Toi Toi Toi – Portland Opera 2019/20 by Artslandia

A MAGAZINE FOR PORTLAND OPERA / 2020 ISSUE / VOLUME 1

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CONTENTS PORTLAND OPERA

2019/20 SEASON

COMMUNITY

FEATURED

24 Madama Butterf ly 30 An American Quartet 44 Bajazet 56 Big Night 62 Pagliacci 74 Three Decembers

100 105 108 109 110 111 112 114 117

26 29 52 54 55 59 60 72

17 18 86 90 96 97 98 116 118

Welcome from the General Director Welcome from the Interim Artistic Director Welcome from the Board President Meet Portland Opera Resident Artists Season Artist Biographies Orchestra & Chorus Production & Stage Crew Staff & Board Production History Patron Services & Resources

Contributors Flora + Fauna Fall Ball Opera a la Cart Corporate Award Portland Opera To Go Season Sponsors Legacy Society Young Patron Society Restaurant & Hotel Picks, Wine Partners

Chorus Spotlight Orchestra Spotlight Operatic Voice Types Stagehand Spotlight Volunteer Spotlight Sponsor Spotlight Board Spotlight A Conversation with Baritone Will Liverman 84 Leisure Time with Susannah Mars 106 Ambassador Board Spotlight

211 SE Caruthers St., Portland, OR 97214 PORTLANDOPERA.ORG #PDXOPERA

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The Hampton Opera Center

“Mom... dad... I think it’s time you knew. I’ve decided that I’m a philanthropist.” For the past 3 decades, OJCF has been helping people of all ages express their generosity in countless creative ways. If you have some unexpressed generosity, let us buy you an Americano and let’s brainstorm. Contact coffeestorm@ojcf.org.

THE OPERAS

Pagliacci (2010). Photo: Cory Weaver.

MADAMA BUTTERFLY

BAJAZET

PAGLIACCI

24 Information

44 47 48 49

62 65 66 68 70

AN AMERICAN QUARTET 30 33 34 36 42

Information The Cast, Synopses From the Stage Director A History From the Kitchen of Julia Child: Bittersweet Chocolate Cake

Information The Cast, Synopsis From the Stage Director About Portland Baroque Orchestra 50 A History BIG NIGHT 56 Information

Information The Cast, Synopsis From the Stage Director From the Archives A History

THREE DECEMBERS 74 Information 77 The Cast, About the Composer and Librettist 78 Synopsis 80 From the Composer 81 From the Stage Director 82 A Program Note

211 SE Caruthers St., Portland, OR 97214 PORTLANDOPERA.ORG #PDXOPERA

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The Hampton Opera Center

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Toi, Toi, Toi!

/ toy toy toy / an operatic good luck

What’s in a name? Theatre has historically been steeped in superstition, and you may know it is considered bad luck to say “good luck” backstage. Actors say “break a leg!” Dancers say “merde!” In opera, we say “toi toi toi,” and we pronounce it /TOY TOY TOY/. We don’t know exactly where it came from, but most people believe the phrase is adapted from the tradition of spitting to ward off evil spirits. The old practice has developed a modern edge, and it is now common to see the phrase as a sign off on an email or attached to a hashtag on social media (#toiX3!).

We invite you to share in this operatic well-wishing as we celebrate the beauty of opera! Cheers, Portland Opera & Artslandia

PUBLISHER + FOUNDER Misty Tompoles ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Katrina Ketchum SALES DIRECTOR Lindsey Ferguson DIGITAL DIRECTOR Chris Porras MANAGING EDITOR Kristen Seidman ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF EVENTS & SPECIAL PROJECTS Ashley Coates PROJECT MANAGER + SENIOR DESIGNER Jackie Tran BUSINESS MANAGER Bella Showerman PUBLISHER’S REPRESENTATIVE Nicole Lane SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER Vladimir Popov

PORTL AND OPERA CONTRIBUTORS ANDREA TICHY Director of Marketing & Communications SIL JA TOBIN Marketing & Communications Manager ALEXIS HAMILTON Manager of Education & Community Engagement

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GARRICK ANTIK A JIAN Graphic Designer

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PUBLISHING COORDINATOR Mindy Mawhirter PODCAST HOST Susannah Mars VIDEOGRAPHER Jordyn Roach Toi Toi Toi is a magazine for Portland Opera. Published by Rampant Creative, Inc. ©2020 Rampant Creative, Inc. All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the expressed written permission of the publisher.

JEN WECHSLER Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Rampant Creative, Inc./Artslandia Magazine 6637 SE Milwaukie Ave., Suite 207 . Portland, OR 97202

Special thanks to Portland Opera’s Department of External Affairs. Questions or comments? E-mail feedback@portlandopera.org.

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Sue Dixon

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WELCOME FROM THE GENER AL DIRECTOR

Photo: Gia Goodrich.

It is with great joy, gratitude, and excitement that I welcome you to Portland Opera and our 2019/20 season, my first as general director

Cheers,

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Sue Dixon General Director, Portland Opera

of this incredible organization. As we start this new chapter together, I’m looking forward to building on our 55-year legacy and sharing the power and beauty of opera with each of you. Putting an opera onstage is no small feat, and it takes the work of countless people to create the magic you witness in the theatre—more than 400 people work to produce opera every season. It all starts well before rehearsals begin with the hard work and dedication of our staff. From fundraising, marketing, administration, and finance, to community engagement, technical production, and artistic operations, this amazing team works behind the scenes, year-round, to bring opera to the mainstage and to the community through programs like Opera a la Cart and Portland Opera To Go. We are your opera company, and you are the reason we continue to make beautiful music together. We are eternally grateful for every subscriber, funder, advocate, community partner, Board member, ticket buyer, student attendee of Portland Opera To Go performances, and

attendee of Broadway in Portland, who together make the work we present possible. The year 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of OPERA America, an organization with which Portland Opera is a proud partner. Initiatives in this yearlong celebration aim to connect audience members and communities across the country and celebrate the vitality of our art form. We invite you to be a part of the celebration and share your love of opera through the #meetopera campaign. You can learn more at meetopera.org. Whether it is your first time at the opera, or you’re a longtime subscriber and supporter of this organization, or someone continuing to fall in love with this art form, we are so happy that you have chosen to spend your time with us. Here’s to enjoying a season of beautiful music together!

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Daniel Biaggi

Dear Portland Opera patrons,

Portland Opera Chorus and Orchestra, under the baton of Music Director George Manahan. In June, Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci will keep you at the edge of your seat with its full-blooded Italian dramatic intensity, violent emotionality, and one of the most famous tenor arias, “Vesti la giubba,” during which our protagonist clown puts on his make-up and realizes that ‘the show must go on.’ At the end of the season in July, the story of an American family comes to light in Three Decembers, composed with great care by one of the most accomplished living American composers Jake Heggie and movingly crafted by librettist Gene Scheer. Thank you for your enthusiasm and support of Portland Opera’s mission. See you at the opera! Sincerely,

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Daniel Biaggi Interim Artistic Director, Portland Opera

Thank you very much for joining us for our exhilarating 2019/20 season! It is my privilege to greet you as the new interim artistic director, and I look forward to getting to know all of you. This season boasts wonderful operatic variety. Indeed, an almost unparalleled mix of musical styles, production concepts, and dramatic multiplicity; all planned and performed with artistic excellence and a deeply engaging audience experience in mind. In February, and unique in its combination, An American Quartet creates an evening of four short one-act operas exploring everyday life situations: a continuously interrupted proposal, an introspective card game, a soap opera filming, and a Julia Child cooking class for the best chocolate cake… followed by chocolate cake! In March, in collaboration with the acclaimed Portland Baroque Orchestra, Vivaldi’s orchestral and vocal fireworks in Bajazet are sure to enchant your senses with a completely different musical color palette while carrying you along on a tale of conflict and forgiveness. With our Big Night concert in May, we invite you to enjoy opera’s greatest hits, featuring international guest artists alongside local musicians and showcasing the

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WELCOME FROM THE INTERIM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

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Curtis T. Thompson, md

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WELCOME FROM THE BOARD PRESIDENT

Photo: Loma Smith.

Welcome to Portland Opera!

Warmest regards,

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Curtis T. Thompson, MD Board President, Portland Opera

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am thrilled to welcome you to the continuation of Portland Opera’s 2019/20 season. We were delighted by the energetic reception from the Portland community for our production of Madama Butterfly, and we are excited about the slate of operas ahead of us! This season spans nearly 300 years of the opera repertoire, featuring a compelling variety of productions that explores the breadth of this beautiful art form with Portland audiences. Over the last year, Portland Opera has been immersed in a strategic planning process, resulting in a set of exciting goals for the future of the company. As a part of this strategic plan, we have listened carefully to you: our audience and community. With you in mind, we are working diligently towards these strategic goals. As part of this process, we have made the decision to return entirely to our previous September–May performance season, starting this coming September. We look forward to working with you and the larger Portland community to honor classic and contemporary operas, deepen our engagement through a renewed commitment to outcomes of diversity, equity, and

inclusion in our work, and celebrate the highest artistic quality from this art form that we all love. The Portland Opera Board of Directors is fully invested in this process and is committed to supporting opera staff as they implement this vision to make Portland Opera an even more artistically viable, community focused, and financially sound organization. We invite you to learn more about the future of Portland Opera and share your feedback at portlandopera.org/strategicplan. Thank you for your ongoing support of Portland Opera. We can’t wait for an extraordinary year ahead.

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Meet Portland Opera

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Portland Opera exists to inspire, challenge, and uplift our audiences by creating productions of high artistic quality that celebrate the beauty and breadth of opera. Since 1964, Portland Opera has contributed to the cultural, artistic, and economic landscape of the city and region that we love. We celebrate the beauty and breadth of the opera repertoire with performances that take place in

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Keller Auditorium, Newmark Theatre, and the Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre at Portland Opera's Hampton Opera Center. Performances are typically sung in their original language, with English captions projected above the stage. Over the last half century, Portland Opera has staged nearly 250 opera productions in seven languagesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including world, American, North American, and West Coast premieres.

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Share your insights feedback@portlandopera.org Photo: Trace Downen.

During the 2018/19 season, the Portland Opera Board of Directors and Metropolitan Group led the company through a strategic planning initiative, resulting in an exciting set of core strategies for Portland Opera’s next chapter. Portland Opera’s commitment while we embark on this work is simple:

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We will continue to listen to the community and artistic voices that remain at the heart of our future. We are a company that belongs to this amazing community, and we intend to grow.

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The company is also committed to education and community engagement, touring 50-minute operas to schools and community centers throughout Oregon and southwest Washington each year (and sometimes Idaho and California, too!), sharing the art form through our mobile music venue, Opera a la Cart, and hosting free community recitals by Portland Opera Resident Artists—in addition to a host of other efforts designed to celebrate opera on and off the stage.

By The Numbers

Photo: Cory Weaver.

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PORTLAND OPERA

Artists & arts professionals employed by Portland Opera in 2018

Photo: Garrick Antik ajian .

140

11,124

Ph ot o: Garrick A ntikajian.

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Students reached by Portland Opera To Go in 2018

Opera a la Cart performances in 2019

Arts for All tickets distributed during the 2018/19 season

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Volunteers who dedicate their time to the company

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816

Portland Opera 2019/20 Resident Artists

Ph ot o: Garrick A ntikajian.

574

Pho to : Co ry Wea ver.

Fans and followers on social media channels

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This Season

23,514+

Number of spill-proof magnetic glasses for POGO’s La Bohème

278

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Years spanned by the music in the 2019/20 season

1910

Year the oldest costume piece used this season was created—a vintage brooch worn by Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly

Supernumeraries in the 2019/20 season

Photo: Trace Downen.

200

Pounds of rose petals used onstage during Madama Butterfly

Harpsichords in Bajazet

American Federation of Musicians members in the Portland Opera Orchestra

Photo: Garrick A ntikajian.

Broadway in Portland productions in the 2019/20 season

Yards of fabric used for Asteria's robe in Bajazet, the most fabric yardage used in a single costume this season

Years of fashion spanned in a single production of Three Decembers

American Guild of Musical Artists members in the Portland Opera Chorus

Performances of An American Quartet added due to popular demand

298

Pages in Maestro Manahan’s Pagliacci score

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Phot o: Gia G oodr ic h.

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Hours of work by the team from Botanica Floral Design to create the live floral tree for the Flora + Fauna Fall Ball

Silver & black leather King David throne for Bajazet

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Coming soon to the

BERIO’S SINFONIA BY ROSE BOND MARCH 14 –16 Carlos Kalmar, conductor • Rose Bond, animator * Roomful of Teeth, vocal ensemble Wagner: Overture and Venusberg Music from Tannhäuser * Caroline Shaw: Partita for 8 Voices • * Berio: Sinfonia

A musico-cultural portrait of New York life in the late 1960s, Luciano Berio’s monumental Sinfonia is a bubbling crucible of sounds, styles, ideas, texts, and moods. Portland’s own award-winning media artist Rose Bond, whose previous collaboration with the Oregon Symphony packed the hall, returns to craft eye-popping animation to illuminate this epic music.

Oregon Symphony BEETHOVEN’S NINTH

CHINA FORBES: 50!

APRIL 4–6

Norman Huynh, conductor

• • • • •

Jonathon Heyward, conductor Oregon Repertory Singers Alexandria Shiner, soprano Siena Licht Miller, mezzo-soprano Kyle van Schoonhoven, tenor Reginald Smith, Jr., baritone

Stravinsky: Agon • Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, “Choral”

Beethoven’s profound musical statements about freedom, equality, and humanity resonate even more powerfully today than they did when the Ninth Symphony premiered almost 200 years ago. Oregon Repertory Singers join the orchestra and four soloists for a full-throated celebration of Beethoven’s final masterpiece

REVUELTAS’ NIGHT OF THE MAYAS BY MICHAEL CURRY APRIL 25–27 Carlos Kalmar, conductor • Michael Curry, stage designer/director Villa-Lobos: Uirapurú Dvořák: The Golden Spinning Wheel • Revueltas: La noche de los mayas (The Night of the Mayas)

Award-winning designer Michael Curry – whose 2017 imagining of Stravinsky’s Persephone dazzled three sold-out halls – returns to the Oregon Symphony, drawing from ancient Mayan tradition to create a mysterious, supernatural setting for Revueltas’ 1939 film score La noche de los mayas.

MAY 2

Join Portland legend China Forbes for a 50th birthday celebration of her favorite songs as she takes the stage for her first solo performance with the Oregon Symphony!

BRONFMAN PLAYS MOZART MAY 16–18 Carlos Kalmar, conductor • Yefim Bronfman, piano Hindemith: Concert Music for Strings and Brass • Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 24 John Corigliano: Gazebo Dances Gershwin: An American in Paris

Yefim Bronfman, “a marvel of digital dexterity, warmly romantic sentiment, and jaw-dropping bravura” (Chicago Tribune), performs Mozart’s dramatic C Minor Piano Concerto. An American in Paris, inspired by George Gershwin’s Parisian escapades during the Roaring Twenties, portrays the cheerful hustle and bustle of the city of love.

2019/20 orsymphony.org 503-228-1353 your official source for symphony tickets

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Libretto by Luigi Illica & Giuseppe Giacosa

Conductor GEORGE MANAHAN Set & Costume Designer LLOYD EVANS Chorus Master/Assistant Conductor NICHOLAS FOX

THE CAST

Stage Director E. LOREN MEEKER

Lighting Designer MARK MCCULLOUGH Principal Accompanist SEQUOIA *

Japanese Movement & Cultural Advisors MOMO SUZUKI * KEVIN SUZUKI * Production Stage Manager JON WANGSGARD

in order of vocal appearance

B. F. Pinkerton, U.S. Navy Lieutenant LUIS CHAPA *

Cio-Cio-San’s Aunt KATE STROHECKER

Goro, a marriage broker KARL MARX REYES *

Prince Yamadori/Imperial Commissioner ANDRÉ CHIANG^

Suzuki, Cio-Cio-San’s servant NINA YOSHIDA NELSEN *

Official Registrar BRYAN ROSS*

Sharpless, U.S. Consul at Nagasaki TROY COOK *

The Bonze, Cio-Cio-San’s Uncle PEIXIN CHEN *

Cio-Cio-San, Madama Butterfly HIROMI OMURA *

Sorrow, Cio-Cio-San’s Child VIVIENNE ESMÉ MUIR* SURI PARK*

Cio-Cio-San’s Cousin CRISTINA MARINO Cio-Cio-San’s Mother AIMEE CHALFANT Yakuside, Cio-Cio-San’s Uncle JIM JEPPESEN

Kate Pinkerton CAMILLE SHERMAN + * Portland Opera Debut + Member of the Portland Opera Resident Artist Program ^ Alumnus of the Portland Opera Resident Artist Program

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PORTLAND OPERA APPRECIATES THE CONTINUING SUPPORT OF MEYER MEMORIAL TRUST, THE JAMES F. AND MARION L. MILLER FOUNDATION, THE OREGON ARTS COMMISSION, AND THE REGIONAL ARTS AND CULTURE COUNCIL. PORTLAND OPERA IS A MEMBER OF OPERA AMERICA.

THIS PRODUCTION WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY GENEROUS GIFTS FROM: BARRAN LIEBMAN, LLP AND ET FILLE WINES

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Japanese soprano Hiromi Omura, making her U.S. debut, sang exquisitely. Her performance was pitch-perfect.”

OC TOBER 2 019 25

NOV EMBER 2 019 2 Keller Auditorium

Portland Opera Premiere Starts at 7:30 PM

Starts at 2 PM

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March 1967

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Hiromi Omura as Cio-Cio-San in Puccini's Madama Butterfly. Photo: Cory Weaver.

—Oregon Arts Watch

CHORUS SPOTLIGHT

F E AT U R E D

Opera is for everyone. It is an art form like no other. The emotion, story, costuming, and sets take you to faraway lands and to new perspectives.”

Anna Jablonski Chorister

Describe your involvement with Portland Opera and how long you’ve been with the company.

I first became involved with Portland Opera in 1999 when studying at Portland State University. During that time, I attended Portland Opera shows and received masterclasses and a few performance opportunities. Fast-forward 15 years, after being trained as a soloist and singing on various opera stages, I found myself back in Portland having gained life experiences, a daughter, and a yearning to get back out onto the stage—this time enjoying the art as a chorus member. I have been with the Portland Opera Chorus for six seasons. What sparked your interest in opera?

Opera drew me in with the dramatic plot lines, depth of emotional range, gorgeous music, and its refined art form that rouses all the senses and asks for near perfection from its singers (which can be problematic). It has been a great cathartic joy to embody a character, a feeling, or a thought, and soulfully connect with that experience through the voice. What does your involvement with Portland Opera bring to your life?

I absolutely love singing with the Portland Opera Chorus and being part of the Portland Opera community. I cherish the artistic outlet it carries within my life,

as it balances my work in a separate career field and parenting my daughter. We work hard and have a lot of fun! I enjoy the range of personalities, talents, and backgrounds we have within the chorus, opera staff, theatre staff, visiting artists, and orchestra. What do you want our audience to know?

Opera is for everyone. It is an art form like no other. The emotion, story, costuming, and scenic design take you to faraway lands and to new perspectives. The acting and stage craft allow human connection to happen right before our eyes with colors that illustrate the story through the orchestral score; there is something for everyone to experience when they come to an opera. And there are multiple genres within opera, so if you don’t care for one, you may just fall in love with the next. In your opinion, what does opera offer that other art forms don’t?

Everything is heightened in opera because the orchestral score and the singing intensifies the drama and the range of emotion! What do you do for fun?

I enjoy spending quality time with my daughter and staying active, whether it be jogging, paddle-boarding, hiking, walking with a friend, or yoga.

The American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA) is the labor union of singers, dancers, and stage staff in opera, concert dance, and choral performance in the United States. Since 1936, AGMA artists have come together to fight for the viability of our professions and our art forms. Nearly 7,000 strong, AGMA’s membership performs in over 60 different opera, dance, and choral companies across the country, and we are continuing to grow!

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AMERICAN GUILD OF MUSICAL ARTISTS

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If you are interested in more information, please visit musicalartists.org. AGMA is proud to count the choristers, principals, dancers, and productions staff of Portland Opera among our members.

MEET PRISCILLA. HER GENEROSITY SUPPORTS OREGON ARTISTS AND THEIR C R E A T I V E E N D E AV O R S .

Generous donors across the state support essential arts and arts education programs, like OCF’s Creative Heights. This initiative provides opportunities for artists and cultural creatives to stretch their creative capacity, share new works and test new ideas. Together, we’re increasing Oregon’s cultural visibility and vitality while supporting unique opportunities to experience innovative arts and culture. Learn how you can give at oregoncf.org /YOU. O R E G O N C F.O R G / Y O U

O C F ’S C R E AT I V E H E I G H T S I S A K E Y S O U R C E F O R O R E G O N’S C U LT U R A L V I TA L I T Y.

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Hit a high note

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Maloy's oï¬&#x20AC;ers a fabulous selection of antique and estate jewelry and fine custom jewelry, as well as repair and restoration services. We also buy.

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What does your involvement with Portland Opera bring to your life?

Opera is definitely my favorite music to play. It combines the best elements of the performing arts: singing, acting, dancing, live music. It’s thrilling to be part of a production like that. Do you have a favorite Portland Opera memory or production?

Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck in 2010. Our conductor was Ari Pelto. As we rehearsed, Ari would describe the story as it was unfolding. The music combined with the story was really captivating and definitely left a mark on me. How did you get involved with opera? Do you have an “opera” story?

When I was in college in Boca Raton, Florida, I ended up getting called to play with Palm Beach Opera. That was when my love of opera began. I guess I hadn’t really experienced opera at that level up to that point, and it was truly amazing. Palm Beach Opera will always have a special place in my heart. What are your favorite things to do in Portland?

My husband, Patrick, and our two children, Dane (8) and Piper (4), love to eat out and probably do it too much. There is just so much good food here and so many different types of food to try. We also enjoy live music, golf, and nature walks at many of the local parks.

Kelly Gronli Principal Oboe

What musician, artist, book, movie, or TV show is inspiring you right now?

I love to listen to classical music when I am studying it for an upcoming concert. Aside from that, my family listens to the band Phish a lot. Patrick has been a huge fan since high school, and although it took me some time to catch up, I am also a big fan of this band myself. As a family, we listen to Phish daily. We discuss them as though they are our friends. I am also really into watching and listening to true crime documentaries, shows, and podcasts. I don’t have much time to read books because of all the time I spend making oboe reeds.

F E AT U R E D

I first won the principal oboe position in 2005. Long story short, because of the conflicting schedules of many local orchestras that I play with, I resigned after my first season. It was an extremely difficult decision to make, but fortunately, I found my way back. Schedules shifted over time, and when the principal oboe position opened again in 2010, I was fortunate enough to win the position back.

ORCHESTRA SPOTLIGHT

Describe your involvement with Portland Opera and how long you’ve been with the company.

What do you want our audience to know?

Did you know that I make my own reeds? It comes with the territory of being a double reed player. I spend many hours a week scraping these tiny pieces of wood. Ever want to hear more about it? Come find me in the pit!

LOCAL 99 OF THE AMERICAN FEDERATION OF MUSICIANS OF THE U.S. AND CANADA The Musicians Union, Local 99, is the economic justice organization serving and representing professional musicians in Portland, Oregon, and surrounding areas. We are affiliated with the American Federation of Musicians of the U.S. and Canada (AFM).

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The Union’s mission, without discrimination, shall be to unite all professional musicians for the purpose of elevating and bettering their economic status, social position, and professional advancement. Further, it shall endeavor to promote, support, and develop audiences for the enjoyment and appreciation of performances by professional musicians.

Oregon Ballet Theatre, Portland Symphonic Choir, Portland Gay Men’s Chorus, amongst others, including club and freelance musicians. AFM-wide, we negotiate contracts representing musicians in film and TV, live TV, major and minor record labels, jingles, video games, Broadway shows (NY and traveling), PBS, and others. These contracts are negotiated with Disney, Universal, Warner Brothers, NBC, CBS, ABC, Sony, etc., to name a few.

Locally, we directly represent musicians of Portland Opera, as well as the Oregon Symphony,

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Four One-Act Operas: Gian Carlo Menotti | The Telephone Samuel Barber | A Hand of Bridge Douglas Moore | Gallantry Lee Hoiby | Bon AppÃ©tit!

