Minnesota Opera's The Marriage of Figaro

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WELCOME LETTER

It is with much excitement that Minnesota Opera presents Mozart’s epic comic masterpiece, The Marriage of Figaro.

Considered by many, including myself, to be the perfect opera, Mozart’s timeless music and da Ponte’s irreverent libretto have delighted audiences since its debut in Vienna in 1786. The Marriage of Figaro deals with the heady issues of love, marriage, class, and family that resonate as loudly now as they did at its premiere. We’re lucky to have the inventive stage director Stephen Lawless, a veteran of several productions of Figaro, at the helm. His deft hand and nuanced touches lend a fresh and exciting perspective to this classic story.

We’re also very fortunate to have with us two eminently talented South African singers, Jacques Imbrailo and Johanni van Oostrum, both making their company debuts as the Count and Countess Almaviva. They will be joined by former Minnesota Opera Resident Artists Richard Ollarsaba as Figaro and Angela Mortellaro as Susanna.

Angela most recently joined us as Juliet in last season’s production of Romeo & Juliet.

With seven performances of The Marriage of Figaro, you’ll have a chance to see two equally talented and accomplished principal casts. As the Count and Countess respectively, two of our brilliant current Resident Artists, Christian Thurston and Mary Evelyn Hangley, will alternate with Mr. Imbrailo and Ms. van Oostrum. Joining them are rising star Donovan Singletary singing Figaro in his company debut and Resident Artist Program alumna Jeni Houser as Susanna.

The Marriage of Figaro is a massive undertaking due to its sheer size and scope and, therefore, necessitates a huge investment of resources in order to properly stage it. This production is possible because of the generous support of our community and your continued support of 55 years-worth of world-class lyric storytelling here in Minnesota. Thank you for making this production possible.

We can’t wait to share what else we have up our sleeves.

This production marks the conclusion of our 2017 performances, but we’re eagerly anticipating all the great opera we have in store for you next year. In January, Minnesota Opera’s commitment to showcasing the newest generation of operas and opera composers continues with our first staging of Jake Heggie’s searing masterpiece, Dead Man Walking. March brings a brand new production of Verdi's tragedy, Rigoletto, our first in nearly 15 years. Finally, we’re happy to present Minnesota Opera’s very first production of Massenet’s Thaïs. Set in fourthcentury Egypt and starring Minnesota native Kelly Kaduce, it’s sure to be an opera you won’t soon forget. As if that weren’t enough, we’ll be presenting Fellow Travelers at The Cowles Center in June. Thank you once again for joining us, and we look forward to sharing many more nights in song together in 2018.

CO NT E NTS

8

9 The Marriage of Figaro

Synopsis

10 About the Opera 12 Characters 13 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 14 Cast and Creative Team 16 Orchestra, Chorus, and Supernumeraries 17 Meet the Artists: Richard Ollarsaba and Donovan Singletary 18 Tempo 19 Opera Education 20 Dead Man Walking Preview 22 B oard of Directors, Staff, and Volunteers 23 Upcoming Events 23 Minnesota Opera Information 24 Individual Giving 26 Institutional Giving 27 Special Giving

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THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO  2017–18

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SYNOPSIS

ACT I

An unfinished room Figaro is measuring the floor, while Susanna puts the finishing touches on her bridal attire. They are to be married that very day, and the Count is giving them a bed and a new room to share. Figaro observes the room’s strategic location to both the Count and Countess’ apartments, but Susanna is apprehensive — the Count made it clear his romantic intentions toward her.

Elsewhere, Marcellina enlists the help of Doctor Bartolo. She intends to frustrate the wedding day by executing a contract made between her and Figaro — he has failed to repay a debt, and therefore must marry her.

Bartolo heartily agrees to the plan.

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Marcellina encounters Susanna, and they exchange sniping remarks.

Marcellina exits in a fury, and in comes the page boy, Cherubino. He is about to be dismissed. No more will he behold his true love, the Countess.

About to leave the room, he eyes the Count approaching and hides. The Count immediately begins to press his advances on Susanna. The music master, Don Basilio, is seen nearby, and the Count also conceals himself.

Entering the room, Basilio begins to make innuendoes about Cherubino, implicating Susanna and even the Countess. This draws the Count out of hiding, who angrily orders the page be found at once.

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Susanna and Figaro make a request — Cherubino must be pardoned for his amorous indiscretions so he may join the wedding festivities. But the Count does more than that, offering the young man a position in his regiment.

ACT II A bedroom The Countess laments the loss of her husband’s affection. Susanna confesses the Count’s illicit proposition. Figaro hopes to confuse

the situation by inflaming the Count’s jealousy — he has sent an anonymous letter informing him of a future assignation between the Countess and an unnamed lover. At the same time, Susanna is to let the Count know she is willing to submit to his wishes. But when the Count arrives, he will find in her place Cherubino.

Figaro departs, and Cherubino arrives moments later. As a parting gesture, Susanna instructs him to sing a song he wrote in honor of the Countess. As they prepare Cherubino’s female disguise (to avoid the conscription), Susanna leaves for a moment, and a knock is heard. It is the Count, and Cherubino scurries into the Countess’ wardrobe.

Once allowed entry, the Count is immediately suspicious — the door was locked, and he heard voices.

He shows his wife the letter, but the confrontation is interrupted by a loud noise coming from the closet. The Countess says it’s Susanna in a state of undress. The Count leaves to get some tools and takes the Countess with him, locking all the doors so no one can escape.

Susanna takes Cherubino’s place, and the page jumps out the window.

The Count and Countess return — she is uneasy, but when Susanna emerges instead of Cherubino, both are dumbfounded. Figaro arrives presently. Antonio the gardener comes in, fussing over flowers damaged by a falling man. Figaro admits it was he who jumped.

Antonio produces a document dropped by the escapee. The Countess whispers to Susanna — it is the page’s military commission — and Susanna in turn whispers to Figaro.

Figaro suddenly remembers and adds that he was bringing it to the Count because it lacked the official seal. Marcellina, Bartolo, and Basilio arrive and make their case — Figaro is obligated to marry Marcellina if he can’t pay off the debt.

INTERMISSION

ACT III A state room prepared for a wedding feast The Count eyes Susanna and the Countess discussing details of their covert plan. She is willing to meet the Count in the garden. She encounters Figaro as she leaves the room and whispers that there is no longer need for a lawyer.

Barbarina, Susanna's cousin, masks Cherubino to conceal his supposed departure. Alone, the Countess rues the humiliation she suffers as the result of an unfaithful husband. She dictates a letter to Susanna confirming the meeting with the Count and seals the note with a pin.

It is agreed they will exchange cloaks so the Countess, disguised as Susanna, can catch her husband red-handed.

Antonio arrives and exposes the page’s deception to Almaviva. Barbarina intercedes as the Count is about to release his wrath — he once promised to do anything she asked in exchange for her kisses. She begs for permission to marry Cherubino. Figaro invites all to dance as the event begins, and Susanna slips the letter into the Count’s hand.

ACT IV The garden Barbarina searches for the lost pin she was entrusted to return to Susanna as confirmation of the rendezvous. Figaro pretends to play along — privately he discloses his despair over what he believes to be Susanna’s infidelity.

Susanna and the Countess wait in the darkness. Marcellina has clued them in, and knowing Figaro can hear her voice, Susanna sings of her happy anticipation of a lovers’ tryst. Cherubino happens upon the Countess, and thinking it is Susanna, makes his approach. The Count arrives, and the game of mistaken identities ensues. Figaro and Susanna are eventually reconciled, and the Count, who has had a chance to woo “Susanna” (the Countess), is discovered when he threatens to expose the unknown man (Figaro) he believes is seducing “the Countess” (Susanna).

MUSIC BY WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART | LIBRETTO BY LORENZO DA PONTE BASED ON PIERRE-AUGUSTIN CARON DE BEAUMARCHAIS’ LA FOLLE JOURNÉE, OU LE MARIAGE DE FIGARO (1784) WORLD PREMIERE AT THE BURGTHEATER, VIENNA, MAY 1, 1786 NOVEMBER 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, AND 19, 2017 | ORDWAY MUSIC THEATER Sung in Italian with English captions projected above the stage

CAST

CREATIVE TEAM

CO U N T A L M AV IVA

D O CTO R BARTO LO

Jacques Imbrailo* Christian Thurston**•

Matt Boehler+

CO U N T E SS A L M AV IVA

Nadia Fayad•

CON DUCTOR Ruth and John Huss Chair

Michael Christie

ASSI STA N T DI R ECTOR

David Radamés Toro•

M ARC ELLINA

Johanni van Oostrum* Mary Evelyn Hangley**• F IG A R O

Richard Ollarsaba*+ Donovan Singletary**

CHOR USMASTER STAGE DI R ECTOR

Stephen Lawless

DON BASILIO/ DON CURZIO

CHOR EOGR A PHER

Andres Acosta•

Eric Sean Fogel

BARBARINA

SET AND COSTUME DESIGN

Christina Christensen

Leslie Travers

R ÉPÉTI TEUR S

Jessica Hall• Lindsay Woodward• SUPERTI TLES TR A N SLATI ONS

Jeremy Sortore

SU SA N N A ANTO NIO

LI GHTI N G DESI GN

Wm. Clay Thompson•

Thomas C. Hase

C H E R U B IN O

WI G A N D MA KEUP DESI GN

Zabala+

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER

Kerry Masek

David Zimmerman

* PERFORMS NOVEMBER 11, 14 16, 18, 19 ** PERFORMS NOVEMBER 12, 17

SEASON SPONSOR

• MINNESOTA OPERA RESIDENT ARTIST + MINNESOTA OPERA RESIDENT ARTIST ALUM

PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS

Jane and Ogden Confer Sara and Jock Donaldson Leni and David Moore Linda and Jesse Singh H. Bernt von Ohlen and W. Thomas Nichol ESTIMATED RUNNING TIME: Running time is approximately 3 hours and 13 minutes, including one 20-minute intermission. The intermission will occur approximately 95 minutes into the opera.

