LA TRAVIATA IN CONCERT AT KELLER AUDITORIUM NOVEMBER 6 & 8, 2026
CONTENTS 2
MISSION, AUDIENCE STATEMENT
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A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT
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WELCOME FROM THE AR TISTIC DIRECTOR
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SYNOPSIS
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CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM BIOS
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STRAYING T OWARD VIR TUE
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STAFF & BOARD, POR TLAND‘5
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DONORS
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COMMUNITY SUPPOR T
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ABOUT THE AR TIST
Make sure you know the latest – connect with us on social media! @portlandopera #PDXopera
PORTLAND OPERA MISSION & AUDIENCE STATEMENT We gather and inspire audiences, artists, and collaborators to create shared opera experiences that enliven and connect us all, enhancing the cultural landscape of the beautiful Pacific Northwest. We are proud to be Portland’s opera, and to share inclusive opera experiences. Our commitment to cultural equity continues to inform our audience policies and experiences. When we gather, it must be with respect and with care for the entire community. Let us be clear: there is no place for bigotry, discrimination, hate, harassment, or intolerance at Portland Opera. Behaviors that are disrespectful, discriminatory, or not aligned with our policies for attendance (including health and safety and firearm policies) will not be tolerated, and audience members may be asked to leave the premises and/or be prohibited from returning in the future.
A MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT Welcome to Portland Opera, and thank you for being here. There is something special about gathering in the theater to experience opera together. Whether you are a longtime supporter or joining us for the first time, I’m grateful you’re here. As we begin this season, DRIVEN BY VISION, we are also looking ahead to the future of opera in our community. Portland Opera plays an important role in our region’s cultural life—not just through performances, but by connecting, inspiring, and making opera accessible to more Oregonians. Sustaining a professional opera company takes more than great performances. It takes a community that believes this art form belongs here and is willing to invest in its future. Like many performing arts organizations, Portland Opera faces real financial challenges. Rising costs and the ongoing work of rebuilding audiences and philanthropic support require us to think differently about sustaining our company for the long term. We are committed to building a stronger, more financially stable Portland Opera while continuing to bring compelling performances and meaningful experiences to our community. That future depends on all of us. We have launched Friends of Portland Opera, a new giving program inviting supporters like you to bring your energy, emotion, and enthusiasm for Portland Opera into the community and help shape its future. Scan the QR code in the center of this program to show your belief in opera’s place in Portland and help ensure it continues to thrive here. Thank you for being part of this community, sharing in this performance, and helping secure a future for opera and the arts in Portland. I look forward to what we can accomplish together. Warmly,
KREGG ARNTSON Kregg Arntson President, Portland Opera Board of Directors 3
WELCOME Let me tell you a story. We know that opera is made up of universal narratives – it is the place where the stories meet because of shared and elemental truths. And as with the tale of La Traviata, here is a story that I think you will will find relatable in some way. Once, more than sixty years ago, there was a group of people. They shared a common belief and a love of a particular art, but beyond that, they didn’t have much. Not much money, not much support, but they had that huge love and the community they built together. And you know what happened? They grew. They kept on, day after day, doing what they loved to do, and kept on telling folks about it, and more people saw what they were doing, and came to watch and listen, and join in, and they grew. Like all things that are destined to bloom, they expanded, and continued to reach out – for even more love, and joy, and community. Are you beginning to guess who this particular story is about? This group grew to a tremendous size, and at some points in its growth, folks who joined in did not have that love in their hearts, and that caused pain and damage, and at those times the group faltered, or shrunk. Sometimes outside forces, like economics, or government, or disease impacted the group, but still the group went on. Cycles like this – growth and retraction, change and development, continued for many years. But one thing stayed the same: at the glowing core remained a light of love, and joy, and community. And that is how Portland Opera comes to you today. We are a company who have faced adversity, but persevered. A company who are sure of their place in the opera world, in the northwest community, and here, in this theater, with you. You help us to be the unique organization we are, within the community we serve – so that the light at our core becomes a beacon for this region to draw artists, organizations, and patrons to us. I said this was going to be relevant to the story of La Traviata, didn’t I? 4
It’s really all the same relatable tale. Violetta knew who she was, and drew others to her. By understanding her vision, and moving into the future as the best version of herself, she is just like Portland Opera at this moment; unimpeded by doubt, galvanized by hope, and held up by love. Just like all of us, growing together. With gratitude,
ALFRELYNN ROBERTS Artistic Director
2018 production poster 5
LA TRAVIATA In Three Acts
Composed by GIUSEPPE VERDI Libretto by FRANCESCO MARIA PIAVE Premiere: MARCH 6, 1853, AT TEATRO LA FENICE, VENICE Portland Opera Premiere: JANUARY 1968 Performed in Italian with projected English captions
THE CAST
(in order of vocal appearance)
Violetta Valéry, a courtesan CECILIA VIOLETTA LÓPEZ* Flora Bervoix, friend of Violetta ANNA JABLONSKI Marquis d’Obigny BRIAN LANGFORD Baron Douphol, rival of Alfredo TIMOTHY LAFOLETTE Doctor Grenvil GREGORY BRUMFIELD Gastone, Count of Letorières BRANDON MICHAEL Alfredo Germont, lover of Violetta JOHN PICKLE* Annina, Violetta’s maid MADELINE ROSS Giuseppe, a gardener AARON DOUGLAS LANGE A Messenger CELINE CLARK* Giorgio Germont, father of Alfredo RICHARD ZELLER Flora’s Servant GINA ADORNO* with the PORTLAND OPERA ORCHESTRA and CHORUS
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CREATIVE TEAM
Conductor DAMIEN GETER Stage Director HANNAH PENN ^ Lighting Designer CARL FABER Assistant Conductor/Chorus Master NICHOLAS FOX Principal Accompanist CLAIRE FORSTMAN ^ Stage Manager BEATRICE ANTONIE MARTINO
Portland Opera’s 1968 (left) and 1975 (right) production of La Traviata.
