The Barber of Seville | Program Book

Oct 24 & 26

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

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DEAR FRIENDS:

It’s a genuine pleasure to welcome you to the first production of our 25/26 Season, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville

Whether you are a long-time or a first-time operagoer, you know The Barber of Seville from its many pop culture appearances, including Bugs Bunny, Mrs. Doubtfire, and even The Simpsons. It has been a hit since its second performance in 1816 – the premiere was marred by protests from a rival composer’s fans! – and it has been a mainstay on opera stages for over 200 years.

Why? The music is virtuosic, written in the bel canto style, which translated literally means “beautiful singing.” The comedy is timeless. We can still relate to the characters. And it’s a romance complete with a damsel in distress, except, as it happens, the damsel doesn’t need much help.

It has been 10 years since Opera Omaha last produced The Barber of Seville, and we are thrilled with our starry cast led by Alexander Birch Elliott, Minghao Liu, and Daniela Mack, under the direction of Stephen Lawless and musical leadership of Gary Thor Wedow. Even if you have seen The Barber of Seville before, you will never see this cast of illustrious artists perform together again. In this way, every production is a once-in-alifetime opportunity.

As the only opera company in the state of Nebraska, we balance each season with a blend of audience favorites, rarely performed works, and new operas that together span hundreds of years of composition and cultural influence. This season, we will feature operas written between 17442016, and we will bring to life comedy, tragedy, and everything in between.

Our next opera is Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah with performances on January 30 and February 1. This quintessential American opera follows the title character, a young woman coming of age in rural Tennessee, as she navigates small-town social politics, gossip, and the attention of Reverend Blitch. World-renowned soprano Patricia Racette directs.

On March 13, Harry Bicket and The English Concert return for a one-night-only performance of Handel’s Hercules. Their performance of Giulio Cesare was the hit of last season. Tickets are already going fast!

Later in March, we will feature three-time GRAMMY Award-winning bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green, known for his stirring performances at the Metropolitan Opera in Terence Blanchard’s Champion, at our annual gala. If you are not familiar with his story, I encourage you to learn more about Ryan Speedo Green’s inspiring life, and join us for the gala on Friday, March 27 at Steelhouse Omaha.

Our busy spring continues with a collaboration with our beloved musical partners, the Omaha Symphony, in a concert presentation of Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle at the Holland Center on April 24 and 25. Artist David Murakami will cast the Holland Center in immersive projections of light and shadow, and conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya will lead both halves of the program, which also includes Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, the “Fate Symphony.”

Then, in June, we will produce the second installment of our Family Opera Series: UnShakeable by composer Joe Illick and librettist Andrea Fellows Fineberg. This modern Shakespeare love story is perfect for audiences of all ages, and we will offer four performances, including a relaxed performance, from June 5-7 at the Hoff Family Arts & Culture Center in Council Bluffs.

We hope you will join us for as many performances as you are able. It is our mission to bring joy and creativity to your life, and to make Omaha an even more wonderful place to live.

With gratitude,

Allison Swenson GENERAL DIRECTOR

The Nebraska Cultural Endowment is proud to support Opera Omaha

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Kiley Freeman CHAIR

Barbara Person VICE CHAIR

Dr. Ali Khan SECRETARY

Linda Burt Rebrovic TREASURER

Dr. Jawed Bharwani ADVISORS CHAIR

Carrie Nath COMMUNITY PANEL REPRESENTATIVE

Nicholas Bjornson

Dr. Anne Bruckner

Mihaela Kobjerowski

Hillary Nather-Detisch

David Offutt

Jane Offutt

Terri Sanders

Joe Spitzenberger

Jara Sturdivant-Wilson

Jerry Syslo

Tony Vargas

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

Michael Chase

Dr. Karen Fannin

Betty Foster

Lauren Garcia

Dr. Fred Hanna

Ryan Hansen

Dr. Hamza Haqqi

Lora Kaup

Mark Allen Maser

Sheila McNeil

Patty Pandzik

Deb Peterson

Alysia Radicia

Dr. Debra Reilly-Culver

Dr. Jeffrey Robinson

Karl Schwent

Mary Ann Strasheim

Jerry Syslo

Dr. James Tracy

Jim Winner

Connie Kinnear

OPERA OMAHA GUILD PRESIDENT

Chris Tombrello

CRAFTSMAN’S GUILD PRESIDENT

Allison Swenson GENERAL DIRECTOR

ADMINISTRATION

Shannon Walenta CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Jenny Daggett

FINANCE CONSULTANT

April Hartman

HUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTANT

Cydnea Hoff OFFICE MANAGER

ARTISTIC

Katrina Thurman

DIRECTOR OF ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION

Trisha Berquist

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS COORDINATOR

Josh Quinn

HEAD OF MUSIC & CHORUS DIRECTOR

Steven White

PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR

DEVELOPMENT

Joe Prickett

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Rebecca Ihnen

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Laura Jaros

DEVELOPMENT DATABASE & ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER

ENGAGEMENT

Lauren Medici

DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS & PROGRAMS

Wendy Kaiser

COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOWSHIP MANAGER

Abz Cameron

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Tobias J. Garcia

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Chloe Janae Gormley

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

Pat McEvoy

ENGAGEMENT COORDINATOR

Aiden James Poling

HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOW

MARKETING

Kyle Thomas DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Rachel Austin

ART DIRECTOR

Howard Coffin

AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT & SALES MANAGER

PRODUCTION

Kate Whitecotton DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

Tim Combs

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

OPERA OMAHA STAFF

We are committed to giving back to the community. Our charitable giving supports o r g a n i z a t i o n s w i t h h i g h - i m p a c t p r o g r a m s that focus on alleviating food insecurity. E v e r y o n e D e s e r v e s t h e R i g h t t o H e a l t h y a n d N u t r i t i o u s F o o d

Conagra Brands Foundation is proud to invest in Omaha and its future.

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 sustaining generosity. With our sincere gratitude, we acknowledge the following foundations and businesses that make our programming a reality. Opera Omaha would also like to recognize the institutions and corporations that provide operating support or sponsor our community engagement programs, which are designed to educate, uplift, and enrich our community.

SEASON SPONSORS

PRODUCTION SPONSORS

ARTIST SPONSORS

Anonymous Jo Bartikoski and Don Westling Dr� Betty Foster and Roger Blauwet

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

Allan and Ann Mactier Charitable Foundation Mammel Family Foundation

Firefly Scientists Foundation

Jetton Charitable Fund

Anonymous Giger Foundation

Adah and Leon Millard Foundation

GENEROUS PUBLIC SUPPORT PROVIDED BY

Whitmore Charitable Trust

FROM THE CONDUCTOR

A SONG OF PRAISE AND THANKS TO THE MIDWEST

I am a Hoosier, an Indiana native, born in La Porte on the same latitude as Omaha, so I feel a magnetic connection there - I'm at home in Omaha. You have the mighty river; we have the Great Lake Michigan with Chicago shining on its banks. I want to praise and thank the great Midwest for the great musical education that led me to Rossini.

Rossini was born in Pesaro, on the Adriatic Sea, another magnificent body of water. His mother was an opera singer, his father a trumpeter, and they made certain their precocious son had a solid musical education. My Swedish grandfather played the trumpet, I followed in his footsteps, piano and organ lessons followed with masterful teachers. Just as Rossini’s childhood was dominated by the Napoleonic wars, our band marched regularly honoring veterans of WWII with marches often by Rossini, sometimes in elaborate choreographed football half-time shows. Rossini knew that "within rhythm lies all the power of music." Rossini has the beat!

A summer music camp brought me to legendary Indiana University, and I stayed for my bachelor’s degree. My first live opera was The Rake’s Progress, and I was hooked. With luck, I was assigned to the studio of incoming faculty member, piano virtuoso, Jorge Bolet. I had never heard anything like his stunning playing; my mind exploded. Through him, I met Beverly Sills who laughingly explained that they were friends because they performed the same repertoire: the 19th century virtuoso vocal repertoire that Liszt and others had transcribed for piano. Rossini is for virtuosos.

