OPENING NIGHT OCTOBER 30
Bocelli
Andrea
in Concert
Aligning
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Celebration Concert
75th ANNIVERSARY SEASON
ANDREA BOCELLI
in Concert
October 30, 2024
Belk Theater
Andrea Bocelli
Maestro Steven Mercurio, Conductor
The Opera Carolina Chorus
The Charlotte Symphony
Cadie J Bryan, Soprano
Melinda Whittington, Soprano
Corey Lovelace, Soprano
Zachary Hugo, Baritone
Grand Opera 75th ANNIVERSARY SEASON
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER Celebratory Concert
November 9, 2024
Belk Theater
A harmonious shower of Opera Stars will fall at the Belk Theater for “A Night to Remember”, a Grand Gala* Concert to celebrate Opera Carolina’s 75th Season, will forever hold a special place in your heart. You will want to say, “I was there!”.
* Free admission thanks to the generosity of Dr. Matteo Fregosi.
CARMEN
by G. Bizet
SEASON 2024•25
February 6, 8 & 9, 2024
Belk Theater
A young gypsy loves passionately. She is fearless, free spirited and independent. She is the target of her ex’s jealousy. Carmen – Grand Opera’s fiery heroine – is loved by two men. And when the inevitable happens, she is fearless, defiant and strong. She is, after all, Carmen.
LA BOHEME by G. Puccini
APRIL10, 12 & 13, 2025
Belk Theater
Before Rent, the life of the starving artist took the stage in Puccini’s masterpiece
La bohème. La bohème’s Friends are filled with life and love. They are carefree until reality shatters their innocence. A timeless story for all ages.
Giacomo
Since 1999, the Hearst corporate office in Charlotte and the Hearst Foundations in New York have provided a reliable, firm foundation for Opera Carolina’s philanthropic campaigns. Hearst corporate has been the Title Sponsor of the opening opera in each season from the 2001/02 season to the 2024/25 season-opening Benefit Concert featuring Andrea Bocelli. This amazing support is made more significant by the investment the Hearst Foundations have made in Opera Carolina:
THANK YOU TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO MAKE HEARST A SPECIAL CORPORATE PARTNER.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2024/25 SEASON
OFFICERS
CAROL Y. KENDRICK Board Chair. Arts Advocate
ARLENE FEREBEE Vice-Chair. Novant Health
CHRISTOPHER T. MARDANY Vice-Chair. Hearst
DARYL HOLLNAGEL Secretary. Shumaker Loop & Kendrick
PHYLLIS ZANGHI Tresurer AIG
FRANK BONCIMINO Assistant Treasurer. Gaming Intelligence
JULIE BERNARD Immediate Past Chair. Deloitte
MEMBERS
AARON BENJAMIN Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP
ROB BOISVERT I-77 Mobility Partners, LLC
NATALIE BROWN Ally Financial
CRAIG SELIMOTIC DANFORTH Bernstein Priv. Wealth Mng.
JOHN HARMELING Grant Thornton
ROBERT HARRINGTON Robinson Bradshaw
SHARON HARRINGTON Novant Health Foundation
BARBARA HOLT Arts Advocate
CACI JAEGER Arts Advocate
PAUL KARDOUS Row Architecture
JENNIFER MARTIN Arts Advocate
MARCUS MARTIN U.S. Bancorp
CHRISTOPHER MAURER Wells Fargo, retired
MATTHEW MOORE JP Morgan Chase
JIM POWELL Trane Technologies
ANN REED Arts Advocate
JORDAN STERN U.S. Bancorp
ELIZABETH TRENARY Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein
AUNDREA WILSON Arts Advocate
LIFE MEMBERS
DR. KI-HYUN CHUN CPA, Ph.D., LL.D, The Chun Group
LESLIE PALIYENKO Metropolitan Opera National Council
CHARLOTTE D. PAYNE Arts Advocate
PEG POVINELLI Arts Advocate
EMILY SMITH Arts Advocate
OC2020 CAMPAIGN CHAIRS
ROB ENGEL Wells Fargo
MARY TABOR ENGEL Queens University
OUR TEAM
DR. SHANT É P. WILLIAMS
General Director
CLAUDIO FERRI
Deputy Director
Artistic
JAMES MEENA Artistic Director & Principal Conductor
EMILY JARRELL URBANEK Director of Music Preparation
Community Engagement
ASHLEY JOHNSON LAM
Senior Director of Community Engagement & Young Artist Programs
TEIL TALIESIN Learning Programs Manager
GAIL GARVIN
Community Programs Manager
REINA CAMPBELL
Community Engagement Coordinator
DARIA RUZHYNSKA
Coach & Accompanist
Development
ALINA MACNICHOL
Senior Director of Development
PHIL VOLPONI
Corporate Development & Government Affairs
Finance
SHALIL GIANNONE Finance Consultant
PAM HARNETT
Bookkeeper
Marketing
LOGAN WEBBER
Communications Manager
Operations
SARAH WATSON Operations & Ticketing Manager
Production
MICHAEL BAUMGARTEN
Director of Production, Resident Lighting & Video Designer
VALERIE WHEELER
Production Stage Manager & Assistant to the Director of Production
WILBERT FERGUSON
Technical Director
JAY GRAVES
Assistant TD & Properties Manager
COpera Carolina Resident Company Artists O
Andrea Bocelli in Concert
MELINDA WHITTINGTON, Soprano
American soprano Melinda Whittington has performed with opera houses all over the country, including The Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Lyric, Minnesota Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Utah Opera, Arizona Opera, Opera Carolina, North Carolina Opera, Kentucky Opera, and Pensacola Opera. The Salt Lake Tribune praises Melinda for her “performances of emotional resonance along with their powerhouse vocals.” Last season, Melinda made her role debut as Mimì in Minnesota Opera’s new production of Puccini’s La bohème and sang her first Verdi Requiem with the Charlotte Symphony. In describing Melinda’s performance of Mimì, Broadway World says, “Whittington’s vocals are so rich and full that she has no problem filling the theater with her glorious voice,” and the Star Tribune says she “could blow your hair back with her electrifying high notes.” This season she will return to both Mimì and Micaëla in Carmen with her home company, Opera Carolina. She also revisits the role of Donna Anna (Don Giovanni, Greensboro Opera), joins the Charlotte Master Chorale and Charlotte Symphony as the soprano soloist in Elijah, and is thrilled to duet with Andrea Bocelli this evening. Her other recent roles include the title roles of Rusalka and Arabella, Violetta in La traviata, Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Ada in Higdon’s Cold Mountain, Nedda in Pagliacci, Contessa in Le Nozze di Figaro, Juliette in Roméo et Juliette, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Marguerite in Faust, Homecoming Soldier in Redler’s The Falling and the Rising, and Marie Antoinette in Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles. Melinda was a young artist at the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, a Merola young artist at San Francisco Opera, and a Filene young artist at Wolf Trap Opera. She holds a Master of Music degree from the University of North Carolina Greensboro and a Bachelor of Music from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In addition to performing, Melinda maintains a private voice studio here in Charlotte and teaches at Davidson College. To hear or learn more, visit her website at www.melindawhittington.com.
CORY LOVELACE, Soprano
Corey Raquel Lovelace hails from Chicago, but happily calls North Carolina home. She made her spectacular debut as Nedda in Pagliacci last season, filling in at the 11th hour for an indisposed Barbara Frittoli. She made her role debut as Leonore in Fidelio with the Mid-Ohio Opera Company in 2023. Corey returned to the concert stage premiering new works by Ukrainian composer, Sophia Pavlenko-Chandley as well as making her debut as the title role in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah and covered the title role in Adriana Lecouvreur. Corey returned to the opera stage post-pandemic performing Mimì in La bohème with Opera North, and she made her company debut with Opera Carolina as Musetta in 2020. Internationally, she has performed in China with the iSING! Music Festival and made her European debut with the American Institute of Musical Studies in Graz, Austria. Additional performing credits include Cendrillon in La Cendrillon, Kate in Connection Lost: The Tinder Opera, Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, and Lady Billows in Albert Herring She continues to shine on the Opera Carolina stage this season as Frasquita in Carmen and Musetta in La bohème
ZACHARY HUGO, Baritone
Acclaimed for his “vibrant and ringing” sound, last season Zachary made his principal role debut as Sharpless in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. The 2023/24 season saw him make his company debut with Opera Grand Rapids as Marcello in their production of La bohème as well as covering the roles of Alfio and Tonio for Opera Carolina’s double feature of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci. Most recently, he has been seen as Il Conte in Le Nozze di Figaro with International Lyric Academy/Opera Carolina and as Pluto in the sold-out preview performance of Nmon Ford’s highly anticipated new opera House of Orfeus. Mr. Hugo reprised the role of Pluto for an October concert performance with Detroit Opera with further performances to be announced. Other notable engagements include Germont (Cover) in La traviata and Scarpia (Cover) in Tosca with Opera Carolina, Schaunard in La bohème and Belcore in L’elisir d’amore with Central Piedmont Opera Theater, and Silvio in Pagliacci and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera Experience Southeast. During Opera Carolina’s 75th Anniversary Season, Mr. Hugo will reprise the role of Marcello in La bohème. Mr. Hugo’s training also includes graduate studies in conducting, leading to productions of Gluck’s Orpheé et Eurydice, Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, and Mozart’s Così fan tutte under his baton. A native of South Carolina, Mr. Hugo holds a B.M. in Vocal Performance and a M.M. in Conducting from Winthrop University. Additionally, he is an active teacher of voice and piano in the Charlotte area.
