Minnesota Opera's Overture by Minnesota Opera

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THE 2018–2019 SEASON

Oct. 6–14

Which life would you choose?

Nov. 10–18

A moment of peace, in the midst of war.

The

Italian Straw Hat

Jan. 26–Feb. 3

M I NN E SOTA OP E RA MNOP E RA.ORG

Brimming with laughs.

Mar. 16–24

Shoeless Joe and the 1919 Black Sox Scandal.

May 4–19

To live and die for love.

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

W E LC O M E

RYA N TAYLOR PRESIDENT AND GENERAL DIRECTOR Welcome to the 2018–2019 season! Our upcoming season is shaping up to be one of our most bold and ambitious to date, full of uproarious comedies, moving dramas, new takes on timeless classics, and several operas never seen before on our stage. We are so excited to share these beautiful stories with you and we hope you derive as much joy from watching them as we do preparing them. On behalf of the staff and artists who work to bring world-class opera and opera education programs to Minnesotans of all ages, we are eternally grateful for your continued support. See you at the opera!

CONTENTS

Minnesota Opera changes lives by bringing together artists, audiences, and community, advancing the art of opera for today and for future generations.

VISION Minnesota Opera will sing every story.

VALUES Innovation, Inclusivity, Collaboration, Purpose

625

local and international artists working on stage and off stage

19,000

attendees to our mainstage operas at the Ordway

new works premiered by Minnesota Opera

600,000

people served annually by our opera productions, education programs, and other events

Voices of Opera

A Leader in New Works

La Rondine

16 The Italian Straw Hat

people from young kids to retirees participate in our education and engagement programs

42,000

Meet Chief Artistic Officer Priti Gandhi

12 Silent Night

20 The Fix 24 La Traviata La Traviata, 2018 © Richard Termine for The Glimmerglass Opera

MISSION

28 Project Opera’s The Gondoliers and Brundibár 29 Education Programs 30 2018–2019 Resident Artists 32 Subscriber Benefits 33 Dinner Before the Show 34 Reach Beyond the Stage 35 Special Events

Cover Photo: La Bohème, 2017 © Dan Norman

MEET CHIEF ARTISTIC OFFICER PRITI GANDHI

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Philharmonic, Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, San Diego Opera, A native of Mumbai, India, Priti Théâtre du Châtelet, the Royal comes from San Diego Opera Opera House, Prague Estates and completes MN Opera’s Theatre, New York City Opera, creative team. Philadelphia Orchestra, and San Francisco Opera. Priti was most recently Artistic Administrator of San Diego “Minnesota Opera’s remarkable Opera where she advised the history of innovation and General Director on casting excellence in opera make it and artistic budgeting and one of the premier arts oversaw all artistic contracting organizations in the nation,” said and management. Chief among Gandhi. “It is a great privilege to her accomplishments was be asked to play a leading role serving as a member of the in creating world-class music in administrative team that helped Minnesota, and I’m truly looking to save San Diego Opera from forward to joining the brilliant near closure in 2014. Priti has team already in place.” had a 20-year international operatic performance career, appearing with the New York

MN Opera’s creative team: Creative Advisor Dale Johnson, Chief Production Officer Karen Quisenberry, Chief Artistic Officer Priti Gandhi, and President and General Director Ryan Taylor (Photo © Theresa Murray)

Photo courtesy of San Diego Union-Tribune.

MEET PRITI GANDHI

Photo © Chap Achen, 2017

VO I C E S O F O P E R A

Whether you have sung in the church choir for years or last sang in your high school choir, Voices of Opera encourages adults age 55 and older to join with fellow musicians for eight rehearsals and two public performances of famous operatic excerpts and other choral favorites. Chosen from a highly competitive national field of more than 200 applicants, Voices of Opera is one of 15 projects that formed the first group of grantees to partner with Aroha Philanthropies in its Seeding Vitality Arts initiative, designed to support the development and expansion of successful Creative Aging programs. Creative Aging programs inspire and enable older adults to learn, make, and share the arts in ways that are novel, complex, and socially engaging. The work is driven by teaching artists whose creative process brings joy, connection, improved health and well-being, and a renewed sense of purpose to older adults in community and residential settings.

“It’s one thing to walk around and sing in your most operatic voice, but it’s another thing to participate with 100 other people and really enjoy it” said program participant Louis Tiggas. “I think Voices of Opera a great outreach program in that it allows us to come together as a group.” Matthew Abernathy, Music Director of Project Opera and Children’s Chorus Master, leads the program. “I was a little nervous about singing for someone who directs in opera, but Matt has been wonderful,” said Andrea Tiggas, who joined the group with her husband. “He’s just easy to sing for and fun to be with.” “This program goes beyond opera education by recognizing older adults’ capacity to make a tremendous contribution to local culture, not just as a passive audience, but as thinkers and makers of art, thereby positively altering public perception around age,” said President and General Director Ryan Taylor. “I’m proud that Minnesota Opera can be a leader in the Creative Aging educational movement.” For more information and to register, visit mnopera.org/voices.

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

OV E R T U R E 2 018 –1 9

MINNESOTA OPERA BUILDS ON THE ARTFUL AGING MOVEMENT

A L E A D E R I N N E W WO R KS MINNESOTA OPERA CONTINUES TO BUILD ITS REPUTATION as a champion of

new work this upcoming season with the presentation of two commissions, marking the first MN Opera season to include two 21st-century operas. New works have been a part of MN Opera’s DNA from the very beginning. The company’s first production in 1963—Dominick Argento’s The Masque of Angels—was commissioned by The Walker Art Center for its performing arts program, Center Opera. Since then, 47 new operas have debuted at MN Opera, many of them thanks to the pioneering work of MN Opera’s New Works Initiative. Launched in 2008, the NWI formalizes the company’s commitment to artistic growth, leadership, and innovation by supporting a new generation of artistic voices in opera and shepherding the creation of contemporary works from the page to the stage. This commitment to championing new works continues into our 2018–19 season with the presentation of two MN Opera commissions. In November, after several successful productions

around the world, 2011’s Silent Night finally returns home to Minnesota, just in time for the holidays. Composed by Kevin Puts, who won a Pulitzer Prize for Music for the work in 2012, with a libretto by Mark Campbell, Silent Night tells the story of a miraculous moment of peace in the midst of the first World War, when a group of Scottish, French, and German officers defied their superiors in order to negotiate a Christmas Eve truce. Beloved by opera audiences from Montreal to Ireland, this towering achievement in music and storytelling stands as a heartfelt hymn to our common humanity and as beautiful evidence of opera’s singular capacity to unite. The opera is based on the screenplay by Christian Carion for the Oscar©-nominated 2005 French film Joyeux Nöel. Composer Kevin Puts’ love of cinema affected the rhythm of his opera. “I didn’t want to let go of the audience,” said Puts. “I wanted to keep a grip on them for the entire duration. Some scenes overlap. I wanted to create a sense of dreamlike continuity as you move from bunker to bunker. And that is a sort of cinematic influence.”

