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Contents The Program Program Notes The Barber of Seville Synopsis
6 Dirty Sugar Photography
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March 2012
Company Artistic Staff
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Backstage by Paul Adler Performance Information Playbill’s Guide to Boston Theater Playbill’s Guide to Dining and Entertainment Dining Out: Locke-Ober
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“The mortgage process was a pleasure. We could not ask for better treatment.” B I L L B R AT T O N
RIKKI KLIEMAN
Chairman Kroll (An Altegrity Company)
Television Legal Analyst, Attorney, Author
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Back stage Behind the scenes in local and national theater
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by Paul Adler
A PAIR OF ACES: SpeakEasy Stage Company honors local stage legend Paula Plum (left) and Tony Award-winning actress Alice Ripley (Next to Normal) at its annual gala fundraiser on March 27.
A Season of Galas Over the next month, three galas take place in and around Boston, celebrating a number of exceptional individuals and raising money for some extremely worthy causes. First is the Theatre Offensive’s annual fundraiser, ClimACTS!, whose proceeds support creative programs for lesbian, gay and bisexual youth and adults, as well as their allies in Boston neighborhoods. Taking place on March 16 at Guilt Nightclub with the theme “Guilty Pleasures,” the benefit features a charity auction as well as spirited entertainment from actor/comedian Alec Mapa of “Ugly Betty” fame and Boston Ballet’s JbDubs. SpeakEasy Stage Company holds its own 21st Annual Benefit Gala and Silent Auction
on March 27 at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel. Tony Award-winning actress Alice Ripley and acclaimed Boston stage veteran Paula Plum will be honored during this ceremony, which includes a cocktail hour, dinner, auction and performance by Alice Ripley joined by SpeakEasy favorites from the past. 6
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Finally, Huntington Theatre Company hosts its Spotlight Spectacular on April 2 at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel and Towers. Hosted by Tony Award-winner Anna Gleason, the Spectacular will feature a dinner, entertainment and a tribute to the Huntington’s 30-year managing director, Michael Maso. Proceeds from the event will help to support the theater’s celebrated youth, education and community initiatives, which reach more than 25,000 people annually.
Tweets Invade the Boston Stage A number of Boston theaters have begun offering or are considering seats where audience members can tweet to their heart’s content. The Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Central Square Theater, Lowell Memorial Auditorium and the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts have all taken steps to establish “Tweet Seats” according to The Boston Globe. Theaters are hoping that by allowing audience members to tweet during shows they will draw increased attention to performances and further publicity for their programming. www.playbill.com
Backstage This has raised the hackles of number of those in the Boston arts community. With some venues already instituting these new seats, however, theatergoers will likely have to tolerate the persistent glow of cellular phones for the foreseeable future.
Basketball Rivalry Hits Broadway On February 20, rehearsals began for a play few imagined would ever make it to the stage. Writer Eric Simonson’s legendary rivals are not Shakespearean adversaries, but NBA superstars Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, played by Tug Coker and Kevin Daniels, respectively. Directed by Tony Award-nominee Thomas Kail, Magic/Bird casts a new light on two of the greatest athletes in sports history as they vie for victory on and off the court.
In an interview for Playbill.com, Earvin “Magic” Johnson mused, “Who would have ever dreamt that we would be on Broadway with a play about our lives? It’s great to have the NBA as one of our partners, as well, so everybody is working together to make sure it comes off right.” Currently scheduled for an April 11 opening at Broadway’s Longacre Theatre, this unique production just might bounce to Boston if it meets a warm reception.
Keep up with the latest theater news, even when you’re not at the theater! Scan here to sign up for our new monthly Backstage e-newsletter.
WHAT’S ON STAGE in March Our picks for the hottest plays and musicals on local stages this month NEXT TO NORMAL SPEAKEASY STAGE COMPANY March 9–April 7 Winner of the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and three Tony Awards, Next to Normal tells the emotional tale of a suburban family attempting to cope with the devastating effects of mental illness. Soaring musical numbers and intense, elegantly written dialogue illuminate the struggles and highlight the victories that are possible wherever there is hope. Refer to listing, page 35. FUTURITY: A MUSICAL BY THE LISPS AMERICAN REPERTORY THEATER March 16–April 15 This inspired sci-fi musical by Brooklyn-based indie band The Lisps tells the story of Union soldier Julian Munroe and his brilliant cohort
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Ada Lovelace as they create an omnipotent steam-powered brain in 19th-century Virginia. Set against the background of the Civil War, Futurity blends folk, blues and rock music with surreal dreams of utopian grandeur. Refer to listing, page 34. LES MISÉRABLES BOSTON OPERA HOUSE March 13–April 1 Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel makes its triumphant return to the Boston stage in this new 25th anniversary production. Winner of Tony and Olivier awards, Les Misérables relates the heartbreaking and redemptive tale of Jean Valjean in 19th century France, and is one of the all-time musical masterpieces. Refer to listing, page 32.
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE
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FROM THE GENERAL & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Dear Friends, Welcome to The Barber of Seville. Rossini’s beloved comic masterpiece is one of the most entertaining and sparkling works in the operatic repertory. I’m delighted to bring this elegant and charming interpretation to Boston as spring approaches and we begin the second half of our exciting 35th Anniversary Season. We’ve assembled an extraordinary cast of singers for The Barber of Seville—many of whom are making their BLO debuts. Soprano Sarah Coburn, fresh from her debut at the Vienna Staatsoper, leads us on an effervescent adventure towards true love as the rebellious Rosina. Tenor John Tessier makes his BLO debut as Count Almaviva; you may have seen John in his Boston Symphony Orchestra debut last month performing Mendelssohn’s Lobgesang. Internationally acclaimed stage director Doug Varone, whose work reaches beyond opera to theater, fashion, film, television and dance, has brought a dynamic and unique perspective to this classic, cherished production. We very recently announced the repertoire for BLO’s upcoming 2012/2013 Season—an exhilarating new season of opera re-imagined, restudied and reinvigorated. All three of our mainstage productions will feature our own new productions and designs by 2011 National Endowment for the Arts Opera Honors recipient John Conklin. We’ll also continue our critically acclaimed Opera Annex series with the U.S. premiere of James MacMillan’s Clemency, a BLO co-commission with the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Scottish Opera and the Britten Sinfonia, performed in the striking Artists For Humanity EpiCenter in South Boston. Before that, I encourage you to join us for the final production of our 2011/2012 Season— John Musto’s witty Italian farce, The Inspector, opening April 20th. I look forward to greeting you in the theater.
Esther Nelson General & Artistic Director
“I have cried three times in my life: once at the fiasco of the opening night of Barber; the second when I heard (Adelina) Patti sing for the first time and once when I, while on a picnic cruise, inadvertently tipped a truffle-stuffed turkey into Lake Como.”
Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) 8
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You can’t miss our tour guide. She’s the one in the red dress. Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Jacqueline Kennedy’s Emmy™ awardwinning White House Tour. Every day.
THE JFK PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY & MUSEUM COLUMBIA POINT BOSTON
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BOSTON LYRIC OPERA BOARD As part of the greater Boston community, Boston Lyric Opera takes special pride in offering a broad variety of opera and cultural programs to life-long learners. We are able to offer low- and no-cost experiences to all through the support of our patrons. While these generous individuals and institutions are recognized on our donor roster that follows (and also in our Season Finale available at blo.org/support and by request to donorservices@blo.org), we want to call your attention to the specific programs under the Opera Access umbrella, highlighting especially our annual Open House, coming up April 28 here at the Shubert Theatre. We hope you and your family will join us not only there, but all over the city as we partner with Boston Landmarks Orchestra, OPERA America, Artists For Humanity, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, the Boston Public Library, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and Wheelock Family Theatre, among others, to create multiple pathways to opera and encourage greater participation. Whether new to opera or expert, our programs aim to enrich, deepen and provide greater context beyond today’s performance in the Shubert. Join us! Steven P. Akin Chairman, Board of Directors CHAIR
Steven P. Akin VICE-CHAIR
Frank Wisneski CLERK
TREASURER
Catherine E. Grein
J. Stephanie Giacalone
GENERAL & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Esther Nelson
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Steven P. Akin Jane Akin David B. Arnold, Jr. Linda Cabot Black Miguel de Bragança Wayne Davis JoAnne Walton Dickinson, Esq. Alan Roy Dynner Susan D. Eastman Kenneth L. Freed J. Stephanie Giacalone Thomas D. Gill, Jr.
Shirley B. Perry William Pounds Alicia Cooney Quigley David W. Scudder Michael Shanahan Susan R. Shapiro Ray Stata Wat Tyler Frank Wisneski Christopher R. Yens Tania Zouikin
Catherine E. Grein Anneliese M. Henderson Mimi Hewlett Horace H. Irvine II Susan W. Jacobs Maria J. Krokidas Stephen T. Kunian Lois A. Lampson Abigail B. Mason Richard Olney III A. Neil Pappalardo E. Lee Perry
BOARD OF OVERSEERS CHAIR
VICE-CHAIR
Willa Bodman Ann M. Beha Willa Bodman Richard M. Burnes, Jr. Ellen Cabot Carol Deane Christian Draz Lila Berman Gross Amy Hunter
Lawrence St. Clair
Louise Johnson Ellen Kaplan Amelia Welt Katzen William T. Kennedy M. Lynne Markus Jeffrey Marshall Shari Noe Jane Pisciottoli Papa
Irving H. Plotkin Susanne Potts Michael J. Puzo Wendy Shattuck Lawrence St. Clair Deborah Swenson Sandra A. Urie Peter J. Wender
EMERITI J. P. Barger 10
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Sherif A. Nada www.playbill.com
BOSTON LYRIC OPERA presents
Music by by Gioachino Rossini, Libretto by Cesare Sterbini Sung in Italian, with projected English translation.