IU was famous for opera, and I, a new acolyte, played for many rehearsals and lessons in the studios of the brilliant teachers. Margaret Harshaw, a celebrated Wagnerian, had studied at Juilliard with Anna Schoen-Rene, who had studied with Pauline Viardot-Garcia whose father had created the role of the Count in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Music is a skill that is only learned by

doing, and the passing down of technique and tradition; it was handed down to me, literally through the singers’ mouths. At IU, the musical world came to me. There was a quietly whispered dark nickname for IU: "The music school that Hitler founded," so many teachers were WWII refugees; all brilliant artists eager to pass on their valuable knowledge.

Glamorous Gianna d’Angelo, complete with Chanel suits and towering red hair, came to teach, and I was assigned to her studio. She had recorded Barbiere and that recording was my real introduction to these iconic characters. Her Barber on that recording, Renato Cappecchi, would later become a frequent colleague and friend completing another magical circle. No one other than Rossini could write an entrance aria like the Barber’s.

After Indiana, I traveled to Boston where my first professional job was with the Handel & Haydn Society; and I, like Rossini, developed a passion for earlier styles of music, and probably a bit of pretentiousness. It was always popular to belittle Rossini: "let’s leave the Rossini concert early, before we start to enjoy it!" But the truth is that everyone did enjoy it, a guilty pleasure, irresistible, one cannot help but enjoy Rossini. Rossini, with his martial, spirited rhythms and soaring virtuosic vocal lines, accomplished only by the greatest singers, and his roller coaster Rossini crescendos, inspires us, enlivens us, drags us along, exhausts us, and brings us joy. Resistance is futile!

Music is humans’ most primal language; Neanderthals communicated with song shapes before they spoke any language, it is deep in our DNA. Early music studies develop the brain in miraculous ways that support other skills: language, math, problem solving, physical coordination, emotional expression, and more. Participating in music, even as a listener, makes you healthier and happier—that’s science, not PR. Education in music for young children should be fundamental. Opera Omaha’s robust engagement programs, such as their Poetry & Music Project, and open dress rehearsals, bring in thousands of curious students every year, enriching their lives, changing their lives for better.

Thank you, Majestic Midwest, for your love and support of music and for introducing me to my friend and yours: Gioachino Rossini.

— Gary Thor

Wedow

FROM THE DIRECTOR

Rossini's The Barber of Seville is probably the best known comic opera in the world. Even non-opera goers know its overture from countless films, cartoons, and advertisements, and Figaro's iconic, bravura aria “Largo al factotum” is even more famous. It was the first opera that I saw in the theater and I guess was the piece that got me hooked on opera. Yet beneath the comic veneer there exists another layer.

The opera is based on Beaumarchais's play of the same name, part of a trilogy of works (the others being The Marriage of Figaro and The Guilty Mother, both turned into operas by Mozart and Milhaud respectively) that the playwright used to attack the aristocracy and privilege in general in eighteenth century France. The Barber of Seville is often thought of as musical commedia dell'arte, but Beaumarchais subverts that tradition into something superior. He uses that most potent and subversive of political weapons - humour - to lampoon the foibles of the ruling class. Napoleon even described The Marriage of Figaro as "the (French) revolution put into action."

As with the Mozart opera, Rossini and his librettist Sterbini downplay the politics, but do not get rid of them entirely. Figaro's Act One aria mentioned above is the anthem of the self-made man, proudly boasting of and delighting in the success his wit and ingenuity have brought him. He is contrasted with the aristocratic Count Almaviva, who has the money that Figaro lacks, but whose privilege and wealth put him in the ridiculous position of being both too proud to soil his hands on intrigues and too indolent to even think for himself—he has to pay somebody else (in this case Figaro) to do it for him. Lacking Figaro's peasant ingenuity, he is too "thick" to think. His sense of his own nobility, due to his lineage and position in the social order, consistently trip up Figaro's plans. Their relationship may seem like friendship, but is in fact purely transactional...they both need something from each other.

Where they are united is in their dislike of Doctor Bartolo. The emergent bourgeoisie in the eighteenth century were figures of ridicule. The aristocracy's dislike stemmed from their fear of the increasing wealth and political clout of the "middling classes," and the lower orders disliked them out of envy at their growing dominance. Almaviva's dependence on Figaro is mirrored by Doctor Bartolo's dependence on Don Basilio, that least charitable and most hypocritical of priests, to do his dirty work for him (for a price), and it is Don Basilio who teaches Doctor Bartolo how to scheme in the same way that Figaro teaches Almaviva.

Where the operas and the plays are revolutionary, for me, is in their treatment of women, in particular Rosina, Doctor Bartolo's ward and Almaviva's romantic interest. In both The Barber of Seville and The Marriage of Figaro, the men may think of themselves as being cleverer than anyone else and in charge of events, but it is the women who eventually win the day. Rosina's "butter wouldn't melt" appearance masks a determination to get what she wants. Her quick-wittedness outshines even Figaro's.

So, despite its commedia dell'arte roots, I believe it is social satire that fuels the comic engine of Rossini's opera and adds to the piquancy of its comedy. Like any good comedy, it also has the capacity for tragedy (hence the storm in Act Two) through which the sun eventually and inevitably breaks through on this sunniest and warmest of comedies.

All this is reflected in Rossini's music. I know of few other operatic scores that are so sunny and stormy at the same time. Rossini seems to be saying that all interaction between the various strata in society will result in chaos (as happens at the end of both chorus scenes in Act One) but always concludes that the world will be restored to order and be in a better place after that chaos has subsided.

— Stephen Lawless

Opera San Jose - Photo By David Allen

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

Music by Gioachino Rossini

Libretto by Cesare Sterbini

Performed in Italian with English supertitles

October 24 & 26, 2025

Orpheum Theater, Slosburg Hall | Omaha, Nebraska

First performance: Teatro Argentina, Rome – February 20, 1816

First Opera Omaha performance: April 30, 1964

CREATIVE

Gary Thor Wedow CONDUCTOR

Stephen Lawless* DIRECTOR

Adrian Linford*

SET & COSTUME DESIGNER

Thomas C. Hase

LIGHTING DESIGNER

Ronell Oliveri

WIG & MAKEUP DESIGNER

Patricia Velazquez-Dunn* CHOREOGRAPHER

CAST

Daniela Mack

ROSINA

Minghao Liu* COUNT ALMAVIVA

Alexander Birch Elliott FIGARO

Dale Travis* DOCTOR BARTOLO

Matthew Anchel* DON BASILIO

Mary-Hollis Hundley* BERTA

Thomas Gunther* FIORELLO

Tanner Engeseth* OFFICER

*Opera Omaha Debut

Minghao Liu sponsored by Anonymous

Gary Thor Wedow sponsored by Jo Bartikoski & Don Westling and Dr� Betty Foster & Roger Blauwet

The Omaha Symphony

Opera Omaha Chorus | Josh Quinn, director

Production originally designed for and created by Opera San José.

The performance runs approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes with one 20-minute intermission. The use of flash equipped cameras, audio recorders, video cameras or any other recording device during the performance is strictly prohibited.

THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

SYNOPSIS

ACT ONE

A square in Seville at dawn, outside Doctor Bartolo's house.

Count Almaviva, disguised as a humble student named Lindoro, attempts to serenade Rosina with the help of his servant Fiorello, and a group of musicians. The serenade fails to rouse Rosina, and the Count, annoyed by the musicians' loud demands for payment, dismisses them. Soon after, Figaro, the famous barber, enters singing about his bustling life as the "factotum of the city." The Count recognizes Figaro as his former servant. Upon learning the Count is infatuated with Rosina, Doctor Bartolo's ward, Figaro sees an opportunity for reward. Rosina appears on her balcony and, in a clever move, drops a note to the Count, which Figaro retrieves, expressing her curiosity about her admirer and her desire to escape her tyrant guardian. Figaro devises a plan for the Count to disguise himself as a drunken soldier and demand lodging in Doctor Bartolo's house, believing he would trust someone tipsy from wine. The Count readily agrees, promising Figaro gold galore.

Opera San Jose - Photo By David Allen

Inside Doctor Bartolo's house.

