Welcome to the final performance of our 2022-23 season. By popular demand, we are excited to share with you the second part of Wagner’s Ring.
We envisioned this production almost immediately as the standing ovation for our 2021 Rheingold ended, and it has been in the works for almost two years. We are proud to present to you a cast that belongs on the stage of any major opera company in the world, in a direct and honest production that respects the story and the music and is aimed directly at your heart.
In recent seasons, our company’s most successful work has taken place on the Lobero stage. We love how the intimacy of this venue brings every audience member into the story, and gives us the opportunity to focus lovingly on the details of the music, the story, and the production. With productions like Il Tabarro, Semele, As One, La Scala di seta, An American Dream, and now The Valkyrie, we have shown that for Opera Santa Barbara there are no small operas, only great performances. As another season closes, we would like to thank our artists and Team OSB for their amazing work, our Board and donors for your tireless support, and, of course, all of you, for attending our shows.
In the 2022-23 season, we decided to offer only one performance for each opera so that we can fill every seat. We achieved that goal, and we are staying the course for next season, our 30th. If you want to make sure you get a seat for Carmen, Il Trovatore, and Zorro, the time to get your tickets is now. You Decide! tickets are already on presale, and fully-priced and season tickets will be available next month.
Producing professional opera of this quality in a city as small as Santa Barbara is both a point of pride and a small miracle. While our Board and management is committed to keeping this little company punching above its weight for generations to come, it is ultimately your support that will determine what our future will look like. We hope that you will make attending our performances and donating to support our productions a priority next season and beyond, so you can continue to share the enjoyment and pride of shows like today’s.
Thank you for being here, and enjoy the show.
Kostis Protopapas
Nicholas Burlett Artistic & General Director Board Chair
Loyalty in The Valkyrie
The Valkyrie is the second installment of Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle with a magnificent story rooted in the question of loyalty. We know from the first chapter, Das Rheingold, that Wotan, ruler of the gods, failed in extending loyalty to multiple parties including his wife Fricka. Years later he is now ready to put forth a hero –his son Siegmund – to save the world from Alberch’s haunting curse with the help of his loyal daughter Brünnhilde. A mess ensues leading to the death of Wotan’s plans. These events weave a story that highlights the complexity of loyalty that may or may not exist between gods and mortals.
Brünnhilde is one of the most important and poignant characters in all opera. She’s a dedicated warrior who seeks to fulfill every request made by her father. She was born to fight, to kill, to do whatever is necessary to fill the halls of Valhalla with the bodies of worthy warriors who fall in battle. Her strength is portrayed in her clothing: she has feathers to fly and leather to support her dangerous endeavors. And yet her innate femininity in contrast to her warrior ways is what makes her especially alluring as a character. She feels very deeply, yet belongs to no one. As of yet unknown to both her and her father, she is actually the answer to the world’s salvation from Alberich’s curse. This beautiful irony is what makes The Valkyrie so strong as a dramatic work. We are left questioning Wotan’s loyalty to his wife and children in contrast to Brünnhilde’s loyalty to her father and to her own free will.
For this production at Opera Santa Barbara we have the pleasure of once again having the orchestra as a character onstage. Wagner’s music is full of high emotional stakes that feeds into the design approach. Lighting transforms the space from a rocky cavernous home to the walls of Valhalla and later to a dark forest. Our electric tree stands upstage as the main location for the most important plot points of the piece, notably Siegmund’s acquisition of the sword Nothung and the resting place for Brünnhilde’s final punishment. The production embraces this version of the opera as an intimate father-daughter drama that seeks to enter your heart as it explores loyalty and love.
Walter and Holly Thomson Foundation, Bank of America, N.A., Co-Trustee
BECOME A SPONSOR NEXT SEASON!
Production sponsorships are one of the most important ways opera lovers can help bring works like this to the stage. Under normal circumstances, ticket sales and other earned income typically cover less than 35% of production costs. Sponsors help underwrite these costs allowing us to present hiqh quality operas while keeping ticket prices affordable.
For more information about becoming a sponsor or artist host, contact Amy Marshall, Director of Development at amy@operasb.org.
Please turn off all cell phones, electronic devices, and watch alarms. Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the house management. Members of the audience who leave during the performance will not be shown back into the theater until the next intermission. The use of camera and recording equipment is strictly prohibited. Your use of a ticket acknowledges your willingness to appear in photographs taken or videos filmed in public areas of the Granada Theatre, and releases the theater and its lessees and others from liability resulting from use of such photographs or video footage.
Local Photographer: Zach Mendez
COMPOSER
Richard Wagner
ADAPTATION BY
Jonathan Dove and Graham Vick
SUNG IN GERMAN
SUPERTITLES IN ENGLISH
SUPERTITLE TRANSLATION BY Joshua Borths for Virginia Opera
WORLD PREMIERE AT BIRMINGHAM OPERA COMPANY IN 1990
RUN TIME: 170 MINUTES (2 HOURS, 50 MINUTES) WITH A 20 MINUTE INTERMISSION.