Performances: March 9, 11m, 14, 16, 18m, 2012 The Citi Performing Arts CenterSM Shubert Theatre, 265 Tremont Street, Boston
This production is made possible through the support of Horace H. Irvine II Paul and Sandra Montrone Conductor David Angus Sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Ray Stata Stage Director Doug Varone* Sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Ray Stata Set Designer Allen Moyer
Costume Designer James Scott*
Wig and Makeup Designer Jason Allen
Lighting Designer Paul Palazzo Projected English Titles Kelley Rourke
with Figaro Jonathan Beyer* Sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Miguel de Bragança Rosina Sarah Coburn* Sponsored by E. Lee and Slocumb Hollis Perry Count Almaviva John Tessier* Sponsored by Katie and Paul Buttenwieser Institutional Partners
Boston Lyric Opera’s programs are funded, in part, by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. 12
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THE CAST (in order of vocal appearance)
Fiorello Count Almaviva Figaro Dr. Bartolo Rosina Basilio Berta An Officer
Gregory Gerbrandt John Tessier* Jonathan Beyer* Steven Condy* Sarah Coburn* David Cushing# Judith Christin* Gregory Zavracky*
with
Ambrogio A Notary Rehearsal Coach/Accompanist Assistant Director Production Stage Manager
Domenico Mastrototaro Jesse Martin Allen Perriello# Nicole Tongue* Karen Oberthal
Boston Lyric Opera Orchestra Concert Mistress: Sandra Kott Boston Lyric Opera Chorus Chorus Master: Michelle Alexander Scenery and Properties provided by Minnesota Opera Costumes provided by Washington National Opera * signifies Boston Lyric Opera debut # signifies Boston Lyric Opera Emerging Artist
Opera Access It is BLO’s aspiration to transform opera from an art form seen as a cultural option for a few—to music and stories that can captivate people of all backgrounds and ages. The Company offers programs to create multiple pathways to opera and access to low- and nocost experiences, to encourage greater participation. BLO thanks its supporters for making these programs possible: Bank of America, Linda Cabot Black*, Calderwood Charitable Foundation, Cabot Family Charitable Trust, Gerard and Sherryl Cohen*, Lynn Dale and Frank Wisneski*, Draper Laboratory, Judith K. Marquis and Keith F. Nelson*, National Endowment for the Arts, OPERA America, Janet and Irv Plotkin*, William and Helen Pounds*, Sovereign Bank, BLO’s Vision Fund and the Envision Opera Challenge. The BLO Bunch Student Subscriptions
Opera Night at the Boston Public Library
Hatch Shell Concert on the Esplanade in collaboration
Role Studies with Boston University’s Opera Institute
with Boston Landmarks Orchestra
Signature Series at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Music! Words! Opera! (K–12) with OPERA America
Student Dress Rehearsal Pass Program
Open House at the Shubert Theatre
Vacation Week Institutes with Wheelock Family Theatre
Opera Annex, with the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum
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* Signature Series sponsors
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 13
BOSTON LYRIC OPERA ORCHESTRA Concert Mistress: Sandra Kott
VIOLIN I Sandra Kott* Colin Davis Sue Rabut Natalie Favaloro Gerald Mordis Pattison Story Peter Hanly Lena Wong VIOLIN II Jodie Hagen** Robert Curtis Stacey Alden Cynthia Cummings Rohan Gregory Susan Carrai
VIOLA Kenneth Stalberg* David Feltner Donna Jerome Abigail Cross Don Krishnaswami CELLO Alexei Gonzales* Mark Simcox Jan Pfeiffer-Rios Melanie Dyball BASS Robert Lynam* Barry Boettger
FLUTE/PICCOLO Linda Toote* Iva Milch
FRENCH HORN John Boden** Dirk Hillyer
OBOE Andrew Price**
TRUMPET Bruce Hall* Jesse Levine
CLARINET Jan Halloran* Karen Heninger BASSOON Ronald Haroutunian** Elah Grandel
PERCUSSION Jeffrey Fischer* FORTEPIANO Allen Perriello * Principal ** Acting Principal
BOSTON LYRIC OPERA CHORUS Chorus Master: Michelle Alexander
TENOR Mario Arévalo Craig Hanson Frank Levar
Thomas Oesterling Fred VanNess, Jr. Isaac Yager
BASS RaShaun Campbell Jonathan Cole Carlton Doctor
Taylor Horner Christiaan Smith-Kotlarek Paul C. Soper
SUPERNUMERARIES Sean Paul Cormier
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Kurt Hakansson
Domenico Mastrototaro
Jesse Martin
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BOSTON CULTURAL ICONS SERIES Join North Hill in celebration of arts and culture with the Boston Cultural Icons Series, a closer look at the people, institutions and history of The City on the Hill.
THE SERIES LAUNCHES WITH: Trevor Fairbrother, author of John Singer Sargent:The Sensualist Tuesday, April 24th | 10am - Noon The Coolidge Corner Theatre - Brookline, MA TO LEARN LEARN MORE ABOUT ABOUT OUR COURSES EVENTS : COURSES AND EVENTS:
Visit www.TrueNorthEvolution.org/BOpera email RSVP@NorthHill.org or call 781-433-6400
NORTH HILL INNOVATIVE LIVING FOR PEOPLE 65+
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PROGRAM NOTES MUSIC DIRECTOR’S NOTES by David Angus Rossini’s Barber of Seville is clearly one of the most popular operas in the repertoire but, strangely, also one of the most undervalued. Both the story and the music seem to be much lighter than its sequel, The Marriage of Figaro (even though that was written 30 years earlier), and Barber is often viewed as purely entertainment at pantomime level. However, this is a very superficial view, which would only be justified by a very superficial performance. In fact this work is an absolute jewel, the masterwork by the leading opera composer in Italy at the time. It is crammed with perfectly judged and exquisitely designed details that bring every moment to life, and there are very few operas that can give so much pleasure to both performers and audiences. Whether this is your first Barber or you have seen it countless times, please spare an ear for the orchestra and notice all the details of color and articulation that litter the score on every page. For this period of composition, there is an amazing amount of detail in the composer’s instructions. When you think that he wrote it in 18 days, it becomes literally incredible; I don’t think I could copy out the score in 18 days, let alone create it from scratch. The strings use every color available, particularly the squeaky “ponticello” effect where they play with the bow very near the bridge, and the winds put in the wittiest counter melodies and comment with little phrases that answer the singers. He also makes great technical demands on all the players, with extremely fast music for the whole orchestra, many very fast repeated notes for the wind players, all to be played with the greatest of elegance and precision. This music is just as exposed as Mozart’s but often requires even more virtuosic playing. For the recitatives we decided to use a fortepiano, which is very probably what Rossini would have used. For many years a harpsichord was the preferred instrument, 16
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but that could not sustain the sound for long, so a cello was also needed to hold the bass notes and keep the harmony clear. With a fortepiano each note could be as loud or soft as wanted, more sustained, and much more expressive and flexible because it is played alone and does not have to stick to prearranged music. Listen to our player, Allen Perriello, who will improvise patterns to match whatever is happening on stage, just like the pianists who accompanied the silent movies. He is given the basic harmonies for the singers, but can play whatever he likes around that plan, including references to themes in other parts of the opera—or even other operas such as Mozart’s Figaro! The singers are given wonderful melodies to sing, but are expected to ornament them, within reason; there is a famous story that a soprano sang one of the arias to Rossini and it was so over-ornamented that he sarcastically said “lovely song—who wrote it?” One of my jobs, when rehearsing with the singers, is to sort out the ornamentation so that it suits each singer but also that they match each other and, particularly, do not obscure the melodies that are often already complex and showy. There are many great moments in the score, but my favorites are the big ensembles—the finale to act 1, and the quintet in act 2 when they are trying to get rid of Don Basilio. There are many changes of music and multiple levels of the chaotic story as the action moves forward rapidly, and my job is to integrate all this by connecting the tempi and balancing the voices and orchestra, keeping the energy flowing without killing the singers and players! If you already know this piece, please let that be a reason to notice even more detail in the performance, rather than to take anything for granted. Even though you will only see the back of my head, I am sure you will sense that this most delightful of operas is keeping me smiling with such pleasure all evening! www.playbill.com
announcing the 2012/2013 season New Productions MADAMA BUTTERFLY COSÌ FAN TUTTE THE FLYING DUTCHMAN BLO Opera Annex
CLEMENCY
Yunnah Lee in Madama Butterfly, 2010
Wee aare W re pleased pleased to to announce announce BLO’s BLO’s exciting exciting 2012/13 sseason, eason, ffea featuring eaturing fo four ur new n ew p productions roductions including including tthe he U USS premiere premiere of of a B BLO LO cco-commission. o-commission. O nly Su bscribers aand nd P atrons have have access access tto o ttickets ickets aatt tthis his ttime. ime. B ure Only Subscribers Patrons Bee ssure tto ob ecome a Su bscriber today—or today—or renew renew yyour re our ssubscription—to ubscription—to se cure become Subscriber secure sseats eats to tthis his rremarkable emarkable season. season.
617.542.6772 | b boxoffice@blo.org oxoffice@blo.org | blo.org blo.org
SYNOPSIS ACT 1
ACT 2
Count Almaviva has fallen in love with Rosina from afar. He attempts to serenade her but there is no response. He calls upon the help of the local factotum—Figaro— who, for a bit of cash, accepts the offer and informs the Count that Rosina is the ward of Dr. Bartolo who keeps her a virtual prisoner…and indeed wants to marry her for her considerable inheritance. Under Figaro’s guidance, the Count attempts another serenade now calling himself “Lindoro,” a poor student. This time, Rosina appears but any contact is thwarted by Bartolo. Figaro comes up with a new plan—Almaviva will gain entrance to Bartolo’s by the disguise of a soldier billeted to the Doctor. Rosina has, in turn, fallen in love with her unknown admirer but Bartolo, suspicious, decides to marry Rosina at once. Don Basilio, voice teacher to Rosina, only adds to his unease telling him of Almaviva’s rivalry. But Figaro has overheard and he and Rosina do some plotting of their own. As planned, the Count arrives as a (drunken) soldier. A mighty row ensues finally bringing in the police.
New day—new plot. The Count now turns up as Don Alonso, a voice teacher, substituting for the supposedly sick Don Basilio. The lesson begins and suddenly Don Basilio unexpectedly appears; Figaro has to bribe him to feign illness. The lovers plan their elopement but Bartolo overhears and sends the Count and Figaro packing while persuading Rosina to believe that Lindoro is an agent of Almaviva who is after her only for her money. She agrees to marry Bartolo. When Figaro and the Count sneak in for the planned escape, she accuses them of betrayal but when Almaviva finally reveals his true identity, all is reconciled. Bartolo arrives too late and has no choice but to accept the happy resolution.
“I love Italian opera—it’s so reckless. Damn Wagner, and his bellowings at Fate and Death. Damn Debussy, and his averted face. I like the Italians like Rossini who run all on impulse; don’t care a damn about their immortal souls, and don’t worry about the ultimate.” D.H. Lawrence (1913) 18
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ARTISTS DAVID ANGUS MUSIC DIRECTOR/CONDUCTOR (LONDON, ENGLAND) BLO: The Lighthouse, 2012; Macbeth, 2011; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2011; Idomeneo, 2010. Recent highlights: Carmen and Later the Same Evening (Musto), Glimmerglass Festival; Britten’s Les Illuminations, Cooperstown; concerts, London Philharmonic. Upcoming: The Inspector, BLO; Dvořák Requiem, Dartington International Summer School; Wexford Festival. JONATHAN BEYER* FIGARO BARITONE (PHILADELPHIA, PA) Recent highlights: Escamillo, Carmen, Opera Company of Philadelphia; Wagner Faust, Metropolitan Opera; Ramiro, L’Heure Espagnole, Frankfurt Opera; Stravinksy’s Canticum Sacrum, American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall; recital, Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert. Upcoming: Count, Le nozze di Figaro, Fort Worth Opera and Austin Lyric Opera; Schaunard, La bohème, Munich; Marcello, La bohème, Dallas Opera. JUDITH CHRISTIN* BERTA MEZZO-SOPRANO (DENVER, CO) Recent highlights: Peter Grimes, Norwegian National Opera; A Quiet Place, New York City Opera; La Fille du régiment, PORTOpera, Maine.
SARAH COBURN* ROSINA SOPRANO (TULSA, OK) Recent highlights: title role, Lucia di Lammermoor, Washington National Opera; Amina, La sonnambula, Vienna Staatsoper; Gilda, Rigoletto, Opéra de Montréal. Upcoming: Juliette, Romeo et Juliette, Florida Grand Opera. STEVEN CONDY* DR. BARTOLO BARITONE (LEVITTOWN, PA) Recent highlights: Dr. Bartolo, The Barber of Seville, Opera on the James; title role, Falstaff, Utah Opera; Major General Stanley, The Pirates of Penzance, Arizona Opera; Sacristan, Tosca, Houston Grand Opera; Dr. Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, Opera Birmingham; title role, Don Pasquale, Opera New Jersey. Upcoming: Don Magnifico, Cenerentola, Madison Opera; Dr. Bartolo, The Barber of Seville, Houston Grand Opera’s “Opera in the Park.” DAVID CUSHING# BASILIO BASS-BARITONE (MILFORD, MA) BLO: Arthur/Officer 3, The Lighthouse, 2012; A Doctor, Macbeth, 2011; Lesbo, Agrippina, 2011; Truffaldino, Ariadne auf Naxos, 2010. Recent highlights: Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, Opera North; Sulpice, La Fille du régiment, Opera Idaho; Leporello, Don Giovanni, Syracuse Opera; Dr. Bartolo, The Barber of Seville and Colline, La bohème, Baltimore Concert Opera. Upcoming: Adolfo, The Inspector, BLO; Dr. Dulcamara, L’elisir d’amore, Opera North.
