Robert Blocker, Dean
yale opera presents
OPERA SCENES Doris Yarick Cross, Artistic Director November 3 & 4, 2017 • 7:30 pm Morse Recital Hall
Yale Opera
OPERA SCENES friday, november 3 • 7:30 pm Die Zauberflöte, Dead Man Walking, Cendrillon, La Bohème saturday, november 4 • 7:30 pm Hänsel und Gretel, Lucrezia Borgia, Don Giovanni, Ariadne auf Naxos morse recital hall in sprague memorial hall
douglas dickson · timothy shaindlin music preparation & direction christopher murrah stage direction rebecca l. welles costume design doug harry lighting design wendall k. harrington projection design supervision Projections designed by students from the Yale School of Drama Projection Design program
Yale Opera
Die Zauberflรถte Excerpt from Act I Music by W. A. Mozart Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder
Performed in German with projected English translation Musical direction by Douglas Dickson Projection design by Jessie Chen
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Tamino First Lady Second Lady Third Lady Papageno The Queen of the Night
fidel angel romero, tenor lauren jean mcquistin, soprano rachel weishoff, mezzo-soprano alexandra urquiola, mezzo-soprano bryan murray, baritone leah brzyski, soprano
Die Zauberflรถte is a mythological adventure centered on the hero, Tamino, who is stranded in a foreign land away from his home, and challenged by the Star Shimmering Queen to find her missing daughter, Pamina. Aided along the way by spirits, magical ladies, and a sidekick, Papageno, Tamino journeys deep into the mysterious fortress of the villain Sarastro to find the princess and claim his prize. Die Zauberflรถte is a feast for the eyes, ears, and mind that appeals to every generation. Whether one was raised on comic books, adventure movies, or video games, this opera reveals itself to be richer with each encounter.
Friday, November 3
Dead Man Walking Excerpt Music by Jake Heggie Libretto by Terrence McNally
Performed in English with projected English text Musical direction by Douglas Dickson Projection design by John Bondi
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Sister Helen Prejean Father Grenville Warden Joseph De Rocher
sarah saturnino, mezzo-soprano luis aguilar regalado, tenor brady muth, bass-baritone matthew cossack, baritone
One of the most frequently performed contemporary operas in recent years, Dead Man Walking is the story of a profound spiritual journey taken by Sister Helen Prejean and a convicted killer about to face the ultimate sentence. Through her conversations with this man, and her willingness to see through his eyes and with her own heart, she comes to understand the compassion and empathy to which she was called. Based on the book by Sister Helen Prejean, the opera delves into the conflict between the act of murder, society’s demand for retribution, redemption, and forgiveness.
intermission
Yale Opera
Cendrillon Act III Music by Jules Massenet Libretto by Henri CaĂŻn
Performed in French with projected English translation Musical direction by Timothy Shaindlin Projection design by Brittany Bland
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Pandolfe Cendrillon The Fairy Prince Charming
andres benavides cascante, baritone anush avetisyan, soprano leah bryzski, soprano ricky feng nan, tenor
The tale of the girl who lives in the ashes is known the world over. In fact, our modern understanding of the tale is a melding of many different versions. What they evoke in all of us is the power of hope in the face of great sorrow and loss, and the sense that kindness and joy will always bring light into the darkness. Pandolfe, Cendrillon’s father, tries to comfort his daughter as she bemoans the life she will never have at the hands of her less than kind stepmother and stepsisters. He decides that they will flee together. However, before he can return, she runs to the woods to die, too grief stricken to continue. There, her Fairy Godmother brings Cendrillon and her Prince together and allows them to share their love in an enchanted sleep.
