Issuu

Rossini’s

Cinderella

October

15 & 17

Dear Friends, Welcome to our performance of Cinderella, Rossini’s wonderful 18th-century comic opera. The opera actually has two names—Cinderella (or Cenerentola in the Italian) and Goodness Triumphant. The complete title sets the tone for an evening that privileges, in a most celebratory way, beneficence and charity, virtues that we all aspire to emulate. We likely all know the fairy tale of Cinderella, which celebrates the fact that a young woman is able to overcome the cruelty of an unkind parent through a series of magical occurrences. True love and a very happy ending are always in sight even when there are missed connections, a discalced heroine, endless domestic duties, and two awful sisters. This is the Cinderella with which we are familiar. However, the operatic version infuses the story with a number of surprises. The stepmother is replaced by an unkind stepfather. The Fairy Godmother is the Prince’s tutor. The glass slipper is a silver bracelet. Cinderella is called Angelina. The mice do not turn into footmen, nor do they sing, although everyone else does. It might be that these retellings seem “wrong.” But the beauty of a fairy tale is that it is filled with wonder, that it keeps us on our toes. This seems just so, as fairy tales or “wonder tales,” as they are called in German (märchen), are worlds in which fates are flipped, where the people who are unprotected and lack agency are given the happiest of stories. Twists and turns suit Rossini, with his endlessly delightful and highly melodious music. Witty, sparkling, quick, and virtuosic—these are adjectives that characterize all that Rossini creates and demands of his singers. If you were able to join us last spring, you were able to see that inimitable style in The Barber of Seville, which the young, 25-year-old Rossini wrote just one year before Cinderella. As you have come to expect, OPERA San Antonio has brought in top talent to perform these enthralling (and challenging) musical pieces—Daniela Mack, Victor Robertson, Will Liverman, and Patrick Carfizzi. All four have performed around the world in the most important opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera. Ms. Mack, our Cinderella, is a major force in the opera world. Opera News has described her voice as being “like polished onyx: strong, dark, deep and gleaming.” Victor Robertson, our prince, is famous in all manner of venues, moving seamlessly between the Met Opera, Broadway, and Hollywood, winning Grammy nominations along the way. Will Liverman, who is playing the witty valet Dandini, was Papageno in The Magic Flute for Santa Fe Opera last summer and won a Grammy award for his starring role in Fire Shut Up in My Bones at the Met. He has been described by Operawire as having a voice that is “exquisite,” “delightful,” and with a “golden timbre.” Patrick Carfizzi, performing the role of Don Magnifico, is a stalwart of the Metropolitan Opera, having done 39 different roles and a total of 484 performances between 1999 and 2026 at that grand opera house. It’s no wonder the New York Times calls him the “Heart and Soul” of the Met Opera. The sets will enhance the delight and wonder of the opera. The production comes to San Antonio from the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, where it first premiered one year ago. The colors are bright and jewel-like. The bouffant hairstyles are silly and sky-high. The patterns are jolly. The playfulness of the plot is exemplified by the zany costumes, while the dreaminess of the story is evoked in the distant castle cloaked in purplish hues. Thank you for being with us tonight. We are so proud of all that OSA has performed and presented at The Tobin and in the community. This season is going to be a particularly thrilling one. Please do keep an eye out for all of the incredible events that we have coming up, performances that include a contemporary one-act chamber opera about a soldier dealing with the trauma of an injury from war called The Falling and the Rising, a children’s performance of Pinocchio at the Magik Theatre, and a lush and moody production of La Traviata in the spring at The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, which OSA proudly calls home. Sincerely,

Annie Montgomery Labatt OSA Board Chair

MAJOR SPONSORS OSA is grateful for the support from our 2026/2027 Season major sponsors

OPERA ANGEL

UNDERWRITER

Anonymous

Drs. James E. Griffin III and Margo Denke

The Labatt Foundation

Jean Rogers Winchell Fund

SPONSOR

BOX SEATS SPONSORS OSA is grateful for the support from our Cinderella VIP Box Seat Sponsors

Mercy and Jorge Rodriguez

Dr. Michael and Noelle Weber

James E. McCutcheon

Sergio and Alice Viroslav

Jeff and Jana Galt

Hannah Hudson

Dr. Sara McCamish and Dr. Edward Briggs

Joshua Dorothy and Nadedge Souvenir

STAFF E. Loren Meeker Executive Director

Francesco Milioto Music Director

(Position Underwritten by The Tobin Endowment)

Chance Margotta Director of Operations

Madeline Elizondo Director of Education & Outreach

Andrew Ward Production Coordinator

William Chapman Development Coordinator

Asel & Associates, PLLC Certified Public Accountants

Akemi Nunez-Martinez Marketing Assistant

Madeleine Phipps Education Assistant Tobin Center Marketing Team Lauren Keck, Director of Marketing Alyssa Mora, Marketing Manager Millie Eckel, Institutional Marketing Coordinator Rigo Ortiz, Creative Manager Lucy Coronado, Graphic Design Coordinator

OSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Annie Labatt, Chair Sergio Viroslav, Vice Chair Eric Reblin, Treasurer Matthew West, Secretary Yun Au Hannah Hudson Aleyda Kniestedt Cassidy Luitjen Ruben Minutti-Zanatta Sara McCamish James McCutcheon

Advisory Committee: Garnett Bruce Dan Cooperman Blair Labatt, Chair Emeritus Mel Weingart, Founder

