Dear Friends
FROM THE LEADERSHIP
Asthe days grow longer and the world bursts into color, we invite you to the final months of our season—a celebration of opera, ballet, and orchestral brilliance. This spring and summer, our stage will come alive with performances that capture the energy of renewal, passion, and the pure joy of live performing arts.
From the soaring voices of opera to the breathtaking precision of ballet and the sweeping power of the Philharmonic, each performance is a testament to the timeless magic of music and movement. Whether you are drawn to the drama of a great aria, the athleticism of a pirouette, or the delicate moments of a symphony, this season offers something to stir the soul.
We are grateful for your presence— your enthusiasm and support breathe life into every note and every step. Join us as we bring this season to a magnificent crescendo, where the beauty of live performance is yours to experience, again and again.
We’ll see you in the audience.
Warmly,
Patrick J. Nugent President and CEO
Joseph Zehenny DPAA Board Chair
Tenor Matthew White dazzles in Dayton Opera’s ‘Three Tenors, Encore!’
Artistic Directors
Neal Gittleman
Artistic Director, Philharmonic
The 2024–2025 season is my 30th on the DPO podium, following founder Paul Katz, Charles Wendelken-Wilson, and Isaiah Jackson. Next year Keitaro Harada takes over. Until then, I’ll be surrounded by fabulous musicians and fabulous music. Favorite pieces by favorite composers. A world premiere and a U.S. premiere. A ballet I’ve conducted more than a hundred times (The Nutcracker) and one I’ve never conducted before (Cinderella). One of my favorite operas (Amahl and the Night Visitors). And my first-ever concert of country music! But what keeps popping into my head again and again as I think about this last year as your conductor? Song titles by my favorite band, The Beatles: “The Long and Winding Road,” “Come Together,” “We Can Work It Out.” And again and again, these lines: “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Except for me, it’s “… equal to the music you make.” And of course, “P.S. I Love You!”
Kathleen Clawson,
Artistic Director, Opera; Dr. Ron Anderson and Robb Sloan-Anderson Chair
Kathleen Clawson begins her fifth season as Dayton Opera Artistic Director and Dr. Ron Anderson and Robb Sloan-Anderson Chair. Clawson began directing for the Opera in 2009 and has directed 19 productions since, including serving as dramaturg and stage director for the world premiere of Finding Wright
An acclaimed opera director, she directed The Santa Fe Opera’s world premiere of Shoes for the Santo Niño (2011) and was stage director and dramaturg for their world premiere of UnShakeable (2016).
A mezzo-soprano, Clawson’s credits include soloist with the Dayton Philharmonic, productions with The Santa Fe Opera and Dallas Opera, recording de Falla’s “El Amor Brujo” for Maria Benitez’ Teatro Flamenco tour, and singing “Mother Abbess” in Debby Boone’s international tour of The Sound of Music.
Dayton Ballet Studio Company
Xochitl Atienza Sara Beth Austin
Daniela Bennetti Analiese Capponi
Amber Huggett
Ryan Norman Elizabeth Sabol
Klein Perspectives
Choreography by Andrea Schermoly
Music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi, & Ólafur Arnald
Original scenic design and lighting design by Trad A Burns
Costumes by Andrea Schermoly & Jennifer Carroll Costumes courtesy of Kansas City Ballet
Cast ......................................... Erin Blair, Nicolas Bierwagen, Harrison Broadbent, Alyssa Eyster, Hailey Flanagan, Jasmine Getz, Patrick Lennon, ...................... Lukas Pringle, Belle Urben, Jalen Williams
Spilt Mylk
Choreography by Qarrianne Blayr (World Premiere)
Music by Michael Wall, Nicholas Britell, & Armad Amar
Lighting design by Molly Tiede
Costumes by Qarrianne Blayr & Lyn Baudendistel
Cast Connor Barak, Nicolas Bierwagen, Erin Blair, ..................................Harrison Broadbent, Emma Duncan, Katy Gilliam, Jasmine Getz, Isaac Jones, Kyan Park, Lukas Pringle, Belle Urben, ................................... Catherine Voorhees, Jalen Williams
About the Artists
George Balanchine
Choreographer
George Balanchine was the most influential choreographer of classical ballet in the United States in the 20th century. His works, characterized by a cool neoclassicism, include The Nutcracker (1954) and Don Quixote (1965), both pieces choreographed for the New York City Ballet, of which he was a founder (1948), the artistic director, and the chief choreographer. He was also a pioneer in choreography for film and musical theatre.
