Vancouver Opera Presents The Music Shop | House Programme | 2020–2021 Digital Season

Richard Wargo

The Music Shop Digital Premiere

Mar. 13, 2021 | 7:30pm

2020–2021 DIGITAL SEASON

REIMAGINED FOR THE SCREEN

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Richard Wargo

The Music Shop Tom Wright, General Director Jonathan Darlington, Music Director Emeritus

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CONTENTS 4

Message from Richard Wargo

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8

Cast & Creative Team

18 Biographies

9

Production Team

11

Synopsis

12

Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists

15

Notes on the Music

Notes from the Director

24

Opera Allsorts

26

Behind the Scenes

29

Patron Information

30

VO Board & Staff

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Cover Artwork by Emily Cooper.

2020–2021 DIGITAL SEASON

REIMAGINED FOR THE SCREEN LA VOIX HUMAINE | AMAHL AND THE NIGHT VISITORS THE MUSIC SHOP | LA TRAGÉDIE DE CARMEN

A MESSAGE FROM THE COMPOSER

Have you ever set out on an errand only to discover that you can’t recall the purpose of your mission and, worse yet, that you forgot to write it down?

Or, on a particularly fine morning, have you ever tempted fate by declaring that “nothing can bother me today"?

Those are the two axioms at play in The Music Shop as hapeless, hen-pecked husband Ivan and shopkeeper Dmitri come to loggerheads in this madcap farce suggested by a story of Anton Chekhov.

The Music Shop is the most well-travelled of my operas with numerous stops in its varied itinerary, everywhere from Juilliard Opera at Lincoln Center to inner-city Miami; from Colmar, France to Crookston, Minnesota.

I’m delighted that the opera has found its way north of the border for this production by Vancouver Opera. With sincere gratitude to all who have devoted of their time, energy and creativity to this endeavor, I’m pleased now to welcome you to this Canadian premiere of The Music Shop.

Richard Wargo, Composer Richard Wargo is a native of Scranton, PA, and a graduate of the Eastman School of Music. He serves as Artistic Director of the Sembrich Opera Museum in Bolton Landing on Lake George, NY.

INTERVIEW WITH THE COMPOSER Composer Richard Wargo talks about creative inspirations and his journey as a composer.

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LISTEN NOW

WELCOME |

GENERAL DIRECTOR

Welcome to the Canadian premiere of Richard Wargo’s The Music Shop, the third digital performance of the season. We are thrilled to present this delightful and charming comedy that the participants of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program have eagerly created.

This production was rehearsed and filmed at The O’Brian Centre for Vancouver Opera in the Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall under the same COVID-19 restrictions put in place last November. The amount of work that went on behind-the-scenes is nothing short of impressive. I want to thank Leah Giselle Field our COVID safety officer, who carefully oversaw the rehearsal and filming process. Take note of every prop and piece of paper used in this production; keep in mind that each time a singer touched a prop, it was tracked so that another singer did not touch the item until it was sanitized.

Kudos to the creative team and singers for their diligence and patience during this process.

A very special thank you to the amazing music staff at Vancouver Opera; Kinza Tyrrell, Tina Chang and Leslie Dala are the musical mentors and forces that make the music the top priority of our productions. Omanie Elias, our amazing Set & Costume Designer, did yeoman’s work on this production not only with her designs but her scenic painting as well.

Finally, I want to thank our film and audio recording team: Mike Southworth and Collide Entertainment for all your expertise in working with video, and Denise Ball for your supervision as our audio producer. This performance couldn’t have happened without the guidance and expertise of the many people involved.

Thank you for joining us and enjoy the show!

Tom Wright General Director, Vancouver Opera

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LEARN MORE VO'S 2009 PRODUCTION OF SALOME, SPONSORED BY VANCOUVER OPERA GUILD. PHOTO BY TIM MATHESON.

WELCOME |

BOARD CHAIR

Welcome back to Vancouver Opera’s digital season. Our first two productions were very well received, and the company is excited to now premiere Richard Wargo’s The Music Shop.

We are so delighted to present this special production featuring the six resident Canadian artists from our Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program. Their experience is quite different as they adapt to training and safely working together under extensive COVID restrictions, yet their drive and passion is unwavering. We are so proud of their accomplishments with this performance.

