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4 Message from the Director
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22 Expressionism in Elektra
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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 It’s been said that every relationship and, especially, every family is dysfunctional; it’s just the degree that differs. Even the healthiest interpersonal dynamics have tensions and issues that get in the way. When your father is butchered with an axe in the bathtub, by your mother and her new lover no less, the emotional challenges for your family relations become rather amplified. And what art form does amplified emotions better than opera? This incredible score, which Richard Strauss has imbued with a darkness and intensity like almost no other, along with a libretto by one of the towering poetic talents of the Romantic period, Hugo Von Hofmannsthal, embraces the horror of this ancient myth of gods and mortals bent on revenge in a way that allows an audience a wonderful and rare experience: catharsis.
From the Greek for “purification”, it denotes a release of emotions through any extreme change that results in renewal and restoration. The genius of Elektra is that the catharsis that’s anticipated for the whole story, that of vengeance through bloodshed, is not that which is actually experienced. The revenge Elektra lusts for all night comes to pass, all right, yet she enjoys no release. Rather, she is brought down – as we must all surely be – by this darkest of desires. Instead, the catharsis comes through a dual epiphany: the only way to break the cycle of death is to embrace life; the only way to get past a wrong is to forgive. Elektra realizes this too late. The other witnesses, on stage and in the audience, realize it through her horrific ordeal and (we hope) learn to apply it to their own lives. The big, loud lives of queens, princesses, gods, and heroes echo through the ages and resonate with our own, smaller, quieter lives. No art form makes this point more powerfully than opera. No opera makes a stronger statement of it than Elektra. Embrace and enjoy the catharsis. – Michael Cavanagh
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Thank you to Don’s Piano Place for the use of a 7'9 Petrof PII during the rehearsals of Elektra. Elektra Production photographs provided by Nanc Price photography.
Suggitt Edmonton Opera gratefully acknowledges the Kucey Dental Group, who offers complimentary emergency dental services PUBLISHERS
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.
From now on, there’s a little of us in every performance. Don’s Piano Place – proud supporters of Edmonton Opera through the recent sale of a Petrof PII (Monsoon) Concert Grand piano, a Yamaha Grand piano, a Baldwin Hamilton and a Hailun HU 121 upright piano.
8 Riel Drive, St. Albert
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(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
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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.
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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 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 The Summit Foundation
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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 February 1, 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!
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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.
elektra 13
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
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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
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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. elektra 15
Message from the conductor Ready? There’s no experience quite like Richard Strauss’s Elektra! You will be pinned to your seat, overwhelmed, disgusted, delighted, feel like head banging, be blown away by the sheer power of the orchestra’s sounds, taken aback by the lush melodies, and amazed at what the human voice can do... all in under two hours.
Elektra represents both the absolute climax of the Romantic operatic tradition and the beginning of dark clouds smouldering in the horizon – clouds of a bleaker time for the world, and a time of music that is rougher and more visceral. Strauss wrote Elektra in the early 20th century, when Europe’s gentlemanly heyday was giving way to forces of evil and society was falling apart all around him. This ancient Greek tragedy of decay and the danger of an obsession with revenge thus touched him very personally.
Elektra is in many ways the hardest opera in the repertoire to pull off for everyone involved, and tonight’s Alberta premiere is an epic testament to Edmonton Opera’s ambition, vision, and strength. The powerful score of Elektra is certainly a tough listen, but one with amazing rewards to be had. I invite you to let the music completely envelop you, to be entirely absorbed by the drama and become part of it. Forget everything around you and let the opening orchestral scream of the “AGAMEMNON!” theme usher you straight into this brutal world. I believe you’ll find that in spite of the extreme distortions this opera presents on various fronts, you will recognize and identify with many elements in a very personal way. Have we not all at times wanted family drama to be trumped by forgiveness and love? Have we not all yearned to go back to some non-existent good old day of childhood nostalgia? And, in addition to all of that, I know that this unique, extraordinary music that lies somewhere between German folk tunes and hardcore heavy metal, will leave an unforgettable impression on you and touch you to your very depths – perhaps in a way most music doesn’t. – Alexander Prior
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16 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
Edmonton Opera presents
elektra
March 11, 14 & 16, 2017 Music by Richard Strauss Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal Premiere: January 25, 1909, Dresden, Germany Richard Georg Strauss was born in Munich on June 11, 1864, and was the first child from the second marriage of Franz Joseph Strauss. The elder Strauss was the first horn player of the Munich Opera, and the younger Strauss received piano lessons when he was four years old and composition lessons by age six. Later, he would also play the violin. By the age of 18, Strauss had already composed 140 works. At 21, he was appointed music director of the Meiningen Orchestra. Strauss’s first opera Guntram premiered in 1894 and received a lukewarm response. After this, he was known primarily for his riveting tone poems, such as Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus spoke Zarathustra), most famous for its use as the opening theme of 2001: A Space Odyssey. Strauss’s wild spark of genius finally came to him upon experiencing Oscar Wilde’s Salome, which he soon turned into a game-changing opera. It premiered in 1905 and was simultaneously praised and criticized for its modernity. Strauss knew how to test the limits of an orchestra, and the music for Salome makes use of extended tonality, chromaticism, a wide range of keys, unusual modulations, tonal ambiguity and polytonality. In 1906, Strauss met Viennese poet Hugo von Hofmannsthal, who had produced a German translation of Sophocles’ Electra just a few years earlier. The two got along immediately, and worked together to unleash Elektra on the world in 1909. Hofmannsthal and Strauss became a formidable duo and collaborated for a total of 25 years. During his career, Strauss gained worldwide acclaim as a conductor, and conducted at the Munich Opera (1886), Weimar Court (1889 and 1894), the Vienna State Opera (1919 to 1924), visited the United States twice (1904 and 1921) and was the musical director at the Berlin Opera for 12 years, starting in 1898. Although he was invited to a position in the new German government during the 1920s, he did not align with the new regime. He came into conflict with the Nazi government particularly after he insisted on collaborating with Jewish writer Stefan Zwieg for Die schweigsame Frau, and by the 1940s left Germany for Bavaria and then Vienna, Austria, where he continued to write music. He spent much of the post-war period in Switzerland, and died on Sept. 8, 1949 at his home in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, at the age of 85.
