Opera Colorado -- Rigoletto, November 5-13, 2022

VERDI’S

NOVEMBER 5 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 2022

ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE

Tickets available at www.CoWomensHistory.org 1310 BANNOCK ST DENVER

A NOTE FROM OUR TEAM Dear Friends,

The 2022-23 Season shows off Opera Colorado at its best. Rigoletto is the perfect season opener—a Verdi classic with recognizable music, opulent sets, and stunning costumes. It showcases everything Opera Colorado is known for: great singing, great music, and great spectacle.

If you do not have tickets yet for our winter production, Die tote Stadt, now is the time. Our brand-new production of this rarely-performed Korngold masterpiece is already garnering national and international attention. Our creative team is hard at work at this very moment, with set and costume construction. Our principals attended their first costume fittings with designer, Robert Perdziola, on the east coast in October!

You will not want to miss when it all comes together for for only four performances in February and March 2023.

Last, but certainly not least, we close the season in May with some operatic “bling”— Puccini’s Turandot. We are so excited to welcome this massive production to our stage, directed by the rising talent of Aria Umezawa and featuring a world-class cast to deliver some of Puccini’s most passionate and heart-stopping music.

We can’t wait to share more great music with you as we celebrate Opera Colorado turning forty.

Whether you are a long-time subscriber, or this is your very first opera, thank you for your support of this amazing art form.

DIE TOTE STADT COSTUME DESIGN ROBERT PERDZIOL A

I

t is a joy to be back at the Ellie opening our 40th Anniversary Season. As you take your seats for Rigoletto, we would like to take a moment to reflect on the 2021-22 Season, our return from the COVID-19 pandemic was made possible through the support of our patrons and donors. The success of Tosca, The Shining, and Carmen set the stage for this extraordinary season to come.

Sincerely,

Greg Carpenter

Elizabeth Caswell Dyer

Ari Pelto

The Ellie Caulkins General & Artistic Director

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A NEW PRODUCTION OF KORNGOLD’S

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UPCOMING EVENTS AMERICAN SONG

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023 | 7:00 P.M. Join us for American Song in the Wolf Theatre at the Mizel Arts & Culture Center. This expertly-curated program of rarely-performed music by some of America’s most popular composers includes opera, musical theater, art songs, and more.

SATURDAY, MARCH 25, 2023 | 10:00 A.M. & 1:00 P.M. We welcome our community to the opera house for a day of family-friendly events, including performances of The Pirates of Penzance by our Artists in Residence.

$30-$50 GENERAL ADMISSION The performance will be approximately ninety minutes with no intermission and will be followed by a complimentary reception with food, drink, and an opportunity to meet the artists.

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ARTISTS IN CONVERSATION FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2023 | 6:00 P.M. Join us for our popular Artists in Conversation panel discussion focusing on Korngold’s Die tote Stadt.

We invite you to attend a special conversation with the cast and creative team, including Director Chas Rader-Shieber and Set & Costume Designer Robert Perdziola. Moderated by The Ellie Caulkins General & Artistic Director Greg Carpenter, this panel will discuss Opera Colorado’s new production and all that goes into reviving a rare gem. This is one event you won’t want to miss! $25 GENERAL ADMISSION Includes reception after the conversation to meet with our panelists over light refreshments.

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FREE EVENT Reserve your tickets in March 2023.

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MICHELLE DEYOUNG CONCERT THURSDAY, MARCH 30, 2023 | 7:30 P.M. We have partnered with the Newman Center at the University of Denver to bring you this exciting performance. Join Grammy Award-winning mezzosoprano Michelle DeYoung for a vocal recital with pianist Cody Guy Garrison, featuring a wide-ranging repertoire including the work of Korngold. $29-$62 GENERAL ADMISSION THE NEWMAN CENTYER CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF DENVER 2344 E ILIFF AVE, DENVER, CO 80210

LEARN MORE ABOUT THESE EVENTS VISIT OPERACOLORADO.ORG/EVENTS Scan the QR code with the camera app on your phone to get your tickets now!

OPER A COLOR ADO

FORTIETH ANNIVERSARY GALA S AT U R D AY

GAL A C HAIR S

MAY 13 2023

Joy and Chris Dinsdale

Toast forty years of exceptional artistry and grand storytelling at a glamorous gala celebration, taking place in two extraordinary acts.

ACT ONE A One-Night-Only Performance by International Superstar Joyce DiDonato at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House

ACT TWO A Glittering Dinner and After Party at the Seawell Ballroom with Entertainment by Funkiphino Proceeds support Opera Colorado’s expanding artistic initiatives and extensive educational programming that is accessible to all.

To reserve tables and tickets or for information, contact Gala Consultant Wendy Fisher at 415.317.4950 or wendyfisherevents@gmail.com or SCAN TO visit operacolorado.org/gala.

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SPOTLIGHT ON MIKE GRIEBL MIKE GRIEBL SCENIC SUPERVISOR Written by Angelica DiIorio, Opera Colorado’s Marketing Manager, Advertising & Publications

Neither snow nor rain nor heat has kept Scenic Supervisor Mike Griebl from ensuring the sets of Rigoletto are built for the stage. In a career spanning over twenty years, Mr. Griebl has supervised the construction and strike of Rigoletto sets over thirty times. His work has taken him to several different cities, and he has been through many adventures along the way.

Mr. Griebl first worked on this Rigoletto set in February of 1995 in the freezing cold of Regina, Saskatchewan. Later, New Orleans Opera purchased the sets and Mr. Griebl was invited to supervise. One project turned into another and, eventually, Mr. Griebl was sent to every opera house that rented the sets, supervising their unloading and reloading. He comments, “It’s something I never counted on doing. I figured I would set it up a couple of times, but it has not gone that route…I know every piece of the set. It is like my own; I have done it so often and it’s been fun.”

As the main supervisor of the Rigoletto sets, Mr. Griebl has seen several triumphs and challenges in their lifespan. Even though the sets were housed in Louisiana in the summer of 2005, they survived Hurricane Katrina and, shortly thereafter,

appeared in a production with Chattanooga Symphony & Opera. Additionally, the sets were being shipped back to New Orleans from Santo Domingo when they got caught in another hurricane. Two natural disasters later and these Rigoletto sets are still resilient!

Mr. Griebl himself has shown an incredible amount of resiliency. He ensured the safety of set pieces through everything from rain to extreme heat. He even navigated a language barrier as an English speaker with a Spanishspeaking crew in Santo Domingo. Over the years, new technologies have also made putting up the sets a little easier.

Mr. Griebl explains, the Rigoletto set can reach a height of almost twenty-three feet and, for the longest time, the crew’s only tools were ladders. Motors have made this setup process easier to carry and move pieces into place, but it still takes about twelve hours to complete.

The Rigoletto sets and Mr. Griebl have certainly been through a lot together over the years. It’s fair to say Mr. Griebl has an intimate knowledge of each piece. In terms of what makes this set special, he shares, “When you first look at [the sets], the wood looks beat up and old. The minute you put light on it, it has a haunting quality. It is a dimly lit show, but once it gets under light, people are amazed at what this thing looks like.

Sets aren’t built like this anymore. Many sets now are very sterile, but this one has a lot of character.”

We thank Mr. Griebl for coming to Colorado to continue his work as the caretaker of these Rigoletto sets. We hope you enjoy the moment the curtain rises, and you can see this incredible set in the light!

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Rigoletto NOVEMBER 5 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 2022 ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE

AN OPERA IN THREE ACTS BY GIUSEPPE VERDI

There will be one twenty-five-minute intermission after act one and one twenty-minute intermission after act two.

CAST IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE Duke of Mantua Borsa Countess Ceprano Rigoletto Marullo Count Ceprano Count Monterone/Sparafucile Gilda Giovanna Maddalena Conductor Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor Stage Director Costume Designer Scenic Design Wig and Makeup Design Fight Director and Intimacy Consultant Stage Manager Lighting Design Assistant Lighting Design

Joshua Dennis* David Soto Zambrana^ Francesca Mehrotra^ Stephen Powell* Dante Mireles^ Turner Staton^ Christian Zaremba* Sharleen Joynt* Joanna Evans^ Sandra Piques Eddy Ari Pelto Sahar Nouri Christopher Mattaliano* Howard Tsvi Kaplan Lawrence Shafer Ronell Oliveri Samantha Egle Kendra Green Joe Beumer Jon Dunkle

Opera Colorado Chorus

^Artist in Residence for the 2022-23 Season Costumes provided by Sarasota Opera Association, Inc. Sets designed by Lawrence Shafer and provided by the New Orleans Opera Association Opera United Scenic Artists, Local USA 829 of the IATSE is the union representing Scenic, Costume, Lighting, Sound and Projection designers in Live Performance

OPERA COLORADO

*Opera Colorado debut

2022-23 SEASON

Opera Colorado Orchestra

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SYNOPSIS CHARACTERS • Gilda (soprano) – A young woman recently returned from a convent school and Rigoletto’s daughter.

• Maddalena (mezzo-soprano) – A tavern worker, prostitute, and sister to Sparafucile.

• Duke of Mantua (tenor) – The hedonistic and unscrupulous ruler of Mantua.

• Rigoletto (baritone) – The Duke’s jester and father to Gilda.

• Sparafucile (bass) – An assassin and brother to Maddalena.

ACT I, SCENE I - A GRAND ROOM IN THE DUKE OF MANTUA’S PALACE WHERE THE DUKE IS GIVING A BALL. The Duke of Mantua enters with his courtier Borsa. The Duke tells Borsa of a lovely young woman he has seen, who only leaves her house to attend services at church. The Duke is determined to woo her, and plans to seek her out this very night. While they are talking, the Duke spies a beautiful woman at the ball, the Countess Ceprano, wife of the Count of Ceprano.

Before the countess can leave with her husband, the Duke commands her to stay and declares his love for her. Rigoletto, the Duke’s jester, laughs at Ceprano’s predicament and urges the Duke to murder the countess’ husband so the Duke can have her for himself. Ceprano overhears Rigoletto plotting his murder and vows revenge, promising to teach Rigoletto a lesson he will never forget! Meanwhile, the Duke’s courtiers believe they have discovered Rigoletto’s secret—the jester has a mistress! The courtiers have all been targets of Rigoletto’s mockery at one time or another and agree to assist Ceprano with his revenge. Suddenly, the Count of Monterone barges into the palace in a rage. Monterone cries out for justice for his daughter, whom the Duke seduced and then abandoned.

Rigoletto ridicules Monterone and mocks his grief. Enraged, Monterone rebukes the Duke for preying on him in his old age, shames Rigoletto for deriding the tears of a father, and ends by cursing Rigoletto and the Duke. Rigoletto is shaken, but the Duke declares the curse is worthless and sentences Monterone to death.

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2022-23 SEASON

ACT I, SCENE II - THE COURTYARD OF RIGOLETTO’S HOUSE AND A NEARBY STREET.

