of Florestano in particular, conceived for a light, lyrical tenor, points the way forward to Rossinian roles such as Lindoro in L'Italiana in Algeri. À propos of Rossini, it is worth noting that at the age of 13 he sang the role of the protagonist's son in Paër's Camilla in a revival of that work at the Teatro del Corso in Bologna!

Paër also participated in the general movement away from lengthy vocalizing passages, by which a single syllable would be distributed over dozens or even hundreds of notes. While vocal melismas are not absent in Paër's score, they are generally confined to the conclusion of arias or sections within arias. Indeed, to many listeners today, the generally Italianate flavor of the style, so different from Beethoven's declamatory approach, will be the most attractive revelation of Paër's treatment of the story. Nor should the vocal style cause us to overlook the masterly orchestration of Leonora, as in the vivid tone-painting of the fiero aquilon furente ("fierce, furious wind") in the instrumental prelude to Leonora's Act I aria, or the somber opening to the Act II dungeon scene, a perfect aural image of bleakness. As to other conservative aspects of Paër's instrumental writing, such as his attachment to vocal numbers with "obbligato" parts like the horn and clarinet in Leonora's Cavatina, the solo cello in the fast-paced section which follows, and the lovely duet for violin and viola in the instrumental prelude to the aria in which the captive Florestano recalls his memory of Leonora, they remind us that the much-vaunted "progress" of music over the centuries has, perhaps, been greatly overvalued.

Jesse Rosenberg | Musicologist, Professor at Northwestern University Jesse Rosenberg is a specialist in 19th- and 20th-century Italian opera, with articles published on Rossini, Donizetti, Bellini, and Verdi and papers read at national and international conferences on opera and film music history. His research interests include musical aesthetics and the convergence of music with fields such as literature, poetry, and theology. Rosenberg is a contributor to the New Grove Dictionary of Opera (Macmillan, 1992), Pipers Enzyclopädie des Musiktheaters (Pipers, 1996), and the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians (Macmillan, 2000). He received the Outstanding Dissertation Award and Excellence in Teaching Award from New York University and is on the Faculty Honor Roll at Northwestern University.

CAST BIOGRAPHIES Vanessa Becerra | Soprano | Leonora Peruvian & Mexican American Soprano Vanessa Becerra begins the 2023/24 Season as the featured soloist at Fort Worth Opera’s annual gala. Additional engagements include a debut with Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera in Die Fledermaus (Adele) and returns to Opera Omaha for Don Pasquale (Norina), Minnesota Opera for L'elisir d'amore (Adina), Arizona Opera for Don Giovanni (Zerlina), and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for Galileo svfvddf On the concert stage she debuts with The Phoenix Symphonyfor Messiah. Last Galilei (Maria Celeste/Eos). season she made debuts with Florida Grand Opera for El matrimonio secreto (Carolina), and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for Cosi fan tutte (Despina) along with returns to Minnesota Opera for La fille du régiment (Marie),Opera Omaha for Le nozze di Figaro (Susanna), and Houston Grand Opera for El Milagro del Recuerdo (La Mujer). Ms. Becerra is a graduate of the Young Artist Program at the Los Angeles Opera. During her time with LAO, she appeared in Le nozze di Figaro (Barbarina), Die Zauberflöte (Papagena), La traviata (Annina), Gossip 2 in the GRAMMY Award-winning recording of Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles, and as a featured soloist in a concert with bass-baritone Erwin Schrott. Vanessa enjoys a long relationship with The Glimmerglass Festival where she has been seen in Oklahoma! (Laurey), La bohème (Musetta), and in their Young Artist performances of The Magic Flute (Pamina). Other training programs include Wolf Trap Opera Company, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Seagle Music Colony. She received her master’s degree from The Boston Conservatory, her bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University in her hometown of Fort Worth, TX and is a graduate of the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts.