Conductor Director Scenery Design Costume Designer Lighting Designer Repetiteur
Alexander Prior Michael Cavanagh Edmonton Opera Deanna Finnman David Fraser Peter Dala
The Cast
ELEKTRA KLYTÄMNESTRA CHRYSOTHEMIS OREST AEGISTH OREST’S TUTOR OVERSEER FIRST MAID SECOND MAID THIRD MAID FOURTH MAID FIFTH MAID Confidante OLD SLAVE YOUNG SLAVE Train Bearer
Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs Elizabeth Turnbull Tracy Cantin Geoffrey Sirett Daniel Brenna Giles Tomkins Aidan Ferguson Catherine Daniel Whitney Sloan Stephanie Tritchew Laura Albino Tanya Roberts Barbara King Aaron Dimoff Robert Clark Laurelle Jade Froese
Understudies
Klytämnestra Aegisth Understudy Coach
Catherine Daniel Robert Clark Leanne Regehr
with members of the Edmonton Opera Chorus and Supers and the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra
Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Assistant Stage Manager Apprentice Stage Manager Chorusmaster
Ha Neul Kim Anna Davidson Claire Friedrich FengYi (Mona) Jiang Peter Dala
There will be no intermission for this evening’s performance. The performance is approximately 2 hours in duration. The Thursday evening performance of Elektra is in memory of Don Vaugeois from Don’s Piano Place, longtime supporter of Edmonton Opera and the Edmonton Arts community. Orchestra parts by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner. 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. elektra 17
SYNOPSIS
Elektra Chrysothemis Klytämnestra Aegisth Orest
Daughter of Agamemnon & Klytämnestra Elektra’s sister Elektra’s mother Klytämnestra’s lover Elektra’s brother who has been exiled
The servants outside the royal palace are debating whether Elektra will come out of hiding today, or if she will continue to grieve her father’s death. They mock Elektra for her madness; she appears and steers clear of the group. One servant shows support for Elektra, but she is quickly struck down by the others. Now left alone, Elektra agonizes over her father’s murder, recounting how he was killed by Klytämnestra and Aegisth upon returning from Troy after spending years abroad at war. Elektra declares that she will have her revenge on Klytämnestra. She will conspire with her sister Chrysothemis and brother Orest (whose arrival they await) and butcher both Klytämnestra and Aegisth. Chrysothemis rushes in suddenly, informing Elektra that Klytämnestra and her lover Aegisth have decided that Elektra will be locked up in a tower. Elektra realizes that she must act quickly, and tries to convince Chrysothemis to assist her in carrying out the plan tonight. Chrysothemis hesitates and wonders if she could actually go through with committing murder. Klytämnestra enters, engaging Elektra in conversation, telling her about the nightmares she has been having. Elektra comes off as more cheery than usual, which gives Klytämnestra some hope of reconciliation with her daughter. Elektra suggests that a sacrifice must be made in order to cure Klytämnestra of those nightmares. She then declares that the sacrifice, in fact, is Klytämnestra’s own life. Elektra describes the brutal ways in which Klytämnestra will be murdered, that too at the hands of her own son Orest. Klytämnestra is horrified.
Two strangers then arrive, and Klytämnestra is taken away to meet them, leaving Elektra alone again. Chrysothemis runs back to Elektra, informing her that the strangers had brought news of their brother Orest’s death. In shock at first, Elektra soon decides that she and Chrysothemis have to complete their revenge immediately. Chrysothemis, however, backs out completely, leaving an enraged Elektra to act on her own. One of the strangers who came to the palace enters and begins to converse with Elektra. The stranger is eventually revealed to be Orest himself, who had faked the news of his death and adopted a disguise to sneak into the palace. Elektra is absolutely ecstatic that her brother has returned, and the siblings comfort each other. The hour of vengeance now upon them, Orest heads into Klytämnestra’s chambers and proceeds to fulfill his bloody revenge. Elektra revels in her mother’s panicked screams. Aegisth, Klytämnestra’s lover, arrives in the palace at this moment and faces the same gruesome fate at Orest’s hands. Possessed by euphoria and madness at this successful double murder, Elektra dances, and dances, and dances, until she drops. Elektra’s fragile mind succumbs to its frenzy. Orest leaves the palace in silence.
