AIDA Program Notes

AÏDA NOVEMBER 7 • 10 • 13 • 15, 2015 ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE Opera in Four Acts

By Giuseppe Verdi Libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni There will be one 30 minute intermission between Act Two and Act Three.

CAST I N OR D E R OF VOCAL APPEARANCE

Ramfis Radames Amneris Aida The King of Egypt A Messenger High Priestess Amonasro

Harold Wilson Carl Tanner* Catherine Martin* Alexandra Lobianco* Ashraf Sewailam Benjamin Werley*^ Emily Louise Robinson*^ Marco Nistico*

Opera Colorado Orchestra Opera Colorado Chorus Conductor Stage Director Chorus Master Lighting Design Wig and Makeup Design

Ari Pelto David Gately Andres Cladera Lucas Krech Ronell Oliveri

BALLET DANCERS

Choreographer Rachel Harding Chad Azadan* Terrell Davis* Cory Klements* Aubrey Klinger* Jessica Maria Loosenort* Rodni Williams* SCENERY AND COSTUMES ARE PROVIDED COURTESY OF VIRGINIA OPERA SCENIC DESIGNER: ERHARD ROM COSTUME DESIGNER: MARTHA HALLY THE PRE-PERFORMANCE LECTURE IS PRESENTED BY MUSIC HISTORIAN BETSY SCHWARM.

*Opera Colorado Debut ^Opera Colorado Young Artists

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M R . A N D M R S . K E N N ETH T. BAR ROW | 2015-2016 S EASON S P ON S O R Opera Colorado Young Artist Emily Louise Robinson is sponsored by Shirley and Marlis Smith, and Joyce and Dirk deRoos.

Opera Colorado Young Artist Danielle Lombardi is sponsored by Carol McMurry and Patrick Spieles.

Opera Colorado Young Artist housing is made possible by Studio TBD. OP E R A COLOR A D O ’ S 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6 S E A S O N S P O N S O R S

OP E R A C O LO R A D O M E D IA S P O N S O R S

ENGLISH OR SPANISH SUBTITLES AT YOUR FINGERTIPS OPERATING THE SUBTITLES | FOLLOW THESE EASY STEPS  Prior to the performance, the screen will display a sponsored message automatically. (You cannot turn it off.)  When the singing begins, briefly press the red button.  Press once for English titles and twice for Spanish titles.  Press three times to turn the system off.  Repeat these steps after intermission(s).

Pressing the button too many times or holding the button down will result in system failure. Titles are only broadcast when singing occurs on the stage. If you experience difficulty with the system, please contact an usher for assistance. Opera Colorado does not offer refunds or exchanges in the event of subtitle system failure. A synopsis of the opera is available in this program.

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All Sunday matinee performances offer audio description for the visually impaired. Headsets are available at the coat check.

English subtitles written by Jeremy Sortore for Opera Colorado. Spanish translation by TranslatingSpanish.com

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SYNOPSIS AÏDA Setting: Ancient Egypt Act One: High Priest Ramfis will soon announce who will lead the Egyptian army into battle against the Ethiopians. Radames, wanting to impress his secret love, the slave girl Aida, hopes to be chosen. Amneris, daughter of the Egyptian king, observes Radames’ reaction to Aida’s presence, and becomes suspicious and jealous, for she loves Radames herself. An announcement is made to the king’s court that, indeed, Radames shall lead the army against the Ethiopians. Wishes are expressed for his triumph and Aida is torn. For his sake, she would like him to win, but what none of the Egyptians know it that before being forced into slavery, Aida was an Ethiopian princess. Now her feelings are divided between her country and her love. In the temple, Radames prepares for war.

Act Two: Word arrives that Radames’ forces have triumphed.

From Aida’s reaction, an infuriated Amneris learns that the slave girl loves Radames. The victorious troops are welcomed home.