Vancouver Opera has managed to record new, live productions throughout the pandemic, sharing the joy of opera with our audiences online. We are grateful to the artists, musicians, artistic and production teams and staff for their hard work in creating these opportunities.

Getting to where we are today only happens because of the dedication and support of our donors and volunteers. I’ve acknowledged the unstinting support of our donors in previous programmes.

Today I’d like to acknowledge our Board. The pandemic has presented numerous challenges and we are fortunate to have a very dedicated group that is determined to get through all the challenges and continue to strengthen the company for the future.

The Music Shop is a brilliant comedy and I hope it brings you joy in these difficult times.

Richard Rees Chair, Vancouver Opera Board of Directors

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THE MUSIC SHOP Musical Farce | Music and Libretto by Richard Wargo

Pianist

Amy Seulky Lee

Musical Supervision

Director

Dana Fradkin

Leslie Dala with Kinza Tyrrell and Tina Chang

CAST Masha Jonelle Sills Dmitri

Luka Kawabata

Set and Costume Designer Omanie Elias Lighting Coordinator Jody Burkholder

Ivan

Ian Cleary

Wife

Amanda Weatherall

Wigs and Hair Consultant Dianne Holme

English Subtitles Dana Fradkin

Stage Manager Michelle Harrison

First performed at Chautauqua Opera 13 August 1993. Canadian Premiere.

Vancouver Opera premiere March 13, 2021 at 7:30PM.. Recorded on February 11, 2021 at The O'Brian Centre for Vancouver Opera, in the Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall.

Commissioned by Midwest Opera Theater with the support of the Jerome Foundation.

The performance will last approximately 45 minutes. In English with English subtitles.

DIGITAL SEASON SPONSOR

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DIGITAL SEASON PRODUCTION PATRONS

PRODUCTION PATRON

Ms. Martha Lou Henley, C.M. Alan & Gwendoline Pyatt Foundation Yoshiko Karasawa

PERFORMANCE SPONSOR

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Signe Jurcic

Vancouver Opera Guild

The Music Shop part three of A Chekhov Trilogy Music and Libretto by Richard Wargo Used by permission of G. Schirmer Inc.

Synchronization rights licensed from G. Schirmer, Inc. Used with permission.

THE MUSIC SHOP PRODUCTION AND RECORDING TEAM

Technical Director Autumn Coppaway

IATSE 118 – Production Head Electrician Dave Marx

Assistant Production Manager Andrea Joy Rideout

COVID Safety Officer Leah Giselle Field

Assistant Technical Director, Scenic Lead Michael Kerns Scenic Artist Omanie Elias Head of Properties Stephen Elgar Head of Wardrobe Tiffany Bishop Production Liaison Caitlin Fysh Producing Partner Bob Baker Audio Producer Denise Ball

THANK YOUS Canadian Actors’ Equity Vancouver Musicians Association Union of British Columbia Performers UBCP/ACTRA IATSE Local 118 Jessica De-Palma Elena Razlog Slava Alexandrov Curtain Call Arts Club Theatre Company Bard on the Beach

Audio Engineer Grant Rowledge Camera Operators Mike Southworth Adam PW Smith Aaron Nathanson Editor Mike Southworth Assistant Editor Aaron Graham Producer, Collide Entertainment Joanna Dundas

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VANCOUVER OPERA OFFSTAGE

A Special Episode with Composer Richard Wargo We're delighted to welcome Richard Wargo in our 25th episode.

Richard talks about his creative inspirations, his journey as a composer, and shares some tips for aspiring composers.

Subscribe to #VOffstage on your favourite podcast apps!

Richard Wargo. Photo by Tim Evans.

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OFFSTAGE

SYNOPSIS Based on the short story “Forgot” by Anton Chekhov.

It is 1890s Russia and Ivan, a slightly disheveled upper class gentleman, is on a full day quest to pick up all the items his wife needs for her recital for the prince. His last stop is the largest music shop in all of Russia, where he is to pick up the sheet music for a very particular song the prince himself has requested. This charming shop is owned by the quirky, impatient Dmitri, who, surprisingly, is having a fabulous day because he has just been gifted a rare manuscript by a famous composer.