*Portland Opera Debut ^Alumnae of the Portland Opera Resident Artist Program Backdrops designed by Ecole Sormani, provided by Stivanello Costume Company, Inc. Projected English captions by Cori Ellison. There will be one 25-minute intermission. Total running time is approximately 2 hours, 25 minutes. Portland Opera Association, Inc. receives support from the Oregon Arts Commission, a policymaking and advisory body within the Oregon Business Development Department, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Portland Opera is a member of OPERA America. 7
LA TRAVIATA CHORUS Soprano
Tenor
GINA ADORNO MEGAN CONROY-PETERS* KARI COURTNEY* LINDSEY RAE JOHNSON* CRISTINA MARINO* EMILY NELSON DESROCHERS KAYLA RAY MADELINE ROSS* DRU RUTLEDGE* JOCELYN THOMAS*
JOHN BOELLING* SCOT CRANDAL* JIM JEPPESEN* AARON DOUGLAS LANGE* SHANE MAGARGAL BRANDON MICHAEL* ANTHONY NGUYEN ONRY* ANDREW WALTON PAUL WRIGHT*
Mezzo-Soprano
Bass-Baritone
CELINE CLARK* ALISHIA GARCIA* PHOEBE GILDEA SADIE GREGG* ANNA JABLONSKI* SARAH MAINES* LISA NEHER* KATE STROHECKER* SHERRIE VAN HINE*
GREGORY BRUMFIELD* CHRISTOPHER CHEEK TIMOTHY LAFOLETTE* BRIAN LANGFORD* LINH NGUYEN DANIEL PICKENS-JONES PATRICK SCOFIELD* STEFAN SIMANTON LINCOLN THOMAS
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* Vested choristers who have been a regular member of the Portland Opera Chorus for more than two years and have sung in five or more productions. ˆ denotes substitute musician Orchestra Musicians are represented by the American Federation of Musicians Local 99. Chorus, Principal singers, dancers, and staging staff are represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists. Production designers are represented by United Scenic Artists 829 (a subsidiary of International Alliance of Theatre and Stage Employees). Stage crew provided by IATSE Local #28. Admission staff provided by IATSE Local #B20 8
LA TRAVIATA ORCHESTRA Violin I
Cello
French Horn
LUCIA ATKINSON, Concertmaster JAMES M. MCLENNAN, Assistant Concertmaster JANET GROH DUBAY JULIA FRANTZ MARGARET BICHTELER HEATHER MASTELLIPSON ANDREA OH^
DYLAN RIECK, Principal KATHERINE SCHULTZ, Acting Assistant Principal JAE CHOI GREGORY DUBAY^ DAVID EBY^ HEATHER BLACKBURN^
MICHAEL HETTWER, Principal JEN HARRISON JONATHAN KUHNSOBANA STEVE HAYWORTH^
Bass
CHARLES R. BUTLER, Principal JOSEPH KLAUSE
Violin II
JENNIFER ESTRIN, Acting Principal Second ELIZABETH PEYTON, Acting Assistant Principal Second MEGAN FRASER AINUR ZABENOVA SO YUN KIM LUCIE ZALESAKOVA^ HAE-JIN KIM LINDA VASEY Viola
ANGELIKA FURTWANGLER, Acting Principal SHAUNA KEYES, Acting Assistant Principal MICHELLE MATHEWSON DAPHNE GOOCH ADAM HOORNSTRA^ JULIE ASPARRO^
CLINTON O’BRIEN, Principal DAVID PARMETER, Acting Assistant Principal KADEN HENDERSON^ MICHELLE LINDBERG^ Flute/Piccolo
Trumpet
Trombone
LARS CAMPBELL, Principal^ DAVID BRYAN FRANKIE YU^
GEORGEANNE RIES, Principal SYDNEY CARLSON
Tuba
Oboe
Timpani
KELLY M. GRONLI, Principal KAREN STRAND
Percussion
JOSEPH READY, Principal WILL RENO, Principal
Clarinet
GORDON RENCHER, Principal
MARK DUBAC, Principal^ THERESA MARKS
Harp
Bassoon
MATTHEW TUTSKY, Principal
SAMUEL RHOTON, Principal JANICE RICHARDSON
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SYNOPSIS by Alexis Hamilton, Associate Director of Education and Outreach
AC T I At a glittering party in the home of celebrated courtesan Violetta Valéry, guests discuss the pleasures of wine, friendship and the table as the only sure way to dispel the troubles of life. A new arrival, Gaston, presents Alfredo Germont, who has fallen in love with Violetta from afar—going so far as to visit her home daily during a recent illness. Put on the spot by Gaston’s teasing, Alfredo raises a toast to beauty and desire, which Violetta takes up and the company joins. As the party moves off to the ballroom to dance, Violetta falls behind, pale and coughing. She assures her guests that she is fine and will recover soon, sending them on ahead while she recovers, but Alfredo remains, concerned, and in the course of the conversation confessing his love—a love that Violetta dismisses with a laugh, confessing that she could never return such devotion and urging him to find another. Nevertheless, she hands him a camelia corsage adorning her dress and agrees to see him again. They are interrupted by the return of the party guests, who Violetta sends home to bed. Alone, she reflects on her encounter with the earnest young man, wondering if she could truly be loved and love him in return, then laughing and reminding herself that she is free.
