North Carolina Opera | THE PASSION OF MARY CARDWELL DAWSON

Opera Gala CO-CHAIRS KAY SCHOELLHORN ROSEMARIE SWEENEY

S AT U RD AY MARC H 1 5 , 2 0 2 5 THE PARK ALUMNI CENTER AT NC STATE CENTENNIAL CAMPUS

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.

2024-2025 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Nancy Hablutzel, Chair Jean Wozencraft-Ornellas, Vice-Chair John Lunsford, Treasurer Carl Nold, Secretary Joel Adams Amanda Bambrick Yvonne Bryant Kelvin Currie Paul Fomberg Bryan Gilliam James Gulick James Hargrove

Douglas Holbrook Valerie Johnson C. Thomas Kunz, in memoriam (1949-2024) Patricia McWaters Florence Peacock Ralph Roberson William Rustin Richard Sarles Nerre Shuriah Cathy Stuart Rosemarie Sweeney Shohreh Taavoni Brigette Wilds

PAST CHAIRS 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 NORTH CAROLINA OPERA | 1

BEYOND THE STAGE ALL WEEKEND Special Exhibit: Mary Cardwell Dawson – Building The Stage Through artifacts, photographs, and narratives, Building the Stage highlights Dawson’s determination to create opportunities for Black opera singers in the mid-20th century, at a time when access to the arts was severely limited for African Americans. The exhibit celebrates Dawson’s contributions to the world of opera, and will be on display in the lobby throughout the weekend.

Doors open 90 minutes prior to each performance.

Building the Stage exhibit originally designed for and created by The Denyce Graves Foundation.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13 The Theater is a Sanctuary: Exploring Mental Health, Self- Expression, and Healing Through Art Join Darkness RISING Project, artists, mental health advocates, and community leaders to explore how the performing arts create safe spaces for self-expression, emotional healing, and fostering mental well-being. The conversation will delve into the transformative power of storytelling and performance in addressing mental health challenges, breaking stigmas, and cultivating community. Darkness RISING will share their insight on how they have utilized creative expression through their organization, to provide mental health resources and tools to those navigating life’s complexities, empowering through advocacy, and those actively rising to REBUILD. This discussion will follow the Friday evening performance and is free for Friday night ticketholders.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14 Honoring the Legacy of Mary Cardwell Dawson: Equity and Access for Black Musicians in Opera and Classical Music NC Opera’s Engagement Coordinator, Micaela Bundy, hosts artists, music historians, and representatives from The Denyce Graves Foundation to discuss systemic inequities that continue to limit access for Black musicians in opera and classical music. The conversation will highlight the role of HBCUs and other institutions in nurturing Black talent, and successful initiatives for increasing diversity in classical music through the role of mentorship, scholarships, and community programs. This event will follow the Saturday evening performance and is free for Saturday night ticketholders.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15 Trusting Your Voice and Standing Your Ground: A Roundtable Discussion with Angela Connor, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of ASCENDING Magazine Mary Cardwell Dawson’s refusal to perform in segregated venues required immense trust in her own voice, and an unwillingness to relent in the face of pressure. We’ll chat about how outside influences often make us question ourselves, and ways women in the workplace can focus on self-reliance and trusting their own judgment over outside opinions. This discussion will follow the Sunday matinee performance and is free for Sunday afternoon ticketholders.

THE PASSION OF MARY CARDWELL DAWSON Play by Sandra Seaton Original music by Carlos Simon Text for original music by Sandra Seaton Commissioned by the Glimmerglass Festival Mary Cardwell Dawson

Denyce Graves

Frank

Johnnie Felder

Isabelle

Diana Thompson-Brewer

Phoebe

Taylor-Alexis Dupont

Pianist

Donald Lee, III

Director Lighting Designer Music Director Stage Manager Production Manager Properties Master Master Electrician Costume Coordinator Wig and Makeup Director Original Sound Design Sound Designer

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Kimille Howard Jessica Drayton Donald Lee, III Dustin Z. West Linda T. Carlson Pamela McLamb Charlie Raschke Denise Schumaker Martha Ruskai Andrew Harper Sean Loepp

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2024 | 7:30 PM SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2024 | 7:30 PM SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2024 | 2:00 PM A.J. FLETCHER OPERA THEATER MARTIN MARIETTA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

Scenery designed by James F. Rotondo III Costumes designed by Jessica Jahn The scenery and costumes were originally created for the Glimmerglass Festival The Passion of Mary Caldwell Dawson The Play and Text for the original music of The Passion of Mary Caldwell Dawson, Copyright © 2022 Sandra Seaton The Original music for The Passion of Mary Caldwell Dawson Copyright © 2022 Carlos Simon Produced by arrangement with Sandra Seaton, Carlos Simon, The Barbara Hogenson Agency, Inc., and Bill Holab Music

M The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson is generously underwritten by the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, and by the John William Pope Foundation.

