New Orleans Opera Association - Yardbird 2022 Program

Daniel Schnyder

Bridgette A. Wimberly

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome to Birdland! With gratitude to the Ranney and Emel Songu Mize Chamber Opera Series, we are thrilled to present the New Orleans premiere of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, an opera that had its world premiere just a few years ago in 2015. This fantasia, based on the life of the great jazz musician Charlie Parker, marries operatic form and compositional style with melodies and improvisations straight from the world of jazz.

This program is produced for the New Orleans Opera Association by:

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New Orleans Opera Association

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Executive Editor

Janet Wilson

Editor Ashley McLellan

Art Director

Ali Sullivan

Senior Account Executive Brooke Genusa

Production Manager

Rosa Balaguer Arostegui

Production Designer Meghan Rooney

Chief Executive Officer

Todd Matherne

Copyright 2022 New Orleans Opera Association and Renaissance Publishing, LLC. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher.

© New Orleans Opera Association

“A jazz opera?” you might ask. As an art form, opera is constantly evolving, telling human stories that transcend time and place. Many operas that were standard repertoire 100 years ago are now rarely seen on the stage (Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots, for example), while the operas we now think are “standard” were once considered unusual. (Mozart’s Cosí fan tutte was absent from the Metropolitan Opera stage from 1935 until 1951.) In 2015 alone, American opera companies produced 66 world premieres, testifying to the vitality of this art form, even as we treasure the “classic” works that made so many of us fall in love with opera in the first place.

Miles Davis said you could tell the history of jazz in four words: “Louis Armstrong. Charlie Parker.”

Charlie Parker was an absolute musical genius, whose legend and legacy endure even as his life and career were derailed by an addiction to heroin and alcohol. Yardbird weaves together strands of Parker’s life as his spirit attempts to complete his final compositions. It is only fitting that this great contemporary work be presented to the community where jazz began, here in the North American cradle of culture: New Orleans.

Clare Burovac, NOOA General and Artistic Director

Dwayne O. Littauer, NOOA Board President

NOOA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mr. Dwayne O. Littauer President

Ms. Sonya Moore Vice President

Mrs. Mary Chapman Albert

Mr. Ron Austin

Dr. Nicolas Bazan

Mrs. Adelaide Wisdom Benjamin

Mr. Peter Brigandi

Mr. Joseph Bruno

Ms. Luretta Bybee

Mrs. Serafina Charbonnet

Mr. Edgar L. “Dooky” Chase III

Mr. Arthur A. Crais Jr.

Dr. Patrick J. Dowling

Mrs. Pauline Hardin Secretary

Mr. Emmet Geary, Jr. Treasurer

Mrs. Diane S. Dupin

Mr. Roch Eshleman

Mr. Tim Fields

Dr. Constance Gistand

Mr. Bruce A. Gordon

Ms. Adrea Heebe

Mrs. Rania Khodr

Mrs. Elizabeth Mahorner Landis

Mrs. Christine LeBlanc

Mr. Edward F. Martin

Mr. Jonathan C. McCall

Dr. R. Ranney Mize

Mr. James C. Gulotta, Jr.

Immediate Past President

Ms. Ann Owens

Dr. Everett Robert

Mr. Gregory St. Etienne

Prof. Cynthia Samuel

Mr. Leopold Z. Sher

Mrs. Harry C. (Claire) Stahel

Mr. Philip Straub

Ms. Catherine Burns Tremaine

Dr. Rand Voorhies

Ms. Debby Hirsch Wood

Mr. Joseph Young

NOOA ADVISORY BOARD

Mrs. Virgene Biggers

Mrs. Margie Breeden

Ms. Elizabeth “Liz” Glaser Broekman

Ms. Michelle Butler

Dr. Mark Caldwell

Mrs. Eileen Capritto

Mrs. Kathy Christian

Hon. Jacquelyn B. Clarkson

Ms. Joan Coulter

Dr. R.W. Culver

Mr. Georges Daou

Mrs. Thomas S. Davidson

Mrs. Monique R. Gougisha Doucette

Mrs. Betsy Dowling

Mr. Brooke Duncan

Dr. Charles Dupin

Ms. Marlene Duronslet

Mr. Elroy W. Eckhardt

Mrs. Melissa Mason Gordon

Ms. Amanda Green

Mr. Douglas Grundmeyer

Mr. Michael Harold

Mr. Timothy Hemphill

Ms. Melissa Hess

Mr. Neuville Hotstream

Hon. Bernette J. Johnson

Ms. Givonna Joseph

Mrs. Rose LeBreton

Ms. Lisa Leone

Mr. Frank Maselli

Mrs. Gail McKenna

Dr. Jane Cagan Miller

Mrs. Cindy Mistrot

Mrs. Pat Murrell

Mr. Ernest L. O’Bannon

Dr. Andrew Orestano

Prof. Amy Pfrimmer

Ms. Ashley Pradel

Dr. Byron Scott

Dr. Alan E. Sheen

Mrs. Sonda Stacey

Ms. Diana Stieffel

Dr. Peter M. Tufton

EVERYONE BELONGS HERE

EVERYONE BELONGS HERE.