Rosina expresses her love for Lindoro, and her determination to outwit her guardian. Figaro arrives and informs her of Doctor Bartolo's plan to marry her the very next day, much to her dismay. He cunningly extracts a love letter from Rosina, which she had already prepared for Lindoro, showcasing her own cleverness. Doctor Bartolo enters, immediately suspecting Rosina has been communicating with Figaro, noticing ink on her finger and a missing sheet of paper, which Rosina quickly covers up with fabricated excuses. Meanwhile, Don Basilio, Rosina's music teacher, arrives to warn Doctor Bartolo that Count Almaviva is in Seville, and suggests slandering him to prevent his pursuit of Rosina. Doctor Bartolo, eager to secure his marriage, decides to prepare the marriage contract immediately. The Count then arrives, disguised as the drunken soldier, demanding lodging. A chaotic exchange ensues with Doctor Bartolo, during which the Count attempts to pass a note to Rosina, but he intercepts it.

Rosina cleverly switches the love letter for a laundry list, fooling him. The commotion attracts the attention of the police, but the Count reveals his true identity to the officer, leaving everyone in astonishment.

ACT TWO

Doctor Bartolo, still suspicious of the soldier, remains oblivious when the Count reappears, now disguised as Don Alonso, a music teacher and pupil of the supposedly ill Don Basilio. The Count (as Don Alonso) gains Doctor Bartolo's trust by showing him Rosina's letter to "Lindoro," and proposing a plan to slander the Count to Rosina, suggesting it would prove the Count was merely toying with her. During Rosina's "music lesson," she and the Count, with Doctor Bartolo present, communicate their affection through the lyrics of a song. Figaro arrives to shave Doctor Bartolo and, using a feigned eye injury, manages to secretly obtain the key to the balcony window. The plan is nearly jeopardized when Don Basilio unexpectedly appears, in perfect health. The Count, Figaro, and Rosina quickly bribe Don Basilio with a purse of gold, and convince him he is severely ill and should go to bed. While Doctor Bartolo is being shaved, the lovers plan their midnight elopement. Doctor Bartolo overhears their conversation about the disguise and the letter, finally realizing he's been tricked. That night, Figaro and the Count enter through the balcony, but Rosina, having been misled by Doctor Bartolo that Lindoro was merely a pawn of the Count, initially rebuffs her suitor. The Count then reveals his true identity as Almaviva, leading to Rosina's joyous realization. They discover the ladder for their escape has been removed by Doctor Bartolo. However, Don Basilio arrives with the notary, whom Doctor Bartolo had summoned to draw up his own marriage contract with Rosina. Figaro quickly intervenes, claiming the notary is there for the marriage of Count Almaviva and his niece (Rosina). The Count bribes Don Basilio again and threatens him with two bullets in the head if he resists, securing him as a witness. Doctor Bartolo returns with an officer and soldiers, intending to arrest the Count, but it's too late: the marriage contract is signed, and Rosina is now Countess Almaviva. Doctor Bartolo acknowledges his defeat as the others celebrate their happy ending.

Gary Thor Wedow Conductor

Gary Thor Wedow returns to Opera Omaha after last conducting Don Pasquale. Mr. Wedow has established an enviable reputation for dramatically exciting and historically informed performances with opera companies, orchestras, festivals, and choral organizations throughout North America. During his 24/25 Season Mr. Wedow lead Mozart’s masterpiece Le nozze di Figaro with Palm Beach Opera, joined Cincinnati Conservatory of Music for the same composer’s La finta giardiniera, and returned to the Santa Fe Symphony for Handel’s Messiah. In the fall of 2023 he collaborated with Opera Southwest for Carmen, and returned to Des Moines Metro Opera for Il barbiere di Siviglia. The 22/23 Season found Mr. Wedow at The Juilliard School to lead their production of Atalanta. A favorite with Seattle Opera audiences, Mr. Wedow has also been a frequent guest of Florida Grand Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Arizona Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Portland Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Utah Opera, Chautauqua Opera, among others.

Stephen Lawless Director

Stephen Lawless makes his Opera Omaha debut with The Barber of Seville. Born in Warrington Cheshire, UK, Mr. Lawless was Director of Production for Glyndebourne Touring Opera from 1986-1992, where he directed a production of Britten’s Death in Venice.

Subsequently, he has worked for most of the world’s leading opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera (Don Giovanni, 2000), the Royal Opera Covent Garden (La clemenza di Tito, 2002), Glyndebourne Festival (Die Fledermaus, 2003 and 2006), the Bolshoi (Der Rosenkavalier, 2013), and San Francisco Opera (Capriccio, 1992 and Roberto Devereux, 2018). In North America, he has also worked for the opera companies in Los Angeles, Dallas, San Diego, Houston, Toronto, Kansas City, San Jose, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City, Seattle, and Portland, as well as the Santa Fe, Saint. Louis, and Glimmerglass festivals. His work has been seen at opera houses in Beijing, Seoul, Glasgow, Strasburg, Graz, Vienna, Berlin, Nuremberg, Magdeburg, Oldenburg, Lubeck, Erfurt, Genoa, Turin, Amsterdam, Ghent, Venice, Madrid, Barcelona, and St. Petersburg, as well as festivals in Innsbruck, Potsdam, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Grange Park, and Buxton.

Thomas C. Hase is excited to be back at Opera Omaha for his fifth production with the company.

Mr. Hase’s work has been seen at companies such as Santa Fe Opera, Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center, LA Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and The Atlanta Opera. He has also been the Resident Designer for Cincinnati Opera for 30 years. In New York, he has designed for the Broadway production of Company (Tony Award Best Revival), as well as New York City Opera, and BAM Next Wave Festival. Outside the US, he has designed for The Vienna State Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Staatstheater Kassel, Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Theater Erfurt, The Barbican and Sadler’s Wells in London, Opera North in the UK, The Abbey Theater and Riverdance in Dublin, The Gran Teatre de Liceu, Göteborg and Malmö Operas, The Dutch, Finnish and Columbian National Operas; Nederlandse Reisopera, Disney/Stage Entertainment; The Helikon Opera in Moscow, Opéra National de Bordeaux, Opéra de Marseille; Canadian Opera Company; The Luminato Festival in Toronto; Singapore Arts Festival, and Tokyo Metro Arts Center.

Ronell Oliveri

Wig & Makeup 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 Lyric Opera of Chicago, LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, and Boston Ballet. She was a Primetime 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 Mitridate at Boston Lyric Opera, La bohème at Opera Colorado, and The Marriage of Figaro at Columbus Opera. Upcoming engagements include La traviata at Opera Colorado, The Anonymous Lover with Opera Columbus, and Susannah at Opera Omaha.

Thomas C. Hase

Patricia Velazquez-Dunn Choreographer

Patricia Velazquez-Dunn makes her Opera Omaha debut in The Barber of Seville. Mrs. Velazquez-Dunn started her dance journey at the bright young age of six in Santa Barbara, CA, where she studied ballet, Spanish classical folk, and Flamenco dance. After more than ten years of participating in Old Spanish Fiesta Santa Barbara, Patricia developed a great love to continue to train and grow in Spanish and Flamenco dance. Throughout her adult years, she continued to train in Phoenix, Albuquerque, and Spain, while living in the Midwest. Moving to Omaha has given her an abundance of opportunities to share Spain’s most beautiful art form with our community. At one time, she was a guest performer at the very popular local España Restaurant in Benson for many years, and has since established her local group Flamenco Omaha which performs in many community festivals and cultural events.

Daniela Mack Rosina

Argentine mezzo-soprano Daniela Mack returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in The Marriage of Figaro. This season, Ms. Mack sings Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia at Houston Grand Opera and returns to Lyric Opera of Chicago in El último sueño de Frida y Diego as Frida. In her 24/25 Season, Ms. Mack returned to both the Metropolitan Opera and LA Opera as Federico García Lorca in a new production of Ainadamar. She also appeared with Lyric Opera of Chicago as Angela in Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners, with San Francisco Opera as Idamante in Idomeneo, and made her house debut at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma as Orsini in Lucrezia Borgia. Notable highlights include her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Kitchen Boy in Rusalka, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia at the Royal Opera House, Rosmira in Partenope at Teatro Real, Romeo in Bellini’s I Capuleti e i Montecchi at Teatro de la Maestranza, Béatrice in Béatrice et Bénédict with the BBC Philharmonic, and Carnegie Hall in a performance of Serse with The English Concert.

