IN CELEBRATION OF OUR 15TH ANNIVERSARY, WE’D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE THE MANY BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE SERVED NORTH CAROLINA OPERA OVER THE YEARS.
Nelle
Charlé
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.
Nancy Hablutzel, Chair
Jean Wozencraft-Ornellas, Vice-Chair
John Lunsford, Treasurer
Carl Nold, Secretary
Joel Adams
Amanda Bambrick
Yvonne Bryant
Kelvin Currie
Paul Fomberg
Bryan Gilliam
James Gulick
James Hargrove
Douglas Holbrook
Valerie Johnson
C. Thomas Kunz, in memoriam (1949-2024)
Patricia McWaters
Florence Peacock
Ralph Roberson
William Rustin
Richard Sarles
Nerre Shuriah
Cathy Stuart
Rosemarie Sweeney
Shohreh Taavoni
Brigette Wilds
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
Connecting People With the Arts
The City of Raleigh Arts Commission nurtures creativity and enriches our community by championing the arts in Raleigh:
• Partnering with local cultural organizations
• Supporting arts programming
• Advocating for arts investment
• Presenting art exhibitions, public art and special events
Vinculando al Pueblo con las Artes
La Comisión de Artes de la Ciudad de Raleigh sustenta la creatividad y enriquece a nuestra comunidad, favoreciendo las artes en Raleigh por medio de:
• La asociación con organizaciones culturales locales
• El apoyo de la programación de las artes
• El fomento de la inversión en el arte
• La presentación de exposiciones artísticas, arte público y eventos especiales
2023-2024
Raleigh Arts Partners
• African American Cultural Festival
• Animazement
• Arts Access
• Arts Together
• Artspace
• Artsplosure
• Burning Coal Theatre Company
• CAM Raleigh
• Carolina Ballet
• Chamber Music Raleigh
• Community Music School
• Cultural Voice of NC
• Diamante Arts & Cultural Center
• El Pueblo
• The Justice Theater Project
• National Women’s Theatre Festival
• The NC Chamber Music Institute
• NC Master Chorale
• NC Museum of History
• NC Opera
• NC State LIVE
• NC State University Theatre
• NC Symphony
• NC Theatre
• North Raleigh Arts & Creative Theatre
• Nuv Yug Cultural Organization
• Performance Edge
• PineCone
• Pure Life Theatre Company
• Raleigh Civic Symphony Association
• Raleigh Little Theatre
• The Raleigh Ringers
• Raleigh Youth Choir
• ShopSpace
• Theatre in the Park
• Theatre Raleigh
• Triangle Youth Music
• VAE Raleigh
What a joy once again to visit our good friend, The Marriage of Figaro! Mozart and Da Ponte’s miracle returns to the North Carolina Opera stage for the first time in eight years, in a wonderful production from director Chas Rader-Shieber, in his company debut, and set designer Steven Kemp, whose La bohème we presented in 2022. Conductor Aaron Breid joins us again to lead an excellent young cast. We are very grateful to Rosemarie Sweeney and the late Tom Kunz for their generous support of this production.
We are proud to announce our 2025-2026 season, in which we will for the first time have three fully-staged productions on our subscription series, all of them right here in Memorial Auditorium. The season will begin with the company premiere of Jules Massenet’s enchanting version of CINDERELLA in October, will continue in January with Puccini’s beautiful and heartbreaking MADAMA BUTTERFLY, and will conclude in April with the long-awaited return to the company of Verdi’s almost impossibly tuneful IL TROVATORE. Subscribe now to get the best seats at the best prices, and help us continue the celebration of our 15th anniversary! You can subscribe here at the theater today, or by visiting NCOPERA.ORG.
We are very grateful to all of you whose donations to North Carolina Opera make these performances possible. A gift of any size helps keep us singing. Thank you!
Whether this is your first Figaro or your twentieth, we welcome you and hope you enjoy this inspired account of love.
Thank you.
Nancy Hablutzel
Mitchko Board Chair General Director
Eric
LE NOZZE DI FIGARO
Music: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto: Lorenza da Ponte, after the play La folle Journée by Beaumarchais
World premiere: Vienna, Burgtheater, May 1, 1786
United States premiere: New York, Park Theater, May 10, 1824
Le nozze di Figaro is generously underwritten by C. Thomas Kunz and Rosemarie Sweeney
Conductor – Aaron Breid Director – Chas Rader-Shieber
Count Almaviva Theo Hoffman
Countess Almaviva Kathryn Henry
Figaro Wm. Clay Thompson
Susanna Cadie J. Bryan
Cherubino Stephanie Foley Davis
Doctor Bartolo Adam Lau
Marcellina Lucia Bradford
Don Basilio Scott Wichael
Don Curzio Scott Wichael
Barbarina Bailey Sutton
Antonio Donald Hartmann
Two women Gretchen Bruesehoff, Alexia Della Valle
FRIDAY, APRIL 4, 2025 | 7:30 PM
SUNDAY, APRIL 6, 2025 | 2:00 PM
RALEIGH MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM
MARTIN MARIETTA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS
Harpsichord Ava Linvog
Lighting Designer Ross Kolman
Chorus Master Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas
Assistant Director Matthew Schulz
Costume Coordinator Denise Schumaker
Wig and Makeup Designer Martha Ruskai
Production Manager Linda T. Carlson
Properties Master Pamela McLamb
Rehearsal pianists Ava Linvog, Kent Lyman
Technical Director Tim Stettler
Master Carpenter Johnathan Bell
Master Electrician Angela Brickley
Production Stage Manager Gina Hays
Assistant Stage Managers Mary Parisi, Gabrielle Miller
Wig and Makeup Assistants Elisa Acevedo, Tiffany Turley, Mark Boley
Supertitle Operator Devon Carter
Sets designed by Steven C. Kemp
Provided by the New Orleans Opera Association
Costumes designed by Glenn Avery Breed
Costumes Provided by Wardrobe Witchery Supertitles by Brett Finley
North Carolina Opera is funded in part by the City of Raleigh, based on recommendations of the Office of Raleigh Arts
The performance will last approximately three hours including one intermission.
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO NOTES
Beaumarchais’s play La folle journée ou Le mariage de Figaro (The Mad Day, or The Marriage of Figaro) was controversial from its first Paris performance in 1784. This was in part because it showed commoners behaving as equals to nobles, in part because of the character Figaro’s vaguely political speeches. A production planned for Vienna in 1785 had to be scrapped when the Crown banned performances of the politically sensitive play. However, Emperor Joseph II permitted the publication of the text in German translation. Mozart read it, and got the idea to turn it into an opera. Joining him for the first time was Lorenzo Da Ponte, who not only supplied the remarkable Italian libretto (where it became Le nozze di Figaro) but used his excellent diplomatic skills (which included cutting anything overtly political from the play) to get permission for the piece to be done at all. Milos Forman’s 1984 film Amadeus amusingly recounts the work’s genesis.
