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4 Message from the Director
18 Synopsis
6 Partners and Sponsors
20 Program Notes
9 Sustainability Fund
22 Community Arts Events Listings
10 Style Her Success
27 Artists’ Profiles
11 Director’s Circle
35 Edmonton Opera Chorus and
12 Friends of Edmonton Opera
15 Endowment Fund
40 Elektra Preview
16 Message from the Conductor
43 2017/18 Season Preview
17 Composer Bio
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46 Upcoming Events
Cast and Production Credits
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Edmonton Opera wishes to acknowledge that the land on which we gather today is Treaty 6 territory and a traditional meeting ground and home for many Indigenous Peoples, including Cree, Saulteaux, Blackfoot, Métis, and Nakota Sioux.
Message from the director The story of Cinderella dates back to the 1600s when French author Charles Perrault first penned the now iconic fairy tale. Since then the story has become the subject of several films, a musical, and 2 operas, one by Massenet and of course Rossini’s La Cenerentola. Adapted from Perrault’s story, tonight’s version differs ever so slightly from the original in 3 simple ways — Cinderella’s father (not stepmother) is the villain, there is a wise philosopher named Alidoro in place of the fairy Godmother, and instead of losing a glass slipper, Cinderella gives the Prince one of two matching bracelets so that he might find her. When the team at Edmonton Opera sat down together, we agreed we wanted to tell this story in a new way, both in terms of era and execution. Setting Cinderella in the world of 1950s haute couture seemed to be the most exciting path, as it was during this time that what you wore seemed to say something about who and what you were, which is an important part of the story.
In La Cenerentola, all of the characters are defined by what they wear; some are in disguise and others are not. The clothing reflects who these people are and who they want others to believe they are. The ‘ugly’ stepsisters use their wardrobe to hide their internal ugliness. They obfuscate with twisted, outrageous fashion in order to get the world’s attention. Cenerentola, or Angelina as she is called in this version, appears to be simple and common, when in fact she has a depth and beauty no dress can replicate or create. Early on I encapsulated the concept of this production with one statement; “Appearance is everything! Or is it?” For the set design, I wanted something that could be moved around so that each piece could be turned and put together with the other pieces to form different scenes. A child’s wooden puzzle complete with cartoon illustrations – playful and fun! The message, of course, is the most important part of Rossini’s Cinderella. It is timeless and all the more relevant today: living one’s life with kindness, charity and love is the only way to live a happy, fulfilled existence.
“Appearance is everything! Or is it? ”
– Robert Herriot
Come in and
hear the difference
14216 Stony Plain Road, Edmonton, AB • ph. 587.805.1830 • www.nationalav.com 4 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
PARTNERS
and
SPONSORS
SEASON SPONSORS
The Rob Hood Fund Production Sponsors turandot
cinderella
Francis Price & Marguerite Trussler
Jim & Sharon Brown
opening night sponsor
opening night sponsor
Sponsor of the Edmonton Opera Chorus
Emerging Artist Sponsor
Gold Partners
SPONSORS
media Supporters
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elektra
opening night sponsor
Education Dress Rehearsal Sponsor
Official Supporters
Suggitt PUBLISHERS
Suggitt PUBLISHERS
Thank you to Don’s Piano Place for the use of a 7'9 Petrof PII during the rehearsals of Cinderella. Cinderella Production photographs provided by Nanc Price photography. Edmonton Opera gratefully acknowledges the Kucey Dental Group, who offers complimentary emergency dental services for EO artists, and Dr. Mat Rose, who offers medical services for EO artists. Edmonton Opera is grateful for the support of these sponsors, suppliers and media partners. For more information about supporting Edmonton Opera, please call 780.288.2510 or email development@edmontonopera.com.
CINDERELLA 7
ENJOY CINDERELLA A community that allows you to enjoy the simple things in life… and the not-so-simple things like a charming comedy that puts a 1950’s haute couture spin on a classic fairytale. Learn more about Southwest Edmonton’s best family community at lifeincreekwood.com A SW community south of Ellerslie Rd. at 141 St.
quiet | calm | convenient
(Premiere Circle) We wish to thank the following individuals, corporations and foundations
who have committed to Edmonton Opera’s sustainability fund.
Each of the following members of the Sustainability Fund has committed a minimum of $50,000 over five years.
Individuals
Jim & Monica Allen Anonymous James Archibald & Heidi Christoph Robert & Michelle Bessette Kevin & Penny Birkholz Jim & Sharon Brown John Cameron Carol & David Cass Richard S. Cook John & Judy Cosco Darren & Laurel Durstling Bruce Hagstrom & Susan Wylie-Hagstrom Mark & Nancy Heule Laurence Jewell Dianne Kipnes Irving Kipnes
Ashif & Zainul Mawji Phil Milroy & Jane Russell Dr. Thomas & Melanie Nakatsui Jack & Esther Ondrack Sir Francis Price Hon. Marguerite Trussler Maureen & Randall Purvis Bernie Robitaille Arnold & Grace Rumbold Angus & Heather Watt James & Sheila Wheatley Ed Wiebe & Marcia Johnson Bill Winter Paulette Winter Glenn & Sandra Woolsey
Corporations & Foundations
Al-terra Engineering Ltd. Arrow Engineering Inc. Clark Builders Dentons Canada LLP Kasian Architects Dianne & Irving Kipnes Foundation Ledcor Group of Companies
PCL Constructors Inc. Qualico Shelley & Guy Scott Family Foundation Sorrell Financial Standard General Inc. Wheaton Family Foundation
The first stage of the Sustainability Fund, to obtain 50 gifts, has been achieved. The second stage, to reach 100 gifts, is now in progress. For more information on the Sustainability Fund, please contact the Program Concierge, Gwen Horvath, at gwen.horvath@edmontonopera.com or at 780.288.2510.
style HER
success
To celebrate the spirit of kindness and empowerment in Rossini’s Cinderella, Edmonton Opera launched a month-long initiative to help deserving women in Edmonton dress for success. Aptly named ‘Style Her Success’, this campaign was designed to reflect the themes of kindness and empowerment from our high-fashion production of Cinderella, giving Edmontonians the chance to help deserving women pursue their dreams. In partnership with Suit Yourself and Southgate, we have been collecting new and gently-loved office wear for disadvantaged Edmonton women who are transitioning into the workplace. “The tagline of Cinderella is ‘goodness triumphant’, which really inspired us to reach out and try to make a difference in the community,” says Tim Yakimec, General Director of Edmonton Opera. “An organization like Suit Yourself was the perfect fit because they believe in giving women that extra boost of confidence at interviews and new jobs. They have helped write so many Cinderella stories over the years!” Founded in 2001, Suit Yourself collects and distributes office wear free of charge for local disadvantaged women who are searching
L-R Lori McConnell, Executive Director of Suit Yourself, Whitney Sloan, Leanne Regehr, Tim Yakimec, General Director of Edmonton Opera
for employment or making a transition into the workforce. Their volunteers act as style coaches to assist over 600 women in selecting clothing for job interviews and employment opportunities. To celebrate the launch of Style Her Success, Edmonton Opera presented a special concert at Southgate Centre on January 7. Soprano Whitney Sloan and accompanist Leanne Regehr performed popular arias to delight the audience and raise awareness for the campaign. The performance was attended by an audience of over 200 onlookers, and many had the chance to learn about the great work Suit Yourself does year-round. Suit Yourself accepts clothing contributions and recruits volunteer style coaches throughout the year. You may also make a monetary donation by visiting suityourselfclothes.org.
Apple Fitness Store
11629 - 149 Street | 780-452-8877 | applefitness.com 10 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
ACCREDITED BUSINESS
Edmonton Opera director’s circle The Director’s Circle recognizes those patrons whose significant financial support and ongoing commitment enable Edmonton Opera to continue to produce award-winning and compelling art in our community. Bravo and thank you! For more information about the Director’s Circle or to become a member, please call Gordana Bosiocic at 780.996.2744.