Masha, his assistant, sees his good mood and decides that today is the perfect day to ask for a raise and a vacation.

Ivan bursts through the music shop’s front doors, his arms full of boxes, ready to make his last purchase of the day. Dmitri is thrilled to see Ivan, as a customer means money, and it gives him an excuse to ignore Masha who seems to want something from him. The interaction starts out all right, but when Ivan continually cannot remember the song title, chaos ensues. Ivan desperately tries many different tactics to remember the title, making a total mess of Dmitri’s perfectly organized music shop in the process. Ivan’s domineering wife begins to materialize throughout the shop as different, forbearing figures reminding him to not dare forget the title of the special song. As his wife becomes more threatening, Ivan becomes more terrified and more desperate to remember the song title so as not to disappoint her—she could possibly even execute him! And as for poor Dmitri, well, his happy day slowly disappears…

Will Ivan remember the song title or will his wife kill him for forgetting it? Will Dmitri keep his sanity, and will Masha finally get her raise? All of this is explored in The Music Shop with delightful, slapstick, farcical flair.

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THE YULANDA M. FARIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM

I am delighted to introduce the six artists joining us as members of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program for the 2020–2021 season. As you all know, live performances have now been shut down for an entire year but Vancouver Opera was able to pivot fairly quickly to create a re-imagined digital season.

In early discussions with Vancouver Opera’s senior management and Tom Wright, General Director, it was clear that any project that we could produce would have to be limited to a very small cast and be performed with piano or a very small chamber orchestra. It was decided that we would move forward with the Young Artists Program and that we would feature our chosen artists in starring roles in two of the four digital productions in addition to all of the usual aspects of training, coachings, masterclasses and workshops that are part of the experience.

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VO'S 2020–2021 YULANDA M. FARIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. PHOTO BY NACH DUDSDEEMAYTHA.

The Music Shop seemed to be a perfect fit for our singers and it is a real ensemble piece, featuring quite virtuosic writing for the singers as well as the pianist. It is a fast-paced comedy which demands a lot of acting chops and we are fortunate to have Dana Fradkin direct this show, who has an extensive knowledge and experience with physical theatre and clown work.

Since its premiere in 1993, this work has been performed by Young Artists Programs at l’Opera National du Rhin, Chautauqua Opera, and university opera programs such as Juilliard and Alabama. This production marks the Canadian premiere of The Music Shop and I am very proud of the hard work, talent and dedication that our Young Artists have exhibited in the rehearsal process especially with the added safety precautions necessitated by COVID-19.

Enjoy!

Leslie Dala Program Director, Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program

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The feeling that you get when the music touches your soul...

Inspiration for Today.

Hope for the Future.

Vancouver Opera is committed to nurturing the brightest young talent to ensure young Canadian artists flourish and succeed. The Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program is one of encouragement, hope, and promise for the future of opera. A specialized program of this calibre is expensive, and we need your help to launch the careers of the next generation of opera stars.

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NOTES ON THE MUSIC

If you like the game of ‘name that tune’, I can guarantee that you will enjoy our performance of Richard Wargo’s The Music Shop, revolving around the theme of the ‘quest’. In literature, this is where the hero goes on a journey of discovery. Similarly, in The Music Shop each member of the cast has their own journey.

What lays out before us are seamlessly integrated melodies of the past for us to unravel and discover.

You can expect sensations of a constant déjà vu, or rather déjà entendu, in which we, the artists, often experienced during rehearsals. On top of these melodies, the music is further enriched with a glorious fugue and elaborate quartet singing waiting for you along the journey. The music will take you from late 19th century Russia and from early 20th century Broadway musicals all the way to the set of a Charlie Chaplin movie.

It has been our quest to bring this comic opera to you during the pandemic, where we had to switch from the main stage to a film production to comply with COVID-19 safety measures. We sincerely hope our performance gives you a meaningful human experience in this difficult time of social isolation.

AMY SEULKY LEE, Pianist Amy Seulky Lee is the 2020–2021 Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program pianist. She holds a Master of Music from the University of Toronto and has performed across Canada, the United States, South Korea, and Italy.

