Don Giovanni Playbill

February 3, 5 & 6, 2022 Belk Theater North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center Charlotte, North Carolina

Thank You

Major Corporate and Foundation Sponsors

The George W. Bauer Family Foundation The George W. and Ruth R. Baxter Foundation The Green/Lewis Foundation

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 Premier, Inc. Jane and Nelson Schwab

The Board of Directors gratefully recognizes our

Principal Artist Star Sponsors for Don Giovanni and Sponsors of the Opera’s Resident Company of Artists.

Because of these generous patrons, Opera Carolina is able to bring the world’s finest talent to our stage, and support Charlotte’s creative community.

Betty Garriss andW. Thad Adams, III

Herb Verbessey

sponsor

sponsor in memory of Tess Verbessey

Melinda Whittington Donna Anna

Mr. & Mrs. Fred T. Lowrance

Johnathan Stanford White Don Ottavio

Laura Vinroot & Perry Poole

sponsor

sponsor

Johnnie Felder

Richard Ollarsaba

Resident Company Member

Don Giovanni

For information on how you can sponsor an international artist, or support our growing Resident Company, please contact Kimberly Mize (kimberly@operacarolina.org) or Mo. James Meena (james@operacarolina.org) at the Opera

Il dissoluto punitivo, ossia (The Punished Dissolute, or)

Don Giovanni

Comic Drama in Two Acts, K. 527

Music by W. A. Mozart Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte First performance: October 29, 1787. National Theater of Bohemia, Prague This production is sponsored by the Opera Guild of Charlotte

The Cast Don Giovanni, wealthy nobleman Leporello, his servant Donna Anna, noblewoman Don Ottavio, her fiancée The Commendatore, Anna’s father Donna Elvira, a lady of Burgos Zerlina, a peasant Masetto, her fiancée

Music Director Director Head of Music Preparation and Harpsichordist Lighting Design Costume Design Wig and Make-up Design Fight Coordinator

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Creative Team ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Richard Ollarsaba* Alex Soare* Melinda Whittington Johnathan Stafford White Jordan Bisch Sequina DuBose Rachel Mills* Ashraf Sewailam

James Meena Eve Summer* Emily Jarrell Urbanek Michael Baumgarten Whitney Locher* Martha Ruskai Jacob Theo Squire* *Opera Carolina Debut

The Opera Carolina Chorus with The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Opera Carolina dedicates these performances of Don Giovanni to the following Gold Circle members of the Verdi Society for their philanthropic support.

Joan and Jim Carroll, Deidre and Clay Grubb, Janet Haack, Dr. Marie-Claire Marroum and Kal E. Kardous, Joye D. Blount and Jessie J. Knight, Jr., Elizabeth and Christopher Mardany, Holly and Chris Maurer, Peg and George Povinelli, Ann Reed, Chris and Kati Small, Anne Carter and W. Dean Smith, Margaret and Dr. T. C. Price Zimmermann

The Artists

Artistic Director James Meena continues his twenty-second season with Charlotte’s opera compan, also serving as Artistic Director for Opera Grand Rapids in Michigan. Mo. Meena’s guest conducting engagements have included the Washington Opera, the Pittsburgh Opera, L’Opera de Montreal, New York City Opera, Michigan Opera Theater, Festivale Puccini Torre del Lago, Teatro del Giglio Lucca, Teatro Pavarotti Modena, Teatro Ravenna, Teatro Sociale Rovigo, the Arizona Opera, Edmonton Opera, the KBS Symphony Orchestra in Seoul, South Korea, the National Symphony Orchestra of the Republic 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 Carolina 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 season’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.

Mo. 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.

Described as having “a gift for translating classic symbolism into familiar detail with just enough flippancy to bring out the fun of the opera without skewing the emotional equation,” Eve Summer’s ‘21-22 directing season includes Tosca at Opera Columbus, Don Giovanni at Opera Grand Rapids, Così fan tutte at The Curtis Institute, Volpone at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, Thomas Albert’s Lizbeth at Opera Orlando, and The Barber of Seville at Opera Saratoga. Selected directing credits include Trouble in Tahiti at Glimmerglass Festival, The Little Prince at Tulsa Opera, Albert Herring at Curtis Institute, Don Giovanni at Opera Columbus, The Mikado at Opera Grand Rapids, The Pearl Fishers at Opera Tampa and Opera in Williamsburg, The Tales of Hoffmann at Opera Orlando, Xerxes at Connecticut Early Music Festival, John Musto’s Later the Same Evening at Boston University, Aida and Lucia di Lammermoor at Boheme Opera New Jersey, Suor Angelica at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, The Magic Flute at Opera in Williamsburg and Hartt Opera Theatre, Così fan tutte at Opera Grand Rapids and Connecticut Lyric Opera, Bluebeard’s Castle at Mid-Ohio Opera, Le nozze di Figaro at dell’Arte Opera, Carmen at MassOpera, and the world premiere of Larry Bell’s opera Holy Ghosts at Berklee Performance Center. Ms. Summer’s choreography credits include a commission of a new ballet by Mark Warhol, Jeanne’s Fantasy, with Contrapose Dance and Fort Point Theatre Channel, Elektra at Des Moines Metro Opera, Falstaff at Opera Colorado, and Don Giovanni at Boston Opera Collaborative.

