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.
Douglas Holbrook, Jr., 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
Nancy Hablutzel
Valerie Johnson
C. Thomas Kunz, in memoriam (1949-2024)
Patricia McWaters
Florence Peacock, emerita
Susan Pruskin
Ralph Roberson
William Rustin
Richard Sarles
Nerre Shuriah
Cathy Stuart
Rosemarie Sweeney
Shohreh Taavoni
Brigette Wilds
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
Nancy Hablutzel: 2023-2025
PAST CHAIRS OF NORTH CAROLINA OPERA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Art Everywhere, by Everyone
The City of Raleigh Arts Commission nurtures creativity and enriches our community by championing the arts in Raleigh:
■ Partnering with local arts and cultural nonprofits
■ Supporting public art and artists
■ Producing exhibitions, arts programs and special events
■ Advocating for arts investments
■ Triangle Youth Music 2025–2026
RALEIGH ARTS PARTNERS
■ African American Cultural Festival
■ Arts Access
■ Arts Together
■ Artspace
■ Artsplosure
■ Burning Coal Theatre Company
■ Carolina Ballet
■ Chamber Music Raleigh
■ Community Music School
■ Contemporary Art Foundation
■ Cultural Voice of NC
■ Educational Growth Across Oceans
■ El Pueblo
■ The Justice Theater Project
■ Little Raleigh Radio
■ The NC Chamber Music Institute
■ NC Master Chorale
■ NC Opera
■ NC State LIVE
■ NC State University Theatre
■ NC Symphony
■ North Raleigh Arts & Creative Theatre
■ Nuv Yug Cultural Organization
■ PineCone
■ Pure Life Theatre Company
■ Raleigh Civic Symphony Association
■ Raleigh Little Theatre
■ The Raleigh Music Collective
■ The Raleigh Ringers
■ Raleigh Youth Choir
■ ShopSpace
■ Theatre in the Park
■ TheGifted Arts
■ Theatre Raleigh
The story of Cinderella is well known, but Jules Massenet’s sparkling and evocative operatic setting of the story is not. It is only in recent decades that this piece has begun to be performed in the United States. We are delighted to present this brilliant and elegant French setting of the popular story in its Raleigh premiere.
Cendrillon had its world premiere in 1899, in the newly-built Salle Favart, home of the Opéra-Comique. One exciting feature of the new theater was its electric lighting, replacing the gas lighting that had been used in older theaters. Massenet and the director, Albert Carré, were eager to use the new technology in their production of the opera, especially in the fairy scenes. Parisian audiences of the day were duly impressed. How to create a modern-day analog of that? Our production, from designer D.J. Pike and director James Marvel, deploys a combination of video projections and hard scenery. This way we can enjoy both the immediate scenic changes that are all hallmark of video technology, while experiencing the varying depths of playing space on the stage that are a distinctive feature of live theater. We hope you enjoy them!
This production brings several favorite artists back to North Carolina Opera. Nicole Cabell, Malcolm Mackenzie, Lucia Bradford, Kate Farrar, and Maestro Joseph Mechavich have all appeared with us in the past, some of them on many occasions, and we are very happy to welcome them back.
Cendrillon is just the beginning of our season. We continue in January with Puccini’s Madama Butterfly in Francesca Zambello’s production, and bring back Verdi’s magnificent Il trovatore in April. In between is our annual Gala, to be held on Saturday, March 14th at the Park Alumni Center at NC State. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year, and tickets are now available! We hope to see you at all of these.
Thank you very much.
Eric Mitchko General Director
Douglas Holbrook Board Chair
P.S. If you’d like to attend our next two shows, you can take advantage of our subscriber discount rate! Call or email the Box Office by October 31 to enjoy the benefits of becoming a season subscriber when you come back to Madama Butterfly and Il trovatore! 919.792.3853 boxoffice@ncopera.org
CENDRILLON (CINDERELLA)
Fairy Tale in 4 Acts and 6 Scenes
Music by Jules Massenet
Libretto by Henri Cain, and Paul Collin after Perrault
World premiere: Opéra-Comique, Paris, May 24, 1899
United States premiere: New Orleans, December 23, 1902
Cendrillon is generously sponsored by Ross Lampe, Jr.
Wig and Makeup Assistants Elisa Acevedo, Tiffany Turley, Cheyenne Marcotte
Supertitle Operator Devon Carter
Master Carpenter Johnathan Bell
Scenery and Projection Design by DJ Pike for Florida State Opera
Costumes provided by Sarasota Opera Association, Inc.
North Carolina Opera is funded in part by the City of Raleigh based on recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission.
North Carolina Opera is supported by United Arts Wake County as well as the N.C. Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
This performance will last approximately two hours and thirty minutes, including one intermission.
CINDERELLA NOTES
Though there are earlier variants, the basic story of Cinderella (an English translation of the French Cendrillon, literally, the girl of the ashes, i.e. who sweeps the hearth) as we know it comes from Charles Perrault’s story collection of 1697. Versions of the story received many operatic settings over the years, the best known of which is Rossini’s La Cenerentola (1817).
In 1897, composer Jules Massenet was at the peak of his fame. He had enjoyed his biggest success with Manon in 1884, and had several other titles that were in the regular international repertoire, including Werther and Thaïs. He and his librettist, Henri Cain, came up with the idea of setting Perrault’s fairy tale while in London for the British premiere of Le Cid (Massenet’s setting of the Corneille drama). A planned premiere performance was scrapped when the sudden availability of superstar soprano Emma Calvé led to a change in repertoire to a different Massenet opera, Sapho. This delay turned out to be fortuitous, as in the meantime the new Salle Favart, home to the Opéra-Comique, was built. The new theater was equipped with the latest electric lighting technology, which replaced the gas lighting of the old theater. This turned out to be perfect for the kind of magical transformations to be seen in Cendrillon. Massenet and impresario-director Albert Carré were eager to use the new lighting system for this fairy-tale opera, thinking correctly that it would delight the audience. A modern day analogue of this might be our own production, which involves video projections with staggered depth of screens, allowing for both fastchanging images and the varied depth of playing space that is one of the reasons we love live theater.
Cendrillon received its premiere on May 24, 1899. It was part of Carré’s gala first season as head of the Opéra-Comique, which also included the world premiere of Gustave Charpentier’s Louise. Massenet had by this time written many different kinds of operas, and it shows in Cendrillon, which contains multiple fascinating sound worlds. The opening comic scenes gesture towards Lully and a self-conscious antiquarianism (back to the time of Perrault); it is something of a shock then to hear the frankly Wagnerian solo for the Prince (a trouser role, as befitting both the character’s youth and operatic tradition) in Act II, and then the later music which evokes Debussy and Fauré. The world of the fairies, with its delicate scoring, presents another entirely different sound world.
Jules Massenet
CINDERELLA NOTES
The opera had immediate success, and was soon performed not just across France but also in Italy, England, and the United States – New Orleans, Chicago, and New York all saw it in the years before World War I. After that, the opera’s popularity declined; perhaps postwar audiences were not interested in fairy tales. Decades later, the charm of the piece was rediscovered. The title role became a vehicle for Frederica von Stade, with a notable production in Ottawa in 1979. Joyce Di Donato sang in the acclaimed Laurent Pelly production in Santa Fe in 2006 and the Metropolitan Opera in 2018. Other noted American interpreters of the title role have included Sheri Greenawald, Faith Esham, and Isabel Leonard.
