Opera Colorado -- La Bohème, February 22-March 2, 2025

Page 1


PUCCINI’S

FEBRUARY 22, 25, 27, 28 | MARCH 2 | 2025

ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE

A NOTE FROM OUR TEAM

Dear Friends,

Welcome to La bohème! It is a joy to bring Puccini’s timeless masterpiece back to the Ellie Caulkins Opera House stage. Few operas capture the human condition as poignantly as La bohème, with its stunning music and its deeply moving exploration of love, loss, and resilience. Tonight’s performance is a testament to the enduring power of opera to move us, inspire us, and bring us together.

This production is also a momentous occasion as it marks Greg Carpenter’s final full mainstage production as Opera Colorado’s Ellie Caulkins General & Artistic Director. Over the past two decades, Greg’s dedication, vision, and leadership have shaped Opera Colorado into the organization it is today. Please join us in celebrating his legacy.

As we reflect on Greg’s incredible contributions, we are also looking ahead with great excitement. We are proud to announce the launch of the Chairman’s Campaign, a fundraising initiative that will honor Greg’s legacy, provide a solid foundation for Opera Colorado’s future, and ensure the continuation of world-class opera in Denver. Your support, at any level, is invaluable in achieving these goals. Find more information on the insert in your program.

There is still so much to look forward to this spring. From semi-staged performances of Il trovatore to our glittering gala and concert and the final Artist in Residence program, Departure, the 2024-25 Season will end on a high note.

Thank you for being part of Opera Colorado’s journey. We hope tonight’s performance will inspire you to join us in celebrating opera and supporting its future.

Adrift A Dream Photography for the Santa Fe Opera

NOV 1, 4, 7, 9 I 2025

UPCOMING EVENTS

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12 | 6:00 P.M.

Sip & Sing

Nocturne Jazz & Supper Club

Our patron-favorite event is back for another season. Join Opera Colorado as we take over Nocturne Jazz & Supper Club, the beloved Denver hotspot, for an evening featuring an exquisite multi-course dinner with wine pairings and a lively performance of cabaret and more by the Opera Colorado Artists in Residence.

SATURDAY, APRIL 26 | 7:30 P.M. & SUNDAY, MAY 4 | 2:00 P.M. Il trovatore in Concert

Join us for two semi-staged performances of Verdi’s revenge thriller Il trovatore. When a woman is wrongfully executed, her daughter Azucena swears vengeance, ultimately igniting a deadly rivalry between two unknowing brothers. Feel the heat from the incendiary drama and masterful score, featuring the famous “Anvil Chorus.” Maestro Ari Pelto will lead a cast of extraordinary singers alongside the Opera Colorado Orchestra and Chorus onstage in this twisted tale of mistaken identity.

FRIDAY, MAY 2

Encore: Celebrating a Brilliant Legacy and a Bright Future Opera Colorado Gala & Concert

Spend the evening with us at this glittering black-tie event. With the purchase of a gala ticket, you will receive a premium seat at the concert portion and the entire evening experience, which also includes a cocktail reception, live auction, multi-course dinner with wine pairings, and a vibrant afterparty. In addition, enjoy a special tribute to the twentyyear legacy of the Ellie Caulkins General & Artistic Director, Greg Carpenter.

Proceeds from the night support Opera Colorado’s extensive Education & Community Engagement programs. Individual tickets start at $400 and tables and sponsorship packages are also available.

For gala tickets, contact Sara Buhr at sbuhr@operacolorado.org or 303.468.2027.

Concert-only tickets are available for opera fans who wish to enjoy the evening’s performance. The program will include vocal and orchestral showstoppers from Carmen, Eugene Onegin, La traviata, and more.

THURSDAY, MAY 29 AND FRI. MAY 30 | 7:00 P.M. Departure

Studio Loft at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House

Departure is a musical journey that offers a departure from the classic repertoire on stage at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House and a departure for our 2024-25 Artists in Residence. Delight in this expertly crafted program featuring pieces you know, and others you’ll discover in this exploration of opera, art song, and musical theatre.

SAVE THE DATE

On Sale March 3

SATURDAY, MARCH 22 | 10:00 A.M. & 1:30 P.M. Family Day

Ellie Caulkins Opera House

We welcome our community to the opera house for a day of family-friendly events, including performances of the touring production of Hansel and Gretel by our Artists in Residence.

This event is free to attend with reservations.

OPERACOLORADO.ORG 303.468.2030

SHARE OPERA WITH YOUR STUDENTS THIS SEASON

2025 TOURING PRODUCTIONS

Touring productions are the perfect introduction to opera for your students. These abridged, hour-long operas are sung in English. Students and community groups experience a fully-staged production with costumes, props, and sets, all followed by a Q&A with the Artists in Residence.

Touring Productions are generously sponsored by Genesee Mountain Foundation.

OUR IMPACT

THROUGH MAY 2025

The Barber of Seville Barber by day, matchmaker by night, Figaro puts his charm to work as he helps Count Almaviva woo the beautiful Rosina. Filled with some of opera’s most famous tunes, this is a comedy not to miss!

THROUGH MAY 2025

Hansel and Gretel

Stranded in the Magic Forest, things look “Grimm” indeed for Hansel and Gretel. They encounter everything from a magical Sandman to a witch with a sweet tooth who really likes kids—well-done, that is!

Opera Colorado’s education programs provide communities throughout the state with access to the arts, bringing the magic of opera to schools and communities across Colorado.

Our education programs serve thousands of students and lifelong learners. The 2023-24 Season included over 30 opera education performances and workshops for mountain and plains communities, libraries, senior groups, and schools serving children and adults with disabilities.

“The performers are a delight to work with, you make it easy to host a performance, you provide good materials ahead of time, the cost is affordable, and it is a great introduction to the opera!”

–Teacher feedback after their students saw a touring production in the 2023-24 Season

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Learn more about Opera Colorado’s work in arts education at operacolorado.org/education.

OUR PROFESSIONALLY JURIED COMPETITION FOR COLORADO SINGERS HAS AWARDED YOUNG COLORADO OPERA SINGERS OVER $1 MILLION IN PRIZE MONEY SINCE 1984

LEARN MORE BY VISITING US ONLINE: www.denverlyricoperaguild.org

DENVER LYRIC OPERA GUILD

Colorado's oldest volunteer organization supporting university opera programs and opera companies.

Membership includes Opera Luncheons Educational Programs

Membership dues and donations are tax deductible

Collegiate Grants

We invite you to join us! Giving Voice to Opera

Colorado State University Metropolitan State University

University of Colorado at Boulder University of Denver University of Northern Colorado

Young Artists Program Grants

Central City Opera Opera Colorado Opera Fort Collins

Opera Theatre of the Rockies

Q&A WITH RAQUEL GONZÁLEZ

For this production of La bohème, we’re thrilled to welcome our Mimì, Raquel González, for her Opera Colorado debut. Raquel has been hailed as a “true artist” by Opera News and she is a winner of the prestigious Sphinx Organization’s Medal of Excellence Award. Keep reading below to learn all about Raquel, including how she got started in opera, what she loves about her character in La bohème, and more.

How did you first find your way into the world of opera?

I ventured into classical music first by playing flute, starting around the fifth grade. I studied flute seriously all throughout high school and was very passionate about it. I joined choir in junior high because all my friends were doing it and started studying voice a couple years later. At that point, I had never yet seen an opera or even a live musical! I was painfully shy, and I quickly discovered that singing was a much-needed outlet. I started watching and listening to opera recordings, first those given to me by my first voice teacher and eventually those I pillaged from the public library’s opera section. The demanding vocalism is what first lured me in, and what keeps me coming back is balancing the technical demands of singing with the emotional core of the characters.

You are no stranger to the role of Mimì in La bohème. What is it about this iconic character that keeps you coming back?

Puccini clearly wrote his love of Mimì into the role. She is such a generously, beautifully written character (both musically and dramatically) and is truly the heart of La bohème. While she undergoes a heartbreaking journey through the opera, she remains a bright light to the end. That is the perpetual challenge and the crux of performing Mimì—retaining hope and joy in spite of what the music and the drama happening around me compel me to feel. Every production of La bohème is different, as so much of what makes the show is the specific dynamic between the ensemble of characters. Developing this dynamic is fun every single time, and I always look forward to it!

Q&A WITH RAQUEL GONZÁLEZ

What is your favorite part of the rehearsal process?

The best part about opera is the people that make it happen. It is an absolute privilege to get to know a new group of people every few weeks and to create a completely unique show from the ground up. Additionally, every first sitzprobe (orchestra rehearsal) is magical! There truly is no feeling that compares to singing Puccini’s incredible lines over a full orchestra. It’s a full-body rush that never gets old!

You’re a pretty big dog lover (specifically dachshunds). What do you love about dogs? And can we please see a picture of your new puppy?

My puppy Ori is the light of my life! I spent my entire childhood with a dog at home and have been wanting a pup of my own for as long as I can remember. My parents’ longhaired dachshund, Fred, is the reason I fell in love with dachshunds, and have known for years that my own family wouldn’t be complete without one. Nothing is purer or more joyful than a dog, and having Ori in my life provides happiness and perspective that sometimes lack in a career that demands so much and keeps us away from our homes and families for so long.

Congrats on your Opera Colorado debut! What are you looking forward to doing in Denver on your days off?

Truthfully, most of my downtime while I’m working is spent resting and recuperating, but I love exploring a new city by taking long walks on my free days (which I’m looking forward to doing with Ori now!). I also love finding good food in whatever city I’m working, so I’m always open to good restaurant recommendations!

Janiczek Wealth Management, recognized as a top-ranked financial advisor in the Denver area, has merged with Cerity Partners, a fullspectrum independent financial services and wealth management firm with over $100 billion in assets under management and a national footprint. Together, our merged firm offers an even more comprehensive solution for high-net-worth investors in the Rocky Mountain region.

We’d be honored to serve as your trusted investment and wealth management advisor. Connect with our Denver Belleview Station team.

Simply call, email us, or visit our website www.ceritypartners.com/janiczek to begin the conversation.

Cathy Wegner

cwegner@ceritypartners.com

FEBRUARY 22, 25, 27, 28, MARCH 2 I 2025

ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE

AN OPERA IN FOUR ACTS BY GIACOMO PUCCINI

There will be a five-minute pause between acts one and two, a twenty-five minute intermission between acts two and three, and a twenty-minute intermission between acts three and four.