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

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 90 minutes with no intermission.

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FOCUS ON PHILANTHROPY

Production photos by Eric Waters.

EMPOWERING VOICES — THE IMPAC T OF GIVING ON EQUIT Y IN THE ARTS When Mary Cardwell Dawson founded the National Negro Opera Company in 1941, her mission was clear: to give Black artists a stage they’d been denied elsewhere and to uplift voices that had long been marginalized. Her pioneering work created opportunities where there were none, setting a powerful precedent for diversity and inclusion in the arts.

Today, North Carolina Opera continues in this spirit, striving to ensure that every voice has a chance to be heard and celebrated.

Your support plays a critical role in this mission. Donations to North Carolina Opera not only help bring incredible stories like The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson to life, but also fuel programs that champion inclusion in the arts. Philanthropy enables us to provide educational outreach, support emerging artists, and produce works that reflect a broad range of experiences and voices.

When you give, you are investing in a future where the arts are inclusive, accessible, and representative of the diverse world we live in. Just as Mary Cardwell Dawson opened doors for the next generation of singers, your contribution helps us continue that legacy, creating space for the next trailblazing artists to shine. Together, we can build a vibrant, equitable cultural landscape that honors the past and looks boldly toward the future.

Join us in empowering the next generation of voices. Make a gift today at ncopera.org/ donate to ensure everyone has a chance to take center stage.

NCOPERA.ORG/DONATE

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 October 1, 2023 and November 15, 2024.

INDIVIDUAL GIVING DIAMOND PATRON

Gifts over $100,000

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 Amanda and Michael Bambrick Paul Fomberg and Roy Cromartie Jacobi Daley E.T. Franklin, Jr. Rae and James Gulick Judith LeGrand Elizabeth and John Lunsford Amy Moss and Bill Brown Francine and Ralph Roberson GRAND SPONSOR

Gifts between $10,000 and $14,999 Joel R. Adams Anna and James Romano Mary Louise and William Rustin Cathy and Jim Stuart Shohreh Taavoni and Alan Kronhaus Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas SPONSOR

Gifts between $5,000 and $9,999

Jane and Francis Acquaviva Chip Anderson Kelvin Currie and Sandra Cook William L. Hampton Douglas R. Holbrook Mia Kang and Tony Acquaviva Chancy and Keith Kapp Dr. Bill and Dr. Margaret McCulloch Vicky Kruckeberg and Carl R. Nold Susan and Dale Oller Aurora K. Pajeau, MD, MPH Drs. Lois T. Flaherty and Richard Sarles Nerre Shuriah Holly and Paul Tesar Brigette Wilds and Michael C. Byrne John Williamson PATRON Gifts between $2,500 and $4,999 Anonymous Heather Brown Ruth Buck and Eva Buck Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Byrne Ruth and Sidney Cox Anne Faircloth and Fred Beaujeu-Dufour

Mary-Owens Fitzgerald Vivian Clark and Bryan Gilliam George E. Hall, Jr. Peter Hamilton Kim Kotlar and James Hargrove Karen and Clark Havighurst Emmett and Hubert B. Haywood, III Thomas Kenan III Larry Lisle Patricia McWaters Robert W. Morrison Linda and Wendell Murphy Susan Osborne and Stephen Reynolds Tom Roberg

BENEFACTOR

Gifts between $1,000 and $2,499 Carol and Robert Bilbro Amna Cameron Linda Carlson and Cheryl Thomas David Casteel S. Worth Dunn, III Connie and Bob Eby Sallie and Joe Exum Sofie Franzen-Moyle James Gray Paula S. Greenman Margo Lynn Hablutzel William F. Hamlin, Jr. John Hammond Phyllis Pomerantz and Charles Hochman Sally and William Johnson Stefanie Kahn Martha and Peter Klopfer Ekaterina Korobkina and Robert Golub Guy Lampe Jo Ann Lutz and Lawrence H. Muhlbaier Jane Lynch Ruth Mokeba-Ekangaki and Abie Ekangaki Susan Moore and Doug Hammer Nelson Oyesiku Florence and James Peacock Jane Pinsky Kelley Russell Mr. and Mrs. Michael Sandman John Sarratt and Kathy Klotzberger Kay Schoellhorn Sarah and Steve Shaber Patrick Shanahan Edwina Hardy Shaw James S. Stringfellow Sally and Robert Tiller Susan and Dick Timmons Edmund Tiryakian Gary Travis Ann and Steve Tyler Josephine Walker