Yes, everyone . In this theater, we are one community coming together to experience this beautiful art form. Say hi to your neighbor. Welcome them. Welcome one another.

COME AS YOU ARE.

The way you present yourself to the world reflects your own identity. You may wish to dress up to come to the New Orleans Opera. You may wish to dress casually. No matter how you dress, you are welcome here.

YOUR EXPERIENCE HERE IS PERSONAL.

You are allowed to laugh, to gasp, to weep, to react. So are your neighbors. This is live theater. The performers share their energy with you, and in turn, you share your energy with them. Everyone must engage for the performance to succeed.

WORDS CAN HAVE A BIG IMPACT.

If you choose to share your opinions (either via social media, with our staff over the phone, or in person at one of our shows) about our policies, productions, cast members or staff, please refrain from using offensive or hurtful language—especially disparaging language that is commonly used to offend marginalized groups. Ask yourself whether what you have to say contributes to someone's well-being or whether it is deliberately destructive.

SHOW KINDNESS.

Show kindness to yourself, to others, and to our staff. New Orleans Opera is a space where creativity, positivity, and joy are all celebrated. Please leave negativity at the door.

MASTERSIGNERS

Mastersigners are opera lovers committed to the financial stability of the New Orleans Opera. As major supporters, these contributors also receive benefits including invitations to exclusive private receptions, access behind the scenes to rehearsals, champagne receptions and more. This list reflects cumulative donations received from September 1, 2022 to the time of this program’s publishing.

Première Circle:

$50,000- $99,999

Mr. Edward F. Martin

Drs. Emel Songu & Ranney Mize

Mr. John G. Turner & Mr. Jerry G. Fischer

Platinum Circle: $25,000- $49,999

Anonymous

Drs. Nicolas and Haydee Bazan

Prof. Cynthia A. Samuel

Jay Gulotta and Susan Talley

Mrs. Meredith Hathorn and Mr. Rawley M. Penick III

Ms. Adrea Heebe

Mr. and Mrs. Erik F. Johnsen

Mr. Dwayne O. Littauer

Mr. Jonathan McCall

Mrs. Louise H. Moffett

Ms. Ann Owens

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Priddy

Mr. and Mrs. Harry C. Stahel

Mrs. Catherine Burns Tremaine

Drs. Rand & Terry Voorhies

Mrs. Adelaide Wisdom Benjamin

Ms. Debby Hirsch Wood

Mr. Joseph Young, Jr. and Dr. Aysen Young*

Maestro Circle:

$10,000- $24,999

Ms. Jo-Ann C. Adams

Mr. and Mrs. Doug Albert

Mr. Henry Bernstein

Mrs. Betty T. Brooks*

Mr. Arthur A. Crais, Jr.

Mrs. Ellen Frohnmayer

Mr. Emmet Geary, Jr.

Ms. Joanna Giorlando

Mastersigners: $5,000 - $9,999

Anonymous

Ms. Penny Baumer

Carol B. & Kenneth J. Boudreaux

Mr. Peter R. Brigandi Jr.

Mary & Tim Albert, Chairs of the Mastersigner Program

Drs. Nicolas and Haydee Bazan, Co-Chairs, Maestro Circle

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. Bruno

Dr. and Mrs. Patrick J. Dowling

Dr. and Mrs. Charles L. Dupin

Mr. Roch Eshleman

Joan Hooper and Julian Feibelman Jr.

Mr. Tim Fields

Melissa and Bruce Gordon

Pauline and Allain Hardin

Mr. and Mrs. Hicham Khodr

Mr. and Mrs. James C. Landis

The Estate of Mr. Robert M. Leake

Mr. and Mrs. V. Price LeBlanc, Jr.

Mr. Donald I. Levy

Ms. Sonya Moore

Nina and Lawrence Pugh

Mrs. Sally Richardson and Ronald J. Scalise Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Leopold Z. Sher

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred E. Stacey IV

Ms. Mary Ann Sternberg

Mr. and Mrs. Philip Straub

Mr. Bernard Van der Linden

Mr. and Mrs. James Willeford

Special acknowledgement to Mr. Joseph Young, Jr. for founding the Mastersigners in 1981.

THE RANNEY AND EMEL SONGU MIZE CHAMBER OPERA SERIES

Drs. Ranney and Emel Songu Mize committed to creating The Ranney and Emel Songu Mize Chamber Opera Series in December 2021, which will support the production of operas at alternative venues in the greater New Orleans area for 5 years. New Orleans Opera will receive a cumulative gift of $350,000 to underwrite this series, and we are grateful to the Mizes for their foresight and dedication. Charlie Parker’s Yardbird is the second opera in this series following the success of An Homage to Josephine Baker last season.