James Meena Conductor and Artistic Director

Eve Summer Director

The Artists

Richard Ollarsaba Don Giovanni

Melinda Whittington Donna Anna

Mexican-American bass-baritone, Richard Ollarsaba, praised by The Washington Post for his “meltingly smooth bass-baritone” and for “evoking a young Ruggero Raimondi in looks and manner”, represented the USA in the 2019 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition, was a member of the prestigious Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago for three seasons, and a grand finalist in the 2013 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. This season he reprises the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Opera Grand Rapids and Opera Carolina, a role he previously performed with Lyric Opera of Chicago stepping into the role with hours’ notice, and Opera Hong Kong. He also makes his role debuts as Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro with Virginia Opera, and Schaunard in La bohème with the Jacksonville Symphony. Summer 2022 he will make his Glimmerglass Festival debut as Escamillo in Bizet’s Carmen, a role he previously performed with Minnesota Opera, Kentucky Opera, North Carolina Opera, Tulsa Opera, Annapolis Opera, and the Barharbor Music Festival. Other credits include the title role in Le nozze di Figaro with New Zealand Opera and Minnesota Opera, Asdrubale in Rossini’s La pietra del paragone with Wolf Trap Opera, and Rev. Hale in Ward’s The Crucible with Piedmont Opera. Concert credits include such venues as the Ravinia Festival and Grant Park Music Festival and such ensembles as the Pittsburgh Symphony, Boston Symphony Orchestra, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Phoenix Symphony, Richmond Symphony and Kansas City Symphony, he is also an avid recitalist. Richard earned his master of music degree and a postgraduate certificate from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

Melinda Whittington joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for its productions of Macbeth and Philip Glass’ Akhnaten, and the roster of the Lyric Opera Chicago for its production of Eugene Onegin. Among the soprano’s other recent performances are debuts with Arizona Opera as Donna Anna and a return for the title role of Rusalka, Utah Opera for Donna Anna, Ash Lawn Opera as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, and North Carolina Opera as Ada in Higdon’s Cold Mountain.

She has sung the title role of Arabella with Pittsburgh Festival Opera; Juliette in Roméo et Juliette with Opera Birmingham and Pensacola Opera; Micaëla in Carmen with Greensboro Opera; Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni with Green Mountain Opera; Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi, and Zweite Dame in Die Zauberflöte previously with Opera Carolina. She sang Micaëla in Carmen and Marie Antoinette in Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles with Wolf Trap Opera and subsequently returned for to the company for a birthday concert celebration honoring the composer. Ms. Whittington is a former Resident Artist of the Academy of Vocal Arts, at which she sang Marguerite in Faust and Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte. She was the 2015 first place winner of the Opera Birmingham competition, 2016 third place winner in Fort Worth Opera’s McCammon Voice Competition, a 2013 semi-finalist of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, winner of the Charlotte Opera Guild Competition, and an encouragement award winner in the Gerda Lissner International Vocal Competition. She is a former participant in the prestigious Merola Opera Program in association with San Francisco Opera at which she performed scenes as the title role in Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, Barber’s Vanessa, and Bizet’s Le jolie fille de Perth.

The Artists

Alex Soare Leporello

Sequina DuBose Donna Elvira

Alex Soare recently performed the role of Sulpice in La fille du Regiment with Opera Saratoga, Mustafa in L’italiana in Algeri with Winter Opera St. Louis, Colline in La bohème with Finger Lakes Opera, the Father in Hansel and Gretel with Brava Opera, and the role of John in the world première of American Gothical and Sultry Night, Farmhand in the world première of 8 Woods and a Van both with Cedar Rapids Opera Theater.

He also travelled to China to make his debut as Leporello in Don Giovanni with Opera Hong Kong. As a young artist with Florida Grand Opera, he performed Don Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia, First SS Officer in The Passenger, covered the title role in Don Pasquale, Zuniga in Carmen, Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin, Tom in Un ballo in maschera, and appeared in the world premiere of Before Night Falls. As a Mary Ragland Young Artist with Nashville Opera, he sang the role of Samuel in The Pirates of Penzance, and with the Des Moines Metro Opera apprentice program he covered the roles of Orest in Elektra, Jack Rance in La fanciulla del West, and Capulet in Roméo et Juliette. He also participated in the Aspen Music Festival and in the Opera on the Avalon Festival. Mr. Soare started his opera training in Brasov, Romania while earning a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Universitatea Transilvania. He then continued his studies in Salzburg, Austria at the Universität Mozarteum. He later completed a Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Operatic Literature at Northwestern University.

Detroit native, Sequina DuBose, is a stunning performer most noted for her engaging stage presence and charming musical style. In 2022, she makes her role debut as Donna Elvira in Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Opera Carolina, followed by a debut with the Virginia Arts Festival in two world premiere chamber operas, Companionship by Rachel Peters and Bre’r Rabbit (from Tales From the Briar Patch) by Nkeiru Okoye. Other recent engagements include a 2021 performance as soprano soloist in Wynton Marsalis’ work entitled All Rise with the Tulsa Symphony, Wynton Marsalis, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra (JLCO) in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Riots, and a world premiere of the electronic chamber opera, Nightingale and the Tower (Jason Treuting, Rebecca Comerford, Beth Meyers, and Grammy Award-winner Mikael Jorgensen) with Ojai Youth Opera Company in California. Notable career highlights include performances as a soloist and ensemble member in Underground Railroad: A Spiritual Journey, a concert series that culminated in a performance at the Metropolitan Opera with Kathleen Battle; a debut with Michigan Opera Theater as 4th Maidservant in Strauss’ Elektra; and performances with both the Lyric Opera of Chicago and Royal Danish Opera as Annie in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess. Dr. DuBose debuted as Musetta in Puccini’s La bohème with DiCapo opera, has performed the role of Clorinda with Dicapo Opera and Opera Memphis, and portrayed Rachel in the world premiere of Nkeiru Okoye’s folk opera Harriet Tubman: When I Cross That Line to Freedom with American Opera Projects in New York City. Dr. DuBose has toured nationally and internationally as a soloist with The American Spiritual Ensemble and with Chorale Le Chateau alongside Wynton Marsalis and JLCO performing Marsalis’ work, Abyssinian Mass. Dr. DuBose is an assistant professor of voice at UNC Charlotte and maintains an active operatic and solo concert career.

The Artists

Johnathan Stanford White Don Ottavio

Rachel Mills Zerlina

Ashraf Sewailam Masetto

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 Canterina, 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.

