West Edge Opera Festival 2015 Brochure

Festival 2015

Lulu • As One • Ulysses Berg • Kaminsky • Monteverdi Oakland’s Abandoned Train Station The Oakland Metro • American Steel Studios

July 25 – August 9 WestEdgeOpera.org

The Abandoned Train Station photo by: Ken Osborn

Remarkable Operas Unexpected Places

Season 2015 Mark Streshinsky

Jonathan Khuner

From The Directors Why is West Edge Opera producing such a huge work as Alban Berg’s Lulu, a piece which daunts even the largest opera companies? Because last year Mark Streshinsky innocently asked me to name a work I’d feel passionate about conducting. I had heard that a new orchestral reduction of the opera was being published, and I knew that in the Bay Area we could find an apt cast. By that I mean that we knew of amazingly appropriate particular singers (all of whom have indeed joined the production, to our great good fortune). So why is this opera one I feel passionate about?

It’s a family matter, perhaps. I grew up with the music of Alban Berg, when his works were still considered ultra-modern by most audiences.

In my family they were literally bread-and-butter. I owe my existence to my father Felix’s survival from the Nazi Holocaust, made possible by an international string quartet career that was launched with the 1927 premiere of Berg’s Lyric Suite at an important German modern music festival. As part of my very rich musical upbringing at home I became familiar with the works of The Second Viennese School, and grew especially curious about Lulu in my adolescence. An opera totally about sex! Later on I worked on productions of Lulu at San Francisco Opera and the Metropolitan, arguing with my dad over the relative merits of Lulu and Berg’s other opera Wozzeck.

Wedekind’s Lulu dramas (on which the opera is based) are an intellectual treatment, in the most moral terms, of how modern societies battle the most basic sensual drive in human experience. Lulu, originally condemned as pornographic, arouses passion because it is a powerful treatise on our deepest passions.

– Jonathan Khuner

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REMARkable Operas Unexpected Places

Jonathan’s initial request to do Lulu included his signature wry smile, daring me to say yes. My first response was that it was impossible, though I knew that this was a perfect project for us. We have the skills and the resources; we just needed to pay for it. As I began to discuss doing Monteverdi’s Ulysses, music director Gilbert Martinez suggested a historically-informed band of eight musicians in the pit. For our contemporary opera, I suggested a work that premiered just last September at The Brooklyn Academy of Music. As One, by Laura Kaminsky examines a subject that is more and more in the public eye: the experience of a transgender person from youth to adulthood. I found the piece very touching and interesting in its innovative storytelling style, while making use of a string quartet and two singers, a man and a woman, portraying the same character. It seemed to me that we had a very cohesive season with two operas that were extremely satisfying yet could be done on a smaller budget. This would make it possible to do the more extravagant Lulu.

The next step was to think about venue. We continue to be nomadic and want to capitalize on that, rather than wish for a proper theater. I took my cue from Oakland’s thriving, weird and wonderful arts scene. Three different places, all a bit subversive, would really make this season special and give our audiences a complete experience for each opera. Lulu will be performed at the historic, abandoned, decaying and totally awesome 1912 train station that can be seen—covered in graffiti— from the I-880/80 freeway interchange. As One will be performed at the Oakland Metro, a club near Jack London Square. Ulysses will be performed at American Steel Studios, a former pipe factory now home to Burning Man artists.

We continue with our three-weekend festival this year adding a Saturday matinee. For the true opera fanatic, all three operas can be seen within 27 hours. Who’s up for it?

– Mark Streshinsky

Lulu

by Alban Berg

American premiere of the new orchestration

The Opera For this pinnacle of German Expressionism in opera, Berg adapted the libretto himself from two plays by Frank Wedekind. Lulu is the ideal embodiment of sex appeal - she is married to three men successively in the opera. They worship her, but her untamed sensuality spells their ruin, even killing the third, the wealthy Dr. SchĂśn. Jailed for this murder, she escapes, but descends into poverty and ultimately prostitution. She is killed by a client, Jack the Ripper.

The Venue Oakland’s Abandoned Train Station The 1912 Beaux-Arts building was designed by architect Jarvis Hunt and for decades was the main train station for Oakland. The station buildings are largely intact, including the interlocking tower and ironwork elevated platforms. The tracks of the Southern Pacific main line moved to the other side of I-880 in the 1990s leaving the station isolated. The station was used in films such as Funny Lady and RENT.