Friday, November 3
La Bohème Act I Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
Performed in Italian with projected English translation Musical direction by Douglas Dickson Projection design by Nic Vincent
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Marcello Rodolfo Colline Schaunard Benoît Mimì
andres benavides cascante, baritone fidel angel romero, tenor stephen clark, bass bryan murray, baritone brady muth, bass-baritone sylvia d’eramo, soprano
Puccini’s poetic masterpiece La Bohème is reimagined against the electrifying backdrop of the brewing 1968 Paris student revolution. Three artists celebrate Christmas Eve by ignoring the pathos of their poverty and need, instead choosing to celebrate the joys that life has to offer. Their friend, Rodolfo, stays behind to work on his writing but is interrupted by his neighbor, the lovely Mimì. This meeting leads Rodolfo, and the audience, to the question that will guide his love affair with Mimì and her effect on him, “Chi son?”
yale opera
Hänsel und Gretel Act I Music by Engelbert Humperdinck Libretto by Adelheid Wette
Performed in German with projected English translation Musical direction by Timothy Shaindlin Projection design by Gerardo Diaz
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Gretel Hänsel Mother Father
sylvia d’eramo, soprano alexandra urquiola, mezzo-soprano sarah saturnino, mezzo-soprano zachary johnson, baritone
Starving and left home alone, Hänsel and Gretel make do with the very little their parents can provide for them. In lieu of their chores, they dive into a world of make-believe and play — that is, until Mother returns home and interrupts their frivolity with her practicality. Upset with them, and terrified at the prospect of no dinner on the table that evening, she sends the brother and sister into the woods to pick berries. When Father comes home inebriated, he surprises his wife with food from the market. Eager to share the unexpected yet meager feast with his family, he asks after the children. Alarmed that Mother has sent Hänsel and Gretel into the woods alone, Father tells Mother of the horrible witch who lives in the woods. Concerned for the welfare of the children, they go off into the woods to look for them.
Saturday, November 4
Lucrezia Borgia Excerpt Music by Gaetano Donizetti Libretto by Felice Romani
Performed in Italian with projected English translation Musical direction by Timothy Shaindlin Projection design by Samuel Chan
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Don Alfonso Lucrezia Borgia Gennaro Liverotto Vitellozzo Gazella Orsini Gubetta
stephen clark, bass lauren mcquistin, soprano luis aguilar regalado, tenor ricky feng nan, tenor fidel angel romero, tenor andres benavides cascante, baritone rachel weishoff, mezzo-soprano brady muth, bass-baritone
A tale of revenge and blood lust, Lucrezia Borgia is an operatic manifestation of a fury to which hell cannot aspire. Borgia is driven by her pride to exact a murder on a group of young men who had dishonored her name in front a young dashing gentleman, Gennaro. Suspicious of the relationship between the young man and his wife, the duke has Gennaro arrested for a petty crime and attempts to poison him. Lucrezia saves the young man and urges him to flee. Gennaro ignores her plea and attends a party with the young men Lucrezia is after. He, along with the others, drinks a bottle of poisoned wine but this time refuses the aid of Lucrezia, choosing instead to die beside his friends.
intermission
yale opera
Don Giovanni Excerpt from Act I Music by W. A. Mozart Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte
Performed in Italian with projected English translation Musical direction by Douglas Dickson Projection design by Riw Rakkulchon
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Leporello Donna Anna Don Giovanni Commendatore Don Ottavio Donna Elvira
brady muth, bass-baritone sylvia d’eramo, soprano zachary johnson, baritone stephen clark, bass ricky feng nan, tenor anush avetisyan, soprano
The quintessential libertine, Don Giovanni is known the world over as a womanizer and scoundrel. The opera tells us the story of an unusual day for the Don, a day that involves a foiled conquest, a murder, and indeed his very demise. In looking back at the 14th century nobleman, modern audiences need not reach far for parallels of his behavior in our own tabloids and newspapers. Perhaps there is more than a little joy in watching the women he has wronged seek and exact a great revenge upon the man who wreaked havoc wherever he went.
Warning: This scene depicts violence against women.