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As Rigoletto walks home later that night, he worries about Monterone’s curse. Near his home, Rigoletto meets a mysterious man with a sword—an assassin for hire named Sparafucile. The assassin offers his services, but Rigoletto refuses. As Sparafucile leaves, Rigoletto sings the famous aria “Pari siamo!” (“We are equals!”), declaring how he and the assassin are similar in character; Sparafucile stabs men with swords and Rigoletto stabs them with words. Rigoletto laments the vileness he spews for the amusement of the court.

As Rigoletto enters the courtyard of his house, his daughter Gilda runs to meet him. She has recently returned home after finishing her education at a convent, where Rigoletto sent her after her mother’s death. Gilda only knows Rigoletto as “father,” and asks him to reveal his name. Rigoletto refuses, telling her

he is hated and has many enemies. Gilda is the only person in the world who loves him. Gilda’s questions renew Rigoletto’s fear that the Duke’s courtiers will kidnap her to exact revenge.

He calls for Gilda’s guardian, Giovanna, who assures him she is always on guard. Just then, Rigoletto hears someone in the street. When he goes to check, the Duke, disguised as a commoner, sneaks into the courtyard. He tosses Giovanna a bag of money to ensure her silence. The Duke has come to woo Gilda, the lovely woman he has seen at church. As he hides, the Duke learns that Gilda is Rigoletto’s daughter! Rigoletto leaves, unaware the Duke is in the courtyard with Gilda. The Duke emerges from his hiding place and declares his love for Gilda but tells her he is a poor student named Gualtier Maldè.

Unaware of his duplicitous character, Gilda pledges her love to the Duke, promising to be his forever. Suddenly, they hear someone coming. The Duke flees, thinking it is Rigoletto, but the sound is really the Duke’s courtiers, come to kidnap Gilda, whom they mistakenly believe is Rigoletto’s mistress. After the Duke has fled, Gilda sings her famous aria “Caro nome” (“Sweet name”), praising the name of her beloved, ignorant that the name she worships is an alias the Duke has used to deceive her. Outside the courtyard, Rigoletto arrives just as the courtiers are about to climb over the wall. The courtiers trick Rigoletto into joining them, saying they are playing a joke on Ceprano. They give Rigoletto a mask to wear, but, in the dark, he does not realize it is really a blindfold. While Rigoletto steadies the ladder, the courtiers kidnap Gilda. Realizing something is wrong, Rigoletto tears off his mask and sees Gilda’s scarf on the ground. Monterone’s curse has come true—Rigoletto has lost his daughter to his enemies!

ACT II - A DRAWING ROOM IN THE DUKE OF MANTUA’S PALACE. The Duke worries about Gilda’s fate and vows to find who has taken her. Just then, the courtiers enter, laughing about how they have kidnapped Rigoletto’s mistress and brought her to the palace. The Duke realizes they are the ones who have taken Gilda. Delighted she has been found and, even better, brought to his palace, the Duke leaves to seduce Gilda. Rigoletto enters and begs the courtiers to return his daughter, but they refuse.

Gilda then enters, weeping because the Duke has dishonored her. As father and daughter mourn, soldiers enter, escorting Monterone to his execution. Monterone expresses sorrow that he was unable to enact revenge on the Duke. Gilda begs her father to forgive the Duke, but Rigoletto vows to kill him.

ACT III - A DILAPIDATED INN ON THE BANK OF THE MINCIO RIVER ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF MANTUA. Rigoletto tries to convince Gilda that he should kill the Duke, but Gilda pleads with her father to forgive him. Determined to convince Gilda the Duke is false, Rigoletto takes her to a dilapidated inn on the banks of the Mincio river, where Sparafucile, the assassin, lives with his sister Maddalena. The siblings use the inn to lure wayward travelers, whom they rob and murder. Rigoletto and Gilda see the Duke enter and flirt with Maddalena. Gilda’s heart is broken as she hears the Duke promise Maddalena the same love and fidelity he

once promised her. Rigoletto sends Gilda home, telling her to disguise herself as a man and flee to Verona, where he will meet her later. He then pays Sparafucile to murder the Duke, arranging to return at midnight to throw the Duke’s body into the river personally. After the Duke falls asleep, Maddalena argues with her brother; she has fallen for the Duke’s charms and does not want to kill him. Gilda, who has returned disguised as a man, overhears their conversation.

She hears the siblings agree to kill any stranger who enters the inn and place the stranger’s body in a sack, which they will then give to Rigoletto, telling him it is the body of the Duke.

Maddalena agrees to the plan, but worries no one will come,

since a violent storm is approaching. Summoning her courage, Gilda knocks on the door, determined to give her life in place of the Duke’s. Maddalena opens the door, and lightning flashes as Gilda meets her death. The storm diminishes, and Rigoletto enters to claim the Duke’s corpse. Rigoletto gives Sparafucile the rest of his fee and carries the shrouded body to the river, rejoicing in his victory over the Duke. Just as he is about to heave the corpse into the river, Rigoletto hears a voice singing.

It is the Duke! Tearing the sack open, Rigoletto sees Gilda, who revives long enough to reveal what has happened. Crying out in despair, Rigoletto realizes Monterone’s curse has come to fruition—his actions have murdered his own daughter!

UNDER THE SURFACE OF RIGOLETTO

Verdi’s own adventure with censors delayed the opera’s premiere, as authorities demanded repeated changes in the libretto. Rigoletto would not reach the public until March 11, 1851, at Teatro La Fenice. At that point, it seemed to inspire no political revolutions, though it was certainly revolutionary in artistic terms. Rigoletto is an opera of unrestrained emotions and vivid characterizations, in both cases to greater extremes than most preceding operas, even those by Verdi himself.

Musically speaking, the composer ensures the notes on the page color the moods on the stage. In both of his arias—act one’s “Questa o quella” and act three’s “La donna è mobile”— the Duke sets his womanizing tastes center stage, as well as a rather light attitude toward life in general, as expressed in the music. Here is a man sorely lacking in gravitas.

Young Gilda is the very antithesis of the Duke. Her act two aria “Caro nome” is all gentle reflection, with long and languid phrases, often supported by rising woodwind lines. She is

As for the title character, despite working as a court jester, Rigoletto is far from a cheerful soul. Even before his daughter falls into the Duke’s clutches, Rigoletto is given weighty and declamatory music. The orchestra reinforces the heft of his rich baritone range. His act one “Pari siamo” aria is the music of a man with much on his mind, and act two’s “Cortigiani,” presents a man trembling with fury and fear—not for himself, but for his daughter Gilda. It is not just the vocal lines communicating his message: restless little phrases in the strings and bold brass statements are the exact counterpart of the more thoughtful accompaniment to his earlier music.

Having so skillfully painted individual characters, Verdi was no less attentive to the craft of writing for ensembles. His act three quartet for the Duke, Gilda, Rigoletto, and tavern girl Maddalena brings home four different points of view. Ever his amorous self, the Duke’s music is concerned only with his latest conquest. Maddalena, a practical woman and an insider to plots against the Duke’s life, is able to laugh off his attentions. She knows his game and anticipates its results.

For Gilda, there is no laughter, only heart-broken gasps at her beloved’s treachery. Rigoletto sings phrases that might comfort Gilda, were they not interspersed with dark vows of vengeance.

Verdi used his deft composition skills to write each character’s music as distinctly reflective of that person’s emotional state, allowing the listener to easily sort out each character’s mental state simultaneously.

Whether one comes to Rigoletto as an old favorite opera to be experienced anew or as a first-time plunge into operatic realms, it is a work that is unlikely to disappoint. Here, Verdi provided some of his very best music. All we as listeners need to do is bring our ears and our attention.

Article by Betsy Schwarm, author of “Operatic Insights.”

2022-23 SEASON

In both cases, its “high drama” attracted negative attention from authorities. Both Hugo, whose play premiered in 1832, and Verdi, whose opera premiered nearly two decades later, found censors would not forgive stage entertainment offering a negative portrayal of monarchs. Authorities saw this tale as subversive for its potential to instill distrust amongst the populace. Hugo’s play was banned from the stage after its first performance.

young but not giddy. Her music’s vocal challenges are less obvious than the Duke’s, though no less difficult, and may imply her personality is more sensitive than his to listeners.

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Many performing arts fans are familiar with the tales of Victor Hugo (1802 – 1885). From Les Miserables to The Hunchback of Notre Dame to Le roi s’amuse (The King’s Diversions), the stories are well-known. If the final title of those three seems at first unfamiliar, give it a new title. In the care of composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901), it became the familiar tale of Rigoletto: the court jester who tolerates his licentious employer’s affairs until that employer’s roving eye falls upon the jester’s own daughter with tragic results. Whether presented as Hugo’s play or Verdi’s opera, it makes for high drama.

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ARTISTS JOSHUA DENNIS | Duke of Mantua

JOANNE EVANS | Giovanna

Known for his “robust tenor with baritonal heft” (Star Tribune) and “vocally smooth and well-schooled performance” (The Seattle Times), American lyric tenor Joshua Dennis is a star on the rise. In the 2021-22 Season, Mr. Dennis returned to Arizona Opera in the world premiere of Clint Borzoni and John de los Santos’s The Copper Queen (Theodore Billings) and recently reprised his role in Riders of the Purple Sage (Bern Venters). Mr. Dennis is a champion of new works and had the honor of participating in world premieres, including The Fix (“Shoeless” Joe Jackson) with Minnesota Opera and Poul Ruders’s The Thirteenth Child (Prince Frederic) with Santa Fe Opera. Additionally, he was heard in Huang Rou’s Paradise Interrupted at the MGM Grand in Macau and as the host of Santa Fe Opera’s virtual event Songs from the Santa Fe Opera in place of their opening night event. Additional highlights include Roméo et Juliette (Roméo) with Minnesota Opera and Utah Opera, Jake Heggie’s Moby Dick (Greenhorn) also with Utah Opera, La traviata (Alfredo) with Opera Columbus and Opera Idaho, Rigoletto (Duke of Mantua) with Minnesota Opera and Dayton Opera, Beethoven’s Fidelio (Jaquino) with Santa Fe Opera and the Houston Symphony, the title role in Faust with Opera San Antonio and Annapolis Opera, Così fan tutte (Ferrando) with Charlottesville Opera and Opera Naples, and Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Belmonte) with Kentucky Opera and New Orleans Opera.