Mary Warlick Diane and Floyd Whitney Rosemary and Smedes York SUSTAINER

Gifts between $500 and $999

Judith and Jack Adler Perri Anderson Agnes F. Marshall and Robert M. Auman Sharon and Byron Braswell Earlene and Joseph Briggs Stanford Brown Governor and Mrs. Roy Cooper Simmie Kastner and Jerome Davis Cheryl and John Denardo Martha Dimes Frank Dworsky Elizabeth and Joseph Kahn Charitable Fund Donna and Richard Falvo Alison and Ken Faulkner Douglas Flint Patricia Friedman John Gaitenby John Gebhardt Brenda and Ron Gibson Kimberly Gooden Ruth Gross and Hans Kellner Dotty and Lee Hanson Susan and Carl Hibbert, Sr. Martha Hsu Mark Jalkut and Eloise Watson Melissa and Robert Johnson Mary and Rick Kane Deborah and Thomas Keefe Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf Martha N. Keravuori and Chuck Galle Moyra and Brian Kileff Lou and Donald Kline Kathy and Tom Lada Andy Lawrence Joy Lewis Dorothy Lichtwardt Carolyn Maness Susanna Martin Sarah and Frank Moorman Advised Fund of the Cumberland Community Foundation, Inc. Carol and Rusty Parks Melanie Rankin Janet and James Rapp Christie Roeder Frances Rollins Chapman Williams and Carter Skinner Rachel Starr Fran and Jack Steele Emmett E. Stobbs, Jr. Sally Thomas Lee Whitener Suzanne Whitmeyer Ginny Zehr NORTH CAROLINA OPERA | 7

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA SUPPORTERS SUPPORTER

Gifts between $250 and $499

Anonymous (2) B. Jasmine Adams Eugenie Almeida Kelly and Landy Anderton Susan and David Baker Lee Baker Anna Ball Hodge Joel Buccellato Steven Burke Dawn and David Burtt P. Carrigan Byrd, Jr. The Honorable Ann Marie Calabria and Robert Calabria Linda and Philip Carl Mary Lovelock and W. R. Chapman David Clegg Deborah and Andrew Dalgliesh Mary and George Deaton Georgia and Alec Donaldson Gayle Eisner Saskia Ziolkowski and Martin Eisner Ann Erickson Mary Ann Felton Ellen Fort Mair Glosson Jim Konold and Tim Hackett Leslie Harris Greg Hirsch Deborah Huff Carol and Rick Johns Valerie Johnson and Linda Edwards Rachel Kaplan and Jeremy Pienik Timothy A. Kuhn Annie Lang Betsy and Steven Levitas James A. and Elaine Lewis Rosemary Lunsford Jordan Malik Amy and David Marschall Patty Matthews Larry Mintz Eric Mitchko Christina and Thomas Mitchko Alistair Nevius Carolyn and Peter Olejar Fran Page Linda Pukenas Susan Russell Meg and Matt Segal Susannah Smith Perry and William Suk Yvonne Terry Roberta Titchener Pamela Trent Lizbeth and Jean-Marie Videau Katherine and James Wilson

MEMBER

Gifts up to $249

Virginia Adams & Martin Salzman Robin and Dwight Allen Lydia Alleyne Pearla and Gregg Alston Trish Anderton Susi Lieff and Arthur Axelbank Cortney and Scott Baker 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 Jean Carden Linda and Philip Carl Dolores and Burton Carnegie Bill Carroll Rosalind Coleman and James Rolleston Sandra Craig Tammy and Bill Crook Judith Bruno and Michael Cyzewski Tanya and Alonzo Dean Catherine Anderton and José Delgado Yvonne DeWald Susanne and Robert Dodder Genevieve Domalain George Douglas Lori Drum Amy Edge A.R. Edmonson Karen Edwards Jennifer Errande Dr. Richard Felder Sally Fessler Katherine Tyson and Mark Foster Caryl Glickman Phyllis and Stephen Gordon Angela Grant Lynne and Cory Grant John Graybeal Dr. Gilbert Greggs H.M. Guttmann Robert Hablutzel Eva and Sheldon Hamburger Carl and Sue Hamill Rich Haney Elizabeth Hely and Bruce Simon Sharon Henderson David Hoover Eleanor Ninestein and V. Dwight House Barbara Houze Sara Oswald and Eric Hyman Yana James

Lewis H. Kairys Jo and James Kalat Gail and Eugene Karcher Jason Karn Joan and Howard Kastel Deborah and Thomas Keefe Lubomyra Sawczyn and Tadeusz Kleindienst Kathleen Klesh Peggy and Chuck Korte Michael Kris Lewis Lampiris Lynda and Charles Lankford Brigitte Abrams and Francis Lethem Alexandra LoBianco Maria and Josmar Lopes Erin Lunsford and Sean Norton Rebecca and Scott MacLeod Erica Manley James Marrow James May and Richard Cox Margaret Maytan Courtney Miller Bob Mitchell Eileen and James Mitchell Loretta Mitchell Allen and Maureen Murray Lynda R. Myers Elizabeth Nackley Jodee Nimerichter and Gaspard Louis Connie O’Neil Cheryl Ann Peterson Renna Pye Mona Roberts Susan Royster Marjorie Satinsky Stephen Schaeffer Pat and Paul Scheible Meg and Matt Segal Barbara Smalley Georgiana and Stephen Snyderman Donald Stoll Susan Swartz Earleen Thomas Allison Tolksdorf Joe Tooley Kristina Troost Robert W. Upchurch Shirley Warren Alice Watkins John Watson Margaret Weir Sally and Ron Wenda Julie and George Williams Marti and Dan Wilson Pamela Wolf-Brewer Alexander Zakel Mary and Peter Zimmerman

