Opera Philadelphia 40th Anniversary Book

2014-2015

YEAR IN REVIEW

NEW PERSPECTIVES

W E N E V E R T R U L Y S E E

U N T I L W E S E E O T H E R P E R S P E C T I V E S

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

On the Stage

12

Composers in Residence

44

In the Community

48

52

40th Anniversary Gala 58

70

Support

What’s Next 72

Administration

Produced and edited by Frank Luzi Designed by the Karma Agency Printed by Kalnin Graphics

40TH ANNIVERSARY 03 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

CRITICAL REVIEWS

VOICES FROM THE WORLD

“ O pera Philadelphia has made a big commitment to new repertoire and the company’s first commission, in partnership with Gotham Chamber Opera, is terrific” The Wall Street Journal

“ D evan

has done

something no one

could have predicted:

He’s made

“ Opera Philadelphia should be praised for taking risks on innovative new operas” Opera Today

“ A s Opera Philadelphia celebrates its

Opera

40th anniversary, there is no abler bearer

buzzy”

Philadelphia Style

Philadelphia

of the city’s heritage”

Philadelphia Magazine

40TH ANNIVERSARY 04 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

“ O pera Philadelphia has … a wider shift

toward more new music, co-commissions and a general willingness to take risks on unorthodox subjects and genres” The New York Times

“ Coolest.

Opera.

Ever.”

Philadelphia Weekly

“ Along with providing audiences with fresh material, the opera’s new American program has also allowed it to go from being a local company to one that’s global” The Philadelphia Business Journal

“ H aving previously shown its nimbleness with contemporary pieces, Opera Philadelphia now has shown that it can stage world-class productions of mainstream classics” Broad Street Review

“ A mong the U.S. opera companies at the forefront of demonstrating how to evolve—both artistically and from a business-model perspective—is Opera Philadelphia” Nonprofit Quarterly

“ Now in its 40th year, Opera Philadelphia

is launching groundbreaking initiatives that are making the music world stand up and take notice”

The Philadelphia Tribune

40TH ANNIVERSARY 05 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

B O A R D of DIRECTORS

OFFICERS

MEMBERS

Daniel K. Meyer, M.D.

Benjamin Alexander Sandra K. Baldino F. Joshua Barnett, M.D., J.D. Willo Carey Nicholas Chimicles, Esq. Ady L. Djerassi, M.D. Charles C. Freyer, Esq. Ehab Hammad Mark Hankin Frederick P. Huff Caroline Kennedy Joel M. Koppelman Beverly Lange, M.D. Ellen Berman Lee Gabriele Lee Peter Leone Thomas Mahoney Daniel K. Meyer, M.D. Agnes Mulroney Scott F. Richard Harold Rosenbluth Stephen G. Somkuti, M.D. Jonathan H. Sprogell James B. Straw Alice Strine, Esq. Kenneth R. Swimm Maria J. Trafton Charlotte Watts Donna Wechsler

CHAIRMAN

David B. Devan* PRESIDENT

Frederick P. Huff VICE CHAIR

Joel M. Koppelman VICE CHAIR

Alice Strine, Esq. VICE CHAIR

Scott F. Richard S E C R E TA R Y

Thomas Mahoney TREASURER

Stephen A. Madva, Esq. CHAIRMAN EMERITUS

*Ex officio COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Sandra Baldino BRANDING

Willo Carey

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Jonathan H. Sprogell FINANCE

Frederick P. Huff GOVERNANCE

Peter Leone

HONORARY MEMBERS

I N S T I T U T I O N A L A D VA N C E M E N T

Dennis Alter Alan B. Miller H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest Stephen A. Madva, Esq.

List as of August 2015

Dear Friends, Opera Philadelphia’s 40th Anniversary Season began with a gala celebration that invited us to experience opera from a new perspective.

We sat on the stage of the Academy of Music for

Music Director Corrado Rovaris and stage director Tim

on Broad Street, joined by some of opera’s biggest stars

performances by Eric along with tenor Dimitri Pittas,

a gorgeous recital and then partied in a tented ballroom like Eric Owens, Ailyn Pérez, Nathan Gunn, and Isabel Leonard. The new perspectives just kept on coming

throughout a season praised by audiences and critics from around the world.

The Academy of Music came alive with a dynamic new

production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, featuring director Michael Shell’s colorful staging inspired by

Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar and a scene-stealing

performance by Kevin Burdette as Dr. Bartolo. In February, we presented the second staging of Oscar by composer

Theodore Morrison, with a libretto by the composer and John Cox. This important story about the trial,

imprisonment, and fall from grace of Oscar Wilde, whose

crime was loving another man, came at a time of significant national debate about marriage equality and provided both a star vehicle for countertenor David Daniels and an opportunity to contribute to the dialogue.

In March, we moved to the Perelman Theater at the

Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts for a creative

Albery guided an amazing cast, resulting in stunning

soprano Leah Crocetto, baritone Troy Cook, and bass Morris Robinson.

And then in June, this season of celebration concluded

brilliantly with the company’s first World Premiere since our very first season. Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD was

nothing short of a revelation. Praised by the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Denver Post, Opera Today,

Financial Times, and many more, the opera by composer Daniel Schnyder and librettist Bridgette A. Wimberly

signaled to the world that the future of American opera is being written in Philadelphia.

In the pages ahead, we look back at this special anniversary season, one that I am sure all of us who love opera will

be talking about for many years to come. I thank all of you who helped to make this season possible. Your devotion

to opera and your support of this company made our 40th season a year to remember!

Sincerely,

staging of Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos with the

stars of tomorrow from Curtis Opera Theatre. We then

welcomed home Philadelphia’s own Eric Owens to make his role debut as King Philip II in a new production of

Verdi’s Don Carlo. I was so proud of how Jack Mulroney

Daniel K. Meyer, M.D. CHAIRMAN

40TH ANNIVERSARY 07 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

“The loss of New York City Opera has led Opera Philadelphia to boldly step into the space where an opera company producing new and challenging works should be” –THE DAILY BEAST–

Cover photo and above: Lawrence Brownlee as Charlie Parker in the World Premiere of Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD. Photo by Dominic M. Mercier.

In opera, we work in many different timelines. Planning productions, commissioning new works, and casting roles take place years before an opera comes to the stage. In the course of brainstorming with artists, we often have to pause to remind ourselves of what year it is.

FOR EXAMPLE: In 2011, we had our first conversation with the

Throughout this season, we were so proud of how our artists

II in Don Carlo with Opera Philadelphia. Four years later, as

perform. David Daniels became Oscar Wilde to tell a story of

great Eric Owens about making his role debut as King Philip part of our 40th Anniversary Season, we all enjoyed his brilliant

portrayal of the troubled tyrant. The wonderful soprano Leah Crocetto made her company and role debuts as Elisabeth in

the same production, and her voice blew us away to the point that we were talking about having her return to tackle another challenging role in 2019 or 2020.

approached these roles that they had spent years preparing to persecution over gay love. Lawrence Brownlee became Charlie Parker to honor a legendary musician whose demons ultimately

consumed him. Eric Owens–one of the nicest men we have ever met–channeled his inner bad guy to become a truly terrifying

despot. A cadre of young singers from our Emerging Artists Program tackled new roles for the first time.

One of the great joys of working at Opera Philadelphia is

We could go on and on about the many artistic achievements

Brownlee, David Daniels, Angela Brown, Christine Goerke,

an insider’s perspective from the stages of the Academy of Music

speaking with tremendous artists like Eric, Leah, Lawrence Stephanie Blythe, Isabel Leonard, and Lisette Oropesa about coming to Philadelphia to create the roles that THEY want

to sing. Providing opportunities for artists to create their most imaginative and inspired work is a core value at Opera

Philadelphia. Our recently-concluded 40th Anniversary Season

of our 40th Anniversary Season, but we thought you might like and the Perelman Theater. In the pages ahead, you’ll hear from the many artists who contributed their talents to this very

special year. We thank each of them for being a part of our 40th Season, and we thank all of you who made it all possible.

featured five incredible new productions, and at the heart of

each of them was the magic of a team of creative artists–directors,

conductors, designers, musicians, and, in two cases, composers and librettists–joining together with principal singers to tell a story through music.

David B. Devan

GENERAL DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT

Corrado Rovaris

JACK MULRONEY MUSIC DIRECTOR

40TH ANNIVERSARY 10 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

NEW PERSPECTIVES Opera Philadelphia Board Chairman Daniel K. Meyer, M.D., General Director & President David B. Devan and Jack Mulroney Music Director Corrado Rovaris.

Photo by Michael Branscom.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 11 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

GIOACHINO ROSSINI SEPTEMBER 26-OCTOBER 4, 2014 ACADEMY OF MUSIC

Rosina (Jennifer Holloway) refuses to believe when Dr. Bartolo (Kevin Burdette) tells her that Lindoro is not being honest with her.

Photos by Kelly & Massa.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 12 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

(Left to right) Almaviva (Taylor Stayton) Don Basilio (Wayne Tigges) Figaro (Jonathan Beyer)

CAST

Rosina (Jennifer Holloway) Berta (Katrina Thurman) Dr. Bartolo (Kevin Burdette).

Jonathan Beyer

Katrina Thurman*

Jennifer Holloway

Sean Plumb*

Taylor Stayton

Johnathan McCullough*

FIGARO

ROSINA

C O U N T A L M AV I VA

B E R TA

FIORELLO

AN OFFICER

Kevin Burdette

DOCTOR BARTOLO

Wayne Tigges* DON BASILIO

C R E AT I V E TEAM

PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS

Corrado Rovaris

Alice and Walter Strine, Esqs.

CONDUCTOR

Michael Shell* DIRECTOR

Shoko Kambara* SET DESIGN

Driscoll Otto*

Ady L. Djerassi, M.D. and Robert Golub, M.D.

Elizabeth Braden

CHORUS MASTER

David Zimmerman WIG & MAKE-UP DESIGN

“ Truly inspired”

Joe Gladstone

Parterre Box

S TA G E M A N A G E R

“ O ne big lollipop for the eyes…with Rossini’s music sounding fit and lively amid a cast of first-rate singers.”

CHORUS

ARTIST UNDERWRITERS

LIGHTING DESIGN

Opera News

The Estate of Harriet Forman

Amanda Seymour*

COSTUME DESIGN

“ B right, inventive and attractive”

ORCHESTRA

* Opera Philadelphia debut

The Philadelphia Inquirer

40TH ANNIVERSARY 13 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

J E N N I F E R H O L L O WAY

Mrs. Kay Bossone

TAY L O R S TAY T O N

Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Wechsler WAY N E T I G G E S

An Anonymous friend J O N AT H A N B E Y E R

Co-production with Opera Theatre of St. Louis

PRODUCTIONS

THE SHOW MUST GO ON…EVEN WHEN A M U S TA C H E W O N ’ T S TA Y O N !

A S I R E C A L L , Wayne’s mustache started

Instead, Wayne decided, as would be in line with the

“La Calunnia.” Wayne was sitting at the desk and,

fix the mustache out in the open, thereby implying

malfunctioning on opening night relatively early on in ever the pro, turned his head slightly so that the left side of his face was upstage, allowing him to try

subtly to reattach the mustache. That fix worked

for a brief time; unfortunately, “Calunnia” is a wordy aria, and in the battle between moving upper lip and

ever lessening-adhesive, the adhesive had no chance.