“This is an incredible contribution that will enable New Orleans Opera to present new, contemporary, or less-recognized works each year and will help broaden our audiences through an expansion of the traditional repertoire for the company,” said General and Artistic Director Clare Burovac. “The Mizes have a long-standing appreciation for operas that recount stories and experiences that are not as frequently represented in the more traditional canon. This series will enable New Orleans Opera to bring these productions to the stage and to better reflect the stories of the community we serve.”

RECENTLY:

• Director, Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, Pittsburgh Opera

• Director, The Current War, Quantum Theatre

• Author, The Roosevelt Franklin Project

• Director, Little Children, Dream of God, Point Park Universirty

• Choreographer/Intimacy Coordinator, What If, Billy Porter, Director

• Choreographer, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Park

RECENTLY:

• Tosca, Gulfshore Opera / Naples Philharmonic

• Schwabacher Opera Concert, Merola, San Francisco Opera

• Faust, Savannah OPERA

UPCOMING:

• Norma, Opera Tampa

• Rigoletto, Amarillo Opera

• La traviata, El Paso Opera

RECENTLY:

• Charlie Parker, Charlie Parker's Yardbird, Atlanta Opera, Arizona Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, Dayton Opera

• Frederic, Pirates of Penzance, Virginia Opera

• Tenor Soloist, A Nation of Others, Oratorio Society of New York - Carnegie Hall

UPCOMING:

• Dr. Caius, Falstaff, Houston Grand Opera

• Mime, Das Rheingold, Seattle Opera

• Tenor Soloist, Carmina Burana, Symphony San Jose

RECENTLY:

• Tosca, Tosca, Indianapolis Opera

• Addie, Charlie Parker's Yardbird, Dayton Opera

• Aida, Aida, Portland Summer Music Festival

UPCOMING:

• Delta Visiting Chair for Global Understanding, University of Georgia

• Opera...from a Sistah's Point of View, University of Georgia Hodgson School of Music

RECENTLY:

• Bass Soloist, Messiah, Boston Baroque

• Soloist, Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen, Youngstown Symphony Orchestra

• Schaunard, La bohème, Greensboro Opera

• Figaro, Il barbiere di Siviglia, Opera Saratoga

UPCOMING:

• Figaro, Le nozze di Figaro, Opera Omaha

• Soloist, Bach in B Minor, Oratorio Society of New York

• Soloist, Out of the womb came the ice, American Composers Orchestra

RECENTLY:

• Ella, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella, Jefferson Performing Arts Society

• Phoebe D'Ysquith, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, Le Petit Théâtre Du Vieux Carré

• Marian Paroo, The Music Man, Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts

• La Statue Animée, Rameau's Pygmalion, New Orleans Opera

TELEVISION:

• Blackbird, Apple TV

• Secrets of Sulphur Springs Season 2, Disney Channel

Jorge Parodi, Conductor

Angela Brown, Addie Parker

Tomé Cousin, Director

Martin Bakari, Charlie Parker

Rachel Looney, Chan Parker

Sidney Outlaw, Dizzy Gillespie

Julianna Espinosa, Doris Parker

RECENTLY:

• Soloist, Opera at the Broadside, New Orleans Opera

• Encouragement Award winner, Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition

• Countess, Le Nozze di Figaro, UNC Opera Theatre

• Apprentice Artist, Opera Fort Collins

• Alumna, Houston Grand Opera Young Artist Vocal Academy

Kourtney Holmes, Rebecca Parker

RECENTLY:

• Resident Artist, Opera in the 21st Century Program ,Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity

• Gasparina, La Canterina, UNLV Opera

• Annie, Royal Flush, UNLV Opera

UPCOMING:

• Featured Artist, Opera in Black, Opera Las Vegas

RECENTLY:

• Soprano Soloist, Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, American Prize Chicago Oratorio Award Winner

• Director and Soloist, Falling: A Monodrama, New Orleans Chamber Orchestra

• Music Director and Co-Director, Iolanthe, Tulane Opera and Musical Theatre

• Mother, Amahl and the Night Visitors, Mississippi Opera

UPCOMING:

• Music Director, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Tulane Musical Theatre

• Artist Faculty, FIO-Italia

Tru Verret-Fleming, Moose the Mooche

RECENTLY:

• Director, Stickfly, Alumni Theater Company

• Director, Perdita, New Hazlett Theater

• Director, Young Playwrights Festival ’22, City Theater

• Oliver Rivers, Puffs, Pittsburgh CLO

• Director, A New Brain, University of Pittsburgh

• Associate Director, Little Children Dream of God, Point Park University

• Associate Director, Kalopsia, New Hazlett Theater

Amy Pfrimmer, Nica

RECENTLY:

• Set Design, Cinzano (play), Carnegie Mellon University

• Set Design, Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, Pittsburgh Opera

UPCOMING:

• Personal Projects

RECENTLY:

• Lighting Designs for New Orleans Opera

The Medium

Die Walküre

An Homage to Josephine Baker

Porgy & Bess

The Blind

Pygmalion Tabasco

RECENTLY:

