BIZET
CARMEN A P R I L 2 7, 2 9 , M AY 2 , 4 , 6 , 2 0 1 8 AC ADEMY OF MUSIC Part of the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
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table of CONTENTS 02 Board of Directors 03 From the Board Chairman 05 Welcome from General Director & President 07 Carmen 09 Cast 10 Synopsis 12 Program Note 14 The Picture of Giving 16 Artists' Bios
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Chorus Orchestra Artistic & Production Staff Leadership Giving & Major Gifts Annual Giving Planned Giving Corporate Council Administration 2018–2019 Season
Daniela Mack stars as Carmen. Photograph by Shervin Lainez. OnStage Publications, Advertising: 937-424-0529 | 866-503-1966, korlowski@onstagepublications.com | onstagepublications.com This program is published in association with OnStage Publications, 1612 Prosser Avenue, Kettering, OH 45409. This program may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. JBI Publishing is a division of OnStage Publications, Inc. Contents Š 2018. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
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board of DIRECTORS officers
Peter Leone Chairman of the Board Charles C. Freyer Vice Chair Caroline J. MacKenzie Kennedy Vice Chair Dr. Eugene E. Stark, Jr. Secretary Thomas Mahoney Treasurer David B. Devan* President
members
Benjamin Alexander Sandra K. Baldino F. Joshua Barnett, M.D., J.D. Willo Carey Katherine Christiano Ady L. Djerassi, M.D. Charles C. Freyer Alexander Hankin Frederick P. Huff Caroline J. MacKenzie Kennedy Beverly Lange, M.D. Peter Leone Thomas Mahoney Daniel K. Meyer, M.D. Immediate Past Chairman Agnes Mulroney Scott F. Richard Jonathan H. Sprogell Dr. Eugene E. Stark, Jr. William R. Stensrud Kenneth R. Swimm Maria Trafton Donna Wechsler Kelley Wolfington
honorary members
Dennis Alter Alan B. Miller H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest Stephen A. Madva, Esq. Chairman Emeritus Alice W. Strine, Esq. Charlotte Watts List as of April 9, 2018 *Ex officio
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from the BOARD CHAIRMAN Dear Friends, Seems like just yesterday we opened our 2017-2018 Academy of Music season with a dazzling production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Yet here we are, closing the Academy season with our own new production of Bizet’s Carmen. Between these two classics we’ve been busy: our first festival, three world premieres, an Independence Mall broadcast, productions staged in New York and Amsterdam, and honors from the International Opera Awards (Best Festival nominee) and the Music Critics Association of North America (David Hertzberg’s The Wake World named Best New Opera of 2018). Thanks to you for being a part of it. The Academy of Music saw its first performance of Carmen in 1878. I hope that you will find, today, that the combination of the work and the place produces magic. Yes, Opera Philadelphia has pushed the envelope of the art form, staging edgy operas in museums, warehouses and the like. And we are passionately committed to bringing the great works—performed and directed at a world-class level—to new life on the Academy stage. Our upcoming 2018-2019 season exemplifies that commitment: our new production of Lucia di Lammermoor premieres here in September and moves to no less than the Vienna Staatsoper; we present the U.S. premiere of Robert Carsen’s beloved staging of Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in February; and in April, our own 2012 production of La bohème returns from its triumphant international tour. (And if you do enjoy seeing storied singers in unusual settings, I invite you to join us for September’s O18 Festival.) Please also applaud with me our Community Initiatives team’s success engaging students in the music and story of Carmen. In addition to hosting a final dress rehearsal with nearly 1,800 students, our team brought Carmen into classrooms at Esperanza Academy Charter School through an imaginative eight-week residency in which students use the opera to learn about the legal system. This inspired program, created by Michael Bolton, will culminate in a student-led mock murder trial of Don José on May 25. I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the extraordinary support that is required to make all of this possible. Every single contribution is greatly appreciated, and helps us continue to bring opera to audiences throughout the city, and author the future of this art form we so love. Please consider a gift to support our work before the end of our fiscal year on May 31. Thanks again for helping to make Philadelphia such a vibrant opera town. I look forward to seeing all of you again soon as we launch our 44th season in the fall.
Peter Leone Chairman 5
Did You Know? Young people who participate in the arts for at least three hours on three days each week through at least one full year are:
• 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement • 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools • 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair • 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance • 4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem
PROTECTING THE WILDEST JUNGLES ON THE PLANET.
MAIN STREET. PRESCHOOL. THE PLAYGROUND. The environment isn’t just some far off place. It’s the lawn under our feet, the food on our plate, and the air we breathe. To learn more, go to NRDC.org. And help protect the jungle creatures in your backyard. Because the environment is everywhere.