They bring prisoners of war, amongst whom Aida recognizes her father, the Ethiopian king, Amonasro. Amonasro asks that his

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n all the core repertoire of opera, only one important work had its premiere in Africa. The honor is held by Verdi’s Aida, which first came to the public December 24, 1871 in Cairo. The venue is less unexpected in light of both its subject matter (a tragic love triangle in ancient Egypt) and of the reason for its existence.

The commission had come from the Cairo Opera House in honor of the opening of the Suez Canal, and though Verdi missed the deadline by fully two years (the opera house had to make do with Verdi’s existing Rigoletto), he still regarded Aida as a work for Cairo. Reluctant to cross the Mediterranean, the composer did not attend the premiere, but the opera traveled without him. Over a century later, it is still revered for the power of its music and the deft coloration of its character portrayals.

The story for Aida had originated with French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette (1821-1881). Mariette drafted a plot outline that passed through various hands en route to becoming an operatic libretto. Final revisions were completed by Antonio Ghislanzoni, though with much input from the composer himself. Having declared that he wanted something really grand to compete with the then-popular works of Giacomo Meyerbeer (1791 – 1864), Verdi got what he requested with a dramatic Act Two march scene containing both choral and ballet elements, so epic in scope than one could readily have actual elephants in its staging, though horses might better fit through the stage door. However, Aida offers sweetness as well. Consider the final love scene in which the two principal

people be freed. His wish is granted, though he and Aida are retained in custody by the Egyptians. As reward for his victory, Radames receives the exact prize he does not wish: Amneris’ hand in marriage.

Act Three: While Amneris prepares for the wedding, Aida reminisces about her homeland while waiting for Radames. Joining her, Amonasro asks that she learn from Radames what route the Egyptian army will take on its next assault against Ethiopia. Aida does not wish to assist him. At last visiting with Radames, she tries to persuade him to leave Egypt with her, and he agrees. Just as they are departing, Aida asks about the military route. Amonasro overhears the answer, and Radames, realizing that he has accidentally betrayed his people, surrenders to the High Priest.

Act Four: Thinking that her gesture might win his affections, Amneris offers to save Radames. He refuses, is sentenced to death by being buried alive, and is sealed in a tomb. To his great surprise, he finds there Aida, who had slipped in, determined to die with him. They imagine the happier life that might have been theirs. Meanwhile, outside the tomb, the priests chant hymns and Amneris prays for forgiveness.

characters, arm in arm, bid a gentle farewell to the world: not with anger, but with rapture, as the composer’s letters indicated had been his intention all along.

Despite the potential for political posturing, Aida is rather less politically tinged than many of his operas. Indeed, there is a war in progress between Egypt and Ethiopia, but the characters of its central love story represent both sides of that divide, and both are likeable people of admirable ethics. So Verdi is not taking sides, nor does he seem to invite his audience to do so. The war is essentially a subtext to the love story, and other than the victory parade within that march scene, one never sees overt evidence of the war itself.

Aida found immediate acclaim, not only in Cairo but also back in the composer’s native Italy. By the end of the following year, it would reach both New York and Buenos Aires, and by the decade’s close, virtually every important European opera house had brought Aida to its stage. At the time, the composer was in his sixties and starting to talk about retirement. However, two more operas would emerge from his imagination: the Shakespeareaninspired works Otello (1887) and Falstaff (1893). They, too, would mix grandeur with intimacy, a combination that Verdi had found effective with audiences and audiences had found intriguing in the way Verdi chose to approach it.

Program notes and synopsis by Betsy Schwarm, author of Operatic Insights.

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THE ARTISTS Chad Azadan* | Dancer Chad is originally from The Bay Area.

His film and television credits include: Charlie’s Angels, Rock Star, How I Met Your Mother, The Neighbors, So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With The Stars, The Latin Grammys, The World Music Awards, ABC’s 50th Anniversary Special, The NAACP Image Awards, Days Of Our Lives, and commercials for The Gap. Chad has danced with companies like: Odyssey Dance Theater, River North Chicago Dance Company and Liz Imperio’s Instincts Live Media Dance Company. He is no stranger to the Vegas stage having performed in Celine Dion’s A New Day, Le Reve and Cirque Du Soleil’s Viva Elvis. Chad was an assistant choreographer for the majority of So You Think You Can Dance Season 9, and the assistant coordinating producer for Season 12 of American Idol.