Edgardo Rocha | Tenor | Florestano Edgardo Rocha is one of today’s foremost interpreters of bel canto repertoire, praised for his warm timbre, lively coloratura, and brilliant high notes. Since making his European debut in the title role of Gianni di Parigi by Donizetti at the Festival della Valle d'Itria di Martina Franca, the tenor is a frequent guest in the world’s leading opera houses and festivals, which include Bayerische Staatsoper, Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival. Several important wfwee debuts mark Edgardo Rocha’s 2023/24 Season: he sees his first performances with the Los Angeles Opera in his signature role of Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, debuts the role of Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi at Opera Monte Carlo, and during Salzburg’s Mozartwoche he debuts the title role in La Clemenza di Tito. Rocha returns to Opernhaus Zürich as Lindoro in L'italiana in Algeri. His season concludes with Donizetti’s Tudor trilogy at Grand Théâtre de Genève: he sings the title role in a new production of Roberto Devereux and reprises his performances of Percy in Anna Bolena and Robert Dudley in Maria Stuarda. Throughout Rocha’s career, one of his most eminent roles has been Don Ramiro (La Cenerentola), which he has sung in many opera houses including Grand Théâtre de Genève, Vienna State Opera, Seattle Opera, Opera de Monte Carlo, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, among others. In 2017, Rocha took part in a great tournée of La Cenerentola, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the first performance of Rossini’s masterpiece. Hailing from Rivera, Uruguay, Edgardo Rocha pursued a multifaceted musical education at the Montevideo University School of Music. He furthered his vocal training under mentors such as Alba Tonelli, Beatriz Pazos, and Raquel Pierotti. Upon relocating to Italy in 2008, he continued his studies with tenors Salvatore Fisichella and Rockwell Blake, while also garnering acclaim in international vocal competitions.

Act I scenic rendering by Cameron Anderson

CAST BIOGRAPHIES Keely Futterer | Soprano | Marcellina 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. Highlights of her 2023/24 Season include debuts at Hudson Hall Opera for the title role in a new R. B. Schlather production of Handel’s Rodelinda, Madison Opera for L'Amant anonyme (Léontine), and a return to Minnesota Opera for her second season in the Resident Artist NN program and La bohème (Musetta). On the concert stage she will debut with the Erie Philharmonic in Messiah. Last season in her first year at Minnesota Opera, Keely made her company debut in the world premiere of Edward Tulane (Abilene’s Mother/Abilene/Fancy Doll #2) followed by Rinaldo (Armida), and Don Giovanni (Donna Anna cover). Additional engagements last season included a return to The Glimmerglass Festival for Candide (Vanderdendur) and Rinaldo (Armida) as well as Messiah with the Memphis Symphony.

She made her debut at The Glimmerglass Festival in 21/22 in Tenor Overboard (Angostura LaBelle), the world premiere Rossini pastiche created by Francesca Zambello and Ken Ludwig, and The Sound of Music (Baroness Elberfeld). Operatic highlights of Ms. Futterer’s career include Così fan tutte (Fiordiligi), La voix humaine, the title role in Suor Angelica, L’elisir d’amore (Adina), and Le nozze di Figaro (Contessa). She received critical acclaim for her role debut in La fille du régiment (Marie) 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.”

Joo Won Kang | Baritone | Rocco Joo Won Kang, South Korean baritone, has appeared this season at the Metropolitan Opera as Ping in Turandot and as Marcello in La bohème (the role of his company debut in 2021). This season, he also made his Canadian Opera Company debut as Marcello, and returned to Minnesota Opera in that same role. In addition, he made his debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, both in Boston and at Carnegie Hall, singing in Shostakovich’s Shostakovitch's Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, concerts which were recorded for release on DG Records. He also made his NY solo recital debut in Weill Hall. Mr. Kang has appeared in leading roles, such as Figaro in The Barber of Seville, Germont in La traviata, Papageno in The Magic Flute, Dandini in La Cenerentola, Sharpless in Madame Butterfly, the title role in Eugene Onegin and Ping in Turandot with opera companies throughout the US, including San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Arizona Opera, Wolf Trap Opera and Utah Opera. He sang the role of Chou En-lai in John Adam's Nixon in China with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, conducted by the composer, and he made his New York City Opera debut as Manfredo in L'amore dei tre re. At the Wexford Festival in Ireland, he sang the leading roles in two rare operas, Donizetti's Maria de Rudenz and Leoni's L'oracolo, as well as appearing there in recital. Mr. Kang is a Top Prize winner in such important Vocal Competitions as Gerda Lissner Foundation, Opera Index, Giulio Gari International Competition and the McCammon Competition.

