Presented by Parnassus Society
Giacomo Puccini
Parnassus Society Proudly Presents
Madama Butterfly
Saturday, March 1, 2025 | 3PM
Soka Performing Arts Center at Soka University of America
Featured Artists
Karen Chia-Ling Ho, Cio-Cio San
Bruce Sledge, Pinkerton
Milena Kitic, Suzuki
Nmon Ford, Sharpless
Robert Norman, Goro
Ryan Reithmeier, Bonze
Maria Lazarova, Kate Pinkerton
Kiana Kazerouni, Dolore
Parnassus Virtuosi Orchestra
Benjamin Makino, Conductor
Orange County School of the Arts
Puccini Chorus
NO PHOTOGRAPHY OR VIDEO RECORDING PERMITTED DURING PERFORMANCES
SYNOPSIS
Act I
U.S. Navy Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton is stationed in Nagasaki, Japan. As the action begins, Pinkerton is with Goro, a marriage-broker. He has paid for an arranged marriage with a fifteen-year-old geisha, Cio-Cio-San, known as Madama Butterfly. Shortly before the wedding is to take place, the U.S. Consul at Nagasaki, Sharpless, arrives. He tells Pinkerton that he is convinced Butterfly is deeply in love with him. He fears that Pinkerton will destroy her because he does not take the marriage seriously, but is motivated only by desire. Pinkerton dismisses his fears but affirms that he waits for the day he will make a ‘genuine’ marriage to an American woman. At that moment, Butterfly arrives with her friends. She charms with her cultivated manners and child-like appearance: she is from a noble family that has been reduced to poverty, now obliged to earn a living as a geisha. She shows Pinkerton some of her possessions, among them the dagger that her father committed suicide with, at the Emperor’s orders. Butterfly tells Pinkerton that she is willing to give up her own gods and adopt his religion. Wedding guests and officials arrive and a simple ceremony takes place. As Pinkerton urges his new relatives to celebrate his happiness, the voice of the Bonze – the high-priest – is heard. He reveals that Butterfly has converted to Christianity. He and the entire Japanese contingent renounce her. Pinkerton orders them to leave, and they disperse, shouting curses as they depart. Pinkerton tries to comfort his weeping bride. Suzuki, her faithful servant, prepares her for the wedding night. The newlyweds are left alone. As night falls, Pinkerton realizes he loves Butterfly.
Madama Butterfly - G. Puccini
SYNOPSIS
Act II
Three years have passed since Pinkerton sailed away. Butterfly and Suzuki are on the verge of destitution. Butterfly still believes that Pinkerton will return to her, as he promised, but Suzuki has doubts. Sharpless visits with a letter from Pinkerton. He tries in vain to read it through Butterfly’s constant interruptions. Goro arrives with Prince Yamadori, Butterfly’s rich suitor. She has rejected his offer of marriage many times and does so again, insisting that she is already married. Goro and Yamadori depart, leaving Sharpless and Butterfly alone. He resumes his attempt to read the letter. It is clear that Pinkerton has asked Sharpless to tell her he will not be returning. Sharpless gently tries to guide her toward the truth and suggests she should accept Yamadori’s proposal, at which Butterfly goes out and returns with Pinkerton’s son. She assures Sharpless that Pinkerton would never abandon such a beautiful child. Moved, Sharpless promises to inform Pinkerton of his son, and leaves. A short time later, a cannon shot is heard and Butterfly takes up a telescope and recognizes Pinkerton’s ship. Confident that her faith will be rewarded, Butterfly and Suzuki decorate the house with flowers. Butterfly, Suzuki and the child wait and watch through the night in the garden for Pinkerton’s return.
SYNOPSIS
Act III
Morning dawns and Butterfly carries the sleeping child into the house. Sharpless and Pinkerton arrive in the garden, along with Pinkerton’s new American wife, Kate. Sharpless tells Suzuki that Kate has agreed to raise the child as her own. Embarrassed and ashamed, Pinkerton flees in remorse, leaving Sharpless and Kate to break the news to Butterfly. Stoic, she agrees to give up her child if Pinkerton comes himself to see her, and instructs them to return for the child in half an hour. She takes her father’s dagger, intending to end her life, when Suzuki pushes the child into the room to deter her. Butterfly hugs him tightly and then sends him out to play. Left alone, Butterfly takes the only option left to her, ritual suicide. Pinkerton rushes into the house, but too late. Butterfly is dead.
Madama Butterfly - G. Puccini
CONDUCTOR’S NOTE
Maestro Benjamin Makino
I’m fairly sure that Madama Butterfly was the second, maybe the third opera I saw as a child. Whether that was on TV or live, I can’t remember. I know it wasn’t the first opera I saw in person — that was Aïda. Aside from that, all I know for certain is that I’ve been aware of Madama Butterfly, basically, as long as I’ve been aware of opera, which is to say, for most of my life.
I’ve seen it again since then, of course, many times, and even got to hang around a couple of productions, thanks to the kind of access that is sometimes provided to ambitious young artists. But this is only the second production of Madama Butterfly I will be directly connected to as an artist. And, I hope not the last. All three of Puccini’s exotic operas, of which Madama Butterfly is the first, have become controversial in recent years, both regarding issues of representation and in the depictions of Japanese, Native American and Chinese cultures by the composer and his librettists. There is, perhaps, some irony then that in these works, we also see Puccini at his most musically progressive and dramatically nuanced.
In Madama Butterfly, Puccini develops a musical language equal in sophistication to contemporaries like Debussy and the young Stravinsky, experimenting with harmony and voicing and exploring the full range of the large orchestra the opera calls for. Beyond their novelty, these techniques provide near numberless ways to explore subtleties of characterization and action, placing this opera in a psychological world much closer to our own than those of the Italian operas composed even only a handful of years before it. Even in an orchestral reduction, as we perform today, these details largely remain intact, in no small part due to the skill of Ettore Panizza, who wrote this and many other orchestral reductions.