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PIANIST Listen to some of the musical highlights from this

WATCH NOW

opera in this video with Amy Seulky Lee, Pianist of The Music Shop.

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#my opening night SHARE YOUR OPENING NIGHT! We’d love to see how you’re enjoying The Music Shop from the comfort of your home.

Post an image of yourselves enjoying opening night on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter and tag us using our handle @Vancouveropera and hashtag #MyOpeningNight.

NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR

The Music Shop is based on the short story, "Forgot", by Anton Chekhov. Chekhov is one of my favourite storytellers: he is a master of exploring both tragedy and comedy in his characters and The Music Shop is no different.

Pulling from Russian clown with a touch of Italian Commedia Dell’Arte and French mime, I was interested in playing with the tragedy of these characters through a physical, slapstick, comedic lens. The more we pulled out the inner clown of these characters, the more we got to the root of their personal tragedy. For Dmitri, the shop owner, we start to see the cracks of dreams gone by. For Masha, his young assistant, we see the dreams of what her future could perhaps hold (if she could only get out of this place). For Ivan, the disheveled husband, we explore the failings of a man who wishes he was so much more than he is. And for his Wife, we see her frustration of coming to terms with this about her husband.

With a backdrop of late 19th century Imperial Russia, the desperation of these characters to be liked and to be successful lies in the shadows of every comedic turn we see. From dancing, to fighting, to tumbling, the darkness of the set around them haunts their every move.

I’m excited that Vancouver Opera will be one of the first professional public recordings of this work.

What a joy to work on such a unique and rare piece with such a committed team of singers and stage crew. Enjoy the show!

DANA FRADKIN, Director Dana Fradkin is the 2020–2021 Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program stage director. She is also an award-winning actor, writer, film and media producer, and founder of the Dora Award winning theatre company, Keystone Theatre.

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR Stage director Dana Fradkin discusses the relevance of the work, slapstick comedy, and the

WATCH NOW

similarities and differences between directing theatre, film, and opera.

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BIOGRAPHIES

AMY SEULKY LEE | PIANIST Described as “…unafraid…” and “…beautifully soloistic…” by Schmopera, Amy Seulky Lee is a sought after musician based in Vancouver and Dubai. Ms. Lee made her debut with the Vancouver Metropolitan Orchestra in 2010 and has since performed in recitals across Canada. Recent concerts have included performances at the Festival de Musique de Chamber des Laurentides with Toronto Messiaen Ensemble, The Robert Gill Theatre with Summer Opera Lyric Theatre as a music director of Handel’s Julius Caesar, and Rossini’s La Cenerentola with Accademia Europea Dell’Opera under conductor Simone Luti in Italy.

Ms. Lee received her Masters of Music degree from University of Toronto where she studied with Professor Steven Philcox and holds a Bachelors of Music degree from University of British Columbia, where was a student of Professor Terence Dawson. Throughout her career, she has had the privilege of working with world-renowned musicians, including Leon Fleisher, Graham Johnson, and Warren Jones to name a few. Along with her collaborations, Ms. Lee is a recipient of the Art Song Foundation of Canada Grant and has been a participant of the Orford Music Festival, the Vancouver International Song Institution, and the Toronto Summer Music Festival.

DANA FRADKIN | DIRECTOR Dana Fradkin made her opera debut with the Canadian Opera Company’s production of La Bohème as a clown and was also an acrobat in COC’s production of Die Walküre. She then went into directing and was the director for Community Creations and Women Wisdom and Wit with Wilfred Laurier University and revival director for Brundibár with the Canadian Children’s Opera Company. She’s also assisted directed with the Banff Centre, The Glenn Gould School and Against the Grain Theatre.

Dana is also an award-winning actor, writer, and co-founder of the Dora Award winning theatre company, Keystone Theatre.

She’s written and produced four short films which have toured film festivals around the world. Upcoming, Dana is thrilled to announce that her co-written webseries; The Supers, the Stoners and the Big Bad will be shooting this summer in Ottawa with Bell Fibe TV1.

