Minnesota Opera's La fanciulla del West Program

Photo by Curtis Johnson

She’s back where she belongs!

NOW PLAYING!

Back for the first time in more than 20 years!

Michelle Barber as Dolly

Celebrate the Holidays at Chanhassen!

November 28 & 29

December 18 - 21

KERI NOBLE: A VERY SPECIAL CHRISTMAS

MICK STERLING’S AT CHRISTMAS

December 4 - 7, 11 - 14

MARTINI & OLIVE in TAKIN’ CARE OF CHRISTMAS

ROCK ‘N’ ROLL XMAS SPECTACULAR December 17

CELTIC HOLIDAY HOOLEY

952-934-1525

December 26 - 28

December 31: NYE!

MARTINI & OLIVE in NYE BOOGIE COUNTDOWN!

800-362-3515

C h a n h a s s e n D T. c o m

Osmo Vänskä /// Music Director

oSMo VänSkä

anthony RoSS

edo de waaRt

Celebrating Richard Strauss’ 150th Birthday

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Join us in honoring this musical giant with three sets of extraordinary concerts surrounded by pre- and post-show events including Alpine-inspired treats, special music and craft beer tastings.

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Immortal Stories

Shadows and Light

Musical Mountains

Thu Oct 9 11am Fri Oct 10 & Sat Oct 11 8pm

Thu Oct 16 11am Fri Oct 17 8pm

Fri Oct 24 & Sat Oct 25 8pm

Andrew Litton, conductor Anthony Ross, cello

Osmo Vänskä, conductor and clarinet Andrew Staupe, piano

We jump from the radiant strings of Capriccio, our composer’s last opera, to the serenade written when he was just 17. For our grand finale, we perform the majestic An Alpine Symphony.

Principal Cello Anthony Ross takes the title role in Don Quixote, based on Cervantes’ immortal novel.

Then Salome offers one of the most sensual (and shocking) scenes in all of opera.

Works illuminate Strauss’ incredible creative range—and our Music Director’s! Osmo Vänskä shines on the clarinet in the Suite for Winds.

Edo de Waart, conductor

For a complete list of entertainment, vendors and special activities visit mnorchestra.org/oktoberfest

612.371.5656 / minnesotaorchestra.org / Orchestra Hall PHOTOS Vänskä: Ann Marsden, Ross: Greg Helgeson

Media Partner:

2014–2015 Season

7 Welcome 8 La fanciulla del West 10 Synopsis 12 Composer Giacomo Puccini 14 Director’s Notes 16 The Artists 20 Meet the Artists: Rafael Davila and Claire Rutter 24 Minnesota Opera App 25 Tempo 26 New Works Initiative 27 Opera Education 29 Hansel and Gretel Preview 30 Upcoming Events 32 Minnesota Opera Board of Directors, Staff, and Volunteers 36 Annual Fund 41 Legacy Circle 42 Institutional Giving

This performance contains simulated gunfire.

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Sketch by Mathew J. LeFebvre

contents

5 Large-print and Braille programs are available at the Patron Services Office.

WELCOME LETTER

Welcome to

the 2014–2015 Minnesota Opera season!

We are thrilled to have you with us for our firstever production of Puccini’s La fanciulla del West. Sometimes called “opera’s first Spaghetti Western,” it is a romantic portrait of America’s iconic Golden West by the Italian composer who is more familiar to us from La bohème, Madame Butterfly, Tosca, and Turandot. Considered by Puccini as one of his greatest works, La fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West) had its successful and highly publicized premiere at the Metropolitan Opera in 1910 starring the legendary tenor, Enrico Caruso.

friends. This accessible opera experience is a manifestation of a strategic objective — to expand the community of opera lovers. It is also a way that we can continue to fulfill a key element of our mission — to contribute to the vitality of the community.

Thank you to the audience, donors and other supporters of Minnesota Opera, for making all of this possible.

Enjoy the show!

KEVIN RAMACH President and General Director

Not only are we launching the 2014–2015 season with new artists and an opera new to our repertoire, for the first time in our company’s history, we’re offering a free live video simulcast of the opening night’s performance in scenic Rice Park. Opera on the big screen, food trucks, and a festive, openair environment are a great way to introduce opera to new families and

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By producing less-familiar works by major composers, we hope to enrich your experience as an audience member and grow artistically as a company. We also are proud to nurture great artists on our stage. We are excited to welcome back Greer Grimsley as the shady sheriff, Jack Rance, and to introduce to you soprano Claire Rutter and tenor Rafael Davila, who make their company debuts as the pistol-wielding saloon owner Minnie and her beloved bandit, Dick Johnson.

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MUSIC BY GIACOMO PUCCINI LIBRETTO BY GUELFO CIVININI AND CARLO ZANGARINI Based on the play The Girl of the Golden West by David Belasco

World premiere at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, December 10, 1910

SEPTEMBER 20, 25, 27 and 28, 2014 Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Sung in Italian with English translations.

The appearances of John Robert Lindsey and Cooper Nolan, regional finalists; and Gerard Michael D’Emilio, Nicholas Nelson and Matthew Opitz, 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.

cast In order of vocal appearance

AND

creat ive team

Bello, a miner Benjamin Dutcher

Conductor Michael Christie

Joe, a miner Matthew Opitz

Stage Director Doug Scholz-Carlson

Harry, a miner Robb Asklof

Scenic Designer Raffaele Del Salvio

Nick, the bartender at the Polka saloon John Robert Lindsey

Costume Designer Mathew J. LeFebvre

Happy, a miner Joel Mathias Sid, a miner Alex Ritchie Sonora, a miner Andrew Lovato Trin, a miner Cooper Nolan

Wig and Makeup Designer Jason Allen Lighting Designer Marcus Dilliard Assistant Director Alison Moritz Assistant Conductor Aaron Breid Fight Captain Aaron Preusse

Larkens, a miner Nicholas Nelson Jack Rance, the sheriff Greer Grimsley Jake Wallace, a traveling singer Gerard Michael D’Emilio Ashby, a Wells Fargo agent Christian Zaremba Minnie Claire Rutter A Pony Express rider David Walton Dick Johnson/Ramerrez, a bandit Rafael Davila José Castro, one of Ramerrez’s band Rodolfo Nieto Wowkle Bergen Baker

Chorusmaster Robert Ainsley Répétiteurs Jonathan Brandani, Geoffrey Loff Production Stage Manager Kerry Masek English Captions Christopher Bergen

Claire Rutter’s appearance is generously sponsored by Dr. Tracy and Mr. Eric Aanenson.

Greer Grimsley’s appearance is generously sponsored by Kathy and John Junek.

Rafael Davila’s appearance is generously sponsored by Ellie Crosby.

Billy Jackrabbit Gerard Michael D’Emilio

THE MINNESOTA OPERA’S 2014–2015 SEASON IS SUPPORTED BY

SYNOPSIS SETTING

A miners’ camp at the foot of the Cloudy Mountains, California, during the Gold Rush, 1849–1850

ACT I

I

nside the Polka Saloon. The miners relax, playing a game of faro after a day of hard work. Sheriff Jack Rance observes the gloomy demeanor of one homesick miner, Larkens. Jake Wallace sings a nostalgic song. Larkens breaks down into tears, and the men agree to create a fund to send him home. Sid is accused of cheating, and as the others are about to string him up, Rance throws him out of the saloon.

After the miners move into the next room, Rance, a married man, professes his undying love to Minnie, which she rebuffs. She likes her life the way it is and envisions the domestic bliss of her childhood, a union much like the deep love that her parents once shared.

Dick Johnson enters, looking for a glass of whiskey and a game of baccarat. He lightly flirts with Minnie, recalling a brief moment they once shared. Angered, Rance demands to know what business he has in the camp.

The miners reenter and suggest a dance, and Johnson and Minnie start a waltz.

Ashby enters with Castro, whom he accuses of being a member of Ramerrez’s gang. Castro claims he ran away from the outlaws, but is secretly luring the men away, supposedly to show his former boss’ hideout so that Johnson (really Ramerrez) can hold-up the saloon. Johnson and Minnie exchange pleasantries. He ignores the signal from Castro to commit the robbery and agrees to meet Minnie at her mountain retreat.

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Intermission

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Ashby, a Wells Fargo agent, enters exhausted from his search for Ramerrez, a bandit he has been pursuing for three months. They all toast Minnie, the feisty barmaid, whom Rance believes he loves. Sonora disagrees and the men trade insults.

A revolver is discharged. The miners calm down and offer modest gifts to Minnie.

She, in turn, gives an impromptu Bible study, but is interrupted by the arrival of the Pony Express. As the mail is distributed, Ashby asks the rider about the location of Nina Micheltorena, assumed to be Ramerrez’s girlfriend, who would likely know the bandit’s whereabouts.

ACT II Minnie’s cabin. Wowkle sings a lullaby to her child as she and Billy Jackrabbit consider marriage. Minnie enters and requests dinner for two. She prepares herself for Johnson’s impending visit.

When he arrives, he tries unsuccessfully to kiss her. Minnie questions Johnson’s motives for being in the camp. She goes on to describe her happy life on the mountain and at the camp.

Johnson tries to embrace her again, and she relents. A blizzard makes it impossible to leave, and he agrees to spend the night. A knock at the door reveals Rance and the others in hot

SYNOPSIS pursuit of Remerrez, who is posing as Dick Johnson. The bandit hides himself while Minnie sorts out the situation. Nina has given up her former boyfriend’s location, and Minnie learns he had intended to rob her saloon.

Rance spies one of Johnson’s cigars and realizes he is nearby.

After the posse leaves, Minnie berates Johnson for his deception. He defends himself ­— his father died at an early age, and thievery is the only way he could support his mother and brothers. Once he met Minnie, he couldn’t go through with the robbery. He believes he can change his ways, if she can only give him her love. Still angry, Minnie throws him out. A shot is heard and Johnson reenters, wounded. Now recognizing her affection for him, Minnie insists that he hide in the loft. Rance returns, certain that Johnson is concealed somewhere on the premises.

