The Blacksmith (Le Maréchal ferrant) THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2021, 7:30 p.m. THE BARNS AT WOLF TRAP | 1635 Trap Road, Vienna, VA
Ryan Brown, Artistic Director
oil painting by AMY SEVERSON
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Letter from the Artistic Director Dear Friends, The Blacksmith is Opera Lafayette’s first operá comique translated entirely into English and set in the United States. It’s also the first in which we invite the audience to sing along at several points throughout the comedy. By translating it and inserting American folk songs where the original French ones would have been, our hope is that the immediacy of the humor and the familiarity of the music will bring us closer to the experience of the audience who first heard the work in the fairs of Paris in the 1760’s. It certainly was a joyful and memorable production for us and our audiences in rural Colorado, where we rehearsed and performed it outdoors at the Reddert Ranch last fall. With the help of the Mancos Cattlemen’s Association, the Mancos Creative District, Opera America, and the National Endowment for the Arts, we created a residency which involved not only artists from all around the US and Canada, but community musicians and volunteers, primary and secondary public-school students, and an audience many of whom had never experienced opera before, and certainly never on a pair of flatbed trailers in front of a hundred-year-old barn and Blacksmith’s shop. Those performances were captured on film and will be aired by Rocky Mountain Public Broadcasting this fall. We hope to re-capture some of that magic for you tonight and are grateful to be performing for live audiences again for the first time in almost a year! We are deeply appreciative to Wolf Trap for its collaborative support, and to you for coming and supporting Opera Lafayette.
Ryan Brown
Upcoming Performances Concert Spirituel aux Caraïbes February 10, 2022, 7:30 p.m. | The Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center Gretry’s Silvain June 2 and 3, 2022, 7:30 p.m. | The Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center
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The Barns at Wolf Trap Thursday, September 9, 2021, 7:30 p.m. Opera Lafayette presents
Dom Flemons, The American Songster and
The Blacksmith music by FRANÇOIS-ANDRÉ DANICAN PHILIDOR story by FRANÇOIS-ANTOINE QUÉTANT, after BOCCACCIO English translation by NICK OLCOTT adaptation by NICK OLCOTT and RYAN BROWN This performance will last approximately 2 hours with a brief pause. Join us after The Blacksmith for our 2022 season announcement.
Opera Lafayette is funded in part by the following organizations:
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Cast and Artistic Team Marcel (The Blacksmith) DOMINIQUE CÔTÉ Claudine (his sister) PASCALE BEAUDIN Jeannie (his daughter) ASHLEY MARIE ROBILLARD MacBride, Banjo FRANK KELLEY Cody ARNOLD GEIS Eustis JOSHUA CONYERS Violin RYAN BROWN Guitar DYLAN KOBER Bass DOUG BALLIETT Stage Director, Adaptor NICK OLCOTT Scenic Designer LISA SCHLENKER Costume Designer MARSHA LEBOEUF Stage Manager RAINE BODE
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Meet the Artists Doug Balliett is a composer, instrumentalist and poet based in New York City. The New York Times has described his poetry as “brilliant and witty” (Clytie and the Sun), his bass playing as “elegant” (Shawn Jaeger’s In Old Virginny), and his compositions as “vivid, emotive, with contemporary twists” (Actaeon). Popular new music blog I Care if You Listen has critiqued Mr. Balliett’s work as “weird in the best possible way” (A Gnostic Passion) and “light-hearted yet dark…it had the audience laughing one minute and in tears the next…” (Pyramus and Thisbe). He teaches baroque bass and violone at the Juilliard School since 2017. With a constant stream of commissions, many compositional and educational projects produced with his twin brother, and nearly 200 performances per year, Mr. Balliett has been identified as an important and active voice for his generation. Pascale Beaudin (Claudine) began her career on stage with the Atelier Lyrique de l’Opera de Montreal. She appears on operatic stages in Canada (Opéra de Montréal, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Opéra de Québec), in France (Angers-Nantes Opéra, Opéra de Marseille, Opéra National de Lorraine, Opéra de Metz) and the United States (Opera Lafayette) in roles such as Zerlina, Papagena, Fiordiligi, Oscar, Adèle de Formoutiers and Nannetta. The New York Times praised her shimmering voice and girlish sassiness, while The Washington Post music critic reported that she sang, “the aria ‘Per pietà’ with such deliberate quiet elegance and restraint that it was a highlight not just of the evening, but also of my year.” Beaudin’s incomparable diction, intelligent musicality and expressivity make her ideal for concert and recital work. In addition to being a permanent member of the Four Nations Ensemble, Mrs. Beaudin collaborates with many orchestras, namely the Orchestre Métropolitain, l’Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, and Les Violons du Roy, among others. Mrs. Beaudin is one of 6 singers featured on the critically acclaimed 5-disc release Mélodies complètes de Francis Poulenc with pianist Olivier Godin, on the Atma label. She is also featured on the world premiere recording of Les Femmes vengées, an opera by Philidor, with Opera Lafayette on the Naxos label. Proud of her Acadian heritage, Pascale Beaudin