Rachel Mills made her Opera Grand Rapids debut as Yum-Yum in The Mikado. She recently performed as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah at the Dubai Opera in December 2020 as well as Papagena in The Magic Flute for Opera Grand Rapids and Toledo Opera, Barbarina in Le Nozze di Figaro for Opera Grand Rapids, First Boy in The Magic Flute for the Welsh National Opera, Anne in A Little Night Music for the Castleton Music Festival, and Polly in The Beggar’s Opera with Opera’r Dddraig in Wales. Rachel is a passionate recitalist and has performed recitals with pianist Katalin Zsubrits in Budapest, Sopron, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Grand Rapids and Fairfield, CT. She has performed Villa Lobos’ Bachianas Brasileiras with members of the Welsh National Opera Orchestra in 2015, and a year later as a guest soloist at New York University Abu Dhabi with French cellist Yan Levionnois. Rachel holds a Master of Arts from Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, a Master of Music in Voice from Northwestern University, and a Bachelor of Music in Musical Theatre from Arizona State University.

Mr. Sewailam began his career as a Cairo Opera Company house soloist, where he performed many roles including Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, Gaudenzio in Il signor Bruschino, Ramfis in Aïda, Palémon in Thaïs, and Sparafucile in Rigoletto. Mr. Sewailam was named a prize winner at the New Voices (Neue Stimmen) international competition in Gütersloh, Germany and was featured in the opening concert of the New Alexandria Library singing Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in Arabic. This coming season he will make his mainstage Metropolitan Opera debut in The Magic Flute as well as join their production of Ariadne auf Naxos. In addition, he will return to Seattle Opera as Colline in La bohéme, join Tulsa Opera for their production of Salome, and made take on the title role of Maometto II for Washington Concert Opera. Engagements in 2020 were to include both Carmen and Les Contes d’Hoffmann at the Metropolitan Opera as well as Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with Minnesota Opera, and Ramfis in Aida with Virginia Opera.

The Artists

Jordan Bisch Commendatore

Michael Baumgarten Lighting Design

Emily Jarrell Urbanek Harpsichord

American Bass Jordan Bisch is a graduate of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Mr. Bisch made his main stage debut there as the Second Knight in Parsifal, and has since appeared in productions of Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La Sonnambula, Aida, Idomeneo, and Romeo et Juliette, and on tour in Japan in Don Carlos. He has appeared with many important opera companies in the US including the San Francisco Opera, Opera Philadelphia, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, and the Florida Grand Opera.

In Europe he has appeared at the Théâtre du Capitol in Toulouse and at the Verbier Festival under the baton of James Levine. His many roles include Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette, and Kecel in The Bartered Bride. He also appeared in the world premiere of Daron Hagen’s Amelia at the Seattle Opera. In concert Mr. Bisch has appeared at the Hollywood Bowl in Aida with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Tanglewood Festival in a performance of the Mozart Requiem with Michael Tilson Thomas, and the Tucson Desert Song Festival as Méphistophélès in Le Damnation de Faust. He also appears on the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra’s recording of Shostakovich’s Orango conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonnen. A native of Vancouver, Washington, Mr. Bisch won second place in the 2009 Operalia competition, and won the 2005 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Final, recipient of the 2005 Sara Tucker Study Grant, and a recipient of the Richard Tucker Career Grant in 2006 and 2009.

Opera Carolina’s Director of Production and Lighting Designer since 2005, Michael Baumgarten has designed lighting for more than 400 opera productions at regional and international opera companies, including, New York City Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Manitoba Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Austin Opera, Arizona Opera, Lyric Opera 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 Designer for Chautauqua Opera since 1999. Equally at home with digital design and innovative 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 Dream.

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 keyboardist with the Charlotte Symphony. She frequently performs chamber music with area musicians and has participated in premieres of new works by Kevin Krumenauer, David Noon, John Allemeier, Sean Neukom and Mary Armistead-Jones. Emily recently conducted a joint production of Derrick Wang’s Scalia/Ginsburg for Opera Carolina and Opera Grand Rapids. She will lead the 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.

2021/22 Performing Company The number of opera artists and musicians who have made Greater Charlotte their home has increased significantly in the last decade, providing Opera Carolina a tremendous talent pool from which to cast Grand Opera performances, Education Programs, Opera Unlimited Programs, I Stream Now concerts and Special Events.

Opera Carolina celebrates Charlotte’s own, including Don Giovanni Principal Artists Melinda Whittington, Sequina DuBose, Johnathan Stanford White and Jordan Bisch.

Dominic Armstrong, tenor. The Faling and the Rising Audrey Babcock, mezzo-soprano. The Faling and the Rising Dan Boye, baritone. I Dream Ramelle Brooks, baritone. I Dream Harrison Bumgardner, baritone. I Dream Michael T. Brown, tenor. Opera Xpress Mahari Freeman, soprano. Opera Unlimited programs Johnnie Felder, tenor. I Dream Darius Gillard, tenor. Civic Engagement Artist and I Dream Hannah Hoyt, soprano. Opera Unlimited programs Jonathan Kaufman, tenor. I Dream John Kim, tenor. Opera Unlimited programs Katherine Kuckelman, soprano. Opera Unlimited programs Gregory Lowery, baritone. I Dream Michael Owens, tenor. Opera Unlimited programs Christina Pier, soprano. Carmen Sarah Roche, soprano. Opera Unlimited programs Alicia Russell, soprano. Opera Unlimited programs Lauren Nicole Russell, mezzo-soprano. Opera Unlimited programs Amanda Sesler, soprano . Opera Xpress Ashley West-Davis, mezzo-soprano. Opera Unlimited programs Jennifer Wiggins, mezzo-soprano. Opera Unlimited programs Julia Woodward, soprano. Opera Unlimited programs

Christopher Warren-Green music director

Christopher James Lees resident conductor

2021 | 2022 musician roster FIRST VIOLINS

DOUBLE BASSES

HORNS

Calin Ovidiu Lupanu

Kurt Riecken

Byron Johns

Principal

Principal The Mr. & Mrs. William H. Van Every Chair

Concertmaster The Catherine & Wilton Connor Chair

Joseph Meyer

Associate Concertmaster

Kari Giles

Assistant Concertmaster

Ernest Pereira° Susan Blumberg°° Jane Hart Brendle Emily Chatham°° Lenora Leggatt † Ellyn Stuart Jenny Topilow°° Angela Watson† Dustin Wilkes-Kim

