North Carolina Opera | THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST

Connecting People With the Arts

The City of Raleigh Arts Commission nurtures creativity and enriches our community by championing the arts in Raleigh:

• Partnering with local cultural organizations

• Supporting arts programming

• Advocating for arts investment

• Presenting art exhibitions, public art and special events

Vinculando al Pueblo con las Artes

La Comisión de Artes de la Ciudad de Raleigh sustenta la creatividad y enriquece a nuestra comunidad, favoreciendo las artes en Raleigh por medio de:

• La asociación con organizaciones culturales locales

• El apoyo de la programación de las artes

• El fomento de la inversión en el arte

• La presentación de exposiciones artísticas, arte público y eventos especiales

2023-2024

Raleigh Arts Partners

• African American Cultural Festival

• Animazement

• Arts Access

• Arts Together

• Artspace

• Artsplosure

• Burning Coal Theatre Company

• CAM Raleigh

• Carolina Ballet

• Chamber Music Raleigh

• Community Music School

• Cultural Voice of NC

• Diamante Arts & Cultural Center

• El Pueblo

• The Justice Theater Project

• National Women’s Theatre Festival

• The NC Chamber Music Institute

• NC Master Chorale

• NC Museum of History

• NC Opera

• NC State LIVE

• NC State University Theatre

• NC Symphony

• NC Theatre

• North Raleigh Arts & Creative Theatre

• Nuv Yug Cultural Organization

• Performance Edge

• PineCone

• Pure Life Theatre Company

• Raleigh Civic Symphony Association

• Raleigh Little Theatre

• The Raleigh Ringers

• Raleigh Youth Choir

• ShopSpace

• Theatre in the Park

• Theatre Raleigh

• Triangle Youth Music

• VAE Raleigh

raleighnc.gov/arts

OUR MISSION

To enhance the cultural life of North Carolina by presenting artistically significant opera productions of the highest quality, strengthening and expanding audiences for opera in the region, and providing regional artists opportunities to participate in operatic productions and events.

2023-2024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Nancy Hablutzel, President

James Hargrove, Vice-President

John Lunsford, Treasurer

Carl Nold, Secretary

Joel Adams

Amanda Bambrick

Andrew Blass

Yvonne Bryant

Kelvin Currie

Bryan Gilliam

James Gulick

Douglas Holbrook

Valerie Johnson

C. Thomas Kunz

Florence Peacock

Ralph Roberson

William Rustin

Richard Sarles

Nerre Shuriah

Cathy Stuart

Shohreh Taavoni

Brigette Wilds

Jean Wozencraft-Ornellas

PAST PRESIDENTS OF NORTH CAROLINA OPERA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

James Romano: 2010-2012

Stephen Prystowsky: 2012-2014

C. Thomas Kunz: 2014-2018

William Rustin: 2018-2019

James Gulick: 2019-2021

Ralph Roberson: 2021-2023

Learn how United Arts creates a community where the arts and culture are available and accessible to everyone in Wake County.

Scan the code or visit:

www.unitedarts.org

@UnitedArtsWake

Pieces of Gold

Photos by Chris Janaro (l-r) El Pueblo, CAM, NC Museum of History, Town of Zebulon, African American Cultural Festival, Justice Theater Project, IBMA, Hum Sub, WCPSS

Good afternoon and welcome to our final presentation of the year, the local premiere of Giacomo Puccini’s American opera, The Girl of the Golden West. With this opera from 1910, Puccini brought his trademark mix of dramatic scenarios, passionate arias and duets, and atmospheric coloration to a story that was quite unlike any he had set before. He also brought to the work an enhanced understanding of the orchestra and greater theatrical ambition, which helped make this his biggest opera to date.

This is a work whose vivid characterizations and sweeping melodies earn it a place alongside the better-known La bohème and Madama Butterfly. We know that you’ll enjoy it, especially with the artists assembled here: Marina Costa-Jackson returns to sing the title role after her great success here as Manon Lescaut; Mark Delavan has often sung the role of the villainous Sheriff Rance, and we are excited to showcase the local debut of tenor Robert Stahley as Dick Johnson. Leading this large cast and the North Carolina Opera Orchestra and Chorus is Keitaro Harada, returning to us for his fifth production with the company.

We hope that you have enjoyed this season enough to join us again next year! Subscriptions are on sale now for the 2024-2025 season, which features the return of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, alongside two local premieres: Verdi’s robust, tuneful, and invigorating Ernani, and Daniel Catán’s gorgeous and intriguing Florencia en el Amazonas. As we saw at our sold-out The Barber of Seville, the only way to guarantee the seats you want is to subscribe! You can do so here in the lobby today, or online at ncopera.org.

We are very grateful to all of you whose contributions have made The Girl of the Golden West and all of our operas possible. Ticket sales, even those as strong as ours, cover only a third of our expenses. For the rest we rely on the support of opera lovers who can’t live without Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, and other great composers. A donation of any amount makes a difference and helps to keep us singing. Giving to North Carolina Opera is now simpler than ever: just scan the QR code below and see the easy instructions.

Thank you for your support and your love of great music.

Nancy Hablutzel

Eric Mitchko Board President General Director

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

Music by Giacomo Puccini

Libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, based on the play

The Girl of the Golden West by David Belasco

Sung in Italian with English supertitles

World premiere: Metropolitan Opera, New York, December 10, 1910

La fanciulla del West is generously underwritten by Philip and Nancy Hablutzel

Conductor: Keitaro Harada

Minnie Marina Costa-Jackson

Jack Rance, Sheriff

Dick Johnson (Ramerrez)

Nick, Bartender

Sonora

Ashby, Wells Fargo agent

Jake Wallace, a traveling singer

Mark Delavan

Robert Stahley

Scott Wichael

Thandolwethu Mamba

Griffen Hogan Tracy

Christian Blackburn

Trin Michael Owens

Handsome

Scott MacLeod

Sid Daniel Collins

Harry

Joe

Jason Karn

Ernest Jackson

Happy Ryan Bradford

Wowkle Isabella Stollenmaier

Jose Castro

Pony Express Rider

Lawrence Hall

Miles Jenkins

SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2024

MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL

MARTIN MARIETTA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Stage Direction by Linda T. Carlson

Chorus Master: Scott MacLeod

Rehearsal Pianists: Ava Linvog, Catherine Hamner

Supertitle Operator: Rachel Stenbuck

Assistant Stage Manager: Lorraine Snyder

Sound Engineer: Sean Loepp

Lighting Designer: Thomas Mauney

English captions for La fanciulla del West written and owned by Jonathan Dean © 2004

MNorth Carolina Opera is funded in part by the City of Raleigh, based on recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission.

This project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

The performance will last approximately two hours, thirty-five minutes, including one intermission.

An Italian opera that’s also a Western? This improbable idea occurred to Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) on a 1907 visit to New York for the local premiere of Madama Butterfly. His next work was to be a commission from the Metropolitan Opera, and for an opera to be premiered in America, he wanted an American setting. He had been interested in the American West at least since seeing Buffalo Bill Cody’s troupe in Italy in 1890, and was intrigued by the idea of moving, both dramatically and musically, in new directions. He chose as his source the 1905 play The Girl of the Golden West by David Belasco, the same playwright who wrote the immediate source for Madama Butterfly. At the time, the Gold Rush was an event within living memory for some audience members.