frequently performs at home, with Symphony New Brunswick and Opera New Brunswick. Pascale Beaudin has received national recognition with government grants from the Canada Arts Council, the Conseil des arts et lettres du Québec and the Jacqueline Desmarais Foundation. Ryan Brown is the Founder and Artistic Director of Opera Lafayette, and conductor of this production of The Blacksmith. Through his work with Opera Lafayette, he has gained an international reputation for his interpretations of French opera and for his role in the revival of significant works from the 18th and 19th centuries. His repertoire and discography of 12 recordings for Naxos include operas by well-known 18thcentury composers (Gluck and Rameau), as well as rediscoveries of their contemporaries (Sacchini and Rebel/ Francœur), works which exemplify traditions established in the 17th century (Lully and Charpentier), and those which point the way toward the music of the 19th century (Monsigny and Grétry). He was widely lauded for the modern premiere and recording of Félicien David’s 1862 Lalla Roukh, a seminal work of musical Orientalism. His frequent performances of Italian works by Haydn, Mozart, Paisiello, and Cimarosa have also met with great acclaim. In 2012, Mr. Brown led Opera Lafayette in its international debut at the Opéra Royal in Versailles with Monsigny’s Le Roi et le fermier. In 2014, he returned to the Opéra Royal, leading Opera Lafayette in Philidor’s Les femmes vengées and Mozart’s Così fan tutte. In 2015, he conducted Vivaldi’s Catone in Utica at The Glimmerglass Festival. He is a recipient of La Médaille d’Or du Rayonnement Culturel from La Renaissance Française. Mr. Brown was raised in a musical family in California and performed extensively as a violinist and chamber musician before turning his attentions to conducting. Baritone Joshua Conyers (Eustis) has been hailed by Opera News with “a deliciously honeyed baritone that would seduce anyone” and The New York Times as having “a sonorous baritone” that “wheedled and seduced.” Mr. Conyers, a native of Bronx, NY, is quickly being championed for his captivating performances as he continues to be recognized as one the promising young dramatic voices of today. Equally active in
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contemporary opera, Mr. Conyers performed the role of Jason in the world premiere of Matt Boehler’s 75 Miles, and Uncle Wesley in Carlos Simon’s Night Trip for Washington National Opera’s American Opera Initiative. Mr. Conyers was a member of the Cafritz Young Artist of Washington National Opera, a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons. Joshua performed the roles of First Priest in The Magic Flute, John Sorel in The Consul, covered the Reverend in Jeanine Tesori’s Blue, Jim and Jake (cover) in Porgy and Bess, Giorgio Germont in La traviata, British Major in Silent Night, Donkey in The Lion, the Unicorn, and Me, and Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin. Mr. Conyers performed Le Roi Marc in Le Vin Herbé, a collaboration with Wolf Trap Opera and Washington Concert Opera. At Wolf Trap Opera, he performed Porgy in Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess: A Concert of Songs, Ramiro in Maurice Ravel’s L’heure espagnole, Musiklehrer in Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, Monterone in Rigoletto, Count Capulet in Roméo et Juliette, and the Baritone Soloist in Bernstein’s Songfest which was recorded by Naxos Records. Québec baritone Dominique Côté (Marcel) maintains a flourishing career in North America and in France. Praised for his warm tone, stage presence and skill as an actor, he has won several first prizes including the Concours International de chant de Canari and for operetta at the Concours International de chant de Marmande. Trained as an actor at L’école de théâtre de St-Hyacinthe and then as a singer with Lucette Tremblay in Montreal, he completed his training at the Atelier lyrique de l’Opéra de Montréal. Of particular note for his 2020-2021 season was Le Maréchal ferrant, a project for Opéra de Lafayette which took him to Colorado. His 2019-2020 season featured Carmina Burana for Les Grands Ballets Canadiens, the title role of Nelligan for Théâtre du Nouveau Monde and Messiah for L’orchestre Philharmonique et Choeur des Mélomanes. Earlier, he was at Opéra de Lille for Offenbach’s rarely heard Le roi Carotte with further performances for Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) in Berlioz’s Lelio conducted by Nagano, Dancairo in Carmen for Opéra de Montréal, performances of Footloose in Québec City and his wildly-applauded appearances at Maison Symphonique with the OSM and Les Cowboys Fringant. Further credits include Opera de Lafayette’s Leonore Project in D.C. and NY, Edmonton Opera’s Les Feluettes, Nicandro e Fileno with le Nouvel Opéra de Montréal and Les Boréades, Ireland’s Wexford Festival in Le pre aux clercs and Le chauve souris for le Grand Théâtre de Genève. Cote has been nominated for three Prix Opus awards: Berlioz’ Lélio with OSM – Best concert musique classique, romantiques; Bal des Enfant de l’OSM – Best production for Kids; Nicandro e Fileno – Best recording - musique baroque. Dom Flemons, The American Songster, is a two-time EMMY Nominee, 2020 U.S. Artists Fellow, and Grammy Award winning folk, blues and bluegrass artist. He’s known for his repertoire covering 100 years of American folklore, ballads, and tunes. He’s a music scholar, historian, record collector and multi-instrumentalist including