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.
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Strauss’s Elektra is based on a well-known play by ancient Greek playwright Sophocles. Regarded as one of the best Greek tragedies both in terms of structure and content, Electra provides excellent performance and adaptation possibilities. Librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal was inspired by this remarkable text and adapted it to suit a more contemporary (in the early 1900s) dramatic sensibility. The form of Greek tragedy has been studied widely, and even theorized about by Aristotle whose Poetics serves as the basis for our contemporary understanding of Western theatre. So what is tragedy? In colloquial usage, tragedy means something sad or catastrophic. In ancient Greek drama, it refers to the other fundamental component of theatre along with comedy. While a catastrophic event is central to tragedy, it also follows several structural rules in order to produce specific emotional responses from the audience. The origin of the word ‘tragedy’ is somewhat strange — it comes from ‘tragos’ meaning goat and ‘oide’ meaning ode or song. The goat-song referred to performances that were done wearing goatskins in honour of Dionysus, the god of wine and theatre. Thus by its very nature, tragedy is meant to be about renewal and communal growth. Despite portraying sad and horrifying stories, tragedies aid both audience and performers in finding spiritual rebirth.
Elements of tragedy A tragedy typically follows strict structure, that is, it contains a well-defined beginning, middle, and end. In many cases, tragedies also fulfill a more general dramatic structure: the story starts with exposition, we see the character’s rising action, resulting in a climax, which quickly moves into a falling action and then the dénouement or resolution. Perhaps the most defining element of tragedy is the presence of a tragic hero or heroine. The play is focused entirely on the actions and fate of this one character, and peripheral characters or events are primarily in service of this protagonist’s journey. The audience has the most to learn from this character, which is amply evident in the titles of each play — Electra, Oedipus the King, Iphigenia at Aulis, Medea, etc.
20 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
Plot is also essential to tragedy. Each event in the drama must be
linked in a chain, so that the story tumbles towards its conclusion. There cannot be any actions that do not serve the central plot. In Electra, for example, there are no subplots; everything that happens directly pushes Electra to her fate. When she is standing outside the palace mourning her father’s death and plotting revenge, Electra’s sister arrives and informs her their mother Clytemnestra has decreed that Electra will be imprisoned soon. This puts a timer on Electra’s revenge plot and she realizes she needs to act immediately, setting her own tragedy in motion. The ancient Greeks were fascinated by the debate between fate and free will, a philosophical question that puzzles us even today. Do humans have control over their own destiny, or is everything, in a sense, pre-ordained? In Greek tragedy, fate is the ruling force of every story. The tragic hero or heroine is pretty much ‘doomed’ from the start because their fate has already been decided by the gods. Everything that happens in the play takes the protagonist towards their inevitable tragic ending. The protagonist may think they have free will and believe they can find a ‘happy ending’, but the audience realizes quite early on that this can never be possible. Electra, for instance, thinks she is in complete control of the revenge plot against her mother, but there are many forces at play (including her own psychological state) that dictate her tragedy.
Catharsis is an element that describes the impact
of tragedy on its audience. Catharsis means ‘purging through pity or fear’. The audience must bear witness to the horrors experienced by the tragic figure, and in seeing this can cleanse themselves spiritually. In essence, a tragedy projects the worst possibilities of human nature on stage as a way for us to feel their impact without actually going through the tragedy ourselves. This is why Greek tragedies can often be absolutely immoral — murder, incest, adultery, etc. are part of the narrative and their harsh consequences are on display for the audience to feel disgusted by. Catharsis is also meant to ultimately produce pleasure in the audience and reinforce our moral values, facilitating the spiritual rebirth tragedy is founded upon. Strauss’s Elektra fully embraces the elements of Greek tragedy, especially the creation of catharsis for the audience. He does not shy away from using music to create an overwhelming psychological landscape, complemented by Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s libretto that evokes horrifying imagery and some chilling content. Elektra is opera as you have never experienced before!
1909 was a thoroughly exciting time
to compose an opera. The artistic landscape of Europe was undergoing several radical transformations, of which Richard Strauss himself was a major part. The second half of the 19th century had been dominated by naturalism and realism in the arts, which focused on storylines of ‘the everyday’. Dramatists were interested in decoding the reasons why people act the way they do, resulting in a lot of dialogue-heavy plays — think of a drama by Ibsen or Chekhov. Composers such as Pietro Mascagni (Cavalleria Rusticana) had left Romanticism behind to focus on the travails of the common man. This was the world where rational thought dominated, one that preferred psychological approaches to human nature, one that had just embraced Darwin’s The Origin of Species. Everything could be understood through language, structure, and the scientific method. There was little room for concepts that went beyond our realm of coherent knowledge. Many artists felt stifled by this rationalistic direction. Towards the end of the century, we began to see outbursts of emotion,
of the unexplained and the irrational, make their way back into art. This was Expressionism. Music, theatre, painting, and sculpture — every art form experienced a sudden rush of chaos. One of the most iconic examples of expressionism is The Scream (1893) by Norwegian painter Edvard Munch. This painting depicts a human-like figure caught in a moment of intense emotion. The source or motivation of the scream is unknown, even irrelevant; it is entirely about the scorching emotional reality of this scream. For expressionists, the focus of art was now on the individual and how they perceived the distorted world around them. Logic and reason were pointless because they didn’t allow us to feel the chaos brought on by greed and aggressive industrialization. And the world was, indeed, changing for the worse. Just a few years into the 20th century, the First World War unleashed its devastation on Europe. Expressionism had instinctively predicted the horrors to come.
