avanti_issue_1_oct22

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2022/23 SEASON

OFFICERS

JULIE BERNARD , Board Chair. Deloitte

CAROL Y. KENDRICK , Vice Chair. Brighthouse Financial

CHRISTOPHER T. MARDANY , Vice-Chair. Hearst

DARYL HOLLNAGEL , Secretary. Shumaker Loop & Kendrick

FRANK BONCIMINO, Chief Technology Officer, Gaming Intelligence

PHYLLIS ZANGHI, Assist. Treasurer American Equity Insurance

ARLENE FEREBEE, Immediate Past Chair. Novant Health

MEMBERS

ROB BOISVERT , I-77 Mobility Partners, LLC

NATALIE BROWN, Ally Financial

MARGARET FARNHAM , Perry Poole Architects

MIKE GAITHER , American Tire Distributors, retired

JOHN HARMELING , Grant Thornton

BARBARA HOLT , Arts Advocate

CACI JAEGER, Arts Advocate

PAUL E. KARDOUS , Pamaka Group

JENNIFER MARTIN , Arts Advocate

MARCUS MARTIN , US Bancorp

CHRISTOPHER MAURER , Wells Fargo, retired

MATTHEW MOORE , JP Morgan Chase

JIM POWELL , Trane Technologies

ANN REED , Brighthouse Financial

JORDAN STERN, U.S. Bank

JOE TESSMER, U.S. Bank

ELIZABETH TRENARY , Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein

CURTIS WALLS , Become.Inspire.Empower, You vs. Yourself

DR. SHANTÉ WILLIAMS , Black Pearl Global Investments

AUNDREA WILSON , Arts Advocate

LIFE MEMBERS

DR. KI-HYUN CHUN , CPA, Ph.D., LL.D, The Chun Group,Inc.

ALEXANDRA PALIYENKO, Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition

CHARLOTTE D. PAYNE , Arts Advocate

MARGARET (PEG) POVINELLI , Arts Advocate

EMILY SMITH , Arts Advocate

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

PAULINE CHINNIS , Opera Guild of Charlotte

OC2020 CAMPAIGN CHAIRS

MARY TABOR & ROBERT ENGEL

ENDOWMENT BOARD MEMBERS

W. THAD ADAMS, III , Shumaker Loop & Kendrick LLC (retired)

FRANK BONCIMINO, Chief Technology Officer, Gaming Intelligence

BROOKS CAREY , Chilton Trust

GEORGE H. EDMISTON, Carolinas Investment Consulting, LLC

C. WELLS HALL III , Nelson Mullis

THOMAS HUGHES , The Hearst Corporation (retired)

STEPHEN L. PHILIPSON , US Bank

OUR TEAM

JAMES MEENA, Artistic Director

DEVELOPMENT

CLAUDIO FERRI , Director of Development

KIMBERLY MIZE , Development Consultant

PHIL VOLPONI , Corporate Development & Government Affairs

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY

ASHLEY JOHNSON LAM , Director of Education & Community Programs

TEIL BUCK , Education Coordinator

MARKETING

MEGAN MILLER , Marketing Consultant

ALINA MACNICHOL , Director of Civic Engagement & Customer Service

GAIL GARVIN , Customer Service Manager and Civic Engagement Assistant

DASIA HOOD , Creative Writer & Consultant

ERIN BREEDEN , Communications Consultant

PRODUCTION

MICHAEL BAUMGARTEN , Director of Production, Resident Lighting & Video Designer

EMILY JARRELL URBANEK, Director of Music Preparation

WILBERT FERGUSON , Technical Director

JAY GRAVES , Assistant Technical Director

FINANCE

NANDI CHEATHEM , Director of Finance

TINA KATIS , Accounting Manager

WWW.OPERACAROLINA.ORG

BVLGARI HOTEL

Milano

An Oasis of Luxury in the Heart of the City

ENGAGE VOICES, EMPOWER ALL

Civic Engagement by Alina MacNichol

BOARD CHAIR WELCOME

by Julie Bernard

WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO

Artistic Director editorial by James Meena

ENCHANTING PUCCINI

Re-creating a Masterpiece

TOSCA TODAY

Perspectives on the abuse of power by Dasia Hood

FASHION & OPERA COSTUMES

Who told Puccini that passion looks great in red? by Dasia Hood

EDUCATION

How Opera Carolina’s Youth Academy led this student to his life path by Ashley Johnson Lam

LAST DICK JOHNSON

Remembering Marcello Giordani by James Meena

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

EENGAGING WITH OUR COMMUNITIES NGAGE VOICES, MPOWER ALLE

By Alina MacNichol

When was the last time a movie, piece of art, or song moved you? Why did it resonate? Odds are, you saw yourself in the art. At Opera Carolina, we’re working to empower authentic connections through voice and meaningful experiences among indivi duals and others.

As part of the Opera Carolina staff and a singer with the OC Chorus, I’m very proud of our 73-year history in Charlotte. I love the rich operatic tradition that we bring to this region. At its core, opera is about storytelling, and masterpieces like Tosca tell stories that can be as relatable to today’s audiences as they were in the past. It’s our privilege as artists to hear and give voice to the stories of our communities and to use our beautiful artform as a platform to share and acknowledge the experiences and emotions that those stories evoke. As Sean Combs says, “Music is the most powerful form of communication in the world. It brings us all together.”

Connecting with each other empowers us to understand our communities’ reality and col lective history. Opera Carolina has a long track record of successfully bringing our art into schools and community spaces, but an authentic connection requires us to go beyond excel lent programming and beautiful singing. Through one of our new initiatives, the Council of Creatives, we build relationships and collaborate with local artists and creatives. We meet people where they are and create opportunities to give voice to the tapestry of their stories, hopes, and concerns. The goal is to create compelling collaborative experiences in spaces welcoming to and reflective of all participants.

At Opera Carolina, we are, in turn, empowered by the support of our Board and company leadership and by incredible community partners like our Council of Creatives. They are gras sroots artists, local civic organizers, and colleagues from arts organizations and cultural insti tutions. Our civic engagement team includes opera staff; two Civic Engagement Artists who facilitate activities and collaborative work; and the creatives and conveners who serve as ad visors, practitioners, and collaborators. Together, we make opera resonate more meaningfully with people who don’t have a connection to the art form and empower those who are margina lized by acknowledging their stories and their truths.

JULIE BERNARD

BOARD CHAIR WELCOME

W elcome everyone to Opera Carolina’s 73rd season!

A wise person recently said that the pandemic was a gift wrapped in sandpaper. While it’s easy to focus on the sandpa per: our inability to enjoy live, in-theater performances; to be with each other for nearly three years; and training audiences to stay at home; upon reflection, it may have also included se veral gifts.

We had strong support from public funding programs, inclu ding the Thrive Fund, the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, as well as the Federal Government through the Small Business Association.

We learned to innovate by developing the Virtual Opera House (virtual.operacarolina.org/library/) , extending Opera Popups beyond the 7th Street Market out to people’s neighborhoods, and creating themed Opera Din ners. We pivoted our education and civic engagement programs to include a virtual option, rea ching more than 30,000 during the pandemic.

We have also strengthened and expanded our board. We have put additional intention behind our long-standing actions, passing our DEI statement and embedding our agreed principles into creating a more diverse board.

We greet these new members and appreciate their enthusiasm as they join the rest of the board in sharing their time and talents. Our shared goal is to engage audiences through the magic and wonder of opera – whether it’s entertainment or to address cultural issues or bolster learning.

We have made progress towards expanding our education programming, extending the Youth Academy from a summer program of two weeks to one that runs through the school year. We are beginning a more formalized program for our local artists to give them additional performance op portunities as well as a steadier source of income.

We in Charlotte are fortunate to have so many talented artists that have begun their careers here or have joined us from afar to continue developing their talent.

We’re thrilled you can join us to see our performing artists shine onstage. If you’ve been a con tinued sponsor, we thank you. We couldn’t have made it this far without you. If you haven’t – or haven’t in a while - we hope you’ll consider supporting our efforts to nurture this precious commu nity resource.

Creator & Designer

Creative advisor

MILLER

HOOD

Contributors

JULIE BERNARD

DASIA HOOD

ASHLEY JOHNSON LAM ALINA MACNICHOL

CATHY BESSANT

Pictures courtesy: Opera Carolina; Teatro alla Scala, Milan; Encompass Art; New York City Opera; Fondazione Simonetta Puccini per Giacomo Puccini, Archive; Royal Opera House;

Copyrights:

The Gershwins®’ PORGY AND BESS® by George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin

JAMES MEENA

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EDITORIAL HY WE DO HAT WE DO

WW artform, while at the same time advancing the art form for contemporary society.

I have a pocket watch that belonged to my great gran dfather, and which was passed to my grandfather, then to my uncle, then to my father, then to me. There is nothing exceptio nal about this pocket watch, other than this fleeting connection with the past.

