El último sueño de Frida y Diego

EL ÚLTIMO SUEÑO DE FRIDA Y DIEGO

(The Last Dream of Frida and Diego)

resources and improving everyday life.

We make life better by creating vital infrastructure and increasing agricultural productivity. We also make life better by sponsoring Opera Omaha — honoring the creativity and talent they share with our community.

EL ÚLTIMO SUEÑO

DE FRIDA Y DIEGO

WELCOME TO OPERA OMAHA

Dear Friends:

Welcome to the final production of Opera Omaha’s 2023-2024 season: Gabriela Lena Frank and Nilo Cruz’s El último sueño de Frida y Diego

This new opera premiered in 2022 at San Diego Opera with subsequent performances in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Our production is the Midwest premiere and the first Spanish-language opera in our 66-year history. We are delighted to provide supertitle translations in both English and Spanish, so audiences can enjoy the beauty of the Spanish language both sung and in text.

Elaborate sets and vibrant costumes set the stage for Frida Kahlo’s return to earth on Día de los Muertos to see her husband Diego Rivera, her beloved Casa Azul and the autobiographical paintings that made her an icon. It is an entirely fictional story that imagines what might happen if Frida and Diego had one last chance to make peace with their past.

We are pleased and proud to share this poignant work with you, and to have new and renewed community partnerships with El Museo Latino, Mexican American Historical Society of the Midlands, the Learning Community Center of South Omaha, and Casa de la Cultura Omaha to help tell this story with authenticity.

It is hard to believe but the opening night of the 2024-2025 season is just a few months away! The season features four operas: Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress, Handel’s Giulio Cesare (Julius Caesar), and Tobias Picker’s Fantastic Mr. Fox performed outdoors at Lauritzen Gardens. Of these titles, only Don Giovanni has been performed in Omaha and not since our 20102011 season.

Fantastic Mr. Fox is the first title in our new Family Opera Series. This charming opera based on the Roald Dahl story is perfect for audiences of all ages. It is an 80-minute modern fable that pits good against evil, with a resounding triumph for good. Children are encouraged to attend—and even perform! The opera features roles for children that will be cast with local students.

Subscriptions are on sale now, including tickets for Fantastic Mr. Fox We hope you will join us again next year, and we thank you for your support and participation in Omaha’s vibrant arts community.

All best wishes,

Allison Swenson GENERAL DIRECTOR

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Linda Burt Rebrovic CHAIR

Kiley Freeman VICE CHAIR

Carol E. Domina SECRETARY

Robert J. Vladem TREASURER

Jim Winner ADVISORS CHAIR

Angie Williams COMMUNITY PANEL REPRESENTATIVE

Dr. Anne Bruckner

Dr. Ali Khan

Mihaela Kobjerowski

H. Frederick Kuehl

Dr. Joanne Li

Barbara Person

Terri Sanders

Joe Spitzenberger

Jara Sturdivant-Wilson

EMERITUS BOARD

Terrence J. Ferguson

Robert E. Owen

Mary Ann Strasheim

ADVISORS

Linda Andersen

Jo Bartikoski

Dr. Jawed Bharwani

Nicholas Bjornson

Roger Blauwet

Sandra Bruns

Dr. Karen Fannin

Dr. Betty Foster

David Gardels

Leslie Garth

Lisa Hagstrom

Dr. Fred Hanna

Carter Jones

Mark Allen Maser

Sheila McNeil

April Nebel

Dr. Debra Reilly-Culver

Mary Ann Strasheim

Jerry Syslo

Dr. James Tracy

Shelby VanNorsdstrand

Deb Peterson

OPERA OMAHA GUILD PRESIDENT

Chris Gannon-Tombrello

CRAFTSMAN’S GUILD PRESIDENT

Allison Swenson GENERAL DIRECTOR

ADMINISTRATION

Jenny Daggett FINANCE CONSULTANT

April Hartman, SHRM-SCP HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT

Cydnea Hoff OFFICE MANAGER

Shannon Walenta MANAGING DIRECTOR

Gwyn Williams, MS DEI, LEADERSHIP & ORGANIZATION CULTURE CONSULTANT

ARTISTIC

Kai Song Chan ARTISTIC OPERATIONS MANAGER

Josh Quinn HEAD OF MUSIC

Katrina Thurman DIRECTOR OF ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION

DEVELOPMENT

Rebecca Ihnen

DONOR STEWARDSHIP & EVENTS MANAGER

Laura Jaros

DEVELOPMENT DATABASE & ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

Joe Prickett

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

ENGAGEMENT

Taylor Adams HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Wendy Kaiser COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOWSHIP MANAGER

Pat McEvoy ENGAGEMENT ASSISTANT

Lauren Medici DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Charisa Ramsey HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Alejandra Sandoval-Montañez HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

MARKETING

Rachel Austin ART DIRECTOR

Howard Coffin AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT & SALES MANAGER

Kyle Thomas DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

OPERATIONS

Mark Blice DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

Chad Curran ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Grant Hilgenkamp TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

ENERGIZING IMPACT

Husch Blackwell proudly supports Opera Omaha’s 2023-2024 season and celebrates its ongoing mission to enrich the quality of life in our community by creating professional opera that expresses humanity’s deepest emotions and highest aspirations.

NEBRASKA’S ONLY PROFESSIONAL OPERA COMPANY

Opera Omaha is a growth-minded, high energy and innovative company with a demanding mission: producing opera performances in multiple formats and styles and co-creating artist-led programs for a variety of community service organizations. We believe the power of opera 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.

Since 1958, Opera Omaha has been led by devotion to two elements: Art and Community. Everything we’ve done, and continue to do, is guided by the hope that through this work we can ask questions, enrich lives and uplift our city.

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

ADDITIONAL PRODUCTION SUPPORT

Rose Blumkin Foundation Giger Foundation

Mammel Family Foundation

Whitmore Charitable Trust

Heider Family Foundation

Allan and Ann Mactier Charitable Foundation

Adah and Leon Millard Foundation

BETWEEN ACTS FACTS

IF YOU HAD 24 HOURS TO SPEND WITH AN ARTIST, PAST OR PRESENT, WHO WOULD THAT BE AND WHY?

“ I think it would definitely be Callasthere is something about the embodiment of every single role she sang that I believe is very hard to attain. The beauty of the voice is remarkable, but it is almost more about the feeling than about the sound. I would love to know more about her learning process. ”

— César Aguilar LEONARDO

“ Ve Neill, the incredible makeup artist behind Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and Mrs. Doubtfire, to name a few. She's one of my greatest inspirations and has a mastery of craft that few can attain. She also just seems like a truly genuine and kind human. ”

— Ali Pohanka MAKEUP DESIGNER

“ James Turrell because I consider him the best visual artist. I think he modifies and plays with our perception in an unmatched way. ”

— Victor Zapatero LIGHTING DESIGNER

EL ÚLTIMO SUEÑO DE FRIDA Y DIEGO

CONDUCTOR’S NOTE

Gabriela Lena Frank weaves the beautifully delicate fabric of her opera with a needle dipped in the 20th century’s harmonic landscape. This choice resonates powerfully with the subject of our story, as if we travelled in time with her to meet Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. Avoiding a common tendency in contemporary opera to have historical figures serve as canvases upon which the composer can experiment style and form, Frank invests her creative forces into an acute character study of Frida and Diego. Hence all the magical dimension of Mexican folklore in the opera becomes not a far away fairyland, but as believable a realm as their Casa Azul. One of the distinctive pillars of 20th century harmony is any chord that is built on intervals of fourths, fifths, tritones, and consequently seconds, in opposition to the traditional thirds and sixths. Schoenberg, who introduced these chords (in the beginning of his Opus 9), exploits their technical and lyrical potential, opening the door to the Viennese expressionism of the 1920s & 30s. Towards the middle of the century they caught on different usages around the world, be it lyrically in Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle, galopping forward in the finale of his Dance Suite, or exploited for their bare sonority by Villa-Lobos, in his Choros, bringing to life the vast territorial expanses of the Brazilian plains. A thrilling example lies in Alberto Ginastera’s Estancia, where the composer injects these chords into a virtual stampede of the whole orchestra. Frank, by contrast, applies them gently against a backdrop of more traditional minor chords, resulting in the eeriness that shrouds the scene from the beginning of El último sueño de Frida y Diego, at dawn, on the Mexican Day of the Dead. These harmonies seep through the forlorn phrases of the chorus, engulfing the stage in a requiem Mass of sorts, as the living sing to their departed loved ones. The chorus dissipates into a shallow orchestral texture that quietly reiterates a motive upon which Diego will yearn for his Friduchita and Frida damn the day she met Diego. A series of rhapsodic woodwind solos linger on, recalling the transitions between songs in Luciano Berio’s Folk Songs, where a change of key is reached by a meandering line passed along from instrument to instrument, like a rivulet that guides us gently to a new scene. However there’s an agony implicit in the constant semitone trills of flute, clarinet, and oboe, which will soon loom over the orchestral coloration of Frida’s part. This brings to mind the ominous and meditative flute solos in the first movement of Shostakovich’s 6th Symphony. They were conceived the moment Shostakovich happened upon a Zen flautist who was touring the Soviet Union in 1937 (curiously the same year Trotsky would leave Stalin’s Russia for Mexico and encounter Diego and Frida!).

In Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring, the libretto, adapted by Eric Crozier from a Maupassant story, remains colloquial throughout, allowing the vocal lines themselves to give a strong color and intonation to the characters’ expressions, rather than a florid text. This is what Nilo Cruz and Frank achieve so exceptionally with the

Spanish language, in an approach which I feel does great justice to the compatibility of Spanish with the operatic voice and diction. In Albert Herring, Britten uses a simple major triad when introducing his protagonist, allowing Herring’s full name to be cleanly announced and musically emboldened, before the character even says a word. The Vicar enunciates Albert Herring’s full name for the first time over an E major triad, dividing the two syllables of Herring amongst D sharp and E natural. And so, in our opera Diego Rivera is greeted by one of the villagers on an F sharp major chord, which Frank briefly alternates with its chromatic neighbour, an F major chord, making the word Rivera pivot between both (from C natural to C sharp), as if Diego’s identity were vast enough to occupy two keys. A further jump to A minor takes place once Diego projects his first line, the same key in which Frida will say her first words as well, giving an atavistic unity to the characters despite their profound differences. Therefore, Britten’s introductory device is transformed by Frank into a vector through which she sketches a strong and portentous first impression of Diego Rivera, immediately tying him to Frida.