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from the GENERAL DIRECTOR Dear Friends, Bizet’s Carmen is one of the world’s most frequently performed operas because it has everything you could possibly want from an opera: High drama, relatable characters, a passionate love story, and truly breathtaking melodies. Carmen is opera with a capital O and, when done right, it is a magical night of music and theater. Shortly after Opera Philadelphia staged their 2015 production of Verdi’s La traviata, we began speaking with director Paul Curran and set & costume designer Gary McCann about bringing a new production of Carmen to the Academy stage. Their deft take on Violetta’s story convinced us that they were the right artists to bring a fresh energy to the timeless story of Carmen, and we could not be more thrilled with the results playing out on stage. To have a great Carmen you begin with a great Carmen, and in Daniela Mack we have cast a true star in the title role. Daniela has authored an extraordinary season at Opera Philadelphia, opening the fall in the title role of Elizabeth Cree and now closing the season in the title role of Carmen. In these two very different operas, written more than 140 years apart, about female characters with vastly different motivations, Daniela has done some of her best work and created two highly nuanced performances. It has been a joy to have her as a cornerstone of this 2017-2018 season. The cast of Carmen also features a number of artists with deep Philadelphia connections. Tenor Evan LeRoy Johnson, a graduate student at the Curtis Institute of Music, makes his company debut as Don José. Evan is taking the opera world by storm, and will return at this time next year as Rodolfo in La bohème. Joining him in Carmen are Curtis alums and students Kirsten MacKinnon, Johnathan McCullough, Ashley Milanese, Anastasiia Sidorova, and Doğukan Kuran, and AVA alum Musa Ngqungwana. With so much talent rising through the ranks in Philadelphia, we are especially pleased to have renewed our practice of co-presenting Curtis Opera Theatre at the Perelman. In May, we present a double bill of Kurt Weill’s Mahagonny: Ein Songspiel and Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium, with two additional titles (Mozart’s Don Giovanni and Rene Orth’s Empty the House) in 2019. I encourage you to join us for these evenings with the stars of tomorrow, many of whom will one day rise to the stage of the Academy of Music like so many of the stars of Carmen.
David B. Devan General Director & President
@ D D E VA N
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OPERA PHILADELPHIA
CARMEN New Production Co-production with Seattle Opera and Irish National Opera Music / Georges Bizet Libretto / Ludovic HalĂŠvy and Henri Meilhac Conductor / Yves Abel* Director / Paul Curran Set & Costume Design / Gary McCann Lighting Design / Paul Hackenmueller Wig & Make-up Design / David Zimmerman Choreographer & Assistant Director / Seth Hoff Chorus Master / Elizabeth Braden Stage Manager / Lisa Anderson *Opera Philadelphia debut Production underwritten, in part, by Mrs. Sandra K. Baldino and by Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Huff The Opera Philadelphia Orchestra is underwritten, in part, by Alice and Walter Strine, Esqs.
CAST Carmen / Daniela Mack performance underwritten by Carolyn Horn Seidle Don José / Evan LeRoy Johnson* performance underwritten by Judith Durkin Freyer and Charles C. Freyer Escamillo / Adrian Timpau* performance underwritten by Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Wechsler Micaëla / Kirsten MacKinnon Moralès / Johnathan McCullough Zuniga / Musa Ngqungwana performance underwritten by Charlotte and Bob Watts Frasquita / Ashley Milanese Mercédès / Anastasiia Sidorova performance underwritten by Myron and Sheila S. Bassman Le Remendado / Daniel Taylor Le Dancaïre / Doğukan Kuran* Lillias Pastia / John David Miles Gypsy / Maxwell Levy *Opera Philadelphia debut
carmen SYNOPSIS Act I It’s a blistering hot day. Hot and tired, a group of soldiers hangs out watching people go by. The shy, pretty Micaëla comes looking for Corporal Don José, but he’s not there. The soldiers try to get Micaëla to stay by flirting with her, but she leaves. Soon after, Don José arrives as the guards change shifts. A bell from the cigarette factory chimes, and the women come out for their smoke break. The men flirt with the factory girls, too. Carmen comes in last, and everyone is drawn to her, except Don José. Seeing a challenge, the gypsy sets her eyes on him and sings, “Love is a rebellious bird that no one can tame” and throws a flower at Don José. Laughing, she and the other women return to the factory. He hides the flower in his uniform. Micaëla returns with a letter from Don José’s mother, who begs him to marry Micaëla. As he reads the letter to himself Micaëla leaves. Suddenly, horrible screams come from the factory. Carmen has gotten into a fight with another girl and slashed her face with a knife. Lieutenant Zuniga questions Carmen, but her only reply is the mocking response “tra-la-la.” Don José is ordered to guard Carmen while Zuniga gets a warrant for her arrest. Alone with Don José, Carmen seduces him into making a plan that will let her escape. Zuniga returns with Carmen’s formal arrest orders. 12
