Die Fledermaus Programme

JOHANN STRAUSS II

Tom Wright, General Director Jacques Lacombe, Music Director Jonathan Darlington, Music Director Emeritus VO Ticket Centre T: 604 683 0222 tickets@vancouveropera.ca www.vancouveropera.ca Vancouver Opera acknowledges that we work and perform on the unceded and traditional territory of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.

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COVER: Art Director: Annie Mack Photographer: Deanna Milligan Lighting: Ramsey Fendall | Model: Alex Love Kink | Lead Stylist / Costume Design: Lisa Marie Read Headpiece Design / Assistant Stylist: Marta Jaciubek-McKeever | Makeup Artist: Melody Attrill | Hair Stylist: Ysabella Branker | Properties & Assistant Costumes: Stephen Elgar Photographer’s Assistant: Jo Gaffney

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Welcome Message

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Notes from the Conductor

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Notes from the Director

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Synopsis

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The Art of Deception

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Cast & Creative Team

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Orchestra & Chorus

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Production Team

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Biographies

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Community Engagement

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Sponsors

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VO Board & Staff

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Donors

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Patron Information

CELEBRATING

65 YEARS!

A MESSAGE FROM THE GENERAL DIRECTOR AND BOARD CHAIR Welcome back to the Queen Elizabeth Theatre! With its huge chorus, rollicking party scene, and rousing songs like “King Champagne,” Strauss ll’s most beloved operetta is the perfect way to pop the cork on our celebratory 65th anniversary season. An audience favourite since its 1874 premiere, Die Fledermaus remains the most-performed operetta in the world for good reason. The vaudeville and farce-inspired masterwork revels in effervescent odes to drinking, dancing, laughing and loving, while a madcap plot pinballs through masquerade and mistaken identities, romantic dalliances, pranks, and payback.

We’re excited to sit back and listen as Maestro Jacques Lacombe, an avowed Strauss aficionado (a Straussie, perhaps?), takes us into the boisterous heart of an operetta that deftly draws polkas, waltzes, and other popular song forms into its deceptively sophisticated score. Director Ashlie Corcoran returns to direct her second VO season opener in a row, having helmed the fantastical The Magic Flute in 2023. We’re excited to have her high-spirited, 1960s-infused take on this comedic gem set the tone for another spectacular season.

Speaking of which, now’s the time to get in on the celebrations for the rest of this milestone anniversary season. Tickets for Jonathan Dove’s modern classic Flight and Puccini’s poignant masterwork Madama Butterfly are on sale now.

Opt for a two-opera Duet package and you’ll get the best prices, unlimited exchanges, exclusive offers, and—most importantly—two absolutely exceptional opera experiences.

We’re delighted to launch this extra-special anniversary season with an operetta that radiates charm, wit, and good-natured mischief. Let’s all raise a toast to a bright future for opera in Vancouver, built on 65 years of visionaries, virtuosos, and vibrant community!

Tom Wright, General Director Vancouver Opera

Krista Johanson, Board Chair

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NOTES FROM THE CONDUCTOR

JACQUES LACOMBE

The great German composer Johannes Brahms, who for almost 20 years was too intimidated to publish his first symphony, believing that after Beethoven no one could write a symphony, was asked to give his opinion about the Blue Danube Waltz by Johann Strauss ll. His answer: “it is as good as a Beethoven symphony!”

In music, as in many other art forms, artists and creators who achieve popular success during their lifetime are often considered in certain “circles” to be producing art of a lower value; art for the masses rather than the “happy few.” Johann Strauss ll, “the king of the waltz,” has long suffered this sort of judgment. He is a composer who managed throughout his career to produce works that garnered immediate popular success, yet he continued to develop his own personal style while bringing traditional dances such as the waltz, the polka and the gallop to a very high level of sophistication.

Surprisingly enough, the music of Johann Strauss ll is rarely part of the curriculum of any music program.

To be honest, I didn’t know much about it, nor did I pay serious attention to it until I went to study conducting in Vienna in the mid-80s. It was there that I came to understand Brahms’ comment and realized that, as simple as it may seem at first glance, Johann Strauss’ music was complex and tricky if you try to perform it with the right style.

This is the approach that my colleagues and myself have been taking in preparation for this production of Die Fledermaus, with the hope that our performance will bring you as close as possible to the heart of Vienna!

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ADDITIONAL SUPPORT

NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR

ASHLIE CORCORAN

Welcome to our vibrant and playful rendition of Die Fledermaus, where we transport Johann Strauss II’s classic operetta into the lively world of the 1960s.

This era, known for its exuberance and style, provides a perfect backdrop for the operetta’s themes of disguise, deception, and playful revenge.

Popular references from this period are infused throughout – especially in Act II, where the unknowing players in Falke’s game find themselves at a themed costume party and the stage becomes a lively tableau of 1960s cinema and television characters. At this party there are layers upon layers of disguise and intrigue – heightening the comedic and dramatic elements of the operetta.

I am thrilled to collaborate with our amazing musical leader, conductor Jacques Lacombe and his humour, spirit, and precision, as well as our extraordinary cast of singers, whose remarkable talents bring depth and charm to this production.

Mark Crawford’s fresh and specific adaptation of the scenes to the 1960s allows for the humour of Die Fledermaus to resonate with a contemporary audience while staying true to its original charm. Choreographer Shelley Stewart Hunt joins us to infuse her trademark wit into the physicality of the world.

Together, we aim to create a production that celebrates the essence of Strauss’ operetta and also the energy, distinctive fashion, and iconic pop culture of the 1960s.

We hope you enjoy this journey through a playful world of disguise, laughter, and revelry.