The human desire to connect with the past is one of the qualities that make us unique as people. Perhaps we preserve relics of the past as a means of defining who we are today. As a family member, I treasure my great grandfather’s pocket watch. As an artist, I treasure the works of art that have been passed into my care from those who came before me. I belie ve it is the same equation on a different scale. Part of our mis sion as an Opera company is to be curators of this particular

Not unlike an art museum, that will devote a portion of its collection to the past and a portion of its collection to contemporary art, so too the Opera house devotes a portion of its season to the past and a portion to contemporary works and unknown works of great masters. Who decides what is a masterpiece that is worth being preserved? Who cherry picks Puccini’s Tosca as a great work instead of his La rondine? Well, in a sense we all do over time. But just as we decide what food or drink we prefer through the process of trial and error, if audiences never hear La rondine, how are they to collectively decide it is not as great a work as Tosca?

There are numerous stories of masterpieces being ignored or vilified at their premiere, and an equal number of stories of patrons protesting the programming of new works. One of my favorite stories stars the great conductor Leopold Stokowski who argued that a particular new work he wanted to premiere was important and needed to be heard. Maestro Stokowski ultimately won and that work, The Right of Spring, by Stravinsky received its U.S. premiere with Stokowski’s Philadel phia Orchestra in 1922. Today, Stravinsky’s iconic ballet is an acknowledged masterpiece and an assured box office hit.

Unless audiences and patrons attend new works, even those they may not like, cultural insti tutions like Opera Carolina will shy away from programming them to avoid a box office disaster, and if new works are not performed, how will the best of them become masterpieces? So, as we continue to work to preserve and advance the Opera artform in this region, I hope the public will allow us to do so with one eye on our mission -- With one eye on our past and one eye on the future.

If you like this type of commentary, please let us know.

YOU

Opera in Three Acts Music by GIACOMO PUCCINI

Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

Based on the French dramatic play La Tosca by Victorien Sardou

First performance: January 14, 1900. Teatro Costanzi, Rome October 13 at 7:30 p.m. ~ October 15 at 8:00 p.m. ~ October 16, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Belk Theater, Charlotte, North Carolina

Production Presenting Sponsor

THE CAST

Alyson Cambridge Mario Cavaradossi, painter John Viscardi Baron Scarpia, head of the secret police Steven Condy Cesare Angelotti, Consul of the Roman Republic Ramelle Brooks A Sacristan James Eder Spoletta, a spy Johnathan Stanford White Sciarrone, a police agent Kendrick Williams Jailer John Fortson Shepherd Agneya Roy

Floria Tosca, a celebrated Diva

CREATIVE TEAM

Conductor James Meena Director James Marvel Lighting Design Michael Baumgarten Head of Music Preparation Emily Jarrell Urbanek Set and Costume Design Adolph Hohenstein Wig and Make-up Design Martha Ruskai Technical Director Wilbert Ferguson

The Opera Carolina Chorus and Academy Chorus. The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra

Opera Carolina dedicates these performances of TOSCA to the following Gold Circle members of the Verdi Society for their philanthropic support.

Frank Boncimino, Kathy and Frank Bragg, Dr. Marie-Claire Marroum and Kal E. Kardous, Holly and Christopher Maurer, Laura and Stephen L. Philipson, Peg and George Povinelli, Kati and Chris Small, Anne Carter and W. Dean Smith, Herb M. Verbesey

Original poster (1899)

Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou’s 1887 French-language dramatic play, La Tosca, is a melodramatic piece set in Rome in June 1800. Napoleon has invaded Italy, and news is expected of the outcome of the battle of Maren go. The Queen of Naples is in Rome, where she has installed the corrupt Baron Scarpia as chief of police.

ACT I

SynopsisThe church of Sant’Andrea della Valle. Noon.

Angelotti, a republican from Naples and former Con sul of the Roman republic, has escaped from the for tress-prison of Castel Sant’Angelo. He finds the key which his sister, the Marchesa Attavanti, has left for him and hides in the Attavanti family’s private chapel.

The Sacristan enters, grumbling to himself about having to clean the painter Mario Cavaradossi’s brushes. At the call of the Angelus bell, the Sacristan prays and Cavaradossi returns to his work.

When the Sacristan leaves, Angelotti emerges from his hiding place. Cavaradossi, who is a republican sympathiser, promises to help the fugitive, but tells him to hide when Cavaradossi’s lover, the opera sin ger Floria Tosca, arrives.

She is furious that Cavaradossi’s painting of the Ma donna is a portrait of another woman, the Marchesa Attavanti, whom he has seen praying in the chapel. Tosca leaves only when Cavaradossi has promised her a rendezvous for that evening.

Cavaradossi offers Angelotti refuge in his secluded villa, describing where to hide in case of an emer gency. A cannon shot is heard: the authorities have discovered Angelotti’s escape. The two men leave hurriedly.

The Sacristan brings news of Napoleon’s defeat at Marengo. The general excitement is curtailed by the entrance of Scarpia on the trail of Angelotti. Tosca also returns to tell her lover that they cannot meet la ter because she must sing for the Queen in a victory cantata. Scarpia inflames her jealousy of the Marche sa Attavanti and orders his agents to follow her.

A Te Deum of thanksgiving begins.

ACT

Scarpia’s apartment in the Palazzo Farnese. Evening.

The Palazzo Farnese is the Roman residence of the Queen, and Scarpia’s rooms are close to where Tosca will sing that evening. Spoletta reports the outcome of his pursuit of Tosca to a villa in the country. Angelotti could not be found, but Cavaradossi was discove red there and, because his every gesture and word expressed such mocking irony, Spoletta arrested him and has brought him back to Rome. Interrogated by Scarpia, Cavaradossi denies any knowledge of Ange lotti and is taken away for torture.

Scarpia now interrogates Tosca, using Cavaradossi’s screams to torment her; under such duress, she finally reveals the hiding place. When Cavaradossi is relea sed, it is clear that Tosca has betrayed him; but at that moment news arrives that the report of a royal victory at Marengo was incorrect and that Napoleon has in fact won. Scarpia orders Cavaradossi’s execution.

Alone with Scarpia, Tosca begs for her lover’s life and Scarpia names his price: she must give herself to him. Seeing no alternative, she agrees, and Scarpia seems to order Spoletta to perform merely a sham execution.

Once Scarpia has made out a safe-conduct for her and Cavaradossi to escape from Rome, Tosca stabs him to death.

ACT III

The battlements of the Castel Sant’Angelo. The hour before dawn.

Cavaradossi dreams of the young Tosca. As he awai ts his execution, he tries to write a letter of farewell to Tosca and reflects on the joy she has brought him. Tosca arrives and discloses her plan for their escape. The firing squad duly performs what Tosca believes to be a mock execution. She realises too late that Scarpia has deceived her: the execution was real and Cavaradossi is dead. News of Scarpia’s murder has broken. As Spoletta and his men rush in to arrest Tosca, she leaps over the parapet to her death.

Maria Callas, Tosca, Royal Hopera House, Covent Garden (1964)

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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 Premier, Inc. Jane and Nelson Schwab

INSIDE OPERA

TOSCA MEET THE RTISTSA

JAMES MEENA, Conductor

Artistic Director James Meena continues his twenty-second season with Char lotte’s opera company. Mo. Meena’s guest conducting engagements have included the Washington Opera, the Pittsburgh Opera, L’Opera de Montre al, New York City Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Festival Puccini Torre del Lago, Teatro del Giglio Lucca, Teatro Pavarotti Modena, Teatro Ravenna, Te atro Sociale Rovigo, the Arizona Opera, Edmonton Opera, the KBS Symphony Orchestra in Seoul, South Korea, the National Symphony Orchestra of the Re public of China, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Cairo Philharmonic in Egypt, the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Memphis Symphony, the Toledo Symphony, the Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Sicily and the Orchestra Regionale Toscana in Florence, Italy. Pre-covid, he made his debut in the historic Teatro Antica in Taromina Sicily and the Teatro Greco in Siracusa leading Puccini’s Turandot. For more than a decade he was Resident Conductor of the Toledo Symphony, General Director of Toledo Opera and conductor for the Cleveland/San Jose Ballet. His commitment to new works include Opera Ca rolina premieres of Carlisle Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree and Susannah, Richard Danielpour and Toni Morrison’s Margaret Garner, Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg, Adolphus Hailstork’s Rise for Freedom and this sea son’s The Falling and the Rising by Zach Redler and Jerre Dye, as well as Charlotte debut performances of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin Rachmaninov’s Aleko, Puccini’s Il Trittico and La fanciulla del West, Verdi’s Nabucco, and Otello.

Maestro Meena has conducted legendary singers Renee Fleming, Denyce Graves, Roberta Peters, James McCracken, Vivica Geneaux, Diana Soviero, Mignon Dunn, Marilyn Horne, Sherril Milnes, Jerry Hadley, Jerome Hines and Marcello Giordani.

JAMES MARVEL, Director

Internationally acclaimed stage director James Marvel has been praised for his “brilliant stage direction” and his “unforgettable and visually stunning new productions.” James made his Lincoln Center debut in 2008 for the Juilliard Opera Center, directing a highly acclaimed new production. James made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2011 and directed the U.S. premier of Cavalli’s Elioga balo for the Gotham Chamber Opera in NYC.