Minghao Liu Count Almaviva

Leggero Tenor Minghao Liu makes his Opera Omaha debut in The Barber of Seville. In his 25/26 Season, Mr. Liu will make debuts with the Merola Opera Program as the title role in Le comte Ory, Opera Philadelphia as Belfiore in Il viaggio a Reims, Glyndebourne Festival as Narciso in Rossini's Il turco in Italia, and San Diego Opera as Count Alamaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia Recent engagements include Opera Naples as Ernesto in Don Pasquale, Florida Grand Opera as Nemorino (cover) in L’elisir d’amore, Opera Tampa as Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, St. Petersburg Opera as Lindoro in L’italiana in Algeri, Miami Music Festival as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Gulfshore Opera as Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, and Opera in Williamsburg as Alfred in Die Fledermaus. Mr. Liu has won top competition prizes including The Lissner Charitable Fund Award for the 2024 Opera Index Vocal Competition and the 2025 Luciano Pavarotti Foundation Opera Naples International Voice Competition. A native of Qingdao, China, he received training at the S.S. Prokofiev Music Conservatory, University of Alberta, Frost School of Music, Sherrill Milnes Voice Experience Program, and Franz-Schubert-Institut.

Alexander Birch Elliott Figaro

Alexander Birch Elliott returns to Opera Omaha after last performing in Eugene Onegin. Last season, Mr. Elliott made his debut with Florida Grand Opera, returning to the role of Escamillo in Carmen. The baritone also returned to the roster of The Metropolitan Opera, covering Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia. Mr. Elliott’s concert calendar last season included performances of the Brahms German Requiem with the Charlotte Symphony,

Handel’s Messiah with the Nashville Symphony, and an appearance with the Pacific Vocal Series in Newport Beach, CA. His 23/24 Season featured a role debut with Houston Grand Opera as Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music, and a return to The Metropolitan Opera singing Papageno in The Magic Flute and covering Schaunard in La bohème. With the Grand Teton Music Festival, he performed Papageno under the baton of Sir Donald Runnicles. He recently made a role and house debut as Enrico in Simon Stone’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor with LA Opera.

Dale Travis

Doctor Bartolo

Dale Travis makes his Opera Omaha debut in The Barber of Seville. With a repertoire encompassing over 50 roles in a wide variety of styles from Mozart, Donizetti, and Rossini to Strauss, Puccini, and Wagner, Mr. Travis has been a frequent guest artist at the most prestigious opera companies in the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Washington Opera, LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Spoleto Festival USA, the Saito Kinen Music Festival, Teatro Regio in Torino, Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa, the Berlin Komische Oper, and the New Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv. During his 24/25 Season he returned to the San Francisco Opera as Benoit/Alcindoro in La bohème and joined Palm Beach Opera as Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro. This season also includes Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte with Opera San Jose. In 2022, he was presented with the San Francisco Opera Medal for 34 years of exemplary artistic servitude.

Matthew Anchel

Don Basilio

Bass Matthew Anchel makes his Opera Omaha debut as Don Basilio in The Barber of Seville Recent performances include The Metropolitan Opera’s season opener Grounded by Jeanine Tesori, Bartolo in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Minnesota Opera, The King in Aida with both Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Opera Maine, and The Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlo with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra. Upcoming engagements include returns to The Metropolitan Opera for The Magic Flute and Andrea Chenier, as well as a debut with the Nederlandse Reisopera in the world premiere of To Die For by Elena Langer. A versatile artist equally at home on the stage and in the studio, Mr. Anchel maintains a thriving private voice studio in New York City. He also made his television debut on season 29 of Worst Cooks in America on Food Network. Praised for his rich tone and commanding presence, Anchel continues to bring depth and distinction to roles across the operatic and symphonic repertoire.

Mary-Hollis Hundley

Berta

Mary-Hollis Hundley makes her Opera Omaha debut in The Barber of Seville. Fresh off her first season on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera, covering Sister Catherine and Sister Lillian in Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking, Ms. Hundley kicked off her 24/25 Season as Lady Macbeth in Macbeth with Opera Orlando. She also performed the roles of Gertrude in Hänsel und Gretel with the Helena Symphony, Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Dayton Opera, and sang as soprano soloist in a concert of “Beethoven Vocal Rarities” with the Amadeus Chamber Ensemble. The previous season, she traveled to her hometown of Louisville, Kentucky for a recital featuring all Appalachian music, including two commissioned song cycles from Kentucky artists. She also reprised the role of Joella “Jo” Jenner in The Knock for Cincinnati Opera, a role she originally created for its world premiere on film with the Glimmerglass Festival in 2021. This summer, she made her Central City Opera debut to reprise the role once more.

Thomas Gunther Fiorello

Baritone Thomas Gunther makes his Opera Omaha debut in The Barber of Seville. Favorite stage performances include Marcello in La bohème (Dominican Republic), Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire (Merola Opera), Germont in La traviata (Soo Opera and Bay View), Guglielmo in Così fan tutte (Schenectady Symphony), Captain Corcoran in H.M.S. Pinafore (Union Avenue Opera), Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus (Winter Opera of St. Louis), Billy Bigalow in Carousel (Soo Opera), Javert in Les Miserables (University of Kentucky), Dandini in La Cenerentola (Opera in the Heights), Silvio in Pagliacci (Sugar Creek), Raoul in Phantom of the Opera (University of Kentucky), and the title roles in Sweeney Todd and Don Giovanni. He was most recently seen reprising his role as Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Mr. Gunther is an adjunct voice professor at Doane University in Crete, NE and at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he works with musical theatre students. He also maintains a private voice studio.

CHORUS TENOR

Todd Brooks

Elmer Ellefson

Brian Jay

Aiden James Poling

Gavin Rasmussen

Daniel Schreiber

BASS

Matthew Brown

Tanner Engeseth*

Jiabo Gao

Thomas Gunther*

Kirby Le

Tanner Engeseth Officer

Baritone Tanner Engeseth makes his Opera Omaha debut in The Barber of Seville. Later this season, Mr. Engeseth will also be seen as First/Second Man in Susannah with Opera Omaha. Originally from De Forest, WI, Mr. Engeseth’s recent engagements include Marcello in La bohème with the Vienna Summer Music Festival, Marquis de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites with UNL Opera, Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors with UNL Opera, and Dandini in La Cenerentola with FIO Italia. He is a regional finalist of the West Central NATS chapter and has previously won first place in his category at the Wisconsin NATS auditions. He is currently a graduate student at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, studying under Dr. Jamie Reimer Seaman. He holds a BM Music Education degree from the University of WisconsinWhitewater.

FLAMENCO DANCERS/ SUPERNUMERARIES

Arlem I Nuñez Pacheco*

Laura Petry

Julie Stanfill*

Patricia Velazquez-Dunn*

*Opera Omaha Debut

Nov. 21 — Dec. 21, 2025

Dec. 5 — 21, 2025

For tickets, visit OmahaPlayhouse.com or call the OCP Box Office at (402) 553-0800

Season tickets available through November 9th. For more information about the artists and programs, go to www.LFCM.US

Single tickets available through the Lied Center and at the door.