Thank you so much for joining us!

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SYNOPSIS ACT I At Rosalinde and Gabriel von Eisenstein’s home, the maid Adele asks to leave work under the pretext of caring for her ailing aunt, though she actually wants to join her sister at Prince Orlofsky’s masquerade ball. Rosalinde refuses. Rosalinde’s old flame Alfred arrives and declares his love to Rosalinde, who resists until he begins to sing.

Hearing someone approach, she sends Alfred away, but not before he’s convinced her to let him return later.

Gabriel and his lawyer, Blind, arrive from court: Eisenstein has been sentenced to eight days in jail for assaulting a police officer and he must begin serving the next morning. Furious, he dismisses Blind. Gabriel’s friend Dr. Falke convinces him to join him that night at Prince Orlofsky’s costume party. Eisenstein agrees, accepting Falke’s suggestion that he bring his famous pocket watch to charm the ladies. While Eistenstein gets ready, Rosalinde receives a party invitation she thinks is from Prince Orlofsky, but is actually from Falke. As her husband departs, she dismisses Adele for the night and receives the ardent Alfred. Their rendezvous is interrupted by the prison warden Frank, who has come to arrest Eisenstein. To preserve her good name, Rosalinde persuades Alfred to pose as her husband, and believing him to be Eisenstein, Frank takes Alfred to jail.

ACT II The party is in full swing. Adele’s sister Ida is worried that Adele isn’t classy enough, so she decides to present her as “Olga,” a Russian actress. Eisenstein enters, posing as a Frenchman. He immediately recognizes Adele, but she denies it. Frank is also pretending to be French, and he and Eisenstein become fast friends.

Rosalinde, disguised as a Hungarian countess, sees her husband flirting with Ida and sings an impassioned ode to her betrayed homeland. When a smitten Eisenstein starts flirting with her, she steals his pocket watch. Ivania teases Falke about how he earned the nickname “Dr. Bat.” Champagne flows, and the revellers dance and sing through the night. At dawn, Eisenstein rushes off to jail, as does Frank.

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ACT III Frank arrives at the prison, still buzzing from his evening spent at the party. Frosch, the jailer, is annoyed by her boss’ late arrival, and by the nonstop singing of Alfred in the cell. Ida and Adele arrive, and Adele hopes Frank can further her stage aspirations. Frank sends them off and receives Eisenstein, who’s surprised to learn his cell is already occupied by a man claiming to be him, and who was found in his home with Rosalinde. The lawyer Blind arrives, saying he was summoned to handle a false arrest case. Determined to get to the bottom of things, Eisenstein disguises himself as the lawyer to confront the impostor. Rosalinde rushes in.

She tries to secure Alfred’s release, asks “Blind” to press divorce charges against her wayward husband, and is upset when the “lawyer” seems to take Eisenstein’s side. Removing his disguise, Eisenstein accuses his wife of promiscuity.

Rosalinde produces his watch, revealing that she was the “countess” he tried to seduce. Falke arrives with partygoers and triumphantly explains that the whole evening was payback for Eisenstein’s previous practical joke. Eisenstein begs Rosalinde to forgive his attempted infidelity, blaming his misbehavior on the party’s plentiful champagne.

She refuses at first and threatens divorce, before forgiving him. After a night of merry mischief, all sing a final ode to the joys of champagne.

IMAGES FROM THE PRODUCTION OF LA CHAUVE-SOURIS (THE BAT) AT OPÉRA DE QUÉBEC IN MAY 2024, DIRECTED BY BERTRAND ALAIN. PHOTO: EMMANUEL BURRIEL. DIE FLEDERMAUS |

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DANCING IN DISGUISE:

THE ART OF DECEPTION Johann Strauss II’s Die Fledermaus is an invitation to a world of elegance, wit, and playful mischief. As an audience member, you’ll find yourself drawn into a sparkling, waltz-filled journey where nothing is quite as it seems. The characters in Die Fledermaus embrace the joy of deception, donning masks and false identities to revel in a world where societal rules are temporarily cast aside. This operetta invites you to do the same: to laugh, enjoy, and reflect on the roles we play in our own lives.

Strauss’ lively score is the driving force behind the operetta’s infectious charm. The iconic waltzes swirl through the air, pulling you into the characters’ world of intrigue and indulgence. As Carl Dahlhaus observes, “the waltz in Strauss’ hands transcends mere dance music, becoming a symbol of the festive, carefree life that dissolves in its own transience.” The overture, with its vivacious tempo, immediately sets the tone for an evening of celebration and escapism. The famous “Laughing Song” (“Mein Herr Marquis”) highlights Strauss’ ability to marry humor and musical sophistication, while the “Drinking Song” (“Watch Duet”) embodies the carefree spirit of the night, inviting characters—and the audience—to let go of reality.

The themes of deception and hidden identities explored in Die Fledermaus have resonated across various artistic forms. Films like Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and Anthony Minghella’s The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) delve into the allure of disguise and the complexities of pretending to be someone else. David Wyn Jones remarks that Die Fledermaus is “not merely a farce, but a subversive commentary on the contradictions of bourgeois society, where pleasure and propriety are in constant conflict.”

As you experience Die Fledermaus, you’ll be transported to a world where fantasy and reality blur, and where music becomes the vehicle for both joy and reflection. For a few hours, we can wear a mask, waltz through the night, and indulge in the magic of the moment.

Ashley Daniel Foot is the Director of Engagement and Civic Practice at Vancouver Opera, where he leads innovative programs connecting diverse communities through opera. His work focuses on making opera accessible, especially through educational initiatives like Opera Adventures at Vancouver Public Library and Opera Experience, an immersive, year-long program that gives high school students behind-the-scenes access to Vancouver Opera productions. He also hosts the podcast Inside Vancouver Opera, exploring the stories behind the art form.