He has directed more than 100 productions and was named Classical Singer Magazine’s “2008 Stage Director of the Year.” Recent engagements include La Traviata for New Orleans Opera, Rigoletto for Opera Tampa, La Traviata for Teatro Del Lago in Chile, and La Rondine in Sulmona, Italy. Career highlights include groundbreaking new productions for the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia, Opera Boston, Opera Santa Barbara, Syracuse Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, San Antonio Opera, Kentucky Opera, Virginia Opera, North Carolina Opera, Toledo Opera, Sacramento Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Aspen Music Festival, Wolf Trap Opera, Santa Fe Opera, San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program, Indiana University, and the University of Southern California.

His international credits include a new production of Carmen for Opera Africa in Johannesburg, which was hailed as “stupendous” by the local press and a new production of Die Zauberflote for the Seoul International Opera in South Korea. His new production of La Voix Humaine and The Telephone premiered at the Alliance Francaise in New York City before traveling to the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels, Belgium.

INSIDE OPERA

James received his MFA in Acting from the University of Tennessee and his BA in World Literature from Sarah Lawrence College and Oxford University, England. He conducted additional studies at Charles Uni versity in Prague, Czech Republic. James studied violin from the age of seven and played violin for the Wadham Chamber Orchestra in Oxford, England. He has composed original music for several professional theatrical productions and has had his poetry, fiction, and critical writing published in a variety of national, international, and online journals. As an arts advocate, James has appeared numerous times on NPR and other radio and television outlets to discuss the art form and its relevance in modern society.

ALYSON CAMBRIDGE, Floria Tosca

American soprano Alyson Cambridge, hailed by critics as “radiant, vocally assured, dramatically subtle and compelling, and artistically imaginative” (Washington Post), noted for her “powerful, clear voice” (New York Times) and “revelatory, sensual, smoky readings” (Opera News) is one of the most diverse and compelling vocal artists on the scene today. Her rich, warm soprano, combined with her striking stage presence and af fecting musical and dramatic interpretation, have brought her nearly two deca des of successes on the world’s leading opera and concert stages, including The Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Carnegie Hall, London’s Royal Albert Hall, Deutsche Oper Berlin, Vienna Konzerthaus, among many others.

This season, in addition to her company and role debut as CARMEN with Opera Carolina and Toledo Ope ra, Cambridge also releases her third album, “SISTERS IN SONG”, a compilation of operatic, art song and spiritual duets with fellow soprano, Nicole Cabell, and The Lake Forest Symphony.

She returns to Carnegie Hall for a solo recital, and embarks on a US tour of ROCKTOPIA, the show with which she recently made her acclaimed Broadway debut.

She also returns to Florentine Opera for their 85th Anniversary gala concert, and to Victory Hall Opera for a newly-staged production of “FROM THE DIARY OF SALLY HEMINGS”, which is Cambridge’s debut classi cal album of the William Bolcom song cycle by the same title.

Recent notable engagements include Hanna Glawari in THE MERRY WIDOW with The Metropolitan Opera and Florentine Opera, Bess in PORGY AND BESS with Spoleto Festival USA, and a concert tour (Wolf Trap, Irvine Barclay Center, Philharmonic Society of Orange County) of “Leading Lady: Heroines of Opera, Bro adway, and The Silver Screen”, that highlights Cambridge’s diverse range, and highlights songs from her second album of jazz standards, “UNTIL NOW”.

JOHN VISCARDI, Mario Cavaradossi

Tenor John Viscardi has moved audiences around the world with his vocal beauty and dramatic intensity, having performed with Santa Fe Opera, Opera Philadelphia, New York City Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Des Moines Metro Opera, and Opera Carolina.

Winner of both the Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition and Con corso Internazionale F.P. Tosti, Mr. Viscardi has appeared in both recital and concert at venues that include Carnegie Hall (New York), Geffen Hall (New York), Tokyo Opera City (Tokyo), Verizon Hall (Philadelphia) and Avery Fisher Hall (New York). Last season’s engagements include the role of Pelleas in Ope ra Southwest’s Pelléas et Mélisande and The Pilot in American Lyric Theater’s production The Opposable Thumb, as well as engagement with Classic Lyric Art Berkshires.

A graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, John first trained as a baritone, performing leading baritone roles including the title role in David DiChiera’s new opera Cyrano with Michigan Opera Theatre and Opera Carolina. Additional appearances included Athos in The Three Musketeers with The Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice, and Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs at Carnegie Hall.

STEVEN CONDY, Baron Scarpia

Steven Condy enjoys a career filled with notoriety and acclaim not only for his robust and nuanced voice, but also for his natural acting ability. The Washin gton Times enthused that he has “the comic timing of John Candy and a voice that remains flexible, rich and true through every intricacy.”

In concert, he has performed the bass solos of Messiah with South Dakota Sym phony Orchestra and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Asheville Symphony. His range as a singing actor is on full display with portrayal as Tevye, in Fiddler on the Roof and the title role of Falstaff with Opera on the James. Renowned for his interpretation of Dr. Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia, the Boston Music Intelli gencer raved of his “most delightfully surprising and truly brilliant performance…the agility of his voice, not only in negotiating the vocal roller-coasters, but also in creating comically nuanced coloring, combined with his clumsily agile physicality and an edgy-but-not-threatening delivery of the role as a whole, stole the show. Based on his performance, the opera might well be re-titled Don Bartolo.” He has performed the role at Houston Grand Opera, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Portland Opera, Madison Opera, Opera Memphis, Virginia Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Austin Lyric Opera, among many others. Most recently, he performed the role with Lyric Opera Baltimore. The title role in Verdi’s Falsaff is another signature role in Mr. Condy’s repertoire, which he performed at companies such as Utah Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera San José, and Opera Delaware. As a con cert artist he has earned critical acclaim performing Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony and Händel’s Messiah with the Columbus Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra, Masterworks Chorus at Carnegie Hall.

Mr. Condy earned accolades and awards from some of the industry’s most prestigious organizations inclu ding: The Luciano Pavarotti International Voice competition, The Sullivan Foundation, The Richard Tucker Mu sic Foundation competition, Pope Foundation competition, MacAllister Award competition, the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, and the Mario Lanza Institute Scholarship competition.

Mr. Condy holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Hartford and a Master of Music degree from Yale University’s School of Music. He is the Artistic Director of the Cairn University Opera Theater in Lan ghorne, Pennsylvania, and the Director of the Vocal Intensive Study Program with the MasterWorks Summer Music Festival.

RAMELLE BROOKS, Angelotti

Ramelle Brooks’ noble bass voice has been described as powerful yet full of color and nuance. Ramelle is a young artist who is on the rise in the operatic community. He has been afforded the opportunity to sing roles in operas such as Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Doctor 6 in The Falling and Rising, Norton in La Cambiale di Matrimonio, Nardo in La Finta Giardiniera, Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’ amore, and Dick Deadeye in H.M.S. Pinafore.

His musical credits include Smokey Joe’s Cafe and The Carousel. Ramelle is also a vibrant soloist with regional choruses and orchestras. He holds a Doc tor of Musical Arts and Master of Music in Performance from the University of South Carolina and a bachelor’s degree in Music Education (Voice K-12) from Fayetteville State University. Ramelle supplements his academic experience serving as Director of Music at Second Calvary Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina.

He also holds membership in the National Association of Teachers of Singing and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraterni ty, Inc. Ramelle is a member of Opera Carolina’s Resident Company of artists and makes his Grand Opera debut as Angelotti in Tosca.

EnchantinG

Giacomo Puccini, (born December 22, 1858, Lucca, Tuscany [Italy]—died November 29, 1924, Brussels, Belgium), Italian composer, one of the greatest exponents of operatic rea lism, who virtually brought the history of Italian opera to an end. His mature operas included La Bohème (1896), Tosca (1900), Madama Butterfly (1904), and Turandot (left incomplete).

A performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida, whi ch he saw in Pisa in 1876, convinced him that his true vocation was opera. In the autumn of 1880 he went to study at the Milan Conserva tory, where his principal teachers were Anto nio Bazzini, a famous violinist and composer of chamber music, and Amilcare Ponchielli, the composer of the opera La gioconda.

In 1883, he entered Le villi in a competition for one-act operas. The judges did not think Le villi worthy of consideration, but a group of friends, led by the composer-librettist Arrigo Boito, sub sidized its production, and its premiere took place with immense success at Milan’s Verme Theatre on May 31, 1884.

He also commissioned Puccini to write a new opera for La Scala and gave him a monthly stipend: thus began Puccini’s lifelong asso ciation with Giulio Ricordi, who was to beco me a staunch friend and counselor.

His last opera, based on the fable of Turandot as told in the play Turandot by the 18th-century Italian dramatist Carlo Gozzi, is the only Italian opera in the Impressionistic style. Puccini did not complete Turandot, unable to write a final grand duet on the triumphant love between Tu randot and Calaf. Suffering from cancer of the throat, he was ordered to Brussels for surgery, and a few days afterward he died with the incomplete score of Turandot in his hands.