CAST IN ORDER OF VOCAL APPEARANCE

Marcello Timothy Mix

Rodolfo Zach Borichevsky*

Colline Matthew Burns*

Schaunard Alex Granito^

Benoit Oliver Poveda Zavala*^

Mimì Raquel González*

Pr une Seller Danny McDonnall*

Parpignol Joshua Zabatta

Musetta Kathryn Lewek*

Alcindoro James Eder^

Customs House O fficer Mason O’Brien

Sergeant Shane Delavan*

Conductor George Manahan*

Chorus Master Sahar Nouri

Stage Director Kristine McIntyre*

Répétiteur Nathan Salazar

Set Designer Steven C. Kemp

Costume Designer Susan Allred

Lig hting Designer Connie Yun*

Wig & Make-Up Designer Ronell Oliveri

Colorado Children’s Chorale

Opera Colorado Chorus

Opera Colorado Orchestra

*Opera Colorado debut ^2024-25 Artist in Residence

Sets designed by Steven C. Kemp. Provided by the New Orleans Opera Association.

Costumes designed for Utah Symphony | Utah Opera by Susan Allred.

Opera United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 of the IATSE is the union representing Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Sound, and Projection designers in Live Performance

CHARACTERS

Mimì (soprano): a seamstress who is in love with Rodolfo.

Musetta (soprano): a singer who is in love with Marcello.

Rodolfo (tenor): a poet who is in love with Mimì.

Marcello (baritone): a painter who is in love with Musetta.

Colline (bass): a philosopher.

Schaunard (bass): a musician.

ACT ONE

Paris in the 1930s.

It’s Christmas Eve, and Marcello and Rodolfo are trying to work in their freezing-cold loft. Out of desperation, they decide to burn one of Rodolfo’s manuscripts to keep warm. Colline and Schaunard join their roommates. Schaunard brings food and wine, supplied by his latest job, but the group decides to save it for the days ahead and instead go to the Latin Quarter for Christmas dinner. They are interrupted when Benoit, their landlord, comes to collect the rent. The group is quick to come up with a scheme as they get Benoit drunk, persuade him to tell of his marital infidelity, and throw him out with mock indignation. The group leaves, except for Rodolfo, who plans to finish his work and join them later. Another knock at the door reveals Mimì, their neighbor, asking Rodolfo to relight her candle. Clearly ill, Mimì faints as she enters the room. Rodolfo helps her up and relights her candle. Their hands touch and they are instantly infatuated with each other. The pair leaves to join the rest of the group at the café.

ACT TWO

The group arrives at the café and orders dinner. As they eat, Marcello’s former sweetheart, Musetta, enters on the arm of a wealthy admirer, Alcindoro. Bored of her suitor and still in love with Marcello, Musetta vies for her ex’s attention, eventually reuniting with Marcello. The group escapes through the crowd, leaving Alcindoro to pay their bill.

ACT THREE

A couple of months later, Mimì seeks out Marcello for some advice. She is worried about Rodolfo’s incessant jealousy and wonders if they should part ways. As Marcello comforts Mimì, Rodolfo appears and Mimì hides to listen to their conversation. Rodolfo tells Marcello of his plan to leave Mimì because of her flirtations with other people. Pressed for the truth, Rodolfo reveals he feels guilty that their living conditions are making Mimì’s illness worse. Mimì is overcome with emotion, and her weeping and coughing reveal her hiding place. The couple decides to wait until springtime to separate, when the world feels less lonely. Meanwhile, Marcello and Musetta have a fierce argument and split up.

ACT FOUR

Spring has come and Rodolfo and Mimì have separated. Rodolfo, Marcello, Colline, and Schaunard are together in the loft, trying to forget about Mimì and Musetta. Suddenly, Musetta appears and tells the group that Mimì is outside but is too weak to come upstairs. Rodolfo runs to her aid, and Musetta tells the rest of the men that Mimì requested to be taken to Rodolfo to die. They all make Mimì comfortable and everyone except Rodolfo leaves to sell their belongings for medicine. Now alone, Rodolfo and Mimì reminisce about their relationship, but Mimì is overcome with violent coughing. The others return and Mimì drifts off to sleep. Moments later, they realize Mimì is dead, and Rodolfo weeps by her side.

Verismo: the idea that operas should tell believable tales. No more Germanic gods or Italian aristocrats. Verismo characters and their experiences should feel familiar. One might not have faced those challenges personally, but one can identify with them. One might know people who have been in a situation like that or perhaps spotted such a person “across a crowded room,” as Rodgers and Hammerstein would have it. Such actions and events resonate deeply with an audience, especially when given inspired music by a master composer. La bohème is exactly one such work. Its composer, Giacomo Puccini (1857–1924), didn’t invent the idea of verismo, but he certainly proved that it could triumph. Specific inspiration for La bohème came from the novella Scènes de la vie de bohème (Scenes of Bohemian Life) (1849) by French writer Henri Murger. In this case, “Bohemian Life” does not refer to Dvořák’s homeland. Rather, “bohemian” also describes a lifestyle of artistic or intellectual interests with priorities different from those of mainstream society. Elsewhere in this program, Kristine McIntyre, director of Opera Colorado’s 2025 production, offers her own perspectives on the bright and dark sides of that life and what they might say about seizing the moment. Let us here consider how the ever-adored La bohème came to the operatic stage.

One cannot simply take a novella and sing every word of it. What works on the page may not work on the stage, let alone serve the voice. Librettists Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa set about converting Murger’s tale into a singable, stageable story but soon found the composer to be a demanding and detail-oriented collaborator. Some lines Puccini rejected as “superfluous chattering.” At other times, he insisted on having a few more phrases—even just a few more syllables—inserted into the text for the purposes of transition, especially so that an important word—such as speranza (“hope”) in Rodolfo’s first aria—would fall where he wanted the climax of the melody. The composer’s continuing demands for revisions infuriated his librettists, who wrote to Puccini’s publisher, Giulio Ricordi, about the issue. Diplomacy preserved the partnership, in part because Ricordi refused to let Giacosa resign.

PROGRAM NOTES

La bohème first reached the public at Turin’s Teatro Regio on February 1, 1896. Critics responded skeptically to the work. Perhaps they were expecting a dark tragedy, which La bohème is not. Admittedly, it has a tearful conclusion, but there is plenty of sweetness along the way, which seems to have annoyed some critics at the premiere. However, audiences had a different opinion, applauding and cheering enthusiastically. Puccini described the public reaction at Turin as “a splendid reception.” History has proven that audiences were correct about La bohème’s user-friendly excellence.

Although the music of La bohème is undeniably beautiful, the characters also help it to fly. Here is a world inhabited not by clichés but by believable human beings—utterly verismo! Which of us cannot believe in these vibrant young people, laughing in the face of poverty as their passions draw them together and drive them apart?

Mimì and Rodolfo embody the idealistic side of love: a rose-tinted romance that can conquer all but death. By contrast, Musetta and Marcello personify a sharper-edged desire—more mature, perhaps, in its admission that love is not all hearts and flowers. Puccini’s task was to craft music that distinguished between those varying views of romance: one more rapturous, the other more restless.

Although we may not live the lives of these four lovers—and in some ways, it would be best not to do so—we nonetheless encounter them from time to time. For over a century, audiences have embraced this remarkable opera because its characters breathe with the spark of life. Whether it’s a first experience with opera or an oftrepeated encounter with Mimì and Rodolfo, La bohème reaches into the listener’s soul!

Program notes © Betsy Schwarm, author of the Classical Music Insights series.

ARTISTS

ZACH BORICHEVSKY | RODOLFO

Zach Borichevsky is known as a “star-level tenor” with “precise, nuanced high-register singing and agile acting,” paired with a “magical sense of complete spontaneity that comes from being in total command of the instrument.” He has performed in La bohème (Rodolfo) with Finnish National Opera, Roméo et Juliette (Romeo) with Teatro Municipal de Santiago in Chile, and La traviata (Alfredo) with the Glyndebourne Festival. He made his Metropolitan Opera debut in Manon Lescaut (Edmondo), Santa Fe Opera debut in Vanessa (Anatol), and English National Opera debut in La bohème (Rodolfo).

This season, Zach joins Nashville Opera, Virginia Opera, and Florentine Opera in Carmen (Don José), has house debuts with Opera Colorado in La bohème and San Diego Opera in La traviata (Alfredo), and returns to The Metropolitan Opera to cover the Duke in Rigoletto. He will also sing in recital with his wife, soprano Kathryn Lewek, at the Danbury Concert Association, Fairfield County Chorale, and in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Kent Tritle at St. John the Divine. Last season, Zach made his house debut with Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur in Lucia di Lammermoor (Edgardo) and returned to The Metropolitan Opera to cover Rodolfo in La bohème and Roméo in Roméo et Juliette Zach has been honored with numerous awards from George London Foundation, The Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition, The Gerda Lissner Foundation, Opera Index, Mario Lanza Foundation, Shreveport Opera, and The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation. Zach won second prize at the Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition for Young Opera Singers and third prize at the Operalia Competition.

MATTHEW BURNS | COLLINE

Bass-baritone Matthew Burns is celebrated for his musical and comedic capabilities in equal measure. Opera News recently singled out his “vocal and comedic flexibility” in Don Giovanni (Leporello) at Detroit Opera. Last season, he appeared in The Marriage of Figaro (Bartolo) with both Portland Opera and Utah Opera, and returned to The Metropolitan Opera for the revival of their production of The Hours (Richard, cover). Other recent highlights include Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Delaware Symphony, The Pirates of Penzance (Sergeant of Police) with Nashville Opera, and Daughter of the Regiment (Sulpice) with Utah Opera. In the 2024-25 Season, Matthew sings the title role in Don Pasquale with the Napa Valley Festival and makes his Opera Colorado debut. Burns recently made his Seattle Opera debut in Tosca (Sacristan) for which the Seattle Times celebrated his “dignified bass-baritone, in counterpoint to his less-than-holy behavior,” which “provides much-needed comic relief.” Additional recent highlights include the title role in Don Pasquale at Inland Northwest Opera, La Cenerentola (Don Magnifico) with Annapolis Opera, Daughter of the Regiment (Sulpice)

with Opera Carolina, The Elixir of Love (Dulcamara) with Virginia Opera, Billy Budd (Dansker) with Central City Opera, and covering roles in Rigoletto and The Magic Flute at the Metropolitan Opera.

A master-interpreter of comedic roles, Mr. Burns is highly sought after as Leporello in Don Giovanni, which he has performed with Detroit Opera, Utah Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Memphis, and more. He is also well known for his performances of Doctor Bartolo and Don Basilio, both in The Barber of Seville, and as Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro.