Wayne tried valiantly a couple more times to reapply

the ’stache without the audience’s noticing. Finally

though, by the time Wayne was doing a dance routine and adding upper lip sweat, half of the mustache

became detached and started just hanging limply over the left side of Wayne’s mouth.

So…what to do? An appreciable portion of the aria

sleazy, Vegas-act aura of his character, to shamelessly

that Basilio, not Wayne, was wearing a fake mustache.

Once Wayne openly and unabashedly fixed his

mustache, with all the audience to see, I took that as a cue that I could reference his mustache re-application dance.

So I started playing with MY mustache, pretending to reattach it to my face as Wayne was doing—which made sense, in a way, as Basilio, in

the aria, is teaching Bartolo about how

to spread calumny. The impressionable Bartolo understood, therefore, that

playing with a mustache, maybe even getting a fake one and gluing it on,

is part of the process of spreading calumny.

and scene remained, and it seemed fruitless and

From that point forward, we just started

I suppose he could have opted to pull the whole thing

eye when I played with my mustache

distracting to try to keep reattaching the mustache. off and hope nobody would be too bothered by the

break from the world we were creating in the scene, but that didn’t seem ideal, either.

having fun. Wayne got a twinkle in his

“ In the battle between moving upper lip and ever lessening-adhesive, the adhesive had no chance.”

and went back after his own with even greater vigor.

At one point, it felt like we were channeling the

“Night at the Roxbury” guys from Saturday Night Live—

40TH ANNIVERSARY 14 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

an apt duo to channel, as Wayne’s outfit was very

similar to Will Ferrell’s outfit in that sketch, with

a purple suit, a necklace, and no tie–who have a nervous Above: Dr. Bartolo (Kevin Burdette) and his maid, Berta (Katrina Thurman).

Right: As Don Basilio, Wayne Tigges experienced an opening night wardrobe malfunction starring his mustache.

Photos by Kelly & Massa.

tic that manifests itself in a nose rub that is not so far removed from our mustache rub.

It was a total gas, and it felt part and parcel of the production and of Wayne’s and my collaboration:

By the end of the aria, the mustache rub was as much

we had spent hours improvising together in rehearsal,

hair. Wayne received a characteristically big applause

to get the chance to improvise with him onstage with

of a character trait as Basilio’s hip thrust and greasy

so it felt totally safe and natural–not to mention fun—

when he struck his pose at the end of the aria; once

the audience eating it up!

he broke the pose, I stood up to begin the subsequent recitative, but the audience kept applauding, so I nodded my head, smiled at and gesticulated to

Basilio—half acknowledging the great points Basilio had just made and half acknowledging Wayne’s

well-earned response–and then sat back down. As the applause began to fade in earnest, I wondered if we might not be able to milk the applause a bit more,

Incidentally, Bartolo references Basilio and “la

calunnia” by name in Act II, and I couldn’t resist calling back to Act I and giving my mustache one

last good rub. The audience caught the reference—at

that point it was like a big inside joke among Bartolo, Basilio, and the audience–and they responded with a fantastic laugh!

so I gave Wayne a knowing laugh, uttered an

incredulous “la calunnia” in a Basilio-esque voice, and then rubbed my mustache one more time.

Wayne responded in kind, and the audience started laughing and applauding again!

Kevin Burdette

DOCTOR BARTOLO

40TH ANNIVERSARY 15 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

“Singing at Opera Philadelphia is a real joy for me. Having gone

to Curtis, Opera Philadelphia was such a part of my musical upbringing.”

Jonathan Beyer as Figaro.

Photos by Kelly & Massa.

Rinat Shaham as Carmen and Jonathan Beyer as Escamillio in 2011’s Carmen.

MY DEBUT AS ESCAMILLO

in Carmen in 2011 was

a lot of fun…although it gave me a horrifying moment during my final duet on our last performance. I had knelt down in a snug Toreador costume and split my pants open…it was not my proudest moment.

So when Opera Philadelphia asked me to sing a title role to open their 40th Anniversary Season, I decided I was going to lose weight before I performed there again! Haha.

Singing Figaro in The Barber of Seville was a dream. To see how

the company has grown in the past few years was mind-blowing.

The excitement and energy behind the production, the season, and the gala was tremendous. I will always remember laughing so hard during the show with my outrageously funny colleagues, looking down and seeing the smiling Corrado Rovaris, and wearing beautifully colored costumes…that never split.

Jonathan Beyer FIGARO

40TH ANNIVERSARY 17 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

vvv

PRODUCTIONS More than 6,000 people attended the Opera on the Mall broadcast of The Barber of Seville. Photos

by HughE Dillon.

OPERA ON THE MALL SEPTEMBER 27, 2014 I N D E P E N D E N C E N AT I O N A L H I S T O R I C A L PA R K

“With blankets in hand and coolers filled with goodies, thousands of folks packed onto Independence Mall to watch Opera Philadelphia’s per for mance of The Barber of Seville as it played on two large screens.”

CBS Radio “More than 6,000 people filled Independence Park to watch Opera Philadelphia‘s free broadcast of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville.”

Philadelphia Magazine

O pera on the Mall is made possible through the generous support of PNC Arts Alive, The William Penn Foundation, and The Wyncote Foundation.

Top and bottom: Attendees posed in a special opera-themed photo booth.

Middle: Cast members Jennifer Holloway, Jonathan Beyer, Johnathan McCullough, Katrina Thurman and Sean Michael Plumb clown around in the photo booth.

Photos by CJ Dawson.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 19 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

THEODORE MORRISON AND JOHN COX F E B R U A RY 6 – 1 5 , 2 0 1 5 ACADEMY OF MUSIC EAST COAST PREMIERE

Oscar (David Daniels) encounters numerous horrors while in Reading Gaol. Photo by Kelly & Massa.

CAST

David Daniels*

OSCAR WILDE

Heidi Stober*

ADA LEVERSON

William Burden FRANK HARRIS

Dwayne Croft*

WA L T W H I T M A N

Reed Luplau*

LORD ALFRED DOUGLAS (“BOSIE”)

Joseph Gaines

INSPECTOR LITTLECHILD & FIRST P R I S O N WA R D E R

Benjamin Sieverding*

INSPECTOR KEARLEY & SECOND PRISON WA R D E R

Wayne Tigges

JUSTICE SIR ALFRED WILLS & COLONEL ISAACSON

Ricardo Rivera*

THOMAS MARTIN & HOTEL MANAGERS

40TH ANNIVERSARY 20 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Roy Hage*

PRISON CHAPLAIN

Jarrett Ott*

PRISON INFIRMARY PAT I E N T # 1

Thomas Shivone

PRISON INFIRMARY PAT I E N T # 2

Toffer Mihalka BALIFF

“An absorbing theatrical experience.”

The Baltimore Sun

“Oscar contains several powerful and moving moments.”

Opera News

“David Daniels’s singing is superb, displaying more power than we hear in baroque operas.”

The Opera Critic

“The City of Brotherly Love is having an affair with Oscar Wilde.”

The Wall Street Journal

C R E AT I V E TEAM

Evan Rogister* CONDUCTOR

Kevin Newbury DIRECTOR

David Korins* SET DESIGN

David C. Woolard*

COSTUME DESIGN

Rick Fisher*

LIGHTING DESIGN

Elizabeth Braden

CHORUS MASTER

David Zimmerman WIG & MAKE-UP DESIGN

James Daniel* A S S I S TA N T DIRECTOR

Chelsea Antrim

S TA G E M A N A G E R

* Opera Philadelphia debut

PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS

ARTIST UNDERWRITERS

Wyncote Foundation

Mrs. Sandra K. Baldino

Judy and Peter Leone Mr. Richard B. Worley and Ms. Leslie Anne Miller Alice and Walter Strine, Esqs.

ORCHESTRA

Estate of Ellen Cole Miller

D AV I D D A N I E L S

Mrs. John P. Mulroney WILLIAM BURDEN

Scott F. Richard HEIDI STOBER

American Repertoire Program Co-production and co-commission with The Santa Fe Opera

CHORUS

Seán Curran

CHOREOGRAPHER

40TH ANNIVERSARY 21 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

E X PA N D I N G M I N D S T H R O U G H A N E X PA N D I N G REPERTOIRE As composer and co-librettist of Oscar, a new opera based on a controversial historical subject that offers much to connect it to current American life, I would like to thank Opera Philadelphia for its decision to co-commission and co-produce this work with The Santa Fe Opera.

I AM DEEPLY GRATEFUL to both companies for

One of the most impressive features of Opera

and amazing designers led by the great David Daniels

program. The trial and imprisonment of Oscar

hiring an extraordinary team of performing artists and Kevin Newbury. That Oscar was presented during

Opera Philadelphia’s 40th Anniversary year in the midst of a decade-long commitment to present ten new

American operas makes me feel especially happy. Its commitment to commissioning many new works

ranks Opera Philadelphia among the most daring, ambitious and exciting of American opera companies.

Philadelphia is its community educational outreach Wilde for the “crime” of “gross indecency” (the

Victorian legal term against expressing a person’s homosexuality) might have presented myriad challenges to a less sensitive and informed staff

as they prepared educational materials for the

large student audience that attended our final dress rehearsal. I was touched by the forthrightness

40TH ANNIVERSARY 22 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

of the printed materials Opera Philadelphia sent

promoted exceptionally well, both in advance of

detailed and careful research that went into their

encouraging to all of the artists.

to the students in advance, and I admired the

preparation. The result was rapt attention by the

students during the performance. Many of them had never attended an opera nor heard a countertenor,

and they enthusiastically expressed their pleasure about that new experience. They also expressed

their understanding of and sensitivity to the subject itself in ways that may outpace their elders as

a population. The most moving moment for me was

and during the production. This commitment was Thank you Opera Philadelphia (administration, staff, board, and patrons) for your enormous role in making

opera, and especially American contemporary opera, not only essential and relevant, but also possible!

With warmest wishes for much continued success,

when two high school boys began the standing

ovation at the opera’s end by rising from front seats proudly holding hands.

The support extended to our group of creative and performing colleagues as we worked to bring the

revised production to the Academy of Music stage

Theodore Morrison COMPOSER & CO-LIBRETTIST

for its East Coast Premiere was amazing. And this

was always offered with generosity and kindness.

Special note should also be made that Oscar was

Opposite page: Oscar (David Daniels) is out on bail awaiting the verdict in his trial for “gross indecency” over his relationship with Bosie (Reed Luplau).

Left: Oscar (David Daniels) finds refuge in the home of his friend Ada Leverson (Heidi Stober).

Photos by Kelly & Massa.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 23 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

F I R S T - R AT E S U P P O R T, GUIDANCE AND ENTHUSIASM IT WAS AN HONOR to direct Oscar for Opera

Philadelphia in February 2015. David Devan and his entire company offered first-rate support,

guidance and enthusiasm throughout the process, from inception to opening. It was a delight for

all of to have a chance to bring Oscar to life for a

second time and Opera Philadelphia, throughout the process, proved that the company continues

to earn its reputation as one of the most exciting, innovative, and supportive companies on the international opera scene. I look forward to many more collaborations!

Kevin Newbury DIRECTOR

40TH ANNIVERSARY 24 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

O U T AT T H E O P E R A Out at the Opera, a special LGBT event hosted by Opera Philadelphia and the William Way LGBT Community Center, was held on Friday, February 13 at the Academy of Music. The event included a talk about homosexuality in Oscar Wilde’s time compared to today featuring ACLU of Pennsylvania Executive Director Reggie Shuford and Opera Philadelphia Vice President Michael Bolton.