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the gifts listed in our programs. If you notice an error or omission, please let us know by emailing sarah.raffurty@ncopera.org and we will promptly make a correction. Thank you!

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SEASON SPONSORS

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NORTH CAROLINA OPERA SUPPORTERS 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 Allison R. Northcutt Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz

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 October 1, 2023 and November 15, 2024.

HONORARY GIFTS

In Honor of Jane and Fran Acquaviva Rachel Starr

In Honor of Amy Moss Judith and Jack Adler

In Honor of Nancy Hablutzel Margo Lynn Hablutzel Robert Hablutzel

In Honor of Carter Skinner and Chapman Williams Margaret Weir

In Honor of Nancy and Phil Hablutzel Margo Hablutzel In Honor of Joanne Kearney Devon Kearney

In Honor of Brigette Wilds Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Byrne In Honor of Brigette Wilds and her support for tickets for underrepresented individuals Advance Auto Parts Foundation MEMORIAL GIFTS

In Memory of Ruth A. Benton Anonymous In Memory of Louie Eargle Lee Baker In Loving Memory of Dana Ann Hall George E. Hall, Jr. In Memory of Donald Hunter Sandra Craig In Memory of Tom Kunz Joel R. Adams Jean Carden Karen Edwards Donna and Richard Falvo Paula S. Greenman The Hablutzel Family Carl and Sue Hamill Vicky Kruckeberg and Carl R. Nold Jo Ann Lutz and Lawrence Muhlbaier Jane Lynch Eric Mitchko Jodee Nimerichter and Gaspard Louis Connie O’Neil Ralph and Francine Roberson

Marjorie Satinsky James S. Stringfellow Triangle Wagner Society Shirley Warren Walter Family Foundation Julie and George Williams In Memory of Ruth and Thomas Martin Susanna Martin In Memory of Bernard Eugene Mitchell, Sr. Loretta Mitchell In Memory of John Russell Sarah and Frank Moorman Advised Fund of the Cumberland Community Foundation, Inc. In Memory of Iris E. Stoll Donald Stoll In Memory of Lawrence James Wathen, who taught me all I know about opera Aurora K. Pajeau, MD, MPH In Memory of Don Wilder, Former Music Director of the National Opera Company Judith Bruno and Michael Cyzewski

We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the gifts listed in our programs. If you notice an error or omission, please let us know by emailing sarah.raffurty@ncopera.org and we will promptly make a correction. Thank you!

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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 October 1, 2023 and November 15, 2024.

FOUNDATIONS • GOVERNMENT • CORPORATIONS

Gifts of $100,000 or more City of Raleigh Gifts between $25,000 and $49,999 North Carolina Arts Council North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources The John William Pope Foundation Gifts between $10,000 and $24,999 United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County Gifts between $5,000 and $9,999 Triangle Community Foundation’s Carver Fund for North Carolina Opera The Freedom Forum Meredith College Morningstar Law Group The Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation Walter Family Foundation

Gifts between $2,500 and $4,999 Advance Auto Parts Foundation Cornerstone Custom Printing English Speaking Union of the United States – Research Triangle Branch The FabFoo Galloway Ridge at Fearrington International Young Artists Project The Juliette Club King’s Auto Service, Inc. Mitchell•Casteel - A Fine Catered Affair The Pavilion at the Angus Barn George Smedes Poyner Foundation Triangle Wagner Society Gifts up to $2,499 Ella Ann and Fank B. Holding Foundation Opera America, Inc.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

North Carolina Opera would like to thank Jane Acquaviva Carmen Buckner Carolina Ballet David Casteel Ellen Fort

Maggie Gina Audrey Hubbard Abby Jones Angel Kelley Barbara McGuire Patricia McWaters

Meredith College Department of Music Charlie Mitchko Maya Nelson Lorraine Snyder Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas

CHARTER SUBSCRIBERS

Jane and Francis Acquaviva Dr. Yvonne Bryant Anne Prince Cuddy Martha Dimes James Gray Karen and Clark Havighurst Mark Hogan 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 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 John Williamson NORTH CAROLINA OPERA | 11

PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTE — SANDRA SEATON

I knew, from my own family, that there were stories that had not been told. After speaking with Karen Bryan, Mary Cardwell Dawson’s biographer, and delving into the life of this remarkable woman, I was fired with the ambition to write a play that would dramatize this world of “unrecorded history,” the world of Mary Cardwell Dawson, a woman whose life story challenges generally held assumptions about African Americans of her era, assumptions about gender roles and the contributions of African Americans to the arts. This play is my tribute to a woman who would not allow herself to be defined by racism but who would instead live fully, dedicated to her art, whatever the obstacles.