Portland Opera’s 1982 production of La Traviata.
AC T II Alfredo and Violetta have retired from Paris society to a bucolic country estate. Alfredo is deliriously happy with their new life but chagrined when Violetta’s maid divulges that Violetta has sold her jewelry and carriage in order to subsidize their love nest. He leaves for Paris in an attempt to secure some money to assist Violetta. Meanwhile, Violetta 10
awaits a lawyer who will draw up a will for her, leaving all of her possessions to Alfredo. Instead of the lawyer, Alfredo’s father, Germont, arrives, accusing Violetta of leading Alfredo astray and destroying the family’s reputation, endangering Alfredo’s sister’s marriage prospects. Though surprised and moved by Violetta’s nobility and love for his son, Germont nevertheless asks her to leave Alfredo, going so far as to say that men are changeable and he might not care for her forever. It is, however, the fate of Germont’s daughter that pushes Violetta to agree to renounce her love for Alfredo. After Germont takes his leave, Violetta accepts an invitation from Gaston to attend a party in Paris and attempts to write a farewell letter to Alfredo, but Alfredo returns just as she seals it. He is troubled by an angry letter he has received from his father. He tells Violetta that his father will soon arrive, unaware that he has already convinced her to leave him. She hides her distress and takes her leave.
Portland Opera’s 1968
production of La Traviata. Germont returns to confront his son, but before he can speak to him, Violetta’s letter arrives. Alfredo reads it and realizes that she has left him. Germont pivots and instead tries to comfort Alfredo with memories of home. Alfredo refuses to accompany his father home and instead decides to follow Violetta and denounce her.
The party at Flora’s is in full swing when Alfredo arrives and begins gambling with Gaston. Violetta begs him to go but instead, Alfredo calls all the guests to witness him publicly humiliate Violetta by throwing his winnings at her feet. As he is doing so, Germont arrives and berates his son for his boorishness and cruelty.
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AC T III Months later, Violetta’s health has deteriorated precipitously. Her funds are running out. Knowing her time is growing short, Violetta sends her maid out to give half of what is left of her meager savings to the poor and pulls out a well-worn letter from Germont, describing a duel between Gaston and Alfredo, in which Gaston was wounded, but recovering. Germont has told his son about Violetta’s sacrifice on the family’s behalf and promised that he and Alfredo will return to beg her pardon. While she hopes for this, Violetta knows she is dying and laments the foolishness of her hope. Later, Alfredo arrives and begs her forgiveness and pledges his love. He promises they won’t be parted and they dream of their future together, but Violetta is overcome by her illness. Alfredo is distressed and surprised, and Violetta grieves that she must die so young and suffer such sorrow. Alfredo assures her that she will live. Germont arrives to offer comfort and beg her pardon. Violetta tries to revive, but it is too late, and she dies, speaking her lover’s name.
Portland Opera’s 1993 production of La Traviata.
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CAST & CREW BIOS DAMIEN GETER Pronouns: he/him Role: Conductor Portland Opera Debut: Alcindoro, La Bohème, 2017 Damien Geter is an acclaimed American composer whose work includes chamber, vocal, orchestral, and full operatic works. Praised by The New Yorker for writing “beautifully for voices and elegantly for orchestra,” his “emotionally driven” (Opera) compositions are widely hailed for their “skillful vocal writing” (Wall Street Journal). As a conductor, Geter lead Symphony New Hampshire, and Redlands Symphony. Geter has been recognized by the Library of Virginia with its honorary Patron of Letters degree, was honored at the 2025 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History awards presented by Dominion Energy and the Library of Virginia. He hosts the podcast ARTillery. HANNAH PENN Pronouns: she/her Role: Stage Director Portland Opera Debut: Mercédès, Carmen, 2007 Hannah Penn enjoys a diverse career as a director, educator, singer, and keyboardist. She has sung more than 40 operatic roles, and has recently been featured with the Oregon Symphony, the Portland Baroque Orchestra, Eugene Opera, Portland Opera, and the Leipzig Bach Festival. Penn is the voice area chair at Willamette University, where she stage directs WU’s operas and musicals. Her scholarly work focuses on the life and works of female creatives Barbara Strozzi and Tsianina Blackstone. Upcoming performance highlights include Verdi’s Requiem with the Vancouver Symphony, The Diary of Virginia Woolf with Chatterbox, and Irene in OrpheusPDX’s Bajazet.