A L E A D E R I N N E W WO R KS

INSET: Silent Night, 2011 © Michal Daniel. ABOVE: Chicago White Sox, 1918 © Heritage Auctions. From Wikimedia Commons.

March 2019 brings the world premiere of The Fix, a new opera based on the true story of baseball’s 1919 “Black Sox” scandal. Written by acclaimed composer Joel Puckett and awardwinning librettist Eric Simonson (who also directs), The Fix is the story of the 1919 Chicago White Sox, who at the time were arguably the best team in the history of baseball. However, they were also the most poorly paid and constantly at odds with their penny-pinching owner. As tensions mount in the run-up to the World Series, resentment, revenge, and ambition gone awry lead eight players to conspire with gamblers in order to throw the Series to the Cincinnati Reds. Rich with larger-than-life characters such as “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, Ring Lardner, and Judge Kenesaw Mountain

Landis, The Fix is a tragic tale of mythic proportions, ripe with greed, power, romance, and redemption, all set against the backdrop of America’s favorite pastime. Composer Joel Puckett says, “I am thrilled to tell this incredible American story of deception, heartbreak, and disillusionment. I am even more thrilled to be bringing this story to life with the amazingly supportive team at Minnesota Opera.” Ten years after its launch, MN Opera’s New Works Initiative—made possible by the generous support of the community—is still as vital as ever, giving new voices a chance to add to the repertoire and to tell stories that resonate with the audiences of today and beyond.

OCTOBE R 6–14, 201 8 Sat. 6, 8pm | Tue. 9, 7:30pm | Thur. 11, 7:30pm Sat. 13, 7:30pm | Sun. 14, 2pm Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Giuseppe Adami Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage.

cast

creative team

MAGDA Celine Byrne

CONDUCTOR Sergio Alapont

RUGGERO Leonardo Capalbo

STAGE DIRECTOR Octavio Cardenas 

LISETTE Lisa Marie Rogali 

CHOREOGRAPHER Heidi Spesard-Noble

PRUNIER Christian Sanders 

SCENIC DESIGN Sara Brown

RAMBALDO Levi Hernandez

COSTUME DESIGN Montana Levi Blanco LIGHTING DESIGN Jesse Cogswell

Leonardo Capalbo

Levi Hernandez

Lisa Marie Rogali

Sergio Alapont



Christian Sanders

Octavio Cardenas

 MN Opera Resident Artist MN Opera Resident Artist Alum

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OV ER TU R E 2 01 8 –1 9

Celine Byrne

LA RONDINE - SYNOPSIS ACT 1

In Magda’s Paris home, Prunier tells the women that love and passion are all the fashions of Paris. He sings his latest composition. Magda is intrigued, but she is a kept woman, supported by Rambaldo. She accepts Rambaldo’s presents, but admits she does not love him. Magda remembers the night she escaped her ever-watchful aunt and went dancing. She fell in love with a young student, but they parted. Prunier predicts each woman’s future. Ruggero enters with a letter of introduction to Rambaldo. Rambaldo ask Prunier how his guest should spend his first night in Paris. Prunier scoffs but everyone gathers around, offering sightseeing suggestions. Magda’s guests take their leave. Prunier meets Lisette in secret. He is fascinated by the maid, he admits. On a sudden inspiration, Magda disguises herself as a grisette and leaves for the cabaret.

ACT 2

The customers at Bullier sing, dance, and drink. Magda is accosted by several students. She dances with Ruggero and they fall in love. Prunier scolds Lisette. The maid recognizes Magda, but Prunier convinces her it is a

different person. They introduce themselves and Lisette confesses to Magda that she borrowed her mistress’s clothes without permission. The crowd showers the four lovers with flowers. Rambaldo appears. At Magda’s insistence, Prunier hurries Ruggero away. Rambaldo recognizes Magda and demands an explanation. She says she loves Ruggero and means to stay with him. Magda and Ruggero vow their eternal love.

ACT 3

Ruggero and Magda have escaped to a cottage on the Riviera. He wonders how they will pay their bills and confesses that he has asked his parents for permission to marry her. She is overcome and realizes she must tell him the truth. After Lisette’s disastrous and brief stage career and Prunier’s constant criticism, Lisette begs Magda for her old job back, and Magda agrees. Prunier points out to Magda that she cannot live this way forever and transmits a message from “one who would help her.” Ruggero returns with a letter from his parents: They have agreed to the marriage. Magda confesses her past. Fulfilling Prunier’s prediction, she bids her grief-stricken lover farewell—and flies back to her former life.

M I NN E SOTA OP E RA MNOP E RA.ORG

“Who cares for wealth if at last

happiness flourishes! Oh, golden dream to be able to love like that!”

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

Study of a Figure Outdoors Woman with a Parasol, facing left by Claude Monet.

A moment of peace, in the midst of war. Music by Kevin Puts Libretto by Mark Campbell Based on the screenplay by Christian Carion for the motion picture Joyeux Noël produced by Nord-Ouest Production Commissioned by MN Opera as part of its New Works Initiative

NOVE MBE R 10 –18 , 201 8 Sat. 10, 7:30pm | Sun. 11, 2pm | Tue. 13, 7:30pm | Thur. 15, 7:30pm Sat. 17, 7:30pm | Sun. 18, 2pm Sung in English, German, French, Italian, and Latin with English translations projected above the stage.