Cinderella Music by Gioachino Rossini Libretto by Jacopo Ferretti Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 7:30 p.m. Saturday, October 17, 2026 | 7:30 p.m. H-E-B Performance Hall | Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Length of Performance: 3 hours including one intermission Sung in Italian with English translations by Jeremy Sortore Produced in collaboration with The Orchestra San Antonio Scenery for this production was constructed by Lyric Opera of Kansas City Costumes for this production were constructed by Kansas City Costume Company

Conductor: Francesco Milioto Stage Director: Michael Shell Scenery Designer: Stephen C. Kemp Costume Designer: Amanda Seymour Lighting Designer: Driscoll Otto

CAST Angelina (Cinderella) .................................................................... Daniela Mack Don Ramiro, Prince of Salerno ............................................ Victor Robertson Dandini, Ramiro’s valet ............................................................... Will Liverman Don Magnifico, Baron of Mountflagon ................................ Patrick Carfizzi Alidoro, a tutor ...................................................................... Stefan Egerstrom Clorinda, Magnifico’s daughter .......................................... Katherine Henly Tisbe, Magnifico’s daughter ........................................................Lauryn Nelson

PRODUCTION Conductor ....................................................................................... Francesco Milioto Stage Director ........................................................................................ Michael Shell Set Designer ....................................................................................... Steven C. Kemp Costume Designer ......................................................................... Amanda Seymour Lighting Designer .................................................................................... Driscoll Otto Wig & Makeup Designer ............................................................ Stephanie Williams Chorus Master ....................................................................................... Dottie Randall Technical Production Director ..................................................... Joshua McIntosh Stage Manager ..................................................................................... Renee Rimland Wardrobe Supervisor .............................................................................. Stacie Healy Assistant Director .............................................................................. Andrew Keeler Prop Master........................................................................................... Jennifer Tonak Pianist ......................................................................................................... Tessa Hartle Assistant Technical Director ............................................................. Brandon Healy Assistant Lighting Designer .............................................................. Graham Darnel Wardrobe Assistant ......................................................................... Ramon Guajardo Wig & Makeup Assistant .............................................................. Samantha Fulmer Assistant Stage Managers ............................................................. Gemma DeCetra Emily Holter Head Stitcher ....................................................................................... Floyd Williams Stitchers ................................................................................................... Sophie Bolles Kimberly Esparza Wig & Makeup Staff ............................................................................. Bess DePriest Angel Macias Manami Dolley Surtitle Caller .................................................................................. Madeleine Phipps Video Archive Recording ................................................................ Robert Bohanek Pre-Show Lecturer .................................................................................. Kevin Salfen Photographers ........................................................................................ Brielle Brown Marty Sohl

TOBIN CENTER STAFF President & Chief Executive Officer .................................. Mike Fresher Technical Director ........................................................... Hector Gutierrez Creative & Resident Relations Director ........................... Rick Frederick Vice President of Marketing .................................................. Lauren Keck Box Office Manager .......................................................... Patricia Moreno

SPECIAL THANKS Allegra Printing Chris Bacon, Vinson & Elkins LLP John Asel, Sarita Blunt, Qifu Xiao at Asel & Associates Generation NEXT IATSE 76 Labatt Food Service: Lynda Bailey Labatt Food Service Health Clinic: Dr. Thorner and Natalie Baker

Labatt Food Service Media Team: Brielle Brown and Philip Rush Opera Guild of San Antonio OSA Volunteers Radius Center Gallery The Orchestra San Antonio The Tobin Marketing Team Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico - San Antonio William McCrary

SYNOPSIS ACT I Clorinda and Tisbe, daughters of Don Magnifico, are in the middle of one of their usual arguments. Their stepsister Angelina, who is called Cinderella, and serves as the family maid, sings her favorite song, about a king who married a common girl. Suddenly Alidoro, tutor to the prince Don Ramiro, enters, dressed as a beggar. The stepsisters want to send him away, but Cinderella gives him bread and coffee. Courtiers announce that Ramiro will soon pay a visit: he is looking for the most beautiful girl in the land and will hold a ball to choose his bride. Magnifico hopes that it will be one of the stepsisters: marriage to a wealthy man is the only way to save the family fortune. When everybody has left, Ramiro enters alone, dressed in his servant’s clothes so he can freely observe the prospective brides. Cinderella returns, and the two are immediately attracted to each other. He asks her who she is, and Cinderella, confused, tries to explain, then runs away. Finally, the “prince” arrives—in fact Ramiro’s valet, Dandini, in disguise. Magnifico, Clorinda, and Tisbe fall over themselves flattering him, and he invites them to the ball. Cinderella asks to be taken along but Magnifico refuses. Ramiro notes how badly Cinderella is treated. Alidoro says there should be a third daughter in the house but Magnifico claims she has died. Left alone with Cinderella, Alidoro tells her he will take her to the ball and explains that God will reward her for her good heart.

Dandini shares his negative opinion of the two sisters with the prince. But both men are confused, since Alidoro has spoken well of one of Magnifico’s daughters. Clorinda and Tisbe appear again, following Dandini, who still pretends to be the prince. When he offers Ramiro as a husband to the sister the prince does not marry, they are outraged at the idea of marrying a servant. Alidoro enters with a beautiful unknown lady who, strangely, resembles Cinderella. Unable to make sense of the situation, they all sit down to supper, feeling as if in a dream.