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CARL FABER Pronouns: he/him Role: Lighting Designer Portland Opera Debut: Assistant Lighting Designer, La Bohème, 2017 Hair (Portland Center Stage), Portland Revels, How To Be A Visitor (American Dance Festival), Grease (Broadway Rose). Lighting Supervisor at Portland Opera since 2017. Touring Production for Bon Iver, The National, and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. Lead Associate Lighting Designer for Disney Cruise Lines. Member: United Scenic Artists Local USA 829. NICHOLAS FOX Pronouns: he/him Role: Assistant Conductor/Chorus Master Portland Opera Debut: Conductor, The Elixir of Love, 2015 Described by Oregon Arts Watch as “…a flipping genius,”conductor Nicholas Fox has served as Assistant Conductor, Chorus Master, and now Associate Music Director at Portland Opera since the fall of 2013. During his tenure at Portland Opera, he has conducted seven mainstage productions, numerous chamber opera performances, and countless concerts, in repertoire ranging from Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice to Philip Glass’ In The Penal Colony. In 2019, Fox stepped in at the last moment, without rehearsal, to lead a triumphant opening night performance of Portland Opera’s production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. In addition to his local engagements, Fox made his debut at New Orleans Opera in April 2025 conducting Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love.
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CLAIRE FORSTMAN Pronouns: she/her Role: Principal Accompanist/Chorus Rehearsal Pianist Portland Opera Debut: Chorus Rehearsal Pianist, The Marriage of Figaro, 2023 Praised for her “masterful” playing (Bend Bulletin), Claire Forstman is a music director, chorusmaster, pianist, and vocal coach currently based in Portland, Oregon. Her current season includes shows with Seattle Opera, Portland Opera, OrpheusPDX, Ping & Woof Opera, Renegade Opera, Vashon Opera, Resonance Ensemble, Willamette University’s Opera Department, Portland State University’s Opera Department, and OperaBend. A sought-after collaborator in the Pacific Northwest, she has also worked for the Oregon Bach Festival, Portland’s Opera on Tap, New Wave Opera, the Portland Symphonic Choir, Opera in the Park, Musica Mixta, the Sage Singers, the choir A Notion, A Scream, and Amadeus Chamber Orchestra. BEATRICE ANTONIE MARTINO Pronouns: they/them Role: Stage Manager Portland Opera Debut: Assistant Stage Manager, La Bohème, 2025 Beatrice Antonie Martino holds a B.A. in Dance and Psychology from UC Santa Barbara, and an M.A. in Grief Studies from NYU Gallatin School of Individualized Study (Artistic Thesis: What Remains - Ritual Spaces for the Contemporary Mourner). Bea has worked as a performer, designer, producer, choreographer, and stage manager in New York, California, and Oregon. They are the Assistant Stage Manager at Oregon Ballet Theatre, and this is their third production with Portland Opera. Other credits include Kate Digby Dance, Brave New World Repertory Theater NYC, and OrpheusPDX. Bea is a member of the American Guild of Musical Artists.
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CECILIA VIOLETTA LÓPEZ Pronouns: she/her Role: Violetta Valéry Portland Opera Debut Cecilia Violetta López serves as the General Director and CEO of Opera Las Vegas alongside a robust performance schedule. Her 2025-2026 season includes Nedda in Opera Las Vegas’ Pagliacci, Beatriz in Rappaccini’s Daughter with Opera Columbus, and Violetta in La Traviata with Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera. She has received numerous accolades for her signature role of Violetta in La Traviata, performed with North American companies including Houston Grand Opera, Opera Orlando, Pacific Symphony, Minnesota Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera Tampa, Opera Idaho, Ash Lawn Opera, The Northern Lights Music Festival, Madison Opera, Virginia Opera, Florida Grand Opera and Opera Las Vegas. Recent engagements include Carmen with Amarillo Opera and Opera Southwest (Micaela), Madama Butterfly with Opera Southwest (Cio-Cio-San), Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Las Vegas (Rosina), La Bohème with Opera Tampa (Mimi), Opera Orlando’s Frida, Roméo et Juliette with Opera Idaho (Juliette), a Spanish-language Messiah with Opera Southwest, and recitals with Opera Orlando (¡México Canta!) and Opera Southwest (Mariposa Que Vuela). ANNA JABLONSKI Pronouns: she/her Role: Flora Bervoix Portland Opera Debut: Enchanted Woods, 2024 American mezzo-soprano Anna Jablonski is known for her distinctive timbre, compelling stage presence, and interpretive depth. Her performances include San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program, Chautauqua Opera, Germany’s Internationale Bachakademie, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Tour, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the BBC Proms. As a soloist, she has appeared with Carnegie Hall’s Oratorio Society, St. Thomas Fifth Avenue, and Musica Sacra at Lincoln Center. With Minnesota Opera, her credits include The Handmaid’s Tale, La Traviata, Der Fliegende Holländer, Rigoletto, Die Zauberflöte, Carmen, and Nixon in China. She has also performed with Pittsburgh, Portland, and Los Angeles Opera and Opera in the Park. Outside music, she works as a school counselor and enjoys the outdoors in Portland, Oregon.