This is a work where the way you hear a low flute line or single note from a horn can radically change your understanding of place, time and relationships in the drama as it unfolds. A musical gesture that, in one instant, may seem simple accompaniment becomes critical in shaping the emotional quality of the next. Still, some moments may strike a contemporary listener as banal — a musical equivalent of the samurai sword letter opener hurriedly purchased in Asakusa on the last day of your Tokyo vacation. Yet for me, in these moments, as I participate in the performances of my colleagues on stage and in the pit, I am transported back to childhood memories, not only of Madama Butterfly but also of seeing The Seven Samurai for the first time in with my dad and my brother, or a vague recollection of my grandfather singing karaoke at a family gathering while I drank a Hawaiian Punch straight from the can. These early experiences are now connected to Puccini’s score and his attempts, imperfect as they may be, at bringing two worlds together.
Are these connections real in any objective sense? To me, it doesn’t matter because, in these cases, the purpose of art concerns not the outwardly universal but the inwardly specific. My hope for you is that, whether this is your first time or fiftieth, attending the opera be a similar experience.
Madama
Butterfly - Karen Chia-Ling Ho, Soprano
Karen Chia-Ling Ho, Soprano Cio-Cio San
“The full-blast dramatic soprano of Karen Chia-ling Ho… has the power to cut through any orchestra… she could also sing softly and shape phrases to express other moods.”Musical America
The 2023/24 season sees Karen Chia-ling Ho making debuts with Opera Philadelphia, Boston Lyric Opera, and Virginia Opera in the title role of Madama Butterfly. Other engagements this season include a return to the Metropolitan Opera to cover Mimì in La Bohème and San Francisco Opera to cover Cio-CioSan in Madama Butterfly
Following her debut with the Hong Kong Arts Festival in Bright Sheng’s Dream of the Red Chamber, Ms. Ho reprised the role of Princess Jia in her San Francisco Opera debut. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Meretaten in Philip Glass’ Akhnaten and Apparition in Macbeth. She sang Liù in Turandot with St. Petersburg Opera and Tosca in Hong Kong at the More Than Music Festival, under the direction of Nic Muni. She also sang staged performances of La Traviata as Violetta at the Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater with the Philharmonia Orchestra of New York. She made her Carnegie Hall debut with the American Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Leon Botstein, in Ernst Krenek’s Der Diktator as Maria.
Other engagements include performances with Hawaii Opera
Theater in Madama Butterfly and the New Jersey Festival Orchestra in the “Yellow River Cantata” and Strauss’ Op. 27, along with operatic selections of Verdi. Ms. Ho was presented in concert with the American Composers Orchestra in Washington, D.C. in music by Chinese composer Li Shaosheng and appeared in concerts with both the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra in China. She has also performed concerts with the Musical Olympus Foundation, San Jose Center for the Performing Arts in music by Tysen Hsiao, and Philharmonia Orchestra of New York in Mozart’s Requiem.
Ms. Ho was a finalist in the Belvedere Competition and the Francisco Viñas Competition in Barcelona. She received First Prize in the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition, was the Second Prize winner of the Marcello Giordani Foundation International Vocal Competition, and was awarded a Sergio Franchi Music Foundation
Grant. Ms. Ho was also a district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
Ms. Ho was a member of the Merola Opera Program of the San Francisco Opera where she was featured in the role of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, under the direction of James Darrah. Winner of the prestigious Renee Fleming Award from the Eastman School of Music, she holds music degrees from the Universities of TNUA and Tung-Hai in Vocal Performance, a Master of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music, and an Artist Diploma from the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati.
Madama Butterfly - Karen Chia-Ling Ho, Soprano
Milena Kitic, Mezzo-Soprano Suzuki
Milena Kitic, a renowned mezzosoprano, has performed numerous roles with opera companies around the world throughout the last three decades.
Perhaps best known for her signature role of Carmen in Bizet’s Carmen, Kitic has headlined in major performance venues across the United States and Europe such as the National Theater in Belgrade, Serbia (former Yugoslavia), Aalto Theater Essen in Germany, Washington D.C. Opera, Baltimore Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Opera Pacific, and Metropolitan Opera.
She received numerous accolades for her performances, including the German Music Critic’s Award for Performer of the Season in 1998 and the Opera Pacific Guild’s Diva of the Year in 2005. The International Jeunesses Musicales Competition in Belgrade, Serbia, has established a special prize for “the best young mezzo-soprano” in Kitic’s name.
Her talent and incredible career in music earned her the inaugural Artist-in-Residence Award given by Chapman University in Orange, California, where she is an adjunct professor and master class instructor. She also works closely with the Orange County High School of the Arts and many universities and music organizations in southern California.
Kitic currently serves as chair of artistic excellence at LA Opera with
whom she most recently performed the role of Carmen, Albine in Thais (with Placido Domingo), Mrs. Noah in Noah’s Flood, and Suzuki in Madame Butterfly (both conducted by J. Conlon). Among other recent performances are her roles in Carmen and Amneris in Aida with the Pacific Symphony in Costa Mesa, CA, the grand opening concert of Chapman University’s Musco Center for the Arts, the role of The Witch in Hansel and Gretel with the Symphonic Society of Orange County, and the Alto part in Mahler’s 8th Symphony with the Madison Symphony and Pacific Symphony Orchestras.
In the past year, Kitic has joined the Board of the Parnassus Society, which is committed to the growth of cultural advancement in Orange County, has established The Milena Kitic Outstanding Mezzo-Soprano Award at The Mentoris Vocal Competition in Pasadena, started
mentoring students from Newport Harbor High School in opera and music, and was recognized by the Loren L. Zachary Society for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles for her work as a professional Opera Singer, Educator, and Contributor to the opera community.
Bruce Sledge, Tenor Pinkerton
“The clarion-voiced, impressive” (New York Times) Lirico Spinto tenor Bruce Sledge has been praised for his “bright, attractive sound and superb technical skills” that he has shared with audiences at major opera houses around the world over his career spanning more than two decades.
This season Mr. Sledge sang the title role in Verdi’s Don Carlo with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. He also returned to the Metropolitan Opera to cover Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca and performed in Donizetti’s La fille du Régiment with the Parnassus Society at Soka Performing Arts Center.
Last season, Sledge was involved in projects at the Metropolitan Opera including covering the title role in Wagner’s Lohengrin and the role of Sergei in Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mzinsk.
In previous seasons, Mr. Sledge’s engagements included performing as tenor soloist in the Verdi Requiem with Seattle Symphony, a reprisal of the role of Paolo Erisso
Kitic presently resides in Newport Beach, California and runs her private vocal studio.
in Rossini’s Maometto Secondo with Washington Concert Opera, and his role debut as Don José in Opera Colorado’s Carmen. He also returned to the Metropolitan Opera covering the title role in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg and Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos. He was the tenor soloist in The Parnassus Society’s annual operatic concert at Soka University.