Conductor NICHOLAS FOX Set Designer PETER KSANDER *

Stage Director ALLISON NARVER *

Costume Designer CHRISTINE A. RICHARDSON

Production Stage Manager JON WANGSGARD

Lighting Designer CARL FABER

Principal Accompanist SEQUOIA

* Portland Opera Debut

Scenery, costumes, and props created by Portland Opera. English surtitles written and produced by Portland Opera. Performed by arrangement with G. Schirmer, INC., publisher and copyright owner.

Late seating is not available for Portland Opera performances, and re-entry during the performance is not permitted. Recording equipment, cameras, and personal phones are prohibited.

PORTLAND OPERA APPRECIATES THE CONTINUING SUPPORT OF MEYER MEMORIAL TRUST, THE JAMES F. AND MARION L. MILLER FOUNDATION, THE OREGON ARTS COMMISSION, THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, AND THE REGIONAL ARTS AND CULTURE COUNCIL. PORTLAND OPERA IS A MEMBER OF OPERA AMERICA.

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THIS PRODUCTION WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY GENEROUS GIFTS FROM:

CURTIS T. THOMPSON, MD & ASSOCIATES, LLC

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Performed in English with projected English captions

1 hour 50 minutes four acts one intermission

Premieres FEBRUARY 2 02 0 7

The Hampton Opera Center

Portland Opera Premiere Starts at 7:30 PM

Starts at 2 PM

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February 7, 2020

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The Telephone: February 18, 1947, Heckscher Theater, New York, NY A Hand of Bridge: June 17, 1959, Festival of Two Worlds, Spoleto, Italy Gallantry: March 19, 1958, Columbia University, New York, NY Bon AppĂŠtit!: March 8, 1989, Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.

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THE CAST

EMILIE FAIELLA

GEOFFREY SCHELLENBERG

in order of vocal appearance

The Telephone:

Lucy EMILIE FAIELLA *+ Ben GEOFFREY SCHELLENBERG + A Hand of Bridge:

Bill RICARDO GARCIA *+ Geraldine EMILIE FAIELLA *+ Sally CAMILLE SHERMAN + David GEOFFREY SCHELLENBERG + Gallantry:

Announcer CAMILLE SHERMAN +

RICARDO GARCIA

CAMILLE SHERMAN

Doctor Gregg GEOFFREY SCHELLENBERG + Lola Markham EMILIE FAIELLA *+ Donald Hopewell RICARDO GARCIA *+ Bon Appétit!:

Julia Child ANGELA NIEDERLOH * Portland Opera Debut + Member of the Portland Opera Resident Artist Program Biographies of artists begin on page 86.

A Hand of Bridge: Two couples gather to play their nightly game of bridge. As the game progresses, each character’s inner thoughts reveal their fears and longings. INTERMISSION Gallantry: The announcer begins the opera (a parody of soap operas) with a commercial for Lochinvar Soap before the television show Gallantry begins. The soap opera takes place in a hospital, where the surgeon, Dr. Gregg, is professing his love for the anesthetist, Lola, who is engaged to another colleague, Donald Hopewell. As Lola and Dr. Gregg prepare for surgery, Lola is surprised to find Donald on the operating table for an appendix removal. Donald asks Dr. Gregg about his wife, surprising Lola who did not know he was married. Donald falls asleep, and as Dr. Gregg begins to operate, he and Lola argue. Dr. Gregg threatens to stab Donald with his scalpel until Lola stops him and threatens to expose him. She leaves the operating room, and Dr. Gregg follows, leaving Donald alone on the operating table. He wakes up, confused, and sings of his love for Lola before she returns, having sent for another doctor. The announcer returns to tell the audience to tune in tomorrow for the next episode, and ends the show with another commercial break—as Lola and Donald sing of their love for each other. Bon Appétit!: Adapted from a transcript of a 1971 episode of The French Chef, Julia Child teaches the audience how to make a “very special, very choc’latey, bittersweet, lovely” chocolate cake.

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ANGELA NIEDERLOH

NICHOLAS FOX

The Telephone: Ben and Lucy are in her apartment, where he intends to propose marriage. The phone keeps ringing, and her lengthy conversations continue to interrupt his proposal attempts. He finally comes up with a new plan— why not give her a call?

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SUPERNUMERARIES: Beatriz Abella Keith Clausen Laura Christensen Jim Sherman Joyelaine Sherman-Lewis

SYNOPSES

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FROM THE STAGE DIRECTOR ALLISON NARVER The 1950s. A post-war boom marked, for some, by bright red lipstick and shiny new cars and a soaring belief that the United States was at the top of the world, and we could only go up from there. The era of perfect white suburban sitcom families and real-life families that struggled to maintain a façade of perfection in the face of women

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who were dealing with the loss of newfound war-time independence, and men who didn’t know how to come home from the front. It’s no coincidence that it was around this time that television began to hit its stride for the first time in history. TV was home to domesticity, comedy, romance, melodrama, and above all, a shared fantasy. It’s in these fantasies that generational truths are revealed, and a deep post-war desire for brightness, color, and a cheerful return to normalcy emerges. In The Telephone and Gallantry, young love triumphs over the ordinary conflicts that obstruct it, from the comedic interruptions of the telephone to the more sinister interferences of Dr. Gregg, which are interrupted by soap commercials. In Bon Appétit! Julia Child, with all her wonderful idiosyncrasies, stands in her perfectly imperfect kitchen teaching us to bake something wonderful—she is the sister-mother-best-friend-aunt that we all wish we had. Of all four operas, A Hand of Bridge allows us a glimpse behind the curtain, into the secret thoughts behind the perfect image of the two couples in their nightly bridge game. In contrast to their idyllic card table, which could have been painted by Norman Rockwell, their secret fantasies consume them. They want nothing more than to be other people, living other lives, but instead, they’re trapped within their own television program. The story of the four card players is the one that speaks to me the most. It gives me permission to wonder about the secret lives of the characters in each of the other pieces, and it makes the sweetness of their victories all the more delightful.

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A HISTORY

by Alexis Hamilton

The Telephone:

I’m trying to create music that is inevitable.” —Gian Carlo Menotti

For me, music really ought to be beautiful. It ought to be a song from the heart, always.

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—Lee Hoiby, composer of Bon Appétit!.

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Gian Carlo Menotti (1911–2007) was a composer who balanced modern mediums with traditional purpose. In his quest for creating art that connected with his audiences, he embraced technology as a means of delivery. Despite this, he remained skeptical of technology and modernity. He applauded the idea that telecommunications could expand the audience for his work while still being leery of the inevitable separation between the audience and art consumed through such technology. Menotti was a truly modern composer, while remaining accessible, communicative, and theatrical. Born in a small Italian town in 1911, Menotti displayed his musical talent early and often. In an interview with Gene Brooks of the American Choral Directors Association in 1996, the composer recalled, “… I was 6 when I started composing, and I think my first composition was called Snowfall. I always wanted to be a composer.” Throughout his youth and schooling, he maintained this ambition, entering the Milan Conservatory at age 13. At 16, Menotti announced to his mother that he “wanted to study music, only music.” His mother, unsure of how to proceed, took him to see her acquaintance, the great conductor Toscanini, who told her that if her son was serious about becoming a musician, he would have to leave Italy because “most of the schools were terrible.” Toscanini recommended the Curtis Institute in Philadelphia. At the Curtis Institute, Menotti met and became close to Samuel Barber (the composer of A Hand of Bridge) who was the only student at Curtis who spoke Italian when Menotti first arrived. Eventually, the two would become professional collaborators and life partners. Menotti’s career took off quickly. At 24, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut with a one-act opera buffa entitled Amelia Goes to the Ball. This early success led NBC to commission The Old Maid and the Thief (1939) for radio broadcast. His next great work was The Medium in 1946, a tragedy he paired with the comic curtain-raiser The Telephone. Shortly after, Menotti wrote what many consider his masterpiece, The Consul (1950), which garnered him the Pulitzer Prize and a Drama Critics’ Circle Award. Menotti claimed his second Pulitzer Prize in Music for The Saint of Bleeker Street in 1954. Menotti wrote three operas specifically for television. Amahl and the Night Visitors became the first opera expressly written for television and was broadcast in 1951, becoming a Christmas staple for many years. Menotti also wrote Labyrinth (1963) and Help, Help, the Globolinks (1964) specifically for television. The Telephone, Menotti’s 1946 one-act comedy, seems particularly fresh and relevant today. When written, the telephone was a much less pervasive aspect of daily life—

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mainly a feature in the homes of wealthy city-dwellers. Yet in his story of Lucy, a young woman so bewitched by her phone that her fiancé cannot hold her attention long enough to propose to her, Menotti seems to predict today’s world of technologically imposed isolation, where the greatest irony is our complete connection to the world and our increasing loneliness. A telephone both collapses distance and creates it, without Lucy even realizing her dilemma. New technologies have been doing this same dance since the creation of the written word. Our quandary is how to navigate these rapidly changing relationship landscapes as they barrel forward faster than ever before.

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A Hand of Bridge:

The universal basis of artistic spiritual communication by means of art is through the emotions.”

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—Samuel Barber

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Witty, urbane, cosmopolitan, sharp, retiring… Samuel Barber is one of the United States’s most celebrated 20th century composers. His music won a place in the standard repertory during his lifetime and continues to touch audiences today. Equally accomplished in all genres of art music, Barber’s work earned him two Pulitzer Prizes in music and a shelf full of equally prestigious awards, but what he may truly have cared about is that his music is valued today “as a priceless contribution to our musical history.”1 Barber was a child prodigy. He was born in 1910 to a wealthy and respected family in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Music was prevalent in his family; his maternal aunt, Louise Homer, was a renowned opera singer and his uncle, Sidney Homer, a composer. Barber began piano lessons at 6 and composed his first piano work at 7. He always knew that he

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wanted to be a composer—even at the risk of disappointing his parents. At 9 years old, Barber wrote to his mother, explaining,“… I was not meant to be an athlete. I was meant to be a composer and will be I’m sure… Don’t ask me to try to forget this unpleasant thing and go play football. —Please…” The very next year, the boy wrote his first opera, The Rose Tree, which was never performed. The threat of football was withdrawn once and for all at the age of 14, when Barber entered the newly established Curtis Institute of Music. There, he quickly demonstrated himself to be a musical triple threat, excelling at piano, voice, and composition. By the time he was 18, he was a serious composer. At Curtis, Barber met Gian Carlo Menotti (the composer of The Telephone), and the two became fast friends and then life and professional partners. From the beginning, Barber was terrifically successful with the public. Adagio for Strings, his most famous and beloved piece, premiered in 1938, conducted by none other than Arturo Toscanini. Not everyone in the music world was wowed by Barber’s talent, however. Throughout his career, Barber remained committed to writing music that was essentially neo-romantic. He actively pushed back against turn of the century modernists, who openly disdained his work as outdated. No matter. Barber was unabashed in his desire to please audiences. For most of his career, Barber enjoyed one triumph after another; his works were praised critically and were popular with the public. His opera Vanessa (with a libretto by Menotti) won the Pulitzer Prize for music in 1958. The following year, he wrote A Hand of Bridge. In 1963, he won a second Pulitzer with Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. In fact, his only flop was his opera Antony and Cleopatra in 1966. After this, he fell into a deep depression from which it took him some time to recover. Compounding his distress, his relationship with Menotti was becoming strained as they entered different stages of their careers.

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Though the two ceased living together in 1973, they remained close friends until Barber died of cancer in 1981. A Hand of Bridge is an extraordinarily concise musical character study couched in a nineminute opera written for four voices and chamber orchestra. Written for Menotti’s Festival of Two Worlds, the libretto was by Menotti, and despite the unhappiness of the two couples at its heart, the work reflects just how ordinary and universal the everyday tragedies of life are.

Gallantry:

[The] trouble is that opera audiences are only interested in 25 standard works, and it is terribly hard to establish a new opera.”

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—Douglas Moore

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Times haven’t changed all that much. New operas still struggle to claw their way into the standard repertoire, but American composer, educator, and author Douglas Moore managed to establish himself on the operatic stage the world over. During the mid-20th century, Moore’s works were considered the quintessence of American opera, with both subject and medium perfectly balanced with nostalgia for 19th-century Americana. “I belong to the ninth generation of the Moore family to live in this part of the world. My remote ancestor Thomas Moore came to Long Island from Connecticut in 1640 to found what is now the township of Southhold…” Moore recalled to a New York Times reporter in 1963. Moore graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1915 and a Bachelor of Music in 1917. While there, he wrote popular songs, including one of Yale’s fight songs, “Goodnight, Harvard.”

Bon Appétit!:

The core of my musical life centers around the human voice.” —Lee Hoiby

Paul Wittke, Samuel Barber: An Improvisatory Portrait, 1994. 2 “Lee Hoiby, Opera Composer Known for Lyricism, Dies at 85,” The New York Times, Zachary Woolfe, 2011. 1

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Alexis Hamilton is the Manager of Education & Community Engagement for Portland Opera.

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Lee Hoiby, perhaps more than any other of our composers in today’s program, had to defy the fashion of the times he lived in to write the music he cared about. During his early maturity as a composer in the 1960s and ’70s, Hoiby’s style was, as The New York Times described it, “simple, romantic, traditional, and cosmopolitan. Much of his work could have been composed 100 years ago.” While the critic Harold C. Schonberg meant it as an amiable gibe, Hoiby proudly owned it. After all, he was the one whose opera was opening at New York City Opera. Born in 1926, Hoiby loved music from the beginning. At 4 years old, hearing his mother at the piano, little Lee Hoiby, “tugged at her skirt and told her he wanted to play.”2 So, he did. He enrolled at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, at a time when it was teeming with brilliant European musicians who had fled the continent before being swept up into the conflagration of World War II. Hoiby had the good fortune to study piano with Gunnar Johansen and was poised to become a world-renowned concert pianist when he set off to Mills College for a master’s degree. Hoiby’s good fortune persisted when a friend visiting from the Curtis Institute caught a glance of Hoiby’s compositions and sent them on to Gian Carlo Menotti (the composer of The Telephone) for his review. The next thing Hoiby knew, he was being summoned by Menotti to study composition, and the world gained a world-class composer as well as a world-class pianist. Menotti not only influenced Hoiby’s choice of career and his musical tastes but proved to be a solid promoter of Hoiby’s work. In 1958, Menotti programmed Hoiby’s first opera, The Scarf, at the Spoleto Festival. From that point on, Hoiby’s career chugged along.

Despite the fact that during the “establishment” years of his career, most serious art music was atonal, Hoiby made no bones about how he felt about such music: “I’m not interested. A lot of that stuff sounds like wallpaper to me.” Nevertheless, Hoiby did not want for work. “I kept getting commissions right along, and some of them took me a long time to write… But when I didn’t have a commission, I wrote just for the pleasure of writing. I love to write music, and singers would always perform my things.” Indeed, Hoiby wrote many songs, commissioned and championed by some of the greatest singers in the world—most notably Leontyne Price. Though Hoiby wrote instrumental and orchestral works, his greatest affinity was the human voice, and it is his vocal works for which he will be most remembered. As he told Bruce Duffie in an 1980 interview on WNIB, “… the core of my musical life centers around the human voice, be it operas, or songs or choral music.” Bon Appétit! is a musical monologue originally written in 1987 to be paired with another musical monologue, The Italian Lesson. The two pieces debuted in 1989 starring comedienne Jean Stapleton. Hoiby wrote Bon Appétit! because he felt that audiences would be disappointed in an evening that was under an hour (The Italian Lesson clocks in at 45 minutes). His librettist, Mark Schulgasser, wanted to adapt an episode of Julia Child’s television show, The French Chef. Writing her for permission, he received an enthusiastic assent and a videotape from Julia Child. The result is this delectable musical mélange. Who knew that an opera about making a chocolate cake would be so deliciously delightful?

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After graduation, he joined the U.S. Navy, serving during World War I. He continued to write songs, which were later collected and published as Songs My Mother Never Taught Me. Discharged in 1919, Moore went to Paris to study with Vincent d’Indy (a happy pairing) and Nadia Boulanger (an unhappy pairing. “She just wasn’t sympathetic to the type of music I wanted to write,” he said.). Moore didn’t start writing operas until he was in his 40s. Instead, he wrote incidental music for plays, a handful of film scores, and in 1923, made his public debut as a composer/ conductor with The Cleveland Orchestra, conducting his work Four Museum Pieces. His first two operatic works were not particularly successful, however in 1937, he created a song play to be performed by schoolchildren entitled The Headless Horseman. Shortly after, he wrote his folk opera, The Devil and Daniel Webster, which was his first truly established work for the stage. The opera for which he became famous, The Ballad of Baby Doe, wasn’t written until 1956. Like Bizet, Leoncavallo, and Humperdinck, Moore is best known for one towering achievement, despite his varied and productive musical contributions. As important to the musical world as his compositions were his contributions as a tireless, enthusiastic advocate for new composers and young talent. As his colleague Jack Beeson wrote, Moore was “their warmest and sunniest friend.” “One year after the Central City production of Baby Doe, a wonderful idea came to me from a friend. Why not write a real soap opera? The television soap opera is so much a part of American civilization that a real one, complete with commercials and corn, might hold great appeal for audiences… The whole venture was a delight…” Moore reminisced in an article he wrote for Opera News in 1961. Frothy and fun, Gallantry was initially presented by Columbia Music School students in 1958, before being adapted by the composer for television broadcast in 1962.

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RECIPE

FROM THE KITCHEN OF JULIA CHILD

Le Gâteau au Chocolat l’Éminence Brune Bittersweet Chocolate Cake INGREDIENTS

INSTRUCTIONS

The Chocolate

2 tsp. instant espresso coffee 1/4 cup boiling water 7 ounces semisweet baking chocolate 2 ounces unsweetened (bitter) chocolate

Blend the coffee and water in a 6-cup saucepan and set it in a larger pan of simmering water. Remove from heat. Break up the chocolate, stir it into the coffee, cover, and set aside to melt slowly until you are ready to use.

The Batter

The Cake Pans

4 large eggs (if chilled, set in tepid water for 5 min) 2/3 cup sugar (extra fine granulated) 4 ounces (1 stick) soft unsalted butter 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar and a pinch of salt 2 tbsp. additional sugar 3/4 cup cornstarch (to measure, sift directly into dry measure cups and sweep off excess)

Smear butter inside both cake pans, covering them completely. Place wax paper in bottom of each, butter it, then roll flour around in first pan to coat inside completely. Knock flour out into the second pan, coat it, and knock out excess flour.

The Cake Pans Two 8 x 1½ inch round one-piece cake pans (4 cup capacity) 2 tsp. soft butter 2 rounds of wax paper cut to fit pans 1/4 cup flour

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For the Chocolate and Butter Glaze 1 tsp. instant espresso coffee 2 tbsp. boiling water 4 ounces semisweet chocolate 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate 2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and set rack in lower-middle level. POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

The Batter Separate the eggs, dropping the whites into a clean, dry beating bowl, and the yolks into a 3–4-quart mixing bowl. With a portable electric beater, start beating the egg yolks, gradually adding the sugar, and continue beating until yolks are thick, pale yellow, and when a bit is lifted in blades of beater, it drops off in a thick ribbon that slowly dissolves on the surface of the mixture—about 3 minutes of beating.

Finishing the Chocolate It should now be soft. If not, remove pan and reheat water; remove from heat, set chocolate pan in again, and beat the chocolate with the portable mixer until perfectly smooth. Beat in the butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, then gradually beat the chocolate and butter into the egg-yolk mixture.

The Egg Whites Immediately change beater blades and proceed to the egg whites. Start beating at moderately low (continued on reverse) speed for a minute or so, until foaming, and beat in cream of tartar and salt. Gradually increase speed to fast, and continue beating until egg whites hold their shape in soft peaks; gradually beat in the 2 tablespoons extra sugar, and continue beating until egg whites form stiff shining peaks; they are now ready to be folded into cake batter.

Folding Being sure chocolate and egg-yolk mixture is smooth and soft—stir over hot water if it has stiffened— sift on one quarter of the cornstarch, and scoop in one quarter of the egg whites; stir in with rubber spatula. Then scoop rest of egg whites on top, sift on one third of the remaining cornstarch, and begin to fold as follows: Plunge rubber spatula down from top center of egg whites to bottom of bowl, bring to edge of bowl, then turn it as you lift it back up to the surface, thus bringing a bit of the chocolate up over the egg whites. Rapidly repeat the movement several times, rotating the bowl as you do so. Sift one half the rest of the cornstarch, continue with several rapid scoops of the spatula, then sift on the last of the cornstarch, and continue folding until blended.

Into the Cake Pan At once turn the batter into the pans, running it up the edge all around with your spatula to prevent cakes from humping in the middle as they bake. Pans will be about half full. Bang once

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on work surface to settle the batter, and place in oven, one near rear corner of rack, and the other diagonally across near front corner.

Baking Set timer for 15 minutes. Cakes will rise to about top of pans, and are done when only the center shakes a little when moved gently. A cake tester should come out almost clean when inserted around the edges, but have a number of wet brown specks attached to it when plunged into the center 2 inches.

Cooling and Unmolding Set plans on racks for air circulation, and let cool. Cakes will sink slightly and will shrink from sides of pan. Because cake texture is very soft and delicate, you will find them easiest to unmold when chilled and firm; thus, when cool, wrap and refrigerate for an hour or so.

Filling, Icing, and Serving Melt the chocolate with the coffee as before, then beat in the butter. If too liquid for easy spreading, beat over cold water until lightly thickened. Unmold one of the cakes directly onto serving plate, and stick pieces of wax paper underneath all around to catch icing dribbles. Spread top with a 1/8-inch layer of icing. With the help of a flexible-blade spatula, unmold second cake on top of the first. Cover top and sides with icing. Peel out the wax paper strips from under cake. If you are serving soon, leave at room temperature. Otherwise, cover with an upside-down bowl and refrigerate (or freeze), and let come to room temperature for an hour or so before serving, to let the chocolate icing regain its bloom and the cake its texture.

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Making cake is best while listening to opera in your kitchen. Bon appétit from Portland Opera!

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“Le Gateau au Chocolat ‘Eminence Brune” reprinted from FROM JULIA CHILD’S KITCHEN by Julia Child, copyright © 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975 by Julia Child. Used by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved.

Local cuisine, inspired by the British Isles

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Libretto by Agostino Piovene with texts of Pietro Metastasio & Apostolo Zeno

Conductor ERIN HELYARD *

Stage Director CHAS RADER-SHIEBER

Set & Costume Designer MICHAEL OLICH

Lighting Designer CONNIE YUN

Production Stage Manager JON WANGSGARD

Assistant Director REBECCA HERMAN

* Portland Opera Debut

In collaboration with Portland Baroque Orchestra. Scenery constructed by Oregon Ballet Theatre and Portland Opera. Props and costumes constructed by Portland Opera. English surtitles ©Natalie Shea, Pinchgut Opera. Musical edition ©Erin Helyard, Pinchgut Opera.

Late seating is not available for Portland Opera performances, and re-entry during the performance is not permitted. Patrons arriving late or leaving the theater during the performance will be reseated at intermission. Recording equipment, cameras, and personal phones are prohibited.

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THIS PRODUCTION WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY GENEROUS GIFTS FROM:

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Performed in Italian with projected English captions

3 hours two acts one intermission

M ARCH 2 02 0 20 1735, Verona, Italy

Newmark Theatre

Portland Opera Premiere Starts at 7:30 PM

Starts at 2 PM

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March 20, 2020

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THE CAST

in order of vocal appearance

DANIEL MOBBS

JOHN MARZANO

Bajazet DANIEL MOBBS Andronico JOHN MARZANO * Idaspe KATHLEEN KIM * Tamerlano ARYEH NUSSBAUM COHEN * Asteria CAMILLE SHERMAN + Irene AVERY AMEREAU * * Portland Opera Debut + Member of the Portland Opera Resident Artist Program Biographies of artists begin on page 86.

KATHLEEN KIM

ARYEH NUSSBAUM COHEN

WITH THE PORTLAND BAROQUE ORCHESTRA. SUPERNUMERARIES: Joe Jenkins Jonathan McGinley Adam Roper

SYNOPSIS The action takes place in the Royal Palace where Tamerlano, ruler of the vast Tartar empire, is holding the defeated Turkish Sultan Bajazet prisoner, in the days immediately following the Tartar victory over the Ottoman Empire.