As she’s being led away to prison, Carmen pushes Don José and escapes through the confused crowd. Intermission (20 minutes) Act II A few months later, Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Mercédès have fun singing and dancing for the soldiers late at night in a tavern. Carmen hears that Don José, who was sent to prison because he let her escape, got out the day before. The famous bullfighter Escamillo arrives, and everyone is star struck. He sings about his adventures in the bullring and flirts with Carmen, but she’s not interested. The soldiers and Escamillo leave as the smugglers Dancaïre and Remendado join Carmen, Frasquita and Mercédès. They need to deliver their smuggled loot and want the three women to join them. Carmen says she can’t go because she’s in love. Nobody believes her as Don José’s voice is heard outside. They leave Carmen and Don José alone. He tells her how much he loves her. A trumpet signals that the soldiers must report back to the barracks. Don José says he must leave, but Carmen mocks his loyalty to the military. Don José proves his love by pulling out the flower she threw at him at their first meeting. That’s not enough for Carmen; she wants him to ditch the army and join her gypsy
life. Don José tells her he could never leave the military. Zuniga shows up to see Carmen and orders Don José to leave. José refuses and draws his sword. Before their fight progresses, the smugglers burst in and tie up Zuniga. Don José has no choice but to flee with the gypsies. Intermission (15 minutes) Act III Late at night in a deserted place outside of Seville, the smugglers carry their goods through the mountains. Carmen’s love for Don José is fading and the two bicker. She tells him to go home to his mother. Frasquita and Mercédès read their fortunes in cards, but when Carmen tries, she only sees her death and Don José’s. The women join the smugglers on their trip to the city to distract any guards. Don José stays behind to watch the camp. Micaëla has found her way to the smugglers’ site. She will take Don José away from Carmen. Afraid, she hides after seeing Don José shoot his gun. The bullet has barely missed Escamillo who is there to see Carmen. The Toreador claims the two of them are in love. Don José challenges him to a duel, but the fight is cut short when the smugglers return. After Escamillo leaves, Remendado finds Micaëla hiding. She tells Don José that his
mother is dying. As Don José rushes off with Micaëla, Escamillo’s voice is heard in the distance. Pause (5 minutes) Act IV Outside the bullfighting ring in Seville, the street sellers are busy hawking their wares. Zuniga tells Frasquita that an order has been issued for Don José’s arrest, although he has yet to be found. The crowd cheers Escamillo as he enters, and he and Carmen express their love for each other. As the throng enters the arena, Frasquita warns Carmen that Don José is somewhere in the crowd. Carmen says that she is not afraid and stays behind to confront him. Disheveled and crazed, he comes out of the shadows and begs Carmen to start a new life with him. Carmen says everything is over between them. Carmen tries to go into the arena and Don José blocks her way. Carmen says she’s in love with Escamillo. Enraged, Don José stabs Carmen and she falls to the ground dead. The crowd exits the arena with a victorious Escamillo to find Don José standing over Carmen’s lifeless body. Running time of Carmen is 3 hours and 13 minutes, including one 20-minute and one 15-minute intermission. 13
Q&A with Director Paul Curran PROGRAM NOTE
What are the challenges of creating a new production of Carmen, one of the most popular, well-known operas? That’s a simple one–it is one of the most frequently produced operas in the world, so everybody has an opinion on how it should look, how it should sound, and how it should be. So, approaching it now for the first time, I approach it with both great respect and admiration, but a very open mind as to how I see the story today. Directors are essentially interpretative artists; we retell and reinterpret other people’s stories. I have been asked to do Carmen many, many times over the past 25 years and have always found myself saying no to it. Somehow, this time, and especially Opera Philadelphia, just feels right. Given that it was not immediately popular, why do you think Carmen has become such a beloved and enduring opera?
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Great tunes, great story, and fascinating characters. The musical numbers have been incorporated into every area of life since the 1875 premiere–from gondoliers on canals to advertisements for pretty much anything, and also dozens of pop tunes. That has to say something for its impact and staying power. Plus,
Carmen is a story all of us can relate to: An outsider to society against whom circumstance is working harshly but who does everything in her power to build herself a better life. Had the snobs of Parisian society (who decided it was a disaster and wanted it forgotten) had their way, Carmen would have disappeared due to its working-class leading lady and her suspicious lifestyle (to a morally tight public). The fact that so many of those condemning this story were involved in numerous scandals and disgraces is the perfect answer to why the fight against hypocrisy is a great charger of art in general. How can the story resonate with modern audiences? Our own society is replete with stories of people on the fringes of society or the inner circle who have been told they can never “get in” due to their age, race, sex, creed, or whichever restrictions we put on things. From actors trying to get into a Hollywood career and facing sexism to women meeting the glass ceiling of the corporate world and feeling jammed and limited while others soar above. Carmen encases all of those stories in its allegory of breaking the mold and trying to break free as your own person.
