The Marriage of Figaro

MARCH 31 & APRIL 2, 2023 ORPHEUM THEATER

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WELCOME TO OPERA OMAHA

Dear Friends,

Welcome back to the Orpheum Theater for the final production of our 2022/2023 season: Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro

Even though Mozart wrote Figaro in 1786, almost 240 years ago, the characters are people we would know today. They are deeply human, flawed in the most relatable and endearing ways.

There is the central romance between Figaro and Susanna, the Count and Countess’ troubled marriage, and Cherubino’s adolescent exuberance. We meet Bartolo and Marcellina, and their past history reveals itself at a crucial moment.

The music is as timeless as the story. Even if you are not a regular opera goer, you will probably recognize the overture. It is so famous that my hometown grocery store in central Pennsylvania used it in commercials and to advertise in-store sales over the P.A. system!

We use the term “classical music” to describe a broad genre of music, but it specifically applies to music written between 1750-1820. Mozart’s musical style, which is clear, balanced, and structured, defines the classical period.

In Figaro, I have a particular fondness for Susanna’s aria “Deh vieni, non tardar.” It is elegant and nuanced, and I always want to hear it more than once. Maybe you will call for an encore!

Figaro was my first opera at age 11. I hope it stays with you like it did with me, and that you find delight and catharsis in this production.

As our season comes to a close, please know how grateful I am for your warm welcome to Omaha. It has been a sincere pleasure getting to know you, and I look forward to our paths continuing to cross as excitement builds for our 2023/2024 season.

Sincerely,

Allison Swenson GENERAL DIRECTOR

22-23 SEASON

The Met: Live in HD 2022-2023

October 22 - June 7

MARCH 11

Live broadcasts with Prelude Talks. Encore replays.

Champion (Terence Blanchard)

EDWARD POLOCHICK MUSIC DIRECTOR

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIR

Elisa B. Davies

VICE CHAIR

Linda Burt Rebrovic

TREASURER

Maria Carlson

SECRETARY

Carol E. Domina

ADVISORS CHAIR

Jim Winner

COMMUNITY PANEL REPRESENTATIVE

Camtrice Bexten

Anne Bruckner

Kiley Freeman

Dr. Ali Khan

Dr. Joanne Li

Dr. Cheryl Logan

Jerry O’Flanagan

Terri Sanders

Jara Sturdivant-Wilson

EMERITUS BOARD

Terrence J. Ferguson

Robert E. Owen

ADVISORS

Linda Andersen

Jo Bartikoski

Dr. Jawed Bharwani

Nicholas Bjornson

Sandra Bruns

Dr. Viv L. Ewing

David Gardels

Lisa Hagstrom

Dr. Fred Hanna

Dr. Michael Hilt

Carter Jones

Mark Allen Maser

Sheila McNeil

April Nebel

Dr. Debra Reilly-Culver

Mary Ann Strasheim

Jerry Syslo

Dr. James Tracy .

Shelby VanNorsdstrand

Cindy Weil

OPERA OMAHA GUILD PRESIDENT

Deb Peterson

CRAFTSMAN’S GUILD PRESIDENT

Chris Gannon-Tombrello

GENERAL DIRECTOR

Allison Swenson

ADMINISTRATION

WEITZ FELLOW

Rebecca Chen

OFFICE MANAGER

Cydnea Hoff

DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Shannon Walenta

GRAPHIC & DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER

Rachel Austin

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT & SALES MANAGER

Howard Coffin

DONOR STEWARDSHIP & EVENTS MANAGER

Rebecca Ihnen

DEVELOPMENT DATABASE & ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

Laura Jaros

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Joe Prickett

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Kyle Thomas

OPERATIONS

PRODUCING DIRECTOR

Kurt Howard

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Taylor Adams

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Mark Blice

ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATOR

Kai Song Chan

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

Katherine Clanton

COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOWSHIP MANAGER

Wendy Kaiser

DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Lauren Medici

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Charisa Ramsey

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Jaime Marie Webb

WITH GRATITUDE FOR OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Opera Omaha honors Richard D. Holland and the Holland Foundation for unyielding major support over the years and the entire Simon family and Omaha Steaks for their generosity and multi-year sponsorships. With our sincere gratitude, we acknowledge the following foundations and businesses that make our programming a reality. Opera Omaha would also like to recognize the institutions and corporations that provide operating support or sponsor our community engagement programs, which are designed to educate, uplift and enrich our community.

SEASON SPONSORS

PRODUCTION SPONSORS

ADDITIONAL SEASON SUPPORT

GENEROUS PUBLIC SUPPORT PROVIDED BY

Anonymous

The Nebraska Arts Council, a state agency, has supported this program through its matching grants program funded by the Nebraska Legislature, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. Visit www.nebraskaartscouncil.org for information on how the Nebraska Arts Council can assist your organization, or how you can support the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

Cindy & Mogens Bay

Robert E. Owen

Mammel Family Foundation

Rose Blumkin Foundation

William R. Patrick Foundation Jetton Charitable Fund

Whitmore Charitable Trust

Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation

Giger Foundation

Adah and Leon Millard Foundation

Mary & Richard Parrish

Dr. Katie Weitz & Tim Wilson Gail & Michael Yanney

CONDUCTOR’S NOTE

CONDUCTOR STEVEN WHITE INTERVIEWS HIMSELF ABOUT MOZART’S THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

SW: Thanks for letting me pick your brain about a subject that I know means a great deal to you—namely, Mozart’s great masterpiece, Le nozze di Figaro. Do you have anything you’d like to say to get us started?

SW: Well, why don’t I just state the obvious.

SW: OK. I’ve noticed you do that fairly often.

SW: There is no higher manifestation of mankind’s ability to rise above the squalor of routine than through the sublimely insightful beauty that Mozart has bequeathed us, most particularly in this, the first of his three great collaborations with his librettist, Lorenzo Da Ponte, the other two being…

SW: Yes, we know: Don Giovanni and Così fan tutte. Please don’t feel compelled to give us a music history lesson at every turn. Tell us more about what you mean about rising “above the squalor of routine.”

SW: Almost every aspect of The Marriage of Figaro, from the musical notes on the page, to the structure of the entire piece, and, of course, to Mozart’s treatment of the characters— in all these elements, he has taken things that we could perhaps call “common” and has transformed them into treasures that are exceedingly “rare.”

SW: Tell us what you mean by “common,” and how Mozart pulled off these various transformations.

SW: Well, let me just speak in the broadest terms first. The Marriage of Figaro is a comedy. Operatic comedies were all the rage around 1786—very common, you might say. Opera buffa is what the genre is called, and there is simply nothing funnier than Mozart’s opera! Mozart went “all in” for the laughs. Yet…

SW: I knew a “yet” was coming.

SW: Yes, you know me pretty well by now. As I was saying, Mozart unabashedly plays to his audience’s “common” sense of humor, yet he gives us music, combined with dramatic circumstance, that is as sublimely profound as anything ever created by a human being! And don’t accuse me of exaggerating.

SW: I’d never do that. Give us an example of the profound.

SW: Well, I’m somewhat reluctant to give away too many plot details, but at the end, when the Count is finally revealed publicly to be a preposterous cad (I’m speaking euphemistically), he begs forgiveness of his wife with a line of such poignancy that it seems like nothing could match it in its sheer beauty. Yet the Contessa immediately forgives him with music that can only be described as other-worldly. And THEN...the entire ensemble sings that same music in a communal hymn that brings “common” humanity as close to the transcendent “divine” as any theater music ever has or ever could. It’s quite simply “music of the spheres.” You notice, I can’t even talk about it without getting tears in my eyes!

SW: Are there other moments in the piece that affect you that way? I’m talking about the juxtaposition of comedy and profundity.

SW: Are you kidding me? On virtually every page! And, to make a larger point, this is characteristic of Mozart—throughout his life, in all his music, not just opera. And, of course, that’s what separates him from everyone else. The elegance and buoyant vitality that immediately charms our ears is always underlined by a sometimes-indefinable depth that earns our deepest affection. But getting back to The Marriage of Figaro

SW: I was going to suggest that.

SW: Quite literally, I could make this same point in every number of this opera. But for the sake of time, I’ll simply point out the fact that in the Act III sextet, we discover dramatic circumstances that are just over-the-top hilarious. Yet, while completely supporting the almost slapstick absurdity of the moment, the music takes us to a higher plane of rarified contentment and ineffable joy. Mozart himself was particularly happy with his achievement in this movement.

SW: Would you say that there are other “desert-island” moments in the opera?

SW: The whole opera, of course…but specifically, how could one possibly be expected to carry on without "Sull’aria", the Susanna/Contessa duet in the third act? Or both Contessa arias? Would you want to live in a world without Susanna’s "Deh vieni non tardar"?

SW: Of course not! Nor would I want to live in a world without Cherubino’s "Voi che sapete".

SW: Right! It’s an absolute Grecian urn of equipoise and sentiment—as perfect an operatic “song” as there could ever be. And this, from a teenage boy whose voice has yet to change! Do you think Mozart saw any of himself in Cherubino?

SW: Probably so! But listen, I think we need to wrap it up. Is there anything else you’d like to add…quickly?

SW: Oh, my goodness. We’re just getting started! How I wish we had time to talk about the Act II finale, or the Act I and Act II trios!

SW: Well, some other time, perhaps.

SW: Alright. Then I’ll close by saying that Le nozze di Figaro is a masterpiece of endless musical and dramaturgical detail that has been analyzed in countless scholarly volumes. But the bottom line, and the real reason for its enduring popularity is that Mozart, wielding one of the most divinely gifted intellects and spirits in the history of humanity—like cupid with a bow—strikes us in the center of our hearts with his music, kindling the spark of divinity that exists in all of us, common human beings that we are.

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

Often, when processing another production of Le nozze di Figaro that I have the privilege to direct, I think, what can go wrong? It’s Le nozze di Figaro! The structure, the pace, the material, the clarity, the art of this masterpiece feels like I’ve been given a golden plate and all I need to do is gently pass it over with the utmost care and respect.