Act II: Tamerlano receives Irene’s messenger (Irene herself in disguise) and attempts to justify his decision. Asteria reassures the messenger that she will not come between Tamerlano and Irene. Bajazet learns from Andronico that Asteria’s marriage is imminent. Forcing himself into his daughter’s presence, he voices his contempt for her in an impassioned outpouring. Asteria is distraught and produces the dagger she had concealed in order to kill Tamerlano on their wedding night. Father and daughter are arrested. Bajazet and Asteria plan to kill themselves by means of a poison that Bajazet has kept hidden. Andronico tells Tamerlano of his love for Asteria. Tamerlano decides to kill Bajazet and to make Asteria a slave, ordering her to wait upon him at table. Asteria uses this opportunity to slip the poison that Bajazet has given her into Tamerlano’s goblet. This is observed by Irene, who denounces her and reveals her own true identity. Tamerlano rewards Irene by promising to marry her again and orders that Asteria be raped by the slaves of the harem while Andronico looks on. Bajazet rages impotently and departs, leaving Irene to give free rein to her joy. News comes through that Bajazet has poisoned himself, and Asteria begs Tamerlano to kill her too. Overwhelmed by this tragic turn of events, Tamerlano relents and grants Asteria to Adronico. A temporary peace and friendship reigns. Reprinted courtesy of Pinchgut Opera, 2015.

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AVERY AMEREAU

INTERMISSION

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CAMILLE SHERMAN

Act I: Bajazet faces certain death at the hands of his captor and has asked the Greek prince Andronico to take care of his daughter Asteria after his demise. Tamerlano tells Andronico that he intends to renounce his fiancée, the princess Irene, to marry Asteria instead. Not knowing or caring that Andronico loves Asteria, Tamerlano offers him the Greek Empire and Irene’s hand in marriage, then orders

him to communicate Asteria’s fate to Bajazet. When Asteria learns that she is to marry Tamerlano, she is convinced that Andronico has betrayed her to gain power. Bajazet, enraged, declares that Asteria shall not marry Tamerlano, though it could cost him his head. Irene arrives at the palace and is furious when she learns that she has been slighted. Andronico assures her of his support and suggests that she keep her identity a secret by disguising herself as a messenger sent by Irene, in order to be able to influence the course of events. Andronico learns from Tamerlano that Asteria has apparently accepted the offer of marriage. Devastated, he tries to justify his actions to Asteria, who scornfully dismisses him.

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FROM THE STAGE DIRECTOR CHAS RADER-SHIEBER Even as the walls seem to be crumbling around them, the characters of Bajazet live in a musical world of unparalleled beauty. As one culture is dismissed and destroyed by another, with a kind of cruelty that is both frightening and yet familiar, the personal and emotional lives of those in power are given a careful kind of examination by Vivaldi. To witness the literal and figurative stripping away of the things that are held most dear is a terrifying and moving experience. As Bajazet and his daughter Asteria face the nightmare of losing their identities, they fight to maintain their history and their dignity. Tamerlano uses his boundless power to sublimate everyone around him, in a mortifying display of unchecked control. Between these forces, characters find a place for profound love and desire amid a world-changing sadness. The poignancy of bitter endings and unexpected loss are brought to the fore in this amazingly powerful opera. Emotion at its most potent, power at its most dangerous, and music at its greatest expression of pure theatricality are at the center of this tragic and moving opera.

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BAJAZET PLAYERS: Carla Moore, concertmaster Rob Diggins, principal second violin Jolianne Einem, violin Toma Iliev, violin Courtney Kuroda, violin Adam LaMotte, violin Janet Strauss, violin Victoria Gunn, principal viola Hillary Oseas, viola

Adaiha MacAdam-Somer, principal violoncello Annabeth Shirley, violoncello Curtis Daily, contrabass Jonathan Oddie, harpsichord David Walker, theorbo Nate Helgeson, bassoon Andrew Clark, principal horn Mike Nelson, horn To learn more, visit pbo.org.

Portland Baroque Orchestra. Photo: Joanathan Ley.

Founded in 1984, Portland Baroque Orchestra is the thirdlargest period performance orchestra in the United States. PBO specializes in works of the Baroque and Classical eras but also explores the musical world outside of those time constraints, performing with period instruments or replicas of instruments that were available when the music was composed. This means that PBO concerts feature familiar instruments that may look or sound a little different (for example, violins with gut strings or flutes made of wood and bone) as well as instruments that are no longer a part of the modern orchestra (like the theorbo). Led by Artistic Director Monica Huggett, the orchestra thrives on spontaneity, playfulness, and extraordinary artistry. PBO seeks to recreate the live music experiences of history by presenting the highest level of music performance in intimate venues.

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A HISTORY

This is no polite Baroque music…”

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Portrait of Bayezid I, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire.

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—John Weretka, reviewer for Loud Mouth, The Music Trust Ezine.

by Alexis Hamilton

ccording to the composer, Antonio Vivaldi wrote 94 operas. His first opera appeared in 1713 and his last in 1740—so that’s an average of three operas per year for 27 years. And, of course, Vivaldi was also quite busy writing those 500 concerti for which most music lovers know him. That is a statistic that would make even Gioachino Rossini, whose own composing speed was legendary, nod in acknowledgment to greatness. While it may seem curious to the modern listener who has rarely—if ever—heard a Vivaldi stage work, Vivaldi was one of the most successful opera composers of his day. The world of Italian opera in the first half of the 18th century was characterized by a voracious need for new operas, and many noteworthy composers wrote them. Vivaldi’s facility enabled him to produce enough volume to help fill a greedy impresario’s needs—including those of the Teatro San Angelo, which he managed with his father. In such a fast-paced environment, hungry for new works, composers often borrowed music from themselves and others in creating their operas. Many of them did it, and the practice was considered acceptable. Pasticcios, 1 as such hybrids of several composers were called, solved not only the need for speed but for novelty and fashion too. When Vivaldi wrote Bajazet in 1735 (an excellent example of a thoughtfully conceived and executed pasticcio) the style of Venetian opera he’d written was already losing popularity. By adding the new Neapolitan style of composers such as Johann Adolph Hasse, Geminiano Giacomelli, and Riccardo Broschi, Vivaldi added a dash of trendiness to his blistering tale of love and honor. The story of Bajazet was a very popular topic among opera composers. Vivaldi set his opera to a libretto by Agostino Piovene that had also been used 10 years prior by Handel for his opera Tamerlano and by about 50 other composers over 80 years. The plot is based on the aftermath of the Battle of Ankara, in which the Mongol warlord Timur (in Opera-Land, Tamerlano) defeated the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid (Bajazet). Artists, dramatists, and composers embraced the story as a morality play of honor, revenge, and lust—with just a pinch of purely fabricated romance. For composers—especially of the Baroque era—Piovene’s libretto proved irresistible because of the increasingly dire, insoluble predicaments in which his characters find themselves. This continual ratcheting up of dramatic tension and emotion until the final snap of the conclusion breaks the spell provided plenty of opportunity for vocal fireworks. And Vivaldi’s setting (with a little help from his friends) is one amazingly virtuosic display of vocal heroism after another. Part of Vivaldi’s genius with Bajazet is how deftly he deployed his sampling. To be clear, most of Bajazet is by Vivaldi. Vivaldi wrote 12 of the arias and all the recitative and ensembles. The composer created a seamless piece of work that is dramatically convincing and coherent. In his distribution of music, Vivaldi provided an aural

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Alexis Hamilton is the Manager of Education & Community Engagement for Portland Opera.

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A pasticcio is defined by Grove Music Online as “an opera made up of various pieces from different composers or sources and adapted to a new or existing libretto.”

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rationale for the different musical styles of the piece—he wrote the music for the “good guys” (Bajazet and his daughter Asteria) and used borrowed music in the Neapolitan style for the invading Tamerlano, Irene, and Andronico. It is a very clever synthesis and provides show-stopping arias for each of the characters—not just the leads! The supporting comprimario roles also find themselves confronted by Vivaldi’s fiendish use of melodic embellishments. While Vivaldi reported that he wrote 94 operas, musicologists have only identified about 50, and sadly, only 20 scores survive. It is possible that because many are pasticcios, some have not yet been credited to Vivaldi. During his lifetime, Vivaldi started writing operas as a secondary income. At first, his style was popular and progressive, and more conservative composers rejected him. By the end of his career, the opposite was true. Vivaldi found his operas gradually becoming less fashionable and less performed. Upon his death, his voluminous manuscripts were bound into 27 folios and held privately to be all but forgotten. It was not until the 1920s that Vivaldi’s music became known again, and it wasn’t until Italian composer Alfredo Casello began truly championing his work in the late 1930s that Vivaldi’s concerti began to seep into the popular consciousness. More recently still, Vivaldi’s operas in all their virtuosic glory have slowly been making their way into opera houses and recordings. Bajazet is a rarely seen treasure and a powerful statement of Vivaldi’s flair for the dramatic. Let us hope that the opera gods grant us more such treasures!

F E AT U R E D

OPERATIC

Voice Types Voice Type

Voice Type

Approximate Range

BASS

E2–E4

Famous Opera Singers

EZIO PINZA, SAMUEL RAMEY, PAUL ROBESON

BASS-BARITONE F2–F 4 #

Famous Opera Singers

BRYN TERFEL, JAMES MORRIS, ERIC OWENS, JOSÉ VAN DAM

BARITONE A2–A4

Famous Opera Singers

NATHAN GUNN, GERALD FINLEY, SHERRILL MILNES

Voice Type

Approximate Range

TENOR C3–C5

Famous Opera Singers

JAVIER CAMARENA, JONAS

KAUFMANN, LUCIANO PAVAROTTI

COUNTERTENOR E3–E5

Famous Opera Singers

ANTHONY ROTH COSTANZO, RUSSELL OBERLIN

Voice Type

Approximate Range

MEZZO-SOPRANO A3–A5

Famous Opera Singers

GRACE BUMBRY, CECILIA BARTOLI, JOYCE DIDONATO

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In opera, the human voice becomes the most prominent tool for the composer to express each character’s feelings. Understanding the various vocal characteristics and individual capabilities is therefore essential for singers, composers and casting directors. While there is no universal system of classifying voice types, opera generally recognizes eight categories that take into account long-established and specific criteria. The foremost point of evaluation is a singer’s vocal range—the span of notes from lowest to highest that one can comfortably achieve on an opera stage.

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SOPRANO C4–C6

Famous Opera Singers

MARIA CALLAS, DIANA DAMRAU, RENÉE FLEMING, ANNA NETREBKO

CONTRALTO E3–E5

Famous Opera Singers

MARIETTA ALBONI, MARIAN ANDERSON, EWA PODLES

This season’s production of Bajazet features the two most rare operatic voice types. Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen, who will sing the part of Tamerlano, is a countertenor. Performers of this voice type often perform roles initially written for a castrato, a voice achieved by castrating a male singer before puberty. Although outlawed in 1870, castrati singers were tremendously popular and considered to be the rock stars of their era. Avery Amereau, who will sing the role of Irene, is a contralto. . Illustrations used with permission of Ramsey Voice Studio. ramseyvoice.com

- Pat Reser, Lead Donor and Chair of the Capital Campaign for the Patricia Reser Center for the Arts

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“I BELIEVE WE HAVE A ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION OPPORTUNITY TO TRANSFORM THE FUTURE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND REGION. THIS CENTER WILL BE A PLACE TO CELEBRATE ARTISTIC EXPRESSION IN ALL ITS FORMS. MY HOPE IS THAT IT WILL HELP ARTISTS AND ARTS FLOURISH AND WILL IMPACT RESIDENTS POSITIVELY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.”

PATRICIA RESER CENTER FOR THE ARTS Visit centerfortheartscampaign.org/join-the-movement

to learn more and get involved with this transformational project in Beaverton.

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OMF SPRING & SUMMER EDITIONS Oregon Festival Orchestra/Highlights

Spring Edition March 13

Eighth Blackbird/Oregon Festival Orchestra

March 22

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Beethoven: Missa Solemnis/ Portland Symphonic Choir

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Zvonimir Hačko, Director/Chief Conductor

2020

June 27 Mendelssohn “Reformation” Symphony July 9 Brahms’ Symphony No. 3 July 18 Concertos by Dvořák & Mykietyn July 25 Pearl Chamber Orchestra August 1 Martinů/Mahler Anniversary Celebration

TICKETS at oregonmusicfest.org

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OREGON MUSIC FESTIVAL

Summer Edition

June 21 Tchaikovsky Pathétique Symphony

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STAGEHAND SPOTLIGHT

F E AT U R E D

I think opera offers a view of another time that no other art form offers; it’s more than just the story.” How long have you been working with Portland Opera?

I started working for Portland Opera in the winter of 2008. What sparked your interest in opera?

I have always been involved in opera, always. My father was a lighting designer and technical director for Arizona Opera while I was growing up. What does your involvement with Portland Opera bring to your life?

To be honest, Portland Opera is just a job. In my field, I consider it the best job in Portland, but at the end of the day, my passion and joy is my 6-year-old son and my wife. What is the most challenging aspect of your job?

Photo: Jonathan Ley.

Jona Stagg Warehouse Supervisor

I would say the most challenging aspect is bringing the designer’s vision to life. In your opinion, what does opera offer that other art forms don’t?

I think opera offers a view of another time that no other art form offers; it’s more than just the story. It’s one of the only production styles that still builds in the “old ways,” although we do use any new technology that works for the show. So, while the combination of old and new can be challenging to bring to life, I think the production team at Portland Opera does it in a manner that’s seamless for the audience.

THE THEATRICAL STAGE EMPLOYEES OF IATSE LOCAL 28

Local 28 has over 200 members who are highly skilled career professionals. Currently IATSE 28 members support shows in Portland at Keller Auditorium, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, Moda Center, Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and Newmark and Winningstad Theatres. And they don’t just work in theatres—they also support business conferences, as well as live concerts in arenas and outdoor venues throughout the Portland metro area and southern Washington. Local 28 members are on the job making sure that the audience gets entertained, from

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The Theatrical Stage Employees of IATSE Local 28 have been working on stages in Portland, Oregon, for over 116 years.

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Broadway shows to concerts, sporting events to corporate tradeshows. The skill and craftsmanship that members bring to the workplace make productions successful. Many in the general public are unaware of the important contributions members make to every show. Local 28 takes that as the ultimate compliment for a job well done and evidence that the members of IATSE Local 28 are proud to be a part of the largest entertainment labor organization in the world.

My father was a particular fan of Beverly Sills, and we both watched her whenever she performed on PBS. Later, one of my supervisors was an amateur opera singer and a regular supernumerary with the Lyric Opera in Chicago (where I’m from). That piqued my interest, and my sister and I became season ticket holders for a few years. I moved to Portland in 2004 and saw a few one-offs at Portland Opera before I became a season ticket holder in 2009. One fine day in October 2015, a momentous post hit my Facebook newsfeed. It was notice of an open audition for the chorus of Show Boat. Although I sang in high school choirs and professionally as a jazz soloist, I’d never done anything on that level. But, you know, nothing ventured, nothing gained. I wrote requesting consideration, and to my delight, I received an appointment to come in to audition on December 5 at 7:42 pm (yes, it’s committed to memory!). I sang “Something Wonderful” from The King and I. In January, I was informed that I was selected to be one of six mezzo-sopranos in the expanded Show Boat chorus. That ranks up there with some of the best, most happy news I’ve ever received in my life! This was my first experience seeing a staged production come together, and every moment of it was interesting, exciting; I made wonderful friends I have until this day. We had five performances of this show in May 2015, and it was absolutely the best experience I’ve ever had doing anything. I’m eternally grateful to Clare Burovac and Nicholas Fox for taking a chance on me. What does volunteering with Portland Opera bring to your life?

It is truly my favorite hobby. I love when I’m involved in a production, the rehearsals, etc... being surrounded with such creative talent and being part of it is simply the best, and I’m so grateful! What are your favorite things to do in Portland?

I’m a bona fide opera camp follower/groupie, but apart from assisting the Opera—whether as a supernumerary

Photo: Trace Downen.

How did you get involved with opera? Do you have an “opera” story?

Uani Tillmon

Supernumerary, Greeter, Light Walker, and All-Around Volunteer

or volunteer—I love our beautiful natural scenery, the restaurants, and music scene. I’ve lived here 15 years and really wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

F E AT U R E D

I first became involved when Alexis Hamilton, Portland Opera’s Manager of Education & Community Engagement, taught the Summer Opera class in July 2013. It was so enjoyable, educational, and she was a marvelous teacher. Portland Opera stayed on my radar ever since. My “official” involvement as a volunteer started in 2014.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Describe your involvement with Portland Opera and how long you’ve been with the company.

What do you want our audience to know?

That opera is not just for your grandparents. It is an incredibly beautiful, rich art form that deserves attention from all ages and backgrounds. I truly admire Portland Opera’s commitment to making opera accessible to young people—Portland Opera To Go and the tradition of student dress rehearsal performances are bound to intrigue our young people to explore opera as entertainment and maybe even as a career. Portland Opera is well worth supporting throughout the year for its grand opera productions and more edgy modern ventures. I hope to remain part of the Portland Opera family and encourage others to join us! What musician, artist, book, movie, or TV show is inspiring you right now?

I’m enjoying The Mandalorian (yes, Star Wars nerd). I’m also a great fan of British drama and crime stories. I do a lot of Bible study, so that’s always an inspirational book for me. My favorite radio station is KMHD.FM and hearing new jazz music/artists is always a thrill. All Classical 89.1 is also my jam.

VOLUNTEER WITH PORTLAND OPERA! Interested in joining our volunteer team? Visit portlandppera.org/volunteer or contact Brita Enflo, volunteer coordinator, at 503-417-0581 or benflo@portlandopera.org.

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Portland Opera is endlessly grateful for our volunteers! Over the past two seasons, we’ve had 150 active volunteers, working over 5,000 hours, doing a variety of jobs from selling raffle tickets at our gala, to making coffee and tea for the orchestra, to welcoming our guests and patrons for opera performances, and assisting with administrative projects.

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Featuring the Portland Opera Orchestra & Chorus

Principal Artists DARYL FREEDMAN ^

FABIO ARMILIATO *

DANIEL MOBBS

Portland Opera Resident Artists EMILIE FAIELLA CAMILLE SHERMAN Conductor GEORGE MANAHAN

RICARDO GARCIA GEOFFREY SCHELLENBERG Co-hosts DANIEL BIAGGI & SUE DIXON

Chorus Master NICHOLAS FOX Lighting Designer DANIEL MEEKER

Production Stage Manager JON WANGSGARD

* Portland Opera Debut ^ Alumna of the Portland Opera Resident Artist Program

English captions written and produced by Portland Opera. Late seating is not available for Portland Opera performances, and re-entry during the performance is not permitted. Recording equipment, cameras, and personal phones are prohibited.

PORTLAND OPERA APPRECIATES THE CONTINUING SUPPORT OF MEYER MEMORIAL TRUST, THE JAMES F. AND MARION L. MILLER FOUNDATION, NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, THE OREGON ARTS COMMISSION, AND THE REGIONAL ARTS AND CULTURE COUNCIL. PORTLAND OPERA IS A MEMBER OF OPERA AMERICA.

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THIS PRODUCTION WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY GENEROUS GIFTS FROM:

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Performed in various languages with projected English captions

1 hour 30 minutes no intermission

M AY 2 02 0 9

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Starts at 7:30 PM

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Keller Auditorium

BIG NIGHT WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT PORTLAND OPERAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

MAY 9, 2020

WE ARE HONORED TO SUPPORT THIS ANNUAL CONCERT OF OPERA FAVORITES. BRAVO!

Jessica Mozeico

F E AT U R E D

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Wine and opera have a lot in common. They can both stop us in our tracks, take our breath away with raw emotion, and connect us to meaning. I believe that wine and opera, like life well lived, should be authentic, complex, and balanced.”

President & Winemaker, Et Fille Wines

Describe your involvement with Portland Opera and how long you’ve been with the company.

How did you get involved with opera? Do you have an “opera” story?

I am honored to support Portland Opera because it has been in our family for 25 years. My mom started attending dress rehearsals in the ’90s. My dad saw how moved she was when she came home from the rehearsals and bought season tickets. Before long, he was as hooked as she was. He would tell me in great detail about every opera they went to see. When my dad and I started our winery, Et Fille (which means “and daughter”) together in 2003, Portland Opera was the one organization he said he wanted to support through wine donations or whatever resources we could. My dad died unexpectedly in a tragic accident in 2017. Supporting Portland Opera is one way I can honor his legacy, and now that I attend with my mom, my dad’s love of the organization has passed along to me.

My first exposure to opera was in Italy when I was studying in Florence. I took an “Italian Opera and Civilization” course. What an amazing introduction! After college, I worked in New York and would get standing room seats at the Metropolitan Opera. I once saved up enough to take my mom to Aida at the Met. (I didn’t make her stand—we had seats.) The one piece that haunts me, though, is Puccini’s “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot. This is because after my dad’s death, I remembered that we had both made funeral playlists to play at our funerals—the music that moved us most that we wanted to leave for our loved ones. His playlist ended with “Nessun Dorma,” and we concluded his funeral with it.

What does your involvement with Portland Opera bring to your life?

Do you have a favorite Portland Opera memory or production?

I am not sure if this is because it is most recent, but I haven’t been able to fully exhale after seeing Madama Butterfly. The production—set and costumes—were transporting and the music so incredibly moving. I am half Japanese and appreciate that an important part of Japanese history was brought to life through this story. It definitely left a mark on me. What do you want our audience to know?

Wine and opera have a lot in common. They can both stop us in our tracks, take our breath away with raw emotion, and connect us to meaning. I believe that wine and opera, like life well-lived, should be authentic, complex, and balanced. Also, they both require active participation from their audiences. True appreciation is interactive.

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Supporting Portland Opera is an honor. As a winery, we believe that we are inevitably tied to our land, seasons, and community—it is our responsibility to leave them in a better place for our children. One way we can do that is by supporting organizations that give us the timeless gift of inspiration, meaning, and connection to pass along to the next generation. We are living in a groundless time of polarizing news and social media—what better way to connect with what really matters and endures than through a partnership of wine and opera?

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F E AT U R E D

BOARD SPOTLIGHT

Photo: Gia Goodrich.

We greatly value Portland Opera! Beside being an artistic treasure that enriches the cultural life of the city, it also has a significant economic impact on the community. We both invite our audiences to continue supporting this art form as patrons, to donate in support of the various programs, or to get involved as a volunteer.”

Matthew & Emmanuella Essieh Portland Opera Donors & Board Member

Describe your involvement with Portland Opera and how long you’ve been with the company.

We have been patrons of Portland Opera for over 25 years. Matt was on the Board for 6 years and rejoined the Board last year for another term. What does your involvement with Portland Opera bring to your life?

We love this art form, so being involved as longtime patrons and a Board member have been a wonderful experience for us. Being involved at this level also provides us the opportunity to know and interact with the staff and artists whose hard work result in such quality productions. Every year we look forward to the wonderful productions of the new opera season and count them among our primary sources of cultural enrichment in Portland.

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Do you have a favorite Portland Opera production?

We actually have two favorite productions: The brilliant combination of comedy, melodies, and passion of The Barber of Seville provided us with joyous entertainment. We were both overcome with a deep sense of compassion at how the Carmelite nuns demonstrated the triumph of the human spirit and conviction in the face of tragedy in Dialogue of the Carmelites. How did you get involved with opera? Do you have an “opera” story?

We were introduced to Portland Opera when our family members invited us to join them to see Madama Butterfly.

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We were a young, married couple then and had never been to an opera. We liked the experience so much that we became season ticket holders. We enjoy the experience of dressing up and having a dinner at a nice Portland restaurant before the shows, sometimes with friends or young family members we are introducing to the opera. What are your favorite things to do in Portland?

We like hiking the various parks in the Portland area. During the summer, we like visiting the different Portland neighborhoods such as Alberta Street and Mississippi Avenue while enjoying the shops and the restaurants. We also like visiting the various Saturday markets. What musician, artist, book, movie, or TV show is inspiring you right now?

The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman. This remarkably complex and educational foray into the new reality of the global economy foretells a hopeful future, where healthy and productive commerce can pave the way for true and lasting stabilization. It is a very uplifting read! What do you want our audience to know?

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Libretto by Ruggiero Leoncavallo

Conductor GEORGE MANAHAN Chorus Master NICHOLAS FOX Principal Accompanist JESSICA HALL

Stage Director GARNETT BRUCE * Costume Designer JAMES SCOTT Production Stage Manager JON WANGSGARD

Lighting Designer JEFFREY BRUCKERHOFF* Set Designer CONSTANTINOS KRITIKOS Assistant Director SETH HOFF

* Portland Opera Debut

Scenery and properties for this production are owned by The New Orleans Opera. Costumes created and owned by Portland Opera.