Part I
Pursued by enemies during a storm, Siegmund stumbles exhausted into an unfamiliar house with a large tree. Sieglinde finds him lying by the hearth and the two share a connection. They are interrupted by Sieglinde’s husband, Hunding, who asks the stranger who he is. Calling himself “Woeful,” Siegmund tells of a disaster-filled life, only to learn that Hunding is a kinsman of his enemies. Hunding tells his guest they will fight to the death in the morning. Siegmund sees a sword lodged in the tree. Alone, Siegmund calls on his father, Wälse, for the sword he once promised him. Sieglinde reappears, having given Hunding a sleeping tea. She tells of her wedding, at which a one-eyed stranger thrust into the tree a sword that has since resisted every effort to pull it out. Sieglinde confesses her unhappiness to Siegmund. As moonlight floods the room, Siegmund compares their feelings to the marriage of love and spring. Sieglinde addresses him as “Spring” but asks if his father was really “Wolf,” as he said earlier. When Siegmund gives his father’s name as Wälse, Sieglinde recognizes him as her twin brother. Siegmund pulls the sword from the tree and claims Sieglinde as his bride, rejoicing in the union of the Wälsungs.
Part II
High in the mountains, Wotan, leader of the gods, tells his warrior daughter, the Valkyrie Brünnhilde, that she must defend his mortal son Siegmund in his upcoming battle with Hunding. She leaves joyfully to do what he has asked, as Fricka, Wotan’s wife and the goddess of marriage, enters. Fricka insists that Wotan must defend Hunding’s marriage rights against Siegmund. She ignores his argument that Siegmund could save the gods by winning back the Nibelung Alberich’s all-powerful ring from the dragon Fafner. When Wotan realizes he is caught in his own trap—he will lose his power if he does not enforce the law—he submits to his wife’s demands. After Fricka leaves, the frustrated god tells Brünnhilde about the theft of the
Rhinegold and Alberich’s curse on it. Brünnhilde is shocked that her father, his plans in ruins, orders her to ensure that Siegmund will fall in battle.
INTERMISSION
Part III
Having run for hours, Siegmund comforts his bride and watches over her when she falls asleep. Brünnhilde appears to him as if in a vision, telling him he will soon die and go to Valhalla. He replies that he will not leave Sieglinde and threatens to kill himself and his bride if his sword has no power against Hunding. Brünnhilde announces that Sieglinde is pregnant and, moved by Siegmund’s steadfastness, Brünnhilde decides to defy Wotan and help him. Siegmund hears the approaching bloodthirsty Hunding. The two men fight and just when Siegmund is about to be victorious, Wotan appears and shatters his sword, leaving him to be killed by Hunding. Brünnhilde escapes with Sieglinde and the broken sword.
Part IV
Brünnhilde’s warrior sisters have gathered on their mountaintop bringing slain heroes to Valhalla. They are surprised and fearful to see Brünnhilde running away from Wotan. Sieglinde is numb with despair until Brünnhilde tells her she is bearing Siegmund’s child. Now eager to be saved, she takes the pieces of the sword from Brünnhilde and rushes off into the forest. When Wotan appears, he sentences Brünnhilde to become a mortal woman, silencing her sisters’ objections by threatening to do the same to them. Left alone with her father, Brünnhilde pleads that in disobeying his orders she was really doing what he wished. Wotan will not give in: she must lie in sleep, a prize for any man who finds her. She asks to be surrounded in sleep by a wall of fire that only the bravest hero can pierce. Sadly renouncing his daughter. Wotan kisses Brünnhilde’s eyes with sleep and mortality before summoning Loge, the god of fire, to encircle the rock. As flames spring up, the departing Wotan invokes a spell defying anyone who fears his spear to brave the flames.
(The Metropolitan Opera) (Edits and additions by Crystal Manich)
CHRISMAN STUDIO ARTIST PROGRAM
Named in recognition of the support of Sarah and Roger Chrisman, the Chrisman Studio Artist Program began in 2007 with the purpose of identifying and developing talented young opera performers. For more than a decade, the program has provided singers, as well as coaches, with high-level performance opportunities and valuable training. These performers work with top industry directors, conductors, and coaches in masterclasses, coachings, and public performances including cover and mainstage role assignments. Studio Artists Alumni are in high demand and have performed at companies around the US including the Metropolitan Opera, the San Francisco Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, and abroad with the Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro Regio, Opernhaus Zürich, Bregenzer Festspiele, Hong Kong Opera, and the Aix-en-Provence Festival.
2022/2023 CHRISMAN STUDIO ARTISTS
FEBRUARY 11, 2024
OCTOBER 1, 2023 APRIL 21,
Meet our California-based 2022-2023 Chrisman Studio Artists who you will see throughout the season in our mainstage productions and concerts throughout our community.
Omar Rodriguez Baritone
Matthew Peterson Baritone
Adam Lowe Tenor
Christina Pezzarossi Mezzo-Soprano
Georgia Jacobson Mezzo-Soprano
Sunwoo Park Soprano Ariana Homer Sutherland Soprano
Elijah Cineas Bass-Baritone
ON STAGE JUNE 8-25, 2023
“A fast-paced workplace comedy that even non-foodies will find hilarious!”