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BRIAN LANGFORD Pronouns: he/him Role: Marquis d’Obigny Portland Opera Debut: Ranger, The Shining, 2025 Brian has performed in multiple productions with the Portland Opera Chorus as a Tenor II or Bass I. Beginning with the ‘01/’02 season, he has served in the chorus contiguously making this season his 25th! His first solo role was as the Ranger Andrew Johns in The Shining, (a non-singing role). Brian attended Brigham Young U. where he studied Piano, Organ, and Voice, obtaining a BS in Japanese Literature. Currently, Brian works full-time at OHSU in the Supply Chain & Logistics Division where he trains internal staff on Oracle Software Applications in Purchasing – also celebrating 25 years there! TIMOTHY LAFOLETTE Pronouns: he/him Role: Baron Douphol Portland Opera Debut: Juan, Man of La Mancha, 2017 Timothy Lafolette has been performing in the Portland area for the past 20 years. He has been in productions and concerts with the Portland Opera, OrpheusPDX, Opera in the Park Portland, New Wave Opera, Lark Opera, Renegade Opera, Portland Center Stage, The Ne Plus Ultra Jazz Orchestra, Lakewood Theater, Northwest Children’s Theater, Metropolitan Community Theatre, and The Magenta Theater. He also did a TEDx talk in 2022, and recorded an album of his cabaret “Live Your Life” released in 2024. Outside of singing, he is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner at Tenacious Resilience Mental Wellness.
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GREGORY BRUMFIELD Pronouns: he/him Role: Doctor Grenvil Portland Opera Debut: Custom House Officer, La Bohème, 2017 Gregory hails from Gary, Indiana (his home sweet home), a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he earned a degree in Dramatic Arts. Gregory has performed with the Madison Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, and the Wichita Opera. As a vested chorister with the Portland Opera he has also performed the roles of the Custom House Officer in La Bohème, Senator in The Shining, and Lillas Pastia in Carmen. Gregory has performed with Portland Center Stage in their productions of The Color Purple and Sweeney Todd. In summers, catch him performing with Portland Opera’s Opera a la Cart. BRANDON MICHAEL Pronouns: he/him Role: Gastone Portland Opera Debut: Crooner, The Shining, 2025 Brandon has been a regular chorus member with Portland Opera since 2022 and sang his debut with the company in the role of the Crooner in The Shining. Brandon recently had his role debut as Rodolfo in La Bohème with Cascadia Chamber Opera and has sung with OrpheusPDX and New Wave Opera where he directed the West Coast premiere of Melissa Dunphy’s opera, Alice Tierney. Brandon performs regularly with local groups like Resonance Ensemble, Ping and Woof Opera, Renegade Opera, Portland Symphonic Choir, Bach Cantata and has sung with Inland Northwest Opera, Opera Fairbanks and the Spokane Symphony.
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JOHN PICKLE Pronouns: he/him Role: Alfredo Germont Portland Opera Debut John Pickle, tenor, enjoys an active career on both the opera and concert stage. He has appeared with Los Angeles Opera, Lyric Opera Chicago, Opera Colorado, Michigan Opera Theater, Florida Grand Opera, Opera Tampa, Nashville Opera, Memphis Opera, Lyric Opera Kansas City, Florentine Opera, Dayton Opera, Opera Delaware, Opera Baltimore, Toledo Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, Hawai’i Opera Theatre, Opéra Louisiane, Opera Southwest, Mobile Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, and Salt Marsh Opera in roles spanning the lyric spinto repertoire of Puccini, Verdi, Bizet, Leoncavallo, Mascagni, and Wagner. Concert work has included Mahler’s monumental Symphony No. 8 and Das Lied von der Erde, Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem in D minor, and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with companies including Houston Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Colorado Symphony, Dayton Philharmonic, Santa Barbara Symphony, Mississippi Symphony, Akron Symphony, Canton Symphony, The National Chorale, St Barth’s Music Festival, and The Orchestra Now at Bard College. For more information please visit www.johnpickle.com. MADELINE ROSS Pronouns: she/her Role: Annina Portland Opera Debut: First Woodsprite, Rusalka, 2023 “Tiny powerful soprano,” Madeline Ross is an awardwinning and sought-after soloist, praised for her “brilliant coloratura voice,” “world class” stage presence, and ability to “elicit beautiful passages with ease.” Ms. Ross debuted at Carnegie Hall in 2019, “scatting to beat the band” (NY Concert Review). She gave “a supreme performance” of Ligeti’s Mysteries of the Macabre and was hailed for “effortlessly nailing” her performance as Queen of the Night in Mozart’s The Magic Flute. Recently: Lucinda, Dark Sisters (Muhly) Eugene Opera, First Woodsprite, Rusalka (Dvořák) Portland Opera, and The Raven, The Raven (Preis) Renegade Opera. www.madelinelross.com | www.renegadeopera.org
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AARON DOUGLAS LANGE Pronouns: he/him Role: Giuseppe Portland Opera Debut: Mafia Guy #1, The Shining, 2025 With a voice described by Oregon ArtsWatch as “strong and resonant”, that “masters the entire range”, tenor Aaron Douglas Lange obtains the ability to bring both dramatic depth and powerful vocals to the stage. Recent performance credits include King Kaspar in Amahl and the Night Visitors with Cascadia Chamber Opera, Toby in The Medium with Opera Bend, Mafia Guy in Paul Moravec’s The Shining with Portland Opera, Frederic in The Pirates of Penzance with Light Opera of Portland, and Tenor soloist in Handel’s, Messiah with Bravo! Concerts Northwest. CELINE CLARK Pronouns: she/her Role: A Messenger Portland Opera Debut Celine Clark is a Portland-local mezzo-soprano. She is a resident chorister with Portland Opera and a graduate of Portland State University (2019). There, she developed her love of opera by participating in productions of Suor Angelica (Puccini), Cendrillon (Viardot), and Albert Herring (Britten), and relished singing with the international award-winning PSU Chamber Choir. She has performed with numerous professional vocal ensembles, and thanks to numerous choir tours, Celine has performed in Argentina, Chile, Sweden, Ireland, Canada, Latvia, and across the U.S. Past and present, she seeks out music from diverse genres, expanding her appreciation for the connection music brings.