Sheri Greenawald and Donald Gramm as Cendrillon and Pandolfe, San Francisco 1982.
Photo credit: Ron Scherl
A COMPOSER OF MANY STORIES
Jules Massenet wrote more than 30 operas, many based on beloved legends and literary tales. His works are known for their emotional warmth, lush orchestration, and deep understanding of human feeling.
– Eric Mitchko
Pandolfe, a country gentleman, has married Mme. de la Haltière, an imperious countess. She and her daughters, Noémie and Dorothée, bully Pandolfe’s daughter from his first marriage, Lucette (known as Cendrillon). Pandolfe loves Cendrillon but is too frightened of his wife to help her.
ACT I
The home of Pandolfe and his family
The household is preparing for a ball to be given at the court that evening. Pandolfe bemoans his lot, married to a nagging wife who ill-treats his daughter. Mme. de la Haltière instructs her two daughters on how to behave at the ball. She refuses to let Cendrillon go to the ball, or to let her father say goodbye to her.
After her family has left, Cendrillon dreams about the ball and falls asleep. Cendrillon’s fairy godmother enters and conjures up a coach, horses, a stunning gown, and glass slippers for Cendrillon. She tells Cendrillon that she can go to the ball, but must leave before midnight. The glass slippers will prevent Cendrillon’s family from recognizing her.
ACT II
The royal palace
The ball is in full swing, but Prince Charming is in a melancholy mood. The king orders his son to find a wife, and several princesses dance for the prince. An unknown beauty (Cendrillon) enters the room to general surprise. The whole court (except Mme. de la Haltière and her daughters) are charmed by the stranger, and the prince immediately falls in love with her. Left alone with Cendrillon, he tells her of his feelings. Cendrillon is equally taken with the prince, but at the first stroke of midnight she hurries away, remembering the fairy godmother’s words.
INTERMISSION
WHEN OPERA MEETS BALLET
Unlike many operas of its time, Cinderella includes an extended ballet sequence at the royal ball. Ballet was a required feature of French grand opera, and Massenet used it to heighten the dreamlike glamour of the evening.
SYNOPSIS
ACT III
Scene 1: The home of
Pandolfe
and his family
Cendrillon has returned home, mourning the loss of Prince Charming. She remembers her frightening journey from the royal palace, and how she lost one of her glass slippers as she left the ball. Mme. de la Haltière and her daughters enter, abusing Pandolfe. Mme. de la Haltière then describes to Cendrillon the “unknown stranger” who appeared at the king’s ball, telling her that the prince spoke contemptuously of the girl, and that the court regarded her with disdain. When Pandolfe tells his wife to be quiet, she turns on him again. Pandolfe has finally had enough, and sends Mme. de la Haltière, Noémie, and Dorothée out of the room. He suggests to Cendrillon that they leave the town and return together to his country estate. Cendrillon agrees, and Pandolfe goes to prepare for their journey. Alone, Cendrillon decides that she is too sad to continue living. She says farewell to her home, remembers her mother fondly and leaves, determined to go to the forest and die there.
Scene 2: The enchanted forest
Spirits are dancing in the forest. Prince Charming and Cendrillon enter, looking for each other. They pray to the fairy godmother to ease their pain. Hearing each other’s voices, they reaffirm their love, and Cendrillon tells Prince Charming her true name, Lucette. The fairy godmother allows the pair to see each other. They embrace, and fall into an enchanted sleep.
ACT IV
Scene 1: The home of Pandolfe and his family
Pandolfe found Cendrillon in the forest, very ill, and has been caring for her at home. She is now recovering. Pandolfe tells her that she has been talking during her illness of her adventures at the ball and of Prince Charming. Cendrillon begins to believe that the whole episode was a dream. Trying to be brave, she greets the coming of spring. Mme. de la Haltière, Noémie, and Dorothée enter excitedly. The king has summoned princesses from all over the land in the hope that one of them is the unknown beauty the prince met at the ball. Mme. de la Haltière is sure that the prince must mean one of her daughters and is determined to go to the palace. A herald announces that the prince is insisting that all the women visiting the court must try on the glass slipper that the “unknown beauty” left behind at the ball; only the correct girl will be able to wear it. Cendrillon decides to go to the palace.
Scene 2: The royal palace
Prince Charming is desperately searching for his “unknown beauty’ among the princesses summoned to the palace. He is almost on the point of death when Cendrillon and the fairy godmother arrive. The prince immediately recognizes Cendrillon and the pair declare their love to the court. Pandolfe and the rest of Cendrillon’s family enter, and everyone rejoices and hails Cendrillon as their future queen.
-Synopsis by Lyric Opera of Chicago
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
Grades K-5
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
Grades 6-12+
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
A FIRST FOR NORTH CAROLINA OPERA
Massenet’s Cinderella makes its long-awaited North Carolina Opera debut! Though the story of Cinderella is centuries old, this marks the first time the company has brought Massenet’s magical French version to the stage.
WHY IS THE ROLE OF THE PRINCE SUNG BY A WOMAN?
Composer Jules Massenet and librettist Henri Cain created the role of Prince Charming in Cendrillon to be sung by a mezzo-soprano. This may seem surprising to us today, but opera history is filled with male characters designed to be performed by female singers. We call these parts “trouser roles.” The best-known examples include Cherubino in Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro (1786) and Octavian, the title role in Strauss’s Rosenkavalier (1911). Other trouser roles are Nicklausse in Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann (1881), Sextus in Handel’s Julius Caesar (1724), and Romeo in Bellini’s The Capulets and the Montagues (1830). Even Richard Wagner wrote a trouser role, Adriano in Rienzi (1840). These characters are usually young men or adolescents. Composers have thought that, musically, the pitch range of a mezzo-soprano or soprano voice would more accurately and effectively portray their characters than a male sound. Basses and baritones were often reserved for father figures or villains, and many thought that the sound of the tenor voice wouldn’t sufficiently convey the youth of these characters. Moreover, the musical possibilities of two female voices blending have proven to be irresistible, even if those two voices represent one female and one male character. Certainly Bellini, Strauss, and Massenet all took great advantage of this possibility.
– Eric Mitchko
A TRIO AHEAD OF ITS TIME
Massenet’s setting of the Prince as a trouser role, together with the soprano role of Cinderella and the coloratura soprano of the Fairy Godmother, creates a striking timbre when the three voices sing together. The group’s evocative Act III trio, in which all three female voices sing in harmony, anticipates Richard Strauss’s famous trio from Act III of Der Rosenkavalier, which is known for exactly the same distinctive distribution of voices, by 12 years.
Tatiana Troyanos as Octavian in DER ROSENKAVALIER.
Jennifer Panara as Cherubino in LE NOZZE DI FIGARO.
FOCUS ON PHILANTHROPY
EVERY GIFT HAS THE POWER TO TRANSFORM
In fairy tales, the smallest acts often lead to the most extraordinary transformations: a glass slipper changes a life, a pumpkin becomes a carriage, and a single wish opens the door to endless possibilities. At North Carolina Opera, philanthropy works much the same way. Every gift, no matter its size, helps create moments of wonder that transport audiences beyond the everyday. A modest monthly donation might fund the sheet music for our chorus, or help underwrite a costume that brings a beloved character to life. A larger gift could provide rehearsal space, sponsor an artist, or support free community performances that introduce new audiences to opera for the first time.