Hailed as “a singer to watch” (Classical Voice America), London-born mezzo soprano Joanne Evans prides herself on her versatility in spanning various musical genres and on her comedic timing. Of Joanne’s performance in Verdi’s Falstaff (Meg Page) at Berkshire Opera Festival, Opera News wrote that her “striking personal timbre and refined artistry...made [for] a memorable Meg—not always an easy feat.” In Eugene Onegin (Olga) with Music Academy of the West this summer, Joanne “was a magnificently earthy Olga, her rich mezzo tone and prescient temperament, perfect for the role” (Voice Santa Barbara). As an Artist in Resident with Opera Colorado for the 2022-2023 Season, she will also perform in the mainstage production of Die tote Stadt (Lucienne), and on tour in The Pirates of Penzance (Ruth) and Romeo et Juliette (Stéphano). Joanne was most recently named winner of the Marilyn Horne Song Competition and the Handel Aria Competition. Joanne is also a 2022 district winner of the Met Opera Laffont Competition, and a proud beneficiary of a Career Bridges organization grant. Elsewhere, Joanne is credited as co-writer and vocalist of the theme song for the BBC show Pitch Battle (2017).

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SAMANTHA EGLE | Fight and Intimacy Director

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Samantha (she/her) is thrilled to be joining Opera Colorado for this production of Rigoletto! Her work has been seen on the stages of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Arvada Center for Arts and Humanities, Colorado Springs Fine Arts, Denver Children’s Theatre, Mizel Center for Arts and Culture, Athena Project Festival, Lagoon Theme Park, Upstart Crow, New York Fringe Festival, The BiTSY Stage, University of Northern Colorado, University of Denver, and numerous other educational institutions in Colorado. She was a Resident Artist as an Intimacy Director at Arena Stage in Washington D.C. in 2019 and an apprentice with Intimacy Directors International. She is the founder of Humble Warrior Movement Arts which produces international virtual and local in-person stage combat and intimacy training. She is a proud associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Union, and the Regional Representative for the Rocky Mountain Region and a Certified Teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors.

KENDRA GREEN | Stage Manager Kendra Green is delighted to join Opera Colorado as the Stage Manager for Rigoletto this season. Kendra has recently worked as a stage manager for Attila and Il signor Bruschino with Sarasota Opera; Semele, Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, El amor brujo, and Il Tabarro with Opera Santa Barbara; La scala di seta with Opera Southwest; and Dido and Aeneas (Assitant Stage Manager) with Opera San José. Kendra received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in stage management from the Boston University School of Theatre and hails from San Jose, California.

SHARLEEN JOYNT | Gilda Coloratura soprano Sharleen Joynt has been praised for her “silvery, sparkling, substantial and resonant soprano” (Die Deutsche Bühne), her “scintillating high range, reminiscent of the most beautiful moments of Mady Mesplé” (Opernwelt), and “an artistic command that leaves the listener breathless” (Deutschland Radio). Recently, she performed in Rigoletto (Gilda) with Florida Grand Opera in the spring of 2022 and reprised her role in Jonathan Dove’s Flight (Controller) for Seattle Opera, which was filmed and released for streaming in April of 2021. Early in the 2019-20 season, she made a role and company début in Rigoletto (Gilda) with Edmonton Opera. Prior engagements include Lembit Beecher’s Sky on Swings (Winnie), a new opera about Alzheimer’s starring Frederica

Christopher Mattaliano has directed productions at the Metropolitan Opera of New York, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Minnesota Opera, Dallas Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Michigan Opera Theater, among many others. He has also worked internationally at L’Opera de Nice, L’Opera de Montreal, Spoleto’s Festival dei Due Mondi, Norwegian National Opera, and New National Theatre of Japan. A dual citizen of Italy and the United States, Mr. Mattaliano has enjoyed a long career in the U.S. as General Director at Portland Opera, Artistic Director at Pine Mountain Music Festival, and a member of Opera America’s Board of Directors for many years. He is a teacher of renown, with credits at Juilliard School, Manhattan School of Music, Yale University, Princeton University, the Metropolitan Opera Young Artist Development Program, and Mannes College of Music.

FRANCESCA MEHROTRA | Countess Ceprano Francesca Mehrotra is an IndianAmerican soprano originally from Ashburn, Virginia. In the 2022-23 Season, Francesca will perform in the student matinee performance of Rigoletto (Gilda), and the mainstage production of Die tote Stadt (Juliette).

Also at Opera Colorado, she will sing in the touring productions of The Pirates of Penzance (Mabel) and Romeo & Juliet (Juliet). As an Apprentice Artist at Central City Opera this past summer, Francesca appeared in The Light in the Piazza (Clara cover) and Die Fledermaus (Ida). Previous performances include Hansel and Gretel (Gretel) with Fort Worth Opera’s Children’s Opera Theatre; Le nozze di Figaro (Susanna) and Giulio Cesare (Cleopatra) at Seagle Festival; The Ghosts of Gatsby (Zelda ’18) with Opera Birmingham at the Opera America New Works Fourm; Don Pasquale (Norina) and Thumbprint (Mukhtar Mai) at Boston Conservatory; Serse (Atalanta) at Opera NEO; and Falstaff (Nannetta), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Tytania), and Dark Sisters (Lucinda) at Texas Christian University. Francesca has a Master of Music in opera performance from the Boston Conservatory, and a Bachelor of Arts in music and a

DANTE MIRELES | Marullo Dante Mireles is from McAllen, Texas and first began singing opera in high school as a chorister in South Texas Lyric Opera’s productions. Mireles received his Bachelor of Music in voice from Texas Christian University where he received the Nordan Music Scholarship. During Mireles’s years at TCU, he performed in several productions with the TCU Opera Studio and Fort Worth Opera. Mireles received his master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he studied with Cesar Ulloa.

Most notable among his performances at SFCM include Ariadne auf Naxos (Music Master), Firebird Motel (Trooper), Hansel and Gretel (Father), and Clemenza di Tito (Publio). Mireles is thrilled to be reaching a personal milestone by making his house debut as one of Opera Colorado’s Artists in Residence this season. In the company’s mainstage season, he will perform in Die tote Stadt (chorus) and Turandot (The Mandarin). In Opera Colorado’s touring productions, Mireles will sing in The Pirates of Penzance (Major General) and Romeo & Juliet (Mercutio and The Prince).

SAHAR NOURI | Chorus Master and Assistant Conductor Iranian pianist and conductor Sahar Nouri returns to Opera Colorado for a sixth season, serving as the company’s Chorus Master, Assistant Conductor, and Pianist Coach. Ms. Nouri is the newly appointed Music Director of the Lamont Opera Theatre at University of Denver. She is also the founder and director of Dandelion Opera Institute, a summer training program for young, talented opera singers, pianists, and conductors. While based in Denver, Ms. Nouri continues to serve as guest coach/faculty with various organizations, including San Francisco Opera, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Opera North Carolina, and more. Previously, Ms. Nouri has been a member of the music staff at Houston Grand Opera, Dallas Opera, Glimmerglass Festival, Utah Opera, Aspen Opera Center, Opera Parallèle, and Opera in the Heights. Her repertoire includes numerous classic operas as well as many world premieres, such as: Prince of Players (Carlisle Floyd), O Columbia! (Gregory Spears), Steal a Pencil for Me (Gerald Cohen), and Today It Rains (Laura Kaminsky). Nouri has done studies in the Czech Republic, Italy, and Austria, and is frequently in demand as a language coach and recitalist.

2022-23 SEASON

CHRISTOPHER MATTALIANO | Director

Bachelor of Science in strategic communication from Texas Christian University. Francesca is thrilled to be joining Opera Colorado for its 40th Anniversary Season! It’s a special gift to sing with a company whose mission aligns so beautifully with her personal aspirations and which strives to empower, challenge, and nurture young artists.

OPERA COLORADO

von Stade with Opera Philadelphia, and La Bohème (Musetta) with Vancouver Opera and Pacific Opera Victoria. She also sang Glière’s Concerto for Coloratura, Op. 82 with the Guelph Symphony, performed as the soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Charleston Symphony, and in Candide (Cunegonde) with the Ravinia Music Festival. She graduated from Mannes College of Music in New York with her master’s in vocal performance and made her Carnegie Hall debut singing the soprano solo in Schubert’s Mass in G. She has been a prizewinner in the Liederkranz Foundation Competition, the George London Foundation Competition, the Young Concert Artists International Auditions, the Licia-Albanese Foundation Competition, the Canadian Music Competition’s International Stepping Stone, and the Palm Beach Opera Vocal Competition.

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ARTISTS RONELL OLIVERI | Wig and Makeup Design Ronell Oliveri has been designing wigs and makeup for opera, theater, ballet, and film for the past eighteen years for such companies as Minnesota Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, and the American Repertory Theater at Harvard University. Currently, she is the resident Wig & Makeup Designer for Opera Colorado, Opera Omaha, and Central City Opera. In 2007, she was a Primetime Emmy Award nominee as key makeup artist for her work in television. As a wig and makeup artist her professional credits include engagements with Chicago Lyric Opera, LA Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theater of Saint Louis, and Boston Ballet. Her work can also be seen in several Broadway shows including Wicked, All the Way, and Waitress. Other recent engagements include Miller Theater’s Proving Up, Boston Lyric Opera’s Cavalleria rusticana, and Opera Omaha’s Montagues and Capulets.

2022-23 SEASON OPERA COLORADO

STEPHEN POWELL | Rigoletto

Ari Pelto was appointed in 2015 as Opera Colorado’s first-ever music director. His “breathtaking wizardry in the pit” (The Denver Post) has been widely celebrated, with Pelto in demand at opera houses and concert halls throughout the United States.

At the age of 24, Pelto was appointed Assistant Conductor at the Spoleto Festival, and he has since gone on to conduct worldwide. International engagements include performances with Bochumer Philharmoniker and opera productions at New National Theatre of Tokyo and the Teatro Nacional Sucre in Quito, Ecuador. In 2004 he made his highly-praised debut with New York City Opera, conducting La traviata, after which he became a regular, returning for productions of Madama Butterfly, La bohème, and Carmen. Recent successes include performances of The Nutcracker with Atlanta Ballet and The Flying Dutchman with Utah Opera.

Stephen Powell enters his fourth decade as a leading baritone in opera companies and orchestras around the globe. Mr. Powell maintains a busy performance schedule with USA performances in San Diego, Detroit, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Houston, Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, Cleveland, Nashville, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Minneapolis, Miami, as well as international credits in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Wexford, Amsterdam, Paris, Singapore, Zurich, London, Hong Kong, Montreal, Toronto, Rome, and Leipzig. He has been a member of the voice faculty at Mannes School of Music in The New School in New York City for the past six years, teaches privately out of his home outside of Philadelphia, and is a recurring guest instructor at the Potomac Vocal Institute in Washington, DC. In addition to Jonathan Leshnoff’s Symphony No. 3, Mr. Powell appeared on two other new releases in 2020, including his first solo CD, American Composers At Play (Acis), and Odyssey Opera’s world premiere recording of Norman Dello Joio’s The Trial at Rouen (BMOPsound). Mr. Powell earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Theory and Composition (piano emphasis) from Northwestern University, his Master of Music and Certificate in Performance from DePaul University in Vocal Performance, and spent two years as a young artist in the Lyric Opera of Chicago’s apprentice program. He is a member of NATS, AFTRA, AGMA, and NARAS. Mr. Powell was born and raised in West Chester, Pennsylvania, and currently resides near his hometown in beautiful Chester County with his wife, soprano Barbara Shirvis, and their two sons, Benjamin and Zachary, both of whom are pursuing careers as singers and jazz musicians.