Saturday, November 4
Ariadne auf Naxos Prologue Music by Richard Strauss Libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Performed in German with projected English translation Musical direction by Timothy Shaindlin Projection design by Steph Cohen
cast (in order of vocal appearance) Musiklehrer Haushofmeister Komponist Prima Donna Zerbinetta Tanzmeister Lakai Tenor
matthew cossack, baritone stephen clark, bass sarah saturnino, mezzo-soprano lauren mcquistin, soprano leah brzyski, soprano luis aguilar regalado, tenor bryan murray, baritone fidel angel romero, tenor
A troupe of serious operatic musicians and a low-brow drama troupe arrive at a grand fête being thrown by a wealthy patron to provide entertainment. In the midst of classic backstage chaos, the two troupes get some odd news: everything’s behind schedule so, to save time, both shows must be performed simultaneously. Though the idealistic young composer of the tragedy is devastated, the show(s) must go on. At the core of the comedy is a thought-provoking dialogue about the conversation between “high” and “low” art and indeed the very place of art in society.
artist profiles
Christopher Murrah stage direction
Douglas Dickson musical direction and accompaniment
Christopher Murrah is a New York Citybased director. In 2016 he joined the faculty of Yale School of Music where he directs and teaches acting and movement for the Yale Opera. In 2014 he was the recipient of the honored Princess Grace Theater Award and previously was honored by the Shubert Foundation through Columbia University.
Douglas Dickson received his bachelor of arts degree from Princeton University and his master of musical arts degree from the Yale School of Music. On various occasions, The Washington Post has called him an “intelligent, sensitive” pianist with “super technique” and a “skillful pianist” and has praised him for the “finely integrated oneness” he achieves as an accompanist. Mr. Dickson has performed in the United States, Europe, Asia, and South America, in venues ranging from Japan’s Expo Hall to the Cincinnati Coliseum.
His work in theater and opera has been seen around the world, including the renowned Mariinsky Opera House in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he was the movement director for a wild new mounting of La traviata. He served as the choreographer of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the fight choreographer for Don Quichotte, both with the Yale Opera. He was also the director for the Yale Opera’s 2016 Fall Opera Scenes programs. Other directing credits include Man of La Mancha (Wasserman/Darion/ Leigh), The Crucible (Miller), Pericles and Hamlet (Shakespeare), Into the Woods (Sondheim/Lapine), Children of Eden (Schwartz/Caird), and The Three Sisters (Chekhov). New plays and collaborations have included Peter Pan or the Boy Who Hated Mothers (Michael Lluberes), Alphabetical (Tingying Ma), The Sounds of My People (Tabia Lau), and development of works by Matthew Minnicino, Daaimah Mubashshir, and David Kimple. He is a member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC) and the Actor’s Equity Association.
While still in college, he was the accompanist for the American Boychoir. As part of Duodecaphonia, a prize-winning piano duo, he has performed at the Kennedy Center and elsewhere. Mr. Dickson has been the music director for productions at Quinnipiac University, the Yale School of Drama, Opera Theater of Connecticut, and Connecticut Experimental Theater. He was music director and conductor for the Yale Opera’s production of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, and conducted a concert featuring the Yale Opera with the Orchestra Verdi in Milan. He has taught at Quinnipiac University since 1993 and joined the Yale faculty in 1998. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in an all-Ives concert at Weill Recital Hall. For Naxos, he has recorded more than eighty songs by Charles Ives.
artist profiles
Timothy Shaindlin musical direction and accompaniment
Rebecca L. Welles costume design
A native of New York City, Timothy Shaindlin joined the Yale School of Music faculty in 2008. After studies at The Juilliard School and Indiana University, he worked for the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, San Diego Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Pittsburgh Opera. He has also coached for the Glimmerglass Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Hawaii Opera Theatre. In Europe, he worked for Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu and played master classes for Tito Gobbi. He has also played classes and coachings for such artists as Joan Sutherland, Birgit Nilsson, Beverly Sills, Marilyn Horne, Natalie Dessay, Ben Heppner, Luciano Pavarotti, Eleanor Steber, Samuel Ramey, Régine Crespin, Thomas Hampson, Frederica von Stade, Renee Fleming, and Carlo Bergonzi.
