Minnesota Opera's Cruzar la Cara de la Luna

Music by José “Pepe” Martínez

Lyrics by José "Pepe" Martínez and Leonard Foglia

Book by Leonard Foglia

November 4–12, 2023

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WELCOME

F E A T U R E S

W

elcome back to the Ordway and the start of Minnesota Opera’s 61st Season. This season, you’ll find a mix of well-known works alongside new productions — a blend of performances that you may have come to expect of our company.

When planning each season, it is our perennial hope that you will be surprised and delighted by what we’ve prepared for you, and that there will be something during the course of a season that will connect to each individual who joins us during the year. We try to decide how we can showcase the best that our art has to offer, and expand our circle of storytelling so that new voices, experiences, and melodies can easily find a home with many of our most widely beloved operas from the last 425 years.

As our company continues to chart the path forward through a challenging climate for all cultural organizations, we’ve been thinking a lot about the idea of belonging. What is our place as artmakers in the Twin Cities? Our community has grown and changed so much in the last three and a half years. As a nation, we have become more aware of our rich history and its many aspects that haven’t been fully examined. And yet, many of us have a history that involves ancestors who have journeyed physically and emotionally to where we are now. To proactively seek a better life for our families and those who come after us — that is a common goal of our shared humanity.

For the last few seasons — while watching the character of the refugee in Flight, to the displaced Romani peoples in Carmen, to the Hmong family journey of celebrated Minnesota Author Kao Kalia Yang in last season’s The Song Poet — we’ve explored what it means to be human and to pursue a more joyful, peaceful existence than the one we inherited.

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna continues this exploration, with a vibrant score, a deeply personal narrative, and a journey that many of our families have taken in the past. In its 13-year history, Cruzar has become an important part of the operatic repertoire with its soul-stirring rhythms, full-throated melodies, and breathtaking moments of empathy and compassion. These performances represent a celebration of opera’s continuing journey to grow and become more welcoming to all who wish to come along on this most amazing musical and dramatic ride!

Director’s Notes • 9

Meet the Artists • 15

CO N T E N TS 6

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna

8

Synopsis

9

Director’s Notes

10 Composer and Librettist 11

Meet MN Opera

12

Cast and Creative Team

14 Orchestra, Chorus, and

Supernumeraries

15

Meet the Artists

16

Health and Safety

18

The Elixir of Love

20 MN Opera Board of

Directors, Staff, and Volunteers

21

Upcoming Events

21

MN Opera Information

22 MN Opera Donor

Appreciation

24

Special Giving

25

Institutional Giving

RYAN TAYLOR PRESIDENT AND GENERAL DIRECTOR

LARGE-PRINT AND BRAILLE PROGRAMS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE PATRON SERVICES OFFICE.

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FLX:II

A MARIACHI OPERA MUSIC BY LYRICS BY

José “Pepe” Martínez

José "Pepe" Martínez AND Leonard Foglia BOOK BY

Leonard Foglia

Commissioned by Houston Grand Opera | Premiered at Houston Grand Opera in September, 2010 Orchestral Arrangement by David Hanlon Sung in Spanish and English with translated captions projected above the stage

CAST

in order of vocal appearance

MARK

CONDUCTOR

DIANA

STAGE DIRECTOR

E F R AÍ N S O L Í S ZULIMAR LÓPEZ-HERNÁNDEZ

LAURENTINO

O C TAV I O MO R E N O

CHUCHO

DANI E L MO N T E NE GR O *

LUPITA

VANE SSA ALO NZO

RENATA

C E C I L I A DUART E

RAFAEL

E F R AÍ N CO R R AL E J O +

VICTOR

I SAAC Q U I R O GA

YOUNG RAFAEL

MAT E O H U B E R

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

+ MN OPERA RESIDENT ARTIST

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CREATIVE TEAM

* MN OPERA RESIDENT ARTIST ALUM • MN OPERA COMPANY ARTIST

DAVID H ANLO N DAVID RADAMÉ S TO RO *

SCENIC AND COSTUME DESIGNER

ARNULFO MALDO NADO

LIGHTING DESIGNER CARO LINA O RT IZ H E RRE RA

SOUND DESIGNER

C. ANDRE W MAYE R

WIG, HAIR, AND MAKEUP CO-DESIGNER

WE NDY ZARAT E FRANK

WIG, HAIR, AND MAKEUP CO-DESIGNER E MMA G USTAFS O N

INTIMACY DIRECTOR

E RIC “PO G I” S UMANG IL

MUSICAL PREPARATION MARIO ANTONIO MARRA

Head of Music and Assistant Conductor

CELESTE MARIE JOHNSON* Principal Coach and Chorus Director

E RICA G UO +, Répétiteur

ASSISTANT STAGE DIRECTOR MARG ARE T J UMO NVILLE •

STAGE MANAGER KE RI MUIR

SEASON SPONSOR

MN Opera is incredibly grateful for the support of our donors who have supported Cruzar la Cara de la Luna. Thank you so much for sponsoring this work and the Post-Performance Fiesta Celebration.

SHOW SPONSORS

Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad The Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation City of Saint Paul Cultural STAR Program POST-PERFORMANCE FIESTA SPONSORS

Stephen and Margaret Blake

Ruth and John Huss

Jodi and Michael Mooney

Bart and Kimberly Reed

Roma Calatayud-Stocks and Dr. Thomas Stocks

Mary H and Christian G. Schrock

Gayle Fuguitt and Tom Veitch

Missy Staples Thompson and Gar Hargens

Mark Gordon and Anne Zweibel

Margaret V.B. Wurtele

ESTIMATED RUNNING TIME

is one hour and 18 minutes. There is no intermission.

POST-PERFORMANCE FIESTA (ONE HOUR)

Following each performance, all audience members are invited to join a post-performance fiesta in Ordway’s Target Atrium featuring live mariachi music and art installations hosted by generous members of Minnesota Opera’s donor community.

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna is a co-production of Minnesota Opera and Austin Opera.

Scenery, Properties, and Costumes for this production were constructed by Minnesota Opera and are jointly owned by Minnesota Opera and Austin Opera.

Music Preparation Services by Just a Theory Press.

The guitar in this performance was generously provided to us by Joe Cruz.

Minnesota Opera would like to recognize that we occupy land that is of great historical, spiritual, and cultural significance to the Dakota people.

To learn more, visit mnopera.org/land-acknowledgement.

SYNOPSIS

Texas, present day – Laurentino is 75 and very ill.

His son Mark serenades him on guitar. Mark’s daughter Diana asks about Laurentino’s Mexicanborn son, Rafael, who has been estranged from Laurentino for decades. Laurentino wakes, but in his delirium mistakes Mark for Rafael. Mark continues to play the guitar while Laurentino remembers the last time he heard this song: his wedding to Renata in Mexico 50 years ago.