Scenery for this production was constructed by Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Costumes for this production were constructed by Kansas City Costume Company. This production is jointly owned by Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Opera Philadelphia, San Diego Opera, and Palm Beach Opera.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart LE NOZZE DI FIGARO Edited for the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe by Ludwig Finscher Used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, U.S. and Canadian agent for Baerenreiter-Verlag, publisher and copyright owner.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

Angela Mortellaro*+ Jeni Houser**+

Adriana

Lindsay Woodward•

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ABOUT THE OPERA

W

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

hen we last left the mischievous dealings of The Barber of Seville, Count Almaviva had stolen Rosina from the clutches of Doctor Bartolo with the aid of the town jack-of-all-trades, Figaro. In the second installment of Beaumarchais' trilogy, three years have passed, the setting has been moved out of town to Almaviva's castle of Aguas Frescas, the character list has expanded (with some conveniently re-employed as servants to the Count's household), and the content of the drama has become more politically volatile. In fact, at first Beaumarchais was prevented from staging his original play La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro in France by King Louis XVI himself, who prophetically proclaimed: “We should have to destroy the Bastille if a performance of this play was not to be a dangerous blunder. This man mocks everything that must be respected in a government.”

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Beaumarchais was not a man to be put down and had a few favors to call in, not the least of which was owed to him by the French government — his role as arms supplier to the American Revolution and the subsequent embarrassment of England was the only triumph the French king was to experience during his accursed reign. Folding under the pressure of influential court players (including the king's own brother, the Count of Artois), Louis relented. Le mariage de Figaro premiered in 1784 and was an unprecedented success — for the first time in the history of French drama, a play actually made its author a sizeable profit. Both the Empress of Russia and the British government begged for the play to be produced in their respective countries, but in Austria, Joseph II (whose sister Marie-Antoinette just happened to be the French queen at the time) forbade any performances of the play, although he did allow it to be printed. This put a serious kink in impresario (and soon to be Mozartcollaborator) Emanuel Schikaneder's plans to produce the play in German at Vienna's Kärntnertortheater.

That edict could hardly frustrate a young upstart like Mozart. With the German Singspiel The Abduction from the Seraglio firmly behind him, and the emperor's German opera troupe officially disbanded, the composer was looking to make a name for himself in Italian opera. Several false starts in the confectionary Viennese vein yielded the incomplete L'oca del Cairo and Lo sposo deluso. After considering "hundreds" of similarly tried-and-true scenarios, he and librettist Lorenzo da

“

Le mariage de Figaro premiered in 1784 and was an unprecedented success — for the first time in the history of French drama, a play actually made its author a sizeable profit.”

Ponte were drawn to Beaumarchais' play in part because of the notoriety associated with it. Mozart also was hoping to ride the coattails of a recent operatic adaptation of the first drama in the Figaro series, Il barbiere di Siviglia,

by Giovanni Paisiello (Rossini's more famous opera by the same title came many years later in 1816). Premiering in St. Petersburg in 1782, Paisiello's Barber reached Vienna the following year and was a triumph. Mozart was certain he could achieve the same level of success with a sequel.

Getting around the censors took a bit of finessing and da Ponte claims they prepared the opera in secret to be shown to Joseph in its completed state. When the moment of unveiling came, he managed to convince the emperor that the more serious political affronts and sharp-tongued satire had been expunged from the libretto. For example, Figaro's tirade against "the system," which occurs in Act V of the play, was transformed into a rage about the unfaithfulness of women in his Act IV aria “Aprite un po' quegli occhi,” a subject that would appeal to Joseph's overall misogynist character. Another aspect of the libretto toned down for the emperor was its inherent feminist nature. In the play, Bartholo is more reluctant to wed Marceline once they discover Figaro's true identity, and she rejects a proposal of marriage proffered by Don Bazile. She emerges from invisible spinsterhood to become an emancipated woman, proclaiming her independence from men in another heated monologue. In the opera, her spirited persona is downplayed to a mere dispenser of motherly advice (though she's given an opportunity to speak her mind in an Act IV aria — sadly it is usually cut in performance). For his part, Mozart's attraction to the play was not the politics, but its complex plot and comic situations, which he felt could be done justice by his music. That argument being made, the Count's philandering antics were overlooked by the imperial authorities. It is also believed Figaro secretly served as propaganda for Joseph's private politics — in his eyes nobles should be held to the same moral standards as the common people.

Still, the condensation of Beaumarchais' five-act play into a still sizeable opera was an arduous task. Several characters were removed, others were given new names, and a number of scenes were shifted or deleted. Eighteenth-century custom required each character to have at least one aria, several had two, and the action was fleshed out in duets, trios, and finales. As da Ponte noted, “In spite of every effort, and of all the diligence and care taken

ABOUT THE OPERA

COSTUME DESIGN BY LESLIE TRAVERS

Another part of the problem was due to prejudice and circumstance.

Mozart, as a Germanic composer, was

considered an outsider in an industry dominated and defined by Italian musicians. Besides Paisiello’s Il re Teodoro, as well as continued revivals of Barber, Giuseppe Sarti’s Fra i due litiganti il terzo gode gained headway in Vienna as did Vicente Martín y Soler's hugely popular Una cosa rara.

Though born in Spain, Martín is generally considered to be of the Italian school by training and style.

And, of course, there was the city's composer-in-residence, Antonio Salieri, whose powerful position ensured his operas were frequently staged. Adding to the general intrigue and jealousy of Mozart's natural talent was the popularity of these aforementioned composers' works, eclipsing many of the major achievements of the latter. Opera, in those days, was a tough business.

Interestingly, the Prague premiere of The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) was greeted with wild enthusiasm, according to the composer's letter of January 15, 1787.

Mozart was hailed a genius, and not surprisingly, chose Prague for the premiere later that year of his next opera, Don Giovanni. When Don Giovanni made it to Vienna one year later, it too had a modest run, but Figaro was revived in 1789 and generated a far more prestigious 29 performances.

Since its release to opera houses around the world, The Marriage of Figaro has enjoyed the noble distinction of being the first opera that has always been in repertory, though it was not Mozart's most popular opera until the 20th century. Don Giovanni's supernatural elements had greater appeal to the 19th-century Romantics.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

by the composer and by myself to be brief, the opera will not be one of the shortest to have appeared on our stage.” The resulting four-act format was new to audiences accustomed to a two- or three-act comedy, and the complex plot had a bit more bite than the usual fluff characteristic of Viennese opera buffa. Its reception was mixed, and the opera initially received only nine performances.

The heightened expectations of the public may have sealed the new work's demise — their excitement over the musical adaptation of a scandalous play must have dissipated once they discovered much of the objectionable material had been removed.

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CHARACTERS

Descriptions of the characters below are from the notes of

PIERRE BEAUMARCHAIS,

who wrote the play La Folle Journée, ou Le Mariage de Figaro on which Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro is based.

FIGARO,

SUSANNA,

COUNT ALMAVIVA’S VALET

THE COUNTESS’ MAID AND FIGARO’S FIANCÉ

BARITONE “Possessing good sense seasoned with gaiety and sallies of wit with no element of caricature.”

SOPRANO “She is a resourceful, intelligent, and lively young woman, but she has none of the almost brazen gaiety characteristic of some of our young actresses who play maidservants.”

COUNT ALMAVIVA

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COUNTESS ALMAVIVA,

CHERUBINO,

THE COUNT’S WIFE

A YOUNG PAGE

SOPRANO “Torn between two conflicting emotions she should display only a restrained tenderness and very moderate degree of resentment, above all nothing which might impair her amiable and virtuous character in the eyes of the audience.”

MEZZO-SOPRANO “The basis of his character is an undefined and restless desire. He is entering on adolescence all unheeding and with no understanding of what is happening to him.

In fact, he is what every mother … would wish her own son to be even though he might give her much cause for suffering.”

COSTUME DESIGN BY LESLIE TRAVERS

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

BARITONE “The depravity of his morals should in no way detract from the elegance of his manners.”

COMPOSER

B. Salzburg, January 27, 1756 D. Vienna, December 5, 1791

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART AT THE PIANO (1789) | MOZARTEUM (SALZBURG, AUSTRIA) | ALINARI/ART RESOURCE NY

Child wonder, virtuoso performer, and prolific creative artist, Mozart is the first composer whose operas have never been out of repertory. His prodigious talents were apparent very early in his life; by the age of four he could reproduce on the keyboard a melody played to him, at five he could play the violin with perfect intonation, and at six he composed his first minuet.

A musician himself, Wolfgang’s father, Leopold, immediately saw the potential of his son’s talents. With the mixed motives of religious piety and making a tidy profit, Leopold embarked on a series of concert tours showing off the child’s extraordinary talents. Often playing with his sister Maria Anna (“Nannerl”), herself an accomplished musician, young Wolfgang charmed the royal courts of Europe, from those of Austrian empress Maria Theresa, French king Louis XV, and English king George III, to the lesser principalities of Germany and Italy.

As Mozart grew older, his concert tours turned into a search for permanent employment, but this proved exceedingly difficult for a German musician in a market dominated by Italian composers. Although many of his early operas were commissioned

by Milanese and Munich nobles (Mitridate, Ascanio in Alba, Lucio Silla, La finta giardiniera), he could not rise beyond Konzertmeister of the Salzburg archbishopric. When the new prince archbishop, Count Hieronymus

Things came to a head in 1781 immediately after the successful premiere of Mozart’s first mature work, Idomeneo, in Munich. The archbishop, then visiting Vienna, insisted the composer join him there. Never did Mozart better understand his position in the household than during that sojourn, when he was seated at the dinner table below the prince’s personal valets and just above the cooks. He requested to be permanently discharged from his duties, and after several heated discussions his petition was granted, punctuated by a parting kick in the pants.

Now completely on his own for the first time, Mozart embarked on several happy years. He married Constanze Weber, sister to his childhood sweetheart Aloysia, and premiered a new work, Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio), at the Burgtheater. Mozart also gave concerts around Vienna, presenting a number of new piano concertos and symphonies.