Matthew Pearce | Tenor | Don Pizzarro Praised for his “confidence,” “brightness,” and “high level of control” (OperaWire), Matthew Pearce is a graduate of the Cafritz Young Artists program at Washington National Opera who has proudly studied under the tutelage of musical legends. As a Young Artist, Mr. Pearce performed the role of Don José in Francesca Zambello’s production of Carmen (WNO) and participated in the Kennedy Center’s Honors in a tribute for Justino Diaz. Last fvfv season, the standout spinto made his professional début––returning to the role of Don José––in Portland Opera’s production of Carmen. Later, Pearce found continued success, joining the workshop of Slanted (Opera Theatre of St. Louis) and portraying the role of Lennie in Of Mice and Men (Livermore Valley Opera). In addition to his character work, Pearce has graced myriad venues as a concert soloist, making notable appearances in Das Buch mit Sieben Siegeln (Dallas Symphony) and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Chattanooga Symphony). In the coming season, Pearce’s beautiful tenor will reach international scope as he joins the Pacific Opera Victoria’s production of Rigoletto as the Duke of Mantua.

Mr. Pearce holds a Master of Music (M.M.) degree from the Juilliard School and a Bachelor of Music (B.M.) degree from the University of Kentucky. Mr. Pearce hails from the small town of Union, Kentucky.

CAST BIOGRAPHIES Alex Soare | Bass | Giachino Praised by Opera News as a “stand out,” bass Alex Soare is on the verge of an exciting career. This season, Soare made house débuts with Madison Opera as Angelotti in Tosca and Roanoke Opera as the title role in Le nozze di Figaro, and he sang several roles in The Nose with Chicago Opera Theater where he’ll return to sing Giachino in Leonora. Most recently, Mr. Soare was seen as Escamillo in Anchorage Opera’s production of Carmen ddd production of Der Kaiser von Atlantis in the role of Death. Other recent seasons and in On Site Opera’s include Sulpice in La fille du Regiment with Opera Saratoga, Mustafa in L’italiana in Algeri with Winter Opera St. Louis, Colline in La bohème with Finger Lakes Opera, the Father in Hansel and Gretel with Brava Opera, and the roles of John in the world premiere of American Gothical and Sultry Night Farmhand in the world premiere of Eight Woods and a Van, both with Cedar Rapids Opera Theater. He also traveled to China to make his début as Leporello in Don Giovanni with Opera Hong Kong, later reprising the role for Opera Grand Rapids and Opera Carolina. Additionally, he sang Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Sacramento Philharmonic and was seen in Chicago Opera Theater’s Carmen. As a soloist, he performed in the concert Shakespeare in Cleveland with Cleveland Opera Theatre. Other recent engagements include Gremin in Eugene Onegin and Escamillo in Carmen with the Aspen Music Festival; der Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte; Sulpice in La fille du regiment with Opera North; Dulcamara in L'elisir d'amore with Opera Iowa; and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte with Candid Concert Opera.

Kameron Alston | Tenor | Don Fernando Praised for his “shimmeringly youthful timbre” (Voix des Arts), Chicago based tenor Kameron Alston has a Bachelor of Music from Baylor University, and a Master of Music and Professional Artist Certificate from The University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Kameron has recently been seen in productions of Don Giovanni as Don Ottavio with Vegas City Opera, Romeo et Juliette as Tybalt with Central City Opera, Ernesto in Don cdsdsd Opera, Carlo in Linda di Chamounix and the title role in Orlando Paladino with UNC Pasquale with Piedmont School of the Arts, and many more. In addition to his many roles, Kameron was also a Michigan District winner in the 2023-2024 Laffont Competition. Kameron is very excited to make his house debut as Don Fernando in Paër's Leonora with Chicago Opera Theater!

ARTISTIC TEAM BIOGRAPHIES Dame Jane Glover DBE | Conductor Acclaimed British conductor Jane Glover, named Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2021 New Year’s Honours, is Music Director of Chicago’s Music of the Baroque and Principal Guest Conductor of the Fort Worth Symphony. Past positions include Music Director of Glyndebourne Touring Opera, Artistic Director of the London Mozart Players, and Director of Opera at the Royal Academy of Music where she is now the Felix Mendelssohn Felix Visiting retyrb Professor. Future and recent-past engagements include returns to the New York Philharmonic, the Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Houston Symphony, the Cincinnati Symphony, Fort Worth Symphony, St. Louis Symphony, the Helsinki Philharmonic, Florence’s Maggio Musicale and Camerata Salzburg. In opera, recent productions include The Magic Flute at New York’s Metropolitan Opera, the Houston Grand Opera and at the Aspen Music Festival, Xerxes with the Detroit Opera and Albert Herring at both the Minnesota Opera as well as Chicago Opera Theater. In the current season she will lead productions of Don Giovanni with the Houston Grand Opera and Cincinnati Opera. Jane Glover’s discography includes a series of Mozart and Haydn symphonies with the London Mozart Players and recordings of Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Britten, and Walton with the London Philharmonic, the Royal Philharmonic, and the BBC Singers. She is the author of the critically acclaimed books Mozart’s Women, Handel in London, and Mozart in Italy. In 2020 she was awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Gamechanger Award for her work in breaking new ground for other female conductors.