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THIS PRODUCTION WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY GENEROUS GIFTS FROM:

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Performed in Italian with projected English captions

1 hour 45 minutes two acts one intermission

J UNE 2 02 0

May 21, 1892 Milan, Italy

Keller Auditorium

Portland Opera Premiere Starts at 7:30 PM

Starts at 2 PM

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October 8, 1970

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Premiere

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2020â&#x20AC;&#x201D;2021 SEASON

On Sale February 21, 2020 obt.org Xuan Cheng | Photo by Jingzi Zhao

MARCH 30 THE NEUROSCIENCE OF PLEASURE

How your brain responds to music, love and chocolate

W W W. OHSU.EDU/SYMPHONY

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Newmark Theatre

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Brain Awareness Lecture Series 2020

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SYNOPSIS

THE CAST

in order of vocal appearance

MICHAEL CHIOLDI

FABIO ARMILIATO

Tonio, a player MICHAEL CHIOLDI * Canio, Leader of a troupe of players FABIO ARMILIATO * First Villager ERIK HUNDTOFT Beppe, a player RICARDO GARCIA + Second Villager JOSEPH M. MUIR Nedda, a player, Canio’s wife VANESSA ISIGUEN

Silvio, a villager WILL LIVERMAN * Portland Opera Debut + Member of the Portland Opera Resident Artist Program

WITH THE PORTLAND OPERA ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS.

Act I: Villagers in a town in Calabria, Italy, gather around a small theatrical company that has just arrived. Canio, the head of the troupe, describes the night’s offerings. When one of the villagers suggests that Tonio is secretly courting Canio’s wife, Nedda, Canio warns that he will tolerate no flirting offstage. Vesper bells call the women to church and the men to the tavern, leaving Nedda alone. Disturbed by her husband’s jealousy, she envies the freedom of the birds in flight. Tonio tries to force himself on her. She beats him back, and he swears revenge. In fact, Nedda does have a lover—Silvio, who appears and persuades her to run away with him after the evening’s performance. Tonio overhears this and hurries off to tell Canio. The jealous husband bursts in on the guilty pair, but Silvio runs away before Canio can identify him. Nedda, even when threatened with a knife, refuses to reveal the man’s name. Beppe, another clown, restrains Canio, and Tonio advises him to wait until the evening’s performance to catch Nedda’s lover. Alone, Canio bitterly reflects that he must play the clown while his heart is breaking. INTERMISSION Act II: The villagers, including Silvio, assemble to see the commedia dell’arte performance. In the play, Harlequin serenades Columbina (played by Nedda) and dismisses her buffoonish servant Taddeo (played by Tonio). The two lovers dine together and plot to poison Columbina’s husband Pagliaccio (played by Canio), who soon arrives. Harlequin slips away. With pointed malice, Taddeo assures Pagliaccio of his wife’s innocence, which ignites Canio’s jealousy. Forgetting the play, he demands Nedda tell him the name of her lover. She tries to continue with the play, the audience enthralled by its realism. Enraged, Canio stabs Nedda and Silvio, who rushes to help her. Tonio announces to the horrified villagers that the comedy is ended.

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Reprinted courtesy of Opera News.

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WILL LIVERMAN

GEORGE MANAHAN

RICARDO GARCIA

VANESSA ISIGUEN

Biographies of artists begin on page 86.

Prologue: Before the opera begins, Tonio the clown steps before the curtain to announce that the author has written a true story, and that even actors and clowns have the same joys and sorrows as other people.

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FROM THE STAGE DIRECTOR GARNETT BRUCE

As far as the actors are concerned: we are real life, so watch closely!” —Garnett Bruce

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Pagliacci falls squarely into the category of verismo operas that were written to replace the 19th-century Romantic traditions. Loosely translated as “true to life,” these pieces defined an Italian genre of operas about ordinary people and, often, tragic events from their stories: La Bohème, L’a mico Fritz, and Cavalleria Rusticana. Not unlike our reality television today, Leoncavallo’s audiences clamored to imagine themselves in similar situations and found the snap decisions and raw emotions presented by the characters thrilling. But Pagliacci does the genre one better—we go behind the scenes of a troupe of traveling stock comedy players and watch slices of their personal lives boil over into their performances. Are we watching a scripted confrontation or an improvisation? Much of this begins with the tradition of the prologue—a very old theatrical tradition. But it is earnestly, and directly, addressed to the audience, encouraging all of us to watch closely. As far as the actors are concerned: we are real life, so watch closely! The love, the laughter, the longings, and the lechery have an added dimension and an added responsibility for the performers who need to immerse every breath and gesture with honest emotion. Contrast between comic and tragic stories has long animated stage performances. The Greeks kept a healthy balance at their festivals with comedies and tragedies performed on the same day. With Elizabethan drama, comic characters often mirrored the more serious events but never failed to amuse the groundlings— the commoners who stood at the foot of the stage rather than merchants and aristocrats seated in the galleries. In Pagliacci, a troupe of comedians become protagonist, antagonist, and commentary all at once. And, we are now well-established in an era of through-composed music dramas, the natural evolution from chatty recitative or dialogues commonplace 50 years earlier. Hence, we now have faster pacing. The 1890s saw expansion of communication and transportation in the cities across Europe, so Leoncavallo’s audience would embrace a quicker tempo that anticipated the 20th century. Film and television have long surpassed the theatre’s ability to create realistic environments in the 130 years since Pagliacci was written. Every year, our screens showcase new lenses, special effects, sounds, shocks, scripts, but what the filmed medium will always lack is the alive reality of the moment—performers and audience experiencing the same event at the same time. It’s almost the same visceral thrill we associate with sporting events, where the outcome is in question but thrilling to experience at its best. When the entire audience holds their breath, we are unified for a moment, and the collective response of cheers or applause or screams adds this additional element. Verismo operas are uniquely thrilling every time we experience them. This cast of singers unites for this one moment in time when this “slice of life” gives voice to a complete experience.

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L’amour est un oiseau rebelle...

Where would opera be without the French? Consider Rameau, Berlioz, Gounod, Bizet, Massenet, Debussy, Ravel, Poulenc, Messiaen, SaintSaëns, and Fauré... Not to mention composers who created operas in French, as did the Florentine Jean-Baptiste Lully who invented French opera for Louis XIV.

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Everything sounds

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Photo courtesy of Portland Opera archives.

FROM THE ARCHIVES Portland Opera has performed Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci five times since its founding. The first production took place in October 1970, conducted by Portland Opera’s third general director, Stefan Minde. This production starred Ramon Vinay as Tonio, Chris Lachonas as Canio, and Joan Patenaude as Nedda. POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

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A HISTORY

by Alexis Hamilton

n 1890, Pietro Mascagni gave birth to an operatic genre known as verismo with the popularity of his intense, one-act opera Cavalleria Rusticana. Pagliacci composer Ruggiero Leoncavallo, always keenly aware of the winds of artistic fashion, realized this was an opportunity in the making. In five months, Leoncavallo produced a libretto and score and presented it to his publisher Giovanni Ricordi. In an uncharacteristic failure of judgement, Ricordi declined to commit to a production of the vibrant, violent bit of verismo, and Leoncavallo immediately submitted it to the competition. Edoardo Sonzogno recognized its box office potential and bought the rights. Pagliacci was an immediate sensation, and Leoncavallo basked in the kind of public acclaim that he had longed for, and that he would never again achieve. While his newly acquired box office appeal allowed Leoncavallo to produce other operas, none were to see the popularity of Pagliacci. Critics accused the composer of being derivative and banal—Wagner-lite, borrowing not only Wagner’s roles as both librettist and composer but sampling whole phrases and musical ideas. Faced with these charges, it is little wonder then that in 1894, when Leoncavallo found himself being sued for plagiarism in Pagliacci by the French playwright Catulle Mendès, the composer wanted to put his greatest success beyond reproach:

I remembered, then, the bloody tragedy that had gouged the memories of my distant childhood, and to the poor servant murdered under my eyes; and in not even 20 days of feverish work, I threw down the libretto of Pagliacci.”

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—Paraphrased Ecclesiastes 1:9.

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Richard Crawley as Canio in Portland Opera’s 2010 production of Pagliacci. Photo: Cory Weaver.

There is nothing new under the sun.

Leoncavallo wrote about the murder of his childhood caregiver in an autobiographical article at the time of the lawsuit. It is highly unlikely that the 8-year-old Leoncavallo actually witnessed Gaetano Scavello’s death as he claimed, since Scavello was knifed outside of a theatre at four in the morning. Nevertheless, Scavello’s murder and the subsequent trial was a traumatic event that had a profound effect on the life of the Leoncavallo family. Ruggiero’s father was the presiding judge at the trial, and it is probable that the incident dominated the family’s psyche. However, despite the adult composer’s claim that the plot of his Pagliacci is the mirror of real life, the facts of the case beg to differ. Scavello was in love with a village girl. His rival in love was Luigi D’Alessandro. One evening, Scavello witnessed D’Alessandro’s servant, Pasquale, escorting the young woman to a nearby house and confronted him, demanding to know if D’Alessandro was inside. Pasquale declined to answer, prompting Scavello to beat him, and the servant ran to his master for assistance. D’Alessandro and his brother came after Scavello, who threw a couple of rocks at the brothers and fled. Later, the D’Alessandro brothers waited for Scavello and stabbed him as he left a play. Scavello died the next day but not before blaming the brothers for his murder. The brothers were tried and sentenced:

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one to 20 years and the other to life imprisonment. Inspiration is a mysterious thing, and it may well be that this incident in Leoncavallo’s childhood stimulated his idea for Pagliacci, but the facts of the case are substantially different from the plot of the opera—and not just in incidents of understandable poetic license. Even taking all of Leoncavallo’s recollections into account, Mendès may be forgiven for recognizing his own play La femme de Tabarin in Leoncavallo’s opera. Though Mendès conveniently overlooked the similarities of his own work (and Pagliacci) to even earlier plays. Elements of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci plot and Mendès’s are quite similar. In La femme de Tabarin, Tabarin’s wife is in love with another and flirts with him while performing in a play. Enraged, Tabarin stabs her and weeps bitterly as she drags herself towards him and smears his lips with her own blood before she dies. The audience of this play within a play doesn’t catch on to the reality of the situation immediately; one audience member even tried to give the dying Francisquine a bouquet of flowers. Similarly, in Pagliacci, the audience of the play within a play is captivated by the realistic situation happening onstage, as Canio actually stabs Nedda and Silvio. Mendès dropped his lawsuit when Leoncavallo countered, not only with his explanation of the origins of his opera, but that Mendès himself had borrowed elements of his plot from others. It can be argued that some stories and retellings belong to the world—whether they are uplifting universal truths about our shared human experience or dramas that include violence against women and criminality in the face of infidelity. Even Shakespeare was hardly original in all of his plotlines and themes—it was how he expressed them that made them Shakespeare. The same is true of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. There is nothing new about a love triangle, an Iago-like manipulation, or even a “play within a play” plot device. But the brilliantly constructed combination of all of these elements, spiced with his own memories and made poignant by the forced laughter of a tragic clown, make Leoncavallo’s opera a stunning evening of intense emotion not easily forgotten.

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Alexis Hamilton is the Manager of Education & Community Engagement for Portland Opera. 4.875x4.875_Portland_Opera_ad.indd 1

3/22/13 12:57 PM

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F E AT U R E D

A Conversation with

Baritone Will Liverman BY SILJA TOBIN

We are so glad to have you back at Portland Opera for Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci! You have had quite an exciting few years since we saw you last in 2017. With major house debuts, new roles, and awards, what has been keeping you inspired and energized to do so much? S

I’ve been so grateful these past few years to have had the opportunity to make large house debuts and receive some major awards. I’m inspired to keep pushing myself because I want to be a small part of paving the way—breaking down barriers for the next generation of singers of color and serving as an ambassador for diversity in the arts. W

What advice would you give a young singer of color at the beginning of their musical or vocal training? S

Some advice I would give a young singer of color at the beginning of their training would be to embrace themselves as artists. At every step of the growth process, don’t forget that you do have something to offer, and that there is a place for you in this field! Always be a student and never stop learning! W

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Photo: Jaclyn Simpson.

YOU MAY REMEMBER WILL LIVERMAN for his charismatic interpretation of Marcello in Portland Opera’s production of Puccini’s La Bohème, or his Portland Opera debut in the 2017 Big Night concert. In the three years since we saw him last, Will has performed across the United States with companies like the Santa Fe Opera, Opera Philadelphia, and the Seattle Opera; he’s made both his Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall debuts; and he’s originated new roles such as Dizzy Gillespie in Daniel Schnyder’s Charlie Parker’s Yardbird. In 2019, he was awarded a prestigious Richard Tucker Career Grant Award, previously awarded to luminaries such as Renée Fleming, Susan Graham, and Stephanie Blythe, as well as the Sphinx Medal of Excellence Award, which recognizes extraordinary classical musicians of color. Most recently, he’s been in New York City where he sang the role of Papageno in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Mozart’s The Magic Flute as well as Horemhab in the Met’s acclaimed premiere of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten, performing alongside artists familiar with the Portland Opera stage, including former Portland Opera Resident Artist Lindsay Ohse and bass Richard Bernstein. We sat down to catch up and hear more about what Will has been up to. POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

When did you know that music and singing was your passion, and how did you begin your opera journey? S

My journey to opera started in high school. I was a student at the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia, where I was accepted as a vocal student. It was there that I received classical vocal training, was introduced to opera, and performed my very first operas. We took a field trip to the Metropolitan Opera, and my whole world changed after that. I experienced this art form at its grandest, and by the end of that trip, I knew it was something I wanted to pursue. W

Your repertoire includes roles in classic operas like La Bohème and The Barber of Seville, as well as new works like Daniel Schayder’s Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, Akhnaten, Kevin Puts’ The Manchurian Candidate, and Nico Muhly’s Marnie. How do you approach these different types of work? S

No matter what I’m learning, it is essential to master correct rhythms, notes, and text. You have to have a strong foundation of the basics first, no matter what W

F E AT U R E D

you’re learning. Build very strong musicianship skills early on and learn to play the piano. You’ll be able to prepare anything yourself. After you’ve done all of that work on your own, take it to your music coach! Tell us about your role Silvio in Pagliacci. What is his story?

Silvio is the epitome of passion. He’s the type of character who leads with his heart. He may not necessarily know what will come next, but it doesn’t matter because he lives in the moment with his feelings for Nedda. It’s the classic “run away with me” scenario between two people who are caught up in their emotions. Unfortunately, Canio has a few points he wants to get across regarding their relationship. Pun intended. W

What are your favorite things to do in Portland?

I absolutely enjoyed my very first time in Portland. One of the unexpected things I really loved to do was to just walk the bridges and see the views on the way to rehearsal. Being by the water also reminds me of home a little bit since I grew up by the beach! W

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Is there anything else that you’d like to share with our audience? S

Pagliacci is one of my all-time favorite operas. It contains all of the things that made me fall in love with opera. The drama, the music, the costumes, the passionate singing, and the excitement that you can’t find in any other art form. Go see this opera! W

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At every step of the growth process, don’t forget that you do have something to offer, and that there is a place for you in this field! Always be a student and never stop learning!”

TIMELESS, AFFORDABLE ELEGANCE IN THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN PORTLAND

—Will Liverman.

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Music by Jake Heggie Libretto by Gene Scheer Based on an original play by Terrence McNally Commissioned by the Houston Grand Opera

Conductor NICHOLAS FOX

Stage Director NED CANTY

Set Designer DANIEL MEEKER

Costume Designer CHRISTINE A. RICHARDSON

Lighting Designer CONNIE YUN

Production Stage Manager JON WANGSGARD

Assistant Director ERIC LYNESS

Principal Accompanist JESSICA HALL

Scenery constructed by Oregon Ballet Theatre and Portland Opera. Props and costumes constructed by Portland Opera. English surtitles written and produced by Portland Opera. Performed by arrangement with Bent Pen Music. Sole Agent: Bill Holab Music.

Late seating is not available for Portland Opera performances, and re-entry during the performance is not permitted. Recording equipment, cameras, and personal phones are prohibited.

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THIS PRODUCTION MADE POSSIBLE BY GENEROUS GIFTS FROM:

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Performed in English with projected English captions

1 hour 30 minutes one act no intermission

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February 29, 2008 Cullen Theatre, Houston, Texas

Newmark Theatre

Portland Opera Premiere Starts at 7:30 PM

Starts at 2 PM

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July 17, 2020

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Premiere

THE {FULL} LIFE AWAITS

Call to schedule your private tour.

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THE CAST

has produced one of Heggie’s works. More information about him can be found at jakeheggie.com.

Charlie, Maddy’s son GEOFFREY SCHELLENBERG +

Gene Scheer, Librettist

in order of vocal appearance

GEOFFREY SCHELLENBERG

Bea, Maddy’s daughter CAITLIN LYNCH * Maddy, an actress SUSANNAH MARS * Portland Opera Debut + Member of the Portland Opera Resident Artist Program Biographies of artists begin on page 86.

WITH THE PORTLAND OPERA ORCHESTRA.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER AND LIBRETTIST Jake Heggie, Composer

CAITLIN LYNCH SUSANNAH MARS

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This production of Three Decembers marks the first time Portland Opera

Other collaborations include the lyrics for Wynton Marsalis’s “It Never Goes Away,” featured in Marsalis’s work Congo Square. With the composer Steven Stucky, Scheer wrote the oratorio August 4, 1964, for the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The work was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2012 for Best Classical Composition. In 2015, Scheer collaborated with Joby Talbot on the opera Everest, based on the doomed 1996 Everest expedition. With Jennifer Higdon, Scheer wrote an operatic adaptation of Cold Mountain, which premiered in the summer of 2015 at the Santa Fe Opera. This work won the International Opera award, presented in London, for the Best World Premiere in 2015. Recently, along with Higdon, Scheer was nominated for a Grammy Award for his work on Cold Mountain for Best Classical Composition. In December of 2016, Scheer and Heggie premiered an operatic adaptation of It’s a Wonderful Life for the Houston Grand Opera. Also a composer in his own right, Scheer has written a number of songs for singers such as Renée Fleming, Sylvia McNair, Stephanie Blythe, Jennifer Larmore, Denyce Graves, and Nathan Gunn.

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Jake Heggie is the American composer of the operas Dead Man Walking (libretto by Terrence McNally), Moby-Dick (libretto by Gene Scheer), It’s a Wonderful Life (Scheer), If I Were You (Scheer), Great Scott (McNally), Three Decembers (Scheer), Two Remain (Scheer), To Hell and Back (Scheer), End of the Affair, and At the Statue of Venus (McNally). In addition to eight full-length operas and several one acts, Heggie has composed nearly 300 art songs, as well as concerti, chamber music, choral, and orchestral works. Recently, Heggie composed a dramatic song cycle titled INTONATIONS: Songs from the Violins of Hope (texts by Gene Scheer), commissioned by Music at Kohl Mansion to mark the first West Coast visit of the remarkable collection of instruments known as the Violins of Hope—instruments played in concentration camps during the Holocaust and restored over the past 40 years.

Gene Scheer’s work is noted for its scope and versatility. With composer Jake Heggie, he has collaborated on many projects, including the critically acclaimed 2010 Dallas Opera world premiere, Moby-Dick, starring Ben Heppner as Captain Ahab; Three Decembers (Houston Grand Opera), which starred Frederica von Stade; and the lyric drama To Hell and Back (Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra), which featured Patti LuPone. Other works by Scheer and Heggie include Camille Claudel: Into the Fire, a song cycle premiered by Joyce di Donato and the Alexander String Quartet. Scheer worked as librettist with Tobias Picker on An American Tragedy, which premiered at the Metropolitan Opera in 2005.

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SYNOPSIS PART ONE: 1986 Scene 1: A Letter and a Phone Call Cuisine of the Italian and French Riviera

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Siblings Charlie and Bea are on the phone to share their famous mother’s annual Christmas letter. They laugh about her theatrical writing style and muse on their strained relationship with her. Charlie is in San Francisco, and Bea is in Hartford, while Madeline (Maddy) is spending Christmas in the Caribbean. Maddy describes a long-ago Christmas in San Francisco with their late father, before they were born. They hardly remember their dad as they were terribly young when he died. Maddy gleefully announces that she will soon star in her first Broadway musical and concludes her letter by sending love to Bea’s family and to Charlie’s partner Curt. However, his name is actually Burt, and he is very sick with AIDS. After five years with Burt, Charlie is deeply hurt that his mother still doesn’t know his name. This has been a constant battle for Charlie and his mother. Bea tells Charlie how she envies the love he and Burt share. Charlie convinces her to come to San Francisco to visit. Scene 2: A Broadway Stage Maddy sings Daybreak, the final number from her Broadway show.

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Scene 3: Backstage

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Bea joins Maddy in her dressing room after a hugely successful opening night performance. She expresses her concern for Charlie and Burt and accuses Maddy of continuing to be an absent, unsupportive parent. Maddy proclaims her deep love for them and explains that as a single mother, she had to work and miss much of their childhood. She describes the terrible, sudden

Bea and Charlie are mortified that their mother now wishes to capitalize on Charlie’s relationship with Burt: a relationship she had disdained and discarded for so many years.

Scene 4: The Golden Gate Bridge

With emotions and tension running high, Maddy accuses Bea of being a “sad, sorry, drunken mess” just like her father. Unable to mislead her children any more, Maddy reveals the grim truth about their father and the dark secret she’d been keeping: he suffered from depression, drank heavily, couldn’t get work, and wasn’t able to help support or raise his young family. One night, without warning, he got up, walked to a subway station and stepped in front of a train. Maddy made up a story about a car accident to protect her small children from the truth: their father had committed suicide.

Bea and Charlie are walking on the Golden Gate Bridge. They imagine their parents as young actors with their lives, dreams, and careers ahead of them. Charlie tells Bea that Burt is not doing well and may be dying. Together, they think back on their childhood, what they actually remember about the father they never really knew and what they’ve invented over the years. PART TWO: 1996 Scene 1: Charlie’s Apartment Charlie sits alone in his apartment, surrounded by numerous shipping boxes, all packed and sealed. He reads through his journal and talks to Burt, who died seven weeks ago at Christmas time. He remembers how his mother finally came to visit right before Burt’s death. She touched his hand and sang the lullaby that Charlie’s father used to sing to him. As Charlie remembers, Maddy sings the lullaby. During the song, Bea and Maddy have a quick phone call in which Maddy tells her she’s been nominated for a Tony Award. The plan is for all three of them to be together again for the big night. They finish the lullaby as a trio. Scene 2: Maddy’s Apartment Bea is alone in her mother’s apartment. Maddy had promised to be there to help her pick out something special to wear to the Tonys, but she never showed up. Bea stands in front of a mirror, drinks wine, and tries on her mother’s clothes as she sings of how deeply she misses her father. Her deep sense of worthlessness isn’t helped by her mother’s absence or her husband Syd’s infidelities. Charlie rushes in and notices how upset she is. He cheers her up with a story about their mother and a rousing number inspired by her passion for shoes.

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Bea and Charlie are devastated by the sudden knowledge that they have built their identities and lives on a lie. Is this something one can forgive? They leave their mother alone in her apartment. Maddy slowly pulls herself together and goes to the Tonys. PART THREE: 2006 On an empty Broadway stage, Charlie and Bea speak at a memorial service for their mother. Maddy died suddenly and quietly in her sleep after writing her annual Christmas letter. Bea and Charlie acknowledge that they still struggle to understand their mother and reconcile the lie she told about their father. But Bea says, thanks to her own children, she now understands what the theatre meant to Maddy: it was her religion; it was her way of forgetting and of feeling deeply. Maddy’s ghost joins in, asking their forgiveness and explaining that she found on the stage what every person desires: not escape, but connection. Bea and Charlie offer a loving tribute to their parents’ souls. Maddy gratefully accepts. The service concludes with the final line from Maddy’s Christmas letter: “All in all, isn’t life simply grand? I’m so awfully glad I showed up for it.”

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Maddy enters and tells Charlie that if she wins the Tony, she will speak of how moved and inspired she was by Burt’s struggle, and that “by working together, we will defeat AIDS.”

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car accident that caused their father’s death, but Bea notices that a detail of the story is a little different this time. When she asks Maddy about it, Maddy leaves the room.

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Photo: James Niebuhr.