The real magic happens when these gifts come together. Just as in Cinderella’s story, where many small moments lead to a grand transformation, the generosity of hundreds of donors combines to create experiences that touch thousands of lives each season.
Whether you give once, set up a monthly contribution, or explore a legacy gift that will ensure the arts thrive for future generations, your support is what transforms possibilities into reality.
With your help, North Carolina Opera continues to enchant, inspire, and uplift, both on stage and throughout our community.
Because every gift truly has the power to transform.
YOUR PART IN THE STORY
✶ A Gift Every Month
Even the smallest gift, given regularly, works like a steady spell. Over time, it grows into something extraordinary.
✶ A Gift in Tribute
Celebrate a friend, mentor, or loved one with a gift in their honor. A meaningful way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary, or special memory.
✶ A Gift for the Future
By remembering NC Opera in your estate
plans, you ensure the curtain will rise on new fairy tales for generations to come.
✶ A Gift That Doubles
Double your impact by checking if your employer matches charitable contributions.
✶ A Gift Today
Every contribution — no matter the size — helps us create moments that matter, both on stage and in the community.
North Carolina Opera’s The Magic Flute, 2022.
Photo by Eric Waters.
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, 2024 and September 30, 2025.
INDIVIDUAL GIVING
DIAMOND PATRON
Gifts over $100,000
Ross W. Lampe, Jr.
Rosemarie Sweeney
GOLD PATRON
Gifts between $50,000 and $99,999
Rae and James Gulick
SILVER PATRON
Gifts between $25,000 and $49,999
Amanda and Michael Bambrick
Nancy and Philip Hablutzel
Francine and Ralph Roberson
UNDERWRITER
Gifts between $15,000 and $24,999
Jacobi Daley
E.T. Franklin, Jr.
GRAND SPONSOR
Gifts between $10,000 and $14,999
Lauren Kennedy Brady and Charlie Brady
Susan M. Curtis
Vicky Kruckeberg and Carl R. Nold
Judith LeGrand
Susan and Dale Oller
Edwina Hardy Shaw
Holly and Paul Tesar
Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas
SPONSOR
Gifts between $5,000 and $9,999
Jane and Francis Acquaviva
Joel R. Adams
Chip Anderson
Elizabeth & David Beam
David Casteel
Ruth and Sidney Cox
Kelvin Currie and Sandra Cook
Drs. Lois Flaherty and Richard Sarles
Paul Fomberg and Roy Cromartie
George Eshton Hall, Jr.
Peter Hamilton
Douglas R. Holbrook
Brooke and Michael Huckabee
Elizabeth and John Lunsford
Amy Moss and Bill Brown
Mary Louise and William Rustin
Kay Schoellhorn
Nerre Shuriah
Cathy and Jim Stuart
Shohreh Taavoni and Alan Kronhaus
Brigette Wilds and Michael C. Byrne
John Williamson
Marty Wunsch and Kent Nakamoto
PATRON
Gifts between $2,500 and $4,999
Heather Brown
Dr. Yvonne Bryant
Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Byrne
Vivian Clark and Bryan Gilliam
Anne Faircloth and Fred Beaujeu-Dufour
Mary-Owens Fitzgerald
Sofie Franzen-Moyle
Margo L. Hablutzel
Karen and Clark Havighurst
Kim Kotlar and James Hargrove
Mizpah Johnson
Chancy and Keith Kapp
Larry Lisle
Chris and John Mark
Eric Mason
Bill and Margaret McCulloch
Patricia McWaters
Robert W. Morrison
Linda and Wendell Murphy
Kelley Russell
John Sarratt and Kathy Klotzberger
Carter Skinner and Chapman Williams
Ann and Steve Tyler
Josephine Walker
Melissa and Bryan Yeazel
BENEFACTOR
Gifts between $1,000 and $2,499
Richard Adelman
John Beck and Wendy Lapish
Phyllis and Tyler Bennett
Grant Berry
Carol and Robert Bilbro
Sharon and Byron Braswell
Bill Carroll
Nancy and Tom Carstens
Governor and Mrs. Roy Cooper
Rena and Philippe Courtay
Georgia and Alec Donaldson
S. Worth Dunn III
Richard and Donna Falvo
Alison and Ken Faulkner
Douglas Flint
William Gilkeson
Valarie Grant
James Gray
Ruth Gross and Hans Kellner
William F. Hamlin Jr.
John Hammond
Dotty and Lee Hanson
Suzanne and Nick Herman
Greg Hirsh
James E. Hopper Sr. and Janet Yancey
Martha Hsu
Sally and William Johnson
Sarah Lynn Kennedy
Martha and Peter Klopfer
Ekaterina Korobkina and Robert Golub
Timothy A. Kuhn
Guy Lampe
NORTH CAROLINA OPERA SUPPORTERS
Betsy and Steven Levitas
Sandi MacDonald and Henry Grzes
The Honorable Nancy McFarlane and Ron McFarlane
Ruth Mokeba-Ekangaki and Abie Ekangaki
Carol and Rusty Parks
Florence and James Peacock
Ashley and Sterling Perkinson
Phyllis Pomerantz and Charles Hochman
Susan and Steven Pruskin
Rochelle and Stephen Prystowsky
Pamela Raffurty
Hope Reckert
Tom Roberg
Harry Rosenberg
Sarah and Steve Shaber
Sarah and Claude Snow
Yvonne Terry
Sally and Robert Tiller
Edmund Tiryakian
Erna and Bill Womble
Elaine P. Wood
SUSTAINER
Gifts between $500 and $999
Steven Burke
Amna Cameron
James Carlson
Fred Chesek
Michele T. Classe
Ellen Collins-Boyce
Richard Cox and James May
DD Donates
Cheryl and John Denardo
Sallie and Joe Exum
Ginger and Ed Finley
Kristine Forney and William Prizer
Ellen Fort
John Gebhardt
Angela Grant
Katherine Anne Hamlin
Suzanne and Nick Herman
Susan and Carl Hibbert
Kristin Hoyle
Joseph Kahn
Mia Kang and Tony Acquaviva
Simmie Kastner and Jerome Davis
Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf
Martha N. Keravuori and Chuck Galle
Donald Kline
Joy Lewis
Jo Ann Lutz and Lawrence Muhlbaier
The Honorable Elaine Marshall
Susanna Martin
Carol and Rick McNeel
Steve Nelson
Charles Nichols
Jodee Nimerichter and Gaspard Louis
Aurora K. Pajeau, MD, MPH
Tricia and Stuart Phoenix
Janet and James Rapp
Ann Robertson
Angela Santucci
Alex Shackleford
Connie Smith
Emmett E. Stobbs, Jr.
