Julius Caesar, The Atlanta Opera

THE ATLANTA OPERA

JULIUS CAESAR

HANDEL

NOV 6-14, 2021 COBB ENERGY PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

2021-22 SEASON

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Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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F E AT U R E Production Note . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Story by Julia Brown Simmons Photos by Yossi Zwecker

Scene List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 B E H I N D T H E C U R TA I N Cast & Creative . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Atlanta Opera Orchestra . . . . 39 C O M M U N I T Y & S U P P O R Community Engagement . . . . . . .

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welcome

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Welcome back to the opera house! To say that being away from this magnificent hall has been tough is an understatement. We are truly elated to return here.

So much ink has been spilled on the events of the past couple of years and the challenges that the coronavirus brought to us. We are proud of The Atlanta Opera’s response to the crisis and invite you to read more about it in our website. But instead of looking backward, I prefer to look forward with hope and excitement for this new production and the inspiring season ahead.

Shockingly, in our 42-year history, we have never programmed an opera by Handel! This evening, we bring you a 300-year-old masterpiece featuring the love story of Caesar and Cleopatra and set in a production that I created in my home country of Israel. We are also delighted to share important debuts tonight: early music expert Gary Thor Wedow makes his debut at the podium, the ground-breaking choreographer Donald Byrd creates his first work for The Atlanta Opera, and our cast includes role debuts by Jasmine Habersham and Megan Marino—both members of our company players during the pandemic. We are also pleased to feature rising young talent Daryl Freedman in her Atlanta debut.

The shows programmed later this season are intentionally funny and light. The witty Pirates of Penzance returns this January, followed by a colorful, fun production of The Barber of Seville. We close with one of the most anticipated production premieres in the country this season, a Grammy®-winning opera about the life of Steve Jobs, and then we move back to the thrill of the Big Tent in a reinterpretation of our Discoveries Series.

We have been in an exile for nearly two years now. It forced us to find innovative ways to connect with you through both live and digital creations. This time also forced us into reflecting about what really matters and recognizing how vital the arts are to us as human beings. These are strange, unpredictable times, but we are starting to walk again.

Now more than ever, we appreciate this miracle of live performance, in an opera house, side by side with you, our dedicated audience.

We missed seeing you, and again, welcome back.

Tomer Zvulun Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director

6 | sponsors

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This program is supported in part by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and by the National Endowment for the Arts. This program is also supported in part by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. GCA also receives support from its partner agency—the National Endowment for the Arts. Funding for this program is provided by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

THE ATLANTA OPERA DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE Cathy & Mark Adams Mr. & Mrs. Ronald R. Antinori

Eda L. Hochgelerent, M.D. & Bruce A. Cassidy, M.D.

Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Barnes

Mr. L. D. Holland

Mr. & Mrs. Paul Blackney

Howard Hunter, Gramma Fisher Foundation

*Nancy & *Jim Bland Mr. David Boatwright Laura & Montague Boyd Dr. Harold Brody & Mr. Donald Smith Ms. Janine Brown & Mr. Alex J. Simmons, Jr.

Donald & Marilyn Keough Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Keough *Mr. & Mrs. Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. Mary Ruth McDonald James B. Miller, Jr.

John & Rosemary Brown

Stephanie & Gregor Morela

Mr. & Mrs. John L. Connolly

Mr. & Mrs. John Murphy

Ann & Frank Critz

Clara M. & John S. O’Shea

Mr. Robert P. Dean & Mr. Robert Epstein

Victoria & Howard Palefsky

*Martha Thompson Dinos

Jerry & Dulcy Rosenberg

Triska Drake & G. Kimbrough Taylor

Katherine Scott

Carl & Sally Gable

Mr. William F. Snyder

Beth & Gary Glynn

Christine & Mark St.Clare

Dr. & Mrs. Alexander Gross

Judith & Mark Taylor

John L. Hammaker

Rhys T. & Carolyn Wilson

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Ms. Bunny Winter & Mr. Michael Doyle

Mr. William Pennington

*deceased

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credits

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MUSIC George Frideric Handel LIBRETTO Nicola Francesco Haym FIRST PERFORMANCE February 20, 1724 London, England, King’s Theatre CONDUCTOR Gary Thor Wedow PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Tomer Zvulun CHOREOGRAPHER Donald Byrd SCENIC DESIGNER Alexander Lisiyansky COSTUME DESIGNER Mattie Ullrich LIGHTING DESIGNER Robert Wierzel WIG & MAKEUP DESIGNERS Anne Ford-Coates & Anika Seitu PROJECTIONS DESIGNER Erin Teachman ASSOCIATE LIGHTING DESIGNER Marcella Barbeau FILMED MEDIA Felipe Barral & Amanda Sachtleben CAST (IN ORDER OF VOCAL APPEARANCE) JULIUS CAESAR Daryl Freedman CURIO William Meinert* CORNELIA Renée Tatum SESTO POMPEO Megan Marino ACHILLA David Crawford NIRENO Elizabeth Sarian** CLEOPATRA Jasmine Habersham TOLOMEO Daniel Moody DANCE CAPTAIN Sherman D. Wood DANCERS Erin Burch, Ayana DuBose, Bailey Jo Harbaugh, Takia Hopson, Christina Massad, Brandon Nguyen-Hilton, Brennan Chase Parker, Keith Reeves, Pamela Riddle, Torrance Smith Jr., D. Jerome Wells, Sherman D. Wood POMPEO Brandon Nguyen-Hilton MUSICAL PREPARATION Elena Kholodova ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR Logan Souther ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Bruno Baker† PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER Megan Bennett ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGERS Beth Goodill & Kristin Kelley ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL MANAGER James Zellers ENGLISH CAPTIONS FOR GIULIO CESARE OWNED BY Jonathan Dean, ©2007 Performed in Italian with English supertitles.

Approximate running time: two hours and 40 minutes, including one 25 minute intermission.

Julius Caesar is a co-production with the Israeli Opera. *member of The Atlanta Opera Glynn Studio. The Glynn Studio Artists are supported by gifts from Beth & Gary Glynn and the Donald & Marilyn Keough Foundation. †The Jerry & Dulcy Rosenberg Young Artist Stage Director, given in honor of Tomer Zvulun **alumnus of The Atlanta Opera Studio

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Notes on the Program WRITTEN BY

Julia Brown Simmons PHOTOS BY

Yossi Zwecker

When describing Julius Caesar in Shakespeare’s play by the same name, Cassius says to Brutus, “Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus” (Julius Caesar I.ii.136-7). While Shakespeare’s play and Handel’s opera center on entirely different moments in Julius Caesar’s life, this idea of Caesar as a colossus provides a lens through which to consider the composition and production of Handel’s Julius Caesar (Giulio Cesare is the original Italian). Why did Handel choose to write an opera about Caesar in 1724? Why was Handel’s opera so popular at the time? Why has it continued to be performed, and why is The Atlanta Opera producing it today? The answer to each of these questions is, at least in part, in the idea that Julius Caesar is a colossus—that he is larger than life.

George Frideric Handel, born in 1685, was an English composer of German birth. Handel wrote in essentially every musical genre of his time, but opera was a key preoccupation of his career. He often worked with Italian

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10 | productionnote librettists, and his composition reflected the new Italian opera style, influenced by his time in Italy before he settled in London.

Handel composed Julius Caesar in 1724 with the Italian librettist Nicola Francesco Haym. For a subject, Handel chose Julius Caesar and his famed love story with Cleopatra. Although the plot is centered on Caesar’s time in Egypt during the Roman Civil War and most of the characters are historical, the narrative is largely fictionalized. Handel took an ancient figure and mythologized him, playing into the idea that Caesar and his life story are larger-than-life. With Caesar at the core of the opera, Handel delves into universal feelings and themes: greed and desire; war, politics, and death.

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Written in the Baroque era, the opera consists of arias and recitative. The arias are the “songs,” or moments when the plot pauses and characters reveal their thoughts or feelings. The recitative, or sung speech, connects the arias and drives the plot forward.

This balance between soul-baring arias and plotdriving recitative suited Handel perfectly: he could be a psychologist with his arias, connecting to his audience through music that revealed the innermost emotions of his captivating characters, and he could be an entertainer with his recitative, appealing to his audience through music that matched the great love story of Caesar and Cleopatra. Julius Caesar was an utter success during its first set of performances.

The London audiences were fascinated by the exotic portrayal of Middle Eastern Egypt and extravagant stage settings. They were intrigued by insights into the inner worlds of iconic historical figures, who also reflected contemporary political figures. They were drawn in by music and vocalists that brought them closer to this exotic Egypt and these mythologized characters. Due to this success, Handel revived the opera in London multiple times and even took the opera to be performed in Paris and Germany.

The opera continues to be one of the most-performed Baroque operas today, which is why Julius Caesar is appropriately the oldest opera The Atlanta Opera has ever produced. The same universal ideas that drew Handel to the colossal subject Julius Caesar draws contemporary companies and audiences to Handel’s opera. However, instead of playing into 18th-century politics and fascination with the Middle East, like Handel’s production, The Atlanta Opera’s production draws inspiration from pop culture and current social issues in its mythologizing of Julius Caesar and his life.

SYNOPSIS At the opening of Act One, Giulio Cesare arrives in Egypt after defeating his Roman rival Pompeo in battle. Cesare agrees to meet with Pompeo’s wife and son, Cornelia and Sesto, who hope for a peace settlement between Cesare and Pompeo. Their meeting is interrupted by Achilla, head of the Egyptian army, who comes with a “gift” from the Egyptian King Tolomeo—the severed head of Pompeo. With this revelation, Cesare plans to punish Tolomeo for his cruel act, and Sesto vows to avenge his father’s murder, sung in the aria “Svegliatevi nel core.”

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12 | synopsis Cleopatra, upon hearing what her brother Tolomeo has done, comes up with a plan to seduce Cesare, dethrone Tolomeo, and become the sole ruler of Egypt. In order to seduce Cesare, Cleopatra disguises herself as an Egyptian maiden and tells Cesare that she has been swindled by Tolomeo. Entranced by this “maiden,” Cesare promises to help her.

Cesare goes to meet Tolomeo at his palace, where Cornelia and Sesto also unexpectedly arrive to insult and threaten Tolomeo for murdering Pompeo. Achilla, who had been promised Cornelia as a reward, tries to take her from the scene. When Cornelia rejects him, Achilla orders her and her son’s arrest, who sing “Son nata a lagrimar” as they are dragged away.

Act One closes with Cleopatra successfully seducing Cesare with her song “V’adoro, pupille.”

