2017 Season Subscription Brochure

CINCINNATI OPERA JUNE 15–JULY 23

AT THE ARONOFF CENTER

20 17 SEASON

3 OPERAS FOR

$89

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

cincinnatiopera.org

“Much more than mere entertainment.”

-The New York Times

You’re invited.

W

elcome to Cincinnati Opera’s 97th Summer Festival.

Teeming with passion, magic, and drama. World-class singers in the excellent acoustics of downtown’s Aronoff Center. Gorgeous playing by the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra led by renowned conductors. Touching stories, lavish costumes, and breathtaking sets.

Each performance is more than entertainment—it’s magic.

You’re invited to experience it all.

Join our family of subscribers today, and set your plans for a magnificent opera summer. I look forward to seeing you at the Opera!

Evans Mirageas The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director

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Giacomo Puccini

LA BOHÈME

THE CSO’S LOUIS LANGRÉE CONDUCTS!

WHEN A CANDLE FLICKERS, LOVE SPARKS

L A BOHÈME JUNE 15, 17, 22 & 24 Aronoff Center Procter & Gamble Hall

In her tiny room that Christmas Eve, a candle provided the only light—until the flame died. Resigned, she knocked on the door to another apartment, hoping for a match from a neighbor. Instead, Mimì discovered the love of her life.

Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa Mimì Nicole Cabell Musetta Jessica Rivera Rodolfo Sean Panikkar Marcello Rodion Pogossov Colline Nathan Stark Schaunard Edward Nelson Benoit/Alcindoro Marco Nisticò

...........

For more than a century, Puccini’s most celebrated opera has moved audiences to laughter and tears with its irresistible music and timeless tale. Our “immensely moving” (The Guardian) co-production with English National Opera, originally directed by the legendary Jonathan Miller, transports the story of penniless young lovers in Paris to the 1930s, as captured in the work of iconic photographers Brassaï and CartierBresson. Louis Langrée, music director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, will bring Puccini’s colorful score to life in his Cincinnati Opera debut, leading his own orchestra in the pit.

Conductor Louis Langrée Stage Director Natascha Metherell Scenic & Costume Designer Isabella Bywater Lighting Designer Thomas C. Hase Hair & Make-up Designer James Geier Chorus Master Henri Venanzi

Co-production with English National Opera.

Sung in Italian with projected translation Performance length: 2 hours and 30 minutes Rated PG

Nicole Cabell Mimì

Jessica Rivera Musetta

Sean Panikkar Rodolfo

Rodion Pogossov Marcello

cincinnatiopera.org ( 5 1 3 ) 2 4 1 - 2 7 4 2

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Robert Xavier RodrĂ­guez

FRIDA

HER SOUL YEARNED FOR FREEDOM

FRIDA

COMPANY PREMIERE

JUNE 23, 25M, 27 & 29 JULY 1, 6 & 8 Aronoff Center Jarson-Kaplan Theater

As a student, Frida spurned the taunts of the other girls, turning instead to the politics of the revolutionaries. When a near-fatal bus accident kept her bedridden, she found her own path to freedom in her paintings. Through love, pain, tragedy, and ultimately death, Frida’s identity and art remain a fierce cry of independence. ...........

Based on the life of iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, Robert Xavier Rodríguez’s 1991 opera is as “emphatic and bold” (Opera News) as the artist herself. Our production from Michigan Opera Theatre was praised by the Detroit Free Press for its “dramatic intensity and immediacy.” Singing the title role is Catalina Cuervo, whose performance won rave reviews: “Cuervo doesn’t just play the role, she embodies it. Never was there any doubt that she was Kahlo personified” (The Detroit News).

Music by Robert Xavier Rodríguez Libretto by Hilary Blecher and Migdalia Cruz Frida Kahlo Catalina Cuervo Diego Rivera Ricardo Herrera Ensemble Erin Keesy, Reilly Nelson, Emma Sorenson, Pedro André

Arroyo, Thomas Dreeze, Benjamin Lee, Samson McCrady Calaveras Melissa Harvey, Paulina Villarreal, John Overholt Conductor Andrés Cladera Stage Director Jose Maria Condemi Scenic & Costume Designer Moníka Essen Lighting Designer Thomas C. Hase Hair & Make-up Designer James Geier Choreographer Marco Pelle

Production from Michigan Opera Theatre.

Sung in English and Spanish with projected translation Performance length: 2 hours and 30 minutes Rated R

Catalina Cuervo Frida Kahlo

Ricardo Herrera Diego Rivera

cincinnatiopera.org ( 5 1 3 ) 2 4 1 - 2 7 4 2

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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

THE MAGIC FLUTE

AN ENCHANTED WORLD AWAITS

SPELLBINDING NEW PRODUCTION

THE MAGIC FLUTE JULY 15, 20, 22 & 23M Aronoff Center Procter & Gamble Hall

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder Pamina Kim-Lillian Strebel The Queen of the Night Jeni Houser Tamino Aaron Blake Papageno Rodion Pogossov Sarastro/The Speaker Tom McNichols First Lady Alexandra Shoeny Second Lady Cassandra Zoé Velasco Third Lady Amber Fasquelle Papagena Jasmine Habersham Monostatos John Robert Lindsey

He had only seen her image in a portrait, but he was already head-over-heels. With the help of a loyal friend and a bit of magic, Tamino sets forth on a perilous quest to save the princess, encountering mythical creatures, a venomous queen, and heroic trials to test his worth. But as his otherworldly journey unfolds, Tamino begins to suspect that everything is not as it appears.