[Barber] “The best comic opera ever written” G. Verdi (1898)
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ARTISTS GREGORY GERBRANDT FIORELLO BARITONE (BALTIMORE, MD) BLO: Morales, Carmen, 2009. Recent highlights: Enrico, Lucia de Lammermoor, Hawaii Opera Theatre; Marcello, La bohème, Crested Butte Music Festival; Jim, The Gift of the Magi, Hidden Valley Music Seminars; soloist, Model Love (world premiere), American Opera Projects. Upcoming: Marcello, La bohème, Swiss Global (India/UAE); Figaro, The Barber of Seville, Fort Collins Opera; Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer, Greely Philharmonic Orchestra. ALLEN MOYER SET DESIGNER (SCHUYLKILL HAVEN, PA) BLO: Abduction from the Seraglio, 2008; L’elisir d’amore, 2008; Un ballo in maschera, 2007; Lucia di Lammermoor, 2005; Rigoletto, 2003; Don Pasquale, 2002. Recent highlights: Lysistrata Jones, Broadway; Werther, Minnesota Opera; Giant, Dallas Theatre Center; The Death of Klinghoffer, Opera Theatre of St. Louis; sets and costumes for The Last Savage, Santa Fe Opera. Upcoming: Alice in Wonderland, Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Die Fledermaus, Canadian Opera Company; The Lyons, Broadway. PAUL PALAZZO LIGHTING DESIGNER (BROOKLYN, NY) BLO: Abduction from the Seraglio, 2008; L’elisir d’amore, 2008; Eugene Onegin, 2005; Rigoletto, 2003; Carmen on the Common, 2002.
JAMES SCOTT* COSTUME DESIGNER (BALTIMORE, MD) Recent highlights: The Miracle Worker, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis; A Christmas Carol, Great Lakes Theater Festival; Tomás Verner, Olympic Figure Skater. Upcoming: 2012 World Figure Skating Championships. JOHN TESSIER* COUNT ALMAVIVA TENOR (ESQUESING TOWNSHIP, CANADA) Recent highlights: Steuermann, Der fliegende Holländer, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Ferrando, Così fan tutte, Minnesota Opera; Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni, Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires; Tamino, Die Zauberflöte, Seattle Opera; Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville, Grand Théâtre de Genève. Upcoming: John F. Kennedy, Robin Raff’s Waiting for Miss Monroe, Netherlands Opera (world premiere); Jacquino, Fidelio, Seattle Opera; Tamino, Die Zauberflöte, Vancouver Opera. DOUG VARONE* STAGE DIRECTOR (NEW YORK, NY) Recent highlights: Centerentola, Minnesota Opera; Orfée et Eurydice, Palm Beach Opera; Salome, Metropolitan Opera; Faust, Minnesota Opera; Sleeping Beauty Wakes, La Jolla Playhouse; Dense Terrain, Brooklyn Academy of Music. Upcoming: Les Troyens, Metropolitan Opera. * Boston Lyric Opera debut # BLO Emerging Artist
“Above all, make more Barbers.” Beethoven (1822) to the thirty-year old Rossini
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CORPORATE, FOUNDATION AND GOVERNMENT SUPPORT Boston Lyric Opera gratefully acknowledges the following organizations for their support during the 2011/2012 Season. Their generous in-kind and monetary donations provide invaluable support for BLO’s productions and programs. This list includes contributions and pledges made through February 10, 2012.
CRESCENDO MEMBERS ($100,000 and above) The Calderwood Charitable Foundation✢
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
VIVACE MEMBERS ($33,333 to $66,665) Citi Performing Arts CenterSM Massachusetts Cultural Council
Mattina R. Proctor Foundation✢
PRESTO MEMBERS ($25,000 to $33,332) Wallace Minot Leonard Foundation#✢
National Endowment for the Arts✢
ALLEGRO MEMBERS ($10,000 to $24,999) Harold Alfond Foundation, in honor of Steven Akin✢ Bank of America✢ Baupost Group, L.L.C.✢ Boston Private Bank & Trust Company Cabot Family Charitable Trust✢
Meditech✢ OPERA America✢ Susan A. Babson Opera Fund for Emerging Artists part of the Paul and Edith Babson Foundation
ADAGIO MEMBERS ($5,000 to $9,999) Grossman Marketing Group Northern Trust✢
Sovereign Bank
GRAZIOSO MEMBERS ($3,000 to $4,999) The Catered Affair Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation
Johnson Controls, Inc.✢
BRAVISSIMO MEMBERS ($1,500 to $2,999) Alexander, Aronson, Finning & Co., in memory of Charles M. Jacobs Anchor Capital Advisors✢ Bank of New York Mellon Biogen Idec Foundation Cabot Corporation
Charles River Associates Draper Laboratory Eli Lilly and Company Foundation Endurance Metro Meeting Centers
✢
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Envision Opera Challenge Supporter # Lyric Circle member
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 21
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN
YOU HAVEN’T SEEN BOSTON.
• At the request of our patrons, Boston Lyric Opera observes the national opera standard of a No Late Seating Policy. While we understand that traffic conditions, public transportation, or weather can have unexpected effects on your arrival, we wish to minimize disruptions for our seated patrons and for our artists onstage. Latecomers will be asked to wait in the lobby until the earliest possible break in the performance, which in some cases may not be until the intermission. Should you arrive late, the Company provides a video monitor in the lobby where you may watch the performance until you are seated. • Patrons who leave the theatre during the performance may not be seated again until intermission. • The use of cameras and recording devices in this theatre is strictly prohibited. • Please turn off the electronic signal on your watch, pager or cellular phone during the performance. • In consideration of Boston Lyric Opera patrons, children under six will not be admitted.
CHARLES PLAYHOUSE BLUEMAN.COM
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• The Citi Performing Arts CenterSM Shubert Theatre is not completely wheelchair accessible. For patrons with disabilities, wheelchair accessible and companion seating, as well as removable arm chairs in a variety of prices and locations on the Orchestra level are available. There is no elevator in the Shubert Theatre. There are steps to the Mezzanine and Balcony level. A wheelchair-accessible bathroom and concession stand are located just off the main lobby. A wheelchair-accessible telephone is located in the box office lobby. The Shubert Theatre is equipped with an FM assistive listening device for use by patrons who are hard of hearing. Headsets are available free of charge at the Head Usher’s desk. A pay-TTY device for use by deaf patrons is located in the box office lobby. • Patrons requiring assistance should contact the Citi Performing Arts CenterSM in advance of their visit. Please call 617.482.9393 or 617.482.5757 (TTY). Patrons who are deaf are encouraged to use the Massachusetts Relay Service at 800.439.2370 for purchasing tickets to BLO productions. Please direct inquiries and requests for ADA guidelines to: Access Services Administrator, The Citi Performing Arts Center, 270 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02116.
TICKET INFORMATION Single tickets for The Barber of Seville are available exclusively through blo.org, at 866.348.9738 (TTY 888.889.8587), and at the Citi Performing Arts CenterSM Box Office, Tuesday–Saturday, noon–6 pm. For information, visit blo.org.
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“Over the past seven years Boston Lyric Opera has become an integral part of our family’s musical life. We have loved introducing our three daughters to opera through BLO’s productions and outreach programs. Great opera, like other great art, has the power to bridge time, place and generations.” —Elaine and Eric Bucher; BLO subscribers, Orfeo Society and Lyric Circle members, and Envision Opera Challenge supporters
Photo by Erik Jacobs at the Frog Pond 2012
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It’s your BLO.
You make opera happen.
To read more BLO stories and submit your own story, visit blo.org/yourblo.
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INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT Boston Lyric Opera gratefully acknowledges the generous donors to the 2011/2012 Season Annual Fund who contribute more than 75% of the Company’s annual operating revenue. Their support brings The Barber of Seville to life today, provides education and community programs and ensures the future of the art form. This list includes gifts and pledges made to the Annual Fund, restricted funds and event sponsorships through February 10, 2012. Special thanks in Year 2 of BLO’s 4 Year $4 million Envision Opera Challenge to the anonymous family foundation whose $1 million gift launched the Challenge. We recognize below donors to the Challenge this season. We encourage all donors to consider a qualifying gift for the Challenge this year (ending June 30, 2012). Gifts support our Opera Annex, new productions, and new works now through the 2013/2014 Season. To learn more, visit blo.org/envisionopera or call 617.542.4912 x228.
CRESCENDO MEMBERS ($100,000 and above) Anonymous✢ Jane and Steven Akin# Linda Cabot Black#
Jody and Tom Gill# Horace H. Irvine II# Paul and Sandra Montrone#✢
David and Marie Louise Scudder# Wendy Shattuck and Samuel Plimpton#
FIORITURA MEMBERS ($66,666 to $99,999) Mr. and Mrs. Miguel de Bragança Ms. Pamela Kunkemueller#✢
Ms. C. Beverly Lotow§✢ E. Lee and Slocumb Hollis Perry#
Susan R. and L. Dennis Shapiro
VIVACE MEMBERS ($33,333 TO $66,665) Willa and Taylor Bodman✢ Gerard and Sherryl Cohen#✢ Ted Cutler Wayne Davis and Ann Merrifield#✢ Mr. Alan R. Dynner Susan W. Jacobs#
Butler and Lois Lampson Ms. Abigail Mason# Mr. and Mrs. Richard Olney III Mr. and Mrs. Neil Pappalardo✢ William and Helen Pounds✢
PRESTO MEMBERS ($25,000 to $33,332) Nonnie and Rick Burnes# Katie and Paul Buttenwieser# Fay Chandler
Karen Johansen and Gardner Hendrie Mr. and Mrs. Amos B. Hostetter, Jr.