Flashing back to that day, the newlyweds Renata and Laurentino enter to great celebration with their friends Lupita and Chucho (En frágiles alas / On fragile wings). They dream together of their future (A cincuenta años de ahora / 50 years from now).

Present-day Laurentino wakes from this beautiful dream crying out for Renata. Diana remains with Laurentino while Mark attempts to make contact with Rafael. Diana comforts Laurentino, joined by the ghost of Renata. They both promise to be with him until the very end (Siempre estoy aquí / I’m always here).

Back in Mexico, 50 years ago, Chucho, Laurentino’s friend, convinces him to travel to the United States with him for work, promising him a better paycheck and a better life for him and his family (Diez veces más / Ten times more). Renata is not pleased with Laurentino’s decision to leave Mexico. Laurentino promises to return regularly.

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In the present, Mark and Diana contemplate Laurentino’s health. Separately, Mark and Rafael agonize over what making contact with each other could mean (Números / Numbers).

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The scene returns 43 years in the past as Lupita remarks how beautiful Renata’s new house is, but Renata confides her anguish over Laurentino’s absence (Un pueblo sin hombres / A town without men). Renata engages Victor to smuggle her and young Rafael across the border into the U.S. While they embark on the perilous journey across the desert, Laurentino and Chucho talk about how much they miss their families (Norte y sur / North and south). On their desert journey, Renata struggles to keep moving, revealing that she is pregnant. She eventually collapses while clutching Rafael.

Victor tears Rafael from his dead mother and flees back to Mexico with the boy.

Laurentino learns of the tragedy through Lupita, who tells him Rafael is traumatized and needs time to recover. Laurentino asks where Renata is buried, but she cannot bring herself to tell him the truth.

Laurentino continues his search while Lupita voices her longing for Chucho’s reassurance (Di mi nombre / Say my name).

Present-day Laurentino watches the butterflies outside his window. He tells Diana the story of their miraculous journey and his fascination with them as a boy (Cruzar la cara de la luna / To cross the face of the moon). She promises to help bring him back to Mexico after he dies.

Laurentino watches the butterflies outside his window. He tells Diana the story of their miraculous journey and his fascination with them as a boy.

Eighteen years after Renata’s death, Laurentino finally locates his son. But filled with his own anguish and rage with his father’s decision to leave Mexico, Rafael refuses to acknowledge Laurentino as his father. Laurentino persists, observing that Rafael has Renata’s eyes (Los ojos de tu madre / Your mother’s eyes).

In the present, Rafael, contemplating his decision to reunite with his father and his new family, falls into a dream where his mother appears. Together they dance, and Renata urges him to forgive Laurentino (¿Quieres bailar? / Want to dance?). Rafael reunites with Laurentino and introduces his daughter, Renata.

She assures Laurentino of her love for him (El padre de mi padre / My father’s father). Reconciled with his family and at peace, Laurentino dies. As Diana promised, the family buries Laurentino in Mexico as the monarch butterflies descend to welcome him home (Mi hogar / My home).

COSTUME RENDERING BY ARNULFO MALDONADO

DIRECTOR'S NOTES

The success of this mariachi trilogy is its specificity, and through that specificity, its universality. It is indicative of the need for the American operatic repertory to reflect the diverse American experience through musical foundations from BBIPOC communities and centered with themes of family, heritage, community, and history.

DAVID RADAMÉS TORO STAGE DIRECTOR

❝

Though immigration is an irrefutable part of the wider community, this singular lens ignores the generations [of Latinos] who live in the United States, their heritages, and their place in the greater American narrative. One of the many beautiful aspects of the mariachi trilogy is its themes of heritage, family, and identity.”

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

American media tends to file the Latino experience under “immigration stories” and focus almost exclusively on Latinos as immigrants. Though immigration is an irrefutable part of the wider community, this singular lens ignores the generations who live in the United States, their heritages, and their place in the greater American narrative. One of the many beautiful aspects of the mariachi trilogy is its themes of heritage, family, and identity. The characters in this opera reflect the beautiful diversity

within the Velásquez family’s Mexican heritage, which is comprised of Mexican citizens, those who have immigrated to the US, and first- and second-generation Mexican Americans. The youngest generation seeks to reunite a family that has been separated by miles, time, and trauma. With this directive, I sought to approach this opera from the point of view of memory. Flashback scenes are not only expository but experienced from the point of view of its protagonist, as the characters face their past trauma in order to begin the path toward familial reconciliation.

CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA 2023–24

M

y introduction to Leonard Foglia and José Martínez’s operas was in 2019, when I was asked to assist Leonard Foglia on El Pasado Nunca Se Termina — their second collaboration fusing opera and mariachi as a means of storytelling and celebrating Mexican heritage. This production stirred a new love and emotion I felt for opera. I was in a room with other Latino musicians, amongst a diverse representation of latinidad composed of musicians from South and Central America, Puerto Rico, and the US. There were people who were first, second, and like me, third-generation Americans. I felt represented, not the token in the room, not the person whose heritage had been mocked or dismissed. After our first sing-through of the piece, I was choked up hearing mariachi and opera, two art forms that I adore, coming together to tell a story about Latino families. I knew that day that I needed to tell these stories. Not only the Foglia and Martínez’s trilogy (Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, El Pasado Nunca Se Termina, and El Milagro del Recuerdo), but I wanted to be a part of expanding the American operatic canon to include stories about Latinos and latinidad in the United States.

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COMPOSER + LIBRETTIST

C O M P O S E R

JOSÉ “PEPE” MARTÍNEZ

Born: Tecalitlán, Jalisco, June 27, 1941; Died: April 23, 2016

J

osé “Pepe” Martínez was born in 1941, in the southern Jalisco village of Tecalitlán, where he demonstrated a natural talent for music as a young boy. Mariachi music was deeply rooted in his local community and was a primary inspiration to him as a young musician. At the age of 12, Martínez organized his first mariachi band called Mariachi San Andrés with his fellow school mates, naming the group after their neighborhood.

At 19 years old, having performed in several ensembles already, Martínez began to arrange and compose his own music. In 1975, Martínez joined the famed Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán and embarked on a journey to write a new chapter in mariachi music, establishing himself as a prominent composer while positioning the ensemble as a leader in the world of mariachi. Martínez had a one-ofa-kind style and was known for his rapid violin ricochets that would ignite an audience. Martínez served as Music Director of Mariachi Vargas from 1975 through his final season with the ensemble in 2014.

His first opera — and the world's first mariachi opera — was commissioned by Houston Grand Opera and premiered with acclaim in 2010. Martínez collaborated with Leonard Foglia again to write El Pasado Nunca se Termina (The Past is Never Finished) before he passed away in April of 2016 at the age of 74.