Catalyst Quartet

Sunday, Nov 9, 2025 | 3:00 PM

Johnny Carson Theater Beethoven, Joseph Bologne, Aftab Darvishi, Toru Takemitsu, and Florence B. Price

New York Polyphony

Tuesday, Jan 20, 2026 | 7:30 PM

Johnny Carson Theater

Anton Bruckner, Franz Schubert, Akemi Naito, Paul Moravec, and Andrew Smith

Junction Trio

Thursday, Feb 19, 2026 | 7:30 PM

Johnny Carson Theater

Beethoven, John Cage, John Zorn, and Franz Schubert

Zodiac Trio

Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | 7:30 PM

Kimball Recital Hall

George Gershwin, Peter Schickele, Arturo Marquez, and Greg Simon

PRODUCTION & MUSIC STAFF

Kimberley S. Prescott*

PRODUCTION STAGE MANAGER

Stephanie Smith

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

Benjamin Kulwanoski

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Kassandra Joy*

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

Katie Blice

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

Deniz Uz*

RÉPÉTITEUR & PERFORMANCE PIANIST

Laura Peters

PROPERTIES SUPERVISOR

Alex Mason*

ASSISTANT LIGHTING DESIGNER

Amanda Jones

COSTUME SUPERVISOR

Gary Bosanek

WARDROBE COORDINATOR

Candace Leyland

WIG & MAKEUP ASSISTANT

Bryan Stanley

SUPERTITLE OPERATOR

Al Dusek+

HEAD PRODUCTION CARPENTER

Scott Wasson+

HEAD PRODUCTION ELECTRICIAN

Chad Curran

ASSISTANT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Friday, March 27, 2026

Steelhouse Omaha

Honoring the memory of Richard J. Parrish Featuring three-time GRAMMY® Award-winning bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green

SYMPHONY

VIOLINS

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

Lucy Duke

Yi-Miao Huang

Melissa Pruss

Mary Perkinson

David Neely

VIOLA

Thomas Kluge, Principal

Tyler Sieh, Associate Principal

Margo Romig-Motycka

Alexa Brown

Juliet Yoshida

Bozhidar Shopov

Sarah Curley

Rebecca Vieker

CELLO

Paul Ledwon, Principal

Gregory Clinton, Associate Principal

Zachariah Reff, Assistant Principal

Timothy Strang

Mark Motycka

Holly Gullen-Stout

Shannon Merciel

Trev Petersen

BASS

Nathaniel Olson, Principal

Bobby Scharmann, Associate Principal

Danielle Meier

Jeremy Baguyos

James Giles

Michael Swartz

FLUTE

Maria Harding, Principal

Nicholas Fitton, Assistant Principal

Lisa Meyerhofer, 3rd Flute and Piccolo

OBOE

Alexandra Rock, Principal

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

Steven Schultz, Associate Principal

Jake Rensink

Jordan Dinkins

TRUMPET

Scott Quackenbush, Principal

Federico Montes, Associate Principal

Christopher Haas

TROMBONE

Patrick Pfister, Principal

Jason Stromquist

Jay Wise

TIMPANI

Jack Rago, Principal

PERCUSSION

Paul Matthews, Principal

Derek Dreier, Assistant Principal

HARP

Janna Young, Principal

KEYBOARD

Christi Zuniga, Principal

ORCHESTRA OPERATIONS

Jennifer Boomgaarden, Daoud President & CEO

Kyra Hansen, Chief Operating Officer & Director of Production

John Coate, Operations & Production Manager

Tim Fogarty, Operations & Production Manager

Emily E. Duffin, Orchestra Personnel Manager

Erica Ostermiller, Operations Coordinator

Nicholas Buonanni, Head Librarian

Ryland Muñoz, Librarian

Nicole Cowan, Assistant Librarian

Margaret Shumate, Stage Manager

Alex Jacobsen, Assistant Stage Manager

Energizing Impact

Husch Blackwell proudly supports Opera Omaha’s 2025-2026 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.

David E. Gardels | Partner david.gardels@huschblackwell.com | 402.964.5027

huschblackwell.com

SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR THE 25/26 POETRY & MUSIC PROJECT

The Opera Omaha Poetry & Music Project is a statewide program run in partnership with the Nebraska Writers Collective to amplify the voices of youth poets, both urban and rural, across Nebraska and Iowa. Over the last 8 years, more than 1,000 poems have been submitted to the Poetry & Music Project. These poems varied in topic, but one thing was very clear: the young writers in our region have both immense talent, and unique perspectives.

THEME FOR POETRY SUBMISSIONS MEMORY

This year, we welcome your poems on memories — big and small — that made an impact on you, forever changed you, that are worth reliving, that are so delicious you want to gift them to others. Your mind is magic! We can’t wait to read about the unique way it sorts information, and makes powerful, meaningful memories.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Open to all K-12 students in Nebraska and Iowa

• Students may only submit one (1) poem

• All work must be original

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

November 30, 2025

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PROMPTS, AND FULL SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS VISIT: OPERAOMAHA.ORG/POETRY

PRODUCING PARTNER:

SUPPORTED BY:

ONE PASSION.

Banking focused on you.

At FNBO, you take center stage. Face to face or behind the scenes, we have the solutions to fit your vision and help you tell your story.

Banking Mortgage Wealth

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

Cindy & Mike Baumer

Betty Beach

Tom Burton

Gina Carusi

Kate & Chris Gannon–Tombrello

Bill Gaus

Melissa Gebauer

Nora Mae & John Gibson

Patti Jaynes

Mark Kalal

Christine Lund

Dean Manternach

Julie Mead

Patty Pandzik

Christine & Patrick Peters

Hilarie Price

Valerie Proctor

Margret Sexton

Toni Shelton

Brendy Shishido

Saprina Thiesen

Joe Torchia

Leslie Vann

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

Connie Kinnear

PRESIDENT

Elizabeth Peters

PRESIDENT ELECT

Lora Kaup

PAST PRESIDENT

Mark Maser

VP ENGAGEMENT

Kelly Sanford

VP FUNDRAISING

Betty Foster

VP MEMBERSHIP

Lisa Hagstrom

COTILLION LIAISON

Vivian Davis

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY

Connie Kinnear

RECORDING SECRETARY

April Nebel

TREASURER

GUILD STANDING COMMITTEES

VICTORIAN TEA

Lora Kaup

SPRING LUNCHEON

Connie Kinnear

COTILLION

Lisa Hagstrom

PATRON PARTY

Linda Andersen

Connie Kinnear

Mark Maser

Deb Peterson

Kelly Sanford

OPENING NIGHT OVERTURES

Christina Miller

NEWSLETTER

Lora Kaup

SOCIAL MEDIA AND COMMUNICATIONS

Lauren Garcia

STUDY GROUP

Deb Peterson

NE DISTRICT METROPOLITAN OPERA

LAFFONT COMPETITION AUDITIONS

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

AT LARGE BOARD MEMBERS

Dana Carlton-Flint

Kathy Gross

Laura Hale

Marilyn Martin

Sherry Taxman

Sara Young

COTILLION GRADUATES

Cotillion combines fundraising for Opera Omaha with lessons in social skills disguised as a dance class for sixth and seventh graders throughout Omaha. The primary purpose of each class is to provide the opportunity for each student to mature socially. Students learn the arts of dining, ballroom dancing, and how to be a proper guest as well as host/hostess in a formal setting. Learning how to meet new people and how to get along with others is emphasized; the dance steps are incidental.