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER
OPERA SANTA BARBARA ORCHESTRA
VIOLIN
Samuel Fischer, Concertmaster
Steven Zander, Associate Concertmaster
Ji Young An, Principal
VIOLA
Diane Gilbert, Principal CELLO
Christopher Ahn, Principal
Alicja Blanquart BASS
Neil Garber, Principal
Ryan Baird
FLUTE/ PICCOLO
Gary Woodward, Principal OBOE/ ENGLISH HORN
Catherine Del Russo, Principal
CLARINET/ BASS CLARINET/ TENOR SAXOPHONE
Lawrence Hughes, Principal
BASSOON
Duncan Massey, Principal TRUMPET/ FLUGELHORN
John Ernest, Principal
MUSIC STAFF
CONDUCTOR
Kostis Protopapas
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
Alexis Enyart
PRINCIPAL PIANIST AND MUSIC ADMINISTRATOR
Timothy Accurso
HORN
Preston Shepard, Principal
Aija Mattson-Jovel
TROMBONE
Lori Stuntz, Principal
TUBA/EUPHONIUM
Gabe Sears, Principal
TIMPANI/PERCUSSION
Jon Nathan, Principal HARP
Ellie Choate, Principal ORGAN
Tim Accurso, Principal
ORCHESTRA MANAGER
Diane Gilbert
SUPERTITLE OPERATOR
Olivia Barker
THE LOBERO THEATRE STAFF
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
David Asbell
ADMINSTRATIVE DIRECTOR
Marianne Clark
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Todd Jared
TICKETING SERVICES DIRECTOR
Genevieve Rhiger
BOX OFFICE MANAGER
Gina Graham
ASSISTANT BOX OFFICE MANAGER
Josh James
KOSTIS PROTOPAPAS
Conductor
Kostis Protopapas was named General Director of Opera Santa Barbara in December 2017, after two-anda-half seasons as Artistic Director.
During his time as Artistic Director and principal conductor, Kostis brought a unified vision to OSB’s musical and production values, strengthening the orchestra and chorus, engaging some of the country’s most promising young directors and singers, building a high-performing production team, and increasing focus on contemporary American opera. As General Director Kostis assembled Team OSB, a group of enthusiastic overachievers with a passion for innovation and the desire to strengthen the company’s bond with the community, who consistently exceed patrons’ expectations for programs, experiences and communications. Performance highlights from Kostis’ tenure include grand opera classics like Madama Butterfly, Manon, and Eugene Onegin as well as contemporary works like Daniel Catan’s Il Postino, the mariachi opera Cruzar la cara de la luna, and Laura Kaminsky’s As One. In the fall of 2022, the Santa Barbara Independent wrote: “From contemporary work to obscurities from the early 19th century, from staple repertoire to surprise elements, OSB continues to raise the bar on what an opera company can and should be, even in Santa Barbara.”
Between March 2020 and June 2021, under Kostis’ leadership Opera Santa Barbara remained active and fully staffed. It was the first performing arts organization in Santa Barbara to offer streaming programming, and one of only two opera companies in California to present three live operas in the 2020-21 season. Additionally, Opera Santa Barbara became an advocacy leader for the reopening of the performing arts, and funded live performances by local musicians through “Operation Eurydice”. For his work during the pandemic, Kostis was listed among the Santa Barbara Independent’s 2021 Local Heroes.
Before coming to Santa Barbara, Kostis was the Artistic Director of Tulsa Opera since 2008. He previously was an Assistant Conductor with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, LA Opera and Santa Fe Opera. At the Lyric Opera of Chicago, he also served as Assistant Chorus Master under Donald Palumbo for two seasons.
Born in Athens, Greece, Kostis Protopapas studied Archaeology and History of Art at the University of Athens before coming to the United States in 1993, on an Onassis Foundation scholarship, to study piano at The Boston Conservatory and conducting at Boston University. He became an American citizen in 2011. He loves living in Santa Barbara, sits on the Board of the Santa Barbara University Club, and enjoys sailing on the Santa Barbara Channel.
ARTISTS
CRYSTAL MANICH Director
HOMETOWN: Pittsburgh, PA
LIVES IN: Boquerón, Puerto Rico
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Cunning Little Vixen, Il Postino, Das Rheingold
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Anne Frank/Indiana University, Ariodante/Pittsburgh Opera, La Llorona (new musical commission)/Theater Latté Da
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Florencia en el Amazonas/Opera San José, Il Barbiere di Siviglia/Pittsburgh Opera
Puerto Rican director Crystal Manich has directed over eighty productions in opera, plays, and musical theatre across the United States, Argentina, and Australia. Past productions for Opera Santa Barbara include The Cunning Little Vixen, Il Postino, and Das Rheingold. For the screen, she directed the world premiere opera The Copper Queen as a western thriller feature film for Arizona Opera, which garnered her an award for Best First Time Female Filmmaker at the 2021 Toronto International Women Film Festival. She also directed a multi-cam livestream of Catán’s Spanish language opera La Hija de Rappaccini for Chicago Opera Theater at the Field Museum, for which Crystal was nominated for a 2021 Chicago Emmy. Crystal holds a BFA in Drama-Directing and a Master’s in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
ALEXANDRA LOUTSION
Brünnhilde
HOMETOWN: Pittsburgh, PA
LIVES IN: Chicago, IL
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Foreign Woman in The Consul
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Leonora in Il trovatore, Pittsburgh Opera; Abigaille in Nabucco, Washington Concert Opera; Leonore in Fidelio, Austin Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Brünnhilde in Siegfried, Virginia Opera; Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music, Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Overseer in Elektra, Dallas Opera
ARTISTS ARTISTS
WAYNE TIGGES
Wotan
HOMETOWN: Dubuque, Iowa
LIVES IN: New York City
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Scarpia in Tosca
HIGHLIGHTS: San Francisco Opera’s Billy Budd, Lyric Opera Of Chicago’s Dead Man Walking, and the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Falstaff
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Doe Frau Ohne