L I B R E T T I S T

LEONARD FOGLIA

L

eonard Foglia is a theater and opera director as well as librettist. He directed the world premieres of The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, (Dallas Opera) Moby Dick (Dallas, San Francisco, filmed for PBS), Everest (Dallas), Cold Mountain (Santa Fe), The End of the Affair (Houston Grand Opera), Three Decembers (HGO), It’s a Wonderful Life (HGO), and Stonewall (New York City Opera). His production of Dead Man Walking was produced by New York City Opera and has been seen across the US and has played Teatro Real in Madrid and The Barbican in London.

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

For Broadway he directed Master Class with Zoe Caldwell, Patti LuPone and Audra McDonald, Wait Until Dark with Marisa Tomei and Quentin Tarantino, Thurgood with Laurence Fishburne (filmed for HBO), The People in the Picture, On Golden Pond with James Earl Jones, and The Gin Game with Cecily Tyson and Mr. Jones. Off-Broadway: Anna Deavere Smith’s Notes From The Field (filmed for HBO) and Let Me Down Easy (filmed for PBS).

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As an opera librettist, he wrote and directed Cruzar la Cara de la Luna / To Cross the Face of the Moon with composer José “Pepe” Martínez which premiered at Houston Grand Opera, A Coffin in Egypt with composer Ricky Ian Gordon (HGO), El Pasado Nunca Se Termina / The Past Is Never Finished, with composer Martínez which premiered at Lyric Opera of Chicago, and El Milagro Del Recuerdo / The Miracle of Remembering with composer Javier Martinez (HGO). His “mariachi operas” have played across the country and on three continents.

MEET MN OPERA

ADÁN VARELA

GENIE TRAN

ASSOCIATE INSTITUTIONAL GIVING DIRECTOR

TENOR, MN OPERA CHORUS

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

What do you do at Minnesota Opera?

What do you do at Minnesota Opera?

What do you do at Minnesota Opera?

I manage and help direct institutional relationships while telling the Minnesota Opera story. Grant management is the most visible part of my work, but it is a lot more than writing and keeping a calendar.

It’s equal parts inter-departmental journalism and the ability to connect everyone to the same dream.

I am currently covering the role of Chucho in Cruzar la Cara de la Luna as well as performing in the chorus.

Some folks might say that I am "just in the chorus," but I make it way more fun than that: I've been a director of marketing named Chad in Flight, a German general named Langsam Liederkreis in Silent Night, a soldier named Buttons in Daughter of the Regiment and more. Were these characters listed in the text? No, but I love creating a specific character for each piece I am in.

I am Minnesota Opera’s Senior Graphic Designer. I work on most of our visual assets and branding to ensure Minnesota Opera’s visual imagery looks and feels good. I supervise and create MN Opera’s production artwork, subscription materials, advertisements, as well as our social, website and email graphics. Every day I get to work with the most creative and fun people on our teams to promote beautiful productions such as Cruzar la Cara de la Luna.

Why are you excited for Cruzar la Cara de la Luna?

As a first-generation Cuban-American, I identify with this story on many highly emotional levels. The sense of existing between cultures, embodying both and neither, is a profound mixture of having a lot and never enough. There is a lot to unpack whenever I ask myself about Home.

It’s very hard to find a Spanishlanguage opera on a stage like the Ordway at all, let alone an immigrant story. I’m going to need tissues for this one.

I think poet José Martí and MN Opera share the sentiment: “Hacer es la mejor manera de decir” (The best way to make a statement is to do it.)

Why are you excited for Cruzar la Cara de la Luna?

This is the first time in my career that I have performed in a show about Latiné people made by Latiné people.

This production proves that people like me matter. Our stories matter. It is thrilling to be part of a piece that beautifully expresses the humanity of Mexican people. I've always revered mariachi, not just as music, but as a representation of the inner beauty of each individual making and experiencing it. I hope that the immense depth of the music and story will bridge the gap between our different heritages to embrace our universal humanity.

Why are you excited for Cruzar la Cara de la Luna?

As an immigrant myself, I’m excited to see an immigrant story presented on stage. Not only does Cruzar la Cara de la Luna deal with the multiplicity of Mexican diasporas, it also emphasizes the complexities within family dynamics. The show’s messaging of reconnection with lost loved ones and cultures is one that is relatable for many people and I look forward to hearing what the audience thinks!

The show has such a talented cast, a beautiful set and incredible costume design—there is so much color and love going into the show that I can’t wait to experience in person myself.

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

ESTHER BLEVINS

CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA 2023–24

Meet MN Opera

Minnesota Opera’s dedicated community of artists, craftspeople, and administrators are passionate about bringing opera and opera education programs to Minnesota.

Recently, we sat down with three of them to learn more about what they do at MN Opera, and why they’re excited about this production of Cruzar la Cara de la Luna.

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

VANESSA ALONZO

DAVID HANLON

LUPITA

CONDUCTOR AND ORCHESTRAL ARRANGER

HOUSTON, TX Minnesota Opera Debut:

WASHINGTON, D.C. Minnesota Opera Debut:

Ópera Afuera, 2021

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, 2023

Notable Engagements:

Notable Engagements:

El Milagro del Recuerdo, Houston Grand Opera

The Pigeon Keeper, Santa Fe Opera* (composer)

El Pasado Nunca Se Termina, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, Houston Grand Opera

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, Houston Grand Opera

El pasado nunca se termina, Lyric Opera of Chicago El Milagro del Recuerdo, Houston Grand Opera (co-arranger) After the Storm, Houston Grand Opera (composer) The Scarlet Ibis, Chicago Opera Theatre

EFRAÍN CORRALEJO

MATEO HUBER

LEON GUANAJUATO, MEXICO Minnesota Opera Debut:

MINNEAPOLIS, MN Minnesota Opera Debut:

Rinaldo, 2022

Carmen, 2022 (Youth Chorus)

RAFAEL

YOUNG RAFAEL

Notable Engagements:

Notable Engagements:

Trouble in Tahiti / Service Provider, Minnesota Opera*

A Christmas Carol, Guthrie Theater Something Happened in Our Town, Children’s Theatre Company

La bohème, Minnesota Opera* Don Giovanni, Minnesota Opera Eugene Onegin, Highlands Opera Studio Davide Penitente, Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City The Barber of Seville, Curtis Institute of Music MN OPERA RESIDENT ARTIST

CECILIA DUARTE

CELESTE MARIE JOHNSON

RENATA

PRINCIPAL COACH AND CHORUS DIRECTOR

CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO Minnesota Opera Debut:

PINE ISLAND, MN Minnesota Opera Debut:

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, 2023

Albert Herring, 2021

Notable Engagements:

Notable Engagements:

The Queen of Carthage, Early Music Vancouver

Don Giovanni, Minnesota Opera

Alcina, Boston Early Music Festival

Edward Tulane, Minnesota Opera

El Milagro del Recuerdo, Houston Grand Opera

Carmen, Minnesota Opera

Hometown to the World, The Town Hall, NY

The Anonymous Lover, Minnesota Opera

Messiah, Bach Collegium San Diego

La fille du régiment, Opera Saratoga Tosca, Inland Northwest Opera MN OPERA RESIDENT ARTIST ALUM