Expressionism in Elektra Strauss and his contemporaries felt a sense of impending doom and channeled it through their art. In Elektra, we see a protagonist whose world is thrown into disarray after the death of her father, and wrestles her demons during the entire performance. The opera puts a magnifying glass on Elektra’s emotional and subjective reality, exposing her tortured personality to the audience for a heightened understanding of trauma and grief. Strauss takes the principle of catharsis from Greek tragedy and creates an overwhelming psychological landscape with the intent of producing pity and horror in the audience. The music of Elektra is dissonant and juxtaposes various orchestral elements to create an intensified experience of chaos, which is characteristic of expressionism. Strauss puts notes together in a way that makes the listener feel Elektra’s instability, depriving us of the harmonic resolution or ‘consonance’ we are used to. He also makes effective use of chromaticism, creating a musical landscape of dramatic immediacy. It is also interesting to note that Elektra was composed in a world where Freud’s theories of psychoanalysis were widely known. Only a few years before Elektra premiered, Freud’s The Interpretation of Dreams was published. Strauss’s opera thus not only embraces expressionism, it also dramatizes his understanding of psychology and trauma. Elektra’s ‘madness’ is a result of her father’s death and her subsequent isolation from society. She becomes consumed with revenge as a coping mechanism, and her obsession defines both the music and staging of the opera.
22 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
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Artists’
PROFILES Alexander Prior
Deanna Finnman
Conductor
Costume Designer
Conductor and composer Alex Prior begins his tenure as Chief Conductor of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in 2017. In the 2016/17 season, he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival and the Pacific Music Festival in Japan, conducted Swan Lake at the Royal Danish Opera, and Hansel and Gretel with Vancouver Opera. He also recently conducted Carmen with the Royal Danish Opera, La Traviata with Oper Leipzig and the Gewandhaus Orchestra and at the Romanian National Opera, and Mirandolina at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. Elektra will mark Prior’s conducting debut with Edmonton Opera.
Michael Cavanagh Director
Michael Cavanagh has directed well over 100 productions at opera companies all over North America. A native of Winnipeg, he studied at the Hochschule für Musik in Hamburg, Germany, apprenticed as a stage director with Vancouver Opera, and later served as artistic director of Edmonton Opera for five seasons. He has directed at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Opera Philadelphia, San Francisco Opera, L’Opéra de Montréal and many other companies. He is a member of the music faculty at Western University in London, Ontario.
Deanna’s 15-year association with Edmonton Opera as head of the wardrobe department and resident costume designer has included costume design credits for Carmen, 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 Cinderella (La Cenerentola).
David Fraser Lighting Designer
Previous designs with the Edmonton Opera include Carmen, Lucia di Lammermoor, Die Fledermaus , Aida, Cavalleria Rusticana/ I Pagliacci, and Otello. A Calgary-based artist, his designs have been seen nationally from the Vancouver Opera, to the National Arts Centre, and internationally his work has been presented with choreographers Tania Alvarado, and Pam Tzeng. David is currently the Production Manager at Alberta Theatre Projects in Calgary. He has been nominated for a Jessie Richardson Award, two Betty Mitchell Awards, and 10 Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Awards, and he has been the recipient thrice for his designs.
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Artists’
PROFILES Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs Elektra | Soprano
Elizabeth Blancke-Biggs is recognized as one of the most exciting dramatic sopranos on the international scene today. A brilliant interpreter of the most demanding roles in the spinto-drammatico soprano repertory, this past season she had triumphant debuts as Puccini’s Turandot at Den Norske Opera, Strauss’ Elektra in the “Premio Abbiati” award winning production of the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, Gutrune in Götterdämmerung at Teatro Massimo Palermo, and Salome with the Orchesta Sinfonica Nacional at Bellas Artes in Mexico City. She made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Violetta in the Zeffirelli production of Verdi’s La Traviata, and her Italian debut in the title role in Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda at Teatro Regio Torino.
Elizabeth Turnbull
Klytämnestra | Mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Turnbull has been hailed by the critics as “a revelation”, with “controlled passion, acute timing and glistening presence”. Her credits include appearances with major companies across North America (Victoria, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, New York, Florida, Chicago, and San Francisco). She also poetrayed ‘Lyubija’ in the European and Canadian tours of Svadba. Her roles range from the baroque (‘Juno’ in Semele), to the romantic (Carmen), and new (creating the role of ‘Maria Picariello’ in Filumena). Ms. Turnbull is an instructor of voice and the director of Opera Workshop at the University of Alberta’s Department of Music, where she has been teaching for seven years.
