Girl of the Golden West (La Fanciulla del West) Program Book

LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST NOVEMBER 5 • 8 • 11 • 13, 2016 ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE Opera in Three Acts

By Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini There will be one 25 minute intermission between Acts One and Two. CAST I N OR D E R OF VOCAL APPEARANCE

Nick Joe Handsome Harry Happy Sid Sonora Trin Jim Larkens Jack Rance, Sheriff Jake Wallace Ashby Minnie Pony Express Rider Dick Johnson José Castro Wowkle Billy Jackrabbit

Norman Shankle* Omar Najmi^* Charles Eaton^ Joshua Zabatta* Ryan Bradford^* Kasey Nahlovsky* Jared Guest Joseph Gaines Gregory Gerbrandt* Mark Rucker* Michael Corvino* Harold Wilson Melissa Citro* Leo Kaufman* Jonathan Burton* Michael Corvino* Danielle Lombardi^ Nathan Van Arsdale^*

Opera Colorado Orchestra Opera Colorado Chorus Conductor Stage Director Associate Conductor Lighting & Scenic Design Projection Design Wig and Makeup Design

Ari Pelto Emma Griffin* Andres Cladera Stephen D. Mazzeno Greg Emetaz* Ronell Oliveri

PROPS AND FURNITURE PROVIDED BY NASHVILLE OPERA COSTUMES DESIGNED FOR UTAH SYMPHONY

& OPERA BY SUSAN MEMMOTT ALLRED

*Opera Colorado Debut ^Opera Colorado Young Artist

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SPONSORS 2016-2017 SEASON SPONSORED BY ELLIE CAULKINS Music Director Ari Pelto is sponsored by Mike and Julie Bock The Opera Colorado Young Artists Program is sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth T. Barrow Opera Colorado Young Artists Sponsors Allison Nicholas is sponsored by Patrick Spieles and Carol McMurry.

Danielle Lombardi is sponsored by Dr. Stephen L. Dilts.

Omar Najmi is sponsored by Patrick Spieles and Carol McMurry.

Charles Eaton is sponsored by Marlis & Shirley Smith and Dirk & Joyce deRoos.

Opera Colorado recognizes the following organizations and businesses for their generous support.

PUCCINI LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST

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a Fanciulla del West (literally The Girl of the West, though always remembered as The Girl of the Golden West) was Puccini’s seventh opera. With the previous four, his heroines had time and again come to tragic ends: Manon perished in the wilds of 18th century Louisiana, Mimi died of consumption, Tosca leapt to her death from the walls of the Castel Sant’Angelo, and poor, abandoned Butterfly took her own life. With Fanciulla, Puccini seems to have found himself in the mood for a lighter tale, or at least, supposed that his audiences might be ready for something different. It is, as Puccini’s publisher Ricordi declared when he brought the libretto to print, “a drama of love and moral redemption… grandiose souls and wilderness.”

Not, as it happens, too different: the ending of Fanciulla is upbeat, but the personalities of the three central characters are markedly similar to those inhabiting Tosca. There is the soprano, beautiful, brave, and vulnerable; the tenor, charming, charismatic, and in need of rescue; and the baritone, darkly determined to win the soprano for himself, even at the cost of the tenor’s life. It is as if Tosca, Mario, and Scarpia had all been reborn in Gold Rush California, this time intent upon surviving

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to the final curtain. Here, the lovers manage to ride off together into the sunset, and even the rejected suitor can do nothing but watch them go.

In January, 1907, Puccini traveled to New York to witness the Metropolitan Opera premieres of his operas Madama Butterfly and Manon Lescaut. Both operas were enthusiastically received, and the ebullient Puccini, with a few free evenings on his hands, indulged in the theatre, seeing three plays by David Belasco, including The Girl of the Golden West. Puccini was already familiar with Belasco’s work, as Butterfly had also arisen from a Belasco drama. Despite strictly limited fluency in English, the composer was impressed by the highly atmospheric tale of a young woman’s love for a desperado, and obtained an Italian translation of the play. “This is it!” he proclaimed to his publisher Ricordi. “Fanciulla promises to be a second Bohéme, but stronger, bolder, vaster. I have an idea for a grand scene, a clearing in the California forest with colossal trees, but it requires eight or ten horses.”

