VPO May 2024 Program

OPERA

GALA MAGIC MOMENTS OF OPERA

THEATRE STAFF

The Sharon®L. Morse

PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Dear Patron of the Arts,

Welcome to The Sharon® L. Morse Performing Arts Center!

Much like the building’s namesake, my grandmother, Sharon L. Morse, we love all varieties of the performing arts here. It is in her memory that I, along with my amazing team of artists and arts administrators, strive to bring many different types of the highest quality entertainment here to The Sharon.

Since opening in 2015, we have strived to establish your trust, that a show at The Sharon is a show worth seeing. Perhaps you find yourself here today to see a concert of one of your favorite musicians, or to take in the national tour of a Broadway show. Either way, we encourage you to consider trying out a new show that perhaps you haven’t heard of before, knowing that it has been intentionally curated by our team.

We welcome you to The Sharon: a place for you to see an old favorite, but also a place to discover your new favorite. I sincerely hope you enjoy the show today, and I look forward to seeing you here again soon!

See You at The Sharon,

Whitney Morse

Artistic Director

10

CHOOSE AT LEAST 4 SHOWS & GET 10% OFF GET ALL 9 SHOWS & GET 15% OFF

Sunday, September 1 ................................ Labor Day Celebration Pops

Tuesday, October 15 ................................ American Italian Celebration

Tuesday, November 19 ............................................................... Messiah

Tuesday, December 17 ........................................... Holiday Celebration

Wednesday, December 18 ..................................... Holiday Celebration

Sunday, January 26 .......................................... Classical Concert Series

Friday, February 14 .................... American Music: Celebration of Love

Sunday, March 9 ................................................ Classical Concert Series

Tuesday, April 8 .................................................. Classical Concert Series

Saturday, May 10 ..... Opera Gala: Magical Moments of Opera Scenes

PART ONE

W. A. Mozart Overture

La Clemenza di Tito

W. A. Mozart - Marriage of Figaro

Non più andrai

G. Donizzetti - l’Elisir d’Amore

Una Furtiva Lagrima

G. Puccini - Turandot

Signore Ascolta

G. Puccini - Turandot

Non Piangere Liu

W. A. Mozart - Don Giovanni

La ci darem la Mano

Ruggero Leoncavallo Mattinata

G. Donizzetti - l’ Elisir d’Amore

Come Paride vezzoso

G. Verdi - Traviata

Libiam ne’ lieti calici

PART TWO

G. Puccini

O Mimi tu più non torni

G. Verdi - Simón Boccanegra

Il lacerato spirito

G. Verdi - La Traviata

Ah forse lui Sempre libera

Franz Lehar

Tu che m’ hai preso il cuor

G. Verdi

Parigi O cara

G. Bizet - Carmen

Votre Toast

R. Leoncavallo - Pagliacci

Vesti la Giubba

G. Donizzetti - Don Pasquale

Quel guardo il cavaliere - so anch’io la virtù magica

MESSAGE FROM THE MAESTRO

Dear friends and supporters of The Villages Philharmonic, Magic Moment of Opera Scene and introduction to Italian Opera.

During the nineteenth century the works of authors such as Gioachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, Gaetano Donizetti and Giuseppe Verdi enjoyed great success.

In general, the works of this period were influenced by national literature but also by the nascent European romanticism and by William Shakespeare consequently the plots are often based on the inner movements of the characters, not infrequently protagonists of passionate love stories and tragic actions. The most present figures are those of the tyrant and the woman in love. However, the many spectacular effects and twists are due to the French opera. The libretto usually consists of 2-3 acts.

During the nineteenth century a precise relationship was established between the role of the singer and his voice: the tenor was no longer entrusted with the antagonist parts, on the contrary, he more and more often embodied the ideal of the hero in love and extremely passionate the bass were entrusted with solemn parts, mixed airs of wisdom and morality great importance was given to the baritone, antagonist in love for the tenor (as is the soprano, its female correspondent, the mezzo-soprano) the soprano’s voice was by now inextricably associated with very delicate as well as idealized and angelic female figures, fragile but at the same time often strong in the values of modesty and chastity.

At the end of the nineteenth century and in the first decades of the twentieth century the major composers who dedicated themselves to melodrama and were important exponents of musical realism were: Pietro Mascagni, Ruggero Leoncavallo, Umberto Giordano, Francesco Cilea and above all Giacomo Puccini.

Critics have united them with the epithet of Young School and, starting with Mascagni’s Cavalleria rusticana, some of them have followed the path of realist opera, which had particular success in the last decade of the nineteenth century.