His chief concern was to procure a position at the imperial court. A small commission came his way from the emperor for a one-act comedy, Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario), given in the same evening as Antonio Salieri’s Prima la musica, e poi le parole (First the music, then the words), to celebrate the visit of the emperor’s sister, Marie Christine, and her husband, joint rulers of the Austrian Netherlands.

The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart’s first true masterpiece for the imperial court, premiered at the Burgtheater in 1786 and went on to Prague the following year where it was a huge success. Don Giovanni was first presented in Prague in 1787 to great acclaim, but its Vienna premiere in 1788 was coolly received.

By this time, Mozart had received a minor Imperial posting, Kammermusicus,

which required him to write dances for state functions. The position was hardly worthy of his skills and generated only a modest income, a weighty concern now that debts had begun to mount. Joseph II commissioned another opera from Mozart, Così fan tutte, which premiered January 26, 1790. The emperor was too ill to attend the opening and died the following month. His brother, Leopold II, assumed leadership, and Mozart hoped to be appointed Kapellmeister — instead he merely received a continuance of his previous position.

Crisis hit in 1791. Constanze’s medical treatments at Baden and the birth of a second child pushed their finances to a critical point. Mozart’s friend and fellow Freemason, the impresario Emanuel Schikaneder, suggested he try his luck with the suburban audiences at his Theater auf der Wieden. Composition of The Magic Flute began early that summer but had to be halted when two generous commissions came his way:

“

His prodigious talents were apparent very early in his life ...” a requiem for an anonymous patron (who hoped to pass it off as his own composition), and an opera seria to celebrate the new emperor’s coronation as King of Bohemia. La clemenza di Tito premiered September 6, and The Magic Flute was completed in time to open September 30. The Requiem, however, remained unfinished, and as Mozart’s health began to fail, the composer feared he was writing his own death mass. In December Mozart died at the age of 35 and was given a simple funeral by his impoverished widow, then buried in a mass grave on the outskirts of Vienna.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

Colloredo, was appointed in 1771, Mozart also found he was released for guest engagements with less frequency.

Though his position improved and a generous salary was offered, the composer felt the Salzburg musical scene was stifling for a man of his enormous talent and creativity.

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C A S T + C R E AT I V E T E A M

ANDRES ACOSTA

NADIA FAYAD

DON BASILIO/DON CURZIO

MARCELLINA

MIAMI, FLORIDA

DULUTH, MINNESOTA

Minnesota Opera Resident Artist Past

Minnesota Opera Resident Artist Past

La Cenerentola, Merola Opera Program;

Roméo et Juliette, Minnesota Opera;

Così fan tutte, Janiec Opera Company;

Das Rheingold, Minnesota Opera;

Florencia en el Amazonas, Indiana University;

L'arbore di Diana, Minnesota Opera;

The Rakes Progress, Florida State University

Future Dead Man Walking, Minnesota Opera; Rigoletto, Minnesota Opera;

Dinner at Eight, Minnesota Opera

Future Dead Man Walking, Minnesota Opera; Rigoletto, Minnesota Opera; Thaïs, Minnesota Opera

Thaïs, Minnesota Opera

MATT BOEHLER

MARY EVELYN HANGLEY

DOCTOR BARTOLO

COUNTESS ALMAVIVA

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

LONG BEACH, NEW YORK

Minnesota Opera Debut Street Scene, 2001

Past

Minnesota Opera Resident Artist Past Roméo et Juliette, Minnesota Opera;

Elizabeth Cree, Opera Philadelphia;

Das Rheingold, Minnesota Opera;

Die Zauberflöte, Canadian Opera Company;

Dinner at Eight, Minnesota Opera;

The Cradle Will Rock, Opera Saratoga

La bohème, Minnesota Opera

Future

Future

Acquanetta, PROTOTYPE Festival;

Dead Man Walking, Minnesota Opera;

The Abduction from the Seraglio, Madison Opera;

Rigoletto, Minnesota Opera

Rigoletto, Minnesota Opera

CHRISTINA CHRISTENSEN

THOMAS C. HASE

BARBARINA

LIGHTING DESIGN

DEPERE, WISCONSIN

MADISON, WISCONSIN

Minnesota Opera Debut L'elisir d'amore, 2015

Past La Belle Héléne, Opera North; Roméo et Juliette, Minnesota Opera; Il Tirinto, Consortium Carissimi; Rusalka, Minnesota Opera; Die Zauberflöte, Minnesota Opera; Carmen, Minnesota Opera

Future

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Rigoletto, Minnesota Opera;

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Minnesota Opera Debut The Fortunes of King Croesus, 2008

Past The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny, LA Opera; The Rake’s Progress, Finnish National Opera; 22 Season, Cincinnati Opera

Future Fellow Travelers, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Don Carlo, Washington National Opera; Ariadne auf Naxos, Santa Fe Opera;

Thaïs, Minnesota Opera

Der Freischütz, Vienna Staatsopera

MICHAEL CHRISTIE

JENI HOUSER

CONDUCTOR

SUSANNA

BUFFALO, NEW YORK

STOUGHTON, WISCONSIN

Minnesota Opera Debut La traviata, 2011

Past The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, Santa Fe Opera; The Gospel of Mary Magdalene, San Francisco Opera; Twenty-Seven, Opera Theatre of St. Louis; The Shining, Minnesota Opera

Future Dead Man Walking, Minnesota Opera; Rigoletto, Minnesota Opera; An American Soldier, Opera Theatre of St. Louis

Minnesota Opera Debut Ariadne auf Naxos, 2015

Past Die Zauberflöte, Cincinnati Opera; The Importance of Being Earnest, Odyssey Opera; Die Zauberflöte, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Sweeney Todd, Mill City Summer Opera

Future Ariadne auf Naxos, Austin Opera; Thaïs, Minnesota Opera; Die Zauberflöte, Central City Opera

C A S T + C R E AT I V E T E A M

JACQUES IMBRAILO

DONOVAN SINGLETARY

COUNT ALMAVIVA

FIGARO

WELKOM, SOUTH AFRICA

CRESTVIEW, FLORIDA

Minnesota Opera Debut The Marriage of Figaro, 2017

Past

Minnesota Opera Debut The Marriage of Figaro, 2017

Past

Billy Budd, Teatro Real;

Porgy and Bess, La Scala;

Hamlet, Glyndeborne Festival Opera;

Carmen, Seattle Opera;

Pearl Fishers, English National Opera

Don Giovanni, Kentucky Opera

Future Pelléas et Mélisande, Opera Vlaanderen; Billy Budd, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma;

Future The Passion of Ramakrishna, Pacific Symphony

Pelléas et Mélisande, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

STEPHEN LAWLESS

WM. CLAY THOMPSON

STAGE DIRECTOR

ANTONIO

LEWES, UNITED KINGDOM

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY

Minnesota Opera Debut La clemenza di Tito, 2002

Past

Minnesota Opera Resident Artist Past Don Pasquale, Minnesota Opera;

Roméo et Juliette, Santa Fe Opera;

JFK, Fort Worth Opera;

La clemenza di Tito, Opera Theatre of St. Louis;

La fanciulla del West, Kentucky Opera

Rusalka, Magdeburg Opera

Future Anna Bolena, Canadian Opera Company; Roberto Devereux, San Francisco Opera;

Future Dead Man Walking, Minnesota Opera; Rigoletto, Minnesota Opera; Thaïs, Minnesota Opera

Katya Kabanova, Scottish Opera

ANGELA MORTELLARO

CHRISTIAN THURSTON

SUSANNA

COUNT ALMAVIVA

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN

ROTORUA, NEW ZEALAND

Minnesota Opera Debut Orpheus and Eurydice, 2011

Past Roméo et Juliette, Minnesota Opera; Yardbird, Opera Philadelphia;

Minnesota Opera Resident Artist Past Madama Butterfly, New Zealand Opera; The Cunning Little Vixen, Manhatten School of Music;

The Manchurian Candidate, Minnesota Opera;

Cendrillon, Manhatten School of Music

L'elisir d'amore, Doset Opera Festival;

Dead Man Walking, Minnesota Opera;

Carmen, Central City Opera

Rigoletto, Minnesota Opera;

Future

Future

Thaïs, Minnesota Opera

A Sea Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra; Pigmalione, Chicago Opera Theater;

RICHARD OLLARSABA

LESLIE TRAVERS

FIGARO

SET AND COSTUME DESIGN

TEMPE, ARIZONA

HARTLEPOOL, UNITED KINGDOM

Minnesota Opera Debut Nabucco, 2012

Past

Minnesota Opera Debut The Fortunes of King Croesus, 2008

Past

Don Giovanni, Lyric Opera of Chicago;

Grimes on the Beach, Opera North;

La pietra del paragone, Wolf Trap Opera;

Otello, Scottish Opera;

Carmen, Minnesota Opera;

The Children’s Crusade, Luminato Festival;

Tosca, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Vurt, Contact Theatre

Future

Future

Falstaff, Opera Omaha;

Francesca da Rimini, La Scala;

Lucia di Lammermoor, Virginia Opera;

Werther, Opéra National de Lorraine;

Falstaff, Intermountain Opera Bozeman

Le Baron Tzigane, Grand Théâtre de Genève; Billy Budd, Opera North

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

Rita, Chicago Opera Theater

15

C A S T + C R E AT I V E T E A M

JOHANNI VAN OOSTRUM

ADRIANA ZABALA

COUNTESS ALMAVIVA

CHERUBINO

WEIMAR, GERMANY

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

Minnesota Opera Debut

Minnesota Opera Debut

The Marriage of Figaro, 2017

Der Rosenkavalier, 1999

Past

Past

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Komische Oper Berlin;

Ariadne auf Naxos, Berkshire Opera Festival;

Der ferne Klang, Oper Graz;

Dinner at Eight, Minnesota Opera;

Sister Carrie, Florentine Opera;

Der Rosenkavalier, Dutch National Opera

L'arbore di Diana, Minnesota Opera;