For me, this work is a dream based on its physicality. The characters stemming from commedia dell'arte lend themselves to how these characters move, intertwine, scheme, and even outwit each other, and it is all processed with the physical work these performers and characters create. In my mind, Mozart fully understood this and masterfully created a rhythmic structure that is so clear and honestly, quite easy to follow. Where I love to live in this work is what Mozart gives us musically before, and in between the vocal lines. How his musical trajectory fully sets us up dramatically for the text, the next thought, or action, and even the tempo of the movement. I believe I have to trust that and not get in the way. The complete experience of Le nozze di Figaro is on the pages of the score. Living in this work both as a stage director and a performer has enlightened my entire existence of this art form. My job, pass this golden plate to you the audience with gratitude. Enjoy…

— Dean Anthony DIRECTOR

(Le nozze di Figaro)

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte

Performed in Italian with English supertitles

March 31 & April 2, 2023

Orpheum Theater, Slosburg Hall | Omaha, Nebraska

First performance: Burgtheater, Vienna May 1, 1786

CREATIVE

CONDUCTOR

Steven White DIRECTOR

Dean Anthony

SCENIC & COSTUME DESIGNER

Leslie Travers*

LIGHTING DESIGNER

Tláloc López-Watermann*

WIG & MAKEUP DESIGNER

Ronell Oliveri

CAST

FIGARO

Sidney Outlaw*

SUSANNA

Vanessa Becerra

COUNT ALMAVIVA

Michael Adams

COUNTESS ALMAVIVA

Mary Feminear

CHERUBINO

Kristen Choi

MARCELLINA

Victoria Livengood

DR. BARTOLO

Rod Nelman

DON BASILIO AND DON CURZIO

Graham Brooks*

ANTONIO

Matthew Sommer

BARBARINA

Karina Brazas

The Omaha Symphony

The performance runs approximately 3 hours with one 20-minute intermission

The use of flash equipped cameras, audio recorders, video cameras or any other recording device during the performance is strictly prohibited.

Scenery for this production was constructed by Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Costumes for this production were constructed by Kansas City Costume Company. This production is jointly owned by Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Opera Philadelphia, San Diego Opera, and Palm Beach Opera.

*Opera Omaha Mainstage Debut

SYNOPSIS ACT I

A MANOR HOUSE NEAR SEVILLE.

Figaro, servant to Count Almaviva, is preparing to marry Susanna, the Countess’s maid. He measures a room for a bed, but Susanna is concerned that the room is too close to the Count’s chamber. She explains to Figaro that Almaviva is pursuing her even though he has abolished feudal right. Furious, Figaro vows to thwart the Count’s plans.

Doctor Bartolo enters with his former housekeeper, Marcellina. Marcellina is angry at Susanna for stealing Figaro away from her, declaring she has a contract binding Figaro to her, while Bartolo is angry at Figaro for making a fool of him in the past. Marcellina and Susanna are sarcastically polite with one another until Marcellina and Bartolo leave.

Cherubino, a young page, rushes in seeking advice from Susanna. Count Almaviva caught him alone with the gardener’s daughter, Barbarina, and he is now to be sent away. He is smitten by all women, he explains, and cannot help himself. Before Susanna can offer advice, they are interrupted by the arrival Count Almaviva himself.

Cherubino hides while Almaviva attempts to set up a tryst with Susanna. Yet, when Don Basilio, the music teacher, knocks on the door, the Count himself is forced to hide. Basilio tells Susanna that everyone knows of Cherubino’s supposed crush on the Countess. Outraged, the Count reveals himself, stating that he is sending Cherubino away, and relates the scene in the gardener’s daughter’s chambers. As he does, Almaviva discovers a hiding Cherubino. Almaviva is fuming, for Cherubino has overheard him propositioning Susanna. Before the Count can accost Cherubino, Figaro returns, having assembled a hoard of festive townspeople to sing the Count’s praises. Put on the spot, Almaviva is forced to bless them. In retaliation, he vows to get rid of the lad by giving him a military commission.

ACT II

COUNTESS ALMAVIVA'S BOUDOIR.

Alone, the Countess sighs the loss of her husband’s love and attention. She and Susanna discuss Count Almaviva’s advances. Figaro tells the Countess that the betrothed couple has a plan: Almaviva will receive a forged letter from Basilio informing him that his wife has taken up a lover. At the same time, Susanna will set up a rendezvous with Almaviva, but will send a disguised Cherubino in her place. This way they will catch the Count in his scheme. Cherubino arrives. At Susanna’s insistence, he sings a song of love for the Countess. He presents to them a commission letter that the Count forgot to seal. Setting the disguise, the women begin to undress him and make him up as a woman. Suddenly, the Count knocks. Having locked the door, they have time to hide Cherubino. Almaviva unexpectedly arrives to speak with his wife about the letter from Basilio, written and planted by Figaro. Noticing the Countess’s agitation, Almaviva is instantly suspicious. He jealously demands entry into the locked closet where Cherubino is hiding, but the Countess refuses to open it, claiming Susanna is inside trying on her wedding dress. Almaviva, taking the Countess with him, leaves the room to get a crowbar. After they leave, Susanna locks herself into the room and Cherubino exits the Countess’s chamber through the window. Unaware of the switch, the Countess confesses everything to her husband upon their return. She is shocked when Susanna exits the locked room. Ashamed of his suspicion and accusations, Almaviva begs forgiveness, as the Countess and Susanna chide him. Figaro arrives to gather up the group for the wedding. Backed into a corner and trying to buy time, the Count asks Figaro if he knows who wrote Basilo’s letter. Figaro counters by claiming ignorance. Antonio, the gardener, enters, fuming. Someone, jumping from the Countess’s balcony, has crushed his flowers. Figaro, the Countess and Susanna call him a drunkard. To confuse the Count further, Figaro claims it was he who jumped. The gardener reveals Cherubino’s dropped commission, which Figaro claims he was holding to get the Count’s seal. Marcellina, Bartolo and Basilio enter. Contract in hand, they lay claim that Figaro is obliged to marry Marcellina to pay off an outstanding debt.

INTERMISSION ACT III

A GREAT HALL.

Acting on her lady’s insistence, Susanna approaches Count Almaviva. He once again asks her to meet him in the garden. She promises. On her way from the room, the Count overhears Susanna tell Figaro that his legal troubles will soon be over. He is furious at the apparent deception. Marcellina and Bartolo, their attorney Don Curzio in tow, confront Figaro. Figaro tells them that being of noble birth – though stolen away by thieves as an infant – he can only marry with the consent of his family. To prove his tale, he shows the crowd his birthmark. Immediately, Marcellina and Bartolo recognize the mark as belonging to their son, and the three joyfully reunite. Figaro embraces his long-lost mother as Susanna rejoins the crowd, having just secured the money to pay off his debt from the Countess. She misunderstands the embrace as infidelity and rages at Figaro. Marcellina explains the situation, and everyone is happy. Everyone that is, except the Count. The reunited family leaves. Barbarina takes Cherubino to dress him as a woman. The Countess mourns the lost sense of peace in her life. Antonio reveals to the Count that Cherubino is still in Seville and is dressed as a woman. The Countess dictates a letter from Susanna to the Count and seals it with one of her own pins. She plans to surprise Almaviva in the garden herself. Barbarina and other village girls, including the disguised Cherubino enter to give the bride flowers. Antonio rushes in, seizes Cherubino’s hat, revealing him to the Count. Barbarina, recalling the Count’s promises made to her in moments of passion, asks that he give Cherubino to her in marriage. Figaro returns, trying again to gather everyone for the wedding. Antonio attempts to thwart him by disproving his alibi with Cherubino’s confession of jumping from the window. But Figaro claims that they both must have jumped. Celebrations begin. During the presenting of the wedding couples, Susanna slips the Count her letter, and Figaro notices the pin.

ACT IV

THE GARDEN AT NIGHT.

In the garden, Figaro meets the gardener’s daughter Barbarina, who Almaviva has entrusted to return to Susanna the pin used to seal the letter. Figaro assumes Susanna is cheating on him and vows to catch her mid-tryst. Marcellina, believing in Susanna’s innocence pines over the cruelty of men. Figaro returns, planning to publicly humiliate Susanna. Bartolo and Don Basilio comment on the foolishness of passion. Figaro returns to hide, vowing it madness to trust women. As he hides, the Countess and Susanna appear, each dressed as the other. Knowing Figaro is concealed there, Susanna pretends to declare her love for the Count. Cherubino comes to the garden to meet with Barbarina. He spies the Countess and, thinking she is Susanna, leans in to kiss her. Instead, he kisses Almaviva, who goes to punch him, but hits Figaro instead. The Count declares his love for Susanna, who is really the Countess, while Figaro tells the Countess, who is really Susanna, about the tryst. Susanna forgets to disguise her voice, and Figaro figures out it is she under the Countess’s cloak. Their embrace is noticed by the Count, who is about to expose them to all when his wife takes off her own disguise. Almaviva is shamed and apologizes to his wife for both his jealousy and his infidelity. She forgives him. They all return to the celebration.

Maestro Steven White returns to Opera Omaha after most recently conducting Eugene Onegin. Mr. White made his acclaimed Metropolitan Opera debut in 2010, conducting performances of La traviata starring Angela Gheorghiu. In the past several seasons he has returned to the Met to participate in critically fêted productions of Don Carlo, Billy Budd, The Rake’s Progress and Elektra. This season brought Maestro White to Wexford Festival Opera, where he triumphed in performances of Félicien David’s once popular but now forgotten opéra-comique, Lalla-Roukh. He returned to Arizona Opera to conduct a much-anticipated Ariadne auf Naxos and collaborates again with the Met as assistant conductor for Wagner’s Der fliegende Holländer. With a vibrant repertoire of over sixty-five titles, notable engagements include performances with New York City Opera, L’Opera de Montréal, Vancouver Opera, Opera Colorado, Pittsburgh Opera, Detroit Opera, and many more.

Dean Anthony Director

Dean Anthony returns to Opera Omaha after last directing Opera Under the Stars. Mr. Anthony holds a comprehensive career as a performer, director, educator, producer, and administrator. Most recently, Mr. Anthony was named Producing Director of Knoxville Opera along with his position as Director of Opera at the Janiec Opera Company of the Brevard Music Center. In 2020, he received the Charles Nelson Reilly American Prize Stage Director Award for his work on Tom Cipullo’s world premiere opera, Mayo. His productions in 2023 include, La Boheme, Glory Denied, The Marriage of Figaro, Sweeney Todd, La Traviata, Turn of the Screw, Into the Woods, and Falstaff. A major producer and promoter of new opera works, Mr. Anthony has helped facilitate, create and develop numerous projects including Glory Denied, Mayo, Fleecing the Flock, Supper’s Ready, Falling Angel, Sister Carrie, and Change the World, It Needs It!. In collaboration with composer Michael Ching, Mr. Anthony conceived and created the opera Speed Dating Tonight!, which has garnered nationwide attention and has been booked for over 100 different productions to date. As a character tenor, Mr. Anthony performed over 100 roles on the operatic stage and garnered acclaim for his keen vocal, dramatic, physical, and acrobatic abilities, earning him the nickname “The Tumbling Tenor.”