Musically yours,

Pasquale Valerio, Music Director and Founder

PASQUALE VALERIO, MAESTRO

Pasquale Valerio is an internationally acclaimed Orchestral Conductor. In 2004 he founded The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra, became its musical director, and is still engaged in concerts and tours throughout Florida and worldwide. Maestro Valerio was also the founder of the Lake Sumter Chamber Orchestra as well as co-founder and conductor of the Florida Lakes Symphony from 2005 to 2006.

He collaborates with various European orchestras such as the Philharmonic Orchestra ‘900 of the Teatro Regio Opera in Turin, the Philharmonic Orchestra of Prague, the Virtuosi of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, the Virtuosi of the Philharmonic of Bacau, the “A. Scarlatti” Symphony Orchestra of Naples, Orchestra Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.

In 2006 had the opportunity to assist Sir Antonio Pappano, current Music Director of the Royal Opera House in London This collaboration represented a great point of reference for maestro Valerio and indelibly marked his experience of conducting growth. From 2007 to 2009 he collaborated with the internationally known Viotti music festival in Vercelli, Italy and in May 2018 he began an ongoing cooperation with the North California Music Festival as guest conductor. Pasquale Valerio was born in Naples to a family linked to cultural traditions and founding religious values. The great passion for music was evident from the first years of his life, but, only towards the tenth year of age did he begin his musical studies, first with the piano, and subsequently, at the age of thirteen years, when he began studying trumpet. It is in this period that Pasquale met Maestro Filippo Veniero, an important musical guide for subsequent studies. He studied trumpet at the school of Maestro Francesco Lentini, Bari Conservatory, with whom he obtained the middle completion and, subsequently under the guidance of Maestro Diego Benedusi, he obtained the superior completion of trumpet.

After completing his trumpet studies, he collaborated as an instrumentalist with orchestras of major opera and symphonic institutions including the Opera House “Teatro di San Carlo in Naples “and with other major opera orchestras and symphonic institutions. Simultaneously he studied Composition and Score Reading at the School of Maestro Filippo Veniero.

The meeting with two conductors, J Withney and Gunther Smidth (United States) conditioned the musical journey and made it possible that in 1998 Pasquale resumed his studies started in Naples with F. Veniero. Also important was the meeting with the famous conductor Anton Coppola in 1999, who became Pasquale’s mentor and guide.

Pasquale is a guest collaborator at festivals and international competitions, including:

International Piano Competition “F. Schubert” in San Cristoforo Virtuosi of the Bacau Philharmonic, Romania, Viotti Music Festival, Camerata Ducale, Italy, Piano Festival of Carrara/Arezzo Orchestra 900’ of the Teatro Regio of Turin, Oída Symphony Orchestra (Arezzo) Philharmonic Orchestra of Benevento, New Orchestra Scarlatti and Florida Philharmonia

In the academic year 2023 he was appointed Visiting Professor of Conducting Studies at the “London Performing Arts Academy” and at the end of 2023, appointed Honor Roll of “ALTAMURA MERCADANTE FEST”.

FEATURED ARTISTS

FRANCESCO MALAPENA

Francesco Malapena entered the stage successfully at the age of six and, given his strong musical qualities, he was first introduced to violin studies at the San Pietro a Majella Conservatory of Music in Naples, where he later also studied mandolin and singing.

Winner of the “E. Caruso” in 2004, a competition for tenors only, where the critics wrote: “born exactly one hundred years after the Great Neapolitan Tenor, Francesco Malapena is the potential heir of the legendary Enrico Caruso, being endowed with a vocal timbre” Argentine” and a truly rare interpretative clarity. His vocality blends perfectly with his skills as a multi-instrumentalist musician.”

He performs at the Metropolitan Theater in New York, St. Patrick’s Cathedral and several theaters on Broadway.

In the same year he won the audition at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples. In 2006 he took second place in the international opera singing competition “Ritorna Vincitor”.

In 2008 he played the role of Alfredo in Traviata for the Ravenna Festival directed by Mrs. Cristina Mazzavillani Muti at the Dante Alighieri Theater in Ravenna. He has numerous concerts abroad to his credit: Germany, France, Switzerland (Saint Moritz in Concert), Japan, Bulgaria, Serbia Montenegro, England (in London at the Royal Albert Hall), United States of America (he sang at Columbus Day in New York, where he performed in the presence of then President Bill Clinton and in Chicago).