As Act Two begins, Tolomeo unsuccessfully tries to seduce Cornelia for himself in the palace garden, after which he warns that she will regret her rejection of him.

Sesto, who has managed to be released from prison, arrives to tell Cornelia that she is going to be thrown into Tolomeo’s harem. To avoid this fate, Cornelia and Sesto come up with a plan to kill Tolomeo.

Back inside the palace, where Cesare and Cleopatra rendezvous, word arrives that Cesare has been betrayed and is about to be attacked by the Egyptian army.

Cleopatra reveals her identity and tells Cesare to run, but, in his aria “Al lampo dell-armi,” he declares himself ready for battle. The battle ensues, Cleopatra is captured

by Tolomeo’s forces, and, thinking Cesare is killed, she sings “Piangero la sorte mia.”

In the meantime, Cornelia and Sesto succeed in their plan to kill Tolomeo. Cesare arrives, having not been killed in battle after all, and welcomes Sesto and Cornelia as friends. Cesare and Cleopatra declare their love for one another, and, in a big finale, the entire cast celebrates love and the triumph of good over evil.

A COLOSSUS FOR OUR TIME The Atlanta Opera’s production of Julius Caesar uses this ancient, larger-than-life love story—chosen by Handel to explore the politics and fascinations of his own time—to consider our contemporary moment. What does it mean

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for a man who bestrode the narrow world like a colossus in 47BC to still be mythologized today? How does a powerful and versatile female character like Cleopatra fit into that vision of the colossus? What if that traditionally male colossus is, instead, a woman? Perhaps we will always be forced to “walk under his huge legs and peep about,” or perhaps there is a version of the colossus that makes room for the rest of us to stand, too.

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14 | scenes OVERTURE - Instrumental SCENE 1 “Welcome your conqueror o land of Egypt!” – Cesare “You are a villain! And your master has done a terrible thing.” – Cesare SCENE 2 “There is no comfort for me” – Cornelia “Arise, spirit of vengeance!” – Sesto SCENE 3 “Never give up hope!” – Cleopatra SCENE 4 “Traitor—ungrateful—how dare he!” – Tolomeo SCENE 5 “Flame of purification” – Cornelia “Hope is the only thing that can keep us alive.” – Sesto SCENE 6 “Like a hunter in search of prey…” – Cesare SCENE 7 “You are the only woman I desire” – Achilla “I am born for weeping. Tears are my only comfort.” – Cornelia, Sesto SCENE 8 “What is that heavenly sound which so ravishes my senses?” – Cesare, Nireno Sinfonia - Instrumental “Behold, the eyes of my beloved” – Cleopatra INTERMISSION

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SCENE 1 “Weep, weep, sad eyes” – Cornelia “Women must satisfy men who desire them” – Tolomeo SCENE 2 “Once angered the serpent will not rest until its venom flows in the enemy’s blood.”

– Sesto SCENE 3 “In the flash of the blades my warrior’s soul will take vengeance.” – Cesare SCENE 4 “Unless heaven takes pity on me…I will die” – Cleopatra SCENE 5 Sinfonia - Instrumental “You hate me, but I will curb your pride” – Tolomeo SCENE 6 “I weep” – Cleopatra SCENE 7 “Saved from drowning, washed to shore.” – Cesare “The stream that falls down the mountain’s side sweeps away everything that stands against it.” -Cesare SCENE 8 “The ship that survives the tempest and arrives safely in the harbor has nothing more to desire.” – Cleopatra SCENE 9 Sinfonia - Instrumental SCENE 10 “There is no beauty for me beyond your beauty.” – Cleopatra, Cesare “Let beauty, joy and pleasure fill our hearts.” – All

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cast&creative

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Conductor Gary Thor Wedow has established an enviable reputation for dramatically exciting and historically informed performances with opera companies, orchestras, festivals, and choral organizations throughout North America. Opera News has hailed him for his “hot music making” and “convincingly elegant period style.”

His debut with the New York Philharmonic conducting Messiah was noted in the New York Times for ‘a fleet, lithe orchestral performance, aptly complemented by the buoyant singing of the chorus.’ Gary Thor Wedow’s GARY THOR WEDOW engagements in the 2021-22 season begin with performances of Rameau’s Platée in his return to Des CONDUCTOR Moines Metro Opera. He then travels out west to conduct ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT the Santa Fe Symphony in performances of Handel’s Messiah. He also appears twice this season with Utah Opera, for rescheduled productions of Il barbiere di Siviglia in the fall and The Pirates of Penzance in the spring. For ten years he was the Associate Conductor of Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society and is currently on the faculty of The Juilliard School, where during the pandemic he conducted a filmed version of Handel’s Teseo followed by a live concert in Damrosch Park. Other recent highlights include Mozart’s Requiem in a collaboration with Westminster Choir College at Alice Tully Hall and on tour, the St. Matthew Passion with Juilliard HP, and Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni. He is a frequent guest of young artist training programs including the Jacobs School of Music, Merola Opera, The National Theatre of Tokyo and the Teatro Colón. A musical scholar as well as conductor, he has prepared several performing editions of baroque works in collaboration with gambist Lawrence Lipnik. Mr. Wedow studied piano with virtuoso Jorge Bolet at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University and received his Master of Music degree at the New England Conservatory.

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Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director of The Atlanta Opera since 2013, Israeli born Tomer Zvulun is one of the leading stage directors of his generation, earning consistent praise for his creative vision and innovative interpretations. His work has been presented by prestigious opera houses in Europe, South and Central America, Israel and the US, including The Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, Seattle, Houston, Dallas, San Diego, Boston, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Montreal, Buenos Aires, and the festivals of Wexford, Glimmerglass TOMER ZVULUN and Wolf Trap, as well as leading educational institutes CARL W. KNOBLOCH, JR. and universities such as The Juilliard School, Indiana GENERAL & ARTISTIC University, and Boston University. He spent seven seasons DIRECTOR on the directing staff at The Metropolitan Opera, where he directed revivals of Carmen and Tosca and was STAGE DIRECTOR involved with more than a dozen new productions. He is ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT a frequent guest director at companies such as Seattle THE FLYING DUTCHMAN, Opera (Semele, La bohème, Eugene Onegin, Lucia di 2009 Lammermoor), The Dallas Opera (Die Fledermaus, La bohème), Houston Grand Opera (The Flying Dutchman, Rigoletto), Wexford Festival (Silent Night, Dinner at Eight), Cincinnati Opera (The Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, The Flying Dutchman), Wolf Trap (Falstaff, Don Giovanni), Israeli Opera (Dead Man Walking, Giulio Cesare) among others. His European premiere of Silent Night at the Wexford Festival received two Irish Times Awards and traveled from Ireland to Washington National Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, and the opera companies of Atlanta, Austin, and Salt Lake City. He directed over 15 new productions at his home company in Atlanta, including Dead Man Walking, The Flying Dutchman, Soldier Songs, Silent Night, Maria de Buenos Aires, La bohème, Madama Butterfly, Lucia di Lammermoor, The Magic Flute, and Eugene Onegin. During Tomer’s tenure, the company’s fundraising has tripled, resulting in twice the number of productions presented annually. His focus on innovation has garnered national attention and resulted in a Harvard Business School case study chronicling The Atlanta Opera’s turnaround, an International Opera Awards nomination, an ArtsATL Luminary Award, and an invitation to deliver a TEDx Talk about innovation in opera.

20 | cast&creative Alexander Lisiyansky was born in Russia and immigrated to Israel in 1990. He has designed for many theater companies in Russia and was the house designer of the Sovremennik Theatre in Moscow. He was the designer in residence of the Gesher Theatre and designed for most Israeli theater companies as well as for theater companies and opera houses in the USA, the Netherlands, Bulgaria, France and Estonia. He has won numerous awards for his work both in Israel and abroad.

Among his recent designs are Hamlet (Shakespeare) ALEXANDER LISIYANSKY and The Trial (Kafka) in Moscow; Our Town (Wilder) in St. Petersburg; A Servant of Two Masters (Goldoni) in SCENIC DESIGNER Sofia; The Alligator (Dostoyevski) in Talinn; the operas ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT The Nose (Shostakovich) and Maria Padilla (Donizetti) in Boston; Yevgeny Onegin (Tchaikovsky) in Norfolk; and the musical The Sound of Music (Rodgers and Hammerstein) in Israel.

Mattie Ullrich has designed costumes for opera, theater, film, musicals, dance, and print. Recent opera productions include the world premiere of David T. Little and Royce Vavrek’s new work JFK at Fort Worth Opera; La clemenza di Tito at LA Opera; Satyagraha at the Ekaterinburg State Opera and Ballet (Russia); Don Giovanni at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet (Oslo, Norway); I due Foscari for Theater an der Wien (Vienna, Austria), Palau des Artes (Valencia, Spain) and LA Opera; Oresteia for Bard Summerscape Festival; Eliogabalo for Gotham Opera (performed at MATTIE ULLRICH the NYC venue “The Box”); Nabucco productions at the Washington National Opera, Opéra de Montréal, Florida COSTUME DESIGNER Grand Opera, and Opera Philadelphia; and Zaide for Wolf ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT Trap Opera. She has designed many new Off-Broadway SALOME, 2020 plays including The Starry Messenger with Mathew Broderick (The New Group), The Pride directed by Joe Mantello (Wicked), Fault Lines directed by David Schwimmer (Friends), Things We Want directed by Ethan Hawke (The New Group); and the popular one woman show Bad Dates directed by John Benjamin Hickey (Playwrights Horizons). Film projects include “Year of the Fish” (Sundance), “Sovereignty”(multi-festival, award winning short) and “Shoplifting Chanel.”

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Robert Wierzel has worked in opera, theater, dance, museums, and contemporary music. Opera credits include productions with the opera companies of Paris Garnier, Tokyo, Toronto, Bergen, Norway, Glimmerglass Festival, Seattle, Boston Lyric, Minnesota, San Francisco, Houston, Virginia, Chicago Lyric, Opera Theatre of Chicago, Montreal, Vancouver, Portland, Wolf Trap, NYCO, and San Diego.

His dance work includes the Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company. Broadway credits include Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill starring Audra McDonald; Fela! (Tony Award nomination), and David Copperfield’s Broadway ROBERT WIERZEL debut, Dreams and Nightmares. Off-Broadway includes LIGHTING DESIGNER productions with the NYSF/Public Theater, The Signature ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT Theatre, Roundabout Theatre Company, and Playwrights LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Horizons. Robert’s extensive regional theater work includes 2011 productions at the Alliance Theatre (Atlanta); Goodman Theatre; A.C.T. San Francisco; Arena Stage (Washington, D.C.), Center Stage, Chicago Shakespeare Theater; Shakespeare Theatre (Washington, D.C.); Hartford Stage; Long Wharf Theatre; The Guthrie; Mark Taper Forum; Actors Theatre Louisville, and The Old Globe. He is adjunct faculty at N.Y.U.’s Tisch School and a guest lecturer at the Yale School of Drama.