Puccini at the time was a very hot composer, and the premiere in New York on December 10, 1910 was the biggest event at the Metropolitan Opera for decades. Arturo Toscanini led a cast that included Emmy Destinn, Enrico Caruso, and Pasquale Amato. The public was very enthusiastic. In Fanciulla Puccini expanded the orchestra beyond what he had previously used, with quadruple winds and different percussion effects. In some ways the piece resumes use of Wagnerian influences that can be heard in Manon Lescaut Puccini’s use of leitmotifs here is the most sophisticated of any of his operas. As usual, he sought to convey the locations in sound, as in his use of Japanese musical elements in Butterfly. Fanciulla contains a cakewalk, quotes “Camptown Races,” and features vivid depictions of a blizzard in the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Despite the initial public enthusiasm and large number of performances worldwide, Fanciulla did not capture people’s imagination in the way that earlier Puccini operas had. There are a number of reasons for this. The publisher, Giulio Ricordi, did not initially permit recordings of the arias to be made, fearing that they would depress sales of sheet music. So we have no souvenirs of the great original cast, and the new opera was denied the means of publicity that it could have had. The text is not at the level of the earlier operas; the death of his regular colleague Giuseppe Giacosa meant that Puccini had to turn to different librettists, Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, with mixed results. And while Americans may have been happy to experience Japan (in Madama Butterfly) distorted through Italian eyes, they turned out to be less ready to appreciate a story set at home in the same way.

Nevertheless, Fanciulla contains some of Puccini’s best music, most interesting characters, and ends with the soprano still alive! The title role has beckoned star sopranos from Maria Jeritza to Renata Tebaldi. The tenor solo in act one is catchy enough to have inspired “Music of the Night” in The Phantom of the Opera. The ominous mood and high tension created in the orchestra during the poker game in Act II is masterful. The end of Act III, in which Minnie reminds each of the miners what she has done for them, before she and Ramerrez ride off together, is as powerful and moving as anything that Puccini wrote. The opera’s central theme is redemption, from the Bible lesson in Act I through the magnificent finale: “There is no sinner in the world to whom the path of redemption is not open.”

— Eric Mitchko

Renata Tebaldi as Minnie Enrico Caruso created the role of Dick Johnson

Leontyne Price sang Minnie for the Met’s 1961 opening night

ACT I

A miners’ camp in California, 1849–50. At sunset at the Polka Saloon, Nick, the bartender, prepares for the miners’ return from the hills. Jake Wallace, a traveling singer, sings a sentimental song. Trin and Sonora both bribe Nick to help them win the heart of Minnie, the owner of the bar, with whom all the men are in love. Sid cheats at cards, and Jack Rance, the camp’s cynical sheriff, marks him as an outcast. The Wells Fargo agent Ashby arrives with news of the imminent capture of the bandit Ramerrez and his band. An argument breaks out between Rance and Sonora, each claiming Minnie will be his wife. Things almost get out of hand when Minnie herself appears. The men calm down and sit to listen to Minnie’s Bible teaching. Later, alone with her, Rance confesses his love to Minnie. But she is not interested and, recalling her happy childhood, paints a different picture of her ideal love.

A stranger appears in the bar, introducing himself as Dick Johnson from Sacramento. Minnie recognizes him as a man she once met on the road. The jealous Rance orders Johnson to leave town, but when Minnie declares that she knows him, the others welcome Johnson. As he and Minnie dance, the miners drag in a man named Castro, one of Ramerrez’s band. Castro pretends that he will lead them to their hideout. He then whispers to Johnson—who is in fact Ramerrez—that he let himself be captured to lure the miners away from the saloon, in order for Johnson to rob it. The men depart with Castro, and Minnie and Johnson are left alone. She tells him about her simple life and that she is still waiting for her first kiss. When she shows him the hiding place where the miners keep their gold, he replies that as long as he is nearby, nobody will harm her or touch the gold. She shyly invites him to visit her in her cabin later that evening.

INTERMISSION

ACT II

In Minnie’s cabin in the mountains, Minnie excitedly prepares for her meeting with Johnson. Alone with him, she gives in to his declarations of love and they kiss. Johnson, full of doubt as to how to tell her about his true identity, is about to leave, but she asks him to stay for the night as it has begun to snow. When several shots are heard, Johnson hides. Rance appears with some of the men and tells Minnie that they are concerned for her safety—they have discovered that Johnson is Ramerrez. Minnie claims to know nothing and the men leave. She then angrily confronts Johnson, who makes excuses about his past and declares that when he met her he decided to give up his former life. Deeply hurt, Minnie sends him away. Another shot rings out. Johnson, wounded, staggers back into the cabin; Minnie hides him. Rance returns, certain he has found his man, and demands to search the room. Minnie refuses and the sheriff is about to give up when he sees blood and realizes that Johnson is there. He is forced to surrender to Rance, but Minnie has an idea—she challenges Rance to a game of poker. If he defeats her, she will give herself to him; if he loses, Johnson goes free. Minnie cheats and wins. Rance leaves.

PAUSE

ACT III

Johnson, on the run from Rance and his men, is eventually captured in the forest. As the miners prepare to hang him, Johnson asks for one last mercy—that Minnie believe him free and far away. Rance is enraged, but the men hesitate. At that moment, Minnie rides in, wielding a pistol. When her pleas to spare Johnson prove fruitless, she reminds the men how much they owe her. The miners finally give in and release Johnson. He and Minnie ride away to start a new life together.

Synopsis courtesy Metropolitan Opera.

FOCUS ON PHILANTHROPY

MAJOR GIFT TO NORTH CAROLINA OPERA

Long-time Director and Past Board President, C. Thomas Kunz, announced during the Golden West Gala that he and his wife, Rosemarie Sweeney (Co-chair of NCO’s 2023 Summertime in Charleston Gala), are making a transformational gift of $100,000 to North Carolina Opera — beyond their annual giving pledges — to add a third staged production to NCO’s regular season beginning in 2025/26.

General Director, Eric Mitchko, states, “this singular gift allows NCO the opportunity to fulfill the requests so many of our patrons have expressed for more great opera each season. Tom and Rosi have done more with this gift to expand NCO’s seasonal offerings than words can express.” “They have long been interested in expanding the opportunities for the North Carolina Opera team to present more opera at this level of excellence to our community.”

North Carolina Opera is deeply grateful to Rosemarie Sweeney and Tom Kunz for their passion for opera and deep commitment to keeping opera in the Triangle flourishing.

THE NORTH CAROLINA OPERA LEGACY SOCIETY

North Carolina Opera is honored to have been included in the Estate Plans of the following visionaries that are helping to ensure the future of opera in The Triangle.

The Joel R. Adams Trust: An Endowment for the Arts

Yvonne Bryant

Jacobi and Jerry Daley

C. Thomas Kunz and Rosemarie Sweeney

C. Thomas Kunz and Rosemarie Sweeney. Photo by Eric Waters.

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA SUPPORTERS

North Carolina Opera extends its deepest gratitude to the following generous individuals who have contributed to making this season possible. This list represents gifts received between September 1, 2022 and March 22, 2024.

INDIVIDUAL GIVING

DIAMOND PATRON

Gifts over $150,000

Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz

GOLD PATRON

Gifts between $50,000 and $74,999

Ross W. Lampe Jr.

SILVER PATRON

Gifts between $25,000 and $49,999

Nancy and Philip Hablutzel

UNDERWRITER

Gifts between $15,000 and $24,999

Jacobi Daley

Rae and James Gulick

Francine and Ralph Roberson

GRAND SPONSOR

Gifts between $10,000 and $14,999

Paul Fomberg and Roy Cromartie

E.T. Franklin Jr.