banjo, harmonica, quills, and rhythm bones. In 2020, Flemons re-issued his album Prospect Hill: The American Songster Omnibus on Omnivore Recordings. His original song “I Can’t Do It Anymore” was released on a limited edition wax cylinder recording. That year he also released a cover of the Elmore James classic “Shake Your Money Maker”, recorded at Sun Studio in Memphis, alongside Rev. Peyton’s Big Damn Band and featured guest, legendary guitarist Steve Cropper. He played his six-string banjo (Big Head Joe), Quills, and Bones on Tyler Childers groundbreaking album Long Violent History, and played jug alongside Brandford Marsalis on the soundtrack to Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on Netflix. In 2019, Flemons was chosen to be a “Spotlight Artist” at the Soundtrack of America event curated by the World Renowned Quincy Jones and EMMY Award Winning Director Steve McQueen. Flemons had a successful international solo tour in Spain, France, Belgium, Holland, and served as an U.S representative at the YodelFest in Munich, Germany. Flemons released Dom Flemons Presents: Black Cowboys in 2018 on Smithsonian Folkways, and received a GRAMMY Nomination for “Best Folk Album” and a Blues Music Award nomination for “Best Acoustic Album.” This recording is part of the African American Legacy Recordings series, co-produced with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.. Black Cowboys spent 55 weeks on the Billboard Bluegrass charts. Praised by Opera Today for his “sizable lyric instrument” and “honeyed tone on all registers”, Arnold Livingston Geis (Cody) is a recent graduate of Washington National Opera’s prestigious Cafritz Young Artist Program. In the 2021/22 season he makes his Lincoln Center debut creating the role of Mr. Marks in Lynn Nottage and Ricky Ian Gordon’s Intimate Apparel. He also sings Agamemnon in a workshop of Wayne Shorter
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& Esperanza Spalding’s Iphigenia at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Mr. Geis has appeared with Washington National Opera for Jonathan Dale in Silent Night, Gastone in La traviata, and Busdriver/New Preacher in Taking Up Serpents. He also sang Nikolaus Sprink in Silent Night with The Glimmerglass Festival, Arnold Murray in The Life and Death(s) of Alan Turing with Chicago Opera Theater, and Tamino in The Magic Flute with Pacific Opera Project. Mr. Geis created the role of Corpsman Harris in the world premiere of Heather Raffo and Tobin Stokes’ Fallujah with Long Beach Opera, and later reprised the role with New York City Opera. Mr. Geis is a graduate of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program, has been an Apprentice Artist with Chautauqua Opera, a Young Artists with Opera on the Avalon, and an Apprentice Artist with Bel Canto at Caramoor. He received his Master of Music from the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California and his Bachelor of Music from Biola University. Frank Kelley (MacBride/Banjo) sings a wide variety of music throughout North America and Europe. He has performed many roles with the Odyssey Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Boston, Florentine Opera, Opera Theater of St. Louis, and the San Francisco Opera Company, and has appeared at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, the Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels, The Frankfurt Opera, Opera de Monte Carlo, Dallas Opera, Nashville Opera and in the Peter Sellars productions of Die Sieben Todsünden, Das Kleine Mahagonny, Così fan tutte, and Le nozze di Figaro. The Mozart operas were recorded by Decca and Austrian Public Television, and were broadcast on PBS’s Great Performances. His recording of Elmer Gantry, with the Florentine Opera Company and the Milwaukee Symphony for Naxos records, has won two Grammy awards including best original composition. In concert performances, Mr. Kelley has sung with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the National Symphony, the Dallas Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica Nacional, Orquesta Sinfónica de Mineria, and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s. He has performed medieval and renaissance music with Sequentia, the Boston Camerata, and the Waverly Consort, and he performs baroque music with the Handel and Haydn Society, Boston Baroque, Emmanuel Music, Music of the Baroque, and Aston Magna. Mr. Kelley has recorded for Naxos, London, Decca, Erato, Harmonia Mundi France, Teldec, Telarc, Koch International, Deutsche Harmonia Mundi, and Centaur. A resident of Boston, Mr. Kelley sings there regularly with Emmanuel Music. Dylan Kober is a Denver based guitarist and dobro player who focuses on jazz, fusion, bluegrass, and country. He records, mixes, and masters his own projects, in addition to pursuing collaborations, with an emphasis on jazz and bluegrass. When not performing and recording, Dylan teaches in the greater Denver area. In 2021, Dylan obtained a dual bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado, Denver where he studied Jazz Guitar Performance and Audio Engineering. Dylan is currently working with several ensembles in Denver, including the jazz fusion group Messenger Music Collective, and bluegrass band Timberline Troubadours. He has also contributed his musical skills to other artists in the Denver area, including Bonnie Utter: Strange Dame, and pianist Bharat Bhargava. Marsha M. LeBoeuf has over 35 years of experience in costume design and management and has been the costume director for