Season SponsorS $250,000 Rob Hood Fund Dianne & Irving Kipnes Foundation Creekwood turandot Production Sponsors Francis Price & Marguerite Trussler cinderella Production Sponsors Jim & Sharon Brown Elektra Production Sponsors Don’s Piano Place MaestroS $10,000+ Allard Foundation The Highbury Foundation
LEADERS $5,000-$9,999 Larry Eberlein Hans & Susanne Forbrich Dr. Frederic & Alma Gojmerac Arliss Miller Marjorie Purdy Alan Rose Eira Spaner Chris & Vivian Varvis PATRONS $3,000-$4,999 Thomas Fath Gabor Gyenes & Erika Mullner Jeffrey Jansen Dr. Christine Kyriakides Steven & Day LePoole Joan Lopatka & Bill Rutledge Judy & Stuart Mackay Rod & Heleen McLeod John & Dianne Storey Family Foundation Team TELUS Cares Dr. P.J. White & Patty Whiting BenefactorS $1,750-$2,999 Tricia Abbott Darlene Acton Pauline Alakija
Anonymous Douglas K. Bingham & Sheila Janki-Bingham Jennifer Brown David & Patricia Cassie City Lumber Marian Clarke Elaine Coachman Sandi Ann Darrell Joseph & Pat Fernando Peter & Astrid Griep Jill Konkin Korwon Properties Ltd. Brian Kucey & Elena Hernandez-Kucey Alan Kuysters Igor & Galia Kwetny Hilliard Macbeth Stephen & Lynn Mandel Denis & Ruth McGettigan Ken & Gerda Miller Risha Milo Kyle & Colleen Murray Eleanor Olszewski Dr. Leonard Ratzlaff James E. & Vivian Redmond David Steer Joyce Walton Ralph James Wood
friends SustainerS
of
Edmonton Opera
Kelly MacFarlane & Christopher Mackay John Madill Grace Megli-Turner Robert Michalowski Les Moss John Oberg Fred & Helen Otto Wesley M. Pedruski Dr. George & Teresa Pemberton Fay Plomp Nanc Price Frank Prosperi-Porta Clayton Rodney & Raymond Cameron Marshall Sadd Pierre Sareault Scheffer Andrew Ltd. Roger Schilf Doug & Devika Short Nance & Michael Smith Karen Marie Trace Tim James Holdings Ltd. Brian & Dawn Vaasjo Frank Van Veen Bruce White James & Annika Wolfli Pat Young
Elisebeth Checkel Nancy Cheng Jonathan Chia Donald Chisholm Heidi Christoph Chung Chu Janet M. Clark Mary Teresa Clonfero Roger & Carol Cohen Joseph & Marta Collier Craig David Corbett Dr. Diane Cox Tim Crisall & Stefanie Ivan Brenda Dale Lois Davis Sandra & Peter Dawes Jeanette Debruin James & Gail DeFelice Terry Defreitas Fred Deis Dan & Lorna Dennis Dr. Jerrold Diamond R.J. & Janet Dmytruk Gail Docken Ryan Dory Sholeh Drackett Lloyd Dumonceaux Frank & Muriel Dunnigan Lee Michael Duperron Tim Eckert GUARDIANS Martin & Jacqueline Elton ($250-$499) Tom & Heather Etsell Action Moving & Wayne Eyre Storage 1988 Ltd. Noella Fagnan Jenny Adams Brittney Falcon Paul C. Allard Alfred & Coleen Falk Cory P. Almquist Barry Farquharson Joe Ammar Krista Ference Michael Bacchus MEMBERS Deanna Finnman Walter & Stella Baydala ($100-$249) SUPPORTERS Glenn Fisher Darren Bieganek ($500-$999) 1341920 Alberta Ltd. Karin Fodor Marc R. Bisson Lynn Adams Margaret J Friedman Andree Aston Peter Boisjoli Nancy Aust Kevin George Chris Chantler & Thomas Bradley Avillia Developments Ltd. John Getson Colleen Mckenna David & Leanne Bryan Sam & Sonia Azer Nancy Cranston GG Deeks Consulting Carolyn Campbell Diana M. Bacon Ben & Brandy Dutton Elaine Gill Cory Chisholm Jenna Baron Ivan & Ksenia Fedyna Margaret & F.S. Golberg Barrie Corry Vicki Barrow David Finlay Jon Goor William Bartelds Footprint Developments Inc. Darren Currie David Gordey David C. Edwards Prof. Corp. Scott Benoit Lorna Gawlinski Laura Graham Michael Dorey Lary Benson Alice Harrison Brenda Gross Maggie Dower Mary-Ellen Berget Zenia Hawrysh Jay Hamilton Peter Bevilacqua Douglas & Dorothy Hollands Walter Goetz Marylee Hansen Charles & Ann Grant Danisha Bhaloo Pavel & Sylva Jelen Kenneth & Jean Heavenor Gwen Horvath Julia Boberg Sandra Kavanagh R & Barbara Henderson Jiri Hrazdil Donald Bobey Brandon Kot Cathryn Heslep Azim & Shenaz Jeraj Dr. Grace Bokenfohr Libuse Kuzel Dr. Judith Hibberd Dr. Jay Kassiri Dan Brassad Neil & Jean Lund Leroy & Barbara Hiller Ken Keenleyside Ryan Brown Brenda MacDonald Jennifer Hinnell Warner & Bern Kotelko Joanne Burek & Lee Stickles Keith Warner ($1,000-$1,749) John Adria James Belovich Lynn Bengert Orville Chubb & Trudy Callaghan Michael & Eva-Maria Day John & Ann Dea Robert Edmunds Eng-Con Holdings E.P. Rees Inc. Heinz & Donna Feldberg Bill Grace A. R. Grynoch & P. V. Sing Mary-Lou Hamilton Neil Hayes Donald & Susan Hickey Holt Renfrew Devon J. Mark & Allen Vander Well Peggy Marko Alan Mather Bob & Bev McNally Carman & Averie McNary Susan & Ove Minsos Lindsay Nakatsui Dr. Edward & Geri Papp Mary Phillips-Rickey Pratch Family Foundation Dr. Clarence H. Preitz Dr. Dean Rokosh & Family Dave & Michele Rumbold Donald & Jacqueline Smith Roger Swainson Dr. Knut Vik & F. Calder Ralph & Gay Young Family Fund
12 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
David & Sandra Kraatz Campbell MacKenzie Greg & Patrece Maluzynsky Heather McCaw Linda Medland-Davis Zoltan & Brigitte Meszoly Jim Montgomery Keith Mould Sam Narayan Next Digital Chris Nicholas Ken Nielsen Alfred Nikolai Wade O’Neill Dr. Hanne Ostergaard Alex & Kelley Pagnotta C.H. Parks Parkwood Master Builder Jason Portas Carolynne E. Ross Stewart Roth Edmond & Orla Ryan Dennis Schmidt Dorothy Scott Matthew Singer Gerry & Barbara Sinn Grant Smith Jim Smyrl Dr. Thomas Snyder Dorothy Stoutjesdyk Campbell & Rosalind Sydie William Tonn Darcy Trufyn Joan Welch Tim Yakimec Gerhard & Inge Zmatlo Mr. Brian Zrobek
Brendan Hobal Mike Hruska Bonny & Earl Hubert Dr. Sheila L. Hughes Joe & Karon Huising Erik & Franziska Jacobsen Ernie Jacobson Gino Jenkelj Alan Jones Jesse Kadosh Jason Kalincak Lynne Kest Patching HaNeul Kim & John Yun John Kim Debra King Harold Kingston & Marie Desrochers Shirley Kirkpatrick Mark Kortbeek Dr. Elizabeth Krause Sharron Grace Krill Al Kulay Stephan M. Lacroix Jillene Lakevold Claudette Larocque Mark LaRue Margaret Law Stuart Lee Steven Lenarduzzi Franklin C. Loehde Richard Loken Doug & Joan Longley Ben Louie Richard & Jean Lyne Ian MacDonald Scott Mackie Reverend Joseph MacNeil Cameron MacRae Faye & Peter Macyk Stephen Madsen John Mahon Bob Mann Sharon Marcus Joan H. Marshall Daniel Martin Richard McCarty Rob McGrath Andrew McPherson Ronald & Carole Middleton Janet Millar Lorne Miller Keith Muller Larry Newton Roberto Noce Michael O’Dell Timothy O’Neill Steven & Janice Owens Frank Palko Sheila & Allan Parr Susan & Ernie Pasemko
Rebecca Patterson Paul & Lilly Pentek Jason Philipson Ryan Pinkney Christian Poirier Michael Powers Barbara Prodor Jacquie Pylypiuk Carlos Raposo & Judy Strachan Eugene & Jeanne Ratsoy Sharla & Dorian Rauschning Todd Reade In Honour of Ceara Kelly: Shauna Young
Yvonne Rekken Karan Riarh Jason James Richardson Terrance Richelhoff Jeff Robinson Hilary Rose John M. Ross Kim & Andrew Ross Dr. E. J. Rudnisky Kathleen Ryks Nadine Samycia Kathleen L. Savey Jelena & Dusan Savic
In Memory of Tom Hall: Dr. Laurence Jewell Deanna Finnman Brenda Inglis Michael & Eva-Maria Day
Tom & Bev Sawyer Barry Schloss & Maureen Hemingway-Schloss Chris Schulte Tony Scozzafava Sheelagh & Andrew Semper Vaughn Shears Julie Sinclair Edward Smith Sandra Smith Ian & Irene Sneddon Tim & Bailey Sousa Alison & Richard Starke
In Memory of Aline Pratch: Pratch Family Foundation
Alex Stenner Shawn D. Stevens Anne Strack Martin & Heike Stribrny Jean Sult Stevo Sun Brittany Sutherland Helen Tkalcic Christina Tozer Nick Trovato & Chereda Bodner Dennis Vance Terry & Michele Veeman
In Memory of Alice Mary Brisebois: Walter & Stella Baydala Gino Jenkelj
Trudy Velichka John Wanchulak Lorrill Waschuk Brett Wellicome Sarah Wong Mary Wood Serene Yau Jim Yih Alexander Yiu Edward Yoo Linda Youell Shauna Young Thomas Ziegler
In Memory of Dr. Knut Vik: Lary Benson Susan & Ernie Pasemko
In Memory of Rita Allen: Margaret Friedman
Thank you to those who have previously donated in memory of Kimberly Heard, Dr. Robert J. Buck, Dr. Lee Anholt, Dr. John Martin, Norah McKillop, Ernie LeMessurier, Dr. David Cook, Howard Irving, Patricia M. Paone, Oline Markine and in honour of Dianne and Irving Kipnes and Mary LeMessurier.