COLORADO CHILDREN’S CHORALE

Victoria Bailey, Assistant Conductor

Emily Crile, Artistic Director

The Colorado Children’s Chorale has been performing with Opera Colorado since their inaugural performance of Otello in 1983. Chorale children have appeared in thirty Opera Colorado productions including Turandot, Carmen, The Magic Flute, Hansel and Gretel, Pagliacci, and many others.

JAMES EDER | ALCINDORO

James Eder is a bass from Columbus, OH. He is excited to join Opera Colorado for the 2024-25 Season as an Artist in Residence. On the mainstage, James performed in Daughter of the Regiment (Hortensius, mainstage and Student Matinee). He also sings in Opera Colorado’s touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Ambrosio, Bartolo cover) and Hansel and Gretel (Sandman). In 2024, he returned to Opera Carolina in their production of Turandot (Timur) and was a soloist in Mozart’s Great Mass in C Minor with his hometown Columbus Symphony. In 2022 and 2023, James sang in Gianni Schicchi (Simone) with Chautauqua Opera and Opera on the James and Tosca (Sacristan) with Opera Carolina. While in Chautauqua, James also performed in The Mother of Us All (Anthony Comstock). In 2021, James performed in La serva padrona (Vespone) and L’inganno felice (Ormondo) with Sarasota Opera, then reprised the role of Ormondo with Opera Southwest. During the summer of 2020, he was a young artist with Chautauqua Opera, performing in the world premiere song cycle, In Our Silence. Other recent engagements include La bohème (Colline) with Cleveland Opera Theater, Ariadne auf Naxos (Truffaldino) with Cincinnati Opera, Nabucco (The High Priest of Baal) with Sarasota Opera, and Another Brick in the Wall (The Judge) with Cincinnati Opera. James earned a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from The Ohio State University.

RAQUEL GONZÁLEZ | MIMÌ

Soprano Raquel González is a winner of the prestigious Sphinx Organization’s Medal of Excellence Award. Other highlights of the 2024-25 Season include her debut with the Colorado Symphony for Verdi’s Messa da Requiem and performances with Opera San Antonio and Austin Opera in Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San), Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra in Don Carlo (Elisabetta), and The Metropolitan Opera in La bohème (Mimì, cover).

Last season, Raquel made debuts with Houston Grand Opera in Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San), Austin Opera in Carmen (Micaëla), and Berkshire Opera Festival in Faust (Marguerite). She also returned to the roster of The Metropolitan Opera for the company premiere of Catan’s Florencia en el Amazonas and to the New York Festival of Song for a concert of Latin music.

In the 2022-23 Season, Raquel debuted with Opera San Antonio in Don Giovanni (Donna Anna) and Virginia Opera in La bohème (Mimì) and returned to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for Harvey Milk (Dianne Feinstein). Additional appearances included a concert of scenes from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and Iolanta at Queen City Opera; New York Festival of Song for Buenos Aires, Then and Now; and a solo recital at the University of Lynchburg.

Raquel debuted at The Glimmerglass Festival in their production of The Magic Flute (First Lady) before returning as a guest artist for La bohème (Mimì). Ms. González recently completed three seasons as a Young Artist with the Washington National Opera where she appeared in Madama Butterfly (Cio-Cio-San), The Marriage of Figaro (Contessa Almaviva), Don Giovanni (Donna Anna), Carmen (Micaëla), and La bohème (Mimì). Additional assignments as a Young Artist at WNO included Hansel and Gretel (Sandman) and Dialogues of the Carmelites (Blanche cover). She also debuted with the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra in Otello (Desdemona).

ALEX GRANITO | SCHAUNARD

Alex Granito is a baritone from Orange County, CA. He is delighted to join Opera Colorado for a second year as an Artist in Residence for the 2024-25 Season, during which he performed in the Daughter of the Regiment mainstage production and Student Matinee (Corporal). He also sings in Opera Colorado’s touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Figaro) and Hansel and Gretel (Father). In the summer of 2024, Alex was a Studio Artist at Chautauqua Opera and sang in the world premiere of Love, Loss, and the Century Upon Us (Young Man). In the 2023-24 Season with Opera Colorado, Alex sang in the mainstage productions of Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni, cover/Student Matinee), Samson and Delilah (Second Philistine), The Flying Dutchman (Ghost Chorus), and in Opera Colorado’s touring productions of The Elixir of Love (Belcore) and Cinderella (Dandini). In the summer of 2023, Alex was a fellow at Music Academy of the West where he sang in La bohème (Schaunard). Alex earned his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music in Vocal Performance at San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he studied under Cesar Ulloa.

KATHRYN LEWEK | MUSETTA

Kathryn Lewek has established herself as one of this generation’s most thrilling coloratura sopranos. She has performed in The Magic Flute (The Queen of the Night) at The Metropolitan Opera a recordbreaking sixty-four times, surpassing The Met’s record for the most performances of a role by a single artist. Kathryn has also brought her Queen to more than twenty-five companies in over 300 performances to date. Kathryn continues to expand her range with role debuts in two classic operas in the 2024-25 Season. Singing opposite her husband, tenor Zach Borichevsky, in both productions, she performed in Nashville Opera’s season-opening staging of Carmen (Micaëla), and will make her house and role debut in Opera Colorado’s La bohème (Musetta). She will also revisit Mozart’s Queen of the Night in three productions of The Magic Flute.

Last season, Kathryn made two title role debuts: at Opéra de Nice in Lakmé and at Toledo Opera in Roméo et Juliette. She also appeared in Les contes d’Hoffmann at Dresden’s Semperoper (Olympia) and Florida’s Palm Beach Opera (the four heroines), and starred in The Magic Flute at the Metropolitan Opera, Semperoper, and with the Cleveland Orchestra. At Salzburg’s 2024 Mozart Week Festival, she sang Mozart and Salieri in concert with the Vienna Philharmonic, and at Houston’s Rice University, she created the soprano role in the world premiere of Music for New Bodies, a DaCamera co-commission from Matthew Aucoin and Peter Sellars. As in previous years, she joined the Oratorio Society of New York for holiday performances of Handel’s Messiah at New York’s Carnegie Hall.

At the 2013 Operalia World Opera Competition, Kathryn took two top prizes, the highly competitive Audience Favorite Award among them. A graduate of the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music, where she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in voice performance and literature, she lives in Connecticut with her husband and their two young children.

ACCESS ENGLISH OR SPANISH SUBTITLES AT YOUR SEAT

Follow these easy steps:

Prior to the performance, the screen will automatically display a sponsored message. When singing begins, briefly press the red button to activate subtitles.

• Press once for English.

• Press twice for Spanish.

• Press three times to turn titles off.

Then, simply repeat these steps after intermission. Pressing the red button too many times or holding the button down may result in a system failure. If you experience difficulty with the system, please contact an usher for assistance. Opera Colorado does not offer refunds or exchanges in the event of a subtitle system failure.

Please Note: All Sunday matinee performances offer audio description for the visually impaired. Headsets are available at Coat Check. English subtitles are written by Jeremy Sortore. Spanish translations by Gina Razón.

GEORGE MANAHAN |

CONDUCTOR

George Manahan has had an esteemed career, embracing everything from opera to the concert stage, and the traditional to the contemporary. He also works with young musicians as Director of Orchestral Activities at the Manhattan School of Music and guest conductor at the Curtis Institute of Music and Merola Opera Program. George is the 2012 winner of the Ditson Conductor’s Award, the oldest award honoring conductors for their support of American music. Previous recipients include James Levine, Leonard Bernstein, Eugene Ormandy, and Alan Gilbert. He also served as Music Director of New York City Opera, Portland Opera, American Composers’ Orchestra, and the Richmond Symphony, and was honored four times by the American Society of Composers and Publishers (ASCAP) for his commitment to new music.

George’s guest appearances include the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, and the symphonies of Atlanta, San Francisco, Hollywood Bowl, and New Jersey, where he served as acting Music Director for four seasons. He is a regular guest with the Music Academy of the West and the Aspen Music Festival and has also appeared with the opera companies of San Francisco, Philadelphia, Seattle, Chicago, Santa Fe, St. Louis, Paris, and more.

His many television appearances include productions of La bohème, Lizzie Borden, and Tosca on PBS. Live from Lincoln Center’s telecast of New York City Opera’s production of Madama Butterfly under his direction won a 2007 Emmy Award. George’s wide-ranging recording activities include the premiere recording of Steve Reich’s Tehillim for ECM; recordings of Edward Thomas’s Desire Under the Elms, which was nominated for a Grammy; Joe Jackson’s Will Power; and Tobias Picker’s Emmeline. He has conducted numerous world premieres, including Tobias Picker’s Dolores Claiborne, Charles Wuorinen’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories, David Lang’s Modern Painters, Hans Werner Henze’s The English Cat, and Terence Blanchard’s Champion.

He received his formal musical training at the Manhattan School of Music and was appointed to the faculty of the school upon his graduation, at which time The Juilliard School awarded him a fellowship as Assistant Conductor with the American Opera Center. George was chosen as the Exxon Arts Endowment Conductor of the New Jersey Symphony and he made his opera debut with the Santa Fe Opera, conducting the American premiere of Arnold Schoenberg’s Von Heute Auf Morgen.

KRISTINE MCINTYRE | STAGE DIRECTOR

Kristine McIntyre has directed over 100 productions, with a focus on 20th century, contemporary and American works. She has directed many world premieres, including Laura Kaminsky’s Hometown to the World at Santa Fe Opera, Kristin Kuster’s A Thousand Acres for Des Moines Metro Opera, and Mark Lanz Weiser’s Galaxies in Her Eyes. Her immersive production of Bluebeard’s Castle, a collaboration with renown visual composer Oyoram, received great audience and international critical acclaim. Their upcoming production of The Cunning Little Vixen will be filmed for Iowa PBS in July 2025.

Kristine has also directed notable new productions of Moby Dick, Dead Man Walking, Flight, Wozzeck, Billy Budd and Manon (regional Emmy awards) as well as the opera film Unknown. She has worked at major opera houses across the country and taught in the training programs of the San Francisco Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, Houston Grand Opera and the Santa Fe Opera. She was educated at Georgetown, Oxford and the University of Hull.

Upcoming projects include the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Woman With Eyes Closed at Pittsburgh Opera, Flight for Portland Opera, and a new co-production of Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men which begins at Houston Grand Opera in January 2026.

