TOI TOI TOI Gala Program Book

TOI TOI TOI HONORARY CO-CHAIRS

Frederick R. Haas and Rafael Gomez

Marguerite Lenfest

TOI TOI TOI CO-CHAIRS

Stephen K. Klasko, M.D., M.B.A.

Sarah Marshall

TOI TOI TOI COMMITTEE

Mrs. Sandra K. Baldino

Katherine and John Karamatsoukas

Seán and Colleen O’Riordan

Evening Overview

5:30–6:30 P.M.

GENERAL DIRECTOR’S RECEPTION for Benefactor ticket holders and Sponsors

7:00–9:30 P.M.

SEATED DINNER AND PERFORMANCE for all ticket holders and Sponsors

FIRST COURSE

French Garden Salad

creamy lemon goat cheese, artichokes, peas, haricot vert, celery, radish, radicchio, endive, red wine vinaigrette

SECOND COURSE

Sofrito Marinated Salmon + Coco Braised Short Rib

Sofrito Marinated Salmon with saffron tomato sauce, parsley potatoes, caper olive relish +

Coco Braised Short Rib with reduction sauce, garlicky broccolini, pumpkin seed crumble

Vegetarian/Vegan Entrée Available Upon Request

Please see page 28 for this evening’s performing artists

9:30–11:00 p.m.

DESSERT AND DANCE PARTY for all ticket holders and Sponsors

Dear Friends of Opera Philadelphia,

Welcome! Tonight’s TOI TOI TOI gala celebrates our General Director and President, David B. Devan, honoring his transformative contributions to Opera Philadelphia and the broader world of opera. While David is moving on to new artistic and professional adventures, the impact of his visionary leadership will endure. As your co-chairs, we share our deepest gratitude for your support of tonight’s fittingly fabulous celebration of David!

At the core of David Devan’s legacy with Opera Philadelphia is innovation. David pioneered Opera Philadelphia’s Composer in Residence program and was the ambitious force behind our Festival O format. Classic works have been reimagined with modern relevancy and magnificent staging. Opera Philadelphia has become a company of international stature and a favorite co-producing partner with companies across the globe.

Tonight, we’ll enjoy dazzling performances from some of opera’s most revered artists, including Joshua Blue, John Holiday, Will Liverman, Daniela Mack, Ashley Marie Robillard and Frederica von Stade. Our evening will be emceed by long time Opera Philadelphia collaborator and everyone’s favorite Bearded Lady, John Jarboe. Tonight’s TOI TOI TOI festivities have been designed and produced by one of opera’s most visionary directors, James Darrah.

Building on David’s impactful tenure, Opera Philadelphia is excited to begin its next chapter! Thank you, David, and TOI TOI TOI!

Sincerely,

Sarah Marshall & Steve Klasko Gala Co-Chairs

Wood-Mode designers bring your vision to life through creativity and years of product and technical training. For more than 75 years, Wood-Mode has been developing products and training that inspire our designers, so they can inspire you.

Sarah and Brad Marshall are proud to support David B. Devan and Opera Philadelphia.

TOI TOI TOI

Cherelle L. Parker, Mayor

Philadelphia flourishes with the many contributions made by the diverse arts and cultural institutions that make our city such a vital and attractive place in which to live, do business within, or visit. The City is grateful for these essential components of our thriving creative economy which elevate Philadelphia’s reputation as a prime destination for arts and culture.

One such entity is Opera Philadelphia, the region’s primary opera producer since 1975, which is holding its TOI TOI TOI Gala event on March 9, 2024. The evening will include a special acknowledgement of General Director & President, David B. Devan, as he concludes his tenure with the company.

Joining Opera Philadelphia in January 2006, David Devan was appointed General Director of the company in 2011, and since his arrival he has worked closely with board and administration on strategic planning initiatives and building partnerships within the community and the opera world.

David Devan’s efforts to guide the company brought it through a transformative period of innovation that has been noted by such prestigious publications as Opera News and the New York Times. Under his leadership, Opera Philadelphia has commissioned or cocommissioned eight new operas. Other key achievements include establishing the Aurora Series for Chamber Opera at the Perelman Theater and the nation’s first ever collaborative Composer in Residence Program with New York partner Music-Theatre Group; creating the American Repertoire Program and the Opera in the City series; and establishing the annual 12-day Festival O, among other notable accomplishments.

It is fitting and appropriate, therefore, that the City of Philadelphia officially recognize with this Citation

DAVID B. DEVAN

and commend him for his vision and inspired leadership of Opera Philadelphia, as well as the organizers of TOI TOI TOI being held to celebrate David Devan’s achievements and raise funds to sustain and support this cherished arts and culture company

Cherelle L. Parker Mayor

March 9, 2024

applaud David B. Devan as he takes his bow at Opera Philadelphia.

Colleen Wyse and Stephen Klasko

Opera Philadelphia Board of Directors

Stephen K. Klasko, M.D., M.B.A. | Board Chair

David B. Devan | President

Willo Carey | Vice Chair

Charles C. Freyer | Vice Chair

Thomas Mahoney | Treasurer

MEMBERS

Ira Brind

Lawrence Brownlee

Willo Carey

Katherine Christiano

Maureen Craig

William Dunbar

David Ferguson

Charles C. Freyer

Deena Gu

Alexander Hankin

John Karamatsoukas

Stephen K. Klasko, M.D., M.B.A.