Tracy Cantin
Chrysothemis | Soprano Praised for her “full, gleaming sound” (Chicago Tribune), Canadian soprano Tracy Cantin “has it all – agility, power and dazzling coloratura” (Chicago Sun-Times), not to mention “vocal and physical allure, with interpretive intelligence and stage presence to boot” (Chicago Tribune). A recent graduate of the prestigious Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago, Cantin won magnificent critical acclaim at Lyric as Berta/Il barbiere di Siviglia, has appeared with the company in Elektra, Rigoletto, and Parsifal. Cantin holds degrees from McGill University (A.Dip’12), the University of Western Ontario (M.Mus’11), and the University of Alberta (B.Mus’08). Cantin has earned a 2014 Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Emerging Artist Award and first place in Canada’s prestigious Lois Marshall Memorial Competition (2010).
Geoffrey Sirett Orest | Baritone
Baritone Geoffrey Sirett continues to impress musicians and audiences in debut performances in opera, concert and recital repertoire. He was recently seen in Edmonton Opera’s Turandot, Carmen and The Merry Widow, as William Dale in the Montreal premiere of Kevin Puts’ opera Silent Night, and in Adams’ The Wound Dresser for the Victoria Symphony. Other engagements include Messiah for the orchestras of Winnipeg, Victoria, London, and St. Matthew’s Church in Ottawa in addition to an Opera Gala for the Kingston Symphony. Mr. Sirett is a graduate of the University of Toronto where he completed a Master’s in Music (Opera).
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Artists’
PROFILES Daniel Brenna Aegisth | Tenor
Daniel’s international career began in 2011 when he portrayed Aron in Moses and Aron at the Zurich Opera House. In 2012 he made his widely noticed debut as Desportes in Die Soldaten at the Salzburg Festival, a role he repeated at La Scala and the Bavarian State Opera. In 2016 Brenna could be seen as Siegfried in Siegfried and Götterdämmerung at the Washington National Opera in a Francesca Zambello production, in which production/roles he will make his San Francisco Opera debut next season. After having made his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2015 as Alwa in a new production of Lulu (which also served as his debut role at the Dutch National Opera), last autumn he returned to the Metropolitan Opera as Laca in Jenufa.
Giles Tomkins
Orest’s Tutor | Bass-baritone Bass-baritone Giles Tomkins is recognized as one of Canada’s most versatile singers, widely praised for his vocal virtuosity and lyricism in an impressive range of repertoire. Operatic highlights for Giles include Timur (Turandot) and Raimondo (Lucia di Lammermoor) with Edmonton Opera, Colline (La Bohème) with Manitoba Opera and Don Basilio (Barber of Seville) with Pacific Opera Victoria. This summer, Giles portrayed Gandalf in the Canadian Childrens’ Opera Company performances of Dean Burry’s The Hobbit and in the coming spring debuts with Canadian Opera Company as Sciarrone in Puccini’s Tosca.
Aidan Ferguson Overseer | Soprano
An Alumna of l’Opéra de Montréal’s Atelier Lyrique, Aidan Ferguson appeared at Theater Basel as Emilia in Otello, Nicklausse in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, the title role in the Rape of Lucretia, and Zweite Magd in Strauss’ Daphne. Recent engagements include the Overseer in Elektra (Edmonton Opera/l’Opéra de Montréal) and Mère Marie de L’Incarnation in Dialogues des Carmélites (l’Opéra de Montréal), Messiah (Edmonton/Winnipeg Symphony), Palmeri’s Misa a Buenos Aires (Lanaudiere Festival), Weihnachtsoratorium (Victoria Symphony/ l’Orchestre Métropolitain) and Dryad in Ariadne auf Naxos (Pacific Opera Victoria). Further credits include Flora in La Traviata and Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro (l’Opéra de Montréal), Carmela in La Vida Breve (Toronto Symphony), and Mozart’s Requiem (Edmonton’s Pro Coro).
Catherine Daniel
First Maid/Klytämnestra understudy | Mezzo-soprano Ms. Daniel of Edmonton studied voice with Coluratura Tracy Dahl at the University of Manitoba. She was a member of the Atelier Lyrique de l’Opéra de Montreal, and later became a member of the Opera Studio Nederland. Career highlights include roles such as Carmen in Tilburg, Dido/Sorceress in European tour, singing First Maid in Montreal Opera’s production of Elektra and Mercedes in Edmonton Opera’s production of Carmen. This season included a European tour of Porgy and Bess and singing the Alto solo in Handel’s Messiah. Catherine’s upcoming season includes projects in Canada and the United States.
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Artists’
PROFILES Whitney Sloan
Second Maid | Soprano Most recently Edmonton soprano Whitney Leigh Sloan was engaged to cover the role of Liù in Edmonton Opera’s production of Turandot and returned to the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra in a feature engagement with conductor Robert Bernhardt. Future engagements include performances of Mahler’s Second and Fourth Symphonies with the Calgary Youth and Boreallis Orchestras. Past credits include performances with Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, Edmonton Recital Society and the role of Elle in La voix humaine (Cité Francophone). Whitney is thrilled to perform the role of Zerlina in Edmonton Opera’s 2017/18 production of Don Giovanni.