Above: Bosie (Reed Luplau) and Oscar (David Daniels) dance in a dream sequence.

Photo by Kelly & Massa.

Top right (L to R): Marquise Lee and Paul Blore Middle right (L to R): Nellie Fitzpatrick,

“ O p e r a P h i l a d e l p h i a ’s sponsorship of Oscar shows praiseworthy commitment

Director of LGBT Affairs for the City of Philadelphia, and Tracie Lynn.

Bottom right (L to R): Reggie Shuford, Executive Director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania, and Christopher Bartlett, Executive Director of the William Way LGBT Community Center.

and pride.”

Gay City News

Photos by Sammy Munsch.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 25 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

ARIADNE AUF RICHARD STRAUSS MARCH 4–8, 2015 P E R E L M A N T H E AT E R C U R T I S O P E R A T H E AT R E

In the private art gallery of the richest man in Vienna, Ariadne auf Naxos is staged with Ariadne (Heather Stebbins) surrounded by three nymphs (Elena Perroni, Anastasiia Sidorova and Kirsten MacKinnon).

Photos by Cory Weaver.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 26 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

“ Year after year, the collaboration of Curtis Opera Theatre and Opera Philadelphia creates some of the finest productions the city now enjoys.”

Opera News

“ You will hear no more impassioned music making— nor see more dazzling theater—this season.”

Philadelphia City Paper

“ You could not help falling in love with Lauren Eber wein’s longing gazes.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer

“ C urtis Opera Theatre has given us the Gilligan’s Islandthemed Ariadne auf Naxos we’ve all been waiting for.”

The nymphs (Elena Perroni, Anastasiia Sidorova and Kirsten MacKinnon).

Likely Impossibilities

CAST

Heather Stebbins

PRIMA DONNA/ ARIADNE

C R E AT I V E TEAM

PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS

Jean-Michel Richer

Mikael Eliasen

Wyncote Foundation

Thomas Shivone

George Manahan

The William Penn Foundation

Dogukan Kuran

Chas Rader-Shieber

The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation

Elena Perroni

David Zinn

Anastasiia Sidorova

Jacob A. Climer

Kirsten Mackinnon

Mike Inwood

Vartan Gabrielian

Janet Neukirchner

SCARAMUCCIO

Kevin Ray

T R U F FA L D I N O

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

CONDUCTOR

TENOR/BACCHUS

Ashley Milanese

WIG MAKER

DIRECTOR

Z E R B I N E T TA

Lauren Eberwein

NAJADE

AURORA SERIES

CURTIS OPERA T H E AT R E S E A S O N

SET DESIGN

COMPOSER

Sean Plumb

D R YA D E

COSTUME DESIGN

THE MUSIC TEACHER

Roy Hage

ECHO

LIGHTING DESIGN

DANCING MASTER

Johnathan McCullough HARLEKIN

Mingjie Lei

LACKEY

Evan LeRoy Johnson OFFICER

P R O D U C T I O N S TA G E MANAGER

Sara Prince

S TA G E M A N A G E R

BRIGHELLA

40TH ANNIVERSARY 27 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

Z E R B I N E T TA’ S V O C A L M A R AT H O N ZERBINETTA WAS, AT FIRST,

a very intimidating role, especially because of her famous

aria, which is considered one of the longest arias in the rep. It was scary to think of all

the amazing Zerbinettas out there and what big shoes I had to fill. My approach was to divide the aria into parts. Once I felt like I “knew” one part I would add the next part,

and so on. Then, finally, I had the entire thing learned. The next obstacle was the intimidating task of singing the aria straight through without any pauses (and even worse without any

water!). At first, I concocted a few schemes to help me not dry out on stage. For example, I would keep a sour candy in my pocket and lick it occasionally so that I would salivate.

I was lucky enough to be able to try out the aria

a few times in front of my colleagues and teachers at Curtis, during our weekly performance class. Mikael

Eliasen told me, “You have to sing the aria every week in front of an audience no matter how you feel.”

This was the best advice. I learned how to sing the aria on my good days and on my not-so-good days,

Left: Zerbinetta (Ashley Milanese), dressed as Ginger Grant from Gilligan’s Island.

Right: Zerbinetta (Ashley Milanese) and Scaramuccio (Jean-Michel Richer). Photos

by Cory Weaver.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 28 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

like when I was sick with a cold. If you can sing it

when you’re sick you can definitely sing it when you’re feeling your best!

Performing the aria on stage at the Perelman Theater was the most exhilarating experience. It was so

fulfilling. I felt like an athlete who had finally reached

a goal they once thought was impossible. I say athlete, because singing this aria is such a physical experience.

The stamina it takes to breathe and control all of

those “Straussian” phrases for such a long amount of time was by far an athletic feat. I was drenched in sweat by the end.

I think I was in shock immediately after I first

performed the aria for an audience. It was a moment where I thought to myself, “Wait, did that really

just happen?” It was surreal and absolutely thrilling.

I could feel the audience go through the journey with me, and sometimes I could even feel that they were nervous FOR me. The coloratura is so intricate and never-ending, so if you don’t

know the piece ahead of time you usually don’t imagine much to follow the first cadenza.

But then suddenly 15 minutes have passed!

The applause was confirmation that I was not alone. They made the experience a reality for

me. It is definitely a moment I will never forget.

Ashley Milanese “delivered an excellent Zerbinetta, vocally fluid, well-inflected and always on pitch.”

Opera News

Ashley Milanese Z E R B I N E T TA

40TH ANNIVERSARY 29 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

Commedia actors Scaramuccio as the Skipper (Jean-Michel Richer), Truffaldin as Mary Ann (Thomas Shivone), and Brighella as Thurston Howell III (Mingjie Lei), enter in a bamboo car. Photo by Cory Weaver.

THE CHALLENGING ROLE of the Composer in

madly in love. This love envelops him and welcomes

sculpting a pants role (a male character sung by a

ushering in a moment of profound enlightenment

Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos was my first experience woman). Strauss and Hofmannsthal’s prolific and

powerful artistic partnership is exemplified in this opera’s spectacular, penetrating, and sometimes alarming music–most aptly portrayed in the

intricately crafted role of the Composer. Strauss’s opera follows the genesis of the premiere of the

Composer’s first opera. The storyline follows the young Composer in his hectic preparations for the premiere of his opera, Ariadne auf Naxos.

In Strauss’s prologue the Composer sings quotes from

the brief disillusionment of his intellectual façade, during his aria, “Sein wir wieder gut”.

The opportunity to prepare what will be a pivotal role in my repertoire at such an early point in my career

was life changing, and was made possible because of the inspiring partnership between the Curtis Opera

Theatre and Opera Philadelphia. Opera Philadelphia has been and will continue to be integral in my

artistic development, and will forever inform my operatic aesthetic.

nearly every major scene in his opera, so learning and preparing the role required an extensive knowledge and deep understanding

of the entire musical work—because after all, my character wrote it!

Lauren Eberwein THE COMPOSER

While marinating in Strauss’s music and

Hofmannsthal’s words, I also prepared physically;

I more closely admired the physicality of the men

and boys around me, gathering body language that would serve my physical representation on stage.

I wore men’s clothing in all of our rehearsals, not only for my own artistic rumination but also for

my colleagues’ benefit, in order to immediately erect

PUTTING ON A

PA N T S R O L E O N E L E G AT A T I M E

a fourth wall. The Composer’s journey throughout the prologue of Ariadne is tumultuous, and filled with great despair and angst. He spends most of

his time on stage dancing pirouettes through his

pompous, hyper intellectualizations and expends

intense amounts of emotional energy worrying about the premiere of his first opera. He then suddenly

finds himself completely swept away by this lovely,

perplexing creature, Zerbinetta–with whom he falls

40TH ANNIVERSARY 30 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

The Composer (Lauren Eberwein). Photos by Cory Weaver.

F R O M P R I S O N PAT I E N T TO MARY ANN T H I S PA S T S E A S O N I had the pleasure of

performing in a very diverse collection of operas.

I started with being a Russian king in Iolanta, to an old codger in Gianni Schicchi, followed by a young prison patient in Oscar, a crazy change into a

confused member of a comedy troupe who appeared as a number of famous TV show characters in

Ariadne auf Naxos, and then finally as the devil in

The Rake’s Progress. I’ve never been more excited to start a season as I was for this one due to the huge diversity I was going to have.

Having that opportunity and time alongside some

of the great artists of our generation in a rehearsal

The most interesting and difficult transition was

from my role as an abused prison patient in Oscar

to a comedic character who appeared in four different costumes and personas just a few weeks later in

Ariadne. I’ve been asked to do a lot of crazy and funny things on stage but this was the first time I’d ever been asked to wear four-inch heels, “Daisy Dukes,” and a crop top. The timing was crazy as I was

performing a very serious role in Oscar at the time

I was staging Ariadne. It’s a fun challenge as an actor to go from one thing to the other and to not let the

performances be affected by each other. I remember the first day of Oscar rehearsal as Jarrett Ott and I

were in our respective infirmary beds in the rehearsal hall. In the scene we start a rousing rendition of a

popular folk song which then causes Oscar Wilde, played by the famous and incredibly inspirational

and on stage is so important and influential as a

young singer, and I’m so thankful to have had these

opportunities with Opera Philadelphia. I’ve now been at the Curtis Institute of Music for over eight years and have performed in over 30 operas with Curtis and quite a few with Opera Philadelphia as well.

The amount of preparation I have been given as well as the opportunities to learn from other great artists has constantly been amazing to me. I often have to

pinch myself that I sat in a room with David Daniels for four weeks or that I’ve worked with Maestro

Corrado Rovaris a number of times now and been

allowed to learn from his vast knowledge of singing and style. Those experiences all made transitioning from a very serious role and opera in Oscar to a

completely ridiculous one in Ariadne possible and incredibly enjoyable.

countertenor David Daniels, to join in. The director

David Daniels…we don’t need to act!”

costumes from a Baywatch-inspired 'Hoff to Gilligan’s Island’s Mary Ann and The Professor in the course

Bottom: David Daniels (Oscar) and

you guys. This is just insane and crazy for you both

I looked right at him and said, “We are singing with

as commedia actor Truffaldin, changes

of Act II. Photo by Cory Weaver.

came up to us and said “Oscar Wilde is singing with and you’re incredibly happy, excited, and awestruck.”

Top: Bass-baritone Thomas Shivone,

Thomas Shivone (Prison Patient #2)

Thomas Shivone

T R U F FA L D I N O / M A RY A N N

40TH ANNIVERSARY 31 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

in Theodore Morrison's Oscar.

PRODUCTIONS

GIUSEPPE VERDI A P R I L 2 4 – M AY 3 , 2 0 1 5 ACADEMY OF MUSIC

Main: King Philip II (Eric Owens) confides in Rodrigo (Troy Cook) of his worries about Elisabeth and Carlo.

Inset: Elisabeth (Leah Crocetto) comforts Don Carlo (Dimitri Pittas).

Photos by Kelly & Massa.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 32 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

“ E ric Owens vividly conveys Philip’s

“ T his cast was a better ensemble than the

physical isolation.”

one in the Met’s production this season.”

The New York Times

The Broad Street Review

“ O pera Philadelphia took a giant leap

“ T he evening’s most elegant singing came

with its production of Verdi’s sprawling

from Troy Cook’s nobly enacted Posa.”

masterpiece.”