CAST

CREATIVE TEAM

ANNA SØRENSEN Karin Wolverton 

CONDUCTOR Courtney Lewis

NIKOLAUS SPRINK Miles Mykkanen

STAGE DIRECTOR Eric Simonson FIGHT DIRECTOR Doug Scholz-Carlson

LT. AUDEBERT Edward Parks

SCENIC DESIGN Francis O’Connor

LT. HORSTMAYER Joshua Jeremiah

COSTUME DESIGN Kärin Kopischke

LT. GORDON Christian Thurston 

LIGHTING DESIGN Marcus Dilliard PROJECTIONS DESIGN Andrzej Goulding SOUND DESIGN C. Andrew Mayer

Miles Mykkanen

Christian Thurston

Edward Parks

Courtney Lewis



Joshua Jeremiah

Eric Simonson

 MN Opera Resident Artist MN Opera Resident Artist Alum

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

OV ER TU R E 2 01 8 –1 9

Karin Wolverton

SILENT NIGHT - SYNOPSIS PROLOGUE

Late summer, 1914: War is declared. At a Berlin opera house, the announcement disrupts the careers and personal lives of international opera singers Anna Sørensen and Nikolaus Sprink. In a small church in Scotland, it inspires dreams of heroism in William who demands that his younger brother Jonathan immediately enlist with him, as their priest, Father Palmer, looks helplessly on. In the Parisian apartment of the Audeberts, it angers Madeleine who excoriates her husband for leaving to fight while she is pregnant with their first child. With nationalistic songs in the background, the men prepare to leave for war.

ACT I In and around a battlefield in Belgium, near the French border, around Christmas

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Scene one December 23, late afternoon: A horrific battle is fought between the Germans and the French and Scottish. An attempt by the French and Scottish soldiers to infiltrate the German bunker fails miserably; corpses begin to pile up in the no-man’s land between the three bunkers. When William is shot, Jonathan must leave his brother behind to die.

Scene two December 23, evening: In the Scottish bunker, Lieutenant Gordon assesses the casualties after the battle. Father Palmer attempts to offer solace to Jonathan in prayer. In the French bunker, Lieutenant Audebert discovers the French General waiting in his makeshift office who reprimands him for surrendering and threatens him with a transfer. The General leaves and Audebert laments the loss of his wife’s photograph to his aide de camp, Ponchel. When he is alone Audebert tallies the casualties in the last battle, while missing Madeleine and their child who he has not yet seen. He sings of needing sleep, a sentiment echoed by all the soldiers. As it starts to snow, covering the corpses in no-man’s land, the soldiers slowly begin to sleep. Alone in the German bunker, Nikolaus, reveals to an imagined Anna his despair about war.

Scene three December 24, morning: In the German bunker, crates have arrived—and little Christmas trees from the Kronprinz. Lieutenant Horstmayer criticizes the Kronprinz for not sending them more useful presents, like ammunition and reinforcements. He receives a directive from headquarters that Nikolaus has been ordered to sing at the nearby chalet of the Kronprinz, along with one Anna Sørensen. Nikolaus departs for the chalet, excited that he will be reunited with Anna again after many months apart. The French soldiers have received crates of wine, sausages, and chocolates from the quartermaster and open them jubilantly. Ponchel, a barber by trade, brings coffee to Audebert and sits him down for a haircut. He is reminded of having coffee with his mother every morning, who lives only an hour away on foot. The alarm clock he carries next to his heart at all times (which shielded him from a bullet in the last battle) rings at ten o’clock every morning to remind him of their daily meeting. In the Scottish bunker, crates of whiskey have arrived from home. Jonathan writes a letter to his mother, not mentioning his brother’s death. Scene four December 24, early evening: At the chalet of the Kronprinz, Anna and Nikolaus perform a duet. Following the performance, they steal a few moments on a terrace outside. Anna notices the cruel effect war has had on her lover’s spirit. She has arranged for Nikolaus to spend the night with her and is angry when he says he must return to his fellow soldiers. She vows to accompany him back to the battlefield. Scene five December 24, night: In the French bunker, Gueusselin volunteers to infiltrate the German bunker, and with several grenades, sidles onto no-man’s land. The Scottish soldiers drink whiskey and play a bagpipe that another unit has sent them, as Father Palmer sings a sentimental ballad about home. The men in the other bunkers hear the song and react to it with sadness, caution, and annoyance. Nikolaus arrives; his fellow soldiers greet him with cheers and applause and gasp in amazement at seeing Anna with him. When

SILENT NIGHT - SYNOPSIS

ACT II Scene one December 25, dawn: The following morning, Jonathan tries to bury his brother. Because the truce is officially over, two German sentries are prepared to shoot him, although Father Palmer and Lieutenant Gordon intervene. Looking on, Horstmayer proposes that it may indeed be time to bury all of the dead. The three lieutenants meet and decide that the truce will be extended until after the dead in no-man’s land are buried. Scene two December 25, late morning, early afternoon: The soldiers pile up the corpses, Father Palmer delivers last rites and the soldiers form a processional bearing the wagon of bodies away. Anna looks on with Nikolaus and promises that he will not suffer the same fate. Scene three December 25, all day: In the meantime, news of the cease-fire has reached headquarters, and the British Major, the Kronprinz, and the French General all react in anger and

disbelief. They declare that they will punish the soldiers for their betrayal. Scene four December 25, evening: When the truce is over, Nikolaus ridicules Horstmayer for his allegiance to the Fatherland; Horstmayer arrests him for insubordination. Anna takes Nikolaus’ hand and leads him across no-man’s land as Horstmayer orders his men to shoot, but no one moves. Reaching the French bunker unharmed, Nikolaus demands asylum for Anna and himself. Scene five December 26, late morning: The British Major admonishes the Scottish soldiers for participating in the Christmas truce. They are to be transferred to the front lines. When a German soldier is seen crossing the battlefield, the Major orders him killed. Jonathan complies and dispassionately shoots the man. Lieutenant Audebert returns to his small office and discovers the French General there. The General tells Audebert that he will be transferred to Verdun as punishment for consorting with the enemy and that his unit will be disbanded. Audebert informs the French General—his father—that he has learned he has an infant son named Henri. They vow to survive the war for the child’s sake. The Kronprinz angrily announces that the German soldiers are to be deployed in Pomerania as punishment. The soldiers are taken off in a boxcar. The battlefield is now completely empty. Snow begins to fall again.

“It was the most amazing thing. I shall never forget it.”