Mia Kang and Tony Acquaviva

Amy Moss and Bill Brown

Anna and James Romano

SPONSOR

Gifts between $5,000 and $9,999

Joel R. Adams

Amanda and Michael Bambrick

Danielle and Andrew Blass

Kelvin Currie and Sandra Cook

Donna and Richard Falvo

William L. Hampton

Douglas R. Holbrook

Chancy and Keith Kapp

Judith LeGrand

Elizabeth and John Lunsford

Vicky Kruckeberg and Carl R. Nold

Susan and Dale Oller

Aurora K. Pajeau, MD, MPH

Florence and James Peacock

Kelley Russell

Mary Louise and William Rustin

Lois T. Flaherty and Richard Sarles

Nerre Shuriah

Cathy and Jim Stuart

Shohreh Taavoni and Alan Kronhaus

Holly and Paul Tesar

Brigette Wilds and Michael C. Byrne

John Williamson

Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas

PATRON

Gifts between $2,500 and $4,999

Jane and Francis Acquaviva

Chip Anderson

Anonymous

Heather Brown

Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Byrne

David Casteel

Ruth and G. Sidney Cox

Mary-Owens Fitzgerald

Sofie Franzen-Moyle

Vivian Clark and Bryan Gilliam

Peter Hamilton

Kim Kotlar and James Hargrove

Karen and Clark Havighurst

Candyce Marsh

Margaret Maytan

Dr. Margaret McCulloch and Dr. Bill McCulloch

Robert W. Morrison

Linda and Wendell Murphy

Susan Osborne and Stephen Reynolds

Tom Roberg

Carter Skinner and Chapman Williams

Stephen W. Teitsworth

BENEFACTOR

Gifts between $1,000 and $2,499

Eva Buck

Laura Collatz

Anne Prince Cuddy

S. Worth Dunn, III

Connie and Bob Eby

Sallie and Joe Exum

Alison and Ken Faulkner

James Gray

Linda and Rob Grew

Margo Lynn Hablutzel

William F. Hamlin Jr.

Susan Moore and Doug Hammer

Lisa and Don Hirsh

Phyllis Pomerantz and Charles Hochman

Sally and William Johnson

Lauren Kennedy-Brady and Charlie Brady

Martha and Peter Klopfer

Myra Kornbluth

Ekaterina Korobkina and Robert Golub

Andy Lawrence

Betsy and Steven Levitas

Larry Lisle

Ruth and James McVea

Ruth Mokeba-Ekangaki and Abie Ekangaki

Eliza Kraft Olander

Carolyn and Peter Olejar

Sarah and Terry Reeves

Frances Rollins

Harry Rosenberg

DD Donates

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Sandman

Kay Schoellhorn

Sarah and Claude Snow

Sally and Robert Tiller

Susan and Dick Timmons

Ann and Steve Tyler

Josephine Walker

Diane and Floyd Whitney

Rosemary and Smedes York

SUSTAINER

Gifts between $500 and $999

Landy and Kelly Anderton

Anonymous

Susan and David Baker

Wendy Lapish and John Beck

Sharon and Byron Braswell

Stanford Brown

Donna and Timothy Burke

Mary Lovelock and W. R. Chapman

Simmie Kastner and Jerome Davis

Cheryl and John Denardo

Georgia and Alec Donaldson

Frank Dworsky

Douglas Flint

George E. Hall, Jr.

Dotty and Lee Hanson

Susan and Carl Hibbert

Caroline and Justin Howe

Eloise Watson and Mark Jalkut

Valerie Johnson and Linda Edwards

The Juliette Club

Joseph Kahn

Mary and Rick Kane

Deborah and Thomas Keefe

Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf

Moyra and Brian Kileff

Kathy and Tom Lada

Joy Lewis

Dorothy Lichtwardt

Anne and Mike Liptzin

Jo Ann Lutz and Lawrence Muhlbaier

Jane Lynch

Susanna Martin

Larry Mintz

Carol and Rusty Parks

Tricia and Stuart Phoenix

Janet and James Rapp

John Sarratt

Valerie Hillings and William Scheessele

Rachel Starr

Fran and Jack Steele

Emmett E. Stobbs, Jr.

Sally Thomas

Catalina and Eric Vander Elst

Nelson Williams

Carole and Brad Wilson

Erna and Bill Womble

SUPPORTER

Gifts between $250 and $499

Eugenie Almeida

Judith and Jack Adler

Carmelle Alipio and Tony Downs

Anonymous

Agnes F. Marshall and Robert M. Auman

Paul Berry

Sarah Beth Briggs

Dawn and David Burtt

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA SUPPORTERS

The Honorable Ann Marie Calabria and Robert Calabria

Julia and Michael Carpenter

Nancy and Tom Carstens

Denise Cline

Deborah and Andrew Dalgliesh

Catherine Anderton and José Delgado

Ann and Glenn Dunn

Gayle Eisner

Saskia Ziolkowski and Martin Eisner

Ann Erickson

Syntheia Finklepott

Kristine Forney and William Prizer

Penelope Gallins

Kimberly Gooden

Ruth Gross and Hans Kellner

Jim Konold and Tim Hackett

John Hammond

Leslie Harris

Emmett and Hubert B. Haywood III

Eleanor Ninestein and V. Dwight House

Deborah Huff

Carol and Rick Johns

Melissa and Robert Johnson

Rachel Kaplan and Jeremy Pienik

Martha N. Keravuori and Chuck Galle

Lou and Donald Kline

Timothy A. Kuhn

Ross Lampe, Sr.