During the era of segregation, middle-class white people would rarely come in contact with African Americans who were teachers, doctors, morticians, businesspeople or even more rarely an artistic director of an opera company.

Typically, only maids and servants would come to a white family’s home. My family, and many others like them, lived behind the veil in a whole society hidden from view.

In The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, I was channeling my mother, my grandmother and their friends in order to create a world of real people, not bound by racial stereotype, but portrayed in their actual circumstances, a way of life entirely different from views held about African Americans during that era. I ask the audience to help me pull the veil aside, take my hand and enter the world of Mary Cardwell Dawson.

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ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES DENYCE GRAVES MARY CARDWELL DAWSON Recognized as “an operatic superstar of the 21st century”

by USA Today, mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves’ career has garnered unparalleled popular and critical acclaim. Ms. Graves’ acclaimed appearances as Carmen and Dalila in Samson et Dalila have resounded in the world’s greatest opera houses, and her success has been recognized in notable television appearances, interviews, masterclasses, and magazines. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution exclaims, “If the human voice has the power to move you, you will be touched by Denyce Graves.”

In the 2023-2024 season, Ms. Graves returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Sally in The Hours and makes her Seattle Opera debut in Das Rheingold as Erda. In addition, Ms. Graves will be the director for the world premiere of Loving v. Virginia with Virginia Opera in a co-production with the Richmond Symphony for their 2024-2025 season.

In the 2022-2023 season, Ms. Graves returned to Minnesota Opera and The Glimmerglass Festival for her directorial debut in two new productions of Carmen. Minneapolis’ Star Tribune wrote, “...in her first directing job, opera star Denyce Graves delivers a superlative staging.” Ms. Graves also returned to the Metropolitan Opera in Peter Grimes as Auntie and in the world premiere of The Hours as Sally, as well as the title role in Glimmerglass Festival’s production of The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson. In recital, Ms. Graves continues to collaborate with Laura Ward, notably presenting her recital program Cotton with Lyric Fest and Washington Performing Arts where she was presented with the Inaugural Ruth Bader Ginsburg Memorial Fund Award.

Her full opera recordings include Gran Vestale in La vestale, recorded live from La Scala with Riccardo Muti for Sony Classical; Queen Gertrude in Thomas’s Hamlet for EMI Classics; Maddalena in Rigoletto with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under James Levine; and Emilia in Otello with Plácido Domingo and the Opéra de Paris, Bastille Orchestra under MyungWhun Chung, both for Deutsche Grammophon.

Ms. Graves is a native of Washington, D.C., where she attended the Duke Ellington School for the

Performing Arts. She continued her education at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and the New England Conservatory. She is the Artistic Director and Founder of The Denyce Graves Foundation which aims to promote equity and inclusion in American classical vocal arts through an unprecedented approach: championing the hidden musical figures of the past while uplifting young artists of world-class talent from all backgrounds. The foundation has been featured on Good Morning America and The New York Times Style Magazine for its successful programs.

Ms. Graves’ dedication to the singers of the next generation continues to be an important part of her career; she is a member of the voice faculty at the Peabody Institute, and a distinguished visiting faculty member at The Juilliard School.

Please visit the artist’s website at thedenyce gravesfoundation.org.

JOHNNIE FELDER FRANK American Tenor, Johnnie J. Felder, is a native of Vance, South Carolina and holds bachelor and graduate music degrees from Benedict College and the University of South Carolina respectively. In 2022, Mr. Felder earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Vocal Performance. Felder has also undergone extensive vocal training in the opera studio of the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria, and in the soloist program of the Varna International Music Academy Festival (VIMA) in Varna, Bulgaria. An expressive opera singer known for his impressive range, lyricism, and captivating vocal power, Felder made his 2019 European debut in Varna, Bulgaria as Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi.

Felder’s leading roles include Beppe in Donizetti’s Rita, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni (Mozart), Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore (Donizetti), Tamino in Die Zauberflöte (Mozart), and Collin in L’amant Anonyme (Bologne).

Most recently, Felder was an inaugural member of the Spoleto Festival USA Choral and Vocal Fellowship (Charleston, SC). Felder was a featured member of the brilliantly captivating chorus in the world premiere of Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels’ opera, Omar, conducted by Maestro John Kennedy.

He made his North Carolina Opera debut as Peter in Porgy and Bess.