• Music to Accompany a Departure, Los Angeles Master Chorale

• The Barber of Seville, New Orleans Opera Association

• Lagrime Di San Pietro, Los Angeles Master Chorale

UPCOMING:

• Costume Director & Design, Madame Butterfly, New Orleans Opera Association

• Costume Designer, The Defiance of Dandelions, No Dream Deferred NOLA

• Costume Designer, The Color Purple, Umbrella Stage Company

Phoenix Rose, Hair & Makeup Designer

RECENTLY:

• The Wiz, New Venture Theatre, Baton Rouge, LA, WMU designer, and lead

• American Horror Story “Freakshow" television promo, New Orleans, LA, 1st Hair Artist

• The Trees Remember, New Orleans, LA, HMU Department Head

Mandi Wood, Lighting Designer

Iana Dobreva, Scenic Designer

Danielle Domingue Sumi, Costume Designer & Director

SYNOPSIS

The year is 1955: Charlie “Bird” Parker is dead. The ravages of his lifelong addiction have reached their inevitable terminus, leaving his broken body in the hotel suite of friend and patron Nica, a wealthy baroness.

Nica leaves the body unidentified at the morgue, wishing to break the news to Charlie’s longtime girlfriend Chan first. Nica also hopes to mitigate the scandal of a Black man being found dead in her suite in a segregated hotel. Meanwhile, Charlie’s spirit alights in Birdland [a club that the real-life Charlie Parker loaned his name to, but which he never owned or profited from]. He begs Nica for more time with his memories and his music before his body is claimed at the morgue. His soul cannot rest until he attempts to achieve his musical masterwork - a revolution of form like his idol, Russian composer Igor Stravinsky.

The opera follows a diffuse and dreamlike, nonlinear form as Bird reminisces imagined conversations from past and present with his closest confidants. The past and present merge as we revisit Charlie as a youth in Kansas City, relentlessly devoted to practicing saxophone by rote, already demonstrating a fascination with “weird” and challenging sounds like the tritone, historically known as the “Devil’s Interval.” This interlude foreshadows both his radical, tonally ambitious 12-tone innovations as a progenitor of bebop jazz composition, as well as the figurative devil of addiction on his shoulder, which he will ultimately be unable to outrun.

In the past, his mother Addie and his first wife Rebecca duet on the challenges of being –and loving– a Black man in America. [Historical note: Charlie and Rebecca were married when they were both teenagers in 1936 – the same year that Parker suffered a car wreck on tour that would contribute to his lifelong addiction to painkillers and heroin. He left his first wife

and son Leon behind when he moved to New York City to pursue his career.]

Charlie’s third wife Doris then attempts to help his spirit find peace. They discuss Bird’s renunciation of religion - he would remain an avowed atheist. [Historical note: Parker’s second wife, Geraldine, is not a character in this opera. Less is known about Geraldine’s life and their short-lived marriage. By her own account, “When I met him, all he had was a horn and a habit. He gave me his habit.”]

Musical collaborator and best friend Dizzy Gillespie appears and jovially commiserates with Bird about their shared love for music, and for one another. They celebrate the birth of bebop, and lament the struggles of being a musician.

We are next introduced to Chan, Bird’s partner at the time of his death. [Historical note: Charlie never married Chan, but they were, by modern definition, common law spouses. Chan was the mother of his two young children, Pree and Baird.] Dizzy and Charlie reminisce about the night Chan and Bird first met in the club. She playfully recounts her instant feelings of love and admiration. Part I closes with Chan and Charlie’s declarations of love.

Part II opens with Dizzy and Bird’s ill-fated decision to tour in California in 1945. His mother Addie appears as a harbinger, celebrating the elation of hearing her son’s music on the radio, but warning him to keep his darker predilections at bay.

Once in California, Charlie learns from Chan that their young daughter Pree has died. The news sends him spiraling, invoking a 5150, the police code for involuntary psychological commitment. Bird is institutionalized in Camarillo, California for six months.

After his spirit is freed from this troubling memory, Charlie sings an impassioned aria addressing his horn, in the dramatic catharsis of the opera. He sublimates his words of yearning

and apology to his instrument. Nevertheless, it is a moment of triumph as he recognizes the saxophone itself represents his life’s great work, his truest love.

As Charlie ultimately achieves some measure of peace, the women in his life are left, in the living world, to clash about his final resting place, an echo of the real-life legal battle that would ensue in settling his estate. Chan appeals to the grieving Addie to honor Bird’s wishes that his body be interred in New York City, rather than in the hometown he strived so hard to escape. His wives Rebecca and Doris join the argument and add their own accounts, in a sweeping ensemble.

