Suor Angelica

FEBRUARY 24 & 26, 2023

ORPHEUM THEATER

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WELCOME TO OPERA OMAHA

Dear Friends:

By opening night of Suor Angelica, I will have been General Director of Opera Omaha for just over one week! Thank you for your warm welcome.

It is an honor to lead Opera Omaha and follow the inimitable Roger Weitz, whose generosity of spirit is renowned, not only in Omaha but in the field of opera nationally. I am deeply grateful to Roger, Managing Director Shannon Walenta who served as Acting General Director, and to the entire company for their support and confidence.

Suor Angelica is the second of three oneact operas by Puccini known as Il Trittico, or The Triptych. It features soaring melodies and lush orchestration, the hallmarks of Puccini’s musical style that make him a perennial favorite in opera houses around the world to this day.

The themes of Suor Angelica are also resonant today. Since 2019, Opera Omaha has partnered with the MICAH House women’s shelter by providing weekly creative workshops that inspire joy and personal expression and build connections between participants. This type of hopeful and supportive programming is a real-life antidote to the circumstances our title character faces.

We hope you will join us for lighter fare, Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, in March and April. And then the 2023-2024 Season is just around the corner! We are delighted to present three productions in the Orpheum Theater, beginning with Donzietti’s Don Pasquale. There is something especially celebratory about opening the season with a comedy, and Don Pasquale promises to deliver laughs as well as glorious bel canto set pieces.

It has been said that “life is a comedy for those who think and a tragedy for those who feel.” For those who feel, there is Verdi’s masterpiece La Traviata

La Traviata is one of the most performed operas in the world, and for good reason. The timelessness of the story, a love lost, is surpassed only by the music, which is familiar to just about everyone, whether they are new to opera or longtime fans. We are particularly pleased to feature soprano Andriana Chuchman as Violetta in her role debut.

Finally, we will present the company premiere of El último sueño de Frida y Diego by Gabriela Lena Frank. This stirring piece, sung in Spanish, imagines the turbulent romance of Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo through memories and paintings, told from Rivera’s perspective on Día de los Muertos.

There is much to look forward to, and it will be my great pleasure to meet you and welcome you to performances this season and next!

Sincerely,

Allison Swenson GENERAL DIRECTOR OF OPERA OMAHA

22-23 SEASON

MARCH 11

The Met: Live in HD 2022-2023

October 22 - June 7

Live broadcasts with Prelude Talks. Encore replays.

Champion (Terence Blanchard)

EDWARD POLOCHICK MUSIC DIRECTOR

OPERA OMAHA IS THRILLED TO WELCOME ALLISON SWENSON AS GENERAL DIRECTOR.

With 20 years of experience in the field, Swenson’s work includes time with the Santa Fe Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, and Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, working with emerging talent and seasoned artists.

Why opera?

For me, it’s the voice. The superhuman ability to sing with beauty of tone, elegant phrasing, and sensitivity to the text, unamplified and in concert with the orchestra and staging. It’s the intangible thing that gives you goosebumps.

What was your first opera?

My parents, both music teachers, introduced me to opera at a very young age. One of my bedtime stories was a children’s version of Gilbert and Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore! My first experience in the theater was Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, which we will present here in Omaha next month.

If you could only listen to one opera for the rest of your life, what would it be?

That is an impossible question, but there are two recordings of arias that changed my life. I heard Cristina Deutekom’s incredibly precise Queen of the Night when I was 16 and decided in that moment to make opera my career. In college, I studied “News, news, news” from John Adams’ Nixon in China, which opened my mind to contemporary opera in a profound way.

What do you love about your work?

Easy: the people. I love the entire spectrum of personalities who find themselves drawn to opera.

What music do you listen to that might surprise people?

My Spotify mix is pretty diverse, from Carmen McRae to Bonnie Raitt to Earth, Wind & Fire, and the hip-hop artists of my high school years!

What would you say to someone who has never experienced opera before?

Go! But more specifically I would say: “You are going to be moved, you are going to feel something.” And I would add that, while many operas are performed in different languages, English translations are projected above the stage.

What do you enjoy outside of opera?

I cook, travel, run and read, and I have a soft spot for animals. I was a foster for the Espanola Humane Society in New Mexico for several years, and I supported a social media campaign where adoptable pets were named after characters in the Santa Fe Opera’s season.

What is one thing you want to do this year?

Explore Omaha! I have a long list of restaurants to try, trails to run, and of course, people to meet!

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

CHAIR

Elisa B. Davies

VICE CHAIR

Linda Burt Rebrovic

TREASURER

Maria Carlson

SECRETARY

Carol E. Domina

ADVISORS CHAIR

Jim Winner

COMMUNITY PANEL REPRESENTATIVE

Camtrice Bexten

Anne Bruckner

Kiley Freeman

Dr. Ali Khan

Dr. Joanne Li

Dr. Cheryl Logan

Jerry O’Flanagan

Terri Sanders

Jara Sturdivant-Wilson

EMERITUS BOARD

Terrence J. Ferguson

Robert E. Owen

ADVISORS

Linda Andersen

Jo Bartikoski

Dr. Jawed Bharwani

Nicholas Bjornson

Sandra Bruns

Dr. Viv L. Ewing

David Gardels

Lisa Hagstrom

Dr. Fred Hanna

Dr. Michael Hilt

Carter Jones

Mark Allen Maser

Sheila McNeil

April Nebel

Dr. Debra Reilly-Culver

Mary Ann Strasheim

Jerry Syslo

Dr. James Tracy

Shelby VanNorsdstrand

Cindy Weil

OPERA OMAHA GUILD PRESIDENT

Deb Peterson

CRAFTSMAN’S GUILD PRESIDENT

Chris Gannon-Tombrello

GENERAL DIRECTOR

Allison Swenson

ADMINISTRATION

WEITZ FELLOW

Rebecca Chen

OFFICE MANAGER

Cydnea Hoff

DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING & PUBLIC RELATIONS

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Shannon Walenta

GRAPHIC & DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER

Rachel Austin

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT & SALES MANAGER

Howard Coffin

DONOR STEWARDSHIP & EVENTS MANAGER

Rebecca Ihnen

DEVELOPMENT DATABASE & ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

Laura Jaros

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Joe Prickett

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Kyle Thomas

OPERATIONS

PRODUCING DIRECTOR

Kurt Howard

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Taylor Adams

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Mark Blice

ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATOR

Kai Song Chan

DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

Katherine Clanton

COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOWSHIP MANAGER

Wendy Kaiser

DIRECTOR OF ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Lauren Medici

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Fernando Antonio Montejano

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Charisa Ramsey

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Jaime Marie Webb

WITH GRATITUDE FOR OUR CONTRIBUTORS

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

SEASON SPONSORS

PRODUCTION SPONSOR

ARTIST SPONSOR

ADDITIONAL SEASON SUPPORT

Anonymous

Robert E. Owen

Whitmore Charitable Trust

Jetton Charitable Fund

Mammel Family Foundation

Rose Blumkin Foundation

William R. Patrick Foundation

Giger Foundation

Adah and Leon Millard Foundation

GENEROUS PUBLIC SUPPORT PROVIDED BY

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

Cindy & Mogens Bay

Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation

CONDUCTOR’S NOTE

Of all of Puccini’s operas, Suor Angelica is truly one of my favorites. With elements of a perfect emotional thriller (hope, betrayal, and sacrifice), it is a story of two closed and powerful societies, one religious, the other aristocratic, connected by a provocative secret. As beautiful melodies are the trademarks of Puccini’s works, this opera contains some of the composer’s most breathtaking efforts.

But Puccini’s genius lies not just in his ability to spin stunning tunes. Whether consciously done or otherwise, he has given each character a specific orchestral color, following them throughout like a faithful companion: bright chords and shorter melodies from the woodwinds accompany the sisters’ conversations during leisure. Muted trumpets appear with prayers and during “Amen”, suggesting celestial messages from beyond. Subtle uses of dynamics and the placement of the flute in its lowest register suggest the mournfulness of time’s passage.