SANDRA PIQUES EDDY | Maddalena

DAVID SOTO ZAMBRANA | Borsa

American mezzo-soprano Sandra Piques Eddy is a former New England Regional Winner of the 2000 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions who made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2001. Her roles there include Le nozze di Figaro (Cherubino), Cavalleria rusticana (Lola), L’italiana in Algeri (Zulma), Manon (Rosette), Carmen (Mercédès), Sly (Third Handmaiden), Rigoletto (Countess Ceprano), Moses und Aron (Third Naked Virgin), Parsifal (Flower Maiden), L’Enfant et les sortileges (Dragonfly), and The Merry Widow (Olga). Her long association with The Met continued with more recent roles, such as Nico Muhly’s Two Boys (Fiona), Suor Angelica (Novice and Abbess), The Enchanted Island (Sycorax, cover), L’amour de Loin (The Pilgrim, cover), Così

Tenor David Soto Zambrana is native to the sunny skies of San Juan, Puerto Rico. From the humble beginnings of a concert band, he eventually stepped onto the operatic stage, trained in the Bel Canto tradition by the legendary baritone Kim Josephson and certified Vocologist Dr. Leslie John Flanagan at the University of Oklahoma, where he was awarded a prestigious Weitzenhoffer Opera Fellowship and a master’s degree. He worked closely with international opera star Marilyn Horne and sang multiple leading roles at the Reynolds Performing Arts Center. Recently, David sang for the Oklahoma premiere of Lori Laitman’s The Scarlet Letter (Arthur Dimmesdale). He was a Tomita Young Artist with Finger Lakes Opera, performed leading roles with Taconic Opera, and is

ARI PELTO | Opera Colorado Music Director and Conductor

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fan tutte (Dorabella, cover), and Rigoletto (Maddalena, cover). Eddy returns to Opera Colorado after her role debut in Falstaff (Meg Page) in 2018. Other recent successes include role debuts such as, the title role in Orfeo ed Euridice at Portland Opera, Madama Butterfly (Suzuki) at Inland Northwest Opera, Florencia en al Amazonas (Paula) at Pittsburgh Opera, Norma (Adalgisa) at Boston Lyric Opera, and Prince of Players (Mistress Revels) at Florentine Opera.

Turner Staton is a native of Kansas City, Missouri. His degrees include an artist diploma from William Jewell College, a master’s from Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and a bachelor’s from Pepperdine University. In 2022, Turner finished his tenure as an Apprentice Artist with the Lyric Opera of Kansas City where he performed in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Steve Jobs, Tosca, and was featured in the premiere of Baseball: A Musical Love Letter. Recent performances include Le nozze di Figaro (Figaro), Così fan tutte (Don Alfonso), Elizabeth Cree (Uncle), Don Giovanni (Don Giovanni), La Calisto (Mercurio), and Rossini’s Petite messe solennelle. Festivals include Opera Saratoga as a 2022 Festival Artist and Tanglewood Music Festival as a 2020 and 2021 Vocal Fellow.

Turner is elated to be joining Opera Colorado for its 40th Anniversary season as a 2022-23 Artist in Residence. He will be seen in the touring productions of The Pirates of Penzance (Pirate King) and Romeo & Juliet (Capulet/Tybalt), as well as the student matinee of Rigoletto (Monterrone), and the mainstage productions of Die tote Stadt and Turandot.

French-American bass Christian Zaremba, hailed for “stealing the evening” (The Washington Post) and being “ideally cast as the assassin Sparafucile, emerging from the shadows with his seething bass-baritone,” is equally at home under the lights of an operatic drama as on a concert stage.

In the 2021-2022 season, Mr. Zaremba made his role debut in the title role of Le nozze di Figaro with Austin Opera and his company debut with L’Opéra de Montréal in Die Zauberflöte (Sarastro). In Europe, he sang Sarastro with the Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse and performed Verdi’s Messa da Requiem with the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra. Other previous engagements include an HD Broadcast of Sir David McVicar’s Agrippina (Lesbo) with the Metropolitan Opera; La bohème (Colline) with Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Portland Opera and Opera Omaha; Silent Night (French General) at Austin Opera, Les pêcheurs des perles (Nourabad) at Lyric Opera of Kansas City; Rigoletto (Sparafucile) at Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Aïda (The King of Egypt) with the National Symphony Orchestra; The Rape of Lucretia (Collatinus), L’Opera Seria (Passagallo), and Le nozze di Figaro (Dr. Bartolo) with Wolf Trap Opera; La fanciulla del West (Sarastro and Ashby) with Minnesota Opera; and the bass soloist in staged productions of David Lang’s The Little Match Girl Passion with the Glimmerglass Festival and Portland Opera.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

PHOTOGRAPHY INFORMATION

The 40th Anniversary Season is generously sponsored by Marcia & Dick Robinson

Photography is allowed in the lobby before the performance. We encourage you to share any photos you take with us on our social media. Photography and video are not permitted during the performance.

Music Director Ari Pelto is sponsored by Mike & Julie Bock The Artists in Residence performances in Rigoletto are sponsored by Joy & Chris Dinsdale.

Share photos with us! @operacolorado

2022-23 SEASON

TURNER STATON | Count Ceprano

CHRISTIAN ZAREMBA | Count Monterone/Sparafucile

OPERA COLORADO

an alumnus of Musiktheatre Bavaria in Oberaudorf, Germany. As an Artist in Residence, David will perform in the student matinee of Rigoletto (Duke of Mantua), and he will also appear in the mainstage performances of Die tote Stadt and Turandot. In addition, he will appear in Opera Colorado’s Opera on Tour productions of The Pirates of Penzance (Frederic) and Romeo & Juliet (Romeo). David is excited to join Opera Colorado for their 40th Anniversary season and is thrilled to be making his debut with the company. An avid hiker, you will find him in Colorado’s beautiful mountains when he’s not on stage. David was awarded a Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition Encouragement Award, Marilyn Horne Performance Award, and the Dame Eva Turner Award for Vocal Performance.

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CHORUS, ORCHESTRA, & PRODUCTION STAFF OPERA COLORADO ORCHESTRA VIOLIN

Byron A. Hitchcock, Concertmaster Margaret Soper Gutierrez, Principal Second Michelle Davis Evan DeLong Angela Dombrowski Robyn Julyan Chris Jusell Regan Kane Christine Menter Susie Peek Gyongyver Petheo Felix Petit Zachary Ragent Veronica Sawarynski Robyn Sosa Takanori Sugishita Benjamin Tomkins Tori Woodrow

VIOLA

Michael Brook, Principal Matthew H. Diekman Koko Dyulgerski Mary Harrison Sarah Richardson Lora Stevens

CELLO

Andrew Kolb, Principal Sarah Biber Charles C. Lee Becky Kutz Osterberg Jeff Watson Carole Whitney

BASS

David Crowe, Principal Jeremy Nicholas Matt Pennington Jason Thompson

FLUTE AND PICCOLO

Susan Kerbs Townsend, Principal Elizabeth Sadilek

OBOE AND ENGLISH HORN Sarah Bierhaus, Principal Max Soto

OPERA COLORADO

2022-23 SEASON

CLARINET

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Michelle Joseph Orman, Principal Heidi Mendenhall

BASSOON

Charles Hansen, Principal JJ Sechan

HORN

Michael Yopp, Principal Lauren Varley Devon Park Marian Hesse

TRUMPET

Leslie Scarpino, Principal Colin J.A. Oldberg

TROMBONE

Bron Wright, Principal Daniel Watt Jeremy Van Hoy

TUBA

Michael Dunn, Principal

TIMPANI

Peter Cooper, Principal

PERCUSSION

Mark Foster, Principal Nena Lorenz Wright

ORCHESTRA MANAGER Angela Dombrowski

ORCHESTRA LIBRARIAN Eleanor Wells

OPERA COLORADO CHORUS TENOR

Joshua Cooper Ryan Frenk Alexis Haro Alejandro Izurieta Chris Lilley Jack Richard Norman Spivy Joey Taczak Luke Thatcher Keith Williamson Danny McDonnall

BASS-BARITONE

Milan Babic Zachary Biggs Shane Delavan Michele Di Nuovo John Hansen Zeky Nadji Luke North Brad Warren Davis

PRODUCTION STAFF PRODUCTION STAFF

Kendra Green, Production Stage Manager Ian Silverman, Assistant Director Marcie Friedman, Assistant Stage Manager Colleen Kane, Assistant Stage Manager Beth Nielsen, Title Operator: In-Seat

TECHNICAL STAFF

Thomas Berning, Head Audio Engineer Michael Boswell, Head Carpenter Hillary Clark, Head Property Master Mike Griebl, Visitng Scenic Supervisor Greg Killpack, Assistant Carpenter Susan Osborn, Head Electrician Rita Richardson, Assistant Electrician Jeff Reidel, Head Flyman/Rigger Keven Soll, Assistant Properties Master Karen Thurow, Lighting Console Programmer Michael Wingfield, Technical Director Dave Youngs, Shop/Production Carpenter

ELLIE CAULKINS OPERA HOUSE CREW

James Gralian, House Sound Allen Olmstead, House Carpenter Derek Tovar, House Props Dave Wilson, House Electrician

COSTUMES

Alison Milan, Costume Director Madison Booth, Assistant Coordinator Carolyn Miller, Wardrobe Addistant Ann Murphy, Assistant Costume Coordinator

DRAPER

Ted Stark Sarah Zinn

DRESSERS

Domino Douglas Kinsey Kistler Carly Peterson Sara Rutherford Amanda Walsh Elizabeth Woods

SHOP ASSISTANTS Amanda Bouza Domino Douglas Celeste Fenton Carolyn Miller Jessica Montoya Elizabeth Woods

WIGS AND MAKEUP

Sarah Opstad Demmon, Associate Wig and Makeup Coordinator Christina Moore, Wig and Makeup Assistant Whitney Wolanin, Wig and Makeup Assistant

SUPERNUMERARIES

John Adams Jennifer Beatty Matthew Bell Patti Dennison Thomas Gaffney Alyssa Jackson Mollie Juehring Meredith Milshtein Masha Puchugina Megan Pryor Savannah Scott Jill Skinner Mary Justice Thomasson Amy Thorne

ENGLISH OR SPANISH SUBTITLES AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Follow these easy steps: Prior to the performance, the screen will automatically display a sponsored message. When singing begins, briefly press the red button to activate subtitles.

• Press once for English.

• Press twice for Spanish.

• Press three times to turn titles off.