Lewis Lampiris

Anne Lange

Leigh and William Kempf

Patty Matthews

Christina and Thomas Mitchko

Rochelle and Stephen Prystowsky

Melanie Rankin

Marjorie Satinsky

Pat and Paul Scheible

Marilyn and Hugh Stevens

Dell and Blake Strayhorn

Julie Kelly-Stump and Mark Stump

Perry H. and William A. Suk

Yvonne Terry

Roberta Titchener

Robert Wiley III

Katherine and James Wilson

Mary Zehr

MEMBER

Gifts up to $249

B. Jasmine Adams

Virginia Adams & Martin Salzman

Robin and Dwight Allen

Ms. Lydia Alleyne

Pearla and Gregg Alston

Trish Anderton

Anonymous

Anonymous

Elizabeth and Thomas Archie

Richard Arnold

Susi Lieff and Arthur Axelbank

Henry Baker

Cortney and Scott Baker

Ria Battaglino

Barbara and Robert Bell

Helen Koo and Richard Bilsborrow

Peter Bleckner

Natalie and Gary Boorman

Hermis and Roy Boston

Anne Margaret and Richard Braham

Anna Bess Brown and Eric Hale

Louise and Charles Bryan

Linda and Philip Carl

Dolores and Burton Carnegie

Nina Christman

David Clegg

Rosalind Coleman and James Rolleston

Ellen Collins-Boyce

Rena and Philippe Courtay

Sandra Craig

Tammy and Bill Crook

Judith Bruno and Michael Cyzewski

Lester Czukor

Craig S Danforth

Martha Dimes

Genevieve Domalain

Lori Drum

Amy Edge

Pat and Paul Elstro

Jane and Jim Ericksen

Ms. Jennifer Errande

Dr. Richard Felder

Sally Fessler

Caryl Glickman

Phyllis and Stephen Gordon

Angela Grant

Lynne and Cory Grant

John Graybeal

Martha and David Green

Jami Grossfield

Robert Hablutzel

Eva and Sheldon Hamburger

Robin Hammond

Rich Haney

Jane Hawk

Elizabeth Hely and Bruce Simon

Sharon Henderson

Michael Hendricks

Judy and Richard Hendrickson

Scott B Hill

Greg Hirsh

Linda Whitney Hobson

Eleanor Ninestein and V. Dwight House

Ms. Barbara Houze

Martha Hsu

Matthew Huffman

Sara Oswald and Eric Hyman

Kirstin Joshi

Lewis H. Kairys

Gail and Eugene Karcher

Joan and Howard Kastel

Devon Kearney

Lubomyra Sawczyn and Tadeusz Kleindienst

Kathleen Klesh

Peggy and Chuck Korte

Michael Kris

Kathryn Langenkamp and Peter Peroutka

Judith Larson and Henry Dozier

Brigitte Abrams and Francis Lethem

Maria and Josmar Lopes

Jodee Nimerichter and Gaspard Louis

Ms. Deb Ludwikowski

Erin Lunsford and Sean Norton

Rosemary Lunsford

James Marrow

Susan and Earl McClanahan

Patricia McWaters

Virginia Middleton

Courtney Miller

Bob Mitchell

Loretta Mitchell

Maureen and Robert Murray

Eloise and Alan Neebe

Mary Ann and Alistair Nevius

Carolyn Nickols

Jane Norris

Phyllis and Paul Page

JoAnn and Donald Parkerson

Mary Jo Parks

Ms. Hayley Pogue

Ms. Linda Pukenas

Deborah Ravin

Susan Royster

Susan Russell

Stephen Schaeffer

Pat and Paul Scheible

Sue Scott

Margaret and Matt Segal

Lucia and John Sehon

Jill Shires and John Aiken

Barbara Smalley

Susannah and Ralph Smith

Georgiana and Stephen Snyderman

Paul Otto and Art Sperry

Rudy Spruill

Donald Stoll

Linda Stone

Marguerite Summers

Susan Swartz

David Taylor

Earleen Thomas

Irina Tikhan

Joe Tooley

Pamela Trent

Kristina Troost

Matt Tyson

Robert W. Upchurch

Derek Via

Lizbeth and Jean-Marie Videau

Hank Wall

Cathy and Jim Ward

Mary Warlick

Alice Watkins

Margaret Weir

Sally and Ron Wenda

Kate Dixon and Daniel Wilkinson

Julie and George Williams

Marti and Dan Wilson

Pamela Wolf-Brewer

Elaine P. Wood

Mary and Peter Zimmerman

Lore, Yore, and the In Between

The following is a list of gifts to North Carolina Opera in honor or in memory of beloved individuals. This list represents gifts to North Carolina Opera between September 1, 2022 and March 22, 2024.

In Honor of Jane and Fran Acquaviva

Rachel Starr

In Honor of Bill Carroll

Joel R. Adams

In Honor of Tommy and Jane Franklin

Sallie and Joe Exum

In Honor of Nancy Hablutzel

Margo Lynn Hablutzel

Robert Hablutzel

In Honor of Nancy and Phil Hablutzel

Margo Lynn Hablutzel

In Honor of Bill Hampton’s Board Service

Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz

In Honor of Clark Havighurst’s 90th Birthday

Anne and Mike Liptzin

In Honor of Clark and Karen Havighurst

Virginia Middleton

In Honor of Joanne Kearney

Devon Kearney

In Memory of Ruth A. Benton

Anonymous

In Memory of Ruth Cannon

Loretta Mitchell

In Memory of Joseph Grossfield

Jami Grossfield

In Loving Memory of Dana Ann Hall

George E. Hall, Jr.

In Memory of Donald Hunter

Sandra Craig

Lewis Lampiris

In Memory of Ronald Kirschbaum

Craig S. Danforth

In Memory of Charles M. Kunz

Croasdaile Garden Club

William L. Hampton

Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz

Francine and Ralph Roberson

Triangle Wagner Society

In Honor of Eric Mitchko

Lester Czukor

Melanie Rankin

In Honor of Amy Moss

Judith and Jack Adler

In Honor of Susan Oller’s Board Service

Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz

In Honor of Florence Peacock

Robert W. Upchurch

In Honor of Steve Shaber’s Board Service

Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz

In Honor of Brigette M. Wilds

Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Byrne, Sr.

In Honor of Brigette Wilds and her support for tickets for underrepresented individuals

Advance Auto Parts Foundation

In Honor of Julie Williams

Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz

MEMORIAL GIFTS

In Memory of Ruth and Thomas Martin

Susanna Martin

In Memory of Frances Poyner

Marilyn and Hugh Stevens

In Memory of John Russell

Denise Cline

Betsy and Steven Levitas

Emily McNair

In Memory of Susan Stoker

Anonymous

In Memory of Don Wilder, Former Music Director of the National Opera Company

Judith Bruno and Michael Cyzewski

MULTI-YEAR GIVING

Long-range planning is critical to North Carolina Opera’s continued success and growth as we strive to bring worldclass opera productions, performances, and musicians to the Triangle. An essential component of this planning is accurately forecasting contributed revenues from our generous donors — contributed revenues that comprise some 70% of NCO’s budget!

North Carolina Opera is profoundly grateful to the following individuals who have pledged their financial support to the organization over multiple future seasons. Please join us in thanking these tremendous donors for their commitment to our current and future success.

DIRECTORS CIRCLE

Individuals having made multi-year pledges totaling $250,000 or more

Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz

Individuals having made multi-year pledges totaling $150,000 or more

Ross W. Lampe, Jr.

Individuals having made multi-year pledges totaling $30,000 or more

Francine and Ralph Roberson

Individuals having made multi-year pledges totaling $15,000 or more

Joel R. Adams

Danielle and Andrew Blass

Amanda and Michael Bambrick

Nancy and Phil Hablutzel

John and Beth Lunsford

Vicky Kruckeberg and Carl R. Nold

Lois T. Flaherty and Richard Sarles

Shohreh Taavoni, MD and Alan Kronhaus, MD

Brigette Wilds and Michael C. Byrne

Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

Individuals having made multi-year pledges totaling $7,500 or more

Francis and Jane Acquaviva

Roy Cromartie and Paul Fomberg

Douglas R. Holbrook

Dr. Bill and Dr. Margaret McCulloch

Nerre Shuriah

Individuals having made multi-year pledges to North Carolina Opera

Dr. B. Jasmine Adams

James Hargrove and Kim Kotlar

Melissa and Bob Johnson

Robert Wiley

For information on becoming at part of the Directors Circle or Leadership Circle, please contact the NC Opera office of Development at 919.792.3855 or Cary Byrd at cary.byrd@ncopera.org.

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA SUPPORTERS

North Carolina Opera gratefully acknowledges the following community leaders for their Generous support in making this season possible. This list represents gifts to North Carolina Opera between September 1, 2022 and March 22, 2024.

FOUNDATIONS AND GOVERNMENT

GRAND UNDERWRITER

Gifts of $100,000 or more

City of Raleigh

UNDERWRITER

Gifts between $25,000 and $49,999

North Carolina Department of Natural & Cultural Resources

North Carolina Arts Council

The John William Pope Foundation

SPONSOR

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Morningstar Law Group

Jane Acquaviva

Carmen Buckner

Amy Burns

Carolina Ballet

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Jane and Francis Acquaviva

Dr. Yvonne Bryant

Anne Prince Cuddy

Martha Dimes

John Williamson

James Gray

Karen and Clark Havighurst

Mark Hogan

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Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

North Carolina Opera would like to thank

Paul Fomberg

Rae Gulick

Audrey Hubbard

Abby Jones

Janet Norris

CHARTER SUBSCRIBERS

Ekaterina Korobkina and Robert Golub

Kathy and Tom Lada

Ross Lampe, Sr.

Dr. Bill and Dr. Margaret McCulloch

Christina and Thomas Mitchko

Robert W. Morrison

Linda and Wendell Murphy

JoAnn and Donald Parkerson

Raleigh Little Theater

Lorraine Snyder

Shaw University

Triangle Youth Music

Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas

Florence and James Peacock

Francine and Ralph Roberson

Mary Louise and William Rustin

Sally and Robert Tiller

Allison Tolksdorf

Lizbeth and Jean-Marie Videau

Brigette Wilds and Michael C. Byrne

Ellen Williams

NOW BOOKING: NC OPERA EDUCATION PROGRAMS

OPERA CLASSROOM

WHO’S AFRAID OF THE BIG BAD WOLF

Adaptation of DON GIOVANNI (Mozart, Da Ponte)

This popular work is an engaging adaptation of Mozart’s DON GIOVANNI that reinvents the “Don” as the infamous Big Bad Wolf. Little Red Riding Hood, The Three Little Pigs, and friends must work together to show the Wolf the error of his ways. Using the music and themes from one of Mozart’s great operas, young audiences learn the dangers of bullying, the beauty of friendship, and the power of music to BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

Approx. 35 min : Fee: $800.00

OPERA OUT OF THE BOX

An engaging and entertaining opera education program created specifically for school-aged audiences, this interactive presentation introduces students to “opera’s greatest hits.”