Now Frida, what a role! Her melodic line is permanently fractured by asymmetrical rhythms, strangely mechanical at times, which give tangibility to her pain, to her lopsided wounds, to her trauma and rancor towards Diego. The complex interval leaps in her melody bring to mind Alban Berg’s expressionist opera Lulu, only without the extremes of register, as if Frida’s lack of comfort within the melodic contour were a permanent trait of hers, of her troubled being, rather than a product of the composer’s psychoanalytic portrait. Her only respite is in the soothing presence of Leonardo, the young dead actor who persuades her to return to the world of the living. This gentle countertenor role (male singer who often sings in falsetto, although the term can also include tenors who use their chest voices in extraordinarily high registers), renders homage to a voice-type mostly forgotten in the history of opera from its heyday in the 16th century, when women were not allowed to sing in church liturgy, all the way up until it was revived the mid-20th century by, most notably, Alfred Deller, for whom Britten wrote the role of Oberon in his A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The timbre of Oberon’s falsetto merges with the celesta (keyboard instrument with small bells instead of strings) and glockenspiel. Frank too chooses to highlight the countertenor’s inimitable timbre (pairing it with vibraphone), rather than, as is often the case, opting for the potential virtuosity in a powerful chested voice, like Orff does with his roasting swan in the "Olim lacus colueram" of his Carmina Burana, whilst the male chorus roars and salivates over his blazing flesh. In fact this type of ritualistic exchange between chorus and a main character, which one finds in Stravinsky’s Les Noces, is given new form by Frank when Catrina, our coloratura soprano, and Mictlan’s guardian of the dead, summons Frida from the underground. The chorus obsessively repeats Catrina’s incantations, lured under her spell, in a Stravinskian mixed-meter above a jagged, syncopated orchestra.

I deeply admire composers who don’t allow themselves to be clipped by an exclusive school or tendency, but whose musical talent yearns for any fruits that can be picked from the work of their precursors. Not only does one learn infinitely more about a new piece when detecting its allusions and sources of inspiration, but in turn, one rediscovers its precursors as new light is shed on aspects of their composition. As artists, Frida and Diego most certainly achieve this, and so does Gabriela Lena Frank.

— Ilyich Rivas CONDUCTOR

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

Frida and Diego created some of the most fascinating works of art in the 20th century. Frida Kahlo is one of very few artists whose work is immediately recognizable. Diego is the father of Mexican Muralism, the first artistic movement the Americas gave to the world. They were extraordinary artists with extraordinary lives and a tragic love story. These two Mexican artists transcend in every aspect of their lives. They were unique, provocative, intense, and amazing artists. Frida and Diego created a whole universe for themselves with their art, their passions, their houses, their love affairs, their art collections, the way they dressed, their social and political ideals, and their love for each other. Everything in their lives was connected and truly represented who they were. Art and life were the same. They shared everything important to them, especially their love for Mexico and its indigenous past, popular art and of course their social and political ideals. They both painted Mexico´s visual identity at its core. Frida and Diego helped us remember who we were and created a vision of how we wanted to be. All they created came together in a multidimensional, multicultural universe that translated into unique, personal, breathtaking art. They live on because of that uniqueness. Their universe is profoundly appealing because we can recognize ourselves in their passion, their pain, and the beauty of what they created.

These two characters have many dimensions; they exist as icons, as artists, as a couple, and as individual human beings. But they also belong to the imagination. The Last Dream of Frida and Diego allows us to imagine them again, recreate part of that universe, and witness a last encounter. This story has all the ingredients for an opera. Love, betrayal, pain, art, death, politics, sex, gender, diversity, and disability.

Nilo Cruz’s story is as multilayered and multidimensional as its characters. It’s a journey from the underworld and back; it’s about passion for art and finding identity through art; it’s about forgiveness and surrender. Finally, this story is also a dream: Diego’s and Frida’s dream of a last encounter with each other and with art. It happens on Día de Muertos and Diego’s last day on earth. The context is enormous and couldn’t be more dramatic. Our challenge in this production is to create a unique universe that conveys the main symbols, gestures and imagery of their iconography and their lives in a very symbolic and depurated style, avoiding textual reproductions and the usual interpretation of Mexican folklore cliché or massive media exploitation of Frida’s and Diego’s life and image. We wanted to create our own vision of this particular and beautiful story.

The whole creative team of The Last Dream of Frida and Diego represents eight or nine different cultures, nationalities and artistic sensibilities. I’m a Mexican stage director directing the opera of a PeruvianAmerican-Estonian composer with a Cuban-American librettist, depicting two cultural icons that represent so many different communities. Well, this is what the world looks like now. Not only do we live in a globalized world, but we live in a multicultural one; all the American continent is a melting pot. We are a mixture of races and cultures, migrations and indigenous people, from Alaska to Patagonia. We are all Mestizos in a sense.

I believe projects like this one can help advance diversity and inclusion, helping us understand our different cultures and shared humanity. We can genuinely connect through music and art, discovering and celebrating our differences with respect, and recognizing ourselves in others. We must embrace diversity and inclusion to live peacefully and prosper.

I hope this opera can help bring communities closer and welcome new audiences to the opera. I hope that Mexicans and Americans feel proud of such a rich and distinctive heritage that belongs to all of us.

— Lorena Maza DIRECTOR

BETWEEN ACTS FACTS

WHAT DO YOU HOPE AUDIENCES TAKE AWAY FROM THIS OPERA?

“ I hope the audience is able to appreciate the vast beauty of the Mexican culture. It is also a wish of mine that the opera community as a whole continues to embrace the Spanish language as one worthy of the grand stage. ”

— Stephanie Sánchez FRIDA

“ An experience that invites us to fall in love with art in Mexico, with its crazy characters and its fascinating and colorful culture. ”

— Victor Zapatero LIGHTING DESIGNER

“ This opera has connected with a lot of people that don't usually go to the opera. Latin audiences and young people. I hope this happens in Omaha as well. I hope they take a new interest in being an opera audience. ”

— Jorge Ballina SET DESIGNER

165 YEARS WITH YOU.

Since 1857, we’ve been with you, supporting our community, lifting up the arts, and helping you earn, save and do more.

COMPOSER'S NOTE

FRIDA AND DIEGO AND ME

Mexican-born painters Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera within a fantastical landscape inspired by el Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is the premise of this new opera that I've been privileged to compose. In some ways, I've been living with these two iconic artists, especially Frida, from my youth growing up in the 1970s in Berkeley, California. Before I could read, I found Frida in the pages of an art book in my mother's home library, the only woman in a multi-volume set of "great artists." My mother pointed out how Frida was small, brown and creative like us; moreover, of thick brow, disabled and a daughter of both Europe and Latin America like me. Images of her paintings danced in my dreams for years, both the joyful and the haunting, and as I matured and understood more of Frida's very human biography, she took on a heroic status for me.

It has also been remarkable for me to watch how Frida's popularity soared in recent decades, her story and artistic legacy clearly touching a cultural nerve. With this libretto by my longtime collaborator, Nilo Cruz, I've been able to lose myself in the imagined story exploring Frida's tumultuous love affair, even beyond life itself with Diego. In honoring the wonderful narrative, including the surprising appearance of other principal characters such as Catrina, the Keeper of the Souls, with immense power over the souls of the underworld, and Leonardo, a young actor in the underworld, my task has been to create colorful and characterful music befitting multiple planes of existence—the world of the living, the world of the dead and, briefly, an especially poignant world of Art.

Through these three planes, we witness how Diego, at the end of his life, and Frida, deceased for several years, gradually move towards reunion, reconciling through a recognition of their shared past and a hoped-for shared future. Throughout their journey, the chorus provides a rich array of underworld spirits and living villagers as participants and commentators; the orchestration ranges from chamber to full ensemble.

— Gabriela Lena Frank COMPOSER

LIBRETTIST'S NOTE

The challenge I faced when I was chosen to write the libretto of this opera was that both Frida and Diego were painters who were natural story tellers; they were chroniclers of time, history, and their personal lives. The question in my mind was always, how do I represent these two artists in an innovative way?

Diego Rivera would examine the vestige of antiquity through the prism of his murals. In his frescos, which capture the imprint of time, Rivera always reminds us that there is nothing that cannot be recorded through the vividness of his brushstrokes. As with Diego, the paintbrush of anguish of Frida Kahlo also depicts those things that cannot pass as unseen: human pain and suffering.

What became more significant to me, as I studied their lives, was that these two artists painted each other despite their ups and downs in their tempestuous relationship as husband and wife. Frida was obsessed with painting Diego’s face between her eyebrows, as if he was always in her thoughts. Diego painted Frida as his muse in several of his frescoes. But it was Frida’s painting The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego, and Señor Xolotl that gave me the idea of setting the opera during the Day of the Dead, Mexico. In this painting, Frida holds a naked Diego Rivera whose forehead contains a third eye, and next to them is Xolotl, considered to be a soul-guide for the dead. In this piece, it almost seems as if Frida is carrying a dying Diego to the infra-world.

Diego Rivera’s famous mural Dream of a Sunday afternoon in the Alameda Central was also inspirational. This work of art, which features Frida standing next to characters from other epochs, depicts how people from different moments in history were brought together by Diego on a Sunday afternoon. Through this artistic concept, I played with time by mixing reality and fiction to bring Frida and Diego back to the world in a fantastical fiesta of color, music and sound, since it was Rivera’s desire to have his ashes mixed with Kahlo’s when he was at the end of his life.

— Nilo Cruz LIBRETTIST

LEER EN ESPAÑOL

EL ÚLTIMO SUEÑO DE FRIDA Y DIEGO COMMUNITY EVENTS

EL MUSEO LATINO

Frida Kahlo and the Blue House Exhibit

Exhibit | April 5-July 27

El Museo Latino 4701 S 25th St.

MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE MIDLANDS

Frida & Diego’s Odyssey in America Exhibition

Opening | April 11

South Omaha Immigrant History Museum Center Mall, 42nd and Center

Community Art Show - Frida y Diego

Exhibit | April 12-May 23

Joslyn Castle 3902 Davenport St.

In collaboration with Claire Caswell, Joslyn Castle, and the Castle and Cathedral Creative District

“Frida Kahlo and the Blue House” includes a selection of over 60 color photographs of the architecture and interior spaces of the Blue House created by Cristina Kahlo, as well as vintage black and white photographs taken by Diego Rivera, Antonio Kahlo, Lola Álvarez Bravo, Florence Arquin, and Juan Guzmán.