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ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES Felder stepped in, at a moment’s notice, for renowned tenor, Paul Groves, in three performances on the Spoleto Festival Chamber Music Series in a world premiere of 5 Songs of Stevie Wonder with internationally acclaimed pianist, composer and arranger, Stephen Prutsman.

Felder is a Principal Resident Artist with Opera Carolina (Charlotte, NC) and has been featured as Reverend Jessie Jackson in I Dream (Douglas Tappin), Peter/Honey Man in Porgy and Bess (Gershwin), and Frank/Don Jose in Carlos Simon’s The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson.

DIANA THOMPSONBREWER ISABELLE Díana Thompson-Brewer’s professional credits include the roles of Magda in Puccini’s La rondine, Musetta in Puccini’s La bohème, Eden in the world premiere of Galaxies in Her Eyes, Queen of the Night in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Lucia in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, Clara in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess (the role of her North Carolina Opera debut), Zerbinetta in Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, Susanna in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, Mlle Silberklang in Mozart’s Die Schauspieldirektor, Beth & Amy in Mark Adamo’s Little Women, Adelle in Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus, Vi in Gershwin’s Blue Monday, and Mrs. McDowell in Hailstork’s Rise for Freedom.

She has sung with L’Orchestre de Chambre de Genève, Opera Carolina, Opera on the James, Greensboro Opera, Mobile Opera, Augusta Opera, Opera Wilmington, Miami Lyric Opera, GLOW, and other regional companies and festivals. In addition to opera, Díana has been a soprano soloist in Barber’s Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Haydn’s The Creation, Orff ’s Carmina Burana, Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Cantata 4, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War, Vivaldi’s Magnificat, and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. She also made her professional Musical Theatre debut as Sarah in Flaherty’s iconic musical Ragtime.

Díana has been teaching privately for over 15 years and served as Interim Director of Opera and Voice at a local college in her hometown just last year. Dr. Thompson-Brewer holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Georgia (Presidential

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Fellow), a Master of Music degree from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and a Bachelor of Music degree from Augusta State University, all in Vocal Performance.

TAYLOR-ALEXIS DUPONT PHOEBE Hailed by The Washington Post as a singer with a “beautifully rich & spirited” voice, mezzosoprano Taylor- Alexis DuPont is a First Prize Winner of the 2023 Lotte Lenya Competition & the recipient of the inaugural Rebecca Luker Award from the Kurt Weill Foundation in 2021. Taylor-Alexis is proud to have been involved in the Grammy Award winning production of Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera in their 2019-2020 season. Other performance highlights include the roles of Phoebe in The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson with Washington National Opera, Hannah in the world premiere of Ruinous Gods at the Spoleto Festival, Musetta in La Boheme with Florida Grand Opera, the Archangel Gabriel in the world premiere of Damien Geter’s Holy Ground with the Glimmerglass Festival, Flora in La traviata with Cincinnati Opera, Isabella in L’italiana in Algeri with Hawaii Opera Theatre and The Witch in Into the Woods with Union Avenue Opera.

DONALD LEE III PIANIST, MUSIC DIRECTOR American Conductor and Pianist Donald Lee III is quickly becoming known for his versatility and charisma both on the podium and at the keyboard. Lee has appeared in concert with the Des Moines Metro Opera Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra, and members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Lee has been engaged as a cover conductor with the Gateways Festival Orchestra and Des Moines Metro Opera.

Recent productions include Salome, Carmen, Champion, and the world premiere of American Apollo. Recent highlights as a pianist include appearing as soloist with the University of Maryland Symphony Orchestra, and recital performances with tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Will Liverman.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES As an advocate for the performance of new music by under-represented composers, Lee has conducted the music of Jasmine Barnes, Damien Geter, and Carlos Simon. Lee appeared as the guest conductor for Montgomery Presents The Blacknificent 7, part of the CSO MusicNOW concert series. He also conducted the first workshop of The Highlands, a new opera by Carlos Simon, Lynn Nottage, and Ruby Aiyo-Gerber at Cincinnati Opera. As a pianist, Lee has been a part of the creation of six new operas through Opera Theater St. Louis’ New Works Collective. He was also the pianist for Will Liverman’s The Factotum, improvising in multiple genres throughout the opera.

Lee previously studied conducting with Enrique Mazzola and Emanuele Andrizzi, and studied piano from Awadagin Pratt. Lee holds degrees from James Madison University and University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Lee was the inaugural conductor/pianist member of the Ryan Opera Center, the training program of the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

KIMILLE HOWARD DIRECTOR Kimille Howard is a director, deviser, writer and filmmaker.