Conductor Christopher Allen Stage Director Daniel Ellis Production Designers Suzanne Andrade & Barrie Kosky Animation Designer Paul Barrit Scenic & Costume Designer Esther Bialas Lighting Designer Thomas C. Hase Hair & Make-up Designer James Geier Chorus Master Henri Venanzi

...........

Mozart’s sublime tale has been masterfully re-imagined by Komische Oper Berlin’s Barrie Kosky and the British theater group 1927 in a “surreally enchanting” (LA Weekly) production that has stunned and delighted audiences across the world. The clever marriage of early cinema style, fanciful projections, and nimble stagecraft results in “a deliciously absurd blend of silent film and animation” (Berliner Morgenpost ) “so bewitching as to silence every criticism” (Los Angeles Times).

Production of the Komische Oper Berlin.

Co-produced by Los Angeles Opera and Minnesota Opera. Concept by “1927” (Suzanne Andrade and Paul Barrit) and Barrie Kosky.

Sung in German with projected translation Performance length: 3 hours Rated PG

Kim-Lillian Strebel Pamina

Jeni Houser The Queen of the Night

Aaron Blake Tamino

Rodion Pogossov Papageno

Tom McNichols Sarastro

cincinnatiopera.org ( 5 1 3 ) 2 4 1 - 2 7 4 2

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Mozart’s Magic Flute is reimagined in a silent film-inspired production with spellbinding projected animation.

Our 1930s-era La Bohème charms with sets and costumes from London.

“Luminescent” (Opera News) soprano Nicole Cabell sings La Bohème’s Mimì.

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Catalina Cuervo ”doesn’t just play the role [of Frida Kahlo], she embodies it.” -The Detroit News

An “immensely moving” (The Guardian) production of Puccini’s most beloved opera, La Bohème.

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Music Director Louis Langrée conducts La Bohème.

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Subscriber Perks

1. FIRST ACCESS TO MUSIC HALL SEATS Only 2017 season subscribers get top priority seating when we return to the renovated Music Hall in 2018.

“This [Flute] is pure delight—from wild stagecraft to exuberant song.”

-The Huffington Post

2. THE VIP EXPERIENCE Subscribers get to see it all and are first in line for seating selection, season updates, and special event notices, including priority access to the limited engagement chamber opera, Song from the Uproar.

3. FREE AND FLEXIBLE EXCHANGES If your schedule changes, it’s easy to exchange your seats by phone for another performance or production. For example, if you would like to exchange your Magic Flute ticket for another La Bohème ticket, just give us a call! Free for subscribers.

4. BUY MORE AND SAVE Want to bring a friend? Buy additional seats to any performance for 15% off regular ticket prices.

5. RESERVED PARKING Buy your parking in advance for access to several lots and valet services convenient to the Aronoff Center. Subscriber price: just $10 per performance. (Ask us for details.)

The 1991 opera Frida is as “emphatic and bold” (Opera News) as the artist herself. cincinnatiopera.org ( 5 1 3 ) 2 4 1 - 2 7 4 2

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SPECIAL COLLABORATION

WITH

COMPANY PREMIERE! Missy Mazzoli & Royce Vavrek

SONG FROM THE UPROAR JULY 17, 18, 19 & 21 Aronoff Center Fifth Third Bank Theater

LIMITED AVAILABILITY! Add this special event to your subscription order to ensure your seat.

Along with the acclaimed ensemble concert:nova, we’re pleased to present our first work by a female composer—the boundary-breaking Missy Mazzoli—and librettist Royce Vavrek. Inspired by the fascinating salvaged journals of early-twentiethcentury explorer Isabelle Eberhardt, the 2012 chamber opera has been called “powerful” (The Wall Street Journal ) and “a captivating multimedia spectacle” (The New York Times). Singing Isabelle Eberhardt is the performer who created the role, Abigail Fischer, praised by the Los Angeles Times as “enthralling…one of the rising stars of new music.”

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SUBSCRIBER PRICE: $25 For more information, visit cincinnatiopera.org.

Abigail Fischer Isabelle Eberhardt

Beyond Mainstage MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR OPERA SUMMER BY JOINING US FOR THESE SPECIAL EVENTS AND MORE! VISIT CINCINNATIOPERA.ORG FOR A FULL LISTING AND DETAILS. BACK TO THE ZOO

OPERA GOES TO CHURCH

OPERA IN THE PARK

MAY 18

MAY 22 & 24

JUNE 11

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Allen Temple A.M.E.