Boyd Sturges
Cady Thomas
Sally Thomas
Matt Tyson
Suzanne Whitmeyer
Diane and Floyd Whitney
The Smedes York Family
Mary Zehr
SUPPORTER
Gifts between $250 and $499
Eugenie Almeida
Kelly and Landy Anderton
Anonymous
Jonathan Babson
Lee Baker
Kyla Block
Anna Bess Brown and Eric Hale
Sarah Brown
Wesley Byas
The Honorable Ann Marie
Calabria and Robert Calabria
Linda and Philip Carl
David Cheruga
Virginia Clark
Deborah and Andrew Dalgliesh
A. Root Edmonson
Kimberly Gooden
Stuart Grigg
Norma Hacker
Robin Hammond
Donald Hartmann
Judy and Richard Hendrickson
Andrew Hicks
E. J. Hillings
Valerie Hillings and William Scheessele
Richard Jaffe
Carol and Rick Johns
Rachel Kaplan and Jeremy Pienik
Deborah and Thomas Keefe
Moyra and Brian Kileff
Jim Konold and Tim Hackett
Kathy and Tom Lada
Annie Lang
Dorothy Lichtwardt
Jane Lynch
Amy and David Marschall
Hargrave McElroy
Eric Mitchko
Thomas and Chrstina Mitchko
John Nash
Alistair Nevius
OLLI Fall Opera Class
Phyllis and Paul Page
James Parsons
Lori and Randy Sansone
Fran and Jack Steele
Terrence D. Sullivan
Roberta Titchener
Maria Von Alvensleben
James Weiss
Saskia Ziolkowski and Martin Eisner
MEMBER
Gifts between $100 and $249
John Adams, III
Trish Anderton
Naomi André
Anonymous
Cortney and Scott Baker
W. Parke Ballantine Jr.
Glenn and Abram Barefoot
Barbara and Robert Bell
Peter Bleckner
NORTH CAROLINA
Natalie and Gary Boorman
Roy and Hermis Boston
Lars Bostrom
Pam Bowden
Kurt Bowdle
Judith Bruno and Michael E. Cyzewski
Charles and Louise Bryan
Kimberly Burke
Dawn and David Burtt
Connie Calloway
Dolores and Burton Carnegie
Pamela Cashwell
Ching Chi Cheng
David Clegg
Rosalind Coleman and James Rolleston
Sandra Craig
Tammy and Bill Crook
Breonna Currie
Lester Czukor
Martha Dimes
Leah Fell
Mary Ann Felton
Ross Ferlito
Penelope Gallins
Jill and Roland Gammon
Joanna Gmyr
Phyllis and Stephen Gordon
Lynne and Cory Grant
John Graybeal
Michael Greene
Eric Hallman
Leslie Harris
Sharon Henderson
Mark Hogan
David Hoover
Cheryl Howard
Deborah Huff
Helen Koo and Richard Bilsborrow
Yana James
Konrad and Hannelore Jarausch
Jo and James Kalat
Gail and Eugene Karcher
Hugon Karwowski
Kristen Keenan
Kathleen Klesh
Lewis Lampiris
Jumanne Langston
Lloyd and Susan Lense
Carolyn Maness
Patty Matthews
Leah Mazade
Charissa Mccullers
Laurane Mendelsohn
Staci Meyer
Eileen and James Mitchell
Loretta Mitchell
Bob Mitchell
Waynell Morris
Allen and Maureen Murray
Steve Nelson
Van B. Noah, Sr.
Sara Oswald and Eric Hyman
Deborah Railey
Frances Rollins
Stephen Schaeffer
Pat and Paul Scheible
Christoph Schmidt
Georgiana and
Stephen Snyderman
Rudy Spruill
Cynthia and
Timothy Stammers
Heather Stich
Donald Stoll
Perry and William Suk
Allison Sullivan
Sarah Sutton
Katherine Swartz
Susan Swartz
David Taylor
Ian Teeson
Maggie Thompson
Oliver and Allison Tolksdorf
Joe Tooley
Pamela J. Trent
Kristine Troost
Robert W. Upchurch
Cindy and Richard Urquhart
Lizbeth and Jean-Marie Videau
Sally and Ron Wenda
Julie and George Williams
Marti and Dan Wilson
Robert D. Wilson
Stephanie Winfrey
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 development@ncopera.org and we will promptly make a correction. Thank you!
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
Dr. 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 received between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025.
HONORARY GIFTS
In Honor of Jane and Fran Acquaviva
Rachel Starr
In Honor of Joel R. Adams
Bill Carroll
In Honor of Claire Cooper
Roy Cooper
In Honor of Kim Gooden
Gregg and Pearla Alston
In Honor of Nancy & Philip Hablutzel
Margo Lynn Hablutzel
Robert Hablutzel
In Honor of Joanne Kearney
Devon Kearney
In Honor of John Lunsford
Charles Nichols
In Memory of Ruth A. Benton
Anonymous
In Memory of Louie Eargle
Lee Baker
In Memory of Barbara Easthom
Kennon Craver
In Memory of C. Thomas Kunz
Rosemarie Sweeney
In Loving Memory of Dana Ann Hall
George E. Hall, Jr.
In Memory of Arend Griedanus
Gail and Eugene Karcher
In Memory of Donald Hunter
Sandra Craig
Lewis Lampiris
In Memory of Mrs. Clara H. Jones
Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm and Mona Roberts
In Honor of Scott MacLeod
Margaret Maytan
In Honor of Eric Mitchko
Lester Czukor
In Honor of Amy Moss
Judith and Jack Adler
In Honor of Florence Peacock
Robert Upchurch
In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Snyderman
Sheldon Hayer
In Honor of Brigette Wilds
Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Byrne
MEMORIAL GIFTS
In Memory of Laura Keigley
Carol McNeel
In Memory of Ruth and Thomas Martin
Susanna Martin
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
Spotlight on Madama Butterfly
A TIMELESS STORY. A BREATHTAKING PRODUCTION. AN UNFORGETTABLE CAST.
This winter, North Carolina Opera brings one of opera’s most beloved and heartbreaking works to the stage: Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. Known for its soaring melodies and devastating emotional power, this story of love, honor, and betrayal has captivated audiences for over a century.
A VISIONARY PRODUCTION
The staging, created by acclaimed director Francesca Zambello (The Barber of Seville, 2024), is celebrated around the world for its visual beauty and emotional clarity. Zambello’s work balances the intimacy of Puccini’s score with striking theatrical images, creating a production that is both classic and deeply resonant for today’s audiences. Maestro Arthur Fagen (Fidelio, 2021) returns to NC Opera to conduct.
NEW FACES AT NORTH CAROLINA OPERA
At the heart of this production is soprano Caitlin Gotimer, making her NC Opera
and role debut as Cio-Cio-San, the young geisha whose unwavering devotion forms the opera’s emotional core. A dynamic and compelling singing actress, Ms. Gotimer is heralded as “a force of nature on stage” by BroadwayWorld, and “displaying a voice of truly heroic proportions – seemingly with the greatest of ease,” by OnStage Pittsburgh.
“The most dramatically sound, compellingly truthful, and emotionally wrenching Madama Butterfly that you will ever see.”
— DC THEATRE SCENE
Tenor Eric Taylor reprises one of his most acclaimed roles, B.F. Pinkerton, the American naval officer whose choices alter Cio-Cio-San’s fate forever. A 2024 National Grand Finalist in the Eric and Dominique Laffont Competition, Mr. Taylor comes to Raleigh for his NC Opera debut after appearing in The Metropolitan Opera’s holiday presentation of The Magic Flute.
Also making her house debut is mezzo-soprano Lisa Chavez singing the role of Suzuki, Cio-Cio-San’s loyal companion. Ms. Chavez has garnered critical praise for her “buttery, richly colored mezzo” as well as being “a powerhouse both vocally and emotionally”.
The San Francisco Chronicle exclaims, “For theatrical charisma and musical bravado, it would be hard to top the performance of baritone Efraín Solís,” who completes the central trio as Sharpless, the American consul caught between compassion and duty. Mr. Solís recently
devastating final moments—remains some of the most poignant and unforgettable ever written.