Schatten, Don Pasquale Minnesota Festival Opera, Verdi Requiem London Philharmonic
ROBERT STAHLEY
Siegmund
HOMETOWN: Groveland, MA
LIVES IN: Los Angeles, CA
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Jupiter in Semele, Handel 2022
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Erik in Der Fliegende Holländer, Utah Opera, Max in Der Freischütz, Wolf Trap Opera, Froh in Das Rheingold, Dallas Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Cavaradossi in Tosca at Opera Theater of Saint Louis, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni at Inland Northwest Opera
JULIE DAVIES
Sieglinde
HOMETOWN: Temple, TX
LIVES IN: Santa Barbara, CA
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Rita Clayton (cover) in Stephen Schwartz’s Seance On A Wet Afternoon
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Opéra National de Paris, Die Erste Nackte Frau in Schoenberg’s Moses und Aron, filmed coproduction with Paris Opera and Madrid’s Teatro Real, Lucia in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Darmstadt Stadtstheater
NINA YOSHIDA NELSEN Fricka
HOMETOWN: Santa Barbara, CA
LIVES IN: Bloomington, IN
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: An American Dream, Amor Brujo/Tabarro, Rheingold, Gala, Crucible, Madama Butterfly (2x), Consul
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Phoung Tran/The Rift/ Washington National Opera, Mama/An American Dream/Chicago Lyric Opera, Suzuki/Madama Butterfly/ Portland Opera
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Cadmus and Somnus in Semele, Handel 2022, Fafner in Das Rheingold, Wagner 2022, Reverend Hale in The Crucible, Ward 2019, Count des Grieux in Manon, Massenet 2017
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Capulet in Romeo et Juliette, San Diego Opera, Europeras, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Festival Lyrique en Mer, Edward Teller (cover) in Dr. Atomic, Santa Fe Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Angelotti in Tosca at Amarillo Opera
SUNWOO PARK
Helmwige
HOMETOWN: Seoul, South Korea
LIVES IN: Los Angeles, CA
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, Arthur Sullivan 2022, Iris in Semele, Handel 2022
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS : Ännchen in Der Freischütz, Wolf Trap Opera, Musetta (cover) in La bohème, The Santa Fe Opera.
GEORGIA JACOBSON
Waltraute
HOMETOWN: Duluth, MN
LIVES IN: Los Angeles, CA
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Margaret Johnson/Signora Naccarelli in The Light in the Piazza, Lucilla (cover) in La scala di seta
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Virginia Woolf (cover) / The Hours / The Philadelphia Orchestra; Tisbe / La Cenerentola / Kentucky Opera; Mary Johnson (cover) / Fellow Travelers / Des Moines Metro Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Mezzo soprano /Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 / Duluth Superior Symphony Lola / Cavalleria Rusticana / Lyric Opera of the North
CHRISTINA PEZZAROSSI
Rossweise
HOMETOWN: Miles City, MT
LIVES IN: Santa Barbara, CA
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Margaret in Light in the Piazza; Lucilla in La scala di seta; Waitress in Speed Dating Tonight; Ino in Semele, Handel Wellgunde in Das Rheingold, Wagner
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Dorabella, COVID fan tutti, Pacific Opera Project; Paula, Florencia en el Amazonas, Catan, Pensacola Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Featured Mezzo Soprano, Hawaii Chamber Music Festival
ELIJAH CINEAS
Hunding Cover
HOMETOWN: Long Beach, CA
LIVES IN: Long Beach, CA
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Priest / Roy in The Light in the Piazza; Paris / Romeo et Juliette / Lyric Opera Orange County; King Bathalzaar / Amahl and the Night Visitors / Repertory Opera Company; Bartolo / Le nozze di Figaro / Red River Lyric Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: The King of Clubs / Love for the Three Oranges / Independent Opera Company
ARTISTS
ADAM LOWE
Siegmund Cover
HOMETOWN: Marquette, Michigan
LIVES IN: Marquette, Michigan
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Trevor - Speed Dating Tonight; The Lover - Il Tabarro
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Don Jose in Carmen, Mill City Summer Opera; Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus, San Francisco Conservatory of Music; John Jasper in The Mystery of Edwin Drood at Foothill Music Theater
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Siegfried in Götterdammerung (scenes) and Erik in Die Fliegende Höllander (scenes) with the Boston Wagner Institute
FRANÇOIS-PIERRE COUTURE
Scenic & Lighting Designer
HOMETOWN: Montréal
LIVES IN: Los Angeles
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Scenic design: La Traviata Scenic & Lighting design: Das Rheingold, L’Italiana in Algerie, The Cunning Little Vixen. Lighting design: The Consul
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Scenic & Lighting Design: Romeo & Juliette (Europe tour) L.A. Dance Project ; Scenic Design: The Present, The Future, Invisible Tango, Geffen Playhouse; Destiny of Desire, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Arena Stage Theatre, South Coast Repertory & Goodman Theatre
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Scenic Design: Whittier Boulevard, LATC; Sweeney Todd, A Noise Within Scenic & Lighting Design: Romeo & Juliette, Segerstrom center for the Arts
AZUCENA DOMINGUEZ
Costume Designer
HOMETOWN: Los Angeles
LIVES IN: North Hollywood
OSB DEBUT
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Costume Designer on When the Rain Stops Falling, Boston University, Assistant Costume Designer on Alma (world premier), Center Theatre Group, Assistant Costume Designer on Native Gardens, Dallas Theater Center
ARTISTS
HEATHER STERLING
Wig/Makeup Designer and Supervisor
HOMETOWN: Salinas, Ca
LIVES IN: San Jose, Ca
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Wig/Makeup Designer and Supervisor for An American Dream 2023, La Scala di Seta 2022, Tosca 2022 and La Traviata 2022
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Wig/Makeup Designer: Le Nozze di Figaro (Opera San Jose); Madama Butterfly The Atlanta Opera).