Selected designs include Frozen, A Bronx Tale, On Your Feet!, Disaster!, On the Twentieth Century, It Shoulda Been You (Broadway); Little Dancer, Show Boat, La bohème, Wagner’s Ring Cycle, Philip Glass’ Appomattox (Kennedy Center); Twelfth Night (McCarter Theatre); Candide (Opéra National Bordeaux); Dark Sisters (Gotham Chamber Opera); Freshwater (Women’s Project); and The Music Man (Royal Opera House Muscat).

ANNE FORD-COATES WIG & MAKEUP DESIGNER ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT SILENT NIGHT, 2016 Anika Seitu is a Baltimore native who has worked in the industry for 18 years and seamlessly transitions between theater, film, and print. Her wig designs include Carmen (Opera Orlando) and Amazing Grace (Museum of the Bible), and her film and TV work includes Wonder Woman 1984, Charm City Kings, the Kennedy Center Honors, and 2020’s presidential debates. She has also toured with numerous national and international productions, including Kinky Boots, The Color Purple, and Cats.

ANIKA SEITU WIG & MAKEUP DESIGNER ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT

22 | cast&creative

ERIN TEACHMAN

Erin Teachman has been freelancing as a projection and digital artist for six years working across disciplines to bring digital media to stages across the United States, including Ford’s Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, the Alley, Dallas Theatre Center, Arena Stage, Florida Grand Opera, the Washington Ballet, the Kansas City Ballet, among others. Erin previously assisted on the Atlanta Opera’s productions of Dead Man Walking and Frida, and he worked as digital media designer and 3D artist on Salome. He is excited to continue working with The Atlanta Opera.

PROJECTIONS DESIGNER ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT SALOME, 2020

Donald Byrd is the Artistic Director of Spectrum Dance Theater, a Tony Award nominated (The Color Purple) and Bessie Award winning (The Minstrel Show) choreographer. He has created works for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Dance Theater of Harlem, and The Joffrey Ballet among others; and worked extensively in theater and opera including The NY Public Theater, The 5th Avenue Theater, Seattle Opera, Dutch National Opera, and San Francisco Opera.

Awards, prizes, and fellowships includes Doris Duke DONALD BYRD Artist Award, James W. Ray Distinguished Artist Award, Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts (Cornish College of the CHOREOGRAPHER Arts), Masters of Choreography Award (The Kennedy ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT Center), Fellow at The American Academy of Jerusalem, James Baldwin Fellow of United States Artists, Resident Fellow of The Rockefeller Center Bellagio, Fellow at the Institute on the Arts and Civic Dialogue (based at Harvard), and the Mayor’s Arts Award for his sustained contributions to the City of Seattle.

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Praised by Opera News for her “striking dark timbre” and “expansive, sumptuous” performances, mezzo-soprano Daryl Freedman begins the 2021-22 season with a role and house debut at Virginia Opera in Das Rheingold (Fricka). Additional engagements include returns to The Metropolitan Opera for The Magic Flute (Third Lady) and rehearsal cover in the new McVicar production of Don Carlos (Princess Eboli), and Washington National Opera for the world premiere of Sankaram’s Rise (Powerful Woman/Adelaide Johnson). In the summer of 2022, DARYL FREEDMAN she will make her European debut at the Salzburger Festspiele in a new Christoph Loy production of Suor JULIUS CAESAR Angelica (Suor Dolcina). On the concert stage she debuts ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT with the University of Florida Orchestra and returns to the Fairfax Symphony for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

Recent engagements include a debut with Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra for Das Lied von der Erde conducted by Christopher Zimmerman, Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza cover) in a new Robert Carsen production at the Dutch National Opera, and a role/house debut at Opera San José in Il trovatore (Azucena). Daryl made her Wagnerian role debut in Der fliegende Holländer (Mary) with Sarasota Opera, where she returned in RimskyKorsakov’s Le coq d’or (Amelfa), Lucia di Lammermoor (Alisa), and covered in Il trovatore (Azucena). She debuted with The Metropolitan Opera in Die Walküre (Schwertleite) and The Cleveland Orchestra for staged performances of Ariadne auf Naxos (Dryad), covered in Cavalleria Rusticana (Santuzza) at San Francisco Opera, and sang Messiah with the Santa Fe Symphony and Boise Philharmonic.

American soprano Jasmine Habersham is a versatile and dynamic performing artist. In the 2020-21 season she performed in Opera in the Park Online with Madison Opera, was a Company Player with The Atlanta Opera where she sang The Girl in Der Kaiser von Atlantis and Micaëla in The Threepenny Carmen in the acclaimed Big Tent Series, and made her debut with Seattle Opera as Zerlina in their filmed version of Don Giovanni. Recent performances for Ms. Habersham include Pip in Moby Dick with Opera San Jose and Utah Opera, Katie Jackson in the JASMINE HABERSHAM world premiere of Joel Puckett’s The Fix with Minnesota Opera, Clara in Porgy and Bess with the Baltimore CLEOPATRA Symphony Orchestra, Adina in L’elisir d’amore with the ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice, Pamina in THE PIRATES OF The Magic Flute with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis: Opera PENZANCE, 2016 on the Go, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte with Cincinnati Opera, Yum-Yum in the The Mikado with Kentucky Opera, Esther in Intimate Apparel with Cincinnati Opera Fusion, and Clara in Porgy and Bess with Utah Festival Opera. She has also performed the roles of Papagena in The Magic Flute and an Apparition in Macbeth at The Glimmerglass Festival. She will make her debut as Gilda with Opera North in Leeds next season.

26 | cast&creative Megan Marino returns to The Atlanta Opera after being a member of the Company Players in its inaugural Big Tent Series, where she made her role debut as Carmen and was featured on the company’s Spotlight Media platform in the Mezzo Extravaganza, Crossroads, and Mack the Knife concerts, the Orfano Mondo series, and as a fach-bending Beppe in Pagliacci while playing the melodeon. Additional highlights of the 2020-21 season include her debuts with Houston Grand Opera as Elsa Schraeder in My Favorite Things: The Sound of Music in Concert and Cherubino in MEGAN MARINO Le nozze di Figaro with Santa Fe Opera. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as a Voice of an Unborn Child SESTO POMPEO in Die Frau ohne Schatten and has returned as Myrtale in ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT Thais, Second Wood Nymph in Rusalka, Laura in Iolanta, EUGENE ONEGIN, 2019 the Nursing Sister in Suor Angelica, as well as productions of Le Nozze di Figaro, Don Carlo, Rigoletto, Roméo et Juliette, and Werther. She joined Lyric Opera of Chicago as Annina in Der Rosenkavalier; Santa Fe Opera as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly; Opéra national de Paris as Zweite Knappe in Parsifal; Kentucky Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Opera Fort Collins, Virginia Opera, and Saint Petersburg Opera as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia; Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Hänsel in Hänsel und Gretel and Olga in Eugene Onegin, having debuted with The Atlanta Opera in the same production.

Noted for her “commanding and dramatic presence” (Opera News), mezzo-soprano Renée Tatum continues to garner recognition in the most demanding of operatic repertoire. In the current season, she makes her Atlanta Opera debut as Cornelia in Giulio Cesare followed by a recital in Boston with Boston Artists Ensemble. Later in the season, she makes her role debut as Fricka in Das Rheingold with Nashville Opera and continues her long relationship with The Metropolitan Opera in their new production of Rigoletto and in Ariadne auf Naxos. Ms. RENÉE TATUM Tatum’s relationship with The Met spans 10 years and has included nearly 100 performances including Fenena CORNELIA in Nabucco, 3rd Lady in The Magic Flute, and appearing ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT as Waltraute and Flosshilde in Robert LePage’s famed Der Ring des Nibelungen. Tatum began the 2019-20 season as Flosshilde in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung with The National Theater in Taiwan, followed by her role debut as Kundry in Parsifal for Indiana University Opera Theatre.

She also returned to The Metropolitan Opera as the Third Lady in The Magic Flute, made her role debut as Amneris in Aida with Pensacola Opera, and joined Rochester Philharmonic for Mother of Us All. Scheduled performances in that season and in the 2021 season included Giulio Cesare and Champion with Boston Lyric Opera, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Jacksonville Symphony and Indianapolis Symphony, Maddalena in Rigoletto with Mill City Summer Opera, and productions of Giulio Cesare and The Magic Flute at The Met.

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Countertenor Daniel Moody has garnered widespread acclaim for his commanding yet expressive vocal timbre and his breathtaking musicianship. Praised as having a “vocal resonance, [which] makes a profoundly startling impression” (The New York Times) and for his “vivid and powerful” voice (The Boston Musical Intelligencer), He is equally known for his “sweet and melancholy sound” (The Washington Post) and ability to “pierce hearts” and “utterly silence a room” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer). Opera appearances include the title roles in Handel’s Giulio Cesare and Rinaldo, DANIEL MOODY Arsamene in Xerxes, Lichas in Hercules, Didymus in Theodora, Oberon in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, TOLOMEO L’Enfant in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortileges and most ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT recently, Nerone in Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea with Cincinnati Opera alongside Anthony Roth Costanzo.

Mr. Moody has soloed with acclaimed orchestras across the country and abroad including, Atlanta Symphony, Les Violons du Roy in Québec City, Apollo’s Fire, The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Illinois Symphony, Charleston Symphony, WinstonSalem Symphony, and gave the American premiere of George Benjamin’s Dream of the Song at the Festival of Contemporary Music at Tanglewood Festival. Recent debuts and upcoming seasons include Messiah with Minnesota Orchestra, a tour of St. Matthew Passion with Apollo’s Fire, a duet concert with famed mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra (Nicholas McGegan), Carnegie Hall debuts with Oratorio Society of New York and Musica Sacra (Kent Tritle), concerts with Opera Lafayette, and commissioned operas by composers Hannah Lash (Desire) and Elena Ruehr (Cosmic Cowboy).