2025 GRADUATES

Olivia Alexander

Charlie Anderl

Liam Ash

Caroline Baker

Amelia Balus

Ava Bartelt

Ruby Bartling

Ophelia Bartman

James Beran

Hudson Blakeman

Addison Blumkin

Dillon Bogard

Lucy Bolin

Teddy Boone

Evelyn Bost

Maddie Campos

Michael Carley

Oliver Carpenter

Stephen Chartrand

Cooper Chartrand

William Christensen

Monica Cooper

Enzo Cricenti

Annabelle Davidson

Zella DeFord

Kaycie DeLaet

Gemma DiMaio

Mila DiPrima

Jett Dubas

Declan Dugger

Lucas Dugger

Lucy Dugger

Ronan Dunne

William Durham

Lidia Edwards

Andrew Eiland

Clare Fay

Quinn Foley

Finn Galley

Grant Gibson

Surrenity Glandon

Ruby Glock

Gus Goranson

Harrison Greenwald

Annie Grosshans

Callie Guenzel

Maxwell Halbkat

Wesley Halbkat

Ani Hamilton

Ezra Harlow

Evie Harwell

Fitz Hawkins

Heidi Herdzina

Violet Himebaugh

Barrett Holm

Maggie Hope

Mackenzie Jewell

Ana Jurisevic

Peter Kalhorn

Lydia Key

Reese Kinsella

Ted Klinker

Jack Knowles

Isabelle Knowles

Micah Kohen

Talia Kohen

Kelli Kotera

Sam Kutler

Emerson Ladd

Siena LaFleur

Miles Lankhorst

John Lauer

Graham Lienemann

John Macaulay

Ximena Machuca

Britta Mahler

Harper Mainelli

Liam Malmstrom

Elizabeth Marshall

Otis Mauer

Chandler McGuire

Blaise McLaughlin

Ethan McLeay

Lilly McMahon

Grayson Mead

Charlene Metcalf

Maise Meysenburg

Eleanore Michelic

Jackson Montgomery

Connor Moore

Brecken Morrison

Kasen Morrison

Madeline Oliver

Breckin Palmquist

Louis Pape

Charlotte Parker

Emmett Pavlish

Henry Pedersen

Carter Poots

Taylor Poots

Madelyn Potter

Charlotte Raetz

Carson Reding

Lucas Regier

Julian Rider

Quinn Rider

Violet Ritter

Peru Robinson

Ruthie Robinson

Clinton Rushing

Mitchell Sauser

Lillian Scherer

Evelyn Schlattmann

Miranda Self

Mackenzie Senn

Clare Sheedy

Mary Ann Shehan

Keeland Sierawski

Lydia Siner

Virginia Spatz

Owen Stiles

Lola Stoller

Owen Strese

Izabela Sutton

Vivian Svacina

Chuck Taylor

Michael Tettenborn

Masahiro Ueda

Owen Visty

Kayden Wallace

Leo Wares

Ella Weingarten

Amelia West

Charlie Wetta

Carlos Willkom

James Woodke

Eleanor Woods

Maeve Wythers

Reed Wythers

Truett Yates

Emily Zabrowski

WHAT IS THE HOLLAND COMMUNITY OPERA FELLOWSHIP?

Launched in 2017, the Holland Community Opera Fellowship (HCOF) leads the opera field in civic practice by deepening relationships outside of performance venues. Across the Omaha metro, our team engages with the community, bringing artistry and connection to a variety of long-term and short-term co-created programs. Programming focuses on creativity and inspiration, utilizing the elements of opera (drama, word, art, movement, and music) in community-based settings.

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.

Pictured above: An HCOF workshop at Intercultural Senior Center

25/26 FELLOWSHIP TEAM

HCOF VALUES

Collaborative | Creative | Engaging | Expressive | Innovative | Responsive | Transformational | Pride in Service

25/26 COMMUNITY PARTNERS

The Holland Community Opera Fellowship creates responsive programming that acknowledges the strengths of each participating individual and community partner.

Sarpy County Juvenile Justice Center

25/26 COMMUNITY PANEL

The Community Panel represents a diverse group of local community members who are committed to the success and future of the Holland Community Opera Fellowship. The panel considers high level strategic decisions and priorities, helping guide the Fellowship as it grows.

Ang R. Bennett, I Be Black Girl & Artist

Tiffiny Clifton, Gotta Be Me

Geri Knight, RISE

Rachel Morgan, Nebraska Arts Council

Carrie Nath, Arts Access & Outreach Consultant

Rita Paskowitz, Storyteller

John Paul, Joslyn Castle & Gardens

Wildey Rodriguez, Intercultural Senior Center

Lee Emma Running, Artist

Justin Spooner, Colliers Nebraska

Gina Tranisi, Writer

Paula Wallace, Artist

Gwyn Williams, Independent Leadership Coach

Pictured from left to right: Tobias J. Garcia, First Year Fellow | Chloe Janae Gormley, First Year Fellow | Wendy Kaiser, Community Opera Fellowship Manager | Aiden James Poling, Second Year Fellow | Lauren Medici, Director of Partnerships and Programs | Abz Cameron, First Year Fellow.

OPERA OMAHA EDUCATION PROGRAMS

STUDENT DRESS REHEARSALS

Each year Opera Omaha education programs serve over 2,000 students from early childhood to graduate school level at more than 75 partner schools and universities. directing, and conducting. These conversations give students extra insight into the careers available within the opera, allowing them to ask questions and expand their aspirations for future involvement in opera production.

Student Dress Rehearsals are an immersive way for students to go beyond an ordinary field trip to get an intimate experience with the opera. This FREE program offers a rare opportunity for students to see the show before the public does and without a large crowd for a more personal and meaningful experience.

ARTIST VISITS AND MASTERCLASSES

Each season, Opera Omaha brings guest opera artists from our productions to classrooms and community partners across the city. Each artist visit is tailored to the needs of teachers and students to create a meaningful opera learning experience and may include short performances, a masterclass, workshop, or Q&A.

OPERA 360

This immersive program takes the Student Dress Rehearsal experience and expands it for groups that want to learn more about the artisans that operate behind the scenes. Students get a backstage tour and speak directly with opera professionals exploring areas such as costume design, hair and makeup, stage management,

POETRY & MUSIC PROJECT

The Opera Omaha Poetry & Music Project is a statewide program run in partnership with the Nebraska Writers Collective to amplify the voices of youth poets, both urban and rural, across Nebraska and Iowa. The project connects student poets and their words with professional composers to create original music and explore connections between poetry and music.

STUDENT RUSH TICKETS

All students may take advantage of $10 rush tickets to Opera Omaha performances! One hour prior to performances, students can receive up to two tickets with a valid student ID.

If you are bringing 10 or more students to an Opera Omaha production, you can take advantage of group student rush tickets! Call Howard Coffin at (402) 346-7372 x2 for more details.

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 February 15, 2024- August 15, 2025

CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE

$100,000+

Steve Menzies

Constance B Meunier Trust

Jane and David Offutt

Mary and Richard* Parrish

Donald Wurster

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

$50,000- $99,999

Cindy and Mogens Bay

Carol E and David A Domina

Robert E Owen

Linda Burt Rebrovic and John Rebrovic

The Carl Rohman Trust

Donna and Coyner* Smith

Kate and Roger Weitz

PRODUCER

$25,000-$49,999

Anonymous

Barbara Person and Scott

Burger

Catherine and Terry Ferguson

Polina and Bob Schlott

Julie M Schroeder

Betiana and Todd Simon

Katie Weitz, PhD and Tim Wilson

BACKER

$10,000-$24,999

Anonymous (2)