Perhaps the most dramatic and stirring moment occurs when Sister Angelica sings her first uninterrupted, long melodic line “desires are the flowers of the living, never blooming in the realms of death,” quietly supported by the strings and the woodwinds, before the orchestra surges upwards to match the depths of her sadness, foreshadowing the tragedy to come. In an environment of constant restraint, the sisters are shocked into silence, while the orchestra expresses the barely controlled tension in the room.

— Judith Yan CONDUCTOR

The interesting thing about a piece like Suor Angelica, which takes place in an Italian convent, is that you can set it in almost any time period and it would look exactly the same. It’s only the arrival of the Princess that allows us any hint at period, which for our production is post World War II. This gives us a reason for the seven year absence of word from Angelica’s family as well as a period that feels modern enough for us to see ourselves in the characters. Despite the period, the life of the nun is enduring and neverchanging which is a fact that has continually piqued my interest. Puccini and Forzano give us a wonderful, gentle view of the personalities and daily life of the sisterhood in the opening of the opera that make sense in any number of centuries.

For many years, convents were a place of religious thought and prayer, but they were also protective, which was definitely true during war time. They were an option for a better life to the women who sought refuge there. In earlier centuries, sisters might find women who were living and working on the street and recruit them into the convent as a way to live a healthier, more protected life. For many young women, the convent offered shelter from all manner of ills. In our story, curiously, Sister Angelica still feels and acts somewhat like an outsider, even after seven years behind the veil. Forzano doesn’t give us much to go on in terms of Sister Angelica’s back story. We know she was an orphan though left well off, that she has siblings, and most importantly, we know she had a son who was ripped away from her at birth (though we know nothing of the circumstances), and this is the reason she was forced into the convent life. In this story, it is not Angelica who is seeking refuge, it is her family who hoped she could be hidden away in order to cover their shame. This is a piece that, at its core, is about the ability for women to make their own choices. Through history, bodily autonomy and the ability to become a mother – or not become a mother – has been regulated and policed by everyone except the person with the womb in question. Sister Angelica was not offered a choice, lost the son she very much wanted, and was ultimately backed into a corner. Interestingly, the piece does not indict the church as much as it indicts Sister Angelica’s family and their inability to forgive, embrace, and care for her no matter her choices.

Like so many operatic works, the piece resonates today, both in the established sisterhood of the nuns, their suspiciousness about Sister Angelica, and her lack of autonomy as a woman.

— Keturah Stickann DIRECTOR

2023

Music by Giacomo Puccini

Libretto by Giovacchino Forzano

Performed in Italian with English supertitles

February 24 & 26, 2023

Orpheum Theater, Slosburg Hall | Omaha, Nebraska

First performance: The Metropolitan Opera, December 14, 1918

CREATIVE

CONDUCTOR

Judith Yan*

DIRECTOR

Keturah Stickann*

SCENIC DESIGNER

S.A. Panfili*

ORIGINAL COSTUME DESIGNER

Betty Fredrickson

ADDITIONAL COSTUME DESIGNER

Amanda Jones

LIGHTING DESIGNER

J. Isadora Krech*

WIG & MAKEUP DESIGNER

Ronell Oliveri

SUPERTITLES

Kai Song Chan*

CAST

SUOR ANGELICA

Elaine Alvarez*

LA PRINCIPESSA

Ronnita Miller

THE ABBESS

Deborah Nansteel*

THE MONITOR

Kelly Guerra*

THE MISTRESS OF THE NOVICES

Hilary Ginther

SUOR GENOVIEFFA

Jennifer Cherest*

Opera Omaha Chorus | The Omaha Symphony

Scenery and costumes for this production are courtesy of Tri-Cities Opera, Inc.

The performance runs approximately 85 minutes without intermission

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

*Opera Omaha Mainstage Debut

THE CLOISTERS AND GARDEN OF A CONVENT.

Two postulants are late for prayer. Also late is Sister Angelica, who kneels in penance for her tardiness. As the nuns leave the chapel, the abbey Monitor and Mistress of Novices chide their charges. The sisters are excited by the annual occurrence of a natural phenomenon – on only three evenings a year the rays of the setting sun give the water in the font a glow as if the water is golden. The sisters decide they will sprinkle some of the golden water on the tomb of one of their recently departed. Sister Genevieve discusses her innocent wish to see a lamb. She inquires if Angelica has a wish, but Angelica denies that she does. The other sisters call this a lie, whispering that Angelica, once rich and noble, was forced into the convent seven years ago and is saddened by the fact that she has never had any contact from her family.

Sister Angelica has learned about the use of herbs in making potions to cure various illnesses and brews one to ease the pain of a fellow sister’s wasp sting. As the nuns examine the wares of a trip to the market, they learn that a very grand carriage has arrived at the entrance. Angelica is overcome with the hope that it is a visitor here to see her. The Abbess comes to tell Angelica that her aunt, the Princess, has arrived. Although eager to embrace her aunt, Angelica finds the Princess is cold and unfriendly, offering her only a hand to kiss. The Princess informs Angelica that she has divided Angelica’s deceased parents’ estate. She has come because Angelica’s younger sister is to be married and Angelica must sign a document renouncing any claim on the family fortune. Angelica declares that she repents her sin, but cannot forget her son, who she only saw once. She begs her aunt to tell her of the boy’s welfare. Reluctantly the Princess tells her that the child was taken ill two years previously and has died. Overcome with grief, Angelica signs the document. The Princess departs.

Left alone, Angelica reels in the agony of her child dying without his mother. A new wish has overtaken her – the wish to die. The sisters approach her, but Angelica believes that a heavenly grace has descended on her.

As the other nuns go to their cells for the night, Angelica mixes various poisonous herbs with the water from the font and, in a trance like state, she drinks the potion.

As the pain brings reality back, Angelica pleads for forgiveness. The chapel doors open, and an apparition of the Virgin Mary appears with a small child, whom she guides toward Angelica. Angelica embraces her child and falls to the ground dead.

Judith Yan Conductor

Conductor Judith Yan makes her Opera Omaha debut in Suor Angelica. Equally adept at conducting symphony, opera, and ballet, Judith Yan has held Staff Conductor positions at San Francisco Opera, Canadian Opera Company, and National Ballet of Canada. Ms. Yan’s Recent performances include 3 critically-acclaimed worldpremieres: Perla’s An American Dream for Seattle Opera, Estacio’s Ours for Opera on the Avalon, and Pastor’s Dracula for West Australian Ballet, debuts conducting La Bohème with Vancouver Opera, Orfeo with Kentucky Opera, Sleeping Beauty with National Arts Centre, Cranko’s Taming of the Shrew with Teatr Wielki; and productions of La Bayadère with West Australian Ballet, Don Quixote with Hong Kong Ballet, and Swan Lake with Korean National Ballet. Her 2022/23 season includes Heggie's Three Decembers with Opera on the Avalon, Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia with San Francisco Opera, Madama Butterfly with New Orleans Opera, 3 programmes with Saskatoon Symphony (Gipps, Forsyth, and Hatzis; De Falla and Ravel; Copland and Wagner), and the world-premiere of Laura Kaminsky and Lisa Moore’s opera, February, for Opera on the Avalon.