Tláloc López-Watermann makes his Opera Omaha debut in The Marriage of Figaro. Mr. LopezWatermann’s designs have been seen at IN Series, Salisbury University, Alabama University, Opera Columbus, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Lakes Area Festival, Pittsburg Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, The Castleton Festival, Tri-Cities Opera, North Carolina Opera, Toledo Opera, Utah Festival Opera, Opera Roanoke, Amarillo Opera, Guerrilla Opera (Boston, Mass.), Crested Butte Music Festival, DiCapo Opera (N.Y.C.), Brevard Music Festival, and many others. He is the owner of Light Conversations LLC, a lighting and video design company based in New York City. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Cornish College of the Arts, and a Master of Fine Arts in design from NYU/Tisch. He was the 2002 Allen Lee Hughes Lighting Fellow at Arena Stage in Washington, DC.

Ronell Oliveri has been designing wigs and makeup for opera, theater, ballet, and film for the past 20 years for such companies as Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Central City Opera, and The American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. In 2007, she was a Prime Time Emmy Award nominee as key makeup artist for her work in television. As a wig and makeup artist her professional credits include engagements with Chicago Lyric Opera, LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Boston Ballet. Her work can also be seen in several Broadway shows including Wicked, All The Way, and Waitress. Other recent engagements include Boston Lyric Opera’s Cavalleria Rusticana, Opera Omaha’s Eugene Onegin, and Opera Colorado’s Die Tote Stadt

Steven White Conductor

Tláloc López-Watermann Lighting Designer

Ronell Oliveri Wig & Makeup Designer

Baritone Sidney Outlaw makes his Opera Omaha debut in The Marriage of Figaro. This season, Mr. Outlaw will also sing Schaunard in La bohème with Greensboro Opera and Dizzy Gillespie in Yardbird with New Orleans Opera. On the concert platform, he makes his debut with Boston Baroque as soloist in Handel’s Messiah, returns to Oratorio Society New York as soloist in Bach’s B Minor Mass and joins Youngstown Symphony Orchestra for Mahler’s Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen. The 2021-2022 season featured Mr. Outlaw as Salieri in Mozart and Salieri with Opera San Jose, Jake in Porgy and Bess with Greensboro Opera, and Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Pensacola Opera and Opera Saratoga. Mr. Outlaw has been a featured recitalist with Warren Jones at Carnegie Hall and performed Elijah with the New York Choral Society. He traveled to Guinea as an Arts Envoy with the U.S. State Department, where he performed a program of American music in honor of Black History Month and in remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. His debut album, Lament, recorded live with Warren Jones, was released by Emitha LLC in 2021.

Soprano Vanessa Becerra returns to Opera Omaha after last performing as Lise in Les Enfants Terribles. Ms. Becerra began the 22-23 season with a debut at Boston Lyric Opera as Juliet in Romeo & Juliet followed by debuts with Florida Grand Opera for El matrimonio secreto as Carolina, and will debut this summer at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis in Così fan tutte as Despina. This season includes returns to Minnesota Opera for La fille du régiment as Marie and Houston Grand Opera for El Milagro del Recuerdo as La mujer. On the concert stage, she will debut with the newly formed San Antonio Philharmonic and perform with Opera Delaware for their Opening Night at the Grand celebration. Last season she made role/house debuts at The Metropolitan Opera in Cendrillon as Noémie and Intermountain Opera Bozeman in Il barbiere di Siviglia as Rosina, returned to Washington National Opera for Sankaram’s Rise as Alicia Hernández, part of the world premiere tetralogy Written in Stone, and debuted with Austin Opera in Fidelio as Marzelline and Opera Parallèle for La Belle et la Bête as Belle. In concert, she debuted with Minnesota Opera in Ópera Afuera and returned to Fort Worth Opera for Entre Amigos

Baritone Michael Adams returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in Opera Under the Stars. This season, Mr. Adams will also sing the Count in Le nozze di Figaro with Madison Opera, Castro in La fanciulla del West with the Cleveland Orchestra, Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Idaho, and Eugene Onegin with Vallejo Festival Orchestra. Last season, he made two company and role debuts: Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Dallas Opera and Count in Le nozze di Figaro with Austin Opera. He also returned to the Deutsche Oper Berlin as the Count and Herald in Der Schatzgräber and Utah Opera for Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Other recent performances include Les pêcheurs de perles with Gran Teatre del Liceu; Eugene Onegin, Così fan tutte, and L’elisir d’amore with Seattle Opera; La bohème, Alcina, and Don Giovanni with Grand Théâtre de Genève; Die Zauberflöte, Silent Night, Alcina and The Little Prince with Washington National Opera; Manon with Des Moines Metro Opera, Pagliacci, Il barbiere di Siviglia, and La bohème with Utah Opera; and Show Boat at Glimmerglass Festival.

Soprano Mary Feminear returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in Opera Under the Stars. This season Ms. Feminear will also perform the title role of Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah with Wichita Grand Opera and Alice Ford in Verdi’s Falstaff with Maryland Lyric Opera. Her previous performances include the Countess Almaviva with Maryland Lyric Opera, Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen and Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, where she was also a member of the Troupe des Jeunes Solistes, Ginevra in a workshop of Handel’s Ariodante at the Opera Omaha One Festival, the soprano soloist in Mariana Sadovska’s The Wreck at the Opera Omaha ONE Festival, and Amore in Cavalli’s Il Giasone at the Château de Versailles. Other opera credits include the title role in Handel’s Semele at Opera Omaha and Seattle Opera, Pamina in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with Pacific MusicWorks, Proserpine in Charpentier’s La Descente d’Orphee aux Enfers with Gotham Chamber Opera, and Polissena in Handel’s Radamisto at Juilliard.

Vanessa Becerra Susanna

Sidney Outlaw Figaro

Michael Adams Count Almaviva

Mary Feminear Countess Almaviva

Mezzo-soprano Kristen Choi returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in Opera Under the Stars. Most recently Ms. Choi was seen as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with performances at Opera Omaha and Opera Philadelphia. In 2022-2023, she returns to Opera Philadelphia in Toshio Hosokawa’s The Raven, makes her Lubbock Symphony and Detroit Opera debuts as Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, joins the roster of The Metropolitan Opera as the Dimitri cover in Fedora, and joins Opera Delaware for a workshop of Derrick Wang’s Fearless as Mother. She will return to Opera Philadelphia and Dallas Opera in roles TBA in 2024.

Bass-Baritone Rod Nelman returns to Opera Omaha after last performing as Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd. Mr. Nelman has performed leading roles at numerous opera companies including Washington National Opera, Arena di Verona Teatro Filarmonico di Verona, Florida Grand Opera, New York City Opera, Opera Nante, Kentucky Opera, Utah Opera, Indianapolis Opera, Detroit Opera, Florentine Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Long Beach Opera, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, amongst others. He has also been on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera since 2009. On the concert stage he has appeared with both The New World Symphony and Chicago Opera Theatre as bass soloist in Stravinsky’s Pulcinella conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, the Orpheus Chamber Symphony in Rossini’s Signor Bruschino, the Milwaukee Symphony and El Paso Symphony as bass soloist in Mozart’s Mass in C minor, the Virginia Symphony as bass soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Michigan State University Orchestra as bass soloist in the Verdi Requiem, Lansing Symphony in a recital of Copland’s Old American Songs, Orlando Philharmonic in Mozart’s Concert aria Per questa bella mano, and the Jacksonville Symphony and Orquestra Sinfónica Nacional de Panamá as bass soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony

Mezzo-Soprano Victoria

Livengood returns to Opera Omaha after last performing as Filippyevna in Eugene Onegin

As an internationally renowned Metropolitan Opera star, Ms. Livengood is a GRAMMY-winning mezzo-soprano that has been hailed by audiences and critics worldwide for her multi-faceted and powerhouse performances in a remarkably varied repertoire. Her busy 2022-2023 season also includes Marthe in Faust at Detroit Opera. Recent seasons have included a return to the Lyric Opera of Kansas City for dual roles as the Mother and the Witch in Hansel and Gretel, reprising her role as Eunice in A Streetcar Named Desire for Hawaii Opera Theater, a return to the Seattle Opera for a role debut as Kabanicha in Katya Kabanova, a company and role debut with Opera Omaha in Jonathan Dove’s Flight, the Mother in The Consul with Long Beach Opera and Chicago Opera Theater, soloist in the The Defiant Requiem- Verdi at Terezin at UNC Charlotte, the Old Lady in Candide with Anchorage Opera, and Madame Flora in The Medium with New Orleans Opera.

Tenor Graham Brooks makes his Opera Omaha mainstage debut in The Marriage of Figaro

A young, versatile singer from Omaha, Nebraska, Mr. Brooks has sung operatic roles in repertoire spanning five centuries. Most recently, he was featured as a guest artist in Simpson College's Spring 2023 production of Amy Beach's Cabildo, where he sang the role of Dominique. In the summers of 2021 and 2022 with Utah Vocal Arts Academy, Mr. Brooks presented the featured roles of Pluto in Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld and The Prince in Dvorak's Rusalka. During the quarantined summer of 2020, he helped produce virtual programming as a Young Artist with the Ad Astra Music Festival. Additionally, his favorite collegiate credits include Giovanni in Catàn's La hija de Rappaccini, Laurie in Adamo's Little Women, both Tamino and Monostatos in separate productions of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, and Don Pelagio in Haydn's La Canterina. Mr. Brooks credits his artistic and vocal development to Simpson College, Florida State University, and his voice teachers Matthew Lau and David Okerlund.

Kristen Choi Cherubino

Victoria Livengood Marcellina

Rod Nelman Dr. Bartolo

Graham Brooks Don Basilio and Don Curzio

Baritone Matthew Sommer returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in Opera Outdoors

Mr. Sommer graduated with a Master's in music in 2014 from Colorado State University where he sang in productions of Il matrimonio segreto, The Merry Widow, and Cendrillon among several others. During this time, he also participated in productions of Faust and The Ballad of Baby Doe with Opera Fort Collins. He has been a part of the opera community in Omaha for several years, having made his debut with Opera Omaha in A Flowering Tree as a member of the chorus. He has performed as a chorus member with Opera Omaha in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, La bohéme, Cosí fan tutte, Sweeney Todd and many others.

Soprano Karina Brazas returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in Suor Angelica. Recent engagements include joining the Omaha Symphony as the soprano soloist for their Choral Collaborative program and as a pops soloist, Young Alyce in Glory Denied with Union Avenue Opera in Saint Louis, as the Soprano 1 soloist in Mozart's C Minor Mass as the Nursing Sister in Suor Angelica with Opera Omaha, and her role debut as the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Résonance Vocal Ensemble. Other credits include Pamina in The Magic Flute with Shreveport Opera, the soprano soloist in Stravinsky's Pulcinella with the Omaha Symphony, and Zerlina in Don Giovanni, also with Union Avenue Opera. Ms. Brazas is an alumna of Central City Opera’s apprentice program and the Shreveport Opera resident artist program.