Washington National Opera since 1988, overseeing more than 180 productions. She has many responsibilities related to costuming, but her overall responsibility is to ensure that every costume presented on any WNO stage measures up to the most exacting standards. Before coming to WNO, Marsha worked for Missouri Repertory Theatre, Indiana University School of Music, Chicago Opera Theatre, Central City Opera, and designed costumes for numerous theaters in the Chicago area. She designed costumes for Eugene Onegin and Xerxes at Maryland Opera Studio. In addition to her work at WNO, Marsha has been a guest speaker or lecturer at numerous organizations, including the Renwick Art Gallery, National Museum for Women in the Arts, U.S. Institute for Theater Technology, George Mason University and Towson University. Her essay titled “Apparel and the Opera Singer” was published in the Opera America Perspectives Series. She has been a member of the Opera America Technical/Production Committee since 1995 and serves on the Finance Committee for the U.S. Institute for Theater Technology.
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Nick Olcott (Director and Translator/Adaptor) has worked with Opera Lafayette for many years. As a director, he mounted Bonsoir, Voisin; L’épreuve villageoise; Il barbiere di Siviglia; and most memorably Così fan tutte/Les femmes vengées, which played at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and the Opéra Royale in Versailles. As a writer, he supplied dialogue and narration for Le déserteur, Le magnifique, and Sancho Pança. Other opera credits include Boston Lyric Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Cleveland Opera, Ash Lawn Opera Festival, Saarburg Serenaden, Prague Summer Nights, and the In Series. Theatre credits include Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, Philadelphia Theatre Company, the Round House Theatre, and Constellation Theatre. His operatic translations and adaptations have been performed by numerous companies, including his Love Potion No. 1 (L’elisir d’amore), Così fan tutte goes Hollywood, The Emperor of New Atlantis, and Fidelio in Latin America. His musical play Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Purloined Patience (or, the Scandal at the D’Oyly Carte) received a Charles MacArthur Award. Ashley Marie Robillard (Jeannie) has been winning hearts in the opera house and recital hall alike ever since her professional debut with Opera Philadelphia in 2017. An alumna of their Emerging Artist program, credits with the company include Musetta (La bohème), Papagena (Die Zauberflöte), a featured member in Stephanie Blythe’s cabaret series (Queens of the Night), and several recitals. This season, Ashley performs with Classical Movements in their recital series Songs of Hope & Harmony. She returns to Opera Philadelphia in the Sounds of Spring orchestral concert, and will participate in ePOP’s Valentine’s Day concert, Love Notes. Ashley joined the prestigious Merola Opera Program this summer. She was previously accepted in 2020 to sing Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro), however performances that summer were unable to occur due to COVID-19. She participated in a fulfilling online enrichment program with the company in lieu of the production in 2020. Previously, Ashley was a Studio Artist with Wolf Trap Opera. She debuted as Echo (Ariadne auf Naxos) and covered Argentine (L’île de Merlin) and Bubikopf (Der Kaiser von Atlantis). She was also a young artist with Music From Angel Fire and presented chamber music by Schubert, Clara Schumann, Mendelssohn, and the world premiere performance of Dai Wei’s The Wind May Know. She also toured the USA as the soprano soloist in Hugo Wolf’s Italianisches Liderbuch with Curtis On Tour from 2016-19. Ashley is a recipient of the Opera Index encouragement award and a Silver Medal Winner of the Manhattan International Music Competition. Lisa Schlenker is excited to debut with Opera Lafayette on the creative team for The Blacksmith, as Nick and the entire ensemble dive into the fusion of French opera and cowboy folk song! Lisa enjoys a diverse professional life with a variety of Wisconsin based theaters as a scenic designer, and also serves as Florentine Opera Company’s Production Manager. Avocationally, Lisa can be found giving care to Wisconsin’s native bats at Wisconsin Humane Society Wildlife Center, where she is an active wildlife rehabilitator. Lisa’s book with co-author Sandra Strawn: The Properties Director’s Tool Kit is available on Amazon.com. Recent design work: Windjammers, Dairy Heirs, We Like it Where, Dad’s Season Ticket (Northern Sky); Mary Jane (Forward Theater); Fires in the Mirror (MCT); Nunsunse (Milwaukee Rep); Happy Days (Renaissance Theaterworks). Upcoming design projects: The Tragedy of Carmen (Florentine Opera); Leona Lionheart (Kohl’s Wild Theatre); Doc Danger (Milwaukee Opera Theatre). Thank you for supporting live local theatre! Since 2012 Keri Thibodeau has been a resident assistant lighting designer at the Metropolitan Opera. Within the 33-week season Keri works on 25 different productions performing 6 nights a week. She has lived in New York City since 2003 and worked for repertory companies such as New York City Opera and New York City Ballet, and as a freelancer on various projects including Broadway and New York Fashion Week. Work has brought her all over the world and created a passion for travel and adventure. She lives in Jackson Heights, Queens with her husband and hungry bluenose pitbull.