Opera News

The Opera Critic

CAST

Dimitri Pittas* DON CARLO

Leah Crocetto*

E L I S A B E T H D E VA L O I S

Michelle DeYoung* PRINCESS EBOLI

Eric Owens

KING PHILIP II

Troy Cook RODRIGO

C R E AT I V E T E A M

Morris Robinson THE GRAND INQUISITOR

Ashley Emerson TEBALDO

Jeremy Milner FRIAR

Sarah Shafer

THE CELESTIAL VOICE

Mingjie Lei*

R O YA L H E R A L D & CONTE DI LERMA

Corrado Rovaris

Elizabeth Braden

Tim Albery*

David Zimmerman

CONDUCTOR

DIRECTOR

Andrew Lieberman* SET DESIGN

Constance Hoffman* COSTUME DESIGN

Thomas Hase*

LIGHTING DESIGN

ARTIST UNDERWRITERS

Anonymous Members of the Leadership Circle D I M I T R I P I T TA S A N D MICHELLE DEYOUNG

Dr. Heidi L. Kolberg and Dr. F. Joshua Barnett LEAH CROCETTO

CHORUS MASTER

WIG & MAKE-UP DESIGN

Amanda Consol A S S I S TA N T DIRECTOR

Jenny Harber

S TA G E M A N A G E R

* Opera Philadelphia debut

PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS

Drs. Renato and Beverly Baserga

The Patron Program

Ms. Barbara Augusta Teichert

Mr. Thomas Mahoney

Alice and Walter Strine, Esqs.

MORRIS ROBINSON

C O R R A D O R O VA R I S

The General Director’s Council ERIC OWENS

Anonymous Member of the Chairman’s Council

ASHLEY EMERSON

CHORUS

Dr. Renée Rollin SARAH SHAFER

TROY COOK

40TH ANNIVERSARY 33 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Co-production with Washington National Opera and Minnesota Opera

PRODUCTIONS King Philip II (Eric Owens) obtains help from the Grand Inquisitor (Morris Robinson) in setting up a trial for his son.

Photo by Kelly & Massa.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 34 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

“ W hen King Philip II of Spain faces off against the Grand Inquisitor in Verdi’s Don Carlo at the Academy of Music, they won’t just be portraying histor y, they’ll be making a bit of it, too. In what’s believed to be a first, a major opera company has cast two African-Americans in the roles.”

The Associated Press

THE KING AND I P ERS ON A L LY, one of the highlights for this

Opening night jitters were not as bad as I had

excited to sing in Philadelphia, but I was more

calm and reflective. At this point, no matter what

season was performing Don Carlo. I’m always

than beside myself with anticipation to do the

Grand Inquisitor in this production. When Opera Philadelphia threw its 40th Anniversary Gala

in September, I took a picture with my buddy, Eric Owens, and posted it on Facebook and

Twitter, entitling it “The King and I!” It was at that

moment that the momentum started to build for this

mammoth collision of two of the opera world’s most prominent bass voices.

anticipated. I was surprised to find myself more we did, we were going to make history, and for

that alone, we were extremely prideful. Then, however, it clicked. Everything prior to this moment went

out the window, and I was no longer Morris, he no longer Eric. We dove in, fully invested, and with

neither thought nor prejudice, he transformed into the psychologically ailing King, and I became the

manipulative, earthly representation of the Highest Power...And we NAILED it...And it was Magical!

The rehearsals were filled with an undertone of

tension and anxiety, because we both were excited

about making this as special a moment as Giuseppe Verdi had intended for it to be. The anticipation of

our appearance together had started to garner more

Morris Robinson

THE GRAND INQUISITOR

attention as news outlets like the Associated Press took notice of how significant our performances

would be from a historical perspective as it pertains to African-Americans in classical music.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 35 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

Left: King Philip II (Eric Owens) confides in Rodrigo (Troy Cook), the Marquis de Posa.

Opposite: Elisabeth (Leah Crocetto) Opera Philadelphia. Photos by Kelly & Massa.

A R O YA L

HOMECOMING

PERFORMING THE ROLE of King Philip II

come to the Academy of Music and the Perelman

come-true. King Philip is a very sad character.

give around the city, and enjoy. This is your opera

with my hometown opera company was a dreamHe is very much alone. Some of it is of his own doing and the way he treats people. It’s hard to make people sympathize with him, but there is a tortured soul there. It’s a great cast of people

Theater, come to the many performances that they company and it’s an amazing company. I couldn’t be more proud to be a Philadelphian and to be associated with Opera Philadelphia.

and we had a lot of fun.

We all should be proud because Opera Philadelphia is a world class organization. What they are doing

and what they have become is something that is

quite special. They have taken the lead in the world

Eric Owens

KING PHILIP II

of opera companies and become an example

of what it is you do to adapt and survive and thrive.

I invite everyone to come to Opera Philadelphia,

40TH ANNIVERSARY 36 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS of my career so far

has been working at Opera Philadelphia and debuting Elisabeth in Don Carlo. What an experience! Every

detail was seen to; every artist’s need was met. The cast was a dream. We all felt incredibly sad to be leaving each other. It was such a joy!

David Devan and the entire Opera Philadelphia team are the most passionately amazing people. They truly care about the exceptional art form of opera. How

lucky we are that this company exists, and exists with

“M A LASSÙ CI VEDREMO

IN UN MONDO

such a presence in the international opera scene! I’m thankful that this is the beginning of a long history with this incredible company.

“Ma lassù, ci vedremo in un mondo migliore...”

Thank you Opera Philadelphia for making this, indeed, a better world!

MIGLIORE...”

Leah Crocetto ELISABETH

40TH ANNIVERSARY 37 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS WORLD PREMIERE

C H A R L I E PA R K E R ’ S

DANIEL SCHNYDER B R I D G E T T E A . W I M B E R LY JUNE 5–14, 2015 P E R E L M A N T H E AT E R

Soprano Angela Mortellaro as Charlie’s third wife, Doris Parker, and tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Charlie Parker in the World Premiere of Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD. Photos by Dominic M. Mercier.

“ A major achievement from a company

“ A jazz-infused score” with “more

that is committed to creating a fresh

musical ver ve than most new operas”

work ever y year”

The Financial Times

The Denver Post

40TH ANNIVERSARY 38 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

CAST

Lawrence Brownlee

Will Liverman*

Angela Brown

Tamara Mumford

C H A R L I E PA R K E R

A D D I E PA R K E R

Rachel Sterrenberg* C H A N PA R K E R

Angela Mortellaro

PRODUCTION UNDERWRITERS

Chrystal Williams*

Wyncote Foundation

C R E AT I V E TEAM

Corrado Rovaris CONDUCTOR

Lawrence Brownlee as Charlie Parker, and soprano Rachel Sterrenberg in her professional debut as Chan Parker in the World Premiere of Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD.

Ron Daniels*

Ady L. Djerassi, M.D. and Robert Golub, M.D.

“ T he great strength of this piece The Philadelphia Inquirer

WIG & MAKE-UP DESIGN

A S S I S TA N T CONDUCTOR

Amanda Consol A S S I S TA N T DIRECTOR

The New York Times

is the music”

David Zimmerman

Geoffrey McDonald

with a pulsing, jazz-infused score”

ORCHESTRA

Emily Rebholz*

LIGHTING DESIGN

“ A swift-paced chamber opera

Alice and Walter Strine, Esqs.

ARTIST UNDERWRITERS

Scott Zielinkski*

Opera News

The Aaron Copland Fund for Music

Riccardo Hernandez

COSTUME DESIGN

and for Opera Philadelphia"

Opera America’s Opera Fund

DIRECTOR

SET DESIGN

" A n impressive evening for Brownlee

BARONESS PA N N O N I C A (“NICA”) DE K O E N I G S WA R T E R

D O R I S PA R K E R

R E B E C C A PA R K E R

Baritone Will Liverman as Dizzy Gillespie, tenor

DIZZY GILLESPIE

Becki Smith

S TA G E M A N A G E R

* Opera Philadelphia debut

L AW R E N C E BROWNLEE

Mr. and Mrs. James B. Straw ANGELA BROWN

Helene and Mark Hankin

TA M A R A M U M F O R D

Judith and Charles Freyer

RACHEL STERRENBERG

Allen Freedman and Judith Brick Freedman WILL LIVERMAN

American Repertoire Program Co-production and co-commission with Gotham Chamber Opera

40TH ANNIVERSARY 39 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

PA Y I N G H O M A G E TO A LEGEND I WAS SO HONORED that Opera Philadelphia,

When you think about instrumentalists—a piano

librettist Bridgette A. Wimberly, built this opera

going to use the entirety of the instrument. They’re

together with composer Daniel Schnyder and

around my voice. When Daniel first heard me

sing he felt that what I do as a singer would lend

itself to doing an opera about Charlie Parker. That started us on an amazing journey that culminated in the World Premiere of Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD in the Perelman Theater in June.

The great thing about preparing for the role of Charlie Parker was the education that I received about his life and his contribution to music.

When people think about Charlie the first thing

player, a trumpet player, a saxophone player—they’re going to play from really, really high to really, really low, and everything in between. Singers, most times

we sing in a two-octave range, not three or four octaves.

Daniel’s writing is very interesting. He’s asking us to

sing at the very top of our range as well as the very bottom and all points in between. For me, I usually

stay at the higher side of my voice, but in this opera I’ve had to sing a lot at the lower parts of my range.

It is a lot like jazz. You want to use the extremity of that instrument that you are playing, the voice.

that comes to mind is his addictions, his struggle

I’ve done Rossini and Bellini and Mozart for a long

But his contribution to the world of music was

of the world’s most important opera houses. I have

with drugs, his torment, and his very short life. enormous, impacting every genre of music today.

For me, one of the great moments in the opera

that truly defines Charlie is my final aria in which he talks about the many things that he loved in

his life. But ultimately the thing that he loved more than everything else was his horn.

Performing this role was one of the great experiences

time, and I’ve been fortunate to perform in some

reached the point in my career where I am able to do some interesting projects that inspire and challenge

me both dramatically and musically. Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD certainly did that, and I am so grateful to Opera Philadelphia, my fellow cast members,

conductor Corrado Rovaris, director Ron Daniels, and everyone involved with this world premiere.

of my career. I come from a background of singing

gospel and bel canto music, so while my voice does

move I didn’t necessarily have a scat language.

That’s something I had to develop. Two of my favorite singers of all time are Ella Fitzgerald

and Mel Torme, so I listened to them quite a bit.

Lawrence Brownlee C H A R L I E PA R K E R

There are several moments in the opera where

I get to do exposed lines that are direct transcriptions of virtuosic scats that Charlie Parker played.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 40 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Tenor Lawrence Brownlee as Charlie Parker in the World Premiere of Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD. Photo by Dominic M. Mercier.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 41 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

PRODUCTIONS

Nothing you learn in school can prepare you for the

moment when you are staring at a conductor you have never met before with a full orchestra at the helm

GETTING IT RIGHT

and the pressure to simply: Get. It. Right. Although I do not remember much from that afternoon,

I do remember that I sang with the likes of William Burden and David Daniels, and those are memories

I will never forget. Fast-forward four days, and Heidi made a full recovery for opening night and sang an

extremely successful run of the show. I happily got IN SEPTEMBER OF 2014, Opera Philadelphia gave me the incredible opportunity to join their

season as one of their inaugural Emerging Artists.