Karina Brazas Barbarina

Matthew Sommer Antonio

SUPERNUMERARIES

Russell Bleakney

Mary Carrick

Elyssia Finch

Carole Jeanpierre

Nola Jeanpierre*

Ryan Lorchick*

Natalie McGovern*

David Petry

Laura Petry

Michael Petry

Gavin Rasmussen

Rocio Valle

*Opera Omaha Debut

ARTISTIC & PRODUCTION STAFF

STAGE MANAGER

Angela Turner

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Adam Da Ros*

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Anthony Rivera

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Jeron Dooling

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Rebecca Chen*

REHEARSAL ACCOMPANIST AND HARPSICHORDIST

Michael Sherman

PROPERTIES MASTER

Laura Peters

LIGHTING PROGRAMMER

Aaron Craig

COSTUME SUPERVISOR

Amanda Jones

WARDROBE COORDINATOR

Alethea Larson

WIG & MAKEUP ARTIST

Candace Leyland

SUPERTITLE OPERATOR

Nicole Thoms

ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Curran, Chad+

HEAD PRODUCTION CARPENTER

Al Dusek+

HEAD PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN

Scott Wasson+

HEAD PRODUCTION AUDIO

Brian Kinnaman+

ENGAGEMENT ASSISTANT

Patrick McEvoy

ENGAGEMENT DRAMATURG

Sarah Lynn Brown

+IATSE Local 42

Stagehand Services are provided by IATSE Local 42. Wardrobe Services are provided by IATSE Local 831. Opera Omaha is a member of OPERA America.

*Opera Omaha Debut

SYMPHONY

Ankush Kumar Bahl, Music Director

Ernest Richardson, Resident Conductor & Principal Pops Conductor

VIOLIN 1

Susanna Perry Gilmore, Concertmaster

Ahra Cho, 1st Associate Concertmaster

Henry Jenkins, 2nd Associate Concertmaster

Christopher Hake, Assistant Concertmaster

Phyllis Duncan

Rebecca Kia-Mills

Anne Nagosky

Ricardo Amador

VIOLIN 2

Keith Plenert, Principal 2nd Violin

Frank Seligman, Associate Principal 2nd Violin

Kevin Tompkins, Assistant Principal 2nd Violin

Scott Shoemaker

Tracy Dunn

Dan Fletcher

VIOLA

Thomas Kluge, Principal

Tyler Sieh, Associate Principal

Margo Romig-Motycka

Alexa Brown

CELLO

Paul Ledwon, Principal

Gregory Clinton, Associate Principal

Samuel Pierce-Ruhland, Assistant Principal

Tim Strang

BASS

William Ritchie, Assistant Principal

Robert Scharmann

FLUTE

Maria Harding, Principal

Lisa Meyerhofer, Assistant Principal

OBOE

Alexandra Rock, Principal

Heather Baxter, Assistant Principal

CLARINET

Carmelo Galante, Principal

Rosiario Galante, Assistant Principal

BASSOON

James Compton, Principal

Nicholas Nelson, Assistant Principal

HORN

Brett Hodge, Principal

Austin Ruff, Associate Principal

TRUMPET

Scott Quackenbush, Principal

Federico Montes, Associate Principal

TIMPANI

Jack Rago, Principal

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS

Jennifer Boomgaarden, President & CEO

Kyra Hansen, Director of Operations & Production

Marshall Carby, Assistant Director of Operations & Production

Jimmy Lewis, Operations & Production Manager

Emily E. Duffin, Orchestra Personnel Manager

Lindsay Corbin, Operations Coordinator

Sara Baguyos, Head Librarian

Tracy Bass, Librarian

Mark Haar, Assistant Librarian

John Coate, Stage Manager

Jeff Baron, Assistant Stage Manager

Omaha Magazine publishes stories about interesting people who live next door and fascinating former Omahans. It is the place to read stories about the arts, the food, the music, and the events that are making Omaha the cultural epicenter of the Midwest.

OmahaMagazine.com/Pages/Subscribe

Now in its sixth year, the Poetry & Music Project connects student poets and their words with composers to create original music and explore the connections between poetry and music.

Opera Omaha and the Nebraska Writers Collective invited Nebraska and Iowa students in grades K-12 to submit works of poetry on the theme of “Finding Your Voice.”

Opera Omaha is thrilled to announce the selection of 16 poems for the 2022-23 Poetry & Music Project. These original poems, written by Nebraska students grades 3 through 12, were selected from a pool of 135 submissions from 117 poets across 14 Nebraska counties.

22/23 SELECTED POEMS:

“Un Corps”

Addison Bryant, Anselmo-Merna Public School

“I want my voice to be… "

Theodore Bullis, Castle Hill Academy

“Capturing the essence of your voice "

Maggie Dendinger, Cedar Catholic High School

“Not all of us live the same "

Claire Gunn, Gretna Middle School

“You Are Beautiful "

Emma Kaiser, Portal Elementary

“I’ll Grow "

Aarya Khobare, Millard North Middle School

“Voice Emotions "

Makayla Klinefelter, St. John the Baptist School

“I am not Alone "

Lucie Lautenschlager, Palmer Public School

“Untitled "

MaKenna Love, Norfolk Catholic

“Burning Stars "

Athiei Majuec, Logan Fontenelle Middle School

“A Thing Called Life "

Patience Miller, Omaha Street School

“Joy "

Ava Noecker, Cedar Catholic High School

“Universe’s End "

Kylie Remm, Douglas County West High School

“Sweet Little Lullabies "

Meyiah Sanchez, Omaha Street School

“The Land I Call Home "

Ava Stewart, Cedar Catholic High School

“Love, Heart, Kind "

Kim Valquier, Hayward Elementary School

All 135 submitted poems will be available in the Poetry & Music Project Book, available online, shared at the concert, and as part of the Omaha Public Library Zine Collection.

These selected poems will be set to music by professional composers Gabrielle Herbst and J.E. Hernández. This spring, poets will further develop their pieces in music workshops with the composers by collaborating in the behind-the-scenes artistic process.

HEAR THESE NEW WORKS LIVE AT THE POETRY & MUSIC PROJECT CONCERT

May 7 | 1:00pm | Benson Theatre | FREE Admission

The original works will be performed by Opera Omaha artists and students from the University of Nebraska – Omaha School of Music. The concert will also be livestreamed.

PRODUCING PARTNER

ADDITIONAL PROJECT PARTNERS

OPERAOMAHA.ORG/POETRY

SUPPORTED IN PART BY

Gabrielle Herbst J.E. Hernández

Opera Omaha productions are made possible, in part, with significant support from the Craftsman’s Guild.

Cindy & Mike Baumer

Betty Beach

Jenny Bruce

Ian Bugeja

Tom Burton

Gina Carusi

Mary Fieber

Melissa Fritz

Kate & Chris Gannon - Tombrello

Bill Gaus

Nora Mae & John Gibson

Saprina Hansen

Patti Jaynes

Mark Kalal

Christine Lund

Julie Mead

Christine & Patrick Peters

Hilarie Price

Dick Serpan

Margret Sexton

Leslie Vann

Annika Weber

2023 FESTIVAL SEASON

JUNE 30 - JULY 23

BIZET CARMEN

BARTÓK BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE

PROKOFIEV THE LOVE FOR THREE ORANGES

KANDER/GUMBEL dwb (driving while black)

REDLER/DYE THE FALLING AND THE RISING

“Such high production values and careful casting make DMMO a find...”

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

The Opera Omaha Guild is a dedicated group of men and women who actively support Opera Omaha’s fundraising, community engagement and education programs. Members plan and promote events such as Cotillion (etiquette classes for area sixth graders), social luncheons, educational activities, opera study groups, and pre-performance parties.

If you are interested in joining the Opera Omaha Guild, please call (402) 346-7372 or visit www.operaomaha.org for additional information. We appreciate your interest and look forward to hearing from you soon!

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT

Deb Peterson

PRESIDENT ELECT

Erin Sample

PAST PRESIDENT

Kelly Sanford

VP EDUCATION

Josie Wadman

VP FUNDRAISING

April Nebel

VP MEMBERSHIP

Connie Kinnear

VP SOCIAL

Lora Kaup

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

Vivian Davis

RECORDING SECRETARY

Mark Maser

TREASURER

Gwen Olney

COTILLION LIAISON

Lisa Hagstrom

AT LARGE BOARD MEMBERS

Betty Foster

Sheila McNeill

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Jon Nebel

Pauline Quinn

Dorene Sherman

Sherry Taxman

Sara Young

FALL 2022 COTILLION GRADUATES

Marley Atlas

Peter Ayoub

Basel Barari

Jolie Bauer

Harper Beller

Jack Beran

Louie Biven

Andrew Blair

Maeve Blakeman

Lara Blume

Grace Bogard

Ali Boone

Charlie Borgmann

Charlotte Bowman

Bridget Brennan

Megan Brennan

Olivia Bryant

Aven Buda

Jack Burke

Jack Chickinell

Baya Clark

Samuel Clauser

Emery Clure

Jackson Clure

Aniston Clure

Edward Codr

Miles Davies

Samantha Deupree

Mallory Douglas

Olivia Enenbach

Maura Fay

Ava Fink

Benjamin Fischer

Ceci Fisher

Beatrix Gabrial Gallagher

Irish Gabrial Gallagher

Abigail Gaughan

Aydin Gholami

Moses Glassman

Sam Gorringe

Giovanni Gutgsell

Avery Guy

Lauren Hagstrom

Austin Haifley

Jude Hasiak

Olivia Headlee

Claire Hebert

Lily Hefflinger

Charlotte Hegarty

Sophia Hegarty

Bobby Hockney

Bethany Holcomb

Logan Hollins

Molly Horgan

Wes Horn

Barrett Houghton

Jack Illian

Annie Illian

Amelia Johnson

McKenley June

Myra Kandel

Hannah Karimjee

Kate Karnes

Maria Kenny

Ashford Kenny

Zoey Key

Bodey Koesters

Cole Krehbiel

Ava Kumm

Conor Langan

Tony LaPuzza

Lucy Lauer

Elliott Lierman

Devon Lieurance

McKenzie Lieurance

Jacob Love

William Marshall

Scarlet Martin

Max Martinez

Harper Mausbach

Ruby Mausbach

Ella McMahon

Sloan Mikuls

Tenley Miller

Ella Montgomery

Evan Moore

Isla Moore

Finley Moylan

Annil Mukherjee

Jonathan Nebel

Charlie Oakes

Delaney Ochsner

Clare Oxley

Drew Parker

Molly Patterson

Beau Pedersen

John Pedersen

Caroline Petsick

Dylan Pogge

Emmy Pogranicy

Betsy Potthoff

Leo Poulos

Sean Quinlivan

Dossett Quinn

Reese Redding

Charlotte Regan

Claire Richards

Quinn Richards

Hank Ricketts

Blake Rider

Lucas Robson

Leo Robson

Maximus Roland

Lydia Royal

Gabriella Ryan

Tony Sauser

Gabrielle Schanbacher

Ronan Schlueter

Ella Shanahan

Layla Sidoruk

Bennett Sierawski

Camden Siner

Gavin Siner

Elijah Smith

Clara Stalnaker

Matthew Strunc

Evie Swanson

Charlotte Swantek

Eloise Swartz

Taylor Tauber

Isla Theobald

June Tompsett

Louie Troia

Varam Vel

Isabel Vik

Cora Vondra

Charles Walenz

Beau Walker

Louise Walker

Mara Weisenburger

Finn Welsh

Caroline Wetta

Elsa White

Corinn Wigington

Lucy Witt

Laiel Woita

Skylor Wright

Lyla Wulf

Alexander Yale

William Zimmermann

ARE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES ALWAYS THE CONSEQUENCE OF OUR CHOICES?