SECOND VIOLINS Oliver Kot

Principal The Wolfgang Roth Chair

Kathleen Jarrell

Assistant Principal The Pepsi-Cola Foundation of Charlotte Chair

Carlos Tarazona° Sakira Harley° Monica Boboc Tatiana Karpova Martha Geissler Alice Silva†

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

Judson Baines Assistant Principal

Jeffrey Ferdon Jason McNeel

HARP Andrea Mumm Trammell Principal

Alan Black Principal The Kate Whitner McKay Principal Cello Chair

Jonathan Lewis

TRUMPETS Alex Wilborn

The Dr. Billy Graham Chair

Principal The Betty J. Livingstone Chair

FLUTES

Jonathan Kaplan Gabriel Slesinger

Victor Wang Principal The Blumenthal Foundation Chair

Associate Principal The Marcus T. Hickman Chair

Amy Orsinger Whitehead Erinn Frechette

TROMBONES

PICCOLO

Principal

John Bartlett

Erinn Frechette

Thomas Burge

OBOES

BASS TROMBONE

Hollis Ulaky Principal The Leo B. Driehuys Chair‡

Erica Cice Terry Maskin

ENGLISH HORN Terry Maskin

CLARINETS

Scott Hartman Principal

TUBA Derek Fenstermacher † Acting Principal The Governor James G. Martin Chair

TIMPANI Jacob Lipham

Taylor Marino

Principal The Robert Haywood Morrison Chair

Principal The Gary H. & Carolyn M. Bechtel Chair

PERCUSSION

Samuel Sparrow Allan Rosenfeld

E ♭ CLARINET

Samuel Sparrow

BASS CLARINET Allan Rosenfeld

CELLOS

Andrew Fierova Robert Rydel Richard Goldfaden Philip Brindise †

BASSOONS

Brice Burton Principal ° 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

Olivia Oh* Principal

Assistant Principal

Joshua Hood

Marlene Ballena Drew Dansby † Jeremy Lamb Sarah Markle Denielle Wilson†

Acting Principal

Margaret O'Leary † Naho Zhu†

CONTRABASSOON Naho Zhu†

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.

Opera Carolina Chorus for Don Giovanni

Back row from left to right: Justin Traxler, baritone. Jersey Roche, soprano.

Katherine Kuckelman, soprano. Michael Owens, tenor.

Rachel Turner, mezzo-soprano. Amanda Sesler, soprano. Gregory Lowery, baritone.

Front row from left to right: Lauren Nicole Russell, mezzo-soprano.

Michael T. Brown, tenor. Alina MacNichol, mezzo-soprano. Ryan Harrison, baritone.

Ramelle Brooks, baritone. Elliott Brown, tenor. (not pictured: Noah Rice, tenor. Kendrick Williams, baritone.)

*****

Additional Musicians for Don Giovanni Jane Hart Brendle, Mandolin Joseph Meyer and Carlos Tarazona, On-stage violinists Jeremy Lamb and Sarah Markle, On-stage cellists

*****

AUDIENCE NOTES After the orchestra postlude is completed, thunderous applause and calls for ‘Bravo’ (for tenors, baritones and basses), ‘Brava’ (for sopranos and mezzo sopranos) and ‘Bravi’(for groups of performers) is highly encouraged.

Social Distancing and Late Arrivals A special section is set aside for Social Distancing. Please see an usher if you with to be moved to this section.

Opera Carolina also allocates a section as seating for late arrivals.

Audience Members cannot be paged If you are expecting a call, please leave the theater as discretely as possible.

Patrons are respectfully asked not to change seats following intermission.

Thank you

About the Composer Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart was born on January 27, 1756 in the Austrian city of Salzburg, where his father Leopold was a successful musician and court composer. It was obvious very early on that the boy was a musical genius: he began composing at age six and wrote his first opera at twelve. Young Wolfgang and his older sister Nannerl were keyboard and violin virtuosi with an uncanny knack for improvisation.

After several years touring Europe, during which the child prodigy performed for the great monarchs at court, Mozart settled into an unrewarding position at the court of the Archbishop of Salzburg. The death of his mother in 1779 kept him from pursuing commissions elsewhere.

In 1781, his early opera seria Idomeneo was well-received in Munich, and Mozart finally left Salzburg for Vienna, where he would spend the rest of his life. In 1782 he married Constanze Weber, and the couple lived modestly on an income from teaching and concerts.

Between the years 1786 and 1789, Mozart, the thirty-year old genius from provincial Salzburg, would create three of the most memorable and beloved of all operas with his gifted librettist, Lorenzo da Ponte. These operas, The Marriage of Figaro in 1786, Don Giovanni in 1787, and Cosi fan tutte in 1789 are often referred to as Mozart’s ‘Da Ponte’ operas, for the librettos created by the Jewish-Italian immigrant who became the favorite author of Austrian emperor Joseph II, are literary masterpieces in and of themselves.

1788, year following Don Giovanni was a terrible year for Mozart. He had little work, his wife was sick, and he barely made enough to keep hearth and home. He planned a series of subscription concerts for which he would write his final three symphonies – unquestionably his greatest symphonies, numbers 39, 40 and 41 – but the subscription series was cancelled due to poor sales.

The emperor had just returned from the Russian-Turkish war, in which the Austrians fought alongside the Russians. The Emperor was ready to close the Italian opera in Vienna because it was losing too much money. He was convinced by Da Ponte to keep it open, and as a result of the tremendous success of a revival of The Marriage of Figaro in Vienna that year, the Emperor commissioned Moart to write a new opera, Cosi fan tutte, in collaboration with Da Ponte.

Of Mozart’s 22 operas, Don Giovanni is number 19 – to be followed by Cosi fan tutte, La Clemenza di Tito, and The Magic Flute, which is considered by many to be among his greatest works. Since its triumphant premiere in 1787, Don Giovanni has never fallen out of favor with audiences and artists alike.

More than four hundred of Mozart’s compositions survive, in almost every form and style.