Focusing on Frida Kahlo’s experiences in San Francisco, Detroit, and New York, this art exhibit will feature works by Omaha artists inspired by Frida from the Linda & José Garcia Legacy Collection, as well as books and literature from their library. Curated by Linda Rivera Garcia.

For this captivating exhibition, local artists were encouraged to seek inspiration from the opera’s story, as well as commemorate the passionate and tumultuous relationship between these two iconic artists, Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.

Artists from all backgrounds submitted their visual art of any medium influenced by the fascinating love story of Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, in a unique opportunity to express their interpretation of the icons’ passionate bond, their artistic endeavors, and their profound influence on each other’s work, the fascinating and beautiful story depicted in The Last Dream of Frida and Diego, and Día de los Muertos.

A small selection of art from this exhibition will be chosen to be featured at the Orpheum Theater during Opera Omaha’s performances of El último sueño de Frida y Diego

OPERA IN CONVERSATION

After the Curtain Call: Poetry Response

May 7, 6pm

Joslyn Castle

3902 Davenport St.

Reading and Resources List

Omaha Public Library

Hosted by Angélica Perez

Join local poets who, after seeing the opera, will write and perform a poem to launch conversations reflecting on El último sueño de Frida y Diego. They will share their experience of the production and connections to their own artistic practice, while encouraging the audience to share their reflections from the opera.

Want to expand your research? Dive into further resources curated by the Omaha Public Library consisting of items from across their collection related to the opera and its history. Available online at operaomaha.org/blog

Community Partners

Opera Omaha is grateful to be working with a number of local partners and community members to celebrate El último sueño de Frida y Diego in Omaha surrounding the opera performances in May.

Angélica Perez

Dr. Claudia Garcia

Claire Morgan Caswell

Gabriel Escalera

Erin Painter

José F. García

Magdalena Garcia

Marcos Mora

Rocio Valle

EL ÚLTIMO SUEÑO DE FRIDA Y DIEGO

(The Last Dream of Frida and Diego)

Music by Gabriela Lena Frank

Libretto by Nilo Cruz

Performed in Spanish with English and Spanish supertitles

May 3 & 5, 2024

Orpheum Theater, Slosburg Hall | Omaha, Nebraska

First performance: San Diego Opera, October 29, 2022

El último sueño de Frida y Diego is a co-production with San Diego Opera and San Francisco Opera. Scenery constructed at San Diego Opera Scenic Studio.

Costumes constructed at San Diego Opera Costume Shop.

Commissioned and Produced by San Diego Opera, San Francisco Opera, Fort Worth Opera, and DePauw University, School of Music, with generous support from the University of Texas at Austin College of Fine Arts. Presented under license by G. Schirmer, Inc., copyright owners.

CREATIVE

Ilyich Rivas*

CONDUCTOR

Lorena Maza* DIRECTOR

Victor Zapatero* LIGHTING DESIGNER

Ruby Tagle* CHOREOGRAPHER

Ronell Oliveri

WIG & HAIR DESIGNER

Ali Pohanka* MAKEUP DESIGNER

Jorge Ballina*

SCENIC DESIGNER

Eloise Kazan*

COSTUME DESIGNER

CAST

Stephanie Sánchez*

FRIDA KAHLO

Levi Hernandez

DIEGO RIVERA

Laura León*

CATRINA

César Aguilar*

LEONARDO

Jesse Wohlman

ALDEANO 1

Graham Brooks

ALDEANO 2/YOUNG MAN

Emmanuel Saenz*

ALDEANO 3

Rocio Valle

FRIDA IMAGE 1/GUADALUPE PONTI

Jill Galvin

FRIDA IMAGE 2

Hayley Shoemaker

FRIDA IMAGE 3

*Opera Omaha Debut

The Opera Omaha Chorus | Josh Quinn, Chorus Director

The Omaha Symphony

The performance runs approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes with one 25-minute intermission. The use of flash equipped cameras, audio recorders, video cameras or any other recording device during the performance is strictly prohibited.

ACT I

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), November 2, 1957. The year of Diego Rivera’s death and three years after the death of his wife, painter Frida Kahlo. Diego Rivera visits a cemetery where villagers have gathered for the annual ritual to honor departed loved ones and summon them to return from the underworld. A few villagers recognize the famous painter and dare to approach. They joke affectionately and then explain their ritual, emphasizing that it’s faith in your soul that brings back the dead. As the villagers depart, Diego calls out to Frida, revealing his fears and loneliness and imploring her to return to him. Diego’s reverie is interrupted by an old woman selling flowers. After Diego leaves, the old woman reveals herself as La Catrina, Keeper of the Dead.

In Mictlán, the Aztec underworld, Catrina summons Frida to arise and return to visit Diego. Frida defies the powerful Catrina, refusing to believe that Diego has called her. Catrina insists that Frida return to accompany her dying husband on his journey to the underworld. Frida, having found release in death from both her mercurial relationship and lifelong agonizing physical pain, questions why she would return to the world of the living. She prefers her refuge of darkness and silence. Other departed souls playfully implore Frida to return to Diego, but Frida refuses.

As the other departed prepare for their return, changing into clothing for the land of the living, they again try to convince Frida to join them, but she declines. Catrina arrives to gather those who have been summoned, chasing off a young man trying to sneak back to the living world after failing to return to the underworld on time the previous year.

Frida notices a young actor, Leonardo, practicing his impersonation of Greta Garbo. He wants to go back as Garbo to please a fan of the actress who waits every year hoping for a visit from his long unseen (and assumed departed) idol.

A fellow artistic spirit, Leonardo opens Frida to the idea of returning to the world for herself, her art and the chance to paint a “new Frida” without pain or anguish. He dresses her in her trademark clothes, adorning her hair with ribbons and flowers. Catrina returns,

calling out the names of those who have been summoned, and readies them for their return. She calls on Frida, who continues to protest. Catrina notices Leonardo in his Garbo costume and forbids his ruse as Greta Garbo has not yet died. Frida pleads for him, and Catrina relents.

At the last minute, Frida decides she will return to the world of the living. Catrina allows it, but not before laying out the rules: the visit is 24 hours only, and there is to be no touching the living: “A caress can cost you the memory of pain.” As Diego continues to summon Frida from above, she and the other departed souls begin their return.

ACT II

In the world of the living, Diego is without inspiration. He is unable to paint, unable to embrace his mortality and tormented by the absence of Frida. Suddenly, she appears to him. Diego’s pleas have been answered and Frida is again in the world of the living. Frida and Diego find themselves together in Alameda Park, strolling among living and departed souls together. Frida is overjoyed to be without pain and part of the vibrant life around her. Diego pleads for an embrace which Frida cannot give.

A passing beggarwoman is a reminder of the darker world around them. Diego feels the presence of death and is reminded of his own mortality. The two artists mourn the state of the city and its broken but beautiful past.

Frida finds Leonardo and learns that he has visited Greta Garbo’s admirer, fulfilling the man’s fantasy of meeting the movie star and providing the departed actor with a successful performance. Diego leads Frida back to her beloved home, Casa Azul where she must confront the realities of her past life and the limitations of her return. Leonardo encourages Frida to paint, Diego begs her to embrace him, and Catrina reminds her that time is limited and she must not touch the living. Frida tries to paint but, no longer having a reflection in the physical world, she cannot summon her primary subject – her own image. Diego comforts Frida, and asks her forgiveness for their difficult past. Suddenly she embraces him

(Continued on next page)

SYNOPSIS (CONT.)

and, as Catrina warned, is racked by the returning pain of her living existence. Diego lovingly encourages her to paint as a distraction. Images of herself that Frida created throughout her life appear, beckoning her into a world of art. Diego and Frida are surrounded by a timeless world of blue.

As dawn breaks, Frida and Diego cling to their hope of staying together, but it is time for Frida to return to the underworld. As Leonardo bids a final farewell to the world of the living, Catrina gathers the departed souls for their return to Mictlán. She is angry to notice Frida’s absence but keeps her procession moving. Alone, Frida and Diego recognize that they cannot live forever in a dream world of art. With a final hope of being together with Frida forever, Diego pleads for the gods of the underworld to call him back with her. Catrina appears and Diego tells her his time has come. Catrina reminds him only Mictlantecuhtli (God of the underworld) can decide his time. Frida begs her to help and Diego’s journey begins. As they approach the underworld, Catrina calls out to Mictlantecuhtli who appears and brings Diego into the world of the departed.

As the departed souls welcome them, Frida and Diego whisper to one another, united for eternity in the underworld.

Gabriela Lena Frank makes her Opera Omaha debut with El último sueño de Frida y Diego

Ms. Frank’s recent premieres include Pachamama Meets an Ode for chorus and orchestra, commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra and premiered at Carnegie Hall under the baton of Yannick Nézet-Seguín; HaillíSerenata, commissioned by the Chicago Symphony; and Apu: Tone Poem for Orchestra, commissioned by Carnegie Hall and premiered by the National Youth Orchestra under Marin Alsop. El último sueño de Frida y Diego, her first opera, will be staged by the Metropolitan Opera in a future season, following the company’s staging of her Conquest Requiem in 2024. Upcoming premieres include a concerto grosso for the legendary Takács Quartet and Picaflor, a major work commissioned by the Philadelphia Orchestra to conclude Frank’s tenure as Composer-in-Residence there. Her music is published exclusively by G. Schirmer. Inc.

Nilo Cruz Librettist

Nilo Cruz makes his Opera Omaha debut with El último sueño de Frida y Diego. A CubanAmerican playwright, Mr. Cruz gained national prominence in 2003 when he won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for his play Anna in the Tropics, for which he also received a Tony Award nomination. In addition to the Pulitzer, he has received numerous awards, including those from the Kennedy Center Fund, American Theatre Critics and the Humana Festival for New American Plays; as well as grants from the National Endowment of the Arts and the Rockefeller Foundation, among others. His plays include Dancing on Her Knees; A Park in Our House; Two Sisters and a Piano; A Bicycle Country; Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams; Lorca in a Green Dress; Beauty of the Father; Hurricane; and A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings. As a lyricist, he is a frequent collaborator with composer Gabriela Lena Frank and wrote the libretti for The Conquest Requiem and The Santos Oratorio as well as the text of orchestral songs, La Centinela y la paloma. Cruz also adapted Ann Patchett’s 2001 novel Bel Canto for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, with Peruvian composer Jimmy López and recently premiered the oratorio Dreamers by López at Cal Performance in Berkeley, California.