A drop of blood betrays the outlaw’s presence, but he has fallen unconscious.

Minnie decides that the matter shall be decided by a game of poker. If she wins, Johnson will remain free. If not, she will submit to Rance. After two hands, they are even, but during the third, when the sheriff ’s back is turned, Minnie cheats to win. Rance leaves in a fury.

As they prepare to execute him, the men accuse him of various murders, which he denies. Before they execute him, Johnson asks for a final request — ­ Minnie must be told he has escaped and is on his way to a better life.

Just before he is about to be hanged, Minnie rushes in and demands mercy for Johnson.

When her pleas are ignored, she threatens to shoot herself as well as the bandit. She reminds them of all she has done for them in the past. The miners are moved by her proclamations and release Johnson.

The lovers depart together.

Intermission

In the California forest. As the rest of the party sleeps nearby, Nick tries to console Rance. When Ashby and the posse finally awake, they are certain Johnson has been discovered and hasten to the other side of the mountain to join the Wells Fargo men. Rance relishes his revenge. A bloodied Johnson is brought forth and accepts his fate.

Sketches by Mathew J. LeFebvre

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ACT III

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COMPOSER

GIACOMO

PUCCINI b Lucca, Dec. 22, 1858 d Brussels, Nov. 29, 1924

Puccini was not a prolific composer. Unlike most of his contemporaries, there were long intervals between his operas, partly because of his fastidiousness in choosing subjects, several of which he took up only to abandon after several months, and partly because of his constant demands for modifications of the texts. Much of his time, too, was spent hunting in the marshes around his home and travelling abroad to supervise revivals of his works.

The composer’s first work for the stage, Le villi (1884), originally was submitted to a contest sponsored by the music publisher Edoardo Sonzogno. The oneact opera received not even honorable mention, but Puccini was certain of its merit. He and librettist Ferdinando Fontana began to canvass the opera to the broader circle of the Italian intelligentsia.

One of these individuals was the highly influential Arrigo Boito (at that time in correspondence with Verdi about the preparation of the libretto for Otello), who was instrumental in getting Le villi staged.

Alfredo Dagli Orti / The Art Archive at Art Resource, NY

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G

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iacomo Puccini was born into a family of court composers and organists in the historic city of Lucca, Italy. With a strong sense of tradition in the Puccini family, it was expected that Giacomo would assume his deceased father’s position as maestro di cappella when he came of age — ­ by 14 he was already playing organ in a number of the town’s churches. But at age 18, a performance of Verdi’s Aida inspired him to devote his life to opera. In 1880 Puccini began composition studies with Amilcare Ponchielli at the Milan Conservatory of Music. He was introduced into the professional artists’ circle, to which he would belong for the rest of his life.

The reception to the new work was mixed, but the revised two-act version was staged in a number of cities outside of Italy (a remarkable feat for a virtually unknown composer).

“Puccini was not a

prolific composer.

Unlike most of his contemporaries, there were long intervals between his operas ...”

COMPOSER

“Puccini has been

much maligned for his flirtation with popular music, but he had an uncanny feel for a good story and a talent for composing enthralling yet economical tunes.”

During the 1890s Puccini began working with Luigi Illica, who worked out the scheme and drafted the dialogue, and with the poet and playwright Giuseppe Giacosa, who put Illica’s lines into verse.

Although they had participated in Manon Lescaut (as part of a string of several librettists), their first real collaboration was La bohème (1896), followed by Tosca (1900) and then Madame Butterfly (1904).

Giacosa died in 1906, putting an end to the successful team that produced three of Puccini’s most enduring works.

Puccini’s later operas were quite varied in their styles and subjects. La fanciulla del

West (1910), set in the American West, is notable for its advanced impressionistic orchestration and composition. La rondine (1917) was designed to be a sentimental musical comedy in the Viennese style. Il trittico (1918) was a mixed bag of one-act operas: Il tabarro, a tip-of-the-hat to Italian verismo; Suor Angelica, a nun embroiled in a battle for the future of her illegitimate child; and, most popular of the three, Gianni Schicchi, a comic masterpiece that features Puccini at his most exuberant.

Turandot (1926) was Puccini’s last (and arguably his greatest) opera. He died before completing it, and although another composer finished the job, at the premiere Arturo Toscanini set down his baton and refused to continue past Puccini’s last note.

Puccini has been much maligned for his flirtation with popular music, but he had an uncanny feel for a good story and a talent for composing enthralling yet economical tunes. Though like many of his contemporaries, Puccini was constantly experimenting with tonality and form, yet was always subtle and without controversy.

Having produced only 12 operas, the composer’s personal life was plagued with self-doubt and laborious perfectionism, yet he profoundly influenced the world of opera with a deep understanding of music, drama and humanity.

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Puccini’s next opera, Edgar (1889), however, was a resounding critical failure, yet the astute publisher, Giulio Ricordi, found fault in the libretto only and promise in the music. He pitted himself against the shareholders of his publishing house who demanded that Puccini be released from retainer. Ricordi’s confidence was rewarded with Manon Lescaut (1893), Puccini’s first true success.

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DIRECTOR’S NOTES

L a Vampira Indiana, the first Italian

Western on film, directed by Sergio Leone’s father and starring his mother, opened in 1913. Three years prior, and at the height of his career, Giacomo Puccini’s La fanciulla del West premiered at the Metropolitan Opera. In other words, La fanciulla del West is the first “Spaghetti Western.” That’s part of what is so much fun about this opera, but it’s not why I fell in love with it.

Publicity for the New York premiere called La fanciulla del West the first American opera. It is arguably the first major European opera to premiere in America, but it is an Italian opera by one of the greatest Italian opera composers. I didn’t fall in love with it as an American opera.

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Puccini described La fanciulla del West as a redemption story. Perhaps we can fall in love with his opera for that reason, but even the composer’s claim merits scrutiny. Our heroine Minnie has two suitors: one is Rance, the sheriff who

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has loved her for years and who is honest and true to his word; the other is Johnson who lies to her about his profession, his reason for coming to her saloon, and even his name.

“She sees love.

Love. Paradise.

Hell. It is what it is.

The whole damned world falls in love.

The time has come — even for Minnie.”

Can it really be called redemption for Minnie to prefer a lying bandit to an earnest man? Of course not, but Minnie

DIRECTOR’S NOTES

She sees love. Love.

Paradise. Hell. It is what it is.

The whole damned world falls in love.

The time has come - even for Minnie.

Within these lines is the reason why I fell in love with La fanciulla del West. We appreciate the idea of redemption and are entertained by Westerns, but we come to the opera because it opens our hearts.

Love is unexpected and often undeserved. “È quello che è” — it is what it is. The theme representing love in Puccini’s score comes in without logic, yet it transports us every time.

I fell in love with this opera because it’s complicated. These characters are tough and live in a violent world, and yet the story hinges on unexpected, undeserved forgiveness. This is an opera about grace. If you are also new to this opera, sit back and enjoy the ride. Don’t look

too hard for justice; don’t worry too much about logic. I hope that you, like the cast and I, fall in love with this opera.

“We appreciate

the idea of redemption and are entertained

by Westerns, but we come to the opera because it opens our hearts.”

DOUG SCHOLZ-CARLSON Stage Director

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isn’t looking for redemption. Nick, the ever faithful bartender, puts it best when Rance asks him what Minnie sees in Johnson:

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THE ARTISTS BERGEN BAKER | wowkle

Hailed by the Star Tribune as having a “fetching blend of grace, warmth and humor on stage,” Bergen Baker recently served as Teaching Artist for Minnesota Opera. In addition to performing as a concert soloist across the upper Midwest, Ms. Baker has performed in operatic venues both local and abroad. Most notably, she has sung the roles of Nanette in Mlle. Modiste with Skylark Opera, the Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte with the Minnesota Orchestra and Minnesota Opera and Tisbe in La Cenerentola with La Musica Lirica in San Marino, Italy. Her concert and oratorio experience includes performances of Handel’s Messiah, Mozart’s Mass in C minor, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mendelssohn’s Elijah and Igor Stravinsky’s Les noces. Upcoming roles include Mercédès in Carmen for Minnesota Opera. Ms. Baker holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from DePaul University and the University of Minnesota, respectively. At the U of M, she appeared in the role of Sharon Falconer in the Midwest premiere of the Grammy Award-winning American opera Elmer Gantry by Robert Aldridge. Most recently, she was asked to return as a guest artist to create the title role in the world premiere workshop of Aldridge’s Sister Carrie.

MICHAEL CHRISTIE | conductor

Michael Christie has led nearly a dozen acclaimed productions of standard and new repertory since his appointment as Music Director of Minnesota Opera in 2012. Before his move to the Twin Cities, he was Music Director of the Phoenix Symphony, Colorado Music Festival, Brooklyn Philharmonic and Queensland Orchestra (Brisbane, Australia). Michael’s recent operatic highlights include the world premiere and commercial recording of Ricky Ian Gordon’s “27” at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, a return visit to Aspen Music Festival for Lowell Liebermann’s Picture of Dorian Gray, and a burgeoning relationship with Chicago Lyric Opera’s Ryan Center. Following La fanciulla del West, he will preside over the European premiere of Silent Night at the Wexford Festival Opera, and later this season leads the world premiere of The Manchurian Candidate, as well as Carmen at Minnesota Opera. Michael lives with his family in Minneapolis.