* (from www.britannica.com, Giacomo Puccini biography.)

INSIDE OPERA

TOSCA RECREATING AMASTERPIECE

The sets and costumes of Opera Carolina’s pefor mances of Tosca are based on the original designs by Adolf Hohenstein, created for the world premiere of the opera at the Teatro Costanzi, today the Rome Opera House, on January 14,1900. This recreation was realized by New York City Opera with the collaboration of the Archivio Storico Ricordi. The Archivio Storico Ricordi houses one of the most important music collections in the world. The archive includes the estate of the Ricordi publishing house, whi ch was founded in Milan in 1808. Over the course of two centuries, the archive has preserved a highly valued collection of Italian music and history of Italian theater.

(Adolph Hohenstein, Original sketch Act I)

Enjoy Opera, then relax.

TOSCA MEET THE RTISTSA INSIDE OPERA

JAMES EDER, Sacristan

Acclaimed as having a “robust” and “resonant” voice of “ample quality and quantity,” bass, James Eder, has performed in a variety of concerts and roles across the operatic repertoire. His dramatic interpretations have been hailed as “inspired,” “laugh-out-loud funny,” “a comic delight” and “marvelously sinister and threatening.”

James has worked with companies including Sarasota Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Chau tauqua Opera, Opera Southwest, Opera Columbus, Knoxville Opera, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Cleveland Opera Theater, Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, and Opera Theater of Pittsburgh. During summer of 2022, James performed multiple roles with Chautauqua Opera. He was Angelotti in Puccini’s Tosca and Anthony Comstock in a production of Virgil Thomson’s The Mother of Us All. Hew also performed in an aria and ensemble concert with the Chautauqua Symphony performing works by Verdi, Mozart and more. In the 2021 season, despite restrictions, James performed the role of Ormondo in Rossini’s L’inganno felice with two companies, Opera Southwest and Sarasota Opera. For Sarasota Opera’s 2020 season, James was the cover for Frère Laurent in Romeo et Juliete and for Alcindoro in La bohème.

In 2019, James performed as the High Priest of Baal in Nabucco and the 2nd Armored Guard in Die Zauberflöte with Sarasota Opera. In summer of 2019, following a successful run as Dr. Grenvil in La traviata in 2018 with Cincinnati Opera, James returned to Cincinnati as Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos. During 2019, James also performed the familiar roles of Dr. Grenvil in La traviata and Colline in La bohème with Cleveland Opera Theater.

A native of Cleveland, James received his M.M. in Vocal Performance at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville stu dying with Andrew Wentzel and his B.M. in Vocal Performance from The Ohio State University studying with Robin Rice.

JOHNATHAN STANFORD WHITE, Spoletta

Tenor, Johnathan Stanford White began his opera studies at the College of Charleston while working on his BA in Vocal Performance. In 2011, he was selected to sing at the Jussi Bjorling Centennial Celebration at Gustavus College at the Jussi Bjorling Concert Hall. Since moving to Charlotte in 2013, Johnathan has become a staple in the classical music scene. After making his Opera Carolina debut in Turandot as the Emperor in 2015, Johnathan has performed numerous roles in productions with Opera Carolina, Toledo Opera, and Opera Grand Rapids including Carmen, I Dream, Eugene Onegin, Le Nozze di Figaro, Rigoletto, Cyrano de Bergerac, La Fanciulla del West, Cosi fan Tutte, La Cante rina, Fidelio, Lucia di Lammermoor, and Turandot.

In addition to his operatic performances, Johnathan is also an accomplished concert soloist and has performed in Messiah, Saint Saens Christmas Oratorio, and The Seven Last Words of Christ with the Charlotte Symphony, and in 2018, he made his Anchorage Symphony Orchestra debut as tenor soloist for the Andrew Lloyd Webber Requiem. He most recently, he made his debut as Ferrando in Cosí fan tutte with Opera Grand Rapids. Johnathan is a member of Opera Carolina’s growing Resident Company and makes his principal role debut as Don Ottavio.

KENDRICK WILLIAMS, Sciarrone

Baritone, Kendrick D. Williams, holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music from Claflin University in Orangeburg, SC and a Master’s Degree in Music Performance from Loyo la University in New Orleans, Louisiana. To date, Williams has performed several roles in operas ranging from the classical works of Mozart to the verismo operas of Puccini. He has appeared in leading roles with Claflin University Lyric Opera, Loyola University Opera, New Orleans Opera, Opera Creole, and Opera at USC. Kendrick has debuted ro les in Porgy & Bess, Die Zauberflote, La Boheme, Les Contes d’Hoffman, Carmen, Gianni Schicchi & Minette Fontaine. While making appearances with the Charleston Chamber Orchestra and the Louisiana Philharmonic for oratorio works that include Handel’s Mes siah and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. More recently, Williams was seen in Bernstein’s MASS with Opera at USC, soloist of debut work “GLORY”, composed by Grammy nominated flutist Valerie Coleman and soloist for Brahms Requiem, Op. 45 with Columbia Choral Society. Since then, Kendrick has relocated to Charlotte, NC where he is on resident artist with Opera Carolina, studying with Victoria Livengood.

TOSCA MEET THE RTISTSA

JOHN FORTSON, Jailer

Basso John Fortson celebrates his third decade performing with Opera Carolina. Among his many appearances with his home company, John has performed the roles of Nouabad in Les pecheur du perls, the Mandarin in Turandot, Montano and Lodovico in Otello, and The Bonze in Madama Butterfly. He has also performed with Opera Southwest in New Mexico, Piedmont Opera Theater in Winston- Salem, Central Piedmont Opera Theatre, and The Charlotte Symphony, and will be returning to Opera Carolina in the spring as The Marquis in La Traviata.

MICHAEL BAUMGARTEN, Director of Production/ Resident Lighting and Video Designer

Opera Carolina’s Director of Production and Lighting Designer since 2005, Michael Bau mgarten has designed lighting for more than 400 opera productions at regional and inter national opera companies, including, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Manitoba Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Austin Opera, Arizona Opera, Lyric Ope ra Kansas City, Palm Beach Opera, Toledo Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, Michigan Opera Theater and Virginia Opera.

A graduate of the Yale School of Drama and member of United Scenic Artists-Local 829, Mr. Baumgarten has also served as Director of Production and Resident Lighting Desi gner for Chautauqua Opera since 1999. Equally at home with digital design and inno vative technologies, he has designed and created new digital imagery for over fifteen Opera Carolina productions including Turandot, Les pêcheurs de perles, Nabucco, Macbeth, Roméo et Juliette, La fanciulla del West, and I Dre am.

EMILY JARRELL URBANEK, Director of Music Preparation

Emily Jarrell Urbanek has been Opera Carolina’s Director of Music Preparation for 15 seasons, serving as chief coach, pianist and chorus director. She is also an extra key boardist with the Charlotte Symphony. She frequently performs chamber music with area musicians. Recent performances include Franz Schubert’s “Trout” Quintet and Fanny Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio Op. 11 with the Bechtler Ensemble, and Dvorak’s Piano Quintet in A Major, Op. 81, with the principal strings of the Charlotte Symphony in a collaboration with the Charlotte Ballet entitled Ibsen’s House.

Emily recently conducted a joint production of Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg for Opera Carolina and Opera Grand Rapids, as well as Opera Carolina’s March 2022 performances of Zach Redler and Jerre Dye’s new opera, The Falling and the Rising. Since 2007 Emily has been on the musical staff of the Chautauqua Opera, and she has also served as repetiteur for a variety of companies, including New York City Opera, San Diego Opera, Austin Opera, Fort Worth Opera Festival, New Orleans Opera, and Kentucky Opera.

operacarolina.org

PERSPECTIVES ON THE OF POWERABUSE TOSCA TODAY

By Dasia Hood

Imagine possessing a powerful position, patriarchy, privilege, or prerogative, and sitting on the throne before you is a question of motivation: how shall I influence outcomes in the lives of man, woman, child, and beast while maintaining influence over my own? Hopefully, futures change for the better thanks to your prestige, but possibly, power changes one’s personality despite pledges to goodwill. In Puccini’s Tosca, Baron Scarpia declares to have Floria Tosca at his will through power play, ultimately securing the death of her lover. Tosca condemns him, but the gall of it all lies solely in his position and lack of compassion, charm, and humility. Who can save the puissant personality from punishment, but perhaps not purgatory?

The authority of the U.S. Department of Justice describes the abuse of power as “the misuse of a position of power to take unjust advantage of individuals, organizations, or governments.” One extends the concept to relationships, family structures, communities, and institutions. Tosca applies abusing power through dramatic evidence of harassment, manipulation, and poli tical imprisonment. But, grand audience, what is power? I say, “Power is what you make it.”

In the children’s story Return to Exile by E.J. Patten, the storyteller writes, “power without compassion is the worst kind of evil there is.” But, Austrian psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Victor E. Frankl teaches us that “between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom”. If the stimulus is power, one can hope humility, compassion, and wisdom lie in the space from which a ruler will choose their response.