Andres Cladera | Chorus Master A native of Uruguay, Andres Cladera is the Artistic Director of Emerald City Opera and Resident Conductor at Opera San Antonio. He has prior conducting experience with Opera San Antonio, Opera Colorado, Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic, Edgewood Symphony. Mr. Cladera holds an MM degree in Orchestral Conducting from Carnegie Mellon University and BFA degrees in Piano and Vocal Performance from College of Charleston. Upcoming performances include conducting Speed Dating, Tonight by Michael Ching with Emerald City Opera in Denver and Steamboat Springs, Colorado, as well as Florencia en el Amazonas by Catan and Fantastic Mr. Fox by Tobias Picker.

Terrell Davis* | Dancer Terrell Davis is the Founder/Artistic Director of the Davis Contemporary Dance Company. He has a B.A. in Political Science and minor in Dance from Western Illinois University. He was a principle dancer with the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble for six seasons, and also served as the Assistant Rehearsal Director. He has taught at many studios in the greater Denver area, and is a Director and Choreographer for the Wolf Theatre Academy.

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David Gately | Director Stage director David Gately is known for his vivid story-telling and lively and clever productions. During the 20152016 season, Mr. Gately directs Aida with Opera Colorado, Merry Widow with Utah Opera, Showboat with Kentucky Opera and Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Fort Worth Opera.

Recent highlights include La Fanciulla del West with Des Moines Opera, La Traviata with Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Fort Worth Opera, Silent Night with Calgary Opera and both Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi with McGill University. The Director’s hugely successful “Wild West” production of Don Pasquale, hailed as a “contemporary classic,” has been mounted by opera companies across the United States, including the San Diego Opera, Kentucky Opera, Opera Colorado and Calgary Opera. In addition to his continued work on the stage, Mr. Gately was also recently appointed as Assistant Professor of Music in the College of Fine Arts at Texas Christian University.

Rachel Harding | Choreographer Rachael Harding holds an MFA in dance from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a BFA in dance and a BS in Business Management from the University of Arizona. She has performed with Colorado based companies Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, Davis Contemporary Dance, Moraporvida, Interweave Dance Theatre, Kim Robards and New Breed Dance Company. She toured the United States as a solo dancer with winds quintet, Imani Winds, in Josephine Baker: A Life of Le Jazz Hot. For over twenty years, Rachael has been living her passion of teaching, choreographing and dancing in dance schools, Universities and with professional dancers. Rachael has had the pleasure to perform in the Opera Colorado productions Nixon in China, The Pearl Fishers and performing and choreographing for Rusalka. Rachael is the Artistic Director for Denver Dance Starz and the Owner of Miss Rachael’s Dance in Denver.

Cory Klements* | Dancer Cory Michael Klements was born and raised in Broomfield, Colorado and started dancing at the age of three.

After graduating with a BFA in Dance Performance from the University of

THE ARTISTS Wyoming, he moved to Las Vegas and danced with the Nevada Ballet Theatre. Currently Cory is a company member with Davis Contemporary Dance Company here in Denver.

Aubrey Klinger* | Dancer Aubrey A. Klinger began her dance training under the tutelage of her grandmother Nan Klinger in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

She then went on to pursue her degree from Point Park University earning a B.A. in Ballet Performance graduating magna cum laude. Currently a free-lance dancer, teacher and choreographer, Aubrey has worked throughout the country in both concert and commercial dance. Her performance and choreography credits include; Davis Contemporary Dance Company, Jacob Mora: Exhibit M, Chicago Improve: Octavarious, Apex Contemporary Dance Theater, Renegade Performance Group (NYC), Carnival! Choreographer’s Ball, Dance Chance Chicago, Thodos New Dances, The Dayton Arts Project, Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Welcome Yule!, and So You Think You Can Dance: Season 9.