Dizzy and Nica both reappear to eulogize the fallen Bird, before we are finally left alone, once again, with Charlie. He recites lines from Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s famous poem, “Sympathy:” “I know why the caged bird sings…”

-Amitra Vijayaraghavan and Andrew Stephens

CHARLIE PARKER'S YARDBIRD

COMPOSER

Daniel Schnyder

LIBRETTIST

Bridgette A. Wimberly DIRECTOR

Tomé Cousin

CONDUCTOR

Jorge Parodi, The Jerry W. Zachary and Henry Bernstein Maestro Chair

With The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra

THE RANNEY AND EMEL SONGU MIZE CHAMBER OPERA SERIES

CAST

Charlie Parker – Martin Bakari

Addie Parker – Angela Brown

Dizzy Gillespie – Sidney Outlaw

Chan Parker – Rachel Looney

Doris Parker – Julianna Espinosa

Rebecca Parker – Kourtney Holmes

Nica – Amy Pfrimmer

Moose the Mooche – Tru Verret-Fleming

CREATIVE TEAM

Scenic Designer – Iana Dobreva

Lighting Designer – Mandi Wood

Costume Designer & Director – Danielle Domingue Sumi

Hair & Makeup Designer – Phoenix Rose

Sound Design - Propaganda Group

Chorus Master – Carol Rausch

Production Manager – Sarah McCall

Technical Director – Keith Christopher

Stage Manager – India Mack

Asst. Stage Manager – Jamie Berry

Property Master – Shelley Irene Dall

Scenic Painter – Nathan Arthur, Creative Team

Wardrobe Lead – Lesly Davi

Performance & Rehearsal Pianist – Douglas Sumi

Supertitles Prompter – Beth Rota

Supertitles by Ruth Hansford

New Orleans Opera is grateful to Drs. Ranney and Emel Songu Mize for their sponsorship of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird as the second presentation of The Ranney and Emel Songu Mize Chamber Opera Series.

New Orleans Opera’s production of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird is generously sponsored by a grant from the New Orleans Theatre Association (NOTA).

The New Orleans Opera debut of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird’s Conductor, Jorge Parodi is underwritten Drs. Nicholas and Haydee Bazan in honor of Maestro Robert Lyall, Sarah Jane McMahon, and Ranney Mize.

Conductors for New Orleans Opera are generously sponsored by the Jerry W. Zachary and Henry Bernstein Fund for the New Orleans Opera Association.

Student Night Out Dress Rehearsals are made possible with generous support from The Louise Baehr Martin Memorial Fund.

Charlie Parker's Yardbird

LOUISIANA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

Clarinet/Alto Saxophone

John Reeks

Horn

Max Paulus

Trumpet I

Aaron Dubois

Trumpet II

Adrian Speyrer

Trombone

Austin Richardson

Contrabass

William Schettler

Percussion

Aaron Smith

Piano

Douglas Sumi

In memory of Bridgette A. Wimberly (January 7, 1954 - December 1, 2022), librettist for Charlie Parker's Yardbird.

“Bridgette gave voice to the stories of people who struggled quietly and with dignity and to chapters of African American history that deserve attention,” ... “She wrote with a striking poetic flair and with a sense of grace that also defined her very generous spirit.”from the New York Times obituary

Photo by Krista Schlueter for The New York Times

INDIVIDUAL DONORS

Thank you to our individual donors for the 2022-2023 Opera season. New Orleans Opera Association gratefully acknowledges the following individuals and family foundations for their generous support. This list reflects cumulative donations received from September 1, 2022 to the time of this program’s publishing.

To add your name to the roster of supporters, call Director of Development Joanna Sternberg at (504) 267-9526, visit neworleansopera.org, or send your check to New Orleans Opera Association, P.O. Box 52108; New Orleans, LA 70152; Attn: Development Office. Many companies will match employee and retiree gifts – ask your employer for a matching form to submit with your check. Contributions to the New Orleans Opera Association are tax-deductible as allowable by law (tax ID number 720272897). We are grateful for each contribution and we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of these listings as of the printing/publishing deadlines. To make a correction to your listing for future printings or, if you believe you have been omitted from the donor list, please call (504) 267-9526.

Opera Club Circle: $2,500 - $4,999

Anonymous

Prof. Luretta Bybee

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Prof. Robert Force

Mr. and Mrs. Charles B. Mayer

Mr. Ernest O’Bannon

Mr. Gregory St. Etienne

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Ms. Beth Terry

Mr. and Mrs. Walter H. Weil III

Patrons: $1,000-$2,499

Anonymous

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Mrs. Dale Biggers

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Schwam Harris

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Mr. Darryl Smith

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Mr. and Mrs. Richard Van Wootten