Alicia Cooney Quigley and Stephen Quigley Mr. and Mrs. Ray Stata#✢ Faith and Joseph W. Tiberio Foundation#
Mr. and Mrs. Wat H. Tyler# Lynn Dale and Frank Wisneski# Ms. Tania Zouikin
ALLEGRO MEMBERS ($10,000 to $24,999) Anonymous Sam and Nancy Altschuler Dorothy and David Arnold# Jim and Chris Barker Ms. Ann Beha and Mr. Robert A. Radloff✢ Timothy and Rebecca Blodgett Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Blumenthal✢ Dr. Charles C. Dickinson III and JoAnne Walton Dickinson Christian Courtney Draz# Robert and Susan Eastman#
Mr. Kenneth L. Freed Ms. J. Stephanie Giacalone# Mr. and Mrs. Frederick H. Grein, Jr. Tom and Anneliese Henderson# Mimi and Roger Hewlett Diane and Mitchell Jacobs Ellen and Robert S. Kaplan# Ms. Amelia Katzen# Maria Krokidas and Bruce Bullen#✢ Stephen and Lois Kunian# Karen and George Levy Dr. Maura McGrane
Anne M. Morgan Shirley and Kenneth Perry John and Susanne Potts# Mr. and Mrs. Michael Puzo✢ Rona and Arthur Rosenbaum✢ Mr. Michael Shanahan# Sandra A. Urie and Frank F. Herron#✢ Mrs. Henry W. Wyman Temple V. Gill and Christopher R. Yens
ADAGIO MEMBERS ($5,000 TO $9,999) Anonymous Ms. Joan Bok Mr. and Mrs. John M. Bradley Dr. and Mrs. Eric Bucher#✢ Christine Clifford and Dean Williams✢ Dr. Nicholas J. DiMauro William C. and Joyce K. Fletcher Lila Gross Scottie and Rob Held Julie and Bayard Henry Mr. William Hunter
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Mr. and Mrs. William T. Kennedy# Ms. M. Lynne Markus# Judith K. Marquis and Keith F. Nelson Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey E. Marshall# Dr. Lyle and Anne Micheli Ms. Faith Moore Gregory E. Moore and Wynne W. Szeto Mary and Sherif Nada Esther Nelson and Bernd Ulken Shari and Christopher Noe#✢
Mr. and Mrs. John O’Brien Dr. E.C. Pierce§✢ Janet and Irv Plotkin#✢ Dr. Douglas Reeves Mr. and Mrs. John Remondi✢ Jerome Rosenfeld§# Dr. Jordan S. Ruboy Mr. David Shukis Larry and Beverly St. Clair# Debbie and Jack Swenson Peter J. Wender
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GRAZIOSO MEMBERS ($3,000 TO $4,999)
Anonymous# Joan K. Alden Widgie and Peter Aldrich Charles and Christina Bascom Mr. Martin S. Berman, in honor of Lila Gross Bob and Karen Bettacchi Ms. Ellen Cabot Judge and Mrs. Levin H. Campbell Jonathan and Margot Davis Ms. Winifred F. Ewing Mr. and Mrs. Ron Feinstein Lucia and Bruce Field Mr. and Mrs. Henry N. Foster
Nick and Marjorie Greville Ron and Kathy Groves Graham and Ann Gund Deborah A. Hawkins Mr. and Mrs. Morton Hoffman Mr. and Mrs. Charles Hood Jeffrey Hovis Cerise Lim Jacobs, for Charles✢ Mr. and Mrs. Edward C. Johnson 3d Joe and Pam LoDato# Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Anita Loscalzo D. Cosmo and Jane P. Papa Dr. and Mrs. John William Poduska, Sr.
Suzanne and Peter Read# Mike and Rusty Rolland The Sattley Family# Tee Taggart and Jack Turner John H. Deknatel and Carol M. Taylor# Mr. § and Mrs. Donald Taylor Jeannie Ackerman Curhan and Joseph C. Williams Drs. Bertram and Laima Zarins✢ Dr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Zilberfarb
BRAVISSIMO MEMBERS ($1,500 TO $2,999) Anonymous (2) The Acorn Foundation, in honor of Jane and Steven Akin Mr. and Mrs. David Bakalar George and Hillary Ballantyne Ronald and Ellen Brown Dr. and Mrs. Edmund Cabot Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Cabot Ms. Francesca M. Carriuolo§ Mr. and Mrs. Julian Cherubini Rachel and Thomas Claflin John F. Cogan, Jr. and Mary L. Cornille Ms. Elizabeth Coleman Mr. and Mrs. Linzee Coolidge Nancy and Laury Coolidge Ms. Linda Davis
Sean and Candace Fitzpatrick, in memory of Sharon Fitzpatrick Nicki Nichols Gamble Mr. and Mrs. M. Dozier Gardner Ms. Diane Garthwaite Dr. Alfred Goldberg and Dr. Joan Goldberg Lena and Ronald Goldberg Ms. Nancy Herndon Mr. Joseph Hammer Ms. Pat Hillman Ms. Louise Johnson Eva R. Karger Milling Kinard Dr. Maydee G. Lande, in memory of her father
Pam Lassiter Mr. and Mrs. David S. McCue Susan and Peter Pease William and Lia Poorvu Robert and Elizabeth Pozen Ms. Jane L. Roy and Mr. Lucciano Lauretti Max D. Russell John and Margaret Ruttenberg, MD Allison Kay Ryder Mr. and Mrs. George Sakellaris Ms. Julie Scofield Dr. and Mrs. R. Michael Scott Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Winthrop Ms. Mary Wolfson
ENCORE MEMBERS ($1,000 TO $1,499) Anonymous (3) Anonymous, in honor of Mr. Richard Olney III Richard and Donna Anderson John and Rosemary Ashby Mr. and Mrs. Mel Barkan Michael Barza and Judith Robinson Lucille Batal Bruce Bauman and Denise Selden Bauman Mr. and Mrs. Richard Benka Dr. Susan Bennett and Dr. Gerald Pier Leonard and Jane Bernstein Ms. Holly Bodman Veronika and Bert Breer Mr. and Mrs. Alan Bressler Harold Carroll Brian Caswell and Corey Wisneski David J. Chavolla Chris and Lynne Chiodo Mr. John Conklin Susan and George Domolky Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Franko Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Fulham Joan and Francis Gicca Ann Goodman and Arthur B. Pardee
Charles and Merrill Gottesman The Grandin Family Foundation Drs. John and Olga Guttag Newell and Betty Hale Fund of Greater Worcester Mr. and Mrs. Clark Hinkley Arthur and Eloise Hodges Jewish Family and Children’s Services, in honor of Seymour Friedland Holly and Bruce Johnstone, in honor of Jane and Steven Akin Ms. Hannah Katz Mr. Mason Klinck Mr. and Mrs. John Kucharski Ledgeways Charitable Trust Richard and Mary Jane Lewontin Alex MacDonald Mr. and Mrs. Roger Marino Mr. Holt Massey Mr. Domenico Mastrototaro Ms. Kathleen McGirr and Mr. Keith Carlson Richard S. Milstein, Esq. Mark and Caroline Murphy Mr. and Mrs. George Noble
Jack Osgood, in honor of Sarah Blume Mr. and Mrs. Saul Pannell The Honorable and Mrs. Lawrence T. Perera, in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Puzo Mr. and Mrs. Richard S. Perkins, Jr. Finley and Patricia Perry Melinda and James Rabb Stephen and Geraldine Ricci Sarah M. Richards Donald and Abby Rosenfeld Nicholas G. Russell Mr. Robert Schlundt Mr. Allen L. Snyder Mr. and Mrs. Michael Stansky, in honor of Lynn Dale and Frank Wisneski Mr. Andrew Szentgyorgyi Ms. Nellie Taft Mr. Edward Tate Ms. Antra Thrasher Jack and Anne Vernon Dr. Robert Walsh and Lydia Kenton Walsh Garry Thor Wedow
ENSEMBLE MEMBERS ($500 TO $999) Anonymous Shoma Aditya and Constantin von Wentzel Mr. Mark Alcaide Ms. Betsey Ansin John and Molly Beard Connie Bingham Alan Blume and Margaret Scranton-Blume Dorothy and Hale Bradt Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Brunnock Dr. and Mrs. Sheldon Buckler Jack Burke and Barbara Stern
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Mr. Tim Butler Darrell Canby Tip and Nino Catalano Mr. Geoffrey T. Chalmers Mr. and Mrs. John Coburn Mr. Eugene Cox Dr. and Mrs. Richard J. de Asla Phyllis Dohanian Wendy Driscoll and Thomas Driscoll Willis and Zach Durant-Emmons Mr. Andrew L. Eisenberg Louis Esposito
Howard and Dorothy Fairweather Michael S. Flier and David E. Trueblood Ms. Anna Gabrieli Mr. Edward N. Gadsby Ms. Martha Gentry Dr. Deborah Gobetz Dr. David Golan and Dr. Laura Green Ms. Jill Bode Goldweitz Dr. Kurt D. Gress and Mr. Samuel Y. Parkinson Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hamilton
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ENSEMBLE MEMBERS ($500 TO $999) (continued) Ms. Susan Hammond Bette Ann Harris Mr. Emil Horowitz Ms. Margaret Meo Houlahan Mr. Ted and the Rev. Cannon Cynthia P. Hubbard Miss Sally Hurlbut Mr. Howell Jackson and Ms. Elizabeth Foote Kurt and Holly Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kershaw Mr. Stephen Kidder William B. Lawrence III# W. Patrick Lentell and Patricia Kenny Mr. and Mrs. Eric A. Lerner Mr. Morris Levitt Dr. Janina A. Longtine, in honor of Ann Beha
Mr. Anthony S. Lucas Ms. Barbara Manzolillo Ms. Kathleen Meany Dr. Harold Michlewitz and Ms. Dina Celeste Marshall Mr. and Mrs. Frederic Marx Mary and Michael McConnell Mr. and Mrs. Don McLagan Mr. and Mrs. R.T. Paine Metcalf Ben and Tonya Mezrich Victoria Munroe and Eric Saltzman Dr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Murray Melissa and David Norton Robert and Carolyn Osteen Barbara Goodwin Papesch Eric and Jane Philippi Dr. Joseph Plaud James and Jeannette Post Mr. Bruno Psujek Mr. and Mrs. Steve Quintin
Mrs. Adrienne Rabkin Mr. Heaton Robertson Linda J. Sallop and Michael N. Fenlon Mr. Chris Schoettle Drs. John and Elizabeth Serrage Sayre Sheldon and Eldridge Morgan Andrew Sherman and Russ Lopez Mr. and Mrs. David Shrestinian Mr. Allan Singer Mrs. William Sweet Mr. and Mrs. Lionel Spiro Ms. Sandra Steele and Mr. Paul Greenfield Ms. Xiomara Corral Dr. and Mrs. Raymond J. Walther Mr. and Mrs. Walter H. Weld Ms. Ruth Wells Sandi Whiston
ARIA MEMBERS ($250 TO $499) Anonymous (3) Mr. Robert Alexander Susan Alexander and Jim Gammill, in honor of Susan Howe Mr. Peter Ambler and Ms. Lindsay Miller Mr. Bernard Aserkoff Sarah E. Ashby Doris Toby Axelrod and Larry Marks Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Baccei Marc and Carol Bard John Bavicchi and Beverly Lewis Dr. and Mrs. Martin Becker Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Benjamin Mr. Russell Berg Nina and Donald Berk Ms. Elizabeth Bjorkman Eric and Trimble Augur Bluman Mr. and Mrs. Kenyon Bolton Ms. Sally T. Brewster Mr. and Mrs. John Briedis Ms. Patti Brinton Pam and Lee Bromberg William R. and Harriet S. Brush Dr. and Mrs. Robert Buxbaum Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Cabot Mr. John Campbell Ms. E. Ann Chaplin Ms. Mei Po Cheung Michael and Victoria Chu Mr. Elijah Clark-Ginsberg Mr. Jeff Coburn, in honor of Wayne Davis Mr. David G. Cole-Rous Janet Comey Jean R. Creegan Mr. and Mrs. Robert Crone James F. Crowley, Jr. Ms. Sally Currier Mr. Paul Curtis Ms. Diane Davis Mr. Terry O. Decima Ms. Francoise Delaforcade Mr. James DeVeer Mr. Mark Donohoe Ms. Jennifer Eckert Mr. and Mrs. John Egan Soren and Carlyn Marcus Ekstrom Bill and Susan Elsbree Mr. Martin Elvis Jack Fabiano and Noel McCoy Mr. and Mrs. James Fahy Brian Fitzgerald and Kathy Maxwell Fitzgerald Dr. Lisa Fitzgerald, in honor of Lila Gross Katherine and Richard Floyd Robert and Kathleen Garner Mr. John Gawoski Mr. David C. Gaynor Margaret and Bruce Gelin
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Paul Golden Sally, Jonathan, and Elizabeth Golding Dr. Philip L. Goldsmith and Melissa Boshco Mrs. Eleanor Groel Mr. Stephen Grubaugh and Ms. Carol McGeehan Mr. Terrence Guiney Ms. Joan P. Gulovsen Eileen and Joshua Gundersheimer Mr. David Hacin Mr. Kurt Hakansson Dr. George L. Hardman Mr. and Mrs. James J. Harper Anne and Neil Harper Mr. Scott D. Harris Ms. Susanne Hatje Mr. Harvey Hayashi Ms. Jasjit Heckathorn Dr. and Mrs. Bernhard Heersink Mr. and Mrs. Thomas High Mr. Roger Hinman Michael Holt Fred and Caroline Hoppin Amy Hunter and Steven Maguire Doris and Howard Hunter, in honor of Amy Hunter Drs. Andrew and Monique Huvos Mr. George Iacono Jennafer Inker Mr. Frank Irish Mr. Benjamin T. Jackson Dr. and Mrs. Steven E. Janko Paul and Alice Johnson Mr. George Jurkowich Mr. Tayeb Karim Mr. Steven Katz Ms. Amy Kitchin Ernest Klein Dr. Lester Kobzik Ms. Florence Koplow Mary Jane Kornacki Yuriko Kuwabara and Sunny Dzik Mr. Michael Lauber Joseph Levin and Jennifer Poole Drs. Lynne and Sidney Levitsky Randolph Lewis Mr. and Dr. John Loder Mr. and Mrs. Stuart E. Madnick Mr. and Mrs. William Malcom Peyton and Nancy Marshall Dr. Caroline Marten-Ellis Dr. and Mrs. Nicholas Mastroianni Ms. Teresa F. Mazzulli Mr. and Mrs. Kilmer McCully Anna McDormand Ms. Carol McKeen and Mr. John Dunton Grier Merwin Mr. John Miller
