Opera Philadelphia 2024-2025 Season Brochure

THE 2024–2025 SEASON

NOSAES 5202-4202 EHT

EHT TA AREPO YMEDACA Mazzoli/Vavrek

THE LISTENERS

September 25, 27, 29, 2024 American Premiere

Bologne

THE ANONYMOUS LOVER

January 31 & February 2, 2025 Company Premiere

THE 2024-2025 SEASON

OPERA AT THE ACADEMY Known as the “Grand Old Lady of Locust Street,” Philadelphia’s historic Academy of Music is the oldest opera house in the United States where opera is still performed today. This season, Opera Philadelphia continues to bring beloved classics, rare gems, and modern masterpieces to the Academy stage, championing and advancing the art form for our community.

Join us as we celebrate opera in this majestic building, and look toward the future, with a season featuring an American premiere, a company premiere, and a cherished Mozart composition.

Corrrado Rovaris, Jack Mulroney Music Director

Mozart

DON GIOVANNI

April 25, 27, May 2, 4, 2025 New Production

Opera Philadelphia’s 2024-2025 Season is brought to you by the Artistry Now Matching Fund and Barbara Augusta Teichert.

Academy of Music productions are made possible with support from Judy and Peter Leone.

THE LISTENERS

Sept. 25, 27, 29, 2024 The Sound of a Divided Nation

Composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek follow up on their acclaimed 2016 world premiere Breaking the Waves with a thriller about the seductive powers of cults and charismatic leaders in a divided nation.

The Listeners examines the lengths to which we, as Americans, are willing to go to find a sense of place and purpose, and the way in which confident, charming leaders can exploit these needs to their own ends.

A middle-class mother (soprano Nicole Heaston in her company debut) living in a southwestern U.S. suburb notices a “hum,” a high-frequency environmental noise that only a select few people, the “Listeners,” can hear. A community organization quickly forms to solve the mystery of the hum, but when the de facto leader (Kevin Burdette) suggests a spiritual significance, the meetings become increasingly cult-like. Is this community of “Listeners” on a collision course with destruction?

American Premiere

MUSIC Missy Mazzoli LIBRETTO Royce Vavrek Based on an original story

by Jordan Tannahill CAST & CREATIVE TEAM Claire Devon ­— Nicole Heaston* Paul Devon ­— Troy Cook Ashley Devon ­— Lindsey Reynolds Howard Bard ­— Kevin Burdette Kyle Harris — ­ Aaron Crouch Angela Rose ­— Rehanna Thelwell Dillon ­— John Moore Hortense ­— Lucy Schaufer Thom ­— Ethan Vincent Vince ­— Daniel Taylor Danica ­— Diana Newman* Sina ­— Jessica Beebe Emily ­— Taylor-Alexis Dupont* Bram ­— Zachary Altman Theresa Alvarez ­— Guadalupe Paz* Mrs. Moreno ­— Alissa Anderson Jess ­— Amanda Sheriff* Lee Ann ­— Lauren Cook Conductor ­— Corrado Rovaris Director ­— Lileana Blain-Cruz* Set Design ­— Adam Rigg Costume Design ­— Kaye Voyce* Lighting Design — ­ Yi Zhao* Sound Design — ­ Daniel Neumann* Choreography ­— Raja Feather Kelly* Video Design — ­ Hannah Wasileski* Chorus Master ­— Elizabeth Braden Dramaturg ­— Cori Ellison *Opera Philadelphia debut Co-commissioned and co-produced with Norwegian National Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago Performed in English with English supertitles Runtime is approximately 2 hours and 23 minutes including one 20-minute intermission

Major support for The Listeners has been provided by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, with additional support from OPERA America’s Opera Grants for Female Composers program, supported by the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, Stephen A. Block, Robert N. Braun, M.D., Marcus Innovation Fund, and Ashley and Eli Wald.

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THE ANONYMOUS LOVER

Jan. 31 & Feb. 2, 2025

A Romantic Comedy ahead of its Time

A frothy romp filled with beautiful arias, winning characters, and charming music that inspires us to root for true love, The Anonymous Lover centers on young widow Léontine (soprano Symone Harcum). When she begins to receive a series of passionate letters from a secret admirer, she wrestles with whether she can love again, especially when it becomes apparent her friend Valcour (tenor Khanyiso Gwenxane) is the unsigned author. Will love win?