Ms. Donna Vitter

Mr. Justin Von Andersson

Thomas and Rita-May Ward

Ms. Claire L. Whitehurst

Robert and Nell Nolan Young

Patrons - $500- $999

Mr. and Mrs. Harry Barkerding

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Dr. Martha J. Beveridge

Ms. Cherry Bordelon

Mr. and Mrs. J. Scott Chotin

Mr. Donald M. Clement

Ms. Deborah De La Houssaye and Mr. William Lake Douglas

Ms. Marlene Duronslet

Ms. Deborah Fagan

Ms. Jill Fatzer

Dr. And Mrs. J.M. Fortino

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Mrs. Annette Hudson

Mrs. Rosemarie Kaskell

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Mr. Andrew Kingsley

Mr. and Mrs. Edward F. LeBreton III

Mrs. Maline Levy-Berenger

Marrero Land and Trust

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Patrons - $250-499

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Patrons - $100-249

Anonymous

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Ms. Amanda Hembree

Mr. David Hinton

Ms. Joan Hoffmann

Mr. Melvin Jones

Ms. Givonna Joseph

Mrs. Betty Karam

Mr. Arthur M. Kastler

Ms. Sonia Kenwood

Ms. Vicki King

Mr. and Mrs. James Klebba

Mrs. Gina Klein

Dr. Thomas F. Kramer

Dr. Edward Levy

Mrs. Helen Malachias

Mrs. Ellen McGlinchey

Mrs. Sarah Jane

McMahon Briscoe

Stacey Michael

Dr. Jane Cagan Miller and

Mr. Bruce Miller Esq.

Mr. Brian Morgan

Ms. Shirley Morrison

Mr. Chester Morrison

Ms. Rebecca Moseley

Mr. M. Christian Mounger

Dr. Lynne Neitzschman

Dr. James Oakes

Ms. Sophia Pappas

Ms. Jeanne Parrish

Mr. Nicholas Persich

Ms. Mary Penn

Ms. Janice Piazza

Gerald and Patricia Price

Ms. Jane Raiford

Mr. A. Ravi P. Rau

Ms. Brenda Reilly

Mr. Kirk Redmann

Ms. Courtney Sarpy

Ms. Diana Ricou-Smith

Ms. Catherine Robbins

Dr. James Robinson

Ms. Elizabeth Ryan

Ms. Kelly Sampson

Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Scharff

Ms. Helen L. Schneidau

Mr. Stanley Schwam

Mr. B. Todd Sitzman

Mr. Alan Smason

Mrs. Jacqueline Sperier

Mr. Robert Swedberg

Ms. Hilda Thomas

Mr. Howard Thompson

Ms. Roberta Trufant

Ms. Virginia Tuman

Ms. Linda Usdin

Dr. Virginia Vehaskari

Mr. Richard Velkley

Dr. Robert Weilbaecher

Ms. Carmelite Wellman

Mr. James Wesner

Mr. John Wettermark

Ms. Elizabeth Wilson

Ms. Janet Wilson

*deceased

PLANNED GIVING WITH NEW ORLEANS OPERA

Help build the future of opera in New Orleans through your planned gift.

When you include the New Orleans Opera Association in your estate plans, you play a significant role in the continued success of top quality opera and opera education for generations to come. We are happy to assist you in identifying gift options that suit your financial and philanthropic goals – from a simple bequest in your will to a charitable trust or endowed fund.

Planned giving makes great art possible and helps sustain the activities of the Opera Association now and into the future. We thank the current Legacy Society members and invite you to join their ranks by notifying the Development Office that you have provided for the Opera Association in your estate plans. You can also request more information about the many kinds of gift options and underwriting opportunities you may choose to support.

Planned giving instruments can include:

· Outright charitable gifts

· Gifts of appreciated property

· Bequests

· Revocable trusts

· Life insurance

· Retirement benefits

· Charitable remainder trusts

JOIN US! Please consider joining the Legacy Society to help ensure the continued tradition of producing grand opera in America’s first city of opera.

Legacy Society Members

as of September 2022

Anonymous (2)

Drs. Stephen J. & Miriam R. Bensman

Dr. Patricia Cook

Dr. Maria J. Falco

Mr. Emmet Geary Jr.

Ms. Jacqueline Mae Goldberg

Mr. Dwayne O. Littauer

Robert Lyall

Louise* & Ted Martin

Drs. Emel Songu & Ranney Mize

Dr. Andrew Orestano

Meredith Hathorn Penick

Nina and Lawrence Pugh

Xenia Krinitzky Roff

Alma A. Slatten

Philip & Eleanor Straub

Mrs. Norton L. Wisdom (Susan)

Ms. Debby Hirsch Wood

Major Planned Gifts

2008-2022

Bequests & Endowed Funds

Garic K. Barranger

The Estate of Abby Ray

Catledge, in memory of her father Bryne Lucas Ray

Rose Annette Chisesi

Norma Jean Gross

Lois and H. Lloyd Hawkins Jr. Albert and Rea Hendler

Gerald Kendal

Victor Leglise

The Estate of Guillermo Náñez-Falcón

Mary Nell Porter Nolan

The Theresa Bittenbring

Marque & John Henry

Marque Fund

The Estate of James Robert Pope

Rachel Sainton

William H. Sholes

Lynette Askin Stillwell

James G. Viavant

Jerry Walker Zachary

For more information, or to add your name to this list, contact Director of Development

Joanna Sternberg at (504) 267-9526. All inquiries are confidential.

INSTITUTIONAL UNDERWRITERS

THANK YOU!