Mozart composed most of Figaro in six weeks in autumn 1785. It received its premiere at the Burgtheater in Vienna on May 1, 1786, with the composer conducting from the harpsichord. The piece had a good initial public success, yet was soon overshadowed in Vienna by Vicente Martin y Soler’s Una cosa rara. However, what was abandoned by Vienna was embraced by Prague. There Figaro had an overwhelming success that prepared the way for its embrace by the rest of Europe and led to a commission for a second Mozart-Da Ponte collaboration, Don Giovanni (now almost the only way any of Soler’s opera is now known, thanks to a brief quotation of it in the banquet scene).
Figaro was first heard in Italy in Monza, outside of Milan, in 1787, and was presented in Florence the following year. The opera arrived in London in 1812 and New York in 1824. After periods in the 19th century when it was performed less frequently than it merits, by the mid-twentieth century it had regained its rightful place at the center of the world’s operatic repertoire. The score is brilliant from start to finish. To pick only a few examples, listen to the Act II finale, whose musical tension increases as the set piece expands from trio to quartet to septet: “Sull’aria,” the exquisite duet for the Countess and Susanna in Act III; the warmly comical sextet in Act III, where Mozart’s music takes us far from the number’s comic origins; or Cherubino’s “Non so più,” which establishes the page’s character immediately and indelibly. In its musical-dramatic structure, melodic charm, depth of characterization, and warm humanity, Le nozze di Figaro remains unsurpassed in operatic history.
Capital Opera presented the piece in 2005, and Opera Company of North Carolina did so in 2007 with Wayne Tigges, Sari Gruber, and Stephen Powell. North Carolina Opera first produced the work in 2017 at Fletcher Opera Theater, in a production directed by Matthew Ozawa that featured Tyler Simpson, Steven LaBrie, D’Ana Lombard, Jennifer Cherest, and Jennifer Panara.
– Eric Mitchko
Le nozze di Figaro, North Carolina Opera 2017. Curtis Brown Photography.
Le nozze di Figaro, North Carolina Opera 2017. Curtis Brown Photography.
ACT I
Figaro, servant to Count Almaviva, is about to marry Susanna, the Countess’s maid. He measures a room for a bed, but Susanna is concerned that the room is too close to the Count’s chamber. She explains to Figaro that Almaviva is pursuing her. Figaro vows to thwart the Count’s plans. Once Figaro leaves, Doctor Bartolo and Marcellina enter. Marcellina is angry at Susanna for stealing Figaro away from her, while Bartolo is angry at Figaro for making a fool of him in the past. Marcellina and Susanna are sarcastically polite with one another until Marcellina and Bartolo leave. Cherubino, a young page, enters, seeking advice from Susanna. Count Almaviva caught him alone with the gardener’s daughter, Barbarina, and he is now to be sent away. He is besotted by all women, he explains, and cannot help himself. Before Susanna can offer advice, they are interrupted by the arrival of Almaviva himself. Cherubino hides while Almaviva attempts to set up a tryst with Susanna. The Count himself is forced to hide when yet another voice is heard at the door. It’s Don Basilio, the music teacher, who references Cherubino’s supposed crush on the Countess. In a rage, the Count reveals himself to an amused Basilio. He states that he is sending Cherubino away, and relates the scene in the gardener’s daughter’s chambers. As he does, Almaviva discovers a hiding Cherubino. Almaviva is fuming, as Cherubino has overheard him propositioning Susanna. He vows to get rid of the lad by giving him a military commission. Figaro returns, accompanied by festive townspeople. He asks the Count to join him and Susanna in marriage. Almaviva stalls him.
ACT II
In Countess Rosina’s chambers, the Countess grieves for the loss of her husband’s love and attention, and she and Susanna discuss Count Almaviva’s roving eye. The Countess believes her husband no longer loves her, while Susanna wants him to leave her alone. Susanna tells the Countess that she and Figaro have a plan: Almaviva will receive a letter from Basilio informing him that his wife has taken up a lover. At the same time, Susanna will set up a rendezvous with Almaviva, but will send a disguised Cherubino in her place. Cherubino enters with a song of love for the Countess and a commission letter that the Count forgot to seal, and is taken aback when the women begin to undress him. Having locked the door, they have time to hide Cherubino and Susanna when Almaviva unexpectedly arrives to speak with his wife about the letter from Basilio, written and planted by Figaro. Noticing the Countess’s agitation, Almaviva is instantly suspicious. He jealously demands entry into the locked inner room where Cherubino is hiding, but the Countess refuses to open it, claiming Susanna is inside trying on her wedding dress. Almaviva, taking the Countess with him, leaves the room to get a crowbar. After they leave, Susanna locks herself into the room and Cherubino exits the Countess’s chamber through the window. Unaware of the switch, the Countess confesses everything to her husband upon their return. She is shocked when Susanna exits the locked room.
Almaviva begs forgiveness for his suspicions. Figaro arrives to gather up the group for the wedding. He is followed by Antonio, the gardener, who is upset that someone jumping from the Countess’s balcony has crushed his flowers. Upon prompting from the women, Figaro claims it was he who jumped. The gardener shows him Cherubino’s dropped commission, which Figaro claims he was holding it to get the Count’s seal. Marcellina, Bartolo and Basilio enter, and Almaviva, still suspicious, hears their claim that Figaro is obliged to marry Marcellina to pay off an outstanding debt.
ACT III
Acting on her lady’s insistence, Susanna approaches Count Almaviva. He once again asks her to meet him in the garden. She agrees. On her way from the room, the Count overhears Susanna tell Figaro that his legal troubles will soon be over. He is furious at the apparent deception. Marcellina and Bartolo, their attorney Don Curzio in tow, confront Figaro, who tells them that being of noble birth – though stolen away by thieves as an infant – he can only marry with the consent of his family. To prove his tale, he shows the crowd his birthmark. Immediately, Marcellina and Bartolo recognize the mark as belonging to their son, and the three joyfully reunite. Figaro embraces his long-lost mother as Susanna rejoins the crowd, having just secured the money to pay off his debt from the Countess. She misunderstands the embrace and rages at Figaro. Marcellina explains the situation, and everyone is happy. Everyone that is, except the Count, who is sure he’s still being played. As the group leaves, Susanna stays behind to speak to the Countess. The Countess dictates a letter from Susanna to the Count. She plans to surprise Almaviva in the garden herself. Figaro returns to gather everyone for the wedding. During the dancing, Susanna slips the Count her letter.
ACT IV
In the garden, Figaro meets the gardener’s daughter Barbarina, who Almaviva has entrusted to return the brooch Susanna pinned to the letter. Figaro assumes Susanna is cheating on him, and invites Bartolo and Don Basilio to join him for her public humiliation. As they leave, the Countess and Susanna appear, each dressed as the other. Cherubino is also in the garden meeting with Barbarina. He spies the Countess and, thinking she is Susanna, leans in to kiss her. Instead he kisses Almaviva, who swats Figaro. The Count declares his love for Susanna, who is really the Countess, while Figaro tells the Countess, who is really Susanna, about the tryst. Susanna forgets to disguise her voice, and Figaro figures out it is she under the Countess’s cloak. Their embrace is noticed by the Count, who is about to expose them when his wife takes off her own disguise. Almaviva is shamed and apologizes to his wife for both his jealousy and his infidelity. They all return to the celebration.