Rebecca L. Welles, YSD ‘12, has been designing for Yale Opera since 2013. Credits include Le pauvre matelot, The Bear, Don Quichotte, La cenerentola, Le nozze di Figaro, Gianni Schicchi, Riders to the Sea, Bon Appetit, and Iolanta. Rebecca is also an adjunct professor of performing arts at Eastern Connecticut State University, the costume shop manager for the Aspen Opera Center at the Aspen Summer Music Festival, and the resident costume designer for the Educational Center for the Arts. Other recent Connecticut design credits include Million Dollar Quartet and Tenderly: The Rosemary Clooney Story at Ivoryton Playhouse.
Mr. Shaindlin’s work on the podium includes conducting engagements with the Wolf Trap Opera Festival, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Pittsburgh Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, Chicago Light Opera Works, and Eugene Opera. He has assisted such renowned conductors as Christoph Eschenbach, Sir Andrew Davis, Daniel Barenboim, Valery Gergiev, Richard Bonynge, Bruno Bartoletti, Donato Renzetti, Louis Langrée, Edoardo Müller, Yves Abel, Daniele Gatti, Antonio Pappano, and Paul Gemignani.
Doug hails from the UK and trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama way back in the crazy eighties! He has travelled the world as a lighting designer for theater, opera, and corporate events. Currently, he splits his time between production management and design and is currently the production manager for the International Festival of Arts & Ideas. He is very happy to be designing for the Yale Opera program.
Doug Harry lighting design
artist profiles
Wendall K. Harrington projection design supervision Wendall K. Harrington’s career has embraced diverse disciplines including projection design for theater, publishing, and video production. Broadway designs include Driving Miss Daisy, Grey Gardens, They’re Playing Our Song, The Elephant Man, My One and Only, The Heidi Chronicles, The Will Rogers Follies, Having Our Say, Company, Racing Demon, Ragtime, John Leguizamo’s Freak, The Capeman, Putting It Together, and The Who’s Tommy. Off-Broadway work includes Angels in America, Hapgood, A Christmas Carol at the Paramount; Merrily We Roll Along (three times!), and the ill-fated Whistle Down the Wind. Opera designs include Julie Taymor’s The Magic Flute in Florence, Italy; A View from the Bridge at Chicago Lyric Opera and the Metropolitan Opera; Die Gezeichneten at LA Opera; The Photographer at BAM; and Transatlantic, Grapes of Wrath, Rusalka, and Wuthering Heights for Minnesota Opera. Ms. Harrington is the recipient of the Drama Desk Award, the Outer Critics Circle Award, the American Theatre Wing Award, the TCI Award for Technical Achievement, and the Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Projections. Ms. Harrington has been lecturing on projection design for the Yale School of Drama since the early ’90s.
Student Profiles
Luis Aguilar Regalado tenor B.M. The Hartt School of Music; Young Artist Programs: Oberlin in Italy, Opera de Nuevo Leon Anush Avetisyan soprano B.A. University of California, Los Angeles; Young Artist Programs: Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Mediterraneo Opera Studio, Wolf Trap Opera, Oberlin in Italy Leah Brzyski soprano B.M. in Vocal Performance and Music Education, Michigan State University; Young Artist Program: Charlottesville Opera Andres Benavides Cascante baritone B.A. in Music, Loyola University New Orleans Matthew Cossack baritone B.M. SUNY Purchase; M.M. Mannes College; Young Artist Programs: Si Parla Si Canta, Princeton Festival Stephen Clark bass B.A. Northeastern State University Oklahoma, M.M. Oklahoma City University; Young Artist Programs: Central City Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Fort Worth Opera Festival, Seagle Music Colony Sylvia D’Eramo soprano B.A. SUNY Purchase Zachary Johnson baritone B.M. New England Conservatory; M.M. Yale School of Music