Lucas Krech | Lighting Designer Lucas Krech is a multi-media artist working in light, video projection and code. He has designed operas, dances, plays and performance pieces across the United States, Romania and the United Kingdom. Recent opera designs have been seen at Opera Colorado, West Edge Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, West Bay Opera and The Crucible.

His work has been nominated for New York Innovative Theater and BATCC Awards. Lucas received a 2011 Lighting Artist in Dance grant. His design work has been featured in American Theater Magazine and his writing on aesthetics and performance appeared in Stage Directions, On Stage Lighting, Parabasis Blog and PLSN magazines.

His installation work has been shown at SOMArts, Studio Gracia, Outside/Input, PDE and Black Rock City. He received an MFA in design from NYU. Alexandra LoBianco* | Aida In addition to her Opera Colorado debut as Aida, Alexandra LoBianco’s 2015-16 season includes her Minnesota Opera debut as the title role in Tosca, and a gala benefit concert for Opera Carolina,

performing arias from Aida, Suor Angelica and Tannhäuser.

She joined Maine’s PORTopera this past summer as Tosca.

Her 2014-15 season engagements included Donna Anna in Don Giovanni in her Seattle Opera debut, Leonore in Fidelio with Madison Opera, Minnie in La fanciulla del West with Des Moines Metro Opera, Tosca with Opera Grand Rapids, and joining the roster of Lyric Opera of Chicago for its production of Tosca. Other recent engagements include Magda Sorel in Menotti’s The Consul with Opera Santa Barbara, Amelia in Un ballo in maschera with Madison Opera, soloist in a Verdi concert in Zürich, and Rachmaninoff’s The Bells with Madison Symphony. She was first prize winner of the William Sullivan Foundation 2013 award.

Jessica Maria Loosenort* | Dancer Jessica Loosenort’s dance training began at the age of six, and the first eleven years were spent training at a competitive dance studio, Dance Dimensions, to be versatile in many styles. Receiving in 2014 from Grand Valley State University a Bachelor’s Degree in Dance and a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Painting, she has expanded her knowledge of both technical and performance training. Through the Grand Valley Dance Company she has studied with renowned guest choreographers such as Lauren Edson and Autumn Eckman, and performed with the Thodos Dance Company of Chicago. Jessica has choreographed for various shows including Open Space 2014, Boulder Jazz Dance Workshop Student Showcase, countless undergrad shows, and represented GVSU at the 2013 ACDFA with her senior group piece, Let “Only You” Go. She has performed with Denver companies, Louder than Words, Davis Contemporary and Boulder companies Third Law and currently The Shiff Dance Collective.

Catherine Martin* | Amneris Mezzo-soprano Catherine Martin excels in repertoire ranging from Verdi and Wagner to Mozart and Donizetti.

The 2015-2016 season and beyond brings debuts with Opera Colorado as Amneris in Aïda, with Florida Grand Opera as Adalgisa in Norma, and returns to Washington National Opera and Houston Grand Opera. Engagements for the 2014-2015 season included her return to Opera Santa Barbara as Maddalena in Rigoletto, her debut with Dayton Opera as Sister Helen Prejean in Dead Man

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THE ARTISTS Walking, Waltraute in Die Walküre with Houston Grand Opera and Hindemith’s The Long Christmas Dinner with the American Symphony Orchestra. Additional recent highlights include returns to Houston Grand Opera as Wellgunde in Das Rheingold and the Glimmerglass Festival as Der Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos, and debuts at the Kennedy Center with Washington National Opera as Mary in the premiere of The Lion, the Unicorn and Me and Annina in Der Rosenkavalier with the National Symphony Orchestra.

Marco Nisticò* | Amonasro Marco Nisticò joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera in 2009-2010, where he made his debut as Dancaire Carmen.

Recent engagements include Rodrigue in Don Carlos, and Tonio in Pagliacci in Sarasota.