-Synopsis by Opera Philadelphia
FOCUS ON PHILANTHROPY
YOUR LEGACY GIFT CREATES NORTH CAROLINA OPERA’S LEGACY OF OPERA FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
Make gifting a part of your resolutions. As you work to make exercise, eating well and reaching out to long-distance friends a regular habit this year, consider including donating to charity. By helping the North Carolina Opera, you will not only benefit the arts and the artists that perform, you will also get physical and mental rewards from the uplift in knowing you have done your part to support something that you adore so much.
THREE EASY WAYS TO MAKE YOUR LEGACY GIFT
1. Your Life Insurance
Life insurance that no longer serves its original purpose may be used to ensure that opera is enjoyed by and accessible to audiences in the future. Also consider using life insurance to leverage a gift and make it more impactful.
2. Your Retirement Plan
Designate the opera to receive all or a portion of the balance of your IRA, 401(K), or other qualified plan. You will avoid ordinary income taxes and you can leave other lower-taxed capital gain assets to your heirs. If you don’t need your required minimum distributions, consider the charitable IRA rollover which lets you gift up to $100K annually to the NC Opera and avoids income tax on the distribution.
3. Your Will or Trust
You can help NC Opera expand its productions and education programs for many years to come, continuing the rich tradition of the arts in the Triangle, simply by making a bequest of any amount in your will, trust or donor advised fund.
Making this kind of gift is cost-free during your lifetime, but the benefits are long-lasting to North Carolina Opera and those who love opera. You can make an impact on your community with your gift to the NC Opera and together we will ensure that the Triangle enjoys the delight of opera for many years to come!
– Nerre Shuriah, SVP, Senior Director of Wealth Planning at First Citizens Bank
To discuss a legacy gift, call Sarah Raffurty, Director of Development, at (919) 792-3855 or email sarah.raffurty@ncopera.org.
NORTH CAROLINA OPERA SUPPORTERS
North Carolina Opera extends its deepest gratitude to the following generous individuals who have contributed to making this season possible. This list represents gifts received between January 1, 2024 and March 15, 2025.
INDIVIDUAL GIVING
DIAMOND PATRON
Gifts over $100,000
Rosemarie Sweeney and C. Thomas Kunz
GOLD PATRON
Gifts between $50,000 and $99,999
Ross W. Lampe Jr.
SILVER PATRON
Gifts between $25,000 and $49,999
Jacobi Daley
Rae and James Gulick
Nancy and Philip Hablutzel
Francine and Ralph Roberson
UNDERWRITER
Gifts between $15,000 and $24,999
Paul Fomberg and Roy Cromartie
E.T. Franklin, Jr.
Judith LeGrand
Elizabeth and John Lunsford
Amy Moss and Bill Brown
Shohreh Taavoni and Alan Kronhaus
Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas
GRAND SPONSOR
Gifts between $10,000 and $14,999
Joel R. Adams
Kelvin Currie and Sandra Cook
Susan M. Curtis
Susan and Dale Oller
Anna and James Romano
Brigette Wilds and Michael C. Byrne
John Williamson
SPONSOR
Gifts between $5,000 and $9,999
Jane and Francis Acquaviva
Chip Anderson
Amanda and Michael Bambrick
Dr. Yvonne Bryant
Ruth and G. Sidney Cox
Peter Hamilton
William L. Hampton
Douglas R. Holbrook
Mia Kang and Tony Acquaviva
Chancy and Keith Kapp
Larry Lisle
Dr. Bill and Dr. Margaret McCulloch
Patricia McWaters
Vicky Kruckeberg and Carl R. Nold
Mary Louise and William Rustin
Drs. Lois Flaherty and Richard Sarles
Kay Schoellhorn
Edwina Hardy Shaw
Nerre Shuriah
Cathy and Jim Stuart
Holly and Paul Tesar
Marty Wunsch and Kent Nakamoto
PATRON
Gifts between $2,500 and $4,999
Heather Brown
Ruth and Eva Buck
Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Byrne
David Casteel
Anne Faircloth and Fred Beaujeu-Dufour
Donna and Richard Falvo
Mary-Owens Fitzgerald
Sofie Franzen-Moyle
Vivian Clark and Bryan Gilliam
Margo Lynn Hablutzel
George E. Hall, Jr.
William F. Hamlin, Jr.
Kim Kotlar and James Hargrove
Karen and Clark Havighurst
Emmett and Hubert B. Haywood, III
Thomas Kenan III
Lauren Kennedy-Brady and Charlie Brady
Robert W. Morrison
Linda and Wendell Murphy
Susan Osborne and Stephen Reynolds
Sarah and Steve Shaber
Carter Skinner and Chapman Williams
Sarah and Claude Snow
Ann and Steve Tyler
Josephine Walker
Melissa and Bryan Yeazel
BENEFACTOR
Gifts between $1,000 and $2,499
Richard Adelman
Elizabeth & David Beam
Sharon and Byron Braswell
John Beck and Wendy Lapish
Phyllis and Tyler Bennett
Grant Berry & Sally Webb-Berry
Carol & Robert Bilbro
Amna Cameron
Linda Carlson and Cheryl Thomas
Nancy & Tom Carstens
Governor and Mrs. Roy Cooper
Martha Dimes
Georgia and Alec Donaldson
S. Worth Dunn III
Sallie and Joe Exum
Alison and Ken Faulkner
John Gebhardt
Bill Gilkeson
Kimberly Gooden
James Gray
Paula S. Greenman
Henry Grzes & Sandi Macdonald
Ruth Gross and Hans Kellner
John Hammond
Greg Hirsh
Phyllis Pomerantz and Charles Hochman
Jim Hopper
Kristin Hoyle
Sally and William Johnson
Stefanie and Doug Kahn
Martha and Peter Klopfer
Ekaterina Korobkina and Robert Golub
Guy Lampe
Betsy and Steven Levitas
Joy Lewis
Jo Ann Lutz and Lawrence H. Muhlbaier
Jane Lynch
Susanna Martin
The Honorable Nancy McFarlane and
Ron McFarlane
Susan Moore and Doug Hammer
Nelson Oyesiku
Carol and Rusty Parks
Florence and James Peacock
Tricia and Stuart Phoenix
Ms. Jane Pinsky
Donald and Pamela Raffurty
Janet and James Rapp
Tom Roberg
Harry Rosenberg
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Sandman
John Sarratt and Kathy Klotzberger
Patrick Shanahan
James S. Stringfellow
Cady Thomas
Sally Thomas
Sally and Robert Tiller
Susan and Dick Timmons
Edmund Tiryakian
Gary Travis
Mary Warlick
Diane and Floyd Whitney
Erna and Bill Womble
Elaine P. Wood
Rosemary and Smedes York
SUSTAINER
Gifts between $500 and $999
Anonymous
Perri Anderson
Agnes F. Marshall and Robert M. Auman
Kyla Block
Earlene and Joseph Briggs
Steven Burke
The Honorable Ann Marie Calabria and Robert Calabria
William P. Carroll
Ellen Collins-Boyce
Rena and Philippe Courtay
Deborah and Andrew Dalgliesh
Cheryl and John Denardo
Frank Dworsky
Connie and Bob Eby
Elizabeth and Joseph Kahn Charitable Fund
Ginger and Ed Finley
Douglas Flint
Kristine Forney and William Prizer
Ellen Fort
Patricia Friedman
John Gaitenby
Brenda and Ron Gibson
Norma Hacker
Katherine Anne Hamlin
Dotty and Lee Hanson
Leslie Harris
Judy and Richard Hendrickson
Suzanne and Nick Herman
Susan and Carl Hibbert, Sr.