Beverly Lange, M.D.

Peter Leone, Immediate Past Chairman

Thomas Mahoney

Sarah Marshall

Taneise S. Marshall

Agnes Mulroney

Colleen O’Riordan

Bob Schena

Carolyn Horn Seidle

Barbara Augusta Teichert

Kathleen Weir

Yueyi (Kelly) Zhou

HONORARY MEMBERS

Dennis Alter

H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest †

Stephen A. Madva, Esq., Chairman Emeritus

Alan B. Miller

Alice W. Strine, Esq.

Charlotte Watts

† Deceased

Sandra K. Baldino celebrates David B. Devan and his remarkable legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

Bravo to David Devan for 18 years of devotion to Opera Philadelphia.

Best wishes on your next act!

Neubauer Family Foundation

TOI TOI TOI

Sponsors

Opera Philadelphia wishes to thank the following generous supporters of this TOI TOI TOI fundraising event.

PRESENTING

Anonymous

Mrs. Sandra K. Baldino

Sarah and Brad Marshall

PLATINUM

Stephen K. Klasko, M.D., M.B.A. and Colleen Wyse

Marguerite Lenfest

Neubauer Family Foundation

Barbara Augusta Teichert

GOLD

John Alchin and Hal Marryatt

Katherine & Andrew Christiano

Jeffrey R. Jowett

Katherine and John Karamatsoukas

Katie Adams Schaeffer and Tony Schaeffer

Carolyn Horn Seidle

Mrs. Keith R. Straw

SILVER

Ballard Spahr LLP

Mr. Allen D. Black and Mr. R. Randolph Apgar

Ira Brind and Stacey Spector

Lisa Clark & David Haas

Maureen Craig and Glenn Goldberg

Michael C. Forman and Jennifer S. Rice

Ms. Caroline J. Mackenzie Kennedy

Joel and Sharon Koppelman

Leslie Miller and Richard Worley Foundation

Sylvia Lanka-Barone and William Barone

Ms. Willo Carey and Mr. Peter A. Benoliel

Maddy & Jim Carlson

Mark and Peggy Curchack

Tobey and Mark Dichter

Barbara Eberlein and Jerry Wind

Allen R. and Judy Brick Freedman

Linda and David Glickstein

Bonnie and David Joseph

Mrs. Sheila Kessler

BENEFACTORS

Anonymous

Mrs. Sarah Billinghurst Solomon

Elaine Woo Camarda and A. Morris Williams, Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Norman U. Cohn

Mr. Kent Devereaux

Robert B. Driver

Mr. Joseph P. Fanelli Jr.

Scott Guzielek

Mark & Helene Hankin and Family

Donald and Gay Kimmelman

Ro and Martin King

Mr. Joseph H. Kluger and Ms. Susan E. Lewis

Dr. Heidi Kolberg

William Lake Leonard, Esq.

Peter and Judy Leone

Liddy and John Lindsay

Jacqueline Badger Mars

Philip Lian and Joan Mueller

Agnes Mulroney

Seán and Colleen O’Riordan

Helen E. Pettit

Dr. Joel and Mrs. Roberta Porter

Ms. Rosalind Remer

John and Theresa Rollins

Eileen Rosenau

Ellen Steiner

Robert V. Taglieri and Timothy J. Moir

The Rev. Richard L. Ullman

Evan Urbania

Dr. R.J. Wallner

Ellen Berman Lee

Susan M. Long and Andrew J. Szabo

Ms. Maria Maccecchini

Stephen A. Madva and Denise C. Creedon

Drs. Stanley Muravchick & Arlene Olson

John Pcsolar and Alan Sandman

Charlotte Watts

Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Wechsler

Kathy and Nick Weir

PATRONS

Anonymous

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Blair

Claire Boasi

Larry Bomback

Catherine M. Cahill & Robert Perkel

Ms. Jessica Calter

Thomas Childers and John Hall

William and Faye Dunbar

Eddie and Rachel Eitches

Ms. Anne C. Ewers

David M. Ferguson, Ph.D.

Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance

Mrs. Kate Hall

Mr. L. Stockton Illoway

Patricia Johnson

Lenfest Institute of Journalism

Mr. Randy A. Maloney

Ms. Jane G. Pepper

Mr. Eric Pryor

Anne Faulkner Schoemaker

Katherine Sachs

Mr. Vince Tseng and Mr. Geoffrey Mainland

Stephanie and Dito van Reigersberg

Elizabeth B. Warshawer

VIVACE

Kiamesso DaSilva

Brian Hylton

Mr. Deependra Logani

Mr. John Orr and Ms. Allison Titman

Jason Schupbach

Mr. Clinton Walker

Mrs. Kelly Zhou and Dr. Brett Frankel

Barbara Augusta Teichert is proud to support David B. Devan and his remarkable legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

TOI TOI TOI

celebrates David B. Devan and his legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

Marguerite and Gerry† Lenfest celebrate David B. Devan for his outstanding accomplishments at Opera Philadelphia.