Future engagements include Amonasro Aida with Opera Colorado and Sarasota Opera, Tonio with Opera Memphis, Malatesta with Florida Grand Opera and Dulcamara with West Australian Opera, Perth. Recent past engagements include Figaro Barbiere with Sarasota Opera and Dulcamara and Dancaire with the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma. He is frequently seen with Sarasota Opera in roles including Giacomo in Giovanna d’Arco, Germont in La Traviata, Rodrigue in Don Carlos, Francesco Foscari in I Due Foscari.

In 2011-2012 Mr. Nisticò was heard as Dulcamara at the Landestheater in Bregenz, as Gugliemo at the Teatro Regio of Torino and Rigoletto with Sarasota Opera. His appearances with NYCO include Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, Schaunard in La Bohème and Sharpless in Madama Butterfly.

Ari Pelto | Conductor With past performances that have been called poetic, earthy, vigorous and highly individual, Ari Pelto was recently appointed Music Director designate at Opera Colorado following an acclaimed debut conducting Don Giovanni. Future productions include Aida and the world premiere of Lori Laitman’s The Scarlett Letter. Additionally this season, he conducts Aida at Utah Opera and returns to Atlanta Ballet, Opera Memphis, Omaha Symphony, Lamont Symphony and the NYU Symphony. Recent highlights include La Rondine in Cortona (Italy), A Streetcar Named Desire and Salome at Virginia Opera, The Rake’s Progress at Portland Opera, Rigoletto, Don Pasquale and Il Barbiere di Siviglia at Opera

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Memphis (where he is Principal Guest Conductor), La Boheme at Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Cunning Little Vixen at Chautauqua, Rusalka at Boston Lyric Opera, Romeo et Juliette at Minnesota Opera, The Magic Flute, Le Nozze di Figaro at Portland Opera and Hansel and Gretel at Utah Opera.

Emily Louise Robinson* High Priestess Emily completed her undergraduate work at the University of Chicago and received her Master’s Degree from New England Conservatory. Emily completed a Performer’s Certificate from the Moores School of Music at the University of Houston, where she was most recently seen in the title role of Thomas Pasatieri’s Frau Margot and Beatriz in Daniel Catán’s Rapaccinni’s Daughter.

Other past roles include Love Simpson Cold Sassy Tree, Magda The Consul, Mimi La Boheme and Silverpeal The Impresario. She will be seen this season at Opera Colorado as Gretel and Micaëla in the company’s touring productions of Hansel and Gretel and Carmen respectively. On the main stage she will sing the role of the High Priestess in Aida and she will sing the role of Hester Prynne in the Student Matinee performance of The Scarlett Letter. Emily is delighted to be joining Opera Colorado as a Young Artist this season.

Ashraf Sewailam The King of Egypt This season, Mr. Sewailam will play the role of King in Aïda at Opera Colorado, Mustafa in L’italiana in Algeri at Portland Opera, and Capulet in Roméo et Juliette in an exciting new co-production at Opera Carolina, Virginia Opera, Toledo Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, Lyric Opera Baltimore. He will also be performing Brahms Requiem with Dubuque Symphony and Messiah with Cheyenne Symphony. Recently, in his debut with New Zealand Opera as the assassin Sparafucile in Rigoletto, he was described as “hard to better, both vocally and dramatically.” He subsequently returned to sing Alidoro in La Cenerentola, which he later performed for Queensland Opera. Ashraf made his United States debut in 2004 with Opera Colorado performing the role of Leporello in Don Giovanni. Quickly becoming a house favorite, he subsequently performed there as Count Ceprano in Rigoletto, Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro and Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia.

THE ARTISTS Carl Tanner* | Radames Carl Tanner begins the 2015-16 season as Pinkerton Madama Butterfly for Minnesota Orchestra. He returns to London to appear as Luigi Il Tabarro at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden before travelling to Honolulu to sing Manrico Il Trovatore for Hawaii Opera Theatre.

Recent highlights include the title roles in Samson et Dalila, Peter Grimes as well as Hermann Pique Dame at Grange Park Opera in the UK where he won outstanding reviews. He also appeared as Otello at Pittsburgh Opera.