Synopsis Courtesy of The Metropolitan Opera

SYNOPSIS ACT II Magnifico fears that the arrival of the stranger could ruin his daughters’ chances to marry the prince. Cinderella, tired of being pursued by Dandini, tells him that she is in love with his servant. Overhearing this, Ramiro is overjoyed and steps forward. Cinderella, however, tells him that she will return home and does not want him to follow her. If he really cares for her, she says, he will find her. The prince resolves to win the mysterious girl. Meanwhile Magnifico, who still thinks that Dandini is the prince, confronts him, insisting that he decide which of his daughters he will marry. When Dandini reveals that he is in fact the prince’s servant, Magnifico is furious. Magnifico and the sisters return home in a bad mood and order Cinderella, again in rags, to prepare supper. During a thunderstorm, Alidoro arranges for Ramiro’s carriage to break down in front of Magnifico’s mansion so that the prince has to take refuge inside. Cinderella and Ramiro recognize each other, as everybody comments on the situation. Ramiro threatens Magnifico and his daughters, who are unwilling to accept defeat, but Cinderella asks him to forgive them.

At the prince’s palace, Ramiro and Cinderella celebrate their wedding. Magnifico tries to win the favor of the new princess, but she asks only to be acknowledged at last as his daughter. Born to misfortune, she has seen her life change and declares that the days of sitting by the fire are over. Synopsis Courtesy of The Metropolitan Opera

DIRECTOR’S NOTE By Michael Shell “Cinderella” is one of the most enduring and widely retold stories in the world. I discovered that there are approximately 350 to 1,500 versions of the tale across various cultures and time periods. Its lasting appeal comes from its universal themes: hope, romance, and the triumph of justice. Yet to me, Rossini’s La Cenerentola is ultimately a story about transformation. Each character, not just Angelina, longs for change. In many ways, they are all misfits, reaching for something just out of their grasp. Some for connection and renewal, and some for being seen and for mattering. Underneath the comedy lies a constant ache, or in Don Magnifico’s case, a more boisterous one, a longing to be truly known and understood. Rossini’s brilliant score plays with this tension masterfully. It shifts between farce and sincerity. There are moments of absolute absurdity and others of profound emotional truth. There are moments when everything stops, when characters pause to express the inner feeling of madness, only to leap right back into dizzying comic momentum. This theatrical rhythm reminded me, unexpectedly but vividly, of the films of Wes Anderson. Anderson’s cinematic worlds are filled with quirky ensembles and stories that teeter on the edge between stylization and deep humanity. His films, like The Royal Tenenbaums, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Grand Budapest Hotel, explore fractured families, misunderstood outcasts, and people desperate to connect. They live in meticulously crafted visual worlds, where time bends, logic loosens, and emotions run high beneath composed surfaces. This production takes inspiration from that aesthetic. It’s not a literal imitation of Anderson’s work, but a theatrical homage to the kind of world he creates. A world that embraces eccentricity and allows comedy and tenderness to sit side by side. In that world, Rossini’s music feels even more purposeful and alive, and this production truly revels in the characters’ eccentricities and journeys, as well as the brilliance of the score. My hope for this Cenerentola is that you laugh, that you reflect, and that, somewhere in the chaos, you feel a little more seen.

ABOUT THE STORY Cinderella’s story is far older than any single book, opera, or film. Variations have appeared across cultures for centuries, but the version most familiar to Western audiences was published by the French writer Charles Perrault in 1697. Perrault gave the tale many of its best-known elements: the Fairy Godmother, the pumpkin carriage, the midnight deadline, and the glass slipper. His telling would also become the principal inspiration for Walt Disney’s animated Cinderella in 1950. Rossini and Ferretti’s Cinderella premiered 133 years before the Disney film. The two versions are very different descendants of the same fairy-tale tradition. Ferretti drew especially upon two earlier operatic treatments—Charles-Guillaume Étienne’s libretto for Nicolas Isouard’s Cendrillon and Francesco Fiorini’s Agatina, o la virtù premiata—while transforming their material into a distinctly Rossinian comedy. Here Cinderella is named Angelina, although her family contemptuously calls her Cenerentola, “the little ash girl.” She lives as a servant in the crumbling home of her vain and impoverished stepfather, Don Magnifico. When Alidoro, tutor to Prince Ramiro, arrives disguised as a beggar, Angelina alone treats him with compassion. Her kindness convinces him that she may be the worthy bride he has been seeking for the Prince. Ramiro has a disguise of his own. He exchanges clothes with his valet, Dandini, allowing him to observe his prospective brides without the distraction of rank or wealth. Clorinda and Tisbe eagerly pursue the counterfeit prince while dismissing the supposed servant. Angelina, however, falls in love with Ramiro while believing him to be an ordinary man. At the palace she rejects Dandini’s apparent wealth and title, declaring that she loves his “servant” instead. Angelina does not accidentally leave behind a clue. She gives Ramiro one of a pair of matching bracelets and tells him to seek the woman wearing its twin. If he finds her, sees her circumstances, and still loves her, she will accept him. When her identity is finally revealed, Angelina’s triumph is complete—but her greatest act is still to come. Given the power to punish the family that abused her, she chooses mercy. Her “revenge,” she declares, will be forgiveness. Rossini’s heroine is not magically transformed into someone worthy of love. Instead, everyone around her is finally made to recognize the intelligence, courage, and goodness she possessed all along.