A Message from Opera Philadelphia

We are thrilled to have you with us to celebrate David Devan’s contributions to Opera Philadelphia and the field of opera.

Tonight, we also raise a glass to you. Thank you for supporting bold opera and vibrant creativity. You have helped make Opera Philadelphia an internationally acclaimed company and a cultural leader in our city.

Proceeds from tonight’s TOI TOI TOI Celebration support Opera Philadelphia’s new works practice , recognizing David’s leadership along with the contributions of the many artists who have partnered with Opera Philadelphia to contribute 24 new works— and counting —to the opera field.

To add your voice to the chorus of supporters of new work, visit operaphila.org/david .

Thank you for helping to ensure that the future of opera continues to be written in Philadelphia.

applauds David B. Devan and his legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

Carolyn Horn Seidle and James Goff celebrate David B. Devan and his remarkable legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

Hal Marryatt and John Alchin celebrate David B. Devan.

TOI TOI TOI!

Toronto-born David B. Devan joined Opera Philadelphia in January 2006 and was appointed General Director in 2011. He has guided the company for 18 seasons, with the New York Times describing Opera Philadelphia as “a hotbed of operatic innovation” and the Washington Post calling it “the very model of a modern opera company.”

JANUARY 2006

David joins Opera Philadelphia as Managing Director.

FEBRUARY 2006

Margaret Garner , by composer Richard Danielpour and librettist Toni Morrison, receives its East Coast premiere at the Academy of Music, with mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves in the title role.

SEPTEMBER 2006

Opera Philadelphia establishes the Hip H’Opera after-school program in partnership with Art Sanctuary and Freedom Theater.

JUNE 2009

Production of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia establishes the Aurora Series for Chamber Opera at the Perelman Theater, presented in partnership with Curtis Opera Theatre. The series would continue through 2019.

OCTOBER 2010

650 choristers from 28 participating organizations perform “The Hallelujah Chorus,” one of the Knight Foundation’s “Random Acts of Culture,” at Macy’s in Center City Philadelphia, accompanied by the Wanamaker Organ. The video of the performance attracts more than 9 million views on YouTube.

FEBRUARY 2011

David is appointed General Director & President.

JUNE 2011

Opera Philadelphia presents the American premiere of Hans Werner Henze’s Phaedra at the Perelman Theater. The production directed by Robert Driver is called “a substantial artistic coup” by The New York Times .

SEPTEMBER 2011

Lembit Beecher is named Opera Philadelphia’s first Composer in Residence, a comprehensive program conducted in partnership with Gotham Chamber Opera and Music-Theatre Group, supported by The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. He would be the first of eight composers chosen for the program, including Missy Mazzoli, Andrew Norman, David T. Little, David Hertzberg, Rene Orth, Tyshawn Sorey, and Courtney Bryan.

OCTOBER 2011

More than 5,000 people brave the rain to watch the first Opera on the Mall broadcast at Independence National Historical Park, a live simulcast of Bizet’s Carmen from the Academy of Music. The broadcast starts an annual Opera on the Mall tradition that continues through 2019.

JUNE 2012

Nico Muhly and Stephen Karam’s Dark Sisters , a co-commission and co-production with Gotham Chamber Opera and Music-Theatre Group, and the centerpiece of the OPERA America national conference in Philadelphia, is the first production of the American

Repertoire Program, the company’s 10-year commitment to produce one American opera in each season.

SEPTEMBER 2012

The 2012-2013 Season begins with a new La bohème centered on animated projections of Impressionist masterpieces from the collections of the Barnes Foundation and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The production would return in spring 2019, marking the only re-mount of a production in David’s tenure as General Director.

NOVEMBER 2013

The American premiere of Svadba by composer Ana Sokolović establishes the site-specific Opera in the City program and is the first live performance in the future home of Fringe Arts.

MAY 2014

Opera Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Orchestra join forces for the first time in a coproduction of Richard Strauss’ Salome at Verizon Hall, conducted by Philadelphia Orchestra Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.

JUNE 2014

JANUARY 2013

The Opera Company of Philadelphia changes its name to Opera Philadelphia, signaling the company’s future ambitions.

FEBRUARY 2013

Fresh off being named winner of the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Music, Silent Night , a new Opera Philadelphia co-production by composer Kevin Puts and librettist Mark Campbell, makes its East Coast premiere at the Academy of Music.

Legendary mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade makes her Opera Philadelphia debut in the East Coast premiere of A Coffin in Egypt by composer Ricky Ian Gordon and librettist Leonard Foglia, in

JUNE 2015

The world premiere of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird by Daniel Schnyder and Bridgette Wimberly, starring Lawrence Brownlee, sells out at the Perelman Theater.

SEPTEMBER 2015

The world premiere of ANDY: A Popera , with music by Heath Allen and Dan Visconti, marks the first of many fabulous collisions between Opera Philadelphia, Bearded Ladies Cabaret, and the annual Philadelphia Fringe Festival.

OCTOBER 2015

JANUARY 2016

Evolving from Hip H’opera, Teen Voices of the City Ensemble (T-VOCE) debuts as an inclusive, audition-free citywide choir for Philadelphia high school students to learn more about music and singing while performing on professional stages around the city and collaborating with other vocal ensembles.