Then, simply repeat these steps after intermission.

Pressing the red button too many times or holding the button down may result in a system failure. 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 a subtitle system failure.

Please Note: All Sunday matinee performances offer audio description for the visually impaired. Headsets are available at Coat Check.

English subtitles are written by Jeremy Sortore for Opera Colorado.

Spanish translations by TranslatingSpanish.com.

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2022-23 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS Junction (JCT) Trio

WED, NOV 30, 2022

Will Liverman, baritone

WED, DEC 14, 2022

Leif Ove Andsnes, piano MON, JAN 23, 2023

Skride Piano Quartet

Leila Josefowicz, violin

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Pacifica Quartet Anthony McGill, clarinet

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Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools: 300 Years of Flemish Masterworks is co-organized by the Denver Art Museum and The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp (Belgium). It is presented by the Birnbaum Social Discourse Project.

Support is provided by the Tom Taplin Jr. and Ted Taplin Endowment, Keith and Kathie Finger, Lisë Gander and Andy Main, the Kristin and Charles Lohmiller Exhibitions Fund, the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, Christie’s, the donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign, and the residents who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). This exhibition is supported by an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and the Humanities. Promotional support is provided by 5280 Magazine and CBS4.

IMAGE: Jan Massijs, Rebus: The World Feeds Many Fools (detail), about 1530. Oil paint on panel; 20 1⁄4 × 24 3⁄8 in. © The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp.

Q&A WITH JOSHUA DENNIS

BY SUZANNE WHITNEY American lyric tenor Joshua Dennis makes his debut at Opera Colorado in this performance of Rigoletto as the Duke of Mantua. Mr. Dennis has debuted in several roles in new operatic works, but he remains a fan and advocate of operatic classics.

Discover how he has navigated the operatic world and what he thinks of playing the Duke of Mantua—a villain with some of opera’s most-beloved melodies.

Let’s start at the beginning. How did you discover a love for opera?

The first opera I ever saw was La rondine by Puccini. I went because one of my best friends was dancing in it, and he gave me a free ticket. It was an interesting blend of extreme boredom, as the subtitles had gone out, and pure awe at what some of the voices could do. As I began listening to more opera, I discovered voices like Luciano Pavarotti, Franco Corelli, Mirella Freni, Fritz Wunderlich, and many more. I was hooked by these amazing artists, and I began a quest to sing like these artists.

You are a passionate supporter of new opera, but continue to perform classic roles. What do you enjoy about performing traditional roles and exploring newly-written roles?

I love singing new music, and I’m so honored to have originated a good number of new works! But, simply put, the old masters really knew how to write music for singers. Actually, Rigoletto was the first opera I ever sang where I thought, “this feels like it was written for me.” The great operas have stood the test of time and for a very good reason.

The music is wonderful, the drama is well thought out, and a night of theater is almost always a pleasure.

Q&A WITH JOSHUA DENNIS “I love singing new music...But, simply put, the old masters really know how to write music for singers...The great operas have stood the test of time and for a good reason.”

The Duke of Mantua has some of the mostbeloved music in the western canon, but is not the nicest character. What goes through your mind as you prepare for this role?

This character gets a lot of attention, especially since the #MeToo Movement. When approaching this type of character, you have to be able to not worry about any social ideas the character wouldn’t care about. I think the more I lean into the bad parts of the character, the more the drama works. The actor must not judge the character he’s playing or else he can’t be truthful to the drama.

Your twin brother is also an opera singer. Did you two grow up singing together? What has it been like navigating a shared career?

Yes, I do have an identical twin brother. He’s the house tenor at the Dresden Opera House in Germany. We sang together in church chorus, but were not singing seriously until we were in our early twenties. I think it’s probably easier for our careers when we are on separate continents; since we sing

the same repertoire, we don’t have to compete for roles. But I’d rather have him back in the States so we can see each other more, that’s for sure!

During our 40th Anniversary Season, Opera Colorado is celebrating both our past and future. As a performer, what in opera’s history is important to preserve and what are your dreams for opera’s future?

I think we need to keep creating, and, most importantly, we need to keep making pieces that the audience loves. Composers, like Verdi, wrote for the people, and the more we continue to create for the audiences that we serve and entertain, the better.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JOSHUA DENNIS TENOR JOSHUA DENNIS WITH TWIN BROTHER TENOR JOSEPH DENNIS

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Voice and Violin with Joshua Bell and Larisa Martinez APR 14

MEET THE NEW ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

MEET THE 2022-23 OPERA COLORADO ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE Every year, Opera Colorado auditions over 350 emerging artists from the nation’s top graduate schools for its Artist in Residence Program. During their eight-month residency, the selected artists bring opera to schools across the Rocky Mountain region, giving Colorado students a chance to meet opera’s future stars! The 2022-23 Season’s talented troupe will perform in touring productions of The Pirates of Penzance and Romeo & Juliet. They will also perform in the season’s mainstage productions of Rigoletto, Die tote Stadt, and Turandot, including a special student matinee performance of Rigoletto.

The Opera Colorado Artists in Residence Program is sponsored by Ken & Donna Barrow, with additional support from Patrick Spieles, and Dr. Stephen L. Dilts.

PHOTOS OPERA COLORADO /JAMIE KRAUS

FRANCESCA MEHROTRA soprano

DANTE MIRELES baritone

HOMETOWN: Ashburn, Virginia

HOMETOWN: McAllen, Texas

FUN FACT: Francesca is looking forward to living in a new part of the country, and she has never been to Colorado before.

She grew up on the East Coast, went to school in Texas, and spent time on the West Coast as well. So far in Colorado, she thinks the mountains are so beautiful and the people seem very friendly. She is really looking forward to not having any humidity ruining her hair!

FUN FACT: One of Dante’s favorite movies is Tree of Life, and he is really looking forward to performing all the time and growing as an artist this season.

Sponsored by Ken & Barbara Laff and Laurence & Cynthia Chan

HOMETOWN: Overland Park, Kansas

JOANNE EVANS mezzo-soprano

Sponsored by Robin & Eric Yaeger

KEITH KLEIN bass-baritone FUN FACT: November is Keith’s favorite month of the year. He shares, “something about fall turning to winter is romantic to me.”

HOMETOWN: London, United Kingdom

Sponsored by Joyce de Roos and Donald K. Braden

FUN FACT: Joanne lived in the Hudson Valley for the last two years and loved the landscape, but she loves seeing the Rocky Mountains every morning.

TURNER STATON bass-baritone

Sponsored by Joy & Chris Dinsdale

DAVID SOTO ZAMBRANA tenor HOMETOWN: San Juan, Puerto Rico FUN FACT: David really enjoys movies. If he was stuck on an island and could only take one movie, it would be The Lord of the Rings series. He has the extended edition of the series on Blu-ray!

Sponsored by Jason and Nathaly Ambos

HOMETOWN: Kansas City, Missouri FUN FACT: Turner loves jazz and played bari-saxophone for seven years when he was younger. While he does not listen to jazz often, he really likes specific songs, and this music is something he has always come back to in his life.

Sponsored by Gayle & Gary Landis

OLEG BELLINI collaborative pianist HOMETOWN: Alessandra, Italy FUN FACT: Oleg enjoys popular 80’s music and one of his favorite movies is The Matrix.

Sponsored by David & Elizabeth Budd and Suzanne D. Bucy

Buy tickets for our 22/23 season at ArsNovaSingers.org A R S N OVA S I N G E R S PRESENTS

Solstice

DEC 9–16, 2022

Rejoice in the imminent victory of light over darkness with Ars Nova Singers this holiday season.

MAR 1–2, 2023 Don’t miss world-renowned British vocal ensemble VOCES8 — boasting luminous, ethereal a capella of the highest quality.

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ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS The Board of Directors and staff of Opera Colorado express their deepest appreciation to the individuals, corporations, and foundations who have contributed to the Annual Fund, as of September 15, 2022. Although space limitations only allow us to list donors whose gifts were $100 and above, we are deeply grateful for the support of all our dedicated contributors.

INDIVIDUALS

BENEFACTOR $25,000-$49,999

Richard Koseff Gayle and Gary Landis MAJ. Dino Maniatis and Mrs. Kristin Freestone-Maniatis Muffy Moore Marilyn Munsterman Raul and Vivian Murciano Dr. Harold S. Nelson Jon J. Olafson and Jerry Brindisi Ronald Y. Otsuka Zondra Rae Pluss Louise Lavendar Rouse Prem and Stephanie Subramanian Martha and Will Tracey Ann Wise Ms. Carole J. Yaley Larry and Brigitte Zimmer

Linda Bjelland Mr. Chip Horne and Dr. Jan Kennaugh

COMPOSER $3,000-$5,999

PRODUCER CIRCLE VISIONARY $50,000+ Ken and Donna Barrow Mike and Julie Bock Ellie Caulkins Joy and Chris Dinsdale Marcia and Dick Robinson Patrick Spieles Robin and Eric Yaeger

AMBASSADOR $11,000-$24,999 Elizabeth & Matthew Dyer Russell Hedman and Juwon Bahn Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy F. Kinney Judy La Spada The Honorable and Mrs. Kenneth Laff Jim and Patience Linfield Dr. and Mrs. William N. Maniatis Mr. and Mrs. Randal Martines Robert R. Montgomery & Nancy Hawkins Lynnette Morrison Kevin O’Connor and Janet Ellen Raasch Ann and Gerald Saul Merrill Shields and M. Ray Thomasson Charles I. Thompson Valerie Wassill and Kevin Rudolph Dan and Marie Welch

ARTIST CIRCLE CONDUCTOR $6,000-$10,999 Anonymous Mr. Charles E. Berry and Mrs. Maria Garcia Berry Suzanne D. Bucy Jane and Bart Burnett Merle Chambers Ms. Kathryn Codo Dr. Eric Coomer Dr. Alan Cooper Robert and Lenore Damrauer Mr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Fogliano Mr. and Mrs. Don Hindman Gary and Judith Judd Diana and Mike Kinsey

Robin E. Black Mr. Gregory A. Carpenter Mr. and Mrs. George P. Caulkins, III Mary and Tom Conroy Dr. Cynthia K. Crews and Mr. Charles W. Henry Karen Fukutaki, M.D. Sally Haas Deborah Hayes and James L. Martin III Ms. Judy Johnston Joe Kelso Mr. Tom Kirkpatrick and Ms. Djuana Strauch Veronica A. McCaffrey and Barbara A. Frank Dr. Monica I. Minkoff James Monroe, III and Marie Shannon Monroe Ralph & Trish Nagel Bob Nelson Bonnie Perkins Christine and Harry Phillips The Ponzio Family Nijole and Walter Rasmussen Cynthia and Alexander Read Myra and Robert Rich Mr. Paul Ruotolo Mr. and Mrs. Charley Samson Helen Scott Santilli Fern B. Seltzer and Andrew Heymsfield Jeremy and Susan Shamos William Vaniman and Frances G. Matthews Mr. Byron S. Watson Erin Wenzel Mr. and Mrs. Michael Zoellner LIBRETTIST $1,200-$2,999 Mr. Hartman Axley