ROSSINI’S CINDERELLA: NO MAGIC REQUIRED The wicked stepmother becomes a stepfather. Don Magnifico is a vain, ridiculous, nearly bankrupt baron who has squandered the family’s money and hopes one of his daughters can marry him back into prosperity. The Fairy Godmother becomes a philosopher. Alidoro is Prince Ramiro’s tutor and advisor. Disguised as a beggar, he tests the character of the three young women and discovers that Angelina alone responds with kindness. He helps her reach the palace, but he does so through observation, intelligence, and careful planning—not a magic wand. Prince Charming gets a name, a tenor voice, and a disguise. Don Ramiro trades places with his valet so that he can discover who might love him without knowing he is a prince. The disguise also gives Angelina the opportunity to see his character before she sees his crown. The valet gets to play prince. Dandini’s gleeful impersonation creates much of the opera’s comedy. Don Magnifico and his daughters reveal exactly who they are while fawning over a servant dressed in royal clothing. There is no glass slipper—and the clue is not an accident. Angelina deliberately gives Ramiro one of two matching bracelets and challenges him to find the woman wearing the other. She decides how she will be found and insists that he see her real life before choosing her. There is no midnight spell. No gown disappears, no carriage becomes a pumpkin, and no horses turn back into mice. Angelina leaves the palace on her own terms after giving Ramiro his challenge. Angelina chooses before she is chosen. She rejects the man she believes to be the Prince and declares her love for the man she believes to be his servant. Her choice proves that she is no more dazzled by wealth and status than Ramiro is by outward appearances. Marriage is not the final transformation. The opera’s true climax comes when Angelina has power and decides how to use it. She refuses revenge and forgives Don Magnifico and her stepsisters. That is why Rossini and Ferretti did not simply call their opera Cinderella. They called it Goodness Triumphant.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER Gioachino Rossini (1792–1868) Born in Pesaro in 1792, Gioachino Rossini grew up in a family shaped by music and theater. His father played the trumpet and horn, while his mother enjoyed a successful career as an opera singer. Rossini began composing at an early age and saw his first opera produced when he was only eighteen. With astonishing speed, he became one of the most celebrated composers in Europe. By the time La Cenerentola (Cinderella) premiered in Rome in 1817, Rossini was still only twenty-five. His music was unlike anything audiences had heard. A repeated phrase could become a spark; voices would begin to overlap; the orchestra would gather speed and force until an ordinary misunderstanding had grown into exhilarating musical chaos. Rossini’s celebrated crescendos, rapid-fire ensembles, and vocal fireworks made comedy feel almost combustible. Yet Cinderella reveals another side of his genius. Beneath its disguises, vanity, and comic confusion lies music of genuine tenderness. Angelina’s warmth and dignity are written into every phrase, while her dazzling coloratura gives goodness the same brilliance and strength usually reserved for grand heroes. Rossini reportedly completed the score in only twenty-four days, reusing the overture from his earlier opera La gazzetta and transforming music originally written for Count Almaviva in The Barber of Seville into Angelina’s triumphant final rondò, “Non più mesta.” Rossini ultimately composed nearly forty operas, including serious works such as Otello, Semiramide, and the monumental William Tell. Although he stopped writing operas while still in his thirties, his influence continued throughout the nineteenth century and beyond. La Cenerentola remains one of his most perfect creations: a work of breathtaking virtuosity, irresistible comedy, and tremendous heart.

ABOUT THE LIBRETTIST Jacopo Ferretti (1784–1852) Born in Rome in 1784, Jacopo Ferretti was a poet, playwright, and one of the most prolific Italian librettists of his generation. Classically educated and fluent in several languages, he wrote poetry, theatrical works, ceremonial verses, and dozens of opera librettos while also holding a day job in the papal tobacco administration. He collaborated with many prominent composers, including Rossini and Donizetti, but La Cenerentola became his most enduring achievement. The opera was born out of a theatrical emergency. In December 1816, the subject originally intended for Rossini’s new opera was rejected by the papal censor, leaving the composer, librettist, and theater management scrambling for a replacement. According to Ferretti’s later account, he proposed more than twenty possibilities during a late-night meeting, only to have them dismissed one after another. Finally, with Rossini nearly asleep on a sofa, Ferretti suggested Cinderella. Rossini immediately asked whether he could have part of the libretto the following morning. Ferretti worked through the night and reportedly completed the entire libretto in twenty-two days. Rather than simply reproducing Charles Perrault’s fairy tale, he drew upon earlier theatrical treatments of the story and reshaped it for Rossini’s particular genius. He eliminated the supernatural elements, introduced an elaborate exchange of identities between prince and servant, and turned Cinderella’s magical helper into a wise philosopher who carefully observes human behavior. The result is a story driven not by enchantment, but by character. Ferretti’s disguises reveal the truth, appearances are repeatedly overturned, and kindness becomes an active source of power. The opera’s complete title makes its purpose beautifully clear: La Cenerentola, ossia La bontà in trionfo—Cinderella, or Goodness Triumphant.

Based on the book by Laura Numeroff

OCTOBER 3-25,, 2026 TICKETS AVAILABLE AT MAGIKTHEATRE.ORG!