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OV ER TU R E 2 01 8 –1 9

the song in the Scottish bunker is finished, Nikolaus sings a rousing Christmas song loudly in response and midway through, the bagpiper begins to accompany. Emboldened, Nikolaus stands atop the bunker raising a Christmas tree as a gesture of friendship. Against the protestations of their superiors, the soldiers from all bunkers stand. Nikolaus bravely moves to the center of no-man’s land. Gueusselin abandons his plan to grenade the German bunker. Eventually, the three lieutenants, waving a white flag of truce, agree to a cease-fire … but only on Christmas Eve. The soldiers slowly and cautiously move toward each other. They share their provisions, their photos, and their names. Anna appears and all of the soldiers are awed by the sight of a woman. Father Palmer has set up a makeshift church and celebrates mass with the men, while Jonathan finds his brother’s body and vows revenge. Father Palmer finishes the mass and urges the men to “go in peace” as bombs explode menacingly in the distance.

JA N UARY 26–FEBRUA RY 3 , 2019 Sat. 26, 7:30pm | Tue. 29, 7:30pm | Thur. 31, 7:30pm Sat. 2, 8pm | Sun. 3, 2pm Music by Nino Rota Libretto by Nino & Ernesta Rota Sung in Italian with English translations projected above the stage.

C AST

C REATIVE T EAM

FADINARD Andrew Stenson

CONDUCTOR Jonathan Brandani

NONANCOURT Dale Travis

STAGE DIRECTOR Andrea Cigni

BEAUPERTUIS Pietro Di Bianco

CHOREOGRAPHER Heidi Spesard-Noble

ELENA Lisa Marie Rogali

SCENIC & COSTUME DESIGN Lorenzo Cutùli

ANAIDE Danielle Beckvermit

LIGHTING DESIGN Marcus Dilliard

Andrew Stenson

Dale Travis

Pietro Di Bianco

Lisa Marie Rogali

Danielle Beckvermit

Victoria Vargas

Jonathan Brandani

Andrea Cigni



 MN Opera Resident Artist MN Opera Resident Artist Alum

By arrangement with Hendon Music, Inc., a Boosey & Hawkes company, Sole Agent in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico for Casa Ricordi/Universal Music Publishing Ricordi S.R.L., publisher and copyright owner.

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

OV ER TU R E 2 01 8 –1 9

LA BARONESSA DI CHAMPIGNY Victoria Vargas

T H E I TA L I A N S T R AW H AT - S Y N O P S I S

M I N N E SOTA O P E RA MNO PE RA .ORG

ACT I

It is Fadinard’s wedding day in Paris. As he hurries home in his carriage, to make sure that all the preparations are being carried out smoothly for his marriage to Elena, his whip gets entangled in a tree. While he is disentangling it, his horse passes the time with a little snack—a lady’s straw hat. Unfortunately, the lady who owns the straw hat is behind the tree, and even more unfortunately for Fadinard’s smooth-running wedding day, she is a married lady called Anaide and she is with her lover Emilio. They arrive at Fadinard’s house.

Anaide is anxious and upset, because the straw hat was bought for her in Florence by her jealous husband, who will ask very awkward questions if she goes home without it. Fadinard sends his servant out to buy a replacement hat and the wedding party arrives: the bride-to-be Elena, her grotesquely comic father Nonancourt, and guests who create confusion wherever they go. Fadinard’s servant is unsuccessful in his efforts to find another hat, and as Emilio threatens Fadinard with a duel if he does not replace it, Fadinard decides that he must go out and obtain one.

ACT II Carrying the remains of the mistreated straw hat, Fadinard goes to a milliner’s shop where he learns that the last Italian straw hat has been sold to the Baronessa di Champigny. He rushes to her villa and is mistaken for Minardi, the famous violinist who is to give a recital and be the Baronessa’s guest of honor at dinner that evening. Fadinard is anxious to remain in the house and obtain the straw hat, so he does not correct the mistaken identity. The Baronessa says that she gave that hat as a gift to one of her friends,

T H E I TA L I A N S T R AW H AT - S Y N O P S I S

“And what did I find? My horse, munching with ardor a little bit of straw with ribbons and red flowers!”

the wife of Beaupertuis, and when the wedding party arrives, causing trouble and confusion, Fadinard decides to make a quick getaway in pursuit of the Baronessa’s hat.

ACT III Fadinard’s luck continues to run out when he is told that Beaupertuis’ wife is not at home. Beaupertuis complains about his wife’s lateness; she went out that morning to visit her cousin and has not yet returned. Fadinard tells him his story and about his quest for the hat and begins to search the house thoroughly for the straw

hat given by the Baronessa. Meanwhile, Nonancourt, and the wedding party arrive, looking for the bridegroom, having consumed a great deal of the Baronessa’s champagne. Fadinard learns that Beaupertuis’ wife is actually Anaide, and Bearpertuis is so enraged that he grabs a pistol and runs off to look for his faithless wife.

ACT IV Everything is upset and it appears that the wedding of Fadinard and Elena will have to be called off. The wedding party has gotten

lost in Paris and arrested; Beaupertuis still wants to kill his wife; Nonancourt wants to cancel the marriage and take Elena home. But a hat is discovered—the hat that the bride’s uncle, Vezinet, had brought as a wedding gift at the beginning of these events—and it is given to Anaide in time to convince her husband that, since she has a hat, she must be innocent. Fadinard is able to get free of the wedding party and other hinderances, and can begin to enjoy his life with Elena.

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

OV ER TU R E 2 01 8 –1 9

The Italian Straw Hat, 2017 © Clive Barda for Wexford Festival Opera

Music by Joel Puckett Libretto by Eric Simonson Commissioned by Minnesota Opera A Minnesota Opera New Works Initiative Production

M A R C H 1 6 – 24 , 2 0 1 9 Sat. 16, 7:30pm | Tue. 19, 7:30pm | Thur. 21, 7:30pm Sat. 23, 7:30pm | Sun. 24, 2pm Sung in English with English captions projected above the stage.