Mr. Douglas W. Barnert and Mrs. Ruth Jacoby Peter Batty and Paula Kechichian Sheila Bisenius Elise Brenninkmeyer Leslie Coover Cady Mr. and Mrs. Roger W. Celius Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cesafsky Barbara and Roger Chamberlain Mr. David J. Chavolla Mr. Alexander J. Conley and Ms. Alysia D. Marino Bob and Georgi Contiguglia Mrs. Joyce de Roos Dave and Pam Duke Lois N. Eckhoff Dr. Stacy Fischer and Dr. Henry Fischer Mr. and Mrs. John Gallagher George and Sissy Gibson Stephen and Dorothy Gregory Mark Groshek MD and Carl Clark MD Mr. J. Lawrence Hamil Beverlee B. Henry Christine Hollander and Michael McGee Steve and Chryse Hutchins Therese Ivancovich Dean Laurence Kaptain and Dolores Arce-Kaptain Dr. Lawrence Kim and Nhung Van Dr. and Mrs. Jeremy Lazarus Bernard and Frieda Leason Evan and Evi Makovsky Janice McClary and Jan McNally Dr. James P. McElhinney V.W. McKnab and Margaret Jurado Dr. and Mrs. Calvern E. Narcisi Dr. Lynn Parry Mr. Ari Pelto and Ms. Wendy Fisher Rick Poppe & Jana Edwards Diedra O’Kelly and James & Helen Reed T. R. Reid Ayliffe and Fred Ris Juan and Alicia Rodriguez Ms. Deborah M. H. Rohan Carol L. Rust Ms. Barbara Sannwald Ms. Ruth E. Schoening Ms. Judith Zee Steinberg Vicki Sterling Mrs. Linda M. Strauch Mrs. Marcia D. Strickland Jerry and Debi Tepper Dr. Akiva M. Thomas and Mr. Ezekial Thomas Ms. Kathleen R. Tower Dr. Peter and Mrs. Kathy Van Arsdale Ms. Cia A. Wenzel Mary and Ken Willis

PATRON CIRCLE ASSOCIATE $600-$1,199 Anonymous Ms. Jane Anderson Brian Thomas Beagle Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell Benedict III Brian Bennett and Bev Daniels Mr. John and Mrs. Anne Blair Libby Bortz Brewster and Helen Boyd Gordon & Ron Butz Mr. Ian T. Caiozzi and Mrs. Neha Patel Ms. Grace Campbell Carol G. Canon Mrs. Ella May Carpenter George Case Gertrud Hische and Manfred Chemek Mr. David Clark Everett B. Clark Ms. Kathleen R. Clifton Sue Cole Dr. and Mrs. James D. Crapo Nancy Crow and Mark Skrotzki Ms. Cheryl M. Cruickshank George and Yonnie Dikeou Ms. Marian O. Dines The Divine Family Carl and Nan Eklund Mrs. J. Theodore Ellis Frances and Richard Frey Mr. and Mrs. John Fuller Gary and Rebecca Gantner Mr. and Mrs. David Garon Ms. Rebecca Givens Dr. and Mrs. Burton Golub Dr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Greenholz Ms. Renee Gross Steven and Patricia Gulevich Mr. Richard Gustafson Ms. Lynn E. Harrington Jerry and Patty Hauptman Mrs. Mary Hayes Mr. Thomas E. Healy Mr. and Mrs. Doug Herzberg Mr. William T. Hoffman Ruth Hopfenbeck Ms. Karen Howland and Mr. J. Gregory Mudge Mike Hughes and The Honorable Karen Brody Michael E. Huotari and Jill R. Stewart Mr. Daniel Isaman Roberta and Mel Klein PJ and Rhonda Kovach John W. Kure and Cheryl L. Solich Deanna Rose Leino Patty Lorie Bob Mahoney and Pat Monroe

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Supported by:

ASUKA SASAKI & JONNATHAN RAMIREZ BY RACHEL NEVILLE

C O L OR A D OB A L L E T.O R G

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ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS Tanya Mathews Sandra Mazarakis and Neil Burris J. Virginia Messick Henry B. Mohr Sue and Bill Mohrman Mr. William R. Moninger Mr. Mike and Lisa Morgan Dr. Mary Kenny Moynihan and Dr. Michael Moynihan Mary and John Muth Lisa & Pat Nicholson Kelli O’Brien & Michael Kolotylo Ms. Diane O’Connor Ms. Sarah B. O’Connor Nancy & Paul Oberman Bonnie M. Orkow Theresa and Norman Parker Profs. Jean-Pierre Habicht and Gretel H. Pelto Linda Plaut Armando Quiroz Elaine and Robert Renz Steven and Joan Ringel Mr. Joe Ronnenberg Doug Rooney Steven E. and Jane Schonfeld Mr. John Shott Dr. and Mrs. Edwin R. Smith Zach T. Smith Mrs. Jennifer Sobanet Dr. Laimute Stewart Bill and Shirley Stout Mr. and Mrs. Francis J. Sullivan Sharon and John Trefny Dr. Keith Ward and Ms. Barbara Roidl Marie Belew Wheatley Mr. and Mrs. Mason B. White Mark and Pati Wilkins Scott and Karen Yarberry Pam and Martin Zadigian SUPPORTER $300-$599 Anonymous Richard Akeroyd Mr. Paul Alaback and Ms. Carol Brewer Dr. Oksana Bantley Dr. Dennis Barrett Ms. Tamara Barron Ms. Mariette H. Bell Marilyn Munsterman Janet Bishop Richard Bottjer and Lynn Peyton Ms. Jay Breen Ms. Janet C. Bruchmann Edwin T. Callahan and Dulcy E. Wolverton Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell Caulkins Alan and In Hye Como Tom & Cheryl Cox Brian D. Crane Jim and Sara Culhane Carolyn E. Daniels Ronald L. Deal Greg Diamond Timothy James Donahue

Peter and Marian Downs Margaret and Peter Dzwilewski Matt and Reine Erzinger Amy Feaster Mr. and Mrs. Bruce F. Fest Ms. Randy Ganter Dr. and Mrs. Arthur Garfein Mr. and Mrs. Caleb F. Gates, Jr. Tamara Gillespie Dr. Brian Greffe & Dr. Mark Donovan Mrs. Carol & Dr. Fred Grover Judge Alfred and Mrs. Dori Harrell Ginny Hersch Mr. and Mrs. Graham Hollis Sarah Hopfenbeck and Susan Corle Drs. Terri Lynn and David Ingram Mr. Jon Isenhart Eric Johnson and Christy Milne James and Christine Jorgensen Rex Kramer and Cindy Crater Mr. Richard S. Leaman Mr. and Mrs. James E. Manuel Mr. and Mrs. T. Scott Martin Marian E. Matheson Mr. and Mrs. William Mathews Dave and Miza McReynolds Tom and Mary Meade Dr. and Mrs. Charles F. Metzger Jerri Lynn Modrall and Eric E. Doering Mr. Lawrence Moskow Jack Finlaw and Gregory Movesian Margaret and John Moyer Dr. and Dr. Hans Neville Dr. and Mrs. David A. Norris Mr. Mark J. O’Connor Ms. Kimberly S. Opekar Frederick Peters Andrew R. Pleszkun Bruce Polkowsky and Bill Powell Richard Replin and Elissa Stein Karyn K. Rieb Ms. Luana Rubin Ms. Mary Scarpino Gary D. Schrenk Mr. and Mrs. Bob Shaklee Mr. and Mrs. David C. Shelton Dr. Norman Spivy Mr. Gordon W. Stenger David and Carol Stern Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Straub Prof. and Mrs. Joseph S. Szyliowicz John Taubman Normie and Paul Voilleque Mr. Everett Volk Dr. and Mrs. Raymond Yost Gene and Linda Young Mr. Mark G. Zardus Charlotte Ziebarth MEMBER $100-$299 Anonymous James and Lorraine Adams Ms. Karen Adkins and Mr. Brian Moore

Paul and Susan Ahlquist Danica Anderson Alice and Lee Anneberg Mrs. Donna Antonoff Don Bain Steve and Lisa Bain Ms. Jennifer N. Bater Ellen & Donald Bauder Mr. Brian A. Baxter C. F. Benoit Mrs. Claire E. Benson Anthony V. Berkley and Amanda Gomez Ms. Sandra D. Besseghini Ms. Carol N. Betz Ms. Dori Biester Louise B. Blanchard Leah Bobbey and Toby Wright Ms. Louise T. Bohe Mrs. Donna Bonne Joe and Gwen Bowers Alan J. Boyer Donald K. Braden Mr. Thomas H. Brady Katy Brown Mr. Kenneth Bunch Mr. Douglas F. Burns Mr. and Mrs. Dean Burton Dr. Francine Butler Michael Canges and Nina Iwashko Mr. Brad Case and Mr. William M. McMechen, Jr. Charles Case and Phillip St. Cloud Ms. Beatriz Castaneda Mr. and Mrs. Daniel B. Chilcoat Virginia Chrisco Dr. Michael P. Cicerchi Ms. Patty Clark Ms. Ethel K. Clow Gerald Cohen and Caroline Stern Dr. David J. Cooper and Evelyn W Cooper Aubrey Copeland, MD Vicki Cowart and Chris Hayes Ms. Joanne Curran Colin T. Currans-Sheehan Ms. Lisa Curtis Matthew Dane Mr. Raphael Dangelo Ms. Joan Daniels Manley Houlton John Danio Mr. and Mrs. John W. Doucette Steven and Betsy Duff Laurie and Ben Duke III Guillaume and Lizeth Durvin Mr. and Mrs. Wayne D. Eckerling Kammi and Paul Eckhoff Mr. John W. Ekeberg Ted and Vivian Sheldon Epstein Ms. Anne Esson Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Evans Ms. Mary Lou Fenili and Ms. Karen F. Hansen Ms. Anna Ferrari Ms. Jeanine M. Figur Ms. Elizabeth A. Fischer and Mr. Don Elliott Dr. and Mrs. Larry S. Fisher

Dr. Marc S. and Nancy Frager Terry Frazier and Kathy Wells Kristin and Heiko Freitag Keith French Deborah Friedman Ms. Cynthia Gaertner Dr. Tim Gensler Jennifer Ruth Gentry Mr. and Mrs. Charles Goldburg Mr. and Mrs. Ricardo Goncalves Steve and Donna Good Mr. Matthew Grove Ronald and Elnore Grow Ms. Rosemarie Halchuk Mr. Richard A. Haynes Mr. Richard W. Healy John R. Heckenlively, M.D. Ms. Holly Hedegaard Mr. and Mrs. Phil G. Heinschel Rebecca L. Hersey Dr. Marilyn J. Hitchens Sarah C. Hite Ms. Mary S. Hoaldey Ms. Elaine Hoaster Mr. Graham Hoffman Mr. Saul D. Hoffman and Ms. Susan Parker Mr. and Mrs. Douglas L. Houston Mr. Jason Huck Nancy Huff Katherine Hurlbut Mr. William P. Hurlbut Ms. Nancy Hyde Emily Anne Irwin Ms. Olivia Jansons Mr. and Mrs. Eric D. Johnson Mr. Kendor P. Jones and Mrs. Sharon Harris Nancy Juday and John Popovich Mr. and Mrs. Ron Kahn Edward Karg and Rick Kress Mr. and Mrs. Robert Keatinge Mr. and Mrs. Jhon M. Kehmeier Ms. Patricia C. Kelly and Mr. Thomas E. Dufficy Bonnie Kipple Mr. Richard Kirwin Sue Klein Ms. Sheri Knox Ms. Cherity Koepke Barbara and Kiplund Kolkmeier Mrs. and Mr. Svetlana Komisarchik Scott and Margo Krawiec Ms. Lois A. Labanoski Ms. Barbara Ladon D. Langdon Mrs. Lynette M. Larue Mr. and Mrs. Jay S. Leaver Rowdy B. Lemasters Nancy A. Leonard Paul and Nancy Levitt Ms. Peggy Liao Mr. David Lichtenstein Judy and Dan Lichtin Robert & Gloria Lilly-Cohen Sarita List Mr. John A. Lockwood, Esq.