APRIL 2016

In his lone appearance in an Opera Philadelphia production, David “stars” as a Vespa-riding priest in Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love set in the 1940s. Both David Dubbeldam and David Levy hold their breath each time David Devan rides the Vespa on stage.

SEPTEMBER 2016

Sept. 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 2015

Opera Philadelphia announces its new annual season-opening festival, to begin in September 2017. Festival O is called a blend of “transformation” and “tradition” by the Washington Post

FEBRUARY 2016

Cold Mountain , by longtime Philadelphiabased composer Jennifer Higdon and librettist Gene Scheer, and cocommissioned with Santa Fe Opera, enjoys a successful East Coast premiere at the Academy of Music as the city revels in the new opera and its source material via a partnership with the One Book, One Philadelphia program of the Free Library of Philadelphia.

APRIL 2016

Opera Philadelphia presents Charlie Parker’s Yardbird in a historic New York premiere, marking the first opera production at the Apollo Theater.

The world premiere of Breaking the Waves by Missy Mazzoli and Royce Vavrek, based on the film by Lars von Trier, enjoys critical acclaim and goes on to win the inaugural Best New Opera award from the Music Critics Association of North America. Cocommissioned with Beth Morrison Projects, the opera makes its New York premiere at the 2017 Prototype Festival.

FEBRUARY 2017

Stephanie Blythe as Blythely Oratonio and Dito van Reigersberg as Martha Graham Cracker star in the company’s hairiest fundraising gala to date, Dito & Aeneas: Two Queens, One Night , at the Theater of Living Arts on South Street.

APRIL 2017

Opera Philadelphia launches Backstage Pass, a workforce readiness program that introduces Philadelphia high school students to technical theater careers through hands-on training and building relationships with technicians, local labor unions, and industry partners.

SEPTEMBER 2017

The inaugural Festival O fills the city with 12 days of opera, including three world premieres: We Shall Not Be Moved , by Daniel Bernard Roumain and Marc Bamuthi Joseph, at the Wilma Theater; The Wake World , by David Hertzberg, at the Barnes Foundation; and Elizabeth Cree , by Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell, at the Perelman Theater.

OCTOBER 2017

Following the first Festival O, We Shall Not Be Moved makes its New York premiere with two shows at the Apollo Theater.

FEBRUARY 2018

Cycles of My Being , a song cycle exploring the realities of life as a black man in America, with music by Tyshawn Sorey and lyrics by Terrance Hayes, enjoys its world premiere with tenor Lawrence Brownlee at the Perelman Theater.

SEPTEMBER 2018

Sky on Swings , an opera by Lembit Beecher and Hannah Moscovitch, featuring characters living with Alzheimer’s disease, receives its world premiere at the Perelman Theater. Frederica von Stade and Marietta Simpson star in the opera, part of a Festival O18 lineup that includes Anthony Roth Costanzo’s operatic performance art installation, Glass Handel , at the Barnes Foundation.

SEPTEMBER 2019

Denis & Katya , by Philip Venables and Ted Huffman, co-commissioned with Music Theatre Wales, receives its world premiere as part of Festival O19. With Denis & Katya , Opera Philadelphia is the first U.S. company to win the FEDORAGENERALI Prize for Opera. Festival O19 also marks the debut of the Late Night Snacks cabaret series with the Bearded Ladies Cabaret.

OCTOBER 2020

Amid pandemic cancellations on stage, Opera Philadelphia launches the Opera Philadelphia Channel streaming platform, releasing film adaptations of David T. Little’s Soldier Songs and Poulenc’s La voix humaine , and digital commissions by composers Tyshawn Sorey, Courtney Bryan, Angélica Negrón, Caroline Shaw, Rene Orth, and Yaz Lancaster, until retiring the channel in 2023.

Opera Philadelphia’s film adaptation of David T. Little’s Soldier Songs is nominated for a GRAMMY in the category of Best Opera Recording.

APRIL 2022

Opera Philadelphia returns to the Academy of Music stage for the first time since September 2019 (942 days) with Verdi’s Rigoletto

MAY 2022

Resonant Philly, in partnership with Music: Not Impossible and ArtReach, marks the company’s first relaxed performance, expanding the company’s accessible offerings to people with disabilities.

AUGUST 2023

SEPTEMBER 2022

Festival O returns with O22, featuring Rossini’s Otello , Hosokawa’s The Raven , and the world premiere of David T. Little’s Black Lodge .

David announces that the 20232024 Season will be his final year as General Director & President of Opera Philadelphia.

SEPTEMBER 2023

10 Days in a Madhouse , by composer Rene Orth and librettist Hannah Moscovitch, receives its world premiere at the Wilma Theater in Festival O23. The opera is called the “best classical music performance of the year” by the Washington Post .

FEBRUARY 2024

Opera Philadelphia announces its 2023–2024 Season will include the American premiere of Missy Mazzoli’s The Listeners , the company premiere of Joseph Bologne’s The Anonymous Love r, and a new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni , all at the Academy of Music.

applaud David B. Devan as he takes his bow at Opera Philadelphia.