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES DANIELA MACK Angelina (Cinderella) OSA Debut: Angelina, Cinderella, 2026. Recent Credits: Doctor Teresa Hart, The Galloping Cure, Edinburgh Festival and NorrlandsOperan; Frida Kahlo, El último sueño de Frida y Diego, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Rosina, The Barber of Seville, Houston Grand Opera and Opera Omaha. Upcoming Credits: Frida Kahlo, El último sueño de Frida y Diego, Seattle Opera.

VICTOR RYAN ROBERTSON Prince Ramiro OSA Debut: Prince Ramiro, Cinderella, 2026. Recent Credits: Tamino, The Magic Flute, Seattle Opera; Elijah Muhammad, X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, The Metropolitan Opera; Uncle Percy, This House, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. Upcoming Credits: Salt and Spirit (A Journey into Gullah Culture).

WILL LIVERMAN Dandini OSA Debut: Dandini, Cinderella, 2026. Recent Credits: Papageno, The Magic Flute, Santa Fe Opera; Celebrant, Bernstein’s MASS, Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra; Figaro, The Barber of Seville, Houston Grand Opera. Upcoming Credits: Soloist, Carmina Burana, The Philadelphia Orchestra; Marcello, La bohème, Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Soloist, Diamond Jubilee: 60 Years at Lincoln Center, The Metropolitan Opera.

PATRICK CARFIZZI Don Magnifico OSA Debut: Don Magnifico, Cinderella, 2026. Recent Credits: Doctor Bartolo, The Barber of Seville, San Francisco Opera; Sheldon Anapol, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, The Metropolitan Opera; Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, Atlanta Opera. Upcoming Credits: Don Magnifico, La Cenerentola, La Monnaie; Sacristan, Tosca, The Metropolitan Opera; title role, Gianni Schicchi, Florentine Opera.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES STEFAN EGERSTROM Alidoro OSA Debut: Don Basilio, The Barber of Seville, 2026. Recent Credits: Geisterbote, Die Frau ohne Schatten, San Francisco Opera; Don Basilio, The Barber of Seville, Minnesota Opera; Raimondo, Lucia di Lammermoor, Berkshire Opera Festival.

KATHERINE HENLY Clorinda OSA Debut: Berta, The Barber of Seville, 2026. Recent Credits: Berta, The Barber of Seville, Minnesota Opera; Niña, Ainadamar, The Metropolitan Opera; Woman, The Extinctionist, Heartbeat Opera. Upcoming Credits: Soloist, Holiday Pops Spectacular, The Phoenix Symphony.

LAURYN NELSON Tisbe OSA Debut: Tisbe, Cinderella, 2026. Recent Credits: Antonia’s Mother, The Tales of Hoffmann, Florentine Opera; Mercédès, Carmen, Florentine Opera; Mrs. Nolan, The Medium, Opera Festival of Chicago. Upcoming Credits: Second Lady, The Magic Flute, Florentine Opera.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES FRANCESCO MILIOTO Music Director & Conductor OSA Debut: Conductor, La traviata, 2018. Recent Credits: Music Director, Tosca, Florentine Opera; Music Director, Orchestral Concert, DePaul Symphony Orchestra; Music Director, The Tales of Hoffmann, Florentine Opera. Upcoming Credits: Cover Conductor, Don Pasquale, Lyric Opera of Chicago; Music Director, Film Score Concert, DePaul Symphony Orchestra; Music Director, Gianni Schicchi, Florentine Opera.

MICHAEL SHELL Stage Director OSA Debut: Stage Director, Cinderella, 2026 Recent Credits: Director, Mansfield Park, Indiana University Opera Theater; Director, La bohème, Indiana University Opera Theater; Director, Cinderella, Lyric Opera of Kansas City. Upcoming Credits: Director, Cinderella, Utah Opera; Director, Cinderella, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.

STEVEN C. KEMP Set Design OSA Debut: Set Designer, Hansel & Gretel, 2023. Recent Credits: Set Designer, Lalovavi, Cincinnati Opera; Set Designer, The Merry Widow, Sarasota Opera; Set Designer, Intelligence, Virginia Opera. Upcoming Credits: Set Designer, Doctor Atomic, Opera San José; Set Designer, Aida, Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Set Designer, Tosca, The Atlanta Opera.

AMANDA SEYMOUR Costume Designer OSA Debut. Recent Credits: Costume Designer, Così fan tutte, Aspen Music Festival; Costume Designer, Elizabeth Cree, The Glimmerglass Festival; Costume Designer, La bohème, Opera Theatre of St. Louis. Upcoming Credits: Costume Designer, Sitcom, Opera Philadelphia.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES DRISCOLL OTTO Lighting Design OSA Debut: Lighting Designer, Hansel and Gretel, 2023. Recent Credits: Lighting Designer, Tosca, Oper im Steinbruch; Projection Designer, La donna del lago, The Metropolitan Opera; Projection Designer, The Golden Cockerel, Santa Fe Opera. Upcoming Credits: Lighting and Projection Designer, Turandot, Santa Fe Opera; Lighting Designer, Aida, Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Lighting and Projection Designer, Lohengrin, The Dallas Opera.

DOTTIE RANDALL Chorus Master OSA Debut: Chorus Master, Macbeth, 2017. Recent Credits: Chorus Master, The Magic Flute and The Barber of Seville, OPERA San Antonio; Chorus Master, Spotlight on Opera/Tulsa Opera. Upcoming Credits: Music Director, Pinocchio, OPERA San Antonio; Chorus Master, La traviata, OPERA San Antonio.