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RICHARD ZELLER Pronouns: he/him Role: Giorgio Germont Portland Opera Debut: Masetto, Don Giovanni, 1989 Grammy nominated Bass-Baritone Richard Zeller is internationally acclaimed for his dramatic voice and is celebrated for his concert and opera roles. Zeller performed for 11 seasons at the Metropolitan Opera in 25 different operas. He worked with Chicago Lyric Opera, New York City Opera, Staatsoper Berlin, Hamburgische Staatsoper, Deutsche Opera am Rhein, the Edinburgh Festival and Vienna Festival and many others. He has appeared in the U.S. with companies that include Chicago Lyric, New York City Opera, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Cincinnati, San Diego, Portland, and Spoleto. In concert, he has appeared with over 100 orchestras worldwide: they include Chicago Symphony, The Cleveland Orchestra, Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and others. As a voice teacher Zeller maintains a robust teaching studio online and in his home city of Portland, Oregon. Contact: richardzeller.com. GINA ADORNO Pronouns: she/her Role: Flora’s Servant Portland Opera Debut Lyric soprano Gina Adorno is a versatile artist whose work explores the intersection of music and psychology. She trained as a violinist before turning to opera and holds an MM in Opera Performance from Peabody Conservatory. She has appeared locally with Portland Opera, New Wave Opera, Opera in the Park Portland, and Opera on Tap. A licensed mental health therapist as well as a singer, she brings her clinical perspective to lectures and interdisciplinary projects. She will be featured in an upcoming episode of Portland Opera’s Opera Talk podcast and will sing Violetta in preview performances of La Traviata.
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INTRODUCING
We are fast approaching the halfway point of our KEEP PORTLAND OPERATIC campaign, but that won’t be the end of the effort. Will you become a Friend of Portland Opera, and share your energy and enthusiasm with us, as we strengthen our commitment to the community and grow into the future? Visit our website to learn how.
STRAYING TOWARD VIRTUE by Portland Journalist Marty Hughley
She must have really been something. Contemporary accounts speak of “her marvelously beautiful face, her matchless figure,” her “natural elegance and distinction,” “an instinctive refinement which no education could have enhanced,” and “the grace which she radiated like an indescribable fragrance.” Franz Liszt, one of her many lovers, called her “the most absolute incarnation of Woman who has ever existed.” She flashed across the Parisian social scene, arriving at 15 as an illiterate country girl, the daughter of a peddler, and quickly became one of the most desired and celebrated courtesans of her time – hosting salons, playing the piano, attending the theater, and cheerfully, fashionably draining the coffers of a succession of wealthy and often aristocratic suitors. Imagine, in modern terms, something like an apotheosis of sex symbol, social influencer, trophy wife and artist’s muse all in one. By age 23 she died of tuberculosis and – however exceptional – might have been forgotten, both by her glittering demimonde and the pages of history. Instead, she became an archetype. Alphonsine Plessis from the countryside became Marie Duplessis in the big city, then became Marguerite Gautier in the 1848 novel La Dame aux camélias, by Alexandre Dumas fils, then became – most memorably of all – Violetta Valéry in Giuseppe Verdi’s operatic masterpiece La Traviata. Put most crudely, that archetype is the “whore with a heart of gold.” However sympathetic and even elevated the depictions of Marie/ Marguerite/Violetta, her libertine life (“I put my faith in pleasure as a cure for all my ills,” she sings) and compromised station – socially if not necessarily morally – are integral to her story. Verdi’s choice of title, after all, translates to “the woman who strayed” or “the fallen woman” – a more pointed reference than Dumas’ quiet nod to the alternating camelias she wore (red when she was menstruating, otherwise white) to signal her sexual availability to suitors. Yet such is her luster and refinement – and, crucially, her sense of ethics – that very little of such opprobrium sticks. So golden is her heart that she appears not the wrongdoer but the wronged, victim of social 24
hypocrisy, financial inequality, male egotism and petulance, and plain cruel fate. Even if we were here to judge, she acquits herself beautifully, turning the mirror on judgment itself. The character and the story have gone under various names, both often under the simpler name “Camille,” in numerous adaptations across stage, film, television, ballet, and have attracted some of the most illustrious performers of the past century or so: Sarah Bernhardt, Eleonora Duse, Greta Garbo, Margot Fonteyn, Maria Callas, Joan Sutherland, Kiri Te Kanawa, Isabelle Huppert… La Traviata, according to statistics compiled by Operabase.com, has been the second-most frequently produced opera worldwide since 2000 (trailing only Carmen, barely). What explains such protean durability? For starters, the story pairs its paragon of pulchritude with her most ardent suitor, pitching them into a romance as passionate as it is tragic. It draws energy from the tensions between social strictures and the demands of the heart, but also those between hedonism and higher ideals. Most potently of all, it posits love and sacrifice as cure for both moral failings and emotional wounds. It reassures us that beauty need not be skin deep. “By any standards, it is not a particularly good book,” David Coward declares in his introduction to the Oxford World Classics edition. “Yet the judgement of history is clear...It hardly matters if La Dame aux camélias…is no masterpiece, for it is that far rarer thing: a popular myth. Dumas, far from ‘poeticizing’ Marie, counters our cynicism with