Washington Park

Join us at our first home, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, where performances were held from 1920 to 1971. Hosted

by Evans Mirageas and Thane Maynard, along with a colorful cast of singers and zoo animals.

These special community concerts at various churches throughout the region feature internationally acclaimed opera artists, dynamic congregational choirs, jazz musicians, and local youth performers. Look for additional programming at cincinnatiopera.org.

Our beloved al fresco concert returns to OTR’s Washington Park, this year featuring Spanish-themed selections performed by stars of the 2017 season, the Cincinnati Opera Chorus, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

OPENING NIGHT DINNER

OPERA RAPS

OPERA INSIGHTS

Designed to enlighten and engage opera devotees and newcomers alike, this diverse series of lectures and events features an array of guest speakers leading conversations on topics related to the 2017 Summer Festival. Visit our website for updates.

Enhance your opera knowledge with an informative pre-show talk one hour before curtain of each performance at the Aronoff Center. Free to all ticket-holders!

JUNE 15 Nicholson’s Pub Add this special event to your La Bohème experience. Join us in toasting the start of Cincinnati Opera’s 2017 season with a festive dinner preceding the evening’s performance of La Bohème.

YP EVENTS

Age 45 or under? Learn about our young professional group, Center Stage, and their upcoming events at cincinnatiopera.org. cincinnatiopera.org ( 5 1 3 ) 2 4 1 - 2 7 4 2

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Ready to Subscribe?

1. Choose your dates.

Weekday Series

La Bohème: Thursday, June 15 Frida: You choose! See dates below.

The Magic Flute: Thursday, July 20

Weekend Series

La Bohème: Saturday, June 17 Frida: You choose! See dates below.

The Magic Flute: Saturday, July 15

2. Select your section.

ARONOFF CENTER FOR THE ARTS

PRICE

PROCTER & GAMBLE HALL

j Price Level A j Price Level B j Price Level C j Price Level D j Price Level E j Price Level F

$ 495 $355 $295 $199 $ 149 $ 89

Note: Subscriptions include three tickets—two at the Procter & Gamble Hall (La Bohème and The Magic Flute) and one at the Jarson-Kaplan Theater (Frida).

3. Place your order.

PHONE

(513) 241-2742 ONLINE

2017 SEASON SUBSCRIPTION SERIES

La Bohème June 15, 17, 22, 24

cincinnatiopera.org

Frida

BOX OFFICE HOURS

June 23, 25m, 27, 29 July 1, 6, 8

M-F 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Magic Flute

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Illustrations Cover, p. 3, 5, and 7: Catrin Welz-Stein; p. 12 Song from the Uproar: Aimee Sposito Martini Photos p. 1 The Magic Flute: Dan Norman/Minnesota Opera; p. 9 The Magic Flute: Dan Norman/Minnesota Opera; p. 9 La Bohème: Philip Groshong; p. 9 Catalina Cuervo: John F. Martin III; p. 9 Nicole Cabell: Erika Dufour; p. 9 La Bohème: Philip Groshong; p. 9 Louis Langrée: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; p. 10 The Magic Flute: Dan Norman/Minnesota Opera; p. 10 Frida: John Grigaitis/Michigan Opera Theatre; p. 14 Music Hall rendering: FRCH Design Worldwide

July 15, 20, 22, 23m

Procter & Gamble Hall SEATING SECTIONS

BALCONY

Cincinnati Opera’s 2017 Summer Festival will take place at the Aronoff Center for the Arts, our temporary home while Music Hall is under construction.

LOGE

The facility has three theaters—Procter & Gamble Hall (2,700 seats), JarsonKaplan Theater (400 seats), and the studio space, Fifth Third Bank Theater.

ARONOFF CENTER 650 WALNUT STREET CINCINNATI, OHIO ORCHESTRA

STAGE

SUMMER 2018: BACK TO MUSIC HALL We’re looking forward to returning to Music Hall in 2018 following its grand renovation. We’ll have much more to say in the coming months, but for now, here are two dates for your calendar: Community Open House at Music Hall on October 7, 2017 and a concert performance of Debussy’s opera Pelléas et Mélisande by the CSO and soloists on October 20 and 21, 2017. Stay up-to-date at cincinnatiopera.org.

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Season Presenting Sponsor:

July 15, 20, 22, 23m

The Magic Flute

June 23, 25m, 27, 29 July 1, 6, 8

Frida

June 15, 17, 22, 24

La Bohème

SUBSCRIPTION SERIES

2017 SEASON

Preferred Healthcare Provider:

30 Garfield Place • Suite 800 Cincinnati, OH 45202

Patricia K. Beggs, The Harry Fath General Director & CEO Evans Mirageas, The Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director

Season Funders:

(513) 241-2742 •

Patricia A. Corbett Estate and Trust

The Corbett Foundation

cincinnatiopera.org

SUBSCRIBE TODAY FOR THE BEST SEATS!

NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE PAID CINCINNATI, OH PERMIT #6737