The premiere of this most American tale occurred December 10, 1910, at New York City’s Metropolitan Opera. Enrico Caruso sang the tenor role: Italian-born and stocky, it might have been

casting against type, were not for his glorious voice. The leading soprano was Prague-born Emmy Destinn; she and Caruso had appeared together in London for Puccini’s Butterfly. Arturo Toscanini conducted, as he had at La Bohéme’s premiere, as he would at Turandot’s. Despite grim winter weather, the house was packed, many of the audience members having braved not merely ice and snow, but also the demands of New York ticket scalpers.

The production proceeded smoothly, and fifty-two curtain calls later, Fanciulla was declared a triumph. The delighted composer, journeying home to Europe on the Lusitania, wrote to a friend of the new work, terming it “magnificent.”

Fanciulla’s music demands not only a tenor who can manage high, floating notes, and a baritone who can, when necessary, sing with a snarl, but also a soprano who can belt, as the orchestra is one of Puccini’s largest. Moreover, she needs to be able to hold her own against a stage full of masculine voices, for in addition to Dick Johnson and Sheriff Rance, there is a Wells Fargo agent, a traveling minstrel, and a host of miners. The only other female role is Minnie’s Native American maid Wowkle,

whose vocal presence is little more than a short lullaby, so most of the time, Minnie is the lone lady. Puccini imagined her as “fresh and energetic,” an image well reinforced by her music. For the men of the chorus, there’s a passing reference to Stephen Foster’s “Camptown Races,” and Puccini stops just short of commanding the men to sing “Clementine.” It is the Gold Rush from an Italian perspective, richly and vividly colored: there was nothing Puccini liked quite so much as an exotic setting.

Opera Colorado’s production is, perhaps, a bit more exotic than even Puccini imagined. Given that the story has a Gold Rush setting, and that Colorado had its own Gold Rush, albeit a decade after California’s, Opera Colorado has reset the piece in the Rockies. Neither scenery nor music required adjustment, though at times in the libretto, place names needed changing.

So instead of hearing that Johnson has come from Sacramento, one can listen for another place rather closer to home: Gold Rush love stories might also happen in Colorado.

Program notes by Betsy Schwarm, author of Operatic Insights

SYNOPSIS LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST CAST LI ST

Minnie, owner of the Polka Saloon – soprano Dick Johnson (aka Ramerrez) – tenor Sherrif Jack Rance – baritone bartender Nick – tenor minstrel Jake – baritone Well Fargo agent Ashby – bass Wowkle, Minnie’s Native American companion – mezzo-soprano Various miners; the Pony Express Rider; a member of Ramerrez’ gang A Colorado mining camp around 1860.

Act One: Miners gather in the Polka Saloon. Jake Wallace sings a nostalgic ballad that leaves homesick Jim in tears. A collection is taken to send Jim home. Ashby tells Sheriff Jack Rance of the search for the bandit Ramerrez. Minnie, owner of the Polka, breaks up an argument over who will marry her, then begins the evening Bible lesson. Rance tells Minnie of his bitter life and his desire for her. Minnie recalls her own happy childhood. Dick Johnson (the disguised Ramerrez) is welcomed by Minnie. They recall a previous meeting. Rance and the miners are suspicious, but on Minnie’s word, Johnson is accepted. Ashby returns with Castro, one of Ramerrez’s men. Castro leaves with the posse on what will be a wild goose chase. Johnson, left alone with Minnie, learns that she would die rather than let anyone steal the miner’s gold. He agrees to meet her later at her cabin.

