North Carolina Opera | THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

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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.

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.

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.

With gratitude,

Your friends at PBS North Carolina

YEARS

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