Set design image by Gary McCann
When and where is your production set? Ours is set in the late 1950s in a nonspecific Hispanic place similar to Havana, Miami, or Seville itself. What was the inspiration behind the setting, and how does that setting and design affect the story of Carmen? We were very much looking for a time and place that was both distant enough in history and close enough for a modern audience to relate to. Somewhere for the story to fold out and have those watching it feel they recognize the characters and actions. If we followed the French censors of 1875 and did a “cleaned up” version they insisted upon, it might feel too far away to an audience used to watching movies and HBO, etc. Most people will have seen West Side Story or The Sopranos, so we are hoping that a setting closer to our own times might give a more immediate feel to telling the story. The late 1950s was an interesting era of conservatism which targeted women in society in a very patronizing and sexist way and it took nearly a decade for a social and sexual revolution in the 1960s to begin to address women’s emancipation. Bizet was perhaps ahead of his time in writing a story of a societal outsider
and I feel the end of the ‘50s reflects that best for a modern audience, where we have so much on film and record. Maybe it’s because I’m middle aged now…? What moments in the opera are you most looking forward to bringing to the stage? This is a very hard question! There are so many iconic moments in Carmen that it’s almost impossible to select a favorite. I think my main aim is to create a show that feels like it runs like a movie–very much in a way what Bizet was trying to do in his attempt at what we now know as “verismo,” or realism. We have a pretty fantastic young cast, so I am particularly looking forward to creating and developing characters with them. This generation, like all others before them, must be given the chance to play and interpret what have become classic stories in their own way–a unique way for them and for their contemporaries. There is no single way of playing any of the characters in Carmen, there is only exploring and expressing them through your own society and experience. This generation of singers is the future, we must help them in every way we can. 15
With YOU the show WILL go on.
What can you give today that will make all the difference tomorrow? PICTUREOPERA.ORG
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carmen ARTIST BIOS YVES ABEL
conductor (Toronto, Ontario) recent activities: Conductor, Seven Angels, Aspen Music Festival; Conductor, L'elisir d’amore, Canadian Opera Company; Conductor, Pelléas et Mélisande, Opera de Oviedo next: Conductor, Carmen, Hong Kong Opera
ELIZABETH BRADEN
chorus master (Easton, Pennsylvania) recent activities: Conductor, The Wake World, Opera Philadelphia; Chorus Master, The Magic Flute, Opera Philadelphia; Director of Music, Wallingford Presbyterian Church next: Chorus Master, Lucia di Lammermoor, Opera Philadelphia
2017 The Wake World 2016 Breaking the Waves 2016 The Marriage of Figaro (Partial Listing)
PAUL CURRAN
2015 La traviata
PAUL HACKENMUELLER
2015 La traviata
director (Glasgow, Scotland) recent activities: Director, My Fair Lady, Teatro San Carlo Naples; Director, The Golden Cockerel, Santa Fe Opera; Director, Khovanshchina, BBC Proms London next: Director, My Fair Lady, Teatro Massimo Palermo
lighting design (Minneapolis, Minnesota) recent activities: Lighting Designer, The Golden Cockerel, Santa Fe Opera; Lighting Designer, Tosca, Boston Lyric Opera; Lighting Designer, Macbeth, Opera San Antonio next: Lighting Designer, The Wexford Festival Season 2018
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Opera Philadelphia debut
SETH HOFF
choreographer & assistant director (Madison, Wisconsin ) recent activities: Assistant Director, We Shall Not Be Moved, Opera Philadelphia; Assistant Director, Man of La Mancha, Portland Opera, Choreographer, The Pirates of Penzance, Lyric Opera of Kansas City next: Assistant Director, Sweeney Todd, The Atlanta Opera
2017 We Shall Not Be Moved
EVAN LEROY JOHNSON / Don José
tenor (Pine Island, Minnesota) recent activities: Lensky, Eugene Onegin, Curtis Opera Theatre; Narraboth, Salome, Opernhaus Zürich; Don José, Carmen, Oldenburgisches Staatstheater next: Rodolfo, La bohème, Opera Philadelphia
Opera Philadelphia debut
DOĞUKAN KURAN / Le Dancaïre
Opera Philadelphia debut