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DIE FLEDERMAUS

by Johann Strauss II Libretto by Karl Haffner and Richard Genée

OPERA IN 3 ACTS

2 hours and 45 minutes, including one 25-minute intermission.

In German with English dialogue and SURTITLESTM First performance at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna on April 5, 1874.

Scenery & Costumes constructed by Opéra de Québec

Additional Costumes & Scenery built by Vancouver Opera

CONDUCTOR

Jacques Lacombe DIRECTOR

Ashlie Corcoran

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CAST IN ORDER OF VOCAL APPEARANCE Alfred Owen McCausland

Frank Giles Tomkins

Adele Claire de Sévigné

Ida Heidi Duncan*

Rosalinde Lara Ciekiewicz

Orlofsky Mireille Lebel

Eisenstein John Chest

Frosch Beatrice Zeilinger

Dr. Blind Lyndon Ladeur*

Ivania Simran Claire*

Dr. Falke Peter Barrett With the Vancouver Opera Orchestra and the Vancouver Opera Chorus.

Dialogue Adapted By Mark Crawford

Associate Conductor / Chorus Director Leslie Dala

Assistant Director Tayte Mitchell*

Assistant Chorus Director / Principal Répétiteur Tina Chang

Choreographer Shelley Stewart Hunt Intimacy Director Lisa Goebel Set Designer Julie Lévesque Costume Designer Émily Wahlman Design Consultant Kevin McAllister Lighting Design Gerald King Assistant Lighting Designer Jamie Sweeney

Répétiteur Perri Lo Derek Stanyer* Stage Manager Michelle Harrison Assistant Stage Managers Emma Hammond Katie Schmidt Apprentice Stage Manager Elsa Orme SurTitleTM Creator Sarah Pelzer

*Artists from the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program.

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ORCHESTRA & CHORUS ORCHESTRA FLUTE Brenda Fedoruk, Principal Anne-Elise Keefer PICCOLO Anne-Elise Keefer OBOE Emma Ringrose, Principal Erin Marks CLARINET Christopher Lee, Acting Principal Yen-Han Chen BASSOON Ingrid Chiang, Principal Allan Thorpe HORN Laurel Spencer, Principal Nick Anderson Heather Walker Lyne Santamaria TRUMPET Katherine Evans, Principal Nikolaj Hansen TROMBONE Jeremy Berkman, Principal Jim Tranquilla BASS TROMBONE Graham Middleton HARP Janelle Nadeau, Principal TIMPANI Phillip Crewe, Principal PERCUSSION Julia Chien, Principal Lauri Lyster Len Pearson VIOLIN I Mark Ferris, Concertmaster Angela Cavadas, Associate Concertmaster Lawrie Hill Rick Dorfer Heilwig von Koenigsloew 16

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Ken Lin Ellen Farrugia Evelyn Creaser-Rumley Sarah Westwick Hyunjung Julia Lim VIOLIN II Rebecca Ruthven, Principal 2nd Andrea Siradze, Assistant Principal Domagoj Ivanovic Ji In Kim Petro Krysa Adrianne Stride Toni Stanick Sandra Fiddes VIOLA Tawnya Popoff, Principal Isabelle Roland, Assistant Principal Marie-Claude Brunet Reginald Quiring Mila Tymoshenko Roxi Dykstra CELLO Rebecca Wenham, Principal Heather Hay, Assistant Principal Susan Round Ashton Lim Harold Birston BASS Maggie Hasspacher, Principal Michael Vaughan, Assistant Principal Meaghan Williams Remi Yueming Xia Orchestra Manager Nick Anderson Orchestra Stage Manager Jim Tranquilla Orchestra Librarian Meaghan Williams

CHORUS SOPRANO D’Arcy Blunston Rebecca Collett Eve-Lyn de la Haye Allyson Hop Aviva Lacterman Heather Pawsey Szu-Wen Wang Karen Ydenberg MEZZO-SOPRANO Francesca Corrado Brenda Glass Martina Govednik Lisa-Dawn Markle Heather Molloy Megan Morrison Elena Razlog Dionne Sellinger TENOR Callum Alden DJ Calhoun William Grossman Adam Kozak Brent MacKenzie Wade Nott Mark Pepe Don Wright

BASS/BARITONE Angus Bell Henry Chen Jason Cook Glenn deVerteuil Dean Giustini Willy Miles-Grenzberg Zainen Suzuki Philip Wing SUPERNUMERARIES Justin Daniels Gabriel Eum Danica Kobayashi Nicole Laurent Monica Munn Sarah Shepherd VO celebrates our talented colleague, tenor John Arsenault, who passed away unexpectedly October 4, 2024.

John was a beloved member of the VO chorus for 13 seasons and performed supporting roles in numerous productions with us, including Aida, Norma, Salome, and Tosca. In recent years, John took up the baton as conductor and musical director for several local opera and musical theatre companies. In all that he did, John was known for his sharp wit and kind, generous spirit. We will fondly remember his deep impact on our musical community.