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Synopsis It is 1890. In his blacksmith shop not far from Mancos, Marcel is happily working at his specialty, a horseshoe. An immigrant from France, Marcel revels in his life, marred only by the constant bickering between his sister, Claudine, and his daughter, Jeannette. Claudie accuses Jeannie of chasing after a penniless cowboy, when she should be looking for a rich man to marry. Marcel agrees and decides that Jeannie should marry Slim MacBride, the successful foreman on the area’s biggest ranch. Jeannie recoils at the idea of marrying an older man and points out that Slim has actually been courting Claudie, not her. Claudie declares Jeannie welcome to him. Marcel is firm in his decision and leaves, threatening Jeannie with severe punishment if she so much as looks at any man besides Slim MacBride. Left alone, the women reveal the truth: Claudie is angling to marry Cody, the handsome cowpoke with whom Jeannie is in love. The aunt threatens her niece with a dire fate if she does not give up on Cody and marry Slim instead. Slim arrives and tries to woo Claudie, who foists him off on Jeannie. He politely refuses the niece and continues his pursuit of the aunt until Marcel arrives and shoos the women away. Slim has come to settle the account for the veterinary work Marcel has done for the ranch. (Blacksmiths of the day often served as the animal doctors as well as farriers. As Marcel points out, he is often called upon to treat human patients, too.) Marcel has a plan: he will get Slim drunk and convince him to overbill his employer. The extra money will go to Slim and Jeannie as a wedding present. Only, of course, as long as Slim agrees to marry Jeannie. Slim is more than happy to drink, but by mistake almost takes a swig of a powerful narcotic that Marcel has brewed up to anesthetize a patient coming in for an amputation. Disaster averted, Slim still refuses to marry Jeannie, claiming he made a vow on his late wife’s deathbed never to take another bride. Marcel will not take no for an answer and refuses to pay Slim a nickel until the wedding is arranged. He takes the foreman away to ply him with more whiskey. Jeannie is alone, mourning her sad situation, when Cody arrives. She tells him of the plot against them, but he is unconcerned: he can wrangle Marcel like any head of livestock. They declare their love for each other and drink a toast to their future.