DO WE REALLY GET WHAT WE DESERVE?

WHAT DO WE BRING UPON OURSELVES AND WHAT IS PREDESTINED BY FATE?

OCTOBER 27 & 29, 2023

DON PASQUALE

Composed by Gaetano Donizetti

Libretto by Giovanni Ruffini

Hijinks and hilarity flourish in this delightful comic opera. A crochety miser is thwarted in his attempts to thwart his nephew out of an inheritance. With the guise and wit of a clever young woman and a family friend, the old man becomes tangled in the vines of his own buffoonery.

FEBRUARY 16 & 18, 2024

LA TRAVIATA

Composed by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

One of the most iconic, romantic, and tragic stories of all time. Scandalous love between a courtesan, the iconic Violetta, and an upper crust young man blissfully blooms until societal expectations force her to confront what sacrifices she is willing to make in exchange for his honor. This exquisite, traditional staging of one of the art form’s most popular operas flourishes with the passion, hope and costs of love.

MAY 3 & 5, 2024

EL ÚLTIMO

SUEÑO

DE FRIDA Y DIEGO

(The Last Dream of Frida and Diego)

Composed by Gabriela Lena Frank

Libretto by Nilo Cruz

Next season Opera Omaha examines the fruit of the seeds planted by characters searching for love, independence, and fulfillment. Three heroines, one crafting her love, one preserving her love, and one memorializing her love, each tend the paths given to them in hopes of a different outcome. LEARN

By the light of candles, through the fragrance of marigolds, the famous muralist Diego Rivera longs to see his deceased wife Frida Kahlo just once more before he dies. With the pathway back to earth open on Día de los Muertos, Frida and Diego imagine their tumultuous love and passion by journeying through her paintings and memories, blossoming their relationship and exploring the cultivation of their lives.

Above: Gotta Be Me Heartlight Choir performing as the opening of Opera Outdoors 2022.

Upper left: Ollie Webb Center, Inc. The Art of Imagination participants perform their original piece , Almost Famous: A Pop-era in December 2022.

Lower left: MICAH House guests and staff attending Suor Angelica.

MEET OUR 22/23 HCOF FELLOWS

Taylor is a multiple awardwinning scenic designer focused in creating community through art.

teaching

TAYLOR ADAMS

CHARISA RAMSEY Charisa is a

artist, actor, director, and playwright.

JAIME MARIE WEBB Jaime is a coloratura soprano and teaching artist.

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOWSHIP

COMMUNITY PARTNERS & PROGRAMMING

We bring our artistic talents and resources to the table to partner with experts in the field who are actively working to solve the most pressing issues in our communities, like homelessness, income disparity, immigration, and segregation. We create responsive programming that acknowledges the specific strengths of each participating individual or community partner. Opera is our toolbox and all forms of art and creativity that make up opera make their way into programming.

22/23 PROGRAMMING PARTNERS

Sarpy County Juvenile Justice Center

THE COMMUNITY PANEL

The HCOF Community Panel represents a cross-section of the community including organizations, businesses, neighborhoods, and community groups. Those serving on the Community Panel develop a partnership with Opera Omaha to engage in meaningful conversations around community issues, program development, potential partners and opportunities across different neighborhoods and sectors.

22/23 COMMUNITY PANEL

Ang Bennett, Inclusive Communities

Camtrice Bexten, NU Foundation

Tiffiny Clifton, Gotta Be Me

Rachel Morgan, Nebraska Arts Council

Erin Painter, Learning Community Center of South Omaha

Rita Paskowitz, Storyteller

Paula Wallace, Artist/Hot Shops

Angie Williams, MICAH House

Gwyn Williams, Independent Leadership Coach

Nancy Williams, No More Empty Pots

The Holland Community Opera Fellowship works collaboratively with community partners to co-create programming that helps individuals, organizations, and communities reach their goals, serving as a creative and artistic resource to the community.

HCOF is transformational, and as a result supports the creation of an inventive, creative, empathetic and inclusive community that inspires joy, self-discovery, kinder discourse, and opportunity for all.

It is our honor to recognize community members who, through their generosity to Opera Omaha’s Annual Fund, enable the company to create this season's large-scale opera productions and deliver groundbreaking, free community programming, including the nationally acclaimed Holland Community Opera Fellowship, that engage tens of thousands of people in meaningful, artistic experiences. This listing reflects gifts received between September 1, 2021-February 1, 2023

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

$100,000+

Richard D. Holland*

Annette and Paul Smith

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

$50,000- $99,999

Ann Mactier*

Mary and Richard Parrish

Julie M. Schroeder

Katie Weitz and Tim Wilson

PRODUCER

$25,000-$49,999

Anonymous

Cindy and Mogens Bay

Carol and David Domina

Catherine and Terrence Ferguson

Joan Gibson* and Donald Wurster

Vernie and Carter Jones

Joan O'Brien*

Robert Owen

Meredith and Drew Weitz

Gail and Michael Yanney

BACKER

$10,000-$24,999

Anonymous

Sharon and Randy Blackburn

Anne and Stephen Bruckner

Sandi and Bill Bruns

Sylvia B. Cohn

Kyoko and Jonathan Fuller

Vivian and Allen Hager

Janet and H. Frederick Kuehl

Susan and Michael Lebens

Linda Burt Rebrovic and John Rebrovic

Mary Ann Strasheim

Kate and Roger Weitz

BENEFACTOR

$5,000-$9,999

Sara and Jawed Bharwani

Roger Blauwet

Barbara Person and Scott

Burger

Debra Reilly-Culver and Robert

Culver, Jr.

Linda and David Gardels

Jerry C. Gose

Ali Khan

Vicki and David Krecek

Joanne Li and Frank Stalla

Sheila McNeill

Sharee and Murray Newman

Katherine and Jerry O'Flanagan

Ann and Paul O'Hara

Rita and Donald Otis

Pauline Quinn

Silvia Greene Roffman

Constance Ryan

Ellen and Richard Slosburg

Ann and Kenneth Stinson

Janet and Jerry Syslo

Dr. and Mrs. James Tracy

GUARDIAN

$3,500-$4,999

Anonymous

Jo Bartikoski and Don Westling

Elisa and Drew Davies

Betty Foster

Carol and James Healy

Mary Beth and James Winner

Sarah and Adam Yale

SUSTAINER

$1,500-$3,499

Emma and Lee Addams

Linda Matson Andersen

Dr. Betty L. Beach

Maria Carlson

Janet* and Samuel Cohen

Linda and Tim* Daugherty

Kiley Freeman

Linda and Jerome* Gordman

Mary Jetton

Mr. and Mrs. James H.* Keene III

Joanne and David Kolenda

Deana and Michael Liddy

Carolina and Michael Mapes

Cheryl and Luke Matranga

Joan and Robert Miller

Connie and H. Don* Osborne

Kim and James Simon

Shirley and Michael Sorrell

Kara and Joe Spitzenberger

Ginger Talbot

Phyllis and Delmer* Toebben

Dr. Terry Tomcsik

Shelby VanNordstrand

Gail and Irving Veitzer

Cindy Weil

PATRON

$750-$1,499

Laura and Bryan Alexander

Samuel M. Bierner

Teri and David Black

Ann and David Burkholder

Murray Joseph Casey

Hillary Nather-Detisch and John

R. Detisch

Viv and John Ewing

Dr. Jon Flanagin

Diana and Robert Foster

Kate and Chris Gannon-

Tombrello

Jeffrey Grinnell and Daniel

Gallagher

Lisa Hagstrom

Belle and Ryan Hansen

Dr. Gerald Christensen* and Ms.

Mary Clare Haven

Sally Kaplan

Sandra and Jon Kayne

Alfred G. Kelley

Marilyn and Mark Kirchhoff

Barbara and Marshall Kushner

Katie LeDoux

Paul Ledwon and Mark Allen

Maser

Janet and Louis Pol

Ana Lopez Shalla and Hassan

Shalla

Anne Stoddard

Sherry and Jeff Taxman

Susan Thomas and Steven

Hutchinson

Patricia Victor

Verne Weber

Melanie and John Wright

John A. Yost

ADVOCATE

$300-$749

Susan Grant and Rex Beck

Nicholas Bjornson

Kathleen Joan Bradley

Katie and Corey Broman

Thomas Carr

Tiffiny Clifton

Cora and Maurice Conner

Melissa and John Dahir

Mary Dragoo

Mary and Ronald Ferdig

Sarah Marie Ferneding

Mary Fieber

Judith and Craig Fuller

Elizabeth and John Fullerton

Carey and Brian Hamilton

Marilyn and Robert Hansen

Constance Heiden Kammandel and Henry Kammandel

Mary Helms and Kenneth Olson

Stanton Hoppe

Dr. Linda Matson and Mr. Michael Howland

Annette and Steven Huff

Susan and Craig Ihnen

Jeffrey Johnston

Sally and Kenneth Kampfe

Mike Klug

Wende and John Kotouc

Heike and Adam Langdon

Julie and Joseph Lecci

Lourdes Secola and Sheldon

Lerner

Cheryl Logan

Deborah and John McCollister

Dorothy* and Daniel McKinney

Angenette and Bob Meaney

Jim and Christine and Jim

Medici

Karen and Paul Mullen

Karen and Larry Nelsen

Gwendolyn Olney and Scott

Peters

Jeanie and Donald* Owen

Elizabeth and Jerry Powell

Casimiro Rangel and Erik

Henningsen

Tom Richter

Greta Vaught and John Ritland

Victoria and Edward Roche

Joan and Charles Shapiro

Kay M. Shilling, M.D.