STEPHANIE WILLIAMS Wig & Makeup Design OSA Debut: Wig & Makeup Designer, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, 2014. Recent Credits: Wig Associate Designer, West Side Story, The Muny; Wig & Makeup Designer, Romeo and Juliet, OPERA San Antonio; Wig & Makeup Designer, Maria de Buenos Aires, OPERA San Antonio. Upcoming Credits: Wig & Makeup Design Consultant, Ride the Cyclone, University of Texas; Wig & Makeup Design Consultant, Romeo y Juliet (Bilingual Adaptation), University of Texas.

RENEE RIMLAND Production Stage Manager OSA Debut: Production Stage Manager, Cinderella, 2026. Recent Credits: Production Stage Manager, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Theatre Under The Stars/Pittsburgh CLO; Production Stage Manager, Disney’s Frozen tour, Pittsburgh CLO/Kansas City Starlight/Lied Center; Production Stage Manager, Sister Act, Pittsburgh CLO/Kansas City Starlight.

CHORUS OPERA San Antonio Chorus Chorus Master, Dottie Randall Mason Asberry Manuel Canales Abner Caraballo John Costello Ricardo Diaz-Garcia Gregory Garcia William Jeys Andres Losada Anthony McCain Matthew Perez Otoniel Rodriguez Rene Vazquez

Francesco Milioto, Conductor The Orchestra San Antonio Leadership & Staff Paul Montalvo, President & CEO Paul Garro, Chief Advancement Officer Daniela Diaz, Chief Programs Officer Kara Geren, Vice President of Strategic Operations Mariana Vela, Vice President of Media & Marketing Leonardo Pineda, Music Director Freddy Contreras, Director of Education & Strategic Learning Wayne Ching, Community Programs & Fellowships Director Astrid Rosales, Artist & Administrative Director Jorge Blanco, Media & Marketing Communications Manager Amethyst Chagolla, Media & Marketing Assistant

FLUTE

TROMBONE

VIOLA

Katherine Rivas, Principal Loidmary Perenguez

Tyler Vahldick

OBOE

Tessa Hartle

Lucian Avalon, Principal Ellen Gruber

VIOLIN I

Seyeon Park, Principal Michael Ayala Tal McGee Nelsy Badia Greg Perrin

HORN

VIOLIN II

Nelson Yovera, Principal Douglas Nunes

Imanuel Sandoval, Principal Gregory Mata Brenda Rengel Eliezer Anteliz Brendan Speltz Luis Cuevas

KEYBOARD

Mark Chien, Concertmaster CELLO Yung-Hsuan Lo, Associate Concertmaster CLARINET Kenneth Jones Kelvin Diaz, Principal Carmen Borregales, Principal Liana Branscome Laura Andrade Rodrigo Orviz Daniela Lancara Denise Ro-Villena Freddy Contreras Enn Rene Diaz BASSOON Ronald Villabona Edin Agamenoni, Principal Ryan Zarmbinski DOUBLE BASS Katia Osorio

TRUMPET Ismael Cañizares, Principal Rebecca Ortiz

Luis Primera Marian Castro

2026 - 2027 SEASON DONORS The Board of Directors, artists, and staff of OPERA San Antonio gratefully acknowledge the generous support of our donors. (Donations from July 1, 2025 - October 13, 2026) * Indicates Monthly Donor

OPERA ANGEL $100,000 +

City of San Antonio Kronkosky Charitable Foundation Labatt Food Service The Tobin Endowment Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts This performance is made possible in part by a generous grant from the Russell Hill Rogers Fund for the Arts.

UNDERWRITER

SPONSOR

$50,000 - $99,999

$25,000 - $49,999

Anonymous Bexar County Commissioners Court Drs. James E. Griffin III and Margo Denke H-E-B Tournament of Champions The Labatt Foundation Jean Rogers Winchell Fund

Bank of Texas The Ewing Halsell Foundation H-E-B Helping Here The Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation Semmes Foundation Fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation

GRAND PATRON $10,000 - $24,999

Molly and Michael Amini

The Harvey E. Najim Charitable Foundation

Embrey

Pat Orme

FASTSIGNS

The Patel Lopez Family Foundation

Maryanne Foglia

Myra Stafford Pryor Charitable Trust

The Greg Kowalski Family

Texas Commission on the Arts

John R. and Greli N. Less Charitable Trust

Texas Partners Bank

James Davis McCutcheon and Kate Davis

Tobin Theatre Arts Fund

The Betty & James Muns Foundation

Sergio and Alice Viroslav

GRAND BENEFACTOR $5,000 - $9,999

Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Lende

Anonymous Lissa and Paul Allen Alethea S. Bugg C.H. Guenther & Son Christopher Cheever Sam and Laura Dawson Frost Jeff Galt

in honor of Blair Labatt

in honor of Paul Montalvo and Mariana Vela

Mr. and Mrs. Tim Gilliam Phil and Sandy Green Holt CAT Hannah E. N. Hudson Jewish Federation of San Antonio Aleyda and James Kniestedt

Drs. Sara McCamish and Edward Briggs James Davis McCutcheon and Kate Davis John Newman Family Charitable Fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation Opera Guild of San Antonio Rugeley Ferguson Foundation San Antonio Symphony League Sterling Foods Lauren Swann University of Texas at San Antonio University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Worth & Associates