Madama Butterfly - Bruce Sledge, Tenor
In the 2019-20 season, Sledge made his role debut as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly in a Metropolitan Opera “Live in HD” transmission seen live by over 350,000 viewers in over 70 countries worldwide. He was also seen at UCLA’s Royce Hall as a tenor soloist in Rachel Fuller’s Animal Requiem.
In recent seasons, Sledge returned to the Deutsche Oper Berlin for performances of Jean in Le Prophète and to the Welsh National Opera as Lorenzo in The Merchant of Venice and Macduff in Macbeth He was praised by Opera Wire for his “dramatic versatility” for his portrayal of Bacchus in the Santa Fe Opera’s Ariadne auf Naxos, and Opera Canada raved that his “radiant, voluminous tenor and ease with language” as Lord Riccardo Percy in Anna Bolena with the Canadian Opera Company was “spot-on.” A regular roster member of the Metropolitan Opera, Sledge made his debut as Almaviva in Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, followed by performances as Ferrando in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Tamino in Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, and King of Naples in Thomas Adès’s The Tempest.
Sledge counts among his career highlights singing the role of the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto with companies including Vancouver Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Tulsa Opera and in Avenches, Switzerland; Paolo Erisso in Rossini’s Maometto Secondo with the Canadian Opera Company and Santa Fe Opera;
Leicester in Maria Stuarda with the Minnesota Opera, Welsh National Opera and Swedish National Opera; Count Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with the Hamburgische Staatsoper and Tulsa Opera; Leicester in Elisabetta, regina d’Inghilterra with the Rossini Opera Festival; and Ernesto in Don Pasquale at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin, Teatro Regio di Torino, Teatro Comunale di Bologna and New York City Opera. He performed the role of the Italian Tenor in Der Rosenkavalier at the Lyric Opera of Chicago; Léopold in La Juive at La Fenice; Alfredo in La Traviata at the Royal Danish Opera; Ferrando in Così Fan Tutte at the Pittsburgh Opera; and as Tonio in La Fille du Régiment on the Teatro Comunale di Bologna’s tour to Savonlinna. As Vladimir Vladimirescu and the Fisherman in the double-bill of Mozart’s The Impresario and Stravinsky’s Rossignol at Santa Fe, Sledge “sang with appealing lyricism” and “performed to glorious poetic effect” (Opera News).
As a concert soloist, Sledge has performed in The Defiant Requiem in Asheville, NC and Vienna, Verdi’s Messa da Requiem with the Spoleto USA Festival and the Radio Television Ireland Orchestra in Dublin, Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the National Symphony, Schubert’s Mass No. 6 with the San Diego Symphony, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Berkeley Symphony, and he has sung with the Risca Male Choir in Wales and Opera Companies of Tampa, Atlanta and Hong Kong.
Several appearances with the San Francisco Symphony have included Mozart’s Requiem, Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, and singing as the Shepherd in Oedipus Rex and soloist in Schubert’s Mass No. 6 under Maestro Michael Tilson Thomas. With the Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon, he has performed concerts of Bartok’s Cantata Profana and Kodaly’s Psalmus Hungaricus, and sang Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer with the New York City Ballet. Sledge appeared in recital at Carnegie’s Weill Hall in celebration of Marilyn Horne’s 75th Birthday.
Bruce Sledge recorded the role of the Fox in Spanish and Catalan versions of Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen for the BBC with Kent Nagano, has been seen on the NBC sitcom Scrubs, and can be heard on the soundtrack of the motion picture The Sum of All Fears.
Nmon Ford, Baritone Sharpless
Sledge was a finalist in the 2002 World Voice Masters Competition in Monte Carlo, a finalist in Placido Domingo’s Operalia 2000 World Opera Contest, and a national finalist in the 2000 Loren L. Zachary Vocal Competition. In 1998, he was a Western Regional Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera Auditions and was awarded first place in the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) Competition. Bruce Sledge received his master’s degree in vocal arts from the University of Southern California.
“In 2024 Mr. Sledge returns to the Metropolitan Opera roster for Madam Butterfly, and the Chicago Lyric roster for Fidelio. In 2025 Mr. Sledge will sing the title role in Verdi’s Don Carlo with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra.”
Panamanian-American baritone Nmon Ford begins a new artistic chapter as the composer, librettist, and title-role performer of House of Orfeus (previously Orfeus, A House Music Opera), which was scheduled for its world premiere at London’s Young Vic Theatre (postponed due to Covid-19). The show will be presented in 2024 as a coproduction with Lincoln Center and Opera Carolina. Nmon has enjoyed success in increasingly challenging and dramatic repertoire, most recently in concert with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in excerpts from Aïda (Amonasro). He made his role and company debut as Crown in the English National Opera/ Metropolitan Opera co-production of Porgy and Bess, preceded by his role and festival debut at Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival as The Celebrant in Leonard Bernstein’s MASS, Iago (Otello) with the Atlanta Symphony, Jochanaan (Salome) at Pittsburgh Opera, and the Celebrant (MASS) at Salzburg’s Grosses Festspielhaus with the Salzburg Mozarteumorchester. He appeared with the Dallas Symphony in Vaughn Williams’ Sea Symphony, Chicago Opera Theater in the title role of a new production of Ernest Bloch’s Macbeth, Atlanta
Madama Butterfly - Nmon Ford, Baritone
Symphony at Carnegie Hall (Brahms’ Requiem), St. Louis Symphony (Carmina Burana), and Milwaukee Symphony (Brahms’ Requiem). After performing Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen with Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire (ONPL) conducted by John Axelrod, Nmon was immediately reengaged by the ONPL for Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder and Fauré’s Requiem.
