North Carolina Opera | FIDELIO by NC Opera

BEETHOVEN

FIDELIO NOV IN CONCERT

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MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL

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2021-2022 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ralph Roberson, President Brigette Wilds, Vice President John Lunsford, Treasurer Nancy Hablutzel, Secretary Francis Acquaviva Joel Adams Ria Battaglino Andrew Blass Yvonne Bryant Richard Falvo Bryan Gilliam James Gulick William Hampton

James Hargrove Douglas Holbrook C. Thomas Kunz Candyce Marsh Susan Oller Florence Peacock June Roberg John Russell William Rustin Richard Sarles Steven Shaber Shohreh Taavoni Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas

PAST PRESIDENTS OF NORTH CAROLINA OPERA BOARD OF DIRECTORS James Romano: 2010 - 2012 Stephen Prystowsky: 2012 - 2014 C. Thomas Kunz: 2014 - 2018 Bill Rustin: 2018 - 2019 James Gulick: 2019 - 2021

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SAVE THE DATE

march 19, 2022 AT MITCHELL•CASTEEL A Fine Catered Affair 1732 Capital Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27604

919.792.3856

ncopera.org

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2021 | 2:00 PM MEYMANDI CONCERT HALL DUKE ENERGY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

FIDELIO Music by Ludwig van Beethoven Libretto by Joseph Sonnleithner, Stephan von Breuning, and Georg Friedrich Treitschke Original premiere: November 20, 1805, Theater an der Wien, Vienna Premiere of final version: May 23, 1814, Kärntnertortheater, Vienna Sung in German, with German dialogue FIDELIO is generously sponsored by Ross Lampe, Jr.

Conductor

Florestan

Leonore (“Fidelio”)

Don Pizarro

Rocco

Don Fernando

Marzelline

Jacquino

Arthur Fagen Carl Tanner Alexandra LoBianco Joseph Barron Kenneth Kellogg Takaoki Onishi Erika Baikoff Jason Karn

1st Prisoner

Wade Henderson

2nd Prisoner

Adam Dengler

Chorus Master

Scott MacLeod

Assistant Conductor/Rehearsal pianist

Production Stage Manager

Supertitle operator

Joel Ayau Linda T. Carlson Julia Sullivan

English Captions for Fidelio written and owned by Jonathan Dean, © 2012 The performance will last approximately two hours and thirty minutes, including one intermission. North Carolina Opera is funded in part by the City of Raleigh, based on recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission.

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WELCOME TO FIDELIO

We are delighted to welcome you to this afternoon’s performance of Fidelio, Beethoven’s only opera. It has been quite a long time since we have performed for you— NCO’s last presentations were Pagliacci and the Lawrence Brownlee recital in winter, 2020. The happy finale of Fidelio depicts a joyous new start to life, and the opera has often been used on occasions of reopening. Fidelio was the first opera performed in Berlin after the war’s end in 1945, and also the first opera performed in the rebuilt Vienna State Opera in 1955. So, after the long pandemic hiatus, Fidelio is truly an appropriate opera for our return to the stage. As we bring opera back to the Triangle, we are grateful to you, our audiences and supporters. Together we are keeping this magnificent art form alive and flourishing. We look forward to a season of beloved classics as well as new musical experiences. Throughout, we rejoice at the opportunity once again to gather in public and hear music together. We have a great season coming up, with performances of La bohème, The Magic Flute, and Sanctuary Road, a beautiful new piece about the Underground Railroad. We also have, on March 19th, our annual Opera Gala. We hope to see you at these! Thank you.

Ralph Roberson Board President

Eric Mitchko General Director

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FIDELIO SYNOPSIS ACT I Spain, eighteenth century. In a prison, Marzelline, daughter of the jailer, Rocco, rejects the attentions of her father’s assistant, Jacquino, who hopes to marry her. Her heart is set instead on the worker in the prison, Fidelio. The latter arrives and is distressed by Marzelline’s interest in him. Fidelio is in fact Leonore, a noblewoman of Seville who has come to the jail disguised as a man to find her husband, Florestan, a political prisoner languishing somewhere in chains. When Rocco mentions a man lying near death in the vaults below, Leonore, suspecting it might be Florestan, begs Rocco to take her on his rounds. He agrees, though the governor of the prison, Don Pizarro, allows only Rocco in the lower levels of the dungeon. As soldiers assemble in the courtyard, Pizarro learns from the dispatches brought to him that Don Fernando, minister of state, is on his way to inspect the fortress. At this news the governor, fearing his crime will be discovered, resolves to kill Florestan, his enemy, without delay and orders Rocco to dig a grave for the victim in the dungeon. Leonore, overhearing his plan, prays for strength to save her husband and keep up hope. She again begs Rocco to let her accompany him to the condemned man’s cell—and also to allow the other prisoners a few moments of air in the courtyard. The gasping men relish their glimpse of freedom but are ordered back by Pizarro, who hurries Rocco off to dig Florestan’s grave. With apprehension, Leonore follows him into the dungeon.