Ms. Dolores Mitchell Dr. and Mrs. Douglas M. Moore Daniel and Mayo Morgan Dr. Phyllis Moriarty Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Morrow, Gazelle Ms. Barbara Murray Mr. Eric Neumann Bill Nigreen and Kathleen McDermott Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey Nunes Mr. and Mrs. John J. O’Donnell Mr. and Mrs. David Parker Olivia and John Parker Mr. William Peiffer Dr. Robert Petersen and Dr. Veronica Petersen Maureen Phillips and Douglas Horst Dr. Flora Pirquet and Mr. Gary Beckmann Mr. Ryan Porter Gerald Powers Mr. and Mrs. William Quigley Mr. and Mrs. E. Ricardo Quinones Mr. Jack Reynolds Mr. and Mrs. James Righter Mr. Malcolm Rogers Mr. Donald Rosenfield Mark and Lori Roux Dr. and Mrs. Stefan Schatzki John and Ruth Schey Arthur and Linda Schwartz Grenelle Scott Mr. and Mrs. John Sedgwick Stephen and Peg Senturia Varda and Dr. Israel Shaked Dru Sharma Mr. and Mrs. James R. Sloane Ms. Marisa Spilios Mr. and Mrs. Maximilian Steinmann Susan and Peter Sugar Ms. Joan Suit Mr. and Mrs. Hall Swaim Marcos and Faith Szydlo Mr. Wheeler Thackston Ms. Diane Tillotson Mr. and Mrs. Michael Tomich Mr. Nicholas Tranquillo Mr. Richard Trant Janet and Henry Vaillant Linda and Harvey Weiner Dr. William M. Wheeler Mr. Mark D. Williams, in honor of Christopher Marrion and Randy Weston Ms. Gwen Art Mr. Stephen Wohler Joan and Michael Yogg Albert and Judith Zabin Norma and Gunars Zagars Cheryl and Mark Zarrillo
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We thank the generous members of The Boris Goldovsky Society for Planned Giving, who have included the Company in their wills and estate plans. Anonymous (2) Diana Abrashkin Dorothy and David Arnold Linda Cabot Black Mr. and Mrs. Richard M. Burnes, Jr. Mr. Tim Daughters Tamara P. and Charles H. Davis II Janice Mancini Del Sesto Margaret Eagle Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Eastman Mr. and Mrs. Dean W. Freed Mr. and Mrs. Frederick H. Grein, Jr. Gillian Stuart Hamer
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Hewlett Amy Hunter and Steven Maguire Horace H. Irvine II Ellen and Robert S. Kaplan Mary Kiley Ms. Pamela S. Kunkemueller Mr. David Latham Joe LoDato and Pam Odeen LoDato Mr. Stephen Lord C. Beverly Lotow§ Christopher Marrion Abigail B. Mason Mr. Domenico M. Mastrototaro Richard Milstein
Sherif and Mary Nada Katherine S. Nash Bill Nigreen and Kathleen McDermott Shirley B. Perry Dr. E.C. Pierce§ Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Pollack Alicia Cooney Quigley Dr. Jordan S. Ruboy Iris Taymore Schnitzer David Scudder Mr.§ and Mrs. Norman D. Silverman Marillyn A. Zacharis
§ Deceased # Lyric Circle member ✢ Envision Opera Challenge Supporter
A GIFT TO FUTURE AUDIENCES Joe and Pam LoDato, Goldovsky members since 2004, are busy raising their young children—whom they hope will become opera fans. How did you come to love opera? I started at a very young age and introduced Pam to opera when we were dating. A student of then-principal cellist of New York City Opera, I played in the orchestra pit for Laszlo Halasz. It wasn’t until I was 19 or 20 however that I sat in the audience! Why BLO? This is where we live and where the need is. We were 20-year Patrons of the Met, but once Joe became more involved with Boston Lyric Opera, we knew we could help create world-class opera here, in our own community. When did you become Goldovsky Members? When creating our will, we identified institutions that meant something to us and for whom our estate would make a difference. Our gift is to future audiences because we know we’ve benefitted from donors before us. What advice might you give to others considering their Estate Plans? As a former Director of BLO’s Board, I can say with confidence that BLO is extraordinarily well managed and makes the most of every dollar. Thank you to all the members of The Boris Goldovsky Society for Planned Giving. To learn more about BLO’s planned giving program, please call 617.542.4912 x228.
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BOSTON LYRIC OPERA STAFF 11 Avenue de Lafayette Boston, MA 02111 617.542.4912
Esther Nelson, General & Artistic Director David Angus, Music Director John Conklin, Artistic Advisor
ARTISTIC Nicholas G. Russell Erik Johnson Cassidy Fitzpatrick
DEVELOPMENT Director of Artistic Operations Artistic Coordinator Artistic Associate
Eileen Nugent Williston Sarah B. Blume Marie Coste Renee Dunn Erika Santucci
PRODUCTION Dan Duro Michael Chiappardi Scott Levine
Director of Development Senior Major Gifts Officer Institutional Giving Officer Manager of Special Events and Corporate Partnerships Development Intern
EDUCATION Producing Director Company Manager Technical Production Manager
Elizabeth Seitz Kalina Schloneger
Principal Guest Lecturer Education & Community Programs Intern
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
FINANCE & ADMINISTRATION
Mimi de Quesada
Kathleen Creegan Damaskos Chris Beaudry David J. Cullen Reingard Heller Stacy Evans
Ann Petruccelli Kate Curtis Karen Robichaud Joanna Stenning
Director of Marketing & Communications Public Relations & Communications Manager Audience Services Manager Design & New Media Manager Audience Services Associate
PRODUCTION STAFF Karen Oberthal Courtney Rizzo Ginger Castleberry B. Alix Lopes Jenny Ciaffone Mike Condon Colleen Glynn Adam Colantuoni Justin Colantuoni James R. McCartney Dianna Reardon Ed Hartigan Bailey Costa Yi-Chung Chen Kayleigha Hotten Daniel McGaha Jason Allen Rachel Padula Shufelt Ashley Joyce Kate Ellingson
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Chief Administrative Officer Office Associate Accounting Manager Finance Manager Executive Assistant to the General & Artistic Director
VOLUNTEER CORPS Production Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Production Electrician Assistant Production Electrician Assistant Production Electrician Production Properties Production Carpenter Assistant Carpenter Production Audio Wardrobe Supervisor Properties Supervisor Assistant Lighting Designer 2nd Assistant Lighting Designer 3rd Assistant Lighting Designer Surtitle Operator Wig/Make up Designer Wig/Make up Artist Wig/Make up Artist Music Librarian
Clementine Brown Elizabeth Bruyere Jane Cammack Jose Alberto Colon Ashley Chang Barbara Compton Ann D’Angelo Jeannie Curhan Mary DePoto Frances Driscoll Marian Ead Susan Eastman Hugh Fitzgerald Audley Fuller Ralph Gioncardi Linda Granitto Jennifer Harris Molly Johnson Eva Karger Milling Kinard Jo Anna Klein Esther Lable Melissa Lanouette Nancy Lynn
Deborah Martin Terri Mazzulli Anne McGuire Meg Morton Katherine Nash Kameel Nasr Gail Neff Linda Nguyen Kellie Pacheco Jane Papa Cosmo Papa Barbara Papesch Jutta Scott Alexandra Sherman Debbie Swenson Barbara Trachtenberg Jessica Tybursky Amy Walba Debbie Wiess Beverly Wiggins Alfred Williams Joe Williams Sybil Williams
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Advanced Lighting and Production Services Jim Deveer Mike Teixeira Alexander Aronson Finning American Repertory Theatre Trish Green Steve Setterlun Cindy Lee Sullivan Anchor Capital Advisors LLC ArtsBoston ArtsEmerson Sarah Ashby Lisa Barr Linda Cabot Black Boston Ballet Boston Baroque Boston Public Library Boston University Sharon Daniels Brandeis University Elaine & Eric Bucher & family The Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA
The Catered Affair Costume Works, Inc. Liz Perlman Denka Trucking Dick Butler Everett Design Roger Farrington FHO Partners Lauria Brennan Fidelity Investments Kurt D. Gress & Samuel Y. Parkinson Guerrilla Opera Aliana de la Guardia IATSE Local 11 JACET Committee Jacob Wirth John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum Nancy Tobin Rhonda Elkins Abby Mason Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Lois Solomon mindSHIFT Technologies, Inc.
Chris O’Hare ProPrint Boston Steve McQueen Ropes & Gray, LLP Ryder, South Boston Jason Lowry Seyfarth Shaw LLP Andrew L. Eisenberg SkyComCourier Sovereign Bank Michael Holt Josiah A. Spaulding, Jr. Peter D. Sykes United Staging & Rigging, LLC Eric Frishman John Sharpe WBUR Adam Ragusea WGBH Wheelock Family Theatre Winston Flowers
ARTISTIC ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Susan Bennett, M.D., Company Physician Consultant, Associate Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital Aaron Friedman, M.D., Company Laryngology Physician, Associate Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital
PRODUCTION ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Scenery and properties designed by Allen Moyer. Scenery and properties for this production are owned by The Minnesota Opera and were constructed by The Minnesota Opera Shops. Costumes designed by James Scott and provided by Washington National Opera. Costume coordination provided by Costume Works, Inc., Somerville, MA. Lighting equipment provided by Advanced Lighting & Production Services, Inc.
British S School chool Boston of B oston International International. International ernational.. Individual. Individu al.. al Inspirational. Inspirational Inspir ational.. ational Academically A cademically rigorous rigorous and in ternationally focused, focused, internationally ffeaturing eaturing the IInternational nternational Bac calaureate Diploma. Baccalaureate SServing er ving studen students ts in Nursery Nurser y thr ough High High School. School. through 617. 522 . 2261 617.522.2261 britishschoolof boston.org britishschoolofboston.org
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THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 31
guide to
BOSTON THEATER DOWNTOWN/THEATRE DISTRICT
March–April
AMERIVILLE, Universes, Paramount Theatre, 559 Washington St., 617-824-8400. Mar 13–18. The state of the Union is put under the microscope and into the microphone as energetic and diverse young performers spin exquisite harmonies and beatbox around themes of race, poverty, politics, history and government, examining our country through the lens of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. THE ANDERSEN PROJECT, Ex Machina, Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, 219 Tremont St., 617-8248400. Mar 24–Apr 1. In this off-the-wall masterpiece by theater visionary Robert Lepage, a Canadian rock ’n’ roll writer is commissioned to draft a libretto for a children’s opera in Paris. Inspired by the timeless fables of Hans Christian Andersen and anecdotes from the author’s personal diaries, this play explores unraveling relationships, personal demons, the thirst for recognition and the compromise that comes too late.