WENDY ZARATE FRANK WIG, HAIR, AND MAKEUP CO-DESIGNER CHIHUAHUA, MEXICO Minnesota Opera Debut: Carmen, 2022

Notable Engagements: The Daughter of the Regiment, Minnesota Opera Don Giovanni, Minnesota Opera

ZULIMAR LÓPEZ-HERNÁNDEZ DIANA

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO Minnesota Opera Debut: Edward Tulane, 2022

Notable Engagements: Carmen, Opera de Puerto Rico El Milagro del Recuerdo, Arizona Opera Flight, Des Moines Metro Opera The Magic Flute, Utah Opera La bohème, Royal Albert Hall

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

Florencia en el Amazonas, Nashville Opera

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EMMA GUSTAFSON

WIG, HAIR, AND MAKEUP CO-DESIGNER NORTH BRANCH, MN Minnesota Opera Debut: Thaïs, 2018

Notable Engagements: The Color Purple, Theater Latté Da* The Elixir of Love, Minnesota Opera* Hello, Dolly!, Theater Latté Da Annie, Children's Theatre Company The Anonymous Lover, Minnesota Opera

CAROLINA ORTIZ HERRERA LIGHTING DESIGNER BROOKLYN, NY Minnesota Opera Debut: Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, 2023

Notable Engagements: Good Night Oscar, Broadway Born with Teeth, Guthrie Theatre American Mariachi, Alley Theatre Florencia en el Amazonas, Yale School of Music Lighting Supervisor for Santa Fe Opera for 3 seasons

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

ARNULFO MALDONADO

ERIC “POGI” SUMANGIL

NEW YORK, NY Minnesota Opera Debut:

MINNEAPOLIS, MN Minnesota Opera Debut:

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, 2023

The Song Poet, 2023

SCENIC AND COSTUME DESIGNER

INTIMACY DIRECTOR

Notable Engagements:

Notable Engagements:

A Strange Loop, Broadway (Tony nominee), West End

Don Giovanni, Minnesota Opera

Topdog/Underdog, Broadway

The Seven, La Jolla Playhouse

The Oldest Boy, Jungle Theater

Trouble In Mind, Broadway

Sex Signals, Catharsis Productions

In Dreams, Mirvish Theatre

Anything Goes, Ordway Center

Buena Vista Social Club, Atlantic Theater Company

C ANDREW MAYER

DAVID RADAMÉS TORO

MINNEAPOLIS, MN Minnesota Opera Debut:

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO Minnesota Opera Debut:

The Handmaid's Tale, 2003

Flight, 2020

SOUND DESIGNER

STAGE DIRECTOR

Notable Engagements:

Notable Engagements:

The Shining, Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, Austin Opera*

The Shining, Opera Colorado

Le nozze di Figaro, Tri-Cities Opera

Silent Night, Minnesota Opera

Dead Man Walking, Opera Idaho

Nixon in China, Minnesota Opera

The Shining, Opera Colorado Ópera Afuera, Minnesota Opera

DANIEL MONTENEGRO

ISAAC QUIROGA

SANTA ANA, CA Minnesota Opera Debut:

MINNEAPOLIS, MN Minnesota Opera Debut:

The Merry Widow, 2002

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, 2023

CHUCHO

VICTOR

Notable Engagements:

Notable Engagements:

Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, Opera Santa Barbara*

Gianni Schicchi, Doña Ana Lyric Opera

Il Postino, Théatre du Châtelet

Best of Broadway Concert Series, Valley Opera Passion, Scaffolding Theatre Company

Rigoletto, Nashville Opera

110 in the Shade, New York University

El Pasado Nunca se Termina, Lyric Opera of Chicago MN OPERA RESIDENT ARTIST ALUM

OCTAVIO MORENO LAURENTINO

HERMOSILLO, MEXICO Minnesota Opera Debut: Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, 2023

Notable Engagements: Carmen, Opera Southwest* Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, Théatre du Châtelet Zorro, Opera Southwest Rigoletto, Houston Grand Opera La bohème, Royal Albert Hall La traviata, Opera in the Heights

EFRAÍN SOLÍS MARK

SANTA ANA, CA Minnesota Opera Debut: Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, 2023

Notable Engagements: La cenerentola, Staatsoper Hamburg* Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, Austin Opera*, Houston Grand Opera Florencia en el Amazonas, Opera San José* Roméo et Juliette, Utah Opera Dialogues des Carmélites, San Francisco Opera L’elisir d’amore, Hawaii Opera Theatre

* Indicates Upcoming Performance

CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA 2023–24

L'elisir d'amore, Washington National Opera

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

Don Giovanni, Doña Ana Lyric Opera

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ORCHESTRA, CHORUS, + SUPERNUMERARIES MINNESOTA OPERA ORCHESTRA VIOLIN I Allison Ostrander Concertmaster Julia Persitz Asst. Concertmaster David Mickens Angela Waterman Hanson Emily Saathoff Maisie Block Mary Alice Hutton Karl Braaten VIOLIN II Laurie Petruconis* Elise Parker+ Elizabeth Decker Huldah Niles Kseniya Khvashchynskaya Ashley Ng VIOLA Emily Hagen* Susan Janda+ Laurel Browne Anne Ainomäe

CELLO Teresa Richardson* Sally Gibson Dorer+ Rebecca Arons Kirsten Whitson

HORN Mike Alexander* Charles Hodgson Timothy Bradley Jenna McBride

BASS John Michael Smith* Charles Block+ Jason C. Hagelie

TRUMPET John G. Koopmann* Christopher Volpe Martin Hodel

FLUTE Barbara Leibundguth* Amy Morris

TROMBONE Phillip Ostrander* John Tranter David Stevens

OBOE Michael Dayton* Jeffrey Marshak CLARINET Karrin Meffert-Nelson* Nina Olsen BASSOON Matthew Bertrand* Alexandra Berndt

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

THE MINNESOTA OPERA ORCHESTRA, PHOTO BY DAN NORMAN

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THE MINNESOTA OPERA CHORUS, PHOTO BY DARIN KAMNETZ

TIMPANI Kory Andry* PERCUSSION Matthew Barber* Joel Alexander Celeste Marie Johnson, celeste HARP Min Kim ONSTAGE MARIACHI MUSICIANS Israel Aranda*, guitarrón Ivan Fontánez*, guitarra Rodolfo Nieto*, vihuela

MINNESOTA OPERA CHORUS SOPRANO Keila Gonzalez Madeline Huss Jenessa Iverson Rosemary Vega MEZZO-SOPRANO Julia Isabel Diaz Kayla Huerta Michelle Liebl TENOR Phinehas Bynum Nathan Romportl Adán Varela BASS Roberto Cueto Joshua Eidem Pablo Siqueiros Phillip Takemura Sears

SUPERNUMERARY Claudia Veronica Garcia * Principal | + Assistant Principal

MEET THE ARTISTS

CECILIA DUARTE Describe your character in 3 words: OM Sacrifice, Linkage, Fulcrum.