INTERMISSION

ACT II In one of the lowest cells of the prison, Florestan dreams he sees Leonore arrive to free him. Rocco and Leonore arrive and begin digging the grave. Florestan awakens, not recognizing his wife, and Leonore almost loses her composure at the familiar sound of his voice. Florestan moves the jailer to offer him a drink, and Leonore gives him a bit of bread, urging him not to lose faith. Rocco then blows on his whistle to signal Pizarro that all is ready. The governor advances with dagger drawn to strike, but Leonore stops him with a pistol. At this moment a trumpet sounds from the battlements: Don Fernando has arrived. Rocco leads Pizarro out to meet him as Leonore and Florestan rejoice in each other’s arms. In the prison courtyard, Don Fernando proclaims justice for all. He is amazed when Rocco brings his friend Florestan before him and relates the details both of his imprisonment and of Leonore’s heroism. Pizarro is arrested, and Leonore herself removes Florestan’s chains. The other prisoners too are freed, and the crowd hails Leonore.

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PROGRAM NOTES “Let him who has won such a wife join in our rejoicing!” The choral finale of Beethoven’s only opera, Fidelio, looks forward to similarly joyous moments in the Ninth Symphony and even the Missa Solemnis. Yet this happy celebration of marital love cost the bachelor Beethoven much heartbreak in dealing with the novel world of librettists, theater producers, divas, and opera audiences. In 1803, around the time he was composing the Waldstein sonata and the Third Symphony, Beethoven began working with Emanuel Schikaneder on an opera project. Schikaneder, who was a central figure in the creation of Mozart’s Magic Flute twelve years earlier, was at the time director of the Theater an der Wien in Vienna. The initial subject was to be a piece set in ancient Rome entitled Vesta’s Fire. Lotte Lehmann as Leonore The composer soon lost interest in the story, and turned his attention instead to a then-popular genre, that of the rescue opera. The tale of woman who disguises herself as a man to break her husband out of prison was supposedly based on a true incident.

Gwyneth Jones as Leonore

In 1798 the opera Léonore, with a libretto by Jean-Nicolas Bouilly and music by Pierre Gaveaux, was premiered in Paris. Six years later the composer Fernando Paer set an Italian version of the text in his opera Leonora. Beethoven knew the Paer opera, and began working on a German setting by Joseph Sonnleithner of the same libretto. Beethoven’s Fidelio had its world premiere in Vienna in November, 1805. It was not a success. This original version of the story placed more emphasis on the secondary plot of Marzelline and Jacquino, to the drama’s detriment. A bigger problem was that Napoleon’s army had just occupied Vienna. The Viennese were in no mood for what Beethoven was offering. Leonore ran for only three performances, closing less than two weeks before the Battle of Austerlitz.

Over the winter, Beethoven’s friends pointed out some of the problems with the libretto. Stephan von Bruening shortened the opera from three to two acts, and a run of the revised piece the following spring was more successful. Nevertheless, Beethoven continued to work on the opera. His final version, which we are hearing today, opened in November 1814— almost exactly nine years to the day after the original version. In the interim, Napoleon was exiled to Elba, the Habsburgs were again securely in power, and Beethoven had composed his Seventh and Eighth Symphonies while his hearing continued to deteriorate. For him, the world was entirely changed. Thanks to the fame of its composer, Fidelio quickly became a standard repertoire piece not only in German-speaking Europe but around the world. Its themes of courage in response to political oppression helped it resonate with audiences throughout the twentieth century and beyond. The challenging role of Leonore is a vocal protoype for the later heroines of Wagner, and has attracted sopranos since the opera was new. Triangle Opera Company presented the opera’s local premiere in Durham in 2000, conducted by Scott Tilley, with Dinah Bryant in the title role. —Eric Mitchko

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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 listing represents gifts made to NCO between April 1, 2020 and October 29, 2021. This representation includes gifts made to Fund a Need at the NC Opera Gala. ^ Denotes individuals who have faithfully supported North Carolina Opera for ten years or more.

INDIVIDUAL GIVING GOLD PATRON

Gifts of $50,000 or more Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz Production Sponsor of The Magic Flute Ross W. Lampe Jr. Production Sponsor of Fidelio GRAND UNDERWRITER

Gifts between $25,000 and $49,999 E. T. Franklin Jr.^ Production Sponsor of La bohème Rae and James Gulick Florence and James Peacock^ Production Sponsor of Sanctuary Road UNDERWRITER

Gifts between $15,000 and $24,999 Francine and Ralph Roberson^ GRAND SPONSOR

Gifts between $10,000 and $14,999 Donna and Richard Falvo Amy Moss and Bill Brown Anna and James Romano^ SPONSOR