Wig/Makeup Designer and Supervisor Manon (Opera Santa Barbara)
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Wig/Makeup Designer and Supervisor: L’enfant et les sortileges (San Francisco Conservatory of Music); Romeo and Juliet (Opera San Jose), Carmen (OSB)
T. THERESA SCARANO
Prop Design and Set Dressing
HOMETOWN: Roswell, New Mexico
LIVES IN: Southern California
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: The Light in the Piazza, An American Dream, Tosca, As One, Cruzar, La Scala di Seta, La Traviata, Semele, Speed Dating
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Scenery Rental Manager/ Director of Operations San Bernardino Civic Light Opera/The Set Company, Prop Design Daddy Long Legs; Premiere/tour, and exactly what I’m working on at the moment.
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Prop Design / Set Dressing Carmen at Opera Santa Barbara, Stage Manager / Co-Producer / Designer Angel Story / CJT Productions
KOURTNI DALE-NOLL MITCHINER
Production Stage Manager
HOMETOWN: Plano, TX
LIVES IN: Camarillo, CA
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: The Light in the Piazza
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Celebrating 10 year at OSB!
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Carmen, OSB
ARTISTS
JAMIE K. FULLER
Assistant Stage Manager
HOMETOWN: Henry, IL
LIVES IN: Sun City Center, FL
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: ASM/Calling Stage Manager for La Traviata
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Stage Manager for La Belle et la Bête, Opera Parallèle, Stage Manager for Elektra, Minnesota Opera, Stage Manager for How the Grinch
Stole Christmas, Children’s Theatre Company
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Stage Manager for Sleeping Beauty, Champaign-Urbana Ballet
STACIE LOGUE
Costume Manager
HOMETOWN: Pasadena, CA
LIVES IN: Ventura, CA
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: 2004 - present Costume Department coordinator, designer, and manager
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
Costume Manager & Designer: Semele / OSB 2004Present; Costume Shop Manager: Tosca 2016 / Central City Opera Festival 2016-21; Costume Coordinator: Barber of Seville / Music Academy 2005-13
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UCSB Music Dept / Costume Designer / Burning to Sing; OSB / Costume Manager/ 23/24 Season
ALEXANDRA ENYART
Assistant Conductor
HOMETOWN: Alexandria KY
LIVES IN: Chicago IL
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: La scala di seta, Conductor 2022, Tosca, Assistant Conductor 2022, As One, Conductor 2022
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Pelléas et Mélisande, Ouroboros Opera. As One, The Atlanta Opera. Don Giovanni, Ouroboros Opera.
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: As One, Holy City Arts and Lyric Opera, Don Giovanni, Mozart in the Knobs, La Bohème, Valkyrie Ensemble and Ouroboros Opera
ARTISTS
TIMOTHY ACCURSO
Principal Pianist & Director of the Chrisman Studio
HOMETOWN: Glen Lyon, PA
LIVES IN: Santa Barbara, CA
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: With OSB since Fall 2018
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Artistic Director, Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus; Pirates of Penzance, Utah Opera April 2022; All of my work with OSB!