Along with several singing opportunities throughout

the season, the culmination of my Emerging Artist year would be to create and debut the role of Chan

Parker in Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD, which would also be my professional operatic debut. This role would

have me singing alongside some of my operatic idols, one being the outstanding tenor Lawrence Brownlee.

Pinch me!

Little did I know that my time working with Opera Philadelphia in their 40th Anniversary season

would actually begin several months earlier, in a very different professional situation.

to watch from the audience and sighed huge sighs of relief !

After that crazy week, YARDBIRD felt like the most relaxed experience ever! Having the opportunity to

help create a role and be a part of something brand new was a completely different process than any

role I had learned in school. I was able to put to work the musical ideas and opinions I had formed during

my time at the Curtis Institute of Music into action.

The transition from school to professional life was

short for me–I had 24 hours in between my last Curtis production and the first day of rehearsals for Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD!

I cannot say enough how perfect my experience

was with the whole YARDBIRD team. It was an

On a Saturday afternoon in early February, I received

incredible few weeks of music making and having

with an odd request: Would I be willing to take a

the stage of our sold-out and highly-acclaimed run.

a call from Artistic Administrator Michael Eberhard

fun, and I think that absolutely translated onto

look at the Oscar score? Another one of my singing Soprano Rachel Sterrenberg making her professional debut as Charlie’s fourth wife, Chan Parker, in the World Premiere of Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD.

idols, Heidi Stober, had caught the flu, and it was

under a week until the opening of the East Coast Premiere. Not quite knowing what I was getting

into, I said absolutely, and the next two days were a blur of sitting at the piano plunking out melodies

I had never heard before, trying to squeeze as many

Rachel Sterrenberg C H A N PA R K E R

notes into my brain in the smallest amount of

time. Monday arrives, and I receive the call that Heidi is still suffering, and that I may need to sing

the part of Ada Leverson at the orchestra dress rehearsal. So, there I was, with less than 48 hours

with this music, and after the first couple of scenes of the rehearsal, I was put on the side of the stage to sing for Ms. Stober.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 42 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

BEING THE

“ MAMA FIGURE” THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME in my career that I looked around the room at the other cast members

and I was the eldest and most experienced of the cast.

I truly felt like a “mama figure” to this multitalented

group of young singing professionals. I felt that they looked up to me and wanted to learn from my wisdom Soprano Angela Brown as Charlie’s mother, Addie Parker, sings “My Boy is King” in the World Premiere of Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD. Photos by Dominic M. Mercier.

about the business and life. And I was more than

willing to share my experiences. I would even cook a homemade meal and invite a few over. We would

talk for hours about life and our aspirations. As I reflect back on our times together, having that

bonding time, made my portrayal of Addie Parker more real for me. There is nothing like having your

fingerprint on a new role and I can’t wait until me and Ms. Addie meet again!

Angela Brown A D D I E PA R K E R

40TH ANNIVERSARY 43 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

COMPOSERS IN RESIDENCE MASTER CLASS

COMPOSERS

W I T H DAW N U P S H AW

Andrew Norman

Missy Mazzoli David T. Little

March 17, 2015 Perelman Theater

SINGERS Lauren Eberwein | M e z z o - s o p r a n o Evan LeRoy Johnson | Te n o r

Jazimina MacNeill | M e z z o - s o p r a n o Emily Pogorelc | S o p r a n o

C O L L A B O R AT I V E P I A N I S T Top: Composers Missy

Lisa Keller

Mazzoli, David T. Little, and Andrew Norman.

S TA G E M A N A G E R

Right: Mezzo-soprano Lauren

Sara Prince

Eberwein and soprano Dawn Upshaw at the Master Class.

Photos by Dominic M. Mercier.

UNDERWRITER The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

40TH ANNIVERSARY 44 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

COMPOSERS

O P E R A P H I L A D E L P H I A’ S D E D I C AT I O N TO NEW WORKS IS INSPIRING. The Composer in Residence program is astounding and has given me many opportunities to be involved in the creation of new music. For the Master

Class led by Dawn Upshaw, I performed a tour-de-force piece by Andrew

Norman, which challenged me on many levels. I was afforded the opportunity to craft an interpretation with Andrew and then work on shaping the piece

alongside Ms. Upshaw in a public setting. They both challenged me to push

my vocal limits through taking artistic risks. I felt inspired by both artists and learned so much about new expressive frontiers and the value of collaboration with living composers.

Lauren Eberwein MEZZO-SOPRANO

W O R K I N G W I T H D AW N U P S H AW IN THE COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE MASTER C L A S S WA S A B S O L U T E LY A M A Z I N G .

She is a warm and delightful person whose positivity is infectious. I think the most useful thing I learned from watching Dawn work with Lauren

Eberwein, the mezzo-soprano who sang my piece, was some of the language singers use with each other to discuss vocal color. I am always trying to find ways to get singers to explore the softer, more intimate side of their voices, and Dawn did this quite effectively with Lauren. Having the tools and the

language to elicit from singers the full range of expression in their voices will be absolutely invaluable to me as I write my first opera.

Andrew Norman

COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE

40TH ANNIVERSARY 45 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

COMPOSERS

Through Opera

Philadelphia’s Composer

in Residence program I have been able to hone my craft as a composer for the voice and the stage.

Looking back on my first year in the program I see tremendous personal and artistic development; looking forward to the coming years I sense the immense opportunity to not only continue to grow as a composer, but also to consolidate what I’ve learned into a refined artistic vision.

Opera Philadelphia has an inspired outlook for the future of opera and a concrete approach that includes composers in this progressive development. It is a privilege and a joy to be a part of these conversations—exploring what opera has been as a way of discovering what it can become.

David T. Little

COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE

40TH ANNIVERSARY 46 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek traveled to Scotland to research their upcoming world premiere of Breaking the Waves.

Photos by Royce Vavrek.

MY RESIDENCY WITH OPERA PHILADELPHIA

has been one of the

most educational and fulfilling experiences I have had as a composer.

I feel that I have found my artistic home in the operatic world and have been able to explore collaborations that have fundamentally changed the way I think about all aspects of my work.

The centerpiece of my residency has been the creation

allowed me to create what I feel is some of my most

a piece that I have been able to workshop extensively

is the largest and most ambitious work I have

of my first large-scale opera, Breaking the Waves, with Opera Philadelphia.

These workshops have allowed me rare access to

one-on-one collaboration with professional singers,

exciting and progressive work. Breaking the Waves

attempted to date, and it would not have come to fruition without the steadfast support and

guidance of the Composer in Residence program.

leading to a deeper understanding of the human

voice and its dramatic potential. These workshops have also enabled me to take tremendous risks in

a safe and supportive environment, which has in turn

Missy Mazzoli

COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE

40TH ANNIVERSARY 47 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

SOUNDS OF LEARNING™

During the 40th Anniversary Season, Opera Philadelphia was awarded a grant from the William Penn Foundation to expand the already enormously successful arts integration program, Sounds of Learning™.

This gift was profoundly impactful and allowed the Opera to do its first major expansion of the 24-year-old program since 2001.

Vice President of Community Programs Michael Bolton leads a classroom activity as part of the Sounds of Learning™ program.

Photo by Philip Todd.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 48 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

IN THE COMMUNITY

year of the teaching artist

By Amy Spencer

TEACHING ARTIST AND C U R R I C U L U M C O N S U L TA N T

A S PA R T O F T H E P R O G R A M E X PA N S I O N , I was honored

Across the board, students were stunned, amused and delighted by the

as a Teaching Artist as part of the newly developed Opera in the Classroom

an impact; it was tremendously satisfying for all of us to see children of

to be hired, alongside fellow artists David Koh and Garrett Obrycki,

initiative. Not only are all three of us part of the Opera Philadelphia

chorus, but we also have significant experience working in schools, as voice teachers, and participating in outreach programs at Opera Philadelphia and elsewhere. We were charged with developing

curriculum for grades K-4 and presenting introductory programs about opera to over 1,200 school children in grades K-12 throughout the tri-state area. Ultimately, we would reach over 2,300 students between January and May 2015.

Through assemblies and classroom programs, we gave students a taste of opera through interactive programs such as Opera in a Trunk, in

which children created their own opera; The Singing Voice, where students learned about classical singing technique; and Opera 101, during which we explored drama and expression in opera.

In addition to my work as a Teaching Artist, I was delighted to serve as the vocal music artist for Opera Philadelphia’s budding Maestro

program, where I was able to visit with a high school choir and give

sound of our unamplified voices. Yet, it wasn’t just our singing that made all backgrounds becoming engaged in our programs, discovering their

own relationship with opera, and beginning to identify personally with all that opera has to offer.

I relished asking the children, upon completion of the Opera in a Trunk

program, “What was your favorite part about being in an opera?” Many liked being with their friends, conducting, dancing, or singing Happy

Birthday. My favorite response, which was often heard, was simply, “It was fun.”

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to bring joy and creativity to so many children. My favorite moment of the year was looking out into the

classroom as I sang for a group of students at Central High School.

All were engaged, but there was one young woman who was transfixed.

Her eyes were wide, and her smile was radiant. She was moved, and so was I. Who knows what she will go on to accomplish, but we have given her a wonderful gift she won’t soon forget. I know I won’t.

them insight into the life of a singer and provide a master class

experience. I hadn’t even finished my presentation before students were asking when I would be able to return!

40TH ANNIVERSARY 49 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

IN THE COMMUNITY THE BARBER OF SEVILLE

“ S ince I’ve never been to an opera it was fantastic to get to hear the voices at Opera Philadelphia; they are all beautiful voices and I would love to see another opera in the future.”

Sydney, grade 12, Ridley High School

“ I really enjoyed the Barber of Seville. It was really funny. I feel really privileged to be able to see a great opera for free.”

Rylee, Grade 8, Waldorf School of Philadelphia

Classroom photos by Philip Todd.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 50 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

DON CARLO

" T he plot in Don Carlo was twisted, full of drama and myster y.”

Charles, grade 7, Lingelbach Elementary

“When they were going to save Don Carlo the sky was flaming, the music crescendoed and I was like, ‘This is pretty awesome!’”

Monica, grade 11, Central High School

“ T he whole performance was incredible. There was not a time

OSCAR

where I did not feel the emotions in any of the singers' voices.”

Serena, grade 10, Charter-Tech High School for the Performing Arts

“ O scar taught me to follow what I believe in. Both Bosie and Oscar bent the rules for the thing ever yone craves: love. It taught me that if I love something, to go after it.”

Kylie, grade 8, LaBrum Middle School

“ T he most valuable lesson I learned was to not judge people.”

Destiny, grade 8, LaBrum Middle School

“ T he singing was INCREDIBLE.” Kelsey, grade 10, Academy of Notre Dame de Namur

40TH ANNIVERSARY 51 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

40TH ANNIVERSARY GALA

F RO M T H E

STAGE STARS

TO THE

On Friday, September 12, 2014, Opera Philadelphia held its annual fundraising gala in celebration of its landmark 40th Anniversary Season. The 40th Anniversary Gala took guests From the Stage to the Stars, with a recital by soprano Ailyn Pérez

The event, which had a gross income of more than $500,000,

supported Opera on the Mall, Opera Philadelphia’s annual free public HD broadcast at Independence Historical National Park.

In attendance was American Repertoire Council member David Hyde Pierce and dozens of artists from Opera Philadelphia’s

40 seasons, including Nathan Gunn, William Burden, Angela Brown, David Daniels, Isabel Leonard, and Eric Owens.