baritone (Çeşme, Turkey) recent activities: Onegin, Eugene Onegin, Curtis Opera Theater; Il Conte, Le nozze di Figaro, Curtis Opera Theater; Olivier, Capriccio, Curtis Opera Theater next: Double Exposure, Opera Philadelphia
DANIELA MACK / Carmen
2017 Elizabeth Cree
KIRSTEN MACKINNON / Micaëla
2010 La traviata
mezzo-soprano (Buenos Aires, Argentina) recent activities: Béatrice, Béatrice et Bénédict, Seattle Opera; Jackie Kennedy, JFK, Opéra de Montréal; Bradamante, Alcina, Washington National Opera next: Isabella, L'italiana in Algeri, Santa Fe Opera
soprano (Squamish, British Columbia, Canada) recent activities: Inès, L’Africaine, Frankfurt Opera; Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte, Glyndebourne Tour; Countess Almaviva, Le nozze di Figaro, Garsington Opera next: Beethoven Symphony No. 9, Toronto Symphony Orchestra
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GARY MCCANN
2015 La traviata
JOHNATHAN MCCULLOUGH / Moralès
2017 Elizabeth Cree
set & costume design (London, United Kingdom) recent activities: Designer, Macbeth, Vienna State Opera; Designer, The Golden Cockerel, Santa Fe Opera; Set Designer, My Fair Lady, Teatro San Carlo, Naples next: Designer, Der Freischütz, Vienna State Opera
baritone (Los Angeles, California) recent activities: Gonsalvo Fiesch, Gezeichneten, Komische Oper Berlin; Mr. Greatorex, Elizabeth Cree, Opera Philadelphia; Sid, La fanciulla del West, Michigan Opera Theatre next: Demetrius, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Opera Philadelphia
2014 The Barber of Seville
ASHLEY MILANESE / Frasquita
2017 The Marriage of Figaro
MUSA NGQUNGWANA / Zuniga
2013 Nabucco
ANASTASIIA SIDOROVA / Mercédès
2017 The Magic Flute
soprano (New Orleans, Louisiana) recent activities: Dede, A Quiet Place, Curtis Opera Theater; First Lady, The Magic Flute, Opera Philadelphia; Barbarina, The Marriage of Figaro, Opera Philadelphia next: 2018-2019 Resident Artist, Teatro Reggio
bass-baritone (Port Elizabeth, South Africa) recent activities: Queequeg, Moby Dick, Pittsburgh Opera; Amonasro, Aida, English National Opera; Porgy, Porgy and Bess, Glimmerglass Festival next: Lescaut, Manon Lescaut, Dallas Opera
mezzo-soprano (St. Petersburg, Russia) recent activities: Third Lady, The Magic Flute, Opera Philadelphia; Olga, Eugene Onegin, Curtis Opera Theater; Mrs. Doc, A Quiet Place, Curtis Opera Theatre next: Giovanna, Rigoletto, Wolf Trap Opera
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2016 Turandot
2017 The Magic Flute
DANIEL TAYLOR / Le Remendado
tenor (Bristol, Pennsylvania) recent activities: Tenor of Mourner's Quartet, A Quiet Place, Curtis Opera Theatre; Priest/Librarian/ Mr. Gerrard/Witness #5, Elizabeth Cree, Opera Philadelphia; Stone Thrower, Breaking the Waves, Opera Philadelphia next: Ira, Sky on Swings, Opera Philadelphia
ADRIAN TIMPAU / Escamillo
baritone (Nisporeni, Republic of Moldova) recent activities: Escamillo, Carmen, Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Schaunard, La bohème, Opernhaus Zurich; Eustachio, L’assedio di Calais, Glimmerglass Festival next: Nardo, La finta giardiniera, Opernhaus Zurich
DAVID ZIMMERMAN
2017 Elizabeth Cree 2016 Breaking the Waves
Opera Philadelphia debut
2017 The Marriage of Figaro
2016 Cold Mountain wig & make-up designer (Mt. Pleasant, Texas) 2015 Charlie Parker’s recent activities: Wig & Make-up Designer, YARDBIRD The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, Santa Fe Opera; Wig & Make-up Designer, Aida, Washington National Opera; (Partial Listing) Wig & Make-up Designer, The Shining, Minnesota Opera next: Wig & Make-up Designer, Don Pasquale, Minnesota Opera
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carmen CHORUS soprano
Erin Alcorn Veronica Chapman-Smith Lauren Cook Natalie Dewey Annalise Dzwonczyk NoĂŤl Graves-Williams Julie-Ann Green Valerie Haber Carole Latimer Kara Mulder Jessica Mary Murphy Christine Nass Aimee Pilgermayer Evelyn Santiago Rebecca Siler
alto
Jennifer Beattie Robin Bier Marissa Chalker Patricia Conrad Emily Drummond Erica Finnie Joanna Gates Eve Hyzer Heather Jones Megan McFadden Maren Montalbano Ellen Grace Peters Paula Rivera-Dantagnan Karina Sweeney Kaitlyn Tierney
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tenor
Sang B. Cho Stephen Dagrosa Colin Doyle Joshua Glassman A. Edward Maddison Fernando Mancillas Remy Martin Toffer Mihalka DonLeroy Morales George Ross Somerville Andrew Skitko Will Vestal Cory O’Niell Walker Francis Williams Steven Williamson
bass