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Santa Barbara Gay Men’s Chorus Concert, May 22, Santa Barbara First United Methodist Church; La Traviata, Opera Las Vegas, June
TODD A. JARED
Technical Director
HOMETOWN: Hollywood, CA
LIVES IN: Carpinteria, CA
PREVIOUSLY AT OSB: Multiple productions since the company’s birth in 1993
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Technical Director for The Lobero Theatre since 1992
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OPERA SANTA BARBARA
FOUNDERS
Marilyn Gilbert & Nathan Rundlett
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Nicholas Burlett, Chair
Sandy Urquhart, 1st Vice Chair
Robert Weinman, 2nd Vice Chair
Patricia Dixon, Secretary
Monica Williams, Treasurer
Mary Tonetti Dorra, Member at Large
Dan Reicker, Member at Large
Rodney Baker
Barbara Burger
Tanner Cassidy
Sarah Chrisman
Christine Holland
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HONORARY BOARD
Fred Sidon
Judith Smith
Arthur Swalley
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OPERA SANTA BARBARA
TEAM OSB
ARTISTIC & GENERAL DIRECTOR
Kostis Protopapas
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
Helena Kuukka
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Amy Marshall
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE
Laura Teague
PRINCIPAL PIANIST & DIRECTOR OF THE CHRISMAN STUDIO
Timothy Accurso
EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATOR
Jessica Hetrick
CSA ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Christina Pezzarossi+
CONSULTANTS
GRAPHIC DESIGN
James Van Arsdale and Jinhee Hwang
Brian Hotchkin
Karen Kowalski
PHOTOGRAPHY, VIDEOGRAPHY & GRAPHIC DESIGN
Zach Mendez
AUDIO RECORDING
Opus 1 Mobile Recording
EVENTS
Marylove Thralls
MARKETING
Joyce Familara
PRODUCTION STAFF
CONDUCTOR
Kostis Protopapas
STAGE DIRECTOR
Crystal Manich
SCENIC & LIGHTING DESIGN
François-Pierre Couture
COSTUME DESIGN
Azucena Dominguezº
HAIR/MAKEUP DESIGN
Heather Sterling
PROP DESIGN & SET DRESSING
T. Theresa Scarano
PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER
Kourtni Dale-Noll Mitchiner
ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER
Jamie Fuller
COSTUME MANAGER
Stacie Logue
ASSISTANT COSTUME SHOP MANAGER
Jane Hatfield
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR
Alexandra Enyart
PRINCIPAL PIANIST
Timothy Accurso
FIGHT DIRECTOR
Aubrey Trujillo
DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION
Helena Kuukka
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Todd Jared
HAIR & MAKEUP ARTISTS
Berenice Gallegos
Marisol Miller-Wave
GRAND IMPRESARIO
($25,000 & ABOVE)
AAnonymous
Bella Domani
Dan and Meg Burnham
Roger and Sarah Chrisman
Christopher Carroll Endowment
Diane Dodds and David Reichert
Elaine F. Stepanek Foundation
Fred and Nancy Golden
The Herbert and Elaine Kendall Foundation
John Mithun and Mercedes Millington (John C. Mithun Foundation)
Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation
Duncan and Suzanne Mellichamp
Mosher Foundation
Joan Rutkowski
Dan and Romy Reicker
Maya Smidt, Smidt Family Foundation
Robert and Sandy Urquhart
Walter and Holly Thomson Foundation
Dr. Robert Weinman
Dana White
Zegar Family Fund
PLATINUM IMPRESARIO
($24,999 - $10,000)
Anonymous
Susan Aberle
Fred and Roxana Anson
Eve Bernstein
Nicholas Burlett and Jessie Dove
Joan H. Davidson
NancyBell Coe and William Burke
Josepha DiRado
Mary Tonetti Dorra
Louise Gaylord
Cheryl and Michael Goldberg
Greenhills Software
Christine & Michael Holland
Dan and Donna Hone
Lillian Lovelace
Madison Community Foundation
Richard and Marilyn Mazess
Dr. Peter Morris
John C. Mithun Foundation
Music Performance Trust Fund
Farrokh and Sally Nazerian
National Endowment for the Arts
Eric Oltmann and Susan Van Abel
Performing Arts
Scholarship Foundation
Jean Rogers
Lee and Linda Rosenberg
Anitra Sheen
Eric Small
Marc and Pauline Sylvain
Carol Vernon and Robert Turbin
Brooke and Monica Williams
Drs. Fred and Linda Wudl
Santa Barbara Office of Arts and Culture
Towbes Fund for the Performing Arts
The Williams Corbett Foundation
GOLD IMPRESARIO
($5,000-$9,999)
Margaret Arvey
James and Lisa Ballantine
Hiroko Benko
IMPRESARIO CIRCLE
Barbara H. Burger
Denise and Ian Burrows
The Charitable Foundation
Nancy Bell Coe
Patricia B. Dixon and Howard J. Smith
Marilyn Gilbert
Dr. Gerhart Hoffmeister
Chris Lancashire
Dr. and Mrs. Ron Latimer
David Mason
Dylan Minor
Robert Montgomery
Peter Morris
Jean Nell
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Rosenberg
Dr. and Mrs. Keith Schofield
Arthur Swalley
Torben von Staden
Takako Wakita
Dr. and Mrs. Simon Williams
Mr. & Mrs. Fred Wudl
Joann Younger
SILVER IMPRESARIO
($2,500-$4,999)
Richard and Kathy Abbott
Robert Adams and Nancy Caponi
Todd and Allyson Aldrich
James Ballantine
American Riviera Bank
Casa Dorinda
Mrs. Donald Hamister*
The Hamister Foundation
Gerhart Hoffmeister
Natalia and Michael Howe
HUB International
Insurance Services
Karin Jacobson
Sue Larsen
Gretchen Lieff and Miles Hartfield
Leslie and Carlos Lopez
Montecito Bank & Trust
Christina Omdahl
Christine and Stefan Riesenfeld
Robert E. Ronus
Merlin Rossow
Jamie Savellano
Seniel Ostrow Foundation
Judith Smith
The University Club
Valley to the Sea Winery
Vista del Monte
IMPRESARIO
($1,500-$2,499)
Todd Aldrich
Debbie and Greg Armstrong
John and Caron Berryhill
Deep Sea Winery
Convox
Gillian Conway
Dr. Bonnie Corman
Linda DiFiore
Monica Eiler
Brian and Jena Galura
Pamela Gunter
Joy Holman
Richard Kennelly
Karen Knight
Gail Lucas
Gregory McMurray
Anthony and Revae Moran
IMPRESARIO CIRCLE
Tracy and Vicki Noll
Donley and Valerie Olson
Rideau Vineyard
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
Mel Sahyun
Steve and Jackie Sereboff
Charles and Diane Sheldon
Owen Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Tunberg
Mort and Judy Weisman
Isabel Wendt
Parmele Williams
PATRONS OF THE OPERA
AFICIONADO
($500-$1,499)
Aviation Maintenance Support, Inc.