Concert Program
ANDREA BOCELLI
OPERA CAROLINA, BELK THEATER, CHARLOTTE – OCTOBER 30, 2024
Cade J. Bryan, Soprano
Melinda Whittington, Soprano
Corey Lovelace, Soprano
Zachary Hugo, Baritone
Maestro Steven Mercurio, Conductor
C. Orff, “O Fortuna” from Carmina Burana
G. Verdi, “La donna è mobile” from Rigoletto
G. Verdi, “Di quella Pira” from Il Trovatore
R. Leoncavallo, “Stridono lassù” from Pagliacci
G. Puccini, “Bimba dagli occhi pieni di malìa” from Madama Butterfly
G. Puccini, “O mio babbino caro” from Gianni Schicchi
G. Verdi, “La mia letizia infondere” from I Lombardi alla prima crociata
G. Puccini, “O soave fanciulla” from La bohème
G. Puccini, “Dunque e’ proprio finita” from La bohème
Intermission
G. Puccini, Intermezzo from Manon Lescaut
G. Puccini, “Tu, tu, amore? Tu?” from Manon Lescaut
G. Rossini, “Largo al factotum” from Il Barbiere di Siviglia
C. A. Bixio, “Mamma”
L. Denza, “Funiculì funiculà”
A. J. Lerner, “I Could Have Danced All Night” from My Fair Lady
A. Lara, “Granada”
G. Verdi, Brindisi from La traviata
Board Chair
CAROL Y. KENDRICK
OWelcome to Opera Carolina’s 75th season! We are thrilled that you are able to join our platinum celebration!
An anniversary of this magnitude would not be complete without a few special events. We will open our season with a grand concert from opera legend Andrea Bocelli performing a curated selection of operas and other vocal pieces. Then we will ring in our 75th season with a birthday party for the opera on November 9th, complete with a free concert at the Belk. To close 2024, we will host our annual fund-raising gala Bella Notte, a beautiful gathering that you won’t want to miss.
CELEBRATING 75 YEARS: A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR
In the new year, our winter performance will bring Bizet’s Carmen back to the Charlotte stage. This beautiful production promises soaring music and incredible set design and is not to be missed. Following Carmen, in the spring we hope to delight you with Puccini’s La bohème. Interspersed between our grand operas, Opera Carolina has a few surprises in store. Check our website regularly for the most up-to-date information about upcoming concerts, special events, and maybe a rarely heard opera.
As we go into our anniversary season, I must stop and take notice of everything we’ve done, and that we have coming up. These 75 years would not have been possible without the commitment and generosity of our audience and our patrons. The next 75 years will only be possible with your support as well. As you enjoy the wonderful offerings we have for you in the coming year, please consider helping our mission and letting us pave a bright artistic future for the next 75 years and beyond.
Enjoy the performance!
DECADES OF REGIONAL IMPACT THROUGH ARTS EDUCATION AND PERFORMANCE
O pera press
by Teil Taliesin
XOpera Carolina is known for its grand opera productions, but did you know they tour a 35-minute opera to schools? Opera Xpress’s performances bring the magic of opera to both the Carolinas, Georgia, and Virginia. Touring two days a week through the academic calendar, Opera Xpress averages over sixty performances each year in elementary schools and arts centers enriching learning initiatives through music. Accompanying learning guides connect the performance elements to Core Curriculum Standards and 21st Century Learning Skills. Opera Xpress is not just about exposing children to opera for the first time, it’s about using opera as a vehicle for learning literature, history, science, socio-emotional learning, and more. Additionally, Opera Xpress has become a vital training opportunity for developing singers and collaborative pianists eager for experience bridging the gap between collegiate study and professional experience.
Since 1971, Opera Carolina has provided in-school performances to more than two million students. In the beginning, Opera Carolina was known as Charlotte Opera and our learning wing of the company was known as North Carolina Opera (distinctly different that the current North Carolina Opera). The learning department was an outgrowth of the North
Carolina state mandate to tour the state with artistic productions. Leslie Paliyenko, a woman of many hats at Opera Carolina from Chorus member to lifetime Board member was also the Tour Manager for these productions. Opera Carolina always performed three operas each season, and “the third opera would present in Charlotte, then pack up and go on tour reaching Asheville, Greensboro, Sweet Briar, Virginia, Georgia, going on tour with week-long engagements with orchestra.” Leslie reminisces discussions with Bob Dougherty, liaison for the orchestra, when he conveyed the orchestra’s dismay of only eating pizza at the University stop in Lumberton one particular tour. This was the start of Opera Carolina’s outreach creating a regional footprint that shaped what Opera Xpress continues today.
In the 1990s as touring full productions became increasingly expensive, the concept changed to in-school education tours engaging with traditional works like Hansel and Gretel. Collaborative Pianist Mentor Zaiba Sheikh smiles, “we’ve become leaner and meaner, but have a longer footprint.” Opera Xpress used to have full props and heavy set-design materials that traveled to each performance, complete with a designated tour manager. Increasing cost and change of funding sources challenged Opera Carolina to trim back to become efficient while still providing high quality experiences.
Ashley Johnson Lam, Senior Director of Community Engagement & Young Artist Programs, remembers starting as a summer intern in 2010 delving into the Opera Xpress tour of The Billy Goats Gruff. When she initially started, the tour only lasted a couple months but contained performances 5 days a week. Ashley helped reimagine the tour dates for Opera Xpress to last year-long with fewer tour dates per week to lessen the schedule burden on our singers. Ashley also helped revitalize the Learning Guides, transforming them from activity guides to pages of content linked to Core Curriculum Standards and 21st Century Skills enabling teachers to further the learning initiatives presented by an Opera Xpress performance and deepen our impact.
Another offshoot of Opera Xpress came in the late 2000s with Family Opera performances. Family Operas presents the feature Opera Xpress show on the weekends for youth and their families serving an important role in familial bonding through shared cultural experiences. For the first few years there was only 1 Family Opera performance at Charlotte Country Day School, gifted by the Verdi Society to the community. Over time, the demand grew for more Family Opera experiences around the region, and in 2010s Family Opera performances expanded into Concord and Gastonia. Currently we have around 4 Family Operas per year and are actively expanding our regional reach.
Today, Opera Xpress makes an annual impact of over 30,000 students from across the region. One of the more prominent benefits of Opera Xpress is the exposure to classical art forms. “We live in a world now where classical music is quickly falling to the wayside. It’s like broccoli, it has to be sneaked into our daily life, and it’s getting harder to find it in our daily lives” remarks Ashley. But Opera Xpress is not just about exposure, it’s about creating deep and lasting impacts, connecting to youth and their families by showcasing all the pathways available in the arts. Opera Xpress can be a spark to help them appreciate opera, staging, costume designing, get them interested in singing, or it can lead someone to be open and accepting of other art forms. After each performance a Q&A with cast members is held, taking questions from youth, families, and teachers.
Our aim is turning short-term questions into a long-term answers. “It’s our job to help them see the possibilities,” Ashley states. “The odds of us going into a school and 18 years later anybody turning into an opera singer are pretty miniscule but we help them understand that this exists and that there is a place for them.”
And yet, that has actually happened! Nicholas Andruzzi, current Opera Xpress artist, recounts a memory from his Fourth-Grade year when an opera singer visited his school at Beverly Hills Elementary School in Concord and credits this experience as one of the reasons he became a professional opera singer. Jarvis Miller, a current Opera Carolina Chorus member, had his first experience with opera through Opera Carolina’s Student Night performance of Carmen. “Hearing the voices unsupported by technology (microphones) filling that space was very cool, and it was the first time I really heard any people sing like that for long periods of time. It was something else.” He smiled as he remembered the bus ride home from that Student Night, sharing the excitement with many of his classmates. Jarvis later became a Chorus Member and then joined Opera Xpress on tour. “It’s nice that, here in my own back yard, I’m getting all of my first operatic experiences with my home opera company, even from the very initial exposure to opera to my first professional experiences.”
Opera Xpress tour used to be comprised solely of Opera Carolina chorus members, but now we extend the opportunity to university students partnering with local schools including UNCC, Wingate, and University of South Carolina as Opera Carolina helps mold their professional skills. Connecting with young audiences is a fun challenge. “Performing for audiences that are brutally honest, audiences that have no filter and they will let you know immediately… they will turn and have a side conversation, they will boo you… and it pushes you as a performer to grow, having to make major or micro shifts every time you perform” remarks Ashley. Jarvis recalls his time with The Magic Flute tour, “Presenting it to them was fun because, … we’re using actual literature and music from operas… for example our three ladies in Magic Flute were Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, and Adele. It was crazy because at every school the kids guessed who they were, and that brought them in.”