Stephanie Tritchew
Third Maid | Mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Tritchew is a graduate of the Emerging Artist program at Calgary Opera. She holds an Opera Diploma from the University of Toronto Opera School where she studied under the tutelage of Wendy Nielsen, as well as a BMus and MMus from the University of Western Ontario. Operatic roles include: Lucienne (Die tote Stadt), The Child (L’enfant et les sortilèges), Mercédès (Carmen). This season, she returns to the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis as a 2017 Gerdine Young Artist, singing Butterfly’s Aunt in Madame Butterfly, and in July she will sing the Union Organizer in The Bicycle Opera Project’s upcoming production of Sweat.
Laura Albino
Fourth Maid | Soprano Described as “fresh-voiced and agile with a gorgeous top range…” (Opera Canada) Canadian soprano Laura Albino is in growing demand as a sensitive interpreter of the lyric soprano repertoire. Laura is an Alumna of the prestigious Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Studio. A skilled interpreter of new music, Laura has performed in Ana Sokolovic’s highly successful operatic tour-de-force, Svadba-Wedding, in Toronto, on tour in Europe and with Opera Philadelphia and at San Francisco Opera. Laura made her debut with Toronto’s Opera Atelier as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, her Calgary Opera debut as Musetta in La Bohème and toured Micaëla in Carmen. with Jeunesses Musicales of Canada.
Tanya Roberts
Fifth Maid | Soprano Canadian chameleon soprano Tanya Roberts has performed over 50 opera, operetta and musical theatre roles throughout North America, Europe and the Middle East. Engagements include appearances with Michigan Opera Theatre, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Ohio Light Opera, Lyrique-en-Mer Festival de Belle-Île, Ash Lawn Opera, and the Tel Aviv Vocal Arts Festival. She returns to Edmonton Opera after appearing as Valencienne (The Merry Widow), Zweite Dame (Die Zauberflöte) and Ida (Die Fledermaus). Tanya recently made her solo debut at Carnegie Hall in Mozart’s Vesperae Solennes with the NYC Chamber Orchestra. Tanya is a native of Toronto and a graduate of McGill University.
Barbara King
Confidante | Mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano Barbara King is pleased to return to Edmonton Opera where she last performed as Olga in The Merry Widow and also displayed her gymnastics and dance abilities as a Grisette. Barbara’s credits include Carmen (Carmen), Laura (La Gioconda), Dorabella (Così Fan Tutte), Maddalena (Rigoletto), Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Romeo (I Capuleti Ed I Montecchi), Charlotte (Werther), La Zia Principessa (Suor Angelica), Berta (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Mistress Quickly (Falstaff), The Third Lady (The Magic Flute), and Frugola (Il Tabarro). Ms. King has sung with Calgary Opera, Opera Kelowna, Opera Nuova, Tuscia Opera Festival in Viterbo Italy, Calgary Concert Opera Company and Rocky Mountain Symphony Orchestra. Barbara looks forward to performing as Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier with Opera by Request this June.
Aaron Dimoff
Old Slave | Bass-baritone Last seen in Edmonton Opera’s production of Carmen as Zuniga, Aaron Dimoff is thrilled to be back for Elektra. The Ontario born Bass-baritone has been busy singing across western Canada, most recently in Calgary Opera’s Die Zauberflote and Carmen, Hansel and Gretel with the Okanagan Symphony, Beethoven’s 9th with the Calgary Civic Symphony, and Carmina Burana with the Bow Valley Chorus. Upcoming engagements include Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Sacristan in Tosca.
elektra 33
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Artists’
PROFILES Robert Clark
Young Slave/ Aegisth understudy | Tenor Known for his “fresh-voiced” and “technically refined” singing, tenor Robert Clark has been featured in Opera Canada as one of its Artists On Stage. Recent and upcoming engagements include Don José in Carmen (Nickel City Opera), Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor (Edmonton Opera), First Priest/First Armed Man in The Magic Flute (Edmonton Opera), The Steersman in The Flying Dutchman (Calgary Opera), Flask and Ahab (cover) in Moby Dick (Calgary Opera), Tamino in The Magic Flute (Highlands Opera Studio), Macduff in Macbeth (Pacific Opera Victoria) and Roderigo in Otello (Calgary Opera). Robert is also the official anthem singer for the Edmonton Oilers.
Laurelle Jade Froese
Train Bearer | Mezzo-soprano Mezzo-soprano Laurelle Jade Froese is establishing herself as a young professional singer in Canada. She began her professional operatic debut in the spring of 2014 in Saskatoon Opera’s Die Zauberflöte as second Lady and joined Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artist Program for the 2014/15 season. Prior engagements and awards include being a 2013 and 2014 Jeune Ambassadeur Lyrique Laureate and representing Canada at the Minsk Opera House in Belarus. Laurelle Froese is the founder of the Winnipeg Vocal Academy which seeks to promote classical music to under-served communities within Winnipeg. To find out more, please visit: wpgvocalacademy.com.
Peter Dala
Chorusmaster & Repetiteur Peter Dala began his conducting career 30 years ago with the Basel Ballet. He conducted for seven years at the Hungarian State Opera and the National Ballet of Hungary. As Edmonton Opera’s chorusmaster from 1996 to 2012 and resident conductor from 2001 to 2012, he prepared the chorus for roughly 40 operas, has played over 50 operas as repetiteur and has conducted over 30 operas. In 2001 he began his affiliation with Alberta Ballet and was named music director in 2005. He has conducted over 40 different productions for them.