Act Two: At the cabin, the maid Wowkle sings a lullaby as Billy, her baby’s father, discusses marriage. Minnie prepares for her

visitor. Once they are alone, Johnson kisses Minnie. As it is snowing, she offers him a place to sleep by the fire. Shots ring out. Johnson hides and Rance arrives to tell Minnie that Johnson is Ramerrez. After the posse leaves, Minnie confronts Johnson, who claims that her love has made him a better man. She sends him away, but more shots are heard and Johnson returns, wounded. Minnie hides him in the loft, but Rance discovers the fugitive. To save Johnson, Minnie proposes a game of poker, with herself and Johnson as the prize. Minnie wins through devious means, and Rance departs empty-handed.

Act Three: Rance regrets his bargain with Minnie, but the miners announce that they have captured Johnson. They prepare to lynch the outlaw, who asks only that they conceal his fate from Minnie. Minnie arrives and demands Johnson’s freedom.

Recalling her kindness to them, the miners relent, and the lovers depart together.

Synopsis by Betsy Schwarm, author of Operatic Insights

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THE ARTISTS RYAN BRADFORD^* | Happy Originally from Walnut Creek, CA, Ryan received his Bachelor’s degree from DePaul University and his Master’s degree in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He recently appeared as Jake Wallace and Sid (La Fanciulla del West) at the Castleton Festival in Virginia under Maestro Lorin Maazel. Other past roles include Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) for both SFCM and the Santa Cruz Symphony. He was a young artist with Shreveport Opera singing the Baron in La Traviata and covering Dandini in La Cenerentola. For the 2015-2016 season he debuted with Opera Santa Barbara as a Mosher Studio Artist singing Masetto in Don Giovanni. As an Opera Colorado Young Artist he will sing the roles of Belcore (The Elixir of Love), cover Figaro (The Barber of Seville), Happy (La Fanciulla del West) and cover roles in As One and Lucia di Lammermoor.

JONATHAN BURTON* | Dick Johnson American tenor Jonathan Burton has been praised for having “thrilling power and beauty” (Baltimore Sun) and for being “an engaging all-around singer with a powerful, full-bodied sound.” (Opera News) During the 2015-2016 season this exiting tenor joins Nashville Opera as Calaf in Turandot, Sarasota Opera as Radames in Aida, and finally Knoxville Opera as Cavaradossi in Tosca. Mr. Burton took the stage as Dick Johnson in La Fanciulla del Westwith Des Moines Metro Opera. Additional past engagements included Manrico in Il Trovatore with Knoxville Opera, the title role in Don Carlos with Sarasota Opera, and both Dick Johnson in La Fanciulla del West and Florestan in Fidelio with Kentucky Opera. On the concert stage he made his debut with the Munich Philharmonic. Mr. Burton made his European debut during the 2012-2013 season as Dick Johnson in Fanciulla del West with Sinfónica de Galicia under the baton of Lorin Maazel.

MELISSA CITRO* | Minnie Recent engagements include her Kennedy Center debut as Gutrune in Washington National Opera’s RING Cycle, her Detroit Symphony debut in Mahler’s 2nd Symphony, Rusalka (title role) and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus with New Orleans Opera, La Wally (title role) with Dallas Opera, Senta in Der Fliegende Holländer with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Sieglinde in Die Walküre with Virginia Opera, Gutrune and Freia in San Francisco Opera’s RING Cycle, Ortlinde and Third Norn in Los Angeles Opera’s RING Cycle, Magda Sorel in The Consul with the Glimmerglass Festival, and Jenufa (title role) with Staatsoper Stuttgart. Ms. Citro was a Grand Finals winner

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of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and has returned to the Met in recent seasons to cover Renee Fleming in Rusalka, and Karita Mattila in The Makropulos Case. Future engagements include Minnie in La Fanciulla del West with Michigan Opera Theater, and her return to San Francisco Opera as Gutrune and Helmwige in the RING Cycle.