“
It’s nice that, here in my own backyard, I’m getting all of my first operatic experiences with my home opera company, even from the very initial exposure to opera to my first professional experiences as an opera singer. “
Opera Xpress not only provides performance experience, it also challenges singers to practice healthy vocal techniques while singing at 9 a.m. “The biggest thing (Opera Xpress) did was help me with my vocal technique… I started to lose my voice… I had to work on building my vocal endurance.…My voice holds up better than some other people and I directly credit that to my Opera Xpress experience” states Jarvis. We continue these pedagogical opportunities expanding again to include a Piano Mentorship program with Zaiba Sheikh at the helm. Zaiba has performed with Opera Xpress for the past 5 years and is a passionate educator and faculty member of Central Piedmont Community College wanted to ensure these opportunities were available for collegiate pianists becoming more familiar with collaborative piano skills.
When asking current and previous artists their favorite memories from Opera Xpress, many important moments came to mind. Nicholas remembers the magic of the first and last show from our bilingual Opera Xpress Los Coyotes y Las Conejas: The Coyotes and the Rabbits. He remembers the frenetic energy of staging the show in a week-long crash course and the adrenaline of trying to remember everything. For some artists, it’s the unique experience of going into the children’s space and creating a safe space for them. For Zaiba, it’s the magic of listening to the students connect with the characters and talk to them “like last year when the Hare (from Tortoise and the Hare) was fainting from hunger and one student said, ‘It’s going to be ok.’” Ashley remembers fondly a production of The Billy Goats Gruff where two cast members both had children born the same day. She also remembers the weird but exciting feeling of the very first shows after the pandemic shutdown bringing Green Eggs and Ham into schools. For me, I personally enjoy watching the artists grow and change through their experience with the show and each other. Watching them add more layers of nuance and personal character choices from show to show makes every performance special and fresh, not to mention the incredibly catchy music from every show that acts as caffeination to get me through some days.
This year’s Opera Xpress production, A Busy Bee by Ruben Piirainen, packs a punch with morals about trying your best, helping each other succeed, and emphasizing we all belong. Furthermore, we learn the science behind how bees communicate – by dancing! The students and families learn the dances from the cast and participate in an audience-inclusive dancing segment! This direct integration of kids and families participating in the opera further brings audiences into the center of the action creating long-lasting memories.
Opera Xpress has a rich history connecting children and families together through shared cultural experiences meant not only to encourage familial bonding, but to help us become better humans. With over 50 years of history bring arts experiences into the regional community, it’s exciting to dream where we are going next. Ashley wistfully dreams of commissioning works connecting students in the region to our local artists composed by local composers. No matter what the future holds for the growth and expansion of Opera Xpress and Family Opera productions, we invite children and families of all ages to take part in music and art experiences together. “Art is happiness, art is wholesome, and art makes us better people” smiles Jarvis Miller.
Opera Carolina has so many free opera-tunities for youth and families to engage with short form opera and singing. We aim to meet you where you are, share our passion of storytelling through opera, and ignite your spark of passion and creativity. Come join us for an Opera Xpress or Family Opera performance this season, it’s going to bee fun!
by Ashley Johnson Lam
More Than a Rock House
CHARLOTTE MUSEUM OF HISTORY AS A CULTURAL KEYSTONE
Anyone who has lived in Charlotte for five minutes has noticed our beloved Queen City is a city largely of transplants. In fact, as of the last available census data, just 41 percent of Charlotteans are native to the city. Add to that a city skyline that has grown exponentially in the last 25 years and an urban sprawl that buzzes faster by the day, it’s no wonder Charlotte is often seen as a future-oriented city without much of a history or culture worthy of writing home about.
But one of the city’s newcomers begs to differ. In either great irony or the truest sense of Charlotte spirit, the city’s keeper of the past and guide to the present, the Charlotte Museum of History, is led by newcomer-by-way-of-Pittsburgh and President & CEO, Terri White, who sees the story and our city a bit differently.
“Charlotte is a quirky city – it’s an unassuming Southern financial center, harbors a unique love/hate of its sports teams, has the infamous, unique pie-and-wedge distribution of economic strata, but has a tenacity that is often overlooked,” she reflects as we settle into the museum’s second-floor conference room that overlooks its eight-acre property.
Situated in East Charlotte neighboring the treasured Lang Van restaurant and butting up to Aldersgate Senior Living Community, the site is home to a glimpse into the earliest days of Charlotte: the Hezekiah Alexander Rock House, built in 1774 as a 600-acre plantation and homestead that still stands well-preserved. From Alexander himself -a rabble-rousing Marylander who was one of 27 to sign the famous Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence- to his wife, Mary, ten children, and 17 enslaved people who lived on and ran the property, the site is an early indication of the diverse factors that began to shape our city.
“We’re a tenacious organization and I think that represents Charlotte as a whole. No matter what sort of definition people give us as a museum and city, we rise above it and continue to grow”, White excitedly shares.
The Museum exists today not just to share about Alexander’s contribution to Charlotte – it serves to cultivate a shared understanding of the past to make for a better future. In other words, the Museum strives to help each of us understand how our contributions will shape Charlotte and play an essential role in helping shape our community’s perspective on its identity. If Charlotte were a symphony the Museum would be our Maestro, helping interpret what exists and give life to the never-ending melody we are collectively creating.
Knowing quirk and eclecticism must be met with the same, White shares with a well-earned twinkle of pride in her eye that “We’ve expanded the stories we tell here and there’s not one community in Charlotte that hasn’t been represented by a program, exhibit, or special project we’ve done. In fact, we’re the only museum where you can touch and taste history.” Moseying the Museum, you’re immersed in an array of exhibits and experiences as diverse as our city itself. From Revolution era history, a 35-year retrospective on the Hornets, a political cartoon exhibit showcasing how we’ve received messages over the years, a kids’ zone for climbing and exploring backcountry life, recently commissioned portraits of noteworthy Charlotteans a feature on NC-native Mary Cardwell Dawson who founded and led the National Negro Opera Company, and a smorgasbord of events such as naturalization ceremonies, bilingual storytimes, musical performances and more connect us to both history and each other as we are today. With such a wide range of perspective and activity, White self-declares Charlotte Museum of History the People’s Museum, and deservedly so.
But White’s motives in such a varied set of experiences at the Museum go far beyond attracting people to the grounds and halls of the institution for dollars in the door. Her own unique perspective on the role of arts and culture in history -dare I declare it quirky- makes the Museum innately primed for their approach that integrates the Arts as an essential ingredient in their recipe for representation, connection, and understanding. “Culture is the foundation of how we get to history, Arts are the foundation of expression, and History melds melds the two – how we express the why.”
Exemplary of this attitude is the current exhibit Open Wide the Door: The Story of Mary Cardwell Dawson and the National Negro Opera Company, which walks us through the trials, tribulations, and legacy of an NC native who founded and operated the most commercially successful black opera company in the U.S. While the exhibit itself is rich with elements of the arts borrowed from partners both in Charlotte and Pittsburgh and is a win for Charlotte in celebrating opera history, it is the activations of the exhibit that bring to life the tenacious spirit of both the Museum and Dawson herself. From a live Charlotte Symphony concert with a special guest singer bringing Dawson to life to a World Opera Day celebration that invites community into the Museum to make music, the exhibit is activated on all sensory levels. And, perhaps most tenaciously, the genesis of the exhibit introduced Opera Carolina to and spurred the April 2024 Opera Carolina production of the Denyce Graves-led play with music The Passion of Mary Cardwell Dawson, detailing Dawson’s life and spirit, and serving as the Museum’s declaration of value in Opera Carolina and its 75-year contribution to Charlotte. Ever the perspective provider, White reflects that “Opera Carolina’s endurance is a testament to Charlotte’s cultural values… to choose to invest in culture in this way and for 75 years speaks volumes about the city’s perspective on culture.”
In true Charlotte fashion, we shift our gaze from the past to future. The Charlotte Museum of History has no intention of letting go of its tenacity any time soon. White’s eyes are set on elevating the Museum to the same world-class status touted by our Arts institutions. Coming exhibits and activations include celebrations of the 250th Anniversary of the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, the 10th Anniversary of the Soul of Philanthropy, and an exclusive American Revolution exhibit focusing on the Carolinas, all accompanied by more immersive programming providing an exciting line up of looks backward to elevate our steps forward into the Queen City’s future history.