Dr Betty L Beach

Roger Blauwet

Tina and John Cherica

Anna-Karin and David* Dillard

Carol L� Dworak Estate

Frances and David Ertel

Betty Foster

Kyoko and Jonathan Fuller

Vivian and Allen Hager

Belle and Ryan Hansen

Dr� Ali Khan

Vicki and David Krecek

Janet and H� Frederick Kuehl

Susan F� Morris

Pauline Quinn

Constance Ryan

Annette and Paul Smith

Jean and Eugene Stark Jr

Mary Ann Strasheim

Janet and Jerry Syslo

Dr and Mrs James Tracy

Jo Bartikoski and Don Westling

Gail and Michael Yanney

Charese E Yanney

BENEFACTOR

$5,000-$9,999

Anonymous

Linda Matson Andersen

Sara and Jawed Bharwani

Sharon and Randy Blackburn

Devin J� Fox, MD and Rob Block

Dr� Anne and Stephen Bruckner

Sandi and Bill Bruns

Debra Reilly-Culver and Robert Culver, Jr

Linda and David Gardels

Anne Gardner

Mr� Jerry C� Gose

Vernie and Carter Jones

Joanne and David Kolenda

Wade Leak and John Yost

Paul Ledwon and Mark Maser

Sharee and Murray Newman

Ann and Paul O'Hara

Rita and Donald Otis

Silvia Greene Roffman

Ava and Bruce Ross

Howard B Silberg Revocable Trust

Jacqueline Sorrels and Alex Ritter

Kara and Joe Spitzenberger

Ellen and Robert Vladem

Mary Beth Winner and James Winner

GUARDIAN

$3,500-$4,999

Kate and Chris GannonTombrello

Mary Jetton

Ruth Keene

Sheila McNeill

SUSTAINER

$1,500-$3,499

Laura and Bryan Alexander

Sidney Marquez Boquiren

Joan Desens and Simon CarrEllison

Dawn and Sid Dinsdale

Brian Eaton

Leslie Garth

Judy and George Haecker, Jr�

Sarah Baker Hansen and Matthew Hansen

Carol and James Healy

Janeanne and Joseph Heidenreich

Megan and Thomas Heidenreich

Anne Marie Hubbard

Susan Thomas and Steven Hutchinson

Jeffrey Johnston

Lora Kaup and Michael Pray

Deana Liddy

Sharon L McGill

Matthew Messner and Neil Sechan

Connie Osborne

Deb and Eric Peterson

Dr� Jeffrey A � Robinson, M�D�

Kelly and Mark Sanford

Sarah Billinghurst Solomon

Jill Steinberg

Anne Stoddard

Marika and Peter Stone

Dr Terry Tomcsik

PATRON

$750-$1,499

Anonymous

Yoko and Tom Arthur

Nicholas Bjornson

Kathleen Joan Bradley

Nancy Ward and Toby Bright

Ann and David Burkholder

Murray Joseph Casey

Samuel Cohen

Kris Vikmanis and Denny Creighton

Carolyn and David Diamond

Gloria Dinsdale

Larry Domina

Christine and Mauro Fiore

Joan Flesch

Bill L Gaus

Lisa Hagstrom

Timothy Held and Jay Worden

Linda Matson and Michael Howland

Constance Heiden Kammandel and Henry Kammandel

Sandra and Jon Kayne

Alfred G Kelley

Molly Burns and Thomas Klein

Leslie Kuhnel

Susan and Alan Langnas

Katie LeDoux

Lara Marcon

Marilyn and Robert Marion

Martin

Kevin Murray

Karen and Larry Nelsen

Stephen Osberg

Elizabeth and Jerry Powell

Barbara and Gordon Reisinger

Lynda Thomas-Reed and John Reed

Greta Vaught and John Ritland

Donald Slaughter

Lisa Sock

Sherry and Jeff Taxman

Paul Vladem

Verne Weber

Kate Rahel and Dennis Whelan

Ann and John Williamson

Laura Wilwerding

Shirley Young

ADVOCATE

$300-$749

Anonymous

Eileen and Timothy Arkebauer

Denise Arnold

Paula Ashen

Kelli and Brian Bello

Ang Bennett

Mayrene Bentley

Samuel M Bierner and Joseph Pinson

Teri and David Black

Joan and Don Cimpl

Eleanor Shirley and Dan Cox

Ryan Cwach

Mary and Hal Daub

Rosemary J Pauley and Timothy F Daugherty

Jennifer and James Davenport

Vivian and Spencer Davis

Sandy and Paul Epstein

Karen and Richard Everett

Bev and Dick Fellman

Mary Fieber

Tamara and Thomas Foley

Andrew Frost

Elizabeth and John Fullerton

Daniel Gallagher and Jeffrey Grinnell

Patrick Galvin

Barbara Glauber

John K� Green

Cathy and Guy Gronquist

Joan H� Squires

Allison Hardy

Robert Hawkey and Katrina Thurman

Stanton Hoppe

Susan and Craig Ihnen

Bonnie and David Jaros

Marlin and Gayle Jeffers

Sylvia Jones

Donna and James Kalar

Ruth Ann Keene

Mr and Mrs Tom Kerr

Marilyn and Mark Kirchhoff

Barbara and Marshall Kushner

Ronna and Joseph Kutlas

Julie and Joseph Lecci

Lourdes Secola and Sheldon Lerner

Bruce McKeefry and Geoffrey Yeomans

Dorothy* and Daniel McKinney

Christine and Jim Medici

Ann Jansen Michelson and Brent Michelson

Cindy Miserez

Donald Moran

Karen and Paul Mullen

April and Jonathan Nebel

Ashley Olson

Polly and Frank Partsch

Jessica and Dennis Pate

Judy Pfeifer

Lisa and Dan Prickett

Abigail Kutlas-Prickett and Joseph Prickett

Silva Raker

Tom Richter

Dr� Debra J� Romberger

Kathleen Crawford-Rose and Robert Rose

David Sampson

Libby Murphy and Ray Schueneman

Sissy Katelman Silber

Jara and Kenley SturdivantWilson

Ginger Talbot

Kiley and James Thiele

Ann Stephens and John

Vasiliades

Patricia Victor

Sarah Watson

James Wink

Melanie and John Wright

Mary* and Anthony Yonkers

Sara and John Young

FRIEND

$1-$299

Anonymous (4)