Dana is a graduate of George Brown Theatre School, the Second City Conservatory and the Opera Director Residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

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IAN CLEARY | IVAN Tenor Ian Cleary is very excited to be making his Young Artists debut with the role of Ivan in Wargo’s The Music Shop. Ian spent the past 2 years at the University of British Columbia under the vocal instruction of J. Patrick Raftery and has been involved in several UBC Opera shows including Kevin Puts’ Silent Night, Mieczysław Weinberg’s The Passenger, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Most recently, Ian sang the role of Hoffmann in their production of Offenbach’s Les contes d’Hoffmann. In February of 2020, Ian also had the privilege of traveling to Plzen, Czech Republic and Nurnberg, Germany with UBC Opera to perform a short series of excerpt concerts with the Plzen Opera Orchestra.

Prior to his time at UBC, Ian spent 4 years earning his undergraduate degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario where he performed his first operatic roles as the Schoolmaster in Janacek’s The Cunning Little Vixen (in English) and Hoffmann in Les contes d’Hoffmann.

LUKA KAWABATA | DMITRI Luka has been a featured soloist with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Bard on the Beach and in last season’s Vancouver Opera/Pacific Opera Victoria’s school tour of The Flight of the Hummingbird.

Recent credits include the title role in Don Giovanni, Lieutenant Audebert in Silent Night, Dappertutto and Dr. Miracle in Les contes d’Hoffmann as well as Tadeusz in the Canadian Premiere of Pasażerka (The Passenger) with the UBC Opera Ensemble. He has also performed roles in the Westben Arts Festival’s La Traviata and the European Music Academy’s La Bohème and Il Barbiere di Siviglia in the Czech Republic.

Luka is a mentor for the BC chapter of Opera InReach’s outreach programs and a current participant in the Banff Centre’s Opera in the 21st Century program. He holds a Master of Music in Opera Performance from the University of British Columbia under the instruction of Peter Barcza.

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BIOGRAPHIES

JONELLE SILLS | MASHA Canadian Soprano Jonelle Sills has been praised for her “... warm, full, elastic tone.” (Schmopera). Ms. Sills has recently been named as one of CBC Music’s classical “30 under 30” performers for 2020. Some past roles include Mimì, Musetta (La Bohème), Countess (Le Nozze di Figaro), Roselinde (Die Fledermaus), Micaëla (Carmen) and Female Chorus (The Rape of Lucretia). Miss Sills is a 2019 Dora award winner for “Outstanding performance of an Ensemble” in Vivier’s Kopernikus with Against the Grain Theatre. Ms. Sills holds an Artist Diploma from the Glenn Gould School at The Royal Conservatory of Music and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from York University. Sills originated the role of Esther in Prestini’s, Vavrek and Strassberger’s Silent Light as a Resident artist at Banff Centre’s Opera in the 21st Century Program.

Jonelle is honoured to be joining Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program for the 2020–2021 season.

AMANDA WEATHERALL | WIFE Mezzo-soprano Amanda Weatherall holds her MMus of vocal literature and performance from The Don Wright School of Music at Western University. Hailing from Cranbrook, BC, Amanda spent many enjoyable years at Fort Steele Heritage Town taking on the roles of various historical townsfolk. Amanda’s operatic credits include Chorus in Verdi’s Otello for the Canadian Opera Company, the title role in Bizet’s Carmen, Meg Page in Verdi’s Falstaff, and Third Lady in Mozart’s Magic Flute at Western University, and Romeo in Bellini’s i Capuleti e i Montecchi, Fox in Janáček’s Cunning Little Vixen, Olga in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at Opera NUOVA. She has performed in many concerts including as a featured soloist with the Symphony of the Kootenay. She is thrilled to be taking part in the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program with Vancouver Opera, and is performing as the Wife in The Music Shop and Carmen in La Tragédie de Carmen.

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BIOGRAPHIES

TIFFANY BISHOP | WARDROBE LEAD This California born artist is pleased to be joining Vancouver Opera for The Music Shop. For the past six years she has been the assistant Head of Wardrobe with The Arts Club Theatre Company. Tiffany has also been Head of Wardrobe at Keyano Theatre in Fort McMurray, AB as well as a Costume Shop Manager for Allenberry Playhouse in Pennsylvania, USA. Tiffany’s costume design portfolio includes work for Playhouse Merced, Gamut Theatre, and many independent theatre festivals and youth theatre camps across North America. Notable designs include costumes for Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de lune at the Kay Meek Centre in West Vancouver, Les Misérables and The Farnsworth Invention for Keyano Theatre in Fort McMurray, Run for your Wife, The Odd Couple, Ladies Night in a Turkish Bath, The Taffetas, The Mouse Trap, Smoke On The Mountain, Frog and Toad, Steel Magnolias, and Queen Of Bingo at Allenberry Playhouse in Pennsylvania.