Sincere thanks go to those individuals who, through their gifts, have demonstrated their belief in making opera a vital part of our cultural community. To donate or for additional information, please call Gordana Bosiocic at 780.996.2744 or email gordana.bosiocic@edmontonopera.com. Only 2016/17 season donations and/or pledges processed up to January 3, 2017, are listed. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our donor information. If we have made an error or omission, please call Gordana Bosiocic at 780.996.2744. We apologize for any inconvenience. Although space limitations allow us to list only charitable contributions of $100 or more, we gratefully acknowledge all donations. Each gift, regardless of size, helps to make Edmonton Opera performances possible. Thank you!
FRIENDS OF THE OPERA
benefits
MEMBER
guardian
SUPPORTER
SUSTAINER
BENEFACTOR
PATRON
LEADER
$100+
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$500+
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$1,750+
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$5,000-$10,000
Tax receipt Acknowledgment in Intermezzo magazine Poster from our current season (upon request)
• •
CD of a classic opera recording (upon request) Exclusive VIP event (per season) Invitation for two to each dress rehearsal and VIP reception Two tickets at 30% off for each mainstage production Two invitations to the exclusive VIP Lounge VIP courtesy Jubilee parking during performances Tour of Production Facility Two complimentary Opera Brunch tickets Exclusive invitation to rehearsals
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE
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• • • •
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• • • • • • • • •
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Edmonton Opera’s Director’s Circle (donations of $1,750 or more) is our way of providing special recognition to our generous individual donors for their outstanding and sustained annual support. Director’s Circle members enjoy a number of exclusive opportunities throughout the season, to enhance their overall operatic experience. Please contact Gordana Bosiocic, Events Coordinator and Donor Relations, at gordana.bosiocic@edmontonopera.com or 780.996.2744 for more information about becoming a DC member. The Sustainability Fund is comprised of dedicated individuals, corporations and foundations who have committed to a five-year, $10,000-per-year contribution, ensuring the sustainable future of Edmonton Opera. For more information about Sustainability Fund experiences and commitments, please contact Gwen Horvath, Director of Fund Development, at gwen.horvath@edmontonopera.com or 780.288.2510.
CINDERELLA 13
Proud Sponsors of the Arts CIBC is committed to cultivating strong, vibrant communities across Canada. That’s why we are proud supporters of the Edmonton Opera.
CIBC Cube Design is a trademark of CIBC.
14 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
Aria Legacy Help Edmonton Opera Sing Forever Edmonton Opera creates award-winning and compelling art, and strives to keep that art accessible for the Edmonton community. Aria Legacy is your opportunity to share that dream in a focused and personal way, with a gift to our endowment program that will last into perpetuity. Endowment gifts of any size are appreciated. For more information on how you can help sustain Edmonton Opera for generations to come, please call the donor services line at 780.996.2744.
Edmonton Opera
endowment funds
Edmonton Opera applauds the following visionaries for contributing to or establishing a legacy of support for the future of opera in our community. Many of these contributions have been matched by the Canada Cultural Investment Fund. We would like to announce the creation of the Tom Hall Opera Chorus Fund in honour and memory of longtime chorus member Thomas J. Hall. To contribute, please call our donor services line at 780.996.2744.
Edmonton Opera’s Endowment Funds: Sam & Sonia Azer Family Fund Canada Cultural Investment Fund Cecilia Fund Dr. David Cook Fund for Edmonton Opera Edmonton Opera Endowment Trust Fund Edmonton Opera Staff Contributions Fund Andy & Marianne Elder Fund Frederic & Alma Gojmerac Family Fund Irving Guttman Opera Endowment Fund Tom Hall Opera Chorus Fund The Dianne and Irving Kipnes Opera Fund Oline & Roderick Markine Family Fund John & Barbara Poole Family Fund Francis Price & Marguerite Trussler Family Fund Russell & Dwight Purdy Memorial Fund Arnold & Grace Rumbold Fund In Memory of Howard Irving: J.E. Cote Richard Fraser Larry Judge John Karvellas Alec & Irene Murray Francis Price & Marguerite Trussler In Memory of Oline Markine: Francis Price & Marguerite Trussler
Endowment Donors & Aria Legacy Members Kris Aasen Tricia Abbott Darlene Acton John Adria Peter & Barbara Allen Rebecca Anderson Sam & Sonia Azer Alan & Alice Bell Robert Bessette Danisha Bhaloo Jelena Bojic Dr. Grace Bokenfohr Gordana Bosiocic Katherine Braun Greg Brown Jennifer Brown John Cameron Mary Teresa Clonfero Erin Clyde Richard S. Cook Craig Corbett Glenda Dennis Maggie Dower Marianne & Andy Elder Ivan & Ksenia Fedyna Deanna Finnman Laura Fitzgerald Karin Fodor Hans & Susanne Forbrich
Sandra Gajic Katie Gallin Fred & Alma Gojmerac Karen Good Gabor Gyenes & Erika Mullner Mary-Lou Hamilton PenĂŠlope Haro-Aranda Jennifer Hinnell Warner & Keith Warner Andrew Hladyshevsky John & Susan Hokanson Douglas & Dorothy Hollands Gwen Horvath W.H. Hurlburt Lauren Hyatt Jeffrey Jansen Laurence Jewell Ken Keenleyside HaNeul Kim & John Yun Debra King The Dianne & Irving Kipnes Foundation Betty Kolodziej Juri & Helle Kraav Rohan Kulkarni Tara-Lee LaRose Franklin C. Loehde
Brenda MacDonald Amanda MacRae Cameron MacRae Joanne Madeley Bertrand Malo Greg & Patrece Maluzynsky Stephen & Lynn Mandel Devon J. Mark & Allen Vander Well Roderick & Oline Markine Peggy & John Marko Alan Mather Julian Mayne Jeff McAlpine Jeff McCune Rod & Heleen McLeod Bob & Bev McNally Grace Megli-Turner Mickey Melnyk Arliss Miller Kevin & Robyn Mott Kyle & Colleen Murray Dr. Thomas & Melanie Nakatsui Dr. Edward & Geri Papp Wesley M. Pedruski Barbara Poole Dr. Clarence H. Preitz Francis Price
Protostatix Engineering Consultants Reynolds Mirth Richards & Farmer LLP Clayton Rodney & Raymond Cameron Analee Roman Hilary & Robert Rose Arnold & Grace Rumbold Celyne Runzer Kelly Sheard Katie Soles Michael Spassov Darren Staten Catherine Szabo Team TELUS Cares Lauren Tenney Karen Trace Hon. Marguerite Trussler Chris & Vivian Varvis Stella Varvis Angus Watt Cristina Weiheimer Joan Welch Adrienne E. Wong Tim Yakimec Serene Yau Stacy Young Gerhard & Inge Zmatlo
Additional financial contributions from members of the Edmonton Opera Chorus. A generous endowment gift has been made by the Edmonton Opera Guild in honour of the Edmonton Opera Chorus. CINDERELLA 15
Message from the conductor Just over 200 years ago, on January 25, 1817, the curtain rose on the first performance of La Cenerentola or the opera’s subtitle, “la bonta in trionfa” (Goodness Triumphant) in the Teatro Valle in Rome, with Rossini himself conducting. It followed the success of The Barber of Seville the year before. The librettist Jacopo Ferretti and Rossini wrote the opera with incredible speed — Ferretti finished the libretto in twenty-two days, and Rossini set it to music in twenty-four days. Some of the music was recycled from earlier works, including the overture. La Cenerentola is an excellent example of the bel canto style, which translates into “beautiful singing”, its purpose being to showcase the human voice. The opera demands vocal agility in the form of runs, trills, and ornamentation known as coloratura. Another characteristic mannerism in Rossini’s scoring is a long, steady building of sound over an ostinato bass figure, going from a whisper to a storm, hence earning his nickname, Signor Crescendo.