Ilyich Rivas

Conductor

Ilyich Rivas makes his Opera Omaha debut with El último sueño de Frida y Diego. A Venezuelan-born American conductor, Mr. Rivas made his professional debut at the age of 16 in front of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and has subsequently made successful debuts with a number of important orchestras in Europe and the US, including the London Philharmonic, Swedish Radio Symphony, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Gothenburg Symphony, Stuttgart Radio Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, NDR Radiophilharmonie Hanover, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Orquesta Sinfonica de Castilla y Leon and the Orquesta Sinfonica de Galicia. Mr. Rivas worked as Assistant Conductor with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and was also awarded the two-year position of Baltimore Symphony Orchestra/Peabody Institute Conducting fellow. Following a three-year mentoring program at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, he was invited to conduct full productions for Glyndebourne on Tour of Le nozze di Figaro and Hänsel und Gretel in consecutive seasons. He made an impressive debut with the UK’s Opera North conducting performances of La bohème, and recently debuted with the Netherlands Reisopera in a countrywide touring production of La traviata.

Lorena Maza Director

Lorena Maza makes her Opera Omaha debut with El último sueño de Frida y Diego. Mrs. Maza is a Mexican stage director, producer, and translator for theatre, opera, and TV. She has directed more than 60 plays, seven operas, five musicals, seven TV shows, and two feature films. She has been an acting teacher and coach for more than 25 years and has been recognized with 12 awards for best direction and best play of the year. She produced Mexico´s first Broadway musical: Disney´s Beauty and the Beast, for more than 650,000 spectators. Mrs. Maza wrote, directed, and co-produced Bésame Mucho, Ocesa's first original all Mexican musical, based on the history of popular genre, Bolero, with more than 500 performances. She has been director for Mexico´s National Theater Company and directed at Teatro UNAM and Teatro Helenico, where she managed three venues and produced more than 40 plays a year. She has participated in six national and international festivals, and has translated more than 40 dramatic texts, including for the National Theater LIVE project. She is now developing a TV series, a new opera, and a new musical for American audiences.

Gabriela Lena Frank Composer

Victor Zapatero

Lighting Designer

Victor Zapatero makes his Opera Omaha debut with El último sueño de Frida y Diego. In 2010 Mr. Zapatero was selected as Lighting Director for the Bicentennial Celebration of the traditional Noche del grito in the Zócalo, with Australian producer of the Olympic Games, Ric Birch. In 2012 he collaborated as lighting coordinator for the opera Einstein on the Beach at the Palacio de Bellas Artes. In the same year he designed the opening concert in the scenic amphitheater designed by James Turrell at Hacienda Ochil, Yucatan, with the participation of composer Philip Glass. In opera, at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, Mr. Zapatero has collaborated on The Magic Flute, Death in Venice, Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, Rusalka, and L ́amour de loin. In recent years he has ventured as a visual artist creating admirable immersive installations. His first piece, The Forest premiered in 2019 at the Cervantino International Festival. He was recently granted the First-Place award for Lighting Design at the World Stage Design congress for Omphalos by the renowned choreographer Damien Jalet.

Ruby Tagle Choreographer

Ruby Tagle makes her Opera Omaha debut with El último sueño de Frida y Diego. Ms. Tagle received her degree in Contemporary Dance from the INBAL School of Music and Dance in Monterrey. Since 1982, her work has been seen in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Scotland, Ecuador, Spain, the United States, France, England, and Germany. She works on movement, choreography, and interpretation for montages with different theater directors, including Peter Greenaway. Since 1995, Ms. Tagle has collaborated in more than 80 dance, theater and opera productions with national and international companies, institutions, and festivals, as well as some film productions. She currently teaches acting and collaborates with the Compañía Nacional de Teatro y Ópera de Bellas Artes as a stage director and choreographer in Mexico.

Ronell Oliveri

Wig & Hair Designer

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. Currently she is the resident wig and makeup designer for Opera Colorado and Opera Omaha. As a wig and makeup artist her professional credits include engagements with Chicago Lyric Opera, LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theater of Saint Louis, and Boston Ballet. She was a Prime-Time Emmy nominee as key makeup artist for her work in television. Her work can also be seen in several Broadway shows including Wicked, All The Way, and Waitress. Recent engagements include Boston Lyric Opera’s Cavalleria Rusticana, Opera Omaha’s Don Pasquale and La traviata, and Central City Opera’s 2023 summer festival. Upcoming engagements include Pacific Symphony's La Bohème, and Opera Colorado’s Samson and Delilah

Ali Pohanka Makeup Designer

Ali Pohanka makes her Opera Omaha debut with El último sueño de Frida y Diego. Ms. Pohanka’s credits include Disney’s Frozen (National Tour, Associate Makeup Designer), Fiddler on the Roof, Beauty and the Beast, Cabaret, Matilda, South Pacific, On the Town, and My Fair Lady at Olney Theatre Center; Norma, The Tales of Hoffmann, Tosca, La bohéme, Pagliacci, and Die Zauberflöte at Palm Beach Opera; Così fan tutte at Washington National Opera;

Carmen at Opera Colorado; Caroline, or Change at Round House Theatre; Which Way to the Stage, and Sweeney Todd (Makeup Designer, Assistant Wig Designer) at Signature Theater; Don Giovanni (Assistant Wig Designer) at Wolf Trap Opera; The Skin of Our Teeth at Quintessence Theatre; Sweeney Todd (Associate Designer) at Atlanta Opera; Faust, South Pacific, Little Women, and The Barber of Seville at Annapolis Opera; Big Fish at Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. Ms. Pohanka’s film credits include Servant (Key Makeup Artist) and The Cosmos Sisters (Key Hair and Makeup).

Jorge

Ballina Scenic Designer

Jorge Ballina makes his Opera Omaha debut with El último sueño de Frida y Diego. Born in Mexico City, Mr. Ballina graduated with a degree in architecture. He is a member of the Mexican National System of Art Creators and has studied and collaborated with renowned Mexican Scenic Designer Alejandro Luna. Mr. Ballina’s designs have been exhibited at five Prague Quadrennial festivals, winning an honorary mention in 2003. He won the gold medal at the World Stage Design Toronto 2005 exhibition and second place at the 2022 Calgary edition. He has designed more than one hundred and twenty sets for Mexican and international productions of opera, theater, musicals, and dance. His opera designs include Die Zauberflöte, Macbeth, Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, Così fan tutte, L'italiana in Algeri, Fidelio, Rusalka, Les contes d'Hoffmann, L'amour de Loin, The Rake’s Progress, Cavalleria Rusticana-Pagliacci, Carmen, Wagner’s Ring Cycle and El ultimo sueño de Frida y Diego. In 2009 he directed and designed Benjamin Britten’s Death in Venice.

Eloise Kazan Costume Designer

Eloise Kazan makes her Opera Omaha debut with El último sueño de Frida y Diego. Miss Kazan studied fine arts at the San Carlos Academy of Fine Arts in Mexico City and graduated from a postgraduate design course at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in the UK. She works internationally as a designer in theatre, dance, opera, interior design and film projects. Her credits include costume design for the Royal Shakespeare Company production of A Soldier in Every Son directed by Roxana Silbert (UK, 2012), costume design for the critically acclaimed play The Good Canary directed by John Malkovich (produced by Retrolab and Mr.Mudd. Mexico 2008), costume design for Hermès luxury design house, Let`s Play Riviera Maya show in 2018 and the production design for Deborah Kampmeier`s independent feature film Split, released in 2016. She was a recipient of the top prize for costume design at the Prague Quadrennial 2007 and a member of the international jury of Prague Quadrennial 2015 and World Stage Design 2017 and 2022. She is a member of Sistema Nacional de Creadores de Arte (SNCA).

Josh Quinn Chorus Director

Josh Quinn is the Head of Music and Chorus Director with Opera Omaha and was the Music Director and Chorus Director for the Janiec Opera Company at the Brevard Music Center from 2018-2023. Last season, he debuted with Opera Baltimore conducting Faust, and served on music staff with Opera Omaha for productions of X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X, and Suor Angelica. He served as the Chorus Director for the Sioux City Symphony’s performances of Mahler’s 2nd Symphony. While on staff with Chicago Opera Theater, he was involved in the premieres of eight new operas. He was the Director of Opera Studies at North Park University, and vocal coach at DePaul University and Roosevelt University in Chicago. He holds BM, MM and Artist Diploma in Vocal Performance and Professional Diploma in Collaborative Piano from the New England Conservatory, and is an artist member of Music for Food, a musician-led initiative to fight hunger.

Stephanie Sánchez Frida Kahlo

Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Sánchez makes her Opera Omaha debut in El último sueño de Frida y Diego. This season, Ms. Sánchez was engaged by several notable companies including the Phoenix Symphony, Kentucky Opera, The Ravinia Festival, Cincinnati Opera, Arizona Opera, and Intermountain Opera Bozeman. Looking ahead to 2024-25, she will sing title role in Carmen with the Newport Music Festival, Fricka and Flosshilde in Der ring in einem Abend with West Edge Opera, the alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Phoenix Symphony, and returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Mrs. Moreno in Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners. Ms. Sánchez has been the recipient of several awards, recently taking home the Audience Choice Award at the 2021 Jensen Foundation competition. She was the grand prize recipient of the 2018 Igor Gorin Memorial Award, first place in the Young Texas Artist Music Competition, and has received generous grants from the Olga Forrai Foundation, Anna Sosenko Trust, and the Hispanic Scholarship Association.

Levi Hernandez Diego Rivera

Baritone Levi Hernandez returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in La Fanciulla del West With a velvety tone and a stage presence which exudes confidence and charm, Levi Hernandez has made a name for himself in a wide variety of baritone repertoire. The El Paso native has joined the rosters of leading opera companies including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Houston Grand Opera where he débuted as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. This season, he joins El Paso Opera for their Mozart by Moonlight concert, Opera San Antonio as the Father in Hansel and Gretel, brings his celebrated Dandini in La Cenerentola to Boston Lyric Opera, performs Tonio in Pagliacci with Hawaii Opera Theatre, and bows with the Virginia and Oregon Symphonies for Handel’s Messiah

Soprano Laura León makes her Opera Omaha debut in El último sueño de Frida y Diego. Ms. León is a Cuban coloratura soprano known for her role of Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute by Mozart. She is also known for singing all heroine roles in The Tales of Hoffmann by Offenbach, showing the soprano’s diverse vocal and histrionic skills. Her latest credits include singing with Lyric Opera of Chicago in the World Premiere of The

Factotum, Dulcinea in the World Premiere of Don Quijote, Ana Maria in the world premiere of the orchestrated version of Zorro and this year she will sing the role of The Moon in the iconic Before Night Falls. Ms. León enjoys performing innovative productions and especially loves operas that highlight Latinos and the immigrations struggles in the US.