Gifts between $5,000 and $9,999 Jane and Francis Acquaviva^ Tony Acquaviva and Mia Kang Joel R. Adams Ria Battaglino and Lawrence Loughlin Danielle and Andrew Blass^ John Elmo William P. Hampton^ Elizabeth and John Lunsford Barbara McGuire Carol and Rick McNeel^ Susan and Dale Oller Aurora Pajeau Mary Louise and William Rustin^ Lois T. Flaherty and Richard Sarles Brigette Wilds and Michael C. Byrne^ Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas PATRON

Gifts between $2,500 and $4,999 Anonymous Judy and Chip Anderson Virginia and Michael F. Byrne Susan M. Curtis

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Vivian Clark and Bryan Gilliam Kim Kotlar and James Hargrove Karen and Clark Havighurst^ Douglas R. Holbrook Judith LeGrand Candyce Marsh Margaret and Bill McCulloch^ Robert W. Morrison^ Linda and Wendell Murphy^ June and Tom Roberg^ Kelley and John Russell^ David Sackett Sarah and Steve Shaber^ Shohreh Taavoni and Alan Kronhaus^ Holly and Paul Tesar Alice and Patrick Turner BENEFACTOR

Gifts between $1,000 and $2,499 Anonymous Linda and Matthew Arnold^ Agnes F. Marshall and Robert M. Auman Susan and David Baker Heather Brown Tom Carstens Anne Prince Cuddy^ Jacobi Daley^ Anne Driscoll Nancy Dunn Connie and Bob Eby Kellie Falk and Joe Patterson Mary Owen Fitzgerald^ Douglas Flint Paula S. Greenman Hannelore and Konrad Jarausch Sally and William Johnson^ Deborah and Richard Kadlick Chancy and Keith Kapp Ekaterina Korobkina and Robert Golub Jane Lynch Linda Storm and John Mazzarino Mark A. McDermott The Honorable Nancy McFarlane and Ron McFarlane Rochelle and Stephen Prystowsky Frances Rollins Harry Rosenberg Kay Schoellhorn^ Brian Bizub and Anthony Sgarlata Julie Song and David Smyth

James S. Stringfellow Cathy and Jim Stuart Sally and Robert Tiller Susan and Dick Timmons Edmund Tiryakian Ann and Steve Tyler Josephine Walker Erna and Bill Womble Melissa and Bryan Yeazel Rosemary and Smedes York SUSTAINER

Gifts between $500 and $999 Anonymous Wendy Lapish and John Beck Sharon and Byron Braswell Stanford Brown Simmie Kastner and Jerome Davis^ Cheryl and John Denardo Sallie and Joe Exum Emily and Andrew Faulkner Alma and Peter Gaudette Kimberly Gooden^ James Gray June and Michael Graham Peter Hamilton Dotty and Lee Hanson Phyllis Pomerantz and Charles Hochman^ Mark Hogan Deborah Huff Elizabeth and Joseph Kahn Senora and Alan Karr Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf Moyra and Brian Kileff Martha and Peter Klopfer^ Myra Kornbluth Annie Lang Amy and David Marschall Jo Ann Lutz and Doc Muhlbaier Patricia McWaters Susanna Martin David H. Midvidy Janet and James Rapp Connie and Fred Roberson John Sarratt Emmett E. Stobbs Jr. Stephen W. Teitsworth Sally Thomas Eunice Toussaint^ Catalina and Eric Vander Elst

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA SUPPORTERS Eugenie Almeida Tracy and Armando Arismendi Helen Koo and Richard Bilsborrow Anonymous Ann Bingham and Joseph Tanzini Barbara Jasmine Adams Denise and Peter Bleckner John Adams III Carla and Michael Burns Judith and Jack Adler Perrin and Jeff Burton Kelly and Landy Anderton Denise Canada Amanda and Michael Bambrick Linda and Philip Carl Barbara and Robert Bell Dolores and Burton Carnegie^ Joyce and David Beuning Carol and Jason Wilson Kay Burgess Margaret and Jay Confalone Dawn and David Brutt Mary Beth Tobin and John Connors The Honorable Ann Marie Calabria Sara and Jim Craven and Mr. Robert Calabria Tammy and Bill Crook Mary Lovelock and W. R. Chapman Rebecca Crosson Lucinda Chew Judith Bruno and Michael Cyzewski Sandra Craig Lester Czukor Martha Dimes^ Marilyn Ehrenshaft and John Williamson^ Mary and George Deaton Catherine Anderton and Jose Delgado Pat and Paul Elstro Jane and Jim Ericksen Judith Ferster Peggy and Jim Fain Kristine Forney and William Prizer Ginger and Ed Finley Giving Lunch Group Mary Forrest Susan Moore and Doug Hammer Sofie Franzen-Moyle Wade Henderson Leonard Gettes Susan and Carl Hibbert Jean Thomas Goldberg Carol and Rick Johns Elizabeth Gordon Melissa and Robert Johnson Phylis and Stephen Gordon Rachel Kaplan and Jeremy Pienik Marie Grauerholz Joan and Howard Kastel John Graybeal Deborah and Thomas Keefe Ruth Gross and Hans Kellner Martha N. Keravuori^ Josephine and Mario Guglielmi Lubomyra Sawczyn Margo Lynn Hablutzel and Tadeusz Kleindienst Jim Konold and Tim Hackett Lou and Donald Kline^ Miriam Halkowich Rainelle Krause Robin Hammond Kathy and Tom Lada Joy and John Heitmann Dorothy Lichtwardt Millie and Barlow Herget Marilyn and Arlen Lummus Pamela Nelson and Phillip Hopkins Thomas Mansfield Ken Howell James May and Richard Cox Brooke Fortson and Michael Huckabee Arthur Mellor June Johnston Laurane Mendelsohn Sheryl and Walton Joyner Eileen Greenbaum and Larry Mintz Lewis H. Kairys Christina and Thomas Mitchko Jo and James Kalat Megan Grissett and Sergio Moreno Gail and Eugene Karcher Melanie O’Neill Kathleen Klesh Carol and Rusty Parks Liisa Kissel Virginia and Bob Price Gail Kohn Rachel Starr Peggy and Chuck Korte Fran and Jack Steele Ross Lampe, Sr.^ Adela and Jerry Whitten Lewis Lampiris Robert Wiley III Brigitte Abrams and Francis Lethem Deborah Lothman MEMBER Kent Lyman Gifts between $100 and $249 Rebecca and Scott MacLeod Robin and Dwight Allen SUPPORTER