Since making his debut with the Metropolitan Opera in 2007 as The Warrior Apparition in Macbeth, American bass-baritone David Crawford has taken part in over three hundred performances and covered roles in over two hundred performances with the company. Highlights include performances of Les contes d’Hoffmann, Roméo et Juliette, Manon Lescaut, I puritani, Eugene Onegin, Anna Bolena, Turandot, Madama Butterfly, Un ballo in maschera, Andrea Chénier, Les Troyens, Nabucco, La fanciulla del West, Armida, Ariadne auf Naxos, and Angelotti and the Jailer in DAVID CRAWFORD Tosca among others. He recently appeared in concert with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, sang Don Basilio in Il ACHILLA barbiere di Siviglia with Boston Lyric Opera, Raimondo in ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT Lucia di Lammermoor with Knoxville Opera, and returned ROMEO AND JULIET, 2016 to the Metropolitan Opera to cover Masetto in Don Giovanni and Angelotti in Tosca. Additional career highlights include previous appearances with The Atlanta Opera as Zuniga in Carmen and the Duke in Roméo et Juliette, Betto in Gianni Schicchi with the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Opera in Japan, Banquo in Macbeth and William Jennings Bryan in The Ballad of Baby Doe with Chautauqua Opera, Caspar in Der Freischutz with Des Moines Metro Opera, the King in Transformations with Wexford Festival Opera, and Monterone in Rigoletto with Florida Grand Opera.

30 | cast&creative Praised for his “rich vibrant bass” (Opera Today) and “charismatic [and] exhilarating comic flair” (Boston Musical Intelligencer), William Meinert is a 2021 Studio Artist with Atlanta Opera, where he will debut this season as Curio in Julius Caesar. He is a recent graduate of the Cafritz Young Artist program at Washington National Opera, where he performed Sarastro in The Magic Flute and the Secret Police Agent in The Consul. He recently debuted at Santa Fe Opera as Snug in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and covered Gremin in Eugene Onegin. He joins the National Symphony Orchestra and American Bach Soloists later WILLIAM MEINERT this season. First Prize Winner in the 2019 Houston Grand Opera Eleanor McCollum Competition, William has sung GLYNN STUDIO ARTIST Commendatore in Mozart’s Don Giovanni (Baltimore CURIO Concert Opera), Commentator in Derrick Wang’s Scalia/ Ginsburg (Opera North), Vodník in Rusalka (Madison ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT Opera), and Le Duc in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette (Pensacola Opera). As a Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Artist, he covered Hjarne and Corbin in the world premiere of Poul Ruders’ The Thirteenth Child. He was scheduled to return to the 2020 Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Artist program to sing Second Armored Man in Die Zauberflöte and cover Vodník in Dvořák’s Rusalka. He has been featured in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Baltimore Choral Arts Society, Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 with American Bach Soloists, and Handel’s Messiah with Washington Bach Consort. A Master of Music graduate of Peabody Institute, William is also co-founder of Parea Series—a digital performance series combining music, innovative theater, and lively discussion—in which he is not only a principal performer but responsible for filming, video editing, and lighting design.

Praised for her “chocolatey timbre” and “excellent dramatic timing” (Schmopera), mezzo soprano Elizabeth Sarian is an emerging artist to watch. She is a recent alumna of The Atlanta Opera Studio. During the summer of 2021, she appeared as Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas in Opera North’s curated program, “Extraordinary Women.” As a member of The Atlanta Opera Studio (2018-2020), her performances included The Page in Salome, Tisbe in La Cenerentola, Sister Lillianne in Dead Man Walking, Olga (cover) in Eugene Onegin, and Flora in La Traviata. She was scheduled to perform Kate Pinkerton (and cover Suzuki) in Madama ELIZABETH SARIAN Butterfly along with a company debut with the Atlanta Ballet in “Art Songs pas de deux,” but both appearances STUDIO ARTIST ALUMNA were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the NIRENO summers of 2018 and 2019, she was part of the prestigious Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Program, where she covered ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT Pastuchnya in Jenůfa and was featured in Apprentice DEAD MAN WALKING, 2019 Showcase as Meg Page in Falstaff, Mercédès in Carmen and Zerlina in Don Giovanni. In 2017, she was selected to be a part of the Central City Opera BonfilsStanton Artist Training Program where she covered the role of Mercédès in Carmen. Ms. Sarian holds both a Graduate Performance Diploma and her Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Vocal Pedagogy from The Peabody Institute at John Hopkins University. Among her recognitions are two encouragement awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions as well as her two-time designation as recipient of the George Castelle Memorial Award in Voice from The Peabody Conservatory. Ms. Sarian is a native of Long Island, New York.

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Erin Burch is a native of Durham, North Carolina and has been dancing professionally in Atlanta since 2013. Dance, education, and health have always been large parts of her life. In 2019 she achieved her Pure Barre fitness instructor certification and in 2021 she graduated summa cum laude as a clinical psychology major with a minor in gender studies. As a dancer she has trained in Atlanta, Denver, and Rochester studying with Southern Ballet Theatre, Anthony Burrell Center for Dance, Garth Fagan Dance, Cleo Parker Robinson Dance, and others. Her training ERIN BURCH has consisted of Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballet, Contemporary, Lyrical, Horton, West African, and Latin social dancing. She DANCER has had the pleasure to be a part of companies such as ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT Gotta Dance Contemporary Company and Advocate Arts Contemporary. She is in her first season with Notnebia and completed her fourth season with Komanse Dance Theater. Erin has also danced commercially, appearing in the Netflix original Raising Dion, as well as the music videos of Vivian Green, Angelo Diaz, Tina P, Kamillion, Prisca, and other artists as well. She has also appeared in both lead and supportive roles in locally performed musicals such as Angels in Training, Hairspray, and High School Musical. Erin has been teaching and coaching dancers and gymnasts since 2013. As a choreographer, she has created works for concerts, national festivals, competitions, music videos, and showcases.

AYANA DUBOSE DANCER ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT LA TRAVIATA, 2019

Ayana DuBose is so thrilled to perfrom with The Atlanta Opera again. Previous theater credits include La Traviata (Dancer, The Atlanta Opera); West Side Story (The Atlanta Opera); Mamma Mia! (City Springs Theatre Company); Hairspray (City Springs Theatre Company); Rachel in On Your Feet (Aurora Theatre); Lisa in Mamma Mia! (Arkansas Repertory Theatre); Alice in Alice in Wonderland (Flying Foot Forum); Passing Through Pig’s Eye (Park Square Theatre). Concert dance credits include No One Will See (TU Dance); Panorama (Martha Graham) “Thank you to my family for your support.”

34 | cast&creative Bailey Jo Harbaugh works as a performing artist, stretch therapy practitioner, and choreographic assistant. She graduated as Outstanding Senior from the Department of Dance at Kennesaw State University with Magna Cum Laude honors in 2019. There she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, received multiple dance merit scholarships, and spent eight consecutive semesters with the KSU Dance Company performing original roles in faculty and undergraduate works by McCree O’Kelley, Daniel Gwirtzman, Ivan Pulinkala, James Graham, and many BAILEY JO HARBAUGH others. Bailey Jo’s professional career began in 2019 with an apprenticeship at contemporary company Staibdance, DANCER under the direction of George Staib and managed by ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT Sarah Hillmer. In 2020, she was promoted to a full-time SALOME, 2020 member where she currently rehearses and performs the company’s repertoire. She works in the dance ensemble with musical theater company, the Atlanta Lyric Theatre, under direction of Mary Nye Bennett. She also guests with contemporary dance collective, Fly on a Wall.

Other professional involvements include ImmerseATL and the Mediums Collective. She has participated in movement workshops with Batsheva Dance Company, Ate9 Dance Company, and New Dialect. Her ventures have allowed her to work professionally with Andrea Knowlton, Ido Gidron, Kelvin Yu, Banning Bouldin, Navarra Novy-Williams, John McFall, Ricardo Aponte, Amir Levy, and Omar Román de Jesús. Bailey Jo is over the moon to join The Atlanta Opera in her fourth consecutive season; having previously participated in Salome, Pagliacci, Kaiser of Atlantis, The Threepenny Carmen, and The Threepenny Opera in the Big Tent Series closing Spring 2021. Endless thanks and love to Tomer and The Atlanta Opera for constantly creating artistic opportunities relevant to our time.

Massive gratitude to Scott and Beverly Harbaugh for their undying support of all her artistic ventures!

Takia Hopson is a professional freelance dancer and choreographer from Atlanta. She is a 2019 graduate of Meadows School of the Arts’ Division of Dance at Southern Methodist University. Takia, who many know as “Tiki”, has been trained in ballet, modern, jazz and other styles of dance since the age of two years old. She trained at DanceMakers of Atlanta under directors Lynise Heard and Denise Heard-Latimer before moving to Dallas to attend SMU where she obtained degrees in journalism and dance performance. She has since choreographed for TAKIA HOPSON professional ballet company Ballet Dallas. Professionally, Takia has performed on TV/film, in music videos, and DANCER with an international opera tour. Her most recent ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT accomplishments include working for artists Young Thug, Jack Harlow, and Earthgang. She also recently performed as a guest soloist with City Gate Dance Theater. Takia is currently a company member with Atlanta-based professional dance company Komansé Dance Theatre.

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Christina Massad, an Atlanta native and citizen of Israel, is a professional dancer, teacher, photographer, and videographer in Atlanta. She is a part of the Fly on a Wall Team, a platform for innovative performance, where she helps run the non-profit arts organization, performs, teaches, and creates all media content. She graduated from Kennesaw State University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and a Bachelor of Science in Media Studies and Entertainment, where she was awarded the Outstanding Senior Award in both of her majors. During CHRISTINA MASSAD her time at KSU Dance and since graduating, she has danced in works by Ido Tadmor (Israel), Ella Ben-Aharon DANCER (Israel), James Graham (California), Omar Roman de Jesus ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT (NYC), Dr. Ivan Pulinkala (Atlanta), Sean Nguyen-Hilton (Atlanta), Otis Sallid (Atlanta), Nathan Griswold (Atlanta), Nadya Zeitlin (Atlanta) and more. She has also danced a solo role in a music video by Gunna x Iann Dior. While she enjoys dancing all genres, Christina finds her groove in strong, grounded contemporary work. Alongside performing, Christina’s choreographic dance work, “is-rael-i” was selected to perform at the Modern Atlanta Dance Festival in 2019.

She is also in the beginning stages of creating and shaping “Open Bounce” a new Fly on a Wall program where she teaches dance classes to kids in homeless shelters or who have previously experienced homelessness. Christina is passionate about helping and supporting others, creating meaningful art and sharing it with those around her.

BRANDON NGUYEN-HILTON DANCER ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT OUT OF DARKNESS: TWO REMAIN, 2018

Brandon is a native of Texas where he found his love for dance at the Margo Dean School of Ballet. He later received his training at the Houston Ballet Ben Stevenson Academy as a full scholarship student. He has danced professionally with Orlando Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, and Cirque du Soleil. In 2018, he performed in the Pyong Chang Winter Music Festival in celebrations of the Olympics. With The Atlanta Opera, he has performed in Out of Darkness: Two Remain, Carmen, and The Threepenny Opera. He is thrilled to be a part of this production! He would like to thank his parents; husband; and his past, present and future teachers.