Michael Aiello Gregory Cantwell Jeff Chapman Lucas DeJesus James Osby Gwathney, Jr. Chris Hodges Max Levy Matthew Lulofs Mark Malachesky John David Miles Frank Mitchell Robert Phillips Lourin Plant Tim Stopper Jackson Williams
philadelphia girls choir & philadelphia boys choir Ivy Adams Nathan Birdwell Evan Bishop Cameron Bowden Aleem CastilloGambardella Mia Castro-Diephouse Christine Chandran Zachary Crothamel Dante DiMaio Dana Geutler Sophia Jones Ethan Lee Grace Liu AJ Owens Alexandra Paris Maya Patel Gabrielle Rockell Rosemary Rockell Elizabeth Sevrukov Sridhar Shenoy Giuliana Stout Elyse Walker Daniel West Charles Witmer
carmen ORCHESTRA violin 1
Luigi Mazzocchi Concertmaster Igor Szwec Assistant Concertmaster Meichen Liao Barnes Charles Parker Diane Barnett Donna Grantham Elizabeth Kaderabek Alexandra Cutler-Fetkewicz Christof Richter Gared Crawford Guillaume Combet
violin ii
Emma Kummrow Principal Sarah Dubois Paul Reiser Heather Zimmerman Piotr Filochowski Lisa Vaupel Joseph Kaufman Tess Varley Joanna Thiagarajan
viola
Jonathan Kim Principal Carol Briselli Assistant Principal Julia DiGaetani Ellen Trainer Elizabeth Jaffe Kathleen Foster Ruth Frazier
cello
Vivian Barton Dozor Principal Jennie Lorenzo Brooke Beazley David Moulton Dane Anderson Elizabeth Thompson
bass
Miles B. Davis Principal James Freeman Assistant Principal Stephen Groat Brent Edmondson
flute
french horn
John David Smith Principal Dan Wions Karen Schubert Ryan Stewart
trumpet
Brian D. Kuszyk Principal Steven Heitzer
trombone
Robert Gale Principal Edward Cascarella Philip McClelland
Kim Trolier Principal Eileen Grycky
harp
oboe
timpani
Geoffrey Deemer Principal Dorothy Freeman Steven Labiner
clarinet
Joseph A. Smith Principal Allison Herz
Sophie Bruno Principal
Martha Hitchins Principal
percussion
Ralph Sorrentino Principal Bradley Loudis Brent Behrenshausen
bassoon
Norman Spielberg Principal Wade Coufal
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artistic & production STAFF artistic & production team
Fight Director.......................................................................................J. Alex Cordaro Principal Pianist...................................................................................... Grant Loehnig Properties Supervisor................................................................Avista Custom Theatrical Supertitles Author.................................................................................... Kelley Rourke Supertitles Operator................................................................................... Tony Solitro Assistant Stage Managers.................................................. Gregory Boyle, Jennifer Shaw Associate Costume Designer.........................................................................Seth Bodie Wardrobe Supervisor................................................................................Elisa Murphy Drapers.................................................................. Suzie Morris Barrett, Kara Morasco, Althea "Nell" Unrath, Stephen Smith First Hands............................................... Patrick Mulhall, Catherine Blinn, Susie Benitez, Joy Rampulla, Mark Mariani Stitchers............................................................................................. IATSE Local 799 Dyer Painter.............................................................................................Kate Edelson Wig & Make-up Lead......................................................................... Ivy Loughborough Assistant Lighting Designer.............................................................................Chris Frey Assistant Chorus Master....................................................................... Emily May Sung Assistant Orchestra Librarian.................................................................... Nathan Lofton Secondary Pianist..................................................................................... Reese Revak Master Electrician....................................................................................... Terry Smith Assistant Electrician............................................................................ Ali Blair Barwick Head Props................................................................................................ Paul Lodes Flyman....................................................................................................... Mike Ruffo Scenery constructed by Proof Productions, Inc.