His catalogue includes 41 symphonies, 27 piano concerti, 25 string quartets, 17 operas, countless other instrumental and vocal music, and the great, unfinished Requiem Mass (it was completed by his pupil Süssmayr). The most famous of his operas are Die Entführung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio, 1782), Le nozze di Figaro (The Marriage of Figaro, 1786), Don Giovanni (1787), Così fan tutte (1790) and Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute, 1791).

Mozart died in Vienna on December 5, 1791, at the age of 35.

The Story of Don Giovanni ACT I Leporello, Don Giovanni’s servant, is keeping watch outside the Commendatore’s home at dawn. The Commendatore’s daughter, Anna, rushes out, struggling with the masked Giovanni, who has sneaked into her bedroom to rape her. The angry Commendatore challenges Giovanni to a duel and is killed. The traumatized Anna urges her fiancé, Ottavio to swear that he will avenge her father’s death. Looking for his next conquest, Giovanni encounters Elvira, who he vowed to marry and abandoned. Leporello shows her his little black book with the names of every woman his master has seduced – more than 1,000 in Spain alone.

Peasants celebrate the marriage of Masetto and Zerlina, who has caught the Don’s eye. He uses his status as a nobleman to entice the young girl, promising to marry her. His attempt at seduction is stopped by Elvira, who urges Zerlina to ignore his advances. She also warns Anna, who is still unaware that Giovanni killed her father. As he leaves, Anna recognizes the voice of the man who killed her father. Shaken at the thought of a nobleman being a rapist and murderer, she is more determined than ever to avenge her father and her honor.

Giovanni, who has invited Zerlina and Masetto to his villa for the wedding party, prepares for an evening of drinking and dancing – his real objective is to seduce Zerlina.

Anna, Elivira and Ottavio also arrive at the wedding feast, but masked to conceal their identities. In the ballroom, Giovanni dances with Zerlina, then tries to drag her into the adjoining room. When she cries for help, Giovanni accuses Leporello of being the aggressor.

Anna, Elvira, and Ottavio remove their masks and with Zerlina and Masetto, accuse Giovanni, who manages to escape.

INTERMISSION ACT II Unshaken by the evening’s events, the Don pursues another conquest – Elvira’s maid. To get into Elvira’s house, he convinces her that he has repented and has returned to her. He orders Leporello to exchange cloaks with him and lead Elvira on a walk, while he serenades the maid. When Masetto arrives with a group of peasants to track down Giovanni, the Don pretends to be Leporello and attacks Masetto. Zerlina finds her wounded fiancé and comforts him. Later that night, Leporello (whom Elvira still believes to be Giovanni) is surprised by Anna, Ottavio, Zerlina and Masetto, who all denounce Don Giovanni. Fearing for his life, Leporello reveals his true identity before making his escape.

Late at night, Giovanni and Leporello happen upon the statue of Anna’s father, the Commendatore. Miraculously, the statue comes to life and warns Giovanni to change his ways. Laughing at what he assumes is a clever trick, Giovanni forces the terrified Leporello to invite the statue to dinner. The statue accepts. Ottavio tries to console Anna, but the trauma of the morning’s assault by the Don and the death of her father make his attempts futile. She tells Ottavio that she will not marry him until her father’s death has been avenged.

Well past midnight, the Don is enjoying a sumptuous banquet and music from the most popular operas of the day. Elvira arrives and begs him one final time to change his life. The callous Don laughs at her and toasts wine, women and song. The statue of the Commendatore enters, having accepted the Don’s invitation to dinner. He invites Giovanni to come with him to his own banquet as he commands Don Giovanni to repent. Giovanni accepts the statue’s invitation and takes his hand, only to be dragged through the gates of Hell to receive his final reward.

Board of Directors 2021/22 Season Officers

Chair:

Julie Bernard, Deloitte

Vice Chair:

Carol Y. Kendrick, Brighthouse Financial

Vice Chair:

Christopher T. Mardany, Hearst

Secretary:

Daryl Hollnagel, Shumaker Loop & Kendrick, LLC

Treasurer:

Frank Boncimino, Arts Advocate

Assistant Treasurer:

Keith Hendrix, GreerWalker, LLP

Immediate Past Chair:

Arlene Ferebee, Novant Health

Members Betty Garriss Adams, Wells Fargo, retired Margaret Farnham, Perry Poole Architects Mike Gaither, Arts Advocate Barbara Holt, Arts Advocate Paul Kardous, Pamaka Group Marcus Martin, U.S. Bancorp Christopher Maurer, Wells Fargo (retired) Matthew Moore, JP Morgan Chase Laura Philipson, Arts Advocate Ann Reed, Brighthouse Financial Elizabeth Trenery, Parker Poe Michel Vanesse, Parker Poe

Opera Carolina Endowment Board of Directors W. Thad Adams, III, Shumaker Loop & Kendrick (retired) Frank Boncimino, Arts Advocate Brooks Carey, Chilton Trust George H. Edmiston, Carolinas Investment Consulting, LLC C. Wells Hall, III, Nelson Mullins Riley Thomas Hughes, Hearst, (retired) Stephen L. Philipson, U.S. Bancorp

Curtis Walls, NASCAR Phyllis Zanghi, American Equity Insurance Life Members Dr. Ki-Hyun Chun, CPA, PH.D. LL.D. Chun Group, Inc. Alexandra Paliyenko, Metropolitan Opera Ntl Council Margaret Povinelli, Arts Advocate Charlotte D. Payne, Arts Advocate Emily Smith, Arts Advocate

Volunteer Leadership Karen Oldham, Opera Guild of Charlotte Bradford Holshouser, Opera Carolina Chorus Assoc.