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RAFAEL DAVILA | dick johnson

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Rafael Davila has quickly risen to be one of the most sought after tenors of his generation. With almost 60 roles already, this season marks the tenor’s return to the historic Teatro San Carlo (Naples) as Canio in Pagliacci and as Turiddu in Cavalleria rusticana after his debut with the company in 2004 in the title role of Verdi’s Gustavo iii. This past season also marked his debut as Don Alvaro in La forza del destino for Washington National Opera as well as his debut with Florida Grand Opera as Cavaradossi in Tosca. Previously, Mr. Davila made his debut in Washington as Pollione in Norma as well as Radames in Aida for Manitoba Opera. In 2012 he made his debut in the title role of Verdi’s Otello for Sarasota Opera and as Manrico in Il trovatore for Opera New Jersey and Kansas City Opera. That same year Rafael sang Ismaele in Nabucco with Opera de Bilbao and Calaf in Turandot for Opera de Puerto Rico. Future plans include his debut as Des Grieux in Manon Lescaut in Valencia, his debut in Germany as Cavaradossi in Tosca for Leipzig Opera, a return to Washington as Don José in Carmen, a return to Puerto Rico as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly and his debut with Lyric Opera of Chicago in the new opera Bel Canto.

MR. DAVIL A’S APPEAR ANCE IS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY ELLIE CROSBY.

THE ARTISTS GERARD MICHAEL D’EMILIO | jake wallace/billy jackrabbit

Bass-baritone Gerard Michael D’Emilio has been hailed for his “commanding presence” and a voice described as “thrilling” and “stentorian.” Most recently, Mr. D’Emilio was a young artist at the Glimmerglass Festival, appearing as Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos. Mr. D’Emilio’s roles have included Sulpice (La fille du regiment), Stenio (Maddalena), the Villains (Les contes d’Hoffmann), Bottom (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Kecal (The Bartered Bride), Leporello (Don Giovanni), Don Alfonso (Così fan tutte), and Sarastro (The Magic Flute).

Equally at home in orchestral and concert repertoire, Mr. D’Emilio has been featured as the bass soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with the Florida Orchestra and Pilatus in Bach’s Matthäus-Passion with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Mr. D’Emilio received his M.M. from Westminster Choir College this past May, and graduated from Oberlin College in 2012 with a B.M. in Voice Performance and a B.A. with highest honors in politics. Upcoming engagements include a return to Gotham Chamber Opera for its production of Montsalvatge’s El gato con botas.

For Minnesota Opera, he will be seen again as Moralès in Carmen.

MARCUS DILLIARD | lighting design

Marcus has designed for opera, theater and dance across North America and in Europe, including numerous productions for The Minnesota Opera, Lyric Opera Kansas City, Guthrie Theater, Children’s Theater Company, Minnesota Dance Theater and Theatre de la Jeune Lune. Recent designs include Love’s Labours Lost for Actors’ Theater Louisville, Silent Night for Cincinnati Opera, Tartuffe for South Coast Repertory, Dead Man Walking for Madison Opera, The Ballad of Emmett Till for Penumbra Theater, Cabaret for Theater Latte Da and Born Yesterday for the Guthrie Theater.

Upcoming projects include Otello for Pittsburgh Opera, The Elixir of Love for The Minnesota Opera and Silent Night for Lyric Opera of Kansas City.

. SPONSORED BY K ATHY AND JOHN JUNEK. MR. GRIMSLEY’S APPEAR ANCE IS GENEROUSLY

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GREER GRIMSLEY | jack rance

Bass-baritone Greer Grimsley is internationally recognized as an outstanding singing actor and one of the most prominent Wagnerian singers of our day. Continuing his reign as a leading interpreter of Wotan, he recently sang the eminent role for the Metropolitan Opera’s Ring Cycle in 2013, directly followed by the same role for Seattle Opera. Past engagements also included Don Pizarro in Fidelio for Seattle Opera, the High Priest in Samson et Dalila at New Orleans Opera, the title role in The Flying Dutchman for San Francisco Opera and Opera Carolina, Wotan in Die Walküre at the Gran Teatre del Liceu as well as Tokyo’s Nikikai Opera, Don Pizaro in Fidelio for Santa Fe Opera and his debut as Claggart in Billy Budd with Los Angeles Opera. Through 2017 he will return to the Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, Dallas Opera, Gran Teatre del Liceu and San Diego. Additional engagements include Telramund in Lohengrin and Amfortas in Parsifal with the Metropolitan Opera, and Kurwenal in Tristan und Isolde with the Danish Royal Opera (among others). He was last seen at Minnesota Opera in the title role of Macbeth, having also sung the title role in The Flying Dutchman and the Four Villains in Les conte d’Hoffmann.

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THE ARTISTS MATHEW J. LEFEBVRE | costume designer

Off Broadway: Signature Theatre Company: Two Trains Running; New York Theatre Workshop: Bach at Leipzig. Guthrie Theater: More than 25 productions since 1998 including A Christmas Carol, Roman Holiday, When We Are Married, The Importance of Being Earnest, 1776, She Loves Me, The Night of the Iguana, A School for Scandal, Sweeney Todd.

Other regional theater: Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, American Players Theatre, Penumbra Theatre, The Old Globe, The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, The Acting Company, The Arizona Theatre Company, The Geffen Playhouse, The Children’s Theater Company, Theatre de la Jeune Lune; Great American History Theatre; The Hampton Playhouse; Mixed Blood Theatre. Awards: 2014–2015 McKnight Theatre Artist Fellow, 2012 TDFIrene Sharaff Young Master Award, AUDELCO award nominee.Teaching: Professor of Costume Design at the University of Minnesota.

JOHN ROBERT LINDSEY | nick

Known for his intense characterizations and expressive vocal ability, tenor John Robert Lindsey is a dynamic singing actor. During his time as a Resident Artist with Minnesota Opera, he performed in 15 productions over 3 seasons. Past engagements include Marvin Heeno in the world premiere of the revised The Dream of Valentino by Dominic Argento, Malcolm in Macbeth, Count Elemer in Arabella, Edmondo in Manon Lescaut, Pang in Turandot, Ismaele in Nabucco, Goro in Madame Butterfly, Jonathan Dale in the Pulitzer Prize-winning production of Silent Night by Kevin Puts, Don José in Carmen, Sam Polk in Susannah, and the character of Stage Manager in Our Town by Rorem. On the concert stage, he has performed as tenor Soloist in Parables by Robert Aldridge and Herschel Garfein, the Mozart Requiem, the Mozart Mass in C Minor, and Messiah by Handel. He was selected to workshop the lead tenor role in The Manchurian Candidate by Kevin Puts, which is slated to debut as a full production at Minnesota Opera in 2015. Upcoming performances include returns to Minnesota Opera for The Manchurian Candidate, as well as Salome with The Dallas Opera and Opera San Antonio.

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ANDREW LOVATO | sonora

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A member of Minnesota Opera’s Resident Artist Program, baritone Andrew Lovato has swiftly established himself as a young artist on the rise. He makes his Minnesota Opera debut in the role of Sonora and later returns for The Manchurian Candidate and as Dancaïro in Carmen. In 2013, Mr. Lovato performed the role of Sciarrone in Tosca with Dayton Opera and Dr. Malatesta in Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice Artist opera scenes program. On the Central City Opera stage, he performed the role of Schaunard in its student matinee performance of La bohème in 2012. Mr. Lovato is a winner of the George L. Hackett Scholarship in the 2011 Livingston Mather Competition. He graduated with a Master of Music degree from the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music. There he performed the role of Masetto in its production of Don Giovanni. He was a soloist with the Cincinnati Vocal Arts Ensemble during the 2012–2013 season. Hailing from Waukesha, Wisconsin, Mr. Lovato received his Bachelor of Music from Lawrence University in Appleton.

THE ARTISTS CLAIRE RUTTER | minnie

Born in South Shields, Claire Rutter is one of the UK’s leading sopranos, regularly appearing with major orchestras and opera companies throughout the country, and in Europe and North America. She enjoyed a triumphant success at English National Opera in the title role of Lucrezia Borgia, a production that was televised by Sky Arts and was again featured on Sky Arts in the title role of Aida, filmed at London’s Royal Albert Hall, a performance now available on BBC DVD. Her recording of Elgar’s The Kingdom with the Hallé Orchestra conducted by Sir Mark Elder won a 2011 Gramophone Award. Her recent and current engagements include Elvira in I puritani, Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly and Violetta in La traviata for Grange Park Opera; Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, the title roles in Tosca and Aida and Amelia in Un ballo in maschera at the Finnish National Opera; the title role in Tosca for Pacific Symphony and at the Theater Basel; the title role in Turandot and Leonora in Il trovatore for Scottish Opera; and Sieglinde in Die Walküre at the Opéra de Rennes.

MS. RUTTER’S APPEARANCE IS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY DR. TRACY AND MR. ERIC AANENSON.

DOUG SCHOLZ-CARLSON | stage director

Doug Scholz-Carlson makes his directing debut at the company that first introduced him to opera when he joined the chorus of La Cenerentola in 1998. Doug later served as assistant director for numerous productions.

Minnesota Opera audiences know his fight choreography from various shows including Otello, Carmen, The Handmaid’s Tale, Wuthering Heights and the world premieres of The Grapes of Wrath and the Pulitzer Prize-winning Silent Night. Doug is Artistic Director of the Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona, Minnesota, where he has directed productions including Macbeth and Cymbeline, and played roles including the title role in King Henry v, Feste in Twelfth Night and Edgar in King Lear. Recent directing credits include Lucia di Lammermoor for Portland Opera, Pittsburgh Opera and Austin Lyric Opera; The Turn of the Screw for Palm Beach Opera and Madison Opera; and Brundibár for Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and Palm Beach Opera. Also known as a fight choreographer, his work has been seen at New York City Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Utah Opera, Guthrie Theater, Children’s Theatre Company and the Seattle Police Department.

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CHRISTIAN ZAREMBA | ashby

Praised by The New York Times as “a stage animal with a big bass voice” the 27-year-old basso cantante is quickly garnering praise from companies and critics alike. He made his debut last summer at the Glimmerglass Festival as the bass soloist in David Lang’s Little Match Girl Passion and appeared as Pistola in Falstaff with the Martina Arroyo Foundation, and as Zuniga in Carmen and Colline in La bohème with Long Island Opera. Christian performed the speaking role of the Porter in Manon and covered the principal acting role of Agamemnon in Iphigénie en Tauride at the Metropolitan Opera. Other credits include Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni, Zuniga in Carmen and Angelotti in Tosca as well as Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Long Island Opera and Capitol Heights Opera.