New Orleans Opera Association thanks our business, foundation, and government partners for their recent support!

New Orleans Opera works with each business and community partner to create a sponsorship package that suits your company’s particular needs. Whether you seek opportunities to entertain your clients, corporate visibility at performances, marketing partnerships, or all of the above, New Orleans Opera can assist you. Your sponsorship supports the Opera while providing exclusive benefits and visibility for your company.

GOLD CIRCLE - $100,000+

Lois and Lloyd Hawkins Jr. Foundation

Louisiana Economic Development

New Orleans Opera Endowment Fund

SILVER CIRCLE - $50,000+

Lois and Lloyd Hawkins Jr. Grand Opera Foundation

The Theresa Bittenbring Marque & John Henry Marque Fund

The Ranney and Emel Songu Mize Chamber Opera Series

Edward F. and Louise B. Martin Family Fund

BRONZE CIRCLE - $25,000+

City of New Orleans/Arts New Orleans

New Orleans Theatre Association

The Selley Foundation Fund

INTERMEZZO CIRCLE - $10,000+

Entergy Charitable Foundation

Erik F. Johnsen Family Foundation

Greater New Orleans Foundation

V. Price LeBlanc Jr. Fund

Lexus of New Orleans

Louisiana State Arts Council/ Louisiana Division of the Arts

McCall Fund

Louise H. Moffett Family Foundation

New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund (NOTCF)

Priddy Family Foundation

Wisdom-Benjamin Foundation

BENEFACTOR CIRCLE - $5,000+

An Anonymous Foundation in support of Opera on Tap-New Orleans

Carol B. and Kenneth J. Boudreaux Foundation

Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities

National Endowment for the Arts

National Endowment for the Humanities

The Greater New Orleans Foundation’s Hansen Fund for Arts Technical Assistance

WWOZ

AMBASSADOR CIRCLE - $1,000+

The Edgar “Dooky” Jr. and Leah Chase Family Foundation

Fidelity Bank

Hancock Whitney Bank

Josef Sternberg Memorial Fund

Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation

Louisiana Society of Hearing Aid Specialists

New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and Foundation

Peoples Health

Renaissance Publishing

The Ella West Freeman Foundation

Van der Linden Family Foundation

WWNO

We gratefully acknowledge matching and in-kind(*) gifts from the following institutions:

Acme Oyster House*

Addis NOLA*

Ancora Pizzeria & Salumeria*

Annunciation Restaurant*

Antoine’s*

Applied Materials Foundation

Bistro Daisy*

Booth Bricker Fund

Brennan’s *

Byblos*

Capulet*

Café Degas*

Café Porche*

Chemin a la Mer*

Compere Lapin*

Central City BBQ*

Criollo*

Dooky Chase Restaurant*

Encore*

ExxonMobil Foundation

Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar*

Freeport McMoRan Copper and Gold Foundation

Galatoire’s*

Happy Raptor Distilling *

High Hat*

Iacavone Kitchen*

Josephine Estelle*

Martin Wine Cellar*

Merck Foundation

New Orleans Museum of Art*

New Orleans Jazz Market*

NOLA Caye*

Pascale’s Manale Restaurant*

Peoples Health

Restaurant R’evolution*

Shell Oil Company Foundation

Stephanie Varns, CPA*

The Grill Room at the Windsor Court Hotel*

Windsor Court Hotel*

Wiley Publishing

UBS

Ye Olde College Inn*

COMMEMORATIVE GIFTS

IN LOVING MEMORY OF:

Dr. Carolyn Ruth Rudnick

Ettinger

Ms. Sharon Hayes-Roth

Virginia Chapman

Doug and Mary Albert

Alfonso Sabadie

Ms. Francisca Sabadie

John Armbruster

Ms. Paula Armbruster

Annette Scott

Ms. Shirley Morrison

Mrs. Betty Brooks

Mr. David S. Thomas Jr.

Mr. Emmet Geary Jr.

Mr. and Mrs. Frederick W. Christian

Mr. A.J. Capritto

Mr. Emmet Geary Jr.

Dr. Aysen Young

Mr. Emmet Geary Jr.

Mimi and Claude Schlesinger

Robert Burovac

Dwayne Littauer

Robert Leake

John K. Roberts, Jr.