Four singers representing the main operatic voice types perform arias, duets and ensembles from CARMEN, THE MAGIC FLUTE, RIGOLETTO and other wellknown operas. Using MadLibs, students “compose” a scene to learn about recitative, or the opera dialogue. The program concludes with “Is it Opera?,” a quiz in which the singers present famous tunes often heard in commercial media.

Approx. 45 min : Fee: $700.00

Technical Specifications: Acoustic piano preferred. If one is not available, NCO can bring a keyboard for an additional $25 fee. Stage or large area suitable for performance. Dressing area near performance space for artists.

North Carolina’s Standard Course of Study: Arts Education, Language Arts, Second Languages

BOOK NOW: Rachel.Stenbuck@ncopera.org

Photos by Megan Spence / photosbymegn

Photos by Central Carolina Community College

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Erica

Saul Lilienstein: PRE-RECORDED LECTURE. TBA.

SEPTEMBER 8, 2024

KEITARO HARADA CONDUCTOR

Recipient of the prestigious 2023 Sir Georg Solti Conducting Award, Keitaro Harada is armed with intensity and depth, consistently providing riveting concerts and opera performances in Asia, the Americas, and Europe. And as Music Director of the Savannah Philharmonic since the 2020/21 season—he recently renewed his contract through the 2026/27 season—Harada has transformed the caliber of the orchestra and energized its audiences throughout the community with his imaginative programs and charismatic presence. Associate of the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, he has forged a close connection with the NHK Symphony Orchestra with whom he appears frequently and has recorded three albums. His eclectic musical scope ranges from symphony, opera, and chamber music to pops, film scores, educational outreach, and multidisciplinary projects, all of which enrich his programming.

Recent and upcoming highlights include engagements with the symphony orchestras of Houston, Seattle, NHK, Yomiuri Nippon, Osaka, Tokyo, Hawaii, Fort Worth, Indianapolis, Memphis, Louisiana, Charlotte, West Virginia, Tucson, Phoenix, and Virginia, as well as the Osaka Philharmonic, Kanagawa Philharmonic, Nagoya Philharmonic, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic, and Orquesta Filarmónica de Sonora in Mexico. Harada has also recorded two CDs with the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and one with Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.

Well versed in the operatic canon, Harada was a Seiji Ozawa Fellow at the Tanglewood Music Center in 2010, where he delivered a critically acclaimed performance of Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos. Since then, he has led performances of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, Bizet’s Carmen, and Britten’s Turn of the Screw at North Carolina Opera. In 2017, he led performances of Mazzoli’s Song from the Uproar at Cincinnati Opera, followed by Carmen at Bulgaria’s Sofia National Opera, subsequently conducting the production on a tour of Japan in 2018. In past seasons and as Associate Conductor of Arizona Opera, he conducted Don Pasquale, La fille du régiment, and Tosca.

In the 2022–23 season, he made his debut at Nikikai Opera in Tokyo, leading performances of Orphée aux enfers. Appearances this season include Madama Butterfly at the Cincinnati Opera; La fanciulla del West at the North Carolina Opera; and La fille du régiment at Nissay Theatre in Tokyo.

MARINA COSTA-JACKSON MINNIE

The New York Times praised Italian-American soprano Marina Costa-Jackson as “Dramatically and musically alluring,” and, “notable for her burnished timbre and subtle phrasing.” Her latest engagements have been Musetta in La bohème with Utah Opera; the title role in Suor Angelica coupled with Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi with San Diego Opera; the title role in Tosca with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Puccini’s Manon Lescaut with North Carolina Opera; and Tatyana in Eugene Onegin with Seattle Opera. Future roles will include Giulietta in Les Contes d’Hoffmann with the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden.

Ms. Costa-Jackson’s acclaim grew with hundreds of performances in the U.S., South America, Europe, and Asia. A sampling of these would be her Mimì in La bohème with Los Angeles Opera, Oper Köln, and Welsh National Opera; Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte with Seattle Opera; Leonora in Il Trovatore with Musica Viva Hong Kong; Micaela in Carmen with Opéra National de Paris; Elisabetta in Don Carlo with Grange Park Opera; Desdemona in Otello with the Savonlinna Opera Festival, the Bolshoi Opera, and Austin Lyric Opera; Violetta in La Traviata with Oper Köln and Lisbon’s Teatro Nacional de São Carlos; and Juliet in A Village Romeo and Juliet conducted by Sir Mark Elder with the Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam. Highlight concerts are the Andrea Bocelli Concerts with Ms. Costa-Jackson as a guest artist at Madison Square Garden and the Sands Event Center; the Costa-Jackson Sisters Concert, Seattle Opera; Dmitri Hvorostovsky and Friends, Minsk; Operalia Winners Concert-Győr, Hungary; and Verdi’s Requiem with the Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Chile.

Harada was Associate Conductor for four years at the Cincinnati Symphony and Pops, where he regularly assisted with Music Director Louis Langrée and collaborated with James Conlon and Juanjo Mena at the orchestra’s annual May Festival. He is a six-time recipient of The Solti Foundation U.S. Career Assistance Award, and in 2013 was invited to the Bruno Walter National Conductor Preview. He studied with Lorin Maazel at Castleton Festival and Fabio Luisi at the Pacific Music Festival, where, at Valery Gergiev’s invitation, he served on the festival’s faculty in 2016, 2018, and 2021.

MARK DELAVAN

JACK RANCE

Mark Delavan, a singer of “incisive vocal power and fierce theatrical acuity,” is sought after throughout the United States and Europe for the most demanding roles in the operatic repertoire, including Der fliegende Holländer, Falstaff, Rigoletto, Iago in Otello, Scarpia in Tosca, Jochanaan in Salome, Amonasro in Aida, and Wotan in Der Ring des Nibelungen.

This season, Delavan sings Wotan in Pacific Opera Victoria’s Die Walküre, Jack Rance in North Carolina Opera’s La fanciulla del West, and Wotan in both Das Rheingold and Die Walküre with Dallas Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Fabio Luisi. Last season, Delavan returned to Maryland Lyric Opera to sing Falstaff and Iago, as well as the Dallas Opera to sing the Father in Hansel and Gretel. Delavan also sang Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor with New York City Opera and Abraham/Moses/Jeremiah in Weill’s The Road of Promise with Orchestra Miami.

Previous seasons’ engagements included the title role in Der fliegende Holländer with Opera Maine, Scarpia in Tosca with Opera Naples, Posa in Don Carlos and Michele/Alfio in Il tabarro/Cavalleria rusticana for Maryland Lyric Opera, and Jochanaan with the Dallas Symphony, as well as concert performances of Ralph Vaughn Williams’ Five Mystical Songs and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony for the Charleston Symphony.

At The Metropolitan Opera, Mr. Delavan received critical acclaim for his Wotan in Der Ring des Nibelungen under Maestro Luisi and had great success as Simon Boccanegra , Nabucco, Scarpia in Tosca, Amonasro, Tomsky in Pique Dame, Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana, Don Carlo in La forza del destino, Gianciotto in Zandonai’s Francesca da Rimini, Gérard in a major revival of Andrea Chénier, and in recent productions of La fanciulla del West and Falstaff.

ROBERT STAHLEY

DICK JOHNSON (RAMERREZ)

Rising tenor Robert Stahley, described as “a prodigiously talented performer” continues to thrill audiences with his, “impassioned, soaring tenor” and breathing life to roles on stage, where “he tirelessly exudes gravitas and individuality”. Upcoming engagements include Canio in Pagliacci with the Glimmerglass Festival and Opera Santa Barbara, and Siegmund in

a concert of highlights from Wagner’s Ring Cycle with Lyric Opera of Kansas City. The 22/23 season marked several major role and company debuts including Erik in Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman with Utah Opera, Melot and Young Sailor in Tristan und Isolde with the LA Philharmonic led by Gustavo Dudamel, Froh in Das Rheingold with Dallas Opera, Siegmund in the Vick/Dove arrangement of Wagner’s Die Walküre with Opera Santa Barbara, and Cavaradossi in Tosca with Opera Theatre of St. Louis

In the 2022 festival season, Robert performed two role debuts as a Filene Artist at Wolf Trap Opera, Max in Carl von Weber’s Der Freischütz and Sam in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah. Stahley graduated the LA Opera Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program in May 2022, where he performed several prominent roles, including Walther von der Vogelweide in Wagner’s Tannhäuser, Le Berger in Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex, Valcour in Joseph Bologne’s L’Amant Anonyme, First Armored Man in Barrie Kosky’s famed production of Die Zauberflöte, and Parpignol in the North American premiere of Barrie Kosky’s La bohème.