Katherine and John Karamatsoukas

African American Museum in Philadelphia celebrates David B. Devan and his remarkable legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

TOI TOI TOI

a one-of-a-kind fundraising event celebrating General Director & President

David B. Devan

SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2024

23RD STREET ARMORY

22 South 23 rd Street, Philadelphia

Host, Performer, and Emcee | Jarbeaux of The Bearded Ladies

Director and Designer | James Darrah

Lighting Designer | Drew Billiau

Sound Designer | Chris Sannino

Chorus Master | Elizabeth Braden

WITH PERFORMANCES BY

Joshua Blue

John Holiday

Will Liverman

Grant Loehnig

Daniela Mack

Ashley Marie Robillard

Frederica von Stade

TOI TOI TOI Artists

This season, British-American tenor

JOSHUA BLUE makes his Houston Grand Opera stage debut in the world premiere of Jake Heggie’s Intelligence and returns to the Metropolitan Opera as Tamino for Julie Taymor’s production of The Magic Flute. In concert, Mr. Blue will reunite with the American Symphony Orchestra and Leon Botstein for Dvořák’s Requiem at Carnegie Hall and Brahms’ Rinaldo at the Fisher Center at Bard; sings the U.S. premiere of Emily: A Musical Portrait, a narrative evening of art song with poems of Emily Dickinson set by Copland and Ricky Ian Gordon, at Wolf Trap; joins the Oratorio Society of New York for the final movement of Beethoven’s Symphony #9 to celebrate their 150th anniversary; performs Wendell Logan’s Runagate, Runagate with the Oberlin Sinfonietta; and returns to Moravec’s Sanctuary Road with both the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park and Princeton Pro Musica. Mr. Blue ends the season covering Javier Camarena as the Duke in Rigoletto with the Royal Opera House on tour to Japan led by Antonio Pappano. He has been engaged by the LA Phil, Washington National Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and Wolf Trap Opera, collaborating with conductors James Conlon, Gianandrea Noseda, Eun Sun Kim, Fabio Luisi, James Gaffigan, Carlo Rizzi, Bertrand de Billy, Bernard Labadie, and Leonard Slatkin, at venues as far-ranging as the Hollywood Bowl. Mr. Blue has appeared at Opera Philadelphia under the baton of Maestro Corrado Rovaris as the Duke in Rigoletto and Rodolfo in La bohème.

JAMES DARRAH’s work as a Los Angeles-based director, designer, screenwriter and producer is leading the trailblazing exploration of the intersection of film, television and opera + new music. He is the new Artistic Director and CCO of Long Beach Opera where he directed an acclaimed adaptation of Handel’s Giustino in May 2022 and from 2014-2020 was the Artistic Director of ONE — an opera artists’ residency program with Opera Omaha. He was a first time GRAMMY ® nominee producing David T. Little’s acclaimed opera Soldier Songs as a film with Opera Philadelphia in 2022 and was Creative Director for Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra’s digital season in 2020-21, directing 16 collaborative short films in a new orchestral series called Close Quarters He also devised and directed two film projects with Boston Lyric Opera: a new animated feature-length film of Philip Glass’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptation The Fall of the House of Usher and the world premiere of desert in: an acclaimed first of its kind merger of episodic television and opera with composer Ellen Reid. He is deeply committed to development of new opera and directed the award-winning world premieres of Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking the Waves and Proving Up, Reid’s Pulitzer Prize-winning prism with LA Opera, and Academy Award winner John Corigliano’s The Lord of Cries with Santa Fe Opera. Additional work includes training the next generation of opera singers as Creative Producer for Music Academy of the West and he is a production design faculty member of UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television. He has been profiled in the LA Times, GQ Magazine and Alta Journal and is a winner of the national Princess Grace Award in Theater.

“A leader has the vision and conviction that a dream can be achieved. He inspires the power and energy to get it done.”

— Ralph Lauren

In honor of David Devan, a leader we have come to respect, admire, and appreciate. An amazingly creative man who lives his principles. At Opera Philadelphia, he has helped create a world class opera company with creativity, pizzazz, and great success. We love and admire you. CONGRATULATIONS!

Ira Brind and Stacey Spector

Having performed at worldrenowned venues such as Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, and the Philharmonie de Paris, JOHN HOLIDAY will began his 2023-24 season as a featured soloist with the Handel and Haydn Society for Handel’s Messiah in November. His season continued in January with Handel’s Agrippina with the Dutch National Opera in the role of Nerone. In February, he performed at Washington Adventist University in a recital alongside world-renowned bass Morris Robinson and more, followed by a recital at Pensacola Opera. In March, Holiday will be featured at Jazz at Lincoln Center for an American Songbook recital, and join the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra for Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater in a program conducted by Jaime Martín. At PACNYC with Trinity Church Wall Street, Holiday will be a featured soloist in the premiere of Luna Pearl Woolf’s Oratorio in April, then return to The Metropolitan Opera to reprise his roles in the restaging of Kevin Puts’s The Hours following last season’s highlyanticipated stage premiere. To finish out the season, Holiday will perform at Bayerische Staatsoper as Prince Go Go in György Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre. Holiday will also appear at Arizona Opera and the University of Michigan for recitals and masterclasses.