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PRODUCTION TEAM Director of Artistic & Production Nicole Lamb

Production Carpenter Dale Baratelli

Company Manager Kewen Huang

Production Electrician Anna-Lena Steiner

Technical Director Jon Mottram

Show Crew Andie Mei Fong Ho Bob Bancroft Carlos Avila Carolyn Reemeyer David Raun Edward Lazenby Joel Johnson Kate Rittenhouse Mark Ransom Martin Argus Mike Phelan Oriana Camporese Phil Schulze Saghar Bazargan Sarah Marchant Tony Brackstone

Head of Properties Stephen Field Elgar Assistant Properties Jesse Orr Head Scenic Carpenter Vince Folgizan Welder Philip A. Piper Head Scenic Painter Omanie Elias Production Assistant Jimena Pacheco Production Make-Up Michael Croteau Production Hair & Wigs / Wig Designer Donnie Tejani

Vancouver Opera recognizes and thanks Big Wave Dave for 20 years of working together. You are an important part of VO’s crew history!

Head of Wardrobe Roberta Doylend

THANK YOUS

Wardrobe Assistant Lily Yuen

IATSE 118 Vancouver Civic Theatres

Stitchers/Cutters Jayme Cline Sarah Marchant Victoria Klippenstein Stephanie Kong Audrey Nishi

Since 2004, the David Spencer Endowment Encouragement Fund has been investing in emerging artists at Vancouver Opera, providing a boost for many artists' training to become professional performers.

We sincerely thank the DSEEF Trustees for their role in helping VO become a focal point for young artists training in Canada.

In this production of Die Fledermaus, we recognize Dionne Sellinger, Francesca Corrado, Karen Ydenberg, Perri Lo and Peter Barrett as David Spencer Artists.

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BIOS JACQUES LACOMBE Conductor Active for over 30 years internationally, Jacques Lacombe has been Music Director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre Symphonique de Trois-Rivières, and Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse in France. He has collaborated with major opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera House, Royal Opera at Covent Garden, and Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Jacques Lacombe has recently been appointed Music Director at Vancouver Opera.

ASHLIE CORCORAN Director Ashlie has been the Artistic Director at the Arts Club since 2018. Recent opera productions include Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia at VO, as well as Die Zauberflöte for the Canadian Opera Company and Opera Philadelphia. Her recent theatre credits include Guys and Dolls, Little Shop of Horrors, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and Every Brilliant Thing (ACTC). Upcoming projects include Primary Trust and Waitress (ACTC).

GERALD KING Lighting Design Vancouver Opera: The Flying Dutchman, Evita, Otello, Dead Man Walking; Pacific Opera Victoria: Vanessa, Carmen; The Citadel Theatre: Matilda the Musical, Empire of the Son; Bard on the Beach: Hamlet, Macbeth, Taming of the Shrew; National Arts Centre: carried away on the crest of a wave; Chicago Shakespeare Theater Co.: As You Like It; Shakespeare Theatre Centre (Washington, DC): As You Like It. 20

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MARK CRAWFORD Dialogue Adapted By Mark is one of Canada’s most popular playwrights, with productions across the country and internationally. In Vancouver: Bed and Breakfast and The Birds and the Bees at Arts Club Theatre Company. His new play, The Golden Anniversaries, had its world premiere at the Blyth Festival earlier this year. Also an actor, Mark has performed on stages from coast to coast. This adaptation marks his opera début.

OWEN MCCAUSLAND Alfred Tenor Owen McCausland’s recent season highlights include Verdi’s Otello and La fanciulla del west with the Cleveland Orchestra, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte with Vancouver Opera and the Cleveland Orchestra, and Stravinsky’s The Nightingale and Other Fables with the Adelaide Festival. He looks forward to joining the Canadian Opera Company this season for Berg’s Wozzeck and Bilodeau’s La reine-garçon.

CLAIRE DE SÉVIGNÉ Adele Recent and upcoming roles include Mother-in-Law in Innocence (San Francisco Opera, Adelaide Australia); L’Ange in Saint François d’Assise (Geneva); Adele in Die Fledermaus (Toulon, Avignon, Nantes, Rennes, Angers Opera); Blonde in Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Geneva, Finland, Zürich, Canadian Opera Company); Cunégonde in Candide (Geneva, Hamburg); Venus in Le Grand Macabre (Hamburg).

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BIOS LARA CIEKIEWICZ Rosalinde Hailed for her “tour-de-force performance” as Floyd’s Susannah (Manitoba Opera), Lara has established herself as a dynamic, intelligent, and moving singing-actress. Her facility for fully transforming into a character, regardless of genre, has earned her the reputation of being an artistic chameleon. Lara also enjoys gardening, is an avid walker, loves fabulous footwear, and remains a prairie girl forever.

JOHN CHEST Eisenstein Chest’s “presence and delivery complement the dark, rich colours in his voice” (Opera Now).

Operatic highlights include: Billy Budd at San Francisco Opera; Pelléas at Glyndebourne; Faust in Toulouse and Madrid; Il barbiere di Siviglia in Torino; Don Carlos at Theater Basel; Don Giovanni for Angers-Nantes Opéra; Così fan tutte in Munich, Hamburg, and Berlin; and Le nozze di Figaro in Lyon, Luxembourg, Philadelphia, and Berlin.

LYNDON LADEUR, YAP Dr. Blind & Alfred Understudy Lyndon Ladeur’s favourite performances include Fadinard in Il cappello di paglia di Firenze and Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore. Internationally, Lyndon debuted at the Gilbert and Sullivan Festival in the UK, playing Marco in The Gondoliers and winning Best Male Vocalist.

Lyndon completed his Masters of Opera at the University of Toronto in 2024. He studies with famed soprano Wendy Nielsen.

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BIOS PETER BARRETT Dr. Falke Baritone Peter Barrett has been celebrated for his “commanding” performances with “stage presence to burn” (Opera Canada). His recent engagements included role debuts as Alfio (Cavalleria Rusticana) with Opera West, as Scarpia (Tosca) with Edmonton Opera, Ratefreund in Pacific Opera Victoria’s Braunfels’ Die Vögel, and his return to the Canadian Opera Company for the world premiere of Pomegranate.