J. Isadora Krech Lighting Designer

J. Isadora Krech makes their Opera Omaha debut in Suor Angelica Ms. Krech is a multi-media artist, designer, writer, and musician based in Berlin. Their performance work is focused on opera, dance, and performance art. Their opera designs have been seen at Opera Colorado, San Diego Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Palm Beach Opera, West Edge Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, West Bay Opera, Yale Arts and Ideas Festival, and Whitesnake Productions. Her dance, theatre, and performance art has been seen across the US and internationally. Their Installations and video art have shown at galleries and festivals in New York, Virginia, Nevada, and California. She has been a guest artist at Williams College, USF, Hollins, and UC Berkeley. They received an MFA from New York University.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Keturah Stickann has had a career as a classical and contemporary dancer, performing extensively in opera. Subsequently her work as a stage director has been seen in many opera houses across the United States and Canada, as well as in Chile, Japan, France, Germany, Hungary, and Australia. A champion of new American opera, she has worked extensively with director and librettist Leonard Foglia, and has helped to bring new operas to the stage by Ricky Ian Gordon, Jennifer Higdon, and Jake Heggie & Gene Scheer among others. In a creative solution for the COVID-19 era, some of her more recent productions include the drive-in versions of La Bohème and The Barber of Seville for San Diego Opera. Recent and future productions include Salome at Madison Opera, Don Giovanni at Minnesota Opera and Intimate Apparel at Chautauqua. Ms. Stickann is an Artistic Advisor at Knoxville Opera.

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. In 2007, she was a Prime Time Emmy Award nominee as key makeup artist for her work in television. As a wig and makeup artist her professional credits include engagements with Chicago Lyric Opera, LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Boston Ballet. Her work can also be seen in several Broadway shows including Wicked, All The Way, and Waitress. Other recent engagements include Boston Lyric Opera’s Cavalleria Rusticana, Opera Omaha’s Eugene Onegin, and Opera Colorado’s Die Tote Stadt

Keturah Stickann Director

Ronell Oliveri Wig & Makeup

BIOGRAPHIES

Suor Angelica

Cuban-American soprano Elaine Alvarez makes her Opera Omaha debut in Suor Angelica. Notable engagements include the title role of Aïda for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Riccardo Muti, Tosca with Choregies d’Orange, Opera de Oviedo and the Chautauqua Opera; Mimi in La Bohéme for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera National de Bordeaux, Teatro Carlo Felice and Oper Frankfurt, among others; La Traviata for Munich's Bayerische Staatsoper, Fort Worth Opera, Oper Leipzig and Theater St. Gallen; Magda in La Rondine for Oper Frankfurt; Kat’a Kabanova with Boston Lyric Opera; the title role in Florencia en el Amazonas for San Diego Opera; the title role in Cecilia Valdez for Teatro de la Zarzuela in Madrid; and several major role debuts at the Opera Royal de Wallonie in Belgium including Donizetti's infamous Tudor Queen, Anna Bolena, Elvira in Ernani, Hélène in Jerusalem, and her first performances as Aïda.

Principessa

Mezzo-soprano Ronnita Miller returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X . This season, Ms. Miller makes returns to San Francisco Opera as Filippyevna in Eugene Onegin and to Atlanta Opera as Erda in Das Rheingold. In concert, she joins Oberlin College at Carnegie Hall as the mezzo soloist for Dett’s The Ordering of Moses and the Indianapolis Symphony for Handel’s Messiah Last season, she returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Big Stone in Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice, joined the San Diego Symphony and North Carolina Symphony for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, appeared in recital with the New World Symphony, and sang Schwertleite in Die Walküre with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at The Hollywood Bowl.

Mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel makes her Opera Omaha debut in Suor Angelica

Ms. Nansteel made her debut with The Metropolitan Opera as Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor, her debut with the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette, her Carnegie Hall debut in Mozart’s Coronation Mass, and her New York Philharmonic debut alongside Eric Owens in In Their Footsteps: Great African American Singers and Their Legacy. She performed the role of Mother in the world premiere of Blind Injustice with Cincinnati Opera which will soon be commercially released on the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Fanfare Cincinnati label, as well as participated in Glimmerglass Opera Festival’s digital production of Jungle Book as Raksha. Recently, Ms. Nansteel returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Annina in La Traviata, made her house debut with the San Francisco Opera in their productions of Eugene Onegin and Dialogues of the Carmelites, and performed as Gertrude in Hansel & Gretel for New Orleans Opera. Later this season, she will debut the role of Amneris in Aida for Opera Grand Rapids and sing Verdi’s Requiem for Orchestra Iowa.

Mezzo-soprano Kelly Guerra makes her Opera Omaha debut in Suor Angelica. Most recently, she performed the title role in Astor Piazzolla’s María de Buenos Aires with Kentucky Opera, reprised the role of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Derrick Wang’s comic opera Scalia/Ginsburg at the Princeton Festival, debuted with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of John Adams in the Noon to Midnight Contemporary Festival, and premiered Katherine Balch’s orchestral song cycle Illuminate with the California Symphony. In the 2021-2022 season she toured …(Iphigenia) by Wayne Shorter and Esperanza Spalding, appearing as Iphigenia Unbound. Upcoming engagements include Cruzar la Cara de la Luna with West Edge Opera and a return to the Princeton Festival as Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia

Elaine Alvarez

Ronnita Miller La

Deborah Nansteel The Abbess

Kelly Guerra The Monitor

Hilary Ginther

The Mistress of the Novices

Mezzo-soprano Hilary Ginther

returns to Opera Omaha

after last performing in Opera Outdoors 2022 and Olga in Eugene Onegin. Ms. Ginther enjoys a career that embraces three centuries worth of operatic repertoire from contemporary to baroque. She made a debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra as a soloist in Berstein’s Mass under the baton of Yannick NézetSéguin, which was recorded by Deutsche Grammophon and was internationally released in March 2018 in commemoration of the composer's centenary. During the 2019–2020 season Ms. Ginther performed as Anne Boleyn in Saint-Saens’s Henry VIII with Odyssey Opera in Boston. She was then heard in concert with Opera on the James, followed by her role debut as Joan of Arc in The Maid of Orléans with New Orleans Opera. Most recent engagements include the role of Elisabetta in Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda and Adalgisa in Bellini’s Norma with Musica Viva in Hong Kong, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Fargo Moorhead Opera and Opera on the James, and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with Maestro Joe Illick in Santa Fe. Future engagements include a debut with Opera Columbus as Maddalena in Rigoletto and with Central City Opera as Emilia in Rossini's Otello

Soprano Jennifer Cherest makes her Opera Omaha debut in Suor Angelica. Since finishing her prestigious Adler fellowship with the San Francisco Opera in 2013, Ms. Cherest has debuted with such companies as Washington National Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Opera Delaware, The Aspen Music Festival and most recently returned to Cincinnati Opera to sing the role of High Priestess in Aida. Additionally, she is very honored to have sung on the Metropolitan Opera Stage in the national semifinals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council (MONC) Auditions. After a well-received debut as Zerlina with North Carolina Opera, Ms. Cherest was invited back to sing Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, a role she first debuted in Italy. She has won top honors in the Licia Albanese International Vocal Competition, the Boulder International Competition, the Partners for the Arts Competition, as well as placing 3rd in the regionals of the MONC competition in 2013 and 1st the following year sending her to the Met Semi-Finals.