As the role of history museums has changed from “idolatry to context and perspective provider” according to White, the Charlotte Museum of History is leading this charge not only by way of their exhibits and programs, but also by way of being and through a lens that perhaps most successfully worn by a new-to-Charlottean. The Museum is a keystone in the keeping, interpretation, and employment of Charlotte’s culture. By engaging our senses on site, bringing unexpected connections into their doors and facilitating deeper context across our city with other cultural partners, the Museum is steadfastly composing an enduring melody that requires all Charlotteans -new and native- to help bring to life.
O CAVANTICREDITS
Publisher OPERA CAROLINA
Editor in Chief DR. SHANTÉ P. WILLIAMS
Art Creator & Graphic Designer
STEFANO VIGNATI
Publication Manager
SARAH WATSON
Contributors
ASHLEY JOHNSON LAM
ALINA MACNICHOL
TEIL TALIESIN
GAIL GARVIN
PHIL VOLPONI
LOGAN WEBBER
Photo courtesy:
Mitchell Kearney (I Dream)
Rick Belden (Charlotte Ballet)
Matt Henesy (Charlotte Museum of History)
Getty Images (Andrea Bocelli)
John Lewis (Andrea Bocelli)
Brandon Grate (Dr. Shanté Williams)
Richard Israel (James Meena)
O CAnnual Fund For Excellence
We gratefully recognize the following donors who share Opera Carolina’s commitment to excellence on stage, in schools, and throughout the community. The listing reflects donations received between July 1, 2023 and October 4, 2024.
Verdi Society
DIAMOND CIRCLE
(Gifts from $25,000 and above)
Anonymous
The George W. Bauer Family Foundation
Black Pearl Vision
Charlotte Business Journal
Hearst
The Hearst Foundations
Infusion Fund
Mary and James Meena
Estate of Marie Mitchell
North Carolina Arts Council
Novant Health Foundation
The Opera Guild of Charlotte
Ann M. Reed
The Philip L. Van Every Foundation
Dr. Shanté Williams
PLATINUM
CIRCLE
(Gifts from $10,000 to $25,000)
Arts & Science Council
Betty Garriss and W. Thad Adams III
Ally Financial
Julie and Joel Bernard
Mary G. Bobis
Brighthouse Financial
Kathy and Frank Bragg
Bragg Financial
Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates, P.A.
Pauline and William Chinnis
Chun University
Pasquale and Alessandra De Martino
- In honor of Claudio Ferri
Closets by Design
Daniele Donahoe and Erik Rosenwood
Dolce & Gabbana
Fairfield Inn
Lisa Lust and Dean M. Fischbeck
Dr. Matteo Fregosi
- In honor of Claudio Ferri
Dr. Robert A. Gaines and Ms. Toni Burke
William & Patricia Gorelick Family Foundation
Hendrick Automotive Group
Fred T. Lowrance and Alice McKay
Dr. Marie-Claire Marroum and Paul E. Kardous
Holly and Christopher Maurer
Kaye and Dennis McGarry
McShane Partners
Sandra Levine
Peg and George Povinelli
Nelly and Jack Purcell
Barbara and Terry L. Scott
So-Chung Shinn and Tony W. Lee
- In honor of Claudio Ferri
Ms. Laura VanSickle
Herb M. Verbesey
- In memory of Tess Verbesey
WDAV 89.9
GOLD CIRCLE
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Ioften misquote the late great James Baldwin who once said, ‘The future is like heaven –everyone exalts it, but no one wants to go there now.’ I swap the word future for change, but the meaning remains consistent. We often dream about change in the same utopian way that we think about the future calling forth our better angels but often relying on the familiar.
The first Opera, Dafne by Jacopo Peri, was written in 1597. By then, Queen Elizabeth I had reigned for 39 years, and Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet was first published. Just as Queen Elizabeth was revolutionary as an unmarried Queen ruling a nation, Peri’s libretto was written for an elite circle of humanists in Florence. Humanists of that time believed in the importance of education in classical literature and that individuals have beauty, worth, virtue, and dignity. Opera embodies the very best of these ideals.
Over time, the art form has blossomed into one that spans the globe being sung in both Italian and in the local language of the people for which the traveling artists were arriving. This year, Opera Carolina celebrates 75 illustrious years of bringing the fullness of Opera to the Carolinas. I have the distinct honor and privilege of being named the General Director of the oldest Opera Company in the Southeast. For perspective, Charlotte Opera (our original name) was founded by all women but has never had a woman at its helm.
In another marker denoting change in all of the United States, I am only the third African American woman ever to assume the role of General Director
of an established Opera Company [Linda Jackson, Chautauqua Opera, 1987; Afton Battle, Fort Worth Opera, 2020].
I have had the incredible fortune as a new General Director to be embraced by many Opera lovers internationally. I will not embarrass them by naming them, but as I continue my education, they have shown the original roots of that humanist crowd –demonstrating that the beauty of humanity exists within each of us, and we can call forth the beauty of creation by embracing one another.
The Opera World is grappling with how to embrace the future. How do we honor the classic repertoire and recognize that we should tell more stories? How do we impart culture, especially one that isn’t in our native language? Is there a place for diversity without feeling like someone has to lose ground? How do we march toward a collective future and stop apologizing for a messy past?
Before the start of the Korean War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and several recessions, The Charlotte Opera was founded in a world of uncertainty. It has weathered many storms, producing extraordinary shows, cultivating young talent, and embracing the community. They were undaunted by these challenges, and we will continue the legacy. This Opera Company has led world premieres and championed change. We have traveled across the globe bringing a piece of the Carolinas to the world. We have stood as an artistic beacon calling to young artists who desire a place to grow. We have stood up for the classic arts at a time when it would have been easier to give in to pop culture.
NEWLY APPOINTED OC GENERAL DIRECTOR DR. SHANTÉ P. WILLIAMS SHARES HER VISION
CELEBRATING OUR PAST WHILE BUILDING OUR FUTURE
We have stood as OPERA – unapologetic, proud, and in one united voice.
I am heartened by the generosity of the artists, philanthropists, General Directors, and managers who share their love of art and hope for the future. I am inspired by our Resident Company artists who are honing their craft in a world full of auto-tuned pop stars. I am reassured by the strength of the dedicated Opera Carolina staff doing the work to bring the Opera to the community. Finally, I have the opportunity to meet with patrons who have committed to helping me bring forth my vision of the future for Opera.
In this 75th season, we have many things to celebrate – the 20th anniversary of Bella Notte, the 25th season of Maestro James Meena as Artistic Director & Principal Conductor, and the 50th anniversary of our Learning Programs. With these celebrations, we are also considering what the future has to hold for us.
In this anniversary edition of Avanti, we reintroduce this publication brought to our company by the multitalented Maestro Stefano Vignati in 2022. Avanti will become a place where we not only celebrate the brilliance of Opera Carolina but also tell the story of our Partners in Art. Where we share the tragedy and the triumphs of our region. Where we name who’s got now and who’s got next. The Opera of tomorrow is not about Me but it’s about WE! Avanti will be our guide as we tell the story of us.
The title of my inaugural year as General Director is “Opera Per Tutti” [opera for all].
I’m a Charlotte native with the distinct privilege of having grown up in a community that didn’t close off opportunities to me because of any stereotype. Now, I get to return that favor and deliver alongside my incredible performing arts partners Art that will make our city proud; and help us all collectively straighten our crowns as residents of the Queen City.
Opera Per Tutti!
A $23 MILLION DOLLAR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
by Alina MacNichol & Phil Volponi
As Charlotte continues to cultivate legends and lure talent from around the world, the soul of our city will always be measured by the vibrancy of our arts sector. Opera Carolina has enjoyed institutional support for many years, as one of the original eight member organizations to receive an Arts and Science Council (ASC) grant in its inaugural year of 1958. More than 60 years later the City of Charlotte and
A World Class City that Invests in the Arts
Mecklenburg County have continued to increase their support of the Arts sector. Many arts organizations suffered during the pandemic as venues were shuttered. The Foundation for the Carolinas (FFTC) led a fundraising effort to create the Infusion Fund. This Fund represented a $23 million dollar public-private partnership which buoyed those organizations.
As the Infusion Fund sunsets, we now see the coming together of two storied institutions: the ASC and the FFTC. Their partnership is made possible through $21 million in public funding from the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. It will help our city take one more step towards creating a sustainable funding model leveraging the strengths of both organizations. In a time when Arts funding is being shifted to trendier topics, our Institutional Partners are standing firm in their commitment to both the classic arts and independent artists.
They continue to find space for traditional works and those that are more inventive and challenging. Our partners have found ways to build spaces for local artists to perform, for our children to experience the beauty of public art, and for us all to experience the diversity of cultures that call Charlotte home, while continuing to create opportunities for aspiring artists.
It is our hope that, as the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, the Arts and Science Council, and the Foundation for the Carolinas show us how to invest in the Arts, we do not leave them to carry the full weight. Now more than ever we need corporations and small businesses to continue to support Artists and we need individuals to become patrons.
If we are the music makers, then our children are the dreamers of the dreams that lead to music making.