ARTISTIC TEAM BIOGRAPHIES Lawrence Edelson | Director Lawrence Edelson has directed critically acclaimed productions of diverse repertoire across the country, including the American Premiere of Telemann’s Orpheus for Wolf Trap Opera; Philip Glass’s Hydrogen Jukebox for Fort Worth Opera; La Traviata for The Minnesota Opera; Il Barbiere di Siviglia for Hawaii Opera Theater; The Cradle Will Rock, The Consul, Sky on Swings, Il Postino, La Fille du Régiment, La Cenerentola, Man of La Mancha and H.M.S. Pinafore for Opera Saratoga; Little Women for Michigan Opera Theatre; Three Mancha Decembers for Virginia Opera; a double-bill of La Serva Padrona and Trouble in Tahiti for the Adler Fellows of San Francisco Opera at Opera Santa Barbara; the New York premiere of Fauré's rarely produced Pénélope for Manhattan School of Music; and the Houston premiere of Ainadamar for the Moores School of Music. He was a guest member on the directing staff of New York City Opera, where he restaged Little Women twice: for the work’s Lincoln Center premiere, and for the company’s tour to Japan. Before focusing on Directing and Arts Management, Lawrence enjoyed a performing career in both ballet and opera. He studied voice and musicology at the University of Ottawa in Canada, and dance at the Joffrey Ballet School. He later completed his degrees in Directing and Performing Arts Administration at New York University. In 2005, Lawrence founded American Lyric Theater (ALT), where he serves as Artistic and General Director. At ALT, Lawrence created the Composer Librettist Development Program (CLDP), the only full time mentorship initiative for emerging opera composers, librettists and dramaturgs in the country. From 2014-2022, Lawrence also served as Artistic and General Director of Opera Saratoga. In 2023, Lawrence was appointed General Director of Chicago Opera Theater, a position he now holds concurrent with his role at American Lyric Theater.

Cameron Anderson | Scenic Designer Cameron Anderson is an internationally acclaimed scenic and projection designer and has designed extensively at the world's leading theatre and opera companies. Recent projects include popstar Charlie Puth's North American and international tours, and the world premiere opera RUR: A Torrent of Light (Tapestry Opera, Toronto), which won the Best New Opera in North America award (MCANA). Other recent highlights include West Side Story (KildenBoccaneg Performing Arts Center, Norway, Vancouver Opera), and Simon Boccanegra (Teatro Colon, Argentina), Byhalia Mississippi (The Kennedy Center), The Niceties (Manhattan Theatre Club), Yerma, Becoming Cuba, and Sweat (Huntington Theater), Fille du Regiment, The Consul, Vinkensport, The Merry Widow, and Rocking Horse Winner (Opera Saratoga), and Photograph 51 (South Coast Repertory). Select opera credits include Glimmerglass Festival, San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, Central City Opera, Minnesota Opera, Opera Theater of St. Louis, Gotham Chamber Opera, and On Site Opera. Select OffBroadway credits include Roundabout Theatre Company, Playwrights' Horizons, New Georges, LAByrinth Theater Company, Naked Angels, Ars Nova, and Brooklyn Academy of Music. Upcoming projects include Romeo and Juliet (Wonderbound Contemporary Ballet, Denver), Faust, Cosi Fan Tutte and L'Amico Fritz (Academy of Vocal Arts, Philly). cameronanderson.net Brenda Winstead | Costume Designer & Director Brenda Winstead is excited to put another show on stage with COT. Her previous designs with Chicago Opera Theater include King Roger, Becoming Santa Claus, Taking up Serpents, La hija de Rappaccini, and The Scarlet Ibis. Favorite past designs include White Christmas, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Big River, Cabaret (Theatre at the Center), Queen of the Mist (Firebrand Theatre), You Think it's Easy Being the Tooth Fairy? (Lifeline), (Pddccd Mousetrap (Peninsula Players), and Ring of Fire (Mercury Theater). Brenda has been the Costume Director with COT for several seasons. She is a proud union member of Local USA 829.

