yale opera Doris Yarick-Cross, Artistic Director
Opera Scenes November 1 & 2, 2019 | 7:30 pm Morse Recital Hall in Sprague Memorial Hall
Robert Blocker, Dean
Yale Opera
Opera Scenes friday, november 1 • 7:30 pm Le nozze di Figaro, I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Béatrice et Bénédict, Aleka saturday, november 2 • 7:30 pm Florencia en el Amazonas, La Rondine, Billy Budd, The Pirates of Penzance morse recital hall in sprague memorial hall
douglas dickson · timothy shaindlin music preparation & direction christopher murrah stage direction rebecca l. welles costume design doug harry lighting design wendall k. harrington projection design supervision Projections designed by students from the Yale School of Drama Projection Design program
Friday, November 1
Le nozze di Figaro Act II Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte
Performed in Italian with projected English translation Musical direction by Douglas Dickson Projection design by Riva Fairhall
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Countess Susanna Figaro Cherubino Count Almaviva Antonio Marcellina Basilio Bartolo
Laura Nielsen, soprano Madeline Ehlinger, soprano Phillip Lopez, bass-baritone Martina Myskohlid, mezzo-soprano Edwin Joseph, baritone Andres benavides Cascante, baritone julia orosz, mezzo-soprano Ricky Feng Nan, tenor Hans Tashjian, bass
A single day of absolute madness is the focus of Le nozze di Figaro. In the palace of Count Almaviva, Rosina is now the Countess; Dr. Bartolo is seeking revenge against Figaro for thwarting his plans to marry Rosina himself; and Count Almaviva is a scheming, bullying, skirt-chasing rogue. Having gratefully given Figaro a job as head of his servant-staff, he is now persistently trying to exercise his right to bed a servant girl on her wedding night – with Figaro’s bride-to-be, Susanna, who is the Countess’s maid, the object of his desire. He keeps finding excuses to delay the civil part of the wedding of his two servants, which is arranged for this very day. Figaro, Susanna, and the Countess conspire to embarrass the Count and expose his scheming. He retaliates by trying to compel Figaro legally to marry a woman old enough to be his mother.
Friday, November 1
I Capuleti e i Montecchi Excerpt Music by Vincenzo Bellini Libretto by Felice Romani
Performed in Italian with projected English translation Musical direction by Timothy Shaindlin Projection design by Matthias Neckermann
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Romeo Tebaldo
Theresa Kesser, mezzo-soprano Jong-Hyun Park, tenor
Based on text by Matteo Bandello instead of the Shakespearean story, I Capuleti e i Montecchi tells of the Capulet and Montague families, members of opposing political factions, the Guelphs and Ghibellines. Giulietta is betrothed to Tebaldo, though she has already fallen for Romeo, who is the leader of the Montecchi (Montague) family. This love is further complicated by the fact that Romeo has killed Giulietta’s brother, the son of Capellio, the leader of the Capuleti (Capulet) family. When Giulietta’s death bears down upon the men, decisions of life and death become complicated and grief suppresses the joys of love and the furies of hatred.
intermission
Friday, November 1
Béatrice et Bénédict Excerpt from Act I Music and Libretto by Hector Berlioz
Performed in French with projected English translation Musical direction by Timothy Shaindlin Projection design by Nicole E. Lang
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Héro Béatrice Bénédict Claudio Don Pedro Ursula
Nicole Leung, soprano Martina Myskohlid, mezzo-soprano John ChongYoon Noh, tenor Matthew Peterson, baritone Phillip Lopez, bass-baritone Julia Orosz, mezzo-soprano
One of the first operatic versions of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Béatrice et Bénedict concerns itself with the questions of love and marriage. A young woman, Hero, is ecstatic because Claudio, her lover, is expected to arrive soon with the victorious army, and the two hope to be married. Meanwhile, another couple is having a very different sort of reunion. Beatrice and Benedict always seem to be at each other’s throats, trading jibes and insults. But aside, each confesses to taking a curious pleasure at baiting the other. Berlioz’s score brings the sweeping romance and the fiery passion of love into focus as we follow the journeys of the pair of lovers.