MAESTRO: LEONARD BERNSTEIN, Paramount Theatre, 559 Washington St., 617-824-8400. Apr 28–May 13. This extraordinary journey through conductor/composer Leonard Bernstein’s life and career is performed by award-winning actor, playwright and concert pianist Hershey Felder (George Gershwin Alone), who returns to Boston with his latest composer creation. RIVERDANCE, Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., 866-523-7469. Apr 13–15. The internationally acclaimed celebration of Irish music, song and dance that has touched the hearts of millions around the world returns to the Boston stage.
BLUE MAN GROUP, Charles Playhouse, 74 Warrenton St., 617-931-2787 or 617-426-6912. Ongoing. This giddily subversive off-Broadway hit serves up outrageous and inventive theater where three muted, blue-painted performers spoof both contemporary art and modern technology. Wry commentary and bemusing antics are matched only by the ingenious ways in which music and sound are created. The show has recently been updated with new performance pieces and music.
SHEAR MADNESS, Charles Playhouse Stage II, 74 Warrenton St., 617-426-5225. Ongoing. This hilarious Boston-set whodunit, where the clues change every night and the laughs come fast and furious, is a worldwide phenomenon filled with up-to-the-minute spontaneous humor and quicksilver improvisation where the audience becomes part of the action and gets to solve the crime.
CAFÉ VARIATIONS, SITI Company, Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, 219 Tremont St., 617-824-8400. Apr 13–22. In this world premiere celebration of café culture, vignettes from Charles Mee’s Café Plays combine with music from the American musical songbook under the brilliant hand of director Anne Bogart.
TOMÁŠ KUBÍNEK: CERTIFIED LUNATIC & MASTER OF THE IMPOSSIBLE, Paramount Theatre, 559 Washington St., 617824-8400. Mar 29–Apr 1. A collision of theatre and musichall, this exuberant spectacle is equal parts comic brilliance, virtuosic vaudeville and irresistible charm. Czech-born Tomáš Kubínek is a self-proclaimed physical poet and verbal acrobat, needless risk-taker, professor of fantastically useless inventions and arduous advocate of commonplace miracles.
LES MISÉRABLES, Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., 866-523-7469. Mar 13–Apr 1. This 25th anniversary production of Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical based on Victor Hugo’s classic novel set during the French Revolution features glorious new staging and dazzlingly re-imagined scenery inspired by Hugo’s paintings. 32
VIVE LA FRANCE: The blockbuster musical Les Misérables returns to Boston with a new 25th anniversary production, beginning March 13 at the Boston Opera House.
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LOCAL/REGIONAL THEATER AN AMERICAN JOURNEY, Revels Repertory Company, Charles Mosesian Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown, 617-972-8300 x31. Mar 4. In the www.playbill.com
StageSpotlight
Building Audiences for Greater Boston’s Outstanding Not-For-Profit Performing Arts Organizations
Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare directed by Tina Packer
April 25–May 20, 2012 The Modern Theatre at Suffolk University 866-811-4111 www.actorsshakes peareproject.org
THE BOSTON CONSERVATORY Don Giovanni by W.A. Mozart
Scott Metcalfe, Music Director
Music for Three Sovereigns Featuring Dido’s Lament by Josquin Desprez Gorgeous music in a gorgeous space! “Expressive intensity”—Alex Ross, The New Yorker
Friday, March 30, 2012 First Church in Cambridge, 11 Garden St. 617-960-7956 • www.blueheronchoir.org
LYRIC STAGE COMPANY by Jon Marans
March 28–April 1, 2012
“an exceedingly fine play—smart, passionate, focused, and satisfying.” —Backstage
In this opera, seduction, betrayal and retribution combine with soaring melody, brilliant ensembles and a flaming finale! Sung in Italian with English surtitles.
The story of Harry Hay & Rudi Gernreich who fall in love while founding the first gay rights organization in the U.S.
The Apple Tree April 20–22, 2012 From the songwriting team of She Loves Me comes a unique evening of three one-act musicals about men, women and a little thing called temptation.
The Boston Conservatory Theater 31 Hemenway St. • Box Office: 617-912-9222 http://bostonconservatory.ticketforce.com
March 30–April 28, 2012 Lyric Stage • Copley Square 617-585-5685 • lyricstage.com
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theater guide BOSTON
early 1900s, a large number of immigrants came to Boston through Ellis Island. This story imagines a voyage where Irish, Italians and Eastern European Jews share their stories, songs and dances. THE APPLE TREE, The Boston Conservatory Theater, 31 Hemenway St., 617-912-9222. Apr 20–22. From the songwriting team of Fiddler on the Roof and She Loves Me comes a unique evening of three one-act musicals about men, women and a little thing called temptation. BAKERSFIELD MIST, New Repertory Theatre, Black Box Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown, 617-923-8487. Through Mar 18. After Maude Gutman buys a possibly undiscovered Jackson Pollock painting at a thrift store and a renowned art expert arrives at her trailer to investigate, the two embark on a fiery debate over class, truth and what we perceive as valuable. CIRCUMCISE ME, Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center, 333 Nahanton St., Newton, 617-965-5226. Mar 17 & 18. This poignant, provocative and powerfully witty one-man show by comic actor Yisrael Campbell tells of his spiritual journey stretching across four decades, two continents and three circumcisions.
March–April
CRAVE and BEYOND THE LIGHT, Heart & Dagger Productions, Hall A, Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., 617-933-8600. Mar 9–17. This double bill opens with Sarah Kane’s tale of a woman left with memories that scar her, but leave her breathless for more. Joey C. Pelletier’s hero in the second play faces life after attempted suicide. His ghosts are real, and he must decide whether to stay or go beyond the light. CUT, Apollinaire Theatre Company, Chelsea Theatre Works, 189 Winnisimmet St., Chelsea, 617-887-2336. Mar 23–Apr 28. Playwright Crystal Skillman takes aim at reality television in this play about the behind-the-scenes tribulations of a harried editor and his staff juggling both personal and professsional problems. DEPORTED: A DREAM PLAY, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre and Suffolk University, Modern Theatre at Suffolk University, 525 Washington St., 617-557-6537. Mar 8–Apr 1. Memories and dreams, music and dance interweave in this riveting story of the Armenian genocide that celebrates playwright Joyce Van Dyke’s own family history and that of many Armenian families forever changed. THE DONKEY SHOW, American Repertory Theater, Oberon, 2 Arrow St., Cambridge, 617-547-8300. Ongoing. Bringing the ultimate disco experience to Boston, this crazy circus of mirror balls, feathered divas, roller skaters and hustle queens tells the story of A Midsummer Night’s Dream through great ’70s anthems you know by heart. FLOYD COLLINS, Moonbox Productions, Plaza Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St., 617-933-8600. Apr 6–15. This musical by Adam Guettel (The Light in the Piazza) adapts the true tale of a caver trapped in a narrow underground crawlway and the efforts to save him when the story became a nationwide sensation in 1925. FROM TEL AVIV TO RAMALLAH: A BEATBOX JOURNEY, Leventhal-Sidman Jewish Community Center, 333 Nahanton St., Newton, 617-965-5226. Apr 28 & 29. This hip-hop play starring Yuri Lane tackles the Israeli-Palestinian conflict while emphasizing the humanity, suffering and joy of both sides. 34
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EXPECTING, Boston Actors Theater, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, 949 Commonwealth Ave., 866-811-4111. Mar 30–Apr 7. In this bitterly funny exploration of a young woman facing the modern 30-something’s crisis, careerminded but single Gabrielle decides she wants a child. With the help of her protective sister, her liberated mother, an imaginary sperm donor and the most unlikely of suitors, Gabrielle’s five-year plan might just have to be re-imagined. THE FULL MONTY, The Boston Conservatory Theater, 31 Hemenway St., 617-912-9222. Mar 1–4. Seeing how much their wives enjoy watching male strippers during their “Girls’ Night Out,” unemployed steelworkers in Buffalo, New York come up with a bold way to make some quick cash. In the process, they discover renewed self-esteem, the importance of friendship and the ability to have fun. THE FULL MONTY, Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main St., Stoneham, 781-279-2200. Apr 12–May 6. Adapted from the popular British film, this cheeky musical follows a group of unemployed millworkers who devise an unconventional solution to their professional and personal woes. A cast of 18 and an eight-piece band fill the stage with rollicking music, laughout-loud hilarity and a don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-it ending. FUTURITY: A MUSICAL BY THE LISPS, American Repertory Theater, Oberon, 2 Arrow St., Cambridge, 617-547-8300. Mar 16–Apr 15. In this Civil War sci-fi musical, Union soldier Julian Munro and the brilliant Ada Lovelace transcend time to invent an omnipotent steam-powered brain. Blending American indie-folk music with dreams of invention, this musical explores a world where utopia seems within reach. HOOKMAN, Company One, Hall A, Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., 617-933-8600. Mar 23–Apr 14. Being a freshman in college is hard when your roommate is weird, home is far away and Hookman is everywhere! What’s Lexi to do when her old high school friend, Jess, gets killed—or was it an accident? Not even Facebookstalking the dead can calm the creepy feelings spilling from the shadows in this comic horror story by Lauren Yee. THE LITTLE PRICKS, Gold Dust Orphans, Theater Machine, 1254 Boylston St., 800-838-3006. Through Mar 11. The Orphans’ drag spoof of Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes tells the story of peaceful, post-Civil War Southern town that is disrupted by the greedy machinations of a feuding, doubledealing clan and their unscrupulous business affairs. LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, New Repertory Theatre, Charles Mosesian Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown, 617-923-8487. Apr 29–May 20. This award-winning musical comedy tells the story of Seymour, a timid florist whose shop begins to thrive when he finds a mysterious plant. However, we soon realize Seymour is just a pawn in this paranormal plant’s diabolical scheme. LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT, New Repertory Theatre, Charles Mosesian Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown, 617-923-8487. Apr 1–22. Eugene O’Neill’s 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winner is a semi-autobiographical masterpiece that intimately examines the addictions, regrets and deceits of the tormented Tyrone family through the course of one heart-wrenching day. THE LUCK OF THE IRISH, Huntington Theatre Company, Wimberly Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., 617-933-8600. Mar 30–Apr 29. When an upwardly mobile African American family buys www.playbill.com
Whitney seeks a cure for loneliness by tracking down her ne’er-do-well ex-husband, an irresponsible mess she kicked out more than 20 years ago, sending her on an odyssey of surprising and sharply funny encounters.
MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, Huntington Theatre Company, Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave., 617-266-0800. Mar 9–Apr 8. Legendary 1920s blues singer Ma Rainey and her musicians gather in a run-down Chicago studio to record new sides of old favorites when generational and racial tensions suddenly explode in Tony Awardwinner August Wilson’s first Broadway hit.
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Bad Habit Productions, Deane Hall, Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., 617-933-8600. Apr 28–May 13. Called one of Shakespeare’s best works, this sexy, side-splitting comedy about two very different courtships is performed with all characters portrayed by only five actors, creating a tour de force of quick changes, gender-bending and unexpected surprises.