CD Resilient, Strong, Loving.

You originated the role of Laurentino/Renata. What are some of the joys and challenges of performing this role?

OM Originating a role is always a

responsibility, but originating a role that tells your past, your people’s past, and our story, then it becomes more a duty. It has been a joy to tell the story of those who have suffered through the process of migration; leaving one’s country, land, family — all for the hope of a “better” life. And there is one thing that is both a joy and a challenge for me: playing an old man; a grandfather.

Between the vocal ranges required and the physicality of moving from an older man to a younger one from scene to scene, it is a challenge that requires great precision and care.

While this presents a challenge, it has also brought me great joy as I’ve used my own grandfathers as reference points for Laurentino’s character. Bringing their mannerisms

Musically, this role brings challenges as well as joys. Renata’s music is charged with lyricism and a lot of that bolero style from the 1930s and 1940s. There are also strong moments of rhythmic intensity, which requires me to blend my classical training with the stylistic colors of folk and bolero singing. Coming back to the role after five years is such a joy.

What are the themes or messages of this opera that you think will resonate with our audiences?

OM I believe that both migration and family are two subjects that are universal. In most cases, the phenomenon of migration is about finding a better life for those who matter to us. That often means making a huge sacrifice to be able to provide for our loved ones and our family. Often times, this sacrifice means leaving our family behind and there is a separation; a rupture in making that decision, even when it is in the hope of finding a better life for them. Which brings up these questions: Where is home? Is it a set of bricks on top of each other? A piece of land? Our neighborhood?

Is it the bonding and the ties that we create with those we love? In this show, you will find the odyssey

CD I think the subject of home is one that resonates with most audiences.

Is home a place? A building? A person? This opera can make us think about the decisions we make in life, and what matters in the end for each one of us.

What do you hope audiences take away from this production?

OM I hope that they can relate to the story and that they may see a familiar story, perhaps one from their own family, being told on stage.

Ultimately, I hope they understand that this art form can be a tool to tell their own story — music can do this.

CD I hope the audiences feel at home in the theater knowing that opera is for everyone — that opera is an artform that looks and sounds different across productions and stories. I hope they enjoy this story and that it shows the human side of an issue that we usually see on the news in the form of laws and bills. I also hope they come back and bring their friends and families with them and hug their loved ones when they go back home.

Do you have plans for your time in Minnesota?

OM I had plans of going to the Mall

of America and I’ve checked that off my list! I also would like to go to the Minneapolis Farmers Market... looking forward to it! I wanted to go to a Twins' game. Sadly, they were eliminated by the Houston Astros.

CD I want to get to know the city as much as I can! I am definitely enjoying the lower temperatures (coming from Texas!) and I enjoyed the Minneapolis Institute of Art, so far!

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OCTAVIO MORENO

CD It’s been a joy, a privilege, and a challenge to have been the first person to bring Renata’s character to life. There is no other reference but me, and I got to set the bar, so it has been a great responsibility, as well as to be the starting point for others that have reprised the role. I have always been careful to portray this role with the utmost respect, knowing that Renata’s story is someone else’s story too — that there might be someone there in the audience with whom Renata’s story resonates deeply. It was important to keep her character real and honest. This is something I keep in mind even 13 years after the premiere.

experienced by one person and a family because of migration and the metaphorical elasticity that home represents when these bonds travel from generation to generation to find their place.

CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA 2023–24

and movements into my performance means that they may live forever!

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H E A LT H + S A F E T Y

HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION Commitment to Safety The health and safety of our staff, guests, and artists is our top priority, and we are following public safety guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Minnesota Department of Health.

Thanks to decreased COVID cases in the Twin Cities area and throughout the state of Minnesota, it has become easier to gather safely. Our up-to-date policies reflect these changes, but we continue to evaluate the environment, as well as the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and the Minnesota Department of Health, and will adjust our health and safety policies accordingly. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.

Mask Policy

Vaccination Policy

Masks are no longer required, but are welcome and encouraged.

Proof of COVID-19 vaccination and negative COVID tests are no longer required.

Guest Responsibility We still ask that guests stay home if they are sick or exposed to COVID-19. Please contact Minnesota Opera Patron Services (612-333-6669) to transfer your tickets to another performance, donate your tickets, or request a refund.

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Please contact Minnesota Opera Patron Services at 612-333-6669 or patronservices@mnopera.org.

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Air Quality

Cleaning and Sanitizing

The Ordway’s air system brings in fresh air from the outside to help limit the spread of airborne viruses like COVID-19. In addition, several updates have been made to further improve air safety inside the Ordway.

In addition to the robust cleaning practices that were already in place, the Ordway has:

• Upgrading the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) filtration to high-efficiency MERV 13 filters, following Minnesota Department of Health best practices.

• Added HVAC controls and sensors to improve air velocity within the building and provide additional monitoring and control of the system by our facility engineers.

• Removed forced air hand dryers in all restrooms, which have been shown to disperse a high quantity of bacteria into the air and replaced them with paper towel dispensers.

• Increased the frequency of cleaning throughout the building for high-touch areas in the front of house and back of house areas of the Ordway.

• Added state-of-the-art practices including selfcleaning anti-microbial covers in high-touch areas where possible.

• Set up hand-sanitizing stations throughout the venue.

• Trained all employees in critical hand washing and cleaning guidelines.

• Replaced waste receptacles with open top units so guests can throw out items without touching any surfaces.

HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES ARE ACCURATE AT TIME OF PRINTING AND ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

A new sound for Cruzar la Cara de la Luna Seated in front of a grand piano in a rehearsal room at the Minnesota Opera Center, conductor David Hanlon recalls a moment of delight and discovery when he listened back to early studio recordings of the burgeoning opera, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna. The production’s composer, José “Pepe” Martínez, organized the nascent recording with Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. Hanlon, though part of the production, was not familiar with mariachi’s technical basis. This workshop of sorts would become a foundational element for the original production premiering in 2010 at the Houston Grand Opera. Originally performed by Mariachi Vargas, the production gained immediate praise and soon after, companies across the United States and Europe began to reproduce the gripping story for new audiences.

For its 2023 production, Minnesota Opera commissioned Hanlon to produce a full orchestration for the piece. As fate would have it, that early recording session would become a starting point for Hanlon and his connection to Cruzar.

This was certainly true for José “Pepe” Martínez, who organized his first mariachi band at age 12 in his hometown Jalisco, Mexico. Martínez contributed extensively to the evolution of mariachi music, eventually becoming the director of the famed Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán in 1975 — the same group he would lead in the premiere of Cruzar. “Pepe” introduced new compositions to the group’s repertoire while building his own reputation. That reputation preceded him when Martínez was commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera to write his first opera, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, alongside Leonard Foglia, who wrote the book and additional lyrics for the show.