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Emma McNairy as Lulu

The Artists Music Director and Conductor Jonathan Khuner Stage Director Elkhanah Pulitzer ARRANGEMENT Eberhard Kloke Lulu Emma McNairy Dr. Schรถn Philip Skinner Alwa Alex Boyer Countess Geschwitz Buffy Baggott Wardrobe Assistant/Schoolboy/Groom Erin Neff Schigolch Bojan Knezevic Animal Trainer/Athlete Zachary Altman Prince/Servant/Marquis Joseph Raymond Meyers Painter/African Michael Jankosky

Emma McNairy

Philip Skinner

Alex Boyer

Buffy Baggott

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As One

by Laura Kaminsky

Libretto by Mark Campbell and Kimberly Reed Collaboration with Friction Quartet

The Opera As One premiered at The Brooklyn Academy of Music just this past September. It is based on the life experience of noted filmmaker Kimberly Reed. Two singers, a baritone and a mezzo-soprano, together portray the character Hannah. The two singers embody a young boy who knows he is different but can’t understand how or why. The 70 minute opera traces the life of young Hannah through her eventual gender re-assignment.

It examines the experience of a transgender person through poetry, movement, beautiful music and film in a new and especially touching way.

The Venue The Oakland Metro Located just a block from Jack London Square, The Oakland Metro is a punk rock venue. Originally a Kantor’s Furniture showroom, the space now embodies Oakland’s gritty art scene and is an ideal space for such a provocative subject.

The creators Composer Laura Kaminsky’s first opera, As One received critical acclaim at its premiere. Kaminsky is a member of the faculty in the School of the Arts/Conservatory of Music at Purchase College/SUNY, where she served as dean from 2004-2008. She was also Artistic Director of Symphony Space in New York City until 2014. She is currently composer in residence at American Opera Projects, who produced the original production.

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Brenda Patterson and Dan Kempson in As One

Co-Librettist Mark Campbell was recently profiled in Opera News as one of 25 artists “poised…to become major force in opera in the coming decade.” The opera Silent Night, which he wrote with composer Kevin Puts for Minnesota Opera, received the 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Music and was telecast on PBS: Great Performances.

Co-Librettist/Filmmaker Kimberly Reed’s work has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN and NPR. Her documentary, PRODIGAL SONS, a co-production with BBC Storyville and Sundance Channel, premiered at the prestigious Telluride Film Festival and was featured at SF Frameline. As One is based on her life experience.

The Artists Music Director/Conductor Bryan Nies Stage Director Mark Streshinsky Hannah Before Dan Kempson Hannah After Brenda Patterson

Dan Kempson

Brenda Patterson

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Ulysses

Il ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria

by Claudio Monteverdi Collaboration with MusicSources: Center For Historically Informed Performance

The Opera The Return of Ulysses to his Homeland is an opera by Claudio Monteverdi to a libretto by Giacomo Badoaro. The work debuted in Venice during the 1639–1640 carnival season. After his long journey home from the Trojan Wars, Ulysses, King of Ithaca, returns to find that a trio of villainous suitors have seized the realm and are courting his faithful queen, Penelope.

Ulysses is considered one of the first modern operas. Its music demonstrates Monteverdi’s development as a composer for the lyric stage. By using a variety of musical styles, Monteverdi is able to express the feelings and emotions of a great range of characters, divine and human, through their music. Ulysses has been described as the most tender and moving of Monteverdi’s surviving operas, and one which reveals a vocal style of extraordinary eloquence.

The Venue American Steel Studios A former pipe factory, the six acre American Steel Studios was founded by artist Karen Cusolito in 2006 when she needed a bigger space in which to create her huge steel sculptures. The American Steel community now includes painters, steel fabricators and sculptors, vertical aerial and trapeze performers, glass artists and more.

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Nikolas Nackley as Ulysses

The Artists Music Director Gilbert Martinez Stage Director Mark Streshinsky Ulysses Nikolas Nackley Penelope Sara Couden Minerva Kindra Scharich Telemaco Johanna Bronk Eumete Michael Desnoyers Iro Ted Zoldan Antinoo/Neptune Christopher Filipowicz Anfinomo Jonathan Smucker Pisandro/Jupiter Gary Ruschman

Kindra Scharich

Sara Couden

Nikolas Nackley

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Remembering

Festival 2014

“West Edge Opera: Homelessness was a boon for this endlessly inventive company, which washed up in an unpromising lobby space in Berkeley and transformed it with wit and imagination into the venue for a brilliant triple play of operas by Puccini, Philip Glass and Jake Heggie.”

-Joshua Kosman, “Top ten classical events of 2014” San Francisco Chronicle “Invigorating is not an adjective you would normally associate with Puccini’s tragic tale of love and death in a Parisian garret. But at the Saturday night opening of Mark Streshinsky’s production of La bohème for West Edge Opera, the erosion of boundaries between singers and audience left attendees beaming.”

-Jason Victor Serinus, San Francisco Classical Voice “This summer’s festival was only further evidence of how essential this brilliant company has become to the local operatic scene.”

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- Joshua Kosman, San Francisco Chronicle

Love Edge West Edge Festival Kick-Off Concert

Thursday • July 2, 2015 • 7:30 – 9:00 Ed Roberts Campus 3075 Adeline Street, Berkeley, CA 94703 Above the Ashby BART Station Price $25.00 single ticket • $20.00 with a series.