JOHN JARBOE aka “ JARBEAUX ”

(she/her) is a director, producer, writer, performer, and art activist, and the founding artistic director of The Bearded Ladies Cabaret. After receiving a BA and a BFA in English and Theater from the University of Michigan, Jarboe moved to Philadelphia, where in the past 14 years she has created and performed work for organizations including The Wilma Theater, The Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia Horticultural Society, FringeArts, and Opera Philadelphia. She and her company The Bearded Ladies gained notoriety for their annual Bastille Day show at Eastern State Penitentiary, which grew under her writing and directing from a street festival to an hour long performance attended by over 10,000 people by 2018. Jarboe has received a 2013 Independence Fellowship, was named best drag performer in Philadelphia (2018) by Philadelphia Magazine and is a 2022 Transformation Grant awardee (The Leeway Foundation ). Outside of Philadelphia she has toured original work to Miami, Seattle (Seattle Symphony) France, Poland, New Zealand (Performance Arcade), and Australia (Malthouse Theater). She has also written, performed, and directed original work for La Mama ETC, Joe’s Pub, Lincoln Center’s American Songbook Series, and The Guggenheim’s Works & Process series. She has written for and directed original cabarets for famed opera star Anthony Roth Costanzo and is the drag dula of Stephanie Blythe. Jarboe’s original performance piece Rose: You Are Who You Eat, commissioned by Works and Process, is in the midst of a rolling world premiere at FringeArts in fall 2023, La MaMa January 2024, and Wooly Mammoth in June 2024. She is also a resident artist at The Fabric Workshop in Museum and will be debuting her first installation of films and objects related to Rose in May of 2024. See her upcoming work at beardedladiescabaret.com and @johnjarbeaux on instagram. You can follow the progress of Rose @roseeatme on instagram.

We raise a glass in honor of our friend David B. Devan and all he has accomplished for Opera Philadelphia and the city of Philadelphia.

Comcast NBCUniversal is proud to support Opera Philly’s Toi Toi Toi, and we honor David B. Devan’s remarkable contributions.

Allen Black and Randy Apgar

Called “a voice for this historic moment” (Washington Post),

GRAMMY Award-winning baritone WILL LIVERMAN is the recipient of the 2022 Beverly Sills Artist Award and the co-creator of The Factotum which premiered at the Lyric Opera Chicago in 2023. This season Liverman returned to the Metropolitan Opera in the title role of X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X. His season also included productions with Opera Philadelphia for the world premiere of Rene Orth’s 10 Days in a Madhouse and the Metropolitan Opera for Roméo et Juliette In concert, he joined the Lexington Philharmonic for the orchestrated world premiere of Shawn E. Okpebholo’s Two Black Churches, Houston Symphony’s Carmina Burana, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra for Brahms’ A German Requiem, The Washington Chorus’ Elijah Reimagined, Tanglewood, Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys, Nu Deco Ensemble, and Experiential Orchestra, plus Dayton Opera, Caramoor, Cincinnati Song Initiative, and Ithaca College for vocal recitals. He serves as Artistic Advisor for Renée Fleming’s SongStudio at Carnegie Hall. Cedille Records released Liverman’s Dreams of a New Day: Songs by Black Composers with pianist Paul Sanchez in February 2021. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Traditional Classical chart and was nominated for a GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album. Liverman is an alumnus of the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and was a Glimmerglass Festival Young Artist. He was one of the inaugural members of Opera Philadelphia’s Emerging Artist Program in 2014, and holds degrees from The Juilliard School (M.M.) and Wheaton College in Illinois (B.M.). willliverman.com

Pianist and vocal coach GRANT

LOEHNIG serves as Head of Music Staff at Opera Philadelphia and Master Opera Coach on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music. He works regularly on the music staff of Lyric Opera of Chicago and Aspen Opera Theater. He also frequently serves as a district judge for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. His recital credits include collaborations with Susanne Mentzer, Morris Robinson, Paul Groves, John Holiday, Will Liverman, and Marcus DeLoach. Recently released recordings include a premiere recording of songs of Carlisle Floyd with Susanne Mentzer, art songs of Karim AlZand, the premiere recording of David Hertzberg’s opera The Wake World, and the premiere of a piece by Tyshawn Sorey written expressly for countertenor John Holiday and Grant. For over ten years Grant served as Head of Music Staff for Wolf Trap Opera, where he also served as a recitalist and chorus master. He prepared the chorus and small roles for Houston Symphony’s performances of Wozzeck, awarded the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Opera Recording. Grant holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and a Master of Music degree in vocal accompanying from Manhattan School of Music. He is a graduate of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Music Academy of the West, and San Francisco Opera’s Merola Program. Before joining the Curtis Institute faculty, he served on the Opera Studies faculty of Rice University in Houston.

Mr. Liverman appears courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.

Independence Foundation applauds David B. Devan as he takes his bow at Opera Philadelphia

Michael C. Forman and Jennifer S. Rice

are proud to support David B. Devan and Opera Philadelphia.

Mezzo-soprano DANIELA

MACK leads the vanguard of a new generation of opera singers, infusing her artistry with a mix of intensity, adventurousness, and effortless charisma. Ms.