Opera Carolina is thankful to all of our supporters for allowing us to keep making beautiful music for the past 75 years. The next generation of Opera lovers are counting on us all to support their dreams.
DOLCE&GABBANA
2023
Opera Carolina was fortunate to receive support last year from the renowned brand Dolce & Gabbana. Their generous donation and partnership have ensured the continued success of opera in Charlotte and North Carolina. The city hosted a grand Trunk Show featuring exquisite jewels from the D&G collection. This exclusive event, limited to just 80 guests, offered a unique opportunity for attendees to make purchases that directly benefited Opera Carolina.
2024
In 2024, Dolce & Gabbana will once again support Opera Carolina, alongside the De Martino Family, with a fantastic Christmas Trunk Show on December 6th. This year, the exclusive event will showcase the renowned brand’s global collections, including an exciting men’s collection. If you would like to attend this year’s Trunk Show, please contact Deputy Director Claudio Ferri at claudio@operacarolina.org.
S TRUNK SHOW
pecial thanks to Alessandra and Pasquale De Martino for hosting and coordinating last year’s event. For this year’s edition,
Alessandra De Martino will once again serve as Chair. Opera Carolina extends its heartfelt appreciation to the De Martino Family for their continued support.
AMaestro JAMES MEENA
A LOOK AT THEN AND NOW IN CELEBRATION OF 25 YEARS
by Dr. Dan Boye
s a performing member of Opera Carolina since 1991, it’s not often that I get the chance to chat with Maestro Meena about much other than diction, musical interpretation, and stage-related things. But in celebration of his 25th anniversary as Opera Carolina’s Artistic Director and Principal Conductor and the recent handoff as General Director, I sat down with James himself and took a walk through his career, getting an inside look at the man behind the baton.
Not one to gush about his personal life, we warmed up with a stroll through our memories on the landscape of opera as if to set the proper placement for a more resonant personal reflection. From memories of the Metropolitan Opera’s tours through cities (for which I ushered during their Atlanta tour), engaging people across the country with opera, to how arts funding in North Carolina has evolved, it was clear that Maestro fully embodies the title whether he is on the conductor’s podium or relaxed behind his desk: always leaning on history and the arc of the narrative to help others interpret and understand.
Much has gone into the making of our tenured Maestro. A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, he earned the Associate Conductor position at Pittsburgh Opera (where he also honed his allegiance to Steelers football) around 1978 and “that’s really where I cut my teeth as a young conductor,” he recalls. Citing the company’s minimal menu of activity and what one can only imagine to be the energy of a newly minted Maestro, he also recalls helping establish the Pittsburgh Opera Company’s Education Department. As if that weren’t enough to take on, he was also actively serving as music director for three other orchestras in Western Pennsylvania. But it seems that such a busy career was unavoidable.
Celebrating
I’ve always tried to hire artists who are here “ “
“There were (and still are) great music schools in the Pittsburgh area… they were churning out musicians and singers like crazy, kind of like what we’re doing right now in North Carolina”, he states. He then adds that much like here at Opera Carolina; they were all singing in the Pittsburgh Opera Chorus and being given the opportunity to study voice, largely led by powerhouse Pittsburgh founder and Met singer Mildred Miller. With other local opera heavy hitters like Ezio Pinza and his daughter, Claudia, creating voice studios for serious vocal studies that produce the likes of Vivica Genaux, Meena was in a landscape ripe with opportunity.
Following Pittsburgh, there was an intermezzo in New York City, where Meena freelanced. Between the extensive travel and his wife, Mary’s, distaste for living in New York, the Meenas chased a 1986 opportunity to move to Ohio. With family in Cleveland, the opening at Toledo Opera was pitch-perfect. Though Mary landed a job in Cleveland, they settled in Toledo, and “she was doing the schlep back and forth for a couple of years until I finally said, all right, let’s move to Cleveland, and I’ll do the schlep.” The move to Cleveland added onto the Maestro’s plate conducting the Cleveland Ballet – all while he was also Conductor and Artistic Director of Toledo Opera, and conducting both the Pittsburgh and Toledo Symphonies. Meena recounts that it “wasn’t unusual for me to leave a rehearsal in Toledo at 10 pm, drive to Cleveland, get up at 5 am, get the kids ready for school, get them to school and drive back to Toledo,” followed by our mutual acknowledgment of many of those treks taking place in a much snowier climate than Charlotte.
Celebrating 25 Years
Whether it was the promise of our famed Carolina blue skies, less snow, or a swift play on his love of football that ultimately led to his move to Charlotte he won’t confirm. Just before 2000 -and about the time of the genesis of the Carolina Panthers- Meena heard about his predecessor, James Wright leaving Charlotte, making for an open position at Opera Carolina. It was a conversation with Wright’s predecessor, Bruce Chalmers, that convinced him to consider the opportunity. “He said, ‘If the NFL thinks this place is worth putting an expansion team in, this place is worth investing in,’” Meena recounts of Chalmers’ advice. While visiting, it was Judith Allen (Vinroot) who got him to the endzone, convincing him that Charlotte was the place for him. And so the new millenium marked Maestro Meena’s now 25-year tenure with Opera Carolina. We reminisce on the funding landscape of his early days, with the former ASC leadership of Hugh McColl and Michael Marsicano making for a generous third of the organization’s support at the time and how it was such a change from things in Toledo and Pittsburgh. And then we turned to the heavier subject of the pandemic and its effect, “In 2019, I thought I had seen everything” he chuckles and then returns gratitude back to McColl and Marsicano, and Charles Bowman, all key players in the Infusion Fund and a resurgence in support and value for the city’s arts institutions that has led to more city and county support.
operacarolina.org
“It’s a credit to them that they’ve acknowledged that the arts and cultural community is critical to having a stable and growing city,” he tributes, adding “the leadership of the city council and the county commissioner, they all deserve a lot of credit for listening and understanding.” We then modulate into not just the financial factors that play into the sustainability of an opera company, but also other key factors of success, many beyond what happens on the conductor’s podium. Thinking about the 75th anniversary of the company, Meena underscores the importance of strong volunteer leadership: “You look at the list of past board chairs for Opera Carolina, and it’s extremely impressive, some of the most notable people in town were leading this organization, and I was the beneficiary of having people like Philip Norwood, Fred Lowrance, Kay Norris, Rob and Mary Engel, Gigi Dixon, and others recognize the value of having the institution here and that’s key to the equation.”
We then change the key and turn our focus to now and future. “We’re adjusting, we’re adapting,” says Meena when we broach the subject of the pandemic recovery and shift in peoples’ re-evaluation of how they spend their time and money. He reflects on the ingenuity of past multi-company collaborations with Cold Sassy Tree (2003), the Jun Kaneko designed Madama Butterfly (2011) and The Magic Flute (2012), and, most recently, I Dream (2018, 2021) and how collaboration is key for a forward-moving opera industry that is able to balance creation of new works and preservation of the classic canon.
Also key to growth and sustainability is artist development. Meena shares that following the Great Recession in 2008, most of the company’s educational activity -the very first spark in an artist’s development- was defunded. After an intermission to regroup and with the support of a few board members in raising funds, Opera Carolina’s education programs were begun anew. Formerly on the stage with Opera Carolina in a number of productions, bass-baritone Kristopher Irmiter volunteered in the creation of a summer program that is now the Opera Carolina Youth Academy. Over nearly 15 years, the Youth Academy has expanded into young artist training for students in third grade and up. You see these students on the grand opera stage when children’s choruses are called for, and in community programs, putting budding teen artists’ newly learned skills to practice. A great grounding in vocal skills to build the region’s pool of talent - one that has been growing by leaps and bounds so much so that Maestro has worked to formalize a training program, not unlike that of Mildred Miller from his Pittsburgh days. Nurture your own.
“I’ve always tried to hire artists who are here,” a fact he shares that I know very well. “Then it just struck me that we should probably formalize this.” Three years in, the Opera’s Resident Company program is providing study, coaching, and role performance opportunities with several handfuls of regional young artists. “The roster is pretty amazing – we’ve got really seasoned singers who are singing leading roles on our stage and we’ve got a cadre of post-graduate young artists whom providing coachings,” in fact, this interview took place on an off-day of coaching. We discuss how the Resident Company fits into a career place that is in between the place of concluded academics and career establishment. Opera Carolina’s model is different from many other companies’ model of a few singers for one year only. Meena is determined to provide a longer-term investment for regional artists harkening back to thoughts on the NFL model: “You know, we’re (the Panthers) going to lose Christian McCaffrey? The Resident Company is designed to keep our folks.” And not unlike devout sports fandom, he considers the pride of the opera company’s stakeholders having homegrown, local talent whom they can see in daily life in the region as a huge positive. A bit of a reflection on the very beginnings of the company.
As the saying goes, history doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme. Maestro has spent the last 25 years crafting his own rhythm and rhyme in harmony with a city and cultural landscape that continues to do the very same.