Nmon made his Italian debut at Teatro delle Muse in Ancona in the title role of a new production of The Emperor Jones directed by Henning Brockhaus and conducted by Bruno Bartoletti (for which he received the Premio Franco Corelli for the outstanding debut of the season), his company debut with Cincinnati Opera as Riolobo in Francesca Zambello’s production of Florencia en el Amazonas, and his role debut as The Traveler in a new production of Death In Venice at Hamburg State Opera. He appeared with Michigan Opera Theater as Zurga in Zandra Rhodes’ production of Les pêcheurs de perles, Teatro Comunale di Bologna in the title role of Pier Luigi Pizzi’s production of Don Giovanni, and the Szeged Open-Air Festival in Hungary as Escamillo (Carmen). Nmon gave his first performances at Italy’s Sferisterio Festival in new productions of Attila and Juditha Triumphans, preceded by Don Giovanni in Ancona. He debuted the roles of di Luna (Il trovatore) with Virginia Opera and Thoas (Iphigénie en Tauride) with Hamburg State Opera, and bowed as Mendelssohn’s Elijah at
Washington National Cathedral with the Cathedral Choral Society conducted by J. Reilly Lewis.
In previous seasons Nmon sang both Scarpia (Tosca) and the title role in a new production of Billy Budd with Hamburg Opera; with the Atlanta Symphony conducted by Robert Spano he recorded Jennifer Higdon’s Dooryard Bloom (written for him) and Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music for Telarc. He made his Ravinia Festival debut with James Conlon conducting the Chicago Symphony in Shostakovich’s Symphony #13 (“Babi Yar”), which he also performed with Maestro Conlon and the Los Angeles Philharmonic
at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Additional engagements include Carmina Burana with the Pittsburgh Symphony, and covering the role of Amfortas with Los Angeles Opera in Robert Wilson’s production of Parsifal starring Plácido Domingo and conducted by Kent Nagano. He received critical acclaim at Spoleto Festival USA as the title role in Don Giovanni, in a production by Günter Krämer conducted by Emmanuel Villaume.
Having begun his musical training in piano at age three, Nmon has since appeared with--in addition to the previously mentioned companies-San Francisco Opera, Teatro Sociale di Rovigo, Utah Opera, Portland Opera, and Opera Memphis in roles such as Iago (Otello), Kurwenal (Tristan und Isolde), Renato (Un ballo in maschera), Amonasro (Aïda), Germont (La traviata), and the High Priest (Samson et Dalila). Other roles include Telramund (Lohengrin), Posa (Don Carlo), and Carlo (Ernani).
Nmon has worked with conductors Louis Langrée, James Conlon, EsaPekka Salonen, Leonard Slatkin, Robert Spano, Bruno Bartoletti, Kent Nagano, Marin Alsop, Emmanuel
Villaume, John Wilson, John Adams, and Simone Young. His concert appearances include the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonics, Chicago Symphony, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony, Atlanta Symphony, Pittsburgh Symphony, National Symphony, BBC Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Handel and Haydn Society (Boston, MA), and Orchestra of St. Luke’s. He made his New York recital debut under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation.
In addition to his Grammy-winning Naxos and Telarc releases, Nmon has recorded for Universal Music Group/Decca (Vai DaCapoSongs of Delight, Billboard Top 20 Classical and Classical Crossover) and Koch International (Villa-Lobos’ Symphony #10, “Amerindia”). His awards include First Place in the Wagner Division of the Liederkranz Foundation of New York Competition, as well as major prizes from the Gerda Lissner Foundation and the George London Foundation. He earned his Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in music from the University of Southern California, where he graduated with honors for both degrees.
Madama Butterfly - Robert Norman, Tenor
Robert Norman, Tenor Goro
Tenor Robert Norman has been hailed as “feisty and funny” (Opera News) and having a “truly lovely, Mozartean tenor” (San Francisco Classical Voice). Mr. Norman made his Los Angeles Opera debut in Candide playing several roles including the King of El Dorado and Don Issachar. He is a fifth-place finisher in the Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition, and an L.A. District Winner in the Metropolitan National Council Auditions. He received his Masters in Music from CSU Northridge.
He created the role of Mr. Pedrillo in Josh Shaw’s Star-Trek adapted version of Abduction of the Seraglio which has performed nationally at Salt Marsh Opera, Festival Opera, Pacific Opera Project, the Southern Illinois Music Festival, and at the famed Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood, CA. He has been heralded in this role as, “exuding nerdy charm” (San Jose Mercury News), and “as one of the highlights of the evening” (Living Out LoudLA).
A specialist in the operatic character tenor repertoire, Mr. Norman has performed as Goro in Madama Butterfly (Opera San Jose, Dayton Opera, Salt Marsh Opera); Pedrillo in Abduction from the Seraglio (Dayton Opera, Opera Orlando, Festival Opera, Salt Marsh Opera); Beppe in Pagliacci (Dayton Opera, Festival Opera); Loge in Das Rheingold (Opera Santa Barbara); Pang in Turandot (Dayton Opera);
and Caius in Falstaff (Opera San Jose). He also has a robust performance history in modern and American Opera having performed as Parris in The Crucible (Opera Santa Barbara); Nika Magadoff in The Consul (Dayton Opera); Steve Hubbell in A Streetcar Named Desire (Opera Santa Barbara, Union Avenue Opera, Fresno Grand Opera); Sellem in The Rake’s Progress (Pacific Opera Project); and Little Bat in Susannah (Festival Opera, Pasadena Opera). He performed in the U.S. Premiere of Gavin Bryars’ Marilyn Forever with Long Beach Opera as one of the two Tritones, and his performance of Toby in Sweeney Todd with Fresno Grand Opera was hailed as having taken the audience to “emotional places that I don’t think a non-operasinger could match.” (Fresno Bee)
Mr. Norman is a current member of the Los Angeles Master Chorale, with whom he has appeared as a tenor soloist in both Handel’s Messiah and Shawn Kirchner’s Songs of Ascent at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. As a member of the LA Master Chorale, he has sung under the batons of Grant Gershon, Zubin
Ryan Reithmeier, Baritone Bonze
Ryan Reithmeier is a baritone, producer, and music educator, originally from Northcentral Montana. He earned music and education degrees at Concordia College, Moorhead in Minnesota, and California State University, Fullerton before completing his Doctor of Musical Arts in vocal arts and opera at University of Southern California’s (USC) Thornton School of Music with highest honors, receiving the Opera Award upon graduation and serving as a faculty teaching assistant. During his time at USC, Dr. Reithmeier completed field work in music education, directing for the operatic stage, and arts leadership and entrepreneurship. He also made his debut with the Thornton Opera as L’aumonier in Poulenc’s Dialogues of the Carmelites.