Gifts between $250 and $499

Julian Mann Cynthia Martens Susan and Earl McClanahan Mary Robert McGrath Ginny and Dick McKay Eugene Molisso Barbara Morales-Burke Waynell Morris Eloise and Alan Neebe Laura and Charles Neely Jane Norris Phyllis and Paul Page Elizabeth and Daniel Palmieri JoAnn and Donald Parkerson Linda and Bob Patton Elizabeth Pennington Patricia S. Peterson John Piva Sylvianne Roberge James Rogers Susan Royster Jennifer and Alfonse Runquist Helene and Lucinio Santos Pat and Paul Scheible Lori Schweickert Lucia and John Sehon Barbara and Simon Shane Tammy Soulin Ken Small Jane and Graham Snyder Georgiana and Stephen Snyderman Libby and John Spain Timothy Stammers Jennifer J. Stanigar Iris and Donald Stoll Perry H. and William A. Suk Benjamin Sweezy Alan Templeton Pamela Trent Kristina Troost Delores Tuck Robert W. Upchurch^ Beth and Michael Van Amburgh Lizbeth and Jean Marie Videau Isabel Villa-Garcia Mary Warlick Alice Watkins Kate Dixon and Daniel Wilkinson Marti and Dan Wilson Stephanie Wilson Katherine and James Winslow Margaret Wolchok Mary Zehr

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NORTH CAROLINA OPERA SUPPORTERS North Carolina Opera gratefully acknowledges the following community leaders for their gracious support in making this season possible. This lists gifts made to NCO between April 1, 2020 and October 29, 2021. This representation does not include gifts made to the NC Opera Gala. ^ Denotes individuals who have faithfully supported North Carolina Opera for ten years or more.

FOUNDATIONS AND GOVERNMENT

CORPORATIONS

UNDERWRITER

FRIEND

Gifts of $25,000 or more

Gifts up to $2,500

City of Raleigh The John William Pope Foundation Wake County

PNC Bank

SPONSOR

Goldman Sachs & Co.

Robert W. Baird and Co., Inc BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina ClickCulture Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund GlaxoSmithKline Foundation IBM Matching Program IQVIA Lilly US Matching Gifts Program Mitchell Casteel Norfolk Southern Foundation Kendra Scott LLC

SPONSOR

Gifts between $10,000 and $24,999

Gifts between $10,000 and $24,999 National Endowment for the Arts North Carolina Arts Council Triangle Community Foundation’s Carver Fund for North Carolina Opera

SUPPORTER

Gifts between $2,500 and $4,999 Allman Bobbie Group at Baird Citrix Nexstar Broadcasting Inc. Stuart Law Firm, PLLC

CO-SPONSOR

Gifts between $5,000 and $9,999 The George Smedes Poyner Foundation FRIEND

Gifts up to $2,500 Amazon Smile Foundation Baird Foundation Bell Family Foundation Ella Ann & Frank B. Holding Foundation Opera America Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation

HONORARY AND MEMORIAL GIFTS In Honor of Jane and Fran Acquaviva Cheryl and Thomas McGraw In Honor of Joel Adams Jacobi Daley In Memory of David Dunson Teresa Alizieri In Memory of Dr. Ann Gettes Leonard Gettes In Honor of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg Giving Lunch Group

In Memory of Don Hunter Anne Driscoll Sandra Craig In Memory of Ivan Korobkin Ekaterina Korobkina and Robert Golub In Honor of C. Thomas Kunz and Rosemarie Sweeney Paula S. Greenman Deborah and Richard Kadlick In Memory of Tom McGuire Julian Mann