ANDRES CLADERA Associate Conductor Uruguayan conductor Andres Cladera, recently named Associate Conductor with Opera Colorado and Artistic Director of Emerald City Opera, is a versatile and cultivated artist in both the operatic and symphonic worlds. He has prior conducting experience with Opera San Antonio, Opera Colorado, Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic, Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, Edgewood Symphony, Emerald City Opera, Chatham Baroque and San Antonio Symphony. Maestro Cladera holds a Masters of Music degree from Carnegie Mellon University and Bachelors of Fine Arts degrees in Piano and Voice Performance from College of Charleston. Cladera was awarded the Outstanding Young Conductor of the year by the Association of Choral Directors of America, and first place in several international piano competitions including: Luis Troccoli International Piano Competition, Luis Cluzeau Mortet Piano Competition. Upcoming engagements include As One with Opera Colorado, Goyescas with Boulder Opera and his debut with Cincinatti Opera. Maestro Cladera is represented

by Encompass Arts LLC. MICHAEL CORVINO* Jake Wallace and José Castro For his work as Tony Esposito in The Most Happy Fella, The New York Times exalted, “The baritone Michael Corvino brings a robust voice and disarming vulnerability to the role. Mr. Corvino brings both a Verdi baritone richness and a crisp articulation to the title song.” With over 200 performances achieved of Verdi’s leading baritone roles, he continues to impress audiences and critics alike. In the 2000-2001 season, he joined the roster of New York City Opera, where he made many returns in the years to follow. Roles in his repertoire include the title role in Rigoletto, Germont La Traviata, the title role in Nabucco, Amonasro Aïda, Iago Otello, and the Count di Luna Il Trovatore, as well as Figaro Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Alfio Cavalleria Rusticana, Tonio I Pagliacci, Marcello La Bohème, David L’amico Fritz, Lescaut Manon Lescaut, and Enrico Lucia di Lammermoor, among many others.

THE ARTISTS CHARLES EATON^ | Handsome Originally from Storrs, Connecticut, Charles received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Connecticut and his Master of Music from the University of Minnesota.

Operatic credits from his schooling include Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Thomas Putman (The Crucible), the Forrester (The Cunning Little Vixen), Il Conte (Le Nozze di Figaro) and more. In the summer of 2016, he covered the role of Lescaut (Manon) as an apprentice artist with Des Moines Metro Opera in Indianola, Iowa. He is excited to return to Opera Colorado for another season as a 2016-2017 Young Artist, where he will sing Figaro in The Barber of Seville, cover Belcore in The Elixir of Love (touring productions), Bello in La Fanciulla del West and sing Enrico in the Student Matinee performance of Lucia di Lammermoor.

Charles Eaton is sponsored by Dirk and Joyce de Roos and Marlis and Shirley Smith.

GREG EMETAZ* | Projection Design Greg Emetaz is a filmmaker and projection designer. His projection design work includes the world premiere of Bel Canto at Chicago Lyric Opera, Dolores Claiborne at San Francisco Opera, Enemies: a Love Story at Palm Beach Opera, “27”, Champion and The Golden Ticket at Opera Theater of Saint Louis. He is the director of short films Bowes Academy (NC Gay + Lesbian Film Fest Jury award), Get the F K Outta Paris!, Death by Omelette (SNCF Prix Du Polar Finalist & Hong Kong Mobile Film Awards Silver Medalist) and music videos Eating 4 Two and Butt Drunk (Friar’s Club Film festival special Jury Award, iTVfest Best Director Award) co-directed with Amanda DeSimone. He has created the behind-scenes documentaries for Julie Taymor›s The Tempest, Broadway musical Spider-Man Turn off the Dark and numerous productions at New York City Opera and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.

JOSEPH GAINES | Trin A highly energetic, vibrant, and extremely versatile singer and actor, tenor Joseph Gaines is known in the United States and abroad for beautifully sung and richly detailed interpretations of character roles.