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FROM THE COMPOSER JAKE HEGGIE

All in all, isn’t life simply grand? I’m so awfully glad I showed up for it.” —Madeline Mitchell in Three Decembers.

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Shortly after the premiere of Dead Man Walking in 2000, the opera’s librettist, the great American playwright Terrence McNally, mentioned a short script he’d written for an AIDS benefit in 1999. He gave me a copy of Some Christmas Letters (and a Couple of Phone Calls), and from the first words, the story sang to me. It felt true, honest, emotionally big, and exactly what I was looking for as a chamber opera. I started sketching musical ideas in the margins and knew I wanted to compose it for the great, inspiring American mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade. She and I have a rich history of collaborating, and by then, I’d already written many songs for her as well as a major role in Dead Man Walking. She was on board right away. A brief but powerful 14 pages long, the script is about the stormy, emotional lives of a famous stage actress named Madeline Mitchell and her two adult children, Bea and Charlie. The script was created for an AIDS benefit at Carnegie Hall in New York and was performed one time only by the astonishing cast of Julie Harris (Madeline), Cherry Jones (Bea), and Victor Garber (Charlie). Told through letters and phone calls, the story follows these characters through three decades of their lives. It is a play about identity and family, discovering the truth of who we are and who our parents are. Hovering over it all is the difficult, tense history of the AIDS crisis in America. Houston Grand Opera and San Francisco Opera co-commissioned the piece as a chamber opera that could be done in different size venues with three singers and 11 instrumentalists all onstage together. I first read the script in 2001, but due to several detours, it wasn’t until 2007 that librettist Gene Scheer and I were finally able to get going. It was our first opera collaboration. Taking this 14-page script and turning it into a viable opera was a big leap requiring imagination, invention, and vision, all of which Gene has in spades. He enlarged the story and gave it dramatic conflicts and actions not found in the original script; he also invented the big family secret at its core. After considering several titles for the opera, we settled on Three Decembers. With Gene’s clear libretto, I was able to compose the opera in about six months. The flavor of musical theatre heard throughout is due to the dominance of Madeline Mitchell, the famous Broadway star who is also the matriarch of this family. Though Bea and Charlie each have their own musical personalities, Madeline’s influence and gravitational pull is inevitable. The premiere of Three Decembers took place at Houston Grand Opera’s Cullen Theater on Feb. 29, 2008, with Frederica von Stade (Madeline), soprano Kristin Clayton (Bea), and baritone Keith Phares (Charlie). The cast reunited later that year for a production by San Francisco Opera at UC Berkeley. Following that production, we made a few essential rewrites, and more than 10 years later, Three Decembers has received more than two dozen international productions, with several more on the horizon.

Okay, let’s start out big. I consider Three Decembers to be the best American opera yet written. Of course, for some, the modifier “American” might be damning the piece with faint praise, the way a New Yorker might talk about the “best bagel” in a midwestern city with a mix of condescension, disbelief, and pity. So, I’ll go a step further—I consider it one of the best operas in the canon. Or, if “best” is too big a word, it is by far one of my favorites. It has everything I want in an opera: lovingly sculpted, fully human characters; tunes that are not just beautiful but tell the story; multiple tones within a single piece, with comic moments brushing up against heartbreaking ones; and it gets it all done in less than 2 hours. As the DJs of my youth used to say, it’s all killer, no filler. Perhaps most importantly, it is a sterling example of what opera does perhaps better than any other art form—create empathy. All three characters have moments that invite us into their souls with a nakedness and grace that I can only describe as sublime. There is Bea’s struggle to make peace, drowning her own pain until it erupts, sketched with astounding insight and incredible subtlety. There is a moment (no spoilers!) toward the end of the opera that, for me, is rivaled only by the Countess forgiving her husband in The Marriage of Figaro. Charlie’s aria in the second act is so vulnerable that it explodes any sort of barrier between him and us. We feel his grief as our own.

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FROM THE STAGE DIRECTOR NED CANTY

I’ve been accused, on occasion, of irrational exuberance when it comes to certain shows. I realize I’ve gone pretty far out on a limb in my praise of this one, but I don’t know how else to talk about this opera. My response to it is about as far from rational as it gets. In fact, I’m a little jealous, because many of you are getting to experience this masterpiece for the very first time. I hope this opera does for you what it does for me—serve as a reminder that, yes, mistakes and ugliness and pain and grief exist. But forgiveness, beauty, and grace remain always— waiting patiently for us to remember them.

H.M.S. PINAFORE Gilbert & Sullivan | June 5 – 28

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Join us for our 30th Anniversary in June 2020 for H.M.S. Pinafore, when Mock’s Crest Productions becomes Opera On The Bluff. up.edu/operaonthebluff

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A PROGRAM NOTE

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—Jake Heggie.

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A scene from UrbanAria’s production of Three Decembers. Photo: Colin Hovde.

The only time I really write well is when I’m happy.”

by Alexis Hamilton

here’s a lot going on in Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers—but it takes the audience almost the entire opera to truly grasp the undercurrents of what may at first seem to be a straightforward family drama. Of course, is any family dynamic truly straightforward? How many of us have looked at a couple we know and think that theirs is the perfect love, only to find out that they are divorcing? Or watched with horror as a family member’s life falls apart overnight without realizing that the tragedy was years in the making? Three Decembers is a piece that reflects the disillusionment inherent in accepting our parents as human beings and finding that our lives are our own responsibilities. The audience is invited to explore their own emotions as they watch a seemingly vain, self-centered mother and her two adult children muddle their way through their lives together, trying to understand what is happening to them and between them. The content of Three Decembers touches on events outside of the family circle and how each of our lives is larger than the relationships of our nuclear families. Covering the 20 years between 1986 and 2006, we are confronted with the specter of the AIDS crisis, which presents itself through the eyes of Charlie, who is trying to deal with his partner Burt’s infection, illness, and eventual death. His sister, Beatrice, struggles with alcoholism, an unhappy marriage, and the shadow of mental illness. Each character has to cope with these personal concerns that loom over their relationships but, ultimately, must be dealt with on their own. In this way, Three Decembers becomes an even more realistic portrayal of how we try to live out our adult lives while still longing for the safety of our perceived past. By the time he wrote Three Decembers, Heggie had written five operas dealing with topics that are clearly operatic. In his 2000 debut Dead Man Walking, he explored the emotional consequences of execution; in The End of the Affair in 2003, heartbreak and obsession; and To Hell and Back of 2006 probes domestic abuse through the prism of Greek myth. Three Decembers, with its intimacy and immediacy, perhaps speaks more deeply of the composer’s own experiences and feelings than any of his other operas. Heggie relates to the characters—his connection is to the adult children’s childhood experiences of a lost father. His own experience of that parental loss and subsequent longing permeate the score. Musically, Three Decembers is fluid and accessible. While there are jagged moments, particularly associated with Charlie’s experience of Burt’s illness, in general, the music is full of variety and rich melody. Each character is associated with musical phrases (whether these characters are present onstage or

503.937.1099 | ELEPHANTSDELI.COM | @ ELEPHANTSDELI

ET FILLE WINES applauds the PORTLAND OPERA

WWW.ETFILLEWINES.COM/ 503.538.2900 718 E FIRST STREET, NEWBERG, OR 97132

Alexis Hamilton is the Manager of Education & Community Engagement for Portland Opera.

ELEPHANTS CATERING & EVENTS

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In music, tessitura (Italian: [tessi’tu:ra], pl. tessiture, “texture”; English: /tɛsɪ’tju:rə/) is the most acceptable and comfortable vocal range for a given singer (or less frequently, musical instrument) the range in which a given type of voice presents its best-sounding (or characteristic) timbre.

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not), and this orients the audience to how each of the three protagonists interacts with each other and the invisible influences of the others in their lives. Heggie writes a variety of styles for the cosmopolitan San Francisco resident, Charlie. The music written for Beatrice is the most overtly operatic, utilizing a high tessitura, 1 with long, winding phrases. Always concerned with the marriage of text and music, Heggie sets librettist Gene Scheer’s words with an effortless, naturalistic accuracy. The sweetness of some of the melodies pierces the heart. Three Decembers pushes back against the stereotype of “overblown” opera. It is sparse— a cast of three, scored for a small ensemble of 11 players, and running a fleet 90 minutes. Nevertheless, it embodies what great opera does best, which is to express the enormity of human emotions— making the silent, primal screams of loss or the ocean-deep seep of complex, familial love manifest through the medium of music and text. Three Decembers—indeed all of Heggie’s operas—help to redefine opera for a new generation of audiences eager to find themselves, their friends, and their families reflected on the operatic stage, even as they seek connection to the universal human experience. That’s the beauty of Three Decembers. As Heggie put it, “It feels of our time and yet timeless.”

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F E AT U R E D

Susannah luxuriates in the timeless lobby of the Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa, a historic manor-like boutique hotel just an hour from Portland and minutes from downtown Hood River. Perched atop the majestic cliffs of the Columbia River and surrounded by seven acres of tranquil gardens, the landmark hotel combines contemporary amenities with spectacular views. On-site dining includes the award-winning Simonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cliffhouse and cozy Valentino Lounge to suit every appetite, and Spa Remedease provides the finest in luxurious spa treatments. From rejuvenating weekend getaway to a venue for wedding or meetings, this jewel of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area is the place to be. Columbia Gorge Hotel is a proud supporter of the arts in Portland. COLUMBIAGORGEHOTEL.COM

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Photo: Christian Rudman.

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F E AT U R E D

Leisure Time with

Susannah Mars BY ARTSLANDIA

WITH TWO ADULT CHILDREN OF HER OWN, Kate and Olivia, famed Portland performer Susannah Mars couldn’t be more perfect for the role of Maddy in Three Decembers. Unlike her character, however, Susannah’s brood is close and keen on enjoying Oregon’s splendors together. Behold a few of the songstress’s top destinations and pursuits.

This adorable coffee house in Goose Hollow is a favorite spot for Susannah to catch up with her girls over steaming cups of joe and scrumptious breakfast sandwiches. Order the veggie patty with avocado and settle in among the delightful regulars.

The newest crossing of the Willamette River synergizes two of Susannah’s greatest pleasures— art and nature. With a light show programmed by the particulars of the water and breathtaking vistas in all directions, traversing this span is a delight for the senses.

Broadway Books From Madeline, a household favorite when Susannah’s girls were young, to the latest bestsellers, this indie bookseller in Northeast Portland is a gem. The vast selection of local and national titles is outdone only by the friendly and knowledgeable staff.

Batting A Thousand If you’re wondering how Susannah works through frustration, with politics in particular, here’s your answer. A quick trip to these batting cages in Montavilla, and it’s like 2016 never happened.

Limelight Restaurant & Lounge Susannah, the consummate runner, and at least one daughter chase their Saturday training sessions with a boozy brunch at one of Sellwood’s finest watering holes. Call it a study in contrasts.

Petite Provence Nothing wrong with a croissant (or trois) at Portland’s most prolific French bistro. Not only does Susannah speak French, but she’s on the Honorary Board of Directors of Alliance Française de Portland as well.

Cascade Lakes Relay Each summer, Susannah’s family joins her daughter Kate’s team for a run of Oregon’s most challenging relay course for runners. The Van Tramp Family Runners, a merry band of yodelers skilled at quoting The Sound of Music, took 10th place overall and third among the mixed category in last year’s race. Far—a long, long way to run indeed!

Kayaking on the Columbia River Their funky ancestral floating home makes for a prime launching point for Susannah’s family paddling excursions, and the birdwatching is hard to beat.

Timberline Lodge The beloved alpine oasis and mainstay of “Best of” lists is also a regular host of Susannah’s email catch-up binges. A roaring fire plus a mountain view equals serenity while pursuing inbox zero. .

—Susannah Mars.

Tilikum Crossing Bridge

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I’m a working artist, often simultaneously dreaming of the thrill of taking an artistic risk and quaking in my boots that it will happen. The role of Maddy is a perfect example of this dichotomy. I’m truly grateful to Portland Opera for their continued support of my work.”

Fehrenbacher Hof

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RESIDENT ARTISTS

Resident Artist Recitals 7 pm at Whitsell Auditorium

Camille Sherman Tuesday, January 14, 2020

Geoffrey Schellenberg Tuesday, March 31, 2020

Ricardo Garcia Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Portland Opera established the Resident Artist Program (then the Studio Artist Program) in 2005, providing a bridge from the conservatory world to the professional stage. Talented young singers join the company for a rigorous residency and training program. Each Resident Artist appears in featured roles in mainstage productions and gives an art song recital at the Portland Art Museum during the season. As a group, they perform at opera previews and other community-based performances. Selected through a competitive, national search process, each of Portland Opera’s Resident Artists reflects a bright future for the art of opera.

SPONSORS:

E milie Faiella Tuesday, June 9, 2020

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED.

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eventrsvp@portlandopera.org 503-241-1802

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Burns Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation, George and Lee Anne Carter, Drs. Dolores and Fernando Leon, the Eleanor Lieber Auditions Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation, Portland Opera Resident Artist Storage Fund, Dennis and Jacqueline Isiguen, Heather Burns Eagon, The Community Foundation of Southwest Washington, Sue and Drew Snyder, Pamela and Paul De Boni, and George Rowbottom and Marilyn Crilley

EMILIE FAIELLA Soprano

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: San Dimas, CA Role: Lucy, The Telephone; Geraldine, A Hand of Bridge; Lola Markham, Gallantry; Resident Artist Soloist, Big Night Portland Opera Debut Recently: Vixen, The Cunning Little Vixen, Selena St. George, Dolores Claiborne (additional Naxos recording), Girl, After Life, Boston University; Soprano Soloist, Sanctus Petrus et Sancta Maria Magdalena, Harvard Music Society

RICARDO GARCIA Tenor Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Castro Valley, CA Role: Bill, A Hand of Bridge, Donald Hopewell, Gallantry; Resident Artist Soloist, Big Night; Beppe, Pagliacci Portland Opera Debut Recently: Lamplighter/Drunkard, The Little Prince, Tulsa Opera; Fenton, Falstaff, Opera on the James; Tamerlano, Bajazet, San Francisco Conservatory of Music Upcoming: Luis, Champion, Boston Lyric Opera GEOFFREY SCHELLENBERG Baritone

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Vancouver, B.C. Role: Ben, The Telephone; David, A Hand of Bridge; Dr. Gregg, Gallantry; Resident Artist Soloist, Big Night; Charlie, Three Decembers Portland Opera Debut: Marchese d’Obigny, La Traviata (2018) Recently: Amantio di Nicolao, Il trittico, Pacific Opera Victoria; Nardo, La Finta Giardiniera, Fiorello, The Barber of Seville, Portland Opera; Schaunard, La Bohème, Vancouver Opera; Moralès, Carmen, Opera Kelowna; Sergeant, The Barber of Seville, Captain, Eugene Onegin, Sciarrone, Tosca, Calgary Opera

CAMILLE SHERMAN Mezzo-soprano

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: Petaluma, CA Role: Kate Pinkerton, Madama Butterfly; Sally, A Hand of Bridge; Announcer, Gallantry; Asteria, Bajazet Portland Opera Debut: Flora Bervoix, La Traviata (2018) Recently: Soloist, Handel’s Messiah, Naples Philharmonic; Ramiro, La Finta Giardiniera, Resident Artist Soloist, Big Night, Portland Opera; Stéphano, Roméo et Juliette, Housekeeper, Man of La Mancha, Pensacola Opera; Semi-Finalist, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions; Komponist, Ariadne auf Naxos, Berlin Opera Academy

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Meet the Resident Artists

From left to right: Ricardo Garcia, Emilie Faiella, Geoffrey Schellenberg, TOI TOI TOI

Camille Sherman. Photography: Kate Szrom. Hair and makeup: Abibat Durosimi. Geoffrey Schellenbergâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wardrobe

provided by Wildwood & Company.

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RESIDENT ARTISTS

2005 Program established 35

Resident Artists since the program’s inception

7,000+ Total audience at

Where are they now? PORTLAND OPERA’S RESIDENT ARTIST PROGRAM is currently celebrating its 16th anniversary as part of the company. Since its inception in 2005 as the Portland Opera Studio Artists Program, more than 35 artists have participated in this program. These artists have performed on the mainstage and for community events. An estimated 7,000 audience members have attended Portland Opera Resident Artist recitals. More than 50% of the Resident Artists who finished the program in the last 10 years are now singing professionally, and this year, for the fifth time, a graduate of the program will be making their Metropolitan Opera debut. Former Resident Artists have also been seen on the international stages of the Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Stuttgart, and Bavarian State Operas, as well as the opera companies of Houston, Cincinnati, Atlanta, San Jose, New Orleans, Virginia, Omaha, Tulsa, Utah, Kansas City, and Memphis.

Resident Artist recitals

50%

Resident Artists of the last 10 years now singing professionally

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During the 2019/20 season, MATTHEW GRILLS (2012–13) made his Metropolitan Opera debut in Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier and his Los Angeles Opera debut as Loud Stone in the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s Eurydice. In recent seasons, he’s been seen on the stages of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich, San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, New Orleans Opera, and Dallas Opera, and was a grand prize winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Since completing the Portland Opera Resident Artist program, Grills returned to the company in 2015 to sing Nemorino in Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love.

The Elixir of Love (2015). Photo: Cory Weaver.

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Metropolitan Opera debuts by former Resident Artists

Here are a few examples of where our former Portland Opera Resident Artists are today:

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Soprano LINDSAY OHSE (2011– 2013) has appeared regularly with Portland Opera since making her debut as a soloist in the 2011 Big Night concert. Since completing the program in 2013, she has returned to sing the roles of Magnolia Hawks in Jerome Kern’s Show Boat, the soprano soloist in Monteverdi’s Songs of Love and War, Euridice in Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice, and most recently the role of Sandrina in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera. In 2019, she made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Bekhetaten in the company’s much anticipated premiere of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten.

La Finta Giardiniera (2019). Photo: Cory Weaver.

Mezzo-soprano DARYL FREEDMAN (2009–2011) recently graduated from Washington National Opera’s Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program where she sang a number of roles, including Princess Eboli in Verdi’s Don Carlos and Suzuki in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. In past seasons, she was an apprentice singer at the Santa Fe Opera, as well as a part of the Merola Opera Program. Last season, she joined the roster at the Metropolitan Opera as Schwertleite in Wagner’s Die Walküre.

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Baritone ALEXANDER BIRCH ELLIOTT (2013–2015) made an unexpected Metropolitan Opera debut as Zurga midway through the season premiere of Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers in 2018, when he stepped in for Mariusz Kwiecien, who had fallen ill. The New York Times called his debut “thrilling,” saying that, “Elliott tore into the music with heated intensity, his voice a beguiling timbre of mahogany carried by boyish ardor. When he was done, the audience cheered.” Since completing the Resident Artist program, Elliott has returned to Portland Opera to sing the roles of Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd and the title role in Eugene Onegin.

The Difficulty of Crossing a Field (2017). Photo: Cory Weaver

Photo: Studio McDermott.

Mezzo-soprano HANNAH PENN (2007–2009) appears regularly with Portland Opera, most recently as Hannah After in Laura Kaminsky’s As One in 2019. Penn is also an instructor at Portland State University and shares insight as a pre-performance lecturer (when she’s not singing, of course!). Vivienne Esmé Muir, her daughter, made her Portland Opera debut this fall as Sorrow in Madama Butterfly.

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SEASON ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES AVERY AMEREAU Contralto

GARNETT BRUCE

NED CANTY

FABIO ARMILIATO Tenor

JEFF BRUCKERHOFF

MICHAEL CHIOLDI Baritone

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Baltimore, MD Role: Stage Director, Pagliacci Portland Opera Debut Recently: Stage Director, Turandot, Austin Lyric Opera; Carmen, Pittsburgh Opera Upcoming: Stage Director, Porgy and Bess, Atlanta Opera; Fidelio, Washington National Opera; Fidelio, Indiana University; Porgy and Bess, Lyric Opera of Kansas City

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Memphis, TN Role: Stage Director, Three Decembers Portland Opera Debut: Stage Director, La Calisto (2009) Recently: Stage Director, The Falling and the Rising, Seattle Opera; The Falling and the Rising, Madama Butterfly, The Triumph of Honor, The Italian Girl in Algiers, Three Decembers, The Marriage of Figaro, Opera Memphis; Don Giovanni, The Mikado, Chautauqua Opera; Die Fledermaus, Daughter of the Regiment, The Last Savage, Santa Fe Opera; The Elixir of Love, Portland Opera; General Director, Opera Memphis since 2011

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Philip Glass’s In the Penal Colony (2019). Photo: Cory Weaver.

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: Stuart, FL Role: Irene, Bajazet Portland Opera Debut Recently: Eduige, Rodelinda, Opéra de Lyon, Opéra de Lille, France; Page/ Slave, Salome, Salzburg Festival, Austria; Bradamante, Alcina, Hannover Staatsoper, Germany Upcoming: Bradamante, Alcina, Glyndebourne, United Kingdom; Irene, Tamerlano, The English Concert, United Kingdom

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Genoa, Italy Role: Tenor Soloist, Big Night; Canio, Pagliacci Portland Opera Debut Recently: Turiddu, Cavalleria Rusticana, Canio, Pagliacci, Teatro Massimo Bellini, Italy; Don José, Carmen, Korea National Opera, Korea; Canio, Pagliacci, Opera Krakowska, Poland; Don Jose, Carmen, Arena di Verona, Italy; Maruizio di Sassonia, Adriana Lecouvreur, Teatro Filarmonico di Verona, Italy; Canio, Pagliacci, Festival di Montalto 9, Italy Upcoming: Maruizio di Sassonia, Adriana Lecouvreur, Teatro Carlo Felice, Italy

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Role: Lighting Designer, Pagliacci Portland Opera Debut Recently: Lighting Designer, world premiere of Tesla, SoBe Arts; La Rondine, Opera Santa Barbara; Seven Deadly Sins/ Pagliacci, Virginia Opera; Orpheus and Euridice, The Vermont Opera Project; Dido and Aeneus, The Long Walk, The Elixir of Love, HMS Pinafore, Opera Saratoga; The Marriage of Figaro, Madama Butterfly, Tulsa Opera; The Merry Widow, Tosca, Kentucky Opera; Lucrezia Borgia, San Francisco Opera; Tosca, Hansel and Gretel, Lucrezia Borgia, Sophie’s Choice, Washington National Opera

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Avonmore, PA Role: Tonio, Pagliacci Portland Opera Debut Recently: Miller, Luisa Miller, Gran Teatre del Liceu, Spain; Germont, La Traviata, Washington National Opera, Utah Opera; Rigoletto, Rigoletto, Austin Opera; Scarpia, Tosca, San Antonio Opera; Dunois, The Maid of Orleans, New Orleans Opera; Henry VIII, Henry VIII, Odyssey Opera Upcoming: Eugene Onegin, Eugene Onegin, Palm Beach Opera; Sharpless, Madama Butterfly, Atlanta Opera

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Brooklyn, NY Role: Tamerlano, Bajazet Portland Opera Debut Recently: Soloist, Handel’s Messiah, San Francisco Symphony; Soloist, Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra; David, Saul, Houston Grand Opera; Medoro, Orlando, San Francisco Opera; Ottone, Agrippina, Ars Lyrica Houston Upcoming: Soloist, Stabat Mater, La chapelle Royale de Versailles; Soloist, Phoebus and Pan, Ars Lyrica Houston; Goffredo, Rinaldo, Glimmerglass Festival

NICHOLAS FOX

Portland Opera Chorus Master & Assistant Conductor

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Los Angeles, CA Role: Conductor, An American Quartet, Three Decembers Portland Opera Debut: Conductor, The Elixir of Love (2015) Recently: Conductor, Madama Butterfly (opening night), In The Penal Colony, Orfeo ed Euridice, Così fan tutte, Winterreise, Songs of Love and War, Eugene Onegin, Portland Opera

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ARYEH NUSSBAUM COHEN Countertenor

ERIN HELYARD

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Sydney, Australia Role: Conductor, Bajazet Portland Opera Debut Recently: Conductor, The Return of Ulysses, Farnace, Pinchgut Opera; Soloist, Intimate Bach, Australian Chamber Orchestra; Soloist, Beethoven’s Kreutzer Sonata, Adelaide Festival; Conductor, Ray Chen Returns, Queensland Symphony Orchestra Upcoming: Conductor, Medée, Rinaldo, Charpentier and Purcell, Splendor of Venice, Pinchgut Opera; Conductor and Soloist, Brandenburg Concertos, Sydney Symphony Orchestra; Soloist, Handel and Bach, Yamanashi Early Music Festival, Japan

Aurelia Florian as Violetta in Verdi’s La Traviata. Photo: Cory Weaver

CARL FABER

DARYL FREEDMAN Mezzo-soprano

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: Philadelphia, PA Role: Mezzo-soprano Soloist, Big Night Portland Opera Debut: Aglaonice, Orphée (2009) Recently: Schwertleite, Die Walküre, The Metropolitan Opera; Dryad, Ariadne auf Naxos, The Cleveland Orchestra; Santuzza (cover), Cavalleria Rusticana, Dutch National Opera; Azucena, Il Trovatore, Opera San Jose; Amneris, Aida, Opera Idaho Upcoming: Dalila (cover), Samson et Dalila, Lyric Opera of Chicago

VANESSA ISIGUEN

Soprano

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: Charlotte, NC Role: Nedda, Pagliacci Portland Opera Debut: Mimì, La Bohème (2017) Recently: Cio-Cio-San, Madama Butterfly, Florida Grand Opera; Featured Soloist, Insights Program, Royal Opera House; CioCio-San, Madama Butterfly, Opera Idaho; Mimì, La Bohème, Vashon Opera, Portland Opera; Mimì, La Bohème, Marzelline, Fidelio, Sarasota Opera; Roberta Alden, An American Tragedy, Glimmerglass Festival; Spirit, The Sorrows of Frederick workshop, Metropolitan Opera

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Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Portland, OR Role: Lighting Designer, An American Quartet Portland Opera Debut: Lighting Designer, In the Penal Colony Recently: Lighting Designer, Macbeth, Portland Center Stage at The Armory; Magellanica, Artists Repertory Theatre; Matilda, Northwest Children’s Theater; Postnation: Chicago, Goodman Theatre; Water by the Spoonful, Profile Theatre; Once, Ordinary Days, Broadway Rose Theatre; Assistant Lighting Designer, seasons 2017–20, Portland Opera; The Book of Mormon Broadway and national tours, Member United Scenic Artists USA-829

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SEASON ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

KATHLEEN KIM

Soprano

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: Seoul, South Korea Role: Idaspe, Bajazet Portland Opera Debut Recently: Blondchen, The Abduction from the Seraglio, Bayerische Staatsoper, Germany, La Fée, Cendrillon, Staatsoper Berlin, Germany; Violetta, La Traviata, Gretel, Hänsel und Gretel, Korean National Opera; Josephine Young, An American Soldier, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Sophie, Der Rosenkavalier, Metropolitan Opera

PETER KSANDER

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Oak Park, IL Role: Set Designer, An American Quartet Portland Opera Debut Recently: Scenic Designer, Miss Bennet’s Christmas at Pemberley, Portland Center Stage at The Armory; Our Ruined House, Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble; Arlington, Third Rail Repertory Upcoming: Scenic and Projection Designer, Indecent, Artists Repertory Theatre; Scenic Designer, Fronteriza, Lead Artist, The Weather Room, Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble

Geoffrey Schellenberg as Nardo/Roberto and Helen Huang as Serpetta in Mozart’s La Finta Giardiniera. Photo: Cory Weaver.