BENEFACTOR $1,000 - $4,999

A. John and Belinda Andersen Mr. John Asel Barrett Family Foundation Melissa & Charles Barrett Donna Barrow Michael and Mary Pat Bolner Tobin Calvert Tony & Carla Canty Costa Solutions LLC Rosario S. De Laird Joshua Dorothy & Nadege Souvenir Frost Bank Charitable Foundation Lukin Gilliland, Jr. Dan and Marcia Goodgame in honor of Blair and Barbara Labatt

Ms. Margaret Ham in memory of Col. (Ret.) Howard C. Ham

Nicolas & Liecie Hollis Carol Kalwaitis Carol Lee Klose and Carolyn A. Seale Mrs. Jean Lee Anna G. Lopez & Anissa K. Mahone in memory of Estella A. Guevara

Cassidy Luitjen and Eric Minoff Katherine McAllen Taddy McAllister Marcus Moreno Osborne, Helman, Scott, Knisely & Stanton LLP The Original Mexican Restaurant & Bar Parra & Co. Luis Perez Eric and Elizabeth Reblin Elva Ruiz Giving Fund A.R. Sanchez, Jr. School of Business at Texas A&M International University Dr. John Moke Sanchez Amy Shelton McNutt Charitable Trust Scott Simpson and Violetta Biasatti Polly and George Spencer in honor of Blair and Barbara Labatt

Cullen Stanley Margaret King Stanley TEAM Group, Ltd. Donna & lan Thompson in honor of Blair, Barbara and Annie Labatt

BENEFACTOR $1,000 - $4,999 (continued)

Richard Thorner MD, SEP-IR The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts “Bexar County Arts Internship Grant Program established by the Bexar County Commissioners Court and facilitated by Generation NEXT”

Dale & Sandra Tremblay Pete and Sen. Leticia Van de Putte in honor of Belle Ortiz

Dr. Michael Weber Wells Fargo The Williamson Foundation Craig S. Witten Craig and Nancy Witten David Wood and Colette Holt Bob and Mary Worth Anna Wulfe

CONTRIBUTOR $500 - $999

Mr. Suhail Arastu Christopher V. Bacon Richardson Gill and Sherry Dowlatshahi Wendell and Susan Hall Hon. and Mrs. Phil Hardberger L.M. Hendry Ms. Catherine Key William and Tari King

Sharon M. Kocurek Carolina Lewis Janice A. Miller Edward and Linda Poetschke David Pope Mercy and Jorge Rodriguez *Kevin and Laura Salfen Terri Smith and Bill Alig David & Karen Umlang Mel and Sandra Weingart

in honor of Margaret King Stanley

Kocurek Charitable Foundation

FRIEND

Up to - $499

* Anonymous AIA San Antonio Lynette Aleman Josephine Ann Andera Nancy Fix Anderson Mr. Salvatore Arcuri Linda Bertetti in memory of Margaret Stanley

Eveline Bethune Mr. Mike L. Birnbaum Howard H. Black Emily Buescher

Richard and Ruth Butler Lisa Caldwell *Paul and Anne Comeaux in honor of Madeline Elizondo

Maura Conron Ramon Contreras Claire Davis Dean Deckard Ms. Anne D’innocinzio Heather C. Diehl Ann Fienman in memory of Margaret King Stanley

*Gary Finger

FRIEND

Up to - $499

Michael Goldstone Mr. Derly Gonzalez Harald Goring Holly Hagy

(continued)

in memory of Margaret King Stanley

John Hale Debbie Henderson Dr. and Ms. Edward T. Herbold Albert Hightower Ms. Magdalene Hopkins Mr. Edward R. Howarth Jr. Jennifer Hussey Barbara Johnson in memory of Margaret Stanley

Ms. Lisa E. July Vanessa Kairuz Deborah Kelly Brenda King Andrew Kunau Martin and Frederica Kushner Mr. Martin Kushner Grace B. Labatt in honor of Barbara and Blair Labatt

Marline Lawson in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Mr. James Lifshutz Ms. Samantha Irene Lopez Dr. John MacDougall Gary Malanchuk Deborah Martin in memory of Margaret King Stanley

*Andrea Melcher in honor of Caroline Melcher

Kathleen and David Meriwether in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Yamileth Moneymaker Randall and Kathy Morris Shell MorrisonDunrossi / Mrs. Shell Koontz Morrison in memory of Margaret Munro Conoly

Dr. & Mrs. Paul E. Morton

Andrew L. Nordquist Samantha Nuezil *Lacey Palmieri Michael Perry Mrs. Nadine Perkins Dr. William Porter Dottie Randall Kathryne Lynn Rhoades Mr. Robert Joseph Rivard Juvencia Rodriguez *LTC Preston Roy and Sierra Starks Cicero Alexander Rust III Dennis Schafer Edward Sealy Jocelyn Selig Aissatou Sidime Nancy Taylor Shivers Elizabeth E. Shriver Claudia J. Smith Marian G. Sokol Steven R. Souter in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Jamee Stewart Straus Family Charitable Trust in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Dr. Patrick Sung Patrick Swearingen Barbera Ludrow Taussig Mr. and Mrs. John S. Troy in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Christine Van Hoozer Ms. Becky Walker in honor of Madeline Elizondo

Jeffrey Wallen Debra Webster Alice Witterman Mrs. Wendie Wolfe

MARGARET KING STANLEY VOCAL SCHOLARSHIP FUND (Donations from July 1, 2025 - October 13, 2026)