A prolific creator in various styles, Balanchine was responsible for most of the New York City Ballet’s extensive repertoire, having created more than 150 works for the company. He continued as artistic director and ballet master of the New York Ballet until late in 1982, when ill health forced him to relinquish his duties.
Although he worked mainly in the United States, Balanchine was an international choreographer, and almost every leading ballet company in the world has mounted at least one of his ballets. Best known abroad are his interpretations of musical compositions, either in a serious vein, such as Brahms’s Liebeslieder Walzer (1960), or broadly comic, such as Hershy Kay’s Western Symphony (1954), or richly Romantic, such as Robert Schumann’s Davidsbündlertänze (1980).
Source: Britannica
Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Musicians
Kirstin Greenlaw, Acting Concertmaster1
Aurelian Oprea Associate Concertmaster2
Youjin Na, Acting Assistant Concertmaster3
Elizabeth Hofeldt
David Goist Mikhail Baranovsky Louis Proske Sean Klopfenstein John Lardinois
Philip Enzweiler* Janet George
Kara Camfield, Acting Principal4
Ann Linn Baer, Acting Assistant Principal
VIOLIN I
Scott Moore Gloria Fiore Maggie Niekamp Nick Naegele* Lynn Rohr*
Yoshiko Kunimitsu Bill Slusser Yein Jin*
Sheridan Currie, Principal5
VIOLIN II
VIOLA
CLARINET
TROMBONE
Robyn Dixon Costa
John Kurokawa, Principal13 Rachael Young, Principal14
Kristen Smith15
Aaron Brant, Principal16
Lotti Ropert
Todd Fitter
BASSOON
HORN
Amy Lassiter Sean Vore, Assistant Principal
Charles Pagnard, Principal17 Alan Siebert
TRUMPET
Eric Knorr
Tyler Bentley, Acting Principal18
Richard Begel
Chad Arnow19
Timothy Northcut, Principal20
Gerald Noble, Acting Principal21
Michael LaMattina, Principal22 Davi Martinelli de Lira23
Leslie Stratton, Principal24
Dr. C. Daniel & Mrs. Kathy Raisch
Dr. & Mrs. Robert E. Rankin
Heber & Liz Short
Mr. Michael Sieveking & Mr. Jeffrey Trzeciak
Mr. & Mrs. Richard L. Smythe
Lois & Roger Sutherland
Tony Talbot & Mark Duffy
Dr. & Mrs. Frederick A. Tokarz
Dr. & Mrs. Edward Tomme
Mrs. Sharon A. Tschudin
Dr. Byron & Mrs. Theresa Wade
Paul & Susie Weaver
James & Tami Whalen
Hon. & Mrs. William H. Wolff Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Tim S. Wood
Dr. Teresa Zryd
BRAVO ($1,000+)
Anonymous (4)
The Helen & Charles Abramovitz Fund
Mr. Joshua E. Adams
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce Anderson
Jo & Matt Anderson
Ellen Bagley
Hon. Bill & Karen Beagle
Mr. Zachary J. Beck
Mr. & Mrs. Donald N. Bigler
Dr. & Mrs. Thomas Brown
Mr. Dan & Mrs. Mary R. Bowman
Janet Burke
Ms. Eva Buttacavoli
Mr. & Mrs. Allen Byrum
Mr. Joseph Cable
Drs. Alejandro Calvo & Veronica Camacho
Barbara J. Campbell
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Cornett
Karen & Gary Crim
Mr. & Mrs. Lawrence M. Corson
Mr. Kelly H. Dalton
Susan & Bryan Daly
Ms. Susan DeLuca
Mark Dlott & Dale Goldberg
Mr. C. Bruce Driver
Ms. Jane A. Dunwoodie
Susan & Robert Ellefson
Mr. Larry Forman
The Albert & Nancy Freudenberger Fund
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Gardner
Dr. David & Pamela Griffith
Dr. & Mrs. Bruce Hall
Mr. John C. Halpin & Ms.