CREATIVE TEAM

“SHOELESS” JOE JACKSON Joshua Dennis

CONDUCTOR Timothy Myers

RING LARDNER Kelly Markgraf

STAGE DIRECTOR Eric Simonson

ARNOLD “CHICK” GANDIL Wei Wu

SCENIC DESIGN Walt Spangler

BILL “SLEEPY” BURNS Andrew Wilkowske

COSTUME DESIGN Trevor Bowen

KATIE JACKSON Jasmine Habersham

LIGHTING DESIGN Robert Wierzel

Joshua Dennis

Kelly Markgraf

Jasmine Habersham



Wei Wu

Timothy Myers

Andrew Wilkowske

Eric Simonson

 MN Opera Resident Artist MN Opera Resident Artist Alum

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

OV ER TU R E 2 01 8 –1 9

CAST

THE FIX - SYNOPSIS ACT I

ACT II

Shoeless Joe Jackson, star slugger for the Chicago White Sox, is scolded by his wife, Katie, for signing a contract against his interests. She reminds him he is far too trusting of others.

A year later the Sox are, once again, headed for the World Series. But the mood is different. Rumors of a fix the previous year have cast a dark cloud over the team. Despite having the best season of his career, Joe is consumed with guilt. His co-conspirators insist he keep his mouth shut.

Months later, the White Sox team looks forward to a World Series. Ring Lardner, optimistic reporter, extols the virtues of the “best team in the history of baseball” while his cynical counterpart, Hugh Fullerton, digs for dirt. Ace pitcher Lefty Williams pulls Joe aside and encourages him to consider a plan to “set things right” with cheapskate owner Charles Comiskey. In New York, professional gambler “Sleepy” Bill Burns works with mobster Abe Atell to finance throwing the Series, while in Chicago eight players meet to discuss joining the conspiracy. Joe, the deciding vote, reluctantly agrees, and the fix is on. Just before the first game, Ring and Hugh discuss rumors that the Sox will throw the Series. Ring refuses to believe it and waxes poetic about the virtues of Shoeless Joe. His spirits dampen when Sox ace pitcher, Eddie Cicotte, hits the first player up to bat.

M I NN E SOTA OP E RA MNOP E RA.ORG

Sox catcher Ray Schalk (who is not a part of the fix) complains to Comiskey and lawyer Alfred Austrian that his teammates are trying to lose. Comiskey refuses to believe his unfair labor practices have led to treachery, and asks him to keep quiet.

Four games into the Series, the Sox are down three games to one. But Joe is having second thoughts. “It’s hard to play bad,” he tells Lefty. He convinces him that they and the others should, from now on, play to win. At a Chicago bar, the Sox celebrate their second win in a row. Abe and Sleepy, nervous the Sox have gone against their word, threaten Joe with Katie’s life if the Sox don’t lose. Lefty, scheduled to pitch the next game, agrees to throw the game, and the Sox lose the series.

Comiskey and Austrian meet newly elected Judge Kenesaw Landis, who vows to scrub gambling from baseball. Alone, the two chiefs predict the demise of their all-star team, but see an opportunity to replenish their roster with young and inexpensive sluggers. At a bar, Joe runs into Ring. He shames Joe, who runs home to Katie and confesses. Katie persuades Joe to come clean to Austrian and the public, and the “Black Sox” scandal is blown wide open. At a sensation trial, the eight accused players face the scorn of Comiskey and the press. The public, though, is on the players side, and when a not guilty verdict is delivered, most celebrate. Katie and Joe’s reprieve, though, is short-lived as Commissioner Landis declares the conspiring players banned from baseball for life, effectively ending their careers. In an epilogue years later, Ray Schalk—now a baseball scout—runs into Ring, who has become an alcoholic and is suffering from tuberculosis. Ray tells him a story of running into Joe, now manager of a small dry goods store in South Carolina. In a flashback, we see Joe—rundown and looking much older than his years—ashamed to recognize and acknowledge his former teammate. Embracing the irony of moment, Ring once again opines of the Joe that once was: “A boy from squalor, who made it big on nothing short of a dream.”

“Go round the room. Person by person. That way we’ll know who is in, who is out.”

THE FIX

STORY OF 1919 BLACK SOX SCANDAL STILL RESONATES In August of 1921, eight White Sox players charged with throwing the 1919 World Series were acquitted by a 12-man jury that deliberated just 2 hours, 47 minutes. But the acquittal served only as a reprieve from legal ramifications for the players associated with the “Black-Sox Scandal.” A day after their acquittal, baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis ruled the players allegedly involved would be banned for life from organized baseball. The story of resentment, revenge, and ambition gone awry captivated the nation and continues to stir curiosity and debate. “Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player that throws a ball game, no player that undertakes or promises to throw a ball game, no player that sits in a conference with a bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing games are planned and discussed and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball,” Landis said. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson and other players admitted taking bribes for the 1919 World Series, and in an interview with Sports Illustrated in 1956, Arnold “Chick” Gandil admitted: “I was a ringleader.” After the player confessions, Chicago Daily News writer Charley Owens wrote a heart-felt piece with the headline: “Say, It Ain’t So, Joe,” that became an enduring sentiment regarding the scandal. This story of class struggle continues to play out in the ongoing debate of the White Sox’s legacy. Some believe the players admirably fought against oppressive leadership and sympathize with the difficult position they were purportedly stuck in. Sox owner Charles Comiskey was known to be stingy with his players, even charging them 25 cents to clean their uniforms. In protest, many of them refused to pay, thus earning them the early nickname of the Black Sox. Looking back, who was right and who was wrong? According to Judge Landis and the other professional baseball authorities, the players are to blame for the lingering kerfuffle. Despite requests for reinstatement in the decades that followed (particularly in the case of “Shoeless” Joe Jackson), the players’ bans from professional baseball and the Baseball Hall of Fame remains in force.

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The Fix offers a nuanced telling of the complex and engrossing tragedy of the disenfranchised players exploited by those in power. Depicting the extremes of the human experience and the race to a tragic end, the story winningly harnesses the dramatic power of the operatic art form resulting in a thrilling new addition to the operatic canon.