In 1822, Beethoven met Rossini and noted, “Ah, Rossini. So you’re the composer of The Barber. I congratulate you. It will be played as long as Italian opera exists. Never try to write anything but opera buffa, any other style would do violence to your nature!” Ironically, Rossini ended up writing more serious than comic opera, but it is the latter that dominates in opera houses today. Almost exactly twenty years ago in January, 1997, I joined the staff of Edmonton Opera as Chorus Master and repetiteur, which was finalized in a meeting with Irving Guttmann, founder of Edmonton Opera in Toronto. In October of 1996 I was invited by the Pforzheim Opera in Germany to conduct a performance of La Cenerentola. It was an audition performance, as I was being considered to be the studienleiter/1st conductor of their opera company. I was offered the position, but having spent sixteen years in Europe previously and having just returned to Canada for personal reasons, I didn’t accept the contract. Now after twenty years and two hundred years, it is a great pleasure to be part of this new production of La Cenerentola with Edmonton Opera. – Peter Dala
16 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
Edmonton Opera presents
cinderella (La Cenerentola) February 4, 7 & 9, 2017
Born Feb. 29, 1792, in Pesaro, Italy, Gioachino Rossini grew up in a musical family — his father was a horn player and sometimes professor at the Academia Filharmonica, while his mother actively pursued her operatic career when her husband was jailed for his political convictions. Rossini wrote nearly 40 operas throughout his career, as well as sacred music, chamber music and cantatas. His composing years span both the classical era and the Romantic period, trends that are reflected in his early and later compositions. At the age of 14, he was accepted into the Academia Filharmonica, where he proved to be a good accompanist and repetiteur. It was at the Academia that he met two influential singers: Velluti, a castrato and symbolic of the old traditions of opera, and Isabella Colbran, a soprano who would become his wife. After she died in 1845, Rossini married Olympia Pelissier in 1846. Rossini’s work is considered a bridge between the old guard of opera and paving the way for composers such as Wagner, Verdi and Mayerbeer. Rossini thoroughly enjoyed Mozart’s work, earning the nickname “the Italian Mozart,” but did not think much of Wagner (a feeling that was mutual, although Wagner was apparently quite impressed by Rossini’s final opera, Guillaume Tell). Rossini left the Academia Filharmonica early and accepted work at the Teatro San Moise à Venice, where he wrote four farse (translating literally to ‘farce’, these were low-budget, chorusless, 80-minute operas). This exercise allowed him to develop an effective, action-packed structure for his full-length comedies. He was also one of the first composers to write out ornamentation, since bel canto singers were known to take liberties and would render the piece an entirely different composition with their interpretation. Although his first two-act opera caused some problems with the censors, he soon became a successful composer in Milan, earning military deferment and name recognition. He was especially prolific after signing a contract with Teatro San Carlo, when he produced 18 operas in seven years. Rossini was soon receiving offers from all over Europe and chose to settle in Paris — a city he loved, with exposure to music from all over the continent and the ability to train some of the finest singers of the day. Eventually, he was replaced by Verdi and Puccini, although his work was re-popularized in the mid and late-20th century. Rossini died at the age of 76, in Paris, France. He left money to his hometown of Pesaro, and a music conservatory was built there, dedicated to the genius Italian composer.
Music by Gioachino Rossini Libretto by Jacopo Ferretti Premiere: January 25, 1817, Teatro Valle, Rome
Conductor Director Assistant to the Director
Peter Dala Robert Herriot Jessica Derventzis
The Cast
Angelina/Cenerentola Prince Ramiro Don Magnifico Dandini Alidoro Clorinda Tisbe
Krisztina Szabó John Tessier Peter McGillivray Michael Nyby Stephen Hegedus Caitlin Wood Sylvia Szadovszki
Understudies
Angelina/Cenerentola Prince Ramiro Understudy Coach
Sylvia Szadovszki Michael Marino Leanne Regehr
with members of the Edmonton Opera Chorus and Supers and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
Costume Designer Scenery Designer Lighting Designer Chorusmaster Repetiteur Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Apprentice Assistant Stage Manager Apprentice Assistant Stage Manager
Deanna Finnman Melissa Cuerrier Geoffrey George Peter Dala Leanne Regehr Ha Neul Kim Anna Davidson Gina Moe Morgan Graumann Ira Tuzlukova
There will be a 20-minute intermission between Acts I and II. Edmonton Opera is a professional company operating within the jurisdiction of the Canadian Actors’ Equity Association. Edmonton Opera is a member of the Professional Opera Companies of Canada and Opera America.
CINDERELLA 17
SYNOPSIS Act One
Act Two
At the Magnifico house, sisters Clorinda and Tisbe are bickering as usual, while their stepsister Angelina (Cenerentola/ Cinderella) works as a maid and must put up with their every demand. There is a knock on the door and a beggar enters. The sisters turn him away, but Cenerentola gives him some coffee. Little does anyone know: this beggar is actually the prince’s tutor, Alidoro, in disguise.