Left: Greta Garbo as Camille, MetroGoldwyn-Mayer, 1936 Right: Alicia Markova as Camille, photographed by Cecil Beaton, 1950 25
his sympathetic and moving portrait of Marguerite, young, hopeful and doomed, who demonstrates that even the souls of outcasts may be redeemed by love. Marguerite Gautier does not properly belong with Emma Bovary or Anna Karenina on the high slopes of literature, but with Juliet, Frankenstein’s monster, Madame Butterfly, Tarzan and James Bond at the center of the collective unconscious.” But even though Dumas’ book and stage play, closely patterned on his own 11-month affair with Marie, were instant hits, it arguably was Verdi whose elevating genius fixed the story in the world’s cultural firmament. La Traviata (along with its immediate predecessors Rigoletto and Il Trovatore) marks the height of what Verdi biographer Julian Budden calls the composer’s “high noon.” Credited with bolder choices of dramatic material for opera, innovation in the use of purely musical techniques to both develop character and advance dramatic action, and a rejection of stifling formal conventions, these are the works that cemented his place in the first rank of opera composers. Verdi may have seen Dumas’ stage version of the story, for he happened to be in Paris at the time, in 1852, when La Dame aux camélias premiered. He also had been in Paris earlier, during the time of the notoriety of Marie Duplessis. Verdi himself was no stranger to romantic controversy, having scandalized his hometown of Busseto when, after Left to right: Covers of Portland Opera’s La Traviata programs 1968, 1982, 2001, 2008
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returning from a stint in Paris, he lived – unmarried! – with the singer Giuseppina Strepponi, who had been instrumental several years earlier in the breakthrough success of his opera Nabucco. In any case, Verdi connected deeply with the emotional currents of the tale. Working with a libretto by Francesco Maria Piave – a more malleable writer than the composer’s previous collaborators – turns Dumas’ account (overly sentimental and narratively flat) into something dramatically concise, emotionally direct, musically expressive yet intimate. His atmospheric scoring and now-waltzing now-weeping melodies carry an innate grace to not just match but exemplify that of his heroine, Violetta, and her real-life model, Marie. “The greatest moments of La Traviata,” writes Budden, “have the simplicity that is an attribute not of naiveté but of extreme refinement, the exclusion of everything superfluous…the Italian lyric tradition of the time is pared down to its finest.” As an expression of exquisite beauty and ill-fated yet invaluable love, it remains an exemplar, a work that speaks to the heart in every age. Perhaps no more succinct description of its character can be found than in the report that Verdi is said to have, for a time at least, after moving to his estate at the Northern Italian town of Sant’Agata, planted a particular tree for each of his operas. For La Traviata, and his “dear, sublime victim of a desperate love,” he planted a weeping willow.
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STAFF INTERIM GENERAL DIRECTOR
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1975 production poster
PORTLAND OPERA BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS
Kregg Arntson, PRESIDENT; Retired Director, Community Impact | Executive Director, PGE Foundation Christine Lewis, VICE PRESIDENT; Metro Councilor, District 2 Carol Turner, VICE PRESIDENT; Civic Volunteer Ryan Matthew Porter, TREASURER; Director of Trade Development, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits Larry D. Roper, SECRETARY; Retired Emeritus Professor of Language, Culture and Society, Oregon State University MEMBERS
Mayra Arreola, Deputy Director, Literary Arts Deborah Brown, Owner, Legato Content Solutions Jess Daly, Vice President Relationship Banking Officer, Heritage Bank Laura Howe, Accounting Manager, OnPoint Community Credit Union Ayaka Jones, Senior Account Executive, Hoffman Agency Suhail Kahn, Senior Vice President, Pac North | Commercial P&C Insurance, Marsh Alison Rosenblum, Sr Manager, Channel Development, Tillamook Vanessa Valencia, VP of Financial Planning, OnPoint Community Credit Union 29
PORTLAND’5 CENTERS FOR THE ARTS Portland’5 Centers for the Arts includes Keller Auditorium, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and Antoinette Hatfield Hall, comprising the Newmark Theatre, Dolores Winningstad Theatre, and Brunish Theatre. All are public facilities owned by the City of Portland and managed by Metro through the Metropolitan Exposition-Recreation Commission. Each year approximately 800,000 people attend more than 800 performances in these facilities. METRO
Duncan Hwang, Presiding Officer of the Metro Council CITY OF PORTLAND
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Jeff Weinkauf, Director of Operations Ruby Joy White, Director of Culture and Community Heather Wilton, Director of Programming and Client Services
PORTLAND’5 CENTERS FOR THE ARTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