Friday, November 1
Aleko Excerpt Music by Sergei Rachmaninoff Libretto by Vladimir NemirovichDanchenko
Performed in Russian with projected English translation Musical direction by Timothy Shaindlin Projection design by Jenn Doun
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Old Gypsy Young Gypsy Zemfira Aleko
Alireza Tousi, bass Ricky Feng Nan, tenor Greer Lyle, soprano hans tashjian, bass
Longing for freedom, Aleko abandons the stifling life and rules of “civilized society” for what seems to him an unencumbered, carefree life of nomadic gypsies. Zemfira meets Aleko, and after living together for two years and having a child, she has lost interest in the relationship. As a warning, her father tells his own story of how Zemfira’s mother, Mariula, abandoned them both, a fate he had to accept. Aleko chooses a different path, however, and brings about a devastation that will reverberate in the life of his own child.
Saturday, November 2
Florencia en el Amazonas Excerpt from Act I Music by Daniel Catรกn Libretto by Marcela Fuentes-Berain
Performed in Spanish with projected English translation Musical direction by Douglas Dickson Projection design by Camilla Tassi
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Riolobo Rosalba Paula Alvaro Capitรกn Florencia Arcardio
Phillip Lopez, bass-baritone Nicole Leung, soprano Theresa Kesser, mezzo-soprano Andres benavides Cascante, baritone Alireza Tousi, bass Greer Lyle, soprano John chongyoon Noh, tenor
Florencia en el Amazonas details the journey of the legendary diva Florencia Grimaldi and her fellow passengers on a boat ride down the Amazon. As they travel through the magical rainforest toward their destination, the opera house in Manaus, each passenger harbors a secret hope of what the trip will bring. Magical and lush, this tale of longing holds as many secrets as the river on which it is set. Performed by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner
Saturday, November 2
La Rondine Act III Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Giuseppe Adami
Performed in Italian with projected English translation Musical direction by Timothy Shaindlin Projection design by Emily Duncan Wilson
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Magda Ruggero Lisette Prunier
Laura Nielsen, soprano Jong-Hyun Park, tenor Nicole Leung, soprano Ryan Capozzo, tenor
La Rondine (The Swallow) is Magda, a Parisian courtesan who is kept by the wealthy Rambaldo but is in love with a well-bred young man, Ruggero. Having retreated to the shore of the Riviera, the young lovers find themselves broke with the only option at hand to marry and receive support from Ruggero’s family. This is contingent on the Magda’s being above reproach, which she cannot lie to Ruggero about any longer. Faced with the heartbreaking decision, Magda returns to her life with Rambaldo, leaving a stricken Ruggero in her past.
intermission
Saturday, November 2
Billy Budd Excerpt Music by Benjamin Britten Libretto by E. M. Forster and Eric Crozier
Performed in English with projected English text Musical direction by Douglas Dickson Projection design by Anna Grigo
cast (in order of vocal appearance) John Claggart, master-at-arms Edward Fairfax Vere, captain Billy Budd, foretopman Mr. Redburn, first lieutenant Mr. Flint, sailing master Lieutenant Ratcliffe Dansker, an old seaman
Hans Tashijian, bass Ryan Capozzo, tenor matthew Peterson, baritone Edwin Joseph, baritone Phillip Lopez, bass-baritone Andres benavides Cascante, baritone Alireza Tousi, bass
Billy Budd is based on the literary masterpiece by Herman Melville and tells the tale of the titular young seaman who is persecuted malevolently by his master-at-arms, John Claggart. Accused of mutiny, the stammering Budd accidentally strikes Claggart dead, and the tormented Captain Vere has no alternative but to hang him. Performed by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner
Saturday, November 2
The Pirates of Penzance Act I Music by Arthur Sullivan Libretto by W. S. Gilbert
Performed in English with projected English text Musical direction by Douglas Dickson Projection design by Jimmy Stubbs
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Samuel Pirate King Frederic Ruth Edith Kate Mabel Major General Ensemble
Andres benavides Cascante, baritone Edwin Joseph, baritone Ricky Feng Nan, tenor Julia Orosz, mezzo-soprano Greer Lyle, soprano Martina Myskohlid, mezzo-soprano Madeline Ehlinger, soprano Matthew Peterson, baritone Nicole Leung, Laura Nielsen, Theresa Kesser, Ryan Capozzo, John chongyoon Noh, Jong-Hyun Park, Phillip Lopez, Hans Tashjian, Alireza Tousi
The Pirates of Penzance introduces us to Frederic, who, having completed his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of tender-hearted pirates. He meets Mabel, the daughter of Major General Stanley, and the two young people fall instantly in love. Meanwhile, the pirates take for their interest Mabel’s sisters, if only they can persuade the very modern Major General to their side.