Within power dynamics, there lies a paradox. A person may influence others through expertise, charisma, or access to opportunities, but at what cost? Baron Scarpia’s predato rial personality is less than charming, but his political position gives him access to opportunities of life and death to hold over his prey. Research shows that acquiring power leads to psychological consequences, such as personality changes that affect your peripheral thinking and feeling. The more you have, the more sociopathic you are likely to become. You begin to care less about others, use more stereotypes, objectify others, and misbehave.

For example, Herod the Great is not known to be great for his empathy and charisma. But inste ad, his misuse of authority. Herod the Great made great strides for Rome as the king of Judea by creating projects to increase employment and improve the economy, but he was sick with power. Paranoid about losing his leadership after the proclamation that the King of Jews would be born, he ordered the deaths of all children two years old or younger in Bethlehem. In all stories, the abu se of power comes from fear of losing control and an internal sense of inferiority in a chaotic world. Avoid abusing power by owning the personal choice to practice spiritual humility, and know there is greatness (good or evil) within every position, passion, or perspective.

“Power without compassion is the worst kind of evil there is.”

Tito Gobbi as Scarpia, Teatro alla Scala, Milan 1960

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 Kimberly Mize (kimberly@operacarolina.org) or James Meena (james@operacarolina.org).

Ensure that future generations can experience the beauty of live opera. Make a lasting gift.

HONORING

CHARLES BOWMAN PATRON SPOTLIGHT

Each issue, Opera Carolina highlights a patron whose philanthropic work has transformed our company and the community.

By Cathy Bessant

Charles Bowman is my hero, my colleague and my friend. He is known for turning the ordi naryor routine into the extraordinary and unique. Several years ago, he invited our entire office floor to celebrate Pi Day. Charles, of course, had found a way to take math and make it fun. He arranged to bake and serve us pies, making Pi Day a day we celebrate every year. Who knew?

And… don’t be fooled by his business suits! Charles is a legend at BofA for celebrating -- in large groups -- with the songs and limericks that he has written and performed.

A well-known visionary, leader and pioneer, Charles is a wonderful motivator of teams. Count less stories at Bank of America and in Charlotte testify to his optimism and humble spirit. Anyo ne who knows him will tell you his laugh is infectious. He doesn’t shy away from the tough jobs because he knows how to drive teams towards a common goal. Even if you don’t know Charles, you’ve benefited from his ability to connect people and generate momentum for important issues and causes. Charles started in Bank of America’s Le gal department as an attorney for Global Corporate & Investment Banking. Soon, he was asked to lead Corporate Compliance, well before compliance be came “cool” within our industry. As was typical for Charles, he often addressed topics before they be came popular in order to best prepare the bank for the future.

As a market president for Charlotte and North Ca rolina, Charles has served on more civic and com munity boards that are, literally, too numerous to list. He is an advisor and mentor to our region’s greatest minds – and hearts. He often takes on “impossible” tasks: raising money, rescuing struggling organiza tions or projects. And being market president and corralling the likes of Hugh McColl, David Darnell, Andrea Smith and me? Another impossible task that only Charles could handle. Charles manages leadership and stakeholder points of view the same way he does everything: collaboratively, positively and diplomatically. What else would you expect from a guy with a bachelor’s

and law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master’s from Duke Uni versity?

If anyone can be tactful, it’s someone who can successfully cross the lines between Chapel Hill and Durham. His greatest strength, however, might be his collaborator and wife: Mary Bowman.

Mary is one of the most kind and thoughtful people you will meet. She always wants to hear how you and your family are doing and she has a knack for remembering everything you tell her. You can’t spend five minutes with Mary, Charles or their sons, John and Peter, without recognizing that their family values are core to who they are and everything they do. To put it simply, Mary is not the wind beneath Charles’ wings – she is his other wing. For me and literally thousands of others, Charles is our coach. He sets the game plan, cheers us on and rallies the team. You can count on him to keep you straight and always lead with integrity.

More than once, he’s sat me down to say, “That’s a bad idea,” and then we always invent a bet ter plan. He believes in doing things with people, not to them, and that the whole is always greater than the sum of the parts.

Together, Charles and Mary will continue to see that Charlotte rises to her full potential, just as they have helped us all achieve ours.

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 Season-Opening opera production in each year from the 2001/02 season to the 2022/23 season-opening production of Tosca. 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.

OPERA FASHIONCULTURE & STYLE WHO TOLD UCCINI THAT PASSION LOOKS GREAT IN ?RED P

By Dasia Hood

W ho can deny the seduction of flawless draping for a fabulous gown or the tasteful tucking of a timeless three-piece? Puccini worked with Adolfo Hohenstein (1854-1928), the infamous Italian poster designer, costume designer, and German painter, to depict Tosca with richness, move ment, and glory.

Similarly, take note of the details of our costume design for dressing a silhouette with passion. Then, bring these styling elements together in today’s wardrobe to don show-stopping looks for fashionable evenings at Opera Carolina, your next gala, and occasions where romance, mystique, and possibility linger in the air. With great respect to the fashions here and there, Dolce & Gabba na’s Stefano Gabbana suggests, “Italians know that what matters is style, not fashion. Italian style does not have social or age boundaries.”

RICHNESS

Even from the balcony, a well-trained eye notices the quality of fabric and trim. Notice how the co stume designer uses rich materials and textures. How do you bring richness to the styles of today? Satin, velvet, and velour create shine and smoothness to invite lu xury and touch to the artist in costume. But, the fabric type does not complete the image of passion. For a fiery feel, you must also consider shades of red, jewel tones, sophisticated darks, perfect blues, and metallics.

MOVEMENT AND PLACEMENT

Emotion moves us - it exists to be seen, heard, and performed. So, Movement’s magic must express itself on stage through style and design. When creating our costumes for Tosca, the designer dra pes, trails, fits, puffs, and flairs parts of each piece to ensure the styling supports the actions and stories of the singer. Fashion icon Diana Vreeland (1903-1989), beloved by Gianna Versace, followed the suit of passion with peplum waists, flair sleeves, and classic cowls in her everyday wardrobe. Another consideration is place ment and allowing the costume to reveal a delicate or divine neck, shoulder, back, and collarbone. Dressing for passion today means letting fabrics fall along the limbs, cling to your center, and line areas of voice and strength.

GLORY

Give a look of glory with the proper accessories. Try jeweled statement necklaces, dangling earrin gs, and a lovely tiara. Or, for less formal events, go in the direction of the birds and bees and use floral crowns or hairpieces - such as a simple rose behind the ear. Take these sensational styles from our costume designs; you might be the next “Blake Lively at the Met Gala.”

YOUTH ACADEMY

OW OPERA CAROLINA’S OUTH ACADEMY LED THIS STUDENT TO HIS LIFE PATH H Y

By Ashley Johnson Lam

One of the first things young musicians learn is how to read their road map. Not the folded-up ancient relic road map of glove compartments past that defeated the best in origami – they’re learning how to navigate the signs, symbols, and the entirely new-to-them language that is music. When used di ligently through proper training, this awe-inspiring journey to understand music transforms into one that empowers the discovery of the greatest treasure of all: self-actualization. Youth Academy graduate and current Academy student teacher intern Ste ven-Khalil Capers, Jr. is well on his journey and credits music as the maritime force in that track.

Currently a junior Music Education and Vocal Performance major at Mars Hill College, Ste ven-Khalil came from a childhood filled with typical music experiences like church musicals, piano lessons, and backseat Beyoncé-belting. But he also braved turbulence at home that made going to school his sanctuary, despite the bullying.

Through it all, Steven-Khalil found his way to be “unapologetically himself.” A wise elementary school music teacher helped him find refu ge in the chorus, and he immersed himself in music at Northwest School of the Arts. But his future focused when he joined the Opera Carolina Youth Academy. “The Academy’s more individual focus made me feel like a young professional… gave me time to refine my presence, di scover my inner saboteur, and gain comfort with my body and voice,” reflects Steven-Khalil.

Through the Youth Academy, he met his first voice teacher, Diane Thornton, who understood the precious journey he was on, both per sonally and toward a critical goal of attending college. Mars Hill Col lege gave Steven-Khalil a scholarship to map his life course thanks to the help of Thornton and NWSA Choral Director Stephanie Madsen, his continued participation in the Youth Academy’s Summer Workshop, and the skills he honed through musical study. Though he’s aged out of the program, Steven-Khalil is now active in the Youth Academy’s Summer Workshop as a student teacher intern. He leads music classes for Academy teens, builds advanced teaching experience, and imparts all the wisdom he has learned by following his musical road map.

THE LAST

LAST DICK JOHNSON

REMEMBERING

MARCELLO GIORDANI

By James Meena

In 1988 I was at the New York apartment of my then agent, discussing programming and casting for my new companies (I was the newly appointed General Director of Toledo Opera and Resident Conductor of the Toledo Symphony).

