Opera program Spring 26

Note from the Director Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007) was not only a composer, but a dramatist and director. He was huge fan of Giacomo Puccini, and his composition style is perhaps best described as Neo-Romanticism or Romantic Lyricism. Abandoning the atonal style of many of his contemporaries, Menotti was indeed Pucciniesque in his approach, although most would agree that he never succeeded in capturing the soaring vocal lines for which Puccini is so well-loved and well-known.

What he did create, however, were of some of the most popular works in the American operatic canon. He received the Pulitzer Prize for his opera’s The Consul and The Saint of Bleeker Street, as well as for his libretto for Samuel Barber’s Vanessa. Although he retained his Italian citizenship, he lived in the US for most of his life and considered himself to be an “American” composer, and even became a Kennedy Center Honors recipient in 1984. As many of you may know, the most often performed American opera is his Amahl and the Night Visitors.

Menotti’s operas are also some of the most often performed works by small opera companies and universities.

As you will see in these performances, the vocal demands typically pair well with the developing singing artist, and the stories tend to be accessible and appealing to American audiences. That is not to say they are easy or simple. You will observe that The Telephone requires substantial coloratura facility for the soprano, and that The Old Maid and the Thief is filled with challenging melodies, rhythms, and frequent meter changes.

Professor Miller and I wish to thank and congratulate all of our class members for tackling these demanding works, applying their talents and focus, and generously offering what I believe you will find to be a very exciting and engaging performance.

We can’t thank our music staff enough for their dedicated preparation of these works, as well as our amazing CVPA production team. It takes a village, and it is such an honor to work with every one of them. We also want to recognize and thank our student composer/pianist/performer, Samuel Kim for his creation of the fabulous radio advertisement “Jingles” that you will hear along the way. Enjoy the show!

Richard Leech

Arguments The Telephone (or L’amour à trois) Ben is in love with Lucy, and has a very important question to ask her. Lucy is in love with Ben, but there is a third party that is constantly getting in the way. Lucy has no idea that there is an issue so Ben must find a creative way to tackle this obstacle to their happiness.

The Old Maid and the Thief One of the first opera’s commissioned specifically for radio, The Old Maid and the Thief was premiered on NBC radio in 1939. Welcome to our WGMU radio studio, broadcasting some ten years later, as our “guest opera stars” take on the characters of Miss Todd, a respectable and middle-aged maiden lady who’s existence is somewhat empty, being without romance; her maid Laetitia, a pretty young thing who, like her mistress, feels the lack of a man in her life; a neighbor, Miss Pinkerton, who has the reputation as the village gossip; and a young tramp by the name of Bob. Bob is tall, dark, and handsome, and the two women cannot resist inviting him to spend the night and have a meal, and then go to great lengths to get him to stay.

Although Miss Todd and Laetitia become concerned that Bob may be the escaped thief and murder that was reported in the news, they decide that it would be better to be killed by a man, than live without one. Bob, a simple vagabond who has never broken the law, discovers the opera’s ironic moral – The devil couldn’t do what a woman can– make a thief out of an honest man.

Mason Opera Presents The Telephone (L’amour à trois)

&

The Old Maid and the Thief Music and Libretto by Gian Carlo Menotti with new original Radio Jingles by Samuel Kim

Stage Director: Professor Richard Leech Music Director & Conductor: Dr. Soo Han Director/Producer: Professor Patricia Miller

Harris Theatre

George Mason University Friday, April 24 at 8:00 Saturday, April 25 at 2:00 and 8:00 Sunday, April 26 at 3:00

Mason Symphony Orchestra Conductor: Dr. Soo Han Assistant Conductor: Samuel Keh

Violin I Brittany Young*, concertmaster Suyuan Carrasco*, asst. concertmaster Natalia Gibbs*

Clarinet Benjamin Lopez Bassoon Jackson Wilson

Violin II Marianna Wolpert*, principal Youngbin Ko*, asst. principal Perry Francis

Horn Alex Josa

Viola Sophia Ellis, principal Jade Lemus*, asst. principal Cello David Kim, principal Jabari DeRoux*, asst. principal Bass Clarke McMillen*, principal Flute Annie Li Oboe Maya Moses

Trumpet Grace Bascom Percussion Jack Papandon, principal Tobey Koopmans Piano Dr. GaYoung Lee

Suyuan Carrasco, librarian Kate Granger, librarian Natalia Gibbs, librarian Samuel Keh, orchestra manager *Aitel Scholar