JODY BURKHOLDER | LIGHTING COORDINATOR Jody Burkholder is a Yellowknifer from Montreal who now calls Burnaby his home. He is very happy with the trade of 30 below and ice storms for rain. He is also very excited to be a part of the creative team working on this production at Vancouver Opera. He is a graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada (Technical Production 1999) and an award winning Lighting Designer and Technical Director. He likes to sound engineer for choreographers in his spare time. Jody loves archeology, playing guitar and, most of all, eating ramen with his kid.

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OMANIE ELIAS | SET AND COSTUME DESIGNER As a professional designer, scenic artist and prop builder, Omanie has worked on over 400 theatre productions, exhibits and TV series/commercials. Selected set designs include: Without Rule of Law and Fiddler on the Roof (Persephone Theatre), Cabaret, Annie, Oklahoma, Hello Dolly and Will Rogers Follies (RCMT); Grease (Studio 58); Romeo & Juliet (Trinity Western University); The December Man (Green Thumb); The Rimers of Eldritch & The Suicide (Douglas College); Buddy: the Buddy Holly Story, A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline, A Miracle on 34th St (Chemainus Theatre); Falsettos and Company (Skycorner Productions); and The Yoko Ono Project (Firehall Arts Centre). Omanie is a member of Associated Designers of Canada.

MICHELLE HARRISON | STAGE MANAGER For the past decade, Michelle Harrison has been both a Stage Manager and an Assistant Stage Manager in opera and theatre.

She has worked with Vancouver Opera, Burnaby Lyric Opera, Blackbird, Patrick Street Productions, Realwheels, Arts Club Theatre, and Gateway Theatre on such operas as Amahl and the Night Visitors, The Barber of Seville, La Traviata, La Cenerentola, La Bohème, Eugene Onegin, Le Nozze di Figaro, and such theatre productions as It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol, Peter and the Starcatcher, Mary Poppins, Red Rock Diner, and It’s Snowing on Saltspring. Michelle’s theatre résumé also includes the Jessie awardwinning production of Whose Life Is It Anyway? for Realwheels, and the Canadian premiere of the Baxter Theatre Centre's critically acclaimed, multi award-winning production of Mies Julie. Michelle is a graduate of UBC.

YULANDA M. FARIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM SPONSORS Patricia Charles

Dr. George Luciuk Alan and Gwendoline Pyatt Foundation

The Edwina and Paul Heller Memorial Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation With additional support from Mrs. Ronnie E. Tessler

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Opera Allsorts THE MUSIC SHOP

A mix of tidbits and tales about Wargo's musical farce

A PRESCRIPTION FOR CREATIVITY Beloved Ukrainian-Russian writer and playwright Anton Chekhov, whose story “Forgot” was adapted into The Music Shop, was not only one of the most influential short fiction writers in history but also a medical doctor throughout his writing career. In spite of this, he passed away in 1904 at the age of 44 from tuberculosis.

PORTRAIT OF ANTON CHEKHOV, BY OSIP BRAZ.

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THREE’S COMPANY The Music Shop is the third part of Richard Wargo’s A Chekhov Trilogy, which consists of three one-act operas. A Chekhov Trilogy premiered in 1993 at Chautauqua Opera and has since been performed by various companies including The Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and DiCapo Opera in New York.

The other two parts of the Trilogy are the romantic comedy The Seduction of a Lady and the lyric drama A Visit to the Country.

RICHARD WARGO. VANCOUVER OPERA PHOTO.

IN OTHER WORKS The story of The Music Shop was also previously adapted for the stage as part of A Chekhov Sketchbook, a set of three one-act plays in 1962 by Luba Kadison, and Helen Waren.

