“ TEN YEARS
IS A SHORT TIME COMPARED TO THE 40-PLUS YEARS BLO HAS BEEN A FORCE IN THE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL OPERA COMMUNITIES… BUT IT’S BEEN A DECADE OF GROWTH, STRENGTHENING AND INNOVATION.”
Here in my tenth programming season at BLO, I’m struck by the ongoing relevance of the art form—watching over the past decade how it survives and changes, like a living thing determined to stay strong, grow and make a difference in the world. Ten years is a short time compared to the 40-plus years BLO has been a force in the regional and national opera communities, or the three centuries represented by the productions in our 2019/20 Season. But it’s been a decade of growth, strengthening and innovation.
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“ THERE’S NO BETTER TIME… TO BE PART OF THE BLO COMMUNITY.” I’m proud we can stage classics from the 18th and 19th centuries (Giulio Cesare, Norma and Pagliacci) alongside a 21st century opera (Fellow Travelers), and make them all relevant to today’s world. Like these works and their productions, our audiences have evolved and changed. At BLO now, we see more young people eager to be moved by opera’s great stories and music.
Opera’s future depends on the interest and excitement from diverse audiences and performers. We have some of the brightest and rising stars on our roster this coming Season, from the return of Elena Stikhina in the title role of Norma to Rafael Rojas and Lauren Michelle as Canio and Nedda in Pagliacci, to Wallis Giunta and Siman Chung making their BLO debuts as Sesto and Tolomeo in Giulio Cesare. We are also proud of our current and returning Jane and Steven Akin Emerging Artists, our musicians in our orchestras and chorus, and the many talents of our creative and production teams. If you’re coming back to BLO as a subscriber, thank you. It’s support like yours that makes our work possible. If you’re considering joining us for the first time, I’m delighted to welcome you. There’s no better time than this Season to be part of the BLO community. Sincerely,
Esther Nelson | Stanford Calderwood General & Artistic Director
BLO 2019/20 SEASON | 1
“ ESTHER NELSON ASKED THE BOARD TO THINK EVEN BIGGER.”
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Esther Nelson and Conductor David Angus with the orchestra for The Handmaid’s Tale.
Although the 2009/10 Season was the first with her artistic imprimatur, Esther Nelson actually took the reins at BLO in the 2008/09 Season. In that first year, amidst a deep economic recession, Esther challenged conventional thinking and asked the Board to think even bigger about a company three decades into its life. Under her guidance, BLO added a fourth production to the 2009/10 Season, a change that took us out of the theater and into the community we serve.
“ ESTHER’S COMMITMENT TO THE BEAUTY & PASSION OF THIS ART FORM MANIFESTS ITSELF IN THE EXCITING SEASON AHEAD.” The “Opera Annex” effort, as it was then known, was a stroke of creative genius that brought immediate critical acclaim and focused industry attention on BLO as a regional company with a national impact. It also prepared us for the change, several years later, when we produced all our works in different venues around the city. Soon after, Esther introduced the “Emerging Artist” initiative that has nurtured the burgeoning careers of a host of singers and musicians who have gone on to national and international careers. Her desire to link opera with other Boston institutions came to fruition as the “Signature Series” with the Museum of Fine Arts, the Boston Athenaeum, and others. And, while we celebrate all the accomplishments of Esther’s ten (plus) years at Boston Lyric Opera, it’s her vision and commitment to the beauty and passion of this art form that manifests itself most in the exciting season ahead. Please consider joining, or rejoining, us in 2019/20. This is an ambitious year coming, with exciting and diverse singers cast in four productions that span the scope of the things we do best. Warmly,
Michael J. Puzo | BLO Board Chair
2 | BLO 2019/20 SEASON
IN CELEBRATION OF STANFORD CALDERWOOD GENERAL & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ESTHER NELSON’S 10TH SEASON | #EN10
FEBRUARY 22 | 2020 | THE STATE ROOM | BOSTON FEATURING THRILLING PERFORMANCES FROM BLO ARTISTS, EXQUISITE DINING, AND AN UNPARALLELED CITY VIEW.