supernumeraries Bobb Hawkey Kristerpher Henderson Timothy Sheridan Ebony Pollum Evan Raines D'quan Tyson Vincent Tavani
dancers
Justin Campbell Amber Janelle Brown Colby Damon Jorge Rullan
FACILITIES
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A Commitment to Safety: The safety and comfort of visitors, artists, volunteers, and staff at the Kimmel Center, Academy of Music, and Merriam Theater are of paramount importance. In the event of an emergency, audience members will be advised of appropriate procedures by ushers and security staff. At this time, please take note of the exit nearest you. A red, illuminated EXIT sign should be visible, with an arrow indicating the direction of the exit door. Should an emergency arise, you will be directed to leave the auditorium and further instructions will be provided as to the safest and quickest way to exit the building. Patrons who need special assistance should contact an usher. Smoking is prohibited on the Kimmel Center campus. Accessibility: The Academy of Music is wheelchair accessible from the east lobby entrance on Broad Street. Seating is available on the Parquet and Balcony levels, with accessible restrooms located on the Canteen level. Assistive listening devices are available for loan. A limited number of ADA-compliant parking spaces are available in the Kimmel Center garage. Coat Check & Restrooms: A complimentary coat check is located on the ground floor of the Academy of Music. Restrooms are located on all levels of the Academy of Music. Food and Beverage: Concessions by Chef Jose Garces and Garces Group are available to Academy of Music and Merriam patrons at satellite bars located in the lobbies and upper levels. Water fountains are located on all levels of the Academy of Music.
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Clockwise from top left: Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe with her underwriter, Leadership Circle Member Agnes Mulroney. Soprano Christine Goerke with Leadership Circle member Barbara Augusta Teichert. Leadership Circle Members Eugene and Jean Stark with Immediate Past Chairman Daniel K. Meyer, M.D. General Director & President David B. Devan with Leadership Circle Member Sandra Baldino and Marc DeCroisset. Leadership Circle Member Frederick R. Haas with Rafael Gomez. Leadership Circle Members Hal Marryatt and John Alchin with General Director & President David B. Devan.
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Patron Program The Patron Program is comprised of committed opera enthusiasts whose collective generosity provides vital support for Opera Philadelphia’s productions and community programs. Patrons enjoy access to VIP benefits in the opera house including intermission champagne receptions and a VIP coat check, as well as invitations to exclusive social events throughout the season and priority ticketing services. Join this passionate group of opera lovers with a gift of $2,500 or more today!
Official Sponsor, Patron Program
Top to bottom: Member and composer Jennifer Higdon with Chairman’s Council Member Allen Freedman at a reception for Cold Mountain. Member Benjamin Minick with 2014–2015 Emerging Artist Sarah Shafer. Members at the 2017 Emerging Artists Recital (photo by Ashley Magitz).
For more information, contact Rebecca Ackerman, Director of Individual Giving and Advancement Services, at 215.893.5904 or ackerman@operaphila.org.
Brenda Rae in Tancredi. (Photo by Kelly & Massa.
Memberships start at $100
Membership Even when we sell every seat in the house, we still require philanthropic support from our community to be able to present the dazzling blend of theatrical, orchestral, and vocal splendor that are Opera Philadelphia's performances. To play an active role in bringing great opera to Philadelphia while enjoying exclusive benefits that will enhance your opera experience, make a membership gift of $100 or more. M E M B E R S E N J OY: Early access and savings on ticket purchases Invitations to member-only recitals and lectures Behind-the-scenes events like dress rehearsals and backstage tours And much more!
For more information, visit our information desk in the lobby, contact Guest Services at 215.732.8400 or membership@operaphila.org.
PLANNED GIVING SPOTLIGHT JOAN DEJEAN Like many in this country today, I am anxious about the future of art forms and cultural institutions that have been essential in my life. How will they survive when public funding for the arts is becoming ever more uncertain? How will they survive unless they are able to build a younger, more diverse audience? These two questions are currently on the table in many countries, but they are particularly acute in the U.S., where public funding is far less reliable and audiences are visibly older than in most European countries. As a life-long educator, I know all too well that far too few students today seem naturally attracted to art forms whose appeal could be and was taken for granted for many generations. Too few of our cultural organizations seem to be thinking creatively about ways of reaching out to the new generation without whom they can have no future. I admire Opera Philadelphia for taking risks rather than playing it safe. I admire Opera Philadelphia for making efforts to move beyond its traditional base and address its home city at large.
It is for these reasons that I decided to make Opera Philadelphia a beneficiary of my estate. I thought long and hard about the kind of legacy I wanted to leave, and I decided to help Opera Philadelphia bring classical music into Philadelphia schools and to help keep the Emerging Artists program alive. These I see as educational initiatives that can guarantee a better future for opera and for Philadelphia as well.
Ms. Joan DeJean Trustee Professor of French, University of Pennsylvania and Encore Society Member
Official Sponsor, Encore Society
To join or to receive more information, go to operaphila.org/encore or contact Mark Nestlehutt, Director of Planned Giving, at 215.893.5905 or nestlehutt@operaphila.org.
Corporate Council The Corporate Council generously supports Opera Philadelphia’s artistic and educational programming through contributions and in-kind donations.
2017–2018 Season Sponsors
Official Sponsor, Encore Society
Official Hotel
Brand Communications Partner
Reception Partner
Season Media Partner
Official Sponsor, Patron Program
Official Piano Service Provider
Official Make-up Partner
Official Piano
Season Media Partner
Corporate Council Sponsors Termini Bros. Bakery
Ballard Spahr LLP
Exelon Business Services
Center City Film and Video
PECO
Tiffany & Co.