Dorothy B. Dick
Thomas Hanley
Bob Hanna
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Harstad
Mr. Anthony Haugrud
Mr. & Mrs. Delbert Herbeck
The Holland Family Trust
Mr. Jeffrey Huntington
Dr. Michael A. Jaffe M.D.
Sandi Simmons & Tom Jonak
Ms. Norma Keefer
Dr. & Mrs. Brian Kent
Chuck Knickerbocker
Kathryn A. Lamme
Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Langguth
Dr. James T. Lehner & Hon. Peggy Lehner
Mr. & Mrs. Franklin C. Lewis
Robyn Lightcap
Dr. & Mrs. William Lindahl
The Margaret & Paul C. Magill Fund*
Amy Radachi & Tom Maher
Dr. & Mrs. Frank P. Mannarino M.D.
Drs Jerry Clark & Barry McCorkle
Marc & Melissa McNulty
Thom & Penni Meyer
Ms. Shannon Joyce Neal
Mr. John Phillips
Mrs. Helen C. Potter
Robert & Cynthia Puskar
Mr. Todd Press
Mr. & Mrs. Dominick A. Rinaldi
Mr. & Mrs. Charles J. Roedersheimer
Ms. Patricia Roth
Mr. & Mrs. Donald L. Routson
Ms. Colleen M. Ryan
Dr. Burton R. Saidel & Mrs. Alice L. Saidel
The Sanchez Family
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Schaefer
Mr. & Mrs. Alan B. Schaeffer
Mrs. Winnie Scholl
Bill & Ann Schuerman
Charles V. Simms
Mrs. Catherine J. Skardon
Mrs. Gaynelle M. Spiegel
Lt. Col & Mrs. Michael H. Taint
Mr. John Tate
Mrs. Mary T. Tymeson
Drs. Paul & Sharon Vander Gheynst
Malte & Pan Von Matthiessen
Dr. & Mrs. Andreas M. Walchner
Andrew & Julie Wallner
K Wiedeman & L Elliott-Sowers
Lt. Col & Mrs. Robert W. Wilda
Janice Finch Willhelm
Mark & Kim White
Ms. Katherine Wiedeman
Janice Finch Willhelm
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Williamson
Mr. & Mrs. John J. Winch
Mr. & Mrs. Brian W. Woodruff
David & Sarah Wrazen
Dr. Daniel L. Zehringer
Dr. David Zelmon & Dr. Mojgan
Samardar
Friends FELLOW
($750+)
Anonymous (2)
Mr. & Mrs. Michael F. Armstrong
Michael Bachmann & Mary Combs
Mr. Charles W. Bradford
Carla Cameron
Jill & Dale Courte
Mrs. Rebecca Dianis
Dr. Margaret M. Dunn & Dr. William A. Spohn
Pam & Ron Eyink
Lt. Col. Frank & Diane Gentner, USAF Ret.
Terri & John Haines
Dr. Caroline H. Kennebeck-Hale & Mr. Brian L. Hale
William & Carol Herrick
Jeremy Holtgrave
Tyron & Frances Inbody
Jean Kessel
Charles & Karen Kronbach
Kenji & Misao Kurokawa
Amelia Lombardo
Ms. Joyce E. McDonald
Larry Mullins
Les & Dianne Niemi
Ms. Ellen Noble
Greg & Michele Palmer
Mr. Harold Poppe & Mr. Dale Schmidt
William C. Quinn
Ms. Carolyn J. Ray
Mr. Randy K. Ray & Dr. Cleanne Cass
Mary Yerina & Bob Redfield
Beverly & Bradley Smith
Bob & Toni Sprinkel
Rick & Tawnya Stover
Phyllis Strayer
Terry & Diane Torbeck
Nancy & John Woeste
Dr. Roberts & Mrs. Lynn Wood
Dr. Virginia C. Wood
Carol Jean Yegerlehner
HARRY A. TOULMIN JR. AND VIRGINIA B. TOULMIN FUND OF THE DAYTON FOUNDATION
BILL AND JACKIE LOCKWOOD FUND TO SUPPORT OPERA
MARY H. KITTREDGE FUND OF THE DAYTON FOUNDATION