Eleanor Shirley and Daniel Cox

Sissy Katelman Silber

Donald Slaughter

Andrew R. Smith

Joan Squires and Dan Hamann

Ann Stephens and John

Vasiliades

Jaymi Victor

Raymond W. Vondrak

Ann and John Williamson

Laura Wilwerding

James Wink

Mary and Anthony Yonkers

FRIEND

$1-$299

Anonymous (6)

Laureen Ackermann

Megan Addison

Elvira Lizeth Ahkothe

Elaine and Chris Allen

Marian Andersen

Ann Antlfinger

Cheryl Arends

Kelsey E Arends

Ronald Bailey

Marti Baumert and Richard

Jeffrey

Susan Baumert

Erna Beach

Lorrraine Beadell and Greg

Love

Mark Beck

Janelle Bender

Alicia Bennett

Denise and Robert Bennett

Mayrene Bentley

Tamien Blackamore

Franz Blaha

Amy Bones

Abby Borgmann

Crystal Bothel

Lyn and Stephen Bouma

Lisa and Martin Braun

Mary Brennan

Kate W. Brown

Kelleen Browning

Rob Buckley

Janice and Mario Buda

Janet* and Donald Bumgarner

Gertrude L. and Donald Burge

Judeen Bursovsky

Clare and Tom Burton

Thad Call

Karen and David Campbell

Leanne and Mark Carlson

Karlyn and Richard Carson

Carol Casey

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

Melanie and Jeffrey Chapman

Susan Chenoweth

Tina and John Cherica

Lynne Chesire

Christine and Bob Chilcoat

Jay Chlebinski

Philip Chung

Holly and John Cimino

Joan and Don Cimpl

Joseph Clanton

Julie Clawson

Patricia Cody

Mary Jo and Richard Coffey

Shannon Monique Coleman

Elizabeth A. Collins

Lindsay Coppock Miller

Kara Cordell

Carmelita Cox

Eileen M. Crinklaw

Alexander Dahlquist

Susan Schonlau and David

Danielson

Timothy F. Daugherty

Jennifer and James Davenport

Jaclyn Joan Davis

Vivian and Spencer Davis

Carole DeBuse

Linda and Charles Duckworth

Rosemary and Bernard

Duhaime

Michael Eason

Martha Elias

Amanda and Alex Ely

Delores Ericson

Karla Ermel

Marleen and Timothy Evans

Karen and Richard Everett

Mary A. Ferdig

Kim and Adrian Ferguson

Rick Fortner

Mollie and Terry Foster

Hon. Marcena Hendrix and Dr.

Howard Fox

Sandra Franklin

Andrew Frost

Kyle Galas

Mary and Barry Gerken

Leanne Gifford

Lauren T. Anderson

Rose Glock

Paul Godinez

Ann and Donald Goldstein

Sarah E. Goucher

Sonya and Christian Gray

Bob Graybosch

John K. Green

Mary Green

Barbara Mueting and Herman

Greenwald

Susan Greni

Jan Grimes

Rex-Ann Gualco

Taylor Gunnels

Carol Gutchewsky and Leslie

Valentine

Carol and Peter Gwilt

Cindy Hadsell

Judy and George Haecker, Jr.

Suzanne Hafey

Daniel Hamann

Nancy and Randall Hanson

Ellen Hargus

William and Gretchen Harvey

Adam Haverman

Jane and Edward Hawks

Cheryl and Joe Hazel

Erica Heiden

Jennifer Helms

Michael Hennessy

Ann and Gary Henningsen

Eddiy Hilliard

Jefferson Hillman

Marilyn Hoegemeyer

Shari Hofschire

T. Hepfinger

Courtney Holland

Margaret Horvath

Ann and Don Hosford

Emily Hough

Nikolas Huffman

Karyn and William Huffman

Christopher Jackson

Bonnie and David Jaros

Laura Jaros

Stephen Jensen

Vibeke Jensen

Ms. Kelly M Johns

Nancy Johnson

Barbara Johnston

Emili Carter Jones

Donna and James Kalar

Zachary Kallman

Sean Kelly and Sam

Tepanossian

Kendra and Victor Kelly

LaNita Kirby

Victoria Kirilloff

Julia Kleinschmit

Krysten Knott

Dr. Merlyn Knudson and Mr.

James F. Davis

Maria Knudtson

Paul Koenig

Victoria and Joe Kohout

Derek Kordash

Elaine Kruse

Barbara Kuhn

Eugenia Kuhn

Leslie Kuhnel

Ronna and Joe Kutlas

Robert Kuzelka

Dr. Timothy J. Crowley and Ms. Celann LaGreca

Carole and Wayne Lainof

Julie Langholdt

Pattie Anderson

Gary Oscar Laun

O'Terrell Dane Leatherman

Della and Jack Lee

Elaine Leise

Ryan P. Lewis

Stan Lewis

Sherryl and Hiram Lilley

Emily and Tom Lischer

Linda Moorman and Douglas Little

Megan Loberg

Kathleen and John Lohr

Jeffrey B. Loomis

Laura Loughran

Jan and Blake Lund

Masood Mahdavifar

Nicole Makovec

Candi Marcantel

Charles Mason

Mary Mattingly

Charles Mausser

Catherine and Marcus Maydew

Joan and Ed McCarthy

Bruce McKeefry and Geoff Yeoman

Nicholas McMIllan

Lauren Medici

Taliah Merritt

Jane and Philip Meyer

Ann Jansen Michelson and Brent Michelson

Robert Miller

Cindy Miserez

DONORS

Donald Moran

Richard Morris

Sue Moskovits

Matthew Munderloh

Rose Ann Murphy

Tari Hendrickson and Clayton Naff

Anne Nagosky

Ann Nelson

Heath Nopens

Tirimba Obonyo

Neil Odonnell

Tom Olsen

Ellen Osborn

Sean Otterberg

Jennifer and Thomas Pansing

Diane and Robert Peabody

Michael Pellecchia

Susan Petersen

Deb and Eric Peterson

Rick Peterson

H. Margo Prentiss

Abigail Kutlas-Prickett and Joseph Prickett

Emily Pulley

James Pyrzynski

Barbara K. Rainey

Silva Raker

TaTanisha Ranney

Cynthia and David Rector

Toni Reese

Laurance Ring

Patricia and William Ritchie

Noyes W. Rogers

Dr. Debra J. Romberger

Molly Romero

Laura Roost

Kathleen and Robert Rose

Steven Roselli

Jane and Ralph Ross

Courtney Rudick

Carol and Richard Russell

Rev. David Rykwalder

Cherie Sadler

Sawsan Saeed

Judy* and Larry Sampier

Erin Sample

Jon Austin

Linda and Paul Sather

Larry Saxton

Kathryn Riesz Schapper and Aaron Schapper

Rita and Dean Schechinger

Susan Scherl

Nancy Schultz

Lila Cassandra Shakur

MacKenzie Shinbara

Jean and Thomas Sitzman

Scott Slegl

Kim Smith-Ferguson

Erin Sobansky

Kim Sosin

Sandra Spellmire

Mary Spurgeon

John Stavropoulos

Glenda and George Steinsberger

Marika and Peter Stone

Barb Stratman

Mary A. Sturek

Renee Sullivan

Cathy Swanson

Geralyn Terwey

Monte and Duane Thompson

Lindsey J. Tomaso

Michael Torkelson

Judy Torrens

Donaciano Torres

Ginny Tworek

Jerry Tyrrell

Judi Unger

Ann Van Hoff

Holly Vander

Anthony Vargas

Alison Vaughan

Bonny Venditte

Mary Lee and John Vitton

Windy Vo

Natalie N Wallace

Corinne Wardian

Sarah Watson

Carolyn B. Weber

Barbara and Wallace Weitz

Nancy Williams

Terrie L Wood

Cody Joseph Wooldrik

Timothy Held and Jay Worden

Pamela and David Wright

Sara and John Young

Edith and Robert Zahniser

Susan and John Zeilinger

Michael Zimmerman

Seize the day and prepare to prosper.

You’re a creative spirit who strives for both a solid performance and a solid financial plan. We applaud you, we celebrate you, and we’re here to help you prepare for the journey ahead.

HONORING ROGER WEITZ AND WELCOMING ALLISON SWENSON

On February 25, between performances of S uor Angelica, Opera Omaha celebrated a watershed moment in the company’s history: its 2023 Gala honoring outgoing General Director Roger Weitz and welcoming its new leader, Allison Swenson. More than 300 of Opera Omaha’s cherished friends, patrons, and benefactors gathered at The Granary to commemorate Roger’s transformational 11-year tenure and enthusiastically welcome Allison to Omaha. Guests enjoyed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and dinner in a space reimagined by Director of Production Katherine Clanton, inspired by the inflection point where the physical properties of sound meet our hearts and minds. Board Chair Elisa Davies served as the evening’s emcee, and Mogens Bay announced the completion of a $1.7 million campaign to establish a new fund in Roger’s honor: the Roger Weitz Legacy Fund. Following dinner, world-renowned soprano Amanda Majeski – accompanied by Janna Ernst – performed a handful of selections to thunderous applause. To conclude the evening’s program, industry luminary Charles MacKay gave remarks underscoring Roger’s exceptional leadership throughout the world of opera as well as his excitement for and unwavering belief in Allison as she assumes the role of General Director.

Outgoing General Director Roger Weitz, Board Chair Elisa Davies, and new General Director Allison Swenson. Allison and Hunter Swenson. Roger and Kate Weitz.

Industry luminary Charles MacKay delivers remarks congratulating Roger and Allison. World-renowned soprano Amanda Majeski performs. Mogens Bay announces the $1.7 million Roger Weitz Legacy Fund.

Clockwise from top left:

SPECIAL THANK YOU

We wish to thank the following individuals and corporations for their exceptional generosity in support of this event and Opera Omaha’s critical mission and vision:

2023 GALA HOSTS

Cindy and Mogens Bay

Betty Foster and Roger Blauwet

Anne and Stephen Bruckner

Domina Law Group pc llo

Catherine and Terry Ferguson

The Holland Foundation

Vernie and Carter Jones

Dan McCarthy

Sharee and Murray Newman

Betiana and Todd Simon

Annette and Paul Smith

Dr. Katie Weitz and Tim Wilson

Sarah and Adam Yale

Gail and Michael Yanney

PLATINUM TABLE HOSTS

Cindy and Mogens Bay

The Holland Foundation

Mary and Richard Parrish

Dr. Katie Weitz and Tim Wilson

Weitz Family Foundation

Gail and Michael Yanney

GOLD TABLE HOSTS

Domina Law Group pc llo

Vernie and Carter Jones

Omaha Steaks

SILVER TABLE HOSTS

Anonymous

Betty Foster and Roger Blauwet

Anne and Stephen Bruckner

Sylvia B. Cohn

Catherine and Terry Ferguson

FNBO

Fraser Stryker

HDR

Kiewit Corporation

Dan McCarthy

Annette and Paul Smith

Union Pacific Corporation

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Valmont Industries, Inc.