He has participated in numerous television programs such as Domenica in, hosted by Pippo Baudo in videoconference with Placido Domingo and Maurizio Costanzo Show. Guest of honor at the conference held in Rome of the ItalyTunisia Academy for Mediterranean Development and Culture. Extraordinary participation in the Musica e Amore review that UTET brought to the Romagna Riviera. He participated in the Gran Gala della Voce held at the Alighieri Theater in Ravenna, together with great artists such as Fiorenza Cedolins, Andrea Bocelli and Roberto Servile.

In 2009 he performed in “Rigoletto” (Duke of Mantua), “La Traviata” (Alfredo) at the RAI Auditorium in Naples with the Nuova Orchestra Scarlatti, in “Madama Butterfly” (Pinkerton), as well as in “L’e - lisir d’amore” (Nemorino), in Bohème (Rodolfo) and in “Messa da Requiem” by G. Verdi.

During 2009 he performed in Poland, enjoying enormous success with the public. Invited to Moscow by the famous opera singer Yelena Obraztsova, he performed in two important concerts at the Bolshoi Theater on the occasion of the “Grand Gala Performance”.

In 2010, Grand New Year’s Concert in Piazza Del Plebiscito (Naples)

FEATURED ARTISTS

accompanied by the Nuova Orchestra Scarlatti. Concerts in Tunis (Tunisia), Casablanca and Rabat (Morocco) accompanied by the prestigious and famous string quartet “I Solisti del San Carlo”. Back in Tunis for the El Jem International Festival. Concerts in Romania. “Gran Gala Lirico” concert in Dubai (United Arab Emirates).

In 2011, performance of La Traviata at the Casalbordino Opera Festival, performance of La Traviata and final Gran Gala at the Casamari Opera Festival (Casamari Abbey), concerts in Rio de Janeiro “Copa- cabana” (Brazil), Budapest ( Hungary), Tirana (Albania). 2012 in Poland and Germany. Madama Butterfly in Naples (Diocesan Museum) and “La Finta Parigina” comic opera in three acts by Domenico Cimarosa., Christmas Concert (Casamari Abbey), concert with the Nuova Scarlatti Orchestra of Naples.

2013 Grand New Year’s Concert (Teatro G. Verdi di Salerno), tour for Canada “The Great Italian Tenors” (the Three Tenors), summer tour for the Italian opera “La Traviata”, Opera Festival of Casa seas “La Traviata” and final Grand Gala “The Three Tenors”.

Concerts tours in Brazil, Poland, Ukraine, Australia.

Grand Christmas Concert at the Casamari Abbey with the Messa di Gloria by G. Puccini.

2014 concert tour in Australia Sydney (Opera House). Various concerts and opera season, in Italy and abroad.

2015 Opera and Operetta: La Traviata, Rigoletto, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, The Merry Widow, L’Elisir d’amore. Various concerts (Bucharest, Frankfurt, Berlin). Casamari Opera Festival, Opera and concerts in Russia: Itzevsk and KamskoVotkinsk (city of the great Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky) in the Theater dedicated to him with the Tchaikovsky Philharmonic Orchestra.

2016 is currently being prepared for the opera and concert season (Berlin Opera House) GERMANY. Various national concerts

2017 Tour in Japan (12 concerts in different cities).

In October, Grand Gala Concert “The Three Tenors” at the Opera Philarmonik Theater in Orlando (Florida), conductor Pasquale Valerio.

2018 February, Grand Gala Concert “The Three Tenors” at the Opera Philarmonik Theater in Orlando (Florida), The Villages Theater with The Villages Philarmoink Orchestra – Orlando (Florida), Conductor Pasquale Valerio. June, concerts in Korea (Seoul).

In September/October Concerts in Poland, Warsaw (Petite Messe Solennelle – G. Rossini). October/November concerts in Taiwan.

2019 Various concerts in Italy, Poland. 2020 Concerts Italy, Malta.

FEATURED ARTISTS

STEPHEN MUMBERT

Hailed as a “Scene-stealer...with a knack for staying in character even when he isn’t the center of attention,” as well as “Vocally the most promising singer...with an assured and stylish technique.” by the Guardian Newspaper for his interpretation of Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Stephen Mumbert is currently an Adjunct Professor of Voice at Rollins College as well as Seminole State College and maintains a private voice studio here in Orlando, FL. He is a graduate of Stetson University where he holds a B.M. in voice performance, and he also holds an M.M. in opera from The Boston Conservatory.