Lauren McQuistin soprano B.M. Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; M.M. Indiana University Jacobs School of Music; Young Artist Programs: Center for Opera Studies in Italy Bryan Murray baritone B.M. Stony Brook University, M.M. SUNY Purchase; Young Artist Programs: Si Parla Si Canta; Brooklyn Opera Institute Brady Muth bass-baritone B.M. University of Northern Colorado; Young Artist Programs: Opera Classica Europa, Opera Fort Collins Ricky Feng Nan tenor B.M. SUNY Binghamton; M.M. Northwestern University; Young Artist Programs: Miami Music Festival, Central City Opera Fidel Angel Romero tenor B.A. Houston Baptist University; Young Artist Program: German Vocal Arts Institute Sarah Saturnino mezzo-soprano B.A. University of California, Los Angeles; Young Artist Program: Bel Canto in Tuscany Alexandra Urquiola mezzo-soprano B.M. Northwestern University; Young Artist Program: Aspen Music Festival Rachel Weishoff mezzo-soprano B.M. & M.M. SUNY Purchase; Young Artist Programs: Princeton Music Festival, Central City Opera, Chelsea Opera
Yale Opera Production Staff
christopher murrah Stage Director
erika niemi heltzel Yale Opera Manager
rebecca l. welles Costume Designer
nikki blue Production Stage Manager
doug harry Lighting Designer & Master Electrician
rebekah heusel Assistant Stage Manager
brittany bland christopher evans Projection Programmer & Operator
cailey harwood-smith Properties Master carol koumbaros Wardrobe Manager
jill brunelle Surtitle Operator sylvia d’eramo zachary johnson Student Assistants
Special Thanks
Shawn Boyle Jacob Reed Richard Cross Robert Heltzel Jen McClure Rick Sordelet John Sullivan Kyle Swann Yale School of Drama Long Wharf Theatre Southern Connecticut State University Wendall K. Harrington and her projection design students
Yale Opera 2017–2018 season Master Class with Alan Held december 15, 2017 Morse Recital Hall The renowned bass-baritone from the Metropolitan Opera works with students in the Yale Opera program. Friday | 7 pm free admission The Magic Flute february 16–18, 2018 Shubert Theater Yale Opera presents a new production with stage direction by Dustin Wills and music direction by Israel Gursky. Friday & Saturday, 8 pm | Sunday, 2 pm Tickets start at $19 Available at shubert.com or 203-562-5666 Hansel and Gretel may 4–5, 2018 Morse Recital Hall Yale Opera presents a new production in Sprague Hall with music direction by Doug Dickson. Friday & Saturday | 7:30 pm Tickets start at $10, Students $5
Next at Yale Opera
The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
February 16–18, 2018 Shubert Theatre Friday & Saturday, 8 pm | Sunday, 2 pm Dustin Wills, director Israel Gursky, conductor With the Yale Philharmonia Tickets start at $19, available at shubert.com or 203 562-5666
Robert Blocker, Dean
JO I N US FO R T H E 20 1 7–20 18 SE AS ON More than 200 concerts every year, many of which are free and streamed live, online! PETE
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YALE PHILHARMONIA Concerts led by principal conductor Peter Oundjian and guest conductors David Robertson, Ignat Solzhenitsyn, and Marin Alsop, and the world premiere of the International Bruckner Society’s new edition of the composer’s Eighth Symphony, re-edited by Paul Hawkshaw
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Upcoming Events Lunchtime Chamber Music november 8 YSM Ensembles YSM students perform a midday chamber music program at the Yale Center for British Art 1080 Chapel St. | Wednesday | 12:30 pm free admission Peter Frankl, with Janna Baty and Randall Scarlata november 8 Horowitz Piano Series Faculty pianist Peter Frankl is joined by faculty mezzo-soprano Janna Baty and baritone Randall Scarlata for an all-Schumann program Morse Recital Hall | Wednesday | 7:30 pm Tickets start at $13, Students $7 David Lang and Hannah Lash november 9 New Music New Haven Works by YSM faculty composers Hannah Lash and David Lang, including Lash’s How to Remember Seeds, performed by the Rolston String Quartet, and Lang’s just (after song of songs), and music by the School’s graduate-student composers Morse Recital Hall | Thursday | 7:30 pm free admission
Yale Percussion Group november 12 YSM Ensembles The Yale Percussion Group, under the direction of Robert van Sice, has been described by pioneering composer Steve Reich as a “truly extraordinary” ensemble Morse Recital Hall | Sunday | 7:30 pm Tickets start at $10, Students $5 Trombone Studio Recital november 13 YSM Ensembles Performances by students from Scott Hartman’s trombone studio Sudler Recital Hall | Monday | 7:30 pm free admission Vista: Chamber Music november 14 YSM Ensembles Student chamber ensembles perform and provide insight into the repertoire Wendy Sharp, director Morse Recital Hall | Tuesday | 7:30 pm free admission