Leanne Regehr 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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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.
Anna Davidson
Assistant Stage Manager Anna is so happy to be working on Elektra this season. Past Edmonton Opera assistant stage manager credits include Cinderella, 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.
Showcasing local entertainment Supporting local charities JohnCameronEnt www.johncameron.com
Claire Friedrich
Assistant Stage Manager Claire is a Vancouver Island based stage manager who holds a BFA in Theatre from the University of Victoria. She is thrilled to be on the team for Elektra after working as the apprentice on Carmen last season. Claire enjoys splitting her time between opera and theatre and recent credits include ASM on A Christmas Story (Chemainus Theatre), stage manager for Shop Talk (Theatre SKAM) & La Bohème (Burnaby Lyric Opera) and apprentice on Billy Elliot (Arts Club) & A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Pacific Opera). Up next Claire will ASM Otello during the inaugural Vancouver Opera Festival. Thanks to Nathan for his unwavering support.
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27 different communities
Home types for every life stage
Floor plan options
Unique fixtures and finishes
Green living options
HELPING OUR ARTS COMMUNITIES
Take Centre Stage
At MNP, we know that a thriving arts and cultural community can spur economic growth, inspire innovation and accelerate the creative vitality of the region. We like to believe we have earned a five-star reputation in strengthening our cultural communities and industries through our support for artists and arts organizations since 1945. To find out how MNP can help your organization shine, contact Dustin Sundby at 780.451.4406 or dustin.sundby@mnp.ca
38 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
Edmonton Opera chorus
and supers
Soprano
Alto
Tenor
Bass
Supernumeraries
Afton Forsberg Natasha Gago da Fonseca Lydia-Ann Levesque Krista Paton Jill Hoogewoonink Cristina Weiheimer Betty Kolodziej
Stephanie Bent Sable Chan Patrece Maluzynksky* Krista Mulberry Tatiana Stanishich Seang Youn Choi
Joseph Chambrinho* Terry Cheng Mathew Glenn Robert Rock*** Dan Rowley**
Andrae Marchak* Teaan van Zijl John Yun** Nick Horobec** Elliot Harder Josh Thayer Hans Forbrich** Greg Maluzynksky** Andrew Hladyshevsky
Adrian Howard Tim Lo Mitch Caddick Howard Kowalchuk*
* 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: Alexander Prior Violin 1
Viola 2
Oboe
Bass Trombone
Robert Uchida Eric Buchmann Aiyana Anderson-Howatt Neda Yamach Christine Yu
Kerry Kavalo Andrew Bacon Jeannette Comeau Sarah Woodman
Suzanne Lemieux Paul Schieman Dan Waldron
Christopher Taylor
Violin 2
Viola 3 Clayton Leung Rhonda Henshaw Leanne Maitland Martina Smazal
Julianne Scott David Quinn Rob Spady Dan Sutherland
Dianne New Heather Bergen ZoĂŤ Sellers Tatiana Warszynski Murray Vaasjo Vladimir Rufino
Violin 3 Susan Flook Robert Hryciw Joanna Ciapka-Sangster Kevin Filewich Alison Stewart Gabriele Thielmann
Violin 4/Viola 1 Stefan Jungkind Virginie Gagne Laura Veeze Yue Deng
cello 1 Rafael Hoekman Ronda Metszies Derek Gomez
cello 2 Brian Yoon Victor Pipkin Meran Currie-Roberts
bass
clarinet
bassoon Matthew Howatt Edith Stacey Matt Nickel
horn Allene Hackleman Mary Fearon (Asst) Megan Evans Gerald Onciul Donald Plumb
Jan Urke Janice Quinn Max Cardilli Rob Aldridge
Trumpet
flute
Trombone
Elizabeth Koch Shelley Younge Elizabeth Faulkner
Erik Hongisto Kathryn Macintosh
Robin Doyon Frederic Payant Brian Sand
Tuba Scott Whetham
tIMPANI Barry Nemish
Percussion Brian Jones Brian Thurgood Ryan Pliska Raj Nigam
Harp Nora Bumanis Keri Lynn Zwicker
Orchestra Personnel Manager Eric Filpula
Librarian Aaron Hawn
ESO Production Staff Jerrold Eilander Mike Patton
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This 2017/18 opera season, we invite you to experience three compelling new productions – Les Feluettes (Lilies), HMS Pinafore, and Don Giovanni. We begin our season with Les Feluettes, a contemporary Canadian opera based on the play Lilies by acclaimed Quebecois playwright Michel Marc Bouchard. 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. At its Montreal premiere in 2016, Les Feluettes earned tremendous praise, 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). Kevin March’s lush and romantic score was hailed as “a pure masterpiece” (Boucle Magazine), invoking “the feel of 19th century French opera composers Gounod and Massenet” (Times Angus).