Don Magnifico is upset at the arrival of the
Officials arrive at the Magnifico house to announce that Prince Ramiro is looking to marry, and that he will host a ball to meet this family’s bachelorettes. Don Magnifico desperately wants one of his daughters to be chosen so that he can use the prince’s wealth to save his failing estate. Prince Ramiro then arrives, disguised as his valet Dandini, to observe the women who live here. Alidoro had advised Ramiro that he would find a worthy princess in this house. Cenerentola enters and the two lock eyes, immediately falling for one another. Neither reveals their true identity, and thus the ‘valet’ and the ‘maid’ remain attracted to each other from a distance. Ramiro’s valet, Dandini, now enters dressed as the Prince to invite Magnifico and his two daughters to the ball. When Cenerentola asks Magnifico if she can attend the ball, he scoffs at her. Alidoro arrives and declares that the household has three daughters, not two, but Magnifico quickly covers it up by saying that the third daughter has died. The entire party then exits, leaving a heartbroken Cenerentola and Alidoro behind. Alidoro sees Cenerentola’s good heart, and promises to take her to the ball. At Prince Ramiro’s palace, Dandini and Ramiro (still disguised as each other) discuss why Alidoro said a worthy woman would be found in the Magnifico family, seeing how selfish and silly they both are. Dandini (as the prince) tests the two young women, offering his valet (Ramiro) as a husband to the sister he does not choose. Clorinda and Tisbe are completely affronted by this suggestion. Alidoro enters the mansion, followed by a stunningly beautiful mystery woman. No one knows who she is, and they all wonder why she seems so familiar.
beautiful stranger, knowing that the prince would not choose Clorinda or Tisbe over her. Cenerentola, on the other hand, lets the prince (Dandini) know that she is in love with his valet (Ramiro). Upon hearing this Ramiro excitedly steps forward, but Cenerentola says she has to leave. She tells Ramiro not to follow her, but says that if he really loves her, he will find her somehow. She leaves Ramiro her bracelet. Ramiro resolves to find this mysterious woman and marry her. Magnifico continues to put pressure on the prince (Dandini) to choose one of his daughters. Frustrated by all the badgering, Dandini finally reveals that he is the prince’s valet, not the prince himself. Magnifico, Clorinda, and Tisbe leave the palace, feeling insulted. They return home in a bad mood and observe Cenerentola, who is back to wearing rags. Ramiro, now in his usual princely attire, is travelling past the Magnifico house when his carriage breaks down (thanks to Alidoro’s intervention), forcing him to seek refuge there. As Ramiro and Cenerentola lock eyes, they soon recognize one another. The prince notices Cenerentola’s bracelet and confirms that she is the mystery woman. Magnifico and his two daughters, however, refuse to accept the situation, causing Ramiro to become angry. Cenerentola asks the prince to forgive the family. Cenerentola and Ramiro celebrate their wedding at the royal palace, and Magnifico tries to mend his relationship with the new princess. All Cenerentola wants, however, is for Magnifico to accept her as his daughter, which he does. Risen from the ashes, Cenerentola finally finds her ‘happily ever after’.
50/50 tickets can be purchased in the main lobby and on the first balcony prior to the performance and during intermission. The winning ticket will be displayed at the end of the performance at the Jubilee exit doors. Thank you for your support of the arts in Edmonton! Those attending the Thursday night performance are invited to take home one of the floral arrangements courtesy of Hole’s Greenhouses, in exchange for a donation to the Edmonton Opera. Please visit the Opera Boutique in the main lobby on Thursday if interested.
Haute Couture, meaning high sewing or high dress making, originated in 1858 when the English tailor Charles Frederick Worth opened the first house of haute couture in Paris. He was the first to call himself a fashion designer rather than tailor or seamstress and was patronized by aristocracy and the wealthiest of society throughout Europe and America. Later, the “Le Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture” was formed creating guidelines to determine what could be called haute couture. Since 1945, French law has protected the term “haute couture” as defined by the organization. The guidelines of haute couture are strictly monitored with only a very select group of designers, French nationals and international, invited to become part of this elite association. Haute couture houses are required to follow specific rules. They must employ at least 15 full time workers at their own atelier in Paris, must produce handmade garments for a specific client with a minimum of one fitting, and must present a collection each season to the Paris press, comprised of at least thirty-five full outfits for both daytime and evening wear. Haute couture is the fashion genre that most closely mirrors costume design, as it involves the painstaking creation of one-of-a-kind works of art. In fact, many haute couture designers also design costumes for cinema and the world’s most renowned ballet companies and opera houses. Because of the highly artistic and experimental nature of haute couture, and because the finest materials and most skilled artisans are employed, it has created some of the most extraordinarily beautiful and incredibly outlandish clothing of the 20th century.
The costumes in Cinderella Like the rigidity of the haute couture world, gender roles in the 1950s were also firm, which makes it the perfect backdrop for Cinderella. Stepsisters Tisbe and Clorinda are far more sympathetic when you understand that the only way they can succeed in life is by looking attractive and marrying well. This explains the sisters’ competitive fashion obsession and the desire to have a bigger, better, more extravagant gown. As two fashionistas trying to out do each other, each reflects an aspect of the era’s fashions. Clorinda is feminine and frothy basking in a sea of crinolines while Tisbe is angular and architectural. Cinderella, in contrast, has a simplicity that radiates her true beauty much like a young Audrey Hepburn of that era, who was muse to the haute couture designer Givenchy. Her transformation is into a gown that is elegant, unencumbered, and timelessly beautiful. The audience instantly sees her radiant beauty but her family views her as plain, without style, and therefore worthless. Prince Ramiro mirrors Cinderella with his own effortless classic elegant look, as they are the two characters that can see through all the artifice and fall in love.
In the 1950s, haute couture houses reigned supreme, dictating styles and silhouettes that would trickle down to the masses for years to come. Many of the designers of that time such as Dior, Jacques Fath, Chanel, and Balenciaga still influence and inspire fashion designers today. For the very elite who could afford to wear haute couture, the reveal of a gown at a fashion show was highly anticipated and secretive. Within the ateliers workers were required to wear smocks so that the fibers would not be left on their clothes giving away secrets of colour palette or fabric type. Designers schemed to outdo one another each season and their clients flocked to Paris to attend private showings often enduring several fittings before a selected garment was finished. This is not the ‘poodle skirt, saddle shoes’ world we often equate with the 1950s but a world where being a ‘slave to fashion’ and keeping up with appearances was everything.
20 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
Clorinda costume
Tisbe costume
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F O R A L M O S T 3 0 Y E A R S , W E ’ V E P R O V I D E D P R O F E S S I O N A L , E C O - F R I E N D LY D R Y C L E A N I N G S E R V I C E S T O T H E G R E AT E R E D M O N T O N A R E A . A N D F O R T H E P A S T S E V E N T E E N Y E A R S W E ’ V E B E E N P R O U D PA RT N E R S A N D P R E F E R R E D D RY C L E A N E R S O F T H E E D M O N T O N O P E R A . T H A N K Y O U F O R Y O U R C O N T I N U E D S U P P O R T.
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Artists’
PROFILES Peter Dala
Conductor & Chorusmaster Peter Dala began his conducting career 30+ years ago with the Basel Ballet. He spent seven years at the Hungarian State Opera and the National Ballet of Hungary. He joined Edmonton Opera as chorusmaster/ repetiteur in 1997, was named resident conductor in 2001, and is presently resident conductor since 2013. In 2001 he began his affiliation with Alberta Ballet and was named music director in 2005.
Robert Herriot Director
After directing Turandot this season, Rob Herriot returns with the new production of Cinderella. Previous productions for Edmonton Opera include HMS Pinafore, La Fille du Regiment, Pirates of Penzance, Tosca, Mikado and The Magic Flute. Other productions include Lucia di Lammermoor, Rigoletto, Don Pasquale, Don Giovanni, Marriage of Figaro, Carmen, La Bohème, Albert Herring, Gianni Schicci, Suor Angelica, and Barber of Seville for companies across North America including Calgary Opera, Manitoba Opera, Opera Lyra Ottawa, Utah Opera, Arizona Opera, Connecticut Opera, Wilfred Laurier Opera, and Opera Nuova. His productions have been nominated for a Betty Mitchell Award, 3 Sterling awards, winning Best Production of a Musical for HMS Pinafore.
Deanna Finnman Costume Designer
Deanna’s 15-year association with Edmonton Opera as head of the wardrobe department and resident costume designer has included costume design credits for The Magic Flute, Lakmé, Pirates of Penzance and Fidelio. Her designs for Edmonton Opera’s South Pacific, The Emperor of Atlantis and The Mikado have earned Sterling Awards for best costume design. Most recently she designed costumes for Edmonton Opera’s production of Carmen. Deanna is excited to have worked on the 1950’s haute coutureinspired look of Rossini’s Cinderella.