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

VIOLETTA VALÉRY Nicole Cabell+ Cecilia Violetta López++

CONDUCTOR Christopher Franklin+ Andrew Whitfield++

ALFREDO GERMONT Jesús León+ Stephen Martin ++

STAGE DIRECTOR Louisa Muller CHOREOGRAPHER Heidi Spesard-Noble

GIORGIO GERMONT Joo Won Kang+ Youngjoo An ++

Cecilia Violetta López

Youngjoo An

Jesús León

Christopher Franklin

Stephen Martin

Andrew Whitfield

Joo Won Kang

Louisa Muller

 MN Opera Resident Artist MN Opera Resident Artist Alum + Appearing May 4, 9, 11, 14, and 19 ++ Appearing May 12, 16, and 18 

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

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Nicole Cabell

SCENIC & COSTUME DESIGN Isabella Bywater

L A T R AV I ATA - S Y N O P S I S ACT I Violetta’s house in Paris: Violetta, a courtesan under the protection of Baron Douphol, is entertaining guests in her salon, when she is introduced to a new admirer, Alfredo Germont. After Alfredo leads a spirited toast to his hostess, the guests depart. Violetta remains behind, overcome by a bout of coughing; Alfredo also stays behind and declares his love for her, which Violetta gently discourages. After the party has finally broken up, Violetta wonders if Alfredo could be her true love; in the end, however, she believes that her death must come in the ‘vortex’ of hollow pleasures that make up her life.

him. Germont enters in time to witness his son’s outburst and reproaches him for it.

ACT III Violetta’s bedroom, a few months later: Dr. Grenvil tells Annina that her mistress is dying. Violetta reads a letter from Germont that says Alfredo has learned of her sacrifice and is on his way to her to ask her forgiveness. The lovers are reunited and Germont arrives to give his blessing; but it is too late and Violetta dies.

M I NN E SOTA OP E RA MNOP E RA.ORG

Act II

Scene One A country house near Paris, three months later: Violetta and Alfredo are now living together in the country. When he learns from her maid, Annina, that Violetta has sold her possessions to pay their debts, Alfredo leaves for Paris to raise the necessary money. In his absence, Violetta receives an unexpected call from his father. He begs her to break off the attachment; otherwise, his daughter’s marriage into a respectable family will be threatened. Violetta finally agrees, and when Germont leaves, writes a farewell note. When Alfredo returns and reads it, he refuses the consolation of his father and rushes off to Paris to avenge himself for what he believes to be a betrayal. Scene Two Flora’s House in Paris, the same night: A party is in progress. Alfredo appears alone, followed by Violetta escorted by Baron Douphol. The two men play cards and Alfredo wins. When she has the chance, Violetta sees Alfredo alone and begs him to avoid a duel. Alfredo summons the guests to witness the repayment of his debts and flings his winnings in her face. The Baron challenges

“Free and aimless I frolic from joy to joy, flowing along the surface of life’s path as I please.”

MEET THE ARTIST

NICOLE CABELL

What is your history with the role of Violetta? I’ve sung this role at the Michigan Opera Theater, San Francisco Opera, and The Royal Opera, Covent Garden.

character of Violetta, arguably one of the greatest in operatic repertoire. She requires everything of an artist, and I look forward to giving my all during this run.

What are some of the joys and challenges of performing this role? There are certainly many challenges in this role, least of which is the necessity to access tricky coloratura passages—which lie quite high—early in the opera, followed by dramatic lyric passages in Acts II and III. Some say you need three different voices to sing this opera! The variety in this role is a joy, and accomplishing the feat of singing it is very gratifying. Another joy is, of course, inhabiting the beautiful, tragic dramatic

What is it about La Traviata that to you makes it such an enduring audience favorite? The music in La Traviata is so incredible that it has easily stood the test of time, and will continue to do so. The story is also well known and beautifully executed alongside the music. If done right, the audience is taken on a powerful emotional journey that few operas can match. What is the strangest or most surprising thing that has ever happened to you during a performance?

I luckily have a surprising lack of weird onstage moments, but a funny incident happened in 2017 when performing the role of Gemmira in Cavalli’s Eliogabalo with the Dutch National Opera. My character is witness to the assassination of the Emperor Eliogabalo, and, while holding his severed head, recounts the story of his death. At the end, I am to throw his severed head on the floor, and it then rolls into the orchestra pit. However, the head was made of rubber, and every night, no matter how soft I set it on the ground, it bounced, a bit like a basketball, sending the audience into laughter at exactly the wrong moment. Oops!

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

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PROJECT OPERA Project Opera Presents

THE GONDOLIERS Music by Arthur Sullivan Libretto by W. S. Gilbert In Gilbert and Sullivan’s great satire of class distinctions, two young gondoliers must unexpectedly rule the kingdom until it can be determined which of them is the rightful king.

BRUNDIBÁR Music by Hans Krása Libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister Originally performed by the children of Theresienstadt concentration camp in occupied Czechoslovakia, penniless Annette and Little Joe overcome the evil organ grinder Brundibár to sing in the market square.

M I NN E SOTA OP E RA MNOP E RA.ORG

February 8–10, 2019 The Lab Theater, 700 N 1st St Minneapolis, MN 55401

Tickets: $15 Adults, $5 Students* *Student tickets available by phone only

Photos © Sigrid Redpath

E D U C AT I O N P R O G R A M S

Photo: La Bohème Student Dress Rehearsal, 2017 © Dan Norman

EDUCATION PROGRAMS AT A GLANCE Core to our mission is the engagement of the community through education opportunities. We believe in fostering creativity and encouraging members of the community from all walks of life to continue to learn. EARLY CHILDHOOD

ELEMENTARY

MIDDLE

HIGH SCHOOL

COLLEGE

ADULT

55+

Stories Sing! coOPERAtion! Project Opera Sing Out Children’s Chorus Camp Create an Opera Camp

Vocal Artist Program

Music Out Loud

Opera Artist+ Student Final Dress Rehearsals Day at the Opera Behind The Curtain Opera Insights Voices of Opera Opera Connections Family Arts Blast Opera Center Tours

Opera Center Tours Behind-the-scenes look at the MN Opera Center

Day at the Opera Career day at the MN Opera Center for aspiring young opera singers

Opera Connections Learning opera through storytelling

Family Arts Blast Free hands-on theater and music experience Music Out Loud After-school music and leadership development program

Opera Insights Half-hour pre-performance lecture in the Ordway’s Target Atrium Project Opera Our flagship school-year-long vocal training program

Stories Sing! Singing storybooks program Student Final Dress Rehearsals Fully staged opera productions at the Ordway Summer Opera Camps Residential and day training programs for aspiring singers Voices of Opera Community opera chorus

More information at mnopera.org/learn Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

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coOPERAtion! Tailored residencies lead by teaching artists