Since arriving at OCSA in 2017, Dr. Reithmeier has overseen, produced and directed numerous seasons of Classical Voice Conservatory opera productions, scenes programs,
Mehta, Gustavo Dudamel, Michael Tilson Thomas, Bramwell Tovey, and John Williams. He has had the privilege of singing with the Master Chorale on Eric Whitacre’s The Sacred Veil, and the soundtracks for Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker and Jungle Cruise.
virtual projects, concert seasons and International tours, which have exposed hundreds of students to an exceptional education in the vocal arts. His private students have gained acceptance to study in leading vocal arts studios at USC, the San Francisco Conservatory, Chapman University, in addition to consistently earning high honors in adjudication and competitions.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS -
Ryan Reithmeier, Baritone
Regarded as a versatile performer, Dr. Reithmeier has distinguished himself with notable opera, operetta, and concert organizations throughout California. Upcoming projects will include Faure’s Requiem as well as Bach Cantata 88 with St. John’s Concerts, Orange, as well as a return to CAT Corona to provide vocal direction for their production of Pirates of Penzance. Highlights from recent seasons include Pacific Opera Project’s critically-acclaimed post-pandemic production of Leonard Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, as well as serving as baritone soloist for the St. John’s Bach Cantata Vespers in Orange, Calif. Dr. Reithmeier has performed more than 25 baritone roles in opera, oratorio, musical theatre and operetta. Recent performances include Ich habe genug (BWV 82), Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen (Ascension Oratorio, BWV 11), as well as Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem and Haydn’s Missa in Angustiis the requiems of Duruflé and Faure, in addition to numerous productions of Handel’s Messiah. Other appearances with the Operetta Foundation, Opera a La Carte, Soka Performing Arts Center, and Kallisti Ensemble have been met with high acclaim.
In addition, Dr. Reithmeier is a twotime winner of the Beverly Hills National Consortium Auditions, a winner of the NATS-LA Gwendolyn Roberts Auditions, and was a Western-Regional finalist in the NATS-AA competition and has given recitals throughout Southern California.
Dr. Reithmeier is a sought-after competition judge, having served on the adjudication panel for the Los Angeles Music Center’s Spotlight Awards, California Music Educators State Solo and Ensemble Festival, and National Association of Teachers of Singing Los Angeles Chapter Collegiate Auditions and Student Evaluation Program as well as regular invitations to adjudicate collegiate competitions and present master classes. Since 2016, Dr. Reithmeier has served on the Executive Board of NATSLA, the nation’s largest chapter of the National Association of the Teachers of Singing. Prior to coming to OCSA, Dr. Reithmeier served on the faculties of Azusa Pacific University and Vanguard University in Costa Mesa, California.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Maria Lazarova, MezzoSoprano
Kate Pinkerton
Dr. Maria Lazarova serves as the Dean of Arts for Orange County School of the Arts and has been named an Outstanding Arts Educator by the Orange County Department of Education. In her role, she provides leadership and oversight of OCSA’s 16 arts conservatories, offering support to the program directors and working alongside the dean team to best align the arts programs with the educational goals of the institution. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Lazarova served as OCSA’s Classical Voice Conservatory Director, where she led the production of a cross-conservatory concert titled “Awakening” featuring master artists at Chapman University’s Musco Center for the Arts. Dr. Lazarova holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts and a Master of Music degree with a concentration in vocal performance, music education, stage directing, and jazz studies from the University of Southern California, and a Bachelor of Music degree with a concentration in opera performance from California State University, Long Beach.
In addition to her work in education, Dr. Lazarova has more than 20 years of performance experience as a soloist in opera, recitals, as well as chamber and choral works. She has performed as a soloist at numerous venues, including Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Barclay Theatre, Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Ahmanson Theatre, Soka Performing Arts Center, Musco
Center for the Arts, and the Hollywood Bowl. Awards in competitions and scholarships include the Marilyn Horn Scholarship, International Liszt Competition, Long Beach Mozart Festival Vocal Competition, the Brentwood/Westwood Symphony Orchestra Competition, and the Young Musicians Foundation Solo Competition.
During her tenure as Director of the Classical Voice Conservatory, Dr. Lazarova was also a member of the Voice Faculty at the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music on the campus of California State University, Long Beach. As part of her continuing interest and pursuit of excellence in the field of education, Dr. Lazarova has been invited to lecture at the International Society of Music Educators World Conferences in Malaysia, Italy, China, Greece, Brazil, and most recently, Scotland.
Kiana Kazerouni,
Dolore
Kiana is so excited to be on stage with so many talented artists! She is 9 years old and has been performing on stage since she was 5. When she’s not onstage, she loves singing with her vocal coach and composing her own music on the piano and ukulele. She loves to play with her siblings and hike with them. Her longest hike is 12 miles! She loves to play tennis and is an escape room whiz. She dreams of being a singer when she grows up and study engineering.
Peter Atherton, Stage Director
Peter L. Atherton, stage director, is Professor Emeritus at the HallMusco Conservatory, Chapman University. For more than forty years he performed and directed extensively in opera, oratorio, concert, and musical theater throughout the United States and Europe. His operatic and concert credits include performances with the Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, Baltimore Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland, Wolf Trap Opera, San Francisco Opera Touring Division, Opera Atelier, Cairo Opera, the Opera Estate of Rome and Verona as well as Los Angeles Philharmonic, L’Orchèstre de la Suisse Romande, Basel Chamber Orchestra, Bach Cercle Genève, International Chamber Ensemble Rome, Los Angeles Master Chorale and Orchèstre de Belgique. Dr. Atherton’s teaching legacy includes current and former students who
have won major international competitions, have been accepted into the most prestigious graduate programs and Young Artist Programs in Europe and the United States, and have performed with major opera companies and symphonies throughout the United States and Europe. He is thrilled to be returning as Emcee and Director for Parnassus Society productions.
Cheryl Lin Fielding, Parnassus Society
Artistic Director
Acclaimed for her “warm, grand, and rich” pianism (New York Sun), Dr. Cheryl Lin Fielding is the Artistic Director of the Parnassus Society, responsible for shaping the organization’s artistic vision and producing concerts that celebrate excellence and community engagement. Under her direction, the Parnassus Society has grown into a platform for vibrant artistic expression in Orange County. Cheryl’s artistic leadership is rooted in the transformative power of music and driven by her deep commitment to fostering artistic development. Through her work with the Parnassus Society, she has curated dynamic programming that champions emerging talent as well as world-class artists, while creating opportunities for collaboration across disciplines.