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WILL LIVERMAN Baritone

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Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA Role: Silvio, Pagliacci Portland Opera Debut: Marcello, La Bohème (2017) Recently: Pantaloon, The Love for Three Oranges, Opera Philadelphia; Soloist, Carmina Burana, Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Marcello, La Bohème, Seattle Opera; Papageno, The Magic Flute, Horemhab, Akhnaten, Metropolitan Opera Upcoming: Silvio, Pagliacci, Seattle Opera; Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro, Austin Opera; Leporello, Don Giovanni, Los Angeles Opera

CAITLIN LYNCH Soprano

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: Detroit, MI Role: Beatrice, Three Decembers Portland Opera Debut Recently: Countess, The Marriage of Figaro, Metropolitan Opera, San Diego Opera; Donna Anna, Don Giovanni, English National Opera; Micaëla, Carmen, Seiji Ozawa Music Academy, Japan Upcoming: Countess, The Marriage of Figaro, Austin Opera

Portland Opera Music Director

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Atlanta, GA Role: Conductor, Madama Butterfly, Big Night, Pagliacci Portland Opera Debut: Conductor, Macbeth (2006) Recently: Albert Herring, La clemenza di Tito, Curtis Institute of Music; Merola Grand Finale Concert, San Francisco Opera; The Tales of Hoffmann, La Traviata, Aspen Music Festival; Champion, Opéra de Montréal, New Orleans Opera; Fellow Travelers, Prototype Festival/American Composers Orchestra; The Barber of Seville, La Finta Giardiniera, Faust, Rigoletto, La Bohème, Man of La Mancha, Portland Opera

SUSANNAH MARS Soprano

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: Portland, OR Role: Maddy, Three Decembers Portland Opera Debut: Parthy, Show Boat (2015) Recently: Bell, The Fantastics, U.S. Artistic Envoy CIFCET; Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney Todd, Portland Opera; Margaret, The Light in the Piazza, Portland Playhouse; Golde, Fiddler On The Roof, Mama Rose, Gypsy, Mother, Ragtime, Portland Center Stage at The Armory; Frieda/Betty, Sunday In The Park With George, Susan, Company, 5 th Avenue Theatre; Diana, Next To Normal, Artists Repertory Theatre

JOHN MARZANO

Tenor

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Tacoma, WA Role: Andronico, Bajazet Portland Opera Debut Recently: Alfredo, La Traviata, Vashon Opera; Le Remendado, Carmen, Steve Wozniak (cover), [R]Evolution of Steve Jobs, Ruiz, Il Trovatore, Peter Quint (cover), Prologue (cover), Turn of The Screw, Giuseppe, La Traviata, Seattle Opera; Camille, The Merry Widow, Tacoma Opera

DANIEL MEEKER

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GEORGE MANAHAN

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Portland, OR Role: Lighting Designer, Big Night; Set Designer, Three Decembers Portland Opera Debut: Scenery Designer, Eugene Onegin (2016) Recently: Crazy Enough, Twist Your Dickens, Portland Center Stage at The Armory; Big Night, La Cenerentola, Portland Opera; Crowns, The Wolves, Portland Playhouse; Well, Let Me Down Easy, The Baltimore Waltz, Profile Theatre; Diary of a Worm, Oregon Children’s Theatre; Once on This Island, Oslo, Pioneer Theatre Company; Pickathon Festival

DANIEL MOBBS Bass-baritone

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Louisville, KY Role: Bajazet, Bajazet; Bass-baritone Soloist, Big Night Portland Opera Debut: Lord Sidney, The Journey to Reims (2004) Recently: Kromow, The Merry Widow, Metropolitan Opera; Music Master, Ariadne auf Naxos, Kentucky Opera; Orbazzano, Tancredi, Opera Philadelphia

ALLISON NARVER

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: Seattle, WA Role: Stage Director, An American Quartet Portland Opera Debut Recently: Stage Director, Lauren Weedman Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, The Mystery of Love and Desire, A Contemporary Theater; The Inspector General, Seattle Shakespeare Company; Robin Hood, New Victory Theater; Man of La Mancha, 5 th Avenue Theatre; Dear Elizabeth, The Hound of The Baskervilles, Boeing-Boeing, Seattle Repertory Theatre; Animal Crackers, Oregon Shakespeare Festival Upcoming: Stage Director, Witch, A Contemporary Theatre

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SEASON ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

ANGELA NIEDERLOH Mezzo-soprano

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: Portland, OR Role: Julia Child, An American Quartet Portland Opera Debut: Marchesa Melibea, The Journey to Reims (2004) Recently: Marthe, Faust, Baba the Turk, The Rakes’s Progress, Second Lady, The Magic Flute, Mercédès, Carmen, Dame Quickly, Falstaff, Dorabella, Così fan tutte, Angelina, La Cenerentola, Portland Opera; Co-founder and instructor, Summer Young Artist Program, VOXnorthwest Voice Studio

Hiromi Omura as Cio-Cio-San and Luis Chapa as B.F. Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. Photo: Cory Weaver.

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MICHAEL OLICH

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Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: Portland, OR Role: Set and Costume Designer, Bajazet Portland Opera Debut: Set Designer, The Marriage of Figaro (2003) Recently: Set & Costume Designer, La Finta Giardiniera, Portland Opera; Scenic Designer, The Mandrake Root, Long Wharf Theatre, San Jose Repertory Theatre; The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?, A Contemporary Theatre, Mark Taper Forum; Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Pittsburgh’s City Theatre, Hartford Stage Company; The Last Night of Ballyhoo, The Importance of Being Earnest, South Coast Repertory; The Chosen, Clybourne Park, Portland Center Stage at The Armory; The Tales of Hoffmann, Wolf Trap Opera

CHAS RADER-SHIEBER

Pronouns: He/Him/His Hometown: St. Louis, MO Role: Stage Director, Bajazet Portland Opera Debut: Stage Director, Rinaldo (2013) Recently: Stage Director, Shining Brow, Arizona Opera; The Return of Ulysses, Pinchgut Opera, Australia; La Finta Giardiniera, Orfeo ed Euridice, Die Fledermaus, Portland Opera; Ariadne auf Naxos, Kentucky Opera; Rusalka, Orfeo ed Euridice, Des Moines Metro Opera Upcoming: Stage Director, Platée, Des Moines Metro Opera; La clemenza di Tito, Curtis Institute of Music

PORTL AND OPER A

CHRISTINE A. RICHARDSON

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: Vancouver, WA Role: Costume Designer, American Quartet, Three Decembers Portland Opera Debut: Hansel and Gretel, Portland Opera To Go Recently: In the Penal Colony, La Traviata, POGO La Boheme & The Magic Flute, Songs of Love and War, Portland Opera; 30 years of costume design work for many companies including: Guthrie Theater, TigerLion Arts, Stages Theatre, Mixed Blood Theater, Cantus, Theatre Latte Da, Mu Daiko, Mu Performing Arts, History Theater, Commonweal Theatre, Dark and Stormy Productions, 59E59 Theaters, BodyVox, and others. Board member for Opera Theater Oregon; Executive Officer and Commissioner for the City of Vancouver Culture, Arts, and Heritage Commission

JAMES SCOTT

Hometown: Catonsville, MD Role: Costume Designer, Pagliacci Portland Opera Debut: Costume Designer, Sweeney Todd (1996) Recently: Costume Designer, Tosca, Il Trovatore, Candide, The Barber of Seville, Austin Lyric Opera; The Barber of Seville, Washington National Opera; A Christmas Carol, Great Lakes Theater Festival; The Miracle Worker, Ten Little Indians, Anything Goes, The Royal Family, Who’s Afraid of Virgina Wolf, Side Man, The Repertory Theatre of Saint Louis; Costume Designer, The Barber of Seville, The Journey to Reims, Candide, Pagliacci, Carmina Burana, Sweeney Todd, Portland Opera

BARRAN LIEBMAN IS PROUD TO PLAY A SUPPORTIVE ROLE WITH THE

CONNIE YUN

Celebrating Over Two Decades of Pro Bono Partnership

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Employment | Labor | Benefits | Higher Education www.barran.com | 503.228.0500

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Hometown: East Lansing, MI Role: Lighting Designer, Bajazet, Three Decembers Portland Opera Debut: Lighting Designer, The Return of Ulysses (2006) Recently: La Traviata, Cavalleria Rusticana & Pagliacci, Madison Opera; As One, La Finta Giardiniera, Portland Opera; The Magic Flute, Kentucky Opera; Black Beauty, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, Seattle Children’s Theatre; Turn of the Screw, Beatrice and Benedict, Seattle Opera Upcoming: Snow White, Seattle Children’s Theatre; Salome, Hawaii Opera Theatre; La Bohème, Seattle Opera; Witch, A Contemporary Theatre

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PORTL AND OPER A

ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

Portland Opera’s orchestra rehearses for the 2020 season. Photo: Garrick Antikajian.

ORCHESTRA VIOLIN

Margaret Bichteler, concertmaster James McLennan, asst. concertmaster Linda Vasey, principal second violin Lucia Atkinson Robin E. Baldino Casey Bozell Janet Groh Dubay Jennifer Estrin Barbara George Hae-Jin Kim Nelly Kovalev Hannah Leland Heather Mastel-Lipson Peter Miliczky Elizabeth Peyton Peter V. Piazza Eva Richey

VIOLA

Hillary Oseas, principal Pamela Burovac Angelika Furtwangler Shauna Keyes Michelle Mathewson Marissa Winship

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CELLO

FLUTE

HARP

PICCOLO

TIMPANI

OBOE

PERCUSSION

GeorgeAnne Ries, principal Sydney Carlson Rachel Rencher Kelly M. Gronli, principal Alan Juza

ENGLISH HORN Karen Strand

CLARINET

Louis DeMartino, principal Theresa Schumacher

BASS CLARINET Carol Robe

BASSOON

TBD, principal Janice Richardson

CONTRABASSOON Jennifer Bleth

HORN

Michael Hettwer, principal Jen Harrison Jonathan Kuhns-Obana Leander Star

TRUMPET

Charles Butler, principal Robert Rutherford

Dylan Rieck, principal Jae Choi Trevor Fitzpatrick Katherine Schultz

TROMBONE

BASS

TUBA

Michelle Lindberg, principal Dave Anderson Chang Min Lee David Parmeter POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

John Church, principal David Bryan Graham Middleton Joseph Ready, principal

Matthew Tutsky, principal Denise Fujikawa

TENOR

CHORUS

John Boelling Jody Chastain * Scot Crandal * Robert S. Gardner * Ernest C. Jackson Jr. * Jim Jeppesen * Joseph M. Muir * Bryan Ross * David Warner * Jereme Wilkie Paul Wright *

SOPRANO

BASS-BARITONE

Will Reno, principal Gordon Rencher, principal Brian Gardiner

Gina Adorno Aline Bahamondez * Kari Burgess Aimee Chalfant * Hannah Consenz Lindsey Rae Johnson * Cristina Marino * Rachael Marsh * Dru Rutledge * Audrey Sackett Jocelyn Thomas * Eva Wolff *

Gregory Brumfield * Wesly Anthony Clergé André Flynn * Deac Guidi * Erik Hundtoft * Timothy Lafolette * Brian Langford * Paul Sadilek Patrick Scofield * Stefan Simanton Anders J. Tobiason *

MEZZO-SOPRANO AnDee Compton * Sadie Gregg * Anna Jablonski * Allison Knotts Sarah Maines Kate Strohecker * Olga Melendez Valdes Sherrie Van Hine * Jena Viemeister

* Vested choristers who have been a regular member of the Portland Opera Chorus for more than two years and have sung in five or more productions.

PORTL AND OPER A

PRODUCTION & STAGE CREW

Photo: Trace Downen.

PRODUCTION STAFF Daniel Biaggi, Interim Artistic Director Laura Hassell, Producing Director

PRODUCTION

Jon Wangsgard, Stage & Production Manager Karen Hill, Jamie Lynne Simons, Sarah Beth Stark, Megan Thorpe, Assistant Stage Managers Carla E. Jimenez, Production Assistant/ Scheduling Specialist John Armour, Fight Coach

ARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION

Erika Richter, Music Administrator & Librarian Lindsey Johnson, Susan McDaniel, Surtitle Operators Anders J. Tobiason, Sherrie Van Hine, AGMA Delegates Eva Wolff, Chorus Secretary Michael Hettwer, Orchestra Manager Jessica Hall, Sequoia, Susan McDaniel, Pianists

TECHNICAL

Christine A. Richardson, Costume Director Jeffery Wilson, Tailor/Draper Marcy England, Tevis Hockenbury, Emma Mast, Sue Morgan, Costume Technicians Bonnie Henderson-Winnie, Wardrobe Supervisor

WIGS/MAKEUP

Sara Beukers, Supervisor Kay Hoover, Assistant Supervisor Leghann Barrie, Foreman Helen Hart, Lisa Jubera, Artists Patricia N. Arnold, Patricia J. Chard, Lisa Jubera, Terri Lodge, Melinda McQueen, Jessica Miller, Nadine Nakagawa, Technicians

Orchestra Musicians represented by the American Federation of Musicians Local 99 Principals; Chorus, Dancers, and Staging Staff represented by the American Guild of Musical Artists STAGE CREW PROVIDED BY IATSE LOCAL #28 For Keller Auditorium: Jim Burbach, Head Carpenter Marty Rugger, Head Flyman Scott Bartel, Head Propertyman Michael Abramson, Head Electrician Brandon Hoguet, Head Soundman For Newmark Theatre: John Rourke, Head Carpenter Danny Cook, Head Flyman Kerris E. Cockrell, Head Propertyman Lorin Sly, Head Electrician Duanne Rodakowski, Head Soundman

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TBD, Technical & Production Director Cindy Felice, Props Director Jaison Stagg, Production Carpenter Carl Faber, Assistant Lighting Designer Mark James, Production Electrician Jona Stagg, Warehouse Supervisor Sean Casey, Scenic Artist Sean Casey, Daniel Wilson, Properties Assistants Gina Fagnani, Pre-Production Electrician

COSTUMES

ADMISSION STAFF PROVIDED BY IATSE LOCAL #B20

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PORTLAND OPERA STAFF

PORTL AND OPER A

STAFF & BOARD Sue Dixon, General Director Daniel Biaggi, Interim Artistic Director George Manahan, Music Director ★ Christopher Mattaliano, Artistic Consultant

ADMINISTRATION & OPERATIONS

Richard Seals, Chief Financial Officer ★Maureen Beaudry, Controller Ruth Ellen King, Payroll & Benefit Specialist Kevin Morris, Facility Manager Jazmyne Hudson, Office Manager

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT DEVELOPMENT

Lacey Rowberg, Director of Development Celeste Miller, Grants & Advocacy Manager Angela Glabach-Vu, Donor Relations Manager Avery Lemons, Special Events Manager Brita Enflo, Development Associate MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

ARTISTIC & PRODUCTION ★Laura Hassell, Producing Director

Andrea Tichy, Director of Marketing & Communications Silja Tobin, Marketing & Communications Manager Garrick Antikajian, Graphic Designer Jen Wechsler, Marketing & Communications Coordinator

ARTISTIC

PATRON SERVICES

Nicholas Fox, Chorus Master & Assistant Conductor ★Alexis Hamilton, Manager of Education & Community Engagement Erika Richter, Music Administrator & Librarian

James Bartlett, Patron Services Manager Jessie Bodell, Patron Services Representative Emily Estrada, Patron Services Representative Torin Frey, Patron Services Representative

PRODUCTION

BROADWAY IN PORTLAND

★Jon Wangsgard, Stage & Production Manager ★ Cindy Felice, Prop Director

★ Carla E. Jimenez, Production Assistant/Scheduling Specialist

Zachary Dalton, Broadway Technical Liaison Pascaline Lefèbvre, Production Coordinator COSTUME SHOP

Christine A. Richardson, Costume Director Jeffery Wilson, Tailor/Draper

★Tracy Wenckus, General Manager

Morgan Jones, Assistant General Manager Roberta Scott, Marketing Coordinator Jess Morgan, Group Sales & Customer Service Supervisor ★Michael Brumage, Customer Service Supervisor Katie Clope, Customer Service Supervisor Stephanie Calinski, Customer Service Representative Jacqueline Harpole, Customer Service Representative Chris Olson, Customer Service Representative

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

★ 10-year-plus employees

OFFICERS

DIRECTORS

Curtis T. Thompson, MD, President President, Curtis T. Thompson, MD & Associates

Sona Andrews Professor & Provost Emerita, Portland State University

Kay Abramowitz, Past President Retired Attorney

Nelson D. Atkin II Partner, Barran Liebman, LLP

Gregory K. Hinckley, Vice President Past President, Mentor Graphics Corp.

L. David Ericksen SVP, Enterprise Banker Commercial Banking-OR, KeyBank

Callie Pappas, Vice President VP & Chief Compliance Officer, Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc.

Matthew Essieh CEO, EAI Information Systems

William Lockwood, Treasurer Senior Vice President-Investments, Wells Fargo Advisors Bill Sweat, Secretary Proprietor/Winegrower, Winderlea Vineyard and Winery

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Kregg Arntson, At Large Director of Corporate Social Responsibility & Executive Director, Portland General Electric & PGE Foundation Linda Brown, At Large Owner, Brown’s Blueberries Jamey Hampton, At Large Co-founder & Artistic Director, BodyVox Carole Morse, At Large Past President, PGE Foundation POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

Connie Gougler, Senior Director of Marketing, Iovation, A TransUnion Company Diana Harris Retired Executive, Intel Hugh Harris Co-founder, East County Rising Nicolai Kruger Architect & Illustrator, Nicolai Kruger Studio Patricia Norris Owner, Norris Dermatology & Lasers NW Greg Tibbles Retired Executive Kathryn Wheeler Senior Sales Consultant, Atlas by Faria Education Group Cyrus Vafi VP, Commercial Banking, Banner Bank

We appreciate the art of great storytelling. Cheers to the 2020 Portland Opera season.

THE ARGY LE TASTING HOUSE

What began as a conviction to grow world class Sparkling Wine in the Willamette Valley has grown into so much more. Come experience Argyle. Join us for a Masters of Sparkling Class or an Argyle Legacy Tasting for a behind the scenes look at Argyle. Offered at 11:30 AM and 2:30 PM daily.

ARGYLE WINERY 691 HWY 99W - Dundee OR 97115 Tasting House Open Daily M-Th 11-5, F-Su 10-5 argylewinery.com 503.538.8520

COMMUNIT Y

CONTRIBUTORS

Hugh Harris, Councilor Eddy Morales, Linda Brown, and Marcia Brown attend the 2019 Bel Canto Dinner. Photo: Trace Downen.