SCOTT WICHAEL NICK

This season he returns to North Carolina Opera as Nick in La Fanciulla del West, and Steuermann in Der fliegende Höllander with Painted Sky Opera, Recent performances include Herod in Salome with Rimrock Opera, Jacquino in Fidelio with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Tenor Soloist in Schubert’s Mass in G with the Wichita Symphony, a Lamplighter in Manon Lescaut and Monostatos in Die Zauberlöte with North Carolina Opera, Raphael in Stewart Copeland’s oratorio Satan’s Fall with Pepperdine University, and Mime in Das Rheingold with the Miami Music Festival Wagner Institute. He has also performed the roles of Pang and Pong in Turandot, Spoletta in Tosca, Little Bat in Susannah, The Witch in Hansel and Gretel, and Sancho Panza in The Man of La Mancha.

THANDOLWETHU MAMBA SONORA

Eswatini-born Southern African baritone Thandolwethu Mamba continues to establish himself on opera and concert stages and has been described as having a “chilling refinement in bearing and voice” ( Opera Wire ). Recent engagements include his Metropolitan Opera debut in X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, Il Dancaïro (Carmen) with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) with Frost Opera Theater, Baron Duophol ( La Traviata ) with Opera Wilmington, Town Magistrate (Signor Deluso) and Max (Stone Soup) with Florida Grand Opera. His creation of the role of Don Calogero Sedàra in The Leopard by Michael Dellaria has been released on Naxos Records. Mamba is a recent double graduate of the University of Miami and Duke University where he studied with Kim Josephson and Susan Dunn, respectively. He has been a finalist and prize winner in several international competitions, most recently the Pasadena and Mildred Miller Vocal Competitions.

GRIFFEN HOGAN TRACY ASHBY

In the 2023/24 season, Griffen Hogan Tracy makes numerous debuts including Colline in La Bohème with Opera in the Heights, Ashby in La Fanciulla del West with North Carolina Opera, bass soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with the Santa Fe Symphony, and Mozart’s Requiem in collaboration with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance.

Griffen joined the Santa Fe Opera as an Apprentice Artist for the 2022 season, covering the role of Manuel Toulon in Huang Ruo’s new opera M. Butterfly and was featured in the Apprentice Scenes program as Phillipe II in Don Carlos. In the 22/23 season Griffen headlined A&E Atlanta’s premier of Our Sacred World by Amy Leventhal and debuted with Amarillo Opera as Sparafucile in Rigoletto and Cincinnati Opera as Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor. During his residency with the acclaimed Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, Griffen performed Prince Gremin (Eugene Onegin), Colline, Sam (Un ballo in maschera), and Viktor Ullmanns’s Liederbuch des Hafis. He returned to the institution as a guest artist to perform as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni in the spring of 2023.

Yakima Symphony. Griffen has received awards from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (Regional Finalist) and was winner of the 2023 Denver Lyric Opera Competition. Griffen holds an M.M. from the University of Tennessee and a B.M. from the Lamont School of Music.

CHRISTIAN BLACKBURN JAKE WALLACE

Christian Blackburn, baritone, originally from Lakin, Kansas is currently a student of Victoria Livengood, holding degrees in voice from Kansas State University and The University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

Most recently, Christian was seen as a principal artist with North Carolina Opera in their productions of Die Zauberflöte (Speaker) in April of 2022, Don Giovanni, as Masetto in January of 2023 and La traviata as Dr. Grenvil in October of 2023.

Performing regionally in concert, Christian has been seen with Greensboro Choral Society as the baritone soloist in Handel’s Messiah. In addition, Christian was the featured baritone for the Charlotte Master Chorale in 2019 for Mendelssohn’s Die erste Walpurgisnacht.

Since 2020, Christian has taken a step back from full time performance and runs a financial planning and advisory practice in Greensboro. When not working for his clients or performing Christian spends time with his 2 year old Lilla, 6 month old Ruby, his dog Pablo and his incredible wife Talia to whom he owes everything.

MICHAEL OWENS TRIN

Griffen has made numerous concert and operatic debuts across the country with ensembles including Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, Central City Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Colorado Repertory Singers, and

Tenor Michael Owens is based in Charlotte, NC. This season, Michael will be working with several new companies, and introducing new roles at each of them. The season began at Opera Carolina, covering Beppe ( Pagliacci ) followed by understudying B.F. Pinkerton (Madama ). Michael also participated in the Gerda Lissner International competition this winter. Next, Michael will debut the role of Trin (La Fanciulla del West) with North Carolina Opera. Later this year, he will debut Tamino (Die Zauberflöte) and the Tenor Solo (Beethoven’s 9th Symphony) with the International Lyric Academy as part of his Residency at Opera Carolina. In the 2022-2023 season, Michael understudied the role of Spoletta (Tosca), debuted the role of Gastone (La Traviata), and covered Alfredo (La Traviata) as a Principal Resident Artist at Opera Carolina. Michael

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

received a B.A. in Vocal Performance at The College of Charleston in Charleston, SC, where he began his operatic pursuit with the role of Chevalier De La Force ( Dialogues Des Carmelites ). Michael also appeared in scenes and partial performances as Nanki Poo (T he Mikado ), Nemorino ( L’elisir D’amore ), and Alfredo ( La Traviata ). Michael also performed as a concert soloist many times during his time at CofC, having lent his voice to Handel’s Messiah, Handel’s Dixit Dominus, and Dubois’s The Seven Last Words of Christ.

SCOTT MACLEOD HANDSOME, CHORUS MASTER

Scott MacLeod has served as chorus master for 27 North Carolina Opera productions since the 2013 production of Aida. Most recently he led the NCO chorus in Andrea Bocelli’s sold-out Valentine’s Day concert in PNC Arena. He maintains an active musical career as a singer, conductor, director, and teacher. Roles with North Carolina Opera include Hercules in Patrick Morganelli’s Hercules vs. Vampires, Marullo in Rigoletto, and Pangle in the North Carolina premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain. Other notable performances include John Adams’s The Wound Dresser with North Carolina Symphony, Frederik in A Little Night Music with Piedmont Opera, a workshop performance of Scott Wheeler’s The Sorrows of Frederick with the Center for Contemporary Opera in New York City, Messiah with the Costa Rica National Symphony, and a solo recital of original compositions by J. Mark Scearce at the historic Municipal House in Prague. In 2022 he received a state department grant from the U.S. Consulate in Marseille, France, to perform an ocean conservation-themed recital tour, which culminated in a performance in Monaco for Prince Albert II and invited guests; he performed the same concert in the Washington National Gallery Music Series on Earth Day, 2023. He spent summers of 2016 and 2017 as a guest artist/lecturer in China, where he staged and music directed their first full opera production, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo ; he was awarded an honorary faculty post at Shaoguan University (Guangdong, China). Scott is Professor of Music at High Point University, where he received the 2021 “Innovation and Creativity in Teaching” Award.

DANIEL COLLINS SID

Baritone Dr. Daniel Collins has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall and in the chorus with the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas and earned both his Master of Music and Doctor of Music degrees in Vocal Performance from Florida State University. Dr. Collins was a finalist in the Dallas and El Paso Opera Guild Competitions, the NATS Singer of the Year Competition, and the NATSAA National Competition.