Mack has appeared in many of the world’s most important opera houses including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, English National Opera, Teatro Real, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and the Verbier Festival. Her many roles include the title role in Carmen, Charlotte in Werther, Romeo in I Capuletti et I Montecchi, Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Angelina in La cenerentola, Bradamante in Alcina, Rosmira in Partenope, and Idamante in Idomeneo. She also created roles in the world premieres of Kevin Puts and Mark Campbell’s Elizabeth Cree (title role) at Opera Philadelphia, and in David T. Little and Royce Vavrek’s JFK (Jacqueline Kennedy) at Fort Worth Opera with subsequent performances at Opéra de Montréal. Also a distinguished concert singer, she has appeared with the New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Symphony, BBC Symphony Orchestra, and The English Concert. Born in Buenos Aires, Ms. Mack studied at Louisiana State University and was a finalist in the 2013 BBC Cardiff Singer of the World competition. She is also an alumna of the Adler Fellowship Program at San Francisco Opera.

Praised for her “robust sounds and emotions” (Broadway World) and “fresh-brook lyric soprano” (Parterre Box), ASHLEY MARIE ROBILLARD is quickly making a name for herself as a thrilling storyteller in opera houses, recital venues, and cabaret halls alike. She has performed in prestigious venues, including the War Memorial Opera House, the Academy of Music, Jordan Hall, and the National Portrait Gallery, and with esteemed institutions, including Washington Concert Opera, Opera Philadelphia, the Amarillo Symphony, Opera San Jose, and Opera Lafayette. She is known for her work in both the traditional operatic canon and as an interpreter of compelling contemporary works. Fostering a great love of chamber music, she is a frequent collabor with the Dolce Suono Ensemble and made her professional chamber with Music From Angel Fire. Recitals are a dear part of her artistry, having presented cocurated recitals with Opera Philadelphia, Classical Movements, and Music for Montauk, in addition to being an award winner of the Gerda Lissner Lieder/ Art Song competition and presenting Hugo Wolf’s Italienisches Liederbuch in a three-year national recital tour. Ashley can be found in smaller, smokier settings indulging in cabaret performances, crooning with the Bearded Ladies in their Late Nite Snacks cabaret series, as a performer in Stephanie Blythe’s drag cabaret series Queens of the Night, and in several iterations of the East Passyunk Opera Project’s Love Notes cabaret series. She’s an alumna of the Merola Opera Program, the Wolf Trap Opera Studio, a former Emerging Artist with Opera Philadelphia, and a graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music.

Leslie Miller and Richard Worley celebrate David B. Devan and his remarkable legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

Curtis Institute of Music celebrates David B. Devan, his legacy, and all our friends at Opera Philadelphia.

Described by The New York Times as “one of America’s finest artists and singers,” FREDERICA VON STADE continues to be extolled as one of the music world’s most beloved figures. Known to family, friends, and fans by her nickname “Flicka,” the mezzo-soprano has enriched the world of classical music for four and a half decades. Ms. von Stade’s career has taken her to the stages of the world’s great opera houses and concert halls. She began at the top, when she received a contract from Sir Rudolf Bing during the Metropolitan Opera auditions, and since her debut in 1970 she has sung nearly all of her great roles with that company. In January 2000, the company celebrated the 30th anniversary of her debut with a new production of The Merry Widow specifically for her, and in 1995, as a celebration of her 25th anniversary, the Metropolitan Opera created for her a new production of Pelléas et Mélisande. In addition, Ms. von Stade has appeared with every leading American opera company, including San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Los Angeles Opera. Her career in Europe has been no less spectacular, with new productions mounted for her at Teatro alla Scala, Royal Opera Covent Garden, the Vienna State Opera, and the Paris Opera. She is invited regularly by the finest conductors, among them Claudio Abbado, Charles Dutoit, James Levine, Kurt Masur, Riccardo Muti, Seiji Ozawa, André Previn, Leonard Slatkin, and Michael Tilson Thomas, to appear in concert with the world’s leading orchestras, including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, London Symphony Orchestra, Washington’s National Symphony, and the Orchestra of La Scala.