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NOVEMBER 18 – JANUARY 7 Experience the magic of the season with a stunning display of light and color.

Tickets must be purchased in advance.

Get tickets and full details at botanicgardens.org

PRESENTING SPONSOR

SUPPORTING SPONSORS

ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS Mr. and Mrs. Alan M. Loeb Mr. Michael Lyster Mr. James S. Macdonald Dr. Melissa Malde Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert Y. Marchand Mr. Gregg E. Marshall Jim and Carole McCotter Mr. John R. Miller Ms. Betty Minor Chris and Karen Mohr Mrs. Robbie E. Monsma Douglas G. Moran and Laura B. Moran Denny Muirhead Mr. Mark A. Nachtigal Susan and Mark Nagel Rudi Hartmann and Kathy Newman Mr. and Mrs. Denny O’Connell Mr. Michael Ogborn Stephanie and Roger Oram Ms. Elizabeth Orr Mr. Thomas Parrott Dr. and Mrs. David S. Pearlman Roxane Pecchio Ms. Kathy Peeters Dennis G. Peterson Mr. Richard Pfeffer Mr. and Mrs. Peter Plowshay Mr. and Mrs. Mark Plummer Rich and Kim Plumridge Mr. and Mrs. Harry C. Poehlmann Dr. and Mrs. Dale H. Porter Kate Raabe Dr. & Mrs. Pablo Ramos Mr. Reid T. Reynolds and Dr. Pamela P. Hanes Ms. Jennie Ridgley Dr. Richard D. Roark Ms. Janet Roberts Mr. Shannon Russell Dr. Thomas D. Russell Mr. and Mrs. Jim Sale Morris and Karen Sandstead Sandy and Frank Sargent Mr. Bryan Penny and Mr. Matt Savoie Kathleen Sawada Ms. Karyn Sawyer Ms. Erika L. Schafer Mr. and Mrs. Stefan Scheuermann John and Patricia Schmitter Dr. and Mrs. Harvey Schuchman Mr. Richard Scott Mr. and Mrs. Harry Segan Mr. Billy Seiber Mr. Edward B. Seybert Mrs. Marlene P. Siegel Ms. Patricia K. Simpson Catherine K. Skokan Edie and William Sonn Ms. Heather Sowell, M.D. Mr. Frank W. Spaid Ms. Lucie Stanish Susan Stiff Mr. and Mrs. Jim Stinson Jenene and James Stookesberry Drs. Morris and Ellen Susman Deborah T. Sycamore

Melanie J. Talbot William Bradford and Chin Tan Ms. Linda Tarpeh-Doe Juanita S. Tate Mr. Michael M. Tinetti Mr. and Mrs. Sal L. Tripodi Ms. Carol Trotter Charles and Deborah Turner Bernd & Marta Wachter Norma and George Wagoner Ms. Robin Stewart and Mr. Kirk Weber Nancy and William Wehner Dr. Adriana Weinberg Ms. Ann Fails Westerberg Sandra L. White Lois K Williams Mr. and Mrs. David Wolf Constance and Lawrence Wood Allison and William Woolston Judith Graham and Jeffrey Zax

GOVERNMENT AND FOUNDATIONS The Anschutz Foundation Avenir Foundation The Bagby Foundation for the Musical Arts The Benevity Community Impact Fund David B. and Gretchen W. Black Family Foundation BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund Bock Family Fund Bonfils-Stanton Foundation Bucy Family Fund Cantors Assembly Foundation Cars For Charity, Inc. Caulkins Family Foundation Charityvest The Chotin Foundation Charlotte and Norman Codo Charitable Trust Community First Foundation The Crawley Family Foundation Daniels-Houlton Family Donor Advised Fund Deane Family Fund The Denver Foundation Denver Lyric Opera Guild Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Dorothy and Donald Fleishaker Philanthropic Fund Sidney E. Frank Foundation - Colorado Fund Genesee Mountain Foundation Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts Lorraine and Harley Higbie Fund Virginia W. Hill Foundation Ittelson Family Fund Jewish Communal Fund Kenneth King Foundation Jeanne Land Foundation Landis Family Philanthropy Lindmor Fund

Merle Chambers Fund Midfirst Bank Oppenheimer & Co., Inc. William D. Radichel Foundation Jess & Rose Kortz and Pearle Rae Foundation Read Foundation Inc. Riley and Cooper Fund Rose Community Foundation The Schramm Foundation Schwab Charitable

CORPORATE ALLIANCE 5280 Magazine Deiter’s Chocolates Kaladi Coffee Nocturne Jazz and Supper Club Northern Trust PMG Colorado Residence Inn by Marriott – Denver City Center Terra Vectra Bank of Colorado

TRIBUTES In honor of Ellie Caulkins Mr. David J. Chavolla Mrs. Marcia D. Strickland In honor of Drs. Larry and Cynthia Chan Mrs. Robin Chotin In honor of Joyce de Roos Marilyn Mishkin In honor of Dr. Stacy M. Fischer Dr. Meg Lemon In honor of Ken and Barbara Laff Ms. Sarah L. Lowery In honor of Sonja Mast Christina L. Mast In honor of the Opera Colorado Staff Ms. Cherity Koepke In honor of Shelia Peloso Ms. Joanne Curran In honor of Ari Pelto The Divine Family In honor of Erin Wenzel T. R. Reid In memory of Itsuko Arita Ms. Miyuki Googins In memory of Jan Baucum Ms. Sarah B. O’Connor In memory of M. Richard Bufton Anonymous

In memory of Mason Cramer Gene and Linda Young In memory of Dirk W. de Roos Mr. Miles Smith In memory of Dr. Jacqueline Frischknecht Mr. Chuck Lawhead and Mr. Ronald Broome In memory of Max Grassfiled Dr. Lynn Donaldson In memory of Hugh and Peggy McGee Sarah Hopfenbeck and Susan Corle In memory of Pam Merrill The Honorable and Mrs. Kenneth Laff Marcia and Dick Robinson In memory of Domenic Meylor Marita G. Karlisch In memory of Norman O’Kelly Diedra O’Kelly and James & Helen Reed In memory of Eric Poehlmann Mr. and Mrs. Harry C. Poehlmann In memory of Barbara Reed Dr. Mariah Brown Mr. Mark Fogg Tamara Gillespie Ms. Peggy Liao Ms. Dixie Reynolds In memory of Don and Barbara Ridgeway Ms. Kathryn Taylor In memory of William E. Russell Jane Russell In memory of Morris “Moe” Sandstead Karen Sandstead In memory of Violet Santangelo Chris Santangelo In memory of Nat and Louise Sherman Mrs. Claire E. Benson In memory of Mr. John Stamper Tom and Mary Meade In memory of Rusty Wilkins Mary and Tom Conroy Gayle and Gary Landis Deanna Rose Leino Martin and Jane Long Margaret Maupin Lynnette Morrison Arthur and Patricia Pansze Jessica and Menandro Peña Nancy A. Rogers Robert and Jacklyn Writz

o 0 years of GRAND OPERA • 20 years ND GRA of s year RAND OPERA • 20 PERA • 20 years of GRAND OPERA • 20 ears of GRAND OPERA • 20 years No RAND OPERA • 20 years of GRA 2 PERA 20 years of GRAND OPERA • o ears of GRAND OPERA • 20 years N RAND OPERA • 20 years of GRA• 2 RA 2003 PERA • 20 years of GRAND OPE s o year 20 • ears of GRAND OPERA N GRA of s year RAND OPERA • 20 2 • RA OPE ND PERA • 20 years of GRA

Passion, Revelry and Peril November 9-18, 2007 Ellie Caulkins Opera House

November 6, 9, 12, 14, 16, 2010 Ellie Caulkins Opera House

OPERA COLORADO

FEBRUARY 15, 18, 21, 23 (mat)

APRIL 26, 29 MAY 2, 4 (mat)

MAY 3, 6, 9, 11 (mat)

Buell Theatre

Boettcher Hall

Boettcher Hall

LA TRAVIATA is sponsored by Mike and Julie Bock, CIBER, Inc., Hilja K. Herfurt, The Colorado Trust - Dr. and Mrs. William Maniatis.

The 2007-2008 Season is sponsored by: Ellie Caulkins, Charles and Ursula Kafadar, and Jeremy and Susan Shamos.

OPERA COLORADO’S 2010-2011 SEASON IS SPONSORED BY: Boettcher Foundation Ellie Caulkins LA BOHÈME IS CO-SPONSORED BY: Hilja K. Herfurth • Charles and Ursula Kafadar, Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Schulein The Colorado Trust - Dr. and Mrs. William Maniatis The Westin Tabor Center, Denver

GIUSEPPE VERDI NOV 7 | 10 | 13 | 15 | 2015

Colorado’s Performing Arts Publications and The Publishing House are proud to partner with Opera Colorado, and we congratulate the company on 40 years of captivating, beautiful performances.

303.428.9529

|

coloradoartspubs.com

ANNUAL CONTRIBUTIONS CRESCENDO SOCIETY The following people have made arrangements to include Opera Colorado in their Estate Plan.