Melissa Cuerrier Scenery Designer
“Working on Cinderella has been the most beautiful sort of challenge!” Melissa has enjoyed a career designing and working on musicals, concerts, and theatre. She has worked primarily as a set and costume designer since 2005, but this has been her first opportunity to design with Edmonton Opera. Past design credits include The Drowsy Chaperone (MacEwan), Shrek The Musical (Arden), The Full Monty (Mayfield Theatre), and At The Zenith of the Empire (Varscona). She holds a BFA in Theatre Design, and an MA in Theatre Theory. Melissa also currently heads the Theatre Production Program at MacEwan University.
Geoffrey George Lighting Designer
Geoff is pleased to be returning to Edmonton Opera. His work has been seen on this stage for Mary Stuart, The Merry Widow, Pirates of Penzance, La Bohème, The Mikado, Eugene Onegin and The Barber of Seville. Beginning his career as a lighting technician at the Shaw Festival and working mainly as a lighting designer, Geoff has designed over 200 productions for Carousel Player, Theatre New Brunswick, Neptune Theatre, Northern Light Theatre, the Mayfield, Brian Webb Dance, Mile Zero Dance, Kurt Browning, Leave It To Jane Theatre and last, but not least, Grant MacEwan University, where he recently retired as chair of the awardwinning theatre program.
Artists’
PROFILES Krisztina Szabó
Angelina/Cenerentola | Mezzo-soprano Praised for her “infinitely expressive” voice (Opera News), mezzo-soprano Krisztina Szabó’s engagements in the 2016-17 season include soloist in the world premiere of Gary Kulesha’s From the Diary of Virginia Woolf with National Arts Centre Orchestra, a production of short plays by Samuel Beckett titled All But Gone with Canadian Stage, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2 with Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Messiah with Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra, and her return to Music of the Baroque as soloist in Telemann’s Der Tag des Gerichts. She has performed leading roles with Canadian Opera Company, San Francisco Opera, Calgary Opera, Edmonton Opera, and Vancouver Opera.
John Tessier
Prince Ramiro | Tenor The Juno Award winning John Tessier has garnered international attention and praise for the beauty and honesty of his voice, for a refined style and artistic versatility, and for his handsome, youthful presence in the lyric tenor repertoire. He has worked with many of the most notable musicians of our day including Placido Domingo, Lorin Maazel, Charles Dutoit, Bryn Terfel, Kiri Takanawa and others. Appearances of the recent past and near future include performances at the Wiener Staatsoper, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Theatro Colón Argentina, The Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, English National Opera, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, the New York Philharmonic, Musikferein Vienna and more. Mr. Tessier is the head of Voice and Opera at the University of Alberta Department of Music.
Peter McGillivray
Don Magnifico | Baritone First prize winner in the CBC Young Performers Competition, Saskatchewan baritone Peter McGillivray’s 2016-17 season includes Stubb in Moby Dick for Dallas Opera, Messiah for the Amadeus Choir, Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola for Edmonton Opera and Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia for l’Opéra de Québec. Further credits include Bartolo in Il Barbiere di Siviglia (Pacific Opera Victoria and Opera Lyra), Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro (Manitoba Opera), Carmina Burana (Amadeus Choir), Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in Regina, Mahler’s Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen (Toronto Summer Music), Father Palmer in Silent Night (Calgary Opera) and Handel’s Messiah (National Arts Centre Orchestra).
Caitlin Wood
Clorinda | Soprano Soprano Caitlin Wood grew up in St. Albert, Alberta, and in 2016 won First Prize at the Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg McLellan Competition. As a member of Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program, Caitlin sang Johanna in Sweeney Todd. Recent highlights for this dazzling soprano include Mary in Pacific Opera Victoria’s touring production of Mary’s Wedding and Carmina Burana with Okanagan Symphony. As Despina in Against the Grain Theatre’s updated A Little Too Cozy, Caitlin “almost stole the show.” Caitlin is thrilled to star as Susanna in Vancouver Opera’s Marriage of Figaro in 2017.
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Artists’
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Tisbe/Angelina Understudy | Mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano Sylvia Szadovszki is thrilled to return to Edmonton Opera where she was last seen as Rosina in The Barber of Seville. Recent credits include Rosina with Pacific Opera Victoria and Theater Hof, Lydia in the world premiere of Matthew Aucoin’s Second Nature with Lyric Unlimited and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Angelina in La Cenerentola with New York City Opera, Hansel in Hansel & Gretel with Skagit Opera, Nancy in Albert Herring with Vancouver Opera and Mercédès in Carmen with New York Opera Exchange.
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Michael Nyby
Dandini | Baritone Baritone Michael Nyby, lauded for his “stentorian masculinity” (Carmina Burana) and “natural and commanding stage presence” (Danilo, The Merry Widow), is establishing himself on both the concert and opera stages throughout North America. An especially sought-after interpreter of new music, Michael has created the roles of William Dale in Silent Night, Brent Colgate in Georgia Bottoms, and Seth in Isis and Osiris. He is particularly known for his strong performances of Carmina Burana, for which he has been praised for his “incredible control and command of his tender and rich baritone”. Michael will perform this work with both the Victoria Symphony Orchestra and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in the 2016/17 season.
Stephen Hegedus Alidoro | Bass-baritone
A prize-winner in the New York Oratorio Society competition, Stephen Hegedus’s recent engagements include Brahms’ Requiem (Chicago’s Grant Park Festival), Messiah (Houston, San Antonio, National Arts Centre , Toronto and Seattle symphonies), the title role in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro (Teatro Municipal de Santiago), Leporello in Don Giovanni (Vancouver Opera), Bach’s Magnificat (Orchestre symphonique de Québec), Bernstein’s A Quiet Place (Orchestre symphonique de Montréal), and Lully’s Armide (Versailles). This season: Berlioz’s Faust (Grant Park Festival), Mozart’s Requiem (Seattle Symphony), Masetto in Don Giovanni (Opéra de Montréal), Bach’s Christmas Oratorio (I Musici de Montréal) and Créon in Medée for Opera Atelier in Toronto and Versailles.
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Artists’
PROFILES Ha Neul Kim Stage Manager
As a graduate of the University of Alberta’s technical theatre production program with a specialization in stage management, Ha Neul has worked at theatres and major special events across Canada. She is delighted to mark the 2016/17 season as her 15th with Edmonton Opera, taking over as Stage Manger in 2007. These past 15 years have been an incredible experience, being involved in over 35 productions and in the company’s artistic operations. Ha Neul also enjoys the opportunity to mentor Assistant Stage Managers and Apprentice Assistant Stage Managers for each EO production, and teaches a class in opera stage management at the University of Alberta.
Gina Moe
Assistant Stage Manager Gina Moe’s recent Edmonton Opera assistant stage manager credits include Mary Stuart, Lucia di Lammermoor, The Magic Flute and The Tales of Hoffmann. Stage management credits include The Last Five Years and Little One (Theatre Network), Sleuth, The Euphorians, Angels on Horseback, Witness to a Conga and The Occultist’s Holiday (Teatro la Quindicina), Heroine and Victoria Martin: Math Team Queen (Northern Light Theatre), Craniatrium (Firefly Theatre), Enchanted April, The Retreat From Moscow and Trying (Theatre Calgary), Cooking at the Cookery, Trying, Einstein’s Gift, Wit and Skylight (Citadel Theatre). Gina is a two-time winner of the Elizabeth Sterling Haynes award for Outstanding Achievement in Production.
Anna Davidson
Assistant Stage Manager Anna is so happy to be working on Cinderella this season. Past Edmonton Opera assistant stage manager credits include Turandot, Mary Stuart, Carmen, Lucia Di Lammermoor, The Magic Flute, Barber of Seville, Madama Butterfly, Die Fledermaus, Salome, Eugene Onegin and The Mikado. She has worked as a stage manager or ASM for the Citadel Theatre, Northern Light Theatre, Shadow Theatre, Workshop West, Theatre Network, Concrete Theatre and L’Uni Théâtre. She is a graduate of the theatre production program at MacEwan and is a freelance technician and member of IATSE Local 210.