artist profiles
Christopher Murrah stage direction
Douglas Dickson musical direction and accompaniment
Christopher Murrah is a director of theatre, opera and multi-disciplinary works. His work has been seen around the world, including the 2015 production of Verdi’s La Traviata at the Mariinsky Opera House in St. Petersburg and Billy Budd at Opera Norsk in 2018. In 2016 he joined the faculty of Yale University School of Music’s Opera department. Productions with Yale Opera include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Britten) and Don Quichote (Massenet).
Douglas Dickson received his bachelor of arts degree from Princeton University and his master of musical arts degree from the Yale School of Music. On various occasions, The Washington Post has called him an “intelligent, sensitive” pianist with “super technique” and a “skillful pianist” and has praised him for the “finely integrated oneness” he achieves as an accompanist. Mr. Dickson has performed in the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America, in venues ranging from Japan’s Expo Hall to the Cincinnati Coliseum.
In 2018 Christopher formed Two Way Radio, a theatrical collaborative, with choreographer Adam Fleming. In January they collaborated on Toe Pick at Dixon Place and a new production of West Side Story with the Sioux City Symphony under the baton of Maestro Ryan Haskins. This production of West Side Story marked the first time that a full orchestra shared the stage with a fully mounted production of the musical and it featured new choreography by Mr. Fleming. » www.wearetwowayradio.com
While still in college, he was the accompanist for the American Boychoir. As part of Duodecaphonia, a prize-winning piano duo, he has performed at the Kennedy Center and elsewhere. Mr. Dickson has been the music director for productions at Quinnipiac University, the Yale School of Drama, Opera Theater of Connecticut, and Connecticut Experimental Theater. He was music director and conductor for the Yale Opera’s production of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, and conducted a concert featuring the Yale Opera with the Orchestra Verdi in Milan. He has taught at Quinnipiac University since 1993 and joined the Yale faculty in 1998. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in an all-Ives concert at Weill Recital Hall. For Naxos, he has recorded more than eighty songs by Charles Ives.
artist profiles
Timothy Shaindlin musical direction and accompaniment
Rebecca L. Welles costume design
A native of New York City, Timothy Shaindlin joined the Yale School of Music faculty in 2008. After studies at The Juilliard School and Indiana University, he worked for the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, San Diego Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Pittsburgh Opera. He has also coached for the Glimmerglass Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Hawaii Opera Theatre. In Europe, he worked for Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu and played master classes for Tito Gobbi. He has also played classes and coachings for such artists as Joan Sutherland, Birgit Nilsson, Beverly Sills, Marilyn Horne, Natalie Dessay, Ben Heppner, Luciano Pavarotti, Eleanor Steber, Samuel Ramey, Régine Crespin, Thomas Hampson, Frederica von Stade, Renée Fleming, and Carlo Bergonzi.
Rebecca L. Welles is pleased to return to Yale Opera. Credits include, for Yale Opera: Eugene Onegin, The Magic Flute, Hansel and Gretel, Le pauvre matelot, The Bear, Don Quichotte, La Cenerentola, Le nozze di Figaro, Gianni Schicci, Riders to the Sea, Bon Appétit, and Iolanta. Regional credits include, for Elm Shakespeare Company: Comedy of Errors; for Ivoryton Playhouse: Million Dollar Quartet and Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Story; for Salt Marsh Opera: I Pagliacci, The Magic Flute, La Bohème; with Aspen Opera Center: Il barbiere di Siviglia; and for Boheme Opera New Jersey: Cavalleria Rusticana, I Pagliacci. Rebecca is also an adjunct professor of performing arts at Eastern Connecticut State University and the resident costume designer for the Educational Center for the Arts. She received her bachelor of arts degree in theatre technology from Southern Connecticut State University in 2008 and her master of fine arts degree in design from Yale School of Drama in 2012.
Mr. Shaindlin’s work on the podium includes conducting engagements with the Wolf Trap Opera Festival, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Pittsburgh Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Chicago Light Opera Works, and Eugene Opera. He has assisted such renowned conductors as Christoph Eschenbach, Sir Andrew Davis, Daniel Barenboim, Valery Gergiev, Richard Bonynge, Bruno Bartoletti, Donato Renzetti, Louis Langrée, Edoardo Müller, Yves Abel, Daniele Gatti, Antonio Pappano, and Paul Gemignani.