Gay and Steve Abraham

Rebecca Noble and Keith

Allerton

Deisy Ivonne Andrew

Barbara Antonides

Backer Family Charitable Trust

Ronald Bailey

Joshua Bassan

Susan Baumert

Erna Beach

Richard Berkland

Shana Lynn Bernache

Duane Bier

Eric Bildt

Valerie Bullock

Dawn Ann Boll

Shelia G� Brantley

Katie and Corey Broman

Shawntae Brown

Michelle Cartwright Bruckner

Rob Buckley

Janice and Mario Buda

Erin and Bob Busch

Karen and David Campbell

David Campbell

Felicia Cervantes

Tom Chandler and Bill Schaffer

Edward Chaperon

Melanie and Jeffrey Chapman

Susan Chenoweth

Christine and Bob Chilcoat

Jeannine Christensen

Donna Christian

Grace Chu

Julie Clawson

Tiffiny Clifton

Diane and Howard Coffin

Elizabeth Collins

Cora and Maurice Conner

Caitlin Flynn Copenhaver

Carmelita Cox

Eileen Crinklaw

Clifford Davis

Sarah L Davis

Carole DeBuse

Michael Del Core

Susan and Stephen Dolezal

Mark Draper

Joan Ellingson

Karla Ermel

Chelsey Erpelding

Michael Faust

Mary and Ronald Ferdig

Sarah Ferneding

Andrea and Donald Fineberg

Beverly Fleckten

Terry and Mollie Foster

Sandra Franklin

Morgann Freeman

Karen Gahl-Mills

Rose Glock

Mary Green

Robert Griffin

Jan Grimes

M Kathlyn and R Michael

Gross

Jackie and Douglas Grote

Cindy Hadsell

Ellen Hargus

Darrel Harris

Mary Jo Havlicek

Lisa K Hawk

Jane and Edward Hawks

Cheryl and Joe Hazel

Marilyn Hoegemeyer

Shari Hofschire

Ann and Don Hosford

Connor Howard

Annette and Steven Huff

Rebecca Ihnen

Xavier Jackson

Marti Baumert and Richard

Jeffrey

Vibeke Jensen

Ollie and Jerry Johnson

John Philip Johnson

Neil Jouvenat

Julia Kleinschmit

Mike Klug

Michele and Thomas Kluge

Geri Knight

Mihaela and Brett Kobjerowski

Wende and John Kotouc

Stacy Kozisek

Mary J Krance

Candida Kraska

Morgan Kreiser

Adam Kucirek

Barbara Kuhn

Jane Stieren Lacy

Heike and Adam Langdon

Mathew Leaf

Elaine Leise

Patricia and Edmund Leslie

Sherryl and Hiram Lilley

Lori D Liu

Billie D� Logan

Gerald Lohman III

Kathleen and John Lohr

Lorraine Beadell and Greg Love

Cedric Ludlow

Christine Lund

Meredith Fuller and James Luyten

Kathryn and William Lydiatt

Charles MacKay

Maria C Magana

Karla and John Marburger

Dr Cliff Mason

Amy Mather

Mary Mattingly

Catherine and Marcus Maydew

Ali Rensch McBride

Linda and Terry McClain

Jim McGough

Laura McLean

Ann Meschery

Richard Morris

Dorothy Davis Morrow and Jim Morrow

Fred Mytty

Ann and Kevin Naylor

Jon Nelson and Jerry Tyrrell

Dawn and John Nielsen

Patricia and Anthony Nogg

Robert Nordt

Tirimba Obonyo

Neil O'Donnell

Kathleen and Louis O'Konski

Mary Helms and Kenneth Olson

Duane Ostlund

Erin Owen

Mike Pape

Lois Pesek

Jean Ann Ballinger and Ward

Peters

*Deceased

Glen Peterson

Margery Radek Pope

Sabrina Potterpin

H Margo Prentiss

Kathleen Doak Pyper

James Pyrzynski

Jacqueline Quigley

Patricia and Robert Ranney

TaTanisha Ranney

Paula and William Rasmussen

Diane and Robert Peabody

Toni Reese

Victoria and Edward Roche

Jheam Rodriguez

Britt Roeder

Noyes W Rogers

Diana Roucka

Courtney Rudick

Rev� David Rykwalder

Dawn Braaten Salsman

Marissa Sanford

Rita and Dean Schechinger

Margret Sexton

Lori and Scott Shaddy

Joan and Charles Shapiro

Kay M Shilling, M D

Janelle Siffring

Tom Simmons

Edward Cohn

Kim Smith-Ferguson

Neil Solomon

Kim Sosin

Eric Spruth-Janssen

Dr� Sandra Squires

Glenda and George Steinsberger

Del Stites

Anna and Rock Sumner

Dr� Greg Sutton

Allison and Hunter Swenson

Monte and Duane Thompson

Gina Tranisi

Mitch Treu

Jillian Tuck

Pia Ulrich

Barbara Van Dyke

Deidre Vasquez

Caitlin Volz

Joachin Voss and Don Horn

Shannon and Michael Walenta

Kathleen Ann Ward

Annika and Allen Weber

Carolyn B� Weber

Kevin Wetzel

Mathew Whitlock

Wendi and Curtis Wilson

Patricia Wise

Wendy Wiseman

Kathleen Wittbrot

Nicholas Wilwerding

Kimberly and Michael Wohlwend

Sarah Woodhouse

Brad Woolbright

Edith and Robert Zahniser

Inna Zevakina

ART BY ANTHONY DEON BROWN

Dave & Jane Offutt

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 February 15, 2024 - August 15, 2025

IN MEMORY OF:

GLORIA DINSDALE

Linda Andersen

JODY KERSSENBROCK

Dr Sandra Kay Squires

MR. AND MRS. BILLIE F. LOGAN

Billie D� Logan

RICHARD PARRISH

Linda Andersen

Cindy and Mogens Bay

Kelli and Brian Bello

Richard Berkland

Sara and Jawed Bharwani

Duane Bier

Jeannine and Dale Christensen

Sarah Davis

Tamara and Tom Foley

Polly Goecke

Kathy and Michael Gross

Janet and H Frederick Kuehl

Patricia and Edmund Leslie

Deana F Liddy

Linda and Terry McClain

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Duane Ostlund

Jacqueline Quigley

Diana and Steve Roucka

Dawn Suing

Joan Swahn

Allison and Hunter Swenson

Mary Ann Strasheim

The Des Moines Opera

Shannon and Michael Walenta

Mary Beth and James Winner

THOMPSON ROGERS

Rebecca Noble and Keith Allerton

Tom Chandler and William Schaffer

Robert Culver and Debra Reilly-Culver

Paul and Sandy Epstein

Mike Klug

Mark Maser and Paul Ledwon

Sharon L McGill

Jim Morrow and Dorothy Davis Morrow

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Ward Peters and Jean Ann Ballinger

Pauline Quinn

Dr Greg Sutton

Shannon and Michael Walenta

RICHARD (DICK) SERPAN

Mary Jetton

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

Mike Pape

Margery Radek Pope

Annika and Allen Weber

DR. MICHAEL SORRELL

Mary Ellen Mulcahy

ELOUISE SQUIRES

Dr Sandra Kay Squires

PAUL TRANISI

Gina Tranisi

BROTHER WILLIAM WOEGER

Bill Gaus

Opera Omaha Craftsman’s Guild

IN HONOR OF:

BETTY BEACH

Bill Gaus

SANDI BRUNS

Joanne and David Kolenda

SCOTT BURGER AND BARBARA PERSON

Joseph Pinson and Samuel Bierner

SCOTT BURGER’S BIRTHDAY

Allison and Hunter Swenson

CAROL AND DAVID DOMINA

Joan Desens and Simon Carr-Ellison

Connor Howard

Ann Meschery

Caitlin Volz

CAROL DOMINA

Patrick Galvin

CAROL DOMINA’S BIRTHDAY

Joan Desens and Simon Carr-Ellison

MALLORY HAYS

Howard Coffin

DR. ALI KHAN

Dr Anne Marie Hubbard

MARK MASER

Joanne and David Kolenda

Wendy Wiseman

MARK MASER AND PAUL LEDWON

Libby Murphy and Ray Schueneman

MARY PARRISH

Kelli and Brian Bello

MARY AND RICHARD* PARRISH

Dr Betty Beach, Ph D

JAMES PYRZYNSKI

Bill Gaus

LINDA BURT REBROVIC

Jessica and Dennis Pate

LINDA BURT REBROVIC AND JOHN REBROVIC

Carolyn and David Diamond

Mr and Mrs Tom Kerr

KELLY AND MARK SANFORD

Marissa and Mitchell Sanford

ALLISON SWENSON

Connor Howard

Neil Sechan and Matthew Messner

Caitlin Volz

GAIL AND MIKE YANNEY

Heider Family Foundation

Constance Ryan

The Walter Scott Family Foundation *Deceased

photo

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

Carol L Dworak*

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*

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

Gina Tranisi

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*

The Carl Rohman Trust

Howard B� 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

Applied Underwriters, Inc�

Douglas County Board of Commissioners

Holland Foundation

Peter Kiewit Foundation

Weitz Family Foundation

The William Randolph Hearst Foundation

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

$50,000-$99,000

Anonymous

Allan and Ann Mactier Charitable Foundation

Omaha Magazine

Omaha Steaks/Simon Legacy Ventures LLC

PRODUCER

$25,000-$49,999

Anonymous

FNBO

Nebraska Arts Council

Nebraska Cultural Endowment

University of Nebraska Medical Center

Valmont Industries, Inc

BACKER

$10,000-$24,999

Adah and Leon Millard Foundation

Baxter

Conagra Brands Foundation

Heider Family Foundation

Iowa West Foundation

Jetton Charitable Fund

Kiewit

Mutual of Omaha

Opera Omaha Craftsman's Guild

Opera Omaha Guild

BENEFACTOR

$5,000-$9,999

CL Werner Foundation

Giger Foundation

HDR, Inc

Husch Blackwell LLP

Security National Bank

The FS Foundation Inc

Union Pacific Corporation

University of Nebraska - Omaha

University of Nebraska Foundation

Walter Scott Family Foundation

Whitmore Charitable Trust

Wintrust Financial Corporation

ADVOCATE

$1-$4,999

Amphion Foundation

Baird Foundation Inc

Burlington Capital Foundation

Cobank

Edward and Lida Robinson Charitable Trust

Fraser Stryker

Heritage Omaha

Humanities Nebraska

Koley Jessen P�C�, LLC

Lincoln Financial Foundation, Inc

Omaha Symphony

OPERA America

Osaic Foundation

Paypal Giving Fund

Pledgeling Foundation

Strauss Charitable Fund

Lind Family Foundation Fund at The Dallas Foundation

The Fred and Sally Bekins Foundation

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

2024-25

Opera Outdoors*

Don Giovanni

The Rake's Progress

Giulio Cesare

Fantastic Mr. Fox*

2025-26

Opera Outdoors*

The Barber of Seville

Susannah

Hercules

Bluebeard's Castle*

UnShakeable*

* New production + American Premiere *** World Premiere

† Commissioned Work ++ Film/Digital Premiere

OMAHA

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

Avner M. Applbaum

H. Dele Davies, M.D.

Meg Lauritzen Dodge

STAFF

Joan H. Squires, President

Arnold Reeves, Senior Vice President and COO

Gennean Scott Gray, Senior Vice President and CSO

Bianca Harley, Vice President of Impact

Sabrina Weiss, Vice President of Development

Andy Cassano, Vice President of Programming and Education

GENERAL INFORMATION

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.

To have a consistent policy for all of our venues, the Orpheum Theater is now cashless.

What that means for you:

• Card will be the only accepted payment for food and drinks at the Orpheum.

• You can convert your cash to a Visa ReadyCARD for free at the house manager’s desk at the Orpheum.

• Your Visa ReadyCARD has no expiration and can be used anywhere that accepts prepaid debit cards.

• Cash can still be used to purchase tickets.

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 –easy-access 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 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@o-pa.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) 434-TKTS (8587) or (402) 345-0606, Monday through Friday 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.; or in person at the Ticket Omaha box office, 13th and Douglas streets, Monday through Friday from 12 p.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.

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 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 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.

ADVERTISING

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.

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

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