GILES TOMKINS Frank Canadian/British bass-baritone Giles Tomkins is widely praised for his vocal virtuosity and lyricism in an impressive range of repertoire. His rich, resonant voice brings “authority and power” to the concert and operatic stage. This season, Giles adds the roles of the King in Pacific Opera Victoria’s The Little Prince and Hunding in Die Walküre with Edmonton Opera to his opera repertoire.

HEIDI DUNCAN, YAP Ida & Adele Understudy Last season, Heidi made her Vancouver Opera debut as Frasquita in Bizet’s Carmen and covered the roles of Pamina (Die Zauberflöte) and Norina (Don Pasquale). Heidi is a graduate of the University of Toronto Opera School and recent alumni of the Brott Opera Young Artist Program. In Spring 2025, Heidi will return to the mainstage as Kate Pinkerton in VO’s production of Madama Butterfly.

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BIOS MIREILLE LEBEL Orlofsky Canadian mezzo-soprano Mireille Lebel sings leading lyric mezzo roles in opera and concert internationally, and is based in Berlin. She has recorded eight opera discs with the Boston Early Music Festival, and enjoys close collaborations with contemporary composers. In 2020, she cofounded the artistic collective Crown the Muse, and was awarded a Canada Council Grant for their inaugural project.

BEATRICE ZEILINGER Frosch Beatrice is a Vancouver-based actor who has worked in film, TV, and theatre for over 35 years.

She is a multiple nominee and three-time recipient of the Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards. Most recently, audiences may have seen Beatrice in Beautiful: The Carole King Story (Arts Club), and on TV for Alert: Missing Persons Unit. Upcoming: The Mousetrap at the Arts Club Theatre in 2025.

SIMRAN CLAIRE, YAP Ivania & Orlofsky Understudy Last seen as Mercédès in Vancouver Opera’s Carmen, mezzo-soprano Simran Claire joins the company as a member of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program. She has performed with companies including Calgary Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, and the Glimmerglass Festival.

Alongside performance, she creates original work; her “utterly moving” narrative recital film Dadima was featured by CBC Music and Opera Canada.

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BIOS DANLIE RAE ACEBUQUE, YAP Dr. Falke Understudy Baritone Danlie Rae Acebuque was the first recipient of the Alexandor Chorney Opera Scholarship at UofT in 2021. In 2022, he was the recipient of the Stuart Hamilton Memorial Award with Voicebox: Opera in Concert, and in 2023 he was one of the Encouragement Award recipients at the Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (Oregon District), and Audiences Choice at the MET (Western Canada District).

SHELLEY STEWART HUNT Choreographer Choreographic highlights include: Guys & Dolls (Arts Club Theatre Co.); The Sound of Music (ACTC 2019 & 2022); Elf the Musical (Persephone); Pirates of Penzance (TIP); and Mamma Mia! (TUTS). From 2004 to 2021, Shelley was a key faculty member in Capilano University’s Musical Theatre Program. In 2016, Shelley joined the faculty of Studio 58 (Langara College) where she teaches tap and movement.

LISA GOEBEL Intimacy Director Select credits: associate movement director and intimacy director for Choir Boy (Arts Club), choreographer and intimacy director for Hamlet (Bard on the Beach), and intimacy director for Yaga (Touchstone Theatre). She completed her Intimacy Certification through Intimacy Directors and Coordinators and is a graduate of Studio 58.

Upcoming: movement consultant for Miracle on 34th Street (Arts Club).

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BIOS TAYTE MITCHELL, YAP Assistant Director Hailing from Vulcan, AB, stage director and tenor Tayte Mitchell most recently launched Ammolite Opera as its founding Artistic Director. He is an alumnus of the McPhee Artist Program with Calgary Opera, the Music Academy of the West, and the Wolf Trap Opera Studio. Tayte holds degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and the Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.

LESLIE DALA Associate Conductor / Chorus Director & Conducting October 31 Conductor and pianist, Leslie Dala enjoys a multifaceted career spanning the genres of opera, symphonic music, choral and contemporary works. He recently conducted VO’s productions of Carmen and The Flying Dutchman; Bach’s St. John Passion and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Vancouver Bach Choir and Mozart’s Coronation Mass at Carnegie Hall. This season with VO, Les will be conducting Dove’s Flight.

TINA CHANG Assistant Chorus Director / Principal Répétiteur Described as a “scintillating player,” pianist, and coach, Tina Chang is currently on the music staff at Vancouver Opera. She has been involved with Wexford Festival Opera in Ireland and soundSCAPE New Music Festival in Italy. Locally, she works with Chor Leoni and the Arts Club. She maintains her own private studio and has been on the adjunct faculty of both UBC and Dalhousie University.

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BIOS MICHELLE HARRISON Stage Manager Michelle has worked in stage management with Pacific Opera Victoria and Vancouver Opera on such operas as For a Look or a Touch, Orfeo ed Euridice, The Barber of Seville, The Flying Dutchman, Don Pasquale, and Carmen. Recent theatre credits include Little Shop of Horrors (Arts Club/Citadel), The Sound of Music, and Kinky Boots (Arts Club). She is a graduate of UBC.

EMMA HAMMOND Assistant Stage Manager Based on the west coast, Emma has been working in theatre and opera for 10 years. She has worked at a variety of companies including; Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera, the Firehall, Ruby Slippers, Sticks and Stones, Theatre Under the Stars, Theatre Replacement, and the Cultch. Upcoming for her is stage managing the East Van Panto. Thanks go to Justin for his ongoing love and support.