César Aguilar Leonardo

César Aguilar makes his Opera Omaha debut in El último sueño de Frida y Diego. Mr. Aguilar is a Mexican-Canadian countertenor currently pursuing his doctoral studies in Voice Performance at the University of Toronto. Opera credits include roles in L'enfant et les sortilèges, La fille du régiment, Hansel and Gretel and The Magic Flute. César is an active recitalist and lecturer; he was part of Nada es lo que parece at the National Arts Centre (CENART) in Mexico City and was a mentor as part of the Tidriks Distance Learning Program and the Bahlest Eeble Readings (GLFCAM) in California, USA. He most recently premiered the title role in Joseph Martin Water’s El Colibrí Mágico in Tijuana, México. Upcoming performances include the premiere of two commissions by composers Timothy Petersen and Iman Habibi.

Laura León Catrina

BIOGRAPHIES

Jesse Wohlman

Aldeano 1

Baritone Jesse Wohlman returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in La traviata Mr. Wohlman is a singer, actor, songwriter, and university instructor based in Omaha, Nebraska. Locally, he has had the pleasure of working with a variety of performing arts organizations including the Omaha Symphony, BLUEBARN Theatre, Opera Omaha, Vesper Concerts, Salt Creek Song Festival, and is a core member of Résonance. Recent credits include Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Résonance, the Beast in Beauty and the Beast with The Rose Theater, and the bass soloist in Bach’s “Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme” with the Omaha Symphonic Chorus. Mr. Wohlman received a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and is a faculty member of the Borland School of Music at Concordia University, Nebraska.

Graham Brooks Aldeano 2/Young Man

Tenor Graham Brooks returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in La traviata. A young, versatile singer from Omaha, Nebraska, Mr. Brooks has sung operatic roles in repertoire spanning 5 centuries and 7 languages. He was recently engaged as the Tenor Soloist in Hastings College's Messiah. Mr. Brooks spent the summer of 2023 with Central City Opera as a Young Artist, where he sang in Roméo et Juliette, Kiss Me, Kate, and Rossini's Otello. In the Spring of 2023, he sang Don Basilio and Don Curzio in The Marriage of Figaro with Opera Omaha and sang Dominique in Amy Beach's Cabildo as a Guest Artist with Simpson College. In two summers with Utah Vocal Arts Academy, Mr. Brooks performed Pluto in Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld and The Prince in Dvorak's Rusalka Additionally, his favorite collegiate credits include Giovanni in Catàn's La hija de Rappaccini, Laurie in Adamo's Little Women, and both Tamino and Monostatos in separate productions of Mozart's Die Zauberflöte

Emmanuel Saenz

Aldeano 3

Baritone Emmanuel Saenz makes his Opera Omaha debut in El último sueño de Frida y Diego. Born in Mexico City, Mr. Saenz has lived in Omaha for 12 years. As a violinist and a singer, he has been in the music industry for the last 10 years playing with local traditional Mexican bands (Mariachi). Mr. Saenz currently studies with Thomas Gunther at the Omaha Conservatory of Music and draws inspiration from Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Javier Solis, and Frank Sinatra. Outside of opera, his passions include traveling, cooking, and languages.

Rocio Valle Frida Image 1/Guadalupe Ponti

Soprano Rocio Valle Lucero returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in La traviata. Ms. Valle is from Chihuahua, Mexico and has been Omaha based since 2022. She obtained her Bachelor’s in Music in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Ms. Valle has been performing with Opera Omaha since 2022 as part of the Opera Omaha Chorus and as a soloist in different events including singing Suor Dolcina in Suor Angelica. She has had the opportunity to perform in different states of northern Mexico and here in the U.S. in Texas, Utah and Nebraska. She has had the opportunity to study acting with Anthony Laciura and participate in a masterclass with Deborah Voight. Currently, she studies with Maestra Judith Natalucci and Maestro Jesus Suaste.

Jill Galvin Frida Image 2

Mezzo-soprano Jill Galvin returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in La traviata. Already carving a place for herself in the operatic world, in the summer of 2023, Ms. Galvin sang the title role in Handel’s Giulio Cesare with Opera Seme, making her international debut. Highlights from her undergraduate work include Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, and Nancy Wilkerson and Jane Swisshelm in No Ladies in the Ladies Book. Not only was Ms. Galvin involved in operatic works during her undergrad, but she also performed with UNO’s Concert Choir in collaboration with the Omaha Symphony on multiple occasions. She is a section leader at St. Cecilia’s Cathedral and teaches piano and voice lessons at Gretna Music Lessons. She plans to attend graduate school in the fall to continue her vocal and artistic development.

Hayley Shoemaker

Frida Image 3

Mezzo-soprano Hayley Shoemaker returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in La traviata. An award-winning mezzo-soprano based in Lincoln, NE, Ms. Shoemaker recently graduated with her Doctor of Music Arts in Vocal Performance from the Glenn Korff School of Music at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She delights in sharing her love of singing and feels equally at home on the opera, musical theater, and recital stage. This summer, Ms. Shoemaker made her debut with Lawrence Opera Theatre in the title role of Bizet's Carmen. Previous roles include Bradamante in Alcina, Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Prince Charmant in Cendrillon, Third Lady in The Magic Flute, India in The Real Gemma Jordan, Rachel in The Highest Yellow, Angelina in La Cenerentola, Penelope in The Return of Ulysses, and Dorabella in Così fan tutte. This summer, Ms. Shoemaker will make her international debut performing excerpts from Carmen in a concert series in Eutin, Germany.

Art by Natori Pittman

ARTISTIC & PRODUCTION STAFF

Anthony Rivera STAGE MANAGER

Stephanie Smith* ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Jeron Dooling

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Elaina Veasey*

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Taylor Jackson

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Katherine Blice

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Brendon Shapiro

REHEARSAL PIANIST

Laura Peters

PROPERTIES SUPERVISOR

Martin Benesh*

ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER

Aaron Craig LIGHTING PROGRAMMER

CHORUS

SOPRANO

Gretchen Crane

Crystal Dunning

Olivia Hacker

CeCe Hastreiter

Reagan Hinze*

Carole Jeanpierre

Darien Myers-Krommenhoek*

Rocio Valle

ALTO

Stephanie Catton*

Mary Carrick

Blair DeBolt*

Jill Galvin

Megan Parsons

Laura Petry

Hayley Shoemaker

Judi Unger

Amanda Jones

COSTUME SUPERVISOR

Gary Bosanek

WARDROBE COORDINATOR

Maegan Sarah Roux

WARDROBE AND MAKEUP ASSISTANT

Candace Leyland

ASSOCIATE WIG DESIGNER

Bruce Stasyna*

SUPERTITLES AUTHOR

Bryan Stanley

CHORUS REHEARSAL PIANIST/ SUPERTITLE OPERATOR

Alejandra Sandoval-Montañez

LINGUISTIC SUPPORT FOR THE CHORUS

Al Dusek+

HEAD PRODUCTION CARPENTER

Scott Wasson+

HEAD PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN

+IATSE Local 42

TENOR

Graham Brooks

Jeremy Duck

Dillon Edwards

Jonathan Frazier

Jason Pandelidis*

Gavin Rasmussen

Daniel Schreiber

BASS

Matthew Brown

Jon Hickerson

Bret Olsen

David Petry

Emmanuel Saenz*

Jesse Wohlman

SUPERNUMERARIES

Clint Beaver

Janae Buckley*

Courtney Cairncross

Crystal Garcia*

Robert Hawkey*

Maria Ramsey *

Andrew Rodionov*

Marina Rosado*

Katrina Thurman

*Opera Omaha Debut

Stagehand Services are provided by IATSE Local 42. Wardrobe Services are provided by IATSE Local 831.

Opera Omaha is a member of OPERA America.

SYMPHONY

VIOLIN 1

Susanna Perry Gilmore, Concertmaster

Ahra Cho, 1st Associate Concertmaster

Henry Jenkins, 2nd Associate Concertmaster

Christopher Hake, Assistant Concertmaster

Rebecca Kia-Mills

Phyllis Duncan

Scott Shoemaker

Tracy Dunn

Anne Nagosky

Ricardo Amador

Melissa Pruss

Juliet Yoshida

VIOLIN 2

Keith Plenert, Principal 2nd Violin

Frank Seligman, Associate Principal 2nd Violin

Kevin Tompkins, Assistant Principal 2nd Violin

Daniel Fletcher

Lucy Duke

Yi-Miao Huang

Mary Perkinson

Michael Keelan

VIOLA

Thomas Kluge, Principal

Tyler Sieh, Associate Principal

Margo Romig-Motycka

Judy Divis

Bozhidar Shopov

Alexa Brown

Sarah Curley

Rebecca Vieker

CELLO

Paul Ledwon, Principal

Gregory Clinton, Associate Principal

Timothy Strang, Assistant Principal

Mark Motycka

Holly Gullen-Stout

Shannon Merciel

Trevor Peterson

Korynne Bolt

BASS

Nate Olsen, Principal

Robert Scharmann, Assistant Principal

James Giles

Michael Swartz

Danielle Meier

Jeremy Baguyos

FLUTE

Maria Harding, Principal

Lisa Meyerhofer, Assistant Principal

Kasumi Leonard, 3rd Flute and Piccolo

OBOE

Alexandra Rock, Prinicpal

Heather Baxter, Assistant Principal

Christine Sallas, 3rd Oboe and English Horn

CLARINET

Carmelo Galante, Principal

Rosario Galante, Assistant Principal

Madison Freed, 3rd Clarinet and Bass Clarinet

BASSOON

James F. Compton, Principal

Nicholas Nelson, Assistant Principal

Karen Sandene, Third Bassoon and Contrabassoon

HORN

Brett Hodge, Principal

Austin Ruff, Associate Principal

Steven Schultz

Jordan Dinkins

TRUMPET

Scott Quackenbush, Principal

Federico Montes, Associate Principal

Christopher Hass

TROMBONE

Patrick Pfister, Principal

Jason Stromquist

Jay Wise

TUBA

Craig Fuller, Principal

TIMPANI

Jack Rago, Principal

PERCUSSION

Derek Dreier, Principal

Paul Matthews, Assistant Principal

HARP

Sara Magill, Principal

KEYBOARD

Christi Zuniga, Principal

ORCHESTRA 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

Tracy Bass, Head Librarian

Nicholas Buonanni, Librarian

John Coate, Stage Manager

NOW IN ITS SEVENTH 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 “Discovery.” Opera Omaha received 103 poem submissions from student poets at 45 schools in 12 counties across Nebraska and Iowa. The poets ranged from second graders to high school seniors, including first time poets and seasoned writers. All submitted poems will be available in the Poetry & Music Project Book, available online, and as part of the Omaha Public Library Collection.