E. J. Hillings
Martha Hsu
Brooke and Michael Huckabee
Mark Jalkut and Eloise Watson
Melissa and Robert Johnson
Mary and Rick Kane
Sara Lynn Kennedy
NORTH CAROLINA OPERA SUPPORTERS
Martha N. Keravuori and Chuck Galle
Kathy and Tom Lada
Andy Lawrence
Gaspard Louis
Carolyn Maness
Amy and David Marschall
Elaine Marshall
Carol and Rick McNeel
Eric Mitchko
Ruth Mokeba-Ekangaki and Abie Ekangaki
Sarah and Frank Moorman Advised Fund of the Cumberland Community Foundation, Inc.
Steve Nelson
Aurora K. Pajeau, MD, MPH
James Parsons
Steven and Susan Pruskin
Melanie Rankin
Christie Roeder
Frances Rollins
Lori and Randy Sansone
Angela Santucci
Alex & Anderson Shackleford
Fran and Jack Steele
Emmett E. Stobbs, Jr.
Roberta Titchener
Mathew Tyson
Lee Whitener
Suzanne Whitmeyer
Ginny Zehr
SUPPORTER
Gifts between $250 and $499
Anonymous
B. Jasmine Adams
Judith and Jack Adler
Eugenie Almeida
Kelly and Landy Anderton
Trish Anderton
JB Babson
Cortney and Scott Baker
Susan and David Baker
Lee Baker
Anna Ball Hodge
W. Parke Ballantine Jr.
Anna Bess Brown and Eric Hale
Sarah Brown
Joel Buccellato
Dawn and David Burtt
Linda and Philip Carl
Mary Lovelock and W. R. Chapman
Virginia Clark
David Clegg
Simmie Kastner and Jerome Davis
Mary and George Deaton
Ann Erickson
Mary Ann Felton
Mair Glosson
Angela Grant
Valarie Grant
Stuart Grigg
Tim Hackett and Jim Konold
Robin Hammond
Donald Hartmann
Andrew Hicks
Valerie Hillings
Yana James
Carol and Rick Johns
Mizpah Johnson
Valerie Johnson and Linda Edwards
Rachel Kaplan and Jeremy Pienik
Deborah and Thomas Keefe
Leigh Kempf
Suzanne Kennedy-Stoskopf
Moyra and Brian Kileff
Lou and Donald Kline
Timothy A. Kuhn
Annie Lang
James A. and Elaine Lewis
Dorothy Lichtwardt
Leigh and William Kempf
Rosemary Lunsford
Jordan Malik
James May and Richard Cox
Hargrave & Richard McElroy
Larry Mintz
Christina and Thomas Mitchko
John & Lane Nash
Alistair Nevius
Fran Page
Susan Russell
Meg and Matt Segal
Susannah Smith
Donald Stoll
Perry and William Suk
Yvonne Terry
Cindy and Richard Urquhart
Lizbeth and Jean-Marie Videau
Robert D. Wilson
MEMBER
Gifts up to $249
John Adams, III
Robin and Dwight Allen
Naomi André
Glenn and Abram Barefoot
Barbara and Robert Bell
Helen Koo and Richard Bilsborrow
Peter Bleckner
Roy and Hermis Boston
Lars Bostrom
Charles Bryan
Kim Burke
P. Carrigan Byrd, Jr.
Dolores and Burton Carnegie
Laurel Carter and James Todd
Pam Cashwell
Ching Chi Cheng
Sandra Craig
Tammy and Bill Crook
Breona Currie
Judith Bruno and Michael Cyzewski
Lester Czukor
Tanya and Alonzo Dean
Catherine Anderton and José Delgado
Yvonne DeWald
Cynthia and Roger Didio
George Douglas
Amy Edge
Aldert Edmonson
Karen Edwards
Leah Fell
Jonathan Flescher
Brent Fogleman
Penelope Gallins
Jill and Roland Gammon
Roland Gammon
Phyllis and Stephen Gordon
Lynne and Cory Grant
John Graybeal
Dr. Gilbert Greggs
Robert Hablutzel
Carl and Sue Hamill
Sharon Henderson
Deborah Huff
Sara Oswald and Eric Hyman
Lewis H. Kairys
Jo and James Kalat
Gail and Eugene Karcher
Jason Karn
Joan and Howard Kastel
Devon Kearney
Kristen Keenan
Kathleen Klesh
Lewis Lampiris
Lynda and Charles Lankford
Lloyd and Susan Lense
Brigitte Abrams and Francis Lethem
Alexandra LoBianco
Erin Lunsford and Sean Norton
Rebecca and Scott MacLeod
Erica Manley
Margaret Maytan
Ida Merritt
Staci Meyer
Courtney Miller
Bob Mitchell
Eileen and James Mitchell
Loretta Mitchell
Allen and Maureen Murray
Elizabeth Nackley
Jodee Nimerichter and Gaspard Louis
Connie O’Neil
Phyllis and Paul Page
Linda Pukenas
Stephen Schaeffer
Pat and Paul Scheible
Georgiana and Stephen Snyderman
Julie Kelly-Stump and Mark Stump
Susan Swartz
David Taylor
Maggie Thompson
Allison Tolksdorf
Joe Tooley
Pamela Trent
Kristina Troost
Robert W. Upchurch
John Watson
Margaret Weir
Sally and Ron Wenda
Julie and George Williams
Marti and Dan Wilson
Pamela Wolf-Brewer
Heather Wozencraft
Sydelle and Tarek Elshenawy
Wesley Byas
Mary and Peter Zimmerman
We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the gifts listed in our programs. If you notice an error or omission, please let us know by emailing sarah.raffurty@ncopera.org and we will promptly make a correction. Thank you!
SEASON SPONSORS
Photo by Curtis Brown Photography
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 January 1, 2024 and March 15, 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 Scott MacLeod
Margaret Maytan
In Memory of Ruth A. Benton
Anonymous
In Memory of Louie Eargle
Lee Baker
In Loving Memory of Dana Ann Hall
George E. Hall, Jr.