In Honor of Eric Mitchko In Memory of George A. Greenslade, IV Lester Czukor Marie Greenslade

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In Honor of all the Musicians, Performers, and Stage Crews Impacted by the Pandemic Rusty and Carol Parks In Honor of Frances Poyner Marilyn and Hugh Stevens In Honor of Dorothy Ann Thomas and Lora Fabio Mary Robert McGrath In Honor of the Respect and Generosity NCO Has for Their Artists During This Time of Need Rainelle Krause

SEASON SPONSORS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS North Carolina Opera offers special thanks to the following individuals, organizations, and businesses for their support during the last year: Jane Acquaviva Cornerstone Custom Printing Curtis Media Galloway Ridge* Rae Gulick Judy Hendrickson Indy Week

Lysaght & Associates* Meredith College Department of Music Mitchell•Casteel – A Fine Catered Affair* Christina Mitchko Morningstar Law Group* Raleigh Beer Garden Raleigh Magazine

Stuart Law Firm* Summit Hospitality Group Telepathic Graphics Carl Wetter Williams Mullen* Elaine Wood York Properties, Inc.*

*Corporate Sponsors of the 2021/22 North Carolina Opera Gala

This afternoon’s pre-performance lobby music is provided by United Strings of Color, under the direction of Margaret Partridge.

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MULTI YEAR GIVING Long-range planning is critical to North Carolina Opera’s continued success and growth as we strive to bring the Triangle Area world-class opera productions, performances, and musicians. 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 for the next three seasons. Please join us in thanking these tremendous donors for their commitment to our current and future success. DIRECTORS CIRCLE Individuals having made three-year pledges totaling $15,000 or more Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz Francine and Ralph Roberson Brigette Wilds and Michael C. Byrne Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas LEADERSHIP CIRCLE Individuals having made three-year pledges to North Carolina Opera Douglas R. Holbrook Melissa and Robert Johnson Candyce Marsh 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.

Legacy

Your legacy gift creates North Carolina Opera’s legacy of opera for future generations. Making this kind of gift is cost-free during your lifetime, but the benefits are long-lasting to NCO and those who love opera. With your help, we can make sure that the Triangle enjoys the magic of opera for years to come!

FOUR EASY WAYS TO MAKE YOUR LEGACY GIFT Your Life Insurance Life insurance that no longer serves its original purpose, such as college funding or spousal support, may be used to ensure that opera is enjoyed by and accessible to audiences in the future. Your Retirement Plan You can ensure that the magic of opera continues by making NC Opera a beneficiary in your retirement plan.

Your Will You can help NC Opera expand its productions and education programs for years to come, continuing the rich tradition of the arts in the Triangle, simply by making a gift of any amount in your will. Your Charitable Gift Annuity When you create a charitable gift annuity benefiting NC Opera, you will ensure that the curtain continues to rise upon high-quality productions like SIEGFRIED Act III, PAGLIACCI, Lawrence Brownlee in recital and THE MAGIC FLUTE.

To discuss a legacy gift, call the Development office at NCO, (919) 792-3855 or email cary.byrd@ncopera.org.

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SANCTUARY ROAD

Their testimony will never be forgotten.

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MAR 456

A.J. FLETCHER OPERA THEATER

A WORLD STAGE PREMIERE

Based on The Underground Railroad Records by William Still

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SANCTUARY ROAD is generously sponsored by Florence and James Peacock, and is also supported through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES ARTHUR FAGEN

CARL TANNER

CONDUCTOR

FLORESTAN

Arthur Fagen makes his NCO conducting debut with Fidelio. He is the Carl & Sally Gable Music Director of The Atlanta Opera and Professor of Music in instrumental conducting at Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music in Bloomington. Mr. Fagen has conducted productions at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Bavarian State Opera (Munich), Deutsche Oper Berlin, Staatsoper Berlin, New York City Opera, Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse, Bordeaux Opera, and Frankfurt Opera. On the concert podium, he has appeared with internationally acclaimed orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, the Czech Philharmonic, Munich Radio Orchestra, and Tokyo Philharmonic. His conducting credits for The Atlanta Opera include performances of Turandot, Carlise Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree, Philip Glass’s Akhnaten, Der f liegende Holländer, Die Zauberf löte, Faust, Madama Butterfly, Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Salome, and Le nozze di Figaro, among many others. During the 2021-22 season he conducts Il barbiere di Siviglia for the company. From 2002 through 2007, Mr. Fagen was the Music Director of the Dortmund Philharmonic Orchestra and the Dortmund Opera, where he conducted two complete cycles of Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen. He has served as Principal Conductor in Kassel and Brunswick, as Chief Conductor of the Flanders Opera of Antwerp and Ghent, and as Music Director of the Queens Symphony Orchestra. In recent seasons, he has conducted the Israel Symphony Orchestra, Holland Sinfonia, Buenos Aires Philharmonic, Dortmunder Philharmoniker, NDR Hannover in Braunschweig and Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Opéra de Nice. His recordings include the complete Martinů symphonies, William Dawson’s Negro Folk Symphony, Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies, and many more.