This production offers both longtime opera lovers and newcomers the chance to experience one of the most powerful works in the repertoire, brought to life by an extraordinary cast in a staging that has moved audiences around the world.
made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Salvador Dalí in the world premiere of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. Madama Butterfly will mark his NC Opera and role debut.
WHY BUTTERFLY STILL MATTERS
Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is much more than a period romance. It is a timeless story of longing, cultural collision, and sacrifice that continues to resonate with audiences more than a century after its premiere. At its heart is the universal human desire for love, belonging, and dignity.
Its music—ranging from Butterfly’s delicate aria “Un bel dì, vedremo” to the opera’s
MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Raleigh Memorial Auditorium at Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
FRI, JAN 30, 2026 7:30PM
SUN, FEB 1, 2026
2:00PM
MADAMA BUTTERFLY is generously sponsored by Rosemarie Sweeney in memory of C. Thomas Kunz.
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 received between October 1, 2024 and September 30, 2025.
FOUNDATIONS AND GOVERNMENT
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
National Endowment for the Arts
United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County
Gifts between $5,000 and $9,999
Atlantic Private Wealth
Meridian Financial
Morningstar Law Group
Gifts up to $5,000
Advance Auto Parts®
Cornerstone Custom Printing
Curtis Media Group
Galloway Ridge at Fearrington
Habanero Architecture
The Juliette Club
Gifts between $5,000 and $9,999
Triangle Community Foundation’s Carver Fund for North Carolina Opera
Walter Family Foundation
Gifts between $2,500 and $4,999
George Smedes Poyner Foundation
Gifts up to $2,499
Ella Ann and Frank B. Holding Foundation
The Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Family Foundation
Opera America, Inc.
CORPORATIONS AND IN-KIND
King’s Auto Service, Inc.
Meredith College
Mitchell•Casteel - A Fine Catered AffairPBS of North Carolina
Raleigh Magazine
Samet
Taylor’s Wine
Thomas, Judy & Tucker
Triangle Wagner Society
WCPE, The Classical Station WRAL
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
North Carolina Opera would like to thank the following:
Sara Abernethy
Jane Acquaviva
Maria von Alvensleben
David Casteel
Sandra Cook
Breona Currie
Paul Fomberg
Ellen Fort
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
Ruth Cox
Rae & Jim Gulick
Judy Hendrickson
Greg Hirsh
Barbara McGuire
Patricia McWaters
Meredith College Department of Music
Maya Nelson
CHARTER SUBSCRIBERS
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
Christie Norris
Susan Pruskin
Francine Roberson
Kay Schoellhorn
Shaw University
Rosemarie Sweeney
Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas
Darla Yancho
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 & Doug Williams
John Williamson
A CINDERELLA MOMENT FOR ALL
By Brooke Huckabee
When I raised my paddle at the North Carolina Opera gala last year, I never dreamed I’d be stepping onto the stage myself. Winning the walk-on role in Cinderella was thrilling, but the real magic is what it means to me and the young dancers I teach at GiGi’s Playhouse Raleigh.
In the story of Cinderella, there’s a moment when the ordinary becomes extraordinary, when a young woman steps into her true potential and the world finally sees her for who she is. I believe everyone deserves that chance to be seen, valued, and celebrated. That’s exactly what GiGi’s Playhouse creates, and why it means so much to me.
For Cinderella, the gown and glass slippers weren’t what changed her life. It was the chance to show who she truly was. At GiGi’s Playhouse, we create those chances every day for individuals with Down syndrome. Through free programs — literacy and math tutoring that spark confidence, career training that opens doors, and a community that celebrates every individual’s unique brilliance — we support more than 1,100 families on a journey of growth and empowerment.
Organizations like North Carolina Opera and GiGi’s Playhouse make space for all kinds of voices, faces, and stories. Inclusion isn’t an extra. It’s essential. Because making space for every voice transforms performance into possibility.
When the curtain rises tonight, I’ll be on stage in costume, and my ballet students from GiGi’s will be in the audience cheering me on. For them, it’s more than a night at the opera. It’s proof that the magic of the arts belongs to everyone, and that dreams don’t only come true in fairy tales. They come true right here in Raleigh.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
NICOLE CABELL CINDERELLA
Nicole Cabell, 2005 BBC
Cardiff Singer of the World, is an exciting lyric soprano whose career has taken her to the most important opera stages and concert halls in the world. Her North Carolina Opera debut was as Bess in Porgy and Bess in 2023.
Opera roles include Donna Anna in Don Giovanni (Swedish National Opera), Fiordiligi in Cosi fan tutte (San Francisco Opera) Alcina (Grand Théâtre de Genève), Mimi in La bohème (Paris Opera), Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow (Lyric Opera of Chicago), Violetta in La traviata (Royal Opera House Covent Garden, San Francisco Opera, ), Adina in L’Elisir d’Amore (Lyric Opera of Chicago, Metropolitan Opera), Pamina in Die Zauberflöte (Lyric Opera of Chicago, Metropolitan Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin), Contessa Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro (Lyric Opera of Chicago, Grand Théâtre de Genève), Juliette in Roméo et Juliette (Deutsche Oper Berlin), Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi (San Francisco Opera), Micaela in Carmen (Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Deutsche Oper Berlin), Leila in Les pêcheurs de perles (Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, Royal Opera House), Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni (Deutsche Oper Berlin), and Musetta in La bohème (Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires, Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Royal Opera House, Santa Fe Opera).
Recordings include Soprano , an opera recital disc for Decca, Léontine in Cedille’s recording of Joseph Bologne’s L’Amant Anonyme. Silver Rain, songs of Ricky Ian Gordon, Chanson D’Avril, and Mademoiselle—Premiere Audience, Unknown Music of Nadia Boulanger on Delos; Musetta in Deutsche Grammophon’s La bohème and the title role in Opera Rara’s Imelda di zambertazzi.
KATE FARRAR PRINCE CHARMING
Hillsborough, NC native mezzo-soprano Kate Farrar is thrilled to return to North Carolina Opera where she most recently appeared as Paula in Florencia en el Amazonas. She has performed numerous roles
with NC Opera including Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Wellgunde in Das Rheingold, and Claire in Cold Mountain
She was recently a finalist in the New York Wagner’s Society 2025 competition. As an apprentice artist with Santa Fe Opera, she covered Gertrude in the world premiere of Poul Ruders’s The Thirteenth Child. She has performed roles including the title role in La Cenerentola (Portland Opera, Opera Saratoga), Dorabella in Così fan tutte (Portland Opera), Giovanna in Rigoletto (Portland Opera), and Siebel in Faust (Portland Opera). She also appeared as the Secretary in Baltimore Concert Opera’s The Consul.
In concert, she has performed with the North Carolina Symphony as the soloist in de Falla’s El Sombrero de Tres Picos, a soloist with Portland Opera in their annual concert, and with North Carolina Opera as a soloist in their Opera in the Pines. Kate has been a resident with companies including Santa Fe Opera, Portland Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Opera Saratoga, Sarasota Opera, and Opera North. She performed a variety of roles with these and other regional houses including, Frau Mary in Der fliegende Holländer (Piedmont Opera, Baltimore Concert Opera), Mercédès in Carmen (Piedmont Opera, NY Opera Exchange), Kate Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly (North Carolina Opera, Chautauqua Opera), and Emily in The Ballad of Baby Doe (Chautauqua Opera). Kate is a graduate of the A.J. Fletcher Opera institute in Winston-Salem. She currently resides in Lexington Park, MD.