Leanne Regehr
Repetiteur & Understudy Coach Pianist Leanne Regehr earned a Doctor of Music degree in piano performance from Northwestern University and is currently based in Edmonton, where she serves on the faculties of the University of Alberta and the King’s University. Leanne has been engaged as a repetiteur with Shreveport Opera, Mercury Opera and Edmonton Opera. Her dedication to the development of young singers has been recognized through her work as a faculty member with Opera Nuova, as a staff pianist for Sherrill Milnes’ VOICExperience Program in Florida, and as a coaching fellow at the Aspen Music Festival. Leanne enjoys her freelance career as a soloist, vocal coach, recital partner and adjudicator.
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Edmonton Opera chorus Tenor Mathew Glenn Dan Rowley * Andrea Pinna Robert Rock ***
Bass/baritone Casper Seely Gavin Belik Nick Horobec **
Martin Galba * Elliot Harder Greg Maluzynsky ** John Yun ** Jason Somerville
Supernumeraries Josh Thayer David Conway Russ Farmer Andrae Marchak *
Sable Chan Betty Kolodziej *** Linda Farrah-Basford ***
* Ten or more productions with EO ** Twenty or more productions with EO *** Fifty or more productions with EO
Edmonton Symphony orchestra Music Director: William Eddins Conductor: Peter Dala Violin 1
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The electrifying Alberta premiere of Strauss’s hellish masterpiece In just over a month, Edmonton Opera will present the Alberta premiere of Richard Strauss’s groundbreaking theatrical triumph Elektra. Based on an ancient Greek play by Sophocles, this opera follows the terrifying tragedy of its protagonist as she becomes consumed with lethal revenge.
Violence that’s sung, not shown Often referred to as ‘the bloodiest opera ever’, Elektra goes deeper into the troubled human psyche than any piece before it. In a time when graphic violence on shows like Game of Thrones dominates, Strauss’s opera still has the ability to create hair-raising moments with the sheer force of music.
Devastated by the murder of her beloved father, Elektra takes justice into her own hands and pursues the killer, who happens to be her own mother Klytämnestra. But when calculated revenge turns into overpowering obsession, Elektra can no longer maintain her grasp on reality — in a spine-chilling climax, Elektra’s fragile psyche shatters completely.
The horror does not necessarily come from actual depictions of blood and gore, in fact, there is no on stage violence in this opera. Elektra’s words, however, are the true source of terror throughout. She gives the audience vivid descriptions of how her mother will be killed, the rivers of blood that will flow from their house, and how she will stand over her mother’s writhing body to declare her father’s victory. Elektra chillingly illustrates how her father was murdered and ferociously describes the ways Klytämnestra will be butchered by her own son Orest.
Intrigued? Here is everything you need to know about our upcoming production of Elektra. You do not want to miss seeing this axe-wielding princess in action.
Greek tragedy with a modernist twist
There will be blood. Elektra was born into a family ripped apart by war and chaos. Her father, King Agamemnon, had chosen to sacrifice his oldest daughter Iphigenia as a way to appease the gods before heading to battle. This decision was fiercely opposed by his wife Klytämnestra, and she swore to avenge the spilling of her innocent daughter’s blood. When Agamemnon returned home victorious after several years at war, Klytämnestra and her lover Aegisth murdered him and took over the kingdom. Elektra and her sister Chrysothemis became prisoners in their own home, while their brother Orest was banished for threatening to ascend the throne that was rightfully his. All of this happens before Elektra even begins, setting the stage for an opera that could only end in more tragedy.
Honour thy father, not thy mother Elektra is beyond furious at the killing of her beloved father; the only thing on her mind is revenge. She also misses him with an intensity that affects her physical and mental health, causing her to wander around in grief. This opera’s greatest aria is Elektra’s 10-minute long soliloquy dedicated to her father. She shouts “Agamemnon, Agamemnon!” almost like an incantation, praying for his return from the dead. Elektra’s anguish soon transforms into rage — now all she wants is revenge. Her mother Klytämnestra needs to die. Nothing and no one can come in Elektra’s path to slaughtering her nemesis.
40 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
Strauss composed Elektra in the early years of the 20th century, a time when the world had gained deep insights into the workings of the human mind. Freudian theory was popular in the day; just a few years before Elektra premiered, Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams was published and caused a wave of discussion about human psychology. This affected the way Strauss and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal understood the character of Elektra. The ancient Greek play the opera was based on, Electra by Sophocles, carried the weight of classicism, which Strauss managed to unburden by creating a distinct psychological landscape for the character. The music makes the Elektra’s suffering immediate and visceral, so that the audience can feel the downward spiral as it happens. Strauss, however, maintained the core commitment of Greek tragedy in Elektra — catharsis. When audiences experience this opera, they may feel shocked or repulsed, because Elektra puts the worst possibilities of human nature on display. This can be a cathartic lesson for those watching, or even a psychological release from their own dark subconscious fantasies.
A house of horrors The scenic design for Edmonton Opera’s Elektra is based on a real-life house of horrors. Director Michael Cavanagh was drawn to the images of Gonjiam Hospital in South Korea, an abandoned psychiatric facility where patients were apparently kept in abhorrent conditions leading to their deaths. The building has earned iconic status as one of the creepiest places on earth, with many reports of supernatural activity and unexplained events. The set, which is currently being built at our production facility, invokes the feelings of abandonment, despair, and rotting foundations to reflect Elektra’s own trapped world. Much like the deserted hospital, Elektra’s family home is no longer a place of humanity.
100 minutes of operatic genius
Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs is Elektra
At its 1909 premiere in Dresden, Germany, Elektra left the audience shocked by its sheer brilliance. The New York Times review pictured here is one of many reactions that established this piece’s insane magnificence.
Internationally acclaimed dramatic soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs is an unstoppable force of nature. Widely known for her powerful portrayals of opera’s ‘madwomen’, Elizabeth previously took on the immensely demanding role of Elektra at Teatro Comunale di Bologna in 2015, earning rave reviews for her performance:
When you consider that “beads of actual perspiration stood out upon many a forehead” in Elektra’s opening night audience, and the reviewer declared “such demoniacal orchestral and vocal effects have never before been set to music”, then Strauss’s status as “a genius and a wizard” is gloriously justified. The music of Elektra is also particularly inventive because it seeks to both mirror and fuel the protagonist’s emotional states. When the orchestra becomes dissonant, Elektra’s mind descends into chaos; when she runs around the stage frantically, the orchestra keeps up with tremendous pace. Stylistically, Strauss almost belongs in his own category. Both Elektra and his previous opera Salome defied the musical conventions of the time, and embodied an expressionism that was not yet mainstream. The orchestra in Elektra is large and produces clashing sounds, which create a dissonant and chromatic landscape for the opera. The music is not ‘pleasant’, rather it relies on some degree of sensory assault. Elektra runs at a solid 100 minutes with no intermission, taking you along for an intense roller coaster ride through its protagonist’s turbulent emotions. This is definitely not your typical opera, and pushes the boundaries of the art form itself.
Make way for Alexander Prior The newly appointed Chief Conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra will take on the commanding score of Elektra, which he believes is one of opera’s most pivotal pieces. For audiences who have been waiting to see Alex Prior in action since the October announcement of his ESO position, his Edmonton Opera debut will certainly be one to remember. This dynamic young conductor promises to honour Strauss’s precise composition and unleash the tremendous orchestral engine upon the audience like never before.
Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs as Elektra was expressively strong. Her voice, which leaned toward the dark, was well projected; her performance was sublime, perfectly illustrating the character, knowing how to show her tragic and mad side, and also her passionate and romantic one. (Opera World) This complex role requires exceptional vocal agility because Elektra never leaves the stage and rarely does she stop singing. Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs is more than up to the challenge, bringing incredible vocals, strong acting instincts, and world stage experience for her Edmonton Opera debut.
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780.467.8499 42 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
Edmonton Opera is thrilled to unveil its 2017/18 season, one that celebrates love, passion, and the incredible power of the human spirit. We invite you to join us on an operatic getaway with three exciting new productions — Les Feluettes (Lilies), HMS Pinafore, and Don Giovanni.