Doug Harry lighting design Doug hails from the UK and trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama way back in the crazy eighties! He has travelled the world as a lighting designer for theater, opera, and corporate events. Currently, he splits his time between production management and design and is currently the production manager for the International Festival of Arts & Ideas. He is very happy to be designing for the Yale Opera program.
artist profiles
Wendall K. Harrington projection design supervision Wendall K. Harrington’s career has embraced diverse disciplines including projection design for theater, publishing, and video production. Broadway designs include Driving Miss Daisy, Grey Gardens, They’re Playing Our Song, The Elephant Man, My One and Only, The Heidi Chronicles, The Will Rogers Follies, Having Our Say, Company, Racing Demon, Ragtime, John Leguizamo’s Freak, The Capeman, Putting It Together, and The Who’s Tommy. Off-Broadway work includes Angels in America, Hapgood, A Christmas Carol at the Paramount; Merrily We Roll Along (three times!), and the ill-fated Whistle Down the Wind. Opera designs include Julie Taymor’s The Magic Flute in Florence, Italy; A View from the Bridge at Chicago Lyric Opera and the Metropolitan Opera; Die Gezeichneten at LA Opera; The Photographer at BAM; and Transatlantic, Grapes of Wrath, Rusalka, and Wuthering Heights for Minnesota Opera. Ms. Harrington is the recipient of the Drama Desk Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the American Theatre Wing Award, the TCI Award for Technical Achievement, and the Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Projections. Ms. Harrington has been lecturing on projection design for the Yale School of Drama since the early ’90s.
Student Profiles
Andres Benavides Cascante baritone B.A. Loyola University New Orleans; M.M. Yale School of Music; Young Artist Programs: Central City Opera, Institute of Young Dramatic Voices Ryan Capozzo tenor B.M. & M.M. SUNY Purchase Conservatory; Young Artist Program: Berlin Opera Academy Madeline Ehlinger soprano B.M. DePaul University; Young Artist Programs: Teatro Nuovo, Central City Opera Edwin Joseph baritone B.A. St. Stephen’s College, Delhi; Young Artist Programs: Prague Summer Nights Festival, Chautauqua Opera Theresa Kesser mezzo-soprano B.M. University of Denver; M.M. Indiana University; Young Artist Programs: Wolf Trap Opera, Miami Music Festival, Opera Steamboat Artist Institute Nicole Leung soprano B.M. New England Conservatoy; Young Artist Programs: Songfest, Long Reach Opera Workshop Phillip Lopez bass-baritone B.M. Millikin University M.M. Wichita State University; young Artist Program: Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Student Profiles
Greer Lyle soprano Georgia State University; Young Artist Program: Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Martina Myskohlid soprano B.M. University of Toronto; Young Artist Program: Opera NUOVA Ricky Feng Nan tenor B.M. SUNY Binghamton; M.M. Northwestern University; Young Artist Programs: Miami Music Festival, Central City Opera Laura Nielsen soprano B.M. & A.D. University of Western Ontario; Young Artist Programs: La Musica Lirica, Halifax Summer Opera Festival John ChongYoon Noh tenor B.M. Peabody Institute; M.M. The Juilliard School; Young Artist Programs: Music Academy of the West, Weill Music Institute – The Song Continues, Amalfi Coast Music Festival, Staunton Music Festival Julia Orosz mezzo-soprano B.M. The Hartt School; Young Artist Program: BRVS Vocal Intensive Program Jong-Hyun Park tenor B.M. Seoul National University Matthew Peterson baritone B.M. Colorado Christian University; M.M. Univeristy of Denver Young Artist Program: Central City Opera
Hans Tashjian bass B.F.A. Carnegie Mellon University; M.M. Manhattan School of Music; Young Artist Programs: Central City Opera, Opera Southwest, Sarasota Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Caramoor Music Festival, Teatro Nuovo Alireza Tousi bass B.M. & M.M. University of Redlands
Yale Opera Production Staff
christopher murrah Stage Director