Opera Philadelphia would like to thank event chairs Sandra K.

and tenor Stephen Costello that had the

Baldino, Denise Creedon, Stephen A. Madva, Esq., and Susan E.

evening’s 400 guests seated on the stage

Nutter. We would also like to thank the 40th Anniversary Gala

Sherman, as well the evening’s Honorary Chairs Lisa and Michael

of the Academy of Music, followed by

Committee: Nancy Abbott, Eric Allen, Willo Carey, David A.

dinner under the stars in a tented ballroom

Lee, Peter Leone, Daniel K. Meyer, M.D., Timothy Moir, Kelley

on Broad Street.

Dubbeldam, Joan Goldstein, Sharon Koppelman, Ellen Berman Reilly, Stephen G. Somkuti, M.D., Donna Wechsler, and Nancy Zambelli.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 52 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

“ O ne of the most thrilling things about Opera Opera Philadelphia’s 40th Anniversary Gala on the Avenue of the Arts. Event photos by Michael Branscom and Dominic M. Mercier.

Philadelphia is their commitment to new work at the same time as their devotion to rep. They look forward without forgetting where they came from.”

Nico Muhly COMPOSER

Opera Philadelphia General Director & President David B. Devan (far left) and his husband, David A. Dubbeldam (far right) with the 40th Anniversar y Gala Co-Chairs: Stephen A. Madva, Esq. and his wife, Denise Creedon, Susan E. Sherman, and Sandra K. Baldino.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 53 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Frederick R. Haas and Kathy Hanrahan

Walter and Alice Strine with bass-baritone Musa Ngqungwana

“ O pera Philadelphia is one of the most innovative, exciting companies in the countr y and I am thrilled to be a part of its past and future!”

Kevin Newbury DIRECTOR

Michael Shell and Kevin Newbury

“ I love Opera Philadelphia! It’s not just a part of the city’s culture and history; it is an active member of the community. This is what makes it special in the world of performing arts.”

Nathan Gunn BARITONE

Cold Mountain costars Isabel Leonard and Nathan Gunn

40TH ANNIVERSARY 54 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

“ I couldn’t be more grateful to have been a part of the incredible 40 year histor y of this great company!”

William Burden TENOR

Carol and William Burden

Laura Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, and Joseph Miller

“ T he joy that Opera Philadelphia’s vision brings to the field is one of the reasons I felt inspired and emboldened to dive into opera composing. For that, I am eternally grateful!”

Jennifer Higdon COMPOSER

Cheryl Lawson and her wife, composer Jennifer Higdon

2013-2014 GALA

“ O pera Philadelphia is one of the most for ward thinking opera companies in the countr y, perhaps the world.

It is an honor and a privilege to have directed the opening production of the 40th Anniversar y Season!”

Michael Shell DIRECTOR

Opera Philadelphia General Director & President David B. Devan and his husband David A. Dubbeldam with Honorary Chairs Lisa and Michael Nutter

“ O ne of Opera Philadelphia’s many strengths is its commitment to fostering new music.”

Tamara Mumford

MEZZO-SOPRANO Jennifer Rizk and Yuming Chiu

40TH ANNIVERSARY 56 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Scott Walters, countertenor David Daniels (star of Oscar in February 2015) and tenor David Portillo Stephen Costello, Ailyn Pérez, and American Repertoire Council member David Hyde Pierce

“ O pera Philadelphia is a model for the 21st-centur y, world-class American opera company.”

Kevin Burdette BASS Robert V. Taglieri and Timothy J. Moir Mezzo-soprano Jennifer Holloway and baritone Jonathan Beyer, co-stars in The Barber of Seville.

On the dance floor are David Devan, Judy Leone, Peter Leone, Ellen Berman Lee, Sandra Baldino, David Dubbeldam, bass-baritone Eric Owens and, photobombing in front, soprano Angela Brown.

Opera Philadelphia Managing Director Annie Burridge

40TH ANNIVERSARY 57 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

THANK EVERY CONTRIBUTION HELPS SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OPERA

YOU

DONOR SUPPORT

Our milestone 40th Anniversary Season at Opera Philadelphia would simply not have been possible without the openheartedness and generosity of our donors.

Peter Leone, Judy Leone, Dr. F. Joshua Barnett, and tenor Taylor Stayton

THE SEASON BEGAN with a Gala Celebration on the stage

the bold, collaborative Hip H’opera program in which Philadelphia

of the Arts. Many of you were there to witness the enthusiasm and

derives from their own hopes and fears. Again, our institutional

of the Academy of Music and in a tented ballroom on the Avenue affection an honor roll of singers, composers, and other luminaries of the opera world showed for Opera Philadelphia.

David Devan, Corrado Rovaris, David Levy, and their colleagues have engendered an environment in which singers such as David Daniels, Eric Owens, Lawrence Brownlee, Angela Brown, and

Heidi Stober enjoy performing; in which talents such as Oscar’s

Theo Morrison and John Cox and Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD’s Daniel Schnyder and Bridgette A. Wimberly want to showcase

school students are helping to craft a performance piece that

and individual supporters form the foundation from which these initiatives spring.

This magical season could not have been achieved without you, the people who love and support Opera Philadelphia.

On behalf of the Institutional Advancement Committee and the

entire Board of Directors and staff of Opera Philadelphia, I thank you for helping to shape the future of opera in our community.

their contributions to the repertoire; and in which stirring new

productions focus contemporary light on The Barber of Seville and Don Carlo. Their achievements, though, depend on the support

of our donors, whose contributions underwrite the lion’s share of

production expense even when, as for Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD, we’ve sold every last seat in the house.

Peter Leone

CHAIR I N S T I T U T I O N A L A D VA N C E M E N T C O M M I T T E E

We take pride in the free-to-the-public Opera on the Mall broadcast of The Barber of Seville at Independence National Historical Park; in the breadth of educational activities, led by

Michael Bolton, that engage our community and particularly of

Top left: Chairman’s Council and Board Member Ady

Top Right: General Director & President David B. Devan

Bottom Right: Patron Program members Maddy and Jim

Djerassi with her daughter Leah Golub at the opening

with General Director’s Council members Sandy and

Carlson at the Meet the Artists event.

night reception for Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD.

Steve Sheller.

Top center: Emerging Artist Jarrett Ott with Patrons Dick

Bottom left: Leadership Circle member Richard

Kolberg and mezzo-soprano Chrystal Williams at the

and Margaret Ullman and General Director & President

Worley and Chairman’s Council and Board member

opening night reception for Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD.

David B. Devan with at the Members Vocal Recital &

Scott Richard, at the Annual Chairman’s Opening

Photos by Michael Branscom, J.R. Blackwell, HughE

Appreciation Reception.

Night Dinner.

Dillon and Elisa Gabor.

Bottom Center: Chairman’s Council member Heidi

40TH ANNIVERSARY 59 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

DONOR SUPPORT

Leadership Support & Major Gifts Opera Philadelphia’s Leadership Circle and Chairman’s Council are dedicated groups of philanthropists

committed to ensuring that the future of opera is right here in Philadelphia. We are sincerely grateful to the following supporters whose collective generosity underwrote more than half of our artistic expenses this season, including productions in the Academy of Music, the nationally lauded Aurora Series for Chamber Opera at the Perelman Theater, Opera on the Mall, and our award-winning education and community programs that collectively reached more than 20,000 people this season.

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE

CHAIRMAN’S COUNCIL

$1,00 0 ,00 0+

$100,000+

$ 50 , 0 0 0 +

$ 2 5, 0 0 0 +

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Anonymous

Mrs. Sandra K. Baldino

The Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation

Barra Foundation, Inc.

Mr. John R. Alchin and Mr. Hal Marryatt

Knight Foundation

The CHG Charitable Trust

Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest*

Independence Foundation

Judy and Peter Leone

Ms. Lisa D. Kabnick

The William Penn Foundation Wyncote Foundation $500,0 00 + The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage The Pew Charitable Trusts

Estate of Ellen Cole Miller* Alice and Walter Strine, Esqs.

Ms. Barbara Augusta Teichert Mr. Richard B. Worley and Ms. Leslie Anne Miller

Mrs. Kay Bossone

Dr. Heidi L. Kolberg and Dr. F. Joshua Barnett Joel and Sharon Koppelman Mrs. John P. Mulroney

Drs. Renato and Beverly Baserga Mr. Peter Benoliel and Ms. Willo Carey Gray Charitable Trust Nicholas and Kathleen Chimicles Ady L. Djerassi, M.D., and Robert Golub, M.D.

Pennsylvania Council on the Arts

Estate of Harriet Forman*

PNC

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hankin

Charlotte* and Bob Watts

Judith Durkin Freyer Rita and Philip Harper Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Huff Ellen Berman Lee Gabriele Lee Mr. Thomas Mahoney National Endowment for the Arts OPERA America The Presser Foundation Scott F. Richard* Mr. and Mrs. James B. Straw Mr. Jonathan H. Sprogell and Ms. Kathryn Taylor Wells Fargo

* Indicates membership in the Encore Society List as of June 2015

General Director & President David B. Devan, tenor Lawrence Brownlee, and Chairman Daniel K. Meyer, M.D. Photo by HughE Dillon.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 60 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Annual Fund Support Opera Philadelphia’s thrilling productions, engaging community events, and stimulating educational

programs are made possible by the generous support of the members of our annual giving programs—

the General Director’s Council, Patron Program, and Membership Program. Together, 1,183 members

contributed nearly $760,000 towards the 40th Anniversary Annual Fund Campaign, helping to ensure another spectacular season of opera for Philadelphia audiences. In appreciation of their support, members received special 40th Anniversary gifts to commemorate the landmark season.

GENERAL DIRECTOR’S COUNCIL Benjamin Alexander and Kenneth Swimm, Co-Chairs

Members of the General Director’s Council play a pivotal role in

the future of Opera Philadelphia through their generous annual support and enjoy intimate gatherings with principal artists and

Opera leadership including General Director & President David B. Devan. This season, Council members collectively underwrote Eric

Owens as King Philip II in Don Carlo and were able to celebrate with him and the entire cast including Leah Crocetto, Morris

Robinson, and Troy Cook at the Annual Dinner with Principal Artists. Emerging Artists Will Liverman and Sarah Shafer were

General Director’s Council members Allen R. and Judith Brick Freedman with Emerging Artist Will Liverman whom they underwrote for the 2014-2015 Season. Photo by Elisa Gabor.

underwritten by Council members Judith Brick Freedman and Allen Freedman and Dr. Renée Rollin, respectively. Additional Council activities included Opening Night Cast Parties and

P L AT I N U M $ 1 5 ,0 0 0 +

DI A M O N D $ 1 0 ,0 0 0 +

planning with David Devan that was followed by an intimate

Jacob Burns Foundation, Inc./ Drs. Herbert and Rosalie Goldberg

Lorraine and Ben Alexander*

a Strategy Session which included a discussion on future artistic dinner at a nearby restaurant.