Andrea Bocelli in Concert
Opera Carolina Chorus
Emily Jarrell Urbanek, Chorus Master
Sopranos
Lindsey Brakhage
Jennifer Bumgardner
Kimberly Butler
McKenzie Coleman
Brittany Currie
Hannah Hoyt
Kelly Hutchinson
Katherine Kuckelman-Owens
Stacee Lyles
Alexandria McNeely
Amanda Sesler Davis
Margaret Tyler
Julia Woodward
Fan Yang
Mezzo Sopranos
Madeline Beitel
Kimberly Blanchard
Chloe Cox
Kristi Cutler
Julia Fertel
Eli Halso
Laurel Jameson
Alina MacNichol
Sarah Musick
Sandy Stovall
Tatyana Thulien
Rachel Turner
Peyton Wheeler
Kellie Williams
Tenors
Craig Allen
Elliott Brown
Gerry Clonaris
Johnnie Felder
Skipper Johnson
Haegon Kim
Noah Rice
Oliver Stoutner
TJ Turner
Jacob Wade
Logan Webber
Steve Young
Baritones
Sean Buggs
Harrison Bumgardner
Daniel Burston
Brian Fenderson
Robert Harrelson
Bradford Holshouser
Zach Hugo
Brian Jensen
Charles Lang
Tim Laurio
Greg Lowery
Gustavo Morales
Michael Stromar
Justin Traxler
Kendrick Williams
Opera Carolina Production Staff
Michael Baumgarten, Director of Production Resident Lighting & Video Designer
Emily Jarrell Urbanek, Director of Music Preparation
Daria Ruzhynska, Coach & Accompanist
Valerie Wheeler, Production Stage Manager Assistant to the Director of Production
Wilbert Ferguson, Technical Director
Jay Graves, Assistant Technical Director
1927 Uptown’s Carolina Theatre opens as a vaudeville theatre and silent movie palace
1932 Charlotte Symphony is established
1948 The Charlotte Music Club purchases the rights to Rosalinda, Paul Kirby’s English version of Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, with a project budget of $125.00.
1949 The Charlotte Opera Association is formed, led by founding director Dr. Clifford Bair, with Mrs. Walker S. Gary leading the all-female board of officers.
The first volunteer-led production of Rosalinda is held at Piedmont Junior High School, marking the beginning of 75 years of opera in Charlotte.
FROM THE ARCHIVIES:
75 YEARS OF OPERA CAROLINA
1950 Sunday Costs Five Pesos by Dr. Charles Haubiel, based on the folk play by Josephina Niggli, has its world premiere in Charlotte.
1951 Charlotte Mayor Victor Shaw declares January 13 as National Opera Day.
1955 John Richards McCrae is named General Director, serving as stage director from 1955 to 1971. Henry Janiec is appointed conductor, leading from 1955 to 1968, also conducting the Charlotte Symphony.
Ovens Auditorium opens; opera performances are moved there
1963 The Charlotte Opera Association is gifted an acre of land by industrialist Morris Speizman for the construction of a new opera workshop building, which will feature rooms for rehearsals, set building, and storage. The building is completed, and the cornerstone is laid in September.
Culture
1967 The opera workshop building is named after Mary Henderson in recognition of her many years of dedicated service as President of the Opera Guild of Charlotte and the Charlotte Opera Association.
1968 Maestro Charles Rosenkrans is engaged as Principal Conductor, remaining the Opera’s primary conductor through the mid-1990s.
1970 The Charlotte Ballet (formerly known as the North Carolina Dance Theatre) opens
Opera America, the national association for opera, is founded by 20 companies, including Opera Carolina
1971 Charlotte Opera Association’s commitment to sharing opera around the Charlotte region and state of North Carolina is set in motion with the start of its touring program, known today as Opera Xpress.
1973 John Alexander, Metropolitan Opera tenor and relative of the famed Charlotte Alexander family, comes to Charlotte to perform Cavaradossi in Tosca
1976 Charlotte Museum of History opens
1977 Richard Marshall takes the helm as the Charlotte Opera Association General Director
1982 Bruce Chalmers steps up to lead the Opera as General Director
World premiere of Robert Ward’s Abelard and Heloise brings international recognition to Opera Carolina and Charlotte
1985 Charlotte Opera introduces supertitles, bringing deeper enjoyment and understanding of opera
Carlisle Floyd directs his own opera Willie Stark in Charlotte
1986 The company name is changed to Opera Carolina
1987 Opera Carolina brings Pavarotti to Charlotte for a sold-out performance
1988 Opera Carolina engages the Peking Opera to perform in Charlotte
1989 James Wright is appointed General Director of Opera Carolina
1992 Blumenthal Performing Arts Center opens
1995 Bobby McFerrin conducts Opera Carolina’s production of Porgy and Bess
1999 In celebration of its 50th Anniversary, Mayor Patrick McCrory declares February 6-7 as Opera Carolina Days
2000 Maestro James Meena becomes General Director and Principal Conductor of Opera Carolina
2006 Opera Carolina produces Richard Danielpour and Toni Morrison’s opera Margaret Garner, with Deyce Graves in the lead and featured on NPR’s World of Opera.
2009 Mayor Patrick McCrory proclaims November 13-22, 2009 as Opera Week
Knight Theatre opens
2010 Bechtler Museum of Modern Art opens
2018 Opera Carolina premiers the first fully staged production of Douglas Tappin’s I Dream
2024 Charlotte native Dr. Shanté P. Williams is appointed General Director of Opera Carolina
Legacy Gifts and Estate Planning ensure the future of Opera in our region. Please consider discussing a planned gift to Opera Carolina with your investment counsel.
To learn how you can participate in building a secure future for Opera Carolina, please contact Claudio Ferri (claudio@operacarolina.org) or Alina MacNichol (alina@operacarolina.org).
HONORING
FRED LOWRANCE
Each issue, Opera Carolina highlights a patron whose philanthropic work has transformed our company and the community.
by Alina MacNichol
Throughout our 75-year history, individual donors have been the lifeblood of Opera Carolina. Their support is critical to every aspect of our work in Charlotte. We are deeply grateful for their commitment to us.
Fred Lowrance has lived in Charlotte since 1972 and has been active with Opera Carolina since he joined our Board of Directors in the early 2000s. Fred grew up in Asheville and is an alumnus of Davidson College and the University of Virginia School
of Law. He was a partner at Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein. After retiring, he spent nine years as Pastor of Meadowlake Church in Huntersville and he now teaches at The Center for Community Transitions.
Fred has always loved all types of music, but he didn’t experience opera until long after he had finished college. While he and his family were in Germany, they attended an opera concert that was staged outdoors on the grounds of a castle. As the soprano singing the Queen of the Night aria from Mozart’s The Magic Flute reached the highest notes of the aria, thunder crashed, and lightning lit up the sky! Even though they quickly left, this left an indelible impression on him and his entire family. Fred started listening to opera on the radio. He was invited to a birthday party where he met two patrons of Opera Carolina who convinced him to join the Board, which he eventually chaired from 2003 to 2005. It was only after he had joined the Board that he came to his first fully staged opera! He was hooked
Fred’s favorite operas are Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love) and Puccini’s Turandot. He loves the duet from the last act of Bellini’s Norma, “In mia man’ alfin tu sei” and the famously electrifying mad scene from Donizett’s Lucia di Lammermoor. He really appreciates the pre- and post-opera activities that Opera Carolina schedules around our performances at the Belk because they give more insight into our productions. He and his wife, Alice, also take advantage of our community events and concerts, and they have been key supporters of our Resident Artist program, which mentors emerging artists.
Fred and Alice have brought young family members to opera performances, fostering an appreciation of the art form. Alice recalls taking her 10-year-old to the opera, sitting near the stage so he could watch the orchestra, the singers, and the action closely. He left with a valuable new perspective on music and theater and was excited to see more live performances. More recently, Fred watched their oldest granddaughter engage in the story of Pagliacci at one of our Student Nights at the Opera.
Among their most favorite experiences with Opera Carolina are the pre-curtain dinners with Maestro Meena, and the opportunities that patrons have to meet principal singers backstage and hear them talk about their experiences performing. He points out that it is amazing to see the many aspects of staging, set, costume and performance that are happening to bring an opera to the audience. Fred says that opera moves him deeply and that “opera is a gift to us all.” It is thanks to many loyal donors like Fred and Alice that we are able to continue to bring opera to Charlotte.
Bella Notte -the most beautiful night in Charlotte- was conceived and created by Maestro James Meena and Janet Dickinson, modeled on the Chicago Symphony’s annual gala. With a goal to set a new level for such events in Charlotte, the help of one of the most dynamic volunteers in our community, Kay Norris, as Chair was required. Kay’s vision and enthusiasm for the event brought dozens of new people to the organization, many of whom became Chairs for Bella Notte, Board Members, and leaders of the Verdi Society. With guest appearances by Denyce Graves, Larry Hagman, and many of Charlotte’s top leaders, Bella Notte quickly became the benchmark for other organizations to emulate.