Dr. Collins has performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, Fort Worth Opera, the American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Kentucky Opera, El Paso Opera, Summer Opera Theater, Bel Cantanti Opera, Amarillo Opera, Crested Butte Opera, Portland Opera To Go, Opera Southwest, Opera Theater of Northern Virginia, Concert Royal, Ash Lawn Opera, Bay View Music Festival, and Seagle Music Colony.

Dr. Collins is currently a lecturer in voice at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and maintains a private voice studio in Durham, NC. Previously he was on the voice faculty at Troy University and taught privately at the National Opera Center in New York City. Many of his students have gone on to attend prestigious schools of music and have been finalists in national vocal competitions. He is a member of the College Music Society, the American Guild of Musical Artists, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Music Teachers National Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, and Opera America.

JASON KARN HARRY

Tenor Jason Karn has impressed critics and audiences with his vibrant, bright tone and dramatic characterizations.

In 2023, Jason sang Gastone in La Traviata with NC Opera, and stepped in to save the show in the middle of the final performance to sing Alfredo from the pit. Before that, Jason sang Edmondo in the company premiere production of Manon Lescaut and Jacquino in Fidelio in a memorable rendition to reopen live performances post-Covid with NC Opera.

In 2021, Jason returned to reprise Don José in New York City Opera’s Carmen in Bryant Park.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Jason’s noteworthy engagements include his debut with New York City Opera as the Young Gypsy/ Beppe in Aleko/Pagliacci , and his performance alongside the American Symphony Orchestra in the American premiere of Vincent D’Indy’s Fervaal at Avery Fisher Hall. He also made an impressive debut at the Washington National Opera as Scaramuccio in Ariadne auf Naxos. Other notable engagements include his roles as Cassio in Otello with Opera Carolina and Arizona Opera, Al Joad in The Grapes of Wrath with Pittsburgh Opera, and Ferrando in Così fan tutte with Opera Carolina and Chautauqua Opera.

Jason holds a Bachelor’s degree in Voice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

ERNEST JACKSON JOE

Praised for his “Gleaming tenor voice” (Voix-Des-Arts), American tenor Ernest Jackson is quickly becoming a prominent mainstay in major opera houses around the country. His warm, penetrating voice is one of unique quality, and has captivated audiences. A native of Philadelphia, Mr. Jackson made his mainstage operatic debut in the role of Mingo in Delaware Opera’s production of Porgy and Bess. He has since appeared in a variety of principal roles at notable houses including the Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Pittsburgh Opera, and Portland Opera. A regular with ConcertOPERA Company in Philadelphia, he has performed Dancaïro in Carmen, Lorenzo in Fra Diavolo, and a Sailor in Dido and Aeneas. He made his solo symphonic debut in Porgy and Bess with the Akron Symphony Orchestra, about which the Akron Beacon Journal gave “….special mention to Ernest Jackson (Jim) with his beautiful tenor solo lines.” Among his other performed roles are: Roderigo in Verdi’s Otello (Atlantic Coast Opera Festival), Malcolm in Verdi’s Macbeth (Empire Opera), Mingo (Cincinnati Opera, North Carolina Opera, Opera Carolina, Greensboro Opera in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, Nelson in Porgy and Bess (Lyric Opera of Chicago, Seattle Opera, Atlanta Opera, South Florida Symphony), and Dr. Caius in Vaughan Williams’ Sir John in Love (Bronx Opera). He has performed roles in several new operas including the role of William Still in Nkeiru Okoye’s Harriett Tubman: When I Crossed That Line to Freedom (American Opera Projects), Renty in Rhiannon Giddens’s and Michael Abels’s Omar (San Francisco Opera), the German Sentry in Kevin Puts’ Silent Night (Cincinnati Opera), the Tenor Slave/Tenor Soloist in David Lang’s The Difficulty of Crossing a Field/The Little Matchgirl Passion (Portland

Opera), and Police Buddy #2 in Jeanine Tesori’s Blue (Pittsburgh Opera, Toledo Opera).

RYAN BRADFORD HAPPY

Praised for his “warm, and sumptuous baritone” and hailed as a “sensitive actor and singer”, Ryan recently made his Lincoln Center debut in the world premiere opera, A Song by Mahler , and this past season he was a Stern Fellow with LA Opera/Songfest. Future engagements include a return to Lincoln Center and a debut with the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. An alumnus from Opera Colorado, Opera Santa Barbara, Shreveport Opera, DePaul University, The San Francisco Conservatory of Music, he’s received distinction from Fort Worth McCammon Competition, Gerda Lissner Competition, and Loren. L. Zachary Competition.

ISABELLA STOLLENMAIER WOWKLE

A native of Boone, North Carolina, Isabella Stollenmaier is a versatile mezzo soprano with a successful career as a performer and teacher. Isabella completed her Masters from DePaul University and studied with sopranos Amanda Majeski and Dr. Nancy King and currently, James Smidt. Isabella currently has a private studio with Chapel Hill School of Musical Arts and is pursuing her DMA at UNC Greensboro. Isabella has participated in Masterclasses with Craig Terry of Lyric Opera of Chicago and Karim Sulayman. She has also placed second place in the Classical Singer Competition in the Young Artist/Emerging Pro division.

Isabella’s career as an operatic mainstage artist include Mercedes in Carmen , Grimgerde in Die Walküre , Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Witch in Hansel and Gretel , and Maddalena in Rigoletto with companies like Opera Wilmington, Wilmington Symphony Orchestra, and Manhattan Opera Studio. She is ecstatic to include North Carolina Opera in that list with this production of La Fanciulla del West. Her work as an opera chorus member includes seasons of productions with North Carolina Opera and with Opera Wilmington. Isabella’s oratorio features include St. John’s Passion and Messiah with the NC Baroque Orchestra as well as a soloist in Vienna, Austria in Vivaldi‘s Gloria under the baton of Erwin Ortner of the Arnold Schoenberg Chor.

LAWRENCE HALL JOSE CASTRO

Baritone Lawrence Hall is from Georgetown, Texas, and currently resides in WinstonSalem, North Carolina. After receiving his Bachelors in Music from the University of North Texas, he went on to pursue his masters in music from the A.J. Fletcher Opera Institute at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

While attending the Fletcher Institute, Lawrence was featured as the title role in John Musto’s Volpone, Don Fabio in Manuel Garcia’s Un Avvertimento ai Gelosi, and Dorval in Gabriel Pierné’s Sophie Arnould . He has sung Méphistophélès in Gounod’s Faust, Simone in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi , Parson in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen , Il Commendatore in Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Dr. Grenvil in Verdi’s La traviata with UNT Opera. Lawrence has also performed the role of Masetto in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Operafestival di Roma during summer 2017 as well as the roles of Carl Olsen in Weill’s Street Scene and Rabonier in Puccini’s La rondine with the Varna International Opera Academy in the summer of 2018.

Since graduating, he has performed the role of Baron Douphol in La traviata and covered the role of Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with North Carolina Opera. This March he performed the role of Antonio in Le Nozze di Figaro with Piedmont Opera. He was also a member of the chorus for Beth Morrison Projects’s The Old Man and the Sea, and Don Pasquale with Piedmont Opera.

GIACOMO PUCCINI COMPOSER

Giacomo Puccini was born on December 22, 1858, in Lucca, to a family of four generations of composers, where he received his first musical instruction. As a teen he worked as a church organist (and also, if some sources are to be believed, as a bordello pianist!). Hearing Verdi’s Aida in 1879 made him decide on a career as a theater composer. He finished his studies in Lucca, and attended the conservatory in Milan on scholarship. A roommate there was Pietro Mascagni, who would himself go on to (lesser) fame as the composer of Cavalleria Rusticana. The two young composers shared a musical outlook, and even split the cost of a full score of Wagner’s Parsifal (1883), which they studied intently.