2018–2019 RESIDENT ARTISTS

Rigoletto, 2018 © Cory Weaver

One of North America’s premier training programs, the MN Opera Resident Artist Program offers a full season of employment for talented artists beginning their professional careers. From late August through May, Resident Artists gain valuable experience in assignments ranging from ensemble, understudy, and comprimario, to principal roles in mainstage productions. The program is designed to bridge the gap between an artist’s academic education and professional career. DANIELLE BECKVERMIT

ADAM DA ROS

18–19 Season

Bianca (La Rondine), Madeleine (Silent Night), Anaide (The Italian Straw Hat), Annina (La Traviata)

Assistant Director (La Rondine), Assistant Director (Silent Night), Assistant Director (The Italian Straw Hat), Assistant Director (The Fix), Assistant Director (La Traviata)

SOPRANO Kingston, New York

Training

Mannes School of Music, SUNY Fredonia, Chautauqua Institute Summer Festival, Ashlawn Opera

DIRECTOR Dawson Creek, Canada

Training

Vancouver Opera, University of British Columbia

MARY BOX

STEPHEN MARTIN

18–19 Season

Coach/Répétiteur (La Rondine), Coach/Répétiteur (Silent Night), Coach/Répétiteur (The Italian Straw Hat), Coach/Répétiteur (The Fix), Coach/Répétiteur (La Traviata)

Gobin/Adolfo (La Rondine), Kronprinz (Silent Night), Felice (The Italian Straw Hat), Alfredo (La Traviata)

PIANIST San Antonio, Texas

Training

M I NN E SOTA OP E RA MNOP E RA.ORG

Eastman School of Music, University of Houston, Rice University

TENOR Rochester, Minnesota

Training

Michigan State University, The Glimmerglass Festival, Santa Fe Opera, Sarasota Opera

NICHOLAS DAVIS

LISA MARIE ROGALI

18–19 Season

Perichaud/Robonier (La Rondine), British Major (Silent Night), Baron Douphol (La Traviata)

Lisette (La Rondine), Elena (The Italian Straw Hat)

Training

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Opera Saratoga, University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music, Pennsylvania State University

BARITONE Petersburg, Tennessee

University of Kentucky, University of Michigan, Brevard Music Center, Des Moines Metro Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, The Glimmerglass Festival, Santa Fe Opera

SOPRANO Hawley, Pennslyvania

Training

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

PAT R O N S E R V I C E S I N F O TENOR Westcliff, Colorado 18–19 Season

Prunier (La Rondine), Jonathan Dale (Silent Night), A corporal of the guard (The Italian Straw Hat), Gastone de Letorières (La Traviata) Training

Utah Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Point Loma Nazarene University, Rice University

ANDREW SUN

PIANIST West Windsor, New Jersey 18–19 Season

Coach/Répétiteur (La Rondine), Coach/Répétiteur (Silent Night), Coach/Répétiteur (The Italian Straw Hat), Coach/Répétiteur (The Fix), Coach/Répétiteur (La Traviata) Training

Merola Opera Program, Music Academy of the West, New York University, Manhattan School of Music

WM. CLAY THOMPSON BASS Lexington, Kentucky 18–19 Season

Crebillon (La Rondine), The French General (Silent Night), Dottore Grenvil (La Traviata) Training

MN Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, Kentucky Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, SOO Opera Theater, Opera Orvieto, Seagle Music Colony, University of North Texas, University of Kentucky

CHRISTIAN THURSTON

BARITONE Rotura, New Zealand 18–19 Season

Maggiordomo (La Rondine), Gordon (Silent Night), Emilio (The Italian Straw Hat), The Marquis (La Traviata) Training

MN Opera, New Zealand School of Music, New Zealand Opera School, Manhattan School of Music, New Zealand Opera Emerging Artists

MN Opera Patron Services 620 North First Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401 612-333-6669 Regular Hours: Monday–Friday, 10am–5pm. Performances: Weekdays—phones open until curtain. Weekends— phones open at 2pm for evening performances and at 10:30am for matinée performances. MN Opera staff will be available at the Ordway’s Box Office 90 minutes prior to curtain. mnopera.org Visit mnopera.org to watch behind-the-scenes videos, read synopses, browse digital programs, and more. Join our e-club to receive special offers and opera news. Ticket Policies Tickets are not refundable. Subscribers may make exchanges for a different performance or opera up to one hour prior to curtain. Any ticket may be turned back for a tax-deductible donation up until curtain. Call MN Opera Patron Services at 612-333-6669. Parking Prepaid parking is available for opera patrons at the Lawson Commons Ramp. Call 612-333-6669 or visit mnopera.org to purchase passes. Opera Insights Come early for Opera Insights—free, fun, and informative half-hour sessions held in the lobby one hour before curtain. Accessibility For patrons with disabilities, wheelchair-accessible seats are available. Audio descriptions will be available for select performances. Please call 612-333-6669 for details and indicate any special needs when ordering tickets. Accessible restrooms and other facilities are available, as well as Braille or large-print programs and infrared listening systems. At the Ordway Ordway is a smoke-free facility. Latecomers will be seated at an appropriate break. Please have all cell phones and pagers turned to the silent mode. Children under six are not permitted in the hall. Cameras and recording equipment are strictly prohibited in the theater. Please check these items with an usher. Food and beverages are available for purchase prior to the show and during intermission. Water and other beverages are allowed in the theater (hot beverages require lids), but food is strictly prohibited. The phone number for emergencies is 651-224-4222. Please leave seat locations with the calling party. Lost and Found is located at the Stage Door. Call 651-282-3070 for assistance.

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CHRISTIAN SANDERS

SUBSCRIBER BENEFITS

SEASON TICKET PACKAGES AUTO-RENEWAL SUBSCRIPTIONS (Full Season Only)

HUGE SAVINGS Enjoy the only guaranteed discount. SAVE MORE ON TUESDAYS Tuesday subscribers save even more.

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TEMPO SUBSCRIPTIONS* (Restrictions Apply)

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FLEXIBLE EXCHANGES Exchange tickets into a different date or show, or even bring a friend to the next opera. DISCOUNTED TICKETS for family and friends.