ARTISTIC TEAM BIOGRAPHIES Josh Epstein | Lighting Designer This production marks Josh Epstein’s Chicago Opera Theater debut, but it will be his tenth collaboration with director Lawrence Edelson. OPERA: Virginia Opera, Minnesota Opera, Prototype Festival, Opera Saratoga, Opera Santa Barbara, Fort Worth Opera, Manhattan School of Music, and the Moores School of Music. REGIONAL THEATER: Steppenwolf Theatre Company, Goodman Theater, Guthrie Theater, Arena Stage, Mark Taper Forum, Alliance Theatre, Pasadena Playhouse, Geffen Playhouse, South Coast Repertory Company, Company Paper Mill Playhouse, Trinity Repertory Company, Kansas City Repertory, Baltimore Center Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Actor’s Theater of Louisville, Geva Theatre Center, Playmakers Repertory Company, Philadelphia Theater Company, Syracuse Stage. AWARDS/AFFILIATIONS: Knight of Illumination Award, Los Angeles Ovation Award, Helen Hayes Award Nomination. Twenty year United Scenic Artist 829 Union Member. Josh is the creator of Cuelist Software and is on the faculty at Chapman University in Southern California. EDUCATION: BA, University of Chicago; MFA, New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts.

WEBSITE: joshepsteindesign.com Rebecca A. Scott | Hair & Makeup Supervisor Rebecca A. Scott is a Wig and Makeup Designer based out of Chicago and has designed for such theaters as Chicago Opera Theater, Writers Theatre, Indiana Repertory Theatre on such shows as The Nose, The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing, King Roger, the World Premiere of Wife of a Salesman, Once, the World Premiere of Lauren Gunderson's Artemisia, Clue, Frankenstein and the World Premiere of God's Spies. She is also Director of Wigs and Makeup of for the American Players Theatre in Wisconsin where she recently celebrated her 18th season "playing in the woods."

Katherine (Kat) Coyl | Intimacy & Fight Director Katherine (Kat) Coyl is a professional intimacy and fight director based out of Chicago.

Her work includes multiple world premieres in both opera and dance. Her most recent work includes Breaking the Waves (Assistant Director and Intimacy Coordinator) at Detroit Opera; The Nose (Intimacy and Fight Director) at Chicago Opera Theater; Carmen (Intimacy and Act 4 Intimate Violence Choreography) at Des Moines Metro Opera; Memoirs of Jazz inMemoirs the Alley (Intimacy Director) at South Chicago Dance Theatre; The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turning (Intimacy and Fight Director) at Chicago Opera Theater; and Athena (Urbanite Theatre). Kat is currently on faculty at DePaul's School of Music and at CCPA at Roosevelt University.

Behind the scenes of Leonora rehearsal. Matthew Pearce (left) as Don Pizzarro and Vanessa Becerra (right) as Leonora.

Photo by Michael Brosilow.

WITH GRATITUDE TO OUR DONORS Leadership Circle

$100,000+ Nancy Dehmlow^ Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust Patricia A. Kenney & Gregory J. O'Leary^ Elizabeth Amy Liebman Mellon Foundation The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust $50,000-$99,999 Lucy & Peter* Ascoli Julie & Roger Baskes Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Julius N. Frankel Foundation Sue & Paul* Freehling John R. Halligan Charitable Fund $25,000-$49,999 Paul M. Angell Family Foundation Joyce Chelberg^ Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP Lloyd A. Fry Foundation Mary Houston*^ Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity Polk Bros. Foundation Edward Mack+ Patricia McMillen & Jack Nagy^ Masahiro Kasai & William Myers^ Gael Neeson Bill & Orli Staley Penelope R. Steiner Albert Walavich^