CRW Graphics
PNC Arts Alive
Universal Health Services
Ernst Brothers Designers + Builders
Saks Fifth Avenue
The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and Opera Philadelphia are collaborative partners in delivering the highest quality opera programs in world class venues for the benefit of regional audiences, international artists, and the broader community. EITC APPROVED The Opera is a recognized Educational Improvement Organization, eligible for EITC
For more information about sponsorship opportunities, EITC contributions, or to join Opera Philadelphia's Corporate Council, contact Nathan Schultz, Manager of Institutional Giving, at 215.893.5932 or schultz@operaphila.org.
opera philadelphia ADMINISTRATION leadership
David B. Devan General Director & President Corrado Rovaris Jack Mulroney Music Director Michael Bolton Vice President of Community Initiatives David Levy Vice President of Artistic Operations Ryan Lewis Vice President of Marketing Frank Luzi Vice President of Communications Jeremiah Marks Chief Financial Off icer Rachel McCausland Vice President of Development Lawrence Brownlee Artistic Advisor Kristy Edmunds Artistic Advisor Mikael Eliasen Artistic Advisor Ken Smith Assistant to General Director & Board Relations Coordinator
music
Michael Eberhard Artistic Administrator Sarah Williams New Works Administrator Elizabeth Braden Chorus Master & Music Administrator J. Robert Loy Director of Orchestra Personnel & Orchestra Librarian Grant Loehnig Head of Music Staff David Hertzberg Rene Orth Composers in Residence
Peggy Monastra Partnerships, New Productions, & Commissions Emily May Sung Assistant Chorus Master
production
Drew Billiau Director of Design & Technology Stephen Dickerson Technical Director Millie Hiibel Costume Director Meggie Scache Production Manager Lisa Anderson Production Stage Manager Katie Foster Assistant Costume Director Kelsey Burston Artistic Operations Coordinator
marketing & guest services
development
Rebecca Ackerman Director of Individual Giving & Advancement Services Derren Mangum Director of Institutional Giving Adele Mustardo Director of Events Mark Nestlehutt Director of Planned Giving Aisha Wiley Director of Research Anna Penchuk Major Gifts Manager Nathan Schultz Manager of Institutional Giving Erica Weitze Development Operations Manager Rachel Mancini Development Administrative Assistant
community initiatives Steven Humes Education Manager Veronica Chapman-Smith Community Initiatives Administrator
Ernie D. DeRosa Guest Services Manager Karina Kacala Marketing Manager Michael Knight Marketing Operations Manager Siddhartha Misra Lead Guest Services Associate Marissa Chalker Ashley Colabella Rodney McGhee Guest Services Associates
finance
communications
counsel
Brian Ramos Controller Bethany Steel HR & Operations Manager Alison McMenamin Senior Accountant
Shannon Eblen Ballard Spahr, LLP Communications Manager General Counsel Katie Kelley Design Manager The Karma Agency Brand Communications Partner 37
2 018 – 2 019 S E A S O N
OPERA AT THE ACADEMY
This season we present three operas that you very likely know and love. (We certainly do.) But along with this invitation to enjoy the finest the canon has to offer comes a promise to stage each in a way that will make you fall in love anew. We hope you will join us.
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR Part of Festival O18 September 21–30, 2018 Academy of Music
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM February 8–17, 2019 Academy of Music
LA BOHÈME
April 26–May 5, 2019 Academy of Music
For personalized assistance curating your Opera Philadelphia experience, contact Guest Services at 215.732.8400 or visit operaphila.org/order.
FESTIVAL S E P T E M B E R 2 0 – 3 0 , 2 018
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR September 21–30 A new production starring Brenda Rae and Michael Spyres
SKY ON SWINGS
September 20–29 World Premiere starring Frederica von Stade and Marietta Simpson
NE QUITTEZ PAS
September 22–30 A reimagined La voix humaine starring Patricia Racette
GLASS HANDEL
September 22–30 An immersive, multimedia experience starring Anthony Roth Costanzo (World Premiere Production)
QUEENS OF THE NIGHT
September 24–28 Cabaret nights featuring Stephanie Blythe and Martha Graham Cracker
F R I D AYS AT F I E L D September 21 & 28
“ O N E O F T HA E recital M O S Tseries E N J OYA BLE ADDITIONS featuring TO THE FALL C ALENDAR IN YEARS. ”
Opera Philadelphia Emerging Artists T H E WA S H I N G T O N P O S T
Subscriptions and Festival O18 ticket packages of two or more events are now on sale. Single tickets will go on sale on August 1, 2018.
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