MEMBERS OF THE OPERA PHILADELPHIA CHORUS

Soprano

Jessica Moreno

Jorie Moss

Aimee Pilgermayer

Alto

Tanisha Anderson

Meghan McGinty

Ellen Peters

Tenor

Gabriel Anthony-Muhammad

Colin Doyle

Steven Williamson Bass

John David Miles

Michael Miller

Frank Mitchell

MUSICIANS

Heath Allen, piano

Brooke Beazley, cello

Jimmy Coleman, drums

Matt Davis, guitar

Meichen Liao-Barnes, violin

Grant Loehnig, piano

Maya Shiraishi, violin

Ellen Trainer, viola

Hunter Smith, stage manager

Stephen Dickerson, technical director

Here’s

Opera Philadelphia Team

LEADERSHIP

David B. Devan, General Director & President

Corrado Rovaris, Jack Mulroney Music Director

Dr. Derrell Acon, Vice President of People Operations & Inclusion

Veronica Chapman-Smith, Vice President of Community Initiatives

David Levy, Vice President of Artistic Operations

Frank Luzi, Vice President of Marketing Communications & Digital Strategy

Gina J. Range, Vice President of Development

Ken Smith, Chief of Staff

Lawrence Brownlee, Artistic Advisor

MUSIC

Michael Eberhard, Director of Casting & Artistic Administration

Sarah Williams, Director of New Works & Creative Producer

Elizabeth Braden, Chorus Master & Music Administrator

J. Robert Loy, Orchestra Librarian & Personnel Coordinator

Nathan Lofton, Orchestra Contractor & Personnel Manager

Grant Loehnig, Head of Music Staff

PRODUCTION

Bridget A. Cook, Director of Production

Drew Billiau, Director of Design & Technology

Stephen Dickerson, Technical Director

Millie Hiibel, Costume Director

Emily Wanamaker, Artistic Operations Coordinator

DEVELOPMENT

Rebecca Ackerman, Senior Director of Development

Derren Mangum, Director of Institutional Giving

Adele Mustardo, Director of Events

Aisha Wiley, Director of Research

Steven Humes, Associate Director of Advancement

Aubre Naughton, Major Gifts Officer

Colby Calhoun, Major Gifts Associate

COMMUNITY INITIATIVES

Christa Sechler, Education Manager

Alex Graham, Education Coordinator for In-School Programs

Abby Weissman, Assistant Manager of Youth and Community Programs

Chloe Lucente, Teaching Artist

Liz Filios, Teaching Artist

Elizabeth Gautsche, Teaching Artist

Valentina Sierra, Teaching Artist

Chabrelle Williams, Teaching Artist

Julian Nguyen, T-VOCE Accompanist

Dicky Dutton, T-VOCE On-site Coordinator and Vocal Mentor

Whitney Covalle, T-VOCE Conductor

Dan Amadie, Backstage Pass Consultant

Dr. Lily Kass, Scholar in Residence

PEOPLE OPERATIONS & INCLUSION

Catherine Reay, Director of Employee Engagement

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS & GUEST SERVICES

Claire Frisbie, Director of Marketing

Michael Knight, Director of Guest Services

Jeffrey Mason, Guest Services Manager

Ana Kola, Guest Services Associate

Haeg Design, Graphic Design

FINANCE

Jeremiah Marks, CFO Client Consultant

COUNSEL

Ballard Spahr, LLP, General Counsel

Maria Maccecchini

Willo Carey and Peter A. Benoliel celebrate David B. Devan and his remarkable legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

Let’s tie one on to celebrate our friend David.

Much love, John and Alan

Ellen Berman Lee applauds David B. Devan as he takes his bow at Opera Philadelphia.

Quarter Page – Style A

Upcoming Event Highlights

Thank you, David Devan,

for your remarkable contributions and impact on the arts in Philadelphia.

Ensemble Arts Presents PHILADANCO! ........ Director’s Choice

April 12–14

Broadway Series

HADESTOWN

April 10–14

The Philadelphia Orchestra Yannick Conducts La bohème

June 7 and 9

Jim and Maddy Carlson celebrate David B. Devan and his remarkable legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

Tobey and Mark Dichter and FringeArts

applaud David B. Devan as he takes his bow at Opera Philadelphia.

Peggy and Mark Curchack celebrate David B. Devan and his remarkable legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

Barbara Eberlein and Jerry Wind

are proud to support David B. Devan and Opera Philadelphia.

Quarter Page – Style B

TOI TOI TOI

Quarter Page – Style C

Donna and Andy Wechsler celebrate David B. Devan and his remarkable legacy at Opera Philadelphia.

Thank you for making Opera Philadelphia the magical institution it has become. Fondly, Charlotte Watts

Quarter Page – Style B

TOI TOI TOI

Quarter Page – Style C

Susan M. Long and Andrew J. Szabo

are proud to support David B. Devan and Opera Philadelphia.

Bonnie and David Joseph

applaud David B. Devan as he takes his bow at Opera Philadelphia.

TOI TOI TOI

David

applaud David B. Devan as he takes his bow at Opera Philadelphia.

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Elizabeth

is proud to support David B. Devan and Opera Philadelphia. TOI

Quarter Page – Style C

Best of luck in future endeavors.

Love, Arlene and Stanley, Rose and Nick

Liddy and John Lindsay

applaud David B. Devan as he takes his bow at Opera Philadelphia.

TOI TOI TOI

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On the occasion of the “TOI TOI TOI” GALA on MARCH 9, 2024, the board, artists, staff, and volunteers of Philadelphia Ballet celebrate and honor David B. Devan for his contributions to the arts in Philadelphia and beyond during his time at Opera Philadelphia. David is a trailblazer and visionary whose contributions to the art form of opera will be felt for generations to come.

We also recognize the incredible contributions of “Toi Toi Toi Honorary Chairs” Frederick R. Haas and Rafael Gomez, and Marguerite Lenfest, as well as “Toi Toi Toi Co-Chairs” Stephen K. Klasko and Sarah Marshall for their dedication in making tonight’s event a success. Bravi to all involved!

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Allen R & Judy Brick Freedman

support the Opera Philadelphia Team.

THE 2024–2025 SEASON

THE LISTENERS

Sept. 25, 27, 29, 2024

THE ANONYMOUS LOVER

Jan. 31 & Feb. 2, 2025

DON GIOVANNI

April 25, 27, May 2, 4, 2025

SAVE 20% on tickets with a package, on sale now! Full-Price Single Tickets on sale June 25.