While there were many outstanding poems submitted to the project, in the end, project composers Amber Vistein and Sidney Marquez Boquiren selected 13 poems that inspired them and set them to original music. These pieces were premiered in a concert on April 6, 2024 at the Omaha Conservatory of Music. Recordings are available online.

PRODUCING PARTNER

Additional partners include:

Supported by:

23/24 SELECTED POEMS

“I Am A Weird Kid” by Thaddeus Horner, Hayward Elementary (Nebraska City)

“Finding My Story” by Emelia Howell, Homeschool (Bennington)

“Friends” by Sylvia Kastl, Sacred Heart Elementary (Norfolk)

“Laika” by Ava Larson Gallegos, Brownell Talbot (Omaha)

“A Rainy Day… Time Flies…” by Marty Minor, Lewis and Clark Middle School (Omaha)

“The Sun” by Evie Nelson, Gretna High School (Gretna)

“From Darkness to Light” by Stephany Orellana-Gómez, Benson High School (Omaha)

“A Tale of Introversion” by Norah Purcell, Central High School (Omaha)

“3-1=2” by Keelynn Reese, Titan Hill Intermediate School (Council Bluffs, IA)

“It Is What It Is” by Jackson Rios, Sacred Heart Elementary (Norfolk)

“US” by River Sirek, Sacred Heart Elementary (Norfolk)

“Don’t Grow Up” by Zehla Sobansky, Kiewit Middle School (Omaha)

“My Home” by Annabelle Wilson, St. Patrick School (McCook)

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

Mike & Cindy Baumer

Tom Burton

Gina Carusi

Kate & Chris Gannon–Tombrello

Bill Gaus

Nora Mae & John Gibson

Patti Jaynes

Christine Lund

Kevin Mader

Dean Manternach

Julie Mead

Patty Pandzik

Christine & Patrick Peters

Valerie Proctor

Dick Serpan

Margret Sexton

Brendy Shishido

Saprina Theisen

Joe Torchia

Annika Weber

The Opera Omaha Guild is a dedicated group of individuals 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 operaomaha.org/guild for additional information. We appreciate your interest and look forward to hearing from you soon!

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Deb Peterson

PRESIDENT

Lora Kaup

PRESIDENT ELECT

Kelly Sanford

PAST PRESIDENT

Josie Wadman

VP EDUCATION

Kelly Sanford

VP FUNDRAISING

Dana Carlton-Flint

VP MEMBERSHIP

Lora Kaup

VP SOCIAL

Lisa Hagstrom

COTILLION LIAISON

Vivian Davis

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

Connie Kinnear

RECORDING SECRETARY

April Nebel

TREASURER

Frida Kahlo and the Blue House

AT LARGE BOARD MEMBERS

Betty Foster

Mark Maser

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Sherry Taxman

Sara Young

The 23-24 season is over, and what a year it was!

Planning for the 2024-2025 season is underway and it is going to be filled with majestic classical standards, intriguing and inspiring soloists, a joyous holiday program, educational family concerts, and a few thrilling things never seen before on the LSO stage.

Subscriptions on sale starting June 1, 2024 and single tickets starting August 1, 2024 .

Single tickets cost $20/$40 for adults and $5 for youth, and subscriptions start at $80.

EDWARD POLOCHICK MUSIC DIRECTOR

Don Giovanni The Rake's Progress Giulio Cesare Fantastic Mr. Fox

Mozart Stravinsky Handel Picker

Don Giovanni

Fri. Oct. 18, 2024 | 7:30 PM

Sun. Oct. 20, 2024 | 2:00 PM

Step into a world of seduction and vengeance with Mozart's timeless masterpiece, Don Giovanni. The famous libertine Don Giovanni leaves lovers, friends, and enemies in his wake with no regard for the consequences. His heartless deceptions invite us to ask ourselves: do we get what we deserve in the end? Don Giovanni resonates in your soul long after the final note.

The Rake's Progress

Fri. Feb. 7, 2025 | 7:30 PM Sun. Feb. 9, 2025 | 2:00 PM

Embark on a journey through the perils of excess in The Rake's Progress. This satire depicts the rise and fall of Tom Rakewell, a young man enticed by the promise of wealth and pleasure. Featuring some of the finest singing actors in opera, with Stravinsky's genius score at the forefront, join us and find out whether Trulove conquers all.

Giulio Cesare

Thurs. May 1, 2025 | 7:30 PM

Travel through ancient Egypt with Handel's Giulio Cesare. The English Concert, the world’s preeminent Baroque orchestra, visits Omaha for one night only to present the tale of Julius Caesar, the infamous Roman general and dictator. The English Concert and conductor Harry Bicket will be seated onstage, and you will see the interchange between the orchestra, some playing historic Baroque instruments, and the singers. This semi-staged opera will transport you back in time, although the themes of power, love, and politics are timeless.

Fantastic Mr. Fox

June 5–8, 2025

Not included with subscription.

Skip into a whimsical world of furry friends and adventures in Fantastic Mr. Fox. Roald Dahl's classic novel comes to life in this delightful opera by American composer Tobias Picker. Join Mr. Fox and his clever animal companions as they outsmart three bumbling farmers. Perfect for opera enthusiasts and families alike, this new production performed at Lauritzen Gardens will leave you with a smile as big as Mr. Fox's plans!

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOWSHIP

The Holland Community Opera Fellowship (HCOF) works collaboratively with community partners to co-create programming that helps individuals, organizations, and communities reach their goals, acting as creative and artistic resources to the community.

Fellows serve as ambassadors of the company by bringing their artistic talents and resources to the table, partnering with experts in the community who are actively working to solve the most pressing challenges our neighbors are facing. Via this collaboration, Fellows work to impact social issues such as homelessness, accessibility and inclusion within disability services, immigration, early childhood education, and more.

THE COMMUNITY PANEL

Guiding the Fellowship, the Commmunity Panel represents a cross-section of the community including organizations, businesses, neighborhoods, and community groups. The panel considers high level strategic decisions and priorities, helping set the direction of the Fellowship and is a critical part of the Fellow selection process.

23/24 COMMUNITY PANEL

Ang Bennett, Inclusive Communities

Camtrice Bexten, NU Foundation

Tiffiny Clifton, Gotta Be Me

Geri Knight, RISE

Rachel Morgan, Nebraska Arts Council

Erin Painter, Learning Community Center of South Omaha

Rita Paskowitz, Storyteller

Alysia Radicia, RDG Design

Wildey Rodriguez, Intercultural Senior Center

Paula Wallace, Artist/Hot Shops

Angie Williams, MICAH House

Gwyn Williams, Independent Leadership Coach

COMMUNITY PARTNERS & PROGRAMMING

The Holland Community Opera Fellowship creates responsive programming that acknowledges the specific strengths of each participating individual or community partner. Our partners are the experts in their communities and we rely on them to identify the needs of the people they serve.

23/24 PROGRAMMING PARTNERS

AS A FELLOWSHIP, WE BUILD

relationships and engage in collaboration with community partners

EMPOWER individuals to explore their own creativity through the many facets of opera including music, visual art, design, and storytelling

COLLABORATE to identify priority issues and programming that amplify and support the mission of community partners

CREATE opportunities for safe expression, including a full range of emotions

INSPIRE and cultivate a diverse, empathetic, and creative community in Omaha

Sarpy County Juvenile Justice Center

The Holland Community Opera Fellowship has partnered with the Learning Community Center of South Omaha doing story time and creative workshops with toddlers, preschoolers, and families since 2017. Our time together focuses on the importance of social emotional skills and allows for creative expression in the classroom. Together, we also highlight the amazing power of being bilingual. The children have worked hard to learn new songs and are excited when Fellows arrive to read and make music together. Books about friendship and kindness, Frida Kahlo and her animals, dreaming big, and celebrating holidays and cultural events are just a few that were read recently.

“One of my favorite parts of going to these workshops is the eagerness and endless creativity from our youngest artists. It’s always a joy to see how our stories inspire us to sing a new song, move around the classroom, or make a fun craft together! ”

Alejandra Sandoval-Montañez HCOF Fellow

In addition to our HCOF programming, LCC families have joined us for Opera Outdoors, opera performances at the Orpheum Theater, and a special Opera To Go concert as part of LCC’s 10th anniversary block party. For El último sueño de Frida y Diego, LCC ELS students worked on a project with UNO students learning about Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, sharing what they learned, and are enjoying the opera together!

DONORS

We are immensely grateful for our incredible community of supporters. Through their remarkable generosity in support of Opera Omaha’s Annual Fund, our donors empower us to produce world-class opera and deliver groundbreaking, free community engagement and education programming for the tens of thousands of audience members, artists, and neighbors we serve.

This listing reflects gifts received between October 15, 2022-February 15, 2024

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

$100,000+

Richard Holland*

Mary and Richard Parrish

Annette and Paul Smith

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

$50,000- $99,999

Anonymous

Carol E. and David A. Domina

Joan* and Richard* O’Brien

Julie M. Schroeder

Katie Weitz and Tim Wilson

Kate and Roger Weitz

PRODUCER

$25,000-$49,999

Anonymous (2)

Cindy and Mogens Bay

Catherine and Terry Ferguson

Steve Menzies

Constance B. Meunier Trust

Meredith and Drew Weitz

Joan Gibson* and Donald Wurster

Gail and Michael Yanney

BACKER

$10,000-$24,999

Roger Blauwet

Dr. Anne and Stephen Bruckner

Linda Burt Rebrovic and John Rebrovic

Sylvia B. Cohn

David and Frances Ertel

Kyoko and Jonathan Fuller

Vivian and Allen Hager

Vernie and Carter Jones

Janet and H. Frederick Kuehl

Sharee and Murray Newman

Jane and David Offutt

Rita and Donald Otis

Barbara Person and Scott

Burger

Janet and Jerry Syslo

Dr. and Mrs. James and Susan

Tracy

Ellen and Robert Vladem

BENEFACTOR

$5,000-$9,999

Anonymous

Linda Matson Andersen

Jo Bartikoski and Don Westling

Dr. Betty L. Beach

Sara and Jawed Bharwani

Sharon and Randy Blackburn

Sandi and Bill Bruns

Dr. Devin J. Fox and Rob Block

Linda and David Gardels

Jerry C. Gose

Joanne and David Kolenda

Vicki and David Krecek

Sheila McNeill

Pauline Quinn

Debra Reilly-Culver and Robert Culver, Jr.