Sheila Bisenius Ellie Caulkins Dr. Stephen L. Dilts Ms. Donna E. Hamilton Ms. Lynn E. Harrington Jeanne E. Hind Ms. Lisa R. James Dr. and Mrs. Charles B. Kafadar Mr. and Mrs. Ron Kahn Deanna Rose Leino Lynnette Morrison Mrs. Lee Roberts Mary Ann Rose Mr. Stephen Seifert Fern B. Seltzer Merrill Shields and M. Ray Thomasson Mrs. Jenene Stookesberry Jenene and James Stookesberry Mr. Robert Van Buskirk Mrs. Carol C. Whitley Larry and Brigitte Zimmer

DENVER PERFORMING ARTS COMPLEX

The Denver Performing Arts Complex is owned and operated by Denver Arts & Venues for the City and County of Denver.

CITY AND COUNTY OF DENVER Michael B. Hancock, Mayor

DENVER ARTS & VENUES Ginger White, Executive Director Molly Wink, Deputy Director

DENVER ARTS & VENUES, ARTS COMPLEX OPERATIONS Mark Heiser, Venue Director Jody Grossman, Assistant Venue Director, Booking Todd Medley, Facilities Superintendent Kelly Graham, Safety, Security and Garage Operations Manager Carol Krueger, Patron Services Manager artscomplex.com | 720.865.4220 For immediate assistance & security 720.865.4200

SPONSORS

THE 2022-23 SEASON The 40th Anniversary Season is generously sponsored by Marcia & Dick Robinson Music Director Ari Pelto is sponsored

by Mike and Julie Bock The Student Matinee performance of Rigoletto and the Opera on Tour productions of The Pirates of Penzance and Romeo & Juliet are sponsored by the Genesee Mountain Foundation

EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS Opera Colorado’s Education & Community Engagement Programs are made possible through the generous support of the following donors: Pamela Beardsley Crawley Family Foundation Denver Lyric Opera Guild Sidney E. Frank Foundation Genesee Mountain Foundation Gerald & Ann Saul Scientific and Cultural Facilities District Galen & Ada Belle Spencer Foundation Carol Whitley Melvin & Elaine Wolf Foundation

SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS Opera Colorado recognizes the following organizations for their generous support: Official Artist Housing Partner

THE 2022-23 SEASON ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM The Opera Colorado Artist in Residence Program is sponsored by Ken & Donna Barrow, with additional support from Patrick Spieles, and Dr. Stephen L. Dilts.

SHOW YOUR SUPPORT FOR OPERA COLORADO Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our donor lists.

However, if your name is incorrectly listed, please accept our sincere apologies and contact Erin Wenzel at 303.468.2040.

The Artists in Residence performances in Rigoletto are sponsored by Joy & Chris Dinsdale.

Francesca Mehrotra is sponsored by Ken & Barbara Laff and Laurence & Cynthia Chan Joanne Evans is sponsored by Joy & Chris Dinsdale

YOU MAKE THE DIFFERENCE As a non-profit organization, we rely on the generosity of donors in our community. With your support, we can fulfill our mission to connect our Colorado community to the emotions and stories of the world through traditional and innovative opera and

David Soto Zambrana is sponsored by Jason & Nathaly Ambos

educational programming that is

David Mireles is sponsored by Robin & Eric Yaeger

Your donation this season honors our

accessible to all.

forty-year legacy and builds a bright Turner Staton is sponsored by Gayle & Gary Landis Keith Klein is sponsored by Joyce de Roos and Donald K. Braden

future for decades to come.

YOUR SUPPORT HELPS US...

• PRESENT high-quality opera experiences that reflect the multi-

Oleg Bellini is sponsored by David & Elizabeth Budd and Suzanne D. Bucy

cultural fabric of our community • SERVE over 55,000 patrons every year • DEVELOP audiences by introducing children (and adults!) to their first opera experience • TRAIN the next generation of opera performers through our Artist in Residence Program

HOW TO MAKE A GIFT ONLINE: operacolorado.org/support

BY PHONE: 303.468.2040 MAIL A CHECK TO: Opera Colorado 4121 S Navajo St, Ste 100 Englewood, CO 80110 For questions, please contact Opera Colorado’s Development team at 303.468.2040 or development@operacolorado.org.

SCAN THE QR CODE:

SUPPORT THE FUTURE OF OPERA

BECOME A DONOR TODAY!

PATRON CIRCLE

Member ($100-$299)

• Your name listed in mainstage Season Program Books • Closer to the Art emails before each mainstage production to gain behindthe-scenes insight and learn something new about Opera Colorado • Exclusive pre-sale opportunities to ticketed events throughout the season

Supporter ($300-$599)

All previous benefits, plus: • Discounted admission to the Sitzprobe Supper and Rehearsal • Invitation to an exclusive backstage tour of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House, where you will peek into dressing rooms, step on stage, and explore all that this historic building entails

Associate ($600-$1,199)

All previous benefits, plus: • Access to the Chambers Grant Salon Donor Recognition Lounge and complimentary prosecco during intermission • Complimentary admission to the Artist in Residence concert(s) • Complimentary admission and discounted guest admission to the Sitzprobe Supper and Rehearsal

ARTIST CIRCLE

Librettist ($1,200-$2,999)

All previous benefits, plus: • Complimentary admission to Artists in Conversation events, where you will learn more about upcoming productions from the artists themselves • Invitation to a private Master Class with a leading industry artist and members of the Artists in Residence program • Personal staff liaison to assist you with opera tickets and special event reservations

Composer ($3,000-$5,999)

All previous benefits, plus: • Invitation to a Sitzprobe Rehearsal and Dessert Reception • Invitation to the Luncheon with the Maestro event

Conductor ($6,000-$10,999)

All previous benefits, plus: • Complimentary parking for your Opera Colorado mainstage performances • Access for two to each final dress rehearsal of Opera Colorado mainstage productions

PRODUCER CIRCLE

Ambassador ($11,000-$24,999)

All previous benefits, plus: • Invitation to a private cocktail reception with The Ellie Caulkins General & Artistic Director, followed by a rehearsal in the Opera Colorado Opera Center • Private curated tour of the Ellie Caulkins Opera House for you and your guests

Benefactor ($25,000-$49,999)

All previous benefits, plus: • Behind the scenes access to rehearsals at the Opera Colorado Opera Center, including VIP access to artists • Invitation to an intimate dinner with The Ellie Caulkins General & Artistic Director and Music Director

Visionary ($50,000+)

All previous benefits, plus: • Private concert in your home or other chosen location

QUESTIONS?

Contact our Development Team at 303.468.2040 or development@operacolorado.org.

PHOTOS Opera Colorado/Jamie Kraus, Matt Staver

OPERA COLORADO STAFF LEADERSHIP Greg Carpenter

BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Ellie Caulkins General & Artistic Director

Ari Pelto

Music Director

SENIOR TEAM Jennifer Colgan

Director of Marketing & Communications

Tom Kirkpatrick

Chief Financial Officer

Cherity Koepke

Director of Education & Community Engagement, Director of Opera Colorado’s Artist in Residence Program

Erin Wenzel

Director of Development

STAFF Anthony Berkley

Business Operations & Development Manager

Sandy Bucceri, SHRM-CP Samantha Cantu

Human Resources Manager Patron Services & Office Coordinator

Angelica DiIorio

Marketing Manager, Advertising & Publications

Megan Immerfall

Bookkeeper

Ben Karasik

Production Manager

Robin Lander

Administrative Assistant

Suzanne Whitney

Marketing Manager, Digital & Content

Bethany Wood

Manager of Education & Community Engagement

MUSIC STAFF Sahar Nouri

Chorus Master,

OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE CHAIRS Elizabeth Caswell Dyer, Chair Marcia Robinson, President Michael Bock, Vice President Chevis F. (Chip) Horne, Vice President Richard Koseff, Secretary James Linfield, Treasurer Kevin O’Connor, Chair Emeritus

DIRECTORS Jeff V. Baldwin B. Edward Balkin Maria Garcia Berry Mark C. Bussey Eleanor N. Caulkins, Lifetime Honorary Chair Dr. Laurence K. Chan Dr. Alan Cooper Joseph Fogliano Richard Garvin Mark Heiser, Ex-Officio Don Hindman Kelly Ann Hodges Laurence D. Kaptain, Ex-Officio Hon. Kenneth Laff Judy LaSpada William N. Maniatis, MD MAJ. Konstantinos (Dino) G. Maniatis Vivian Murciano Jon J. Olafson Ronald Otsuka Prem S. Subramanian, MD, PhD Keith Ward, Ex-Officio Valerie M. Wassill, MD Daniel G. Welch Diane K. Wengler Robin Kolsky Yaeger Larry Zimmer

Repetiteur & Assistant Conductor Nathan Salazar

Principal Repertoire Coach

Cody Guy Garrison

Chorus Repetiteur

Daniel Belcher

Voice Teacher

2022-23 ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE Francesca Mehrotra

soprano

Joanne Evans

mezzo-soprano

HONORARY DIRECTORS Suzanne Bucy Hugh Grant Jeremy Kinney Mary French Moore Gerald Saul Jeremy Shamos Susan Shamos Merrill Shields Martha Tracey

David Soto Zambrana tenor Dante Mireles

baritone

Keith Klein

bass-baritone

Turner Staton

bass-baritone

Oleg Bellini

coach-accompanist

OPERA COLORADO’S PROGRAM BOOKS ARE PRODUCED BY THE PUBLISHING HOUSE .

Angie Flachman Johnson Publisher Stacey Krull Art Director Wilbur E. Flachman President Emeritus .

FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION 303.428.9529 or ColoradoArtsPub.com

VOLUNTEERS Wade Adams Eric Bard Barbara Bower Marilyn Brock Jeffrey Brown Stephen Dilts Thomas Gaffney Lisa Goda Sigrid Halvorson Freese Debra Hoarty Zoe Hoarty Gwendolyn Jackman Robert Kahn Kiplund Kolkmeier Susan Landers Heather MacKinnon Kathleen McQuaid Eva Phibbs Catharine Poe Regina Rajewich Michaele Reddy Donna Ries Grover Sardeson Therese Schoen Ruth Schoening Henry Siegel Lori Stevens Christine Tanner John Tanner Judith Taubman Marianne Weingroff Matthew Wolchak

CONTACT OPERA COLORADO ADMINISTRATION Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

Opera Colorado Opera Center 4121 S Navajo St, Ste 100 Englewood, CO 80110 303.778.1500 info@operacolorado.org

PATRON SERVICES Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

303.468.2030 customerservice@operacolorado.org

OPERACOLORADO.ORG follow @operacolorado

Plan ahead and protect those you love.

CREMATIONS | LIFE CELEBRATIONS | CEMETERIES

FREE Planning Guide: DignityMemorial.com 8 LOCAL PROVIDERS TO SERVE YOU, INCLUDING:

Olinger

MORTUARIES & CEMETERIES

303-233-4611

Olinger Crown Hill Mortuary & Cemetery

More than 700 Lions, Tigers, Bears, Wolves and other RESCUED animals that need your help!