Dramatis Personae

The Telephone Lucy

Annie French

Ben

Jacob Lee

~ The Old Maid and the Thief Beverly Cabot as Miss Todd

Elycia Woodham*; Ash Mattos†

Monica McEuen as Laeticia

Hannah Cayem

Donna Miller as Miss Pinkerton

Julia Messner

Howard Leech as Bob

Ethan Yearwood

Bobby as the Foley Artist

Ethan Pinentel

The WGMU Studio Singers Jessie “Tunes” Taylor, Music Director

Sarah Clements*; Samuel Kim†

Bitsy

Huijie Sun

Mindy

Kathryn Yearwood

Bobby

Ethan Pinentel

Jimmy

Lincoln Hop

Clark

Diego Billilngton

*April 25, 2:00 & April 26, 3:00; †(April 24, 8:00 & April 25, 8:00)

ADMINISTRATION & STAFF MASON OPERA ARTISTIC TEAM Director of Vocal Studies, Program Director & Producer: Music Director, Conductor: Stage Director: Principal Coach: Rehearsal Pianist, Coach: Jingle Composer/Repetiteur: Assistant Conductor:

Prof. Patricia Miller Dr. Soo Han Prof. Richard Leech Prof. Joseph Walsh Dr. GaYoung Lee Samuel Kim Samuel Keh

ARTISTIC AND PRODUCTION STAFF Executive Director, Center for the Arts: Stage Manager: Scenic Designer: Technical Director: Lighting Designer: Costume Designer: Sound Designer Props Designer: Hair and Makeup: Assistant Stage Manager: Fly Operator/Deck Crew: Sound Mixer:

Julie Thompson Donna Reinhold Jonathan C. Dahm Carrie Cox Sean Cox Laurel Dunayer Reid May Adrienne Krauel Taylor S Payne Tess Tsolis Claire Rassmussen Tiara Newman

SCENE SHOP STAFF Technical Director: Assistant Technical Director: Scene Shop Supervisor: Lead Carpenter: Props Artisan: Scenic Painter: Drafting Intern Paint Interns: Production Interns: Scene Shop Practicum Students: Volunteer Shop Artisans:

Carrie Cox Ezekiel Ajibade Ethan Osborne Claire Rasmussen Vika Hearne Adrienne Krauel Tess Tsolis Ollie Maxted, Johnny Vo Anna Crowley, Sanjay Nagar,Kai Yoffe Amber Dunton, Brian Gutierrez, Adrian Jin, Laura Schmechel, Will Shin Carter Hurd, Aaron Johnston

COSTUME STAFF Costume Shop Supervisor and Costume Designer: Assistant Costume Shop Supervisor: Costume Shop Assistant: Costume Shop Assistant/Lead Wardrobe:

Laurel Dunayer Sarah Alspach Alexandra Beverina Luisa Romero

Opera Wardrobe Run Crew Costume Shop Student Interns:

Arrieon Grovner, Molly Repetski Anna Grace Connole, Arrieon Grovner, Shannon Harrel, Conor Kelly, Eli Nguyen Holly Pulsifer, Molly Repetski, Bridget Santos Brianna Zawicki, Arrieon Grovner, Molly Repetski Costume Shop THR 198 Practicum Students: Myles Early, Emma Harris Katie Hinden, Quiana Michel Quinn Premo, Nox Toth, Justin Valentine

MASON OPERA GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES Dr. Rick Davis, Dean, College of Visual & Performing Arts Dr. Linda Monson, Director, Reva and Sid Dewberry Family School of Music Julie Thompson, Executive Director, Center for the Arts As always, we would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to our ever-loyal Friends of Music and Opera Angels, to Ford’s Theater, and to WGMU Radio for generously allowing us to borrow their call sign.

MASON VOICE FACULTY Prof. Patricia Miller, Director of Vocal Studies Prof. Richard Leech

Prof. Edrie Means-Weekly

Prof. Jennifer Casey-Cabot

Prof. Ian McEuen

Dr. Darden Purcell

Dr. Andrew Smith

Dr. Caroline Nielson

Prof. Nancy Anderson

Mason Opera Angels The Vocal Studies Division and Mason Opera gratefully acknowledge

Carolyn Peterson and the Peterson Family Foundation for their generous Leadership Support of Mason Opera and Vocal Studies Endowed Scholarships.

For more information and a complete listing of concerts and recitals, visit the web site at music.gmu.edu George Mason University is a registered All-Steinway School The use of cameras and video recorders without prior permission is strictly prohibited.

Notice: for your own safety, LOOK for your nearest EXIT. In case of emergency, WALK, DON NOT RUN, to that exit