At one point in the informal conversation, my agent said, “You have to hear this . . .” and proceeded to play a recording from Italy of a 24-year-old Italian tenor. After not more than two minutes of the selection I simply said to him, “Matteo, do you know what you have here?” Of course, he did. We discussed repertoire that would be good for a tremendously talented, but young tenor to assail, and dreaming of the day he would sing Calaf in Puccini’s Turandot. As it happened, Marcello was to cover the role of Edgardo in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor at the Chicago Lyric in the fall 1990. So, as I have done throughout my career, I scheduled Lucia as the winter 1990 opera with Toledo Opera for Marcello.

This began a long professional relationship that quickly developed into a friendship with the young man who would go on to reach the heights of achievement as one of the opera world’s finest performing artists. Marcello’s star rose quickly, becoming a leading man at the Met, La Scala, Covent Garden, Vienna State Opera, Chicago Lyric – well, name the top theater and Mar cello triumphed there.

Many of our Opera Carolina patrons will remember when we hosted the Marcello Gior dani International Vocal Competition here in Charlotte in 2016. Marcello was not only a great artist, but a compassionate person who wanted to give emerging artists the same op portunities he had. The competition brought artists and impresarios from around the world to the Queen City for the competition, and to see Opera Carolina’s new production of Puc cini’s La Fanciulla del West (photo), in which Marcello starred, and which went on to per form in New York and five Italian theaters.

Our last performances together were in August 2019 in the amazing historic amphitheaters in Syracuse and Taormina with Puccini’s Turandot, the role I imagined he would sing superbly back in 1988. Sadly, a few short months later, Marcello suddenly and tragically passed away. Last spring, I again led performances of Turandot – This time with bittersweet memories of my friend and colleague on my mind.

We remember and celebrate a great artist and his legacy.

Tosca Calendar

PERFORMANCES ~ OCTOBER 13, 15 & 16

September 29 ~ PopUp and Verdi Society Season Kick-off 6:00 pm Hosted by Natalie Scott

September 30~ PopUp at the Taste of Charlotte Truist Field

October 6 ~ Opera Guild Enrichment Program

6:00 pm – Free to the public Hosted by Julie and Joel Bernard

October 8 ~ Opera at the 7th Street Market

1:00 pm – Free to the public Hosted by Mano Bella restaurant and Assorted Table Wines

October 11 ~ Verdi Society Fall Coffee at The Duke Mansion 10:00 am – Members only event

October 11 ~ Student Night at the Opera Belk Theater 7:00 pm – Open to Students and Chaperones 5:30 pm - Piccolo Verdi at the Ritz Carlton

October 13 ~ Pre-Curtain Dinner with the Maestro 5:30 pm – For Benefactors and Verdi Society Members Forchetta Restaurant $125 per person

October 13 ~ Bravo! Opera Carolina Young Professionals Before the Opera Meet and Greet with cast members Founders Room – Founders Hall

October 15 ~ Pre-Curtain Dinner with the Maestro 6:00 pm – For Benefactors and Verdi Society Members Forchetta Restaurant $125 per person

Meet the Stars and After Party 7th Street Market* 5:00 to 7:00 pm

*7th Street Market is staying open for our Artists and Audience to meet and greet after a great performance.

Opera CarolinaYouth AcademY

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR ALL STAGES OF LIFE

As Opera Carolina’s instructional arm, the Youth Academy offers regional 3rd-12th graders foundational and immersive training that hones voices and cultivates life and learning skills, with equitable access at the core of our mission.

ACADEMY CHORUS

Our musical family for 3rd-7th graders where learning, laughing, and lots of music-making help students:

• Learn fundamental singing skills & find their own voice

• Develop their sense of pitch, rhythm & confidence

• Explore foreign languages & diverse

lasting bonds

LEARN MORE OR ENROLL YOUR STUDENT!

Canto Italiano

September 22 to October 2, 2023

An exclusive, small group guided trip to the stun ning Italian Alps, memorable Verona and Lake Como with a private tour of the Teatro Sociale di Como and tickets for Opera Carolina’s new production of Mozart’s “The Magic Flute” on September 29, led by Charlotte’s own Maestro James Meena.

open soon.

Opera Carolina Endowment

Named Funds

We proudly recognize these major donors who have invested in Opera Carolina’s future by establishing a directed Endowment gift.

The Carol and Irwin Belk Excellence Fund Established in 1997 by Carol and Irwin Belk

The Stephanie and Howard Bissell Student Night Fund Established in 2019

The Hearst Education Fund Established in 2001 by the Hearst Foundations

The Patricia and Marcelle Gorelick Ma Mere et Moi Fund Established in 2018

The Sally Ann Hall Fund Established in 2010 by the Hall family

The Marjorie McDorman Fund

Established in 2006 by Robert McDorman

The Principal Conductor Innovation Fund

Established in 2017 by The Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation

The Marie and Oliver Rowe Opera Tribute and Conductors Fund

Established in 1996 by Marie Rowe

The James E. Walker Fund Established in 1996 to support the Opera Carolina Chorus

Opera Carolina Endowment

Opera Carolina gratefully recognizes the following donors who have made a gift to the Endowment since its inception in 1997.

Dr. William Adams

Betty Garris and W. Thad Adams III

Mary and Anthony Allou

Jeanette and Francisco Alvarado

Tina and Jeffrey Alvino

Phoebe and David Amante

Julie Armistead

Stephanie and Howard Bissell

The Estate of Dr. and Mrs. Stewart P. Blake

Linda Blum

The Blumenthal Foundation Betsy and Alfred Brand

Nelle and Kenneth Brown

Steven Burke

Joan and Jim Carroll William Cave

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat

Pauline and William Chinnis Walter Clark Jane and David Conlan Catherine and Wilton Connor Andrew Creighton

The Dickson Foundation David Diener

Georgette and Malcolm Dixon Janice Dodge

The Dowd Family Foundation

Peggy and Richard Dreher

The Duke Energy Foundation Mary Tabor and Robert Engel

Faison Enterprises

John Fitzhugh Dee and Gerald Fox

Libba and Mike Gaither

Sandra and Dr. Richard Geller

Sarah Gentry

The Gorelick Family Foundation Deidre and Clay Grubb Janet Haack

Veronica and David Hagen

The Family of Sally Ann Hall

The Hearst Foundations

Carolyn Henderson Rebecca Henderson Mary Jo Germaine and Steve Hershfield

Dr. Mark Hester

Nancy Howe Linda and Dr. Neil Howell

Jeffrey Huberman Nora and Thomas Hughes Bee and Chris Jensen Glenn Johnson

Lu and Edwin Jones Thomas Kozak Shelly and Adam Landau Richard Leabow

Eleanor Lieberman Peter LoTruglio

Sallie and Fred Lowrance

Carolyn Lyons Holly and Christopher Maurer Eugenia May Jane and Hugh McColl Mary and Leo McGarry Halley Merrell

Opera Carolina Endowment

Their legacy endures with each performance, and every student Opera Carolina reaches.

Virginia and Mike Mitchell

Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation

Nora Norman Marianne and Philip W. Norwood

Richard J. Obsorne Connie and Durward Owen Leslie and Paul Paliyenko Frank Perez Santina and David Pfleeger Peg and George Povinelli Robert Preston Sabine and Haywood Rankin Don Roberts William Rudisill Sallie Scarborough William Scherfius

Gordon Scott Barbara and Terry Lee Scott Harriet Seabrook and Zeke Foard

Emily and Zach Smith C. D. Spangler Foundation Mary and Bill Staton Dr. Sandra Stoval Ann and Wellford Tabor Estate of Harriette and Sydnor Thompson John Vallomy Tess and Herb Verbessy Mary-Margaret Vogel The Wachovia Foundation Robert Warren William Young Dr. and Mrs. T. C. Price Zimmermann

***

S pecial T hank S

Bella Notte 2022

The Board of Directors, Artists and Staff of Opera Carolina express our deep gratitude to our Bella Notte 2022 Co-Chairs Lane and Liz Faison, Elizabeth and David Shuford

Opera Carolina 2020

The OC 2020 Campaign closed in December 2020, raising more than five million dollars. The Board of Directors continues to express their gratitude to Mary Tabor and Rob Engel, Campaign Co-Chairs, and the following donors who supported the Innovation and Creativity Fund of the Campaign.