Silvia Greene Roffman

Ellen and Richard Slosburg

Donna and Coyner Smith

Shirley and Michael Sorrell

Kenley and Jara SturdivantWilson

Mary Beth and James Winner

GUARDIAN

$3,500-$4,999

Anonymous

Belle and Ryan Hansen

Carol and James Healy

Ann and Paul O'Hara

SUSTAINER

$1,500-$3,499

Nicholas Bjornson

Maria Carlson

Bruce Chemel

Janet and Samuel Cohen

Linda and Tim* Daugherty

Viv and John Ewing

Andrea and Donald Fineberg

Betty Foster

Kiley and Mike Freeman

Bill L. Gaus

Judy and George Haecker, Jr.

Constance Heiden Kammandel and Henry Kammandel

Mary Jetton

Sandra and Jon Kayne

Mr. and Mrs. James H.* Keene III

Ali Khan

Katie LeDoux

Deana and Michael* Liddy

Paul Ledwon and Mark Allen Maser

Sharon McGill

Stephen Novick

Connie and H. Don* Osborne

Deb and Eric Peterson

Sissy Katelman Silber

Mary Ann Strasheim

Ginger Talbot

Sherry and Jeff Taxman

Dr. Terry Tomcsik

Gail and Irving Veitzer

Kris Vikmanis and Denny Creighton

Verne Weber

Anne and Arnold Weitz

Ann and John Williamson

Sarah and Adam Yale

John A. Yost

PATRON

$750-$1,499

Laura and Bryan Alexander

Murray Joseph Casey

Elisa and Drew Davies

Joan Desens and Simon CarrEllison

Rebecca and Brian Duncan

Christine and Mauro Fiore

Jeffrey Grinnell and Daniel Gallagher

Leslie Garth

Lisa Hagstrom

Ree and Jun Kaneko

Alfred G. Kelley

Michele and Bryan Kinghorn

Marilyn and Mark Kirchhoff

Barbara and Marshall Kushner

Dominique Laffont

Joanne Li and Frank Stalla

Ana Lopez Shalla and Hassan Shalla

Cheryl and Luke Matranga

Dr. Linda Matson and Mr. Michael Howland

Nancy and Michael McCarthy

Karen and Larry Nelsen

Elizabeth and Jerry Powell

Casimiro Rangel and Erik Henningsen

John Reed

Carol and Richard Russell

Donald Slaughter

Anne Stoddard

Shelby VanNordstrand

Cindy Weil

Melanie and John Wright

ADVOCATE

$300-$749

Eileen and Timothy Arkebauer

Teri and David Black

Beth and Steve Borgmann

Kathleen Joan Bradley

Katie and Corey Broman

Ann and David Burkholder

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

Joan and Don Cimpl

Cora and Maurice Conner

Eileen M. Crinklaw

Melissa and John Dahir

Mary and Hal Daub

Vivian and Spencer Davis

Steven J. Dayton

Gloria Dinsdale

Karen and Richard Everett

Mary and Ronald Ferdig

Sarah Marie Ferneding

Mary Fieber

Andrew Frost

Elizabeth and John Fullerton

Kate and Chris GannonTombrello

Susan Grant and Rex Beck

John K. Green

Kimberly Hastie and Timothy Welch

Timothy Held and Jay Worden

Mary Helms and Kenneth Olson

Shari Hofschire

Stanton Hoppe

Susan and Craig Ihnen

Jeffrey Johnston

Barbara Johnston

Sylvia Jones

Donna and James Kalar

Sally Kaplan

Mike Klug

Heike and Adam Langdon

Helen and William Little

Cheryl Logan

Kathleen and John Lohr

Jake and Jenny Mason

Dorothy* and Daniel McKinney

Neil Sechan and Matthew Messner

Karen and Paul Mullen

April and Jonathan Nebel

Gwendolyn Olney and Scott Peters

Polly and Frank Partsch

Rosemary J. Pauley and Timothy F. Daugherty

H. Margo Prentiss

Tom Richter

Victoria and Edward Roche

Susan and Clark Rosenlof

Erin Sample

Susan Scherl

Kay M. Shilling, M.D.

Daniel Cox and Eleanor Shirley

David Sontag

Kara and Joe Spitzenberger

Ann Stephens and John Vasiliades

Peter and Marika Stone

Pia Ulrich

Greta Vaught and John Ritland

Patricia Victor

Raymond W. Vondrak

W. Bruce Warr

Sarah Watson

Laura Wilwerding

James Wink

Brad Woolbright

Mary* and Anthony Yonkers

FRIEND

$1-$299

Anonymous (4)

Laureen Ackermann

Ann Antlfinger

Barbara Antonides

Cheryl Arends

Kelsey E. Arends

Patty Baker

Marco Ballarin

Jean Ann Ballinger and Ward

Peters

Marti Baumert and Richard

Jeffrey

Susan Baumert

Erna Beach

Lorraine Beadell and Greg Love

Mark Beck

Mayrene Bentley

Laila Berre

Camtrice Bexten

Eric Bildt

Tamien Blackamore

Franz Blaha

Amy Bones

Abby Borgmann

Lyn and Stephen Bouma

Mia H. Brenner

Kate W. Brown

Rob Buckley

Janice and Mario Buda

Janet* and Donald Bumgarner

Frank Burnham

Judeen Bursovsky

Clare and Tom Burton

Thad and Sharon Call

Karen and David Campbell

David Campbell

Thomas Carr

Karlyn and Richard Carson

Elizabeth Case

Felicia Cervantes

Melanie and Jeffrey Chapman

Susan Chenoweth

Christine and Bob Chilcoat

Donna Christian

Tiffiny Clifton

Patricia Cody

Mary Jo and Richard Coffey

Shannon M. Coleman

Elizabeth A. Collins

Lisa Couillard

Carmelita Cox

Kathleen Crawford-Rose and

Robert Rose

Eric Crimmins

Rex Daugherty

Jennifer and James Davenport

Michael Del Core

Karen and Allan Dennis

Hildy Dickinson

Joyce Dixon

John Donnellon

Janice and Robert Egermayer

Karla Ermel

Marleen and Timothy Evans

Micah Fannin

Caitlin Finn

Beverly Fleckten

Sherry Fletcher

Kaitlin Flynn

Rick Fortner

Patrick M. Fortney

Terry Foster

Sandra Franklin

Amy Forss

Karen Gahl-Mills

Mary and Barry Gerken

Leanne Gifford

Rosanne Glock

Paul Godinez

Ann and Donald Goldstein

Donna Gould

Bob Graybosch

Mary Green

Jeanne and Joe Gregory

Rex-Ann Gualco

David Gunn

Cindy Hadsell

Kathleen Haley

Daniel Hamann

Marilyn and Robert Hansen

Erik Hanson

Ellen Hargus

William and Gretchen Harvey

Neil Hassler

Jane and Edward Hawks

Cheryl and Joe Hazel

Erica Heiden

Hon. Marcena Hendrix and Dr. Howard Fox

Linda Henslee

Daniel S. Henslee

Marilyn Hoegemeyer

Margaret Horvath

Ann and Don Hosford

Tonya House

Linda Hoven

Annette and Steven Huff

Nikolas Huffman

Bonnie and David Jaros

Debra and Byron Jensen

Vibeke Jensen

Beverly A. Kaiman

Vanessa Kalil

Ruth Ann Keene

Kelly Keller

Kathleen Kelley

Seth Kingery

Piotr Andrzej Kissel

Julia Kleinschmit

Geri Knight

Alexia Kniska and Bo Smith

Maria Knudtson

Paul Koenig

Wende and John Kotouc

Dr. Kathryn R. Kruger

Barbara Kuhn

Leslie Kuhnel

Robert Kuzelka

Dr. and Mrs. Rudy Lackner

Julie Langholdt

Julie and Joseph Lecci

Elaine Leise

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Levins Sr.

Ryan P. Lewis

Stan Lewis

Sherryl and Hiram Lilley

Billie D. Logan

Jeffrey B. Loomis

Jan and Blake Lund

Christine Lund

Karla* and John Marburger

Charles Mausser

Ali R. McBride

Christine and Jim Medici

Taliah Merritt

Ann Jansen Michelson and Brent Michelson

Cindy Miserez

Douglas Little

Richard Morris

Tom Murnan

Kevin Murray

Ann and Kevin Naylor

Jerry Tyrrell and Jon Nelson

Diana Nevins

Peter Nielsen

Rebecca J. Noble and Keith Allerton

Rodney Nordeng

Elizabeth Nybakken and William H. Graves

Tirimba Obonyo

Genevieve Odom

Douglas D. Olson

Sean Otterberg

Jeanie Owen

Chris Pantuso

Jill Panzer

Robert Patterson

Diane and Robert Peabody

DONORS

Jacob Pearson

Amie Prendes

Natalie Prescott

Abigail Kutlas-Prickett and Joe Prickett

Lisa and Dan Prickett

Emily Pulley

Patricia and Robert Ranney

TaTanisha Ranney

Paula and William Rasmussen

Cynthia and David Rector

Barbara and Gordon Reisinger

Patricia and William Ritchie

Devin T. Rogal

Noyes W. Rogers

Cyrenthia and Anthony Rollins

Dr. Debra J. Romberger

Laura Roost

Courtney Rudick

Nicholas G. Russell

Georgia and Jon Ryba

Rev. David Rykwalder

Cherie Sadler

Larry Saxton

Rita and Dean Schechinger

Laura Schoenrock

Nancy Schultz

Lourdes Secola and Sheldon Lerner

Margaret Sexton

Joan and Charles Shapiro

Douglas Simpleman

Jean and Thomas Sitzman

Edward Cohn

Kim Sosin

Sandra Spellmire

Dr. Sandra Squires

Glenda and George

Steinsberger

Del Stites

Mike J. Stodden

Barb Stratman

Lis and Jeff Strohmyer

Anna and Rock Sumner

Susan Swindells

Katherine and Joe Thomas

Monte and Duane Thompson

Lindsey J. Tomaso

Michael Torkelson

Jillian Tuck

Ginny Tworek

Leah Vinton

Shannon and Michael Walenta

Corinne Wardian

Theresa and Edward Watson

Marilyn Watson

Carolyn B. Weber

Terri Well Man

Shelli Wingett

Mary Wolf

Sara and John Young

Edith and Robert Zahniser

Susan and John Zeilinger

Inna Zevakina

*Deceased

BETWEEN ACTS FACTS

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FRIDA OR DIEGO PAINTING??