AIA San Antonio Josephine Ann Andera Linda Bertetti in memory of Margaret Stanley

Lisa Caldwell Ann Fienman in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Maryanne Foglia Holly Hagy in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Margaret Ham in memory of Col. (Ret.) Howard C. Ham

L.M. Hendry Barbara Johnson in memory of Margaret Stanley

Ms. Catherine Key William and Tari King in honor of Margaret King Stanley

Mr. Martin Kushner Marline Lawson in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Deborah Martin in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Amy Shelton McNutt Charitable Trust

Kathleen and David Meriwether in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Randall and Kathy Morris Kathryne Lynn Rhoades Cicero Alexander Rust III San Antonio Symphony League Edward Sealy Jocelyn Selig Nancy Taylor Shivers Elizabeth E. Shriver Claudia Smith Marian G. Sokol Steven R. Souter in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Cullen Stanley Margaret King Stanley Straus Family Charitable Trust in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Barbera Ludrow Taussig Mr. and Mrs. John S. Troy in memory of Margaret King Stanley

Margaret King Stanley

Vocal Scolarship Fund

A champion of the arts and cherished friend of OPERA San Antonio, Margaret King Stanley’s generosity, vision, and unwavering support touched countless lives. Margaret devoted herself to introducing young people to opera and nurturing the next generation of vocal talent. Today, her legacy continues through the Margaret King Stanley Vocal Scholarship Fund, carried forward by her family and by the many artists and audiences she inspired. Join us in honoring Margaret’s legacy to help keep her dream alive with a gift to the Margaret King Stanley Vocal Scholarship Fund.

SCAN THE QR CODE TO DONATE SAFELY ONLINE OR MAIL A CHECK TO: OPERA SAN ANTONIO C/O MKS FUND 115 AUDITORIUM CIRCLE SAN ANTONIO, TX 78205

SUPPORT OSA YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. OPERA San Antonio depends on continued community support in order to bring you stellar productions as the resident opera company of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts. Ticket sales cover less than a third of what it costs to offer these operatic masterpieces and to maintain our community and education programs. Donate today to give people in the greater San Antonio area a chance to hear music that can speak to them in a new, even life-changing way.

Click this link to go directly to our donation page and make an immediate impact on our community.

LET'S CONNECT If you have enjoyed your time with us tonight, let us know by filling out our OSA Contact Form with this link. One of our staff members will get in touch with you after the performance to hear your thoughts.

UPCOMING THIS SEASON

A powerful story of service, sacrifice, and the courage to come home. After a roadside attack leaves her gravely wounded, a soldier journeys through a dreamscape shaped by the voices and experiences of fellow service members. Their stories of duty, loss, love, and resilience help her confront her own trauma and find the strength to return to her family. Inspired by interviews with activeduty service members and veterans, The Falling and the Rising is a tribute to those who serve—and to the communities that help bring them home. FREE PREVIEW CONCERT February 2 at 7:30 p.m. | VFW Post 76 Reserve Your Tickets Today! FULL PERFORMANCE—TICKETS JUST $10 February 4 at 7:30 p.m. | Boeing Center at Tech Port Purchase Tickets Today!

Calling all community singers! What if the next time you experienced opera, you were part of it? OPERA San Antonio invites veterans, active-duty service members, military family members, and community singers to audition for the chorus of The Falling and the Rising—a rare opportunity to perform alongside professional artists at historic VFW Post 76, the Boeing Center at Tech Port, along with private performances at BAMC and Fort Sam Houston. Help bring this powerful story to life. No professional experience is required; auditions will be held Saturday, November 14, at the Radius Center, and you can learn more and reserve your audition time at here.

UPCOMING THIS SEASON

PINOCCHIO — A MAGICAL FIRST STEP INTO OPERA This spring, OPERA San Antonio joins forces with Magik Theatre for John Davies’ Pinocchio, a one-act opera for young audiences based on Carlo Collodi’s beloved classic. Featuring music from Mozart, Donizetti, Offenbach, and Pergolesi, this imaginative 55-minute production follows Pinocchio through a world of mischief, temptation, and adventure as he learns lasting lessons about truth, bravery, family, and finding his way home. Recommended for ages 4+, Pinocchio is a joyful introduction to opera for children—and a fresh theatrical adventure for the whole family.

MARCH 20 - APRIL 4, 2027 | MAGIK THEATRE Tickets and performance information: magiktheatre.org/pinocchio

UPCOMING THIS SEASON

OPERA San Antonio reunites with Austin Opera for La traviata, presented in the famed Desmond Heeley production originally created for Lyric Opera of Chicago. A work of heartbreaking beauty and emotional power, La traviata follows Violetta’s journey through love, sacrifice, and societal judgment, all set to some of Verdi’s most beloved and soaring music. Heeley’s designs have been celebrated for their beauty and grandeur, making this a Traviata of rare visual richness and musical intensity. Audiences can expect exquisite costumes, stunning visuals, and world-class operatic voices in one of opera’s most timeless and devastating masterpieces. Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage. This production is presented in collaboration with The Orchestra San Antonio and Austin Opera

ENTER TO WIN TICKETS Look for our survey email after the performances of Cinderella and tell us about your experience. Complete this survey and you will be automatically entered to win complimentary tickets to our fall production of La traviata.

P.O. Box 2641 San Antonio, TX 78299

Office: 210-673-7270 Email: info@operasa.org www.OperaSA.org