36 | cast&creative Brennan Parker is very excited to be making his Atlanta Opera debut as a dancer! He has been dancing since the age of three and trained in tap, ballet, jazz, hip hop, and contemporary at Great Gig Dance Company in Kennesaw, Georiga until the age of eighteen. He recently graduated from The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theater with a dance emphasis. College Credits include Play On (Ensemble) and Anything Goes (Ensemble). Professional Theatre Credits include A BRENNAN CHASE PARKER Chorus Line (Atlanta Lyric Theatre) and most recently Crazy For You (The Encore Musical Theatre Company) DANCER in Dexter, Michigan. He is also a proud apprentice for the ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT tap dance company MADD Rhythms located in Chicago, Illinois. Brennan would like to thank his parents for their everlasting love and support, as well as his dance teachers and voice coach, Nathan Munson, for all their wisdom and love.

Keith Reeves is from Augusta, Georgia, and began his training at age 15 with the Jessye Norman School of the Arts. Later joining Augusta Ballet school now known as Colton Ballet Company under the direction of Zane and Ron Colton. He has received scholarships to summer programs at Nashville Ballet, Joffrey Ballet School, and The School at Jacob’s Pillow. In 2015, he received the Audrey B. Morgan Scholarship for the Atlanta Ballet Centre for Dance Education Conservatory program, later joining the company. He has performed works by Jiri Kylian, KEITH REEVES Salvatore Aiello, George Balanchine, Dwight Rhoden, Mark Morris, Kiyon Ross, Annabelle Lopez Ochooa, DANCER Ricardo Armante, Tara Lee, Yuri Possokhov, Ohad Naharin, ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT among others. Last season he worked with the Atlanta Ballet’s resident choreographer Claudia Shrieier on a solo for The Guggenheim WPA Virtual commission called “Force of Habit.” Keith was also featured in the March 2021 edition of, In Style Magazine’s “Black Trailblazers.” Along with choreographing and working on his LGBTQ dance collective “Bodies in Motion ATL.”

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RACHEL SHIFFMAN DANCER ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT LA TRAVIATA, 2019

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Rachel Shiffman is excited to be performing again with The Atlanta Opera. She has been seen in productions of La traviata (gypsy), Frida (ensemble dancer), and West Side Story (Clarice). Rachel is a graduate of The University of Arizona with Honors. Some of her theatre credits include, Disenchanted (Princess Badroulbadour), Cabaret (Lulu), Stone Mountain Christmas Spectacular (Angelina). Her recent TV and film credits include, Staircase (HBO) and Take It (Glass Taxi). Rachel has been privileged to dance around the world including Israel, Poland, and Mexico, but is excited to be back on stage at home here in Atlanta. “I cannot wait to share the stage with these incredible artists and bring theatre and art back to life after almost two years of empty theaters!”

A native of Milwaukee, Torrance Smith Jr. began his studies in dance under the direction of Sandra Jordan in the Dance Exchange Summer Intensive. After working diligently in his studies, he was granted the opportunity to attend Milwaukee School of the Arts majoring in dance, where he would study ballet, modern, jazz, and African dance. While studying at Milwaukee School of the Arts, he attended the Milwaukee Ballet Academy as a full scholarship recipient to further his education in dance. After graduating, Torrance moved to Atlanta TORRANCE SMITH JR. to pursue his dream of becoming a professional artist.

In the Fall of 2013, Torrance joined Atlanta Dance DANCER Connection under the direction of Allyne D. Gartrell ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT where he has danced the ballets of Christopher Huggins, Richard Freeman-Carter, Kevin Jackson, and TyRell Rolle.

He has also worked directly with Michael Jackson, Jr. and Sean Aaron Carmon of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

38 | cast&creative D. Jerome Wells has built his portfolio performing frequently in multiple theaters along the east coast. He began training at the prestigious North Carolina School of the Arts, where he studied musical theater and traditional modern dance formats. Since graduating from The University of North Carolina at Greensboro with a B.F.A. in Dance, Wells has worked with renowned choreographers such as Debbie Allen-Nixon, George Faison, Karen McDonald, and Darrell Grand Moultrie to name a few. Wells has performed frequently with Theatre of Movement, LLC D. JEROME WELLS since 2014. His theater credits include: The Lord Will Make A Way (Nat’l Tour), The Color Purple, Gypsy, Hairspray DANCER (MUNY), Dreamgirls (Jimmy Early), Amahl, and The Wiz ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT (Tinman). Wells received RTCC’s (Richmond Theatre Critic Circle) award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role as Jimmy Early in 2016. Wells is the Executive Director for The BML Education Foundation and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He is the founder of The Artists’ Circle (#TAC), and is a proud member of the Actors’ Equity.

Sherman D. Wood took his first dance class at Divine Dance Institute at the age of nine under the direction of Amanda F. Standard. Starting with African and tap dance, he was encouraged to try modern and ballet and has been in love ever since. Following his graduation from The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in 2011, where he studied in the dance department under Charles Augins, Sherman first attended the Ohio State University before transferring to The Boston Conservatory. He has worked with great choreographers and instructors including SHERMAN D. WOOD Dwight Rhoden, Darell Grand Moultrie, Adrian V. James, Christopher Huggins, Dwana Smallwood, and Camille DANCE CAPTAIN A. Brown, among others. Sherman has performed with & DANCER BodyMoves Contemporary, Cedar Lake Contemporary, ATLANTA OPERA DEBUT SoundX-Pressed Dance Company, Ronald K. Brown’s Evidence: A Dance Company, Spectrum Dance Theater, and he is now working independently as a choreographer and dancer in the concert dance world as well as commercial industry.

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theatlantaoperaorchestra

VIOLIN

CELLO

HORN

Peter Ciaschini The Loraine P. Williams Orchestra Concertmaster Chair

Charae Krueger Principal

David Bradley Principal

Hilary Glen Assistant Principal

Jason Eklund

Helen Kim* Assistant Concertmaster Lisa Morrison Acting Assistant Concertmaster Fia Durrett Principal Second

David Hancock

Eric Hawkins† Camron Bryant†

Mary Kenney Cynthia Sulko*

HARP

BASS

Susan Brady* Principal

Lyn DeRamus Principal

VIOLA DE GAMBA

Emory Clements

Jacob Bitinas†

Jessica Stinson Acting Assistant Principal Second

FLUTE

HARPSICHORD

Edward Eanes

James Zellers Principal

Elena Kholodova

Adelaide Federici* Assistant Principal Second

Felix Farrar Robert Givens

Kelly Bryant

Patti Gouvas

OBOE

Shawn Pagliarini

Diana Dunn* Principal

Anastasia Petrunina*

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Virginia Respess-Fairchild

Christina Gavin Acting Principal

Patrick Ryan

Alexandra Shatalova†

PERSONNEL MANAGER James Zellers *core musician on leave † non-core musician

Angèle Sherwood-Lawless Rafael Veytsblum Alice Hong† Kathryn Koch†

BASSOON Debra Grove Acting Principal John Grove

Serena Scibelli† VIOLA William Johnston Principal Ryan Gregory Acting Assistant Principal Julie Rosseter* Karl Schab Joli Wu

Musicians employed in this production are represented by the American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada.

40 | communityengagement

The 96-Hour Opera Project WRITTEN BY

Jessica Kiger PHOTOS BY

Jeff Roffman & Raftermen

Long-time fans of The Atlanta Opera may remember the company’s 24-Hour Opera Project, which brought artistic teams together to create and perform an original opera scene in twenty-four hours. This season, we are bringing the concept back with a bold new vision.

Over four days in June, teams of BIPOC composers and librettists will craft compelling, completely new 10-minute operas. The operas will focus on stories from Atlanta and Georgia’s diverse communities, which have rarely been featured on operatic stages. The winning team will be awarded a future opera commission with The Atlanta Opera and $10,000. We’re calling it the 96-Hour Opera Project.

“With this effort, we are determined to the tell stories of underrepresented and unheard voices. We know these are inspiring stories of hard-won struggles and everyday heroes that are too often untold,” said Tomer Zvulun, the company’s Carl W. Knobloch Jr. General and

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Artistic Director. “We are committed to celebrating the diversity of our state and making the space for BIPOC artists to create.”

Internationally renowned bass and Atlanta native Morris Robinson will serve as the artistic advisor for this year’s competition, working with creative teams throughout the competition as well as serving as one of the judges.

We are excited to partner with a variety of Georgiabased organizations to identify compelling operatic stories that explore unheard stories from our community.

We are committed to allowing space for creative storytelling of struggles for equity and inclusion.

Applications for composers and librettists to participate in the 96-Hour Opera Project open December 1, 2021, and the four-day competition will conclude with a public concert on Monday, June 20, 2022. We hope to see you there!

For more information about the 96-Hour Opera Project, please visit: www.atlantaopera.org.

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42 | donorprofile

Jamie Barton, Dr. Tommy Guffin, and

Dr. Thomas N. Guffin, Jr., known by his friends as “Tommy,” stands out in the story of opera in Atlanta.

Barbara Zellner.

His beloved mother, Betty, was a soprano with a beautiful voice. Both she and her husband, after whom Tommy was named, were instrumental in continuing professional opera performances in Atlanta after the annual Metropolitan Opera tours ceased in 1986.

Although Tommy was an accomplished operatic tenor in his own right, he dedicated his full-time career to helping other singers as an otolaryngology specialist. Visitors to his office were often impressed by his “wall of fame” with headshots from dozens of famous singers who sought out Tommy’s treatment.

Artists, staff, and patrons at The Atlanta Opera have enjoyed Tommy’s involvement with the organization since the company’s inception. Through the decades, he jumped into many roles at the Opera, including administrative assistance, as well as singing as a soloist and chorister. If a star at The Atlanta Opera was ever feeling sick, Tommy was always willing to help, sometimes even slipping backstage mid-performance to assist an ailing artist.

His story at The Atlanta Opera continues, as he faithfully donates funds and attends performances. As a member of the Opera’s Advisory Council, Tommy also offers advice and support for the company’s leadership. All of us in The Atlanta Opera family salute Tommy and thank him for his continued commitment!

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giving&support

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ANNUAL GIVING We are grateful for the following donors’ generous support. This list reflects gifts and pledges to unrestricted operating expenses, special projects, and/or endowment made between Jan. 1, 2020 and Jun. 30, 2021.