Keri Clavin, Chair The Verdi Society Amy and Matt Moore, Caci and Max Jaeger, Co-Chairs. Bella Notte 2021

Opera Carolina personnel Development

Kimberly Mize, Development Consultant

Phil Volponi, Development Consultant Education

Ashley Johnson Lam, Director of Education & Community Programs

Opera Xpress Artists: Amanda Sesler Davis, soprano and

Finance

Michael T. Brown, tenor. Zaiba Sheikh, pianist

Vanessa Thorne, Chief Financial & Operating Officer

Tina Katis, Accounting Manager

Marketing

Megan Miller, Marketing Consultant

Ashley West-Davis, Marketing Associate

Alina MacNichol, Director of Civic Engagement & Customer Service

Gail Garvin, Customer Service Manager & Civic Engagement Assistant

Creative writing by Page Leggett

Creative design by Kendra Slisz Press by Erin Breeden

Music

James Meena, Artistic Director

Emily Jarrell Urbanek, Director of Music Preparation Zaiba Sheikh, Pianist & English Title Coordinator

Bomi Tunstall, Pianist

Production

Michael Baumgarten, Director of Production

Resident Lighting & Video Designer

Valerie Wheeler, Production Stage Manager

Julie Fischesser, Assistant Stage Manager Lauren Lentz, Assistant Stage Manager Wilbert Ferguson, Technical Director Jay Graves, Properties Master & Assistant Technical Director

Hank Brennan, I.A.T.S.E. Master Electrician

Hallie Gray, Assistant Electrician

Elizabeth (Betsy) Blackmore, Resident Costumer

Allison Collins, Costumer

Brittany Rappise, Wig and Make-up Assistant

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

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

Nelle and Kenneth Brown

Steve Hershfield

Steven Burke

Dr. Mark Hester

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

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

The Duke Energy Foundation

Holly and Christopher Maurer

Mary Tabor and Robert Engel

Eugenia May

Faison Enterprises John Fitzhugh Dee and Gerald Fox

Jane and Hugh McColl Mary and Leo McGarry Halley Merrell

Opera Carolina Endowment (continued)

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

Virginia and Mike Mitchell

Barbara and Terry Lee Scott

Robert Haywood Morrison Foundation

Harriet Seabrook and Zeke Foard

Nora Norman

Emily and Zach Smith

Marianne and Philip W. Norwood

C. D. Spangler Foundation

Richard J. Obsorne

Mary and Bill Staton

Connie and Durward Owen

Dr. Sandra Stoval

Leslie and Paul Paliyenko

Ann and Wellford Tabor

Frank Perez

Estate of Harriette and

Santina and David Pfleeger

Sydnor Thompson

Peg and George Povinelli

John Vallomy

Robert Preston

Tess and Herb Verbessy

Sabine and Haywood Rankin

Mary-Margaret Vogel

Don Roberts

The Wachovia Foundation

William Rudisill

Robert Warren

Sallie Scarborough William Scherfius

William Young Dr. and Mrs. T. C. Price Zimmermann

Gordon Scott

Thank You During the height of the pandemic, Opera Carolina created a series of performances to engage patrons young and old.

Our PopUps, Music Under the Stars, Opera Dinners and community performances would not have been possible without these amazing hosts.

Aldersgate

The Mint Museum Randolph

7th Street Market

Kimberly and Geoffrey Mize

Kathy and Frank Bragg Julie and Joel Bernard Bonterra Restaurant Capitol Preeti and Dr. Vinay Deshmukh

Amy and Matt Moore Laura Vinroot Poole Charlotte Rotary Natalie and John Scott Michele and Brian Simpson

Liz and Lane Faison

South Charlotte Partners

Forchetta Restaurant

St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church

Juneberry Ridge Callie and Win Kelly Brooke and Chad Knaus Kimberly Mauney Maison

Tabor Kendra Scott, South Park Veterans Bridge Home

Ensure that future generations can experience the beauty of live opera.

Make a lasting gift.

Legacy Gifts and Estate Planning ensure the future of Opera in our region.

PleaseFor consider discussingora to planned Opera Carolina more information, discuss gift yourtogift, contact with your investment counsel.

Janet Dickson with Opera Carolina at 704.332.7177 x205.

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).

The Helen & Stewart P. Blake Philanthropy Award Philanthropy is the “love of man” in the sense of caring for, nourishing, improving, and enhancing the quality of life for human kind.

The Helen & Stewart P. Blake Philanthropy Award, formerly the Award of Merit, recognizes the exceptional philanthropy of members of the Opera family, whose devotion has enhanced Opera Carolina’s commitment to improving the quality of life for the citizens of greater Charlotte through the beauty of opera.

Leslie Paliyenko

Awarded on May 28, 1980 Hooper Alexander, III

Awarded on May 20, 2981 Oliver R. Rowe

Awarded on May 19, 1982 Hon. Sydnor Thompson

Awarded on May 25, 1983 Heinz Jaffe

Awarded on May 30, 1984 Lynnette Lewis Awarded on June 4, 1986 Charles Rosekrans Awarded on May 17, 1988 Clifford E. Bair Awarded on June 20, 1989 The Opera Carolina Chorus Awarded on June 15, 1990 Gaetano Staffa Awarded on June 20, 1991 Mildred Templeton Awarded on June 16, 1992

Marie Rowe Awarded on June 6, 1995 Patricia Viles Awarded on June 18, 1996 Jeanette N. Lee Awarded on June 10, 1997 Emily P. Smith Awarded on Sept. 23, 1998 Marjorie and Bob McDorman on June 18, 2002 Sally Ann Hall Awarded on May 26, 2004 Dede Reid Blackburn Awarded on May 13, 2005 Fred T. Lowrance Awarded on June 19, 2007 Terry Lee Scott Awarded on June 16, 2009 Charlotte and Ronald L. Payne Awarded on October 19, 2013

Margaret and Dr. T. C. Price Zimmermann Awarded on January 29, 2015 Pepper & Roddey Dowd Awarded on April 16, 2016 Drs. Ki-Hyun and Sun Shin Chun Awarded on January 28, 2017 Mary Tabor and Rob Engel Awarded on April 18, 2018 Peg & George Povinelli Awarded May 11, 2019 Arlene Ferebee Awarded on September 16, 2021

Opera Carolina 2020 The OC2020 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 & 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

EDUCATION Bringing learning to life through opera

Clockwise from top: Opera Xpress’s The Tortoise & the Hare; Opera Xpress’s Green Eggs and Ham; Academy teens; Academy Chorus backstage at La Boheme

Opera Carolina’s education programs bring learning to life in the studio, classroom, and community for thousands of youth and families across NC, SC, and northern GA each year.