Get ready for our 2015 Festival with an evening of wine, goodies, and music by our festival composers.

Featuring Friction Quartet West Edge Opera’s quartet-in-residence will be the whole accompaniment of As One, and the backbone of the Lulu orchestra.

Since forming in 2011, Friction has given 28 world premiere performances and commissioned 30 works for string quartet. They recently opened for Kronos Quartet, in Kronos’s “Under 30” series.

Emma McNairy Soprano Johanna Bronk Mezzo Soprano Nikolas Nackley Baritone Jonathan Khuner Piano The theme running through all these numbers, and common to our Festival repertoire, is exotic passion.

Monteverdi: O come sei gentile • Lamento d’Ariana Berg: One of the Seven Early Songs for voice and piano Largo Desolato from the Lyric Suite This piece has a secret… an embedded love-song text (written for Berg’s mistress, but hidden by Berg from his wife and the public for 50 years) sung by soprano.

Kaminsky: Rise, My Love • To a Common Prostitute 10

Ed Roberts Campus

Lulu 8:00

Friday

The Oakland Metro

Ulysses 8:00

Ulysses 8:00 American Steel

AU G2

Sunday

American Steel

Lulu 2:00

AU G7 Sunday

B

A

C

D

The Oakland Metro

Friday

AU G1

SA turday

JU

L3

1

JU

As One 8:00

AU G8 Saturday

A

Abandoned Train Station

As One 2:00

AU G9 11

Love on the Edge 7:30

L2 6 Sunday

JU

L2 5

SA turday

Ju l2

Thursday

Festival Calendar

A

Abandoned Train Station

B

D

C

D

E

(Part of Oakland Art Murmur • 5:00)

As One 2:00 The Oakland Metro Lulu 8:00 Abandoned Train Station Ulysses 2:00 American Steel

B

E E

C

Festival Series A

B

Openings

Lulu

Lulu

Sat Jul 25

SUn Jul 26 Sat Aug 1

C

Saturdays

Sat Jul 25

As One

Sat Aug 1

Ulysses

Sunday Matinees

Sat

D

AuG 8

Fri

Sun Aug 2

Lulu

Sat Aug 1

Sun Aug 9

Ulysses

Sun Aug 2

E Fri

Ulysses

Sat Aug 8

As One

Sat Aug 8

Lulu

Jul 31

As One Ulysses Lulu

F

3 in 27 hours Aug 7

As One

2nd Weekend

As One

Sun Jul 26

Ulysses

Make your own!

Call 510-841-1903

Series Ticket Holders can exchange tickets

Don’t Miss!

Every show will include

a pre-show talk 45 min before curtain and a reception with artists afterwards!

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Prices

(Buy the series and save!)

Gold Seats $84 Single ticket • $75 each if bought as a series • $225 total Silver Seats $55 Single ticket • $49 each if bought as a series • $147 total Youth/Senior discount only for Silver Seats. $46 each • $138 total Gold Seats are assigned and available until the night before the performance.

How to Order Series and Tickets available online www.WestEdgeOpera.org

By Mail: 1700 Shattuck Ave #312 Berkeley, CA 94709

By Phone: 510-841-1903

Venue Addresses and Directions Oakland’s Abandoned Train Station 1405 Wood Street at 16th From the Bay Bridge or I-80 take I-880 South’s first exit to West Grand/7th Street. At the end of the ramp, go straight ahead toward 7th. You will see the station on your left. Turn left onto 7th and immediately turn left onto Wood.

Go eight blocks and turn into the secure gated parking.

The Oakland Metro 522 2nd Street at Washington From the Bay Bridge or I-80 get onto I-880 South. Take the Broadway/ Alameda Exit. At the end of the ramp, turn right onto 5th street and go about nine blocks. Turn right onto Washington Street and go three blocks. You can park in the Jack London Square Garage which is across the street from the Metro.

American Steel 1960 Mandela Parkway at 20th Street From the Bay Bridge or I-80 take I-880 South’s first exit to West Grand/7th Street. At the end of the ramp, turn left onto West Grand Ave. Turn right onto Mandela Parkway. Make an immediate left onto 20th Street. The entrance is halfway up the street. There is ample guarded street parking in the immediate area.

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Season Tickets

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Kick Off Concert _______

x _______

x $20 =

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Total

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Make a gift to West Edge Opera Ticket sales account for only about 30% of the cost to mount these productions. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to West Edge Opera with your ticket order.

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West Edge Opera • 1700 Shattuck Ave #312 • Berkeley, CA 94709

Mark Streshinsky, General & Artistic Director Jonathan Khuner, Music Director

Order now and Save! www.WestEdgeOpera.org

© 2015 West Edge Opera • Season 2015 Photos by Cory Weaver • Design by singerdesign.org