“ History of Mexico in the Palacio Nacional de México. ”

— César Aguilar LEONARDO

“ The Love Embrace of the Universe, the Earth (Mexico), Myself, Diego and Señor Xólotl ”

— Victor Zapateros LIGHTING DESIGNER

“ The Broken Column ”

— Stephanie Sánchez FRIDA

“ Self Portrait with Monkey and The Two Fridas ”

— Laura León CATRINA

“ The Two Fridas and Diego’s The Mathematician ”

— Lorena Maza DIRECTOR

“ Not a painting, but I love the pictures of Frida where Nickolas Muray is involved. ”

— Rocio Valle FRIDA IMAGE 1

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 October 15, 2022-February 15, 2024

IN MEMORY OF:

HARRIET BECKENHAUER

Opera Omaha Craftsman’s Guild

FRANK A. “SKIP” BLAZEK

Giger Foundation

MORRIS JAMES “JIM” BRUCKNER

Mary Beth and Jim Winner

PETER CLOGG

Victory Sedlacek

GLORIA DUNBAR

Victory Sedlacek

GLADYS ANN GANYARD

Mary Ann Strasheim

JOAN GIBSON

Tom Chandler and William Schaffer

Robert and Janice Egermayer

Lauritzen Gardens

James and Susan Tracy

ELSA GRIESBACH

Geri Knight

RHONDA HALL

Opera Omaha Craftsman’s Guild

BRUCE HANEY

Joanne and David Kolenda

JOHN HUTZLER

Christine and Jim Medici

JODY KERSSENBROCK

Sandra Kay Squires

ANN MACTIER

Joanne and David Kolenda

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

SANDY MATTHEWS

Heike and Adam Langdon

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Kate and Roger Weitz

JOAN AND RICHARD O’BRIEN

Ruth Keene

David and Joanne Kolenda

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Mary Ann Strasheim

Roger and Kate Weitz

BETSYE PARAGAS

Tom Chandler and William Schaffer

Sherry Fletcher

Sharon Hofschire

Kate and Roger Weitz

TOM ROGERS

Jean Ann Ballinger and Ward Peters

Tom Chandler and William Schaffer

Debra Reilly-Culver and Robert Culver, Jr.

Gloria Dinsdale

Sandy and Paul Epstein

Mark Maser and Paul Ledwon

Sharon McGill

Jim Morrow and Dorothy Davis Morrow

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Rebecca Noble and Keith Allerton

Pauline Quinn

Margaret and Gregory Sutton

Shannon and Michael Walenta

ROBERT G. RUETZ

Bill L. Gaus

Joanne and David Kolenda

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

CHERYL SANWICK

Betty L. Beach

Clare and Thomas Burton

Opera Omaha Craftsman’s Guild

Annika and Allen Weber

ELOUISE SQUIRES

Sandra Kay Squires

MIMI TANNER

Victory Sedlacek

IN HONOR OF:

CALEB JOHN CLIFTON

Tiffiny Clifton

HOWARD COFFIN

Sheldon Lerner and Lourdes Secola

CAROL AND DAVID DOMINA

Patrick Galvin

RUTH AND JAMES KEENE

Ruth Ann Keene

BILL AND MASAKO LOGAN

Billie D. Logan

MILES MYKKENAN

Stephen Novick

OPERA OMAHA STAFF

Joan Desens and Simon Carr-Ellison

MARY AND RICHARD PARRISH

Betty L. Beach

RICHARD PARRISH’S BIRTHDAY

Betty L. Beach

Mary Jetton

SUE PEARSON

Jacob Pearson

JOE PRICKETT

Allan and Karen Dennis

JAMES F. PYRZYNSKI

Bill L. Gaus

KELLY AND MARK SANFORD

Taylor Gunnels

ALLISON SWENSON

Rebecca Duncan

Andrea Fineberg

Neil Sechan and Matthew Messner

Brad Woolbright

SHANNON WALENTA

Erin Sample

KATIE WEITZ

Ana Lopez Shalla and Hassan Shalla

ROGER WEITZ

Sheldon Lerner and Lourdes Secola

Mary and Richard Parrish

Nicholas Russell

Janet and Jerry Syslo

Anne and Arnold Weitz

SARA YOUNG

Betty Foster

Ellen and Richard Shubart

GALA 2024

OPERA OMAHA THANKS EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED AND ATTENDED OUR 2024 GALA

DON’T LOOK BACK

Featuring GRAMMY® Award-winning Countertenor

Anthony Roth Costanzo

We are especially grateful for the remarkable generosity and leadership of the Gala’s Chairs and table sponsors:

Carol E. and David A. Domina, Chairs

PLATINUM

Cindy and Mogens Bay

Carol E. and David A. Domina

Holland Foundation

Jillian and Brian Jorde

Steve Menzies

Mary and Richard Parrish

GOLD

Domina Law Group pc llo

Catherine and Terrence Ferguson

Omaha Steaks

Linda Burt Rebrovic and John Rebrovic

UNMC College of Public Health

Kate and Roger Weitz

SILVER

Anonymous (2)

Dr. Anne and Stephen Bruckner

Anna-Karin and David Dillard

Carol E. and David A. Domina

FNBO

Dr. Betty Foster and Roger Blauwet

Dr. Jonathan and Kyoko Fuller

HDR

Janet and H. Frederick Kuehl

Kiewit

Jane and David Offutt

Barbara Person and Scott Burger

Dr. James and Susan Tracy

Union Pacific

University of Nebraska-Omaha

Valmont

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 and gratefully acknowledge our 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

Dr. Debra Reilly-Culver and Bob Culver

Ike and Roz Friedman Foundation

Linda and David Gardels

Geof* Heiden and Connie Heiden Kammandel

Mary* and Charles* Heider

Mary* and Richard* D. Holland

Aline Hosman*

Sally and Gary* Kaplan

Joanne and David Kolenda

Graham Lusk*

Charles MacKay and Cam McCluskey

Ann* and Allan* Mactier

Constance B. Meunier*

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

Rev. David Pace

Mary and Richard Parrish

Thompson H. Rogers*

Ruth and William* Scott

Eve and Fred* Simon

Dr. and Mrs. Michael and Shirley 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

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

The Edgar Foster Daniels Foundation

Holland Foundation

Peter Kiewit Foundation

Weitz Family Foundation

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

$50,000-$99,000

Anonymous

Heider Family Foundation

Omaha Steaks

PRODUCER

$25,000-$49,999

Allan and Ann Mactier Charitable Foundation

FNBO

Nebraska Arts Council

Nebraska Cultural Endowment

National Endowment for the Arts

Omaha Magazine

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Valmont Industries, Inc.

BACKER

$10,000-$24,999

Adah and Leon Millard Foundation

ConAgra Brands Foundation

Giger Foundation

The Hawks Foundation

Iowa West Foundation

Kiewit Corporation

Mammel Family Foundation

Mutual of Omaha

Rose Blumkin Foundation

Union Pacific Corporation

BENEFACTOR

$5,000-$9,999

CL Werner Foundation

Fraser Stryker

HDR, Inc.

Husch Blackwell LLP

Omaha Star

Opera Omaha Craftsman's Guild

RSM US LLP

University of Nebraska Omaha

Whitmore Charitable Trust

ADVOCATE

$1-$4,999

Amazon Smile Foundation

Backer Family Charitable Trust

Cimino Tours LLC

Community Foundation for Western Iowa

Dallas Foundation

Edward and Lida Robinson Charitable Trust

Great Plains Theatre Conference

Heritage Omaha

Humanities Nebraska

Koley Jessen P.C., LLC

Lauritzen Gardens

Mark Sanford Group

Midlands Community Foundation

OPERA America

Osaic Foundation

Paypal Giving Fund

The Fred and Sally Bekins Foundation

The Pepsico Foundation

Security National Bank

Soener Foundation

Strauss Charitable Fund

Streck, Inc

US Bank

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 theSeraglio*

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 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

2023-24

Opera Outdoors*

Don Pasquale

El Niño: Nativity

Reconsidered

La traviata

El último sueño de Frida y Diego

* New production

+ American Premiere

*** World Premiere

† Commissioned Work

++ Film/Digital Premiere

BETWEEN ACTS FACTS

WHAT WORD COMES TO MIND WHEN YOU THINK OF FRIDA KAHLO?

“ Innovation. ”

— Josh Quinn

CHORUS DIRECTOR

“ A force. ”

— Levi Hernandez DIEGO

“ Strength. She possessed what many have called an indomitable spirit. She poured her own personal struggles into her art and can truly be called a pioneer of feminism. ”

— Stephanie Sánchez FRIDA

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, and Steelhouse Omaha.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jack Koraleski, Chair

D. David Slosburg, Vice Chair

Michael S. Cassling, Vice Chair

H. Dele Davies, M.D.

Meg Lauritzen Dodge

Scott C. Heider

Todd L. Johnson

Rodrigo López

Sharlon Rodgers

Rachel Werner

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

Andy Cassano, Vice President of Programming and Education

Erika Hansen, Vice President of Commercial Entertainment

Alyssa Stieren, Associate Vice President of Finance

Lee Turkovich, Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Ashley Voorhees, Vice President of Administrative Services

GENERAL INFORMATION

COVID PRECAUTIONS

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. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us create a safe and enjoyable experience for all.

• 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, Holland Center, and Steelhouse Omaha 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 is also available.

Steelhouse Omaha - easy-access garage parking is available at the National Indemnity garage at 322 N. 12th street, other options include Omaha Park 8 and street parking.

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. Tickets for shows at Steelhouse Omaha are sold through Ticketmaster unless otherwise noted.

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 and Steelhouseomaha.com/visit for Steelhouse Omaha policies.

OPERA OMAHA

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 individuals 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 preperformance 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 shareomaha.org/nonprofit/opera-omaha.

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. 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.

ADVERTISING

For Opera Omaha program book advertising, please contact: Gil Cohen, Omaha Publications Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing

402.884.2047- O 402.612.9378- C gil@omahapublications.com