Jennifer Cherest Suor Genovieffa

CHORUS & SUPERNUMERARIES

CHORUS REPRESENTATIVE

Laura Petry

SUOR OSMINA

Olivia Hacker

SUOR DOLCINA

Rocio Valle

NURSING SISTER

Karina Brazas

LAY SISTERS

CeCe Hastreiter

Laura Petry

NOVICE

Alexandria Plumb

ALMS COLLECTORS

Mary Carrick

Susan Linnell

NUNS

Jensyn Bell

Tara Cowherd

Stephanie Curran*

Crystal Dunning*

Julia Ervin

Carole Jeanpierre*

Judi Unger

OFFSTAGE CHORUS

Dillon Edwards

Jonathan Frazier

David Petry

Michael Petry

Gavin Rasmussen

RAGAZZI CHORUS

Vocal students from the Omaha Conservatory of Music

Judson Cloudt*

Cecilia Merkle*

Martin Prieto*

Liam Richardson

Thomas Rogers*

SUPERS

Abby Thomas*

Flora Thomas*

*Opera Omaha Debut

ARTISTIC & PRODUCTION STAFF

STAGE MANAGER

Jeron Dooling

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Matthew Schulz*

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Jessie Mhire

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Anthony Rivera

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Courtney Sidzyik

CHORUS DIRECTOR

Josh Quinn*

REHEARSAL ACCOMPANIST

Sara Chiesa*

PROPERTIES SUPERVISOR

Laura Peters

ASSOCIATE PROPERTIES SUPERVISOR

Wes Clowers

ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER

Christopher Brusberg

LIGHTING PROGRAMMER

Aaron Craig

LIGHTING ASSISTANT

Abbey Smith

COSTUME SUPERVISOR

Amanda Jones

WARDROBE COORDINATOR

Alethea Larson

WIG & MAKEUP ARTIST

Candace Leyland

SUPERTITLE OPERATOR

Nicole Thoms

ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Curran, Chad+

HEAD PRODUCTION CARPENTER

Al Dusek+

HEAD PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN

Scott Wasson+

HEAD PRODUCTION AUDIO

Brian Kinnaman+

ENGAGEMENT ASSISTANT

Patrick McEvoy

ENGAGEMENT DRAMATURG

Sarah Lynn Brown

+IATSE Local 42

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

*Opera Omaha Debut

SYMPHONY

Ankush Kumar Bahl, Music Director

Ernest Richardson, Resident Conductor & Principal Pops Conductor

VIOLIN

Susanna Perry Gilmore, Concertmaster

Ahra Cho, 1st Associate Concertmaster

Henry Jenkins, 2nd Associate Concertmaster

Christopher Hake, Assistant Concertmaster

Keith Plenert, Principal 2nd Violin

Frank Seligman, Associate Principal 2nd

Violin

Kevin Tompkins, Assistant Principal 2nd

Violin

Ricardo Amador

Phyllis Duncan

Tracy Dunn

Daniel Fletcher

Rebecca Kia-Mills

Anne Nagosky

Scott Shoemaker

Lucy Duke

Michael Keelan

Melissa Pruss

Juliet Yoshida

David Neely

Nadia Maudhoo

VIOLA

Thomas Kluge, Principal

Tyler Sieh, Associate Principal

Judy Divis

Margo Romig-Motycka

Sherrie Goeden

Bozhidar Shopov

Alexa Brown

Sarah Curley

CELLO

Paul Ledwon, Principal

Gregory Clinton, Associate Principal

Samuel Pierce-Ruhland, Assistant Principal

Timothy Strang

Holly Gullen-Stout

Mark Motycka

InYoung Park

Trevor Petersen

BASS

Nate Olson, Principal

William Ritchie, Assistant Principal

James Giles

Dani Meier

Robert Scharmann

Michael Swartz

FLUTE

Maria Harding, Principal

Lisa Meyerhofer, Assistant Principal

OBOE

Alexandra Rock, Principal

Heather Baxter, Assistant Principal

Angela Christine Sallas

CLARINET

Carmelo Galante, Principal

Rosiario Galante, Assistant Principal

Madison Freed

BASSOON

James Compton, Principal

Nicholas Nelson, Assistant Principal

Karen Sandene

HORN

Brett Hodge, Principal

Austin Ruff, Associate Principal

Garrett Law

Steven Schultz

TRUMPET

Scott Quackenbush, Principal

Federico Montes, Associate Principal

Christopher Haas

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

Chloe Tula, Principal

KEYBOARD

Christi Zuniga, Principal

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS

Jennifer Boomgaarden, President & CEO

Kyra Hansen, Director of Operations & Production

Marshall Carby, Assistant Director of Operations & Production

Jimmy Lewis, Operations & Production Manager

Emily E. Duffin, Orchestra Personnel Manager

Lindsay Corbin, Operations Coordinator

Sara Baguyos, Head Librarian

Tracy Bass, Librarian

Mark Haar, Assistant Librarian

John Coate, Stage Manager

Jeff Baron, Assistant Stage Manager

Friday

March 17

7:30 PM

Dallas String Quartet (DSQ) is an international music sensation that plays a fusion of contemporary classical and pop music. DSQ is referred to as “Bach meets Bon Jovi” and compared to artists like Lindsey Stirling, Vitamin String Quartet and 2Cellos. They use both traditional and electric string instruments performing as a quartet with the full accompaniment of drums and guitar and are known for their eclectic renditions of anything from Guns N’ Roses “Sweet Child of Mine” to Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello’s “Señorita.

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

Samantha Antes

Mark & Cindy Baumer

Betty Beach

Harriet Beckenhauer

Jenny Bruce

Ian Bugeja

Tom Burton

Gina Carusi

Kristen Drescher

Melissa Fritz

Chris & Kate Gannon-Tombrello

April 7

Ho Family Arts & Culture Center

May 13 & 14

Orpheum Theater

Bill Gaus

Nora Mae & John Gibson

Julie Harmon

Mark Kalal

Christine Lund

Julie Mead

Christine & Patrick Peters

Hilarie Price

Cheryl Sanwick

Dick Serpan

Margret Sexton

Cathy Schaefer

Rebecca Schaefer

Mary Starr Smith

Shelby Snell

Leslie Vann

Annika Weber

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!

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

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

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

PRESIDENT

Deb Peterson

PRESIDENT ELECT

Erin Sample

PAST PRESIDENT

Kelly Sanford

VP EDUCATION

Josie Wadman

VP FUNDRAISING

April Nebel

VP MEMBERSHIP

Connie Kinnear

VP SOCIAL

Lora Kaup

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

Vivian Davis

RECORDING SECRETARY

Mark Maser

TREASURER

Gwen Olney

COTILLION LIAISON

Lisa Hagstrom

AT LARGE BOARD MEMBERS

Betty Foster

Sheila McNeill

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Jon Nebel

Pauline Quinn

Dorene Sherman

Sherry Taxman

Sara Young

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

ARE OUR CIRCUMSTANCES ALWAYS THE CONSEQUENCE OF OUR CHOICES?

DO WE REALLY GET WHAT WE DESERVE?

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

Join three heroines: one who, to win her love, becomes a pain, one who, to cherish her love, hides her pain, and one who, to reunite with her love, remembers her pain. As each tends the paths given to them, they grow and adapt to own control of their stories.

OCTOBER 27 & 29, 2023

DON PASQUALE

Composed by Gaetano Donizetti

Libretto by Giovanni Ruffini

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

FEBRUARY 16 & 18, 2024

LA TRAVIATA

Composed by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave

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

MAY 3 & 5, 2024

EL ÚLTIMO SUEÑO DE FRIDA Y DIEGO

(The last dream of Frida and Diego)

Composed by Gabriela Lena Frank

Libretto by Nilo Cruz

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

MICAH HOUSE

In the powerful tale of Puccini’s Suor Angelica, the protagonist experiences a series of traumatic events outside of her control. Because of her choices, she is judged unworthy and discarded by those who should have protected her. Her ability to be a mother is taken from her. In this new identity forced upon her, there is no escape; there is no alternative. The only solace she has is in the hope that her son is thriving.

Although written over 100 years ago, many of the themes of Suor Angelica still ring true: socio-economic status power-plays, sexual and gender inequality, and spiritual abuse to name a few. However perhaps the most profound element of this melancholic tapestry is the effect of trauma on an individual. Trauma and the loss of hope can crush the spirit as can be seen in this tragic tale. But the good news is, this is not the end of the story. MICAH House is a shelter for families and women experiencing the crisis of homelessness located in Council Bluffs. In 2022, the shelter provided supportive services and trauma-informed care to over 728 individuals, 249 of whom were single women. The Adverse Childhood Experiences questionnaire shows us that of single women surveyed, most have experienced 5 or more of the 10 acute traumas in their lifetime such as sexual abuse or having an incarcerated parent. The more experiences a person has, the higher impact this has on their physical and emotional health. This will be evident in the person’s ability to cope, overcome adversity, and deal with stress.