TIMOTHY MIX | MARCELLO

Finnish American baritone Timothy Mix’s recent successes include his debut as Alberich at Opera Santa Barbara in the Jonathan Dove adaptation of Das Rheingold, his return to Dead Man Walking (Joseph de Rocher) at Opera Idaho, and a role debut in The Barber of Seville (Bartolo) at Opera Delaware. Other recent appearances include Le Comte Ory (Tutor) at Opera Southwest, Roméo et Juliette (Count Capulet) at San Antonio Opera, and the title role in Sweeney Todd at Opera Tampa. Tim made his debut at Santa Fe Opera’s summer festival in 2016 in Roméo et Juliette (Count Capulet), followed by Le Coq d’Or (Tsar Dodon), and, most recently, a new production of Dr Atomic (Jack Hubbard). His San Francisco Opera appearances include Cyrano de Bergerac (Le Bret), Susannah (Elder Ott/Blitch, cover), Manon (de Brétigny), and Romeo et Juliette (Count Capulet). At Opera Colorado, he sang in Lucia di Lammermoor (Enrico), The Elixir of Love (Belcore), and Carmen (Escamillo). Well known by Opera Theatre of St Louis audiences, Tim made his role and house debut in La bohème (Marcello)—a role he also sang at Arizona Opera and Palm Beach Opera—and later performed in The Elixir of Love (Belcore). Future engagements include Il trovatore (Luna) at Santa Barbara Opera, The Elixir of Love (Dulcamara) at Annapolis Opera, and the title role in Gianni Schicchi at Amarillo Opera.

SAHAR NOURI | CHORUS MASTER

Iranian conductor and pianist Sahar Nouri has been Music Director of Lamont Opera Theater at University of Denver since 2019. She has also served at Opera Colorado as Chorus Master & Assistant Conductor since 2016. Sahar is the founder/director of Dandelion Opera Institute.

At the University of Denver, Sahar has conducted productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Magic Flute, Alcina, Cabildo, Les mamelles de Tirésias, and The Little Prince. Her work with Opera Colorado has included productions of Samson and Delilah, The Flying Dutchman, Don Giovanni, Turandot, Die tote Stadt, Rigoletto, Carmen, The Shining, Tosca, Cavalleria rusticana, Pagliacci, The Marriage of Figaro, La traviata, Falstaff, The Barber of Seville, La bohème, La fanciulla del West, and the world premiere of Steal a Pencil for Me by Gerald Cohen.

Previously, Sahar has been part of the music staff at San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra at Bravo! Vail, Opera Parallèle, North Carolina Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Utah Opera, Aspen Opera Theatre, Opera Steamboat, Merola Opera, Boston Conservatory of Music, and San Francisco Conservatory of Music. An active performer, she has given numerous recitals around the US including those alongside international stars Mane Galoyan, Heidi Melton, and Matthew Polenzani. A multi-lingual coach, she has studied in Czechia, Italy, and Austria and is frequently in demand as a language coach.

Sahar is a former violinist who has performed with the Tehran Philharmonic Orchestra and has won several prizes, for both violin and piano, in national music festivals and competitions in Iran.

RONELL OLIVERI | WIG AND MAKE-UP DESIGNER

Ronell Oliveri has been designing wigs and makeup for opera, theater, ballet, and film for the past 20 years for such companies as Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Central City Opera, and The American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. Currently she is the resident wig and makeup designer for Opera Colorado and Opera Omaha. As a wig and makeup artist her professional credits include engagements with Chicago Lyric Opera, LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theater of Saint Louis, and Boston Ballet. She was a Primetime Emmy nominee as key makeup artist for her work in television. Her work can also be seen in several Broadway shows including Wicked, All the Way, and Waitress. Recent engagements include Opera Columbus’s Eugene Onegin, Pacific Symphony’s La bohème, and Central City Opera’s 2024 summer festival. Upcoming engagements include Opera Omaha’s The Rake’s Progress and Boston Lyric Opera’s Mitridate.

CONNIE YUN | LIGHTING DESIGNER

Connie is pleased to make her house debut at Opera Colorado. Recent opera designs include The Barber of Seville (Madison Opera), Pelleas and Melisande (Des Moines Metro Opera), Salome (DMMO), Maria de Buenos Aires (Florentine Opera), Madama Butterfly (Philadelphia Opera), L’Allegro, il Penseroso, ed il Moderato (Curtis Opera Theatre), The Marriage of Figaro (Portland Opera and New Orleans Opera), and The Royal Shepherd (Orpheus PDX). Recent theatre credits include Dial M for Murder (Village Theatre), Blithe Spirit (Seattle Rep), P.O.T.U.S., STEW, and The Case for the Existence of God (ACT Contemporary Theatre). Her designs have also been seen at Kentucky Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Palm Beach Opera, Canadian Opera Company, Alliance Theatre, Merrimack Rep, Seattle Children’s Theatre, and The Fifth Avenue Theatre. Upcoming projects include The Elixir of Love (New Orleans Opera), Tosca (Seattle Opera), The Rake’s Progress (DMMO), and La bohème (Madison Opera).

Connie is a member of USA-829 and a mentor with ETC Fred Foster Mentorship Program.

OLIVER POVEDA ZAVALA | BENOIT

Bass-baritone Oliver Poveda Zavala, originally from the highland country of Ecuador, is a graduate of the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. In the 2024-25 Season, Oliver joins the Opera Colorado Artist in Residence program, during which he will sing in the touring productions of The Barber of Seville (Bartolo) and Hansel and Gretel (Father cover). Oliver made his debut as José Castro in La fanciulla del West as an Apprentice Artist with Central City Opera for their 2024 summer festival season, where he also covered the role of Ashby in La fanciulla del West and Mr. Olsen in Street Scene. In 2023, Oliver appeared in Opera Colorado’s Student Matinee performance of Don Giovanni (Masetto), sang in Die Fledermaus (Dr. Falke) with Opera in Williamsburg, and participated in Central City Opera’s apprenticeship program, where he sang in the Emerging Artists Matinee of Romeo and Juliet (Frère Laurent) and in Otello (Elmiro Cover). Oliver has worked with multiple companies in Colorado, including Opera Steamboat, Boulder Opera, and Denver Immersive Opera, where he performed in La bohème (Colline), the abridged version of Lori Laitman’s The Three Feathers (Frog King), Xavier Montsalvatge’s El gato con botas (El ogro), and Bluebeard’s Castle (Duke Bluebeard). In 2022, he sang in Don Giovanni (Leporello) with the Vincerò Academy in Mazatlán, Mexico, and in 2021, he made his company debut with Opera in Williamsburg in The Elixir of Love (Dottore Dulcamara). In 2021, he performed in ISOFOM’s production of The Marriage of Figaro (Bartolo and Antonio) in Morelia, Mexico. Other recent roles include Monsieur Presto Les mamelles de Tirésias (Monsieur Presto), L’enfant et les sortilèges (Le fauteuil and L’arbre), Cabildo (Gaoler), The Magic Flute (Sarastro), Gianni Schicchi (Simone), and Il tabarro (Talpa) with the Lamont Opera Theatre during his studies at the University of Denver. Oliver is the 2021 and 2022 winner of the Ann Logan Craft Vocal Competition, a 2021 finalist at the Denver Lyric Opera Guild Competition, and a recipient of the Sherry Shepherd Sargent Memorial Award.

ORCHESTRA, CHORUS, & PRODUCTION STAFF

OPERA COLORADO

ORCHESTRA

VIOLIN

Byron A. Hitchcock, concertmaster

Zachary Ragent, principal second violin

Jackson Bailey

Evan De Long

Angela Dombrowski

Mary Evans

Margaret Soper Gutierrez

Robyn Julyan

Regan Kane

Christine Menter

Leah Mohling

Gyongyer Petheo

Veronica Sawarynski

Robyn Sosa

Takanori Sugishita

Benjamin Tomkins

Leena Waite

Tori Woodrow

VIOLA

Matthew Dane, principal

Michael Brook

Kostadin Dyulgerski

Mary Harrison

Sarah Richardson

Lora Stevens

CELLO

Andy Kolb, principal

Amy Delevoryas

Charles Lee

Erin Patterson

Jeff Watson

Eleanor Wells

BASS

David Crowe, principal

Jeremy Nicholas

Jason Thompson

Yu-Chen Yang

FLUTE & PICCOLO

Susan Townsend, principal

Elizabeth Sadilek

Olga Shilaeva

OBOE & ENGLISH HORN

Sarah Bierhaus, principal

Brittany Bonner

Max Soto

CLARINET & BASS CLARINET

Michelle Orman, principal

Heidi Mendenhall

Linda Shea

BASSOON

Charles Hansen, principal

JJ Sechan

HORN

Michael Yopp, principal

Lauren Varley

Devon Park

Daniel Skib

TRUMPET

Leslie Scarpino, principal

Colin Oldberg

Ryan Gardner

TROMBONE

Bron Wright, principal

Andy Wolfe

Dan Watt

Jeremy Van Hoy

HARP

Janet Harriman, principal

TIMPANI

Peter Cooper, principal

PERCUSSION

Mark Foster, principal

Sean Case

Carl Dixon

Nena Lorenz Wright

ORCHESTRA MANAGER

Angela Dombrowski

ORCHESTRA LIBRARIAN

Eleanor Wells

OPERA COLORADO CHORUS

SOPRANO

Lauren Bumgarner

Alyssa Jackson

Kayla Kramer

Regan Lewis

Anna McMahon

Elizabeth Mirandi

MEZZO-SOPRANO

Mia Kopera

Jessica Muniz Greco

Maya Munoz

Katiann Nelson

Jill Skinner

Ashley Troester

TENOR

Alexis Haro

Danny McDonnall

Norman Spivy

Luke Thatcher

Keith Williamson

Joshua Zabatta

BARITONE

Shane Delavan

Michele Di Nuovo

Justin Given

Chris Lilley

Mason O’Brien

James Rootring

COLORADO

CHILDREN’S CHORALE

Emily Crile, Artistic Director

Victoria Bailey, Assistant Conductor

Nelle Collier

Anika Dande

Camilla Franklin

Portia Hansen

Mayura Iyengar

Abby Musser

Emmy Pouliot

Rocco Rowekamp

Gabriel Salaz

Conor Winburn

Ethan Winburn

Jonah Winburn

SUPERNUMERARIES

John Adams

Eric Bard

Scott Bates

Peter Dearth

Tiffany Krumland

Troy Krumland

Dave Lewis Jr.