Recent performances include singing Khan Kontchak from Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances in Steinmetz Hall with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Bass Soloist for the Winter Park Bach Society’s Classic Christmas Concert which was filmed and aired on PBS this past Christmas, a concert of Handel’s Vespers with the Bach Vocal Artists, Mozart’s Requiem with the Riverside Community Chorale and Orchestra as well as with the Dakota Valley Symphony (broadcast on Twin Cities Public Television), Handel’s Messiah with the Messiah Choral Society, First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, and Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, Jesus in Bach’s St Matthew Passion, BWV 90, and Faure’s Requiem with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, Adam in Haydn’s Creation with Orlando Sings, the Doctor in the Death of Ivan Ilych, Count Monterone in Rigoletto, Actor 8 in a tour of All is Calm, as well as Marco in Gianni Schicchi all with Opera Orlando, and a new opera project performing the lead roles of Guildenstern in Herschel Garfein’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead and Hopkins in Robert Aldridge’s Sister Carrie staged with the respective Grammy award winning composers in residence.

Upcoming local performances include singing as bass soloist for Bach’s B Minor Mass in Steinmetz Hall with Orlando Sings, Bach’s Magnificat and Voices of Light with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park, and Bass soloist in Considering Matthew Shepard with Orlando Sings/Solaria Singers at the Dr. Phillips Center. Stephen is thrilled and honored to be returning to join The Villages Philharmonic!

FLUTE

Nicolas Real, Principal

Geraldine Morillo Barazarte

OBOE

Amy Collins, Principal

Chanmi Kim

CLARINET

Jason Gibbs, Principal

Dominique Snider

BASSOON

Chris Eberle, Principal

Scott Radloff

FRENCH HORN

Javier Aragon, Principal

Dann O’Donnell

TRUMPET

John De Paola, Principal

Tarcisio D’Addona

TROMBONE

Andrea Rowlison, Principal

Kenton Campbell

BASS TROMBONE

Anthony Hill

TYMPANI

Jordan Holley

PERCUSSION

Simon Ramos

HARP

Elizabeth Roberts

FIRST VIOLIN

Stewart Kitts, Concertmaster

Marius Tabacilia

Jose Guédez

David Dajiang

Michael De Jesus

Baoling Xu

Cindy Qi

Ebert Ceballo

ORCHESTRA ROSTER

SECOND VIOLIN

Gregory Carreño, Principal

Elizabeth Kitts

Israel Mendez

Luisamar Navarro

Eduardo Castro

Isabella Diaz

Luisa Maria Zambrano

Natalie Kitts

Yenifer Laurens

VIOLA

Angelo Goderre, Principal

Juan Carlos Siviero

Rafael Ramirez

Oana Potur

Andrea Oliveira

Francia Laurens

Joshua Cordoba

CELLO

David Calhoun, Principal

Olga Beliaieva

Valentina Alejandra Hernandez Espitia

Helen Lewis

George Alexander BASS

John Di Mura, Principal

Jonathan Ingram

Michael Anthony McCabee

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OVERTURE CIRCLE

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VPO DONORS 2023-24 CONCERT SEASON

Richard & Camille Gehnrich

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Dan & Carol Johns in Honor of Ann Whipple

Marlene Knopf

Brad Koozman

James Langendorfer in Honor of

Anna Whipple

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MEMORIAL DONATIONS

Bill Barnes: Susan Escobedo

Fred Boyd: Frank & Janet

Argenziano

Fred Boyd: Mr. & Mrs. Manning

Fred Boyd: Don & Janet Schiegel

Carolyn Johnson: Richard Johnson

BUSINESS PARTNERS

Blackston Financial Advisory Group

FMK Restaurant Group

Francesco’s Ristorante

Fross & Fross Wealth Management

Havana Country Club & Legacy Restaurant at Nancy Lopez Country Club by Suleiman Family Restaurants

Royal Décor Company

Sheds N More

PRIVATE BOX experience

ENJOY YOUR NEXT SHOW AT THE SHARON LIKE A VIP!

• Private experience for up to 15 guests.

• Private lounge for the evening including home-like furnishings, private facilities, and direct access to the auditorium box for comfortable viewing of your show.

• Upgrades available such as a private bartender or personalized celebratory furnishings.

To explore accommodations and availability, please contact Yasmeen@SignificantProductions.org for a private consultation.

Have you ever wondered what happens behind the scenes of your favorite shows at The Sharon? Want to share footprints with some of the world’s biggest stars?

Back by overwhelming demand... The Sharon: Behind the Curtain Tour!

Visit SignificantProductions.org/tour for more information.

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