KATIE SCHMIDT Assistant Stage Manager Katie is a graduate of the University of Winnipeg Theatre and Film in the Production Stream with a focus on Stage Management. Her first professional gig was Stage Managing for the Gilbert and Sullivan Society in Winnipeg and she is very excited to jump in on Die Fledermaus!

Recent credits include Assistant Stage Managing on Outside Inn (PTE), The Lehman Trilogy, and The Sound of Music (RMTC.) DIE FLEDERMAUS |

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2024–2025 SEASON

ubcoperatickets.com

Holiday Concert Street Scene November 23 – 7:30pm, Old Auditorium A beautiful bouquet of your favourite opera, operetta and musical theatre songs, bringing us into the winter holidays. Join the party to sing along and tap your toes to the tunes you know and love.

Jan 30, 31, Feb 1 – 7:30pm | Feb 2 – 2pm Chan Centre for the Performing Arts Kurt Weill’s “American Broadway Opera” is an emotionally charged portrait of life among the multi-ethnic working-class living in a crowded brownstone in New York City.

BIOS ELSA ORME Apprentice Stage Manager Elsa Orme is a Vancouver-based Stage Manager and Designer. Select credits include Morag, You’re A Long Time Deid (Touchstone Theatre), The 39 Steps (The Grove Theatre), Queen of Carthage (re:Naissance Opera), Inheritances (Music On Main), Confluence (Raven Spirit Dance), and Flight of the Hummingbird (Vancouver Opera & Pacific Opera Victoria).

JAMIE SWEENEY Assistant Lighting Designer Jamie Sweeney is a Canadian, Vancouver-based theatre collaborator. She is a lighting designer, a production manager, a performer, a deviser, a creator, and an artist. She has a BFA in theatre production and design from Simon Fraser University. Some companies she has worked with include Ballet BC, Bard on the Beach, Vancouver Opera, Arts Club, Rice & Beans Theatre, vAct, and Neworld Theatre

PERRI LO Répétiteur Perri Lo is a pianist and vocal coach working in opera, chamber music, and dance. She has worked with companies across Canada and locally, including Vancouver Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, City Opera Vancouver, Re:N Opera, and Opera Kelowna. Perri is a pianist for Ballet BC and Arts Umbrella Dance, and recently collaborated with dancers and singers on the Canadian premiere of Floating Island.

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LEGACY

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BIOS DEREK STANYER, YAP Répétiteur Dr. Stanyer has worked as a pianist/coach with UBC Opera since 2019, and as an Adjunct Professor in 2023. He has recently performed both opera and art song with the Vancouver Fringe Festival, Vancouver Opera, Opera Unbound, COC, York Place Concerts, and many others. His doctoral research (and passion!) relates to the art songs of Nikolai Medtner, which are a largely ignored part of the art song repertoire.

SARAH JANE PELZER English SurtitlesTM Sarah Jane Pelzer is a stage director and surtitlist based in Vancouver, BC. She has directed, assisted, and taught across Canada and the US at Vancouver, Edmonton, and Manitoba Opera, Opera on the Avalon, Opera Kelowna, Wolf Trap, and the New England Conservatory. Sarah is the co-founder of Lucky Penny Opera, a company dedicated to exploring alternative models for creating opera performances.

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VANCOUVER OPERA GUILD 2024 ESCORTED OPERA TOURS NEW YORK METROPOLITAN OPERA | March 10 – 17, 2025 • Moby-Dick (Heggie) with Brandon Jovanovich, Stephen Costello & Peter Mattei La Bohème (Puccini) with Kristina Mkhitaryan and Joseph Calleja • • Aida (Verdi) with Christina Nilsson and Judit Kutasi • Fidelio (Beethoven) with Lise Davidsen, David Butt Philip & Tomasz Knieczny • Laffont Grand Finals Concert Tour cost of $4,015 includes return airfare, seven nights Empire Hotel plus four opera tickets and one grand finals concert ticket.

U.K. OPERA FESTIVALS | June 11 – 23, 2025 We will stay in Windsor for five nights and enjoy L’Elisir d’Amore (Donizetti) and The Queen of Spades (Tchaikovsky) at Garsington Opera and Mazeppa (Tchaikovsky) at Grange Park Opera. We continue to Brighton for a five night stay and attend Parsifal (Wagner) and The Barber of Seville (Rossini) at Glyndebourne. London overnights are included for the first and last tour nights.

OPERA IN SANTA FE | July 27 – August 3, 2025 Tour includes airfare, accommodation at the Inn of the Governors, five operas, one preopera buffet dinner, backstage tour and day excursion to Taos, its pueblo and Chimayo.

• La Bohème (Puccini): Sylvia D’Eramo, Long Long • Rigoletto (Verdi): Gerardo Bullon, Elena Villalon, Duke Kim Die Walküre (Wagner): Tamara Wilson, Ryan Speedo Green • • The Marriage of Figaro (Mozart): Florian Sempey, Marina Monzo, Ricardo Fassi, Liv Redpath • The Turn of the Screw (Britten): Jaquelyn Stucker, Brenton Ryan FOR UP-TO-DATE TOUR INFORMATION PLEASE CALL Lis Dawson at 604-922-8008 Genny MacLean at 604-738-5535 For more information visit www.vancouveroperaguild.com

GLOBAL (FULL PAGE)

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS SEASON SPONSORS

SEASON PATRONS

ALLAN AND GWENDOLINE

PYATT FOUNDATION PRODUCTION SPONSOR

MEDIA SPONSORS

PERFORMANCE SPONSOR

Yoshiko Karasawa Martha Lou Henley, C.M. EXCLUSIVE HOSPITALITY SPONSOR

WITH CONTINUING SUPPORT FROM

VO BOARD AND STAFF VANCOUVER OPERA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