Daniel McAuliffe

Karen McAuliffe

Katy McQuaid

PRODUCTION

PRODUCTION STAFF

Kendra Green, Stage Manager

Haley Stamats, Assistant Director

Megan Coutts, Assistant Stage Manager

Lucy Guillemette, Assistant Stage Manager

MUSIC STAFF

Cody Garrison, Chorus Music Reh

Accompanist

Oleg Bellini, Resident Collaborative Pianist

Angie Dombrowski, Orchestra Manager

Elle Wells, Orchestra Librarian

DESIGN STAFF

Carl Faber, Assistant Lighting Designer

TITLES SYSTEM STAFF

Beth Nielsen, Titles Operator: In-Seat

Brooklyn Becker, Titles Operator: Over-Stage

Jeremy Sortore, English Subtitles

Gina Razón, Spanish Translations

TECHNICAL STAFF

Michael Wingfield, Technical Director

Michael Boswell, Head Carpenter

Dave Youngs, Shop/Production Carpenter

Greg Killpack, Assistant Carpenter

Rita Richardson, Head Electrician

Amanda Short, Assistant Electrician

Ashley Burns, Lighting Console Programmer

Hillary Clark, Head Property Master

Keven Soll, Assistant Properties Master

Jeff Riedel, Head Flyman/Rigger

Thomas Berning, Head Audio Engineer

John Adams, Production Purchasing Agent

COSTUMES

Alison Milan, Costume Director

Madison Booth, Costume Coordinator

Kelly Gregson, Draper/Tailor

Sarah Zinn, Draper/Tailor

Ted Stark, Draper/Tailor

Celeste Fenton, First Hand

Elizabeth Woods, First Hand

Domino Douglas, Craftsperson/Stitcher

Amanda Bouza, Stitcher

Andy Bruening, Stitcher

WARDROBE

Carolyn Miller, Wardrobe Supervisor

Elizabeth Woods, Assistant Wardrobe Supervisor

Amanda Bouza, Dresser

Domino Douglas, Dresser

Joan McEnhill, Dresser

Ann Piano, Dresser

Jane Rusk, Dresser

Sara Rutherford, Dresser

Jan Heimer, Volunteer Dresser

Kathy Heider, Volunteer Dresser

Leslie Cady, Volunteer Dresser

Valerie Amburn, Volunteer Dresser

Vicky Gits, Volunteer Dresser

WIGS AND MAKEUP

Lisa Pedraza, Assistant Wigs and Makeup Coordinator

Shallah Perlman, Wigs and Makeup Assistant

Whitney Wolanin, Wigs and Makeup Assistant

ELLIE CAULKINS

OPERA HOUSE CREW

Derek Tovar, Props Head

Dave Wilson, Electrics Head

Allen Olmstead, Head Carpenter

Francisco Mara, Sound Head

ARTIST HOSTS/ VOLUNTEERS

Brian Crane

Thomas Gaffney

Robert Kahn

Dino Maniatis

Kevin O’Connor

COLORADO ONLY HAS ONE #1

COLORADO ONLY

Invictus Private Wealth is pleased to announce that its own Michael Caplan was selected as Barron’s top independent advisor in Colorado.

Michael S. Caplan

Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisors 2024

Michael S. Caplan

Forbes/Shook Top RIA Firms 2024

Barron’s Top 100 Independent Advisors 2024

Forbes/Shook Top 10 Best-in-State Wealth Advisor 2024

Forbes/Shook Top RIA Firms 2024

Northwestern University - Honors in Mathematics

Adjunct Professor/International Economic Fellow Georgetown Law

Forbes/Shook Top 10 Best-in-State Wealth Advisor 2024 Northwestern University - Honors in Mathematics

Adjunct Professor/International Economic Fellow Georgetown Law

SATURDAY, APRIL 26 AT 7:30 P.M. AND SUNDAY, MAY 4 AT 2:00 P.M.

IN CONCERT

JOIN US FOR TWO SEMI-STAGED PERFORMANCES OF VERDI’S REVENGE THRILLER IL TROVATORE.

Feel the heat from the incendiary drama and masterful score, featuring the famous “Anvil Chorus,” as Maestro Ari Pelto leads a cast of extraordinary singers alongside the Opera Colorado Orchestra and Chorus onstage in a twisted tale of mistaken identity.

LENORA Alexandra LoBianco AZUCENA Deborah Nansteel MANRICO Roberto de Biasio

COUNT DI LUNA Ricardo José Rivera FERRANDO Young Bok Kim DIRECTOR Christopher Mattaliano

CONDUCTOR Ari Pelto

DIRECTOR’S NOTES

La bohème is a love story.

Most obviously it is about Rodolfo and Mimì, who fall in love in act one right before our eyes. And it’s also about Marcello and Musetta, with their off-again, on-again romance that one almost needs a scorecard to follow. But really, it is a love story about youth - about a particular time in one’s life and the closest group of friends you will ever have. It is about a time so precious and fleeting that even while you are living it, you have the sense that it will never come again.

The title refers to the lifestyle of the nineteenth-century artists and freethinkers who were consciously living outside the main-stream, who chose not to be part of the rising middle class and instead pursue lives centered around art and ideas. And while many have written about it since, we owe our conception of Bohemia almost entirely to one man: Henri Murger.

In 1851, Murger published Scènes de la vie de bohème, a series of loosely connected stories based on his life in Paris, where the unique mix of intellectuals, University students, and artists made Bohemia possible. They all lived in the same areas, went to the same cafés, and had one thing in common: they were all poor. You cannot find Bohemia on a map of the city, he wrote, but it is “bordered on the north by cold, on the west by hunger, on the south by love, and on the east by hope.”

Puccini and his librettists, Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, may never have lived in Murger’s Bohemia, but they certainly had tremendous sympathy for its inhabitants. They gave us an opera that celebrates youthful exuberance and joie de vivre and contrasts it so effectively with poverty, misery, and the trials of daily existence. This is the darker side of Bohemia, a place known all-too-well by the women in the story, and it is never far away. Time in Bohemia is short. Colline is the first to arrive at its borders, and we sense that the others will soon follow. So live life while you can, build your castles in the air and reach for the moon, especially when it casts its light on the lovely young woman standing in your garret.

OPERA COLORADO GALA

FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2025

CELEBRATING A BRILLIANT LEGACY AND A BRIGHT FUTURE

5:00 pm

Cocktail Reception

6:30 pm

Encore Gala Concert:

Greatest Hits Performance on the Mainstage

Concert-only Tickets are available for those who don’t wish to join the full event. Pricing starts at $66.

7:45 pm

Exclusive Live Auction & Tribute to the Ellie Caulkins General and Artistic Director, Greg Carpenter’s twenty-year legacy

8:30 pm

Elegant Dinner with Wine Pairings

9:45 pm Celebration continues at the Afterparty

Individual tickets start at $400, tables are $6,000/$12,000/$25,000 at operacolorado.org/gala

Contact Sara Buhr at sbuhr@operacolorado.org or 303.468.2027 for more information or to reserve your space.

GALA CHAIRS

Maron & Don Hindman

HONORARY CHAIRS

Ellie Caulkins

Marcia & Dick Robinson

Merrill Shields & M. Ray Thomasson

PRESENTING SPONSOR

Johnson Storage & Moving

GALA COMMITTEE

Dr. Larry Chan

Renee Duncan

Agatha Kessler Fentress

Dr. Stacy Fischer

Pam Hatcher

Lisanne Hendricks

Richard Koseff

Kevin Little

Maj. Dino G. Maniatis

Tanya Mathews

Becky May

Karen McAuliffe

Wendy Pelto

Mary Justice Thomasson

Linda Weise

Music of the Americas featuring Copland Symphony No. 3 MAR 7-9

Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony with Peter Oundjian MAR 21-23 The Four Seasons with Avi Avital MAR 15-16

Carmina Burana with the Colorado Symphony Chorus APR 4-6

ANNUAL CONTRIBUTORS

The Board of Directors of Opera Colorado and the staff express their deepest appreciation to the individuals, corporations, and foundations who have contributed to the Annual Fund. This listing is current as of January 9, 2025. Although space limitations only allow us to list donors whose gifts were $150 and above, we are deeply grateful for the support of all our dedicated contributors.

PRODUCER CIRCLE

VISIONARY $50,000+

Ken and Donna Barrow

Mike and Julie Bock

Don and Maron Hindman

Jeanie and Randal Martines

Patrick Spieles

BENEFACTOR $25,000 - $49,999

Jeff V. Baldwin

Linda Bjelland

Merle Chambers

Jan Kennaugh and Chip Horne

The Honorable and Mrs. Kenneth Laff

Marcia and Dick Robinson

AMBASSADOR $12,000 - $24,999

B. Edward Balkin

Ellie Caulkins

Joy and Christopher Dinsdale

Edie and Joe Fogliano

Richard Garvin

Ms. Donna E. Hamilton

Ms. Kelly A. Hodges

Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy F. Kinney

Richard Koseff

Judy La Spada

Gayle and Gary Landis

Jim and Patience Linfield

Maj. Dino Maniatis and Dr. Kristin Freestone-Maniatis

Dr. Bill and BK Maniatis

Muffy Moore and Al Minier

Lynnette Morrison

Kevin O’Connor and Janet Ellen Raasch

Ann and Gerald Saul

Merrill Shields and M. Ray Thomasson

Prem and Stephanie Subramanian

Charles I. Thompson

Valerie Wassill and Kevin Rudolph

Robin and Eric Yaeger

ARTISTS CIRCLE

CONDUCTOR $7,000 - $11,999

Mr. Charles E. Berry and Mrs. Maria Garcia Berry

Jane and Bart Burnett

Emily and Mark Bussey

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cesafsky

Drs. Laurence and Cynthia Chan

Ms. Kathryn Codo

Mary and Tom Conroy

Joyce de Roos

Elizabeth and Matthew Dyer

Dr. Susan Rae Jensen and Mr. Tom Trainer

Gary and Judith Judd

Diana and Mike Kinsey

John W. Kure and Cheryl L. Solich

Penny Lewis

James Monroe, III and Marie Shannon Monroe

Robert R. Montgomery and Nancy Hawkins

Jon J. Olafson and Jerry Brindisi

Ronald Y. Otsuka

Alice Perlmutter

The Ponzio Family

Ayliffe and Fred Ris

Martha and William Tracy

Marta and Bernd Wachter

Dan and Marie Welch

Diane K. Wengler and Steven Morrissett

Ann Wise

Ms. Carole J. Yaley

COMPOSER $3,500 - $6,999

Robin E. Black

Suzanne D. Bucy

Richard Cohn and Susan Cooper

Dr. Cynthia K. Crews and Mr. Charles W. Henry

Diane and John Gallagher

Sally Haas

Christine Hollander and Michael McGee

Ms. Judy Johnston

Tom Kirkpatrick and Djuana Strauch

Daniel and Karen McAuliffe

Mark and Kristin McKissick

Ralph and Trish Nagel

Dr. Harold S. Nelson

Bob Nelson

Bonnie Perkins

Harriet P. Peterson

Christine and Harry Phillips

Zondra Rae Pluss

Bruce Polkowsky and Bill Powell

Nijole and Walter Rasmussen

Cynthia and Alexander Read

Myra and Robert Rich

Louise Lavender Rouse

Diane Russell

Helen Scott Santilli

Fern B. Seltzer and

Andrew Heymsfield

Jeremy and Susan Shamos

Susan and Harold Skramstad

Mr. John Trigg

Mr. Byron S. Watson

Linda Weise

Erin Wenzel

Mary and Ken Willis

Brigitte Bastian Zimmer

LIBRETTIST $1,500 - $3,499

Anonymous (2)