PARTNERSHIP WITH OPERA OMAHA

Since 2019, Opera Omaha’s Holland Community Opera Fellowship program has been providing classes for women living at MICAH House. Opera Omaha runs its program two times each year for 8 week sessions. During their time together, the group builds an environment of trust with the Fellows. Through music, words, and fine art, the women connect with and move through painful experiences using art as a way to self-express. Often, at the end of the session, the group will create a project together such as a collage poem. Being able to have this moment of validation and togetherness makes a world of difference to individuals who are suffering. Often, that is what makes the difference for a person to face and embrace the pain or sink into despair.

The class has become one of the most popular programs at MICAH House. For 2023, a goal is to be able to provide the same classes to parents, where currently childcare is a challenge.

LEARN MORE IN THE LOBBY

Visit with MICAH staff in the Orpheum Theater lobby during Suor Angelica or visit the website at www.themicahhouse.org and discover ways to support the MICAH House mission.

& MICAH HOUSE

Since 2019, our Holland Community Opera Fellows lead a series of weekly creative workshops for the women of MICAH House. The activities in the workshops take on many forms, but they are all towards the goals of creating joy, inspiring creative expression, and building connections. In a workshop there may be music appreciation and sharing, the creation of visual art, and creative writing and on themes like friendship, support, confidence, and community. For the last two years, a group poem has been created at the end of each series with all participants contributing, word, line or phrase. These poems celebrate our time together, and many of them can be found proudly on displayed on room doors at the facility. The poem from the Fall 2022 workshop series “We Are One” is shared here, and you can view other examples in the lobby.

We want the women to feel valued and empowered, know they are creative people and they can use the arts and music and creativity as a form of expression and an outlet not only in our workshops, but as part of their tool kit they have when they leave MICAH House.

BELOW IS SOME FEEDBACK FROM PARTICIPANTS IN OUR MOST RECENT SERIES OF WORKSHOPS:

“This was the best class I have taken and helped me heal and open up and write again.”

“I wrote a positive poem for myself and for the group. I hadn’t wrote a poem in 16 years and my last one was about suicide, but the one you had me write was entitled “I Am A Warrior.” I can heal.”

"The workshops were positive, very helpful. I have been able to express my feelings through art + music. So fun. I opened up a lot more and was surprised by my creativity. Please keep doing these programs. "

“You got me in my creative mood and got me thinking more positively. I was surprised my creativity came back so fast.”

“This program was beneficial, expanding my creative side and self-love are skills I’ll use in the future.”

“I love the Opera Omaha workshops. They sparked my creative inner child! I thought I was a terrible artist, but looks like I’m a pro. Look out Bob Ross!”

HCOF Fellows use all different artistic mediums and formats for participants to explore their creativity and express themselves.

Included is artwork created during our workshop at QLI where participants used colors to describe a setting for their story and artwork created by MICAH House participants in response to music.

MEET OUR 22/23 HCOF FELLOWS

TAYLOR ADAMS

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

FERNANDO ANTONIO MONTEJANO Fernando is a Mexican American writer, author, storyteller, and poet.

CHARISA RAMSEY Charisa is a teaching artist, actor, director, and playwright.

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

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOWSHIP

COMMUNITY PARTNERS & PROGRAMMING

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

22/23 PROGRAMMING PARTNERS

Sarpy County Juvenile Justice Center

THE COMMUNITY PANEL

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

22/23 COMMUNITY PANEL

Ang Bennett, Inclusive Communities

Camtrice Bexten, NU Foundation

Tiffiny Clifton, Gotta Be Me

Rachel Morgan, Nebraska Arts Council

Erin Painter, Learning Community Center of South Omaha

Rita Paskowitz, Storyteller

Paula Wallace, Artist/Hot Shops

Angie Williams, MICAH House

Gwyn Williams, Independent Leadership Coach

Nancy Williams, No More Empty Pots

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

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

DONORS

It is our honor to recognize community members who, through their generosity to Opera Omaha’s Annual Fund, enable the company to create this season's large-scale opera productions and deliver groundbreaking, free community programming, including the nationally acclaimed Holland Community Opera Fellowship, that engage tens of thousands of people in meaningful, artistic experiences. This listing reflects gifts received between July 15, 2021-December 15, 2022

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

$100,000+

Cindy and Mogens Bay

Richard D. Holland*

Annette and Paul Smith

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

$50,000- $99,999

Ann Mactier*

Mary and Richard Parrish

Julie M. Schroeder

PRODUCER

$25,000-$49,999

Carol and David Domina

Terrence and Catherine Ferguson

Joan O'Brien*

Robert and Kay Owen

William and Patricia Ritchie

Drew and Meredith Weitz

Tim Wilson and Katie Weitz

Donald Wurster and Joan Gibson*

BACKER

$10,000-$24,999

Sharon and Randy Blackburn

Anne and Stephen Bruckner

Sandi and Bill Bruns

Vivian and Allen Hager

Vernie and Carter Jones

Janet and H. Frederick Kuehl

Susan and Michael Lebens

Joan and Ed McCarthy

Pauline Quinn

Linda Burt Rebrovic and John Rebrovic

Mary Ann Strasheim

Kate and Roger Weitz

BENEFACTOR

$5,000-$9,999

Anonymous

Sara and Jawed Bharwani

Barbara Person and Scott

Burger

Debra Reilly-Culver and Robert

Culver, Jr.

Kyoko and Jonathan Fuller

Linda and David Gardels

Linda and Jerome Gordman

Jerry C. Gose

Ali Khan

Vicki and David Krecek

Dr. Joanne Li and Frank Stalla

Sheila McNeill

Sharee and Murray Newman

Katherine and Jerry O'Flanagan

Ann and Paul O'Hara

Rita and Donald Otis

Constance Ryan

Ann and Kenneth Stinson

Janet and Jerry Syslo

Dr. and Mrs. James Tracy

GUARDIAN

$3,500-$4,999

Anonymous

Dr. Betty L. Beach

Roger Blauwet

Betty Foster

Carol and James Healy

Silvia Greene Roffman

Phyllis and Delmer* Toebben

Mary Beth and James Winner

SUSTAINER

$1,500-$3,499

Emma and Lee Addams

Linda Matson Andersen

Jo Bartikoski and Don Westling

Maria Carlson

Janet and Samuel Cohen

Linda and Tim* Daugherty

Elisa and Drew Davies

Kiley and Michael Freeman

Bill L. Gaus

Mary Jetton

Mr. and Mrs. James H.* Keene III

Deana and Michael Liddy

Carolina and Michael Mapes

Cheryl and Luke Matranga

Joan and Robert Miller

Connie and H. Don* Osborne

Kim and James Simon

Shirley and Michael Sorrell

Kara and Joe Spitzenberger

Ginger Talbot

Terry Tomcsik

Shelby VanNordstrand

Gail and Irving Veitzer

Cindy Weil

Anne and Arnold Weitz

PATRON

$750-$1,499

Laura and Bryan Alexander

Samuel M. Bierner

Teri and David Black

Ann and David Burkholder

Murray Joseph Casey

Hillary Nather-Detisch and John R. Detisch

Viv and John Ewing

Dr. Jon Flanagin

Diana and Robert Foster

Jeffrey Grinnell and Daniel Gallagher

Lisa Hagstrom

Dr. Gerald Christensen* and Ms.