Henry and Gwen Baker
Rodney Baker and Robert Ooley
Peter Bonner
Chris Brock
Mike and Debbie Bruce
Paula Yurkanis Bruice
*Deceased
Listings reflect cumulative donations from Januray 1, 2021-March 15, 2023. Kindly notify the Opera office of any errors or omissions.
Suzanne D. Bucy
Tanner Cassidy
Layna Chianakas and Ellie Haddad
Mary Collier
Jim Craviotto
Joan Davidson
Greg and Traci Davis
Meg DiNapoli
Miss Daisy’s Consignment and Auction House
Melody DuPrau
Mark Evans
Brooks and Kate Firestone
Betty Fussell
James and Erin Graffy de Garcia
Robert and Mary Gates
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Gilmore
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Giordano
Cassandra Grant
Roberta Griffin and Michael Annese
Gary and Susan Gulbransen
Dr. and Mrs. Alan Heeger
Leonard Himelsein
Barbara Hirsch
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Hume
James Hurst
Pamela and John Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kennelly
Mahri Kerley
George Konstantinow and Helene Segal
James & Elinor Langer
Kathryn Lawhun
Dough and Martha Lorch
David and Elise McKee
Martin G. McKenzie
J. Hans Meissner
Greg McMurray
Lori Kraft Meschler
Miller Family Fund
Yakko and Richard Meyers
Sara and Ryan Mills
Priscilla Peale
Mary Penny
Hon. and Mrs. Steven Perren
Michele Profant
Kostis Protopapas
Jane Ramsay
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Reid
Staci Richard and David Lea
Laurel Rose
Melville Sahyun
Nancy B. Schlosser
Mr. and Mrs. Jennings Schmidt
Dale and Judy Seborg
Jill and Scott Seltzer
Halina W. Silverman
Monique Stephanson-Adams
Katie Szopa
Jane Thomas
Marylove Thralls and Michael Hackett
Rachel Tierney
John Whitehurst
Carol Wilburn
Gary Yencich
Stephanie Ziemer
SUSTAINER
($250-$499)
Carla Amussen
Miguel Avila
Mary Biamonte
Richard Banks
Mashey Bernstein
Ed Bookin
Dr. Stuart Braverman and Angela Moloney
PATRONS OF THE OPERA
Vince and Jane Buck
Mr. and Mrs. M. Peyton Bucy
Patricia Carver
Joseph H. Connell
Edward De Loreto
Steve Epstein
Bill and Ellie Freudenstein
Mary Furner
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gates
Daniel Gira
Michael and Elaine Gray
Roberta Griffin & Mr. Michael Annese
Mr. and Mrs. Palmer Jackson, Jr.
Mel Jahnke
Nir and Gaja Kabaretti
Joon Kang
Lois Kaplan
Sally Kinney
Bruce Klores
George Konstantinow
Russ Lombardo
Kathryn Lawhun and Mark Shinbrot
Mr. and Mrs. Donald McCall
Peggy Merizalde
D. G. Mitchell
Judith Muller
Susan Renfrew
Raymond Riezman
Jairo Mazariegos and Robert Ridenour
Rodger Rindge
Amy Robinson
Sybil Rosen
Zach Rosen
Dr. Paula Rudolph
Steven R. Siegel and Ms. Joan Tapper
Drs. Michael and Beverly Steinfeld
Robert and Irene Stone
Mary Jo Swalley
Alex and Lori Weathers
CONTRIBUTOR
($100-$249)
Anonymous
Marie Abara
Cahterine Albanese
Hillary Allen
Pat Andersons
Michele Andina
Dr. and Mrs. Mounir Ashamalla
Minos and Tracey Athanassaidis
Katrina Baxter
Isabel Bayakdarian
Dr. Stuart Braverman & Angela Moloney
Benjamin Brecher
Larry & Sue Browne
Marvin & Ria Carlis
Mr. & Mrs. John Carter
Nan Cisney
Stephen Cloud
Gerald Corrigan
Ilene Dennis
Charles Donelan
Marilyn Dove
Jon DuPrau
Beatriz Flores
Jonathan Fox and Greg Roper
Mr. and Mrs. David Gersh
Jerry Gothe
Bill and Gloria Hallier
Cheryl Hamilton
Robert Hanrahan
Douglas Heithoff
Carolyn Holmquist
PATRONS OF THE OPERA
FRIENDS
(UNDER $100)
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Anagnoson
Yuki Anzai
Andres Assadourian
Ryan Baird
Zachary Beasley
Liseth Bejar
Doris Binion
Ashley Brocco
Dr. and Mrs.David Chernof
Ryan Childs
Annemarie Claydon
Carolyn Creasey
Irene Cunningham
Tamara de la Vega
Steve Dinkelaker
Barbara Dixon
Josefina Espinosa
Anna Fencsik
Phyllis Fleschler
Maureen Fletcher
Catherine Genender
Lisa Claudette Gilinger
Donald Gillies
Annette Goena
Barbara and Jon Greenleaf
Louise Gupta
Joan Hazell
Joan Julius
Myra Kaelin
Nicole Katz
Rita M. Kern
Karen Kolehmainen
Mary Krueger
Anita Lampert
Letty Ward Lauffer
Sizhuang Liang
Joshua Lives
*Deceased
Mr. and Mrs. Irving Margol
Virginia Mariposa
Anne Maxwell
Ryan McDaniel
Maureen McFadden
Art & Della McKinster
Lisa Medlen
Ann Millican
Eileen Monahan
Anaiya Mussolini
Monica Nelson
Larry Nowlin
Dorothy Olevsky
Ana Papakhian
Adriana Perez