Singing with lively expression and intention, mariachi lyrics are primarily narrative, not unlike opera’s arias.

Vanessa Alonzo, who reprises her role of Lupita, is not only an esteemed classical artist but also a famed mariachi musician. In discussing her approach to this production, she comments “In mariachi, we tell lots of stories with music and in opera, we tell stories, but we also have to act and be in the moment.” She recalls the advice librettist Leonard Foglia gave her in the early days of the production, encouraging her not to overthink, but instead to “just tell the story.”

Blending the emotional resonance with technical acuity, the entire cast takes to heart Foglia’s advice as they express their character’s plight and pleasure on stage.

In both mariachi and classical opera, vocalists share the need to be heard over acoustic and amplified instruments and thus employ some similar vocal techniques to project their voice. As with many productions that blend opera with other genres, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna makes use of limited amplification for vocalists and instrumentalists to preserve the heart of each musical element.

With preservation and legacy in mind, Hanlon insisted that the mariachi music not be lost in favor of a more classical sound. “Mariachi music need not apologize for itself,” he notes. “Rather, it can stand up firmly on its own.”

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The history of mariachi is a fraught and often contested one. Spanish colonizers brought instruments including the violin, harp, and woodwinds when they arrived to the continent in the 16th century. While the Spanish may have introduced the implements, Mexican musicians went on to adapt the violin, guitar, and harp to create mariachi’s signature sound. By the 18th and 19th centuries, mariachi was deeply embedded into the fabric of Mexican culture. With small and large groups forming across Mexico in small towns and villages, the musical skills were often passed down to younger generations.

What You’ll Hear

CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA 2023–24

A History of Culture, Composer, and Sound

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Wine a little, laugh a lot! When young villager Nemorino’s dream of winning the beautiful Adina’s heart is on the rocks, he turns to a traveling purveyor of patent medicines and California citrus in search of a love potion.

After drinking every last drop of an unusually zesty “elixir,” Nemorino feels his luck might just turn around. This heartwarming comedy with notes of sincerity (and a twist of fresh orange juice) embodies all the richness of Donizetti’s artistry and is simply too good to keep bottled up!

“TERRI

FIC

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Music by Gaetano Donizetti Libretto by Felice Romani

–F

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4, 20

TICKETS O N SAL E NOW! mnopera.org | 612-333-6669

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M

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JA N UA RY

Understand Every Word Sung in Italian with English captions projected above the stage.

E P

ING” L L — The New York Times

B OA R D + S TA F F

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF F ICE RS Chair | Mark C. Gordon President and General Director | Ryan Taylor Vice Chair | Missy Staples Thompson Secretary | Rachelle McCord Treasurer | James Powell

DIRECTORS Joelle Allen Margaret Blake, M.D. Sosha Brink Roma CalatayudStocks Ivonne Chand-O’Neal, Ph.D. Gayle Fuguitt Amy Hoffman Dorothy Horns, M.D. Philip Isaacson Diane Jacobson, Ph.D. Deborah Jiang-Stein Anna Kokayeff, M.D. Robert Lee

Natalie Volin Lehr Jeninne McGee Fayneese Miller, Ph.D. Jodi Mooney Kay Ness Benjamin J. Ollendick Elizabeth Redleaf Bart Reed Cris Ross Mary Schrock Nadege Souvenir Margaret V.B. Wurtele Wayne Zink

ADMINISTRATIVE

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ADVANCEMENT

Vice President, Advancement | Lani Willis

DEVELOPMENT

Associate Institutional Giving Director | Esther Blevins Development Director | Jeremie Bur Strategic Growth Director | Erin Flannery Development Manager | Siena Forest Gift Officer | Leila Keïta Development Associate | Jonathan Lundgren Associate Patron Relations Director | Kristin Matejcek Campaign and Annual Giving Manager | Charlotte Summers

Marketing and Communications Associate | Amran Abdulkadir Marketing and Communications Director | Gretchen Halverson Communications Manager | Isaac Mayhew Senior Graphic Designer | Genie Hien Tran

Patron Services Administrator | Kevin Beckey Patron Services Associate Manager | Alexis Alcala Patron Services Associate | Eva Gemlo Patron Services Representatives | Carol Corich, Cherith Nelson, Alexis Reed

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PATRON SERVICES

Philip Brunelle Liz Kochiras

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EXECUTIVE

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

HONO RA RY D I REC TO R S

Karen O. Bachman John A. Blanchard, III Susan Boren King Burton Cohen Ellie Crosby John Huss Ruth Huss

STAFF

James E. Johnson Lucy Rosenberry Jones Gale Sharpe Kevin H. Smith Virginia Stringer Mary W. Vaughan

ARTISTIC

Vice President, Artistic | Joseph Li Head of Music | Mario Antonio Marra Company Manager | Roxanne Stouffer Cruz Artistic Administrator | Salvatore S. Vasta III Principal Coach and Chorus Director | Celeste Marie Johnson Resident Artists | Efraín Corralejo, Charles H. Eaton, Keely Futterer, Erica Guo, Jeremiah Sanders Resident Artist Guest Faculty | Lara Bolton, John Churchwell, Eric McEnaney, Thomas Muraco

FINANCE

TEMPO COUNCIL

Vice President, Finance | Janelle Erickson Controller | Patty Wilber System Administrator | Tony Ngonekeo Staff Accountant | Chris Olsen

M EMBERS

IMPACT

Sosha Brink Marjahn Golban Raegan Henderson Alison Jarzyna Elijah Saiger Jon Tollefson

Vice President, Impact | Darius Gillard Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Director | Rocky Jones Creative Development Program Manager | Yuanfei Chen Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Coordinator | Emilia Mettenbrink Youth Programs Music Directors | Sara Sawyer, Jared Miller, Rick Hoops

PRODUCTION

Vice President, Production | Karen Quisenberry

PRODUCTION AND FACILITIES

Associate Production Directors | Genoveva Castañeda, Kerry Masek Interim Technical Director | Michael James Costume Director | Corinna Bakken Assistant Technical & Facilities Director | Jerry K. Smith Facilities Manager | Jona Peters Lighting Coordinator | Ray Steveson Jr. Production Operations Coordinator & COVID Safety Manager | Sarah Lockwood

STAGING STAFF

Stage Manager | Keri Muir Assistant Stage Managers | Olivia Darling, Abigail Murray-Stark Company Artist Assistant Stage Director | Margaret Jumonville

SCENERY, PROPERTIES, AND LIGHTING

Production Carpenter | Max Gilbert Scene Shop Supervisor | Madi Scott Smith Senior Carpenter | Eric Veldey Properties Craftsperson | Rachel Krieger Luminary House Technician | Evan Peterson Scenic Painters | Stephen Michael, Erica Zaffarano Drafter | Adam Terry Carpenters | Beata Huntington, Edward Mansfield, Deirdre McQuillen, Ada Packiewicz, Patrick Wilson Properties | Jenny Moeller, Stacey Schwebach Tech Lighting Assistant | Ellie Simonett Electricians | Paul Epton, Andy Glischinski, Megan Winter