Mary Clare Haven

Sally and Gary* Kaplan

Sandra and Jon Kayne

Alfred G. Kelley

Marilyn and Mark Kirchhoff

Barbara and Marshall Kushner

Paul Ledwon and Mark Allen

Maser

Janet and Louis Pol

Ana Lopez Shalla and Hassan

Shalla

Donna and Coyner Smith

Anne Stoddard

Janet Strauss

Sherry and Jeff Taxman

Susan Thomas and Steven Hutchinson

Patricia Victor

Verne Weber

Melanie and John Wright

Sarah and Adam Yale

ADVOCATE

$300-$749

Susan Grant and Rex Beck

Nicholas Bjornson

Kathleen Joan Bradley

Thomas Carr

Tiffiny Clifton

Cora and Maurice Conner

Daniel Cox

Melissa and John Dahir

Mary Dragoo

Sarah Marie Ferneding

Mary Fieber

Judith and Craig Fuller

Elizabeth and John Fullerton

Kate Gannon and Chris

Tombrello

Carey and Brian Hamilton

Marilyn and Robert Hansen

Mary Helms and Kenneth Olson

Shari Hofschire

Stanton Hoppe

Dr. Linda Matson and Mr. Michael Howland

Bonnie and David Jaros

Jeffrey Johnston

Joanne and David Kolenda

Kathy and Leonard Kwapiszeski

Heike and Adam Langdon

Julie and Joseph Lecci

Lourdes Secola and Sheldon Lerner

Cheryl Logan

Deborah and John McCollister

Dorothy* and Daniel McKinney

Angenette and Bob Meaney

Christine and Jim Medici

Karen and Paul Mullen

Karen and Larry Nelsen

Gwendolyn Olney and Scott

Peters

Elizabeth and Jerry Powell

H. Margo Prentiss

Casimiro Rangel and Erik

Henningsen

Tom Richter

Greta Vaught and John Ritland

Victoria and Edward Roche

Joan and Charles Shapiro

Kay M. Shilling, M.D.

Sissy Katelman Silber

Donald Slaughter

Andrew R. Smith

Joan H. Squires

Ann Stephens and John

Vasiliades

Jaymi Victor

Raymond W. Vondrak

Ann and John Williamson

Laura Wilwerding

James Wink

Sara and John Young

FRIEND

$1-$299

Anonymous (6)

Laureen Ackermann

Megan Addison

Elvira Lizeth Ahkothe

Elaine and Chris Allen

Marian Andersen

Jon Anderson

Ann Antlfinger

Cheryl Arends

Kelsey E Arends

Ronald Bailey

Marti Baumert and Richard

Jeffrey

Susan Baumert

Erna Beach

Lorraine Beadell and Greg Love

Mark Beck

Janelle Bender

Alicia Bennett

Denise and Robert Bennett

Mayrene Bentley

Tamien Blackamore

Franz Blaha

Amy Bones

Abby Borgmann

Crystal Bothel

Lyn and Stephen Bouma

Frank Bramlett

Mary Brennan

Katie and Corey Broman

Kate W. Brown

Kelleen Browning

Rob Buckley

Janice and Mario Buda

Janet* and Donald Bumgarner

Gertrude L. and Donald Burge

Judeen Bursovsky

Clare and Tom Burton

Thad Call

Karen and David Campbell

Leanne and Mark Carlson

Karlyn and Richard Carson

Carol Casey

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

Melanie and Jeffrey Chapman

Susan and Robert Chenoweth

Tina and John Cherica

Lynne Chesire

Christine and Bob Chilcoat

Jay Chlebinski

Donna Christian

Philip Chung

Holly and John Cimino

Joan and Don Cimpl

Joshua Cink

Joseph Clanton

Julie Clawson

Patricia Cody

Mary Jo and Richard Coffey

Shannon Monique Coleman

Elizabeth A. Collins

Lindsay Coppock Miller

Kara Cordell

Carmelita Cox

Eileen Crinklaw

Alexander Dahlquist

Susan Schonlau and David Danielson

Timothy F. Daugherty

James and Jennifer Davenport

Jaclyn Joan Davis

Vivian and Spencer Davis

Carole DeBuse

Linda and Charles Duckworth

Rosemary and Bernard

Duhaime

Michael Eason

Martha Elias

Amanda and Alex Ely

Delores Ericson

Karla Ermel

Marleen and TImothy Evans

Karen and Richard Everett

Mary A. Ferdig

Mary and Ronald Ferdig

Kim and Adrian Ferguson

Sherry Fletcher

Hon. Marcena Hendrix and Dr.

Howard Fox

Andrew Frost

Kyle Galas

Mary and Barry Gerken

Leanne Gifford

Lauren T. Anderson

Rose Glock

Paul Godinez

Ann and Donald Goldstein

Sarah E. Goucher

Sonya and Christian Gray

Bob Graybosch

John K. Green

Mary Green

Barbara Mueting and Herman Greenwald

Susan Greni

Jan Grimes

Rex-Ann Gualco

Taylor Gunnels

Carol Gutchewsky and Leslie

Valentine

Carol and Peter Gwilt

Cindy Hadsell

Judy and George Haecker, Jr.

Suzanne Hafey

Daniel Hamann

Belle and Ryan Hansen

Nancy and Randall Hanson

Ellen Hargus

William and Gretchen Harvey

Adam Haverman

Mary Jo Havlicek

Jane and Edward Hawks

Cheryl and Joe Hazel

Constance Heiden Kammandel and Henry Kammandel

Erica Heiden

Jason Helleloid

Jennifer Helms

Michael Hennessy

Ann and Gary Henningsen

Eddiy Hilliard

Jefferson Hillman

Marilyn Hoegemeyer

T. Hepfinger

Courtney Holland

Margaret Horvath

Ann and Don Hosford

Emily Hough

Annette and Steven Huff

Nikolas Huffman

Karyn and William Huffman

Susan and Craig Ihnen

Christopher Jackson

Laura Jaros

Stephen Jensen

Vibeke Jensen

Kelly M. Johns

Barbara Johnston

Emili Carter Jones

Donna and James Kalar

Zachary Kallman

Sean Kelly and Sam

Tepanossian

Kendra and Victor Kelly

LaNita Kirby

Victoria Kirilloff

Julia Kleinschmit

Krysten Knott

Dr. Merlyn Knudson and Mr.

James F. Davis

Maria Knudtson

Paul Koenig

Victoria and Joe Kohout

Derek Kordash

Elaine Kruse

Barbara Kuhn

Eugenia Kuhn

Leslie Kuhnel

Robert Kuzelka

Dr. Timothy J. Crowley and Ms.

Celann LaGreca

Carole and Wayne Lainof

Julie Langholdt

Pattie Anderson

Gary Oscar Laun

O'Terrell Dane Leatherman

Della and Jack Lee

Elaine Leise

Ryan P. Lewis

Stan Lewis

Sherryl and Hiram Lilley

Emily and Tom Lischer

Douglas Little

Megan Loberg

Kathleen and John Lohr

Jeffrey B. Loomis

Jan and Blake Lund

Masood Mahdavifar

Nicole Makovec

Candi Marcantel

Charles Mason

Mary Mattingly

Charles Mausser

Catherine and Marcus Maydew

Bruce McKeefry and Geoff

Yeoman

Nicholas McMIllan

Lauren Medici

Taliah Merritt

Jane and Philip Meyer

Ann Jansen Michelson and Brent Michelson

Robert Miller

Cindy Miserez

Mary Mitchell and John C.