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GUARANTEED BEST SEATS before, and priority seating after, individual tickets go on sale. DISCOUNTED PREPAID PARKING in downtown St. Paul offered before going on sale to the general public. INVITATIONS TO SPECIAL EVENTS Meet the singers and creative team behind each production at select events. INTEREST-FREE PAYMENT PLAN OPTIONS

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DINING DEALS at participating restaurants near the Ordway. WE’LL SAVE YOUR SEAT for the entire season, plus first priority seating in future seasons.

ONE FREE SEAT UPGRADE for the performance of your choice. (Subject to availability)

SUBSCRIBERS IN SEATING AREAS B–F

INVITATION TO A CHAMPAGNE RECEPTION during the intermission of one of the season’s productions.

SUBSCRIBERS IN SEATING AREAS A+ OR A

EASY, PAPERLESS RENEWAL BE FIRST to preview the next season early each year before anyone else. ONE BRING-A-FRIEND TICKET Invite someone new to experience opera for each subscription in your account.

*Tempo is MN Opera’s access program for new and seasoned opera goers ages 21–45. Tempo subscriptions are only available in seating sections B–E and are limited to 2 subscriptions per household.

WHEN RENEWED BY THE EARLY BIRD DEADLINE

TWO CONCESSIONS VOUCHERS to use at the Ordway during the season.

D I N N E R B E FO R E T H E S H OW

PRESENT YOUR MN OPERA SUBSCRIPTION TICKET TO ENJOY THESE OFFERS FROM PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS NEAR THE ORDWAY. Offers are valid on the day of the performance only. Subscription ticket is required. To ensure service, please contact the restaurant ahead of your visit. All offers are subject to change.

Forepaugh’s New American Cuisine - $$$

276 South Exchange Street • Saint Paul, 55102 • 651-224-5606 • Forepaughs.com

Complimentary appetizer or dessert with entrée purchase. Upscale New American dishes & wine offered in an antique-filled Victorian mansion with patio dining. Free parking. Limit one per table. Not valid with any other offers.

Great Waters Brewing Company Brewery - $$ 426 Saint Peter Street • Saint Paul, 55102 • 651-224-2739 • Greatwatersbc.com

Complimentary house wine or craft beer with entrée purchase. A diverse brewpub menu pairs with housemade beers in a historic building with year-round patio.

Kincaid’s Classic American - $$$ 380 Saint Peter Street #125 • Saint Paul, 55102 • 651-602-9000 • Kincaids.com

Complimentary Crème Brûlée or key lime pie with any entrée purchase. Branch of an upscale American chain preparing steaks, seafood & cocktails in a sophisticated space. Limit one per table.

Meritage French Bistro - $$$ 410 Saint Peter Street • Saint Paul, 55102 • 651-222-5670 • Meritage-stp.com

Complimentary valet with entrée purchase. Polished French bistro featuring a seasonal menu, an oyster bar, long wine list, and sidewalk seating.

Pazzaluna Urban Italian - $$$ 360 Saint Peter Street • Saint Paul, 55102 • 651-223-7000 • Pazzaluna.com

Complimentary selection of three antipasti with the purchase of an entrée. A wide-ranging Italian menu plus wine in a contemporary space with tall columns & colorful murals. Limit one per ticket.

Sakura Restaurant & Bar Japanese - $$ 350 Saint Peter Street • Saint Paul, 55102 • 651-224-0185 • Sakurastpaul.com

Vieux Carré Jazz Club - $$ 408 Saint Peter Street • Saint Paul, 55102 • 651-291-2715 | Vieux-carre.com

Complimentary wine, beer, or cocktail and/or waived cover fee. New Orleans-style club in a historic space with Creole-inspired fare, craft cocktails & live jazz. Complimentary drinks available before the show. Entrée purchase required. Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

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Complimentary dessert with entrée purchase. Japanese spot preparing sushi, tempura & bento boxes in a vibrant, bi-level setting with a full bar.

OPERA THAT TRANSFORMS Over MN Opera’s history, generous donations from people like you continue to be the enduring foundation for our mainstage productions and community programs. Last year alone, MN Opera donors made it possible for 19,000 children and retirees to participate in our engagement programs, brought 42,000 people to our mainstage performance, and served over 600,000 people from the greater Minnesota community.

What you can do:

$10

$100

$25

$250

$50

$500

You can sponsor two members of MN Opera’s creative aging program, Voices of Opera

You can build one prop for a Project Opera production, fully staged shows featuring youth in grades 4–12

You can provide a student with a week of Music Out Loud, our after school music program

You can send a Teaching Artist into a classroom to work with 30 students for a day

You can inspire engagement at two local libraries through Stories Sing!, an interactive hour of storytelling and music

With your support, we can reach beyond the stage and have a lasting impact in the community.

Visit mnopera.org/support to donate and view the many benefits of giving. Thank you to all MN Opera donors. You have made exceptional opera in Minnesota possible!

You can give one student the opportunity to see a mainstage opera performance at the Ordway

SPECIAL EVENTS Season Preview Concert September 30, 2018

Hosted by President and General Director Ryan Taylor, the Season Preview Concert offers a free sneak preview of MN Opera’s upcoming season.

Opera Gala 2018 October 6, 2018

Join us for an evening of entertainment, champagne, and French Riviera elegance at MN Opera’s season opening celebration.

Sphinx Virtuosi October 28, 2018

The Sphinx Virtuosi is one of America’s most dynamic string ensembles, comprised of the nation’s top Black and Latino classical string players. Copresented by the Arts Partnership (The Ordway, MN Opera, Schubert Club, and the SPCO).

Resident Artist Program Jukebox Live April 12, 2019 Experience a performance of opera highlights curated by the audience and sung by MN Opera Resident Artists. Come to the preshow reception to vote for the arias of your choice in this one-of-a-kind concert!

Open Rehearsal May 1, 2019

Season subscribers and donors have the opportunity to join us for an open rehearsal of La Traviata! Plan to join us the evening of Wednesday, May 1 to observe the first act of La Traviata as we work to put the finishing touches on the production.

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More information at mnopera.org/events

Minnesota Opera is a nonprofit charitable organization that relies on your support. • mnopera.org/donate

2 018–1 9 S EAS ON LA RONDINE Oct. 6–14, 2018

SILENT NIGHT Nov. 10–18, 2018

THE ITALIAN STRAW HAT Jan. 26–Feb. 3, 2019 WORLD P R E M I E R E

THE FIX

Mar. 16–24, 2019

LA TRAVIATA May 4–19, 2019