The 2013–2014 season saw Christian as the bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Annapolis Chorale and Mozart’s Requiem with the St. Cloud Orchestra. At Minnesota Opera last season he appeared as Sarastro (The Magic Flute), Lamoral (Arabella), the Innkeeper (Manon Lescaut) and covered Banquo (Macbeth). He returns this year as Ashby in La fanciulla del West and Zuniga in Carmen.

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MEET THE ARTISTS | Q. You’re making your Minnesota Opera debut in La fanciulla del West.

What makes your character special and why were you interested in this role?

CR It’s a role that has been on my wish list for a while, so when I was asked to sing it in Minnesota I was thrilled! She’s a tough girl with a big heart — an interesting character as well as a wonderful sing. What’s not to like about her?

RD I have been lucky enough to sing roles that fit my voice well as my voice has developed over the years. My voice coach told me I should find a place to sing Dick Johnson as was the case with my previous roles as Radames in Aida and Don Alvaro in La forza del destino. I am really happy that Minnesota Opera gave me the opportunity to explore this new role and opera.

“I spent several

months with a couple of expert coaches in UK, while singing other roles at the same time, getting Minnie under my belt.” listened to whatever I could find on Spotify.

I was really lucky to be able to schedule time for a road trip up the infamous Coast Road in California from LA to San Francisco, taking in the scenery that Minnie would have known. I also watched the HBO series Deadwood to see what life would have been like in the gold rush days. It was a tough old world back then!

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

Q. How did you prepare for this role?

CR I spent several months with a couple of expert coaches in UK, while singing other roles at the same time, getting Minnie under my belt. I also did as much reading about the character and the opera as I could and

Rafael Davila and Claire Rutter

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Photos by Aleutian Calabay © 2014

Rafael Davila and Claire Rutter

| MEET

THE ARTISTS

RD I always listen and watch as many recordings and videos as possible to try to see other singers take on the role. I also read the Belasco play to get a deeper view into the characters and the storyline since the opera is only an abbreviated version of the whole story. Then I usually work through the whole role with my voice teacher and coach.

I spent this past summer singing in Naples, Italy and took that opportunity to work with an experienced coach and conductor.

RD As with all Puccini operas, I fell in love with the amazing phrases and orchestration in his music. Puccini wrote in a very theatrical way helping the singers understand the action through the music and having every movement be exposed explicitly in the music.

Q. Tell us about the first time you heard or saw an opera.

CR My first experience with opera was listening to Puccini’s Tosca as a teenager and I decided then that I wanted to be an opera singer! Luckily I have the voice for a Tosca, and have now sung the role in about 10 different productions. The first opera I saw was Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.

Q. Tell us about any pre-performance routines that you follow.

RD I just need to have a good rest before a performance by taking an afternoon nap if possible and having a nice dinner. Then I arrive early at the theater to warm-up and almost sing through the whole role before going on stage.

Q. What are some of the Western things that you’ve done? Tell us about how you are similar to your character.

CR I don’t know much about saloon culture apart from what I’ve seen in movies and on TV, but I have three older brothers, so I know how to hold my own, like Minnie! I do have a good poker face and also love riding horses.

RD Being from the Caribbean, I have only experienced the West through films. I am also very allergic to horses, so after seeing the Met’s production with Johnson arriving on a horse for the second act, I thought I could never participate in this opera. I relate to Johnson because he is a man in love who always has to choose between duty and his feelings; as is the reality many times in our lives.

Q. What is your favorite “Spaghetti Western?”

CR and RD “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!”

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Q. Why did you fall in love with this Puccini opera?

CR There’s so much going on musically and dramatically. It’s a great piece of theater and Puccini paints every word with descriptive music, so it’s much easier for the audience to know what’s going on even if they don’t understand the Italian language.

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THE ARTISTS

Minnesota Opera Orchestra VIOLIN I

Allison Ostrander Concertmaster Natalia Moiseeva Assistant Concertmaster Julia Persitz David Mickens Judy Thon-Jones Angela Waterman Hanson Heidi Amundson Colin McGuire Maisie Block Allison Cregg

VIOLIN II

Conor O’Brien Elizabeth Decker Stephan Orsak Melinda Marshall Elise Parker Huldah Niles David Block Miriam Moxness Griffiths

VIOLA

Emily Hagen Susan Janda Laurel Browne Jenny Lind Nilsson James Bartsch Coca Bochonko

CELLO

Sally Gibson Dorer Rebecca Arons Thomas Austin Teresa Richardson Dale Newton Diane Tremaine

BASS

John Michael Smith Connie Martin Jason C. Hagelie Michael Watson

FLUTE

TRUMPET

Michele Frisch Amy Morris double piccolo

John G. Koopmann Christopher Volpe

OBOE

Phillip Ostrander John Tranter David Stevens

Michael Dayton Jeffrey Marshak

CLARINET

TROMBONE

TIMPANI

Karrin Meffert-Nelson Nina Olsen

Kory Andry

BASSOON

Matthew Barber Paul Hill

HORN

Geoffrey Loff

Coreen Nordling Laurie Hatcher Merz Charles Hodgson Gina Goettl Michael Alexander Lawrence Barnhart

PERCUSSION

CELESTE HARP

Min J. Kim

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

Ensemble

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Matthew Abbas Robb Asklof Joseph Clegg Stephen Cunningham Steve Dahlberg John deCausmeaker Benjamin Dutcher Stefan Egerstrom

Will Esch Brian Goldenman Jason Hernandez Benjamin Hills Ben Johnson Andrew Lovato Joel Mathias Michael Mayer

Riley McNutt Chandler Molbert Nicholas Nelson Cooper Nolan Phong Nguyen Matthew Opitz Alex Ritchie Grant Scherzer

Jonathan Sill Justin Spenner Colyn Tvete John Verkuilen David Walton Christian Zaremba

Production Multimedia Aleutian Calabay – Publicity Photographer Michal Daniel – Production Photographer QuarterTon Productions – Publicity Video BROADCAST RECORDING

Gala Sponsor

Gala Chairs

Ascent Private Capital Management of U.S. Bank

Chip Emery | Honorary Gala Chair Stephanie Prem & Linda Singh | Gala Co-Chairs Wayne Zink | After Party Chair

Corporate Tables 3M • Northern Trust Bank • Okabena Advisors

Individual Tables Vicki and Chip Emery & Mary and Gus Blanchard • Ruth and John Huss James E. Johnson and Lucy Rosenberry Jones • Martha and Art Kaemmer Kay Ness and Chris Wolohan • Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad and Doug Kelley & Leni and David Moore • Stephanie Prem and Tom Owens • Linda and Jesse Singh & Sara and Jock Donaldson • Wayne Zink and Christopher Schout

Appreciation

Opening Night After Party Vita.mn | Media Sponsor Zoe’s Dad | After Party Sponsor After Party Committee Wayne Zink, Chair • Michael Belkin • Brendan Bujold • Lauren Hertz Amy Walsh Kern • Michael Moore • Linda Singh • William White Brian Woolsey All proceeds of Opera Gala 2014 and the Red Hot Gold Rush After Party support Minnesota Opera’s world-renowned productions and education outreach programs.

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Minnesota Opera Board of Directors • Tempo Board of Directors Red Hot Gold Rush After Party Committee Minnesota Opera Gala and After Party Volunteers • Sara Donaldson Mike Long • Cory Johnson, Kimberley Thompson and JB Hudson Jewelers Myron Johnson • Beth Sanders • Robert Spikings • Roe Family Singers DJ Jonathan Ackerman • Bungalow6 • Denny Kemp Salon and Spa Wehmann Models and Talent, Inc. • Sexton Printing Silent Auction and Game Donors • Beganik Strategy + Design

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2014-2015 Season

COMING OCTOBER 2014 Minnesota Opera App Stay connected to Minnesota Opera everywhere you go.

Find photos, videos, digital programs, and more!

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

Download the FREE Minnesota Opera App for iOS and Android at mnopera.org/app

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The Minnesota Opera App is made possible by a generous gift from Wayne Zink.

© 2013 Jesse Valley Photography

Tempo is in its second decade of engaging 20- and 30-somethings with Minnesota Opera through one-of-akind events and steeply discounted tickets for opening night performances.

For only $50, your Tempo membership includes exciting benefits to help you get the most out of your experience.

Soprano

Christie Hageman serenades an audience member at Tap into Tempo 2013.

Upcoming Events OCTOBER 13: Tempo Happy Hour + Behind the Curtain: Hansel and Gretel Meet up at a North Loop neighborhood hot spot for cocktails and nosh. Then head over to the Minnesota Opera Center just blocks away for Behind the Curtain. Get the inside scoop as opera experts and members of the cast and creative team lead discussions exploring the music, history, and design of each opera. Behind the Curtain events are ideal for first-time opera-goers and long-term fans alike. Visit mnop.co/btc for more information.

mnop.co/tempo • 612-333-6669 • tempo@mnopera.org

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OCTOBER 21: Tap into Tempo Join us for beer with a side of opera from some of our favorite singers! We’ll preview the upcoming Minnesota Opera season and sample beers from the brewmasters at Fulton Brewery. This night is fun, informal, and will be full of music, merriment, games, prizes, and tasty eats from Hot Indian Food Truck. More at mnop.co/tap.

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ABOUT THE NEW WORKS INITIATIVE

A MAJOR GIFT COMPLETES ONE PHASE AND LAUNCHES THE NEXT

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

In July, Minnesota Opera received word that we had been awarded a three-year, $750,000 gift from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation that will support the upcoming commissions of The Manchurian Candidate, The Shining and Dinner at Eight. It was thrilling news, as the gift marks both the completion of the first $7 million New Works Initiative (NWI) fundraising campaign and the beginning of a bold, new phase of the project. We are grateful to the Mellon Foundation for its extraordinary support of our efforts to expand the art form. It is a great testament to the vitality of the operatic art form in the 21st century and underscores the national importance of this landmark program for the development of new opera.