VANCOUVER OPERA FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Chair Krista Johanson

Chair Richard Rees

Vice Chair Stanis Smith

Treasurer and Secretary Jim MacCallum

Treasurer Roger Flowerdew

Past Chair Paul McEwen

Secretary Andrea Wood

Jill Bodkin Jake Boxer Neil Carnell Geoff Dodds Roger Flowerdew Yuri Fulmer Emily MacKinnon Kevin Mah Nevada Mohammed Jennifer Muench Susan Van der Flier

Past Chair Susan Van der Flier Human Alghabi Jennifer Choi Shaun Dolman Gagan Grewal Joshua Hutchinson Kevin Kelly Kirk LaPointe Pierre Lebel Ivor Luk Emily MacKinnon Jennifer Muench Richard Rees Chloe Sauder Isabelle Spothelfer Carol Tsuyuki Wilson Williams Andrea Wood

VANCOUVER OPERA STAFF General Director Tom Wright Music Director Jacques Lacombe Music Director Emeritus Jonathan Darlington

President, Vancouver Opera Guild Jennifer Coté

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Director of Marketing Jonathan Harrison Director of Development Kayleigh Harrison (On Leave) Director of Artistic & Production Nicole Lamb Director of Finance and Administration William Murgatroyd Director of Engagement and Civic Practice Ashley Daniel Foot

ARTISTIC PLANNING Company Manager Kewen Huang Head of Music Leslie Dala Coach/Répétiteur Tina Chang Preparatory Librarian Connie Goetz PRODUCTION Technical Director Jon Mottram Production Assistant Jimena Pacheco Head of Properties Stephen Field Elgar Head of Wardrobe Roberta Doylend DEVELOPMENT Interim Director of Development Bella Best Senior Manager, Grants & Sponsorships Kseniia Gorlevaia Senior Manager, Individual Giving Rebecca Paterson Administration Assistant Rilee German-Martinez FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Accounting and Payroll Manager Sonny Sohn Office Services Manager Jennifer Pipe Facilities Manager Mack McGillivray MARKETING Creative Director Annie Mack Senior Marketing Manager Keltie Laidlaw

Database and Ticket Centre Manager Tracey Flattes Ticket Centre Associate Charlene Hibbard Social Media Specialist Lucas Bertoli Senior Communications Advisor Stephen Lyons Publicist Cynnamon Schreinert Program Ad Sales Jennifer Lee Graphic Designer Yvonne Olivotto ENGAGEMENT AND CIVIC PRACTICE Senior Teaching Artist Eve-Lyn de la Haye Teaching Artists Tabitha Brasso Ernst Nicholas Burns Holly Collis Handford Kris Epps Researcher and Writer Jane Potter Audio Producer Mack McGillivray Coordination Vincent Huynh YULANDA M. FARIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM Program Director Leslie Dala Coach Tina Chang Heidi Duncan, Soprano Simran Claire, Mezzo-Soprano Lyndon Ladeur, Tenor Danlie Rae Acebuque, Baritone Derek Stanyer, Pianist Tayte Mitchell, Stage Director

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THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS LEADERSHIP CIRCLE $50,000+ Martha Lou Henley, C.M.* Yoshiko Karasawa Michael And Inna O’Brian Alan & Gwendoline Pyatt Dr. Ian & Mrs. Jane Strang DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE $20,000+ Patricia Charles Signe Jurcic Dr. George Luciuk & Dr. Lidia Schuster INNER CIRCLE $10,000+ Jill Bodkin Ms. Regina Boxer Mohammed A. Faris & Family Mike & Kathy Gallagher Brigitte & Henning Freybe Diana and Tom Herbst Horatio Kemeny & Cadence Jensen Mrs. Ellen Mahon Mrs. Irene McEwen Mrs. Lorna Mochinski Richard & Elise Rees Dr. Linda Siegel Gillian Smith, in memory of Russell Smith Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer PATRON $1,500+ Anonymous (2) Mr. Hans Alwart Sarah Armstrong Ms. Winnie Avery Ms. Wendy G. Baker Shirley Barnett Val & Dick Bradshaw John & Ruth Brock Jamie & Cindy Bruce Mr. Michael & Mrs. Eunice Chan Ms. Gillian E. Chetty Mr. Edward & Mrs. Dorothy Chiasson Dr. Heather F. Clarke Ms. Joan Cosar Lorna Court & John Mancini William and Emmanuelle Davis Ms. Elisabeth Dawson Susan Drury & Dennis Perry Mr. Harry Edinger 44

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Ms. Vivian Eliopoulos Mark Emanuel, P. Eng. Mr. & Mrs. Allen Fowlis Mrs. Pamela Friedrich Ms. Judy Garner Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron Mrs. Elaine Godwin Ms. Isabel Gordon Roland and Catherine Haebler Penelope B.M. Hedges Jens & Linda Lee Henriksen Ms. Nancy Hermiston Dr. Lionel & Mrs. Beryl Herscovitch John Horning and Lorraine Larkin Dr. Martin Hosking Mr. Joshua Hutchinson Ms. Krista Johanson Mr. Jeffrey G. Jung Ms. Lynn Kagan Mr. Sharman King Mike & Jean Kovich Jacques Lacombe Mr. & Mrs. R. Michael LePage Pierre & Betty Lebel Bill & Risa Levine Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Lindsay* Mr. & Mrs. Harold & Jenny Locke Mr. Harvey Loen & Mrs. Lois Binder Doris Luking in memory of, Hans Luking Huiyuan Ma Jane Macdonald Marlene Mackenzie Jana and Bill Maclagan Genny MacLean Ms. Elaine Mah Mr. Kevin Mah Miriam Maisonville and David Sauder Marilyn & Hart Mauritz Mr. & Mrs. David McDonald Paul McEwen and Gwynneth Jones Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Mary McIlwaine Ms. Ann McKinnon Mr. Ian Michaud Mr. Robert Milne Dr. Paul Mitchell-Banks Catherine Morgan and Michael Jonker Dr. Peter & Mrs. Eve Munns Mr. & Mrs. D. Murray