erika niemi heltzel Yale Opera Manager
rebecca l. welles Costume Designer
tess naval Production Stage Manager
doug harry Lighting Designer & Master Electrician
Lauren McQuistin Assistant Stage Manager
camilla tassi Projection Programmer & Operator
cailey harwood-smith Properties Master
hannah tran Projection Assistant
Hanna Madler Wardrobe Manager
jill brunelle Surtitle Operator
Ricky Feng Nan Theresa Kesser Student Assistants
Special Thanks
Shawn Boyle Richard Cross Robert Heltzel Eric Lin Kyle Swann Anna Borou Yu Yale School of Drama Long Wharf Theatre Southern Connecticut State University Wendall K. Harrington and her projection design students
Yale Opera 2019–2020 season
Florencia en el Amazonas february 14–16, 2020 Shubert Theatre Yale Opera presents a new production of Daniel Catan’s Florencia en el Amazonas. This lyrical and magical piece is sung in Spanish with projected English text. Friday & Saturday, 8 pm | Sunday, 2 pm Tickets start at $19, Students $14 Available at shubert.com or 203-562-5666 Gianni Schicchi & Il Tabarro may 1 & 2, 2020 Morse Recital Hall Yale Opera presents a new double bill production of Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and Il Tabarro in Sprague Memorial Hall with music direction by Douglas Dickson and Timothy Shaindlin. Friday & Saturday | 7:30 pm Tickets start at $12, Students $5 Tickets available at the concert office.
Yale opera Doris Yarick-Cross, Artistic Director
Daniel Catán
FLORENCIA
EN EL AMAZONAS A transformative journey guided by enchantment and devotion Feb 14-16, 2020 | Shubert Theatre Described by the San Diego City Beat as “a game changer,” Florencia en el Amazonas offers a nod, through Marcela Fuentes-Berain’s libretto, to Gabriel García Márquez’s magical realism, with a score by Daniel Catán that ingeniously connects operatic tradition to the sounds of the story’s South American jungle setting. Christopher Franklin conducts the Yale Philharmonia and Candace Evans directs the cast in a new production of the first Spanish-language opera commissioned by celebrated U.S. opera companies. Christopher Franklin, conductor Candace Evans, stage director Izmir Ickbal, set designer Brittany Bland, projection designer Carolina Ortiz Herrera, lighting designer Rebecca L. Welles, costume designer Tickets start at $19, students $14 Media Sponsor: WSHU 91.1 fm
Tickets on sale now 203 562-5666 | Shubert.com
Robert Blocker, Dean
Upcoming Events nov 6 Boris Berman, piano Horowitz Piano Series Faculty pianist and series Artistic Director Boris Berman performs Schubert’s Piano Sonata No. 20, D. 959, and music by Chopin, including the Barcarolle, Op. 60, and the Polonaise-Fantaisie, Op. 61. 7:30 p.m. | Morse Recital Hall Tickets start at $15, students $7 nov 8 Bernarda Fink, mezzo-soprano YSM Special Events “A master of the disarming, deceptive simplicity of the song recital.” – The New York Times Songs by Schubert, Dvorák, Hugo Wolf, Joaquin Rodrigo, and Carlos Guastavino. 7:30 p.m. | Morse Recital Hall Tickets start at $12, students $5 nov 12 Polonsky-Shifrin-Wiley Trio Oneppo Chamber Music Series Beethoven’s “Gassenhauer” Trio, Poulenc’s Trio, Brahms’ Clarinet Trio, and Nino Rota’s Trio for clarinet, cello, and piano. 7:30 pm | Morse Recital Hall Tickets start at $28, students $13
nov 15 Louis Hayes Ellington Jazz Series “Throughout his career he’s solidified a place as one of jazz’s most soulfully swinging drummers.” – JazzTimes 7:30 pm | Morse Recital Hall Tickets start at $22, students $10 nov 21 Peter Oundjian, principal conductor Yale Philharmonia Nighttime is celebrated in a program featuring Debussy’s Nocturnes with the treble voices of the Yale Schola Cantorum, Weber’s Bassoon Concerto, and Scheherazade. 7:30 pm | Woolsey Hall Tickets start at $12, Yale faculty/ staff $8, students free* $3 surcharge at the door Horszowski Trio Oneppo Chamber Music Series Dvorák’s “Dumky” Trio, Carter’s Epigrams, and Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor. 7:30 pm | Morse Recital Hall Tickets start at $28, students $13
dec 3
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