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A pioneering movement in new opera when it was launched in 2008, Minnesota Opera’s NWI was designed to invigorate the operatic art form with an infusion of contemporary works and formalized the company’s commitment to artistic growth, leadership and innovation. Its first iteration — a seven-season commitment to producing premieres and revivals of new works — funded the commissions of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize-winning Silent Night (Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell), 2013’s Doubt by Douglas J. Cuomo and librettist John Patrick Shanley, and the upcoming political thriller, The Manchurian Candidate (also by Puts and Campbell), which will have its premiere in March 2015.

The Mellon Foundation gift set the stage for the second phase of the NWI with its major support of The Shining, by composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell, based on the novel by Stephen King (scheduled for a world premiere in May 2016), and Dinner at Eight by William Bolcom and librettist Mark Campbell, based on the play by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber (scheduled to premiere in 2017).

The future of the NWI is conceived as a 10year program that will not only encompass major mainstage commissions like these and Cold Mountain (co-commissioned with The Santa Fe Opera and Opera Philadelphia, by composer Jennifer Higdon and librettist Gene Scheer, based on the novel by Charles Frazier, which will have its world premiere next summer at The Santa Fe Opera), but endeavors to further invigorate the art form and expand its audience by creating new works conceived for non-traditional opera venues. To that end, a new hallmark of this new program will be the creation of local and national partnerships to develop ways of creating, workshopping and presenting opera.

OPERA EDUCATION

Photos by Jamie Andrews The 10th annual SUMMER OPERA CAMP was held on the beautiful campus of Shattuck-St. Mary’s School in Faribault, Minnesota. Twenty teens from the midwest, and as far away as California and Washington, spent a very intensive week in June improving their skills in singing and acting and learning about the professional life of an opera singer.

Both programs are led by Dr. Dale Kruse, Music Director for Project Opera and the Children’s Chorusmaster with the help of many talented local artists.

CHILDREN’S CHORUS SUMMER OPERA CAMP

Supporting the development of college singers, OPERA ARTIST + was the newest summer program offered by Minnesota Opera.

Fourteen young artists spent a week exploring the world of Teaching Artistry and Creative Aging, which helps senior citizens continue to experience, and make art.

Participants refined their performance skills in daily vocal coaching, a mock audition, and master classes.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE PROGRAMS CAN BE FOUND AT MNOP.CO/PROJECT-OPERA

Minnesota Opera partners with the Hennepin County Library to offer a variety of free events for all ages.

SEPT. 30, 7PM

OCT. 8, 6:30PM

OCT. 16, 6:30PM

Resident Artist Kick-off Performance at Ridgedale Library

A Brief History of Opera at Northeast Library

A Brief History of Opera at Nokomis Library

OCT. 22, 6:30PM Resident Artist Recital at Edina Library

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Kids ages 7–12 spent three days learning music from Carmen, Hansel and Gretel and Rossini’s Cat Duet. For most of these youngsters, this was their first time singing in Italian, German and French.

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A Great Pick Because You Love Grown-up takes on children’s classics Hummable tunes Tales of adventure

NOV. 1 – 9 mnopera.org

612-333-6669

A deceptively sweet confection.

HANSEL AND GRETEL PREVIEW

Many of us remember the wondrous Brothers Grimm fairy tales being read to us as a child. As we grew up and read them ourselves, they continued to entertain, but we also realized the emotional depth of these stories. At first glimpse, Hansel and Gretel is an engaging story of two smart and energetic young children sent out into the woods alone as their punishment.

Along the way they meet and battle an evil witch who wants to cook them in her oven and eat them! That is indeed quite a captivating story, but when you take a closer look at traditional fairy tales as child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim did, you discover that the dark themes might actually be about children overcoming their inner anxieties and fears such as separation from a parent. I believe that it was the underlying depth to the art of the Brothers Grimm tales that influenced future generations of storytellers and appealed to composer Engelbert Humperdinck.

Humperdinck was a well-respected German composer of the late 19th and early 20th century. Even though he composed other stage works, it was his opera Hansel and Gretel that made him famous. In creating this work, he applied Wagnerian compositional techniques to German folk tunes in a way that enhanced the storytelling with rich characterizations.

Choreographer and Director Doug Varone and his team found inspiration in both the

seriousness of the Brothers Grimm story as well as the light, dance-like nature of some of Humperdinck’s pieces. In order to tell this popular tale from another angle, Varone decided to set the time period in the first half of the 20th century where the family was facing starvation and the father’s unemployment. Just as the typical gingerbread house serves as an emotional escape for the children after they are sent off into the woods, Varone and his team have created a marvelous carnival setting with images of trapeze artists and magicians.

This new production of Hansel and Gretel pairs the irresistibly beautiful and strange carnival world with the real world of poverty and danger. I hope you enjoy this delicious new production of Hansel and Gretel for adults and children who aren’t afraid of the dark.

DALE JOHNSON Artistic Director

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HANSEL AND GRETEL

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upcoming events OCT. 8, 16: Opera 101 Opera Viva!

No experience necessary! Minnesota Opera teaching artists will present a brief history of opera and perform selections from the 2014–2015 Minnesota Opera season.

MNOP.CO/LIBRARY

OCT. 13: Tempo Happy Hour Meet up at a North Loop neighborhood hot spot for cocktails and nosh.

Behind the Curtain At the historic Minnesota Opera Center, get the inside scoop on Hansel and Gretel as opera experts and members of the cast and creative team lead discussions exploring the music, history, and design of each opera.

MNOP.CO/BTC

OCT. 21: Tap Into Tempo Join us for beer with a side of opera! We’ll preview upcoming Minnesota Opera productions and sample beers from the brewmasters at Fulton Brewery. This night is fun, informal and will be full of music, merriment, games, prizes and tasty eats from Hot Indian Food Truck.

MNOP.CO/TAP

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

OCT. 22: In Recital: Minnesota Opera Resident Artists Opera Viva!

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Enjoy an evening of world-class singing from the opera stars of tomorrow! Members of Minnesota Opera’s Resident Artist Program will present an array of beautiful music from opera to art song.

MNOP.CO/LIBRARY

OCT. 29: Broadcast The Dream of Valentino Minnesota Public Radio broadcasts Minnesota Opera’s production of Dominick Argento’s The Dream of Valentino, which features former Resident Artist soprano Angela Mortellaro. She returns as Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, which opens Nov. 1.

MNOP.CO/LISTEN

OCT. 30: Social Media Preview Night Minnesota Opera allows a pre-screened group of press members, bloggers and social media influencers to attend the Hansel and Gretel final dress rehearsal at Ordway. We encourage live tweeting, blogging, note taking, and illustrating.

MNOP.CO/PREVIEW

NOV. 1–9 Hansel and Gretel

Based on the Brothers Grimm classic, this beloved fairy tale whips together frothy folk tunes with sumptuous orchestration into a deceptively sweet, deliciously dark confection. Minnesota Opera’s new production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s enduring masterpiece is appropriate for grown ups and children who aren’t afraid of the dark.

MNOPERA.ORG

NOV. 6 Taste of Opera Enhance your opera-going experience with a delicious pre-show dinner and relaxed conversation with experts from the world of opera. Leave the logistics to us and enjoy an all-inclusive evening out!

MNOP.CO/TASTE

OCT. 24 – NOV. 2: National Opera Week Organizations and individuals throughout North America will lend their voices to a powerful chorus, demonstrating the strength and vitality of our art form today. From press conferences to free events to social media campaigns and beyond, Opera Week unites our field, showcases our year-round commitment to our communities and inspires a love of opera.

NOV. 13: Give to the Max Day In November, Minnesotans will come together for the state's largest day of giving.

Every donation you make during Give to the Max Day 2014 helps qualify Minnesota Opera for money and awards, furthering the impact of your donation. Please join us for this special day of online giving!

MNOP.CO/MA X

THE CATHEDRAL OF SAINT PAUL invites you to the final two concerts in the Inaugural Year of Organ Concerts Janette Fishell, Ph.D.

Chair, Organ Department, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music 7:30 PM THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Jean-Baptiste Robin

Organist, Palace of Versailles; Titular Organist, Cathedral of Saint-Pierre, Poitiers, France 7:30 PM THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

Both concerts are free and open to the public in celebration of the completed organ restoration project which drew support from more than 800 donors.

Cathedral of Saint Paul 239 Selby Avenue, Saint Paul.

651-228-1766 www.cathedralsaintpaul.org

These concerts are made possible through the financial assistance from the Cathedral Heritage Foundation, a community-based 501(c)(3) organization.

Northrop Presents

THE HONG KONG BALLET

Thu, Nov 6, 7:30 pm & Fri, Nov 7, 8:00 pm Carlson Family Stage at Northrop

Turandot

A dramatic, full-length story ballet of power, lust, and revenge, Turandot is based on Puccini’s beloved opera and accompanied by visually stunning sets and Puccini’s original music.

Tickets available online, in person, or by phone.

The Hong Kong Ballet in Turandot.

Photo © Gordon Wong.

| LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

The Hong Kong Ballet, one of Asia’s premier classical ballet companies, performs Turandot.