Dr. & Mrs. David R. Neima Bryan and Susan Nethery Micki & Michael Partridge* Ms. Lorraine Portier Mollie Massie & Hein Poulus Robert E. Radke David Radler Chloe Sauder Dr. Wes Schreiber Bob Sewell and Susan Van der Flier Dr. Cecil Sigal Peter Singer and Heather Gilley Mathew and Masumi Smith Mr. Stanis Smith Mr. Ross & Ms. Ursula Southam Dr. Paul & Mrs. Dorothy Stanwood Andrew & Yasmeen Strang Mary Tait & Bill Sirett Ms. Anona Thorne and Mr. Takao Tanabe Gina Thorstenson & Bob Bartholomew Dr. Sandra Vestvik Ms. Alexandra Volkoff Mrs. Carolyn Webster James & Veronica Weinkam Mr. Paul Westwick Andrea Wood & Peter Cavanagh Mr. Daniel R. Worsley Tom and Denise Wright Dr. Edwin & Mrs. Patricia Yen PUBLIC FUNDERS BC Arts Council Canada Council for the Arts City of Surrey City of Vancouver Department of Canadian Heritage Metro Vancouver Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture Vancouver Civic Theatres CORPORATE SUPPORTERS Amica Senior Lifestyles Anthem Properties Group Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP Borden Ladner Gervais LLP BMO Financial Group CIBC Wood Gundy Deloitte Dilawri Group of Companies Edge Catering

Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP IG Wealth Management Imperial Metals Mission Hill Family Estate Scotia Wealth Management STORMTECH Performance Apparel TD Bank Telus Friendly Future Foundation Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP Vancouver International Airport Vancouver Opera Guild FOUNDATIONS Alan and Gwendoline Pyatt Foundation Andrew Mahon Foundation Ann Claire Angus Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation The Arthur Toft Foundation Chris Spencer Foundation The David Spencer Endowment Encouragement Fund Dennis & Phyllis Washington Foundation Diamond Foundation Frank and Joan Lew Charitable Trust George W. Norgan Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation Gift Funds Canada The Hannah Woodnutt Smith Memorial Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation Joan C McCarter Foundation, held at Victoria Foundation Lagniappe Foundation Lightburn Family Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation Martha Lou Henley Charitable Foundation McGrane-Pearson Endowment Fund, held at the Vancouver Foundation Mirhady Family Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation RBC Foundation Remembering Otto and Marie Pick Charitable Foundation Vancouver Opera Association Endowment Fund Vancouver Foundation Vancouver Opera Foundation LEGACY GIFTS Estate of Lois M. Bewley Estate of Geraldine Rita Nicolodi Estate of Mervyn Clarice Lindsay Weir DIE FLEDERMAUS |

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PATRON INFORMATION PREVIEW TALKS Learn more about the Vancouver Opera production you’re about to see at our complimentary Preview Talks. A great added value to your VO ticket, and an opportunity to gain insight into the performance, Preview Talks are offered an hour before every performance.

Led by an expert, topics range from the composer’s life and repertoire, to historical context about the work, to more details about the artists involved with the production. Each talk lasts approximately 25 minutes.

ACCESSIBILITY Elevators in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre parkade provide patron access to street level and the main entrances of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Vancouver Playhouse. There also is a driveway for taxis and pick-up/drop-off for patrons with physical needs. Seating for patrons using wheelchairs is available on the orchestra and mezzanine levels of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and on the orchestra level of the Vancouver Playhouse. Elevator access is available from each of the theatre’s main lobby to the upper levels. For more information, please call the VO Ticket Centre. Patrons who are hard-of-hearing may borrow Sennheiser Infrared Hearing System headsets for any performance, free of charge. Headsets are available at the theatre coat check. This system was made possible through the generous donation of Wolverton Securities Limited and the Vancouver Foundation.

LATECOMERS To avoid disrupting the performance, latecomers may not be seated once the show has started. If possible, they will be ushered to their seats at the first appropriate break.

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PERFORMANCE ETIQUETTE In consideration of other patrons and the performers, please refrain from rustling programs, unwrapping candy or whispering during the performance.

Given some people’s allergies, we also ask patrons to avoid wearing perfume or other scented products.

Patrons are requested to speak to a Vancouver Opera or Civic Theatres representative at intermission in the case of any disturbance or discomfort during a performance. Please silence all electronic devices when entering the theatre, so as not to disrupt the performance.

RECORDINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS Any recording (video, audio) or photographs of VO performances are strictly prohibited without the permission of Vancouver Opera. We welcome you to take photos of the curtain call and share using the hashtag #diefledermaus TICKET SERVICES Visit, write or call: VO Ticket Centre, 1945 McLean Drive, Vancouver T: 604 683 0222 E: tickets@vancouveropera.ca vancouveropera.ca/tickets Hours of operation: Monday—Friday, 9AM—5PM Exchanges and Lost Tickets Please contact the Ticket Centre directly with any questions about exchanging and/or replacing tickets.

PRIVACY Vancouver Opera is committed to protecting your privacy. For information on VO’s patron privacy policy, please visit our website: vancouveropera.ca.