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American tenor Carl Tanner has established his international career performing regularly in the world’s most prestigious opera houses such as The Metropolitan Opera, Opéra National de Paris, Washington National Opera, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Teatro alla Scala, Teatro Real, Madrid, New National Theatre of Tokyo and the Liceu de Barcelona amongst others. Upcoming engagements include the title role in Otello with the Pacific Symphony Orchestra, a return to Grange Park for the role of Tucha in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Ivan the Terrible, and Radames in Aida with the Toledo Opera. In December 2018 Mr. Tanner performed the title role of Otello at the Metropolitan Opera to great acclaim. The occasion also marked Maestro Gustavo Dudamel’s house debut. Immediately prior to this, Carl performed the role at the Bolshoi Opera and Savonlinna Festival. Other recent engagements include Aida with San Diego Opera, Canio and Samson with North Carolina Opera, and his debut with the Gerencia Orquesta Sinfónica y Coro Prado del Rey (RTVE) in Madrid. His repertory includes such roles as Chénier (Andrea Chénier), Captain Ahab (Moby Dick), Hermann (The Queen of Spades), Don José (Carmen), Turiddu (Cavalleria Rusticana), Calaf (Turandot), Des Grieux (Manon Lescaut), Dick Johnson (La fanciulla del West), Cavaradossi (Tosca), and Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly).

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES ALEXANDRA LoBIANCO LEONORE (“FIDELIO”) Alexandra LoBianco has appeared with NCO as both the title role in Tosca and as Brünnhilde in Siegfried. She has appeared at the Vienna State Opera as Leonore inFidelio and Helmwige in Die Walküre. In the 2020-2021 season, Ms. LoBianco sang the title role in a filmed version of Tosca with Seattle Opera. She also joins Chicago Opera Theater as the Comedian in the world premiere of Matthew Recio’s The Puppy Episode and gave a recital for the Triangle Wagner Society in Durham. In the 2019-2020 season, Ms. LoBianco made her house and role debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Marianne Leitmetzerin in Der Rosenkavalier and her house debut at Palm Beach Opera in the title role of Turandot. Operatic highlights of previous seasons have included Chrysothemis in Elektra and Helmwige at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Tosca at Minnesota Opera, the title role in Aida at Seattle Opera and Opera Colorado, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at Seattle Opera, Miss Jessel in The Turn of the Screw at The Dallas Opera, Amelia in Un ballo in maschera at Florida Grand Opera, and the prima donna in Ariadne auf Naxos with Austin Opera. At Des Moines Metro Opera, Ms. LoBianco has performed Minnie in La fanciulla del West and Turandot. She is an alumna of Appalachian State University in Boone.

JOSEPH BARRON DON PIZARRO American Bass-Baritone Joseph Barron was a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and has recently appeared at the Metropolitan Opera as Happy in La fanciulla del West and covered the title role in Le nozze di Figaro, Leporello in Don Giovanni, and Police Officer in Boris Godunov. Previous engagements at the Metropolitan Opera include productions of Turandot, Salome, Tannhäuser, Rigoletto, Don Carlo, The Exterminating Angel, and The Nose. He appeared at the San Francisco Opera in the world premiere of The Gospel of Mary Magdalene and with the Aix-enProvence Festival and La Fenice as Polyphemus in Acis and Galatea. He also sang with The Glimmerglass Festival as Ramfis in Aïda, Grandpa Moss in The Tender Land, and Antonio in Le nozze di Figaro. During the 2021-2022 season, Mr. Barron reprises his Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia at Finger Lakes Opera and makes his role debut as Colline with Charlottesville Opera. Recent debuts include Opera Hong Kong and New Orleans Opera as Leporello in Don Giovanni, Opera Carolina and Opera Grand Rapids as the title role in Le nozze di Figaro, Virginia Opera as Kaspar in Der Freischütz, Bard Summerscape as Basmanov in Dvorak’s Dimitrij, and the Berkshire Opera Festival as Sparafucile in Rigoletto. Mr. Barron also returned to The Princeton Festival for Don Pizarro in Fidelio and Henry Kissinger in Nixon in China. In future seasons, he is set to make significant company and role debuts with Dallas Opera and Atlanta Opera.