BELLA NOTTE 2023
THE MOST
GLAMOROUS NIGHT OF THE YEAR
“
BELLA NOTTE MEANS BEING PART OF SOMETHING UNIQUE! “
1. 2023 Chairs, Nazy and Durham Weeks, Callie and Win Kelly
2. Alberto Festa and Shanté Williams
3. Carmen Desmond, Pasquale and Alessandra De Martino, Alberto Festa, Claudio Ferri
4. Dena Diorio, Phil Volponi, Mary Meena
5. Arlene Ferebee, Maestro James Meena
6. Jessie J. Knight Jr., Peg Povinelli, Anita Dereen
TESTIMONIALS
TESTIMONIALS
“We are so honored to be past Board Chairs of Opera Carolina and greatly enjoyed hosting Bella Notte at our home a few years ago. It is a wonderful event to showcase the amazing work of one of Charlotte’s treasured cultural institutions, to raise needed funds to strengthen and improve the Opera’s efforts, and, most importantly, to celebrate friendships and enjoy the inspiring, uplifting, and healing art form called Opera. Beautiful music makes us all better. We are so lucky to have such an amazing Opera company and community in Charlotte.”
- Mary and Rob Engel
Bella Notte Co-Hosts 2020
“Bella Notte is often regarded as the most beautiful evening of the year in Charlotte. It was quite an honor to chair a gala through the lens of Opera Carolina that has represented a fine appreciation of the arts and its accompanying history. With the backdrop of the theatre and its beautiful patrons, and the many that came together to bring it to life, it is an evening we will always remember.”
- Callie Kelly and Nazy Weeks
2023 Bella Notte Co-Chairs
“Bella Notte is a true testament to the power of the Queen City — I’ve loved seeing the spectacular group of Charlotte’s leaders in the arts, business, and politics show up year-after-year for our beloved Opera Carolina. And I always greatly anticipate the special performances…and especially the gowns!”
- Laura Vinroot Poole
2008 & 2014 Bella Notte Chair
BELLA NOTTE I CELEBRATING 20 YEARS
HONORING THE PAST CHAIRS
2005. Kay and Robert Norris
2015. Laura and Stephen Philipson
2006. Gay Boswell and Emily Smith
2016. Alex and Todd Holleman
2007. Hillary and Fairfax Cooper
2017. Anne Carter and Dean Smith
2008. Laura Vinroot and Perry Poole
2018. Angela and Jesse Cureton
2009. Sarah and Trey Pearce
2010. Stephanie and Howard Bissell
2019. Julie Haack and David Murray with Natalie and Jonathan Stewart
2020. Preeti and Vinay Deshmukh
2011. Paige and Arthur Roselle
2012. Barrie and Matt Benson
2013. Karen and Brandon Perry
2014. Laura Vinroot and Perry Poole
2021. Caci and Max Jaeger with Amy and Matt Moore
2022. Liz and Lane Faison with Liz and Dave Shuford
2023. Callie and Win Kelly with Nazy and Durham Weeks
2024. Charlotte Harris Lucas and Allison Welch
A LEGACY OF EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP
OC Performance History - Greatest Hits
• Over 260 productions of 90+ operas
• First opera produced in 1949 was Rosalinda, Paul Kirby’s English version of Johann Strauss’ Die Fledermaus
• Produced the world premiere of Sunday Costs Five Pesos by Dr. Charles Haubiel, based on the folk play by Josephina Niggli.
• Produced the world premiere production of Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Ward’s opera of Abelard and Heloise in March of 1982
Most produced shows in 74 years:
La traviata – 11 times
Carmen – 10 times
Madama Butterfly – 10 times
La bohème – 10 times
Tosca – 10 times
Aida – 9 times
The Barber of Seville – 8 times
1953, Carmen
1960, La bohème
2017, La traviata
2024, Madama Butterfly
Opera Carolina
November Special Events
A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
November 9 – 7:00 p.m.
Belk Theater (Free)
BELLA NOTTE
November 16 – 6:30 p.m.
Belk Theater
ARTS
Charlotte Symphony
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is one of the premier music organizations in the Southeastern United States and the oldest continuously operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas. As Charlotte’s most active performing arts group, the CSO presents around 150 concerts each season, reaching over 130,000 music lovers.
SHOSTAKOVICH & MENDELSSOHN
November 8, 9 - 7:30 p.m.
Knight Theater
November 10 - 3:00 p.m.
Knight Theater
BRAHMS’ A GERMAN REQUIEM
November 22, 23
7:30 p.m. Belk Theater
MAJESTIC BRASS & ORGAN
December 1 - 8:30 p.m.
First Presbyterian Church
HANDEL’S MESSIAH
December 13, 14
7:30 p.m. Knight Theater
December 15
3:00 p.m. Knight Theater
CIRQUE DE NOËL
December 19, 21
7:30 p.m. Knight Theater
December 21, 22
3:00 p.m. Knight Theater
Charlotte Ballet
Charlotte Ballet is renowned for its exceptional dancers and diverse repertoire, which spans from classical masterpieces like “The Nutcracker” to bold contemporary works. The company, consisting of 27 professional dancers who call Charlotte home, presents five performance series each year, typically from October to May. With an international roster of choreographers, Charlotte Ballet is dedicated to introducing new works both locally and globally.
THE NUTCRACKER
December 6, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20 – 7:30 p.m.
Belk Theater
December 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22 – 2:00 p.m. Belk Theater
December 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22 – 7:00 p.m.
Belk Theater
Bechtler Museum
The Bechtler Museum of Modern Art, located in Uptown Charlotte, is the only museum in the Southern U.S. dedicated to European and American modern art. Its collection, drawn from the Zürich-based Bechtler family, includes works by iconic modernists like Calder, Picasso, Warhol, and Miró. The museum, designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta, features Niki de Saint Phalle’s striking Firebird sculpture at its entrance.
MUSIC AND MUSEUM
A Pre-Celebration of the Bechtler’s 15th Anniversary
November 17 - 6:00 p.m.
JAZZ AT THE BECHTLER
A Tribute to Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” featuring Lovell Bradford
November 1 - 6:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
Holiday Jazz at the Bechtler featuring Justin Ray
December 6 - 6:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
Post-Holiday Blues
January 3 - 6:00 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.
operacarolina.org
charlottesymphony.org
charlotteballet.org
bechtler.org
CALENDAR
Charlotte Master Chorale
The Charlotte Master Chorale is an auditioned chorus that performs an annual season of masterworks and contemporary works primarily in the Charlotte region. Our Main Chorus of over 100 singers serves as the resident chorus of the Charlotte Symphony. The Chamber Singers, Charlotte’s premier chamber choir, consists of 30 volunteer singers of professional caliber drawn from the Main Chorus. We operate as an independent, nonprofit performing arts organization.
WDAV LESSONS & CAROLS
December 3 - 7:00 p.m.
St. John’s Baptist Church
WHITACRE: THE SACRED VEIL
January 24 – 7:30 p.m.
Christ Church Charlotte
charlottemaster chorale.org
Mint Museum
Established in 1936, The Mint Museum is a leading, innovative cultural institution and museum of international art and design.
SOUTHERN/MODERN:
American Art 1915-1955
October 26 – February 2, 2025 - Mint Museum Uptown
MINDFUL LOOKING:
Sketching in Southern/ Modern
November 13 - 7:00 p.m.
Mint Museum Uptown
ARTIST TALK | WOMEN OF LAND AND SMOKE:
Photographs by Graciela Iturbide and Maya Goded
November 21 - 7:15 p.m.
Mint Museum Randolph
On View November 23 –August 10
Mint Museum Randolph
WEDNESDAY NIGHT LIVE
Youth Orchestras of Charlotte
December 4 - 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Mint Museum Uptown
PURPOSE AND PASSION HBCUs and the Arts
December 7 - 2:00 p.m.
Mint Museum Uptown
AMAZING GRACE
Stories of African American Courage, Strength, and Resilience
January 11-12
Mint Museum Uptown
mintmuseum.org
Charlotte Museum of History
Charlotte Museum of History saves and shares the Charlotte region’s history, connecting the past to current issues and opportunities. We believe a shared understanding of the past can enrich the community’s future, and we work to tell the stories of all parts of our community and all those who have inhabited the Queen City and Piedmont region.
BOOK TALK: “I Cannot Write My Life”
November 16 - 1:00 p.m.
SOUTHERN CIRCUIT FILM SCREENING: Bulls and Saints
November 21 - 6:00 p.m. (Free)
TWELFTH NIGHT CELEBRATION
January 4 - 6:00 p.m.
SOUTHERN CIRCUIT FILM SCREENING: O Pioneer
January 30 - 6:00 p.m. (Free)
charlottemuseum.org
WDAV
Classical Public Radio
WDAV Classical Public Radio enriches lives and builds community through inclusive and diverse classical music experiences and excellent, accessible content. In addition to producing 149 hours per week for its own broadcast use on 89.9FM, HD-1, HD-2, and wdav.org channels, the station produces nationally distributed programs, including Concierto, NoteWorthy, and Reel Music. WDAV’s broadcasts can also be heard live online 24 hours a day at wdav.org and the WDAV mobile app. A service of Davidson College in Davidson, NC, WDAV’s main source of operating revenue comes from annual member contributions.