LUCIA BRADFORD MADAME DE LA HALTIÈRE
Mezzo-soprano, Lucia Bradford is a native of Brooklyn, NY. Ms. Bradford has performed a number of operatic roles including Carmen, Zita, La Principessa, Mrs. Quickly, The Sorceress, Hippolyta, Miss Todd, and the Duchess of Plaza Toro. Her previous roles with North Carolina Opera are Maria in Porgy and Bess, Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro.
Her concert works include singing the alto solo in the St. Matthews Passion with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Bach’s Weihnachts oratorium, Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de Confessore, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, De Falla’s El
amor Brujo, William Grant Still’s And they lynched him, Nathanial Dett’s The Ordering of Moses, Julia Perry’s Stabat Mater, Beethoven’s Mass in C Major, Handel’s Messiah, the Mozart Requiem, Duruflé Requiem, Bach B Minor Mass, St. John’s Passion, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Bach Magnificat, and Paul Moravec’s All Shall Rise at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of NY.
Upcoming performances: soloist in a Gala concert at the Lyric Opera of Chicago for Black Leadership Arts Collective (B.L.A.C.), Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Cathedral Choir and orchestra on New Year’s Eve, and Adolphus Hailstork’s Crispus Attacks with Cantori New York Chorus.
SONG HEE LEE
LA FÉE
Korean soprano Song Hee Lee, is an Artist Diploma candidate at The Juilliard School, studying under Darrell Babidge. In the summer of 2025, she will make her debuts at Lincoln Center and Tanglewood in Matthew Aucoin’s Music for New Bodies directed by Peter Sellars. In the 2025/26 season, she will debut with Les Arts Florissants in concerts led by William Christie in Paris, Versailles, and Madrid. Additional concert engagements include her debut with the Cecilia Chorus of New York in Handel’s Messiah at Carnegie Hall and with the American Classical Orchestra in Mozart’s Exsultate, jubilate. She will debut with North Carolina Opera in Cendrillon (La Fée). Future seasons include her debut with il Pomo d’Oro on a North American tour with Joyce DiDonato.
Last season, Song Hee starred as Cleopatra in R.B. Schlather’s new production of Giulio Cesare, performed with early music ensemble, Ruckus. She also appeared with Juilliard415 in a program of Handel and Rameau arias conducted by William Christie, with The Juilliard Orchestra in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortilèges (La Princesse) led by Louis Langrée, and with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra in scenes from Der Rosenkavalier (Sophie).
As a master’s student at Juilliard, Song Hee appeared as Aldimira in Cavalli’s L’Erismena and Valentina in John Musto’s Later the Same Evening, both conducted by Joseph Colaneri with Juilliard Opera. She also performed with Juilliard415 in Purcell’s King Arthur. She has worked with esteemed conductors including
Lionel Meunier, Richard Egarr, Nicholas McGegan, and Daniela Candillari, across multiple seasons.
MALCOLM MACKENZIE PANDOLFE
With a voice described as having a “rich vocal range full of inviting nuance,” Malcolm MacKenzie has firmly established himself as a strong presence in the dramatic baritone repertoire. Opera News recently praised him as a “confident, commanding Count di Luna… of robust tone, ardent address, arching phrases and genuine baritonal squillo.”
Mr. MacKenzie has been heard at leading opera houses throughout the U.S. and Europe, appearing at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Paris Opera (Bastille), Finland’s Savonlinna Festival, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, San Diego Opera, Arizona Opera, Fort Worth Opera, and Pittsburgh Opera, in roles including Simon Boccanegra, Iago, Tonio, Don Giovanni, Count di Luna, Renato, Jack Rance, Marcello, Germont, and Count Almaviva. Malcolm recently returned to the Metropolitan Opera stage to sing the role of Stubb in their highly acclaimed production of Moby Dick, and he sang Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with both Austin Opera and Opera San Antonio.
Additional recent engagements include his performance of Mark Torrence in The Shining with Atlanta Opera, Germont in La traviata with both Eugene Opera and Knoxville Opera, Uncle John in Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Korie’s The Grapes of Wrath with MasterVoices for his Carnegie Hall début, and a cover of Owen/Johnson in San Francisco Opera’s production of Omar
This season, he returns to the Metropolitan Opera for their production of Innocence, sings Pandolfe in Cendrillon with North Carolina Opera, and will appear with Austin Opera for their 40th Anniversary Gala concert celebration. He has been heard previously at North Carolina Opera in the title role of Rigoletto (2018) and as Baron Scarpia in Tosca (2019).
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
ELANA GLEASON NOÉMIE
Elana Gleason, hailed by the New York Post for “flaunt[ing] pinpoint finesse on high B’s and C’s” and by Opera News for singing with a “particularly beautiful soprano,” is delighted to make her North Carolina Opera debut. She has been praised for her agile full lyric sound, compelling characterizations, and dynamic stage presence.
Most recently, she appeared as Nedda in Pagliacci with Opera Louisiane. Her favorite roles from past seasons include the title role in Manon, Violetta in La traviata, Judit in Bluebeard’s Castle, the title role in Elizabeth Cree, Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, Marguerite in Faust, Micaëla in Carmen, the title role in The Merry Widow, and the title role in Tosca
Additional career highlights include Mrs. Nordstrom in A Little Night Music , Agnes Sorel in Maid of Orleans, Krystyna Żywulska in Two Remain, and Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance
GRETCHEN N. BRUESEHOFF DOROTHÉE
A native of Ocean City, NJ, soprano Gretchen N. Bruesehoff has been recognized by critics for the dramatic depth and nuance she brings to her roles, showcasing both expressive singing and compelling stagecraft. She has appeared with the Atlantic Music Festival Opera, American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, and Opernwerkstatt Lofer in Salzburg, performing in venues such as the Salzburg Mozarteum, Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City.
She sang Papagena in Die Zauberflöte with North Carolina Opera in 2022. Her other operatic credits include Annina ( La traviata ), Adele ( Die Fledermaus), Valencienne (Die Lustige Witwe), Giannetta (L’elisir d’amore), Frasquita (Carmen), Serpetta (La Finta Giardiniera), Flora (La traviata), Due Donne (Le nozze di Figaro), and the Announcer (Gallantry).
Equally at home on the musical-theatre stage, she has starred as Elle Woods (Legally Blonde), Marian
Paroo (The Music Man), Glinda (The Wizard of Oz), Amber (Hairspray), Lilly (The Secret Garden), Sister Amnesia (Nunsense), Marguerite (Scarlet Pimpernel), and Alice Beineke (The Addams Family), among others.
As a concert artist she has been featured as soprano soloist in Bach’s Cantata 147 and Weihnachtsoratorium and on the world-premiere recording of Oferen Gernewek Vyghan by Adrian Fish. Bruesehoff holds degrees from Elon University and the University of Iowa, and earned her doctorate from Vanderbilt University; she now serves on the voice faculty at Elon University, where she is regarded as a dynamic and innovative teacher and mentor.