Albemarle Foundation Anonymous

Betty Garriss and W. Thad Adams, III Bank of America

Natasha Bechtler

Julie and Joel Bernard

Stephanie and Howard Bissell Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC

Frank Boncimino

Joan and Jim Carroll

Pauline and William Chinnis Hillary and Fairfax Cooper Donna and Alvaro de Molina

Preeti and Vinay Deshmukh

Roslyn Pitts and Eric Dickerson Sarah and Nick Dockery Mary Tabor and Rob Engel Arlene Ferebee

Joanne and Alfredo Gatto Elizabeth and Scott Gore

The Gorelick Family Foundation Sheldon and M. Berry Grant, Jr. Laura and Charlie Greer Isabelle and William Griesmyer Deidre and Clay Grubb Joseph K. Hall, III

Katherine G. Hall

Beth and Dr. Richard-James M. Hansen Jill Hazel

Tina Bonner and Kevin Henry

Radmila and Daryl Hollnagel

Nora and Tom Hughes

Marie-Claire Marroum and Kal E. Kardous Paul E. Kardous Callie and Win Kelly

Lynette A. Lewis

The Leon Levine Foundation

The Lichtin Family Foundation Mr. and Mrs. Fred T. Lowrance

Ashley and Scott Mattei The Maurer Family Foundation The Mealy Family Kaye and Dennis McGarry Mary and James Meena Anke and Casey Mermans Cortney and Frederic E. Nauck Novant Health

NUCOR Corporation Richard J. Osborne Alexandra Paliyenko Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein Karen and Brandon Perry Philip L. Van Every Foundation Laura and Stephen L. Philipson Laura and Perry Poole Peg and George Povinelli Dr. Gwendolyn Reichbach and Mr. Michael Fonzo Sally and Russell Robinson Mary Shelton and Christopher Rose Sherry and Charles Rumbough Barbara and Terry L. Scott Steven Preston Shaw

Virginia and Harry A. Shaw Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP C. D. Spangler Foundation Ann and Wellford Tabor Stephanie and Mark Timperman Triad Foundation

Dorthy and William H. Trotter U.S. Bank

Laura Meyer and Ward Wellman Robert C. Zabel Dr. and Mrs. T. C. Price Zimmermann

Annual Fund for Excellence

Opera Carolina emerges from the pandemic a stronger organization thanks to the steadfast support of the following individual, corporate and foundation donors.

This listing reflects donations received between July 1, 2021 through September 30, 2022.

The Verdi Society

DIAMOND CIRCLE

(Gifts from $25,000 and above)

Anonymous Bank of America

The Estate of David Conlan Hearst

The Hearst Foundations Novant Health

The Opera Guild of Charlotte Wells Fargo Private Bank

PLATINUM CIRCLE

(Gifts from $10,000 to $25,000)

Betty Garriss and W. Thad Adams III Ally Bank

George W. Bauer Family Foundation Bragg Financial

Brighthouse Financial Capitol

Charlotte Eye Ear Nose & Throat Associates, P.A. Drs. Ki-Hyun and Sun Shin Chun

Ms. Laura Van Sickle - Closets by Design Deloitte

Deidre and Clay Grubb

Marie-Claire Marroum and Kal E. Kardous Paul E. Kardous

Mr. and Mrs. Fred T. Lowrance

Marriott Fairfield Inn

Mecklenburg Radiology Associates

Mary and James Meena

Shumaker Loop & Kendrick, LLC

Laura Vinroot and Perry Poole

Peg and George Povinelli

Herb M. Verbesey in memory of Tess Verbesey

Annual Fund for Excellence

The Verdi Society GOLD CIRCLE

(Gifts from $5,000 to $10,000)

Barringer Construction

The George W. and Ruth R. Baxter Foundation

Blue Cross Blue Shield NC Kathy and Frank Bragg Joan and Jim Carroll Jane Conlan Mrs. Roddey Dowd, Sr. Mary Tabor and Rob Engel

Robert A. Gaines and Toni Burke Peter Guild

Donald Haack Diamonds and Fine Gems Janet Haack

Blynn Field and Chris Jensen

Jessie J. Knight, Jr., and Joye D. Blount Marand Builders, Inc.

Elizabeth and Christopher Mardany Holly and Christopher Maurer Kaye and Dennis McGarry

McShane Partners

Courtney and Frederic E. Nauck Stephen L. and Laura Philipson

Ann M. Reed

Barbara and Terry Lee Scott Kati and Christopher Small

Anne Carter and Dean Smith Steinway Piano Galleries US Bank

Womble Bond Dickson, LLP

Margaret and Dr. T.C. Price Zimmermann

Annual Fund for Excellence The Verdi Society

SILVER CIRCLE (Gifts from $2,500)

Accenture

Mr. and Mrs. James Alexander

Cadwalader Audi of Charlotte Charlotte International Rotary Mary Margaret and Josh Beaver Natascha A. Bechtler Julie and Joel Bernard Liya Beyderman and Emmanuel Botzolakis Frank Boncimino Nancy Clark Brand and William R. C. Freeman CIGNA

Jan and Robert Q. Busch Pauline and William Chinnis Hillary and Fairfax Cooper Craig Selimotic Danforth Amy and Alfred Dawson Peggy and Charles Dickerson Dena Diorio

Daniele Donahoe and Erik Rosenwood Jane and Roddey Dowd Peggy and Richard Dreher Element Financial Corporation Fairfield Inn, Charlotte Uptown Liz and Lane Faison Arlene Ferebee Lisa Lust and Dean M. Fischbeck Denise and Patrick Folmar

FTI Consulting, Inc. William C. Freeman Pattie and George Fulford Elizabeth and J. Michael Gaither GreerWalker CPAS & Advisers

Sheldon & Berry Grant, Jr. Isabelle & William Griesmyer Katherine Hall Martha Harbison

Jennifer and John Harmeling Sian and Robert Harris, III Radmila and Daryl Hollnagel Barbara and Mark Holt Dr. and Mrs. Rogers G. Howell, III

Nora and Thomas J. Hughes Caci and Max Jaeger Lucille F. & Edwin Jones Endowment Carol Y. Kendrick and John DeMicco Callie and Win Kelly Laya R. Kushner Lynette Lewis Carolyn P. Line Jennifer and William Martin Natalie and Marcus Martin Meduit Group, LLC Kimberly and Geoffrey Mize Amy and Matt Moore Robert Norville Karen L. Oldham

Omni Funding Corp. of America Richard J. Osborne Alexandra Paliyenko Erica and James E. Powell Kathleen D. Prokay

Publix Super Markets Charities Robert M. Ranson

Gwendolyn Reichbach and Michael Fonzo Irena and Lee Rimlery Sara Garcés and Daniel Roselli Sherry & Charles Rumbough Donna Dutton and Stephen Schultz Dr. Thea Moore and Mark Self Lisa Sherrill Elizabeth and David Shuford Emily and Zach Smith Catherine C. and Jordan Stern Dr. Mahesh Sardesai and Ms.Varsha Mathur Rev. and Mrs. Sydnor Thompson, III Audrey Truman & Rob Boisvert Cynthia Haldenby Tyson Kelnisha and Curtis Walls

Laura Meyer and Ward Wellman Charlotte and John Wickham Aundrea & Stephen Wilson III Scott Hulse and Phyllis Zanghi

Annual Fund for Excellence

The Encore! Society

BENEFACTORS

(Gifts from $1,000 to $2,500)

Helen Anne Alford American Express Linda and William Bantz Aaron Benjamin Lakana Bikhazi Gay Boswell Mary and Frank Brown Suzanne and Thomas Cambern Elizabeth Lucina and James Stephen Carr CDW

Laura and Joseph C. Clark, Jr. Brian Crutchfield and Ken Davis

The Dickson Foundation Anne and Peter Gilchrist W. Bonner Guilford

Sian and Robert Harris, III Anne J. Henderson Elizabeth and Mark Hindal Barbara Horne-Stead Andrea and Nathan Howard Teresa Howe William Howell Page B. Kizer Norman Kramer Christine and Stephen McClure Rob Roy McGregor Marie Mitchell

Teri and Bill Nugent Helen and Arvind Patil

Drs. Melissa and Andrew Pavelyev Kathy and Paul Reichs Pat and Paul Schieble Michael N. Silverman Mary G. Bobis Slominski Patricia and Morris Spearman Natasha and Ljubomir Stambuk Mary and William Staton Maxine and Robert M. Stein Elizabeth Trenary Natalija and Michel P. Vanesse Mary and Thomas Zweng

PATRONS

(Gifts from $500 to $1,000)

Emerson Bell Deborah and Glenn Berry Peggy and Steven C. Burke Matthew K. Chan Kana and Young Chin John Frederic Cochrane Susan Davis Cheryl De Maio Alice R. Schulte and Salvador Dominguez Alvin C. Early, Jr. Gail and Tom Fennimore Regina Fiegel Joan Foley Barbara and Lawrence Freiman Lucy Quintilliano and Leonard Fumi

Myron Gray Priscilla and Gordon J. Greene Cynthia R. Greenlee Robert C. and Heather Hayes Karen Hite and John Jacob Andrew Jarrell Antionette and Paul Johnson Alex Kelber

Dr. and Mrs. Dennis Kokenes Jill and Jack Labardi Constance Lacy Laura Lander Bonnie and Greg Marland John T. and Anna McCoy Marie Mitchell Lily and Victor M. Pineiro-Carrero Jeannie and John Presto Lucy Quintiliano Manley and Jennifer Roberts Dalton Shaull John Schaffer Alice Schulte Andrew Silliker Dr. Henry L. Smith, II Rosalie S. Spaniel Brenda Gail Summers

Annual Fund for Excellence

The Encore! Society

PATRONS (continued)

Mrs. Charles C. Tull Paul Vadnais Dr. Barbara Weschke William Williamson Ronald and Maureen Young