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE $1,000,000+

PATRON’S CIRCLE $15,000+

John & Rosemary Brown *Martha Thompson Dinos

Cathy & Mark Adams Elizabeth & Jeremy Adler Anonymous Julia & Jim Balloun Mr. & Mrs. C. Duncan Beard Mr. Mario Concha Carl & Sally Gable Candy & Greg Johnson Mrs. Wadleigh C. Winship The Mary & Charlie Yates Family Fund Mr. Tomer Zvulun & Mrs. Susanna Eiland

$200,000+ *Nancy & *Jim Bland Harold Brody & Donald Smith Dr. Frank A. Critz & Dr. Ann Critz Mr. Howard W. Hunter Gramma Fisher Foundation Beth & Gary Glynn Donald & Marilyn Keough Foundation *Mr. & Mrs. Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. James B. Miller, Jr. Jerry & Dulcy Rosenberg

$100,000+ Anonymous The Antinori Foundation Laura & Cosmo Boyd Mr. John Haupert & Mr. Bryan Brooks Victoria & Howard Palefsky Rhys & Carolyn Wilson

$50,000+ Mr. & Mrs. Paul Blackney Triska Drake & G. Kimbrough Taylor The Gable Foundation, Inc. Dr. & Mrs. Alexander Gross John L. Hammaker Mary Ruth McDonald Clara M. & John S. O’Shea Mr. William E. Pennington Mr. Milton J. Sams Mr. William F. Snyder Judith & Mark Taylor Ms. Bunny Winter & Mr. Michael Doyle

$25,000+ Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Barnes Mr. David Boatwright Ms. Janine Brown & Mr. Alex J. Simmons, Jr. Connolly Family Foundation Mr. Robert P. Dean & Mr. Robert Epstein Eda L. Hochgelerent, M.D. & Bruce A. Cassidy, M.D. Mr. L. D. Holland Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Keough Stephanie & Gregor Morela Mr. & Mrs. John Murphy Katherine Scott Christine & Mark St.Clare

GOLD $10,000+ Anonymous John & Wendy Anzalone Dr. & Mrs. Asad Bashey Dr. R. Dwain Blackston Mr. Frank H. Butterfield Dieter Elsner Ms. Rebecca Y. Frazer & Mr. Jon Buttrey Mr. & Mrs. Edward J. Hardin The Hilbert Law Firm Mrs. Roya Irvani Dr. & Mrs. David Kavtaradze Sandra & Peter Morelli Mr. & Mrs. Michael E. Paulhus Mr. Charles Sharbaugh Baker & Debby Smith Larry & Beverly Willson

SILVER $5,000+ Mr. & *Mrs. Shepard B. Ansley Dr. Florence C. Barnett Mr. & Mrs. Dante Bellizzi Natalie & Matthew Bernstein Mr. Richard H. Delay & Dr. Francine D. Dykes Mr. & Mrs. Robert G. Edge Mr. Arthur Fagen Ms. Ariana B. Fass Mr. James Flanagan Mr. Ethan Garonzik Kevin Greiner & Robyn Roberts Judge Adele P. Grubbs Paul & Deborah Harkins Gail Johnson Mr. Alfred D. Kennedy & Dr. Bill Kenny Mr. & Mrs. Michael A. Klump Linda L. Lively & James E. Hugh III Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Long Dr. & Mrs. James Lowman Belinda & Gino Massafra

Shelley McGehee Mr. & Mrs. Richard P. Nicholas III Mr. & Mrs. Robert Ratonyi Lynn & Kent Regenstein Mr. & Mrs. Timothy E. Sheehan Mr. & Mrs. Nicholas Shreiber Mr. & Mrs. Richard Sproul Lynne & Steven Steindel John & Yee-Wan Stevens George & Amy Taylor Dr. & Mrs. Nicholas Valerio III Bob & Cappa Woodward Charitable Fund

BRONZE $2,500+ Dr. John W. Cooledge Jean & Jerry Cooper Ms. Suzanne Mott Dansby *Col. & Mrs. Edgar W. Duskin Dr. & Mrs. Donald J. Filip Mr. Michael D. Golden Mr. Robert Grubert Dr. Thomas N. Guffin, Jr. Mary & Wayne James Ms. Salli LeVan Mimi & Dan Maslia Peggy Weber McDowell & Jack McDowell John & Agnes Nelson The Pamer Family Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Steve Paro Mrs. Polly N. Pater George Paulik Mrs. Betsy Pittman Mr. James D. Powell John & Barbara Ross Mr. & Mrs. J. Barry Schrenk Morton & Angela Sherzer Johannah Smith Gail & Barry Spurlock *Peter Stelling & Jody C. Weatherly Dr. Jane T. St. Clair & Mr. James E. Sustman Mrs. Hugh Tarbutton *Dr. & Mrs. R. Craig Woodward

FRIEND’S CIRCLE INVESTOR $1,000+ David Abell Scott & Betsy Akers Ms. Hope M. Barrett Colonel & Mrs. John V. Barson Mr. & Mrs. Harris P. Baskin Drs. Tatiana & Igor Bidikov Jonathan E. Blalock Ms. Mary D. Bray Ms Lillianette Cook & Ms. Carol Uhl Mr. & Mrs. Edward S. Croft III

44 | giving&support Mrs. Lavona Currie Maureen & Michael Dailey Dr. & Mrs. F. Thomas Daly Jr. Mr. Kevin Dew & Mr. Hal Platt Drs. Morgan & Susan Horton Eiland Mr. Thomas Emch Mrs. Arnoldo Fiedotin Ms. Louise S. Gunn Mr. Joseph Gyengo Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Hantula George L. Hickman III James E. Honkisz & Catherine A. Binns Mr. & Mrs. Harry C. Howard Mr. & Mrs. David C. Huffman Ms. Brenda D. Jennings Cliff Jolliff & Elaine Gerke Mr. & Mrs. Gert Kampfer Mr. & Mrs. Gedas Kutka Mrs. Treville Lawrence Mrs. Dale Levert & Mr. George W. Levert Dr. Carlos E. Lopez Samantha & William Markle Mrs. Erin Martin Mr. & Mrs. Allen P. McDaniel Mr. Frank M. Monger Mr. Conrad Mora Ms. Priscilla M. Moran Barbara & Mark Murovitz The Opera Guild for Atlanta Mr. Darryl-Christopher Payne Lucy S. Perry The Reverend Neal P. Ponder, Jr. Dr. Michael F. Pratt & Nancy Peterman Richard Restagno Mr. James L. Rhoden Dr. & Mrs. William M. Scaljon Dr. & Mrs. William E. Silver Mr. Paul Snyder Adhishesh Sood Mr. Tarek Takieddini Dr. & Mrs. Kenneth G. Taylor Ms. Virginia S. Taylor Mr. Johnny Thigpen & Mr. James Martin Rebecca D. Warner Ms. Betsy K. Wash Alan & Marcia Watt Dr. & Mrs. James O. Wells, Jr.

SUPPORTER $500+ Paula Stephan Amis Anonymous(2) Ms. Teresa Bailey Ms. Jamie Barton Dr. & Mrs. Jerry Blumenthal Stanford M. Brown Dr. & Dr. Keith Bruno Anne D. Burnett Mr. & Mrs. Raymond H. Chenault Mr. Pete Ciaschini Mrs. Carol J. Clark Mr. N. Jerold Cohen & Ms. Andrea Strickland Dr. Lawrence Cohen

Aaron Coley T. Dennis Connally John & Linda Cooke Mr. & Mrs. Peter Dean Jim & Carol Dew Col. & Mrs. Donald M. Gilner Joseph D. Giovinco Mr. & *Mrs. Leon C. Goldstein Dr. & Mrs. Martin Goldstein James C. Goodwyne & Christopher S. Connelly Mr. & Mrs. Richard P. Grodzicki Mr. & Mrs. Sam Hagan Ms. Donna Hall Mr. & Mrs. Steven Hart Dean & Vivian Haulton Donna & Richard Hiller Mrs. Pearl B. Hollis Richard & Linda Hubert Mr. Walter Huff Irmgard S. Immel Robert & Barbara Jackson Mrs. Peter G. Kessenich Jeannie Kiger Ms. Eleanor Kinsey Dr. Rose Mary Kolpatzki Joan & Arnold Kurth Chris & Jill Le Antionesha N. Lee David & Kathy Linden Mrs. Alivia Lipson Allan & Veneesa Little James Madsen Mr. & Mrs. Paul Manno Mr. Thomas L. McCook Mr. & Mrs. M. Sean Molley Mrs. Thespi P. Mortimer Terri & Stephen Nagler Carol S. Niemi Christine & Jim Pack Mr. & Mrs. William A. Parker, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. John H. Petrey Dan Pompilio & Lark Ingram Walter O. Pryor Mr. Thomas Ramsay Mr. Stephen L. Rann & Ms. Dytre Fentress R.J. & D.G. Riffey, Jr. Sandra & Ronald Rousseau Anne Saravo, PhD Mrs. MaryEarle Scovil Mr. Kurt A. Shreiner Mr. Fred B. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Robert Stansfield Judge Mike & Mrs. Jane Stoddard Steve & Christine Strong Kay Summers Carolyn & Robert Swain Mr. & Mrs. Ben J. Tarbutton, Jr. Rae & George Weimer Ms. Parsla A. Welch Ms. Jone Williams & Ms. Barbara Robb Dr. & Mrs. Sam Williams Dr. & Mrs. David Wingert Sherrilyn & Donn Wright Dr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Yuschok

atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera

*Mr. & Mrs. John Zellner Dr. & Mrs. Ben Zinn

CONTRIBUTOR $250+ Judith M. Alembik Dr. Raymond Allen Mr. & Mrs. James Anderson Mr. & Mrs. David S. Baker Mr. Albert E. Bender, Jr. Mr. Matt Blackburn Ms. Evelyn L. Bolden Dr. Ian Bond Sharon S. Brando James L. Bross Mr. William Brown Mark & Peg Bumgardner Craig & Brenda Caldwell Dr. & Mrs. W. Jerry Capps Anne Carson Mr. Angelo A. Carusi & Ms. Janet Romanic Mrs. Nita Chambless Dr. & Mrs. Harold L. Chapman, Jr. Mr. John Chickering Dr. Earle D. Clowney Carol Comstock & Jim Davis Mr. & Mrs. John Costello Mr. Anthony Coulter Mr. David D’Ambrosio Mr. & Mrs. Harold T. Daniel Jr. Laura E. Davidson Michael H. Davis Dr. & Mrs. Albert De Chicchis Dr. & Mrs. Hamilton S. Dixon Ms. Margaret Eisenhauer Mr. Courtney Ellis & Dr. Amina Bhatia Mr. & Mrs. Robert F. Engeman Sr. Mrs. Joyce H. Evans Mr. & Mrs. Steve Feldman Sally & Hank Fielding Catherine Fox Dr. Linda Fraser Ms. Sara Frooman Mr. Glen Galbaugh Mary Anne & Bruce Gaunt Byron Gibbs Ms. Jane Fenwick Goodwin Charita Gray John Greer Tom Grose Dr. & Mrs. Matthews Gwynn Mr. Ronald L. Harris & Mrs. Jacqueline Pownall Steven Hauser Ms. Sharon E. Hill Douglas Hooker & Patrise Perkins Hooker Ms. Jan W. Hughen Mrs. Catherine Hughes Stuart Jackson & Robyn Jackson Lillie Jenkins Lou & Tom Jewell Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Johnston Mr. J. Carter Joseph Mr. Scott H. Kaplan Mr. & Mrs. Edward Katze

TOGETHER, LET’S MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF OUR NATION’S HEROES The Home Depot Foundation is proud to partner with The Atlanta Opera to honor our U.S. military, veterans and their families.