LES FELUETTES (LILIES) A play within a play within a play, where love flares into feverish splendour, memory becomes a prison, and justice is eternally elusive. When Quebec playwright Michel Marc Bouchard’s Les Feluettes premiered in 1987, it was deemed an instant Canadian classic for its intense romanticism, lyrical dialogue, and resounding political significance. This play has been translated into several languages and performed all over the world, and was even made into an awardwinning film. The narrative of Les Feluettes unfolds around a moment in 1912, when a group of college boys in Quebec rehearse Gabriele D’Annunzio’s sensual play The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian. As a love triangle develops, the young men struggle through their feelings with tragic consequences. Years later, one of the boys (who is now a bishop), is forced to look back at that devastating moment in a reenactment by prisoners.
Edmonton Opera’s production of Les Feluettes (Lilies) will feature an allCanadian cast, conducted by Giuseppe Pietraroia, associate conductor at Pacific Opera Victoria, with revival director Jacques Lemay.
HMS PINAFORE Sail the high seas with the quirky crew of Gilbert and Sullivan’s HMS Pinafore! This comic operetta is a worldwide favourite, adding a nautical spin to the classic ‘boy meets girl, boy can’t get girl because of her higher social station’ narrative. When young Josephine, daughter of the Captain, falls in love with a lower-class sailor Ralph Rackstraw, mayhem ensues as the two lovers try to elope… while at sea! Edmonton Opera presents a delightful new production of this beloved topsy-turvy musical journey as reimagined by Cinderella and The Magic Flute director Rob Herriot. Conducted by Peter Dala, HMS Pinafore promises to be an evening of spectacular entertainment and buoyant British comedy!
DON GIOVANNI
After nearly three decades as a major work of Canadian theatre, Lilies has now been adapted into opera. A joint production between Opéra de Montréal and Pacific Opera Victoria, Les Feluettes had its world premiere in Montreal in 2016. The opera earned tremendous praise for its sensitive treatment of a universal love story, establishing itself as a “rare case of a full-size and full-length contemporary opera that holds the stage while remaining artistically true to itself” (Montreal Gazette).
Opera’s favourite bad boy is back in action for our final offering in the 2017/18 season. Don Giovanni is arrogant, sly, and takes pride in his promiscuity, leaving a trail of broken hearts along his egotistical path. Yet no one can resist his charm — women are willing to jeopardize their marriages for him, and men will do whatever it takes to walk in his shadow. But what happens when Don Giovanni comes across a mysterious force he cannot charm, outsmart, or conquer?
Australian composer Kevin March’s score is described as “cinematic and eclectic” (La Scena Musicale), hitting all the right notes needed to transform this powerful play into an even more powerful opera. Bouchard’s libretto was interpreted beautifully by acclaimed Cirque du Soleil director Serge Denoncourt.
The crowning masterpiece of Mozart’s Italian repertoire, Don Giovanni is a fascinating opera that combines elements of comedy, tragedy, and the supernatural, asking essential questions about human morality. American conductor Christopher Larkin will bring Mozart’s timeless score to life, while baritone Phillip Addis (adored by Edmonton audiences as Figaro in 2014’s The Barber of Seville) takes on the title role. CINDERELLA 43
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44 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
edmonton opera board of directors 2016-2017 season Garner Beggs Robert Bessette Danisha Bhaloo Jennifer Brown
Richard Cook, Chair Francis Price, Vice Chair Ken Keenleyside, Treasurer Irv Kipnes, Past Chair
Mary Clonfero Craig Corbett Hans Forbrich Melanie Nakatsui
Bernie Robitaille Sheri Somerville
edmonton opera staff Executive Tim Yakimec, General Director*
Finance Debra King, CFO Serene Yau, Accountant
Community Relations Cameron MacRae, Director of Marketing & Communications Rohan Kulkarni, Communications & Community Engagement Coordinator PenĂŠlope Haro Aranda, Marketing Assistant
Fund Development Gwen Horvath, Director of Fund Development Mary-Lou Hamilton, Director of Strategic Partnerships Jennifer Hinnell Warner, Grants Officer Gordana Bosiocic, Events Coordinator & Donor Relations Celyne Runzer, Fund Development Assistant
Box Office Joanne Madeley, Box Office Manager Katie Gallin, Box Office Clerk
Artistic Administration Ha Neul Kim, Director of Artistic Operations, Resident Stage Manager* Peter Dala, Resident Conductor & Chorusmaster* Leanne Regehr, Understudy Coach
Production and technical Clayton Rodney, Production & Technical Director* Greg Brown, Head Scenic Carpenter & Shop Supervisor Mikael Gustafsson, Assistant Head Scenic Carpenter Megan Kumpula, Head, Properties & Scenic Paint Shanna Orgovan, Assistant Head Properties & Assistant Head Scenic Paint
Tessa Stamp, Assistant Head Scenic Paint Angie Sotiropoulos, Scenic Painter Deanna Finnman, Head, Wardrobe & Resident Wardrobe Designer* Lela Stairs Murphy, Cutter Brenda Inglis, First Assistant Wardrobe* Ava Siemens, First Stitcher Kathryn Neuman, Stitcher Viola Peters, Stitcher Genevieve Savard, Stitcher Kathleen Mulder, Dyer Laura de Moissac, Head Wig Builder Kris Aasen, Production Coordinator Alison Hardy, Transportation Captain Taralyn Bieganek, EO Facilities Jeff Yee, EO Facilities
Production and technical Stage Crew Geoff Bacchus, Head Stage Carpenter* Kathy Cooper, Assistant Head Scenic Carpenter Al Kliss, Head Fly* Alison Hardy, Head Electrics Joseph (Bud) Race, Assistant Head Electrics Megan Kumpula, Head of Properties Shanna Orgovan, Assistant Head Properties Danine Regenwetter, Head Wardrobe Dresser Kathryn Neuman, Assistant Head Wardrobe Dresser Cathy Nicoll, Head Make-up* Noreen Jani, Assistant Head Make-up* Judy Morley, Head Wigs & Hair* Rebecca Klassen, Wigs & Hair Kasie Aasen, Supertitle Cuer*
*10 years or more of service to Edmonton Opera.
CINDERELLA 45
�pcoming
events
Valentine’s Gala || Tuesday, February 14, 2017 Step out in style for a romantic evening at Edmonton Opera’s annual Valentine’s Gala. This year’s Gala brings 1950s Hollywood glamour to the Shaw Conference Centre, featuring spectacular performances by Citie Ballet, the Royal Canadian Artillery Band, and the Edmonton Opera Chorus! Opera 101 || Wednesday, February 22, 2017 || 7 p.m. What makes Richard Strauss’s Elektra one of the most revolutionary scores ever composed? Join musicologist Stephan Bonfield to discover the chilling elements of this modernist masterpiece based on an ancient Greek tragedy. Opera 101 is held at the CKUA building downtown and is free to attend; drinks and refreshments will be available for purchase. Please RSVP through Eventbrite. Opera Brunch || Sunday, February 26, 2017 || 11 a.m. Look out at Edmonton’s gorgeous river valley, savour an exquisite brunch, and then enjoy some delightful performances by the cast of Elektra at the Royal Glenora Club! The Elektra Opera Brunch is selling quickly; please contact our box office to purchase your tickets today. Education Dress Rehearsal || Thursday, March 9, 2017 || 7 p.m. The final dress rehearsal of Elektra is a great way for students to experience opera at the Jubilee. Bring your class to the most exciting field trip of the year by emailing education@edmontonopera.com today! We also have an education guide available online to learn more about Elektra before you attend the dress rehearsal. Elektra || March 11, 14 & 16, 2017 Witness the Alberta premiere of Richard Strauss’s dark, dramatic, and groundbreaking Elektra. Led by the ESO’s new Chief Conductor Alex Prior and starring acclaimed soprano Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs, this opera takes the audience on a 100-minute journey of unrelenting vengeance. Tickets start at just $40! Opera al fresco || Friday, June 23, 2017 || 7 p.m. It’s not too soon to start planning your summer! Opera al fresco is the year’s most elegant garden party, with delicious hors d’oeuvres, fine wine, and charming opera performances at the Devonian Botanic Garden. This event sells out each year, so buy your tickets in advance! For more information or to purchase tickets to any of these events, please contact the box office at 780.429.1000 or visit edmontonopera.com.
46 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
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