PHOTOS: LEFT: LUBA KADISON | RIGHT: HELEN WAREN

NAME THAT TUNE Keep an ear open for this in the opera: in order to help Ivan remember the piece he is looking for, Dmitri and Masha sing him a wide range of wellknown opera and song excerpts. How many can you identify?

Need some help?

Watch this video with pianist Amy Seulky Lee.

WATCH NOW AMY SEULKY LEE. VANCOUVER OPERA PHOTO.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

Gain some insight into the creation of the set in The Music Shop.

Set and Costume Designer Omanie Elias explains the creative process from inspiration to stage.

INSPIRATION 1 A photograph of a music shop taken by the designer on a past visit to Prague.

One of the sources of inspiration for the aesthetic of the design.

INSPIRATION 2 The top of a Palekh lacquered INSPIRATION 3 Another example of a Palekh lacquered box.

The building framing the subjects in this painting were a particular inspiration for the set design.

INSPIRATION 4 A Russian triptych.

Of particular inspiration was the onion dome architecture that helps to frame the main artwork of the panels.

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box—a type of folk art prevalent in Russia at the end of the 19th century. The general layout, shapes and colours all served as inspiration for the design.

FIRST SKETCH A quick sketch of the initial design plan—primarily used as a jumping-off point in discussions with the director. This one incorporates the three-panel form of a triptych, as well as the recognisable Russian architecture found on many of the Palekh lacquered boxes that were part of the inspiration.

MUSIC SHOP COLOUR KEY A computer rendering of the set pieces. This type of image is helpful for the builders and painters on the production as they work to complete the vision of the designer.

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1" SCALE

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Computer drafting of the architectural elements to be found on the “frame”

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4

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of the set. This gives the carpenters the accurate dimensions for the set.

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SMALL BUILDING LAYOUT

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WHITE MODEL Once a designer and director agree on the set, the designer usually builds a “white model”, basically the set built in miniature but without the paint treatment. This is used as a visual aid for the production team and as a way for the director to work out the blocking of the performers before the rehearsals begin. The model will then be painted for the scenic artist to reproduce in full scale.

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Since 2004, the

David Spencer Endowment Encouragement Fund has been investing in emerging artists at Vancouver Opera. This assistance has permitted many artists a boost as they become professional performers and complements our other young artist development programming.

We thank the Fund trustees and express our sincere gratitude for their role in helping VO become a focal point for young artist training in Canada.

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PATRON INFORMATION

PRE-SHOW TALKS Learn more about the Vancouver Opera production you’re about to see with our Pre-Show Talk videos! We had a special opportunity to sit down (virtually) with the composer of The Music Shop, Richard Wargo.

LISTEN TO THE PRE-SHOW PODCAST

TICKET SERVICES Our in-person ticket centre is temporarily closed.

Digital Season subscriptions can be purchased online only at digital.vancouveropera.ca To use your credit on account or value on a gift certificate, please call the VO Ticket Centre at 604 683 0222, Monday–Wednesday, 9AM–12PM.

YOUR SUBSCRIPTION The 2020–2021 Digital Season subscription includes unlimited on-demand access to all four performances for you and your household to enjoy. Each opera will be available on-demand from its designated Digital Premiere date until the end of the season, June 2021.

HOW TO WATCH The performance videos will be available only with a digital subscription at digital.vancouveropera.ca. To access these videos, log in to the Digital Season website with your email and password. Content cannot be downloaded.

VIEW OUR "HOW TO WATCH" VIDEO

DEVICE COMPATIBILITY You will be able to access our Digital Season website from any iOS or Android smartphone, tablet, desktop or laptop computer through an internet browser.

To view a performance on your television, we recommend an AppleTV or Chromecast streaming media device, or a smart TV with a built-in internet browser. Other streaming media devices may also be compatible.

CLOSED CAPTIONS Closed captions are available on all of our digital performances by clicking the "CC" icon at the bottom of your video player.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) VISIT OUR FAQ PAGE FOR ANSWERS

E-NEWSLETTER AND SOCIAL MEDIA Sign up for our e-newsletter to stay up-to-date on all of the latest Vancouver Opera news.