Mr. Douglas W. Barnert and Mrs. Ruth Jacoby

Peter Batty and Paula Kechichian

Sheila Bisenius

Sara and John Buhr

Sandra Mazarakis and Neil Burris

Leslie Coover Cady

Nancy and Roger Celius

Barbara and Roger Chamberlain

Mr. David J. Chavolla

Kathleen R. Clifton

Alexander J. Conley and Alysia D. Marino

Bob and Georgi Contiguglia

Susan Cotter

Nancy Crow and Mark Skrotzki

Ms. Cheryl M. Cruickshank

Greg Diamond

Dave and Pam Duke

Lois N. Eckhoff

Michael and Susan Feliccissimo

Dr. Stacy Fischer and Dr. Henry Fischer

Cathy S. Foster

Karen Fukutaki, M.D.

Gary and Rebecca Gantner

Hugh Grant

Ms. Natalie Greene

Stephen and Dorothy Gregory

Mark Groshek, M.D. and Carl Clark, M.D.

Celeste and Jack Grynberg

Beverlee B. Henry

Bernice Hernandez

Ginny Hersch

Mr. William T. Hoffman

Dr. Lawrence Kim and Nhung Van

Marvin Madorsky, CPA and Maria Coquillard

Veronica A. McCaffrey and Barbara A. Frank

V.W. McKnab and Margaret Jurado

Henry B. Mohr

Mr. Mike and Lisa Morgan

Jack Finlaw and Gregory Movesian

Dr. and Mrs. Calvern E. Narcisi

Lisa and Pat Nicholson

Rick and Gail Nordheim

Dr. Edward and Mrs. Chris Null

Nancy and Paul Oberman

Mr. Ari Pelto and Ms. Wendy Fisher

Profs. Jean-Pierre Habicht and Gretel H. Pelto

Debra J. Perry

Rick Poppe and Jana Edwards

Armando Quiroz

Mrs. Christina Radichel Caulkins

T. R. Reid

Ms. Deborah M. H. Rohan

Mr. Paul Ruotolo

Charley and Amanda Samson

Grover Sardeson

Mr. John Shott

Ms. Nancy J. Siegel

Ms. Judith Zee Steinberg

Linda M. Strauch

Mr. and Mrs. Francis J. Sullivan

Carson and John Taylor

Dr. Kathleen R. Tower

William Vaniman and Frances G. Matthews

Peter and Darcie Weiser

Ms. Cia A. Wenzel

Marie Belew Wheatley

Pati and Mark Wilkins

Pam and Martin Zadigian

PATRON CIRCLE

ASSOCIATE $700 - $1,499

Anonymous (4)

Brian Thomas Beagle

Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Benedict III

Brian Bennett and Bev Daniels

Samantha Bergen

Anthony V. Berkley and Amanda Gomez

Lawrence Berliner and Barbara Anderson

Robert Bernhardt

Ms. Sandra D. Besseghini

John and Anne Blair

Brewster and Helen Boyd

Alan Boyer and Trudy Bortz

Elise Brenninkmeyer

Mr. Ian T. Caiozzi and Mrs. Neha Patel

Carol G. Canon

Mrs. Ella May Carpenter

George Case

Mr. and Mrs. George P. Caulkins

Mr. David Clark

Everett B. Clark

Sue Cole

Tom and Cheryl Cox

Brian D. Crane

Dr. and Mrs. James D. Crapo

Roger Day and Evelyn Wolf

Diana Degette and Lino Lipinsky

Ms. Marian O. Dines

Timothy James Donahue

François Dorémieux

Margaret and Peter Dzwilewski

Helene Eckstein

Reine and Matthew Erzinger

Elizabeth A. Fischer and Don Elliott

Frances and Richard Frey

Jan Friedlander and Cynthia Kristensen

Dr. and Mrs. Burton Golub

Dr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Greenholz

Steven and Patricia Gulevich

Rich and Denise Gustafson

Ms. Lynn E. Harrington

Mrs. Jaclyn Haugen

Carl F Heller and Maureen F Hallacy

Ms. Erin R. Hittle

Ruth Hopfenbeck

Rachelle and William Horton

Karen Howland and Gregory Mudge

Mr. Dennis R. Hurt

Ken Rose and Nancy Hurwitz

Mr. and Mrs. Michael C. Huseby

Steve and Chryse Hutchins

Mr. Daniel Isaman

Mr. Jeremy Johnson

John N. Kabalin, MD.

Anna Belle and Robert Kapelke

Joe Kelso

Roberta and Mel Klein

Kunz Family Fund

Frieda Sanidas Leason

Victoria Levine

Chris and Kris Lilley

Lindmor Fund

Thomas Long

Patty Lorie

Rhonda and Donald Macy

Evan and Evi Makovsky

Jim and Carole McCotter

James P. McElhinney

J. Virginia Messick

Jerri Lynn Modrall and Eric E. Doering

Sue and Bill Mohrman

William and Bonnie Moninger

The Morss Dehncke Family

Mary E. Moser

Margaret and John Moyer

Dr. Mary Kenny Moynihan and Dr. Michael Moynihan

Alan E. Muraoka

Kelli O’Brien and Michael Kolotylo

Ms. Diane O’Connor

Bonnie M. Orkow

Sheila Pack

Theresa and Norman Parker

Frank and Linda Plaut

Robert and Mary Quillin

Steven and Joan Ringel

Ms. Karen Ritz

Doug Rooney

Mary Ann Ross

Elizabeth R. Rumely

Carol Rust

Ms. Ruth E. Schoening

Steven E. and Jane Schonfeld

Dr. Douglas and Mrs. Antoinette Shaller

Dr. and Mrs. Edwin R. Smith

Vicki Sterling

Dr. Laimute Stewart

Mrs. Marcia D. Strickland

Tepper Family Foundation

Sharon and John Trefny

Laurie and Robert Walcott

Keith Ward and Barbara Roidl

Nancy and William Wehner

Robert and Jacklyn Writz

SUPPORTER $400 – $699

Anonymous (4)

Richard Akeroyd

Mr. Paul Alaback and

Ms. Carol Brewer

Janet Bishop

Richard Bottjer and Sara Peyton

Ms. Jay Breen

Mark Breese

Ms. Karen M. Bruggenthies

Mr. Douglas F. Burns

Mrs. Carol W. Byrd

Bonnie Camp

Jim and Sara Culhane

Carolyn E. Daniels

Ms. Anne Davis

Karen and Charles de Bartolomé

Nicole de Naray

Ronald L. Deal

Antonia Dell

Peter and Marian Downs

Laurie and Ben Duke III

Mr. and Mrs.

Benjamin B. Eastman, Jr.

Gary J Emrich

Jennifer Filipowski

Scott Foster

Ms. Carolyn Francis

Julie Gail

Ms. Randy Ganter

Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Garfein

Alan G. Gass

Ms. Rebecca Givens

Maria Gordon

Mrs. Carol and Dr. Fred Grover

The Honorable Alfred and Mrs. Dori Harrell

Mr. Shad Harsh

John R Heckenlively, M.D.

Owen Herman

Catherine and Graham Hollis

Ms. Mary Ellen Holmes

Sarah Hopfenbeck and Susan Corle

James Ingram

James and Christine Jorgensen

Allen Kemp

Jeffrey M. Koehler

Rex Kramer and Cindy Crater

Mr. Larry Lacert

D. Langdon

Mr. Richard S. Leaman

Mr. James S. MacDonald

John Masserini and Abraham Kelley

Mr. and Mrs. William Mathews

Manon Merewether

Mr. Lawrence Moskow

Marilyn Munsterman

Dr. and Dr. Hans Neville

Dr. and Mrs. David A. Norris

Kent and Ruth Obee

Roxana Pecchio

Emily and Kelly Pitts

Richard Replin and Elissa Stein

Michelle Russell

Bob and Barbara Shaklee

Bobbi and Gary Siegel

David Stauffer

Pete Stein

Mr. Gordon W. Stenger

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Straub

Prof. and Mrs. Joseph S. Szyliowicz

John Taubman

Ms. Jana Tompkins

Ms. Robin Stewart and Mr. Kirk Weber

David and Margaret Wolf

Mark and Sondra Zardus

Charlotte Ziebarth

Deborah Zippel

MEMBER $150 - $399

Anonymous (13)

Paul and Susan Ahlquist

Danica Anderson

Alice and Lee Anneberg

Mrs. Donna Antonoff

Patricia and Vincent Badolato

Ms. Helena Bagdasarova

Ms. Cherlyn S. Bailey

Don Bain

Steve and Lisa Bain

Cathy and John Bartle

Ellen and Donald Bauder

Mr. Brian A. Baxter

Ms. Mariette H. Bell

C. F. Benoit

Mrs. Claire E. Benson

Mr. Mark Berge

Wednesday Music Party

Ms. Dori Biester

David and Shannon Bird

Marie and Howard Blaney

Ms. Donna Boender

Earline Bohling

Libby Bortz

Joe and Gwen Bowers

Donald K. Braden

Mr. William Bradford

Chris O. Bradley

Thomas H. Brady

Janet Bruchmann

Dean Burton

Dr. Francine Butler

Gordon and Ron Butz

Jessica Cabral

Cactus Communications

Michael Canges and Nina Iwashko

Mr. Gregory A. Carpenter

Ms. Clare R. Cavanaugh

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Cirelli

Linda and Gray Clark

Patty S. Clark

Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Close

Ms. Ethel K. Clow

Mr. Gerald N. Cohen

Jennifer L. Colgan

Bonita and Michael Collins

Karen Connolly

Mr. Curtis Cook

Dr. David J. Cooper and Evelyn W. Cooper

Aubrey Copeland, M.D.