Gaines has been a regular guest artist at Opera Philadelphia, Pittsburgh Opera, Utah Opera, Central City Opera, Indianapolis Opera, and others. His upcoming seasons include repeat engagements with Opera Philadelphia, Resonance Works Pittsburgh, and Ars Lyrica Houston, as well as debuts with Hawaii Opera Theater, the Charlotte Symphony,

and a major west coast opera company in 2018. An in-demand concert artist and recitalist, he has been a featured soloist with The Philadelphia Orchestra, The Detroit Symphony, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Philadelphia’s Lyric Fest, and The Brooklyn Art Song Society, as well as many chamber and period ensembles. Gaines joined the artist roster of The Metropolitan Opera for the first time in 2013-14, covering Caius in Verdi’s Falstaff.

GREGORY GERBRANDT* Jim Larkens American baritone Gregory Gerbrandt has performed with opera and symphonic organizations on five continents, singing for ambassadors and other officials from all over the world. Gerbrandt has created the lead baritone in four World Premiere operas, one of which was recorded in 2015 on Albany Records. By contrast, Gerbrandt is in high demand to perform the prominent standards of Italian, French, and Russian opera. Highlighting the last year, Gerbrandt performed the title role in both Eugene Onegin and Elijah, the leading roles of Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire, Marcello in La bohème, Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Edmund in Mansfield Park, and led the Ecuadorian Premiere of Les Misérables, in the role of Javert, in South America. This season includes debuts with Opera Colorado, Anchorage Opera, and Teatro Sanchez Aguilar of Ecuador, with returns to Opera Memphis and Asheville Lyric, among others.

EMMA GRIFFIN* | Stage Director Emma Griffin is a theater and opera director based in Cincinnati and New York City. She is a frequent collaborator on new music/theater pieces; past projects include Phil Kline’s Out Cold & Zippo Songs at BAM’s Next Wave Festival, Corey Dargel’s Removable Parts (winner of “Outstanding Performance Art Production” at NY Innovative Theater Awards) and Thirteen Near Death Experiences. Opera credits include: the world premiere of Charpentier’s La Feste de Ruel with Catacoustic Consort; La Boheme at Crested Butte Music Festival; Three Decembers at Atlanta Opera; Don Giovanni at Boston Lyric Opera; The Cunning Little Vixen at Juilliard Opera; and Wozzeck at the Opera Philadelphia.

She has theater credits at many regional theaters including Perseverance Theater, Geva Theater Center, Syracuse Stage, Southern Rep, Actor’s Express, Virginia Stage and Williamstown Theater Festival. She is the Professor of Opera Stage Direction at College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati.

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THE ARTISTS JARED GUEST | Sonora American Singer, Jared Guest, has been described as having a “robust baritone.”

2015-16 sees Guest returning as a soloist to the Carolina Philharmonic and debuting with Salt Marsh Opera as Dandini in Rossini’s La Cenerentola. He also returns to Chautauqua Opera as an Apprentice Artist singing the Servant in Verdi’s Macbeth and covering the title character in Eugene Onegin.

Guest makes his west coast debut singing Eurymaque in Fauré’s Pénélope. A graduate of the University of Houston’s Moores School of Music, Guest has participated in a number of major young artist programs such as Opera Colorado, Chautauqua Opera, and Opera in the Ozarks. Role credits include: Ford Falstaff, Escamillo Carmen, Sharpless Madama Butterfly, Figaro Il barbiere di Siviglia, Papageno Die Zauberflöte, Faninal Der Rosenkavalier and Belcore L’elisir d’amore. He is excited to return to Opera Colorado as Sonora in Puccini’s La fanciulla del West.