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ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES KENNETH KELLOGG ROCCO American bass Kenneth Kellogg’s prior roles with NCO include Ramfis in Aida and Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin. A recent highlight of the artist’s career includes establishing the role of Father in Blue written by Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson for Glimmerglass Festival’s world premiere which brought him great acclaim; a film of the production is in the planning. In 2021, he appears with Seattle Opera both in that role and as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni. Mr. Kellogg enjoyed a busy and successful 2019-20 Season, starting in Europe with his return to Ópera de Oviedo in the role of Count Sam Horn Un ballo in maschera. He travelled to Kraków, Poland for performances of Rossini’s Sigismondo singing the two roles of Ulderico and Zenovito with Capella Cracoviensis. Past successes include the role of Monterone in Minnesota Opera’s new production of Rigoletto, and the role of Sam Bakewell in The Summer King at Michigan Opera Theatre, a role he inaugurated at Pittsburgh Opera during its world premiere. He returned to Washington National Opera for Father Palmer in Silent Night and sang the role of Ashby in La fanciulla del West at Maryland Opera. Other career highlights include Méphistophélès in Faust with both Opéra de Lausanne and Opera de Ovieddo, Spain; he was Zuniga in Carmen at PORTopera, and Young Emile in Champion for Opera Parallèle in the opera’s West Coast premiere. As Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Kenneth made his debut at Opera de Lausanne, and has also sung the role at Virginia Opera and Opera Memphis. At Annapolis Opera, Kenneth made his debut as Don Alfonso in Cosi fan tutte. Born and raised in Washington, D.C, the artist began his formal musical training at the Duke Ellington School of the Performing and Visual Arts as a Vocal and Visual Arts student. He holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Ohio University. He continued his studies at the Academy of Vocal Arts, and at Wolf Trap Opera; he is an Alumnus of the Adler Fellowship at San Francisco Opera and the Domingo-Cafritz Emerging Artist Program at Washington National Opera.

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Other roles in the artist’s repertoire include the title role and Leporello in Don Giovanni, Colline in La bohème, the title role of Handel’s Hercules, The King in Ariodante, Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Sparafucile in Rigoletto, and Fasolt in Das Rheingold.

TAKAOKI ONISHI DON FERNANDO Takaoki Onishi, baritone, is a native of Japan. His prior roles with NCO include Silvio in Pagliacci and both Mora les a nd Da nca ire in Carmen. He was the Inaugural First Prize winner of the IFAC-Juilliard Singing Competition. This prize provided him with full scholarship to attend The Juilliard School. Upon graduation, he joined the prestigious Ryan Opera Ensemble of Lyric Opera of Chicago. He made his debut there as Father Arguedas in the World Premiere of Jimmy Lopez’s Bel Canto (telecast on PBS). He remained with the company for three years, singing many roles. Each season, Mr. Onishi sings a wide variety of opera, concerts and recitals in the US, Japan and Europe. He has sung the title role of Eugene Onegin at the Seiji Ozawa Festival, conducted by Fabio Luisi. He made his Vienna debut at the Musikverein in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, a work he also sang in Tokyo and Beijing. He also made his debut with NHK Symphony as Don Fernando, and very recently returned to that orchestra for their New Year’s Gala concert. In 2019-20 he sang Brahms’s German Requiem with The Oratorio Society of NY at Carnegie Hall, Madama Butterf ly with Opera Company of Philadelphia, and Das Lied von der Erde in Osaka. Mr. Onishi has won top prizes in many vocal competitions, including Opera Index, Gerda Lissner, Giulio Gari, and most recently, in the Premiere Opera International Competition, he received both 1st Prize and the special Dmitry Hvorostovsky Prize, in honor of that great singer.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES ERIKA BAIKOFF

JASON KARN

MARZELLINE

JACQUINO

Russian-American Soprano Erika Baikoff is currently a Young Artist in the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program. This season she will be singing the roles of Xenia in Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov, conducted by Sebastian Weigle, and Barbarina in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro, under the musical direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin. From 2018 to 2020, Erika was a member of the Lyon National Opera Studio, where her roles included Le Feu/ Princesse/ Rossignol in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortilèges and Juliet in Boris Blacher’s Romeo and Juliet. She was also featured as the soprano soloist in Mahler’s 4th Symphony with the Lyon National Opera Orchestra, conducted by Daniele Rustioni. Most recently, she sang the role of Musetta in Puccini’s La bohème, as part of the Verbier Festival’s Atelier Lyrique. In 2022, she will make her debut at Musikverein Graz as Anna in Verdi’s Nabucco. Erika holds a Bachelor of Arts in French Studies from Princeton University and a Master of Music from The Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Tenor Jason Karn has impressed critics and audiences alike with his vibrant, bright tone and dramatic characterizations. He made his NCO mainstage debut as Beppe in Pagliacci. He has also been featured in NCO’s Opera About Town Online video series and at the 2019-20 Season Reveal. He made his New York City Opera debut in the role of the Young Gypsy of Rachmaninoff’s Aleko. Other New York City engagements include his Avery Fisher Hall debut with the American Symphony Orchestra in the American premiere of Vincent D’Indy’s Fervaal, Roméo (Roméo et Juliette), and Alfredo (La traviata). Mr. Karn has appeared with Washington National Opera (Scaramuccio in Ariadne auf Naxos), Pittsburgh Opera (Al Joad in The Grapes of Wrath), Arizona Opera (Cassio in Otello), Austin Lyric Opera (Bill in Jonathan Dove’s Flight), Chautauqua Opera (Ferrando in Così fan tutte). The sang the role of Tamino in The Magic Flute at Rutgers University and was also a featured soloist at the Newport Music. He has sung several roles at Opera Carolina including Cassio, the Young Gypsy and Ferrando, which he also sang with the Duke Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Karn is a former member of the Merola Program at San Francisco Opera. He also completed a two-year residency with the Pittsburgh Opera Center and was an apprentice with the Chautauqua Opera Festival. Mr. Karn holds a B.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a M.M. in Vocal Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA |