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Unfortunately, however, Cody drinks the narcotic that Slim had poured and falls unconscious. Jeannie is horrified, thinking she has killed her lover. She panics that her father will find his body in the blacksmith shop. She fears that in addition to losing Cody, she is going to have to face her father’s wrath. Two strangers happen by at that moment: Eustis, a traveling preacher, and Banjo, his sidekick and jack-of-all-trades. They have come to the blacksmith shop for veterinary help; Eustis’ horse and Banjo’s donkey are ailing. Jeannie prevails upon them to hide Cody’s body for her, promising them whiskey to do the deed. It is an offer too good to turn down. No sooner is the body hidden than Claudine arrives to ask what the strangers want. Their explanation of their animals’ ailments drives her to distraction, and she flees with the two in pursuit. Left alone, Jeannie mourns her loss but hides when she hears her father returning with Slim. Marcel has continued to ply the foreman with liquor, and he is fairly drunk. Marcel tries to get Slim interested in the money by singing the praises of wealth, but the foreman still shows no interest in Jeannie when they find her in the shop. Marcel worries he may have gotten Slim too drunk, but Slim sings of his prowess as a horseman to prove he can handle anything. When Claudie enters, he demonstrates that his interest is still in her, not in Jeannie. Marcel drags him away hoping to sober him up with food. Claudie, left alone, marvels at the growing attraction she is feeling for Slim. After she leaves, Cody awakes from his stupor and wonders how he ended up where he is. He decides that Marcel must have found him with Jeannie and locked him up with the intention of killing him one way or another. He is resigned to his fate when Claudie enters, takes the shadowy figure for a rustler, and runs to find Marcel. Jeannie arrives with Eustis and Banjo, demanding that they remove Cody’s body from the shop before she will give them the whiskey. Cody, delighted to see her, tries to embrace her. She takes him for Cody’s ghost, risen from the grave to punish her for killing him, and she runs away. A terrified Banjo does, too. Eustis remains, confident that God’s help, coupled with his own prodigious boxing skills, will enable him to defeat the specter. He is about to do battle with the ghost when Marcel arrives. Cody hides, and Marcel takes Eustis for the rustler Claudie reported. Eustis defends his reputation as an honest, God-fearing man, but Marcel is about to turn him over to the law when Cody appears. Marcel thinks Cody must be another rustler. Convinced he is surrounded by a band of desperadoes, Marcel tries to stand up to them, and the three men talk simultaneously at cross-purposes: Cody begging for Jeannie’s hand, Marcel threatening to take them both on, and Eustis praying to God to help him clear him name. Slim, Claudie, and Jeannie arrive in the midst of the confusion. Slim recognizes Cody as his nephew and demands an explanation. Cody declares his love for Jeannie and asks her to marry him. She joyfully agrees. Slim sees his opportunity and proposes to Claudie, who throws herself into his arms. Marcel has no choice but to resign himself to what has transpired. Marcel sums it all up on his own terms: Love is like blacksmithing. You gotta strike when the iron’s hot.
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Opera Lafayette 921 Pennsylvania Avenue SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 546-9332 OperaLafayette.org Board of Directors Dorsey C. Dunn, Co-Chair Nizam P. Kettaneh, Co-Chair Ross Ain, Vice Chair Adrienne Jamieson, Vice Chair Ryan Brown, Artistic Director Parker Jayne, Treasurer Stephen E. Kitchen, Secretary Annelyse Allen Catia Z. Chapin Cheryl Gorelick Marifé Hernandez Pamela Hines Susan A. Lynner Merri Moken Leonard H. Ralston JoAnn Willis
Life Members of the Board Walter R. Arnheim Yoko Arthur Joel Brenner Marie-Hélène Forget Bill Gradison J. Cari Elliott Gradison Vivianne C. Lake Sophia Lynn Chris O’Flinn Joan Simon Brian Vogel
New York Advisory Committee Nizam P. Kettaneh, Chairman Annelyse Allen Catia Z. Chapin Janet Desforges Francis Dubois Dorsey C. Dunn Jean-Paul Fouchécourt Marifé Hernandez Vivianne C. Lake Anne Mackinnon Ishtar Méjanès Catherine S. Michaelson Annie Pampanini
Administration Lisa Mion, Managing Director Ersian François, Community Partnerships and Engagement Manager Kara Hess, Administrative Manager Kendra Rubinfeld, Marketing and Press Consultant Jonathan Marder, Marketing and Press Consultant