Producer’s Circle

$10,000-$24,999 Anonymous Judith Barnard & Michael Fain^ Robert & Isabelle Bass Foundation, Inc. Queta & Ron* Bauer Allen Heinemann* & William Borden Illinois Arts Council Susan Irion* & Rob DeLand William Jentes^ Ronald B. Johnson^ A. Jeanne LaDuke^ Maria* & Peter Lagios Lemont Fund Laura G. & James G.* McCormick Sylvia Neil & Daniel Fischel Irmgard Olson OPERA America Dorothy F. Osborn* Candace Rudmose^ Susan & Robert* Shapiro The Siragusa Family Foundation Gene & Jean Stark^ Virginia Tobiason* Dean Yannias^ $5,000-$9,999 Anonymous The Aaron Copland Fund for Music The Amphion Foundation Mrs. Arthur A. Billings^ Judith & Merrill* Blau Fred & Phoebe Boelter^ Kenneth A. East & Timothy J. Thurlow Amanda Fox Patricia Frank Gerald & Dr. Colette Gordon^ Nancy Randa & Michael Hansen* Kevin Hochberg & James McDaniel Lori Julian^ Alma Koppedraijer^ & James K. Genden+ Margaret Kuhajek David E. McNeel* David Miller^ Dawn Palmer^

$5,000-$9,999 CONTINUED Jean E. Perkins & Leland Hutchinson Richard O. Ryan^ Lynne Shigley & Frank Modruson^ Dan Tarlock^

Opera Benefactors

$1,000-$4,999 Anonymous (4) James L. Alexander & Curtis D. Drayer Avli on the Park Sandra Bass Dr. C. Bekerman Ellen Benjamin & Frederick Bates^ Suzanne & William E. Bible Shaun & Andy Block^ John & Claudia Boatright^ Richard C. Boyum & Louie Chua^ Buccellati Chicago Sara & Terry Buehler Patsy Chen Dr. Juliana Y. Chyu & Dr. David H. Whitney Dale Connelly & Donna Van Eekeren^ Anne Cunningham James Kirby Cunningham Isabel & Robert Curley Mr. & Mrs. Robert DeSilvestro Marijane Deters^ Alice M. Ditson Fund of Columbia University Bud Dobbins^ Kent Dymak & Theodore Foss^ Lawrence Edelson & Kevin F. Kotcher^ Anne Egger^ Bill Elsbury Erika Erich^ Janet Eyler & Edwin Walker^ Megan Fellman & Anthony Rosso^ Colleen Flanigan Geoffrey Flick^ Frances & Henry* Fogel Foster Family and Lincoln & Elizabeth Ellis Lance & Marcy Fortnow David & Janet Fox Timothy & Janet Fox Elizabeth & Stephen Geer^ Ethel & Bill+ Gofen^ Judy & William Goldberg Ted Grady & Ross Slotten Stephanie Hart* & Brown Sugar Bakery HMS Media, Inc. Carrie & Gary Huff Capt. Bernardo Iorgulescu, USMC Memorial Fund of DuPage Foundation J&L Catering Dr. & Mrs. Jeffrey Kazaglis Moses Lee^ Michael Leppen Ashley & Brandon Magnus Jeffrey & Cynthia McCreary Kevin McGirr^ Jean McLaren & John Nitschke Mercat a la Planxa Patrice Michaels & Jim Ginsburg Charles H. Mottier^ Catherine Mouly & Ted Carlson^ John H. Nelson^ Ed & Gayla Nieminen^ Susan Noel* Kenneth R. Norgan Julian Oettinger Opera Volunteers International Pavitra Ramachandran* Marsha & Robert Rosner^ Ellen Rubert & Martin Ley Sahara Enterprises, Inc. Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation Susan H. Schwartz Ilene & Michael Shaw Charitable Trust

$1,000-$4,999 CONTINUED Larry Simpson Meaghan & Michael Smallwood^ R. John & Kathleen Solaro^ Laraine & David Spector^ Nancy Stainback Michael & Salme Harju Steinberg Marjorie Stinespring^ David J. Varnerin^ Laura Vesecky^ Drs. Anne & Dennis Wentz WFMT/WTTW Howard S. White Mary & Michael Woolever Debbie K. Wright Lidiya Yankovskaya & Daniel Schwartz^ Linda & Owen Youngman^ Drs. Joan & Russ Zajtchuk