Past successes include numerous appearances with the Metropolitan Opera as Canio I Pagliacci/Tiriddu Cavalleria Rusticana and Radames Aida, his signature role which he previously sang at Staatsoper Hamburg, Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Edmonton Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin and Semperoper Dresden. He made his debut at Washington National Opera as Captain Ahab Moby-Dick and at Deutsche Oper Berlin as Cavaradossi Tosca, a role he also sang at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Benjamin Werley* | A Messenger Benjamin completed his Master’s and BM in Vocal Performance at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. In March 2013, Ben sang on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in the semi-finals of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Ben then joined the Opera Theater of St. Louis as a Gerdine Young Artist. In 2014, he was a participant in the Merola Opera Program. While at Merola, he sang the role of Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. Ben also worked with Virginia opera as an Emerging Artist for their 2014-2015 season, where he performed in Sweeney Todd and La Traviata. This past summer he was an Apprentice Artist at the Santa Fe Opera. In Opera Colorado’s touring productions, he will sing the roles of The Witch in Hansel and Gretel and Don Jose in Carmen, and the role of Arthur Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter for the Student Matinee.

Rodni Williams* | Dancer Rodni Williams has danced with Garth Fagan Dance, The Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater and Deeply Rooted Productions to name a few. His theatrical productions include the Jay Leno Show, Love in Four Acts for PBS Chicago, a tour of FAME the Musical, the PBS Special Martin, Bible Stories, Mephistopheles and the Philadelphia Opera Company with Judith Jamison. Rodni holds the BFA and a MFA degree in dance from Adelphi University and The University of Arizona, Tucson. Rodni has also taught at the Ailey School, MOVE ON Dance Center and he is co-founder/ associate artistic director of Black Dance Festival, Vienna, Austria. He has been nominated into the 2010 edition of Who’s Who in America. Williams has working in the Theater Alliance H Street Playhouse’s production of Black Nativity in the past and now is a proud resident of the Denver area, and Co-Artistic Director of The Davis Contemporary Dance Company.

Harold Wilson | Ramfis

Harold Wilson’s 2015-2016 season marks his return to several companies.

With Opera Colorado, he will sing Ramfis in Aida; at the Metropolitan Opera, he will cover the role of Timur in Turandot; and with Sarasota Opera, he will sing the roles of Rocco and Marcovaldo in productions of Fidelio and La battaglia di Legnano, respectively. In concert, he makes a company debut with the Grand Junction Symphony as the bass soloist in Verdi’s Requiem.

Mr. Wilson’s 2014-2015 season began with the Dayton Opera singing works by Mussorgsky and Tchaikovsky in a Gala Concert. Subsequently, the American bass debuted with Opera Memphis, as the Commendatore in Don Giovanni, joined the Metropolitan Opera for its production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, and made appearances with Tulsa Opera, for Frère Laurent in Roméo et Juliette, and Opera Colorado, for Sarastro in The Magic Flute. *Opera Colorado Debut

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ORCHESTRA

VIOLIN Takanori Sugishita, concertmaster Rene Knetsch, principal second Angela Dombrowski Lynne Glaeske Margaret Gutierrez Debbie Holland Robyn Julyan Chris Jusell Annamaria Karacson Cyndi Mancinelli Leah Mohling Brett Omara Susie Peek Ingrid Peoria Gyongyi Petheo Veronica Pigeon Leslie Sawyer Robyn Sosa VIOLA Matthew Dane, principal Michael Brook Brian Cook Matthew Diekman Sarah Richardson Lora Stevens

David Short Elle Wells Carole Whitney

TRUMPET Steve Kilburn Ken Aikin

BASS David Crowe, principal Jeremy Nicholas Matthew Pennington Jim Vaughn

TROMBONE Bron Wright, principal Bill Stanley Jeremy Van Hoy

FLUTE Susan Townsend, principal Elizabeth Sadilek Olga Shylayeva OBOE Sarah Bierhaus, principal Max Soto ENGLISH HORN Tenly Williams CLARINET Michelle Orman Heidi Mendenhall BASS CLARINET April Johannesen BASSOON Charles Hansen, principal Kim Peoria