In Memory of 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 Memory of Laura Keigley
Carol McNeel
In Memory of Tom Kunz
Joel R. Adams
Jean Carden
Karen Edwards
Donna and Richard Falvo
Paula S. Greenman
The Hablutzel Family
Carl and Sue Hamill
Vicky Kruckeberg and Carl R. Nold
Jo Ann Lutz and Lawrence Muhlbaier
Jane Lynch
In Honor of Eric Mitchko
Lester Czukor
In Honor of Amy Moss
Judith and Jack Adler
In Honor of Carl Nold
Nancy Hablutzel
In Honor of Florence Peacock
Robert Upchurch
In Honor of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Snyderman
Sheldon Hayer
In Honor of Carter Skinner and Chapman Williams
Margaret Weir
In Honor of Brigette Wilds
Mr. and Mrs. Michael F. Byrne
MEMORIAL GIFTS
Eric Mitchko
Jodee Nimerichter and Gaspard Louis
Connie O’Neil
Ralph and Francine Roberson
Marjorie Satinsky
James S. Stringfellow
Triangle Wagner Society
Shirley Warren
Walter Family Foundation
Julie and George Williams
In Memory of Ruth and Thomas Martin
Susanna Martin
In Memory of Bernard Eugene Mitchell, Sr.
Loretta Mitchell
In Memory of John Russell
Sarah and Frank Moorman Advised Fund of the Cumberland Community Foundation, Inc.
In Memory of Iris E. Stoll
Donald Stoll
In Memory of Lawrence James Wathen, who taught me all I know about opera
Aurora K. Pajeau, MD, MPH
In Memory of Don Wilder, Former Music Director of the National Opera Company
Judith Bruno and Michael Cyzewski
We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the gifts listed in our programs. If you notice an error or omission, please let us know by emailing sarah.raffurty@ncopera.org and we will promptly make a correction. Thank you!
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 December 1, 2023 and January 15, 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
Meridian Financial Morningstar Law Group
Gifts up to $2,499
Cornerstone Custom Printing
Curtis Media Group
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
International Young Artists Project
The Juliette Club
King’s Auto Service, Inc.
Meredith College
Mitchell•Casteel - A Fine Catered AffairPBS of North Carolina
Samet
English Speaking Union of the United States – Research
Triangle Branch
Galloway Ridge at Fearrington Habanero Architecture
Taylor’s Wine
Thomas, Judy & Tucker
Triangle Wagner Society
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
North Carolina Opera would like to thank
Jane Acquaviva
Archetype Graphic Design
Kelli Beck and Ben Cash
Carmen Buckner
Carolina Ballet
Linda T. Carlson
David Casteel
Ruth and Sidney Cox
Jerry Espy and Lorraine Snyder
Ginger Finley
First Presbyterian Church
Paul Fomberg
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
Ellen Fort
Maggie Gina
Rae and Jim Gulick
Jasmine Harrison
Judy Hendrickson
Greg Hirsh
Douglas Holbrook
Audrey Hubbard
Abby Jones
Angel Kelley
John Lunsford
Shanel Martinez
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
Barbara McGuire
Patricia McWaters
Meredith College Department of Music
Charlie Mitchko
Isabel Mitchko
Darla Moore
Maya Nelson
Kay Schoellhorn
Rosemarie Sweeney
Brigette Wilds
Julie Williams
Jeanie Wozencraft-Ornellas
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
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
AARON BREID CONDUCTOR
Aaron Breid is rapidly garnering acclaim as an operatic and symphonic conductor. His precise and passionate leadership has distinguished him as a soughtafter guest conductor and an integral collaborator on large scale opera productions. Highlights among recent guest conductor engagements include Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra, Omaha Symphony, Minnesota Opera, Miami Music Festival, and Orchestra Seattle.
Last season, Breid made his Kennedy Center début conducting Turandot for Washington National Opera, later returning to cover performances of Fidelio and a special concert presentation of Gods and Mortals. He also joined San Francisco Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and The Atlanta Opera, collaborating on productions of The(R)evolution of Steve Jobs, Il barbiere di Siviglia, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This season, Breid serves as the Associate Conductor of Vanessa for National Symphony Orchestra, as well as Dead Man Walking for San Francisco Opera.
In recent seasons, Breid conducted Hänsel und Gretel at Miami Music Festival and collaborated on the revival of Vanessa at Spoleto Festival, USA. He has also stepped in to conduct more than a dozen performances of Turandot, Carmen, Il trovatore, Gianni Schicchi, Suor Angelica, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Così fan tutte, and The Ballad of Baby Doe with Minnesota Opera, Central City Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Opera Omaha, and Virginia Opera.
Known for his contributions to the German and French grand repertoire, recent performances include Tannhäuser (Los Angeles Opera), Elektra (Washington National Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera), Samson et Dalila (Washington National Opera, North Carolina Opera), Wozzeck (Des Moines Metro Opera), Faust (Washington National Opera), Arabella (Minnesota Opera), Der Freischütz (Virginia Opera), Cendrillon (Miami Music Festival), and Siegfried Act III in concert (North Carolina Opera).
Past seasons have seen Breid collaborate on productions with San Francisco Opera’s Merola
Opera Program, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, The Atlanta Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Palm Beach Opera; symphony highlights have included performances with Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Ithaca College Orchestra, Heartland Philharmonic, UNO Chamber Orchestra, Ocala Symphony, Golden Valley Symphony, Edina Chorale and Orchestra, and collaborations with New West Symphony and Charlotte Symphony.
CHAS RADER-SHIEBER STAGE DIRECTOR
Stage Director Chas RaderShieber is known both for his bold and inventive productions and for his acute musical instincts. Reviewing his staging of Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen Toronto’s Classical 96.3 FM praised Rader-Shieber’s “daring and visionary approach to staging” and declared him “a force to be reckoned with in the opera world.”
Chas begins the 2024-2025 season with a return to Orpheus PDX for a new production of Handel’s Aci, Galatea, e Polifemo, followed by Gounod’s Faust with the Academy of Vocal Arts. He also makes his company debut with North Carolina Opera, remounting his production of Le nozze di Figaro. Recently named Artistic Partner as part of a threeyear agreement, Chas continues his long-standing relationship with Des Moines Metro Opera in the summer, directing a new production of Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress.
The previous season began with a company debut at New Orleans Opera where he directed a new production of Le nozze di Figaro. Rader-Shieber also returned to Curtis Institute of Music for Handel’s oratorio, L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, and to Des Moines Metro Opera for a new production of Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande
Mr. Rader-Shieber has enjoyed a long relationship with the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, where he has directed over 30 operas, among them Il barbiere di Siviglia, La clemenza di Tito, Capriccio, Ariadne auf Naxos, Die Zauberflöte, Henze’s Elegy for Young Lovers, and Alcina. At Curtis, he also co-directed a film entitled Mercy with Alek Shrader, inspired by Mozart’s La clemenza di Tito. In addition, his
productions have been seen around the world, at houses such as Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Washington National Opera, New York City Opera, Opera Theatre St. Louis, Boston Lyric Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and many more.