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THANK YOU DONORS Portland Opera would like to recognize the following donors of $100 or more for their generous contributions and support. To learn more about giving to Portland Opera or for any corrections to your listing, please contact Giving@PortlandOpera.org. Contributions received between 10/1/2025 and 10/13/2026. Kay and Roy Abramowitz Andrew Ackman* Jack Wussow and Kyle Adams* Anonymous Joseph Alexander and Janine Clayton Farouk Al-Hadi Robert Amundson and Sully Taylor Donald Andersen Daniel Anderson and Joy Strand Nichole Anglin Anonymous Elizabeth and Stephen Arch Margaret and Scott Arighi Sue Armitage Carolyn Arntson Kregg Arntson and Ted Fettig Mayra Arreola Ron Attrell and Michael Oard Matthew R. Baines John H. Baker in Memory of Jana R. Bauman Jaime Barnard Jurgen Sumann Brent Barton James Bash and Susan Swendsen Anonymous Howard Beckerman Phyllis L. Beemsterboer Kate Beland Richard and Myra Bennett Sharlen Bennett Eric Berg and Tara Sims Aase Maja Besson* Maryka Biaggio and Deborah Zita Alene and Bruce Bikle
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Patrick G. Hager and Alessandra Capperdoni Lois Haley Kirk Hall In Memory of Karyn Halloran - Tim Halloran Alexis Hamilton* Christina Harp Katharine Hart Laura Hassell Fred and Harriet Hegge Andrea and Ted Heid* Kay Sweeney Eveleen Henry Jean Herrera James S. Heuer Marsh Hieronimus Glenda Hill Tom and Jane Hogan Roderick Holden Kenneth L. Holford Maryanne and David Holman Anita Holser Beth Hutchins and Pete Skegs Romeo Ilie-Nicolof In Memory of Marie Colasurdo Robina Ingram-Rich and Tim Rich Doug Jenkins and Mike Boyles Nancy Jerrick Cheryl Johnson Danielle Johnson Annette Jolin and Richard U’Ren Ayaka Jones Carina Juarez Estrada Joel and Pat Kaplan Carole S. Keefer Renus Kelfkens In Honor of Karen Vernier - Alberto Kelso Jordan Kenny Douglas and Dena Keszler Bradley Alan Knotts Anonymous Paul Koop Norman P. Krasne James Laden and Representative Robert Nosse 32
Dennis Langston Grethe Larson and James Mullins Drs. Fred and Catherine Lauritsen Katherine Lefever Dolores Leon, M.D. Joan Levers and David Manhart* Stuart Levy Beth & Evan Lewis Christine E. Lewis and Michael Selvaggio Eleanor Lieber Auditions Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Amy Light S. Anne Lince Steven Lind Sara Lindgren Craig and Anne Lindsay Jeffrey W. Littman Henry Louderbough Rob and Theresa Lusardi Hung Luu Anonymous Noriko Maeda Bill and Mary Mainwaring Paul Mallon Teri Mariani The M. and L. Marks Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Christina Marraccini Joe A. Marrone Katherine Martin Randi Martin Katsiaryna Masalava Julie Mathews William Mayclin & Murray Dunlap Oscar and Mary Mayer In Memory of Martha McCourt Cleo A. McLeod* Karen McNamee Andrew and Heather McStay Donna Meinhard* Charles Meshul and Maureen Ober Louis Miles Sandra and Gary Miller Joseph Mitacek
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Thank you to our wine sponsors for La Traviata
*Denotes a Monthly Gift to Portland Opera 33
COMMUNITY SUPPORT We gratefully acknowledge our generous donors and funders whose philanthropic support helps KEEP PORTLAND OPERATIC.
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ABOUT THE ARTIST
Photo by Ryan Warner
Jeremy Okai Davis (b. Charlotte, NC) received a BFA in painting from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He relocated to Portland, OR in 2007, where he continues his studio practice alongside work as a graphic designer and illustrator. His work has been shown nationally at the Studio Museum of Harlem (New York, NY), the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (Portland, OR), Wa Na Wari (Seattle, WA), and the Rotating Art Program at Portland International Airport (Portland, OR). Davis’s work resides in the permanent collections of the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center at Oregon State University and the Portland Art Museum. Jeremy Okai Davis is represented by Elizabeth Leach Gallery.
Enquiries regarding paintings may be made directly through the artist’s Instagram account: jeremyokaiart ABOUT THE PROJECT
Building upon the success of our 60th anniversary collaboration with illustrator Lisa Congdon, Portland Opera is excited to continue forming annual partnerships with Portland-based fine artists. These wonderful reciprocal relationships enhance both the artist’s and the opera’s oeuvres, but most importantly contribute to the support and revitalization of our city’s fine and performing arts landscape. Learn more at portlandopera.org. 35
TRINITY IRISH DANCE COMPANY
“Emotionally fierce,… brilliantly danced and stunningly designed.” —Chicago Sun-Times
NOVEMBER 19-21, 2026 NEWMARK THEATRE
2026-2027 A season about carrying forward what has been built, while continuing to evolve.
N O W THRU NO V 8! An Original Ensemble-Devised Piece Directed by Juliana Morales Carreño JAN 27 - FEB 14
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Directed by Marilet Martinez
Directed by Yosmel López
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Directed by Lawrence Siulagi
DEC 2 - DEC 20
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BOOK AND LYRICS BY HOWARD ASHMAN MUSIC BY ALAN MENKEN BASED ON THE FILM BY ROGER CORMAN SCREENPLAY BY CHARLES GRIFFITH DIRECTED BY CHIP MILLER CHOREOGRAPHED BY ADAM FLEMING MUSIC DIRECTED BY DEREAU K. FARRAR
DRIVEN BY VISION 26/27 SEASON
artwork by Jeremy Okai Davis
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