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Opera Lafayette gratefully acknowledges the generous gifts made by the following individuals in support of the September 9 Benefit performance and reception and of Opera Lafayette’s future performances, musical recordings, and community engagement programs. Walter Arnheim and Marsha Rehns Dorsey and Susan Dunn Nizam Kettaneh JoAnn Willis and Charles N. Kahn III Stephen E. and Mary Sue Kitchen Dianne and Chris O’Flinn Susan A. Lynner Ellen McCoy Mr. And Mrs. Leonard H. Ralston Tom Helsinki Pamela Hines Ryan Brown and Christine Healy Generous Donors in Absentia Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Allen Carol and Irving Yoskowitz
Annual Fund Patrons
as of Sept 3,2021 ‡ = Patrons who also contribute to Accelerando Leader’s Circle Anonymous David Frederick and Sophia Lynn ‡ Stephen E. and Mary Sue Kitchen ‡ Dorsey and Susan Dunn ‡ Benefactor’s Circle Mr. and Mrs. Ross Ain ‡ Walter Arnheim and Marsha Rehns ‡ Cheryl Gorelick ‡ Marifé Hernández and Joel Bell ‡ Mary Sue Kitchen ‡ Valerie Lynn Ishtar Méjanès ‡ Elizabeth Prince de Ramel ‡ Leonard and Annemarie Ralston ‡ Bruce Rosenblum and Lori Laitman Daniel and Sybil Silver ‡ Trustee’s Circle Mrs. Bruno Desforges ‡ Bill and Cari Gradison ‡
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Adrienne Jamieson and Patrick Chamorel ‡ Robert V. Jones ‡ Susan A. Lynner ‡ Heather Mac Donald and Erich Eichman Dianne and Chris O’Flinn JoAnn Willis and Charles N. Kahn III ‡ Sustainer’s Circle Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Allen ‡ Thomas L. and Yoko N. Arthur Ryan Brown and Christine Healy ‡ Mr. and Mrs. Jerald L. Clark ‡ Joan L. Elliston ‡ John and Patricia Forelle ‡ Louis and Marie-Hélène Forget ‡ Tom Helinski and Bob Miller ‡ Pam Hines and Robert Lerner Mr. And Mrs. Richard Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Robert Quinlan ‡ Mark and Helen Rice ‡ Michelle Sikora ‡ Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Viscusi ‡
Alan and Cynthia Wilkinson ‡ JoAnn Willis and Charles N. Kahn III ‡ Patron’s Circle Mehdi Reza Asef ‡ Stephanie Bernheim and Ralph Wharton ‡ Joel Brenner and Victoria Pope Mr. and Mrs. Corrick Brown ‡ Derek Brown and Deborah Hellman ‡ Elisabeth French ‡ Dennis Gallagher and Carol Barthel ‡ Susan Ginsburg ‡ Dr. Samuel and Marcia Hellman ‡ Parker H. Jayne ‡ Thomas G. MacCracken Mr. and Mrs. William Maroney McMurphy Family ‡ Merri Moken ‡ Jeffrey Mora and Wendy Fuller-Mora Gary and Trudy Peterson ‡ Naomi W. Reddert Theodora and Albert Simms
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Dr. Janet M. Storella and Mr. Andrew T. Karron Dr. and Mrs. Daniel M. Thys ‡ Voce di Meche ‡ Donor’s Circle Barry Abel ‡ Wallace K. Bailey ‡ Merritt Chesley ‡ Mrs. Bradley Collins Francis Dubois and Paul Jesselsohn Bruce A. Garetz and Anne Eisenberg ‡ Ms. Joan Greenberg Louise Healey ‡ * William Guy Jegl ‡ Andrea Knutson Vivianne C. Lake Mr. and Mrs. John Lipsky ‡ Tiffany Lynn Karen A. McLaughlin and Mark Schubin Ingrid Meyer Catherine S. Michaelson Mrs. S.I. Newhouse Mrs. Frederick Henry Prince Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth B. Prouty Ms. Alice Robbins and Mr. Walter Denny Anne Shine Mr. and Mrs. Clark Silcox Matthew Slater and Faith Roessel Mr. And Mrs. Michael Tanner ‡ Jerome and Carol Trautschold Arete Warren Irving and Carol Yoskowitz ‡ Supporter Anonymous (3) Ms. Catherine Armington Jean W. Arnold ‡ Violet E. Baker ‡ Eric Bash ‡ Virginia M. Bland ‡ Joseph and Carmen Bredie ‡ Avis Bohlen Calleo and David Calleo ‡ Michael and Judith Canning ‡ Vickie Carlson ‡ Mar. And Mrs. Dickson Carroll Ms. Lousie Cort John M. Cross and Benjamin Diamond ‡ Mr. Seán Curran ‡ Linda DeRamus Duane and Joanne DeVries ‡ Mr. John Driscoll ‡ Matthew Easley ‡ Sheila ffolliott ‡ Ms. Polly Fisher Margaret Frances
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Dwight Frankfather ‡ Sidney and Janet Getz Dr. Marilyn Wong Gleysteen Nancy Gordon and Robert Parker ‡ John Graziano ‡ Mr. Robert Green June Hajjar ‡ Spencer Harper III Rebecca M. Harris-Warrick Sheridan Harvey ‡ Marianne Haug and Andrés Rigo Diedre Howley Mr. John Jernigan Paul E. Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Phillip M. Kadis Mr. and Mrs. Mike Kadish Joseph P. Kerr Lorna Kettaneh James Kolb ‡ Sandra Kolb Monika Kosior Julia Liebeskind ‡ Diane Lin Mr. and Mrs. Etienne Linard John Longstreth and Anne Goldstein ‡ Daniel Lozier ‡ Elisabeth Lynn Mr. William Theo Mann ‡ Daniel and Maeva Marcus ‡ Ms. Mary Lynne Martin ‡ Donogh McDonald and Susan Kneller ‡ Joan McFarland Michael and Cynthia McKee ‡ Stephanie McKown Lisa and Todd Mion Katherine Offutt ‡ Mr. David Osborne ‡ Michael Parent Marylyn Pauley ‡ Mr. John Percy ‡ Martha Perry Thomas Pulling Sandra Ray J. Brinton Rowdybush ‡ Robert and Pamela Schmidle ‡ Leo H. Settler and Joel Cuffman Ms. Angela Silverman Austin Stewart and Charlie Dill Donald and Mary Street ‡ Jason Strudler ‡ Barbara Van Woerkom ‡ Ms. Stefanie Walker ‡ Baird Webel ‡ Judith Weintraub Douglas Wheeler ‡ Robin White and Nat Breed ‡