THEO HOFFMAN COUNT ALMAVIVA
Theo Hoffman is among the most versatile American singers of his generation. Hoffman can be seen later this year in his role debut as Demetrius in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and in the fall will debut at the Opéra Comique in Paris as Oreste in Iphigénie en Tauride under the baton of Louis Langrée. Mr. Hoffman’s performing career has taken him all over the world, including collaborations with The Metropolitan Opera ( Grounded ), Staatsoper Hamburg (Il Turco in Italia and Manon), Opernhaus Zürich (Platée), National Symphony Orchestra of Taiwan (Pelléas et Mélisande), Los Angeles Opera (Die Zauberflöte, Satyagraha, Candide, Carmen, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Salome), Seattle Opera (La bohème), Opera Philadelphia (Denis & Katya), Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (The Trial and Le nozze di Figaro), Israeli Opera (Die Zauberflöte and Le nozze di Figaro), New Orleans Opera (Le nozze di Figaro), Atlanta Opera (La bohème and Carmen), Opera Omaha (Les Enfants Terribles), Berkshire Opera Festival (Three Decembers), and Des Moines Metro Opera (Flight).
Equally passionate about concert and recital, Hoffman has been heard with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Israeli Philharmonic, Salzburg Mozartwoche, Vocal Arts DC, Castleton Festival, Bard Music Festival, Washington Concert Opera, Marlboro Music, Moab Music Festival, Portland Symphony Orchestra, Pacific Symphony, Chamber Music Northwest, and Winston-Salem Symphony. He is the recipient of a 2018 Richard Tucker Music Foundation Sara Tucker Study Grant and was a Grand Finalist in the 2016 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
KATHRYN HENRY COUNTESS ALMAVIVA
This season, Ms. Henry debuted with the Metropolitan Opera in Die Frau ohne Schatten; North Carolina Opera as the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro; the Dallas Symphony Orchestra as both Gutrune and 3rd Norn in Götterdämmerung and as Helmwige in Die Walküre; and the Richmond Symphony for Mahler’s Fourth Symphony. Next season, she makes her European debut as Desdemona in Verdi’s Otello.
Ms. Henry’s artistry has been recognized with a prestigious Grammy nomination for Best Opera Recording for her striking portrayal of Lucy Harker in the studio recording of the world premiere of John Corigliano and Mark Adamo’s The Lord of Cries; following her triumphant debut at the Santa Fe Opera. Notably, she stepped into the title role of Janáček’s Jenůfa at the Lyric Opera of Chicago under the baton of Jakub Hrůša.
Further credits include Strauss’ Four Last Songs with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, excerpts from Norma with the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera, Governess in The Turn of the Screw, and the title role in Suor Angelica. She has also covered Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier and Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with the Santa Fe Opera, Juliette in Roméo et Juliette at Wolf Trap Opera, and Mimi in La bohéme at Chautauqua Opera.
WM. CLAY THOMPSON FIGARO
American bass Wm. Clay Thompson, lauded for his “mahogany-timbred” voice and “imposing presence” (OperaNews), is a standout talent in the opera world. As a two-time District winner of the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, a SemiFinalist in the Fort Worth Opera McCammon Voice Competition, and a Richard F. Gold Career Grant recipient from the Shoshana Foundation, Mr. Thompson’s talent has earned international acclaim. This season, Thompson makes house debuts at
Virginia Opera as Leporello in Don Giovanni and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte, as well as North Carolina Opera in the title role in Le nozze di Figaro. Additionally, he will return to the role of Zuniga in Carmen at Sioux City Symphony.
As a member of the Ryan Opera Center Ensemble at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Thompson has debuted as the King in Aida and covered Rychtar in Jenufa and Alidoro in La Cenerentola. His Lyric credits further include Zuniga in Carmen, Un Moine in Don Carlos, Jago in Ernani, and Arnie Duncan in the world premiere of Proximity.
In 2023, Thompson portrayed Méphistophélès in Wolf Trap Opera’s Faust, and this summer he captivated audiences as Father Palmer in Kevin Puts’ Silent Night and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte. His notable credits also extend to Arizona Opera (Zuniga), the Metropolitan Opera (Octet Singer in Brett Dean’s Hamlet), and Santa Fe Opera, where he was an Apprentice Artist.
A proud Lexington, Kentucky native, Thompson holds a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of North Texas.
CADIE J. BRYAN SUSANNA
Louisiana-born soprano Cadie J. Bryan is praised for her “glittering, brilliant soprano,” and “scene-stealing stage presence”. She received her Bachelor of Music from Louisiana State University and continued with Graduate and Post-Graduate studies at Indiana University. She was a Fellow of Ravinia’s Steans Music Institute (2017-18) and a member of the Young Artist Programs of The Santa Fe Opera (2023-24), Arizona Opera (2018-20), and Des Moines Metro Opera (2017-18) where she debuted some of her most notable roles to date including Susanna/ Le nozze di Figaro (AZO, 2019), Musetta/La bohème (AZO, 2020), Clarine/Platée and Prilepa/Queen of Spades (DMMO, 2021), and Giannetta/L’elisir d’amore (SFO, 2024) and covered roles including Zerlina/ Don Giovanni (SFO, 2024), Mélisande/Pelléas et Mélisande (SFO, 2023), and Laurie/The Tender Land (DMMO, 2018).
She regularly appears with The Atlanta Opera,
recently as Musetta/La bohème (2024), Woglinde/ Das Rheingold (2023), and Berta/The Barber of Seville (2022), and has also performed with The Dallas Opera Orchestra, The Santa Fe Symphony, New Orleans Opera, and Las Vegas Opera.
She was a 2024 finalist of the prestigious Giulio Gari Foundation Competition in New York, and next season, she joins The Metropolitan Opera roster covering the leading soprano role in the seasonopening premier of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay. She recently joined the North American tour circuit of beloved Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, continuing to appear as a featured soprano soloist. Other notable roles include Clara/It’s a Wonderful Life, Marian/The Music Man, Maria/The Sound of Music, Bess/Riders of the Purple Sage, Chan Parker/Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, Annina/La traviata, and Lisette/La rondine.
STEPHANIE FOLEY DAVIS CHERUBINO
Stephanie Foley Davis was praised by the New York Times in her Glimmerglass Festival debut in The Tender Land as “a poised, touching Ma Moss” and Opera News said she was “a loving, careworn Ma, warm of voice and presence.”