COSTUMES

Costume Administrator | Molly O’Gara Wig, Hair, and Makeup Supervisor | Emma Gustafson Tailor | Yancey Thrift Drapers | Katrina Benedict, Chris Bur Costume Crafts and Dye Head | Danielle Jordan First Hands | Brigid Borka, Sara Huebschen, Rebecca Karstad Stitchers | Helen Ammann, Ann Friese, Ally Guglielmi Wig, Hair, and Makeup Co-Designers | Wendy Zarate Frank, Emma Gustafson Wig, Hair, and Makeup Runcrew | Wendy Zarate Frank

VOLUNTEERS

Marcia Aubineau, Peter Avirom, Christina Beck, Denzel Belin, Germaine Benemile, Amanda Bouddhara, Lu Chen, Jeanne Cornish, Jill Galles, Jessica Grams, Sarah Grecula, Mariah Hanson, Liza Hatshorn, Lori Herz, Barry Inman, Leila Keita, Jeanie Kett, Laura Kucera, Kou Lee, Carol Lowe, Kaiya McGuire, Eliza Morgan, Jess Neau, Erika Neely, Chris Olsen, Kristin Ostebee, Candyce Osterkamp, Tom Ozzello, Felise Park, Cleila Patino, Polly Peterson, Adam Qualls, Evan Ramstad, Jim Romportl, Richard Rubenstein, David Rusterholz, Michele Schluender, Stephanie Schmidt, Mary Sheehy, Chavonn Shen, Jay Shen, Brandon Sieck, Rick Simon, Amy Sirivie, Amy Sirivie, Hilary Smith, Wendi Sott, Heidi Spesardnoble, Julie Vang, Riss Widseth, Laurie Witzkowski

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UPCOMING EVENTS

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

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Upcoming events The Elixir of Love JANUARY 27–FEBRUARY 4, 2024 THE ORDWAY

Wine a little, laugh a lot! When young villager Nemorino’s dream of winning

Regular Hours: Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm Performances Phones open at 2pm for evening performances and at 10:30am for matinee performances. Minnesota Opera staff will be available at the Ordway’s Ticket 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.

the beautiful Adina’s heart is on the rocks, he turns to a traveling purveyor

might just turn around. This heartwarming comedy with notes of sincerity (and a twist of fresh orange juice) embodies all the richness of Donizetti’s artistry and is simply too good to keep bottled up!

Trouble in Tahiti & Service Provider MARCH 9–23, 2024 THE LUMINARY ARTS CENTER

Marital bliss amiss. Sam and Dinah are living the American dream in 1950s suburbia. Beau and Autumn are celebrating their anniversary over dinner and drinks. But there’s one problem… neither couple is happy. Beau and Autumn can’t seem to look up from their phones and Sam and Dinah can’t stand to be in the same room with each other. Leonard Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti and Christopher Weiss and John de los Santos’ Service Provider may not be filled with marital bliss, but these one-act crowd pleasers are sure to keep you on the edge of your seat all night long.

La bohème MAY 4–19, 2024 THE ORDWAY

Finding love. Choosing family. On a bitterly cold winter’s night in the heart of Paris, a young woman’s search for a candle light fatefully sparks one of the most enduring love stories of all time. But can a love so great be sustained? Join Mimì, Rodolfo, and their bohemian friends as they find levity and joy amidst the hardship and struggle of a life in pursuit of art.

Featuring some of the most captivating music ever written, Puccini’s La bohème weaves moments of warmth and ecstasy together with anguish and heartbreak in this enduring story of love, loss, and life.

Ticket Policies Refunds are currently available. Additionally, any ticket may be returned for a tax-deductible donation up until curtain by calling the Minnesota Opera Patron Services. We will send a tax receipt to you acknowledging the value of the ticket, minus any applicable fees.

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Call 612-333-6669 or visit mnopera.org to purchase passes.

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Latecomers will be seated at an appropriate break.

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Call 651-282-3070 for assistance.

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drinking every last drop of an unusually zesty “elixir,” Nemorino feels his luck

CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA 2023–24

of patent medicines and California citrus in search of a love potion. After

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Bradley Nuss

Rachel and Tim Scobie

Pamela Neuenfeldt and Donald Williams

James Kunz

Gayle and Timothy Ober

Alan E. Shapiro

John M. Williams James and Barbara Willis

Dominika Kuzlak-Swanson

Eva and Peter Weyandt Nancy and Ted* Weyerhaeuser William White Jeff Wiemiller and Joe Anderson

Patricia A. O’Gorman

Dr. Frank and Lynda Sharbrough

John and Colles Larkin

Robert Olafson

Gale Sharpe

Lani Willis and Joel Spoonheim

Kenyon S. Latham

Ben and Kari Ollendick

Gail and Stephen Shea

Paul and Cara Wilson

Elizabeth Laufers

Chris Olsen & Shannon Rhatigan

Sue Shepard

Ann P. Winchester

Mary Ash and Barry Lazarus

David Olsen

Cherie and Bob Shreck

Jean C. Wirsig*

Mrs. Cynthia and Dr. Lawrence Lee

Kathleen and Stephen Olsen

Ray and Jean Witter

David and Darlene Lee

Dennis R. Olson

Marianne Settano Shumaker and Gordon Shumaker

Robert L. Lee and Mary E. Schaffner

Ruth and Ahmad Orandi

Peggy and Ilo Leppik

Dede Ouren

Jonathan and Lisa Lewis

Marie and Mike Ouyang

David and Diane Lilly

Anne Paape

Daniel W. Lindsey Natalie Losik

Luis Pagan-Carlo and Joseph Sammartino

Holly MacDonald and John Orbison

Julia and Brian Palmer

Juliana and Bernie Simmons Kathleen K. Simo Cara Sjodin Clayton Smith Darryl Smith Kevin and Lynn Smith Nadege Souvenir and Joshua Dorothy

Margaret V.B. Wurtele * in remembrance

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

Jill Irvine Crow

CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA 2023–24

Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad

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

Anonymous (2) Paul and Valerie Ackerman Thomas O. Allen Dr. and Mrs. Rolf Andreassen* Mary A. Andres Howard J. Ansel, MD Marcia J. Aubineau Karen Bachman Thomas and Ann Bagnoli Patricia Beithon Carol J. Bergeson Susan S. Boren King Al Bradley C.T. Bundy II* Margaret M. Carasik Jon L. Schasker* and Debbie Carlson George and Joan Carlson Richard and Darlene Carroll Robert Clough Dan and Julia Cross Mary Davidson

NAMED ENDOWMENT FUNDS The following endowment funds, created by visionary and generous donors, continue the work of Minnesota Opera for future generations.

Art of Singing Endowment Fund

To support exceptional training for Resident Artists by providing learning opportunities with leading artists and experts.