Lucio Ribeiro
Amanda Ryvkin
Mary Lou Schmidt
Sierra Shaw-Bowdish
Amy Smiley
Gillian Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Alan Smith
Alfred Souma
Ken Steiner
Suzette Tautrim
Raymond and Ursula Tracy
Evangelia Tsiapali
Niki Van Buren
John Wagner
Mr. and Mrs. John Warnock
Jinny Webber
Judy Weirick
Heather Weitzel
John Wilner
Fr. Vaughn Winters
Garrett Wiseman
Charles Wylie
Leah Young
Katherine Zeiss
Over the last year we have made some changes to our ticket pricing and policies. Some of our new practices differ from those of other arts organizations, and depart from longestablished industry norms. Some patrons have expressed confusion or curiosity about how we do things now, and the reasons behind our decisions. Here are some frequently asked questions and the answers.
Q: How much do tickets to Opera SB cost?
A: Anywhere between $25 and $249, depending on the manner and time of purchase, and seating preference.
Q: What are “YOU DECIDE!” Tickets?
A: These are name-your-own-price tickets. A minimum price of $25 applies. Over time we increase the minimum price, and You Decide! Tickets are usually discontinued about 10 days before the show. YOU DECIDE! Tickets are available online only.
Q: Who can buy YOU DECIDE! Tickets?
A: Anyone! There are no restrictions. We want everyone who wants to attend the opera to be able to make their own decision about the dollar value of the experience, according to their interest and circumstances.
Q: Why should anyone buy fully-priced tickets?
A: Patrons should buy Fully-priced tickets if:
• They want premium seats (Loge and Boxes at the Granada, and Premium Orchestra at both Granada and Lobero)
• Want to select their own seats. (YOU DECIDE! patrons are seated at the discretion of Team OSB and the Box Office.)
• Fully-priced tickets are available online, by phone, or inperson at the Granada and Lobero Box Offices.
Q: Do you have senior, student, group, and Community tickets?
A: No. The YOU DECIDE! Tickets have replaced all those programs. However, we do offer free tickets to students 8-18. Please email info@operasb.org to inquire.
Q: Can I buy $25 tickets on the day of the show?
A: No. Our ticket prices go up as the day of the show approaches. Please make your plan early to lock in the best prices.
Finding my best self. Here I see beautiful mountain and garden vistas, find an engaging lifestyle and best of all, a soulful bunch of friends who look out for one another. I have cleared the path to find my heart’s desire and enjoy the freedom of a true community.
Ask about our move-in
Rodney Baker & Robert Ooley
Ed Bookin
Betsy Gallery
Marilyn Gilbert
Julie Lopp
Robert Ramey
Laurel Rose
Beverly & Michael Steinfeld
Torben von Staden
Marilyn Zellet
Joan Rutkowski
SPECIAL THANKS
Artistic Director of Virginia Opera, Adam Turner
Sandy and Robert R. Urquhart
Orchestrating solutions for your Business, Real Estate, Financial Securities Transactions, Estate Planning, Litigation and Appellate needs.
Alan Blakeboro John Busby Mark Carney
Robert Forouzandeh Diana Jessup Lee Kevin R. Nimmons
Michael Pfau Daniel Reicker Andrew Simons
Russell Terry Timother Trager Fernando Velez, Jr.
Opera
Opera Santa Barbara is a proud member of
Opera Santa Barbara is proud to announce the return of our free STUDENT OPERA MATINEE SERIES thanks to generous support by:
John C. Mithun Foundation
Music Performance Trust Fund
Performing Arts Scholarship Foundation
Robert and Mercedes Eichholz Foundation For
T h e B r a v o S o c i e t y w a s e s t a b l i s h e d f o r i n d i v i d u a l s w h o w a n t
S a n t a B a r b a r a f o r f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s .
c o m m i t m e n t t o a t h r i v i n g o p e r a c o m m u n i t y : C
t o l e a v e a l a s t i n g l e g a c y t o e n s u r e o p e r a w i l l f l o u r i s h i n
W e t h a n k t h e f o l l o w i n g B r a v o S o c i e t y m e m b e r s f o r t h e i r
R o g e r s J o a n R u t k o w s k i
J u d i t h S m i t h
D r R o b e r t W e i n m a n J o i n O p e r a S a n t a B a r b a r a ' s
Learn more about Bravo Society membership and benefits at operasb org/support or contact Amy Marshall, Director of Development at amy@operasb.org