SIGN UP FOR ENEWS You can also find us on social media with the handle @VancouverOpera and use our hashtag #VOgoesdigital

QUESTIONS? Contact VO Ticket Centre 604 683 0222 Monday–Wednesday, 9AM–12PM tickets@vancouveropera.ca vancouveropera.ca

| THE MUSIC SHOP

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ADMINISTRATION DISTINGUISHED HONORARY PATRON Martha Lou Henley, C.M.

VANCOUVER OPERA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2020–2021 SEASON Chair: Richard Rees Vice Chair: Meera Bawa Mass Abedi Amrita Ahuja Alexander Bjornson

Treasurer: Roger Flowerdew Secretary: Susan Van der Flier

Catherine Dangerfield Pierre Lebel Judy Halbert Maria Leone Kirk LaPointe Jennifer Muench

Past Chair: Bill Maclagan

Jan Sampson Carol Tsuyuki Alexi White

Andrea Wood Nancy Wu

VANCOUVER OPERA STAFF Tom Wright, General Director Director of Artistic Planning Adrianne Wurz

Jonathan Darlington, Music Director Emeritus

Chief Development Officer Lisa Westermark

ARTISTIC PLANNING Artistic Associate: Leslie Dala Artistic Planning Administrator: Theresa Tsang Music Associate Conductor / Chorus Director: Leslie Dala Principal Répétiteur / Assistant Conductor /

Assistant Chorus Director: Kinza Tyrrell Répétiteur: Tina Chang Orchestra Manager: Jim Littleford Music Librarian: Tom Shorthouse Orchestra Stage Manager: Jim Tranquilla Production Technical Director: Autumn Coppaway Assistant Technical Director: Michael Kern Assistant Production Manager: Andrea Joy Rideout Assistant Head of Properties: Stephen Elgar Wardrobe Team Lead: Caitlin Fysh

Director of Marketing Sarah Hitner

Director of Finance and Administration Doug Querns

DEVELOPMENT Director, Donor Development: Carmen Murphy Manager, Strategic Partnerships: Erin Reddekopp Coordinator, Annual Campaign: Katie Clark MARKETING Creative Director: Annie Mack Sr Marketing and Sales Manager: Vincent Wong Digital Marketing Manager: Daniel Almeida Ticket Centre Associate: Charlene Hibbard Ticket Centre Associate: Kathryn Dobbs Publicist: Cynnamon Schreinert FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Chief Financial Officer (On Leave): Catriona Cheng Accountant & Payroll Administrator: Will Murgatroyd Building Manager: Kevin MacLeod Office Services Administrator: Keltie Laidlaw

YULANDA M. FARIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM Program Head: Leslie Dala Jonelle Sills Amanda Weatherall

Head Coach: Kinza Tyrrell

Coach: Tina Chang

Ian Cleary Luka Kawabata

Amy Seulky Lee Dana Fradkin

VANCOUVER OPERA FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2020–2021 SEASON Chair: Paul McEwen Jill Bodkin Jake Boxer Neil Carnell

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Treasurer and Secretary: Jim MacCallum Catherine Dangerfield Yuri Fulmer Michael Gallagher

| THE MUSIC SHOP

Emily MacKinnon Bill Maclagan Jennifer Muench

Terry Pask Richard Rees Russell Smith

COMING NEXT

Carmen Georges Bizet

An adaptation of Bizet's original masterpiece Digital premiere: May 1, 2021 at 7:30PM

2020–2021 DIGITAL SEASON

REIMAGINED FOR THE SCREEN

vancouveropera.ca

VO’s 2020—2021 digital season artwork is by Vancouver artist and photographer, Emily Cooper.

DIGITAL SEASON SPONSOR

DIGITAL SEASON PRODUCTION PATRONS

THE MUSIC SHOP PRODUCTION PATRON

THE MUSIC SHOP PREMIERE PATRONS

Ms. Martha Lou Henley, C.M. Alan & Gwendoline Pyatt Foundation Yoshiko Karasawa

Signe Jurcic

Mike & Kathy Gallagher

THE MUSIC SHOP PERFORMANCE SPONSOR

THE MUSIC SHOP PROGRAMME SPONSORS

Vancouver Opera Guild

Bill and Jana Maclagan

OFFICIAL WINERY

TICKET CENTRE SPONSOR

WITH CONTINUING SUPPORT FROM