COLERIDGE NASH THE KING
Coleridge Nash is a bassbaritone native to Pfafftown, North Carolina. He completed his Master of Music in Voice Performance from Florida State University in 2022. He was most recently engaged as Jago in Verdi’s Ernani with the North Carolina Opera. Since his time at FSU, Mr. Nash has been engaged as a Studio Artist with Teatro Nuovo where he covered the role of Rodolfo in La Sonnambula, as a guest artist with Florida State Opera where he returned to perform the title role in Le nozze di Figaro, and as a guest artist with the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra performing famous scenes from Verdi’s operas in their Viva Verdi concert.
While at FSU he performed the role of Sarastro in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, the Postman in Hoiby’s The Scarf, and performed in numerous solo recitals and chamber concerts with peers and faculty. Mr. Nash was granted the Edith S. Joel Scholarship in Opera from 2020 to 2022 from Florida State University, and was also awarded the Performing Artist Award in Voice from North Carolina State University in 2019.
ERIC LUKE DEAN OF THE FACULTY
Eric Luke is a collaborative pianist, vocal coach, music director, and tenor based in Raleigh, NC. For North Carolina Opera’s production of Cendrillon, he will serve both in the chorus and as Le Doyen de la Faculté. He holds degrees in both Piano Performance and Voice Performance from Appalachian State University. Eric maintains an active performing career throughout the Raleigh area, working with organizations including the Cary-Apex Youth Choir, North Carolina Master Chorale, and North Carolina Opera. He currently serves as a collaborative pianist at Meredith College.
Through singing, conducting, playing piano, or any other aspect of being a musician, Eric thrives on making music with a multitude of people spanning all ages, backgrounds, personalities, and skill levels. He believes there is nothing more fulfilling than the human connection created through shared music-making.
MARKEL RASHAD WILLIAMS SUPERINTENDENT OF PLEASURES
Baritone Markel Rashad
Williams has appeared in operas, musicals, and concerts with companies including Greensboro Opera, North Carolina Opera, Bloomington Chamber Opera, Opera Roanoke, Blacksburg Master Chorale, and the North Carolina Symphony. His performance credits include the Sergente in La bohème, Commandante in Manon Lescaut, and covered dual roles of Henry Brown and Peter Still in Sanctuary Road. He has also been featured as a concert soloist with the North Carolina Symphony and Blacksburg Master Chorale. Williams’ artistry is distinguished by his rich tone and versatility, bringing depth to both operatic and concert repertoire. His work has allowed him to collaborate with leading regional companies and contribute to innovative productions that highlight both classical and contemporary works. His engagements for this season include Superintendant des Plaisirs in Cendrillon and Morales in Carmen
TEDD SZETO PRIME MINISTER
Tedd Szeto, bass, is excited to be making his North Carolina Opera debut. He is a relatively recent transplant to the Triangle from Los Angeles, where he studied under Calvin Remsberg. Favorite opera roles include Germont in La traviata and Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors. He is most recognized by North Carolina musical theater audiences for Balaga in Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Principal Hawkins in The Prom, Smudge in Forever Plaid, Tom Watson/Old Soldier in Parade, and Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein.
FREDERICK BEAUJEUDUFOUR ROYAL HERALD
Frederick Beaujeu-Dufour is thrilled to be making his opera debut. And most likely his one and done! It has been a great experience, and he thanks NC Opera for the opportunity.
JOSEPH MECHAVICH CONDUCTOR
Conductor Joseph Mechavich has presided over productions of Porgy and Bess for Deutsche Oper Berlin/Cape Town Opera, Nixon in China for Auckland Philharmonia/ New Zealand Opera, Il barbiere di Siviglia for The Washington National Opera, Turandot for Calgary Opera, Everest for Austin Opera, La bohème for Florida Grand Opera, Silent Night for Arizona Opera, and Florencia en el Amazonas for San Diego Opera.
Mo. Mechavich is a champion of the music of Carlisle Floyd and Jake Heggie, having paced productions of Floyd’s Susannah, Of Mice and Men, and Cold Sassy Tree and recorded Wuthering Heights; as well as Heggie’s Moby-Dick, Great Scott, If I Were You, Out of Darkness: Two Remain, Three Decembers, Another Sunrise, Before It All Goes Dark, and Dead Man Walking.
Maestro Mechavich studied at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music and Yale University School
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
of Music. He is currently Interim Artistic Director for Piedmont Opera. This production of Cendrillon marks his fifth collaboration with North Carolina Opera.
JAMES MARVEL DIRECTOR
Internationally acclaimed stage director James Marvel is thrilled to be returning to North Carolina Opera, where he has directed productions of Lucia di Lammermoor, La Cenerentola, Tosca, Faust, and Das Rheingold. James was born and raised in New Orleans and made his Lincoln Center debut in 2008 for the Juilliard Opera Center. Since his professional directing debut in 1996, James has directed over 200 productions and was named Classical Singer Magazine’s “Stage Director of the Year.” Career highlights include new productions for the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Opera Carolina, Opera Boston, Opera Santa Barbara, Syracuse Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, Austin Lyric Opera, San Antonio Opera, Kentucky Opera, Virginia Opera, North Carolina Opera, Toledo Opera, Sacramento Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Aspen Music Festival, Marble City Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Santa Fe Opera, and San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program.
International credits include a new production of Carmen for Opera Africa in Johannesburg and Die Zauberflote for the Seoul International Opera in South Korea. Other international credits include work in Canada, Scotland, England, Italy, France, Poland, Bulgaria, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary.
MARCELO MARTINEZ CHOREOGRAPHER
Marcelo Martinez was born in Paraguay where he began his training at the former Academia de danza Bettina Ramos. He then continued his training in Brazil at the Centro de Dança Rio under the instruction of Maria Angelica Fiorani. At age 17 he was accepted into the Companhia Jovem do Teatro Municipal do Rio De Janeiro where he danced under the directions of Dalal Aschar and Mariza Estrella. Mr. Martinez accepted a position with The Washington Ballet where he danced lead roles including Cavalier
in The Nutcracker, Stravinsky Violin Concerto by Balanchine, and The Rite of Spring by Trey MacIntyre.
From 2007 to 2024, he performed with Carolina Ballet, where he danced many principal roles, captivating audiences for 17 seasons. Mr. Martinez has also appeared as a guest artist with Greensboro Ballet, Susan Farrell Ballet, Arka Ballet, The Raleigh Dance Theater, and The Asheville Ballet.
Featured roles include Romeo in Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth in Macbeth by Robert Weiss, the monster in Frankenstein by Zalman Rafael and as Man of Darkness in Carmina Burana and as Dracula in Dracula, both by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, as James in La Sylphide, Albrecht in Giselle. Mr. Martinez was granted a Resident NC choreography fellowship from Trillium Art.
TLÁLOC LOPEZWATERMANN LIGHTING DESIGNER
Tláloc Lopez-Watermann is an experienced lighting, projections, and scenery designer with over 20 years of professional work in opera and theatre. He has collaborated with many distinguished companies, including Seattle Opera, Arizona Opera, Opera Omaha, Opera Columbus, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Opera Orlando, Virginia Opera, Opera Southwest, Opera Santa Barbara, TheatreZone, Opera Naples, Gulfshore Opera, North Carolina Opera, Shreveport Opera, Opera Louisiane, Lakes Area Festival, Pittsburgh Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, In Series Opera, Tri-Cities Opera, Toledo Opera, Utah Opera, Opera Roanoke, Amarillo Opera, Guerrilla Opera (Boston, MA), Crested Butte Music Festival, and Brevard Music Festival, among many others.