COMMEMORATIVE GIFTS The following lists donors who have made gifts in honor or in memory of a loved one between July 1, 2022 and September 30, 2023.

MINNESOTA OPERA MNOPERA.ORG

IN HONORARIUM

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Joelle Allen

Miquel Joenese Purvis Mcmoore Family Fund

Freda Andreini

Margaret Andreini

Mr. & Mrs. Glynn E. Behmen Sr. Family Glynn Behmen

Dr. Bianca Fine

Ruth Hurvitz and Alan and Janet Salle

Ruth and John Huss

Sally and Thomas Patterson

Dale Johnson

Mr. Kim A. Chapman and Ms. Elizabeth Longhurst

Julia W. Dayton* Charles M. Denny Jr. and Carol E. Denny* Susan Doty Anne P. Ducharme* Mary A. Ebert and Paul Stembler Rondi Erickson and Sandy Lewis* Ann Fankhanel Ester L. Fesler Salvatore Silvestri Franco Daniel E. Freeman Charles J. Frisch Dr. Paul Froeschl Katy Gaynor Ellen Green Mrs. Myrtle Grette Michelle Hackett Russell and Priscilla Hankins Anne Hanley and George Skinner Don Helgeson* and Sue Shepard Mary A. Hintz Elfrieda Hintze* Jean M. Holten John Humleker and Cordelia Anderson Kathleen and Robert Humphrey Steven and Nancy Johnson Charles and Sally Jorgensen Robert and Susan Josselson John and Kathleen Junek Markle Karlen

Warren and Patricia Kelly Blaine and Lyndel King Bill and Sally Kling Larry Klueh James and Liz Krezowski Robert L. Kriel and Linda E. Krach Robert and Venetia Kudrle Christl and Andrew Larson Jim Lawser Jr and Duane Bandel Mary Ash and Barry Lazarus Gerald and Joyce Lillquist Dawn M. Loven Tim Manych Barbara McBurney Orpha McDiarmid Family Fund Mary Bigelow McMillan Betty Meyers* John L. Michel and H. Berit Midelfort Karla Miller Kay Ness and Chris Wolohan Richard and Joan Newmark Scott J. Pakudaitis Derrill Pankow Debra Joyce Paterson Jose A. Peris and Diana Gulden Sydney Phillips* Tim and Mary Pieh Phyllis Price Brian and Patricia Prokosch Liane A. Rosel Ken Rothchild

Mary Savina Josef Schermann Mary H. and Christian G. Schrock Duane and Pamela Schroeder Frank and Lynda Sharbrough Robert Shearer and Joan Gustafson Andrew H. Stewart Jr and Anna Hargreaves Virginia and Edward Stringer Gregory C. Swinehart and Mitra Walter Ryan Taylor Dr. Anthony Thein John and Jill Thompson Stephanie C. Van D’Elden Mary W. Vaughan H. Bernt von Ohlen and W. Thomas Nichol Lola Watson William White Jean C. Wirsig* Wayne Zink and Christopher Schout Harvey Zuckman and Philip Oxman

Barbara White Bemis Fund for Artistic Enhancement

Founders Endowment Fund

Valerie and Paul Ackerman Endowment Fund

To enhance the quality of performances by providing funds to engage singers who have received awards through the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

Daniel E. Freeman Endowment Fund To support Minnesota Opera’s education programs.

Dolly Fiterman Fund for New Production Opera Design To support the creation of new productions by providing funds to engage designers and create new sets.

Natalie Losik

The Losik Savage Charitable Gift Fund

Jeninne McGee

Walter Berman

Theresa Murray

Schmiechen Charitable Fund

Susan Nudell Kalin

Mary Nudell & Dean Lee

Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad

The Cinda Collins Foundation

Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad

Sima Griffith Family Fund

Gale Sharp

anonymous

Andrew Sun

anonymous

Ryan Taylor

Kelley Dorhauer

Eva Weyandt

Michael Weyendt

To support new and innovative opera performances that honor the spirit, energy, and creativity of the founders in the beginning days of the Center Opera.

Joan Jacobs Rubenfeld Memorial Fund

To support the attendance of high school students at MN Opera performances.

Minnesota Opera Center Preservation Fund

To support Opera Center building improvements. The Preservation Fund recognizes the legacies of Judson Bemis and Kevin Smith, who through their leadership created the Opera Center.

IN MEMORIAM Eric Aanenson

Tracy Aanenson

Judson and Barbara Bemis Mrs. Sandra Roe

Ogden Confer

Beverly Baker

Ogden Confer

John and Ruth Huss Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation

Ogden Confer Phil Kliewer

Ogden Confer

Missy Staples Thompson Fund

Scott Krenz

Emerson Williams-Molett

Jack Lewis

Sue Nelson

Jack Lewis

Mary Kathleen Quinn

Liming Kelani Mueller Cynthia Campbell

Joan and Joe Nagle Sarah L. Nagle

John Risdall

anonymous

For more information on making estate plan arrangements, please contact Jeremie Bur at jbur@mnopera.org * in remembrance

To support the attendance of youth at Minnesota Opera performances.

Virginia L. Stringer Endowment of the Minnesota Resident Artist Program

To support the Resident Artist Program. The appearance of the Resident Artists in this production is made possible by this endowment fund.

William Randolph Hearst Endowment for Education and Outreach Programs

To support Minnesota Opera’s education and outreach programs.

John Risdall

anonymous

John Risdall

anonymous

John Risdall

anonymous

John Risdall

The Grant & Buerkle-Grant Family Fund

John Risdall

Tia Karelson

John Risdall

Toivo Kallas

John Risdall

Julia Hupperts

Nina Rothchild

Rothchild Family Fund

Joan Jacobs Rubenfeld

Dr. Marian R. Rubenfeld and Dr. Frederick G. Langendorf

Marilyn Joan Skantz anonymous

Herb Ward

Charles Allen Ward Fund

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:

Anna M. Heilmaier Charitable Foundation

Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation

Dellwood Foundation

McVay Foundation

Romanaggi Foundation

Anonymous (2)

The Elizabeth C. Quinlan Foundation

Onan Family Foundation

Schwegman, Lundberg, & Woessner P.A.

Best Buy Foundation

Faegre Drinker

Opera Volunteers International

Boss Foundation

Hutter Family Foundation

Pachel Foundation

City of Saint Paul Cultural STAR Program

Margaret Rivers Fund

Peravid Foundation

Mayo Clinic

RBC Foundation

Tennant Foundation Travelers

For information on making a corporate or foundation contribution to Minnesota Opera, please contact Esther Blevins, Associate Institutional Giving Director, at eblevins@mnopera.org.

MI NNE S OTA O PE RA S E AS O N S PO NS O R

CRUZAR LA CARA DE LA LUNA 2023–24

Art and Martha Kaemmer Fund of the HRK Foundation

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

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.

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