With a career spanning some of the world’s most prestigious stages, Cheryl brings a wealth of experience as a sought-after collaborative pianist, vocal coach, and concert producer. She has performed at renowned venues, including Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Weill Recital Hall, and the Tanglewood Music Center, and has collaborated with celebrated artists and institutions such as the Juilliard School, Mark Morris Dance Group, Dolora Zajick’s Institute for Young Dramatic Voices, Santa Fe Opera, Opera San Jose, the Philadelphia Virtuosi, and Opera UCLA.
Dr. Fielding’s artistic journey began in Taiwan, where she learned to play the piano at the age of three while listening to her grandmother give lessons to older students. At 12, she emigrated with her family to New York, was accepted into the Juilliard School’s pre-college program, and continued to earn her BA and dual master’s degrees in Piano Performance and Collaborative Piano from the Juilliard School. Cheryl then moved out west to study with Dr. Alan Smith at the University of Southern California, where she completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Keyboard Collaborative Arts with special emphasis on Vocal Performance.
In addition to her work with Parnassus, Dr. Fielding is a Continuing Lecturer at the UCLA Herb Albert School of Music in Opera Studies, vocal diction and coaching. Her artistic vision is complemented by her longstanding dedication to nurturing the next generation of artists.
Parnassus
Virtuosi Orchestra
Benjamin Makino, Guest Conductor
From complex contemporary and twentieth-century scores to core traditional repertoire, conductor Benjamin Makino has been recognized for his nuanced and thoughtful interpretations of broad and varied repertoire.
Throughout his career, his work has been tied to companies recognized for innovation. Following the success of the first 30 Days of Opera festival, Makino was named Music Director of Opera Memphis, a position he held for four seasons. The company rose to national and international prominence during his tenure and was praised for its community engagement programs, experimentation, and groundbreaking commissioning projects.
During his tenure, Makino also became a regular collaborator with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, leading numerous concerts. He appeared with Ballet Memphis for several seaons, leading their annual production of The Nutcracker, and following a successful debut with the New Ballet Ensemble and School at the historic Levitt Shell, he joined that company for their annual NutRemix featuring Charles ‘Lil Buck’ Riley.
Before joining Opera Memphis, Makino was the Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master at Long Beach Opera, where he conducted productions of David Lang’s The Difficulty of Crossing a Field, Michael Nyman’s The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Ernest Bloch’s Macbeth, Michael Gordon’s Van Gogh and the U.S. premieres of Gavin Bryars’ The Paper Nautilus and Stewart Copeland’s Tell-Tale Heart. He returned to the company in Frank Martin’s The Love Potion (Le vin herbé) for which he was praised in the Los Angeles Times for being “consistently sensitive to the work’s exquisite timing and placement of dynamics and color,” making “the most of the composer’s subtle chamber orchestra textures.”
An active pianist, he has performed in with members of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, the Memphis Chamber Music Society, and numerous vocalists including Quinn Kelsey and Pene Pati.
He lives in Porterville, California, with his wife, jazz musician and college professor Sarah Rector, and their young daughter.
Madama Butterfly - Benjamin Makino, Guest
Madama Butterfly - Parnassus Virtuosi Orchestra
Parnassus Virtuosi Orchestra
Benjamin Makino, Conductor
VIOLIN I
Robert Schumitzky, Concertmaster
Yoomin Seo, Assistant Concertmaster
Michael Siess, Associate Concertmaster
Agnes Gottschewski
Stephanie Pak
Tingwei Tan
VIOLIN II
Madalyn Parnas Möller*
Jennise Hwang**
Yen Ping Lai
Sooah Kim
Tatevik Ayazyan
Elizabeth Johnson
VIOLA
Hanbyul Jang Lash*
Phillip Triggs**
Jiawei Yan
Alex Granger
CELLO
Erin Breene*
Emma Lee**
Martha Lippi
DOUBLE BASS
Richard Cassarino*
Douglas Basye**
*Principal
**Assistant Principal
FLUTE/PICCOLO
Sandy Hughes*
Sierra Schmeltzer
OBOE
Ted Sugata*
CLARINET
David Chang*
Juan Gallegos
BASSOON
Elliott Moreau*
FRENCH HORN
Sarah Bach*
Henry Bond
TRUMPET
Frank Glasson*
Dustin McKinney
TROMBONE
Amy Bowers*
TIMPANI
Rob Slack*
PERCUSSION
Danielle Sqyures*
HARP
Allison Allport*
ORCHESTRA CONTRACTOR
Rob Schumitzky
Orange County School of the Arts Puccini Chorus
Commissario: Henry Courtney
Ufficiale: Jaehyung “Jaden” Yoo
Il Cuoco: Tiffany Carr
Il Servitor: Jack Wilson
Musical Preparation
Dr. David Clemensen
Robert Norman
Sopranos and Altos
Becerra, Madison
Besir, Lal
Bradley, Hope
Bullock, Olivia
Carr, Tiffany
Curtis, Celene
Eitel, Juliette
George, Mona
Guenther-Clark, Reese
Kaye, Hannah
Keyoung, Sky
Li, Vicky
Malone, Syd
Mortensen, Ella
Navarro, Leah
Sacher, Tess
Smith, Nikki
Stephenson, Audrey
Stewart, Mia
Sublette, Sydney
Tait, Eliza
Toyama, Mikah
Watkins, Lavinia
Woodward, Leila
Tenors and Basses
Chung, Henry
Courtney, Henry
Hendersen, Matthew
Lu, Vincent
Ortega Fosado, Alec
Salazar, Zaid
Wilson, Jack
Yoo, Jaden
Yu, William
Rehearsal Pianists
Lisa Iwaki
Costumer
Virginia Cowley
Participation of OCSA’s Classical Voice Conservatory Sponsored in Part By:
Special thanks to our Spotlight
Sponsor:
MAKOTO - FEATURED KIMONOS
The kimonos featured in Madama Butterfly come from a treasured collection that spans over 100 years, offering a rare glimpse into the timeless beauty and elegance of traditional Japanese attire. Kimonos have a long and storied history, dating back to the Heian period and evolving over centuries into the iconic garment we recognize today. Traditionally made of silk, kimonos are known for their intricate designs and craftsmanship, with each piece often symbolizing different aspects of Japanese culture, such as seasonal changes, family heritage, or important life events.