DANIELLE LOMBARDI^ | Wowkle Originally from Erie, Pennsylvania, Danielle received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Oberlin Conservatory and received her Master’s from Rice University’s The Shepherd School of Music. Her operatic roles include Dorabella in Così fan tutte, Mrs. Herring in Albert Herring and Ericlea in Monteverdi’s Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria. Last season at Opera Colorado, Danielle was seen in Carmen, Hansel and Gretel, Aida and The Scarlet Letter.

Returning to Opera Colorado for a second season as a Young Artist, Danielle will sing Rosina in the touring production of The Barber of Seville and Gianetta in the touring production of The Elixir of Love.

She will also sing the roles of Wowkle in the mainstage production of La Fanciulla del West and Alisa in both the mainstage production and Student Matinee of Lucia di Lammermoor. Danielle Lombardi is sponsored by Dr. Steven L. Dilts.

STEPHEN D. MAZZENO | Lighting and Scenic Designer Stephen is happy to be returning to Opera Colorado for this production of La Fanciulla del West. He is a graduate of Mesa State College (now Colorado Mesa University) with a BA in Theatre Design (emphasis in Lighting and Scenic design) and has worked in Theatre and Opera in the Denver area for more than 20 Years as both a designer and as a stage technician as a member of I.A.T.A.E. Local #7. He has work for many different companies to include Opera Colorado, Central City Opera, PHAMALY Theatre Company, and the Denver Center for the Preforming Arts, Theatre Company. His most recent work for Opera Colorado includes Side Show (Lighting Design), The Magic Flute (Scenic Design), The Ellie Caulkins Opera House 10th Anniversary Gala (Lighting Design).

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OMAR NAJMI^* | Joe Originally from Boston, MA, Omar has spent the past three seasons as an Emerging Artist with the Boston Lyric Opera. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College and his Master’s degree in Voice Performance from Boston University. His roles with Boston Lyric Opera include Vanya Kudrjas in Katya Kabanova, Rodolfo (cover) in La Bohème, Reverend Harrington in Lizzie Borden, Bruno/Arturo (cover) in I Puritani, Borsa/Duca (cover) in Rigoletto, and 1st ArmoredMan/Tamino (cover) in The Magic Flute. An avid performer of contemporary music, Omar has appeared as El Gobernador in La Reina with the American Lyric Theater, Ricky (cover) in The Long Walk with Opera Saratoga, Bill in Flight and Laurie in Little Women – both with Opera Fayetteville. His roles with Opera Colorado will include: Almaviva in The Barber of Seville, Nemorino in The Elixir of Love, Joe in La Fanciulla del West and Edgardo in the Student Matinee of Lucia di Lammermoor. Omar Najmi is sponsored by Patrick Spieles and Carol McMurry.

ARI PELTO | Opera Colorado Music Director and Conductor Ari Pelto is widely known for performances which have been called poetic, earthy, vigorous, highly individual and quintessentially Italianate. In demand at opera houses and symphony orchestras throughout the US, he was appointed Assistant Conductor at Spoleto Festival at age 24, and has gone on to conduct internationally in Japan, Italy and Germany. Inaugurating the post of Music Director this year, acclaimed Opera Colorado performances include Don Giovanni, Madama Butterfly, Aida and the recent world premiere of The Scarlet Letter soon to be released on CD. Past highlights include Aida at Utah Opera and Gianni Schicchi / La Voix Humaine with Patricia Racette at Chicago Opera Theater, Madama Butterfly at New York City Opera, and Merola’s Grand Finale at San Francisco Opera. His recent success with Salome at Virginia Opera led to another invitation to return for Lucia de Lammermoor, and future Opera Colorado engagements include La Boheme and Falstaff.