She’s an Assistant Stage Director at the Metropolitan Opera, Artistic Director of the Lucille Lortel Theatre’s NYC Public High School Playwriting Fellowship, and a founder of the Black Diaspora Theatre Collective. Recent directing credits: Orlando the musical (Theatre Row), Two Corners (Finger Lakes Opera), The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson (Glimmerglass/ Washington National Opera, Opera Carolina/ Pittsburgh Opera), The 2024 New Works Collective (Opera Theatre of St. Louis), Sanctuary Road (Virginia Opera), The Oscar Micheaux Project (The National Alliance for Musical Theatre Festival), Treemonisha (Opera Theatre of St. Louis), Songs in Flight (Sparks and Wiry Cries/Met Live), The Italian Girl (Tulsa Opera), American Apollo (DMMO), B.R.O.K.E.N Code B.I.R.D Switching (Berkshire Theatre Group), Quamino’s Map (Chicago Opera Theater). Her work has also been seen at The Village Theater, Bay Street Theater, Clear Space Theater, Playwrights’ Horizons, 59E59, Wolf Trap Opera, Cherry Lane Theatre, among others.

Broadway: Ain’t Too Proud (Assistant Director) Met Opera: Champion, Die Zauberflöte, Porgy and Bess,

Tosca (Assistant Stage Director). Fellowships: NYTW 2050 Fellowship, MTC Jonathan Alper Directing Fellowship, New York Stage and Film’s inaugural NYSAF NEXUS project. She is a recipient of OPERA America’s 2023 Robert L. B. Tobin Director-Designer Prize and won Best Direction of a play for the 2022 BroadwayWorld Berkshires Award. kimillehoward.com SANDRA SEATON PLAYWRIGHT Sandra Seaton is an awardwinning librettist and playwright. Her libretto for the solo opera From the Diary of Sally Hemings, set to music by composer William Bolcom and commissioned by mezzo soprano Florence Quivar, has been performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and a number of other venues. A video with soprano Alyson Cambridge can be viewed on the Glimmerglass Opera Website.

In January 2020, the opera Night Trip, music by Carlos Simon and libretto by Sandra Seaton, premiered at the Kennedy Center. Among her fifteen plays, The Bridge Party, Seaton’s first play, portrays a group of Black women who fight to maintain their dignity and sense of self in the face of racism. Seaton’s other works include The Will, about a Black family during Reconstruction, her Civil Rights era play Music History or a Play about Greeks and SNCC in 1963, Call Me

By My Name, a performance piece about Henrietta Lacks, Sally, a one-woman drama, in which a determined Sally Hemings recalls her life with Jefferson, the spoken word piece, King: A Reflection on the Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with spirituals sung by tenor George Shirley, and Chicago Trilogy, three one-act plays featuring Dr. Shirley.

The First Bluebird in the Morning, with Carlos Simon, about a prisoner soon to be paroled, premiered with LA Opera. Seaton’s ploratorio, Dreamland: Tulsa 1921, with composer Marques L.A. Garrett, published

by Just A Theory Press, was nominated for the 2023 Pulitzer Prize.

For additional information, go to sandraseaton.com.

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA | 15

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES CARLOS SIMON COMPOSER “My dad, he always gets on me.

He wants me to be a preacher, but I always tell him, ‘Music is my pulpit. That’s where I preach,’” Carlos Simon reflected for The Washington Post.

Having grown up in Atlanta, with a long lineage of preachers and connections to gospel music to inspire him, GRAMMY-nominated Simon proves that a well-composed song can indeed be a sermon. His music ranges from concert music for large and small ensembles to film scores with influences of jazz, gospel, and neo-romanticism.

Simon is the current Composer-in-Residence for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and frequently writes for National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera. Simon also holds the position of inaugural Composer Chair of Boston Symphony Orchestra, the first in the institution’s 143year history.

In the 2024/25 season, Simon will have premiere performances with National Symphony Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra for the Last Night of the Proms (in his BBC Proms commissioning debut), Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Carnegie Hall for National Youth Orchestra of the USA. The season also features the premiere of Simon’s Good News Mass with Gustavo Dudamel and LA Philharmonic, a work reimagining the traditional mass with gospel soloists and choir, with visual creations from Melina Matsoukas (Beyoncé Formation, Queen and Slim).

This follows previous commissions from the likes of San Diego Symphony Orchestra, Washington National Opera (in collaboration with Mo Willems), New York Philharmonic and Bravo! Vail, Minnesota Orchestra, American Ballet Theatre, and Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

As well as his composition work, Simon frequently curates concert programs, which often highlight his own music as well as that of close collaborators.

Curation concerts have recently been programmed

16 | NORTH CAROLINA OPERA

by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Boston Chamber Players, Tanglewood Festival for Contemporary Music, and Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Simon also curated and arranged Coltrane: Legacy for Orchestra, a new project co-commissioned by TO Live (for Toronto Symphony Orchestra) and San Francisco Conservatory of Music, in partnership with the Coltrane Estate.