$25,000+

Carol Franc Buck Foundation Ellyn Bye and Dream Envision Foundation Leo Conkle Bill and Karen Early Carol and John Hampton Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Drs. Dolores and Fernando Leon Joanne M. Lilley Laura S. Meier Dorothy Piacentini The Estate of Luwayne E. Sammons♥ Harold and Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation Arlene Schnitzer Jordan D. Schnitzer Greg and Cathy Tibbles Anonymous

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$10,000 – $24,999

Sona Karentz Andrews Marilyn Crilley and George Rowbottom Pamela and Paul De Boni George and Barbara Dechet Matthew and Emmanuella Essieh Ann Flowerree Hampton Family Fund Jamey Hampton and Ashley Roland Diana Harris and Gary Piercy Hugh Harris and Councilor Eddy Morales Chris and Kathryn Hermann Richard and Delight Leonard Elizabeth Lilley Joy McNichols Carole Morse William and Mary Lou Mullin Patricia Norris and Mark Schlesinger

POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

David and Valerie O’Brien Kay Parr Marcia H. Randall Pat and Trudy Ritz and The Ritz Family Foundation William D. Rutherford and Joan Lamb John and Carol Steele Karen Thomas and Jack Bird Dr. Curtis T. Thompson Charles R. Watkins Douglas Watkins The Estate of David E. Wedge♥ Dean and Patricia Werth The Benjamin and Elaine Whiteley Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Anonymous

$5,000 – $9,999

Kay and Roy Abramowitz Tremaine and Gail Arkley Matthew R. Baines* Alan and Sherry Bennett The Breunsbach Family Linda and Marcia Brown George and Lee Anne Carter William and Suzanne Dolan Emilie F. and Don C. Frisbee Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Connie Gougler Robert and Dorothy Haley Michelle Hayhurst Susan and Richard Helzer Sue Horn-Caskey and Rick Caskey Andrew and CarOl Kay Judith and Martin♥ Kelley Robert L. Ladehoff Walter E. Lander and Kit Tong Ng Bill and Kate Lockwood Jerome Magill The Estate of Hannelore Mitchell-Shicht ♥

Nathan Family Charitable Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Callie Pappas and John Winner Dr. Charles and Ruth Poindexter Michael and Alice Powell Mary and Russell Reid Donna Morris and Bill Sweat Su Tunney and James DePew David and Carol Turner Anonymous

$2,500 – $4,999

Kirby and Amy Allen* Kregg Arntson and Ted Fettig Brent Barton and Liz Fuller Eric Bell Matt and Marian Brouns Megan Brown Deborah A. Coleman Paul and Kathleen Cosgrove* Richard and Carol Dickey Richard B. Dobrow, MD The Burns Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Paul and Kristina Elseth Jeffrey A. and Diane M. Evershed Robert and Dana Fischer Michael J. Gentry Ed Gronke* Patrick G. Hager and Alessandra Capperdoni Kirk Hall David and Brette Hampton Betsy and Gregory Hatton Dr. Robert H. and Barbara Jones Randy and Leslie Labbe Dorothy Lemelson Carol Schnitzer Lewis Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Dr. and Mrs. John Lindgren Donn and Carole Lobdell Nancy Locke and Donald Harris Marco Lopez

The M. and L. Marks Family Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Louis McCraw Sir James & Lady McDonald Designated Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Nancie S. McGraw Brad and Nancy Miller Paula and Bert Morgan Yooy and Joey Nelson John and Ginger Niemeyer Mrs. Elizabeth Noyes Jane S. Partridge David and Heidi Pasqualini Wallace and Elizabeth Preble Julie and William Reiersgaard Robert and Marilyn Ridgley Bob and Barbara Schuppe Rex and Angela Snow Sue and Drew Snyder David Staehely Garry and Ardith Stensland N. Robert and Barre Stoll Russell Turner and Urszula Iwaniec Zela & Elsa Anonymous (2)

$1,000 – $2,499

Margaret and Scott Arighi Arleen Barnett David and Jeanne Beck Alene and Bruce Bikle John H. Block Frances Britt* Ellen and Robert Brittan Marianne Buchwalter William Buettner Mary and John Calvin Dr. Carlos Castro-Pareja and Lori Dunkin* Frederic and Nancy Delbrueck Susan C. Dixon Mardi Epps

$500 – $999

Russell Ramsey Bruce Ramseyer Robert Reynolds and Denise Barnes Dr. Robert H. and Anne A. Richardson* Stephen and Leslie Robinson Richard & Mary Rosenberg Charitable Foundation Weston Roth and Lisa Shaw Lacey and Bjorn Rowberg Kenneth Schriver Ruth A. Short Scott Showalter Robyn Shuey Caren Smeltzer and Herman Migliore Cameron C. Smith Cathleen L. Smith Kristin Stathis Eric and Cyndi Strid L. Susan Sullivan Drs. Donald and Roslyn Sutherland William Tucker Drs. Gerry and Angela Uba Peter and Ann van Bever Peter Vennewitz* Geoff Verderosa Karen and Bob Vineyard Jon Vorderstrasse Drs. R Bastian and Barbara Wagner Mark Ward Wendy Ware and Dan Gleason Sharon L. Weil Tracy Wenckus Michael and Lisa Wenzlick Dr. and Mrs. David S. Wisdom John and Nancy Zernel Anonymous (6)

$100 – $499

Andrew Ackman* Jack Wussow and Kyle Adams* Dr. George Adlhoch Joseph Alexander and Janine Clayton Abby Alford Farouk Al-Hadi Jutta Allen Kathleen and John Allen Robert Amundson and Sully Taylor Kris Anderson and Michael O’Brien Thomas Anderson and Joan Montague Ruby Apsler Jacque Arellano Brandon Arends and Anne Sires Annette Arrieta Dr. and Mrs. James W. Asaph

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Donald Andersen* Christopher Andrews Ron Attrell and Michael Oard Nancy Babka and Michael Morgan Dr. Natalie and Mr. Anthony Ballas

Tom Bard James and Kathryn Bash Sidney and Barbara Bass Marc and Maureen Beaudry Kathleen Beaufait Bryan and Vicki Beazley Jon Betlinkski William Bloom Gilbert and Mary Ann Brokaw Ed and Nancy Buckman Virginia V. Burgess Mark A. Buser Henri Champagne Anne Clark Charles Richard Clarkson Elaine and Arnold Cogan Dee and Vickie Cooper Huck and Jennie Cronin James and Kelley Dulcich Randall and Laurie Dunn* Donna Elsasser Ron and Ann Emmerson Edward and Jeanette Feldhousen Stephen and Susan Ford Morris J. Galen Lois W. and Lawrence J. Geib Rolf Glerum Pam Gordon and Betty Goddard Gary and Heidi Grenley Paul Gunderson Jim and Karen Halliday Richard L. Hay Barbara S. Hansen John L. Hedrick Fred and Harriet Hegge Kimberly Howard John Hren and Pam Aneshansley Hren Nancy Jerrick Kelvyn Johnson Jeffrey C. King and Jessie K. King Sara and John Kochavatr Sophia Kremidas Damianos Kyriakopoulos Mrs. Stanley A. Landeen Daniel Laurence Drs. Fred and Catherine Lauritsen Clif and Cheryl Leonard* Joyce and Stanley Loeb William F. Mayclin Carole and William McDonald Ruth Medak David Millman and Juliette Levy Stephan Morris Richard and Beverly North George and Reba O’Leary Milo and Beverly Ormseth Harold and Jane Pollin Mr. and Mrs. Peter Pope John and Debbie Purcell Suzanne Rague

COMMUNIT Y

Michael Alan Fox and Deborah D. Garman* Eric and Rebecca Friedenwald-Fishman Suzy Gates Susan Halton Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward Pamela Henderson Marsh Hieronimus Maryanne and David Holman Dennis and Jacqueline Isiguen Helen and Paul E. Johnson MD Arthur and Virginia Kayser Dr. Angela and Matt Kilman H. Alexander Krob, MD* Kathleen Lewis Craig and Anne Lindsay The McGeady Family Foundation The Estate of Virginia S. Mullen♥ Marianne Ott Corinne and Duane Paulson Frank Piacentini and Sara Weinstein Robert Piacentini Art Dodd♥ and Diane Plumridge Heidi Pozzo William Pressly and Carole Douglass Ben and Lillian Pubols J. Chris Rasmussen Lynne Diane Roe, MD Charlene Rogers Don V. Romanaggi, MD Izhak Shafran William Space and Allen Brady Cornelia and William Stevens Bill Supak and Linda Kozlowski Hank Swigert and Marlene Koch Rick and Carol Terrell Charitable Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Jeffrey and Jan Thede Misty and Derek Tompoles David Urman Cyrus Vafi Dave and Christine Vernier Weiss Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation Kathryn Wheeler Dr. Greg Zarelli and Mr. John Bush* Anonymous (2)

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AS OF DECEMBER 17, 2019

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CONTRIBUTORS

Raymond and Nancy Asbury Ruth Aschkenasy Roberta August Sarah Bagby John T. Bagg Jane S. Baird Arlene Baker Lajos Balogh David Bangsberg and Lynn Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Kelley Dr. Santiago Barnard Tom and Molly Bartlett Karen Barton Paul Bascom Phyllis L. Beemsterboer Clarissa Benfield Richard H. Berkey Aase Maja Besson* Hella Betts Maryka Biaggio and Deb Zita* Susan and Larry Black Alice P. Blatt Karen and Bob Blomquist Brittany Blumberg Julia Bodine Ralph Bolliger and Peggy Cook Richard R. Bosch William Boyd and Marna Tisdel Dennis D. Boyles Raymond Bracis Larry and Daniela Brandt Nick Bremer and Kendra Parkin The Honorable Kate Brown and First Gentleman Dan Little Donna Brune Peggy A. Bryant* Nick Bulder Jim and Linda Burch Karie Burch Barbara Burns Judy Ann Butler Andrew Butts and Abby Kirchem-Butts Truddy Cable Barbara and Worth Caldwell Amy Drake Campbell* Maurine and Paul Canarsky Geoffrey Carr Richard Cave Ron and Jane Cease Doug Beckman and Joanna Ceciliani Shelly Chabon Voula Chandrashekar Christine Chen Susan Church Sarah L. Claiborne Ann and Andrew Clark* Alicia Coakley Ashley Coates Kathryn Coffel Christine Colasurdo Joseph and Vonnie Condon* Bryant and Michal Conger Victor Congleton

POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

Rick Cooley Tim and Tammy Cooper John and Anne Osborn Coopersmith Gretchen Coppedge Dave and Char Corkran Mr. and Mrs. Thomas S. Councell Mr. James Cox and Mrs. Brenda Nuckton Georgia Ronan Crampton Dr. Richard Crisera Ellen Crivella and Daniel Jaynes Lauri Noell Crocker W. Ron Crosier Janet Cruz Leigh Cummins and Eric Mills Tim and Suzanne Cusick Nancy Lee Cutler Janice Czerniejewski Dr. and Mrs. Aloys J. Daack Joseph and Carol Davids Erin Dawson Hoyt A. Day Amy Dechet Jan Dellibovi Richard G. Denman Dr. Duane Denney Megha Desai and Greg Lockwood Mr. and Mrs. Eugene P. DiLoreto Allen and Mary Lou Dobbins Mandy Doherty Julia Dolan Margaret and Richard Drake Shari Dunn Dr. David Dunning Maryann Dutton Douglas Egan Chris and Elizabeth Eber Roger Edwards and Carol La Brie Dr. Maura and Ray Egan Kevin and Cinda Embree James A. Endler L. David and Heidi Ericksen Michelle Erickson Dr. Marilyn Farwell and Catherine King Laurie Fay Ellen McDowell Feibleman Robin Feidelson Jean Feller* Cecily Feudo Ron and Kathleen Fial Debra and Karl Finkelnburg Keiko Amakawa and Dr. Harvey Fishman Lawson Fite Nicole Forbes Heather Fossity Patricia France Anne Francis Theresa Fritchle Cynthia Fuhrman Albert Furtwangler Richard and Erika George

Mrs. Lora Giles Larry and Marlis Gilman J.A. Godshall Benjamin S. Goff Josh Goldberg Jennifer and Tim Goldsmith Rosalie Goodman Corbett Gordon Barbara and Marvin Gordon-Lickey Kendall Gourley-Paterson Martha Graner and William DeBolt Emma K. Gray Mark Greenfield Susan Greer Michael Greer Kelsey Gregory Marsha Gulick Anton Haas Jr. Eric Hallquist Rosemary Hamerton-Kelly Peter Hammond and Frank Johnson Anne Hanchek Francis Hanchek Irvin Handelman Amelia Haynes Judith A. Heath Chris and Alicia Heaton Andrea and Ted Heid* Stanley O. Heinemann Mr. and Mrs. David A. Hendersen Kay Sweeney Sudee and Clayton Hering Jean Herrera Angelica G. Hesse Amiko Hiraiwa Riley Carol and Herb Hoefer* Catherine Holder Mary Holdman and Lawrence J. Evers Kenneth L. Holford Kathryn J. Holt* Carol and Tom Hull Angela and Nathan Hult Romeo Ilie-Nicolof James and Sara Ingle Robina Ingram-Rich and Tim Rich The Inzerillo Family Martha Ireland Punya Jain Joyce Jakubiak and David Parks Team Jam Bernadette and Jeffrey Janisch Mr. and Mrs. Richard Janzig Doug Jenkins and Mike Boyles Richard and Linda Jenkins Kathy and Nils Jensen Gayle Jimenez* Barbara A. Johnston

Becky and Jarrett Jones The Jorgensons Marilyn Kaufmann Galen Kawamoto Carole S. Keefer Mark and Pam Keller Felice D. Kelly Nino Kilgore-Marchetti Rev. Lawrence R. King Louis and Patricia Kingman Frederick Kirchhoff and Ronald Simonis* Nico Galoppo and Allison Knowles Judy and Fritz Kokesh Norman P. Krasne* Nicolai Kruger Louise J. Kurzet Kathleen Kusudo Ryan and Stephanie La Pier Rebecca Langdon Grethe Larson and James Mullins Katherine Ledson Danielle Lee Barbara Coombs Lee Krystal Lee Carling Leon Regan and Gina Leon Leonheart Photography Judith Leppert Joan Levers and David Manhart Christine E. Lewis Jordan and Anna Lewis* Monelle Lewis Amy Light Jane and Robert Lightell Michael and Jeanette Lilly Ashley Lindsay Jeffrey W. Littman Carolyn and James Loch* Sharon Loomis-Malin* Henry C. Louderbough, MD Patricia Loveland Jack and Kathy Lucier Susa Lynne Donna and Joseph MacKenzie* James and Midge Main Bill and Mary Mainwaring Carol Mangan Fritz and Peter Fritz Barbara Manildi Linda L. Mann Michelle Marcyk John Martin Agneta and Mike Massa Drs. Ruth and Joseph Matarazzo Len Mathes Julie Mathews Thomas J. Mathews and Lois L. Heinlein Oscar and Mary Mayer Nic Mayne Nancy E. McCall

COMMUNIT Y

www.pdx.net 503.972.7272 hello@pdx.net

po rtland’s ho tel to the arts IN THE HEART OF PORTLAND’S WEST END DISTRICT

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4 0 9 S W 1 1 T H AV E P O R T L A N D | 5 0 3 . 2 2 4 . 3 2 9 3 | M A R K S P E N C E R . C O M AS OF DECEMBER 17, 2019

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Dr. and Dr. McClure Maria McCormick Lois McIntosh Ed and Judith McKenney John and Candace McMunn Karen McNamee Bill McRae Christine Meadows Victoria Meadows Ann Medellin Edward and Nancy Meece Mark Meek Jan Merrimon Charles Meshul and Maureen Ober Jen Milius and John Eisemann Ken and Sandra Miller Pamela Gesme Miller and Fred B. Miller Kay Mitchell Daniel Mobbs and Vincent Bresciano Monique’s Boutique Kathleen Moon J. Michael Morrison Ingeborg Momberg Susan D. Morgan, VMD Jean S. Morrison Martha Havens Moyer Richard and Midge Mueller Daniel Mueller and JoAnn Pari-Mueller Nancy Murray Prabu Muruganantham Kathryn Myers and Jonathan Ortiz Myers Bee and Quentin Neufeld J. Neuwelt Shirley and Mike Newcomb Angela Niederloh Mary Jo and Robert Nye James D. O’Donnell Nancy H. Oberschmidt Leslie Odegard Tavis Oehley Kris Oliveira Patricia O’Shea Pam and Ken Palke Lanetta Paul Carole J. Peggar* Hannah Penn Vince L. Penta Rebecca Phillips* Susan and Walter Piepke Marie St. Phillips Pinch Matthew Plavcan Laura Polich Richard Poppino and Tina Bull Phillip Potestio Marjorie Powell* Nancy Pyburn Carole Quick Kasia Quillinan Augustina Ragwitz Sohyon Rahe Russell and Jolae Reed W. W. Clyde Reid Steven R. Reinisch* Mrs. Charles Rhyne Forrest and Rae Richen Judith Rimbey

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CONTRIBUTORS

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Roberts Brian Rogers and Cassandra Scholte Roz Roseman Rosemarie F. Rosenfeld Elden and Margie Rosenthal Mr. and Mrs. Mark Rowlette* Dr. Elizabeth Rudy Barry and Penny Russman Elaine C. Ruys Peter and Carolyn Saba Sam Sadler* Andrew and Jamie Sakshaug Adam Salazar Laura and David Salerno Owens Sarah Sanford Jeannie and Leonard Santos Kevin and Gabe Sasse Rochelle Satter Steve and Chris Satterlee Fred and Maralee Sautter James and Julianne Sawyer Eric and Elizabeth Schneider Susan Schubert John Schulte Art Schwartz and Myrna Glenn Sarah Schwarz Bill Scott and Kate Thompson Paul and Ketta Sedler Kristen Seidman Ashleigh Smith Lindsey Smith Sarah E. Smith Neil Soiffer and Carolyn Smith Martha and Les Soltesz Bob Speltz Kyle and Sophia Spencer Alice Spitzer Gabriella Sprenger Charles and Karen Springer Jacob Schnur Donald and Barbara Stephens Steps PDX Kristin Sterling and Lorin Wilkerson Jennifer Stout Milan and Jean Stoyanov Meg Stuckey Trisha SunderHollie Barbara Swails Jane Thanner and Tim Smith Justine Thede Occhipinti Bruce and Suzanne Thiel Frederick and Jean Thompson Susan and Richard Thompson Jan Elizabeth Thorpe Alex and Courtney Thurber* Jo Ann and Ric Tower Stanley and Marie Townsend Jackie Tran Brandon Triglia Julie Tripp Karie Trumbo Lyle M. Tucker

POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

Kyle Tushaus Arlene Tuttle Donald and Linda Van Wart Jerry and Thuy Vanderlinde* Justine and Sean Virnig* Les Vuylsteke Carolyn Walker Kara Walton Shu-Ju Wang Marion T. Weatherford Deanna Wiley Katie Williams Andrew Wilson and Ronnie-Gail Emden Julie Wilson Mary Wilson Peter Wilson Margaret Wiltschko Patricia Winn Dee Wolfe Peter and Ruth E. Wolff Richard and Leslie Wong Linda M. Wood Deborah Woodcock David DeMoss and Geoffrey Wren John and Ruth Wyse Joe and Alicia Young Lindsay Yousey* Ilya Yusufov Anonymous (32)

AS OF DECEMBER 17, 2019

* Sustaining Donors have opted to give through automatic monthly contributions. For more information about sustained giving, please contact Angela Glabach-Vu at 503-417-0601 or aglabach@portlandopera.org. ♥ In Memoriam.

TRIBUTE In Memory of Gerry Allen Stephen and Leslie Robinson In Memory of Steve Carpenter R ichard Cave In Honor of Marie Colasurdo Christine Colasurdo In Memory of Maria Conkle Leo Conkle In Memory of Herb Crane Nancy Locke and Donald Harris In Honor of Dandrea B ernadette and Jeffrey Janisch In Honor of Sue Dixon Jean, Sam, Theresa, Brian, and Christopher Inzerillo In Memory of Carolyn J. Glass Anonymous In Memory of Nancy Glerum Rolf Glerum In Honor of Monte and Peggy Greer Susan Greer In Memory of Jeanne Hassell Anonymous In Honor of Judith Havas Ellen McDowell Feibleman In Honor of Bill Lockwood’s service to Portland Opera Elden and Margie Rosenthal In Memory of Mathilde Marchesi Les Vuylsteke In Memory of Tami G. Martin John Martin In Honor of Christopher Mattaliano and Clare Burovac for their many dedicated years of service to Portland Opera and the Portland Opera Resident Artist program Drs. Fernando and Dolores Leon In Honor of Christopher Mattaliano David and Carol Turner In Honor of Donna Morris David and Jeanne Beck In Honor of Carole Morse Barbara Coombs Lee In Memory of Greg Parsons Roberta August In Honor of the Staff of Portland Opera Andrea Tichy In Memory of Tillie Rea Rev. Lawrence R. King In Memory of Mayer D. Schwartz A nonymous In Honor of Ryan Thorn Jim and Linda Burch In Honor of Frances Tucker W illiam Tucker In Recognition of Laura Watkins D ouglas Watkins

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Thank you to all of those that supported this beautiful event!

On September 14, 2019, over 350 Portland Opera patrons and friends came together to celebrate Portland Opera at the Flora + Fauna Fall Ball gala event. TOI TOI TOI

The generosity of community partners and sponsors resulted in over $1 million in funding to ensure the continued strength of our programs and the fiscal health of Portland Opera. Photos: Garrett Downen and Gia Goodrich.

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The event featured performances by two-time Tony Award winner, Sutton Foster, as well as Portland Opera singers Hannah Penn and Hannah Consenz. Award-winning photographer Gia Goodrich provided guest portraits in a portrait lounge designed by Botanica Floral Design and Anthropologie.

F E AT U R E D

AMBASSADOR BOARD SPOTLIGHT

Photo: Ava Spalding.

David & Laura Salerno Owens Portland Opera Ambassador Board Member & Donors

Artslandia asked the Salerno Owenses to share their thoughts on our themes for this performing art season—art as a vital component of the human experience, philanthropy, and (of course) a night out. Laura was generous enough to respond on their behalf.

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L AUR A SALERNO OWENS, PRESIDENT OF THE L AW FIRM MARKOWITZ HERBOLD PC, AND DAVID SALERNO OWENS, the Director of Equity and Strategic Initiatives for the Lake Oswego School District, are fervent fans and supporters of Portland Opera. David is also a member of the organization’s Ambassador Board. The group comprises some of Portland’s best and brightest who not only advocate for cultural diversity and musical excellence but also work to raise the philanthropic profile, awareness, and mission of Portland Opera through marketing, event fundraising, and relationship-building among the next generation of patrons and donors.

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What was role did arts play in your life and community in the past that’s led to your current involvement? What does your involvement bring to your life presently?

My first exposure to opera was when I was a senior in high school. I decided to take the spring season off from the sport’s grind, which gave me a free elective that I filled with Academic Decathlon. The music genre that year was opera. I remember to this day, 20 years later, what it felt like to listen to “Nessun Dorma” for the first time. It still gives me chills. Years later, when David moved to Portland to join me, I took him to Aida for his birthday. I figured it was a good first introduction to opera, and he loved it. Then, a few years later, our friends Megha Desai and Greg Lockwood approached David about being on Ambassador Board of the Portland Opera. As a younger professional and a man of color, David brings a different perspective to the group. Being involved in the opera means David and I now have a

In your opinion, should concert halls adapt to expand the visceral experience of a performance given the level of stimulation to which we’ve become accustomed?

Absolutely not! One of the best parts about opera is the opportunity to unplug and unwind. We can close our eyes and let the music do the talking, or there’s plenty to see onstage—the costumes, the set design, the acting of the performers! The modern world can dull people with overstimulation. I think the muscle of imagination atrophies, and the arts are a great way to build it back up. I do, however, love the subtitles and want that to continue for opera performances. But please, please, please do not let people start using their cell phones during performances! That would be a greater tragedy than Othello. How do you engage your friends and circle of friends to share with them your enthusiasm for the arts?

We engage our friends by inviting them to performances with us. The Young Patron Society has a program where one can see an opera for only $25 a ticket. And they host a reception at intermission with cupcakes and champagne, so people new to the experience can socialize during the event. These features make it a fun and easy ask for us to invite friends to join us at Portland Opera. Usually, once someone goes to an opera, they come back again. I think there is an initial hurdle that people need to get over, and the Young Patron Society does an excellent job of lowering the barriers to entry. How do we get artists and audiences to interface and interact in locations away from the theatre?

I think, to the extent possible, organizations should keep the long game in mind when it comes to donors. Donations can take different forms. Obviously, large cash donations are ideal, but the reality for many young professionals like me and David is they have large student loan debts, expensive daycare costs, mortgages, etcetera among other expenses. But, eventually, we will be in place where our philanthropy can be in the form of larger monetary donations. In the meantime, I encourage organizations to engage donors with a variety of donation levels, including in-kind donations like hosting events in their office spaces, and opportunities to volunteer time. I also think family-oriented events can be great. For example, Portland Opera hosts a holiday singalong, which is a wonderful event to bring children, parents, and grandchildren. In one fell swoop, three generations can develop an affinity for an important organization and an interest in its continued vitality. Artslandia’s theme for the 2019/20 season is A Night Out. Describe for our readers your perfect night out.

A perfect night out starts with a reliable babysitter who arrives on time! (David and I have two young children—our 4-year-old daughter, Gianna, and our 2-year-old son, Mateo.) We love to gather for a fabulous happy hour with other Young Patron Society members at one of Portland’s fantastic restaurants. We’ve enjoyed delicious fare with the group at number of locations, including Nel Centro, Raven & Rose, Ringside Steakhouse, and Morton’s, to name a few. It’s a bad idea to go to the Opera hungry! These happy hours also allow us to connect with other young professionals who love the arts and who we might not otherwise meet. Then, we get an opportunity to unwind and unplug as we immerse ourselves into an art form that is both classic and timeless. .

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One of my favorite events was an Opera a la Cart production held at Argyle Winery. The Opera has a food truck outfitted with all the equipment needed to bring mobile opera to anywhere in Oregon. It was a beautiful, sunny fall day, and we were out in picturesque wine country with our children and some friends. We listened to talented singers as we enjoyed delicious food and drink. The event piqued the curiosity of the others at the winery, and I think such events are a great way to attract new donors.

What are your thoughts about how arts groups could cultivate donors outside their norm?

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space where we can engage with people who are from different demographics, whether it be age, race, or profession, but we all share a common love for great music and art. It has enriched our lives tremendously.

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OPERA A LA CART

Opera 2019 Opera a la Cart performance on the South Waterfront. Photos: Natasha Tandler.

a la Cart

nspired by Portland’s food cart culture, Opera a la Cart is a mobile music venue that brings live opera performance directly into the community spaces where people gather. Opera a la Cart reaches more than 5,000 people throughout the summer months through pop-up performances at farmers markets, city parks, neighborhood festivals, street fairs, and other public events and places throughout the Portland metro area and region. Designed and built in collaboration with architecture students from Portland State University in 2016, the cart features a fold-out stage and a “menu” of operatic specials of the day. Opera singers share some of the most beloved and recognizable songs from opera and classic musical theatre in a refreshing and approachable way.

