ACT II
Act II, Scene 1 (Some weeks later, Blanche’s birthday)
Mitch is late for the party. Stanley, who feels that his home and marriage are both threatened by Blanche, breaks up the celebration when he reveals that his friend has discovered Blanche’s unsavory reputation in Laurel for seducing young men, and the fact that she had been told to leave town. He hands Blanche a one-way ticket back home and tells her that Mitch now knows everything and will not be coming around again. Blanche continues to disintegrate.
Act II, Scene 2 (Later that night)
Stella has been taken to the hospital for a premature delivery. Mitch, drunk, invades the apartment and bitterly reproaches Blanche: just as her desperate hopes lie with him, his had lain with her. They have both lost their emotional refuge. His denunciation of her as someone too unclean to enter his mother’s house and the appearance of a woman selling flowers for the dead, trigger a further deterioration of Blanche’s mind.
Act II, Scene 3 (Later)
Blanche’s fragmentation is completed when Stanley rapes her.
Act II, Scene 4 (Some days later)
Blanche prepares to leave for what she believes is a visit to a fictitious old admirer. In fact, Stella, unable to believe Blanche’s accusations against Stanley, is packing Blanche’s clothes for her to take to an asylum when the doctor arrives. Now Blanche depends — in a new way — on “the kindness of strangers.”
A Streetcar Named Desire is an American classic. Tennessee Williams wrote the play shortly after the end of the Second World War. It explores the transition between the Old and New South, contrasting the illusion of pre-war gentility and civilization with developing materialism, spontaneity, and a developing acceptance of overt sexuality. It sets romance against realism, the primitive against a veneer of civilization, loneliness against forced socialization, and desire against repression.
Desire brings Blanche DuBois to the French Quarter of New Orleans, whether it is the aptly named streetcar, or her own promiscuous desire that exiled her from her native Laurel, Mississippi. Williams contrasts her denial of her inner self with her need to return to the fantasy of an aging and fading South that devoured itself from within.
Each of the main characters has a flaw. That flaw is desire. Only Blanche is destroyed by hers. Throughout, she is seeking someone to embrace and protect her, as she did in Laurel, moving from her sister to an imaginary suitor, and finally, as she has no choice, settling on an unnamed doctor, who provides the “kindness of strangers.” She never abandons her flaw, stating that “the opposite of desire is death.” Her sister Stella will do whatever is necessary to keep Stanley, whether accepting his abuse, excusing his violence, or accepting the toxic trap of his sexuality. Harold Mitchell, who briefly becomes Blanche’s suitor, is sexually smothered by his controlling mother, and is seeking to replace her. Finally, Stanley Kowalski, Stella’s husband, is desperate to maintain control over his own environment. He finds an unlikely mate in Stella and “pulls her down off that pedestal,” refusing to accept those who put themselves above him. In the end, he can only defeat Blanche by violently turning her own flaw - desire - against her.
André Previn and his librettist saw the play as a spoken opera with sometimes fast-moving explosive action, but also opportunities for the characters to examine themselves in introspective, aria-like passages. Each of the characters is assigned one or more of these arias in which they try to verbalize their struggles. Stanley is the exception, as he is not given to self-examination and reacts to each situation viscerally, without thought. The music is a mix of romanticism, lyricism and atonality with a hint of verismo. Previn, a master orchestrator, uses the saxophone to represent the lure and eroticism of the Quarter, shimmering dissonant chords on the harp and xylophone to trace Blanche’s weakening grip on reality, and a range of percussion to represent everything from telephones to physical violence.
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Our production, like the play, is very much grounded in American Realism, both visually and in terms of the acting style. The scenery is translucent though, as it allows the play of light versus illusion as we trace Blanche’s arc from her shaky arrival at her sister’s home through her descent into madness.
The roles in this opera are complex, and are enormous acting and singing challenges for our cast. They each create their own, honest version of these iconic characters. The journey is not always a comfortable one, but we simply portray each situation as it is, and invite audience members to react as their own histories define them. It will be an intense ride.