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges,

Company Premiere

MUSIC Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges LIBRETTO François-Georges Fouques Deshayes, Desfontaines Based on the play L’amant anonyme

by Stéphanie Félicité, Madame de Genlis, adapted by Kirsten Greenidge CAST & CREATIVE TEAM Léontine ­— Symone Harcum* Valcour ­— Khanyiso Gwenxane Ophémon ­— Johnathan McCullough Jeanette ­— Ashley Marie Robillard

was a pioneering Black composer and a

Colin ­— Joshua Blue

contemporary of Mozart and Haydn who has

Dorothée — Sun-Ly Pierce

been historically overlooked because of his

Conductor ­— Kalena Bovell*

race. Discover the only surviving opera by this

Director ­— Dennis Whitehead Darling*

groundbreaking 18 century composer, also an

Scenic Coordinator ­— Baron Pugh*

th

accomplished musician, fencer, and horseman.

Costume Design ­— Leslie Travers Lighting Design ­— Driscoll Otto Wig and Make-Up Design — April Gerbode* Chorus Master — Elizabeth Braden *Opera Philadelphia debut

Co-produced with Boston Lyric Opera Performed in French with English dialogue and supertitles Runtime is approximately 90 minutes with no intermission

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DON GIOVANNI

April 25, 27, May 2, 4, 2025 A Beloved Opera about a Despicable Man

Mozart’s riveting masterpiece follows the charming predator Don Giovanni, a man who uses people without a care for their hearts, or the consequences of his actions. All the while, the sleazy nobleman’s loyal servant records his master’s misdeeds. When he murders the father of a woman he’s assaulted, Giovanni sets in motion events that could lead to his downfall. Will he get away with his crimes and unrepentant pursuit of selfish desire? Or will there be hell to pay?

New Production

MUSIC Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart LIBRETTO Lorenzo Da Ponte CAST & CREATIVE TEAM Don Giovanni — Timothy Murray* Donna Anna — Olivia Smith* Don Ottavio — Khanyiso Gwenxane Donna Elvira — Elizabeth Reiter Leporello — Nicholas Newton* Zerlina — Amanda Sheriff Masetto — Kevin Godínez* Commendatore — Raymond Aceto* Conductor ­— Corrado Rovaris Director — Alison Moritz* Set & Costume Design — Philip Witcomb* Lighting Design — Thomas C. Hase Chorus Master — Elizabeth Braden *Opera Philadelphia debut

Production from Cincinnati Opera Performed in Italian with English supertitles Runtime is approximately 3 hours including one 20-minute intermission

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SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF OPERA IN PHILADELPHIA On stage and in our community, Opera Philadelphia members help make the 2024-2025 Season possible. We are committed to presenting artistic productions of the highest quality while being a fully welcoming place for everyone. Member support energizes our work and encourages our momentum forward as we expand access to the arts for all members of our community. We invite you to support this important work by making a gift to Opera Philadelphia. operaphila.org/support membership@operaphila.org | 215.732.8400

A Word about Festival O Opera Philadelphia‘s 2024–2025 Season will not open with a fall Festival O as has been our tradition since 2017. Announcements about the exciting future of Festival O will be shared in spring 2024.

2024–2025 PACKAGES Save 20% on tickets with a package THE ACADEMY SERIES — Includes three performances Choose your day and your favorite seats in the historic Academy of Music.

Current subscribers, please refer to your renewal materials for specific questions about your renewal package.

FRIDAY

SUNDAY

The Listeners

9/27/2024

9/29/2024

The Anonymous Lover

1/31/2025

2/2/2025

Don Giovanni

4/25/2025

4/27/2025

CREATE YOUR OWN — Choose two or more performances Build your custom package and save 20% on two or more performances.

Tickets start at $20. Interest-free payment plans available.

The Listeners

The Anonymous Lover

DAY

ZONE 1

ZONE 2

ZONE 3

ZONE 4

ZONE 5

Wednesday or Friday

$222

$166

$110

$70

$46

Sunday

$241

$185

$129

$81

$49

Friday or Sunday

$192

$147

$101

$64

$37

Friday

$222

$166

$110

$70

$46

Sunday

$241

$185

$129

$81

$49

Don Giovanni

VIVACE PASS — For patrons ages 21–45 See all three operas for just $270, and enjoy premium seating, after-parties with artists, and other social opportunities.

Online

Phone

operaphila.org/order

215.732.8400

FULL-PRICE SINGLE TICKETS — On sale June 25 We welcome guests with disabilities. Discover our accessibility services at operaphila.org/access Casting, program, schedule, and pricing subject to change without notice. Deposited checks or charges do not guarantee seating availability.

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THE 2024–2025 SEASON

P H I L A D E L P H I A , PA 1910 2

1420 LO C U ST ST R E E T, S U I T E 210