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STAFF LISTING MINNESOTA OPERA STAFF President and General Director | Kevin Ramach Artistic Director | Dale Johnson Music Director | Michael Christie

ARTISTIC

Artistic Administrator | Roxanne Stouffer Artist Relations and Planning Director | Floyd Anderson

Assistant Stage Managers | Stephanie Boyd, Hannah Holthaus

ADMINISTRATION

Finance Director | Jeff Couture Operations/Systems Manager | Steve Mittelholtz

Head of Music | Robert Ainsley

HR/Accounting Manager | Jennifer Thill

Resident Artists | Jonathan Brandani, Aaron Breid, Gerard Michael D’Emilo, Siena Forest, Geoffrey Loff, Andrew Lovato, Alison Moritz, Cooper Nolan, Shannon Prickett, Nickolas Sanches, Christian Zaremba

Director of Board Relations | Theresa Murray

COSTUMES

Costume Director | Corinna Bohren Assistant Costume Director | Beth Sanders Costume Design Assistant | Cole Bylander Tailor | Yancey Thrift Drapers | Chris Bur, Emily Rosenmeier Painter/Dyer | Marliss Jensen First Hands | Helen Ammann, Kelsey Glasener, Rebecca Karstad Stitchers | Ann Habermann, Rachel Skudlarek Wardrobe Supervisor | Jessica Minczeski Wig/Makeup Supervisor | Priscilla Bruce

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

Production Stage Manager | Kerry Masek

Dramaturg | David Sander

Master Coaches | Lara Bolton, Mary Jo Gothmann

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PRODUCTION

Production Director | Karen Quisenberry

SCENERY

Technical Director | Mike McQuiston Properties Master | Jenn Maatman Properties Assistant | Michael C. Long Lighting Coordinator | Wm. P. Healey Assistant Lighting Coordinator | Tom Rost Production Carpenter | JC Amel Scene Shop Foreman | Rod Aird Master Carpenters | Nate Kulenkamp, Steven Rovie, Eric Veldey Carpenters | Timothy Hannington, John Stillwell Charge Painter | Jeffery Murphey

Finance Assistant | Michelle Gould

DEVELOPMENT

Director of Development | Dawn Loven Director of Institutional Support | Beth Comeaux Director of Special Events | Emily Skoblik Special Events Assistant | Danielle Ricci Institutional Gifts Associate | Adam Salazar

EDUCATION

Community Education Director | Jamie Andrews Project Opera Music Director | Dale Kruse Project Opera Accompanist | Kathy Kraulik Project Opera Program Manager | Andrew Stoebig Teaching Artist | Angie Keeton

MARKETING/COMMUNICATIONS

Senior Director of Marketing and Communications | Lani Willis

Marketing Director | Katherine L. Castille Program Manager, Marketing and Communications | Kristin Matejcek Technology and Interactive Media Manager | Adam Holisky Communications Manager | Julie Behr Data Specialist | Rosalee McCready Ticket Office Manager | Kevin Beckey Associate Ticket Office Manager | Sarah Fowler Ticket Office & Marketing Assistant | Kärsten Jensen Ticket Office Assistants | Carol Corich, Hannah Giersdorf, Jane Samsal, Carrie Walker

BOARD MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

TEMPO BOARD MEMBERS

OFFICERS

OFFICERS

Chair | James E. Johnson President and General Director | Kevin Ramach

Chair | Jennifer Engel

Vice Chair | Margaret Wurtele

Staff Liaison | Kärsten Jensen

Secretary | Robert Lee Treasurer | Christopher Romans

Steve Mahon

Bernard J. Brunsman

Leni Moore

Peter W. Carter

Kay Ness

Sara Donaldson Bianca Fine Sharon Hawkins Ruth S. Huss Mary IngebrandPohlad Philip Isaacson James E. Johnson Patricia Johnson John C. Junek Christine Larsen Robert Lee

Albin “Jim” Nelson Stephanie Prem Kevin Ramach Elizabeth Redleaf Connie Remele Don Romanaggi Christopher Romans Mary H. Schrock Linda Roberts Singh Nadege Souvenir Virginia Stringer H. Bernt von Ohlen Margaret Wurtele Wayne P. Zink

EMERITI Karen Bachman John A. Blanchard, III Burton Cohen

Julia W. Dayton Mary W. Vaughan

HONORARY DIRECTORS Dominick Argento Philip Brunelle Dolly Fiterman

LEGAL COUNSEL

Vice Chair | Rhonda Skoby

Norton M. Hintz Liz Kochiras Patricia H. Sheppard

James A. Rubenstein, Moss & Barnett

Treasurer | Ryan Alberg

MEMBERS Thomas Bakken

Laura Green

Maya Beecham

Claire Joseph

Ben Canine

Megan Mehl

Leslie Carey

Susan Nwoke Leppke

Melissa Daul

Faris Rashid

Alexis DuPlessis

Jana Sackmeister

Katie Eiser

Polina Saprygina

Kara Eliason

VOLUNTEERS The following volunteers contribute their time and talent to support key activities of the company.

Get involved with Bravo! Volunteer Corps at mnop.co/volunteer, or email volunteering@mnopera.org for more information.

Lynne Beck Gerald Benson Debra Brooks Jerry Cassidy Judith Duncan Jane Fuller Joan Gacki Merle Hanson Robin Keck Mary Lach Jerry Lillquist Joyce Lillquist Melanie Locke Yelva Lynfield

Suzan Lynnes Mary McDiarmid Verne Melberg Barbara Moore Douglas Myhra Candyce Osterkamp Dan Panshin Pat Panshin Sydney Phillips Kari Schutz Janet Skidmore Wendi Sott Barbara Willis

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

| LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

Patricia Beithon

Jane M. Confer

Staff Liaison | Danielle Ricci Secretary | Chrissi Reimer

DIRECTORS

Rachelle D. Chase

Staff Liaison | Kristin Matejcek

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O P E N I N G S E P T. 1 9

The Doyle and Debbie Show takes audiences on a freewheeling joyride through a wickedly funny script and slew of equally hilarious original songs.

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

Doyebleb&ie DShow

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SEPT. 19 – OCT. 26

actorsmn.org or 800.838.3006 Cabaret Theater at Camp Bar, Saint Paul

2014-2015, Our 34th Season of entertainment worth coming out for!

Season tickets on sale now!

UofM Tickets: 612-624-2345 Chorus Office: 612-339-7664

with special guests

The Copper Street Brass Quintet

DEcember 12-13, 2014 • 8pm DEcember 14, 2014 • 2pm

June 19-20, 2015 • 8pm

With a season of brass, Beatles and Broadway, you won’t want to miss a beat! tcgmc.org

| LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

March 27-28,2015 • 8pm

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annual fund

| individual giving

It is with deep appreciation that Minnesota Opera recognizes and thanks all of the individual donors whose annual support helps bring great opera to life. It is our pleasure to give special recognition to the following individuals whose leadership support provides the financial foundation which makes the Opera’s artistic excellence possible.

For information on making a contribution to Minnesota Opera, please call Dawn Loven, Director of Development, at 612-342-9567 or email her at dloven@mnopera.org.

bel canto circle PLATINUM

$25,000 and above

Anonymous (1) Mary and Gus Blanchard Jane M. and Ogden W. Confer Julia W. Dayton Sara and Jock Donaldson Vicki and Chip Emery Ruth and John Huss Heinz Hutter Mr. and Mrs. Philip Isaacson James E. Johnson Lucy Rosenberry Jones Kathleen and John Junek The Art and Martha Kaemmer Fund of HRK Foundation Elizabeth Redleaf Mrs. Mary W. Vaughan C. Angus and Margaret Wurtele Wayne Zink

GOLD

$15,000–$24,999

Dr. Tracy and Mr. Eric Aanenson Karen Bachman Donald E. Benson Rachelle Dockman Chase Ellie Crosby William I. and Bianca M. Fine Charitable Trust Mr. and Mrs. William Frels Robert L. Lee and Mary E. Schaffner Barbara and David Meline Moore Family Fund for the Arts Judy Mortrude and Steven Mahon Albin and Susan Nelson Kay Ness and Chris Wolohan Joseph Sammartino Bernt von Ohlen and Tom Nichol William White

SILVER

$10,000–$14,999

Anonymous (2) Dominick Argento Patricia and John Beithon Susan Boren Dolly J. Fiterman N. Bud and Beverly Grossman Foundation Sharon Hawkins Garrison Keillor and Jenny Lind Nilsson Warren and Patricia Kelly Harvey T. McLain Mary Ingebrand Pohlad Patricia and Don Romanaggi Virginia L. and Edward C. Stringer

camerata circle PLATINUM

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

$7,500–$9,999

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Allegro Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation Alexis and Michael Christie Patricia Johnson and Kai Bjerkness Erwin and Miriam Kelen Jose Peris and Diana Gulden Chris Larsen and Scott Peterson Connie and Lew Remele Lois and John Rogers Jennifer and Chris Romans Mary H. and Christian G. Schrock

GOLD

$5,000–$7,499

Anonymous (1) James Andrus Martha and Bruce Atwater Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation William Biermaier and David Hanson Shari and David Boehnen Ken and Peggy Bonneville Dr. Lee Borah, Jr. Peter Davis and Pamela Webster Cy and Paula Decosse Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation Meg and Wayne Gisslen

Lonnie and Stefan Helgeson Cynthia and Jay Ihlenfeld Robert Kriel and Linda Krach Mary and Barry Lazarus Ilo and Peggy Leppik Mr. and Mrs. Donald Lucker Kendrick B. Melrose Karla Miller Mr. and Mrs. Rolf Peters Stephanie Prem and Tom Owens Nadege Souvenir Stephanie C. Van D’Elden Lori and Herbert Ward

SILVER

$2,500–$4,999

Anonymous (2) Nina and John Archabal Martha and Daniel Aronson Annette Atkins and Tom Joyce Alexandra O. Bjorklund Margee and Will Bracken Rita and Kenneth Britton Barry and Wendy Brunsman Juliet Bryan and Jack Timm Christopher J. Burns Ann and Glenn Buttermann Darlene J. and Richard P. Carroll Nicky B. Carpenter

Rusty and Burt Cohen Jennifer and Corey Cowart Ruth and Bruce Dayton Rebecca and Jay Debertin Thomas and Mary Lou Detwiler Ralph D. Ebbott Joyce and Hugh Edmondson Nancy and Rolf Engh Ester and John Fesler Gail Fiskewold Melanie and Bruce Flessner Patricia R. Freeburg Judith Garcia Galiana and Alberto Castillo Mrs. Myrtle Grette Michele Harris and Peter Tanghe Susanne Haas and Ross Formell Dorothy Horns and James Richardson Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Horowitz Bill and Hella Mears Hueg Diane and Paul Jacobson Dale A. Johnson Robert and Susan Josselson Nancy and Donald Kapps Lyndel and Blaine King David MacMillan and Judy Krow Deb and Jim Lakin Dr. Caliann Lum

individual giving

camerata circle Ann and Reid MacDonald Bridget Manahan and Joe Alexander Margery Martin and Dan Feidt Roy and Dorothy Mayeske Laura McCarten Wendy and Malcolm McLean Mary Bigelow McMillan Velia R. Melrose Dr. and Mrs. Alfred Moore Sandy and Bob Morris