Future

Florencia en el Amazonas, Arizona Opera

Le nozze di Figaro, Theater Bonn;

Future

Elektra, Staatstheater Braunschweig;

Steal a Pencil for Me, Opera Colorado;

Katja Kabanova, Konzert Theater Bern

Florencia en el Amazonas, San Diego Opera; Fellow Travelers, Minnesota Opera; Le nozze di Figaro, Opera Colorado

ORCHESTRA, CHORUS, + SUPERNUMERARIES

ORCHESTRA VIOLIN I Allison Ostrander* Concertmaster Cynthia and Lawrence Lee Chair

Natalia Moiseeva Assistant Concertmaster Julia Persitz David Mickens Colin McGuire Angela Waterman Hanson Conor O’Brien Jill Olson Maisie Block

VIOLIN II Laurie Petruconis* Elizabeth Decker Melinda Marshall Margaret Humphrey Elise Parker Emilia Mettenbrink Huldah Niles

VIOLA

OBOE

David Auerbach*

Michael Dayton* Jeffrey Marshak

Nina and John• Archabal Chair

Susan Janda Laurel Browne Jenny Lind Nilsson Matthew Mindeman Valerie Little

CLARINET Karrin Meffert-Nelson* Nina Olsen

BASSOON

CELLO James Jacobson*+ Connie and Lew Remele Chair

Teresa Richardson Sally Dorer Rebecca Arons Kirsten Whitson

Coreen Nordling* Laurie Hatcher Merz

HORN Timothy Bradley* Charles Hodgson

BASS

TRUMPET

John Michael Smith*

John G. Koopmann* Christopher Volpe

Kenneth and Peggy Bonneville Chair

Constance Martin Jason C. Hagelie

TIMPANI

CHORUS Matthew Abbas Colleen Batty Taylor Bothun Corissa Bussian Carolyn Cavadini Cécile Crozat-Zawisza Steve Dahlberg Paul Gutmann Georgia Jacobson Michelle Liebl Elizabeth Longhurst Joel Mathias Darrius Morton Sandra Partridge James Pike Cathryn Schmidt Ashley Sievers Eric Smedsrud Nicholas Swanson Adan Varela

Kory Andry*

FLUTE Michele Frisch* Amy Osterman

HARPSICHORD Jessica Hall

Joe Johnson Leonard Searcy Zachary Steward Thomas Van Dorp

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

* principal | • in memoriam | + cello continuo

SUPERNUMERARIES

SIR PETER HALL | 1930–2017

16

STEPHEN LAWLESS | STAGE DIRECTOR

I first worked on The Marriage of Figaro forty years ago assisting the British director Sir Peter Hall, who died on September 11th of this year. Peter was a giant of British theatre and opera who founded the Royal Shakespeare Company, guided the National Theatre into its new home on the South Bank in London, served as Head of Production at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and was Artistic Director of Glyndebourne Opera (which is where I worked with him) as well as many opera and theater productions in the United States. I owe him a huge debt, not least for his insights into Mozart. I am grateful to Minnesota Opera for allowing me to dedicate my work on these performances of The Marriage of Figaro to his memory.

MEET THE ARTISTS

RICHARD OLLARSABA

DONOVAN SINGLETARY

PERFORMANCES: NOVEMBER 11, 14, 16, 18, AND 19

PERFORMANCES: NOVEMBER 12 AND 17

FIGARO DS: I was born and raised in Crestview, Florida in the northern most part of the Panhandle.

If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in?

RO: If I weren't a singer, I would most likely go into something still involving the arts. When I was a kid I was so obsessed with animals and dinosaurs my mom was convinced I would be a zoologist or archaeologist.

DS: If I didn't sing, I would have gone into psychology or medicine. I studied psychology briefly.

What was the first opera you were ever in?

RO: It was Le rossignol by Stravinsky. I played the Bonze.

At the time it was the hardest role I ever learned. It was literally only three lines — perspective is everything!

DS: The first full opera I performed in was The Merry Wives of Windsor.

What is your favorite opera?

RO: My favorite opera has to be Robert Ward’s The Crucible. It’s obscure, I know. I had the pleasure of performing Reverend John Hale in a production. I’ve been in love with the story ever since I was in middle school. In my opinion, it’s really an under-appreciated gem of an opera.

DS: I'm a big fan of Verdi. I'd say my favorite opera at the moment is Rigoletto.

Why should everyone see The Marriage of Figaro?

RO: The opera is timeless, not only because of the political or social aspects of the story, but because it is a story that is universal. Love and how we express love as humans are often very confusing and convoluted, which is something with which we can all identify.

DS: singing all week. Also, it's a comedy so there are many lighthearted elements to make you and your family laugh and smile. It's an overall good time that teaches us important life lessons and reminds us to enjoy what we have, be grateful for what we're given, and live life to the fullest.

What do you like to binge-watch?

RO: I’ve always been a huge cartoon fanatic and my current obsession is Steven Universe.

DS: If I binge watch a show, it's normally Japanese anime. I just binged on Dragon Ball Z Super, Attack on Titan, and American Gods (which isn't anime).

Which four people (living or deceased) would you like to invite for a dinner party?

RO: Abraham Lincoln, Edith Piaf, Igor Stravinsky, and Dr. Seuss.

DS: Barack Obama, Michael Jackson,

DS: Everyone should check out The

Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Gates.

Marriage of Figaro because it's an easy opera to get into. The music and story aren't too serious or complex to understand. It's fun with lots of music and songs that are memorable earworms that you might be humming or

What is your favorite wedding dance song?

RO: “Everlasting Love” as performed

by Carl Carlton.

DS:: “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”

by Elton John.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

Where were you born and raised?

RO: I was born and raised in Tempe, Arizona.

17

Are You 21–39?

Join Today!

Minnesota Opera’s Young Professionals Group.

2017–18 SEASON MEMBERSHIPS ARE ON SALE NOW! Are you 21–39 and interested in experiencing opera, meeting new people, and receiving invitations to After Parties and one-of-a-kind events? Join Minnesota Opera’s young professionals group and enjoy a steep discount on the hottest tickets in town.

mnopera.org/tempo

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

MINNESOTA OPERA STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS WOULD LIKE TO REMEMBER OUR FRIEND, C. ANGUS WURTELE

18

Angus was passionate about music and the impact of art in the community. He and his wife, Margaret, have been long-time subscribers and supporters of Minnesota Opera. They have been instrumental in furthering the New Works Initiative and passionate about the importance of new works to keep the operatic art form alive and tell new stories that are relevant to today’s audiences. We will all miss his warm presence, quick wit, and his heartfelt sincerity.

In Memoriam

The performances of The Marriage of Figaro are dedicated to Angus Wurtele.

O P E R A E D U C AT I O N

VOICES OF OPERA The benefits of art-making for school-aged children is commonly acknowledged as an important part of a well-rounded education. But does that need and desire to create end when we get older? What about when we retire?

PHOTOS BY CORINNE STANDISH

That is the starting point to create Voices of Opera, Minnesota Opera’s new opera chorus for adults 55 and older. This fall participants joined their peers in Red Wing, Bloomington, and Minneapolis to improve their singing and learn a few popular opera chorus excerpts. The backgrounds of the more than 200 who participated ranged from active singers in church choirs to those who last sang in high school. But it was the desire to sing and share their love of opera that created a wonderful atmosphere of learning.

For more information, visit mnopera.org/voices-of-opera.

MUSIC OUT LOUD Music Out Loud started its third year at Folwell Performing Arts Magnet in Minneapolis. Students attend free after-school classes through the school year to gain leadership skills and self-confidence through learning music, theater, and opera.

Photo caption: Students pose with Teaching Artists Sara Sawyer and Matt Abernathy.

O PE RA FO R A LL AGES Minnesota Opera education programs at a glance

ELEMENTARY

MIDDLE

HIGH SCHOOL

COLLEGE

ADULT

55+

StoriesSing! coOPERAtion!

Through the Eyes and Ears of Mozart Project Opera Children’s Chorus Summer Camp Create an Opera Camp Summer Opera Camp Opera Artist+ Music Out Loud Student Final Dress Rehearsals Behind The Curtain Opera Insights Voices of Opera MN Opera @ Books & Bars Opera Center Tours

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

EARLY CHILDHOOD

19

DEAD MAN WALKING PREVIEW

filled with memorable characters that support Sister Helen’s journey. Based on a true story, Sister Helen Prejean struggles to understand the brutal murder of two teenagers. Against the wishes of her superiors, she decides to meet one of the convicted murders, Joseph De Rocher. The opera is filled with very despicable characters, but Joseph De Rocher is perhaps one of the worst. He has asked for Sister Helen to be his spiritual adviser. By this time Sister Helen has made social justice her journey in life. Her mission is to understand Joseph’s story and to help him come to grips with the enormity of his deeds. Their confrontation is a true highlight in contemporary opera.

Secondly, I think the opera is “doable.”

By that I mean it isn’t a huge piece with a chorus of thousands. It has two main characters who are sharply defined and strong. Both of these roles are virtuosic and you would need very strong singers to pull them off. The rest of the cast is

This production comes to us from Vancouver Opera and is directed by Joel Ivany (Macbeth). It is a beautiful design that encompasses all the various scenes of this moving opera. The designer, Erhard Rom (The Shining, Rusalka), is very well known here in the Twin Cities.

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

JAKE HEGGIE

20

DIVINE INTERVENTION JAN 27–FEB 3 B U Y T ODAY NEW! Busing from mno p e r a . o r g

612-333-6669

western suburbs available on Jan. 28.

Call for details.

Singing the role of Sister Helen, we welcome Catherine Martin in her debut with Minnesota Opera. Joseph is sung by debuting artist Seth Carico. Also appearing are Karen Slack as Sister Rose, Dennis Petersen as Father Grenville, and Andrew Wilkowske as the father of one of the victims. I think we are in for a powerful evening of great theater.

DALE JOHNSON ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

PHOTO BY © TIM MATHESON

M

innesota Opera is proud to present the Minnesota premiere of Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking.