THE MIKADO, Riverside Theatre Works, 45 Fairmount Ave., Hyde Park, 617-361-5269. Mar 9–Apr 1. This contemporary production frames Gilbert and Sullivan’s farcical collision of 19th century Japanese culture and Western theatrical convention in the context of pop culture, manga and anime.
NEXT TO NORMAL, SpeakEasy Stage Company, Roberts Studio Theatre, Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, 527 Tremont St., 617-933-8600. Mar 9–Apr 7. Featuring a compelling and surging pop rock score, this 2010 Pulitzer Prize-winning musical makes a direct grab for the heart with its story of a suburban family dealing with the direct and indirect effects of mental illness.
THE MIRACLE WORKER, Wheelock Family Theatre, 200 The Riverway, 617-879-2300. Apr 13–May 13. This brilliant play by William Gibson tells the inspiring story of Helen Keller and her devoted teacher, Annie Sullivan, illustrating our very human need to connect and to communicate. MONSTERS: A MIDLIFE MUSICAL MELTDOWN!, Regent Theatre, 7 Medford St., Arlington, 781-646-4849. Through Mar 9. Samantha thinks turning 40 is the scariest thing to happen to her. See what occurs when a mysterious package arrives in this hilarious look at a full-blown midlife crisis.
ON EGO, Science Fiction Theatre Company, Factory Theatre, The Piano Factory, 791 Tremont St., 800-838-3006. Mar 30–Apr 15. When Alex attempts to teleport himself to meet his wife for dinner, the teleporter malfunctions. As Alex struggles to define his existence and his wife, Alice, suffers a brain tumor which renders her unable to recognize him, the question arises: How does the darkness inside our skulls become a world of people and places, pleasure and pain, love and loss?
MRS. WHITNEY, Merrimack Repertory Theatre, 50 E. Merrimack St., Lowell, 978-654-4678. Mar 15–Apr 8. Mrs.
PIRATE LIVES! THE MUSICAL!, Flat Earth Theatre, Black Box Theater, Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal St., Watertown,
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theater guide BOSTON
a house in an all-white neighborhood, they pay a struggling Irish family to act as their front. Fifty years later, the Irish family asks for “their” house back in this intimate new play by Boston area native Kirsten Greenidge.
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 35
theater guide BOSTON
617-923-8487. Apr 20–28. Captain Jonathan Emerald Sherry’s recent display of cowardice has tainted his reputation as a noteworthy pirate to be feared on the seven (or eight) seas. When he accepts a new crew of misfits unfamiliar with the ways of piracy, he may have bitten off more than he can chew in David Marino’s musical send-up of Noel Coward’s Private Lives.
811-4111. Apr 12–May 13. After experimental brain surgery, Henry Molaison was unable to form new memories. His personal tragedy contributed more to our understanding of the brain than had been learned in the previous 100 years. This world premiere explores the mysteries of his moving story, expanding on them and helping us understand ourselves.
THE PLAY ABOUT THE BABY, Exquisite Corps Theatre, Plaza Black Box Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St., 617-933-8600. Mar 9–Apr 1. Edward Albee’s disturbingly funny exploration of the bonds between parents and children concerns a young couple who have just had a baby, and the strange turn of events that transpire when they are visited by an older man and woman.
ROMEO & JULIET, Stoneham Theatre, 395 Main St., Stoneham, 781-279-2200. Mar 1–18. When children act on their parents’ grievances and teens flame with the passion of first love, unintended consequences can devastate. Ten professional actors team up with ten members of Stoneham’s young company to explore Shakespeare’s timeless story of love and conflict.
PRIDE & PREJUDICE, Theatre@First, Somerville Theatre, 55 Davis Square, Somerville, 888-874-7554. Mar 23–31. This new adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved tale brings the delightful story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy finding love in early 19th century England—despite differences of class and temperament—to the stage.
SAINT JOHN THE DIVINE IN IOWA, Another Country Productions, Boston Playwrights’ Theatre, Odyssey Theatre, 949 Commonwealth Ave., 866-811-4111. Mar 2–18. Addressing the most relevant and current issues of family, how we define it and whether we can truly learn to love each other in spite of our differences, this play reveals the love a mother has for her daughter and all she is willing to lose in order to keep her.
RECENT TRAGIC EVENTS, Whistler in the Dark, Factory Theatre, The Piano Factory, 791 Tremont St., 866-811-4111. Mar 9–24. In the wake of September 11, 2011, Waverly, a young advertising executive in Minneapolis nervously awaiting news of her New York-based sister, invites the neighbors over for a drink and a freewheeling debate about the interconnectedness of everyone’s lives in Craig Wright’s 2002 thought-provoking tragi-comedy. REMEMBERING H.M., Catalyst Collaborative@MIT, Central Square Theater, 450 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 866-
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SMUDGE, Apollinaire Theatre Company, Chelsea Theatre Works, 189 Winnisimmet St., Chelsea, 617-887-2336. Mar 23–Apr 28. This black comedy by Rachel Axler (writer for “Parks and Recreation” and “The Daily Show”) takes a dark look at parenting through the story of Colby and Nick, who struggle to care for their monstrous newborn child. TIGERS BE STILL, Zeitgeist Stage Company, Plaza Black Box Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St.,
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617-933-8600. Apr 13–May 5. When Sherry, an unemployed recent college graduate still living at home, gets hired as a substitute art teacher, things begin to brighten up. Now, if only the dysfunctional people around her would come around—and someone would catch the tiger that escaped from the local zoo—everything would be just about perfect.
TIME STANDS STILL, Lyric Stage Company, 140 Clarendon St., 617-585-5678. Through Mar 17. This acclaimed new play by Donald Margulies tells the story of Sarah and James, a photojournalist and foreign correspondent, who are reeling after their recent brush with death while on an assignment. Will their relationship of nearly a decade be more threatened by a traditional go at domesticity than the roadside bombs of Baghdad? THE TEMPERAMENTALS, Lyric Stage Company, 140 Clarendon St., 617-585-5678. Mar 30–Apr 28. This hit offBroadway play tells the story of two men—the communist Harry Hay and the Viennese refugee and fashion designer Rudi Gernreich—as they fall in love while forming the first gay-rights organization in the pre-Stonewall United States. TROG AND CLAY (AN IMAGINED HISTORY OF THE ELECTRIC CHAIR), Fresh Ink Theatre Company, Factory Theatre, The Piano Factory, 791 Tremont St., 866-811-4111. Apr 27–May 12. A wildly imaginative retelling of the genesis of the electric chair based on the actual trial transcripts of William Kemmler, the first person put to death by electrocution, this skewed comedy obscures the line between fact and invention, wryly looking at America’s grim history. TROILUS AND CRESSIDA, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Modern Theatre at Suffolk University, 525 Washington St., 866-811-4111. Apr 25–May 20. Renowned director Tina Packer tackles Shakespeare’s reimagining of the Trojan War and its passionate love stories, fierce battles, ravaged warriors and archetypal characters: Achilles, Hector, Helen and Agamemnon. THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUNTY SPELLING BEE, Turtle Lane Playhouse, 283 Melrose St., Newton, 866-8114111. Apr 13–29. In this hilarious musical, six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, learn that winning isn’t everything and that losing doesn’t necessarily make you a loser.
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28 SEEDS, Liars & Believers, Plaza Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont St., 617-933-8600. Apr 19–May 12. Based on the original radio play and album by local indie band Walter Sickert and the Army of Broken Toys, this apocalyptic sci-fi steampunk musical traces the precipitous decline of our species in an explosive display of light, sound and movement. WEST SIDE STORY, Turtle Lane Playhouse, 283 Melrose St., Newton, 866-811-4111. Mar 9–Apr 1. In 1950s New York City, two young lovers find themselves caught between two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds. This classic musical features such timeless songs as “I Feel Pretty,” “Maria” and “America.” THE WILD PARTY, The Footlight Club, Eliot Hall, 7A Eliot St., Jamaica Plain, 617-524-3200. Mar 30–Apr 14. Andrew Lippa’s award-winning, 1920s-set musical about passions out of control tells the story of one wild evening in the Manhattan apartment shared by vaudeville performers www.playbill.com
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theater guide BOSTON
Queenie and Burrs. Amidst a relationship marked by vicious behavior and recklessness, they decide to throw a party to end all parties.
Ludwig Minkus, returns to the Boston stage, with a focus not on Miguel de Cervantes’ hero but on the romance between two of the novel’s minor characters, Basilo and Kirtri.
WILD SWANS, American Repertory Theater, Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle St., Cambridge, 617-547-8300. Through Mar 11. Through the eyes of one fiercely courageous family, this play takes audiences on a journey from the early days of Communist China, through the chaos and confusion of Mao’s Cultural Revolution to the birth of a superpower.
PLAY WITH FIRE, Boston Ballet, Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., 617-931-2787. Mar 1–11. The best of the new comes to the stage in this rule-breaking, spell-binding contemporary program: Jiří Kylián’s Bella Figura, Jorma Elo’s Sharp Side of Dark and Christopher Bruce’s acclaimed Rooster, set to the music of the Rolling Stones.
DANCE
OPERA
ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER, Citi Performing Arts Center, The Wang Theatre, 270 Tremont St., 866-3489738. Apr 26–29. The stunningly gifted and gorgeous Ailey dancers bring fire and passion to programs of classics and exciting new works alike. With new artistic director Robert Battle, the beloved troupe continues its triumphant journey as America’s leading modern dance company.
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE, Boston Lyric Opera, Citi Performing Arts Center, The Shubert Theatre, 265 Tremont St., 866-3489738. Mar 9–18. Rossini’s comic masterpiece boasts his unique and irresistible mixture of manic madness and soaring lyricism. Patter songs, love duets, serenades, a foiled elopement, a happy ending and even a thunderstorm—this opera has it all and more.
BALLET HISPANICO, Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, 219 Tremont St., 617-824-8000. Mar 9–11. The acclaimed dance troupe continues along the trail they have blazed for more than 40 years, exploring the Latino voice in dance, from the smart and spicy to the elegant and lyrical. The program includes Boston premieres of Mad’moiselle by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and a new work by Ronald K. Brown. DON QUIXOTE, Boston Ballet, Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., 617-931-2787. Apr 26–May 6. Rudolph Nureyev’s acclaimed production, danced to a score by
DON GIOVANNI, The Boston Conservatory Theater, 31 Hemenway St., 617-912-9222. Mar 29–Apr 1. The legendary libertine Don Juan unbuttons the yearnings and contradictions of polite society in Mozart’s darkly comic masterpiece in which seduction, betrayal and retribution combine with soaring melody, brilliant ensembles and a flaming finale. THE INSPECTOR, Boston Lyric Opera, Citi Performing Arts Center, The Shubert Theatre, 265 Tremont St., 866-3489738. Apr 20–29. John Musto’s witty comic gem based loosely on Gogol’s The Government Inspector is a swaggeringly funny tale of bribery, fraud, corruption—and a little discreet pimping—in 1930s Sicily.