© 2020 Homer TLC, Inc. All rights reserved.

HomeDepotFoundation.org

46 | giving&support John & JoAnn Keller William W. Kelly, Jr. Matthew Kent Dr. Joon Y. Kim & Dr. Myong Suk Lee Kevin Kinsey Suzanne Lehman Ms. Katharine Mackie Ross & Kristin Maiwand Dr. Robert & Judge Stephanie Manis Ms. Deborah A. Marlowe Mr. Stedman C. Mays , Jr. & Mr. Charles Bjorklund Mr. M. Reynolds McClatchey Jr. Mrs. Rachel M. Miller Mr. & Mrs. Pierre Mouyal Ms. Mollie W. Neal Scott Novellas Leah Partridge Mr. & Mrs. John Payan Mr. Lawrence F. Pinson Jody Pollard *Sharon & Jim Radford Mary Lou Rahn Mr. Ira Ralph Mrs. Frances G. Richards Weslyn A. Samson Ms. Regina Schuber Mr. Karin Schwerd Mrs. Jane D. Shaw Dr. & Mrs. Steve M. Shindell Mr. Robert Sidewater Dr. & Mrs. Stanley J. Smits Ms. Virginia E. Spector Mr. John W. Stephenson Doug Steward Fred & Linda Stewart Barbara & Jon Swann Mr. & Ms. Wolfgang Tiedtke Mr. Fred Tuck Ms. Mary Ellen Vian Joseph D. Wargo & Lisa Gandy Wargo Mr. And Mrs. T. A. Wessels Mrs. Loretta C. Wolf

$100+ Dalal Al Sane Mr. Mostafa Ammar Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Robert O. Banker Lisa Beck Mr. Edward S. Berkoff Mr. & Mrs. Michael Blackwood Ms. Dianne Brannen Ms. Allison Brown Melodye G. Brown Mr. Richard Brownlee Mrs. Nancy M. Bruno Ms Kristie Cain Mr. & Mrs. Charles T. Carlin Mr. Thomas J. Chapel & Ms. Jennifer L. McCoy Mr. Paul D. Chiusano Alsie Churchman Mr. & Mrs. Charles Cohn Linda Copeland

Mr. Bruce W. & Mrs. Kate Cotterman Mrs. Eleanor Crosby Ms. Ann Cummings Mr. & Mrs. Michael J. Curry Ms. Bonnie J. Dejoie Jimmy & Mary Sue Dorsey Mr. & Mrs. Denis DuBois Mr. & Mrs. Michael Duff Gregory S. Durden Eric Dykes Mrs. Anne J. Ederington Janice & Charles M. Edwards III Mr. & Mrs. Fred Emry Ms. Barbara M. Farr Gil Frank Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A. Freeman C. Gallagher Maria Garcia Dan & Harriet Gill Mr. & Mrs. Peter Gilroy Ms. Pat Godbe Ms. Anne L. Grossman & Dr. Leonard Berger Ms. Freya Harris Lynn Hassett Mrs. Sally Hawkins Mr. & Mrs. Douglas M. Holly, Jr. Mrs. Sally Horntvedt Mrs. Fay Howell Ms. Suzanne Husting Jaromir Juchelka Mr. Stephen J. Kalista Mr. David Keller Tiffany Kent Donna Jane Kilgore Sergey Latkin Dr. Arthur Lewis Richard Lodise & Valerie Jagiella Mr. & Mrs. William J. MacKenna Victoria Marino Jeanie & Albert Marx Dr. Joe Massey Katherine B. Maxwell Ms. Robin McDonald Mr. Edward Merves Mr. Daniel Meyers Ms. Gwen Michelle Mr. Simon Miller Ms. Judith R. Millner-Hofer Ms. Patricia Mueller Patricia OConnell Ms. & Mr. Sandra S. Owens Dr. Charles M. Palmer Ms. Donna T. Paulk Ms. Sophia B. Peterman Catherine Popper & Noah Eckhouse Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Powers Kathryn Robertson Garnell Rogers Mr. Daniel D. Ross Dr. & Mrs. Bruce Sabatino Betty Sanders Anne Saunders Daniel Schnur Ms. Toni P. Selby

atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera

Mr. & Mrs. S. Albert Sherrod Dr. & Mrs. William O. Shropshire Clayton & Holly Sparrow Elizabeth Morgan Spiegel Mr. Joseph R. Stabile & Mr. Michael W. Dunkelberger Mr. & Mrs. John Tanzola Harriet & Edward Trackman Constance W. Treloar Christy Turner Mr. Samuel G. Tyler Ms. Juliana T. Vincenzino Dr. & Mrs. Paul B. Weinberg Whitfield-Murray Historical Society Ms. Beth Williamson Mr. Russell F. Winch Bill Witherspoon Kurt-Alexander Zeller *deceased

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BARBARA D. STEWART LEGACY SOCIETY The Atlanta Opera established the Barbara D. Stewart Legacy Society to recognize donors who have designated The Opera as a beneficiary in their estate plan. In honor of Barbara D. Stewart’s many contributions to The Atlanta Opera, our planned giving division, the Encore Society, has been renamed the Barbara D. Stewart Legacy Society.

Cathy Callaway Adams & Mark Adams Anonymous (5) Mr. & *Mrs. Shepard B. Ansley Mrs. Wallace F. Beard The Bickers Charitable Trust Mr. Jonathan Blalock Mr. Montague L. Boyd, IV Mr. Robert Colgin *Martha Thompson Dinos The Roy & Janet Dorsey Foundation Arnold & Sylvia Eaves *Ms. Dorothy E. Edwards *Heike & Dieter Elsner Ms. Melodi Ford Carl & Sally Gable Ms. Anne Marie Gary Mr. & Mrs. Sidney W. Guberman Ms. Judy Hanenkrat Richard & Fern Hartnig The Hilbert Family Trust

Eda L. Hochgelerent M.D. & Bruce A. Cassidy M.D. Mr. L. Don Holland Mr. Hilson Hudson *Mrs. Joseph B. Hutchison Mr. J. Carter Joseph Gail Johnson *Mrs. Alfred D. Kennedy, Sr *Mrs. Isabelle W. Kennedy Mr. & Mrs. Michael L. Keough Ms. Corina M. LaFrossia Mr. & Mrs. John G. Malcolm Mr. Robert L. Mays Mr. & Mrs. Allen P. McDaniel Peggy & Jack McDowell Mr. & Mrs. Craig N. Miller *Miss Helen D. Moffitt Mr. J. Robert Morring Clara M. & John S. O’Shea Mrs. Polly N. Pater Mr. James Paulk Mr. William E. Pennington

Mr. Bruce Roth Ms. Hazel Sanger Mr. D. Jack Sawyer, Jr. Anita & J. Barry Schrenk Elizabeth N. Shapiro Elizabeth Morgan Spiegel Christine & Mark St.Clare *Ms. Barbara D. Stewart Mr. Tarek Takieddini Sandra & *Tom Teepen Dr. & Mrs. Harold Whitney *Mrs. Jane S. Willson Rhys T. Wilson Ms. Bunny Winter & Mr. Michael Doyle Mr. Charles R. Yates, Jr. & Mrs. Mary Mitchell Yates *Mr. & *Mrs. Charles R. Yates, Sr. Mr. Tomer Zvulun & Mrs. Susanna Eiland

TRIBUTES & MEMORIALS In Memory of Dr. Joseph C. & Ruth P. Barnett Dr. Florence C. Barnett

In Honor of Dr. Hal Brody & Mr. Don Smith Jonathan Blalock

In Honor of Mr. Jonathan Blalock Mr. John Thompson, II

In Honor of Mr. Jerome Cooper Mr. & Mrs. Mark Taylor

In Honor of Ms. Faye P. Popper Catherine Popper & Noah Eckhouse

In Memory of John Cox Mr. Kevin Dew & Mr. Hal Platt

In Memory of Kay Quarterman Dr. & Mrs. Ferdinand K. Levy

In Honor of Mr. Rob Dean Mr. Bill Witherspoon

In Honor of Kylie Saunders Anne Saunders

In Memory of Sylvia Debenport Shelley McGehee

In Honor of Mr. Charles R. Yates, Jr. Mr. Robert Grubert Mr. Samuel G. Tyler

In Honor of Mrs. Nancy Bland Sally & Hank Fielding In Memory of Mrs. Nancy Bland Anonymous Mr. & *Mrs. Shepard B. Ansley Ms. Terrell Boyle Mrs. Carol J. Clark Kathryn Dennis Mrs. Sally Hawkins Thomas & Wallis Hills Mrs. Fay Howell Mrs. Norma Jeanne Mr. & Mrs. Charles C. Josey Mr. Alfred D. Kennedy & Dr. Bill Kenny Scott Novellas The Reverend Neal P. Ponder, Jr. Mrs. Laura S. Spearman Mr. & Mrs. Ben J. Tarbutton, Jr. Constance W. Treloar Whitfield-Murray Historical Society Dr. & Mrs. Thomas J. Yuschok

In Memory of Mrs. Mot Dinos Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Inc. Mr. Robert P. Dean & Mr. Robert Epstein Mr. Alfred D. Kennedy & Dr. Bill Kenny Mr. William E. Pennington In Honor of Mr. Robert G. Edge Mrs. Eleanor Crosby In Honor of Stuart Jackson Ms Kristie Cain In Honor of Howard & Victoria Palefsky Donna C. Burchfield Mr. & Mrs. John Costello

In Honor of Marietta Pompilio Dan Pompilio & Lark Ingram

In Honor of Mr. Tomer Zvulun & Mrs. Susanna Eiland Mr. Michael D. Golden

48 | giving&support CORPORATE PARTNERS $100,000+

$10,000+

$2,500+

Anonymous The Coca-Cola Company

Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation Gas South The Hilbert Law Firm WarnerMedia

Delta Community Credit Union Montag & Caldwell, Inc National Distributing Co., Inc. PricewaterhouseCoopers Wallace Graphics

$50,000+ Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta UPS

FOUNDATIONS & GOVERNMENT SUPPORT FOUNDATIONS $225,000+ The Gable Foundation Donald and Marilyn Keough Foundation Lettie Pate Evans Foundation Livingston Foundation, Inc. The Molly Blank Fund of The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation

$50,000+ Atlanta Music Festival Fund of The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Roy and Janet Dorsey Foundation Mary and EP Rogers Foundation, Inc. The Halle Foundation Charles Loridans Foundation, Inc. Rich Foundation, Inc. The Sara Giles Moore Foundation The Zeist Foundation, Inc.