Each kimono in this collection tells a story of craftsmanship and heritage, carefully preserved to transport audiences to a world where culture and artistry intertwine. As you immerse yourself in this stunning performance, take a moment to enjoy the rich history and exquisite details of these magnificent garments.
Costume Stylings by: Makoto
Makoto is a highly skilled and seasoned hairdresser and makeup artist from Japan, with years of experience in the beauty industry. In addition to his expertise in hairstyling and makeup, he specializes in dressing individuals in traditional kimonos for photoshoots, weddings, special events, and even traditional Japanese dance performances.
With an eye for detail and a profound appreciation for Japanese culture, Makoto seamlessly blends artistry and tradition. His meticulous attention to detail and ability to honor the significance of each occasion has earned him a reputation as a sought-after professional for both personal and professional events.
THE PARNASSUS SOCIETY
The Parnassus Society’s mission is to enrich the cultural landscape of Orange County by offering the timeless beauty of classical artistry in combination with powerful storytelling through diverse forms of music and art. We provide artists with a dynamic platform to showcase their talents, working together to cultivate deeper human connections.
Through its concerts, the Parnassus Society is dedicated to bringing performances that inspire and enrich the community featuring internationallyacclaimed artists, while also nurturing and empowering young artists through mentorship and performance opportunities. Our concerts are proudly held at the Soka Performing Arts Center, a stunning venue with world-class acoustics and timeless elegance, allowing our audience to fully immerse in the sound world with all its grandeur and intimacy.
If you would like to help spread the joy of music and art, please consider supporting Parnassus Society, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Your generosity is deeply appreciated!
Founder and President:
Kenneth Tokita, M.D.
Advisory Board:
Peter Atherton
Pamela Carlton
Patricia Houston
John Meindl
Susie Meindl
Head of Administration:
Diane Oshiro
Artistic Director:
Cheryl Lin Fielding
Stage Director: Peter Atherton
Costume Stylings: Makoto
Guest Conductor: Benjamin Makino
Orchestra Contractor: Rob Schumitzky
Orchestrator: David Carp
Technical Advisor: Miles Shishido
Parnassus Student Interns: Lal Besir
Henry Courtney
With Gratitude to Our Sponsors:
Magnifico
$20,000 +
Tokita Family
Grandioso $10,000 +
Maestoso $5000 + Junichi Funada
Mahoney Tallman Family Foundation
Vivace $1000 + Patricia Houston
John & Suzanne Meindl
Romulus & Carmen Paunescu
Allegro Brillante $500 +
Pamela Carlton
Courtney Nguyen Family
Samura Family
Robert & Katharine Young
Espressivo $100 + Marie Djang
John & May Gee
Robert & Catherine Waters
Con Grazia $25 + Jan Kovac
We are deeply grateful for your generosity in enriching Orange County with the joy and beauty of classical music!
Concessions
A wide variety of wine, beer, soft drinks and freshly prepared snacks will be available before the concert and during intermission in the lobby.
Artist Drink Pick
Benjamin Makino, conductor
Green Tea Yuzu Sour Mocktail
Sweet, tart, with floral and herbal notes. It’s refreshing and delicious!
A note from Benjamin Makino, conductor: I’ve never been one to go for a ton of cocktails, less now that we have a toddler running around. But, this is a great expression of some of my favorite flavors. My day usually starts with hot green tea, and every November I look forward to the perfume of fresh yuzu from our tree filling the house through the holidays.
Pre-order your concessions and skip the line at intermission! Click
Leif Ove Andsnes
PROGRAM:
GRIEG Piano Sonata in E minor, Op. 7
GEIRR TVEITT Piano Sonata No. 29, Op. 129, “Sonata Etere”
INTERMISSION
CHOPIN 24 Preludes, Op. 28
SUNDAY, MAR 30, 2025, 3 PM
SOKA PERFORMING ARTS
Our mission is to Engage, Educate, and Elevate the Human Spirit
Soka Performing Arts Center strives to elevate humanity through transcendent experiences. Come experience our exquisite acoustics. Come to expand your understanding and appreciation of music. Come to forge community and emotional connections through the shared experience of live music.
Soka Performing Arts Center is located on the beautiful hilltop campus of Soka University of America in Aliso Viejo. Our facility includes the 1,032seat Concert Hall featuring world-class acoustics designed by master acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota, designer of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles and Suntory Hall in Tokyo, among many others. We also have an intimate 350-seat Black Box Theatre that allows for multiple seating configurations including club seating with bistro tables.
More than 750 performances have taken place since the center’s dedication on May 27, 2011. The 2023-24 season marks our twelfth season presenting first-class programming in our world-class concert hall. We are continuing to expand our programming and outreach with the addition of a Children’s Concert Series, Blues Festival, and the only Great Pianists Series on the West Coast. From classical and jazz to world and contemporary music, the Soka Performing Arts Center has become a prized space for artists and audiences alike.
We are proud to be the home of the Pacific Symphony Chamber Orchestra. Our Sundays @ Soka Series with Pacific Symphony continues to be one of our most popular series year after year. Our presentations with other Orange County arts organizations have enabled us to reach further into our community to offer arts education and programming. Our partnership with the Philharmonic Society of Orange County includes our PSOC Series, which brings superlative artists to our stage. We also partner with PSOC for our Outreach Program, bringing over 7,000 school children to Soka Performing Arts Center to experience live performances with outstanding musicians.
With its world-class acoustics and first-class performances, Soka Performing Arts Center is quickly becoming one of the cultural jewels of Orange County.