Friends of COT

$500-$999 Anonymous Richard Abram & Paul Chandler Kathleen Arthur & Stephen Wood Arts Entertainment LLC Judith Bauer Ross Beacraft John P. Blosser Galen Bodenhausen Rona & Ralph Brown Erika Bruhn & Richard Johnson Douglas Clayton Michael Cleavenger Steve Clements Andrew Davis & Lynn Dykstra Roberta & Richard Evans Jan Feldman Firestone Family Foundation Raymond Frick Priscilla & Henry Frisch Paul Geiger & Christine Steyer Gaylord & William Gieseke Prof. James A. Glazier Mary & Lionel Go Edwin Hanlon William Hulsker & Aris Urbanes Karen Hyatt Daniel Jackman Bill Kirchmeyer Mary Klyasheff Linda Kroning Bernice Lindstrom Lizz & David Mook Donald E. Newsom Joan & Frank R. Safford Gay Stanek Carol Stukey Caroline Swinney & Thomas Winkler Marquita Russel & Mark Tiarks Jerry Tietz & Mark Ottenwalder Sherrie Travis Louella Ward Peter J. Wender Jessica & Michael Young *Board Member ^President’s Council Member +Deceased

Leonora is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and by a CityArts Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

Donors listed from July 1, 2023 to September 1, 2024. We regret the omission of anyone who contributed after this date, but look forward to recognizing these gifts in future publications.

PRESIDENT’S COUNCIL The Chicago Opera Theater President’s Council was founded by former Board President Gregory J. O’Leary as a group of passionate opera lovers who want to be involved in supporting and learning about the company. President’s Council members play an integral role in the future of COT as advocates and contributors, and collectively sponsor an opera each year. In the 2024/25 Season, the President’s Council sponsors Leonora.

Anonymous (4) Judith Barnard & Michael Fain Ellen Benjamin & Frederick Bates Mrs. Arthur A. Billings Shaun & Andy Block John & Claudia Boatright Fred & Phoebe Boelter Richard Boyum & Louie Chua Joyce Chelberg Howard & Anne Conant Dale Connelly & Donna Van Eekeren Nancy Dehmlow Marijane Deters Bud Dobbins Ingrid & Rich Dubberke Kent Dymak & Theodore Foss Lawrence Edelson & Kevin F. Kotcher Anne Egger Erika Erich Janet Eyler & Edwin Walker Megan Fellman & Anthony Rosso Geoffery Flick Stephen & Elizabeth Geer James K. Genden+ & Alma Koppedraijer Ethel & Bill+ Gofen Gerald & Dr. Colette Gordon Mary Houston* William Jentes Ronald B. Johnson Lori Julian Masahiro Kasai & Bill Myers

Patricia A. Kenney & Gregory J. O’Leary A. Jeanne LaDuke Moses Lee Kevin McGirr Patricia McMillen David Miller Frank Modruson & Lynne Shigley Charles H. Mottier Catherine Mouly & Ted Carlson John H. Nelson Ed & Gayla Nieminen Dawn Palmer Marsha & Robert Rosner Candace Rudmose Richard O. Ryan Meaghan & Michael Smallwood R. John & Kathleen Solaro Laraine & David Spector Gene & Jean Stark Marjorie Stinespring Dan Tarlock David J. Varnerin Laura Vesecky Albert Walavich Lidiya Yankovskaya & Daniel Schwartz Dean Yannias Linda & Owen Youngman *COT Board Member +Deceased

Comprised of COT’s closest donor partners, President’s Council members are a vital part of the COT family and are celebrated in the following ways: Collectively sponsor one production each season Invitations to exclusive events, including the quarterly Behind the Curtain event series and annual Holiday Soiree Regular updates by email on company happenings and behind-the-scenes content Opportunities to interact with singers and creative team members Complimentary parking for COT performances at the Studebaker and Harris Theaters Opportunity to serve on a non-fiduciary Board committee In joining the President’s Council, you build community in addition to all the other wonderful benefits you receive.

Whether you’re in the donor room or sitting in on a design presentation, you know that you’re always among likeminded supporters who are invested in the future of theatrically thrilling opera in Chicago.

Donors of $1,500 or more per year may opt in to the President’s Council. Contact Development Manager Korey Pimental at kp@cot.org or (312) 874-7464 for more information.

ENCORE SOCIETY Chicago Opera Theater’s Encore Society is an inspiring group of forward-thinking, compassionate opera lovers who want to support the future of high-quality, innovative, and accessible opera in Chicago.