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annual fund

(continued)

Nancy and Richard Nicholson Bill and Barbara Pearce Marge and Dwight Peterson Mrs. William Phillips Michael and Roxanne Pickle Sara and Kevin Ramach Rhoda and Paul Redleaf Mary and Paul Reyelts Thomas D. and Nancy J. Rohde In Memory of Agnes M. Romanaggi Nina and Ken Rothchild

Andrea and James A. Rubenstein Karen and Mahlon Schneider Lynda and Frank Sharbrough Julie and Bruce Steiner Dr. and Mrs. Andrew J. Thomas Dr. Norrie Thomas William Voedisch and Laurie Carlson Craig and Stephanie Walvatne Nancy and Ted Weyerhaeuser Carolyn, Sharon and Clark Winslow Woessner Freeman Family Foundation

Thomas Hunt and John Wheelihan Teresa and Chuck Jakway Paula and Bryce Johnson Sharon and Fredrik Johnson Janet Jones Wadad Kadi Stan and Jeanne Kagin E. Robert and Margaret V. Kinney Viemeister Kirby Fund Mark Lageson Hugh Klein and Judy Lebedoff Sally and Bill Kling Gerard Knight Mrs. James S. Kochiras Kyle Kossol and Tom Becker Constance and Daniel Kunin Bryan Lechner Stefanie Lenway and Tom Murtha Mr. and Mrs. Seymour Levy Helen and Ben Liu Bill Long Dawn M. Loven Carolyn and Charles Mayo Barbara McBurney

Helen and Charles McCrossan Sheila McNally Deb and Jon McTaggart Judith and James Mellinger David and LaVonne Middleton Jill Mortensen and Kay Phillips Diana and Joe Murphy Judy and David Myers Elizabeth B. Myers Joan and Richard Newmark Douglas and Mary Olson Julie Oswald Derrill M. Pankow Pat and Dan Panshin Paula Patineau Suzanne and William Payne Susanne and Rick Pepin Mary and Robert Price Kari and Dan Rasmus George Reid Courtney and Scott Rile John and Sandra Roe Foundation Kristine and Roger Ruckert Terry Saario and Lee Lynch Anne and Lee Salisbury Sampson Family Charitable Foundation Kay Savik and Joe Tashjian Dr. and Mrs. Richard J. Schindler In Memory of Lyle R. Schumacher Gloria and Fred Sewell Cherie and Bob Shreck Lynn and Kevin Smith Ardath and Glenn Solsrud Matthew Spanjers Daniel J. Spiegel Family Foundation Chris Stagsteffer Donna Stephenson Mary K. and Gary Stern Dana and Stephen Strand Vern Sutton Jean Thomson and John Sandbo Schelly and Bryn Vaaler Cindy and Steven Vilks Mrs. Philip Von Blon James and Sharon Weinel Lani Willis and Joel Spoonheim John Windhorst, Jr. In Honor of Ron Wyman

$1,000–$2,499

Anonymous (1) Mary and Charles Anderson Kim A. Anderson Betty Andrews Ruth and Dale Bachman Ann and Thomas Bagnoli In memory of Kent Bales Barbara S. Belk Brian Benjamin Mrs. Paul G. Boening Allan Bradley Drs. Jan and Eli Briones Juliet Bryan and Jack Timm Scott Cabalka Kathleen Callahan Joan and George Carlson In Memory of Kathy Coleman Barb and Jeff Couture Susan and Richard Crockett Stacey and Michael Crosby Helen and John Crosson Jeff and Wendy Dankey Fran Davis The Denny Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation Margaret DiBlasio Elise Donohue Joshua Dorothy Joan Duddingston Steven Engle Rondi Erickson and Sandy Lewis Ann Fankhanel Salvatore Silvestri Franco Emil and Robert Fredericksen Terence Fruth and Mary McEvoy Bradley Fuller and Elizabeth Lincoln Mr. and Mrs. R. James Gesell Heidi and Howard Gilbert Dr. Richard Gregory Jennifer Gross and Jerry Lefevre Bruce and Jean Grussing Hackensack Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation Marion and Donald Hall Ingrid and Alfred Harrison Don Helgeson and Sue Shepard Jean McGough Holten The Estate of Charles Hudgins

“

We have been excited to watch Minnesota Opera rise to ever higher levels of quality in the last decade.

It’s good to think that, as financial supporters, we have been a small part of making that happen.

– Meg and Wayne Gisslen, Minnesota Opera donors and subscribers

| LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

artist circle

37

annual fund

| individual giving

patron circle GOLD

$750–$999

Carl and Joan Behr Gerald and Phyllis Benson Debra Brooks and James Meunier Charles Hample Andrew & Gary Whitford Holey The Mahley Family Foundation Dusty Mairs Ann M. Rock David E. Sander Warren Stortroen Jill and John Thompson David L. Ward Mark Warnken Ellen M. Wells James Wire

SILVER

$500–$749

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

Anonymous (2) Thomas O. Allen Arlene and Tom Alm August J. Aquila and Emily Haliziw Dr. and Mrs. Orn Arnar Jo and Gordon Bailey Family Fund Armand and Dickey Balsano Rebecca Arons and Thomas Basting, Jr. Donald and Naren Bauer Barbara Bencini Chuck Bennett Dennis and Judy Berkowitz Martin and Patricia Blumenreich Kristin Brietzke Dr. Hannelore Brucker Thomas and Joyce Bruckner Elwood and Florence Caldwell Jim and Julie Chosy Joann Cierniak J.P. Collins Ann Marie and Jim Collins

38

Brenda Colwill Amos and Sue Deinard Mona and Patrick Dewane Lois Dirksen Barry Divine Jane Dudley Holli Egerstrom Mrs. John C. Rowland Herbert and Betty Fantle Brian M. Finstad C.D.F. Foundation Kingston Fletcher Jane Fuller Joan and William Gacki W. Michael and Christine Garner David and Terry Gilberstadt Stanley and Luella Goldberg Mark and Diane Gorder Roger and Eleanor Hall Bonita Hanson Blanche and Thane Hawkins Stefan and Lonnie Helgeson Frederick J. Hey Jr. Norton and Mary Hintz Henry and Jean Hoover Ray Jacobsen Barbara Jenkins Charles and Sally Jorgensen Samuel and Sylvia Kaplan Markle Karlen Carole and Joseph Killpatrick Katherine and Scott Kovarik James and Gail LaFave Judith Lee Chris and Marion Levy Tim and Susanna Lodge Ruth W. Lyons Tom and Marsha Mann Kristin and Jim Matejcek Frank Mayers Patricia N. and Samuel D. McCullough

Anne W. Miller Lee Mitau and Karin Birkeland Steven J. Mittelholtz Jack and Jane Moran Theresa and Jim Murray Lucia Newell Dennis R. Olson Ruth and Ahmad Orandi Jim Pagliarini and Elizabeth Raymond Kathleen and Donald Park Ilya Perepelitsyn Ron and Mary Peterson Dwight and Christina Porter Matthew Ralph and Kristina Carlson Carroll and Barbara Rasch Dennis M. Ready Lawrence M. Redmond Liane A. Rosel Enrique and Clara Rotstein Marian R. Rubenfeld and Frederick G. Langendorf Ruth Schwarzmann John W. Shigeoka Topsy Simonson Arthur and Marilynn Skantz Stanislaw Skrowaczewski Clifford C. and Virginia G. Sorensen Charitable Trust Mark and Kristi Specker Jon Spoerri and Debra Christgau Michael Steffes Thomas and Sharon Stoffel Judith Stone Roxanne Stouffer Dr. Anthony Thein David Walsh and Renee Campion Mary Weinberger Mrs. Barbara White John M. Williams Barbara and Carl White Barbara and James Willis

associate circle ASSOCIATE

$250–$499

Anonymous (2) Paul and Val Ackerman Katherine Anderson Jerry Artz Suzanne Asher Marcia J. Aubineau Eric S. Anderson and Janalee R. Aurelia James and Gail Bakkom Bishu and Irina Bandyopadhyay Laird Barber Margaret and E. Thomas Barrett

Carolyn Beatty Kevin Beckey Bill Bertram Keith and Jamie Beveridge Judith Brown-Wescott Philip and Carolyn Brunelle Alan E. and Ruth Carp Katherine L. Castille Gretchen Collins Kay Constantine Jeanne E. Corwin Kent and Dee Ann Crossley Melissa Daul

Maylis and Mark Dickey Linda S. Donaldson Leah and Ian Evison Charles and Anne Ferrell Joyce and Hal Field Steven and Mimi Fisher Christine Fleming Roger and Michele Frisch Greta and Paul Garmers Howard and Ann Garton Marsha and Richard Gould Russell and Priscilla Hankins Douglas and Doris Happe

individual giving

associate circle

annual fund

(continued)

Merritt C. Nequette Peter Nichol and Makie Tam William and Sharon Nichols Lowell and Sonja Noteboom Patricia A. O’Gorman Robert and Dorothy Ollmann Vivian Orey Donna and Marvin Ortquist Scott J. Pakudaitis Julia and Brian Palmer James A. Payne Lana K. Pemberton John and Margaret Perry Carol Peterson John Petraborg Edward and Beverly Phares Walter Pickhardt and Sandra Resnick John and Norma Pierson William Lough Lorraine Potuzak Nicole and Charles Prescott Christina Reimer Robert E. Rocknem Daniel Roth Patricia and Stephen Rowley

“

Berneen Rudolph Adele and Fred Saleh Mary Savina Mr. Jon L. Schasker Paul L. Schroeder Estelle Sell Morris and Judith Sherman The Singer Family Foundation Debra Sit and Peter Berge Dr. Leslie W. Smith Jim Snustad Lori Sundman Delroy and Doris Thomas Katharine E. Thomas Susan Truman Emily Wadsworth Elaine B. Walker Wesley Wang David Wendt Deborah Wheeler John and Sandra White Jeff Wiemiller Leslie Wilcox Wendy Wildung David and Rachelle Willey Daniel Richard Zillmann

Not only has Minnesota Opera evolved to equal or excel any regional opera company, but through imaginative management, programming, innovation and the introduction of new works, Minnesota Opera has become a leader in its field. We have been both proud and gratified to witness this evolution as well as the outpouring of community support for what has become a vital cultural asset both for the Twin Cities community and our country at large.