Meredith and Drew Weitz

Weitz Family Foundation

Sarah and Adam Yale

GALA DONATIONS

Linda Matson Andersen

Fred and Sally Bekins Foundation

Katie Broman

Kate W. Brown

Sandi and Bill Bruns

Barbara Person and Scott Burger

Maria Carlson

Eileen Crinklaw

Debra Reilly-Culver and Robert Culver, Jr.

Elisa and Drew Davies

Christine and Mauro Fiore

Kate and Chris Gannon-Tombrello

Linda and David Gardels

Judy and George Haecker

Jane Hill

Annette and Steven Huff

Ree and Jun Kaneko

Ruth H. Keene

Michele and Bryan Kinghorn

Mike Klug

Joanne and David Kolenda

G. Wade Leak and John A (Jay) Yost

Katie and Craig LeDoux

Paul Ledwon and Mark Allen Maser

Dr. Cheryl Logan

Nancy and Michael McCarthy

Sharon McGill

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Jon Nelson and Jerry Tyrrell

Sharee and Murray Newman

Ann and Paul O’Hara

Linda Burt Rebrovic and John Rebrovic

Debra Romberger

Clark Rosenlof

Carol and Rick Russell

Kelly and Mark Sanford

Security National Bank

Sissy Katelman Silber

Ellen and Richard Slosburg

Joanne Li and Frank Stalla

Mary Ann Strasheim

Janet and Jerry Syslo

Ginger Talbot

Sherry and Jeff Taxman

Jo Bartikoski and Don Westling

Mary Beth and Jim Winner

A tangible legacy – investment in the future of both Opera and Omaha

Members of Opera Omaha’s Fortissimo Society have made arrangements to support Opera Omaha and its innovative role in the cultural vibrancy of our region for generations to come. By establishing bequests, gifts of life insurance, IRAs, trusts, and other estate plans, Fortissimo Society members demonstrate their commitment to the transformative power of opera in our community. Their legacies are tangible investments in our cutting-edge, human-centered work that is leading and redefining the future of opera.

We proudly recognize the following Fortissimo Society Members

Peppy* and Norman* Bahr

Jo Bartikoski and Don Westling

Betty L. Beach, PhD

Kathleen Joan Bradley

Sandra L.E. and William C. Bruns

Debra and Bob Culver

Ike and Roz Friedman Foundation

Linda and David Gardels

Connie and Geof* Heiden

Mary and Charles* Heider

Mary* and Richard* D. Holland

Aline Hosman*

Sally and Gary* Kaplan

Joanne and David Kolenda

Graham Lusk*

Ann* and Allan* Mactier

Sharee and Murray Newman

Ephraim L. Marks* and David M. Rice*

Mark Allen Maser

Joan F.* and Richard* L. O’Brien

Ann and Paul O'Hara

Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Owen

Mary and Richard Parrish

Thompson H. Rogers

Ruth and William Scott

Eve and Fred* Simon

Dr. and Mrs. Michael Sorrell

Dr. Judith Stoewe*

Mary Ann and Jerrold* Strasheim

Janet and Jerry Syslo

Bruni and Roy* Thylin

Mary Beth and James Winner

We are grateful to the following individuals who designated a portion of their estate to support Opera Omaha, upon their passing.

Rabbi Myer S.* and Dorothy Kripke*

Pauline D. Nelson*

Howard Silberg*

Margaret Wiltse*

Annie F. Zinn*

SPECIAL FUNDS

We thank the donors who have established restricted funds to honor a family, friend and loved one. These named funds provide important ongoing support through Opera Omaha’s endowment.

The Barbara Willson Fund

The Jane Hill Education Fund

The William Randolph Hearst Fund

For more information about ways to give, sample language for bequests, or to inform us of your inclusion of Opera Omaha in your estate plans, please reach Joe Prickett, Director of Development at (402) 346-7372 or jprickett@operaomaha.org.

*Deceased

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT DONORS

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

$100,000+

Anonymous (2)

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

Holland Foundation

Omaha Steaks

Peter Kiewit Foundation

Weitz Family Foundation

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

$50,000-$99,000

Bailey Lauerman

FNBO

PRODUCER

$25,000-$49,999

Iowa West Foundation

Jetton Charitable Fund

Mutual of Omaha

National Endowment for the Arts

Nebraska Arts Council

Nebraska Cultural Endowment

Omaha Magazine

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Valmont Industries, Inc.

BACKER

$10,000-$24,999

Adah and Leon Millard Foundation

Conagra Brands Foundation

Domina Law Group pc llo

Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation

HDR, Inc.

Kiewit Corporation

Kinghorn Gardens

Rose Blumkin Foundation Inc.

Union Pacific Corporation

University of Nebraska Omaha

BENEFACTOR

$5,000-$9,999

Heider Family Foundation

Fraser Stryker

Giger Foundation

Husch Blackwell LLP

RSM US LLP

Whitmore Charitable Trust

William R. Patrick Foundation

ADVOCATE

$1-$4,999

Anonymous

Backer Family Charitable Trust

Barnhart Press

The Fred and Sally Bekins Foundation

Classical 90.7 KVNO

Cobank

Edward and Lida Robinson Charitable Trust

Humanities Nebraska

Koley Jessen P.C., LLC

Lincoln Financial Group

Minnesota Opera

Nebraska Tourism Commission

OPERA America

Paypal Giving Fund

Stowell, Geweke & Piskorski

Strauss Charitable Fund

U.S. Bank

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

MEMORIALS & TRIBUTES

Donors who made gifts to the Annual Fund in honor or in memory of a loved one are recognized below. This listing reflects gifts received between September 1, 2021-February 1, 2023

IN MEMORY OF:

HARRIET BECKENHAUER

Anonymous

Carol Casey

Kara Cordell

Mary Dragoo

Martha Elias

Delores Ericson

Sarah Marie Ferneding

Mary Clare Haven

Stephen Jensen

Mary Jetton

Kelly M Johns

Victor and Kendra Kelly

Krysten Knott

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Stowell, Geweke & Piskorski

EDWARD CARUSI

Gina Carusi

PETER CLOGG

Victory Sedlacek

GLORIA DUNBAR

Victory Sedlacek

JOAN GIBSON

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

Janice and Robert Egermayer

Lauritzen Gardens

James and Susan Tracy

BRUCE HANEY

Joanne and David Kolenda

ANDA HOWE

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

DIANNE L. JONES

Jon Anderson

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

SALLY LUSK

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

Joanne and David Kolenda

Sheila McNeill

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

ANN MACTIER

Joanne and David Kolenda

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

SANDY MATTHEWS

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Kate and Roger Weitz

HELEN AND FRANK

MATTHEWS

Joan and Robert Miller

JOAN AND RICHARD

O’BRIEN

Joanne and David Kolenda

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Mary Ann Strasheim

Kate and Roger Weitz

BETSYE PARAGAS

Tom Chandler and William Schaffer

Sherry Fletcher

Sharon Hofschire

Kate and Roger Weitz

ROBERT G. RUETZ

Bill L. Gaus

Joanne and David Kolenda

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

CHERYL SANWICK

Betty L. Beach

Clare and Thomas Burton

Annika and Allen Weber

MARY SCHROEDER

Ruth Keene

FRED SIMON

Carmen and Toma Ovici

MIMI TANNER

Victory Sedlacek

IN HONOR OF:

TOM CHANDLER AND BILL SCHAFFER

Sissy Katelman Silber

HOWARD COFFIN

Sheldon Lerner and Lourdes Secola

JOYCE DIXON AND JOHN KIDD

Mary Mitchell

HAL FRANCE

Anonymous

RICHARD PARRISH’S BIRTHDAY

Betty L. Beach

Mary Jetton

JAMES F. PYRZYNSKI

Bill L. Gaus

KELLY AND MARK SANFORD

Taylor Gunnels

SHANNON WALENTA

Erin Sample

ROGER WEITZ

Sheldon Lerner and Lourdes Secola

Minnesota Opera

Mary and Richard Parrish

Nicholas Russell

Gail and Irving Veitzer

Anne and Arnold Weitz

SARA YOUNG

Betty Foster

Ellen and Richard Shubart

REPERTOIRE HISTORY

1958-59

Madama Butterfly

Tosca

Oklahoma!

Hansel and Gretel

1959-60

Carousel

Pagliacci/Quivera

1960-61

Die Fledermaus

La Traviata

1961-62

The Merry Widow

La bohème

1962-63

Carmen

La Périchole

1963-64

Aida

The Barber of Seville

1964-65

Lucia di Lammermoor

The Marriage of Figaro

1965-66

Rigoletto

Madama Butterfly

1966-67

Il Trovatore

The Ballad of Baby Doe

1967-68

Tosca

La bohème

1968-69

La Traviata

Carmen

1969-70

Faust

Cavalleria Rusticana/ Pagliacci

1970-71

Aida

Die Fledermaus

1971-72

Rigoletto

The Tales of Hoffmann

1972-73

Madama Butterfly

Romeo and Juliet

Un Ballo in Maschera

1973-74

Tosca

The Marriage of Figaro

The Elixir of Love

1974-75

La bohème

Lucia di Lammermoor

La Périchole

1975-76

La traviata

Manon

Bilby’s Doll

The Barber of Seville

1976-77

Aida

The Merry Widow

Don Pasquale

Don Giovanni

1977-78

Madama Butterfly

The Abduction from the Seraglio*

The Bartered Bride

1978-79

The Barber of Seville

Werther

La bohème

1979-80

Die Fledermaus*

La Traviata*

The Pirates of Penzance

1980-81

Così fan tutte

Susannah

Rigoletto

1981-82

The Daughter of the Regiment

Carmen

The Magic Flute

1982-83

Don Pasquale Faust

Madama Butterfly

1983-84

Aida*

The Tales of Hoffmann

Don Giovanni

1984-85

Tosca

Falstaff

Gianni Schicchi/Pagliacci

1985-86

Turandot

Lucia di Lammermoor

The Marriage of Figaro

1986-87

La Traviata

The Barber of Seville

Porgy and Bess

1987-88

The Turn of the Screw*

The Juniper Tree*

Where’s Dick?

Amahl & the Night Visitors*

Carmen

La bohème

1988-89

Oklahoma!

Partenope+

The Diary of One Who Vanished

White Rose

A Celebration of Bel Canto

Rigoletto

Manon

1989-90

Plácido Domingo in Concert

Show Boat

Madama Butterfly

Romeo and Juliet*

1990-91

Carousel

Angelina Reaux in “Stranger

Here Myself”

Maria Padilla+

The Golem+

Il Trovatore*

The Magic Flute

1991-92

My Fair Lady

Tosca

Don Giovanni*

1992-93

Ermione+

The Gardens of Adonis***

Autumn Valentine***

Eugene Onegin*

The Flying Dutchman

1993-94

Vive Toulouse!