Ms. Davis has appeared in leading roles throughout the US with companies such as Arizona Opera, Nashville Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Opera Roanoke, Buffalo Philharmonic, Vero Beach Opera, Nightingale Opera Theatre, Orlando Philharmonic and almost every professional opera company in North Carolina, including Opera Carolina, Piedmont Opera, North Carolina Opera, and Greensboro Opera. The Roanoke Times said Foley Davis “gives us a Rosina of fiery impetuousness while also nailing the character’s distinctively wry wit.” Prior appearances with North Carolina Opera include Kamala Sankaram’s Lost Music in the Heart of Everything, along with Manon Lescaut, Die Zauberflöte, Carmen and Il trovatore.
Stephanie is excited to return as mezzo soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with the Greensboro Symphony, to Opera Roanoke as Zita in Gianni Schicchi, and to NC Opera as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro for
the 2024-25 season.
Last season saw a return to Piedmont Opera for Stephanie as Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro and Sylvia in David Wolfson’s opera Rapture. A regular soloist with the Piedmont Wind Symphony, Stephanie sang on their “Home for the Holidays” concert, as well as their “Pops in the Pit” in September. Opera Roanoke’s Strauss Ecstasy concert featured Foley Davis as Komponist in October.
A sought-after soloist, Stephanie has performed in concert with orchestras and ensembles throughout the US, including Santa Fe Symphony, Carolina Ballet, Richmond Symphony, Greensboro Symphony, Winston-Salem Symphony, Memphis Symphony, Piedmont Wind Symphony, Portland Symphony (Maine,) and Arizona MusicFest.
Ms. Davis is the Associate Director and Master Teacher at the Music Academy of North Carolina, where she has been teaching voice since 2011.
ADAM LAU
DOCTOR BARTOLO
Chinese-American bass Adam Lau, praised for his “dauntingly low register” (Classical Voice America) and his “cellar-deep sound” (Post Alley) continues to garner acclaim for his “cavernous bass sound” (Philadelphia Inquirer) around the world. Lau’s 202425 season opened with San Francisco Opera, where he performed the role of Samuel in the company’s season-opening production of Un ballo in maschera. Other engagements in the season include returns to Minnesota Opera for Roméo et Juliette as Frère Laurent and Seattle Opera for both Les Troyens and Tosca, singing the roles of Narbal and Angelotti, respectively. He will also join the Oakland Symphony as the bass soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Prior performances with North Carolina Opera include La bohème, Samson et Dalila, Das Rheingold, Don Giovanni, and Il barbiere di Siviglia.
In the 2023-24 season, he performed in concerts with the Metropolitan Opera at Carnegie Hall and on the company’s European tour, conducted by Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Later in the summer, he sang Sarastro in The Magic Flute under the baton of Marin Alsop. In the fall, he rejoined
San Francisco Opera to cover Kobun in The (R) evolution of Steve Jobs and sang a Noble in Lohengrin Early 2024 brought his debut with the Atlanta Symphony in Bruckner’s Te Deum, followed by a return to Utah Opera in a signature role—the title role in Le nozze di Figaro.
Adam Lau has received top honors in several major competitions, including First Prize at the George London Competition, the Jensen Vocal Competition, the Palm Springs Opera Guild Competition, and the Young Patronesses of the Opera Competition.
LUCIA BRADFORD MARCELLINA
Mezzo-soprano, Lucia Bradford is a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. Ms. Bradford has performed a number of operatic roles including Carmen in Bizet’s La Tragedie de Carmen, Zita in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, La Principessa in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, The Mother in Ravel’s L’Enfant des Sortileges, Mercédès in Bizet’s Carmen, Mrs. Quickly in Verdi’s Falstaff, The Sorceress in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Gertrude in Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet, Hippolyta in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Miss Todd in Menotti’s Old Maid and the Thief, the Duchess of Plaza Toro in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers, Azelia Dessalines in William Grant Still’s opera Troubled Island, Douglas Tappin’s I dream as Grandma, and Mary Watkins’ Emmett Till as Mamie Till. Prior North Carolina Opera performances include Maria in Porgy and Bess, and Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia.
Her concert works include the St Matthews Passion with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Bach’s Weihnachts oratorium, Mozart’s Vesperae solennes de Confessore, Hadyn’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 with the National Symphony, the Mozart Requiem, Durufle Requiem, Bach B minor Mass, St John’s Passion and St Matthew’s Passion with the Voices of Ascension, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Bach’s Magnificat, at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of N.Y.
ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES
Upcoming performance include Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang and Paul Moravec’s All Shall Rise (premier performance) at Carnegie Hall.
SCOTT WICHAEL
DON BASILIO/ DON CURZIO
Scott Wichael is a talented and versatile American tenor whose career spans a wide range of operatic roles and concert performances. Praised for his expressive voice and dynamic stage presence, Wichael has appeared in numerous roles with various opera companies throughout the United States.
His recent roles include Nick in La Fanciulla del West, a Lamplighter in Manon Lescaut, and Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte with North Carolina Opera, Steuermann in Der Fliegende Holländer with Painted Sky Opera, Jaquino in Fidelio with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, and Herod in Salome with Rimrock Opera.
Wichael, an active concert soloist, has performed in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Handel’s, Messiah, Mozart’s Requiem, Stainer’s The Crucifixion, Rachmaninov’s “The Bells” and Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass.
BAILEY SUTTON BARBARINA
Bailey Sutton is a young American soprano rapidly gaining recognition for her shimmering, silver tone and nuanced musicality. Originally from La Grange, North Carolina, Bailey frequently performs on the opera stage with North Carolina Opera as a member of the chorus. In the 2023 season, Bailey Sutton made her debut with Opera Arlington as Adina in selections from Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore and appeared with the company as a guest soloist at the Arlington Museum of Art. Bailey recently created the role of Hero in the world premiere of Evan Keene’s Much Ado About Nothing at Stafford Opera Troupe, and has also portrayed Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hänsel and Gretel and Drusilla from Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea. She was
also a featured soloist in North Carolina Opera’s Opera About Town Online.
In addition to opera, Bailey has performed many musical theater and straight theater roles, such as Mrs. Nordstrom from Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, and Abby Brewster from Joseph Kesselring’s Arsenic and Old Lace.
Off the stage, Bailey is passionate about serving her community through the arts and empowering young musicians. She currently serves students as the director of choirs and head of the drama department at North Lenoir High School, directing two musical theater productions a year. Bailey holds a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from East Carolina University and a Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Mount Olive. Bailey is thrilled to make her solo debut with North Carolina Opera as Barbarina!
DONALD HARTMANN ANTONIO
No stranger to North Carolina Opera audiences, having appeared in Tosca, Carmen, Aida, Le nozze di Figaro, Rusalka, and others, bassbaritone Donald Hartmann, is celebrating 46 years of singing on operas stages nationwide.
His professional career began in 1978 with the Stadttheater Regensburg, and later with the Vereinigte Städtiches Bühnen Krefeld/Mönchengladbach in Germany. He has been described as possessing a, “big, rich voice with an amazing timbre” and “… his flair for comedic bel canto is major-league-worthy.” Having performed in over 170 operatic productions, in over 60 operas singing over 70 different roles, in many companies across the US and Canada, he had been described as “one of the best character singers on any opera stage anywhere.” As noted in OPERA, “Donald Hartmann (as Dr. Bartolo), gave a definitive performance that skillfully blended comic acting and masterful singing.” He has enjoyed two very important national debuts: William Jennings Bryan in the 60th anniversary production of The Ballad of Baby Doe for Central City Opera in Colorado, and the Sacristan in Tosca in the historic reopening of New York City Opera’s return to Lincoln Center in 2016!