Puccini’s first opera, Le Villi – a variant of the Lorelei or Rusalka story – was rejected by the Sonzogno competition in 1883 but was then picked up by the powerful music publisher Giulio Ricordi, which began a lifelong relationship of great mutual benefit between the composer and the house. Puccini’s next work, Edgar, was not a success, but he struck gold with Manon Lescaut in 1893, creating a work that was forwardlooking while remaining solidly in the Italian tradition. Two of Manon Lescaut’s many librettists were Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. Puccini developed a strong and fruitful working relationship with them, which led to the creation of his greatest successes: La bohème (1896), Tosca (1900), and Madama Butterfly (1904). With Ricordi’s powerful backing and the composer’s own considerable political skills (to say nothing of his musical inventiveness and sure theatrical sense), Puccini soon eclipsed his contemporaries and was widely understood to be Verdi’s heir as the leading Italian opera composer of the day. His success brought him considerable fame and fortune, much of which he spent on hunting, cars (he was perhaps the first major composer to be involved in an automobile accident, in 1903), and women, by no means limited to his wife. He was married to Elvira Gemignani, with whom he sired a son while she was still married to her first husband (she and Puccini were able to marry only after Elvira’s husband was murdered by the husband of one of his lovers). Puccini’s affairs caused problems, so much so that in 1909 Elvira accused their maid, Dora Manfredi, of having slept with the composer. The teenage girl was mortified by the false charges and took her own life.

Puccini’s post- Butterfly operas led him to search for new paths – where could Italian opera go? He tried many different avenues, with works as different as today’s opera, La fanciulla del West (1910); La Rondine (1917) which was an Italian version of a Viennese operetta; Il trittico (1918), three one-act operas of widely different mood; and finally the uncompleted Turandot (1924) which has become extremely popular despite problems in its dramaturgy and other issues. Puccini did not live to see the opera completed. He suffered from throat cancer, and died while undergoing then-experimental radiation treatments at a clinic in Brussels. He had hoped to continue work on Turandot in the hospital, and had the sketches with him when he died.

While there have been plenty of Italian operas written after Puccini, including by Respighi, Montemezzi, and Renzo Rossellini, one could accurately say that he was last of the line: no Italian opera composed since Turandot has successfully stayed in the center of the world repertoire.

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA ORCHESTRA

1ST VIOLIN

Carol Chung

Margaret Partridge

Ariadna Ilika

Anne Leyland

Leah Peroutka

Nonoko Okada

Eric McCracken

Irina Shelepov

Petia Radneva-Manolova

Ashley Kovacs

2ND VIOLIN

Emi Hildebrandt

Krista Cala

Suzanne Kelly

Cortney Baker

Sarah Griffin

Lucy Greanleaf

Jaimi Grether

Robert Rempher

VIOLA

Simon Ertz

Matthew Chicurel

Kristen Beard

Emi Mizobuchi

Rachael Keplin

Patricia McCallum

CELLO

Nathan Leyland

Brian Carter

Rosalind Leavell

Lauren Dunseath

Erica Leavell

Jake Wenger

BASS

Emily Buccola

Cody Rex

Robbie Link

Zachary Hobin

FLUTE

Carla Burns

Whitney Pencina

Erin Munnelly

OBOE

Stephanie Wilson

Robin Driscoll

Carrie Shull

ENGLISH HORN

Amanda LaBrecque

CLARINET

Mike Cyzewski

Todd Krueger

Deborah Chodacki

BASSOON

Michael Burns

John Fanning

Christopher Allpress

CONTRABASSOON

Joey Lavarias

FRENCH HORN

Christopher Caudill

Rachel Niketopoulos

Caleb Harris

Robert Malone

TRUMPET

Judith Saxton

John Manning

Jack Smid

TROMBONE

Michael Kris

David Wulfeck

Seth Frack

BASS TROMBONE

Russell McKinney

TIMPANI

Julia Thompson PERCUSSION

Krista Siachames

Quintin Mallette

Joseph Spearman

CELESTA

Robert Baldwin

HARP

Jacquelyn Bartlett

PERSONNEL MANAGER

Paul Gorski

LIBRARIAN

Julia Thompson

Cameron Albee

Forrest Bunter

John Cashwell

Adam Dengler

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA CHORUS

Wade Henderson

Miles Jenkins

Corey Leak

Jared Payton

Lindon Pearson

Lucinio Santos

Markel Williams

Ethan Wood

North Carolina Opera wishes to express its deepest appreciation and gratitude to the Co-Chairs of the 2024 Golden West Gala for their leadership.

PAUL FOMBERG AND ROY CROMARTIE, RAE AND JAMES GULICK

Through their hard work and generosity the Golden West Gala not only realized the highest attendance of any Opera Gala but broke all records in terms of raising funds to support North Carolina Opera.

NCO also extends its most sincere thanks to everyone who participated in the Golden West Gala.

SAVE THE DATE! NEXT YEAR’S OPERA GALA WILL BE ON MARCH 15, 2025

Kim Gooden, Robbin King, Lee Whitener

Alexandra LoBianco, Soprano

Jim & Rae Gulick and Roy Cromartie & Paul Fomberg

High Bidder

Sandra Cook, Kelvin Currie, Dinah Schuster, Kay Schoellhorn

Francine and Ralph Roberson

Madison Clary & Nick Bogdash

Governor and Mrs. Cooper

General Director – Eric Mitchko

Director of Development – P. Carrigan Byrd, Jr.

Director of Marketing – Angela Grant

Company Manager – Julie Williams

Production Manager – Linda T. Carlson

Box Office Associate – Amanda Reyes

Chorus Master – Scott MacLeod

Education Coordinator – Rachel Stenbuck

Engagement Coordinator – Micaela Bundy

MARTIN MARIETTA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS STAFF

City Manager – Marchell Adams-David

Assistant City Manager – Evan Raleigh

Director/General Manager – Kerry Painter

Assistant General Manager – Michelle Bradley

Director of Theatre Operations – Christopher Bullock

Director of Finance – Laura Knott

Director of Security – Byron K Johnson II

Director of Operations – Brian Clark

Box Office Manager – Robert Leavell

Assistant Box Office Manager – Gavin Brown

Booking Manager – Melanie Margarum

Marketing Manager – Sarah McAlister

Events Experience Manager – Brittany Washington

Front of House Manager – Matthew Hester

Production Manager – Dave McManus

Production Supervisors – Andrew Armas, EG Garcia, Brian Moore, Jason Morris

Security Supervisor – Shelly Westfall

Maintenance and Operations Superintendent – Blade Perdue

Facilities Supervisor – William Negron

Capital Projects Manager – Suzanne Walker

Event Settlement Analyst – Keisha Peacock

Operation Staff – Nicole Ackman, Deshondre Bellinger, Alex Brickley, Alex Bryant, Andrew Crane, Scott Gibson, Michael Green, Ehhteeku Htaw, Ulando Jones, Trevor Jordan, Tami Kaufmann, Liberty Lander, Noeree Lander, Matino Lin, Lisa Morgan, Kevin Rosella, Keecia Rouse, Rusty Sharpe, Htee Shee, Mi Than, Mason Tierney, Avery Vanore, Luke Watkins, Renee Wilson, Evan Woodard

Thank you for enhancing our lives with the gift of music. At Curtis Media, we applaud your artistry and your talent as well as the many ways that you enrich North Carolina’s cultural fabric.

BUILDING OUR ECONOMY, GROWING YOUR BUSINESS

As the Triangle’s largest business membership organization, we represent two-thirds of Wake County’s private sector workforce -- and we can represent you too!

Monthly Subscription Memberships available.

BECOME A CHAMBER MEMBER TODAY:

A third-generation family-owned business serving the Triangle and beyond since 1958. Offering an educational approach to new & used piano selection, piano service & more!

STIRRING S BRAVE B POWERFUL P

Great Performances at the Met: Fire Shut Up in My Bones

The thrill of anticipation, the warm buzz of the crowd. The theater lights dim and a performer seizes the stage, grabbing your attention and never letting go. PBS North Carolina brings the stage to you every week, transporting you to a bold and inspiring world of theater, music and creative expression— no ticket required.

Follow your curiosity pbsnc.org