Ms. Jane Costain and Mr. Gary T. Moore

Vicki Cowart and Chris Hayes

Ms. Corliss Curtis

John Danio

Mrs. Marge Demarino

Connie Dines

Heidi and Rob Eadie

Ms. Arline Echandia

Mr. and Mrs. Wayne D. Eckerling

Kammi and Paul Eckhoff

Evan Ela

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Evans

Ms. Judith H. Fahrenkrog

Ms. Shirley Feldkamp

Ms. Anna Ferrari

Beverly and Bruce Fest

Mr. Scott Finlay

Ms. Kathryn Finley

Mr. Charles E. Fisher

Dr. and Mrs. Larry S. Fisher

Margaret and Frederick Franko

Terry Frazier and Kathy Wells

L. Richard and Sigrid Halvorson Freese

Keith French

Ms. Ingrid Fretheim

Robert Fullerton

Katy and David Garon

Mr. and Mrs. Caleb F. Gates, Jr.

Dr. Tim Gensler

Jennifer Ruth Gentry

Richard and Julia George

Kazuo and Drusilla Gotow

Mr. Matthew Grove

William and Phyllis Hale

Furniture Row® Companies is a group of specialty home furnishings and mattress stores, carrying a variety of brand names, all available at one convenient location. We focus on providing a shopping experience that is tailored to your needs. Our specialized buying teams are constantly combing the globe in search of the hottest trends and best values available. In addition, incentives like our no interest financing and our highly knowledgeable, specialized sales staff, make Furniture Row® one of the most enjoyable furniture buying experiences you’ll find in the country today.

Photographed at the Denver Art Museum.

Nicole Hand

Mr. Timothy Harris

Dr. Jordan Harrison

Bradley Hartman Bakken

Mrs. Deborah A. Havas

Mr. Richard A. Haynes

Lizz Helmsen

Jessy Hennesy

Thomas E. Hinrichs

Ms. Ellen M. Hird

Dr. Marilyn J. Hitchens

Sarah C. Hite

Ms. Mary S. Hoadley

Mr. Saul D. Hoffman and Ms. Susan Parker

Cheryl and James Hogan

Ian J. Hoyman

Megan Immerfall

Mrs. Philip Isely

Nancy Jackson

Christine and Michael Janeczko

Catherine and Brian Janonis

David Jilk

The Johnson-Milnew Family

Dr. Laurence Kaptain and Dolores Arce-Kaptain

Beverly Karst

Mr. and Mrs. Jhon M. Kehmeier

David Kelly

Patricia Kelly and Thomas Dufficy

Mishele Kieffer

Bonnie Kipple

Patrick Klem

Barbara and Kiplund Kolkmeier

Mrs. and Mr. Svetlana Komisarchik

Ms. Barbara Ladon

Dorothy V. Lamm

Nancy A. Leonard

David Lichtenstein and Donna Shmalberger

Don and Ingrid Lindemann

Lester Lockspeiser

John Lockwood

Karen and Alan Loeb

Janet G. MacFarlane

Dana F. Maloney

Ms. Cyndi Mancinelli

Mr. and Mrs. James E. Manuel

Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Y. Marchand

Amanda A. Marshall

Mr. Gregg E. Marshall

Ellen Myrtle Martin

Marian E. Matheson

Mr. and Ms. Robert McAlister

Ms. Ann McCullough

Mr. Stephen D. McGavran

Mrs. Hannelore McKinnon

Jan McNally

Tom and Mary Meade

Dr. Kurt and Dr. Marilyn Metzl

Rose and John Miller

Ms. Sharon K. Miller

Richard A. Minot

Lillian and Roger Moment

James Moon

Douglas G. Moran and Laura B. Moran

James Morera

Carolyn Morse

Denny Muirhead

Susan Olenwine

Mr. Raymond Ollett

Bernard Olshausen

Ms. Sonya S. Palmer

David and Renee Parkhurst

Ms. Mary A. Parmelee

Dr. Lynn Parry

Mr. and Mrs. Travis B. Pate

Mr. Max Paulson

Margaret Peck

Jill D. Pedicord

Kathy McMahon Peeters

Mary A. Peters

Dennis G. Peterson

Andrew R. Pleszkun

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Plowshay

Kate Raabe

Lauren A. Raheb

James Rasmuson

Mr. Nicholas A. Richie

Ms. Jennie Ridgley

Karyn K. Rieb

Michaelyn Rimar

Mr. Michael L. Ritchie

Mr. Gregory Roebuck

Patricia A. Romero

Ms. Linda F. Rosales

Jon K. Rupp

Karen Sandstead

Sandy and Frank Sargent

Youlon D. Savage

Ms. Kim Savit

Mr. Bryan Penny and Mr. Matt Savoie

Mary Scarpino

Ms. Erika L. Schafer

John and Patricia Schmitter

Betsy Schwarm and Rick Glesner

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Segan

Mr. Billy Seiber

Ms. Laura Sheldon

David and Patricia Shelton

Dr. Andrew Sirotnak and Mr. James White

Ms. Marjorie Stanford

Kay Stevenson

Mr. and Mrs. Lyle B. Stewart

Jenene and James Stookesberry

Brent Strausbaugh

Christopher J. Swahn

Linda Tarpeh-Doe

Juanita S. Tate

Roger L. Tate

Ms. Lois Thornton

Janice Tilden

Mr. John B. Trueblood

Alan Turner

Charles and Deborah Turner

David Van Buskirk

Stephanie and Jaymie Vaughn

Mr. Michael Walker

Jill Wayne

Michael Weeda

Dr. Adriana Weinberg

Sandra L. White

Vincent Wincelowicz

Mr. Matthew Wolchak

Constance and Lawrence Wood

Allison and William Woolston

The Zevallos Family

Joseph A. Zmugg

GOVERNMENT AND FOUNDATIONS

Anonymous

Bagby Foundation

Bliss Family Foundation

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation

Bortz-Boyer Family Charitable Fund

Bucy Family Fund

Cactus Communications

Caulkins Family Foundation

Charlotte and Norman Codo Trust

Colorado Gives Foundation

Crawley Family Foundation

Denver Foundation

Denver Lyric Opera Guild

Denver Post Community Foundation

Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund

Galen & Ada Belle Spencer Foundation

Genesee Mountain Foundation

Jeanne Land Foundation

Jewish Community Foundation Of Southern Arizona

Jewish Community Fund of Greater Kansas City

Kenneth King Foundation

Kortz and Pearle Rae Levey Foundation

Landis Family Philanthropy

Leonard and Alice Perlmutter Charitable Foundation

Marcia Brady Tucker Foundation

McGoldrick Foundation

Merle Chambers Fund

Morgan Stanley

Nagel Foundation

National Philanthropic Trust

Opera America

Read Foundation Inc.

Renaissance Charitable Foundation

Schwab Charitable

Sidney E. Frank Foundation

Tepper Family Foundation

The Anschutz Foundation

The Schramm Foundation

Tulsa Community Foundation

US Charitable Gift Trust

Vanguard Charitable

Virginia W. Hill Foundation

William D. Radichel Foundation

CORPORATE ALLIANCE

5280 Magazine

CBS

Johnson Storage and Moving Kaladi Coffee

Nocturne Jazz and Supper Club

Residence Inn by Marriott –Denver City Center

Tax Time LLC

HONORARIUM/ MEMORIAL

In honor of Ellie Caulkins

Mr. David J. Chavolla

Laurie and Ben Duke III

Mrs. Marcia D. Strickland

In honor of Mary and Tom Conroy

Jenene and James Stookesberry

In honor of The Honorable Kenneth and Mrs. Barbara Laff

Ms. Patricia Brown

Anna Belle and Robert Kapelke

Diana Terry

In honor of Dino Maniatis

Karen M. Sumner

In honor of Rene and the late Donald Morgan

Suzanne D. Bucy

In honor of Laura Scully and Rick Tisinai

Tiffany Baker

Jennifer Berry

Ellen Horn-Lamb

In honor of Isabella Thompson

Jeff Thompson

In honor of Erin Wenzel

Anonymous

T. R. Reid

In honor of Pierce Wilson, Madi Wilson and Melony Mnatsakanyan

Jodie Wilson

In memory of Bill Belew

Barbara Davis

Darrell and India Mount

Helen Scott Santilli

Troop 8 BSA

Marie Belew Wheatley

In memory of Kevin Conwick

Phil and Norma Heinschel

In memory of Dirk DeRoos

Mr. Miles Smith

In memory of Dr. Stephen L. Dilts

Chris and Karen Mohr

In memory of Dr. Jacqueline Frischknecht

Mr. Chuck Lawhead and Mr. Ronald Broome

In memory of William Paul Hurlbut

Katherine Hurlbut

In memory of Janis Keske

Jane and Bart Burnett

In memory of Gary Landis

Gary and Rebecca Gantner

Gayle Landis

Deanna Rose Leino

In memory of Hugh and Peggy McGee

Sarah Hopfenbeck and Susan Corle

In memory of Margaret M. McMahon

T.R. Reid

In memory of Eugenia Meyer who taught me to love opera

Dr. Stacy Fisher and Dr. Henry Fisher

In memory of Robert Klages Reiber

Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Berliner

In memory of William A. Richey

Mary E. Moser

In memory of Alicia Rodriguez

Paige and Juan Rodriguez

In memory of William E. Russell

Jane Russell

In memory of Violet Santangelo

Chris Santangelo

In memory of Marlis Smith

Dr. Andrew Sirotnak and Mr. James White

In memory of Larry Zimmer

Laura M. Huss

Elaine Merkert

Marcia and Dick Robinson

Robert J. Sterrett

Tom Kirkpatrick and Djuana Strauch

CRESCENDO SOCIETY

The following people have made arrangements to include Opera Colorado in their Estate Plan.

Anthony Berkley and Amanda Gomez

Sheila Bisenius

Linda Bjelland

Ellie Caulkins

Barbara and Roger Chamberlain

Ms. Donna E. Hamilton

Ms. Lynn E. Harrington

Dr. Charles B. Kafadar

Mr. and Mrs. Ron Kahn

Deanna Rose Leino

Jeanie and Randal Martines

Lynnette Morrison

Mrs. Lee Roberts

Mary Ann Rose

Mr. Stephen Seifert

Fern B. Seltzer

Merrill Shields and M. Ray Thomasson

James and Jenene Stookesberry

Mr. Robert Van Buskirk

William and Nancy Wehner

Mrs. Carol C. Whitley

Larry* and Brigitte Zimmer

DENVER PERFORMING ARTS COMPLEX

The Denver Performing Arts Complex is owned and operated by Denver Arts & Venues for the City and County of Denver.

CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER

Mike Johnston, Mayor

DENVER ARTS & VENUES

Gretchen Hollrah, Executive Director

Jen Morris, Deputy Director

Tariana Navas-Nieves, Deputy Director

DENVER ARTS & VENUES, ARTS COMPLEX OPERATIONS

Mark Heiser, Venue Director

Jody Grossman, Assistant Venue Director, Booking

Todd Medley, Facilities Superintendent

Kelly Graham, Safety, Security and Garage Operations Manager

Carol Krueger, Patron Services Manager artscomplex.com | 720.865.4220 For immediate assistance & security 720.865.4200

SPONSORS

THE 2024-25 SEASON

Music Director Ari Pelto is sponsored by Mike & Julie Bock

EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Opera Colorado’s Education & Community Engagement Programs are made possible through the generous support of the following donors:

Pamela Beardsley

Denver Lyric Opera Guild

Sidney E. Frank Foundation –Colorado Fund Genesee Mountain Foundation

Marilyn Munsterman

Scientific and Cultural Facilities District

Galen & Ada Belle Spencer Foundation

Carol Whitley

Melvin & Elaine Wolf Foundation

The 2024-25 Opera on Tour productions of The Barber of Seville and Hansel and Gretel and the Student Matinee of Daughter of the Regiment are sponsored by the Genesee Mountain Foundation.

2024-25 SEASON ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM

The Opera Colorado Artist in Residence Program is sponsored by Ken & Donna Barrow, with additional support from Patrick Spieles.

Hallie Schmidt, soprano Sponsored by Joyce de Roos and Donald K. Braden

Melanie Dubil, mezzo-soprano Sponsored by Joy & Chris Dinsdale

Daniel Miller, tenor Sponsored by Richard Garvin and Prem & Stephanie Subramanian

Alex Granito, baritone Sponsored by Robin & Eric Yaeger

Oliver Poveda Zavala, bass-baritone Sponsored by Gayle & Gary Landis

James Eder, bass Sponsored by Ken & Barbara Laff and Laurence & Cynthia Chan

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS

Opera Colorado recognizes the following organizations for their generous support:

Official Artist Housing Partner

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR OPERA COLORADO

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our donor lists. However, if your name is incorrectly listed, please accept our sincere apologies and contact Sara Buhr at 303-468-2027.

YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

As a non-profit organization, we rely on the generosity of donors in our community. With your support, we can fulfill our mission to connect our Colorado community to the emotions and stories of the world through traditional and innovative opera and educational programming that is accessible to all.

Your donation this season honors our legacy and builds a bright future for decades to come.

YOUR SUPPORT HELPS US...

PRESENT high-quality opera experiences that reflect the multicultural fabric of our community SERVE over 45,000 patrons every year

DEVELOP audiences by introducing children (and adults!) to their first opera experience

TRAIN the next generation of opera performers through our Artist in Residence Program

HOW TO MAKE A GIFT ONLINE: operacolorado.org/support BY PHONE: 303.468.2060

MAIL A CHECK TO: Opera Colorado

4121 S Navajo St, Ste 100 Englewood, CO 80110

For questions, please contact Opera Colorado’s Development Team at development@ operacolorado.org or 303.468.2060.

SCAN THE QR CODE:

*denotes donor has passed away (Crescendo)

Denver City Center

PRESERVE THE MAGIC

JOIN

OUR

FAMILY OF DONORS

As the cost of producing opera continues to rise, your generosity ensures Opera Colorado can maintain our artistic excellence, provide accessible programming, and bring unforgettable experiences to the stage. By joining our family of donors, you help keep the music alive for generations to come. Your support unlocks exclusive benefits, including behind-the scenes experiences and special events, bringing you even closer to the art and artists you love.

PATRON CIRCLE PRODUCER CIRCLE

MEMBER $150-$399

• Your name listed in mainstage Season Program Books

• Closer to the Art emails before each mainstage production, where you will gain behind-the-scenes insight and learn something new about Opera Colorado

• Exclusive pre-sale opportunities to ticketed events throughout the season

SUPPORTER

$400-$699

Receive all previous benefits, plus:

• Invitation to an exclusive backstage tour of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, where you will peek into dressing rooms, step on stage, and explore all that this historic building entails

• Complimentary beverages at select events

• Donor Reception after the Artist in Residence Showcase

ASSOCIATE

$700-$1,499

Receive all previous benefits, plus:

• Access to the Chambers Grant Salon Donor Recognition Lounge and complimentary prosecco during intermission

• Complimentary admission to select Artists in Residence concerts

• Complimentary admission and discounted guest admission to Sitzprobe Event and Rehearsal

LIBRETTIST

$1,500-$3,499

Receive all previous benefits, plus:

• Invitation to a private Master Class with a leading industry artist and members of the Artist in Residence program

• Priority Invitation to reserve your spot for a curated operatic weekend with Opera Colorado in Santa Fe or other major city.

COMPOSER

$3,500-$6,999

Receive all previous benefits, plus:

• Invitation to a Sitzprobe Rehearsal and Dessert Reception

• Invitation to the Meet the Maestro event, an intimate luncheon with Opera Colorado’s Music Director

• Priority Invitation to reserve your spot at an intimate dinner following Artists in Conversation events, a chance to get to know the artists and creative team.

CONDUCTOR $7,000-$11,999

Receive all previous benefits, plus:

• Complimentary parking for your Opera Colorado mainstage performances

ARTIST CIRCLE QUESTIONS?

• Two tickets to a dress rehearsal of Opera Colorado mainstage productions

AMBASSADOR $12,000-$24,999

Receive all previous benefits, plus:

• Invitation to a private cocktail reception with the General Director, followed by a rehearsal in the Opera Colorado Opera Center or the Ellie Caulkins Opera House

• Private curated tour of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House for you and your guests

BENEFACTOR $25,000-$49,999

Receive all previous benefits, plus:

• Invitation to an intimate dinner with Opera Colorado’s General Director and Music Director

• Behind the scenes access to rehearsals at the Opera Colorado Opera Center, including VIP access to artists

VISIONARY $50,000+

Receive all previous benefits, plus:

• Private concert in your home or other chosen location

Contact our Development Department at 303.468.2060 or development@operacolorado.org

PHOTO Opera Colorado/Jamie Kraus

OPERA COLORADO STAFF

LEADERSHIP

Greg Carpenter, The Ellie Caulkins General & Artistic Director

Ari Pelto, Music Director

SENIOR TEAM

Jennifer Colgan, Director of Marketing & Communications

Ben Karasik, Associate Director of Production

Tom Kirkpatrick, Chief Financial Officer

Cherity Koepke, Director of Education & Community Engagement, Director of Opera Colorado’s Artist in Residence Program

Jordanna Rose, Director of Artistic Operations

STAFF

Sara Buhr, Associate Director of Development

Samantha Cantu, Patron Services Manager

Clair Clauson, HR Manager

Kendra Green, Resident Stage Manager

Megan Immerfall, Bookkeeper

Robin Lander, Patron Services & Office Coordinator

Alison Milan, Costume Director

Laura Norton, Digital Marketing Manager

Jocelyn Watson, Individual Giving & Donor Events Manager

MUSIC STAFF

Sahar Nouri, Chorus Master & Assistant Conductor

Nathan Salazar, Principal Repertoire Coach

Cody Guy Garrison, Chorus Repetiteur

Daniel Belcher, Artist in Residence Program Voice Teacher

Oleg Bellini, Resident Collaborative Pianist

2024-25 ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

Hallie Schmidt, soprano

Melanie Dubil, mezzo-soprano

Daniel Miller, tenor

Alex Granito, baritone

Oliver Poveda Zavala, bass-baritone

James Eder, bass

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS

Richard Koseff, Chair

Chevis F. (Chip) Horne, President

Dr. Laurence K. Chan, Vice President

Judy La Spada, Vice President

Prem S. Subramanian, MD, PhD, Secretary

Mark Bussey, Treasurer

DIRECTORS

Jeff V. Baldwin

Edward Balkin

Eleanor N. Caulkins, Lifetime Honorary Chair

Congresswoman Diana DeGette, Ex-Officio

Maria Garcia Berry

Richard Garvin

Mark Heiser, Ex-Officio

Don Hindman

Kelly Ann Hodges

Dr. Susan Rae Jensen

Laurence D. Kaptain, Ex-Officio

Hon. Kenneth Laff

Jim Linfield

MAJ. Konstantinos (Dino) G. Maniatis

William N. Maniatis, MD

Kevin O’Connor

The Honorable Jon J. Olafson

Marcia Robinson, Lifetime Honorary President

Keith Ward, Ex-Officio

Linda Weise, Ex-Officio

Daniel G. Welch

Evelyn Wolf

Robin Kolsky Yaeger

HONORARY DIRECTORS

Michael Bock

Hugh Grant

Jeremy Kinney

Mary French Moore

Jeremy Shamos

Susan Shamos

Merrill Shields

Martha Tracey

VOLUNTEERS

Wade Adams

Valerie Amburn

Eric Bard

Matthew Bell

Donald Braden

Jeffery Brown

Karen Bruggenthies

Leslie Cady

Ellie Caulkins

Joyzelle Davis

Martin Eisenberg

Howard Evans

Tom Gaffney

Jen GaNun

David Garon

Victoria Gits

Lisa Goda

Jan Heimer

Gwendolyn Jackman

Robert Kahn

Kristin Kelly

Kiplund Kolkmeier

Susan Landers

Melinda Leach

Dino Maniatis

Kathleen McQuaid

Kevin O’Connor

Elena Peschanskaia

Eva Phibbs

Julie Pogachefsky

Regina Rajewich

Donna Ries

Grover Sardeson

Lori Stevens

Kathryn Wallisch

Marianne Weingroff

Matthew Wolchak

OPERA

COLORADO’S PROGRAM BOOKS ARE PRODUCED BY THE PUBLISHING

HOUSE

Angie Flachman Johnson, Publisher

Stacey Krull, Art Director

Wilbur E. Flachman, President Emeritus

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION

303.428.9529 or ColoradoArtsPub.com

CONTACT OPERA COLORADO

ADMINISTRATION

Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Opera Colorado Opera Center 4121 S Navajo St, Ste 100 Englewood, CO 80110

303.778.1500 info@operacolorado.org

PATRON SERVICES

Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

303.468.2030

customerservice@operacolorado.org operacolorado.org follow @operacolorado

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.