August 2024 saw the release of Simon’s first full-length orchestral album, Four Symphonic Works, comprised of live concert recordings by National Symphony Orchestra from the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda. Simon also composed the original soundtrack for the PBS documentary Shame of Chicago: Shame of the Nation, which was released as a digital album in April 2024.

Simon was nominated for a 2023 GRAMMY Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition for his previous album, Requiem for the Enslaved. The requiem is a multi-genre musical tribute to commemorate the stories of the 272 enslaved men, women, and children sold in 1838 by Georgetown University, released by Decca in June 2022. This work sees Simon infuse his original compositions with African American spirituals and familiar Catholic liturgical melodies, performed by Hub New Music Ensemble, Marco Pavé, and MK Zulu.

Simon earned his doctorate degree at the University of Michigan, where he studied with Michael Daugherty and Evan Chambers. He has also received degrees from Georgia State University and Morehouse College. He is an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha Music Sinfonia Fraternity and a member of the National Association of Negro Musicians, Society of Composers International, and Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society. He has served as a member of the music faculty at Spelman College and Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia and now serves as Associate Professor at Georgetown University. Simon was also a recipient of the 2021 Sphinx Medal of Excellence, the highest honor bestowed by the Sphinx Organization to recognize extraordinary classical Black and Latinx musicians, and was named a Sundance/Time Warner Composer Fellow for his work for film and moving image.

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA STAFF General Director – Eric Mitchko Director of Marketing – Angela Grant Director of Development – Sarah Raffurty Company Manager – Julie Williams Production Manager – Linda T. Carlson Box Office Associate – Amanda Reyes 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 Executive Director – Kerry Painter General Manager – Michelle Bradley Director of Theatre Operations – Christopher Bullock Director of Finance – Laura Knott Director of Security – Byron K Johnson II Director of Talent Strategy – Antonio Cruz Box Office Manager – Robert Leavell Booking Manager – Melanie Margarum Marketing Manager – Sarah McAlister Events Experience Manager – Brittany Washington Front of House Manager – Matthew Hester Front of House Manager – Deanna Long 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 – Olivia Holbrook Event Settlement Analyst – Keisha Peacock Operation Staff – Nicole Ackman, Deshondre Bellinger, Gavin Brown, Alex Bryant, Kendra Burgess, Andrew Crane, Sean Delgado-Cruz, Mike Dreese, Gregory Dunn, William Goldrick, Michael Green, Favourite Htaw, Ehhteeku Htaw, Ulando Jones, Trevor Jordan, Tami Kaufmann, Liberty Lander, Noeree Lander, Anthony Letourneau, Matino Lin, Lisa Morgan, Keecia Rouse, Htee Shee, Noah Stancil, Mason Tierney, Avery Vanore, Trevon Vickers, Luke Watkins, Renee Wilson, Evan Woodard

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA | 17

Connecting People With the Arts

2023-2024 Raleigh Arts Partners

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

raleighnc.gov/arts 919-996-3610

• 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

OfficeofRaleighArts Raleigh_Arts Raleigh_Arts

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SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2025, 10:00AM Jeffrey Swann and Simon Williams: LIVE ALL DAY PROGRAM ON Die Meistersinger SUNDAY, MARCH 25, 2025, 2:00PM Joshua Borths: LIVE PROGRAM ON The Art Surrounding Montsalvat All TWS programs are recorded and made available to members and paying guests so they can listen at their convenience.

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IS A PROUD PARTNER OF

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.

Honoring the Legacy of the Late

MARY CARDWELL DAWSON Rockingham County, NC Native

Celebrating her timeless contributions to the music industry, which continue to inspire generations.

Darkness RISING, a 501(c)3 arts and mental health nonprofit.

Empowering Minds, Healing Communities

Check out our FREE programs and resources for the NC community:

• Darkness RISING: Live - May 17, 2025, Moore Square

A Broadway-style block party bringing joy, entertainment, and access to mental health resources directly to communities of color.

Me a Therapist - findmeatherapist.org • Find Connecting individuals to FREE culturally competent Black mental health professionals with options for low-cost and sliding scale services.

• REBUILD Supporting individuals returning from incarceration with free, culturally sensitive therapy to reduce recidivism and foster healing.

Workshops • Wellness Interactive experiences featuring singing, dance, sound baths, and mental health education for holistic self-care.

JOIN US IN TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH MENTAL HEALTH EQUITY AND THE ARTS. Visit: DarknessRisingProject.org to learn more! Donate: https://bit.ly/rebuild25 Follow us on social media: @DarknessRISINGProject

LIFE BRIMS WITH

Photo credits: La Frontera with Pati Jinich, Darren Durlach, © Mexican Table LLC; Antiques Roadshow, Jeff Dunn for GBH, © WGBH 2023; Finding Your Roots, Stephanie Berger

POSSIBILITIES

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