ORCHESTRA 1ST VIOLIN Carol Chung Margaret Partridge Ariadna Ilika Anne Leyland Irina Shelepov Leah Peroutka Lindi Wang Nonoko Okada Petia Radneva-Manolova Erica Shirts Lucy Greenleaf 2ND VIOLIN Lucas Scalamogna Suzanne Kelly Laura Thomas Mary Kay Robinson Krista Cala Cortney Baker Sarah Griffin Jaimi Grether Robert Rempher

VIOLA Amy Mason Matthew Chicurel Rainey Weber Kristen Beard Michael Castelo Emi Mizobuchi Katie Miller CELLO Nate Leyland Brian Carter Rosalind Leavell Lauren Dunseath Erica Leavell Jacob Wenger BASS John Spuller Emily Buccola Rebecca Marland Robbie Link

FLUTE Carla Copeland-Burns Whitney Pencina PICCOLO Julie Demott OBOE Jaren Atherholt Carrie Shull BASSOON Michael Burns Jack Fanning CONTRABASSOON Jessica Kunttu FRENCH HORN Kimberly Van Pelt Corbin Castro Dominic Brancazio Emily Schaefer

CHORUS WOMEN Gretchen Bruesehoff Joanna Burke Amber Nicole Dilger Madeline Edwards Sydel Fisher Mary Royall Hight Paula Hostetter Chelsea Huber Laura Hutchins Erica Jackson Emily Krol Kaitie Lawson Julia Laird Madeline Lilich Margaret Maytan Constance Paolantonio Jean Renze-Eilers Angela Santucci Joncie Sarratt Lorraine Snyder Rachel Stenbuck Steph Stone Annette Stowe Bailey Sutton Kaylyn Williams

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MEN Jeff Aldridge Michael Blake Guy Chambers Francis Cianfrocca Jordan Clifton John Clingman Mason Cordell Jacob Cortes Adam Dengler Phil Hanna Mike Heath Wade Henderson Greg Hirsh Jerry Hurley Tom Keefe Liston Kidd Scott Macleod David Marschall Bill Moran Lindon Pearson Oliver Stoutner James Taylor Keegan Welford-Small Markel Williams Ted Willis

TRUMPET Don Eagle Paul Neebe Alexander Fioto TROMBONE Michael Kris Wes Parker TIMPANI Christopher Nappi PERSONNEL MANAGER Paul Gorski LIBRARIAN Julia Thompson

NORTH CAROLINA OPERA STAFF General Director – Eric Mitchko Company Manager – Julie Williams Director of Development – P. Carrigan Byrd, Jr. Director of Marketing – Angela Grant Production Manager – Linda T. Carlson Box Office Associate – Rebecca Edmonds Chorus Master - Scott MacLeod

DUKE ENERGY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS STAFF Assistant City Manager – Jim Greene Director/General Manager – Kerry Painter Assistant General Manager – Michelle Bradley Finance Director – Hazel Cockram Director of Security – Byron K Johnson III Director of Operations – Brian Clark Box Office Manager – Rob Leavell Assistant Box Office Manager – Gavin Brown Booking Manager – Melanie Margarum Marketing Manager – Sarah McAlister Marketing Coordinator – Briana Pedroza Maintenance Supervisor – Russell Denton Facilities Supervisor – William Negron Fiscal Manager – Kathi Wimmer Accountant – Kathy Strait Production Manager – Lucas Johnson Production Supervisors – Michelle Boyette, Bryan Hitzigrath, Paul Marsland, Dave McManus Front of House Managers – Matthew Hester, Brittany Washington Operation Staff – Deshondre Bellinger, Brittany Brandon, Alex Brickley, Kevin Brown, Dave Chapman, Ricky Cherry, Andrew Crane, Scott Gibson, Michael Green, Robert Hall, Ehhteeku Htaw, Liberty Lander, Noeree Sunshine Lander, Lisa Morgan, Lucas Pooran, Rusty Sharpe, Htee Shee, Sa Tin, Mason Tierney, Luke Watkins

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Sister Act

February 8-13, 2022 Raleigh Memorial Auditorium

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After witnessing a murder, a divine disco diva is put into protective custody in a convent with a crumbling choir. Based on the hit movie, the nuns raise their voices in song to find the true power of sisterhood.

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