OPERA XPRESS & FAMILY OPERA

Live and virtual productions for elementary schools and families across the region. More than 1.5 million children served since its inception. Family Opera performances are sponsored by CEENTA

OPERA CAROLINA ACADEMY Foundational and immersive vocal training for youth grades 3-12 through the Summer Workshop for teens and Academy Chorus for youth.

The Stephanie and Howard Bissell STUDENT NIGHT AT THE OPERA program.

The final dress rehearsal access for K-12 students and school groups that brings history and literature to life on the stage.

pARTnership RESIDENCIES In-class, teaching artist-led visits that use the

elements of opera to introduce and reinforce curricular skills and concepts through arts-integration teaching.

Learn more: operacarolina.org/edu Bring our programs to your school or community: education@operacarolina.org or 704-332-7177 x109

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, 2020 through December 31, 2021.

The Verdi Society Diamond Circle (Gifts from $25,000) Anonymous

Betty Garriss and W. Thad Adams III Ally Bank The Estate of David Conlan Hearst The Hearst Foundations Novant Health Wells Fargo Private Bank

Platinum Circle (Gifts from $10,000) Anonymous Bank of America Julie and Joel Bernard 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 Mary Tabor and Robert Engel Deidre and Clay Grubb Heidi and Joseph K. Hall III Chandra and Jimmie Johnson Paul E. Kardous Mr. and Mrs. Fred T. Lowrance Holly and Christopher Maurer The Opera Guild of Charlotte Brandon and Karen Perry Stephen L. and Laura Philipson Laura Vinroot and Perry Poole Herb M. Verbesey

Annual Fund for Excellence The Verdi Society Gold Circle (Gifts from $5,000) Barringer Construction Blue Cross Blue Shield NC Kathy and Frank Bragg Joan and Jim Carroll Pauline and William Chinnis Jane Conlan Mrs. Roddey Dowd, Sr. Arlene Ferebee The Foundation for the Carolinas Peter Guild Donald Haack Diamonds and Fine Gems Janet Haack Katherine Hall Blynn Field and Chris Jensen Juneberry Ridge Marie-Claire Marroum and Kal E. Kardous Jessie J. Knight, Jr., and Joye D. Blount Elizabeth and Christopher Mardany Kaye and Dennis McGarry Ms. Daniele Donahoe - McShane Partners Mary and James Meena Courtney and Frederic E. Nauck Pfeiffer University Peg and George Povinelli Ann M. Reed Barbara and Terry Lee Scott Virginia and Harry A. Shaw Elizabeth and David Shuford Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP Kati and Christopher Small Anne Carter and Dean Smith Steinway Piano Galleries US Bank Uwharrie 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

Radmila and Daryl Hollnagel Barbara and Mark Holt Dr. and Mrs. Rogers G. Howell, III Nora and Thomas J. Hughes Caci and Max Jaeger

Mary Margaret and Josh Beaver

Lucille F. & Edwin Jones Endowment

Natascha A. Bechtler

Carol Y. Kendrick and John DeMicco

Frank Boncimino Crandall and Erskine Bowles Brown & Senter, PLLC Peggy and Steven C. Burke Jan and Robert Q. Busch Keri and Nick Clavin Tammy and Malcomb Coley Hillary and Fairfax Cooper Amy and Alfred Dawson Peggy and Charles Dickerson Dena Diorio Jane and Roddey Dowd Peggy and Richard Dreher Element Financial Corporation Fairfield Inn, Charlotte Uptown Elizabeth & Lane Faison Lisa Lust and Dean M. Fischbeck Denise and Patrick Folmar FTI Consulting, Inc. Pattie and George Fulford Elizabeth and J. Michael Gaither Laura and Charles T. Greer Marcelle Belinda Gorelick Sheldon & Berry Grant, Jr. Isabelle & William Griesmyer David Murray and Julie Haack Martha Harbison Jennifer and John Harmeling Sian and Robert Harris, III Marjory E. Holder

Callie and Win Kelly Laya R. Kushner Lynette Lewis Carolyn P. Line Marand Builders, Inc. 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 Kathleen D. Prokay Providence Country Club Publix Super Markets Charities Robert M. Ranson Gwendolyn Reichbach and Michael Fonzo Sara Garcés and Daniel Roselli Sherry & Charles Rumbough Savills Studley Donna Dutton and Stephen Schultz Dr. Thea Moore and Mark Self Emily and Zach Smith Rev. and Mrs. Sydnor H. Thompson Thorne Family Foundation Audrey Truman & Rob Boisvert Cynthia Haldenby Tyson Laura Meyer and Ward Wellman Aundrea & Stephen Wilson III Robert C. Zabel Phyllis Zanghi

Annual Fund for Excellence The Encore! Society Benefactors (Gifts from $1,000) 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 Alvin C. Early, Jr. Robert A. Gaines 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 IBM Page B. Kizer 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 Showmars Michael N. Silverman Mary G. Bobis Slominski Natasha and Ljubomir Stambuk Mary and William Staton Maxine and Robert M. Stein Elizabeth Trenary Natalija and Michel P. Vanesse

Patrons (Gifts from $500) American Express Emerson Bell Deborah and Glenn Berry Dr. John S. Brigham BT LLC Matthew K. Chan Kana and Young Chin John Frederic Cochrane Susan Davis Cheryl De Maio Alice R. Schulte and Salvador Dominguez 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 and John Jacob Andrew Jarrell Antionette and Paul Johnson Alex Kelber Dr. and Mrs. Dennis Kokenes Norman Kramer Jill and Jack Labardi Constance Lacy Laura Lander Bonnie and Greg Marland John T. and Anna McCoy Marie Mitchell Carol A. Hitselberger and Robert Petty Lily and Victor M. Pineiro-Carrero Profit Insights Dalton Shaull Andrew Silliker Dr. Henry L. Smith, II Rosalie S. Spaniel Patricia and Morris Spearman Brenda Gail Summers Swiss Post Solutions