Allen Freedman and Judith Brick Freedman Eugene Garfield Foundation

Sarah Billinghurst Solomon and Howard Solomon Dianne and Don Cooney*

Linda and David Glickstein

David B. Devan and David A. Dubbeldam

William and Nadine Haines

Kenneth B. and Pamela R. Dunn

Hamilton Family Foundation

Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation

Nancy and Al Hirsig

Mrs. Sheila Kessler*

Mrs. Constance C. Moore*

Morgan Stanley Foundation

Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer and Joe Neubauer

Philadelphia Cultural Fund

Dr. Renée Rollin*

Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rollins

Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Wechsler*

Ms. Patricia S. Scott

Wells Fargo Private Bank

Mr. and Mrs. Harold Rosenbluth

Ms. Carolyn Horn Seidle Mr. and Mrs. Roberto Sella Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Memorial Fund

General Director’s Council members Robert V. Taglieri and Timothy Moir with Patrons Nancy and James Abbott at the 40th Anniversary Gala. Photo by Michael Branscom.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 61 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Kenneth and Sheila Swimm Robert V. Taglieri and Timothy J. Moir

DONOR SUPPORT

PAT R O N P R O G R A M

Donna Wechsler, Chair Sponsored by Wells Fargo Private Bank The Patron Program is a vital force behind Opera Philadelphia’s

spectacular productions and community programs through their united support and enthusiasm. Patrons enjoy VIP benefits in

the opera house including a VIP coat check and champagne intermission receptions, as well as exclusive social events

throughout the season. This season’s Patron events included a Season Soirée in celebration of our 40th Anniversary held

in the Gladwyne home of Board Member Ady Djerassi and

R ober t G o lub ; t h e D i re cto r ’s S a l on w i th O s c a r d i rect or

Kevin Newbury, composer Theodore Morrison, and star-studded cast in the Delancey Place home of Patrons Alan Sandman

and John Pcsolar; and a Meet the Artists event featuring an

GOLD $ 7 ,5 0 0 +

S I LVE R $ 5 ,0 0 0 +

in the beautiful gardens at the home of Toto Schiavone and

Anonymous

Aaron Copland Fund for Music

Drs. Jean and Robert Belasco

James and Nancy Abbott

Mr. and Mrs. Julian A. Brodsky

Myron and Sheila S. Bassman

Alpin J. and Alpin W. Cameron Memorial Fund

Cecile and Eugene Block

epicurean banquet with the cast of Charlie Parker’s YARDBIRD

Claire DiLullo. Patron Program support underwrote bass Morris Robinson’s performance as the Grand Inquisitor in Don Carlo.

Mr. Robert Devoe* Donald and Gay Kimelman William Lake Leonard, Esq. David and Susan Rattner Victory Foundation

Robert Bryan and Julie J. Bryan Madeleine and James Carlson Mrs. Alma Cohen (in memory of Sylvan M. Cohen) Deluxe Corporation Foundation Pauline Gray and Edward S. Barnard Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence O. Houstoun The McLean Contributionship Dr. Stanley Muravchick and Ms. Arlene Olson Tom and Jody O’Rourke Mr. and Mrs. R. Anderson Pew Dr. and Mrs. Joel Porter In Honor of Joseph G. Leone Dr. Stephen G. Somkuti Mr. and Mrs. Thomas E. Wiener Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Williams Drs. Anne and Jim Williamson* Ethel Benson Wister Mr. Robert Zimet

Patrons Arlene Olson, Stanley Muravchick, Bernadette and Jeff Bohn at the Meet the Artists event. Photo by Elisa Gabor.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 62 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Left: Patron Kelley Reilly with Patron Program Chair Donna Wechsler at the Season Soirée.

Photo by J.R. Blackwell.

Right: Patron John Pcsolar, countertenor David Daniels, Oscar director Kevin Newbury and composer Theodore Morrison, and Patron Alan Sandman at the Director’s Salon event. Photo by Opera Phila.

B R ONZE $2,000+ * Indicates membership in the Encore Society

Anonymous (2) Drs. Ronald D. and Marcia Abraham

William and Joan Goldstein

Dr. and Mrs. A. Gerald Renthal

Mr. John Aglialoro and Ms. Joan Carter

Mr. and Mrs. William A. Graham, IV

Dr. David J. Richards

Brett and Nan Altman

Mr. David Sacker and Ms. Darcy Hayes

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Anderson

Ms. Carolyn L. Green and Mr. Michael T. Blakeney

Dr. Valerie Arkoosh and Mr. Jeffrey Harbison

Dr. and Mrs. Henry J. Greenwood and Ms. Marilyn Greenwood

Mr. and Mrs. Curtis E. Sawyer

Ms. Theresa Baker

Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Frances and Michael Baylson

David and Ann Harrison, Esqs.

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bergen

Bruce and Robin Herndon

Rebecca Bien and David S. Poll, M.D.

Ms. Rhoda K. Herrold

Rick and Kelly Biesecker

Matthew and Karen Hoffer

Mr. Allen D. Black and Mr. Randolph Apgar

Dr. and Mrs. Leonid Hrebien

Dr. Claire Boasi*

Mr. Jeffrey Jowett

Beaty Bock and Jonathan Miller

Terri and Thomas Klein

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Bohn

Cheryl Lawson and Jennifer Higdon

Mr. Michael Bolton and Mr. Peter Keleher

Abelardo and Lynne K. Lechter, Esq.

Laurie Wagman in Memory of Irvin J. Borowsky

Maribeth and Steven Lerner

Ms. Kira Sterling and Mr. Timothy Sterling

Fran and Leon L. Levy

Dr. and Mrs. Michael D. Strong

Dr. Luther W. Brady

Liddy and John Lindsay

Dr. and Mrs. Richard N. Taxin

William Lockwood

Mr. and Mrs. Jay H. Tolson

Mr. William A. Loeb*

Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Ullman

Mr. Wayne R. Lorgus

Robert and Suzanne Welsh

Dr. and Mrs. Michael B. Love

Carol Westfall

Harriet and Shelly Margolis

William A. Wheatley and Giovanna Cilia Wheatley

Ms. Annie Burridge and Mr. Paul Richichi Mr. Michael F. Cade and Mr. Mayron Lizardo Lopez Ruiz Mrs. Elaine Camarda Joan and Frederick Cohen Dr. and Mrs. Frank Craparo Dr. Richard Davidson Barbara M. Donnelly Bentivoglio and Dr. Lamberto Bentivoglio Mark Duckett and Stan Gaddy Drs. Bruce and Toby Eisenstein Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Fanelli, Jr.* Mr. and Mrs. David Friedman Jim and Kay Gately Mr. Robert H. Gerlach

Victor and Joan Johnson

Jeremiah and Leslie Marks Leonard Mellman and Deborah Glass Ms. Evalind Minor

Joyce Seewald Sando Mr. David Schellenberg Drs. Daniel Schidlow and Sally Rosen Henry and Yumi Scott Mr. and Mrs. Steve Sheller Dr. William Sigmund and Mr. Vito Izzo Drs. Richard and Rhonda Soricelli Stacey Spector and Ira Brind Dr. Laura Stanton and Mr. Kim Tomlinson Ms. Kathleen Stephenson and Mr. James E. Colberg

Dr. Leah Whipple Ana-Maria Zaugg and David Anstice

Mutual Fire Foundation Denise and Volker Oakey Anna C. O’Riordan, M.D. John Pcsolar and Alan Sandman Ms. Harriet Potashnick and Mr. Marshall Levine Kelley S. Reilly

40TH ANNIVERSARY 63 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

List as of June 2015

DONOR SUPPORT

MEMBERSHIP Our members play an active role in bringing great opera

to Philadelphia through their annual contributions. Members enjoy an enhanced connection to the art form through

behind-the-scenes events including the General Director’s Backstage Tour of the Academy of Music, dress rehearsals,

and the Between the Notes lecture series. The annual Friends Vocal Recital & Appreciation Reception featured the inaugural

class of our Emerging Artists Program-Rachel Sterrenberg, Will Liverman, Jarrett Ott, Sarah Shafer, J’nai Bridges, and Thomas Shivone.

PA R T N E R $ 1 ,0 0 0 + Anonymous Dorothy and Stanley Abelson

B.A. (Mackie) and Charlotte MacLean

Ms. Mary Jo Ashenfelter Heckman and Mr. Thomas Heckman

Edward and Roberta Martin

Ms. Susan Asplundh

Ms. Susan F. Morris

Mr. and Mrs. Richard L. Bazelon

Dr. and Mrs. A. H. Nishikawa

William B. Carey

Mr. and Mrs. Bert Redgrave

Louis N. Cassett Foundation

Michael Sanyour

Mrs. Ineke M. Dikland

Susan and Paul Shaman

Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Smith

Mr. Gerald E. Finsen

The Stainrook Foundation

Jane Gleim Gee

Mr. and Ms. Eugene Stark

Mr. and Mrs. W.D. Gillen, Jr.

Ms. Lynne Van Buskirk

Dr. Brett Gutsche

Mr. Thomas C. Woodward

Mr. Donald A. Hamme, III and Dr. Christina Gregory Dr. and Mrs. Peter M. Joseph Dr. Mark Hemling and Mr. John Marrazzo Dr. Richard B. Kent Merle and Marvin Levy Members and Patrons on the set of Oscar during the General Director’s Backstage Tour. Photo by Dominic M. Mercier.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 64 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Mr. and Mrs. George Morris

General Director & President David B. Devan with the 2014-2015 Emerging Artist featured at the Friends Vocal Recital (left to right): Rachel Sterrenberg, Jarrett Ott, Sarah Shafer, Will Liverman, J’nai Bridges, and Thomas Shivone.

Photo by J.R. Blackwell.

S U S TAINER $500+ Anonymous (2)

Mr. and Mrs. Randall P. Gaboriault

Mr. and Mrs. Norman McCausland

Mr. and Mrs. Ronald M. Agulnick

Mr. Andrew R. Gelber (in memory of Sylvia Gelber)

Dwight and Christina McCawley

Mr. Marco Georeno

Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Munson

Asplundh Foundation Mrs. Eileen M. Baird Brian and Max Baker Dr. and Mrs. Paul Batastini Drs. Deidre and Michael Blank Mr. Andrew F. Blittman Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Blumental Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Bohen Mr. Will Sears Bricker, II Lynn and Jerri Burket Mr. and Mrs. R. Nelson Byrne Mr. Yuming A. Chiu Mrs. Mary E. Chomitz and Mr. Morton A. Collier

Ms. Phyllis S. Gitlin Deborah E. Glass Joanne T. Greenspun Ms. Cheryl Gunter and Mr. Paul A. Rabe Mr. and Mrs. John B. Hagner Mr. Luke H. Halinski Mr. Timothy Harris Mr. and Mrs. Dale Heist Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Helverson Dr. and Mrs. Howard E. Hudson Terry and Paul Hirshorn

Mr. Patrick Connolly and Ms. Karen Carvalho

Marjorie and Joel Jensen

Dr. and Mrs. Michael Conrad

Dr. and Mrs. Richard P. Kluft

Mr. Mark Cornish

John A. Kotyo, M.D.

Mr. and Mrs. George T. Craven, Jr.