MARK RUCKER* | Jack Rance Baritone, Mark Rucker made his Metropolitan Opera debut as Amonasro in Aida and returned to the Met as Don Carlo in La Forza del Destino, Tonio in I Pagliacci, and as Rigoletto for the Met in the Parks. His Carnegie Hall debut was as Don Carlo in La Forza del Destino. Internationally, Mr. Rucker has sung Rigoletto, Macbeth, Nabucco, Amonasro,

THE ARTISTS Renato, Germont and The Flying Dutchman for Amsterdam, Athens, Berlin, Bologna, Verona and Vienna as well as the Festivals of Bregenz, Savonlinna and Santander. In concert he has performed Linda di Chamounix and Verdi’s Jerusalem at the Concertgebouw and Rigoletto with the Rotterdam and Israel Philharmonic. In America his career has taken him to numerous companies from the Metropolitan Opera to San Diego for major dramatic baritone roles. Upcoming, Mr. Rucker sings the role of Paolo in Simon Boccanegra with ROH Covent Garden.

NORMAN SHANKLE* | Nick Norman Shankle is currently enjoying worldwide acclaim for his portrayals of Mozart’s most famous tenors. The Boston Globe called Shankle “a singer of elegance, grace and conviction,” and the San Francisco Chronicle praised him equally as “clearly a singer to watch.” This season in addition to this role with Opera Colorado, Shankle returns to Phoenix Symphony for Handel’s Messiah. He also joins Pittsburgh Opera as Elder Barber/Gus Greenlee in the world premiere of The Summer King. Recent performances include joining The Metropolitan Opera as the Quartet Tenor and to cover the role of Demetrius in The Enchanted Island as well as for their production of Parsifal; Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia with the English National Opera and with Dresden Semperoper, Ferrando in Cosi fan Tutte with the Dutch National Opera, Ernesto in Don Pasquale with the Grand Théâtre de Genève among many other performances.

NATHAN VAN ARSDALE^* Billy Jackrabbit Colorado has always been a home to Nathan, who was born in Colorado Springs. He holds a Masters of Music from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has performed in a wide array of settings domestically and internationally, notably: at the White House; the Lincoln Center in the world premiere of opera, Holodomor: Red Earth Hunger, by Virko Baley; and at the Kennedy Center. In Las Vegas, Nathan has enjoyed performing with non-profit and for-profit musical organizations, such as, Opera Las Vegas, Sin City Opera, La Voce Totalle, and The Venetian. This season he will sing the roles of Bartolo in The Barber of Seville and Dulcamara in The Elixir of Love in the company’s touring productions.

In the mainstage productions, Nathan will sing the roles of Billy Jackrabbit in La Fanciulla del West and Raimondo in the Student Matinnee of Lucia di Lammermoor .

HAROLD WILSON | Ashby Harold Wilson, bass is happy to be singing his third role with Opera Colorado. He also makes returns to Sarasota Opera for Mustafa in L’Italiana in Algeri and to Opera Delaware for Oroe in Semiramide. Harold spent six years in Germany where he sang over 250 performances of 40 roles. He has been a part of the Metropolitan Opera’s season for six out of the last eight seasons, most recently covering James Morris as Timur in Puccini’s Turandot. He has sung internationally at theaters in Basel, Barcelona, Toulouse, Berlin, Halle, and Dortmund. In the USA he has performed in Santa Fe, Seattle, Portland, Palm Beach, Sarasota, Tulsa, Milwaukee, Pensacola, Birmingham, Dayton and Memphis. When he’s not busy rehearsing and performing with Opera Colorado you can find him on one of the Denver area’s many picturesque golf courses.

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 above.