Annual Fund for Excellence The Encore! Society Patrons (continued) Mrs. Charles C. Tull Paul Vadnais Dr. Barbara Weschke Sustaining Members (Gifts from $300) Anonymous Kathryn N. Amos Dr. and Mrs. Charles Baker Helen and Lincoln Baxter Jay Bernath Lauren 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 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 Bonnie and Gregg Marland Jennifer and William Martin William D. Mashburn Mary and Leo McGarry

Leone and Nathan H. McLamb Loretta Mendes Michael Moore Kathryn O’Neill John G. Papadia Elizabeth and Rodney C. Pitts Kathleen Poon and H. Lawrence Vallet Jeanie and John Alan Presto 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 Faith and Thomas Atwood Robert Baird David Ball Larry Bennett Laura P. Barnett Henricus and Beatrys Beekwilder Alan Black Carol Black Peter Bleckner Anissa Burton Mary E. Bruno Lauren and Sheldon Cantor 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

Supporting Members (continued) Joel Dent 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 Elizabeth Anne Greers Margaret Goodley 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 Guy Lochiatto Robert Lorentzen Linda and Stuart Lynn Cecily Mango 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

Don M. Roberts Linda and William Scherffius Sarah Shifflet Abigail Schoff Sandy and Donald Schumacher Carol G. Simonetti Scott Snedecor Meaghan Stewart Terrell Allen and David Stewart 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 Sustaining Members (Gifts from $50) Patsy and James Abell Jennifer and Craig Adelhardt Pat and Don Ambrose Harold N. Anders Faith and Thomas Atwood Laura P. Barnett Carol Black Mary E. Bruno Lauren and Sheldon Cantor Janice M. Calaron Linda N. Chirico Howard Cohen Marion and Norman Cowell Winifred and Dr. Fay H. Culbreth Joel Dent Meaghan Dunham Antoinette and Dominic Faccone Cerese and George T. Feagans Brian T. Fearn Michael Fomil Cheryl Roberts & Robert Franklin Susanne and Robert Galletto Jennifer and Dustin Gill

Sustaining Members (continued) Margaret Goodley William Groscup William Hambright Michael Henry Mr. & Mrs. Michael Iagnocco Katherine Jakubowski Jack Kester Haesue Florence and Edward Kim Jane Orcutt Kinney James M. Laney Susan Lantz Elaine Largen Barbara Lembo Robert Lorentzen Linda and Stuart Lynn Cecily Mango Maxine McCoy Patty and J. Jerome Miller Brenda B. Moore Joan Shinn and Lentz R. Morton Harold Mouzon, III

Domingo Pancheco Bradley Patterson Beth A. Peterson Gail Christopher Petit R. William Pitkin Don M. Roberts Sheila Saints Linda and William Scherffius Sandy and Donald Schumacher Carol G. Simonetti Scott Snedecor Elizabeth Sprague Terrell Allen and David Stewart Sharon Taulbert Dr. and Mrs. H. Grant Taylor Kristy Thompson Barbara Vey Marylyn and Luther Wade Marie and Dale Warren James C. Wehrheim Lizabeth and James Williams Barbara E. and Yardy Williams Dr. Peter Wittenberg

A Special Thank You As the pandemic took hold early spring 2020, it became necessary to postpone Grand Opera productions and special performances. The outpouring of support Opera Carolina received from subscribers and single ticket buyers, who donated back the value of their seats, has been tremendous.

Dr. Gerald Aronoff Anthony Arroyo Jim Backman

Peggy and Steven C. Burke Deborah and Robert Cameron Jo Chandler

Dr. and Mrs. Charles Baker

Lorena and John Cochrane

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Barber

Norma and Marion Cowell

Harry Barr Julie and Joel Bernard Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Birmingham Jeffrey Boghosian Dr. Joan Brigham Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Brown Mr. and Mrs. Harold Buchanan Mrs. Claire Buie

Doyle George and Adele Daniels Jennifer Davis-Martin Cheryl DeMaio Peggy and Charles Dickerson Janice and Alex Dodge Mr. and Mrs. Richard Dreher Mary Tabor and Rob Engel Richard D. Exley

Thank You Ticket Donors (continued)

Gail and Thomas C. Fennimore Denise and Patrick Folmar

Florence Rabe Sabine and Haywood Rankin

Jeanine Fowler

Dr. and Mrs. Robert Reindollar

Alexandra Gautraud

Dr. and Mrs. Ernest Rider

Margaret A. Goodley

Michael Ruggles

Myron Gray

John Shafer

Laura and Charles T. Greer

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Scheible

Dr. and Mrs. W. Bonner Guilford Kunio Hara

Patricia and Michael Schober Dr. Thea Moore and Mark Self

Sian and Robert Harris, III

John Sherrill

Bruce Herman

Elizabeth and David Shuford

Elizabeth and Mark Hindal

Dale Siar

Barbara and Mark Holt

James Smeaton

Lele and Pat Kelly

Kristin Smith

Callie and Win Kelly

Mrs. Claude Smith

Carol Y. Kendrick and John DeMicco Mary Napier and Steven Kesselman Douglas Knowlton

Sandra Sneden Mary and Bill Staton Henry Steele

Lyndon Kreisel

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stein

Constance Lacy

Michael Steuerwald

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Lafferty

Samantha and Troy Stoddard

Lawrence Mays and Dr. Joan Lorden

Betsy Rosen and Liam Stokes

Betty Putnam Lowery

Andrew Swanson

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lovett

Lynn and Donald Tezza

Linda and Stuart Lynn

Dorothy and William Trotter

Holly and Christopher Maurer

Tina Marie Venus

Elizabeth and Jay Monge

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Warren

Mr. and Mrs. Sibille Olve

Laura Meyer and Ward Wellman

Richard J. Osborne

Roger Dahnert and Nancy Williams

Durward Owen

Eric and Dina Wilson

Elsie Painter

Dr. and Mrs. Peter Wittenberg

Helen and Arvind Patil

Sue and Joe Young

Drs. Melissa and Andrew Pavelyev Karen and Brandon Perry

Kinga Zay Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Zweng

Elizabeth and Rodney C. Pitts

Opera Carolina Committed to Excellence in Education and Civic Engagement for 72 years.