– Fran and Arthur Horowitz, Minnesota Opera donors and subscribers

These lists are current as of August 12, 2014, and include donors who gave a gift of $250 or more during Minnesota Opera’s Annual Fund Campaign. If your name is not listed appropriately, please accept our apologies and contact Dawn Loven, Director of Development, at 612-342-9567.

become a donor Bring innovative opera productions to life with your charitable gift, and join Minnesota Opera’s family of donors today.

Visit mnop.co/support to give online. THANK YOU!

| LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

Todd and Amy Hartman Alfred E. Hauwiller Jill A. Heath Mary K. Hicks Sharon and Cliff Hill Rochelle Hoffman Brian and Karen Hopps Steve Horan Burton and Sandra Hoverson Worth L. Hudspeth Deborah and Ronald Jans Ed and Jean Jasienski Christina and Nicholas Jermihov Benjamin Jones Erika and Herb Kahler Jeff and Andrea Kaiserman Kristine Kaplan Kathryn Keefer Janice Kimes Susan Kinder Andrea M. Kircher John Krenzke and Michelle Davis Joan Krikava Kelly and Adam Kuczkowski Robert and Venetia Kudrle Nathan Kulenkamp Scott and Karla Lalim Kenyon S. Latham Lisa and Jonathan Lewis Sarah Lutman and Robert Rudolph Stuart MacGibbon Joan E. Madden Donald and Rhoda Mains Orpha McDiarmid Family Fund Beth McGuire and Tom Theobald Harry McNeely Susan Mcneely Laurie and David Mech Adele Mehta Curtis and Verne Melberg John L. Michel and H. Berit Midelfort Michael J. and Judith Mollerus Brad Momsen and Rick Buchholz David Mowry Virginia Dudley and William Myers

|

39

MINNESOTA OPERA INFO

Regular Hours: Mon.–Fri., 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 two hours 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.

a creative agency for the arts | MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

artsink.org

40

amy@artsink.org 612.251.1335

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 the Minnesota Opera Ticket Office at 612-333-6669.

Parking Prepaid parking is available for opera patrons at the Lawson Commons Ramp. Call 612-333-6669 to purchase passes, or online at mnopera.org.

Subject to availability.

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

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

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.

Proud to partner with Minnesota Opera.

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

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.

Arabella, 2013 © Michal Daniel for Minnesota Opera

Minnesota Opera Ticket Office 620 North First Street Minneapolis, MN 612-333-6669

Arabella, 2013 © Michal Daniel for Minnesota Opera

LEGACY CIRCLE

Anonymous (4) Valerie and Paul Ackerman Thomas O. Allen Mr. and Mrs. Rolf Andreassen* Mary A. Andres Karen Bachman Randolph G. Baier* Mark and Pat Bauer Mrs. Harvey O. Beek * Barbara and Sandy* Bemis Dr. Lee Borah, Jr. Allan Bradley C. T. Bundy, ii Joan and George Carlson Darlene J. and Richard P. Carroll Julia and Dan Cross Judy and Kenneth * Dayton Charles Denny Mrs. George Doty Rudolph Driscoll *

Anne P. Ducharme Sally Economon * Ester and John Fesler Paul Froeschl Katy Gaynor Robert and Ellen Green Ieva Grundmanis * Julia Hanna* Ruth Hanold * Fredrick J. Hey, Jr. Norton M. Hintz Jean McGough Holten Charles Hudgins * Dale and Pat Johnson Ruth Jones* Drs. Sally and Charles Jorgensen Robert and Susan Josselson Charlotte * and Markle Karlen Mary Keithahn Patty and Warren Kelly Margaret Kilroe Trust *

Blaine and Lyndel King Gretchen Klein * Sally Kling Gisela Knoblauch * Mr. and Mrs. James Krezowski Robert Kriel and Linda Krach Venetia and Robert Kudrle Robert Lawser, Jr. Jean Lemberg * Gerald and Joyce Lillquist David Mayo Barbara and Thomas * McBurney Mary McDiarmid Mildred McGonagle * Beth McGuire Mary Bigelow McMillan Margaret D. and Walter S. Meyers* John L. Michel and H. Berit Midelfort Susan Molder * Edith Mueller *

Kay Ness Joan and Richard Newark Philip Oxman and Harvey Zuckman Scott Pakudaitis Lana Pemberton Sydney and William* Phillips Richard G. * and Liane A. Rosel Mrs. Berneen Rudolph Mary Savina Frank and Lynda Sharbrough Drew Stewart James and Susan Sullivan Gregory C. Swinehart Stephanie Van D’Elden Mary Vaughan Bernt von Ohlen Dale and Sandra Wick Richard Zgodava* Daniel R. Zillmann * In Remembrance

For more information on making planned giving arrangements, please contact Dawn Loven, Director of Development, at 612-342-9567. Your attorney or financial advisor can then help determine which methods are most appropriate for you.

| LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

MINNESOTA OPERA THANKS the following donors who, through their foresight and generosity, have included the Opera in their wills or estate plans. We invite you to join other opera-lovers by leaving a legacy gift to Minnesota Opera. If you have already made such a provision, we encourage you to notify us so that we may appropriately recognize your generosity.

41

INSTITUTIONAL GIVING Minnesota Opera gratefully acknowledges its major institutional supporters: $100,000+

William Randolph Hearst Foundations

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

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.

$50,000–$99,999

$25,000–$49,999

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

Aroha Philanthropies

42

$10,000–$24,999

For information on making a corporate or foundation contribution to Minnesota Opera, please contact Beth Comeaux, Director of Institutional Support, at 612-342-9566 or email her at bcomeaux@mnopera.org.

INSTITUTIONAL GIVING

minnesota opera sponsors SEASON

OPERA INSIGHTS

Target

QuarterTon

PRODUCTION SPONSORS

PRODUCTION INNOVATION SYSTEM

The Manchurian Candidate The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

General Mills

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

Wenger Foundation

MEDIA SPONSOR

Sakura

Thomson Reuters

RESIDENT ARTIST PROGRAM TEMPO AFTER PARTIES

Classical Minnesota Public Radio

GALA SPONSORS

Ascent Private Capital Management of U.S. Bank Zoe's Dad

corporations, foundations and government 3M Foundation Ameriprise Financial, Inc. Aroha Philanthropies F.R. Bigelow Foundation The Ruth Easton Fund General Mills Foundation William Randolph Hearst Foundations Knight Foundation The McKnight Foundation Medtronic Philanthropy through Medtronic Foundation The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Minnesota State Arts Board National Endowment for the Arts The Saint Paul Foundation Target U.S. Bank Foundation

PLATINUM

$10,000–$24,999

The Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Inc. Ascent Private Capital Management of U.S. Bank Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation Best Buy Children’s Foundation Cargill Foundation Comcast Dorsey & Whitney Foundation Ecolab Foundation

Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation MAHADH Fund of HRK Foundation Pine River Capital Management LP Travelers Valspar Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation Minnesota Wenger Foundation Xcel Energy

GOLD

$5,000–$9,999

Accenture Boss Foundation Briggs & Morgan, P.A. Ernst & Young Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts R. C. Lilly Foundation Mayo Clinic Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP The Carl and Eloise Pohlad Family Foundation PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP Rahr Foundation RBC Wealth Management Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, p.a.

Securian Foundation Twin Cities Opera Guild

SILVER

$2,500–$4,999

Cleveland Foundation Dellwood Foundation Faegre Baker Daniels Hutter Family Foundation Le Jeune Family Foundation Maslon Edelman Borman & Brand, LLP The Elizabeth C. Quinlan Foundation Margaret Rivers Fund Pique Travel Design Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi Rothschild Capital Partners Thomson Reuters Spencer Stuart Summit Brewing Company Tennant Foundation

BRONZE

$250–$2,499

Anonymous (1) Carlson Family Foundation Enterprise Holdings Foundation Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc. McVay Foundation Onan Family Foundation Peravid Foundation Sewell Family Foundation Sit Investment Foundation

| LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

SPONSORS

$25,000+

43

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| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

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44

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| LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

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40 CELEBRATING

YEARS 1974 – 2014

presents

WRITTEN & PERFORMED BY Jeffrey Hatcher

| MINNESOTA OPERA mnopera.org

DIRECTED

46

bins

l Ro

BY Michae

The year is 1969. Aspirations are running high in the town of Steubenville, Ohio, as 11-year-old Jeffrey takes the director’s chair for the first time in his young life. Through hilarity and mishap, he leads his fellow fifth grade classmates through rehearsals of an adaptation of Shakespeare’s greatest drama.

OCTOBER 2 – 25, 2014 • TICKETS: $15 – $30 ILLUSIONTHEATER.ORG | 612.339.4944 | 528 HENNEPIN AVE, 8TH FLOOR, MINNEAPOLIS

47

| LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

PRESENTS

RY 5 0 th A N N I V E R S A

PERFORMANCES Fri, Dec 19, 7:30 pm Sat, Dec 20, 2:00 & 7:30 pm Sun, Dec 21, 3:00 pm Tue, Dec 23, 7:30 pm

ST

R

A T ETUR E T NS T H E O TH AT E RE !

Tickets available at the State Theatre Box Office or through Ticketmaster.com (800.982.2787)

www.mndance.org