Dr. Judith M. LaLonde and Mr. Peter V. Bodine

Mr. Peter Cressman Mr. and Mrs. Claude DeBotton Mr. and Mrs. Mark S. Dichter Lois and John Durso Ms. Carol S. Eicher Mr. Thomas Faracco Mr. Arthur F. Ferguson In memory of Isabelle M. Ferguson Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Fiorenza Mr. and Mrs. Henry Foehl Ms. Helen H. Ford

Ms. Aileen M. Kennedy

Lucinda and Charles Landreth Dr. and Mr. Jeffrey Martin Lang Lastowski Dr. and Mrs. J. Frederick Laucius Mr. and Mrs. Wynn E. Lee Mr. and Mrs. David Levy Ann Csink and John Linck Dr. Colin F. Mackay Dr. & Mrs. Larry Mapow Dr. Joel Marmar and Ms. Alexis Berg Marmar, Esq. Mr. and Mrs. James M. Matarese

Mr. Benjamin F. Minick Drs. Tomoko and S. Tsuyoshi Ohnishi Mr. and Mrs. Mario Palumbi Dr. Ashish Patel, Plannerzone Dr. and Mrs. William P. Potsic Mr. Frederic L. Pryor Renaissance Charitable Foundation, Inc. Ms. Barbara Rice Mr. Philmore Robertson Dr. Joel Rosenbloom Mr. and Mrs. Daniel R. Ross The Reverend Dr. Alan K. Salmon Erin and Adam Sammis Dr. Margot Savoy Anne Faulkner Schoemaker Dr. and Mrs. Robert Sharrar Mr. James L. Smith Dr. and Mrs. Stanton N. Smullens Don Snyder Ms. Corinne R. Stone Mr. and Mrs. Edward L. Thomas Dr. and Mrs. Rocco P. Triolo Mrs. Rita Turner Mr. John Ventura Mr. Edward Wagner Ms. Nancy B. Wingo Dr. Robert Winn Mr. Richard Joseph Yoder Mr. Robert Yonaitis

40TH ANNIVERSARY 65 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

* Indicates membership in the Encore Society List as of June 2015

DONOR SUPPORT

Encore Society Members of the Encore Society help to ensure the advancement

of opera in Philadelphia by directly funding the company’s future artistic and educational programming through the inclusion of

the Opera in their estate plans. The Opera is especially proud to honor two members this season: Harriet Forman, whose

estate underwrote the chorus in The Barber of Seville, and Ellen Cole Miller, whose estate underwrote the chorus in Oscar.

Additional Encore Society membership highlights this past season included the annual Encore Society member luncheon,

where several members of the Society enjoyed an intimate meal in the Private Dining Room at XIX Restaurant before taking in

the final orchestra dress rehearsal of Don Carlo. This year, the Opera welcomed seven new members into the Encore Society.

Their collective commitments will ensure that opera has a bright future in our great city, and we are honored to celebrate their

extraordinary future commitments with them today. To learn more, please visit operaphila.org/encore.

ENCORE SOCIETY MEMBERS Anonymous (6)

Mr. Michael Knight

Ben and Lorraine Alexander

Dr. and Mrs. Paul Krueger

Ms. Jane A. Berryman

Mr. Tom LaPorta

Dr. Claire Boasi

Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest

Constance G. Burton†

Reneé T. Levin†

Dr. and Mrs. Elaine Cassalia

Mr. William A. Loeb

Mr. Lloyd Christy

Mr. Eugene Menegon

Dr. Maria Elisa Ciavarelli†

Mrs. Lois Meyers

Dianne and Don Cooney

Ms. Ellen Cole Miller†

Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Covello

Ms. Constance C. Moore

Ms. Ginny L. Coyle

Mr. William Reily†

Dr. Kenneth R. Cundy†

Dr. Scott F. Richard

†

Encore Society and Patron Program member Claire Boasi with tenor Lawrence Brownlee and Board Member Jim Straw. Photo by Elisa Gabor.

Ms. Virginia Del Sordo†

Mr. Laurence T. Robbins†

Mr. Robert Devoe

Dr. Renée Rollin

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Fanelli, Jr.

Morton F. Steelman†

Ms. Harriet Forman

Ms. Lee Steinberg

†

Ms. Sylvia Green†

Mrs. Charlotte Watts

Mrs. Gail Hauptfuhrer

Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Wechsler

Dr. Mark H. Haller†

Ester C. Weil†

Mr. Stephen T. Janick

Mr. George P. White

Mrs. Sheila Kessler

Drs. Anne and Jim Williamson

Dr. Thomas Knadig

†

Deceased

* Indicates membership in the Encore Society List as of June 2015

40TH ANNIVERSARY 66 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Patrons Bruce and Toby Eisenstein with Al and JoAnne Disanto at the Season Soirée.

Encore Society and General Director's Council members Don and Dianne Cooney with baritone Jared Bybee.

OUR Chairman’s Council members Judith Durkin Freyer and Charles Freyer with Emerging Artist Rachel Sterrenberg, whom they underwrote for the 2014-15 Season.

SUPPORTERS ARE THE TRUE S TA R S O F T H E SHOW

Chairman’s Council members Phil and Rita Harper with Patrons Hadia and Jay Tolson at the 40th Anniversary Gala.

Encore Society and Board Member Charlotte Watts with her husband, Bob Watts, at the 40th Anniversary Gala. Photos by Dominic M. Mercier, J.R. Blackwell, and Michael Branscom.

Member Benjamin Minick, Emerging Artist Sarah Shafer and Member David Eskin at the Friends Vocal Recital & Appreciation Reception.

The Corporate Council generously supports Opera Philadelphia’s artistic

and educational programming through contributions and in-kind donations.

To learn more, please visit operaphila.org/corporate-council.

COR PORATE COUNC IL M E M BERS

Morgan Stanley

MAC Cosmetics

PECO

Center City Film and Video

Savona Restaurant

Montgomery, McCracken, Walker and Rhoads, LLP

PNC

Varalli Restaurant

Universal Health Services

Catering by Design

Bank of America

Cunningham Piano Company

BNY Mellon Wealth Management

Evantine Design

Kalnin Graphics

Exelon Business Services

Menchey Music

LinguiSearch

Moonstruck Restaurant Termini Bros. Bakery Universal Health Services

S E A S ON SPONSORS

Official Airline

Season Media Partner

aka Artist Accommodation Sponsor Official Hotel

Media Partner Official Automotive Dealership

Brand Communications Partner

Official Sponsor of Opera Philadelphia’s Patron program Intermission Reception Sponsor

40TH ANNIVERSARY 68 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

DONOR SUPPORT

Corporate Council

Sounds of Learning™ Support Each year, more than 5,000 students attend their first opera at the Academy of Music for FREE

through Opera Philadelphia’s Sounds of Learning™ program, a unique arts education experience that weaves the study of a current production into the core school curriculum. After several weeks

of stimulating classroom studies and activities, students attend a final dress rehearsal at the Academy of Music. More than 145,000 students and teachers have participated in Sounds of Learning™ since its founding in 1991.

OP E R A PHIL ADEL PH IA THA N K S THOS E WHO H AVE DE DI C AT E D THE I R SUPPORT T O S OU N D S OF LEA R N IN G ™ : William Penn Foundation

Morgan Stanley Foundation

Wells Fargo

Alpin J. And Alpin W. Cameron Fund

Hamilton Family Foundation

Deluxe Corporation Foundation

Universal Health Services*

The McLean Contributionship

Eugene Garfield Foundation

Louis N. Cassett Foundation

Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Memorial Fund

Victory Foundation

The Hirsig Family Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation

To learn more, please visit O P E R A P H I L A . O R G / S O U N D S * Opera Philadelphia is especially grateful to businesses who participate in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, which grants lucrative tax credits to eligible businesses that donate to approved educational programs like Sounds of Learning™.

Vice President of Community Programs with Chairman’s Council and Board Member Jonathan Sprogell of BNY Mellon Wealth Management, and his wife, Kathryn Taylor. Kathy and Jon support Sounds of LearningTM through the Alpin J. and Alpin W. Cameron Fund. Photo by Elisa Gabor.

40TH ANNIVERSARY 69 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

W H AT ’ S N E X T

The View from Tomorrow

NEXT SEASON

“ A dynamic place to experience opera in the 21st centur y” Opera Now

“ O pe ra Phi lade lphi a casts excellent young singers, assures intense music preparation, and maintains solid

20152016

production values” Opera Today

World Premiere

A N D Y: A P O P E R A SEPTEMBER 10-20, 2015

L A T R AV I A T A OCTOBER 2-11, 2015 East Coast Premiere

C O L D M O U N TA I N FEBRUARY 5-14, 2016 Curtis Opera Theatre

CAPRICCIO MARCH 2–6, 2016

THE ELIXIR OF LOVE A P R I L 2 9 – M AY 8 , 2 0 1 6

40TH ANNIVERSARY 71 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

OPERA PHILADELPHIA

Administration

40TH ANNIVERSARY 72 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

“ Opera Philadelphia is a very well-managed opera company with a great vision” Opera Today

David B. Devan

Jeremiah Marks

Mikael Eliasen

Corrado Rovaris

David Levy

Nathan Gunn

GENERAL DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

JACK MULRONEY MUSIC DIRECTOR

Annie Burridge

MANAGING DIRECTOR

S E N I O R V I C E P R E S I D E N T,

ARTISTIC ADVISOR

A R T I S T I C O P E R AT I O N S

DIRECTOR, AMERICAN REPERTOIRE COUNCIL

Michael Bolton

Youngmoo E. Kim

VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

RESIDENT TECHNOLOGIST

MUSIC

PRODUCTION

DEVELOPMENT

A D M I N I S T R AT I O N

Michael Eberhard

Alexander Farino

Erin Sammis

Ken Smith

Elizabeth Braden

Drew Billiau

Adele Mustardo

A R T I S T I C A D M I N I S T R AT O R

CHORUS MASTER & M U S I C A D M I N I S T R AT O R

J. Robert Loy

DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL & ORCHESTRA LIBRARIAN

Sarah Williams

N E W W O R K S A D M I N I S T R AT O R

David T. Little

PRODUCTION MANAGER

TECHNICAL PRODUCTION MANAGER

Stephen Dickerson TECHNICAL DIRECTOR

Millie Hiibel

COSTUME DIRECTOR

Meggie Scache

P R O D U C T I O N C O O R D I N AT O R

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS

Jennifer Dubin

A S S O C I AT E D I R E C T O R , INDIVIDUAL GIVING & PAT R O N S E R V I C E S

Rachel McCausland MAJOR GIFTS OFFICER

Derren Mangum

A S S I S TA N T T O G E N E R A L D I R E C T O R & B O A R D R E L AT I O N S C O O R D I N AT O R

Bethany Steel

A S S I S TA N T T O T H E MANAGING DIRECTOR

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Adrienne Bishop

E D U C AT I O N C O O R D I N AT O R

A S S O C I AT E D I R E C T O R O F INSTITUTIONAL GIVING

COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE

Missy Mazzoli

COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE

MARKETING &MEMBERSHIP

Andrew Norman

Ryan Lewis

COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & MEMBERSHIP

Karina Kacala

MARKETING MANAGER

Michael Knight

FINANCE CO M M U N I C AT I O N S

Frank Luzi

D I R E C T O R O F C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

Katie Dune

M U L T I M E D I A C O M M U N I C AT I O N S C O O R D I N AT O R

Brian Ramos CONTROLLER

Maureen McHale S E N I O R A C C O U N TA N T

COUNSEL

M A R K E T I N G O P E R AT I O N S M A N A G E R

Filiz O’Brien

MEMBERSHIP MANAGER

Siddhartha Misra

SUBSCRIBER & MEMBER SERVICES C O O R D I N AT O R

40TH ANNIVERSARY 73 YEAR IN REVIEW 2014–2015

Ballard Spahr, LLP GENERAL COUNSEL

ACADEMY HOUSE 1420 LOCUST STREET SUITE 210 P H I L A , PA 19102

OPERAPHILA.ORG 215.893.3600