In the winter, we bring you a delightful new production of a beloved Gilbert & Sullivan operetta – sail the high seas with the crazy crew of HMS Pinafore! This over-the-top British comedy features quirky characters, hilarious situations, and foot-tapping music, taking you on the voyage of a lifetime. The Cinderella dream team of director Rob Herriot, conductor Peter Dala, and designer Deanna Finnman returns to add a naughty and nautical spin to this worldwide favourite! Finally, opera’s most notorious bad boy takes the stage in a new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. In the never-ending quest to inflate his own ego, this promiscuous, rule-bending, handsome vagabond leaves a trail of broken hearts. But what happens when Don Giovanni faces a supernatural force he cannot charm, outsmart, or conquer? Baritone Philip Addis (an audience favourite in 2014’s The Barber of Seville) takes on the title role, promising a stellar performance in this crowning masterpiece of Mozart’s Italian repertoire.
Devonian Botanic Garden Friday, June 23, 2017 • 7pm SOLD OUT LAST YEAR! ADULT $59 • CHILD $20
780.429.1000 •
edmontonopera.com
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Proud to Sponsor the Edmonton Opera
42 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
PLANNED GIVING by SHELLY K. CHAMASCHUK It takes a lifetime to build up an estate, and yet it seems little time, in comparison, is spent to determine what should happen with an estate after passing. Everyone is encouraged to put a will in place to ensure that the distribution of their estate is properly planned. A basic will can be done, leaving your estate to your family and those who matter to you. However, you may also wish to consider the ability to continue to give back to the community by leaving a charitable gift in your will. A charitable gift leaves money or other assets to those organizations which have given you joy, such as the opera. This would be such a wonderful legacy to you and a thoughtful way to give back on your way out. There is also a significant tax benefit to charitable gifts.
W
hen you include Edmonton Opera in your estate plans, you provide a foundation for great opera in Edmonton to future generations. If you wish to know more about giving to the opera, you are welcome to contact Gordana Bosiocic, Events Coordinator and Donor Relations, at gordana.bosiocic@edmontonopera.com or 780.996.2744. Shelly K. Chamaschuk is a partner with the law firm of Reynolds Mirth Richards and Farmer LLP who practises in the area of estate planning. Shelly can be reached at schamaschuk@rmrf.com or 780.497.3364.
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Two of North America’s premier Ukrainian arts ensembles present an evening of song, music, dance, and bandura, celebrating Taras Shevchenko’s legacy.
APRIL 8 2017 7:30 PM APRIL 9 2017 2:00 PM
Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium • 11455-87 Ave NW
www.wittenlaw.com
44 EDMONTON OPERA 2016/17 SEASON
To purchase tickets online, please visit: shumka.com • bandura.org
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
Deanna Finnman, Head, Wardrobe & Resident Wardrobe Designer* Lela Stairs Murphy, Cutter Brenda Inglis, First Assistant Wardrobe* Ava Siemens, First Stitcher Kathryn Neuman, Stitcher Genevieve Savard, Stitcher Kathleen Mulder, Dyer / Breakdown Artist Laura de Moissac, Head Wig Builder Kris Aasen, Production Coordinator Alison Hardy, Transportation Captain Morgan Franche, Transportation Lieutenant 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* Nancy Horn, Wigs & Hair* Rebecca Klassen, Wigs & Hair Kasie Aasen, Supertitle Cuer
*10 years or more of service to Edmonton Opera.
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�pcoming
events
Opera al Fresco || Friday, June 23, 2017 || 7 p.m. Celebrate one of the longest days of the year with Opera al Fresco at the Devonian Botanic Garden. Satisfy your palate with delectable hors d’oeuvres and wine while you enjoy charming operatic performances on four different stages. Let the vibrant music and gentle breeze lift your spirits to summer bliss! This event sells out each year so make sure to purchase your tickets at the earliest. Opera 101 || October 2017 Join us for a discussion about our first opera of the season, Les Feluettes (Lilies). This exciting contemporary Canadian opera has been recognized as an “undeniable achievement” (Le Devoir), and Opera 101 will be a chance to learn more about the cinematic and richly evocative score composed by Kevin March. Opera 101 is a complimentary event, more details coming soon! Opera Brunch || Sunday, October 1, 2017 || 11 a.m. Enjoy an exquisite meal accompanied by your favourite arias during the Sunday Opera Brunch (11 a.m.) at the Royal Glenora Club. Admire the scenic fall colours of Edmonton’s river valley while the cast of Les Feluettes (Lilies) delivers special performances catered to please! Student Dress Rehearsal || Thursday, October 19, 2017 || 7 p.m. Students can enjoy the final dress rehearsal of Les Feluettes (Lilies) at the Jubilee this fall! The subject matter of this opera touches on Canadian/Quebecois culture, religion, and art history in an incredible live theatrical experience. Bring your class to the most exciting field trip of the year by emailing education@edmontonopera.com today! We will also have an education guide available online to learn more about Les Feluettes before you attend the dress rehearsal.
Les Feluettes (Lilies) || October 21, 24 & 27, 2017 The lush, lyrical, and romantic score of Les Feluettes (Lilies) tells the heartbreaking story of forbidden love in early 1900s Quebec. Based on the iconic Canadian play by Michel Marc Bouchard, Les Feluettes enthralled critics and audiences alike at its world premiere in Montreal in 2016. You do not want to miss this stunning new production! Tickets start at just $40. We have an exciting opera line-up in 2017/18! Be sure to purchase your season tickets now — starting at just $99 for all three operas! 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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