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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LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST ORCHESTRA

VIOLIN I Margaret Gutierrez, concertmaster Takanori Sugishita Chris Jusell Angela Dombrowski Robyn Julyan Debra Holland Cyndi Mancinelli Annamaria Karacson Robyn Sosa Leah Mohling VIOLIN II René Knetsch, principal Lynne Glaeske Ingrid Peoria Veronica Sawarynski Susie Peek Leslie Sawyer Christine Short Regan Kane VIOLA Matthew Dane, principal Mary Harrison Brian Cook Lora Stevens Sarah Richardson Matthew Diekman

PRODUCTION STAFF MUSIC STAFF Andres Cladera, Associate Conductor Sahar Nouri, Coach/Accompanist Kim Peoria, Orchestra Personnel Manager Ingrid Peoria, Orchestra Librarian PRODUCTION STAFF Katie Preissner, Director of Production Brett Finley, Stage Manager Julia Hoch, Assistant Director Sarah Johnson, Assistant Stage Manager Amelia Nordin, Assistant Stage Manager Jeremy Sortore, Title Coordinator Beth Nielsen, Title Operator Brian Greffe, MD, Company Physician Buzz Reifman, NPPA, Company Otolaryngologist 8

CELLO Jeff Watson, principal Cedra Kuehn Carole Whitney Charles Lee Elle Wells David Short

BASSOON Charles Hansen, principal Kim Peoria

BASS David Crowe, principal Matthew Pennington Jeremy Nicholas James Vaughn

HORN Michael Yopp, principal Lauren Varley Devon Park Marian Hesse

FLUTE Susan Townsend, principal Elizabeth Sadilek

TRUMPET Colin Oldberg, principal Ken Aikin Cami Kidwell-Dodge

FLUTE and PICCOLO Olga Shilaeva OBOE Sarah Bierhaus, principal Max Soto OBOE and ENGLISH HORN Liz Telling CLARINET Michelle Orman, principal Heidi Mendenhall CLARINET and BASS CLARINET April Johannesen

TECHNICAL STAFF Erin Turner, Technical Director Ed Saindon, Head Carpenter Mike Boswell, Shop/Production Carpenter John Gordon, Assistant Carpenter Jeff Reidel, Head Flyman Chris Green, Head Electrician Patrick Howard, Light Board Operator Susan Osborn, Assistant Electrician Jenna Wadleigh, Assistant Lighting Designer Maria Hedrick, Head Props Terry Gulley, Assistant Props Charles Polich, Head Sound Steve Campbell, Head Video Projections Matthew Houstle, Projections Programmer

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BASSOON and CONTRABASSOON Kyle Sneden

TROMBONE Bron Wright, principal Andy Wolfe Jeremy Van Hoy TUBA Michael Allen, principal HARP Janet Harriman, principal TIMPANI Peter Cooper, principal PERCUSSION Mark Foster, principal Carl Dixon Nena Wright

CELESTE Sahar Nouri LIBRARIAN Ingrid Peoria PERSONNEL MANAGER Kim Peoria

OPERA COLORADO CHORUS John Adams Matt Cantwell Stewart Cramer Nathan Crowder Shane Delavan Michele Di Nuovo Jonathan Gentry Paul Griggsby Drew Hansen Brian Harris Luke Johnson Leo Kaufman Wade Klassen Zeky Nadji Kasey Nahlovsky Jason Parfenoff Todd Resseguie Norman Spivy Ron Stauffer Joey Taczak Anthony Varner Keith Williamson Joshua Zabatta

ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE CREW Randy Mitchell, House Carpenter John Kendrick, House Sound Tanya Rist, House Props Dave Wilson, House Electrician

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

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

WIGS AND MAKEUP Sarah Opstad, Associate Wigs and Makeup Coordinator Devanie Blake, Wigs and Make-Up Assistant

DRAPER Kevin Brainerd SHOP ASSISTANTS Barbara Piano Elizabeth Woods VOLUNTEER STITCHER Julie Parker DRESSERS Devin Anders Kevin Brainerd Alie Holden Tom Holmes Teresia Larsen Elizabeth Woods

ARTIST HOSTS Host Chairman: Merrill Shields Devanie Blake Katy Burley Ellie Caulkins Wendy, Dillon and Lillian Cogdal Rebecca Henriques Robert Kahn Cherity Koepke Cheryl McGinnis and Ed Woolman Maradith and Rusty Wilkins