OUR SUPPORTERS
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE ($75,000+)
Dr. Kenneth & Sandra Tokita
Sam* & Lyndie Ersan
CONCERTMASTER ($10,000+)
Ms. Emi Maeda
STAGE CHAMPION ($5000+)
Yoshitomo & Takemi Daido
STAGE BENEFACTOR ($1000+)
Anonymous
OC Chinese Cultural Club
John and Sue Prange
Terumi Saito
Jochen Schumacher
Alex & Sandy Scott
Scott A Shuping
Anson and Marilyn Wong
PLATINUM CLEF ($500+)
Anonymous
Jeffrey Hendrix
Edward D. Jones
Jane A. Lynch
GOLD CLEF ($200+)
Judy Kaufman
Lorraine Leiser
Naomi Uchiyama
SILVER CLEF ($100+)
Renée Bodie
Sam Chang
Masako Inage
Debrah Jiang
Chiharu Nagai
Paul Porto
Thomas Prigorac
Jonia Suri
Joseph Whittaker
BRONZE CLEF ($25+)
Raquel Bruno
Kenneth Hanawa
Ryosuke Iga
Jeannette Pease
Joyce M Wrice
Taro Yamanashi
* Deceased
List current as of 09/26/2024
The Soka Performing Arts Center deeply appreciates the support of its sponsors and donors, and makes every effort to ensure accurate and appropriate recognition. Contact Renée Bodie, General Manager at (949) 480-4821 to make us aware of any error or omission in the foregoing list.
DONATE TO SOKA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Your support helps ensure Soka Performing Arts Center fulfills its purpose: to engage, educate, and elevate the human spirit. Your gift supports the programming of world-class performances, provides transformative educational outreach experiences, and opens the opportunity to build engagement with our community by sharing the joy of live music.
Our subscription and renewal program provides you with even more flexibility in our season packages*. With our enhanced program, you now have the power to curate your very own unique experience.
• 15% Discount for a 3 performance package
• 18% Discount for a 4 performance package
• 20% Discount for a 5+ performance package
*full details online at soka.edu/pac
OUR PARTNERS
• Blueport Jazz
• Philharmonic Society of Orange County
• Pacific Symphony
• Parnassus Society
SOKA PAC MANAGEMENT TEAM
Renée Bodie
General Manager & Artistic Director
John Morgan
Box Office Manager
Antoinette Rossman
House Manager/Assistant to the General Manager
Jaime Spataro
Marketing & Communications Manager
Steve Baker
Production Manager
Aadya Agrawal
Stage Manager
Jarmil Maupin
Internal Events Manager
Piano Tuners
Kathy Smith Lead Tuner
Ron Elliott
David Stoneman
David Vanderlip
Website soka.edu/pac
Soka Performing Arts Center resides on the beautiful campus of Soka University of America. We thank the SUA Board of Trustees and the SUA Leadership Council for all of their support.
SUA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Stephen S. Dunham, JD | CHAIR
Vice President and General Counsel Emeritus, Pennsylvania State University | Baltimore, Maryland
Tariq Hasan, PhD | VICE CHAIR
Chief Executive Officer, SGI-USA | New York, New York
Andrea Bartoli, PhD
President, Sant’Egidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue | New York, New York
Matilda Buck
Benefactor | Los Angeles, California
Lawrence E. Carter, Sr, PhD, DD, DH, DRS
Dean, Professor of Religion, College Archivist and Curator, Morehouse College | Atlanta, Georgia
Andy Firoved
CEO, HOTB Software | Irvine, California
Jason Goulah, PhD
Professor of Bilingual-Bicultural Education and Director, Institute for Daisaku Ikeda Studies in Education, Director of Programs in Bilingual-Bicultural Education, World Language Education, and Value-Creating Education for Global Citizenship, College of Education, DePaul University | Chicago, Illinois
Clothilde V. Hewlett, JD
Commissioner of Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, State of California | San Francisco, California
Karen Lewis, PhD
Sondheimer Professor of International Finance and Co-Director, Weiss Center for International Financial Research, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Luis Nieves
Founder, Chairman Emeritus AUL Corp, Benefactor | Napa, California
Isabel Nuñez, PhD, MPhil, JD
Professor of Educational Studies, Dean of School of Education, Purdue University Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne, Indiana
Gene Marie O’Connell, RN, MS
Health Care Consultant, Associate Clinical Professor, University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing | Corte Madera, California
Adin Strauss
General Director, Soka Gakkai International-USA | Santa Monica, California
Yoshiki Tanigawa
Benefactor, Soka Gakkai | Tokyo, Japan
Gregg S. Wolpert
Co-president, The Stahl Organization | New York, New York
Edward M. Feasel, PhD
President, Soka University of America (ex-officio member) | Aliso Viejo, California
Soka Performing Arts Center resides on the beautiful campus of Soka University of America. We thank the SUA Board of Trustees and the SUA Leadership Council for all of their support.
SUA BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Stephen S. Dunham, JD | CHAIR
Vice President and General Counsel Emeritus, Pennsylvania State University | Baltimore, Maryland
Tariq Hasan, PhD | VICE CHAIR
Chief Executive Officer, SGI-USA | New York, New York
Andrea Bartoli, PhD
President, Sant’Egidio Foundation for Peace and Dialogue | New York, New York
Matilda Buck
Benefactor | Los Angeles, California
Lawrence E. Carter, Sr, PhD, DD, DH, DRS
Dean, Professor of Religion, College Archivist and Curator, Morehouse College | Atlanta, Georgia
Andy Firoved
CEO, HOTB Software | Irvine, California
Jason Goulah, PhD
Professor of Bilingual-Bicultural Education and Director, Institute for Daisaku Ikeda Studies in Education, Director of Programs in Bilingual-Bicultural Education, World Language Education, and Value-Creating Education for Global Citizenship, College of Education, DePaul University | Chicago, Illinois
Clothilde V. Hewlett, JD
Commissioner of Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, State of California | San Francisco, California
Karen Lewis, PhD
Sondheimer Professor of International Finance and Co-Director, Weiss Center for International Financial Research, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Luis Nieves
Founder, Chairman Emeritus AUL Corp, Benefactor | Napa, California
Isabel Nuñez, PhD, MPhil, JD
Professor of Educational Studies, Dean of School of Education, Purdue University Fort Wayne | Fort Wayne, Indiana
Gene Marie O’Connell, RN, MS
Health Care Consultant, Associate Clinical Professor, University of California, San Francisco School of Nursing | Corte Madera, California
Adin Strauss
General Director, Soka Gakkai International-USA | Santa Monica, California
Yoshiki Tanigawa
Benefactor, Soka Gakkai | Tokyo, Japan
Gregg S. Wolpert
Co-president, The Stahl Organization | New York, New York
Edward M. Feasel, PhD
President, Soka University of America (ex-officio member) | Aliso Viejo, California