Often times new works (this opera originally was first presented in 2000) have a wondrous premiere only to be tossed on the trash heap never to be seen again. What is it about Dead Man that has kept this opera in the public eye since its inception? There are a few key elements to the opera that I think the public has embraced. Jake Heggie’s score is very approachable and tuneful.

He knows how to set words to music, and the words by Terrence McNally are powerful. The music seems appropriate for each character on stage. And the orchestration is lush and memorable.

2017–2018 season

DEAD MAN WALKING

RIGOLETTO

THAÏS

JAN 27–FEB 3

MAR 17–31

MAY 12–20

Heggie’s heartbreaking story of grief, grace, and redemption is a contemporary standout.

Verdi’s time-honored tale of bitter revenge is boldly imagined in this new production.

Massenet’s sensual and melodic creation comes to life in the deserts and oases of 4th-century Egypt.

See 3 operas for as little as $62 mnopera.org | 612-333-6669

P R O J E C T

O P E R A

P R E S E N T S

4 P E R F O R M A N C E S O N LY

F E B R U A R Y 9 –11, 2 018 T H E L A B T H E AT E R , 7 0 0 N 1 S T S T MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55401

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

BEN MOORE, COMPOSER KELLEY ROURKE, LIBRETTIST MATTHEW ABERNATHY, MUSIC DIRECTOR Commissioned by The Glimmerglass Festival

21

B O A R D , S TA F F, + V O L U N T E E R S

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

MINNESOTA OPERA STAFF

OF F ICE RS

ADMI N I ST RAT IO N

PRO DU CT IO N

Chair | Margaret Wurtele

President and General Director | Ryan Taylor

Production Director | Karen Quisenberry

President and General Director | Ryan Taylor

Director of Board Relations | Theresa Murray

Asst. Production Director | Julia Gallagher

Vice Chair | H. Bernt von Ohlen

Chief Financial Officer | Steve Matheson

Production Stage Manager | Kerry Masek

Secretary | Nadege Souvenir

Human Resources Director | Jen Thill

Treasurer | John C. Junek

Staff Accountant | Shannon Ratcliff

Assistant Stage Managers | Lorely Dedrick, Jamie K. Fuller, Nick Loweree

Facility Manager | Steve Mittelholtz

Technical Director | Mike McQuiston

Systems Administrator | Tony Ngonekeo

Properties Master | Jenn Maatman

DIRECTORS Richard Allendorf

Jeninne McGee

AR T I ST IC

Lighting and Video Coordinator | Raymond W. Steveson Jr.

Patricia Beithon

Michael McNamara

Artistic Director | Dale Johnson

Lighting Supervisor | Mary Shabatura

Sharon Bloodworth

Leni Moore

Music Director | Michael Christie

Production Carpenter | JC Amel

Shari Boehnen

Kay Ness

Assistant Conductor | Jonathan Brandani

Scene Shop Foreman/Supervisor | Mark Maurer

Alberto Castillo

Jose Peris

Head of Music | Allen Perriello

Master Carpenters | Nate Kulenkamp, Eric Veldey

Jay Debertin

Elizabeth Redleaf

Artistic Administrator | Roxanne Stouffer

Carpenter | Max Gilbert

Terrance Dolan

Connie Remele

Costume Director | Corinna Bohren

Sara Donaldson

Mary H. Schrock

Artist Relations and Planning Director | Floyd Anderson

Sidney W. Emery

Linda Roberts Singh

Dramaturg | David Sander

Tailor | Yancey Thrift

Maureen Harms

David Smith

Draper | Chris Bur

Mary IngebrandPohlad

Nadege Souvenir

Philip Isaacson

Resident Artists | Andres Acosta, Nadia Fayad, Jessica Hall, Mary Evelyn Hangley, David Radamés Toro, Wm. Clay Thompson, Christian Thurston, Lindsay Woodward

Virginia Stringer

J Jackson

Greg Sullivan

E DU C AT IO N

Diane Jacobson

Norrie Thomas

John C. Junek

H. Bernt von Ohlen

Community Education Director | Jamie Andrews

David Strauss

Christl Larson

William White

Mary Lazarus

Margaret Wurtele

Cynthia Y. Lee

Wardrobe Supervisor | Molly O’Gara Hair/Makeup Supervisors | Priscilla Bruce, Manuel Jacobo

Project Opera Music Director | Matthew Abernathy

Hair/Makeup Crew | Corrie Dubay, Suzanne Jankowski, Andria Johnson

DE V E LOPME NT Chief Development Officer | Carley M. Stuber

Karen Bachman

Julia W. Dayton

Development Director | Mallory Roberts

John A. Blanchard, III

Mary W. Vaughan

Institutional Gifts Director | Diana Konopka Development Officer | Nickolas Sanches

Burton Cohen

Events Manager | Anthony Diaz

HONO RA RY D I REC TO R S Liz Kochiras

Philip Brunelle

Development Associate | Jeremie Bur Development Operations Coordinator | Jonathan Lundgren

MINNESOTA OPERA VOLUNTEERS The following volunteers contribute their time and talent to support key activities of the company. Get involved with Bravo!

Volunteer Corps at mnopera.org/volunteer, or email volunteering@mnopera.org for more information.

Graduate Resident, Grants and Special Projects | Liz Lassiter

Lynne Beck

Jerry Lillquist

Gerald Benson

Joyce Lillquist

MAR K E T ING / CO MMUNICAT IO NS

Peter Brandenhoff

Melanie Locke

Debra Brooks

Tom Logeland

Chief Marketing Officer | Darby Lunceford

Alexis Haley Brown

Suzan Lynnes

Marketing Director | Katherine L. Castille

Renee Brown-Goodell

Mary McDiarmid

Audience Engagement Manager | Kristin Matejcek

Jerry Cassidy

Barbara Moore

Ann Drivas

Doug Myhra

Design Manager | Kristin Backman

Judith Duncan

Douglas Myhra

Communications Manager | Eric Broker

Billy Fabec

Andrea Nicholson

Web and Digital Media Associate | Rocky Jones

Andy Flamm

Candyce Osterkamp

Jane Fuller

Heidi Pagano

Joan Gacki

Pat Panshin

Chair | Thomas Bakken

Marketing and Communications Associate | Kate Saumur

Sydney Phillips

Vice Chair | Kara Eliason Dorsey

Patron Services Director | Greg Campbell

Sarah Grecula

Gabrielle Sacha

Secretary | Emily Engel

Patron Services Manager | Kevin Beckey

Merle Hanson

Laura Schaubschlager

Treasurer | Veronica Mason

Associate Patron Services Manager | Karl Annable

Catherine Heck Morgan Heck

Michele Schluender

Kerry Hinze

Kari Schutz

Stephanie Hynes

Mary Sheehy

Tim Jones

Janet Skidmore

Robin Keck

Wendi Sott

Mary Lach

Norm Tiedemann

Mollie Laidly

Stephanie Van D’Elden

Jerry Lillquist

Barbara Willis

L EG AL CO UN SE L Moss & Barnett

TEMPO BOARD OF F ICE RS MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

Stitchers | Becca Chapin, Ann Friese, Sara Huebschen

Teaching Artist | Pablo Siqueiros

Music Out Loud Teaching Artist | Sara Sawyer

D IR ECTORS E M ER I T I

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First Hands | Helen Ammann, Katrina Benedict, Rebecca Karstad

Project Opera Accompanist | Kathy Kraulik

Robert Lee

Dominick Argento

Assistant Costume Director | Beth Sanders

Patron Services Coordinator | Brian Johnson-Weyl

M EMBERS Carrie Anderson

Sarah Fowler

Thomas Bakken

Mark Giga

Elizabeth Brenner

Alison Jarzyna

Laura Chaffee

Veronica Mason

Kamruz Darabi

Luke Olson

Kara Eliason Dorsey

Aimee Tritt

Katie Eiser

Julia Wilcox

Emily Engel

Patron Services Supervisors | Trevor Schaeffer, Charlotte Summers Patron Services Representatives | Kianna Carter, Carol Corich, Henry Dykstal, Elisabeth Hawthorne, Ian Mercer, Joshua Weinberg

Minnesota Opera is a proud member of The Arts Partnership with the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Schubert Club.

UPCOMING EVENTS

NOV. 27, 8PM Classical Minnesota Public Radio broadcasts Minnesota Opera’s 2011 production of Silent Night. A Pulitzer Prizewinning New Works Initiative commission, the opera recounts a miraculous moment of peace during one of the bloodiest wars in human history.

Project Opera Performs Ben Moore & Kelly Rourke’s Odyssey FEB. 9–11

Behind the Curtain

Odyssey, based on Homer’s epic poem, tells the time-honored tale of the wily king of Ithaca and the trials and tribulations he must face on his journey home from the Trojan War. Sung in English with English captions projected above the stage.

Presented at The Lab Theater, 700 North First Street, Minneapolis (next to the Minnesota Opera Center).

JAN. 17, 7PM

MNOPERA.ORG/ODYSSEY

MNOPERA.ORG/LISTEN

At the historic Opera Center, get the inside scoop on Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking as opera experts and members of the cast and creative team lead discussions exploring the music, history, and design of opera.

MNOPERA.ORG/BTC

MN Opera @ Books & Bars JAN. 23, 6:15PM This open book club perfectly combines opera, literature, and beer! Join moderator Jeff Kamin and special guests for food, libations, and engaging conversations on books related to MN Opera’s 55th anniversary season.

MNOPERA.ORG/BOOKS

Das Rheingold Broadcast JAN. 25, 8PM Classical Minnesota Public Radio broadcasts Minnesota Opera’s 2016 production of Richard Wagner’s Das Rheingold, which features Greer Grimsley, Nathan Berg, and Denyce Graves. Michael Christie conducts.

MNOPERA.ORG/LISTEN

Dead Man Walking JAN. 27–FEB. 3 This heartbreaking story of grief, grace, and redemption has moved audiences worldwide since its premiere. Based on Sister Helen Prejean’s memoir that inspired the Oscar-winning movie of the same name, the opera recounts her courageous struggle to provide spiritual guidance to a condemned Louisiana murderer in the months leading up to his execution.