Airey Ellis

Susan Dawson

Katherine Vaughan

Anne Heard

Alma Dunlap

Patrick Breeden

Margie Breeden

Patricia Price

Gerald Price

Enoch J. Donaldson

Janice Grijns

Mercedes Vulliet Bonner

Judith and Thomas Bonner

Dale Biggers

Elizabeth and Courtney Wilson

Jules Bellone

Ellen Bellone

Yvonne Coe

Mrs. Charles Kunz

Guillermo Nanez-Falcon

Margaret Shields

Carolyn Clawson Prickett

Mr. Edward F. Martin

Deirdre P. Long

Dr. William Long

Daniel J. Carroll Jr. and Betty Jo

Carroll Hussey

Daniel and Lisa Carroll

Maestro Robert Lyall

Sarah Jane McMahon

Ranney Mize

Drs. Nicholas and Haydee Bazan

Varla Jean Merman

Alex Aho

Monty Ramos

Jennifer Rigterink

Andrew Kingsley

Liam Griffin

Christina Mohammed

Audrey Fowler

J.C. and J.C. Harmon

Ted Martin

Mr. Howard Thompson

Ranney and Emel Songu Mize

Janet Wilson

Robert Lyall

Ray and Rebecca Aceto

Mary and Doug Albert

Adelaide Wisdom Benjamin

Dorian Bennett

Anthony Bentley

Betty Brooks*

Leslie Castay

Dr. Bernard Jaffe

Jonathan McCall

Drs. Emel Songu and Ranney Mize

Philip and Eleanor Straub

Beth Terry

Janet Wilson

Janis van Meerveld

Jim and Elizabeth Landis

William Lake Douglas and Debbie de la Houssaye

Sonda Stacey

Ms. Elizabeth Liu

Clare Burovac

Ms. Melissa Burovac

Mr. Norman Krasne

Joanna Sternberg

Jon and Sue Scharff

Mary Ann Sternberg

New Orleans Louisiana Saints and New Orleans Pelicans

Jay Gulotta and Susan Talley

NOOA Staff

Clare Burovac, General & Artistic Director

Gina Klein, Director of Operations

Artistic & Production

Keith Christopher, Technical Director

Sarah McCall, Director of Production

Carol Rausch, Chorus Master / Music Administrator

Development

Joanna Sternberg, Director of Development

Courtney Randall, Development Operations & Special Events Coordinator

Monty Ramos, Administrative Assistant

Community Partnerships & Education

Tara Melvin, Director of Community Partnerships & Education

Marketing, Communications, & Audience Experience

Janet Wilson, Director of External Affairs

Devin Johnson, Patron Services Manager

Dylan Trâ n, Marketing Coordinator

Jenny Chapman, Support Group Liaison

IATSE STAFF

IATSE Local #39

Keith Christopher, President

Alan Arthur, Business Manager

Neil Ingles, Head Electric

Michael DeLaCerda, Head Sound

Keith Tujague, Head Carpenter

IATSE Local #840

Theatrical Wardrobe Union

Shannon Muhleisen, President

Lesly Davi, Secretary/Treasurer

Bonnie Haase, Business Agent

Lesly Davi, Wardrobe Lead

Stephanie Kuhn, Sewing Lead

H. LLOYD HAWKINS SCENIC STUDIO

Keith Christopher, Technical Director

Nathan Arthur, Art Director

Shelley Irene Dall, Property Master

NOOA SUPPORT GROUPS

The Women’s Guild has been in existence since 1947, serving the mission of “Keeping Opera Alive” in New Orleans. The membership of the Women’s Guild is comprised of women who are dedicated to fostering and promoting the cultural aspects of opera, creating fun and exciting fundraising events, as well as educational efforts, in cooperation with the New Orleans Opera Association.

Save these Women’s Guild Event dates!

Mad Hatter’s Luncheon

March 7, 2023

Madame Butterfly Opera Orientation

March 12, 2023, 4:00 – 6:00 PM

Sylvain Society is the New Orleans Opera’s Young Professionals affiliate group. Established in 2017, their purpose is to connect the operatic arts to the Greater New Orleans community through events such as their annual Big Wig Ball fundraiser.

FOUNDING SUSTAINERS

Thank you to our Founding Opera Sustainers who have committed to making a monthly donation to New Orleans Opera. Please visit our website if you would like to become part of this group or would like more information. neworleansopera.org/become-a-founding-sustainer

Alex Aho

Ms. Margie Breeden

Mrs. Xiomara Brewster

Ms. Clare Burovac

Ms. Melissa Burovac

George and Lee Anne Carter

Mr. Tony Currera

Drs. David DeGenova and Kristi Soileau

Dr. Joyce Dugais

Mr. and Mrs. Ed Edmiston

Ms. Diane Fee

Alan and Julie Gandolfi

Dr. Mary Frances Gardner

Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Giaimo

Mr. and Mrs. Michael C. Grumich

Ms. Amanda Hembree

Ms. Andrea Heming

Ms. Jyoti Kehl

Ms. Gina Klein

Mr. Norman Krasne

Mr. Dwayne O. Littauer

Mr. Robert Lyall

Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Merritt

Dr. Jane Cagan Miller and Mr. Bruce Miller

Ms. Rebecca Moseley

Ms. Mary Penn

Monique Pyle

Ms. Hallie Sheck

Terry and Meg Sims

Mr. Alan Smason

Ms. Bianca Spears

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred E. Stacey IV

Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Stieffel

Ms. Deniz Ucar

Mr. Justin von Andersson

Ms. Yvonne Vonderhaar

Ms. Janet Wilson

2022-2023

NEW ORLEANS OPERA

March 24 & 26, 2023