Mitchell, Sr.*

Richard Morris

Rick Fortner

Terry and Mollie Foster

Nancy Johnson

Sue Moskovits

Lisa and Martin Braun *Deceased

DONORS

Matthew Munderloh

Rose Ann Murphy

Tari Hendrickson and Clayton

Naff

Anne Nagosky

Ann Nelson

Tirimba Obonyo

Neil Odonnell

Tom Olsen

Ellen Osborn

Sean Otterberg

Jeanie and Donald *Owen

Jennifer and Thomas Pansing

Michael Pellecchia

Susan Petersen

Deb and Eric Peterson

Rick Peterson

James Pyrzynski

Barbara K. Rainey

Silva Raker

TaTanisha Ranney

Jenene and Herman Rauth

Cynthia and David Rector

Toni Reese

Laurance Ring

Noyes W. Rogers

Dr. Debra J. Romberger

Molly Romero

Laura Roost

Emmanelle and Allen Rose

Kathleen and Robert Rose

Steven Roselli

Jane and Ralph Ross

Mark Rousseau

Courtney Rudick

Carol and Richard Russell

Rev. David Rykwalder

Cherie Sadler

Sawsan Saeed

Judy* and Larry Sampier

Erin Sample

Jon Austin

Linda and Paul Sather

Larry Saxton

Kathryn Riesz Schapper and Aaron Schapper

Rita and Dean Schechinger

Susan Scherl

Nancy Schultz

Victory and Karel Sedlacek

Lila Cassandra Shakur

Joseph W. Shea

MacKenzie Shinbara

Ellen and Richard Shubart

Jean and Thomas Sitzman

Scott Slegl

Kim Smith-Ferguson

Erin Sobansky

Kim Sosin

Sandra Spellmire

Mary Spurgeon

John Stavropoulos

Glenda and George Steinsberger

Marika and Peter Stone

Barb Stratman

Mary A. Sturek

Renee Sullivan

Cathy Swanson

Geralyn Terwey

Monte and Duane Thompson

Lindsey J. Tomaso

Michael Torkelson

Judy Torrens

Mr. Donaciano Torres

Ginny Tworek

Jerry Tyrrell

Judi Unger

Ann Van Hoff

Holly Vander

Anthony Vargas

Alison Vaughan

Bonny Venditte

Mary Lee and John Vitton

Windy Vo

Anonymous

Natalie N Wallace

Corinne Wardian

Sarah Watson

Annika and Allen Weber

Carolyn B. Weber

Barbara and Wallace Weitz

Nancy Williams

Terrie L Wood

Cody Joseph Wooldrik

Timothy Held and Jay Worden

Mary and Anthony Yonkers

Edith and Robert Zahniser

Susan and John Zeilinger

Michael Zimmerman

Seize the day and prepare to prosper.

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

CORPORATE, FOUNDATION & GOVERNMENT DONORS

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

$100,000+

Anonymous

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

Omaha Steaks

Peter Kiewit Foundation

Weitz Family Foundation

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

$50,000-$99,000

Bailey Lauerman

First National Bank of Omaha

Holland Foundation

Nebraska Arts Council / Nebraska Cultural Endowment

PRODUCER

$25,000-$49,999

Heider Family Foundation

Iowa West Foundation

Jetton Charitable Fund

Mutual of Omaha

Nebraska Cultural Endowment

Omaha Magazine

Valmont Industries, Inc.

BACKER

$10,000-$24,999

Adah and Leon Millard Foundation

Conagra Brands Foundation

Giger Foundation

Gilbert M. and Martha H. Hitchcock Foundation

HDR, Inc.

Kinghorn Gardens

Sylvia B. Cohn (Rose Blumkin Foundation Inc.)

Union Pacific Corporation

University of Nebraska Medical Center

University of Nebraska Omaha

BENEFACTOR

$5,000-$9,999

Fraser Stryker

Husch Blackwell LLP

Peter Kiewit Sons', Inc.

RSM US LLP

Whitmore Charitable Trust

ADVOCATE

$1-$4,999

Backer Family Charitable Trust

Barnhart Press

Classical 90.7 KVNO

Cobank

Edward and Lida Robinson Charitable Trust

Humanities Nebraska

Koley Jessen P.C., LLC

Lincoln Financial Group

Minnesota Opera

Nebraska Tourism Commission

OPERA America

Paypal Giving Fund

Stowell, Geweke & Piskorski

Strauss Charitable Fund

The Fred and Sally Bekins Foundation

U.S. Bank

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

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

We proudly recognize the following Fortissimo Society Members

Peppy* and Norman* Bahr

Jo Bartikoski and Don Westling

Betty L. Beach, PhD

Kathleen Joan Bradley

Sandra L.E. and William C. Bruns

Debra and Bob Culver

Ike and Roz Friedman Foundation

Linda and David Gardels

Connie and Geof* Heiden

Mary and Charles* Heider

Mary* and Richard* D. Holland

Aline Hosman*

Sally and Gary* Kaplan

Joanne and David Kolenda

Graham Lusk*

Ann* and Allan* Mactier

Sharee and Murray Newman

Ephraim L. Marks* and David M. Rice*

Mark Allen Maser

Joan F.* and Richard* L. O’Brien

Ann and Paul O'Hara

Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Owen

Mary and Richard Parrish

Thompson H. Rogers

Ruth and William Scott

Eve and Fred* Simon

Dr. and Mrs. Michael Sorrell

Dr. Judith Stoewe*

Mary Ann and Jerrold* Strasheim

Janet and Jerry Syslo

Bruni and Roy* Thylin

Mary Beth and James Winner

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

Rabbi Myer S.* and Dorothy Kripke*

Pauline D. Nelson*

Howard Silberg*

Margaret Wiltse*

Annie F. Zinn*

SPECIAL FUNDS

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

The Barbara Willson Fund

The Jane Hill Education Fund

The William Randolph Hearst Fund

For more information about ways to give, sample language for bequests, or to inform us of your inclusion of Opera Omaha in your estate plans, please reach Joe Prickett, Director of Development at (402) 661-8435 or jprickett@operaomaha.org.

*Deceased

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 July 15, 2021-December 15, 2022.

IN MEMORY OF:

HARRIET BECKENHAUER

Anonymous

Carol Casey

Kara Cordell

Mary Dragoo

Martha Elias

Delores Ericson

Sarah Marie Ferneding

Mary Clare Haven

Stephen Jensen

Mary Jetton

Kelly M Johns

Victor and Kendra Kelly

Krysten Knott

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Stowell, Geweke & Piskorski

EDWARD CARUSI

Gina Carusi

PETER CLOGG

Victory Sedlacek

GLORIA DUNBAR

Victory Sedlacek

BRUCE HANEY

Joanne and David Kolenda

ANDA HOWE

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

DIANNE L. JONES

Jon Anderson

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

SALLY LUSK

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

Joanne and David Kolenda

Sheila McNeill

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

ANN MACTIER

Joanne and David Kolenda

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

SANDY MATTHEWS

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Kate and Roger Weitz

HELEN AND FRANK

MATTHEWS

Joan and Robert Miller

JOAN AND RICHARD

O’BRIEN

Joanne and David Kolenda

Mary Ann Strasheim

Kate and Roger Weitz

BETSYE PARAGAS

Tom Chandler and William Schaffer

Sherry Fletcher

Sharon Hofschire

Kate and Roger Weitz

ROBERT G. RUETZ

Bill L. Gaus

Joanne and David Kolenda

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

CHERYL SANWICK

Betty L. Beach

Clare and Thomas Burton

Annika and Allen Weber

MARY SCHROEDER

Ruth Keene

FRED SIMON

Carmen and Toma Ovici

MIMI TANNER

Victory Sedlacek

IN HONOR OF:

TOM CHANDLER AND BILL SCHAFFER

Sissy Katelman Silber

HOWARD COFFIN

Sheldon Lerner and Lourdes Secola

JOYCE DIXON AND JOHN KIDD

Mary Mitchell

HAL FRANCE

Anonymous

RICHARD PARRISH’S BIRTHDAY

Betty L. Beach

Mary Jetton

JAMES F. PYRZYNSKI

Bill L. Gaus

KELLY AND MARK SANFORD

Taylor Gunnels

ROGER WEITZ

Sheldon Lerner and Lourdes Secola

Minnesota Opera

Mary and Richard Parrish

Nicholas Russell

Anne and Arnold Weitz

SARA YOUNG

Betty Foster

Ellen and Richard Shubart

REPERTOIRE HISTORY

1958-59

Madama Butterfly

Tosca

Oklahoma!