FOR SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION, TICKETS, OR OTHER INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT BLO AT EVENTS@BLO.ORG
ICONIC MUSIC JEALOUSY & PASSION IMMERSIVE, ONE-OF-A-KIND INSTALLATION
SEP 27 – OCT 6, 2019
Music & Libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo English translation by Bill Bankes-Jones When a traveling troupe arrives to perform in a bustling town, the secrets and jealousies among them threaten to explode onstage—with deadly consequences. BLO presents its first-ever Pagliacci through a carnival-style installation that mirrors the “play within a play” of the opera and invites audiences to step into the drama. Join us before the opera for food and festivities. Sung in English and Italian with English surtitles. This performance is recommended for ages 12+. Conductor David Angus Stage Director David Lefkowich Set Designer Julia Noulin-Mérat Costume Designer Charles Neumann Lighting Designer Pablo Santiago
FEATURING Rafael Rojas Lauren Michelle Michael Mayes Tobias Greenhalgh Omar Najmi
VENUE
DCR Steriti Memorial Rink 561 Commercial Street | Boston ENJOY FOOD & FAIRGROUNDS PRIOR TO THE OPERA! For the 8PM performances on SEP 27 | SEP 28 | OCT 2 | OCT 4: Food at 6:30PM & Fairgrounds at 7:00PM For the 3:30PM performance on OCT 6: Food at 2:00PM & Fairgrounds at 2:30PM
“BLO’S POP-UP INSTALLATIONS HAVE EMPOWERED IT TO FIND MORE CREATIVE WAYS TO PRESENT SHOWS... AND DIVERSIFY ITS AUDIENCE.” – CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR
BLO 2019/20 SEASON | 5
COVERT ROMANCE POLITICS & POWER A MODERN CLASSIC
NOV 13 – 17, 2019
An Opera by Gregory Spears Libretto by Greg Pierce Based on the 2007 novel Fellow Travelers by Thomas Mallon Amidst a backdrop of 1950s paranoia in Washington, D.C., two men are swept into a passionate love affair, just as Senator McCarthy ratchets up his hunt for “sexual subversives” in the government. Based on the best-selling book by Thomas Mallon, Fellow Travelers is both a story of the heart and a taut political thriller, creating an instant contemporary classic. Sung in English. Conductor Emily Senturia Stage Director Peter Rothstein Set Designer Sara Brown Costume Designer Trevor Bowen Lighting Designer Mary Shabatura
FEATURING Jesse Darden Jesse Blumberg Chelsea Basler James Maddalena
With Vincent Turregano, David McFerrin, Michelle Trainor, Simon Dyer
VENUE
Robert J. Orchard Stage at the Emerson Paramount Center 559 Washington Street | Boston
“MR. SPEARS DARES TO ENVELOP [THE CHARACTERS] IN RAPTUROUS MUSIC OF ALMOST CINEMATIC LUSHNESS.” – THE NEW YORK TIMES
BLO 2019/20 SEASON | 7
ANCIENT LOVE TRIANGLE VIVID, CAPTIVATING MUSIC ELECTRIFYING TITLE ROLE
MAR 13 – 22, 2020 Music by Vincenzo Bellini Libretto by Felice Romani
An ancient Druid priestess is at the heart of Bellini’s rarely-performed gem, caught between her passion for an unfaithful Roman lover and her devotion to her people. With returning star Elena Stikhina in the title role supported by BLO favorites Alfred Walker, Jonathan Burton, and Sandra Piques Eddy, this story of passion, politics, and jealousy is a vocal tour de force not to be missed. Sung in Italian with English surtitles. Conductor David Angus Stage Director Stephanie Havey Set Designer Julia Noulin-Mérat Costume Designer Charles Neumann Lighting Designer Pablo Santiago
FEATURING
Elena Stikhina Sandra Piques Eddy Jonathan Burton Alfred Walker
VENUE
Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre 219 Tremont Street | Boston
“STIKHINA’S VOICE HAS UNUSUAL ALLURE... [SHE] HAD THIS OPENING-NIGHT CROWD CHEERING LOUDLY ON ITS FEET.” – THE BOSTON GLOBE ON ELENA STIKHINA’S AMERICAN DEBUT IN BLO’S TOSCA
BLO 2019/20 SEASON | 9
CLASSIC BAROQUE GEM THRILLING VOCAL FIREWORKS A STORY FOR THE AGES
MAY 8 – 17, 2020
Julius Caesar in Egypt Music by George Frideric Handel Libretto by Nicola Francesco Haym Julius Caesar arrives to conquer Egypt— or will Cleopatra conquer him? Intrigue and passion abound in Handel’s greatest opera, which traces the epic political struggle and the transcendent love story that ignited an empire and anointed a queen. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this Baroque gem in a fully-realized, grand-scale installation that only BLO can create. Sung in Italian with English surtitles. Conductor Gary Thor Wedow Stage Director Matthew Ozawa Set Designer Julia Noulin-Mérat Costume Designer Charles Neumann Lighting Designer Pablo Santiago
FEATURING David Trudgen Jacquelyn Stucker Wallis Giunta Renée Tatum Siman Chung David McFerrin
With Gina Perregrino
VENUE
DCR Steriti Memorial Rink 561 Commercial Street | Boston
“FORGOING EXPECTED SPACES… BLO LOOKS TO CAPTURE THE ZEITGEIST...” – BOSTON HERALD
BLO 2019/20 SEASON | 11
IT’S NEVE R
BEST SEA BEST SER TS. VICE. BEST VAL UE.