WDAV’S SMALL BATCH CONCERT SERIES: Andrea Mumm, harp November 15 - 7:00 p.m. Free Range Brewing
WDAV’S HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE
December 6 - 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Samuel W. Newell WDAV
wdav.org
Reflections on a Beloved Artform
WHY OPERA? TESTIMONIALS
“There is no other musical happening where the stage is filled with singing artists, yet each singer is their own sound engineer. All other musical venues use microphones and amplification that in the end is controlled by whoever is running the sound console. The audience is directly connected to each artist.“
- Dr. Dan Boye
Professor
of Physics – Davidson College
“As a relative newcomer and lover of opera, I realize how many others might love and appreciate it, too, and love how Opera Carolina has made it a mission to reach out into the community and share the beauty of opera.”
Laura VanSickle
-
Co-Owner, Closets
by Design Charlotte
“Opera has an incredible way of transporting me through powerful stories, grand music, and deep emotions, all blended into one beautiful art form. The passion and artistry of the performers create unforgettable experiences that stay with you long after the curtain falls. Being part of the Opera Carolina community feels like joining a family that shares my deep appreciation for this timeless art.”
- Kendrick Williams Resident Company Member
“My first opera rehearsal was a sing-thru of La bohème. Unknowingly I sat only a few feet in front of the singers. I swear I felt my hair get blown back. I was completely taken aback by the power and passion. I’ve never looked back.”
- Valerie Wheeler
Opera Carolina Production Stage Manager /Assistant to the Director of Production
1950, Les Contes d’Hoffmann
2011, Il Trovatore
2005, Cinderella
2013, Pearl Fishers
“Opera Carolina has provided a place for me to grow, learn, and flourish… An opportunity that means more than words will ever be able to say. I’ve found a place here, a family.”
- Eli Halso
Opera Carolina Youth Academy Student & Junior Chorus Member
“I remember making my first stage appearance back in 1998 for Aida. The main thought that went through my mind was a vision of Verdi at his piano composing Aida for me and the entire ensemble to present. Being a part of that vision is still with me today as I walk onto the stage along with my fellow chorus members. As I approach my 27th year of being a member of the Opera Carolina chorus, I wish to thank the leadership of Opera Carolina for continuing to give me this opportunity to see that vision.”
- Gerry Clonaris Opera Carolina Chorus Member
“Opera Carolina showcases opera and its beautiful blend of theater and music, both vocal and orchestral. Opera’s emotional expression is rarely duplicated on stage, and Opera Carolina’s local and regional production presents the artform through the grand stage and community engagement and education broadening the artistic, cultural, and intellectual atmosphere of our community.”
- Jordan Stern
Opera Carolina Board of Directors
“My passion for opera stems from its captivating blend of artistry and storytelling. Opera Carolina has deepened that connection by producing not only remarkable performances but also fostering a strong sense of community. The enriching experiences I’ve had over the years with Opera Carolina, its board, amazing staff, and talented artists have continued to nourish my love for this beautiful art form.”
- Arlene Ferebee
Opera Carolina Board of Directors
2017, La Fanciulla del West
2022, Tosca
2018, Daughter of the Regiment
2016, Aleko
Join the Opera Guild of Charlotte!
A year-long membership is affordable, with benefits for all! There are 4 different membership levels ranging from $75 to $1000 per year – Student, Individual/Couple, Patron, and Corporate.
Members enjoy benefits such as tickets to enrichments, new member enrollments get limited tickets to the first opera of the season, holiday parties, cocktail parties, luncheons and a signature fundraising event for the year.
The Guild proudly uses most of its financial resources to support Opera Carolina! Guild funds also support scholarships for the Academy Chorus and Youth Academy and awards for promising young singers.
Whether you have 10 minutes a week or 10 hours, the Guild has a committee just right for you!
The Opera Guild of Charlotte just celebrated its 70th anniversary. Join and be part of the next 70 years of furthering music education and interest in opera! https://operaguildofcharlotte.org/
2024•25
75th Anniversary Season
SPONSORED BY DR. MATTEO
FREGOSI &
THANK YOU
The George W. Bauer Family Foundation
The George W. and Ruth R. Baxter Foundation
OperA CArOliNA COrpOrATe & FOUNdATiON MAjOr SpONSOrS
MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR COMMITMENT
CITY OF CHARLOTTE
$1.5 MILLION AND ABOVE Bank of America
C.D. Spangler Foundation / National Gypsum Company
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Trane Technologies
$600,000 - $1 MILLION
Albemarle Foundation
Atrium Health
Barings
Duke Energy
Honeywell
JELD-WEN, Inc.
LendingTree Foundation
Lowe’s Companies, Inc.
Novant Health
Red Ventures
Truist
$300,000-$600,000
Ally Financial
The Centene Charitable Foundation
Childress Klein Properties
Coca-Cola Consolidated
Deloitte
EY
The Gambrell Foundation
Moore & Van Allen
PwC
Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, P.A.
Rodgers Builders
Wells Fargo
UP TO $300,000
Fifth Third Bank Foundation For The Carolinas
Deidre and Clay Grubb
Leslie and Michael Marsicano
Jane and Hugh McColl
Nucor Corporation
PNC Bank
FIRST VIOLINS
Calin Ovidiu Lupanu, Concertmaster
(The Catherine & Wilton Connor Chair)
Dustin Wilkes-Kim
Angela Watson
Hanna Zhdan
Jenny Topilow
David Horak
Lenora Leggatt
Jane Hart Brendle
Ayako Gamo
Cynthia Burton
SECOND VIOLINS
Oliver Kot, Principal (The Wolfgang Roth Chair)
Kathleen Jarrell, Assistant Principal (The Pepsi-Cola Foundation of Charlotte Chair)
Tatiana Karpova
Susan Blumberg
Monica Boboc
Ellyn Stuart
Andrea Moore
Martha Geissler
VIOLAS
Benjamin Geller, Principal (The Zoe Bunten Merrill Principal
Viola Chair)
Kirsten Swanson
Wenlong Huang
Ellen Ferdon
Ning Zhao
Viara Stefanova
CELLOS
Jonathan Lewis, Principal (The Kate Whitner McKay Principal Cello Chair)
Aky Sunyoung Lee
Sarah Markle
Jeremy Lamb
Alan Black, Principal Emeritu
Marlene Ballena
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Members
DOUBLE BASSES
Jason McNeel, Principal
Judson Baines, Assistant Principal
Justin Cheesman
Jeffrey Ferdon
HARP
Andrea Mumm Trammell, Principal (The Dr. Billy Graham Chair)
FLUTES
Victor Wang, Principal (The Blumenthal Foundation Chair)
Amy Orsinger Whitehead
Erinn Frechette
OBOES
Timothy Swanson
Jamison Hillian
Erica Cice
CLARINETS
Taylor Marino, Principal (The Gary H. & Carolyn M. Bechtel Chair)
John Sadak
Allan Rosenfeld
BASSOONS
Joshua Hood, Acting Principal
Naho Zhu†
HORNS
Byron Johns, Principal (The Mr. & Mrs. William H. V an Every Chair)
Paige Quillen, Assistant
Andrew Fierova
Bradley Burford
Richard Goldfaden
TRUMPETS
Alex Wilborn, Principal
(The Betty J. Livingstone Chair)
Peter Stammer
Antonio Marti
TROMBONES
John Bartlett, Principal
Thomas Burge
Michael Hosford
BASS TROMBONE
Scott Hartman, Principal
TUBA
Derek Fenstermacher
TIMPANI
Jacob Lipham
PERCUSSION
Brice Burton, Principal
Rick Dior
Garrett Guion
This roster lists the full-time members of the Charlotte Symphony. The number and seating of musicians on stage varies depending on the piece being performed.
The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra is a proud member of the League of American Ochestras.
OPERACAROLINA O C
CONNECT
• Facebook.com/operacarolina
• X Twitter.com/operacarolina
• Instagram.com/operacarolina
• LinkedIn.com/operacarolina
• YouTube.com/operacarolina
• Email: eclub@operacarolina.org
• Website: operacarolina.org
• Mailing Address
The Elizabeth Roddey Dowd Opera Center
1600 Elizabeth Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina 28204
• Phone: (704) 332.7177 ext.100
• Fax: (704) 332.6448
Reserve your place in AVANTI’s next issue!
AVANTI includes interviews with Greater Charlotte creatives, insights into the great operas, a Sponsor Spotlight and much more.
AVANTI connects your message with one of the most vibrant gems in the Queen City’s crown – Opera Carolina. operacarolina.org/reserve-in-avanti
Enjoy Opera, then relax.