Fancy an ‘O Sole Mio’ with a side order of Figaro? There is, this being Portland, a cart for that.” —Portland Monthly.

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For more information and to find our upcoming performances, visit: portlandopera.org/alacart

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CORPORATE AWARD

Karen Kervin, Vice President, Community Affairs Manager/ Oregon, U.S. Bank. Photo: Trace Downen.

Portland Opera was honored to recognize U.S. Bank for their outstanding leadership and contribution to the arts at our annual Corporate Breakfast. U.S. Bank has supported Portland Opera for almost 40 years; they are a powerful role model for corporate arts leadership in Portland.

Thank you to U.S. Bank for all that you do to strengthen the Portland community!

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PORTLAND OPERA TO GO

Portland Opera POGO 2019 production of Puccini’s La Boheme performs at Park Academy in Lake Oswego, OR.

TO GO

or more than 20 years, Portland Opera To Go (or POGO) has brought inclusive arts experiences to schools around the region.

POGO presents 50-minute, English-language versions of classic operas, including The Magic Flute, Hansel and Gretel, The Elixir of Love, The Barber of Seville, and more. Our 2019 production was a version of Puccini’s La Bohème. Each year, POGO travels over 5,000 miles throughout Oregon and southern Washington, reaching between 12,000 and 15,000 K-12 students. So far, the program has reached more than 240,000 children living in Oregon, southwest Washington, northern California, and western Idaho. POGO presents more than 50 performances annually, in venues including school gyms, libraries, cafeterias, classrooms, and community centers. POGO focuses on schools with economic and geographic barriers to accessing performing arts experiences. Over 50% of schools visited are Title I schools in rural communities. POGO operas are presented in full costume, with a portable set, by singers who are adept at engaging with young audiences. To integrate the experience, we also provide in-class workshops and a teacher’s guide of more than 100 pages, including curriculum connections that highlight clear learning goals and creative activities for students, aligned to the Common Core and Oregon Academic Content Standards. Portland Opera To Go is generously supported by EAI Information Systems, the Oregon Arts Commission, PGE Foundation, Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust, Rutherford Investment Management, Lamb Family Foundation, The Standard, Schnitzer Steel Industries, John and Carol Steele, U.S. Bancorp Foundation, Wells Fargo, The Wheeler Foundation, Winderlea Vineyard & Winery, and numerous generous individuals who believe in this program.

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The performance was incredible, and I look up to each one of the performers. The way they tell a story with their voices, connect with each other onstage, and let their voices free unashamedly, is truly beautiful and inspiring. I could not be more thankful for the chance to watch them perform. I took so much away from it.”

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—A student who attended Portland Opera To Go’s La Bohème.

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SEASON SPONSORS Portland Opera is proud to collaborate with community and business allies to create impactful relationships both regionally and nationally. We would like to recognize the generosity, advocacy, and support of the businesses, foundations, and organizations that comprise our list of vibrant sponsors and partners:

Thank you! MAJOR SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY: Barran Liebman LLP

Meyer Memorial Trust

Regional Arts & Culture Council,

Curtis T. Thompson, MD & Associates

The National Endowment for the Arts

including support from the City of

The Hampton Family Fund

OPERA America |

Portland, Multnomah County, and

The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation

the Arts Education & Access Fund

The Harold & Arlene Schnitzer

Oregon Arts Commission

The Standard

The Oregon Community Foundation

The Stoller Group

CARE Foundation

The National Opera Center

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY: Advanced Wealth Management

Lamb Family Foundation

Richard & Mary Rosenberg

The Autzen Foundation

M&T Bank

The Boeing Company

The McGeady Family Foundation

Rutherford Investment Management

Broadway Across America

The Monday Musical Club of Portland

Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc.

EAI Information Systems

Norris Dermatology & Lasers NW

Stoel Rives

Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund

NW Natural

Rose E. Tucker Charitable Trust

The Flowerree Foundation

Oregon Cultural Trust

Union Bank

Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation

The Oregonian/OregonLive!

U.S. Bank Foundation

The Hearst Foundation

The Outlander Foundation

Wave Form Systems

Hoffman Corporation

PGE Foundation

Wells Fargo

The Jackson Foundation

Pride Foundation

Wheeler Foundation

JEZ Foundation

Pat & Trudy Ritz and

Winderlea Vineyard & Winery

Kerr Pacific Foundation

KeyBank

PSU Foundation

Charitable Foundation

the Ritz Family Foundation

We would also like to recognize our corporate partners who encourage matching gifts or volunteerism through their employee programs, including: Bank of America

Intel

Rockwell Collins

The Boeing Company

KeyBank

Tektronix

Chevron Corporation

Microsoft

TransUnion

General Mills

Nike

The Standard

Hanna Andersson

NW Natural

U.S. Bank

Pfizer

IBM

PGE

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LEGACY SOCIETY

The Portland Opera Legacy Society honors those who have included Portland Opera in their wills or estate plans or who have made a significant gift to the Portland Opera Endowment. LEGACY SOCIETY MEMBERS

La Traviata (2018). Photo: Cory Weaver.

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Legacy Society Gorgeous music that captivates your soul. Incredible stories that transport you to new worlds of passion and discovery. Opera is truly the most potent of all the art forms. By including Portland Opera in your will or estate plan, you will share your love of opera with generations to come through our breathtaking mainstage productions and wide-ranging educational programs. POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

Kay and Roy Abramowitz Randa Cleaves Abramson and Jonathan Abramson Douglas and Kerry Aden Marylou W. Alberdt Kirby and Amy Allen Margaret and Scott Arighi Tremaine and Gail Arkley Stephen S. Babson ♥ Matthew R. Baines Kaaren Bedi Gilbert T. Benson♥ Blue Bickford Laura Bieber Peter J. Bilotta and Shannon M. Bromenschenkel Mrs. Robert Bitar♥ David E. Wedge ♥ Marianne Buchwalter Diane Burns and Doug Foster Ellen E. Bussing George and Lee Anne Carter Tim and Marianne Chapman Alyce R. Cheatham♥ Mary A. Clancy ♥ Richard M. and Tracey A. Clark Mrs. Maurie D. Clark♥ Craig L. Clark♥ Debi Coleman Mr. James Cox and Mrs. Brenda Nuckton Marilyn Crilley and George Rowbottom Pamela and Paul De Boni Gay Hamilton Dielschneider♥ William and Suzanne Dolan Bill and Karen Early Edna L. Holmes♥ Spencer and Jane Ehrman♥ Ruth P. Elliott♥ Jeffrey A. and Diane M. Evershed William Finlay♥

Pamela Gesme Miller and Fred B. Miller Max♥ and Suzanne Millis Susan D. Morgan, VMD Mr.♥ and Mrs. Robert H. Noyes, Jr. David and Valerie O’Brien Mrs. Janice Orloff♥ Marianne (Gerke) Ott Callie Pappas and John Winner Jane S. Partridge Dorothy and Franklin♥ Piacentini R. Ronald Roy Bruce Ramseyer Richard A. and Mary W. Raub Herbert and Helen Retzlaff♥ Esther Riley♥ Claire and George Rives♥ Catherine and Ottomar♥ Rudolf Luwayne E. Sammons♥ Lois Schnitzer Harold♥ and Arlene Schnitzer Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Schnitzer♥ Zella C. Schwartzenhauer♥ David and Karen Sly Grace Spacht♥ Eric Steinhauser and Gregg Macy Mr. and Mrs. W. T. C. Stevens Diane Syrcle Jeffrey and Jan Thede Peter and Ann van Bever Esther D. Vetterlein♥ Jean and Howard Vollum♥ Les Vuylsteke William and Patricia Wessinger♥ Benjamin and Elaine Whiteley♥ Virginia Willard and Jack Olson Margaret T. Winch♥ Susan Yamanaka Emily Zell♥ Jay and Diane Zidell Anonymous (7) ♥ In Memoriam.

CREATE YOUR OWN LEGACY

Organization Legal Name: Portland Opera Association, Inc. Mailing Address: 211 SE Caruthers St., Portland, OR 97214 Tax ID Number: 93-6034321

Portland’5 Centers for the Arts includes Keller Auditorium, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and Antoinette Hatfield Hall, comprising Newmark Theatre, Dolores Winningstad Theatre, and Brunish Theatre. All are public facilities owned by the City of Portland and managed by Metro through the Metropolitan Exposition-Recreation Commission. Each year approximately one million people attend more than 1,000 performances in these facilities.

METRO Lynn Peterson, Metro Council President

CITY OF PORTLAND Ted Wheeler, Mayor

METROPOLITAN EXPOSITIONRECREATION COMMISSION Karis Stoudamire-Phillips, Chair John Erickson, Vice Chair Deidra Krys-Rusoff, Secretary & Treasurer Damien Hall Ray Leary Dañel Malán Deanna Palm Scott Cruickshank, Visitor Venues General Manager

PORTLAND’5 CENTERS FOR THE ARTS Robyn Williams, CVE, Executive Director Allison Alfano, Director of Marketing Julie Bunker, Director of Operations TBD, Director of Education Stephanie Viegas Dias, Director of Ticket Services Brian Wilson, Director of Event Services Heather Wilton, Director of Programming & Booking Riley Hartman, pacificwild General Manager

PORTLAND’5 CENTERS FOR THE ARTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE Greg Brown Jim Brunberg Gus Castaneda, Chair Elisa Dozono Greg Heinze Heather Kmetz Antonio Lara Karl Lisle Ombrea Moore Brian Sanders Daniel A. Sullivan Richard Wattenberg Steve Wenig Portland Opera would like to give a special thanks to Emerson Scott, for being awesome.

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Contact Lacey Rowberg at 503-417-0572 or lrowberg@portlandopera.org.

COMMUNIT Y

William Michael Foster♥ Family Don C. Frisbee♥ William A. and Joyce♥ Furman Gwyneth Gamble Booth Edith V. Gautschi♥ Richard♥ and Janet Geary Michael J. Gentry Robert and Dorothy Haley Carol and John Hampton♥ Jamey Hampton and Ashley Roland Diana Harris and Gary Piercy Arland Hatfield♥ Orpha H. Hedrick♥ Susan and Richard Helzer Bill Hetzelson and Robert Trotman Douglas and Candace Higgins E. Roxie Howlett♥ Nancy Jerrick Monroe A. and Frances Jubitz♥ Judy C. Kelley Lora L. and Martin N. Kelley♥ Randy and Leslie Labbe Mark LaMalfa Violet B. Lang♥ Ghislaine Le Jeune♥ Drs. Dolores and Fernando Leon Kathleen Lewis Joanne M. Lilley Bill and Kate Lockwood Mr.♥ and Mrs. William W. Lyons Maybelle Clark Macdonald♥ Lorna MacLeod Anne Catriona MacLeod♥ Joanne♥ and Jerome Magill Susan Maltby♥ Sherrilyn S. Maltby♥ Drs. Ruth and Joseph Matarazzo Christopher Mattaliano Gail and Bill McCormick Dr. and Mrs. Louis McCraw Sir James and Lady Anne McDonald♥ Nancie S. McGraw Jackie B. Miller Mrs. Philip H. Miller♥

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YOUNG PATRON SOCIETY

Members of the Young Patron Society attend the 2019 Flora + Fauna Fall Ball After Party. Photo: Gia Goodrich.

Young Patron Society The Young Patron Society is Portland Opera’s program for young art lovers and theatregoers between the ages of 21–40.

With a donation of $100 per year, members receive discounted tickets to opera performances, plus invites to great behind-thescene events. portlandopera.org/yps

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JOIN THE SOCIETY!

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YOUNG PATRON SOCIETY MEMBERS Abby Alford Kris Anderson and Michael O’Brien Brandon Arends and Anne Sires* Sarah Bagby Clarissa Benfield Brittany Blumberg Nick Bremer and Kendra Parkin Andrew Butts and Abby Kirchem-Butts Christine Chen Alicia Coakley Bryant and Michal Conger Ellen Crivella and Daniel Jaynes Leigh Cummins and Eric Mills Erin Dawson Megha Desai* and Greg Lockwood Mandy Doherty Lawson Fite Nicole Forbes Heather Fossity Benjamin S. Goff Kendall Gourley-Paterson

Kelsey Gregory Kathryn Harden* Angelica G. Hesse Amiko Hiraiwa Riley Punya Jain Nico Galoppo and Allison Knowles Ryan and Stephanie La Pier Katherine Ledson Danielle Lee Krystal Lee Carling Leon Christine E. Lewis* Monelle Lewis Susa Lynne Nic Mayne* Victoria Meadows Elliott Menard Jen Milius and John Eisemann Ingeborg Momberg Prabu Muruganantham James. D. O’Donnell Tavis Oehley Augustina Ragwitz Andrew and Jamie Sakshaug Adam Salazar

Laura and David* Salerno Owens Sarah Sanford Kevin* and Gabe Sasse Jacob Schnur John Schulte Ashleigh Smith Sarah E. Smith Meg Stuckey Trisha SunderHollie Margaux Taylor Justine Thede Occhipinti* Brandon Triglia Kyle Tushaus Geoff Verderosa Kara Walton Katie Williams Katelyn A. Wisdom Lindsay Yousey Ilya Yusufov* AS OF JANUARY 21, 2020

* Denotes members of the Portland Opera Ambassador Board.

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PORTL AND OPER A

Portland Opera Production History 2019–20

2011–12

2002–03

1993–94

1983–84

1973–74

Madama Butterfly, Puccini An American Quartet, Menotti, Barber, Moore, Hoiby Bajazet, Vivaldi Big Night Pagliacci, Leoncavallo Three Decembers, Heggie

Big Night The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart Madame Butterfly, Puccini Galileo Galilei, Glass Candide, Bernstein

Il Trovatore, Verdi The Elixir of Love, Donizetti The Tales of Hoffmann, Offenbach A View from The Bridge, Bolcom

Carmen, Bizet Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti Man of La Mancha, Leigh Don Carlo, Verdi Die Fledermaus, J. Strauss, II

Lohengrin, Wagner Così fan tutte, Mozart Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti The Bartered Bride, Smetana

The Tales of Hoffmann, Offenbach La Bohème, Puccini Don Pasquale, Donizetti Ariadne auf Naxos, R. Strauss

Pagliacci, Leoncavallo & Carmina Burana, Orff Hansel and Gretel, Humperdinck Turandot, Puccini L’heure espagnole & L’enfant et les sortilèges, Ravel

2001–02

1992–93

La Traviata, Verdi The Pearl Fishers, Bizet Così fan tutte, Mozart The Consul, Menotti Candide, Bernstein

Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky The Elixir of Love, Donizetti Così fan tutte, Mozart La Traviata, Verdi

La Traviata, Verdi Wuthering Heights, Herrmann Girl of the Golden West, Puccini Die Fledermaus, J. Strauss, II

2009–10

2000–01

1991–92

1981–82

Winterreise, Schubert Big Night Rigoletto, Verdi Faust, Gounod La Cenerentola, Rossini Orfeo ed Euridice, Gluck

La Bohème, Puccini Orphée, Glass Così fan tutte, Mozart The Barber of Seville, Rossini Trouble in Tahiti, Bernstein, Il Ballo Delle Ingrate and Il Combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda, Monteverdi

Carmen, Bizet Otello, Verdi La Bohème, Puccini Dialogues of the Carmelites, Poulenc La Belle Hélène, Offenbach

Samson and Delilah, Saint-Saëns Falstaff, Verdi Hansel and Gretel, Humperdinck The Daughter of the Regiment, Donizetti My Fair Lady, Lowe

Rigoletto, Verdi Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky The Abduction from the Seraglio, Mozart Manon Lescaut, Puccini

1999–00

1990–91

2017

2008–09

Songs of Love and War, Monteverdi Big Night La Bohème, Puccini Man of La Mancha, Leigh Così fan tutte, Mozart The Difficulty of Crossing a Field & The Little Match Girl Passion, Lang

La Traviata, Verdi Fidelio, Beethoven The Turn of the Screw, Britten Rigoletto, Verdi La Calisto, Cavalli

Aida, Verdi Werther, Massenet Pagliacci, Leoncavallo & Carmina Burana, Orff The Cunning Little Vixen, Janácek The Mikado, Sullivan

Rigoletto, Verdi Salome, R. Strauss Manon, Massenet La Favorita, Donizetti Carousel, Rogers

2007–08

1998–99

Carmen, Bizet Cinderella, Rossini Rodelinda, Handel Aida, Verdi Albert Herring, Britten

Rigoletto, Verdi Don Pasquale, Donizetti Faust, Gounod Julius Caesar, Handel

2006–07

Don Giovanni, Mozart Roméo et Juliette, Gounod Tosca, Puccini The Love for Three Oranges, Prokofiev The Student Prince, Romberg

2018–19 La Traviata, Verdi As One, Kaminsky Big Night The Barber of Seville, Rossini La Finta Giardiniera, Mozart In the Penal Colony, Glass

2018

2016 The Magic Flute, Mozart Sweeney Todd, Sondheim Eugene Onegin, Tchaikovsky The Italian Girl in Algiers, Rossini

2014–15 Die Fledermaus, J. Strauss, II Carmen, Bizet Show Boat, Kern The Rake’s Progress, Stravinsky The Elixir of Love, Donizetti

2013–14 Big Night Salome, R. Strauss Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti Postcard from Morocco, Argento The Pirates of Penzance, Gilbert and Sullivan

Big Night Don Giovanni, Mozart Tosca, Puccini Rinaldo, Handel Falstaff, Verdi

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2012–13

POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

2010–11

Faust, Gounod The Return of Ulysses, Monteverdi Norma, Bellini The Flying Dutchman, Wagner The Magic Flute, Mozart

2005–06 Tosca, Puccini The Rape of Lucretia, Britten Macbeth, Verdi Nixon in China, Adams Don Giovanni, Mozart

2004–05 The Journey to Reims, Rossini Madame Butterfly, Puccini Street Scene, Weill The Abduction from the Seraglio, Mozart

1997–98

1996–97 Madame Butterfly, Puccini The Merchant of Venice, Hahn The Magic Flute, Mozart Pagliacci, Leoncavallo & Carmina Burana, Orff

1995–96 Turandot, Puccini Der Rosenkavalier, R. Strauss Sweeney Todd, Sondheim Jenufa, Janàcek The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart

2003–04

1994–95

The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart Turandot, Puccini Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti The Barber of Seville, Rossini

La Bohème, Puccini The Flying Dutchman, Wagner The Tales of Hoffmann, Offenbach The Barber of Seville, Rossini Porgy and Bess, Gershwin

1989–90 Aida, Verdi Faust, Gounod Don Pasquale, Donizetti Lucy’s Lapses, Drobny Show Boat, Kern

1988–89 Tosca, Puccini The Pearl Fishers, Bizet Don Giovanni, Mozart The Merry Widow, Lehàr

1987–88 Roméo et Juliette, Gounod Madame Butterfly, Puccini Andrea Chénier, Giordano The Magic Flute, Mozart

1986–87 La Bohème, Puccini Der Rosenkavalier, R. Strauss Macbeth, Verdi Porgy and Bess, Gershwin

1985–86 The Tales of Hoffmann, Offenbach Pagliacci, Leoncavallo & Gianni Schicchi, Puccini The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart Turandot, Puccini

1984–85 The Barber of Seville, Rossini Carmen, Bizet A Masked Ball, Verdi Martha, von Flotow

1982–83

1980–81 Don Giovanni, Mozart Tosca, Puccini Die Walküre, Wagner Don Pasquale, Donizetti

1979–80 Madame Butterfly, Puccini Faust, Gounod Fidelio, Beethoven Il Trovatore, Verdi

1978–79

1972–73 Carmen, Bizet Madame Butterfly, Puccini Hansel and Gretel, Humperdinck Così fan tutte, Mozart Tristan und Isolde, Wagner

1971–72 La Rondine, Puccini The Marriage of Figaro, Mozart Tosca, Puccini Der Rosenkavalier, R. Strauss

1970–71 Cavalleria Rusticana, Mascagni & Pagliacci, Leoncavallo Fidelio, Beethoven A Masked Ball, Verdi Don Giovanni, Mozart

1969–70

Norma, Bellini The Flying Dutchman, Wagner The Daughter of the Regiment, Donizetti La Bohème, Puccini

Aida, Verdi The Barber of Seville, Rossini Lucia di Lammermoor, Donizetti The Magic Flute, Mozart

1977–78

1968–69

Carmen, Bizet Elektra, R. Strauss The Magic Flute, Mozart Falstaff, Verdi

Otello, Verdi The Flying Dutchman, Wagner Manon, Massenet Il Trovatore, Verdi

1976–77 The Consul, Menotti Werther, Massenet Cinderella, Rossini Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Wagner

1967–68

1975–76

1966–67

La Traviata, Verdi Life of Orestes, Krenek The Barber of Seville, Rossini Die Fledermaus, J. Strauss, II

Faust, Gounod Tosca, Puccini Madame Butterfly, Puccini

1974–75

The Bartered Bride, Smetana The Barber of Seville, Rossini

Rigoletto, Verdi Der Freischütz, von Weber The Elixir of Love, Donizetti Salome, R. Strauss

La Bohème, Puccini La Traviata, Verdi Carmen, Bizet Rigoletto, Verdi

1965–66

1964–65 Die Fledermaus, J. Strauss, II La Bohème, Puccini

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PORTL AND OPER A

A STATEMENT TO OUR AUDIENCES Since 1964, Portland Opera has contributed to the cultural, artistic, and economic landscape of the city and region that we love. Our commitment to our audiences and community has been, and remains, vital to our work and ability to thrive. At this moment, we want to reaffirm our responsibility to this community—by presenting work that inspires our humanity and reflects our love for this art form. It is true that the stories we tell often reflect a time, place, and society of the past. The actions and attitudes of the characters we present onstage do not always represent acceptable worldviews. We believe that revisiting these works of art remains a worthy enterprise, and that they can give us a unique opportunity to face history and the past—through dialogue and collaboration.

Let us be clear: there is no place for bigotry, discrimination, harassment, hate, intolerance, or violence at Portland Opera. We remain committed to welcoming people of all abilities, ages, ethnicities, gender identities, nationalities, races, religions, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic backgrounds to Portland Opera. We believe that opera can unlock our hearts, and deepen our understanding of our shared human experience. We invite you to join us.

portlandopera.org/strategicplan

PATRON SERVICES & RESOURCES Concierge Services

Security, Food, and Beverage

Late Seating Policy

Accessibility & Interpreted Performances

Photography and Cell Phone Use

If you require wheelchair accessible and/or companion seating, or have any other hearing or vision needs, please call us to purchase tickets so that we can make sure your visit to the theatre is an excellent one.

Stop by the concierge booth in the main lobby to say hello. Our complimentary concierge services are designed to make sure your visit to Portland Opera is an enjoyable one. We can assist with opera etiquette, history, dining recommendations, directions, and more. Our concierge team can also be reached at 503-241-1802 and concierge@portlandopera.org.

Late seating is not available for Portland Opera performances, and re-entry during the performance is not permitted. Patrons arriving late or leaving the theatre during the performance will be reseated at intermission.

The use of cameras, phones, and other recording devices is prohibited during performances. We welcome you to take photos at intermission and share photos using #pdxopera and @portlandopera.

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Continue the Conversation

Before the first act, join us for a free lecture one hour before the performance. Experts and artists provide context and unique insights into the world of the opera. After the performance, join us for a post-show conversation with company and cast members about our work.

POR TL ANDOPER A .ORG

In order to ensure patron safety, security is present at all performances and all attendees must have tickets. All firearms and weapons are prohibited. Bags are subject to search. Oversized bags will not be permitted in the theatre. You may bring drinks into the theatre—as long as they are covered with lids and purchased on-site. Food is not permitted.

The performance on February 9, March 22, June 7, and July 19 will include a live audio description of the visual and physical events onstage for patrons who are blind or have low-vision. Call 503-241-1802 for more information.

Portland Opera does not typically offer ASL Interpreted performances, as each performance is accompanied by English captions.

Please note that dates, times, company, and cast members are subject to change. The Hampton Opera Center at 211 SE Caruthers St. houses our administrative, production, and rehearsal operations, as well as All Classical Portland Public Media and Friends of Chamber Music. The box office at the venue opens two hours prior to the performance. Administrative Offices: 503-241-1407 Patron Services: 503-241-1802 www.portlandopera.org Monday–Friday, 10AM–5PM

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