Hansel and Gretel

1959-60

Carousel

Pagliacci/Quivera

1960-61

Die Fledermaus

La Traviata

1961-62

The Merry Widow

La bohème

1962-63

Carmen

La Périchole

1963-64

Aida

The Barber of Seville

1964-65

Lucia di Lammermoor

The Marriage of Figaro

1965-66

Rigoletto

Madama Butterfly

1966-67

Il Trovatore

The Ballad of Baby Doe

1967-68

Tosca

La bohème

1968-69

La Traviata

Carmen

1969-70

Faust

Cavalleria Rusticana/ Pagliacci

1970-71

Aida

Die Fledermaus

1971-72

Rigoletto

The Tales of Hoffmann

1972-73

Madama Butterfly

Romeo and Juliet

Un Ballo in Maschera

1973-74

Tosca

The Marriage of Figaro

The Elixir of Love

1974-75

La bohème

Lucia di Lammermoor

La Périchole

1975-76

La traviata

Manon

Bilby’s Doll

The Barber of Seville

1976-77

Aida

The Merry Widow

Don Pasquale

Don Giovanni

1977-78

Madama Butterfly

The Abduction from the Seraglio*

The Bartered Bride

1978-79

The Barber of Seville

Werther

La bohème

1979-80

Die Fledermaus*

La Traviata*

The Pirates of Penzance

1980-81

Così fan tutte

Susannah

Rigoletto

1981-82

The Daughter of the Regiment

Carmen

The Magic Flute

1982-83

Don Pasquale Faust

Madama Butterfly

1983-84

Aida*

The Tales of Hoffmann

Don Giovanni

1984-85

Tosca

Falstaff

Gianni Schicchi/Pagliacci

1985-86

Turandot

Lucia di Lammermoor

The Marriage of Figaro

1986-87

La Traviata

The Barber of Seville

Porgy and Bess

1987-88

The Turn of the Screw*

The Juniper Tree*

Where’s Dick?

Amahl & the Night Visitors*

Carmen

La bohème

1988-89

Oklahoma!

Partenope+

The Diary of One Who Vanished

White Rose

A Celebration of Bel Canto

Rigoletto

Manon

1989-90

Plácido Domingo in Concert

Show Boat

Madama Butterfly

Romeo and Juliet*

1990-91

Carousel

Angelina Reaux in “Stranger Here Myself”

Maria Padilla+

The Golem+

Il Trovatore*

The Magic Flute

1991-92

My Fair Lady

Tosca

Don Giovanni*

1992-93

Ermione+

The Gardens of Adonis***

Autumn Valentine***

Eugene Onegin*

The Flying Dutchman

1993-94

Vive Toulouse!

Requiem Variations***

Fidelio

The Pirates of Penzance

1994-95

The Merry Widow

La Traviata

Carmen

1995-96

The Daughter of the Regiment*

Turandot

The Barber of Seville

1996-97

Così fan tutte*

La bohème

Faust

1997-98

Don Pasquale

Madama Butterfly

La Cenerentola

Opera Omaha 40

1998-99

Eric Hermannson’s Soul***†

Aida

The Marriage of Figaro

1999-00

Samuel Ramey in “A Date with the Devil”

Samson et Dalila

Tosca*

2000-01

Amahl & the Night Visitors*

Carmina Burana/Pagliacci

Falstaff

Man of La Mancha

2001-02

All-American! Concert

Amahl & the Night Visitors

Otello

Little Women

Don Giovanni

2002-03

Richard Rodgers’

America Concert

Carmen

The Turn of the Screw*

H.M.S. Pinafore Bloodlines***†

2003-04

La bohème

Lucia di Lammermoor

Cold Sassy Tree*

2004-05

The Threepenny Opera*

The Tender Land*

Dream of the Pacific***†

Turandot

La Traviata

2005-06

Paul Bunyan

Madama Butterfly*

The Abduction from the Seraglio*

2006-07

Tosca

Wakonda’s Dream***†

The Barber of Seville

2007-08

All The King’s Men*

The Tragedy of Carmen*

Aida*

2008-09

The Blizzard Voices***†

The Pirates of Penzance

La bohème

2009-10

Night for American Song

Pagliacci

Brundibár

The Marriage of Figaro

So in Love with Broadway*

2010-11

Opera for the Cure*

Don Giovanni

Madama Butterfly

2011-12

This is Opera!*

Hansel and Gretel*

The Marriage Contract*

The Mikado

2012-13

La Traviata

The Magic Flute*

Bluebeard’s Castle*

2013-14

Opera Outdoors*

Carmen Agrippina*

La cenerentola

2014-15

Opera Outdoors*

Rigoletto*

A Flowering Tree*

Fidelio

2015-16

Opera Outdoors*

The Barber of Seville

La fanciulla del West Semele*

2016-17

Opera Outdoors*

La bohème

Così fan tutte*

Flight*

Stranger from Paradise***†

2017-18

Opera Outdoors*

Tosca*

Falstaff*

Medea*

Proving Up*†

ONE Festival***

2018-19

Opera Outdoors*

Pagliacci

The Elixir of Love (L’elisir d’amore)

Les Enfants Terribles*

Faust*+

ONE Festival***

2019-20

Opera Outdoors*

Madama Butterfly

The Abduction from the Seraglio

2020-21

Opera Outdoors Broadcast

dwb++

Miranda++ MODULATION++

Concert with the Omaha

Symphony: Bizet, Mahler and Chausson

Opera Under the Stars*

La boheme ++

2021-22

Opera Outdoors*

The Capulets and the Montagues*

Sweeney Todd:

The Demon Barber of Fleet Street*

Eugene Onegin*

2022-23

Opera Outdoors*

X, The Life and Times of Malcolm X*

Suor Angelica

The Marriage of Figaro

BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION

OMAHA PERFORMING ARTS

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

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jack Koraleski, Chair

D. David Slosburg, Vice Chair

Michael S. Cassling

Dr. H. Dele Davies

Margaret Lauritzen Dodge

Scott C. Heider

Todd L. Johnson

Rodrigo López

Carl G. Mammel

Sharlon Rodgers

John Gottschalk, Chair Emeritus

John K. Boyer, Secretary

STAFF

Joan H. Squires, President

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

Bianca Harley, Vice President of Human Capital & Inclusion

Sabrina Weiss, Vice President of Development

Aaron Ott, Director of IT

Bev Carlson, Director of Public Relations and Communications

Andy Cassano, Vice President of Programming and Education

Ryan Murray, Senior Director of Operations

Alyssa Stieren, Director of Finance

Lee Turkovich, Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Ashley Voorhees, Associate Vice President of Administrative Services

Charles Shanahan, Director of Food & Beverage Operations

GENERAL INFORMATION

COVID PRECAUTIONS

Nothing is more important than the health

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

• Masks are recommended for this performance

• Enhanced cleaning and sanitation

• Virus filtering heating and cooling

• Staff and patron precautions

• Touchless experience

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

FOOD SERVICES

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

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY

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

PARKING

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

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

FIRE OR TORNADO NOTICES

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

LOST AND FOUND

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

ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES

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

• Accessible seating throughout the hall.

• Accessible parking adjacent to the theater.

• Accessible restrooms.

• Accessible backstage accommodations for performers and technicians,

including accessible entries, dressing rooms and restrooms.

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

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

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

• Guide and service dogs are welcome.

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

TICKET OMAHA

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

ENTRY INSPECTION

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

GET INVOLVED

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

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

OPERA OMAHA GUILD

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

CRAFTSMAN’S GUILD

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

VOLUNTEERS

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

SUPERNUMERARIES

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

OPERA OMAHA CHORUS

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

TWEET SEATS

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

ADVERTISING

For Opera Omaha program book advertising, please contact:

Gil Cohen, Omaha Publications

Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing

402.884.2047- O

402.612.9378- C

gil@omahapublications.com