UNIVERSITY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Violin I
Gabriela da Silva Fogo‡
Thomas Roggio
Erika Sciascia
Barbara Santiago
Violin II
Angel Andres*
Mackenzie Nies
Alessandro Capitano
Michael Mesa
Viola
Luiz Barrionuevo*
Marina Akamatsu
Margot Elder
Francesca Tavano
Cello
Aric Lee*
Angelese Pepper
Jenna Bachmann
Katie Jo Gelasco
Bass
Nicholas Smentkowski*
Chase Rowe
Harp
Isabelle Scott
Keyboard Shem Loh
Flute
Rachel Lawson*
Ashleigh Wallace (piccolo)
Oboe
Andrew Swift*
Alexander McDaniel (English horn)
Clarinet
Connor Croasman*
Trey Burke
Saxophone
Nicholas Lohse
Bassoon
Emmalee Odom*
Carson Long (contrabassoon)
Horn Luis Oquendo*
Jordan Perkins
Trumpet Bob Kerr*
Brian Ratledge
Trombone
Carter Wessinger*
Rene Johnson
Timpani & Percussion
Jacob Dell
Jordan Brown ‡ Concertmaster
* Principal
ABOUT THE CAST
Cole Bellamy (Stanley Kowalski)
Hometown: Olathe, KS
Degree program: M.M. Voice Performance, 1st year
Roles with FSU: Antonio/ Ensemble (Le nozze di Figaro)
Other Performances: Governor Bellingham (The Scarlet Letter), The Husband (Amelia Goes to the Ball), Frank (Street Scene), Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) with Wichita State University Opera Theatre
Awards: Hannah J. Beaulieu Competition Winner 2022
Jack Chandler (Stanley Kowalski)
Hometown: Arlington, VA
Degree Program: D.M. Voice Performance, 3rd year
Roles with FSU: Count (Le nozze di Figaro), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Claudio (Béatrice et Bénedict), Sir Berkley (Der Vampyr), Slim (Of Mice and Men), Schaunard (La bohéme)
Other Performances: Fiorello (Il barbiere di Sivilglia), Belcore (L’elisir d’amore) with Pensacola Opera
Awards: Hannah J. Beaulieu Competition Winner 2021, 2022
Caitlin Ecuyer (Stella Kowalski)
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
Degree Program: M.M. Voice Performance, 1st year
Roles with FSU: Ensemble (Le nozze di Figaro)
Other Performances: Polly Goodkin (The Scarecrow), Mother (Hänsel und Gretel), Laetitia (The Old Maid and the Thief) at University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Awards: 1st place in category (NATS 2019)
Garrett Evers (Harold “Mitch” Mitchell)
Hometown: Orlando, FL
Degree program: M.M. Voice Performance, 2nd year
Roles with FSU: Tamino (Die Zauberflöte), Bénédict (Béatrice et Bénédict), Richard Scrop (Der Vampyr), Ferrando (Così fan tutte), Parpignol (La bohéme) with FSU Opera Outreach
Awards: Beaulieu Competition Winner 2021, 2022
Conner Fabrega (Young Collector)
Hometown: Tallahassee, FL
Degree Program: B.M. Voice Performance, Senior
Roles with FSU: Dater (Speed Dating Tonight!), Duke (Patience) with FSU Opera Outreach
Other Performances: Arpad (She Loves Me) at Faith Presbyterian Church, Laurie (Little Women) at Monticello
Opera House, Lindoro (L’Italiana in Algeri) with Montefeltro Music Festival
Rebecca Gardner (Eunice Hubbel)
Hometown: South Hero, VT
Degree Program: M.M. Voice Performance, 1st year
Roles with FSU: Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), Ensemble (Die Zauberflöte), Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel) with FSU
Opera Outreach
Other performances: Chorus (Der Fliegende Holländer) with Opera Maine
Awards: Charleston International Contemporary Music Competition First Prize 2022
Larry Gerber (Doctor)