Institutes offered during February & March School Vacation weeks
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guide to
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S P E C TA C U L A R VIEWS
dining
ENTERTAINMENT L–Lunch • D–Dinner • B–Breakfast C–Cocktails • VP–Valet Parking SB–Sunday Brunch • LS–Late Supper AVENUE ONE RESTAURANT, Hyatt Regency, One Avenue de Lafayette, 617-422-5579. Newly renovated and located in the heart of the Theatre District, Avenue One restaurant and lounge serves contemporary New England cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. Enjoy a refreshing cocktail, threecourse prix fixe dinner or a delectable dessert. Discounted parking available. B 6:30–11 a.m., L 11 a.m.–3 p.m, D 5–10 p.m. C, VP. www.regencyboston.hyatt.com. AVILA MODERN MEDITERRANEAN, One Charles Street South, 617-267-4810. Enjoy flavors of Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Greece with a modern flair at the sister restaurant of Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. The menu includes small plates of cod fritters, fried cheese and chicken livers, appetizers of tuna ceviche, onion soup and watercress salad, as well as the finest quality all natural beef and fresh seafood entrees, with breads, desserts and ice creams made fresh daily. Enjoy the cozy lounge and bar or spacious dining room before or after the theatre. D daily. DAVIO’S NORTHERN ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE, 75 Arlington St., 617-357-4810. This Boston institution is located in Park Square, within walking distance to all theatres. The Northern Italian steakhouse menu includes a selection of homemade pastas and Brandt meats (aged New York sirloin, Niman Ranch pork chop, Provini porterhouse veal chop), as well as Davio’s classics and selection of fresh seafood, before or after the theatre. Enjoy a lighter fare menu in the spacious bar and parlor area. Also serves L Mon–Fri. VP. www.davios.com. FAJITAS & ’RITAS, 25 West St., 617-426-1222. Established in 1989, Fajitas & ’Ritas is an easygoing restaurant and bar that features fresh, healthy Texan and barbecue cuisine at bargain prices. An all-around fun place to eat, drink and hang out, the walls are decorated with colorful murals and the bar boasts some of Boston’s best—and sturdiest—margaritas. Mon & Tue 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m., Wed, Thu & Sat ’til 10 p.m.; Fri ’til 11 p.m.; Sun ’til 8 p.m. C, LS. www.fajitasandritas.com. FINALE, One Columbus Ave., 617-423-3184; 30 Dunster St., Harvard Sq., Cambridge, 617-441-9797. Finale is the country’s first upscale desserterie. The Food Network calls its sweets the “best of America’s desserts.” Guests visit the desserterie to indulge in award-winning creations like Molten Chocolate—a baked-to-order, gooey cake served www.playbill.com
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BOSTON dining guide with coffee gelato and chocolate-covered almonds. Finale satisfies any sweet tooth after dinner or after the show. The menu features plated desserts, appetizers, dessert wines, ports and Champagnes. The Finale Bakery features cookies, cakes, pastries and a lunch menu. www.finaledesserts.com. Columbus Ave.: Mon 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m.; Tue–Thu ’til 11:30 p.m., Fri ’til midnight; Sat 5 p.m.–midnight; Sun 4–11 p.m. Dunster St.: Mon 11 a.m.–11 p.m.; Tue–Thu ’til 11:30 p.m.; Fri ’til 12:30 a.m.; Sat noon–12:30 a.m.; Sun ’til–11 p.m. LOCKE-OBER RESTAURANT, 3 Winter Place, 671-542-1340. A Boston tradition since 1875, Locke-Ober is a cherished landmark ready to cater to a small party or a large business conference. Each private dining room boasts original fireplaces, authentic architectural detail and period artwork, along with an exceptional dining staff. Join the warm atmosphere and the unique dining experience before or after the theater. Mon–Fri 5–10 p.m., Sat ’til 11 p.m. www.lockeober.com. LUCCA RESTAURANT & BAR, 226 Hanover St., 617-7429200; 116 Huntington Ave., 617-247-2400. This North End eatery (with a second location in the Back Bay) is still racking up accolades for its regional Italian cuisine, lively bar and elegant atmosphere. D nightly 5 p.m.–12:15 a.m. C, Valet Parking. MASSIMINO’S CUCINA ITALIANA, 207 Endicott St., 617523-5959. Owner/chef Massimino—former head chef of Naples’ Hotel Astoria and Switzerland’s Metropolitan Hotel— offers specialties like the veal chop stuffed with arugula, prosciutto, smoked mozzarella and black olives, amongst numerous other delights. L, D, LS, C. Mon–Thu 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri–Sun ’til 11 p.m. www.massiminosboston.com.
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MAX & DYLANS, 15 West St., 617-423-3600; 1 Chelsea St., Charlestown, 617-242-7400. This hip, casual restaurant features appetizers, flatbreads, sandwiches and refined comfort food entrees along with vibrant cocktails. Priced for value, this is a great meeting place for groups or friends. Open daily 11:30 a.m.–2 a.m. L, D, LS, SB. www.maxanddylans.com. PARKER’S RESTAURANT, Omni Parker House, 60 School St. at Tremont Street, 617-725-1600. Executive chef Gerry Tice celebrates nostalgic cuisine with a contemporary flair at Parker’s Restaurant, the birthplace of Boston Cream Pie, the Parker House Roll and Boston Scrod. B Mon–Fri 6:30–11 a.m., Sat–Sun 7–11:30 a.m., offering an elaborate buffet in addition to a la carte selections. L Mon–Fri 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m.; D Mon–Thu 5:30–10 p.m., Fri & Sat 5–10 p.m. POST 390, 406 Stuart St. (corner of Clarendon Street), 617399-0015. This bi-level restaurant located at new luxury residence The Clarendon offers refined, upscale comfort food—including buttermilk fried cornish game hen and porcini mushroom pierogies—and three fireplaces for a swank, urban tavern atmosphere with fantastic views of the Back Bay. L, D, C, LS. Q RESTAURANT, 660 Washington St., 857-350-3968. Featuring a menu of Chinese, Japanese and Thai cuisine, Q Restaurant specializes in Mongolian hot pot, a communal form of dining in which raw pieces of meat and vegetables are dipped in a steaming pot of broth. Voted Top Five Most Romantic Dining in Boston. Free parking with coupon, five minute walk from all theaters. L & D daily 11:30 a.m. –11:30 p.m. thequsa.com.
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SCOLLAY SQUARE, 21 Beacon St., 617-742-4900. Scollay Square is a warm, inviting environment serving American comfort food at a reasonable price with a sophisticated cocktail list. This neighborhood, bistro-style restaurant is a great meeting place for friends and small groups to eat, drink and socialize, and features a nightly threecourse $22 menu and a “Make Your Own Bloody Mary Bar” for SB. Open daily 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m. L, D, SB, C. www.scollaysquare.com. SIBLING RIVALRY, 525 Tremont St., 617-338-5338. Each night, brothers/chefs David and Bob Kinkead create “dueling” menus that showcase their talents with different interpretations of shared ingredients. D,C, LS. SMITH & WOLLENSKY, 101 Arlington St., Back Bay, 617423-1112; 294 Congress St. at Atlantic Wharf, 617-7782200. Indulge your senses at two Boston locations: The new Atlantic Wharf outpost on historic Boston Harbor, which boasts waterfront views and an outside lounge and patio, or Back Bay’s historic “castle,”offering “behind the scenes” tours. Atlantic Wharf: L, D. www.smithandwollensky.com.
15 West St. Boston (around the corner from the Opera House) Bring in this ad before or after the show and recieve
25% off your (one) meal
www.maxanddylans.com
Reservations 617-423-3600
SONSIE, 327 Newbury St., 617-351-2500. Recommended by Boston magazine as the place to “see and be seen.” The lively restaurant features a streetside cafe, 50-foot mahogany bar, brick oven, creative takes on classic American cuisine and a colorful dining room. The restaurant’s newest attraction is their downstairs candlelit wine bar, an intimate and lovely brick-walled spot in which to enjoy items from a 250-bottle menu. L, D, C, LS, VP. STODDARD’S FINE FOOD & ALE, 48 Temple Place, 617426-0048. Stoddard’s Fine Food & Ale is a late 1800s-style pub focusing on classic American fare. Stoddard’s offers an extensive craft beer list, along with an impressive cocktail menu. Reservations recommended. D Tue–Sat 4 p.m.–2 a.m.; SB & D Sun 11 a.m.–2 a.m. C, LS, VP. THE TAJ BOSTON, 15 Arlington St., 617-536-5700. This 1927 landmark offers award-winning contemporary French cuisine. The historic Dining Room is available for special events only. The Cafe: B, L, D, Sat & SB. The Lounge: L, D, C, LS. The Bar: L, D, C, LS.
AFTER SHOW
dessert
TOP OF THE HUB, 800 Boylston St., Prudential Center, 617-536-1775. There is nothing like sitting 52 stories above Boston for dining and a spectacular view of the city. The magnificent cuisine complements the breathtaking views. Live jazz seven nights a week. L, D, LS, C. TURNER FISHERIES, Westin Hotel Copley Place, Stuart and Dartmouth streets, 617-424-7425. Winner of several regional awards, Turner Fisheries is known for its fresh seafood, as well as the decor designed by Peter Niemitz, which features seven-foot-high French windows, banquettes, mahogany paneling and cobalt blue tile. Private dining rooms accommodate 10–140 guests. VP available on Dartmouth Street. B, L, D, C, LS. VAPIANO, 191 Stuart St., 857-445-0236. This internationally acclaimed upscale casual Italian restaurant brings a chic and hip atmosphere to Boston's Theatre District. Stop by for lunch or dinner to enjoy homemade pastas, pizzas or paninis. L & D Mon–Wed 11 a.m.–11 p.m., Thu ’til midnight, Fri & Sat ’til 1 a.m., Sun ’til 10 p.m. www.vapiano.com.
Located just steps away from the Theatre District at Park Plaza.
finaledesserts.com
/finaledesserts Also visit us in H Harvard arvard Square Square
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THE BARBER OF SEVILLE 43
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Dining Out
LOCKE-OBER O
pened in 1875 with a French pedigree, such as fork-tender seared seas scallops served with Locke-Ober has, over the decades, fettuccine, rock shrimp and a pink peppercorn become a classic in the annals of both cream sauce, as well as the Asian-influenced soy Boston and American fine dining. The roasted duck breast with pea shoots, rainrestaurant nevertheless maintains a bow carrots and orange-miso sauce. cozy, intimate feel in contrast to its A la carte options are a staple of such LOCKE-OBER tuxedoed waitstaff and reputation for establishments, and Locke-Ober is no 3 Winter Place Brahmin luxury at its tucked-away exception. Steaks, chops or seafood— 617-542.1340 Dining Guide, Winter Place location near Downtown Refer topage from filet mignon and Colorado lamb 42 Crossing and the Theatre District. chops to fresh Maine lobster—can be Punctuated by a gorgeous, wrappaired not only with a variety of around mahogany bar that dates back sauces (beurre blanc, bordelaise and soy A classic of to 1886, Locke-Ober’s main dining yuzu among them) but also with room exudes Old World charm. both Boston and familiar sides, including mashed potaAttendants wait on the sidelines to fultoes, grilled asparagus with hollandaise American fine fill diners’ every need at a moment’s sauce and creamed spinach. One highdining. notice. Tradition is paramount here, light is the savory sauteed mushrooms, particularly on the menu. Old which features nearly a half-dozen favorites, from the Dover sole that is de-boned varieties, including oyster, chanterelles and shiitake. tableside to broiled Boston scrod, are highlighted, as A dining experience as rich and rewarding as is Locke-Ober’s signature lobster Savannah, a two- one finds at Locke-Ober is hard to top—except perpound crustacean that is shelled, sauteed in a cream haps with its delectable dessert selections. The baked sauce with sherry, shallots, mushrooms and red Alaska, a layering of sponge cake, strawberry and pepper, then served back in its shell. vanilla ice cream topped by meringue that is set Despite considerable laurels for such timeless aflame to add a toasted-marshmallow flavor, is nearfare, Locke-Ober doesn’t rest on them. The ly as famous as the lobster Savannah, and a sensory kitchen also offers dishes with a more modern flair experience that is well worth the visit alone.
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PLAYBILL
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