TUBA Michael Dunn, principal TIMPANI Peter Cooper, principal PERCUSSION Mark Foster, principal Carl Dixon Nena Lorenz HARP Janet Harriman, principal OFF-STAGE TRUMPETS Cami Kidwell-Dodge Colin Oldberg Terry Sawchuk

OPERA COLORADO CHORUS John Adams Claire Brooker William Bryan* Matt Cantwell Shane Delavan, Michele Di Nuovo

CELLO Jeff Watson, principal Charles Lee Marcelo Sanches

HORN Devon Park, principal Lauren Varley Marian Hesse Colleen Shaffer

PRODUCTION STAFF

TECHNICAL STAFF Dennis Watson, Head Carpenter Travis Schadle, Shop/Production Carpenter Bert Hedrick, Assistant Carpenter Jeff Reidel, Head Flyman Chris Green, Head Electrician Tanya Rist, Light Board Operator Patrick Howard, Assistant Lighting Designer Dave Clough, Head Props Terry Gulley, Assistant Props Charles Polich, Head Sound Nicole Vasconi, Purchasing Agent

SHOP ASSISTANTS Sara Lynn Hildebrand Barbara Piano Elizabeth C. Porter Christine Samar

ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE CREW Randy Mitchell, House Carpenter John Kendrick, House Sound Al Price, House Prop Dave Wilson, House Electrician

VOLUNTEER DRESSERS Leslie Cady Kathy Heider Jan Heimer Valerie Kreck Amburn Pat Smith Barbara Wilder

COSTUMES Ann Piano, Costume Director Alison Milan, Shop Manager and Wardrobe Head

WIGS AND MAKEUP Sarah Opstad, Associate Wigs and Makeup Designer

MUSIC STAFF Andres Cladera, Chorus Master Sheldon Miller, Coach/Accompanist Kim Peoria, Orchestra Personnel Manager Ingrid Peoria, Orchestra Librarian PRODUCTION STAFF Katie Preissner, Production/Stage Manager Jordan Braun, Assistant Director Sarah Johnson, Assistant Stage Manager Amelia Nordin, Assistant Stage Manager Jeremy Sortore, Title Coordinator Beth Nielsen, Title Operator Park Wm. Showalter, Chorus Liaison Brian Greffe, MD, Company Physician Buzz Reifman, NPPA, Company Otolaryngologist

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DRAPER Kevin Brainerd DRESSERS Lisa Borgman Kevin Brainerd Sara Lynn Hildebrand Alie Holden Teresia Larsen Elizabeth C. Porter

Charles Eaton* Evan Glaser Paul Griggsby Karoline Guerin Jennifer Harpel Dan Howard Andrea Kehmeier Theresa Kesser Kim Kirkwood Amy Kopatich Claire LeBorgne Danielle Lombardi* Patrick Maschka Patrick McAleer Nicholas Navarre Luke North Jason Parfenoff Susan Rahmsdorff Emily Robinson* Park Showalter Kelly Sowell Norm Spivy Hallie Spoor Joey Taczak Laura Tribby Nicole Vasconi Steve Walz Benjamin Werley* Keith Williamson Catherine Wilcox Doug Wilson *Opera Colorado Young Artist

Angela Norris, Wigs and Make-Up Assistant ARTIST HOSTS Host Chairmen: Merrill Shields Ken and Donna Barrow Jeff Brown Katy L. Burley Vanessa and Robert Jasinski Robert Kahn Heather MacKinnon Cheryl McGinnis and Edward Woolman Kevin O’Connor Astrid Stocks SUPERNUMERARIES Eric Bard Gordon Fletcher Nicholas Geyer Mike Hurdle Robert Janacek John Kelly Kasey Nahlovsky Bob Reynolds Darrell Smith Eric Tausch

A supernumerary is a person who appears as an extra in a non-speaking, non-singing role.