His 2024 -25 season includes Simone/Gianni Schicchi for Opera Roanoke, and Commendatore/Don Giovanni for Greensboro Opera.
ROSS KOLMAN LIGHTING DESIGNER
Ross Kolman has designed lighting for a number of artists, choreographers, and companies including Ellen Hemphill, Lynne TaylorCorbett, Christopher Wheeldon, Richard Tanner, Damian Woetzel, Robert Weiss, Tyler Walters, Mark Dendy, Liz Lerman, Amanda Miller, Clay Taliaferro, the National Opera, The North Carolina Dance Theater, The Pennsylvania Ballet, North Carolina Opera, Ballet Hawaii, PlayMakers Rep, and Nnenna Freelon.
Mr. Kolman was the Resident Lighting Designer for The Duke University Institute of the Arts, Ann Carlson, and Marlies Yearby’s Movin’ Spirits Dance Theater. In addition, Ross has worked as Production Manager for the American Dance Festival, Carolina Ballet, and for Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble Creative Exchanges Program. Mr. Kolman has also worked on the faculty of the Theater Studies Department at Duke University. He is a founding member of Carolina Ballet where he is currently the Resident Lighting Designer. Previous productions with North Carolina Opera include Rusalka, Don Giovanni and Il trovatore. Mr. Kolman lives and works in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
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
Eric McCracken
Irina Shelepov
Leah Peroutka
Krista Cala
2ND VIOLIN
Emi Hildebrandt
Ashley Kovacs
Suzanne Kelly
Cortney Baker
Sarah Griffin
Robert Rempher
NORTH CAROLINA OPERA
VIOLA
Simon Ertz
Matthew Chicurel
Kristen Beard
Emi Mizobuchi
Rachael Keplin
CELLO
Nathan Leyland
Brian Carter
Rosalind Leavell
Lauren Dunseath
BASS
John Spuller
Emily Rupp Buccola
FLUTE
Carla Copeland Burns
Whitney Pencina
OBOE
Courtney Miller
Carrie Shull
CLARINET
Mike Cyzewski
Todd Krueger
BASSOON
Michael Burns
John Fanning
FRENCH HORN
Christopher Caudill
Rachel Niketopoulos
TRUMPET
John Manning
Jack Smid
Jasmin Brown
Gretchen Bruesehoff
Joanna Burke
Frances Bushman
Shanna Collins
Alexia Della Valle
Tanya Hanano
Erica Jackson
Tina Langevin
Jodi Lewis
Margaret Maytan
Angela Santucci
Joncie Sarratt
Rachel Stenbuck
Isabella Stollenmaier
NORTH CAROLINA OPERA CHORUS
Eric Luke
Coleridge Nash
Lindon Pearson
Reggie Powell
SUPERNUMERARIES
Tom Keefe
Darris Lindsey
Juan Matamoros
Joncie Sarratt
Rachel Starr
TIMPANI
Julia Thompson
PERCUSSION
Paul Gorski
HARP
Jacquelyn Bartlett
LIBRARIAN
Julia Thompson
NORTH CAROLINA OPERA STAFF
General Director – Eric Mitchko
Director of Marketing – Angela Grant
Director of Development – Sarah Raffurty
Company Manager – Julie Williams
Production Manager – Linda T. Carlson
Box Office Associate – Amanda Reyes
Education Coordinator – Rachel Stenbuck
Engagement Coordinator – Micaela Bundy
City Manager – Marchell Adams-David
Assistant City Manager – Evan Raleigh
Executive Director – Kerry Painter
General Manager – Michelle Bradley
Director of Theatre Operations – Christopher Bullock
Director of Finance – Laura Knott
Director of Security – Byron K Johnson II
Director of Talent Strategy – Antonio Cruz
Box Office Manager – Robert Leavell
Booking Manager – Melanie Margarum
Marketing Manager – Sarah McAlister
Events Experience Manager – Brittany Washington
Front of House Manager – Matthew Hester
Front of House Manager – Deanna Long
Production Manager – Dave McManus
Production Supervisors – Andrew Armas, EG Garcia, Brian Moore, Jason Morris
Security Supervisor – Shelly Westfall
Maintenance and Operations Superintendent – Blade Perdue
Facilities Supervisor – William Negron
Capital Projects Manager – Olivia Holbrook
Event Settlement Analyst – Keisha Peacock
Operation Staff – Nicole Ackman, Deshondre Bellinger, Gavin Brown, Alex Bryant, Kendra Burgess, Andrew Crane, Sean Delgado-Cruz, Mike Dreese, Gregory Dunn, William Goldrick, Michael Green, Favourite Htaw, Ehhteeku Htaw, Ulando Jones, Trevor Jordan, Tami Kaufmann, Liberty Lander, Noeree Lander, Anthony Letourneau, Matino Lin, Lisa Morgan, Keecia Rouse, Htee Shee, Noah Stancil, Mason Tierney, Avery Vanore, Trevon Vickers, Luke Watkins, Renee Wilson, Evan Woodard
MARTIN MARIETTA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS STAFF
JULY 18, 20, 25, 27, 2025
Thank you for enhancing our lives with the gift of music. At Curtis Media, we applaud your artistry and your talent as well as the many ways that you enrich North Carolina’s cultural fabric.
SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2025, 2:00PM
Jennifer Rhodes: ZOOM PROGRAM ON Literary Influences on Wagner and His Influences on the Early 20th-Century Novel
SUNDAY, MAY 18, 2025, 2:00PM
Kip Cranna: ZOOM PROGRAM ON Spotlight on Leitmotivs: Another Look at Wagner’s Ring
SUNDAY, JUNE 8, 2025, 2:00PM
Desirée Mays: LIVE PROGRAM ON Faith and Miracles in the Operas of Wagner and Other Composers
All TWS programs are recorded and made available to members and paying guests so they can listen at their convenience.
Dear North Carolina,
For 70 amazing years, you—the people of North Carolina—have been by our side. You’ve inspired us and cheered us on since our first telecast back in 1955. Together, we’ve welcomed Mister Rogers to our neighborhood, gotten our hands dirty with This Old House and gone on countless trips with NC Weekend. We’ve mastered the art of French cooking with Julia, found our roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr. and rummaged through every yard sale looking for the next big Antiques Roadshow discovery.
Because of you, PBS North Carolina has expanded beyond broadcast television to educate, inform, entertain and inspire all North Carolinians—at home, in the classroom or on the go. Your support has made all of this possible, and for that we’re forever grateful.
So here’s to you for 70 wonderful years! And stay tuned as the best is yet to come.