Anonymous (3) Peter* & Lucy Ascoli Charlotte & Alan Bath Judith & Merrill* Blau David Boyce David Curry Edward “Bud” Dobbins Janet Eyler & Edwin Walker Megan Fellman & Anthony Rosso Frances & Henry* Fogel James K. Genden+ Alma Koppedraijer Allen Heinemann* & William Borden Mary* & James+ Houston Susan Irion* & Rob DeLand Ruth Kane Maria* & Peter Lagios Edward T. Mack+ John H. Nelson Edward Nieminen Dorothy F. Osborn* Florence Siefkins+ Louise K. Smith Dan Tarlock Virginia Tobiason* Albert Walavich Claude Weil *COT Board Member +Deceased

These future commitments are integral to COT – helping us to continue presenting exciting premieres and unique productions to the community for years to come.

When you make a designation of any size through bequests, insurance policies, IRAs, or any other legacy-giving asset provision, you become a member of COT’s Encore Society.

Benefits include: Exclusive invitation to our annual Encore Society event Invitations to dress rehearsals Opportunities to meet guest artists Recognition in COT materials, as desired If you have made such arrangements, please let us know by contacting Meaghan Stainback Smallwood, COT’s Director of Development, at ms@cot.org or 312-874-7454.

HOW COT IS SHAPING THE FUTURE OF OPERA THE VANGUARD INITIATIVE The Vanguard Initiative is Chicago Opera Theater's immersive program for composers ready to delve into the world of opera. This 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 chamber opera commissioned by COT. The program aims to bridge the gap between general compositional skills and the dramatic storytelling, vocal writing, practical considerations, and real-world experience that help inform an operatic composer’s work. Launched in 2018, the program identifies skilled composers who have not yet had sufficient opportunities for writing opera and provides them with a two-year comprehensive course of study and full immersion in the company, culminating with a commission together with an established librettist. Lidiya Yankovskaya serves as the Artistic Director of the Vanguard initiative, with advisors Missy Mazzoli, Kamala Sankaram, and Gene Scheer. Learn more about the Vanguard Initiative at www.cot.org/vanguard Leadership support for The Vanguard Initiative is generously provided by the Mellon Foundation.

Carlos R. Carrillo 2023-2025

Aaron Israel Levin 2024-2025

OPERA FOR ALL Opera for All (OFA) is a full-year program provided by COT at no cost to Chicago Public Schools. Throughout the program, students build skills in various art forms intrinsic to opera – including singing, theater, movement, storytelling, design, and musical composition. Under the guidance of Teaching Artists, Guest Artists, and Guest Composers, students collaborate to craft a completely original operatic work. Opera for All not only imparts technical skills in the arts and performance, but also fosters students’ creative expression, promotes collaboration with their peers, and integrates them into the arts community.

Learn more about Opera for All at COT.ORG/OFA Support for Opera for All is generously provided by Marijane Deters, Lloyd A. Fry Foundation, Mary Houston, Jeanne LaDuke, and The Siragusa Family Foundation.

WELCOME TO THE HISTORIC STUDEBAKER THEATER STUDEBAKER THEATER Managing Artistic Director Jacob Harvey General Manager Travis Whitlock Guest Experience Manager Megan Shehorn Young Marketing & Communications Manager Alexander Attea Rentals & Office Coordinator Danny Ackman Interim Technical Director Frank Rose Assistant Technical Director Anthony Roytman Assistant Box Office Manager(s) Maddie Davies Taylor Hobart House Manager(s) Tadhg Mitchel Melanie Dodson

Guest Services Associates Mauro Arevalo Beth Bullock Esther Farley Elliot Foster Spencer Fritz Quinn Gomez Adriana Lopez Zizie Moffett Virl Moore Dylan Obrochta Sara Rhoades Cody Wallace Ushers The Saints

FINE ARTS BUILDING Property Manager Joaquin Williams Assistant Property Manager Idalis Huerta

DAME JANE GLOVER CONDUCTS

BACH—THE CHRISTMAS ORATORIO

MOZART AND HIS MENTORS

N O V 2 4 Skokie

A P R 6 Skokie

N O V 2 5 Symphony Center, Chicago

A P R 7 Harris Theater, Chicago

The Christmas story told through passionate arias, powerful choruses, and thrilling narrative

Legendary British pianist Imogen Cooper returns to play Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 13.

“Glover is a veteran hand at these large-canvas choral works.”

“One of the world’s most eloquent and stylish Mozarteans”

Chicago Classical Review

Chicago Tribune

baroque.org | 312.551.1414

DON’T MISS THE REST OF CHICAGO OPERA THEATER’S 2024/25 SEASON

VISIT COT.ORG OR CALL 312-704-8414 FOR MORE INFO