Patricia Winston Elizabeth A. Witt ‡ Wolf Instruments/Thomas and Barbara Wolf ‡ Ms. Edith C. Wolff ‡ Susan Yamada ‡ Florence Zwerdling Friend Anonymous Antonia L. Banducci ‡ Ms. Carole Berglie ‡ Jennifer Brinkerhoff ‡ Beth Brush ‡ Marco Cagetti Sara Caples and Everado Jefferson Jessica Chaney Nichole Chaney Lloyd Chesley ‡ Kelley Dilworth ‡ Thomas D. Dunn Susan Feingold Christopher Finch Alan and Hannah Fisher John Fitzgerald ‡ Ersian Francois Lis Froding Joan Gardner John Gardner ‡ Alice B. Gausch ‡ Adele Germain Richard Glass and Sally Findley Carol Greer Ms. June Hargrove ‡ Kelly Harris ‡ Kara Hess Paul J. Horowitz and Ruth E. Jaffe ‡ Michelle Humphreys ‡ Jacqueline Jenkins Carole Kassel Bob Katcher ‡ John L. Kattler Gale D. Kaufman Ruth Kilstein ‡ Noël Klapper ‡ Bethany Lambrecht ‡ Elisabeth Lopez Patricia Mahoney ‡ Ms. Carol Marsh ‡ Kristen Mckenna ‡ Todd Mion Nancy Morgenstern Mr. Gerald Murphy ‡ Richard O’Connell ‡ Joyce Offerman Steve Osborn Ms. Geraldine Ostrove ‡
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Lois C. Padawer and Oscar A. Jaeger ‡ Martha Randall Ms. Joan Rosasco ‡ Ruth Sauder Mary Scott Mr. And Mrs. Michael Sherer Yann Siberil ‡ Patricia L. Sims Jennifer Spry Dr. Craig Stewart Waights M. Taylor, Jr. and Liz Martin Lavanya Thamire Jane Troy
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Sonja Trudell ‡ Takemi Ueno Sara G. Wagschal and Jay M. Elinsky Donna Welensky John C. Wiecking George Gran Wilson Claire H. Winestock Tracy Wojcik Antony Zwerdlin * deceased
Institutional Support The Alice E. Adams Charitable Foundation Bloomberg Philanthropies The Capitol Hill Community Foundation DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities The Nancy Peery Marriott Foundation National Endowment for the Arts OPERA America Prince Charitable Trusts Rea Charitable Trust Wage Foundation
9/7/21 10:44 AM
Coming Up! Making A Cowboy Opera: The Blacksmith Join us for this three-part online Salon Series as we take you behind-the-scenes of Opera Lafayette’s critically acclaimed, modern premiere of Philidor’s The Blacksmith. Set in front of a historic Blacksmith shop and barn, Artistic Director Ryan Brown’s family ranch was the perfect first venue for this one-of-a-kind production that premiered in October of 2020. Hear from experts in opéra comique and the artists themselves about how this 18th-century French opéra comique was conceptualized, adapted and translated into a 19th-century American West.
Opéra comique with Julia Doe Thursday, September 23, 2021, 6 PM Julia Doe, Assistant Professor of Music, Columbia University, and author of The Comedians of the King: Opéra Comique and the Bourbon Monarchy on the Eve of Revolution, joins us to talk about early opéra comique and the integration of popular song, to match our Blacksmith experience.
Orchestration and Music Thursday, September 30, 2021, 6 PM Ryan Brown and Adam Gardino take us through the intricacies of re-orchestrating the work for a bass, violin, and guitar. Director Nick Olcott will also discuss arrangement of the Libretto.
Sets, Costumes and Drama! Thursday, October 7, 2021, 6 PM For this final session Ryan is joined by Nick Olcott (director), Marsha LeBoeuf (costume designer), and Lisa Schlenker (set designer) as they discuss how they worked together to bring the music and drama to life authentically. $10/session All sessions: Live on Zoom - $25 Watch on Replay -$20 Combination of Live on Zoom and Replay (FULL ACCESS) - $30
*There is a small fee associated with each ticket purchase. Unable to attend one of our upcoming performances of The Blacksmith in-person? Watch the fully-staged production for half off with purchase of our Salon Series. Viewers can also enjoy a documentary on The Blacksmith made in connection with Rocky Mountain PBS.
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Ryan Brown, Artistic Director
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