SUSTAINING MEMBERS

(Gifts from $300)

Anonymous Kathryn N. Amos Dr. and Mrs. Charles Baker Helen and Lincoln Baxter Jay Bernath Lauren and Greg Cable Nan and Brooks Carey Shirley and Ronald Coffman C.M. and Walter Coley Katie and Andy Creighton Nancy Williams and Roger Dahnert Harry Dalton Wesley Dangerfield Robert W. Day Lacy Woods Dick Katrina and Wyatt Dixon, III Carol and Stephen Dixon Faith R. Douglas Suzanne Durkee Gail and C. Thomas Fennimore Gerald G. Fox Sarah and Frank Gentry Walter H. Goodwin Tara Harris

Leslie and Jacquelyn Holshouser

Helen Hu Margot Kaiser Brett Kasberger Mary Napier and Steven Kesselman Lyndon Kreisel

Page Leggett Mrs. Jungyeon A. Liu Frances and Damaso Lopez

Lawrence Mays and Dr. Joan Lorden Laura Lupton

Bonnie and Gregg Marland Jennifer and William Martin William D. Mashburn Mary and Leo McGarry Loretta Mendes

Michael Moore Kathryn O’Neill John G. Papadia Elizabeth and Rodney C. Pitts Kathleen Poon and H. Lawrence Vallet Sabine and Haywood Rankin John Schaffer Joanne and Graham Stewart Alvin Sudduth Richard Thigpen Alison and Wells VanPelt

SUPPORTING MEMBERS

(Gifts from $100)

Patsy and James Abell Jennifer and Craig Adelhardt Wade Alley Pat and Don Ambrose Harold N. Anders Anthony Arroyo Faith and Thomas Atwood Robert Baird David Ball Susan Barrett Larry Bennett Laura P. Barnett Henricus and Beatrys Beekwilder Alan Black Carol Black Peter Bleckner Anissa Burton Mary E. Bruno Lauren and Sheldon Cantor

Annual Fund for Excellence

The Encore! Society

SUPPORTING MEMBERS

(continued)

Janice M. Calaron Linda N. Chirico

Michele Classe, in honor of Mark Rucker Michael Cleveland Andrew Creighton Howard Cohen

Marion and Norman Cowell

Winifred and Dr. Fay H. Culbreth C.S. Danforth Wesley Dangerfield Joel Dent

Janice and Alex Dodge Karen and Thomas Egan James Ericksen

Antoinette and Dominic Faccone Mr. and Mrs. George T. Feagans Brian T. Fearn Michael Fomil Cheryl Roberts & Robert Franklin Susanne and Robert Galletto Sandra and Richard Geller

Soraya Gonzalez Margaret Goodley Walter Goodwin Elizabeth Anne Greers

William Groscup William Hambright Michael Henry Mr. & Mrs. Michael Iagnocco Katherine Jakubowski

Christine Johnson Margot Kaiser Anne Dowd Kennedy Jack Kester

Haesue Florence and Edward Kim Jane Orcutt Kinney Irina Khudyakov Patricia Kunder James M. Laney Susan Lantz

Elaine Largen Barbara Lembo Eleanor Lieberman

Eric Linne Guy Lochiatto

Robert Lorentzen

Linda and Stuart Lynn Cecily Mango

Jennifer and William Martin Eugenia May Maxine McCoy Nicole and Costas Melissaris Patty and J. Jerome Miller Brenda B. Moore

Joan Shinn and Lentz R. Morton Mr. and Mrs. Harold Mouzon Domingo Pancheco Bradley Patterson Beth A. Peterson Gail Christopher Petit R. William Pitkin Thomas Philson Barbara Pierce Don M. Roberts Linda and William Scherffius Sarah Shifflet

Sandy and Donald Schumacher Carol G. Simonetti Scott Snedecor Graham T. and Joanne Stewart Meaghan Stewart Terrell Allen and David Stewart Cornelius Fitzgerald Tate Sharon Taulbert

Dr. and Mrs. H. Grant Taylor Vanessa Thorne Barbara Vey Mr. and Mrs. Luther Wade Marie and Dale Warren Sarah Watson Charles Wickham

Lizabeth and James Williams Barbara E. and Yardy Williams Dr. Peter Wittenberg Clara and Allen Wolfe Stacey and Stephen Young

Orchestra Musicians ~ Charlotte Symphony

FIRST VIOLINS

Calin Ovidiu Lupanu, Concertmaster (The Catherine & Wilton Connor Chair)

Joseph Meyer, Associate Concertmaster Kari Giles, Assistant Concertmaster Ernest Pereira°* Susan Blumberg°° Jane Hart Brendle Emily Chatham°° Ayako Gamo Jenny Topilow°° Dustin Wilkes-Kim Hanna Zhdan

SECOND VIOLINS

Oliver Kot, Principal (The Wolfgang Roth Chair) Kathleen Jarrell, Assistant Principal (The Pepsi-Cola Foundation of Charlotte Chair) Carlos Tarazona° Monica Boboc Tatiana Karpova Ellyn Stuart Martha Geissler Sakira Harley VIOLAS

Benjamin Geller, Principal (The Zoe Bunten Merrill Principal Viola Chair) Alaina Rea, Assistant Principal Ellen Ferdon Cynthia Frank Nancy Marsh Levine Viara Stefanova Ning Zhao

CELLOS

Jonathan Lewis, Principal (The Kate Whitner McKay Principal Cello Chair)

Marlene Ballena, Acting Assistant Principal Alan Black, Principal Emeritu Jeremy Lamb Sarah Markle

DOUBLE BASSES

Kurt Riecken, Principal Judson Baines, Assistant Principal Jeffrey Ferdon Jason McNeel

HARP

Andrea Mumm Trammell, Principal (The Dr. Billy Graham Chair)

FLUTES

Victor Wang, Principal (The Blumenthal Foundation Chair) Amy Orsinger Whitehead Erinn Frechette

PICCOLO Erinn Frechette

OBOES

Hollis Ulaky, Principal (The Leo B. Driehuys Chair‡) Erica Cice Terry Maskin

ENGLISH HORN Terry Maskin

CLARINETS

Taylor Marino, Principal (The Gary H. & Carolyn M. Bechtel Chair)

Samuel Sparrow Allan Rosenfeld

Eb CLARINET

Samuel Sparrow

BASS CLARINET Allan Rosenfeld

BASSOONS

Joshua Hood, Acting Principal Naho Zhu†

CONTRABASSOON

Naho Zhu†

HORNS

Byron Johns, Principal (The Mr. & Mrs. William H. V an Every Chair) Andrew Fierova Robert Rydel Richard Goldfaden Philip Brindise†

TRUMPETS

Alex Wilborn, Principal (The Betty J. Livingstone Chair)

Jonathan Kaplan

Gabriel Slesinger, Associate Principal (The Marcus T. Hickman Chair)

TROMBONES

John Bartlett, Principal Thomas Burge

BASS TROMBONE

Scott Hartman, Principal

TUBA Colin Benton, Principal (The Governor James G. Martin Chair)

TIMPANI

Rose Lipham, Principal (The Robert Haywood Morrison Chair)

PERCUSSION

Brice Burton, Principal

This roster lists the full-time members of the Charlotte Symphony. The num ber and seating of musicians on stage varies depending on the piece being performed.

° Non-revolving position

°° Alternates between first and second violins

† Acting member of the Charlotte Symphony

‡ Funded by The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Inc.

* On leave

The Charlotte Symphony Orche stra is a proud member of the League of American Ochestras.

SOPRANO

Peg Broughton

Jennifer Bumgardner

Elizabeth Buscher

Katherine Kuckelman

Alexandria McNeely

Stephanie Patterson

Jersey Roche Sandra Stovall Nancy Unser Julia Woodward

Fan Yang

Members of The Opera Carolina Chorus performing in TOSCA

Emily Jarrell Urbanek, Chorus Master

Daria Ruzhynska, Pianist

MEZZOSOPRANO

Madeline Beitel

Laurel Jameson

Alina MacNichol

Chloe Pak Maria Powell

Rachel Turner

Cameron Vipperman Jennifer Wiggins

TENOR Elliott Brown Gerry Clonaris Johnnie Felder Michael Owens Noah Rice Jared Payton Nickolus Stewart

BASS

Sean Buggs

David D’Ardienne Ryan Harrison Jeffrey Ingold Brian Jensen Charles Lang Gregory Lowery Justin Traxler

Members of The Opera Carolina Youth Academy performing in TOSCA

McKenzie Coleman, Director Zaiba Sheikh, Pianist

Londyn Dixon

Christopher Dougherty

Reece Garrison

Anastasia Georgali

Eli Halso

Zoë Ireland

Eva Jane Iskandarani

Maelle Kuzin

Kalaila Martin

Remmy Papa

Lydian Rice

Agneya Roy Christian Wong

Supernumeraries

Dominic Barsi

George Cox

Chancelor Forman Scot Garris

Daniel Kanda

Larry Mosley Charles Rumbough

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