Primo Puccini

Celebrating Puccini with The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey

Sunday, November 17, 2024 at 3:00 PM

Photo credit: Brian Foran

Program

Verdi

Overture to Il Giorno Di Regno

Puccini

Jasmine Flower from Turandot

Ch’ella Mi Creda

Dmitri Zigrino from La Fanciulladel West

O Mio Babbino Caro

Timothy Maureen Cole from Gianni Schicchi

Chi Il Bel Sogno

Theresa Carlomagno from La Rondine

Liu Sorgi

Jason Adamo from Turandot

Vecchia Zimarra

Jason Adamo from La Boheme

Musetta’s Waltz

Timothy Maureen Cole from La Boheme

Che Gelida Manina

Dmitri Zigrino from La Boheme

Mi Chiamano Mimi

Theresa Carlomagno from La Boheme

Intermission

Johannes Brahms

Symphony #2

Allegro non troppo

Adagio non troppo

Allegretto grazioso

Allegro con spirito

Thank you for your support!

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About the Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey

Founded in 1996, The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey performs music of all periods and styles at affordable prices and supports young artists and audiences. The Orchestra performs in organized concert seasons and special concerts in collaboration with artists and organizations throughout New Jersey.

Conductor and Music Director Robert Butts is the founder of The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey. He has led the Orchestra’s development from a Baroque ensemble to an orchestra that plays a wide variety of the classical and operatic musical repertoire from all periods. Since 2006 he has also been the Artistic Director of the BONJ Summer Music Festival held in Madison, New Jersey every August.

From Maestro Butts

As an opera conductor and musicologist, just being able to have access to the music box is thrilling.  To know this was what Puccini himself was able to use when composing Madama Butterfly and Turandot, is amazing.  For me, it provides extra inspiration when conducting these masterpieces.

I remember when I conducted Turandot back with The Little Opera Company in Westfield.  Many local children and students participated in the chorus.  I remember one Chinese-American mother being really struck by what she had heard.  When I asked her, she mentioned to me that Puccini had quoted once a very popular Chinese folk song: Mo Li Hua or Jasmine Flower. The melody was more than simply part of a larger orchestral score. It was a song she knew well all her life and now her two children were singing the song as part of their operatic experience. In turn, it made it so much more poignant for me when conducting that scene in Act 1.

As a composer, it is meaningful to hear the original melodies and to be able to study the score and see how Puccini not only quoted the melodies, but developed the ideas and integrated the music into the larger score and story.  Like many composers, I often try to incorporate familiar melodies or melodies that are meaningful to me into the flow of my composition. Sometimes, it serves as a starting point in working out musical ideas. Other times, it colors the meaning of the music, both as part of the compositional fabric but even more as part of the emotional depth.

I have recently completed a string quartet inspired by some of the sounds I heard while on a cruise in Alaska.

Being able to better understand how Puccini quoted, developed, and integrated specific tunes or phrases to create atmosphere and feelings in the music helped me in my own creative work.

About the Guest Singers

Theresa Carlomagno has sung with the orchestra on several occasions as soloist and in leading roles. In 2023, she made her debuts at The Arena in Verona, Italy, and at Athens Opera in Greece.

Timothy Maureen Cole has sung operatic roles and recital solos with the orchestra in works by Strauss, Donizetti, Mozart, and Handel and has premiered roles and art songs composed by Maestro Butts and other leading local composers.

Theresa Carlomagno, soprano

Theresa Carlomagno is an emerging soprano known for her voice’s rich fullness and timeless vocal artistry. Theresa’s impressive repertoire includes standout roles such as Adele in Die Fledermaus and Adina in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore. She recently made her European debut at the Herodion Atticus in Athens, Greece, performing alongside Mario Frangoulis as Adalgisa in Norma. Following this, she graced the stage at the Warner Theatre with Frangoulis, further showcasing her exceptional talent. Theresa gets to the heart of each character she embodies, infusing her performances with emotional depth and musical finesse. She has also performed at Merkin Hall for the Met Young Artist Intensive Program and, in her youth, won two Governor’s Awards for her outstanding vocal abilities. Additionally, she won the International Grande Music Competition in New York, further solidifying her place as a rising star in the world of classical music. Dedicated to bringing beautiful music to audiences, Theresa passionately reignites interest in this cherished art form both locally and internationally. One of Theresa’s earliest performances with the orchestra was when she sang Puccini’s O mio babbino caro, at the 2018 performance of Die Fledermaus.

Timothy Maureen Cole, soprano

Timothy Maureen Cole has sung with The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey, Eastern Opera Company, In Mid Air Productions, and other companies across New Jersey as well as special performances at The National Opera Center in New York. WIth the orchestra, she has sung Adina in L’elisir d’amore, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, Mimi in La Boheme, The Countess in Marriage of Figaro and had premiered several new operas and song cycles with The New Contemporary. She has directed musical theater productions at the Wharton School for the Performing arts.

Jason Adamo, bass

Jason Adamo has sung with The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey, Amore Opera, Eastern Opera, and other companies across New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Among Jason’s favorite roles have been Silvio in I Pagliacci, Marcello and Colline in La Boheme, Colas in Bastien und Bastienne, Falke in Die Fledermaus, and Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore. Jason has also done voice-over work on several projects.

Dmitri Zigrino, tenor

Dmitri Zigrino has sung with The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey, Eastern Opera, Opera Theater of Montclair, and other companies in New York and New Jersey. Among Dmitri’s most acclaimed roles have been Don Jose in Carmen, Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Acis in Acis and Galatea, Rodolfo in La Boheme.

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