MARCH 17–31 Verdi’s tale of seduction and bitter revenge is boldly imagined in this new production.

The disfigured jester Rigoletto must do everything in his power to protect his innocent daughter from the lecherous Duke of Mantua before she falls into his clutches. Rigoletto tragically unfurls as it races toward its devastating climax.

MNOPERA.ORG/RIGOLETTO

Taste of Opera MAR. 27, 5PM Enhance your opera-going experience with a delicious pre-show dinner at The University Club of St. Paul and casual conversation with the experts of Rigoletto.

Leave the logistics to us and enjoy an allinclusive night out at the opera.

MNOPERA.ORG/TASTE

Resident Artist Program 20th Anniversary Event APR. 8 The Minnesota Opera Resident Artist Program 20th Anniversary Event honors the legacy and accomplishments of the company’s esteemed training program founded by Artistic Director Dale Johnson. Surprise guests perform an eclectic musical program that promises a memorable concert in support of the past, current, and future members of the highly selective program for artists and administrators.

MNOPERA.ORG/COMMUNITY-EVENTS

Thaïs Opera Insights

MAY 12–20

ONE HOUR PRIOR TO EACH PERFORMANCE

A devout monk seeks to convert Thaïs, a ravishingly beautiful courtesan, but realizes too late that his pious obsession is rooted in lust, not religion. Massenet’s sensual and melodic creation, set in the deserts and oases of 4th century Egypt, explores the conflict between the passion of the flesh and the salvation of the soul.

MNOPERA.ORG/OPERA-INSIGHTS

Regular Hours: Monday – Friday, 10am – 5pm.

Performances: Weekdays — phones open until curtain. Weekends — phones open at 2pm for evening performances and at 10:30am for matinee performances. Minnesota Opera staff will be available at the Ordway’s Box Office 90 minutes prior to curtain. mnopera.org Visit mnopera.org to watch behind-thescenes videos, read synopses, browse digital programs, and more. Join our e-club to receive special offers and opera news.

Rigoletto

MNOPERA.ORG/DEAD-MAN-WALKING

Enjoy fun, free, and informative half-hour lectures, hosted by Minnesota Opera artistic staff in Ordway’s Target Atrium.

Come early and get an overview of the characters and music, the historical and cultural context of the opera, and highlights to watch for during the show.

Minnesota Opera Patron Services 620 North First Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401 612-333-6669

MNOPERA.ORG/THAIS

Ticket Policies Tickets are not refundable. Subscribers may make exchanges for a different performance or opera up to one hour prior to curtain. Any ticket may be turned back for a tax-deductible donation up until curtain. Call Minnesota Opera Patron Services at 612-333-6669.

Parking Prepaid parking is available for opera patrons at the Lawson Commons Ramp. Call 612-3336669 or visit mnopera.org to purchase passes.

Opera Insights Come early for Opera Insights — free, fun, and informative half-hour sessions held in the lobby one hour before curtain.

Accessibility For patrons with disabilities, wheelchairaccessible seats are available. Audio description will be available or select performances. Please call 612-333-6669 for details and indicate any special needs when ordering tickets. At the Ordway, accessible restrooms and other facilities are available, as well as Braille or large-print programs and infrared listening systems.

At the Ordway Ordway is a smoke-free facility.

Latecomers will be seated at an appropriate break.

Please have all cell phones and pagers turned to the silent mode.

Children under six are not permitted in the hall.

Cameras and recording equipment are strictly prohibited in the theater. Please check these items with an usher.

Food and beverages are available for purchase prior to the show and during intermission. Water and other beverages are allowed in the theater (hot beverages require lids), but food is strictly prohibited.

The phone number for emergencies is 651-224-4222. Please leave seat locations with the calling party.

Lost and Found is located at the Stage Door.

Call 651-282-3070 for assistance.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

Silent Night Broadcast

M I N N E S OTA O P E R A I N F O

23

INDIVIDUAL GIVING

I T I S W I T H D E E P A P P R E C I AT I O N that Minnesota Opera recognizes individual donors who have made gifts to our Annual Fund, Fund-a-Dream, and Opera Innovate NOW campaigns. Thank you for making this exceptional art come to life.

bel canto circle PLATINUM $50,000 AND ABOVE Susan S. Boren Ellie Crosby – The Longview Foundation & The Crosswols Foundation Julia W. Dayton Vicki and Chip Emery Ruth and John Huss Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad Lucy Rosenberry Jones and James E. Johnson C. Angus* and Margaret Wurtele William White Wayne Zink and Christopher Schout

camerata circle PLATINUM $7,500 – $9,999 Anonymous Mary Abbe Allegro Fund of the Saint Paul Foundation Michael Birt Kenneth and Peggy Bonneville Judith Garcia Galiana and Alberto Castillo Christl and Andrew Larson Connie and Lew Remele GOLD $5,000 – $7,499 Anonymous Donald E. Benson Susan Calmenson Nicky B. Carpenter* Jan Conlin and Gene Goetz Peter Davis and Pamela Webster Margaret Poyner Galbraith Dr. Richard Gregory Diane and Paul Jacobson Dorothy Horns and James Richardson Robert and Susan Josselson The Art and Martha Kaemmer Fund of HRK Foundation

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

artist circle

24

$1,000 – $2,499 Anonymous (2) Arlene and Tom Alm Floyd Anderson Rebecca D. Arons and Thomas J. Basting Jr. Annette Atkins and Tom Joyce Ruth and Dale Bachman Thomas and Ann Bagnoli Maria Bales Carl and Joan Behr Barbara S. Belk Ed and Mimi Bohrer Al Bradley Drs. Eli and Jan Briones Joan and George Carlson Barb and Jeff Couture Mike and Stacey Crosby – The Longview Foundation Helen and John Crosson Cy and Paula DeCosse Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation

PLATINUM $20,000 – $49,999 Richard Allendorf Martha and Bruce Atwater Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation & Prospect Creek Foundation Patricia Beithon Mary and Gus Blanchard Jay and Rebecca Debertin Sara and Jock Donaldson William I. and Bianca M. Fine Charitable Trust Alfred and Ingrid Lenz Harrison Mr. and Mrs. Philip Isaacson John and Kathleen Junek Miriam and Erwin Kelen Robert L. Lee and Mary E. Schaffner Harvey Thomas McLain Leni and David Moore Jr./Moore Family Fund for the Arts of The Minneapolis Foundation

Kay Ness and Chris Wolohan Elizabeth Redleaf Paul and Mary Reyelts Mary Vaughan H. Bernt von Ohlen and W. Thomas Nichol

Dr. Anna Kokayeff Kyle Kossol and Tom Becker Robert Kriel and Linda Krach Ilo and Margaret Leppik Diana Lee Lucker David MacMillan and Judy Krow Kendrick B. Melrose Donor Advised Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Alfred Moore Sarah and Rolf Peters Eloise and Carl Pohlad Family Fund Jennifer and Chris Romans Ken and Nina Rothchild Nadege J. Souvenir and Joshua A. Dorothy Julie Steiner Dr. Andrew J. Thomas SILVER $2,500 – $4,999 Anonymous Dan and Martha Goldberg Aronson William Biermaier and David Hanson Alexandra O. Bjorklund Michelle Blaeser Will and Margee Bracken Ann and Glenn Buttermann

Laurie Carlson and William Voedisch Darlene J. and Richard P. Carroll Family Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation Michael and Alexis Christie Rusty and Burt Cohen Gisela Corbett and Peter Hyman Ruth Dayton Jean Deatrick and Eldon Feist Thomas and Mary Lou Detwiler Ralph D. Ebbott Dr. Mary Anne Ebert and Paul Stembler Joyce and Hugh Edmondson Rosanne and Ken Everson Ann Fankhanel Gail Fiskewold Bruce and Melanie Flessner Patricia R. Freeburg Mrs. Myrtle Grette Susanne Haas and Ross Formell Roger and Karen Hale Michele Harris and Peter Tanghe Jean McGough Holten Dr. Arthur and Fran Horowitz J. D. Jackson Dale A. Johnson

Patricia Johnson and Kai Bjerkness Janet N. Jones Lyndel and Blaine King Robert and Venetia Kudrle From the Family of Richard C. and Elizabeth B. Longfellow Dorothy and Roy Mayeske Mary Bigelow McMillan* Velia R. Melrose Sandy and Bob Morris Richard and Nancy Nicholson Luis Pagan-Carlo and Joseph Sammartino Debra Paterson Mrs. William S. Phillips John and Sandra Roe Foundation Thomas D. and Nancy J. Rohde James and Andrea Rubenstein Frank and Lynda Sharbrough Dorothy Sinha Ryan Taylor Dr. Norrie Thomas and Gina Gillson Dr. Craig S. and Stephanie Walvatne Ellen M. Wells Nancy and Ted Weyerhaeuser Woessner Freeman Family Foundation

Charles M. Denny Jr. and Carol E. Denny Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation Joan Duddingston Laura and Tim Edman Holli and Stefan Egerstrom Rondi Erickson and Sandy Lewis Ester Fesler Salvatore Silvestri Franco James and Teddy Gesell Heidi and Howard Gilbert Jennifer Gross and Jerry LeFevre Thomas and Mary Gross Bruce and Jean Grussing William Gullikson Marion and Donald Hall Nancy A. Harris Don Helgeson and Sue Shepard Stefan and Lonnie Helgeson Elfrieda Hintze Thomas Hunt and John Wheelihan Jill Irvine Crow Robert and Sandy Klas Sally and Bill Kling Mrs. James S. Kochiras Constance and Daniel Kunin