BEEN A B ETTER TI ME TO
BE A BLO Season tick SUBSCRI et holders get the bes BER exchanges t seats, pay all season lo n o ng. Subscri handling fe discounts, bers receiv es a a CODA m e s p ecial benefi nd get free agazine su ts like park bscription, ing restaurant QUESTIO d e als, and mo NS? CON re! TACT OU R AUDIEN CE SERVIC ES TEAM MONDAY BOXOFFIC ! – FRIDAY E@BLO.O | 1 0 AM – 5PM RG | BLO .ORG | 6 17.542.67 72
12 | BLO 2019/20 SEASON
QUARTET
2019/20 SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS World-class opera Excellent, personal customer service Access to pre-performance discussions Free lost ticket replacement Discounts to neighborhood partners and restaurants Access to the best seats in advance of the general public Complimentary exchanges Subscription to BLO’s bi-annual magazine, CODA Invitations to special insider events No fees on additional tickets Purchase additional tickets at package rate online Flexible payment plan Seating priority for following year renewals Missed performance exchange option Free seat upgrade
TRIO
DUET
SOLO
4-OPERA PACKAGE
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SINGLE TICKETS
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a
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BLO 2019/20 SEASON | 13
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Boston Lyric Opera’s The Barber of Seville
SUBSCRIPTION PRICING
All package prices include ticket costs, any venue-related fees, and other benefits customized to your package selection.
Opening AA*
AA
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QUARTET
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TRIO
$735 $495 $420 $300 $225 $120
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* Opening Night AA Zone includes access to Opening Night Parties for all four opening performances.
S RIBER35% C S B SU UP TO SAVE IENCE AUD CALL ES AT IC SERV .6772 OR 42 5 . RG. 617 BLO.O T I S I V
14 | BLO 2019/20 SEASON
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Boston Lyric Opera’s Schoenberg in Hollywood
SEE YOURSELF AT THE OPERA
We love seeing you at the opera and we encourage you to subscribe, join our Hype Team, share your selfies and be a part of it all at Boston Lyric Opera! Tag us or use #SeeYourselfattheOpera or #EN10, our hashtag celebrating Esther Nelson’s 10th Season, to be featured on our social media this Season! Clockwise from top left: Veronica Brown (@veritobrown) posted a quick photo at The Handmaid’s Tale; Above Summit captured three friends at our annual Opera Gala; Jessica Speece (@instaspeece) posted a group photo at BLO’s The Handmaid’s Tale after party; Above Summit snapped the next two photos at our annual Opera Gala, and Brandon Cedel (@brandon1129) posted a selfie from a rehearsal for The Rape of Lucretia.
BLO.OR G
BLO 2019/20 SEASON | 15
#EN10
BEYOND THE STAGE MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR NIGHT AT THE OPERA
E-OPERA | Sign up for BLO’s e-newsletters to learn about special offers, promotions, upcoming events, along with news articles and interviews published on our blog, In the Wings. CODA | Want to delve into the world of opera? BLO Subscribers receive a complimentary subscription to CODA, the bi-annual magazine of Boston Lyric Opera.
RESTAURANTS | Visit our website for a full list of 2019/20 participating restaurant partners to enjoy dinner or drinks before or after the opera—updated throughout the Season!
ORFEO LOUNGES | BLO hosts an exclusive lounge prior to performances and during intermission at
select performances for members of our Orfeo Society, donors of $3,000 and above. For more information on the Orfeo Society, contact Sarah B. Blume at sblume@blo.org or 617.702.8974.
OPENING NIGHT PARTIES | Want to party with BLO? Join the Company for an evening of celebration as we raise a toast to the cast and creative teams on the first night of each production. PRE-PERFORMANCE TALKS & TALKBACKS | Learn more about our operas before or after our performances. These are free for all ticket holders!
16 | BLO 2019/20 SEASON
“BOSTO THE HAN N LYRIC OPERA’S STA DMA A BRILLIA ID’S TALE] REVEA GING [OF LS IT TO B NT E SHOULD , BRUTAL OPERA, ONE THA BE TAKEN IT IS, THO T UP WIDE U L G Y . H E , V I E DOUBT T DONE AS HAT IT W N IF POWERF IL ULLY. L BE FOR THE THIS IS A TRIUMP H BOSTON – THE NE C W YORK T O M P A IMES ON NY.” BLO’S TH E HANDMA ID’S TALE
BLO 2019/20 SEASON | 17
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Boston Lyric Opera’s The Handmaid’s Tale
NONPROFIT US POSTAGE
PAID
11 Avenue de Lafayette Boston, MA 02111-1736
HOLLISTON, MA PERMIT NO. 72
“ [ESTHER] NELSON AND THE COMPANY ARE AHEAD OF THE CURVE…” – THE NEW YORK TIMES
IN CELEBRATION OF STANFORD CALDERWOOD GENERAL & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ESTHER NELSON’S 10TH SEASON | #EN10
PAGLIACCI
SEP 27 – OCT 6 | 2019
FELLOW TRAVELERS NOV 13 – 17 | 2019
MAR 13 – 22 | 2020
GIULIO CESARE MAY 8 – 17 | 2020
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liza voll photography | season composite graphics by leapfrog arts | graphics: istock
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