$20,000+ J. Marshall and Lucile G. Powell Charitable Trust Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc. New York, NY

$10,000+ George M. Brown Trust Fund The Jim Cox, Jr. Foundation JBS Foundation The Ray M. & Mary Elizabeth Lee Foundation, Inc. Nordson Corporation Foundation Norfolk Southern Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation The David, Helen & Marian Woodward Fund -Atlanta

$5,000+ Camp-Younts Foundation Frances Wood Wilson Foundation, Inc.

$1,000+ Atlanta Beltline Partnership, Inc. Cobb EMC Community Foundation The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta Mary Brown Fund of Atlanta, Georgia The Hills Family Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Thomas D. Hills, Trustees Kiwanis Foundation of Atlanta

atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera

GOVERNMENT $50,000+ City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs National Endowment for the Arts

10,000+ Fulton County Arts & Culture Georgia Council for the Arts

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS Chair Mr. Rhys T. Wilson Immediate Past Chair Ms. Cathy Callaway Adams Vice Chair Mr. John L. Hammaker Vice Chair Mr. Charles “Charlie” R. Yates Secretary Mr. Michael E. Paulhus Treasurer Ms. Bunny Winter MEMBERS Mrs. Elizabeth Adler Mrs. Wendy Anzalone Mr. Bryan H. Barnes Mr. Dante Bellizzi Mr. Montague L. Boyd, IV Dr. Harold J. Brody Mrs. Rosemary Kopel Brown Mr. Frank H. Butterfield

Mr. Mario Concha Dr. Frank A. Critz Mr. Robert Dean Mr. Dieter Elsner Dr. Donald J. Filip Mr. Kevin Greiner Mrs. Joanne Chesler Gross Mr. John Haupert Mr. Howard W. Hunter Mr. Andrew R. Long Mr. James B. Miller, Jr. Mrs. Stephanie Morela Mrs. Sandra S. Morelli Mrs. Talia Murphy Mr. Howard Palefsky Mr. William E. Pennington Mr. Herbert J. Rosenberg Mr. Charles Sharbaugh Mr. Alex Simmons, Jr. Mr. William F. Snyder Mrs. Christine St.Clare Mr. G. Kimbrough Taylor, Jr. Mr. William E. Tucker Mr. Tomer Zvulun, ex officio

HONORARY MEMBERS Mr. Ronald Antinori The Very Reverend Samuel G. Candler Mr. Robert G. Edge Mr. Carl I. Gable, Jr. Mrs. Nancy Hall Green Mr. Gregory F. Johnson Mr. Carter Joseph Mr. Alfred Kennedy, Jr. Mr. Michael Keough Mrs. Emily C. Knobloch Mr. George Levert Mrs. Peggy Weber McDowell Mr. Bruce A. Roth Mr. J. Barry Schrenk Mr. Timothy E. Sheehan Mr. Mark K. Taylor Mr. Thomas R. Williams Mr. Robert G. Woodward

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Board Chair Mr. Rhys T. Wilson

Audit Chair Mr. Bryan H. Barnes

Immediate Past Chair Ms. Cathy Callaway Adams

Community Engagement Chair Mr. Alex Simmons, Jr.

Vice-Chair Mr. John L. Hammaker

Development Chair Mr. Howard Palefsky

Vice-Chair; Nominating & Board Engagement Chair Mr. Charles “Charlie” R. Yates, Jr.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion Co-Chairs Mrs. Talia Murphy Mrs. Stephanie Morela

Secretary Mr. Michael E. Paulhus Treasurer Ms. Bunny Winter

Investment Chair Mr. G. Kimbrough Taylor, Jr.

Artists Events Committee Chair Mr. Howard W. Hunter Strategic Planning Committee Chair Mrs. Christine St.Clare At-Large Member Mrs. Sandra S. Morelli Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director, ex-officio member Mr. Tomer Zvulun

ADVISORY COUNCIL Mr. Andrew J.M. Binns Mr. Kenny L. Blank Mrs. Inge Bledel

Ms. Sally Bland Fielding Ms. Mary Calhoun Mrs. Beth W. Glynn

ARTISTIC ADVISORY COUNCIL Ms. Jamie Barton Mr. Kevin Burdette

Mr. Michael Mayes Mr. Morris Robinson

Dr. Thomas N. Guffin, Jr. Mrs. Erin Quinn Martin Mr. Paul Snyder

50 | staff EXECUTIVE Carl W. Knobloch, Jr. General & Artistic Director Tomer Zvulun Managing Director Micah Fortson Executive Assistant Misty Reid ARTISTIC Carl & Sally Gable Music Director Arthur Fagen Artistic Administrator Meredith Wallace Artistic Operations Manager Meredith Morse Artistic & Studio Manager Madalyn Mentor PRODUCTION Director of Production Robert Reynolds Associate Director of Production Meggie Roseborough Technical Director Joshua Jansen Production Stage Manager Megan Bennett Assistant Stage Manager Beth Goodill Assistant Stage Manager Kristin Kelley Lighting Supervisor Marissa Michaels Properties Artisan Wanda Amanda Creech Head Carpenter Andrew Pharr Head Electrician Matthew Peddie Head Properties Cory Robertson Head Sound Teddy Murray Head Video Jay Holloway

atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EDUCATION Director of Community Engagement & Education Jessica Kiger Education Manager Cantrell Williams COSTUME Costume Director Joanna Schmink Costume Shop Manager Jennifer Ackland Cutter/Draper April Bonasera First Hand Fiona Leonard Stitcher Lauren Dunlop Stitcher Jordan Carrier Stitcher Hauzia Conyers Wardrobe Supervisor Jennifer Ackland Wardrobe Union Dressers Kelly Chipman Jennifer Desai Nicole Kennedy Gibron Sheppard Dressers Walter Dean Marianne Martian Jenn Rodgers Wig & Makeup Manager David Zimmerman Wig & Makeup First Assistant Oran Wongpandid Wig & Makeup Second Assistant Jessica Davis

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DEVELOPMENT

MARKETING & AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT

Chief Advancement Officer Paul Harkins

Chief of Marketing & Audience Development Ashley Mirakian

Individual Giving Officer Jonathan Blalock

Director of Sales & Marketing Rebecca Brown

Senior Institutional Giving Officer Elana Grossman

Senior Manager, Ticketing Services Renee Smiley

Development Operations & Annual Giving Coordinator Elizabeth Root

Guest Services Concierge Emily Crisp

Campaign Manager Sandy Feliciano

Creative Services Manager Matt Burkhalter

Database Manager / Data Analyst Roshni Arif

TAO FILM STUDIO

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION

Film Project Manager Liam Roche

Director of Finance Kathy J. White Controller Inga V. Murro Human Resources & Facilities Manager Kenneth R. Timmons Bookkeeper Ruth Strickland Risk Mitigation Coordinator Kylie Saunders

Director of TAO Film Studio Felipe Barral

Film Associate Amanda Sachtleben GLYNN STUDIO ARTISTS Bruno Baker Susanne Burgess Sankara Harouna Gretchen Krupp William Meinert

52 | housepolicies CONCESSIONS Concession stands are located in the center of the lobbies on all three levels.

Food and beverage items are prohibited inside the theater. Thank you for your cooperation.

LOST & FOUND Lost and Found items are turned into the concierge desk on the day of a performance. To inquire about a lost item, please call the House Manager at 770-916-2828.

RESTROOMS Restrooms are located on house right and house left of all three lobbies. Family restrooms are also located on house right of all three lobbies. Mobility-impaired patrons may use any of our restrooms.

SMOKING Smoking is prohibited inside the building.

ATM There is one Synovus ATM located in the grand lobby.

Audio-clarification devices are available to our hearingimpaired guests at no charge. This is on a firstcome, first-served basis, or you may call the House Manager ahead of time to reserve one at 770-9162828.

COAT CHECK Coat check is available at the concierge desk.

EMERGENCY INFO In the event of an emergency, please locate the nearest usher who will direct you to the appropriate exit.

ELEVATORS Elevators are located on each side of the lobbies on all levels.

SPECIAL ASSISTANCE Persons requiring access assistance are asked to contact the box office at 770-916-2850 for advance arrangements.

A limited number of booster seats are also available. All items require a form of identification to be held until the item is returned.

COBB ENERGY CENTRE RULES & REQUESTS • All patrons, regardless of age, must have a ticket in order to be admitted to the performance. Please be aware that not all performances are suitable for children.

• Infants will not be admitted to adult programs. Parents will be asked to remove children who create a disturbance.

• Please turn off all cell phones prior to the beginning of each performance.

• Please limit conversation during the performance.

• Cameras, audio, and video recording devices are strictly prohibited at all times.

• Leaving while the show is in progress is discourteous and we ask that you refrain from doing so.

• Please unwrap all candies and cough drops before the performance.

YOUR SAFETY IS OUR TOP PRIORITY. Our safety policy was designed in consultation with leading experts in the fields of epidemiology, public health, workplace/industrial hygiene, and infectious diseases.

For the 2021-22 mainstage performances at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre: • Masks will be required upon entry to the lobby and must remain on at all times for the duration of time inside. Masks must be worn over the mouth and nose.

• The Atlanta Opera will also require that all audience members show proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of arriving at Cobb Energy Centre. Proof of vaccine applies to all audience members who are eligible for vaccinations at the time of the performance. This information will be checked before individuals can enter the venue.

• The Atlanta Opera will continue to monitor government policy changes, Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, government mandates, and public health notices and make changes as necessary or appropriate to ensure the safety of staff, artists, and the public.

atlantaopera.org | @theatlantaopera

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