Requiem Variations***

Fidelio

The Pirates of Penzance

1994-95

The Merry Widow

La Traviata

Carmen

1995-96

The Daughter of the Regiment*

Turandot

The Barber of Seville

1996-97

Così fan tutte*

La bohème

Faust

1997-98

Don Pasquale

Madama Butterfly

La Cenerentola

Opera Omaha 40

1998-99

Eric Hermannson’s Soul***†

Aida

The Marriage of Figaro

1999-00

Samuel Ramey in “A Date with the Devil”

Samson et Dalila

Tosca*

2000-01

Amahl & the Night Visitors*

Carmina Burana/Pagliacci

Falstaff

Man of La Mancha

2001-02

All-American! Concert

Amahl & the Night Visitors

Otello

Little Women

Don Giovanni

2002-03

Richard Rodgers’

America Concert

Carmen

The Turn of the Screw*

H.M.S. Pinafore Bloodlines***†

2003-04

La bohème

Lucia di Lammermoor

Cold Sassy Tree*

2004-05

The Threepenny Opera*

The Tender Land*

Dream of the Pacific***†

Turandot

La Traviata

2005-06

Paul Bunyan

Madama Butterfly*

The Abduction from the Seraglio*

2006-07

Tosca

Wakonda’s Dream***†

The Barber of Seville

2007-08

All The King’s Men*

The Tragedy of Carmen*

Aida*

2008-09

The Blizzard Voices***†

The Pirates of Penzance

La bohème

2009-10

Night for American Song

Pagliacci

Brundibár

The Marriage of Figaro

So in Love with Broadway*

2010-11

Opera for the Cure*

Don Giovanni

Madama Butterfly

2011-12

This is Opera!*

Hansel and Gretel*

The Marriage Contract*

The Mikado

2012-13

La Traviata

The Magic Flute*

Bluebeard’s Castle*

2013-14

Opera Outdoors*

Carmen Agrippina*

La cenerentola

2014-15

Opera Outdoors*

Rigoletto*

A Flowering Tree*

Fidelio

2015-16

Opera Outdoors*

The Barber of Seville

La fanciulla del West Semele*

2016-17

Opera Outdoors*

La bohème

Così fan tutte*

Flight*

Stranger from Paradise***†

2017-18

Opera Outdoors*

Tosca*

Falstaff*

Medea*

Proving Up*†

ONE Festival***

2018-19

Opera Outdoors*

Pagliacci

The Elixir of Love (L’elisir d’amore)

Les Enfants Terribles*

Faust*+

ONE Festival***

2019-20

Opera Outdoors*

Madama Butterfly

The Abduction from the Seraglio

2020-21

Opera Outdoors Broadcast

dwb++

Miranda++ MODULATION++

Concert with the Omaha Symphony: Bizet, Mahler and Chausson

Opera Under the Stars*

La boheme ++

2021-22

Opera Outdoors*

The Capulets and the Montagues*

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street*

Eugene Onegin*

2022-23

Opera Outdoors*

X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X*

Suor Angelica

The Marriage of Figaro

BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION

OMAHA PERFORMING ARTS

Omaha Performing Arts is the local non-profit arts organization that manages the Orpheum Theater and owns and operates the Holland Performing Arts Center.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jack Koraleski, Chair

D. David Slosburg, Vice Chair

Michael S. Cassling

Dr. H. Dele Davies

Margaret Lauritzen Dodge

Scott C. Heider

Todd L. Johnson

Rodrigo López

Carl G. Mammel

Sharlon Rodgers

John Gottschalk, Chair Emeritus

John K. Boyer, Secretary

STAFF

Joan H. Squires, President

Arnold Reeves, Senior Vice President and CFO – Finance and Administration

Bianca Harley, Vice President of Human Capital & Inclusion

Sabrina Weiss, Vice President of Development

Aaron Ott, Director of IT

Bev Carlson, Director of Public Relations and Communications

Andy Cassano, Vice President of Programming and Education

Ryan Murray, Senior Director of Operations

Alyssa Stieren, Director of Finance

Lee Turkovich, Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Ashley Voorhees, Associate Vice President of Administrative Services

Charles Shanahan, Director of Food & Beverage Operations

When your financial goals are at center stage, let us take care of things behind the scenes.

Find out how our fundamental, research-driven investment process can help you on your financial journey.

OMAHA PERFORMING ARTS

GENERAL INFORMATION

COVID PRECAUTIONS

Nothing is more important than the health Nothing is more important than the health and safety of our patrons, staff, artists, volunteers and community. To ensure the safety of those who work at and visit our venues, we’ve implemented a number of changes to provide the best performing arts experience.

• Masks are recommended for this performance

• Enhanced cleaning and sanitation

• Virus filtering heating and cooling

• Staff and patron precautions

• Touchless experience

For more information, please visit o-pa.org/covid. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us create a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

FOOD SERVICES

The Orpheum Theater and Holland Center are served exclusively by O-pa Food and Beverage Services, who deliver a range of offerings, including pre-performance and intermission service. Beverages with lids purchased in the lobbies may be brought into halls at both venues. Menus are available for private parties, special events and meetings that are tailored to individual needs and event budgets. For more information or to book an event in either venue, contact (402) 345-0202 or events@o-pa.org.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

Doctors, parents or patrons expecting phone calls are advised to leave their seat location (shown on the ticket) with the appropriate parties and with the house manager or head usher. The emergency telephone number during performances is (402) 661-8555. The attendant will forward calls to the appropriate venue.

PARKING

Orpheum Theater – nearby and conveniently located garage parking is available at OPPD with entrances on Howard Street between 16th and 17th streets and on 17th Street. OPPD garage closes one hour after final curtain. Surface lot and street parking are also available.

Holland Performing Arts Center – easyaccess garage parking is available in Omaha Park 8 directly north of the Holland Center with entrances on Dodge or Capitol streets. Park 8 closes one hour after final curtain. Street parking are also available.

FIRE OR TORNADO NOTICES

In the event of fire, tornado or other emergency, patrons will be given instructions regarding evacuation of the facility or relocation to areas of refuge. Please do not run; walk to the designated areas as directed.

LOST AND FOUND

Lost articles may be retrieved by speaking with an usher. If you have already left the venue, please call Omaha Performing Arts Security: (402) 661-8555.

ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES

Omaha Performing Arts is committed to ensuring every patron’s performance experience is convenient, safe and remarkable. Both the Orpheum and Holland offer a wide range of accessibility features. Unique requests may be accommodated by contacting Ticket Omaha in advance.

• Accessible seating throughout the hall.

• Accessible parking adjacent to the theater.

• Accessible restrooms.

• Accessible backstage accommodations for performers and technicians,

including accessible entries, dressing rooms and restrooms.

• American Sign Language interpretation and Outlook Nebraska audio description is scheduled on select Saturday Broadway matinee performances at the Orpheum but may be arranged in advance of other performances by calling Ticket Omaha.

• The Orpheum is equipped with hearing loop technology. Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs) are also available for all performances in both venues. Ask the house manager or usher for assistance.

• GalaPro for closed captioning for select Broadway performances and other performances can be requested in advance via box office.

• Guide and service dogs are welcome.

If you have any special requests or concerns, please contact Ticket Omaha, toll free at 866.434.8587 or locally at 402.345.0606. Or email ticketomaha@opa.org. We are pleased to assist you with your needs.

TICKET OMAHA

Tickets for all performances at the Orpheum Theater and Holland Performing Arts Center are purchased through Ticket Omaha online at TicketOmaha.com; by mail at 1200 Douglas Street, Omaha, NE 68102; by phone toll free at (866) 434TKTS (8587) or (402) 345-0606, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; or in person at the Ticket Omaha box office, 13th and Douglas streets, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ENTRY INSPECTION

All guests attending events at our venues are subject to visual and bag inspections conducted by Omaha Performing Arts security. Visit TicketOmaha.com/faqs for a list of items not permitted in the Holland Center and Orpheum Theater.

GET INVOLVED

Without the dedication and perseverance of outstanding volunteers and support groups, our productions would not be as beautiful, our bottom line would not be as sound, and our sense of community would not be as strong. For these, and many other reasons, we extend a heartfelt thank you to the following organizations.

We invite you to get involved and become a volunteer or member of one of our support groups. For more information about the following opportunities, please visit: operaomaha.org/get-involved or email opera@operaomaha.org.

OPERA OMAHA GUILD

The Opera Omaha Guild is a dedicated group of men and women who actively support Opera Omaha’s fundraising and community engagement and education activities. Members plan and promote events such as Cotillion (etiquette classes for area sixth graders), social luncheons, educational activities, opera study groups and pre-performance parties. If you are interested in joining the Opera Omaha Guild please call us at (402) 346-7372 or visit our website for additional information.

CRAFTSMAN’S GUILD

Integral to Opera Omaha’s success since 1962, the Craftsman’s Guild members donate stagecraft skills in the areas of wardrobe, makeup/wigs, concessions, and parties. Focused on meeting the backstage needs of guest artists and the production, members enjoy the camaraderie and reward of helping to create top notch performances for the Omaha community.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers help Opera Omaha complete essential tasks like assisting with community events, ushering at concerts, or providing additional office support. It is clear without their help, Opera Omaha would not be able to bring world class opera to Omaha stages or the community. Students can also fulfill required community service hours for groups like National Honor Society by volunteering with Opera Omaha. For more information, please fill out the inquiry form at operaomaha.org.

SUPERNUMERARIES

Supernumeraries appear on stage in non-speaking, non-singing roles, much like being an extra in a movie. Being a “super” takes some time and patience, but is a lot of fun and a great learning experience. Super roles are varied but might include servants, soldiers, peasants, priests and priestesses, dancers, bartenders, waiters, ragamuffins, pickpockets, and sometimes even animals! All ages, including children, are needed.

OPERA OMAHA CHORUS

The Opera Omaha Chorus is comprised of professional singers from Omaha, Lincoln and surrounding communities. Please contact the company for the next audition date. You must be at least 18 years old to audition. Prospective candidates will be assigned a time slot and asked to present two selections; one in a foreign language, one in English, and neither selection can exceed five minutes in total. Arias, art songs, or church solos are all acceptable as audition pieces. Please provide printed music for the accompanist, who will be available at no cost.

TWEET SEATS

Social media savvy people with great knowledge of the Twitterverse attend the final dress rehearsal of each opera and tweet throughout the production offering real-time reviews of the productions before opening night.

ADVERTISING

For Opera Omaha program book advertising, please contact:

Gil Cohen, Omaha Publications

Executive

Vice President

402.884.2047- O

402.612.9378- C

Sales and Marketing

gil@omahapublications.com