Laurence and Jean LeJeune Virginia Levy Benjamin Y. H. and Helen C. Liu William F. Long Darby Lunceford and Todd Wright James W. Lund Leland T. Lynch and Terry Saario Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation Steve Matheson Carolyn Mayo Barbara McBurney Helen and Charles* McCrossan Deb and Jon McTaggart Eileen and Lester Meltzer David* and LaVonne Middleton Betty Myers David E. and Judy L. Myers Joan and Richard Newmark Brandon and Melissa Novy Ben Oehler Ruth and Ahmad Orandi Derrill Pankow Tom and Sally Patterson Suzanne and William Payne Marge and Dwight Peterson

Kay Phillips and Jill Mortensen Mary and Robert Price Karen Quisenberry Scott and Courtney Rile Dr. Donald V. Romanaggi, Sr. Sampson Family Charitable Foundation David E. Sander Fred and Gloria Sewell Cherie and Robert Shreck Stephanie Simon David Smith Joan T. Smith Kevin and Lynn Smith Daniel J. Spiegel Family Foundation Dana and Stephen Strand Carley, Bill, Kirsten, and Carolyn Stuber Jill and John Thompson Mrs. Joanne Von Blon David L. Ward Mark Warnken John W. Windhorst Jr. Jean C. Wirsig* Srilata and Aks Zaheer

GOLD $15,000–$19,999 Anonymous (2) Karen Bachman Sharon Hawkins David Strauss SILVER $10,000–$14,999 Anonymous Nina and John* Archabal Stephen and Margaret Blake Shari and David Boehnen Rachelle Dockman Chase Jane M. and Ogden W. Confer

Mrs. Susan DeNuccio Nancy and Rolf Engh Dolly J. Fiterman* Mr. and Mrs. William Frels Beverly N. Grossman Maureen and Mike Harms Warren and Patty Kelly Margaret V. Kinney Chris Larsen and Scott Peterson Mary Ash and Barry Lazarus Cynthia and Lawrence Lee Albin and Susan Nelson Jose Peris and Diana Gulden Don and Patricia Romanaggi Mahlon and Karen Schneider Mary H. and Christian G. Schrock Jesse and Linda Singh Virginia L. and Edward C. Stringer Greg Sullivan

INDIVIDUAL GIVING patron circle GOLD $750 – $999 Anonymous Laurie Anderson and Jon Hanson Dr. and Mrs. Orn Arnar Gerald and Phyllis Benson Sharon Bloodworth Maureen and John Drewitz David Dudycha and Dorothy Vawter Andrew Grzeskowiak Russell and Priscilla Hankins Karla Miller Lucia Newell and Steven Wiese Carol Peterson Ann M. Rock Liane A. Rosel Richard and Carol Seaberg Cindy and Steven Vilks Frank and Frances Wilkinson SILVER $500 – $749 Anonymous (2) Katherine Anderson August J. Aquila and Emily Haliziw Kay C. Bach Jo and Gordon Bailey Family Fund of the Catholic Community Foundation

associate circle $250 – $499 Anonymous (2) Paul and Val Ackerman Thomas O. Allen Joy K. and J.C. Amel Jerry Artz James and Gail Bakkom Kenneth J. Berglund John and Cindy Beukema Sharon Bigot David and Diane Blake Barbara Brauer Allen Brookins-Brown Roger and Ronnie Brooks Philip and Carolyn Brunelle Jean and Bruce Carlson Alan E. and Ruth Carp Katherine L. Castille Wanda and David Cline Kay Constantine Jeanne E. Corwin Shana Crosson and John Gisselquist Melissa Daul James D’Aurora R. Anthony Diaz Thalia Duffield Patrick Dufour and Molly O’Brien Charlie and Anne Ferrell Steven and Mimi Fisher Carol and Mike Garbisch Greta and Paul Garmers

Donald and Naren Bauer Christopher Beaudet Chuck and Estelle Bennett Mitch and Michele Blatt Martin and Patricia Blumenreich Gerald Bradley Elizabeth Brenner Richard and Mari Carlson Lois Dirksen Leah and Ian Evison Brian M. Finstad Terence Fruth and Mary McEvoy Family Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation Joan and William Gacki William W. and Susan G. Gerberich Rehael Fund – Roger Hale/Nor Hall of The Minneapolis Foundation Clifton and Sharon Hill John Hogie Andrew and Gary Whitford Holey Steve Horan Burton and Sandra Hoverson Nancy Jones Erika and Herb Kahler Beverly Kasper Jane and Jim Kaufman Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation

Mary L. Kenzie Foundation Nathan Kulenkamp Scott and Karla Lalim Natalie Levin and Stephen Gilberstadt David and Anna Linder Jonathan and Lisa Lewis Ruth W. Lyons Martha and Stuart Mason William and Kris McGrath Judith and James Mellinger Jack and Jane Moran Dede Ouren Ilya Perepelitsyn and Lioudmila Sitnikova John and Margaret Perry Walter Pickhardt and Sandra Resnick Lawrence M. Redmond Bob Rose Christopher Ross Enrique and Clara Rotstein Marian R. Rubenfeld and Frederick G. Langendorf Christine Sagstetter Jon L. Schasker and Debbie Carlson Gale Sharpe Morris and Judith Sherman

Bernie and Juliana Simmons Madeline Simon Rhonda Skoby Stanislaw Skrowaczewski* Linda Soranno and Howard Bolter Clifford C. and Virginia G. Sorensen Charitable Trust of The Saint Paul Foundation Jon Spoerri and Debra Christgau Michael Steffes Dr. David M. Steinhaus Sharon Stoffel Craig and Janet Swan Michael Symeonides and Mary Pierce Dr. Anthony Thein Josephine Trubek Kenneth and Kathryn Valentas Susan Weinsheimer Elizabeth Wexler Deborah Wheeler Barbara White Jeff and Joe Wiemiller Barb Wildes John M. Williams Barbara and James Willis

Randy Goetz Charlotte L. Grantier Laurie Hacking Charles Hample Laurie Hansen Rosmarie and John Helling Mary K. Hicks Stuart Holland Randy Holt Mark and Kathleen Humphrey Thomas and Vicki Hurwitz Guillermo Irisarri Ray Jacobsen Mark and Jeanne Jacobson Deborah and Ronald Jans Charlie Johnson Kristine Kaplan Ed and Martha Karels James Karges Michael and Sheue Keenan Scott Kegler Cheryl and Barry Kempton Carole and Joseph Killpatrick Janice Kimes Dr. Daniel and Kerry Kincaid Beatrice H. Langford Kenyon S. Latham David and Darlene Lee Stuart MacGibbon Holly MacDonald and John Orbison Dr. Joan E. Madden Donald and Rhoda Mains Bridget Manahan and Joe Alexander

John McAleer Laurel and David Mech Susan Mehle Adele Mehta Mary Meighan and David Ingbar Curtis and Verne Melberg Rita Meyer John L. Michel and H. Berit Midelfort Virginia Miller Theresa, Jim and Nicole Murray Virginia Dudley and William Myers Sarah Nagle Merritt C. Nequette and Nancy Hartung Mina Fisher and Fritz Nelson Patricia A. O’Gorman Dennis R. Olson Donna and Marvin Ortquist Kathy and Don Park James A. Payne Lana K. Pemberton Janell Pepper Allen Perriello Anne and John Polta Bertrand and Nancy Poritsky Nicole and Charles Prescott Joel Rainville and Kyle Olson Dennis M. Ready The Redleaf Family Foundation Barton Reed Ann Richter Philip Rickey Mallory A. Roberts

David and J. Susan Robertson Robert E. Rocknem Michael and Tamara Root Daniel Roth Nickolas Sanches Mischa Santora Kate Saumur Mary Savina Beatrice C. Sexton Mary Shamrock Rebecca Shockley Arthur and Marilynn Skantz Joseph and Susan Sorrentino Mark and Kristi Specker Donna Stephenson Barbara Stoll Susan Swanson Dan and Erika Tallman Joyce Thielen Katharine E. Thomas Marie J. Thomas Robert and Barbara Thomasson Laura Thompson Susan Truman Jessica Vanyo John Vilandre Elaine Walker Renee Campion and David Walsh John and Sandra White Wendy Wildung Ruth Wood * in remembrance

b e c o m e

a

d o n o r

Bring innovative opera productions to life with your charitable gift, and join Minnesota Opera’s family of donors today. Visit mnopera.org/support to give online. Thank you!

The appearances of Richard Ollarsaba, grand finalist; Jeni Houser and Angela Mortellaro, regional finalists; and Andres Acosta, Mary Evelyn Hangley, and Wm. Clay Thompson, district finalists of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, are made possible through a Minnesota Opera Endowment Fund established for Artist Enhancement by Barbara White Bemis.

The appearances of the Resident Artists are made possible, in part, by the Virginia L. Stringer Endowment Fund for the Minnesota Opera Resident Artist Program.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

These lists are current as of October 3, 2017 and include donors who gave a gift of $250 or more in annual support of Minnesota Opera.

If your name is not listed appropriately, please accept our apologies and contact Mallory Roberts, Development Director, at mroberts@mnopera.org or 612-342-9566.

25

INSTITUTIONAL GIVING MINNESOTA OPERA G R A T E F U L LY A C K N O W L E D G E S ITS MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORTERS: $ 1 0 0,0 0 0 +

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

THE ANDREW W.

MELLON FOUNDATION

$ 50,0 0 0 – $ 9 9, 9 9 9

$ 2 5,0 0 0 – $ 49, 9 9 9

Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation

Art and Martha Kaemmer Fund of the HRK Foundation

$ 1 0,0 0 0 – $ 24, 9 9 9

Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation

MAHADH Fund of the HRK Foundation

The Aaron Copland Fund for Music Inc.

For more information about making a corporate or foundation contribution to Minnesota Opera, please contact Diana Konopka at dkonopka@mnopera.org or 612-342-9565.