Hometown: Fowler, KS
Title: FSU Professor Emeritus (Voice)
Roles with FSU: Leonato (Béatrice et Bénédict), Abraham Kaplan (Street Scene) with FSU Opera, Maurice (Beauty and the Beast), Father (Ragtime), Herr Schultz (Cabaret), Jim Haller (All Shook Up) at FSU School of Theater
Awards: Dr. Gerber received 5 teaching awards at FSU
Laura Gayle Green (Nurse)
Hometown: Rocky Mountain, VA
Title: Head of Warren D. Allen Music Library
Roles with FSU: Madame Armfeldt (A Little Night Music)
FSU Student Opera Society, FSU Old Time Ensemble
Jabari Lewis (Steve Hubbell)
Hometown: Kissimmee, FL
Degree Program: B.M. Voice Performance, Senior
Roles with FSU: Don Curzio (Le nozze di Figaro), Ensemble (Die Zauberflöte), Witch (Hänsel und Gretel) with FSU Opera Outreach
Awards: Hannah J. Beaulieu Competition Winner 2022, Southeastern Regional NATS Competition 2nd Place 2022, Opera Guild for Atlanta Elizabeth N Colson Encouragement Award 2022
Sebastian Quintero (Pablo Gonzalez)
Hometown: West Palm Beach, FL
Degree Program: B.A. Music, Senior
Roles with FSU: Ensemble (Le nozze di Figaro), Ensemble (Die Zauberflöte), Papageno (The Magic Flute) with FSU Opera Outreach
Blythe Reed-Banks (Blanche DuBois)
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
Degree Program: D.M. Voice Performance, 3rd year
Roles with FSU: Countess Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), The Bride (Transformations), Béatrice (Béatrice et Bénédict), Mimì (La Boheme)
Other Performances: Mimì (La boheme), Ghost Voice (Little Women) with Opera in the Ozarks
Awards: Hannah J. Beaulieu Competition Winner 2018, 2021, 2022
Anne Elise Teeling (Stella Kowalski)
Hometown: Des Moines, IA
Degree Program: M.M. Voice Performance, 1st year
Roles with FSU: Barbarina (Le nozze di Figaro)
Other Performances: Poppea (L’incoronazione di Poppea) with Chicago Summer Opera, The Girl (Rumpled Still Kins), Flora (The Turn of the Screw) with Northwestern University, First Cercatrice (Suor Angelica) with Des Moines Opera
Awards: Hannah J. Beaulieu Competition Winner 2022, Classical Singer Vocal Competition Semifinalist 2022
Audra Weathers (Flower Woman)
Hometown: Gentry, AR
Degree Program: M.M. Voice Performance, 1st year
Roles with FSU: Ensemble (Le nozze di Figaro)
Other Performances: Buttercup (H.M.S. Pinafore), Mrs. Brill (Mary Poppins) with College Light Opera Company
Nicole Woodward (Blanche Dubois)
Hometown: Quincy, FL
Degree: B.M. Voice Performance ‘11
Roles with FSU: Madeline Mitchell (Three Decembers)
Other performances: Tosca (Tosca) with St. Pete Opera, Wellgunde (Das Rheingold) with American Wagner Project and Miami Wagner Festival, Zweite Dame (Die Zauberflöte), Mercedes (Carmen), Clotilde (Norma) with Sarasota Opera
Awards: 2nd place in 40th Annual Meistersinger
Competition, Merola Opera Program apprentice
Matthew Youngblood (Harold “Mitch” Mitchell)
Hometown: Benton, KY
Degree program: M.M. Voice Performance, 2nd year
Roles with FSU: Basilio (Le nozze di Figaro), Dr. Baglioni (La hija de Rappacini), Groom (Transformations), 2nd Priest (Die Zauberflöte)
Other performances: Mr. Erlanson (A Little Night Music) with OperaFest Sewanee, Pluto (Orpheus in the Underworld) with Utah Vocal Arts Academy
Awards: Hannah J. Beaulieu Competition Winner 2022
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