Tláloc is the founder and owner of Light Conversations LLC. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Cornish College of the Arts and a Master of Fine Arts in design from NYU/Tisch. In 2002, he was awarded the Allen Lee Hughes Lighting Fellowship at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. He also spent a semester working at the Deutsche Oper Berlin in 2001.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
DJ PIKE
SCENIC
AND VIDEO
DESIGNER
DJ Pike is a scenic and projection designer working across opera, theatre, musical theatre, dance, and film. With a foundation in theatrical design and a growing presence in the opera world, he brings a layered visual language that supports character, theme, and musicality. Recent opera highlights include a new production of Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel that was performed at Wichita Grand Opera, Florida State Opera, University of Tennessee, and Opera in the Heights in Houston, TX. His production of Jules Massenet’s Cinderella was performed at the University of Tennessee, Florida State Opera, and North Carolina Opera in Raleigh. In addition to his successful productions of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress and Mozart’s The Magic Flute, DJ has also contributed digital renderings and design support for Indianapolis Opera on productions of The Barber of Seville, West Side Story, and Rigoletto
In theatre, his credits include work with The Nashville Repertory Theatre, The Rocky Mountain Repertory Theatre, The Clarence Brown Theatre, and Little Theatre of the Rockies on productions of Hair, 42nd Street, Murder on the Orient Express, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Seussical, Something Rotten, A Christmas Carol, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Sunday in the Park with George, and The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee. He also designed projections for Disney’s Frozen, bringing animated environments to life with atmospheric and story-driven precision.
DJ currently serves as Assistant Professor of Scenic and Projection Design at the University of Northern Colorado and holds an MFA in Scenic and Projection Design from the University of Tennessee and a BS in Theatre Arts from Weber State University.
JEANIE WOZENCRAFTORNELLAS CHORUS MASTER
Dr. Jeanie WozencraftOrnellas is Head of the Music Department at Meredith College. Following her professional debut with the Cleveland Opera, lyricsoprano Wozencraft-Ornellas has performed recitals, opera and oratorio throughout the United States and in 16 countries from New Zealand to Great Britain, China to Chile, receiving accolades such as “extraordinary” and “sublime” (Jakarta Post), “a soprano with extensive range, with notes lyrical, dramatic and an exceptional agility.”(La Estrella of Iquique, Chile)“outstanding versatility” and “unimpeachable artistic instincts.” (El Paso Times). In Santiago, Chile “the audience in the theatre gave ‘la Wozencraft’ a standing ovation, wanting more.”
Dr. WO’s students have won awards in such competitions as the Dallas Opera Competition, the McCammon Voice Competition, AIMS Meistersinger Competition, Opera Ithaca Edward M. Murray International Voice Competition, American International Czech and Slovak Competition and the Bellini International Voice Competition. Her former students are performing on Broadway and in opera companies in the US, Germany, and South America, as well as teaching in the public schools or universities and colleges across the US and in China.
In addition to serving on the board of the North Carolina Opera, Dr. WO is a Distinguished Professor Emerita of Eastern New Mexico University, where she taught voice and directed the opera productions for 32 years. She holds degrees in Vocal Performance from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music (B.M.), Bowling Green State University in Ohio (M.M.), and Florida State University (D.M.).
1ST VIOLIN
Carol Chung
Margaret Partridge
Ariadna Ilika
Anne Leyland
Lindi Wang
Leah Peroutka
Krista Cala
2ND VIOLIN
Emi Hildebrandt
Ashley Kovacs
Suzanne Kelly
Elizabeth Whitfield
Cortney Baker
Robert Rempher
VIOLA
Simon Ertz
Matthew Chicurel
Kristen Beard
Emi Mizobuchi
Michael Castelo
CELLO
Nathan Leyland
Brian Carter
Rosalind Leavell
Lauren Dunsheath
NORTH CAROLINA OPERA ORCHESTRA
BASS
John Spuller
Emily Buccola
FLUTE
Carla Copeland Burns
Whitney Pencina
OBOE
Courtney Miller
Carrie Shull
CLARINET
Mike Cyzewski
Todd Krueger
BASSOON
Michael Burns
John Fanning
FRENCH HORN
Emily Schaefer
Robert Malone
Caleb Harris
TRUMPET
Alexander Fioto
John Manning
TROMBONE
Wes Parker
Jesse Rackley
TUBA
Tony Granados
HARP
Grace Ludtke
TIMPANI
Julia Thompson
PERCUSSION
Krista Siachames
Victoria Nelson
PERSONNEL
MANAGER
Paul Gorski
LIBRARIAN
Julia Thompson
CINDERELLA’S DREAMSCAPE
Massenet’s orchestration sparkles with color and imagination. He layers lush strings, delicate woodwinds, and shimmering harp passages to create an almost cinematic sound world. The result is a sense of enchantment that feels both intimate and otherworldly.
NORTH CAROLINA OPERA CHORUS DANCERS
Jasmin Brown
Joanna Burke*
Frances Bushman
Caroline Carter
Alexia Della Valle*
Emily Ennis*
Tanya Hanano
Jenny Hunt*
Erica Jackson*
Clare Lee*
Stacee Lyles
Angela Santucci*
Joncie Sarratt
Rachel Stenbuck
Bailey Sutton*
Bianca Varetto
Jacob Cortes
Adam Dengler
Wade Henderson
Greg Hirsh
Thomas Keefe
Corey Leak
Matthew Lubin
Eric Luke
Jared Payton
Lindon Pearson
Reggie Powell
Tedd Szeto
Markel Williams
*spirits
Sam Ainley
Jonas Godwin
Stephen Marshall
Sara Roe
Kaelin Rost
Clara Zander
SUPERNUMERARIES
Rae Gulick
Brooke Huckabee
NORTH CAROLINA OPERA STAFF
General Director – Eric Mitchko
Director of Operations – Julie Williams
Director of Marketing – Angela Grant
Production Manager – Linda T. Carlson
Box Office Manager – Amanda Reyes
Education Coordinator – Rachel Stenbuck
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 – John Soto
Event Settlement Analyst – Keisha Peacock
Operation Staff – Nicole Ackman, Gavin Brown, Alex Bryant, Kendra Burgess, Andrew Crane, Sean Delgado-Cruz, Mike Dreese, William Goldrick, Michael Green, Favourite Htaw, Ehhteeku Htaw, Ulando Jones, Trevor Jordan, Tami Kaufmann, Noeree Lander, Anthony Letourneau, Lisa Morgan, Keecia Rouse, Evest Shee, Htee Shee, Noah Stancil, Selda Stylo, Genesa Tatum, Mason Tierney, Avery Vanore, Luke Watkins, Renee Wilson, Evan Woodard
MARTIN MARIETTA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS STAFF
Greensboro Opera presents
Arthur Miller and Elia Kazan Two titans of their fields. Forced to choose between their friends and their careers at the height of the McCarthy era
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2025, 2:00PM
Jeffrey Buller: LIVE PROGRAM ON Der fliegende Holländer: After the Storm
SUNDAY, JANUARY 18, 2026, 2:00PM
ZOOM PROGRAM In Conversation with Bass-baritone Alan Held
SUNDAY, JANUARY 25, 2026, 2:00PM
Francesca Zambello: LIVE PROGRAM ON Puccini Hated Wagner, but he Copied from his Works
All TWS programs are recorded and made available to members and paying guests so they can listen at their convenience.