MINNESOTA OPERA SPONSORS

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

SEASON SPONSOR

26

OFFICIAL MAKE-UP PARTNER

TEMPO AFTER PARTIES

TEMPO PRINT SPONSOR

Sakura OFFICIAL HOTEL OF MINNESOTA OPERA

IN-KIND

MEDIA PARTNER

CORPORATIONS, FOUNDATIONS, AND GOVERNMENT GOLD $5,000 – $9,999

Boss Foundation Dellwood Foundation Faegre Baker Daniels Hardenbergh Foundation Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts Anna M. Heilmaier Charitable Foundation R.C. Lilly Foundation Mayo Clinic RBC Wealth Management James Rubenstein, Moss & Barnett

Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner P.A. St. Paul Cultural STAR Travelers Foundation Xcel Energy

Tennant Foundation Thomson Reuters Twin Cities Opera Guild

BRONZE $250 – $2,499

SILVER $2,500 – $4,999

Anonymous Amphion Foundation Hutter Family Foundation Margaret Rivers Fund Peravid Foundation The Elizabeth C. Quinlan Foundation

Carlson Family Foundation Enterprise Holdings Foundation Hammel, Green and Abrahamson Inc. McVay Foundation Onan Family Foundation Sit Investment Foundation Wells Fargo Insurance Services

SPECIAL GIVING LEGACY CIRCLE Minnesota Opera thanks the following donors who, through their foresight and generosity, have included the Opera in their wills or estate plans.

innovate now initiative Minnesota Opera has received generous leadership commitments for new initiatives in education, infrastructure, and community programming.

Anonymous (4)

Julia Hanna*

Sheila McNally*

Norton Hintz* and Mary Abbe

Frederick J. Hey Jr.*

Mrs. Walter Meyers Estate*

Paul and Val Ackerman

Elfrieda Hintze

Thomas Allen

Jean McGough Holten

John L. Michel and H. Berit Midelfort

$250,000+

Dr. and Mrs. Rolf* Andreassen

Charles J. Hudgins*

Karla Miller

Julia W. Dayton

Alfred and Ingrid Lenz Harrison

Mary A. Andres

Cordelia Anderson and John Humleker

Susan Molder*

Vicki and Chip Emery

Miriam and Erwin Kelen

Karen Bachman

Edith Mueller*

Ruth and John Huss

Richard and Joan Newmark

Randolph G. Baier*

Dale and Pat Johnson

Mrs. Harvey O. Beek*

Ruth Jones*

H. Bernt von Ohlen and W. Thomas Nichol

Lucy Rosenberry Jones and James E. Johnson

Mary Ash and Barry Lazarus

Thomas and Ann Bagnoli

C.T. Bundy II

Barbara* and Sandi Bemis

Charles and Sally Jorgensen

Scott J. Pakudaitis

Dr. Lee A. Borah, Jr.*

Robert and Susan Josselson

Mrs. William S. Phillips

Al Bradley

Markle Karlen

Phyllis Price

Margaret M. Carasik

Charlotte Karlen*

Darlene J. and Richard P. Carroll Family Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation

Mary H. Keithahn

Brian and Trish Huberty Prokosch

Joan and George Carlson

Lyndel and Blaine King

Estate of Robin J. Carpenter*

Gretchen Klein*

Warren and Patty Kelly Margaret Kilroe Trust*

Julia and Dan Cross

Sally and Bill Kling

Julia W. Dayton

Gisela Knoblauch*

Stephanie C. Van D’Elden

Robert Kriel and Linda Krach

Charles M. Denny Jr. and Carol E. Denny Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation

Liz and Jim Krezowski

George* and Susan Doty

Helen L. Kuehn*

Rudolph Driscoll* Anne P. Ducharme

Richard G.* and Liane A. Rosel Ken and Nina Rothchild Berneen Rudolph Mary Savina Josef Schermann Frank and Lynda Sharbrough Drew Stewart James and Susan Sullivan

C. Angus* and Margaret Wurtele

Cynthia and Lawrence Lee Mardag Foundation Mary Bigelow McMillan*

$100,000 – $249,999

Kay Ness

Anonymous

Jennifer and Chris Romans

Best Buy Children’s Foundation Susan S. Boren Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad John and Kathleen Junek Paul and Mary Reyelts Mary Vaughan

Robert L. Lee and Mary E. Schaffner Mary H. and Christian G. Schrock Julie Steiner David Strauss

$10,000 – $24,999

$50,000 – $99,999

Anonymous (4)

Mary Vaughan

Katherine B. Andersen Fund of the St. Paul Foundation

Robert J. Lawser, Jr.

Gregory Swinehart and Mitra Walter

Martha and H. Brewster Atwater

Jean Lemberg*

Sandra and Dale Wick

Ester Fesler

Rondi Erickson and Sandy Lewis

Jean C. Wirsig*

Jane M. and Ogden W. Confer

Patricia Johnson and Kai Bjerkness

Dr. Paul Froeschl

Joyce and Jerry Lillquist

Kay Ness

Sara and Jock Donaldson

Shari and David Boehnen

Katy Gaynor

Dawn M. Loven

Richard Zgodava*

Nettie Grabscheid*

Patricia Ruth Lund*

Daniel Richard Zillmann

Ellie Crosby – The Longview Foundation

Kenneth and Peggy Bonneville

Robert* and Ellen Green

David Mayo

Dr. Ieva M. Grundmanis*

Philip Oxman and Harvey Zuckman

Robert Shearer and Joan Gustafson

Thomas R. McBurney*

Leni and David Moore Jr./Moore Family Fund for the Arts of The Minneapolis Foundation

Mrs. Susan DeNuccio

Barbara McBurney

Michelle Hackett

Mildred McGonagle*

Russell and Priscilla Hankins

Mary Bigelow McMillan*

Mary McDiarmid * in remembrance

For more information on making planned giving arrangements, please contact Carley M. Stuber, CFRE, Chief Development Officer, at cstuber@mnopera.org or 612-342-9579.

COMMEMORATIVE GIFTS It is with deep appreciation that Minnesota Opera acknowledges those who have made gifts in the name of a friend, loved one, or colleague.

H. Bernt von Ohlen and W. Thomas Nichol Wayne Zink and Christopher Schout Jesse and Linda Singh

John Archabal John and Ruth Huss Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation Carley Stuber

Arlene Bryant Maureen and John Drewitz

Josephine B. Carpenter Sara and Jock Donaldson

Robin J. Carpenter Netsmart Technologies

Dolly Fiterman Mary W. Vaughan

Leroy Genaw Jessica Vanyo

Heinz F. Hutter Theresa, Jim and Nicold Murray

Helen Hines Maureen and John Drewitz

Mary B. Martin Renee and Juan Cristiani

Charles S. McCrossan Lynn Choromanski Mathy Construction Co.

Ruth Wallentine Maureen and John Drewitz

C. Angus Wurtele Rachelle Dockman Chase Sara and Jock Donaldson Ruth and John Huss James E. Johnson Krystal Kohler & Dan Norris Nickolas Sanches Carley Stuber

The Wedding of Mary Jo Flynn and S. Hubig Susan Olson

Harvey T. McLain Patrick Dufour and Molly O’Brien

Kyle Kossol and Tom Becker Michael Birt

Nadege J. Souvenir and Joshua A. Dorothy Gail Fiskewold The Engh Foundation Maureen and Mike Harms Sharon Hawkins Mr. and Mrs. Philip Isaacson

William I. and Bianca M. Fine Charitable Trust

Margaret V. Kinney

William White

Chris Larsen and Scott Peterson

$25,000 – $49,999

Connie and Lew Remele

Anonymous (2)

Don and Patricia Romanaggi

Richard Allendorf Nina and John* Archabal

In Memory Of:

Karen Bachman

Will and Margee Bracken Jay and Rebecca Debertin

Albin and Susan Nelson

Virginia L. and Edward C. Stringer Dr. Andrew J. Thomas * in remembrance

Jose Peris and Diana Gulden

Karla Miller Carley Stuber

Rob Riordan Manilan Houle

Wayne Zink and Christopher Schout Douglas Myhra and John Clingerman

In Honor Of: Ian Alexander Mani Nease Peterson

Julia W. Dayton Lucy Rosenberry Jones and James E. Johnson

F L X : I I @MNOPERA

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

Robert and Venetia Kudrle

Anthony Thein

27

GIVE OPERA TO ALL AGES! Minnesota Opera reaches students of every age from across the state. From toddlers at our library story-time Stories Sing!, to talented young vocalists 8-18 training in Project Opera, to young artists developing through our Resident Artist Program, to adults 55+ singing in our new choir Voices of Opera, MN Opera is actively spreading the joy of opera and art-making throughout the community. Every age is the perfect age for opera!

Regardless of participants’ experience or background, we bring people together and have a positive impact on their lives by not only teaching musical concepts and appreciation, but also teaching teamwork, social skills and critical thinking, and instilling a sense of accomplishment. The difference you can make by supporting MN Opera’s Opera for All Ages programming is immeasurable.

Please consider donating to support Opera For All Ages. Your gift will extend the limits of what’s possible for an opera company to achieve and enrich the lives of thousands of Minnesotans, young and old alike.

Donate today at mnopera.org/support.

From top to bottom: Photos by Sigrid Redpath, Corinne Standish, and Alejandro Magallón

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Black Dirt Theater of Hastings, MN Presents

For advertising opportunities in Minnesota Opera programs: mary-kate@artsink.org • 612.791.3629 artsink.org Proud to partner with Minnesota Opera Offering advertising opportunities in the following program publications: Ordway • Minnesota Opera • Children’s Theatre Company Chanhassen Dinner Theatres • The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Cantus • Hennepin Theatre Trust’s Spotlight Education • Ivey Awards Minnesota Boychoir • Minnetonka Theatre • Schubert Club

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Project SUCCESS thanks

MINNESOTA OPERA

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IN MINNEAPOLIS SINCE 1994

612 874.7710

www.projectsuccess.org

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 2017–18

Project SUCCESS motivates and inspires young people to dream about the future, helps them take steps to get there and gives them the tools they need to achieve their goals.

29

Christmas at

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A Minnesota Orchestra Christmas: Home for the Holidays A New Year Celebration: Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 Merry and Bright: A Big, Brassy Christmas with Charles Lazarus

Rufus Wainwright with the Minnesota Orchestra

An Evening with George Winston

A Christmas Oratorio

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