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If you do not intend to save your program, please recycle it in the baskets at the exit doors. Robert Blocker, Dean
2017 2018
HIGH NOTES Yale Opera Alumni News
Robert Blocker, Dean
yale opera
Tenor Matthew Polenzani’s 2017–2018 season opens with a return to Lyric Opera of Chicago as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto and Nadir in Les Pêcheurs de Perles. The Metropolitan Opera in New York has been, and continues to be his artistic home, and he returns there to reprise his portrayal of Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore. He then travels to Switzerland to make his role debut as Rodolfo in Verdi’s Luisa Miller at Opernhaus Zürich. Mr. Polenzani then continues to Royal Opera House to star as matthew polenzani ’94 Rodolfo in La Bohème. Concert appearances this season include a performance as the tenor soloist in Haydn’s Creation with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival led by Maestro James Levine, and arias and ensemble pieces as part of “Stars of Lyric Opera” at Millennium Park in Chicago.
sara jakubiak ’06
david pershall ’11
Soprano Sara Jakubiak will return to Oper Frankfurt for the 2017–2018 season where she will star as Ellen Orford in Peter Grimes and as Freia in Das Rheingold. This spring she will make both her role and house debuts as the title role in Das Wunder der Heliane at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. In recent seasons, she was seen as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, conducted by Sebastian Weigle, as Marie in Krenek’s Der Diktator, in Harry Kupfer’s production of The Gambler, conducted by Weigle, and Eva in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with Bayerische Staatsoper. A 2016 winner of the prestigious George London competition, this season baritone David Pershall is busy with engagements across the United States. In September, he returned to the stage of the Metropolitan Opera to reprise his critically acclaimed portrayal of Schaunard in Puccini’s La Bohème. In November, he returns to San Francisco Opera to sing the role of Lescaut in Manon. His recent engagements include Albert in Werther with the Metropolitan Opera, Lescaut in Manon Lescaut with the Vienna State Opera, and Schaunard in La Bohème and Lord Cecil in Maria Stuarda with the Metropolitan Opera.
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2017–2018 • high notes
Bass-baritone Christian Van Horn returns to the Metropolitan Opera for the 2017–2018 season where his roles include the Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte and Julio in the American premiere of Thomas Adès’ The Exterminating Angel. He will also appear as Julio in cinemas worldwide in the Met Live in HD broadcast of The Exterminating Angel on November 18. This spring, he returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago as Mephistophélès in Faust and to the Canadian Opera Company as the Emperor in Le christian van horn ’03 Rossignol. This summer, he appeared with the Santa Fe Opera as Melisso in Alcina and Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor. Last season, he sang with the New York Philharmonic as Donner in Das Rheingold, San Francisco Symphony in Handel’s Messiah, and the National Arts Centre in Ottawa for Mozart’s Requiem.
tamara mumford
patrick carfizzi ’99
This season, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford returns to the Metropolitan Opera as the Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, appears in concert with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the National Symphony Orchestra, and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, and will be presented in recital by the Frick Collection in New York. She also appears in two special projects with Gustavo Dudamel and the Los Angeles Philharmonic: performances of Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde in a production by Yuval Sharon and the Chilean theater group Teatrocinema, and performances of Schumann’s Paradies un die Peri directed by Peter Sellars. In the 2017–2018 season, American bass-baritone Patrick Carfizzi returns to the Metropolitan Opera as the Sacristan in Puccini’s Tosca and Mandarino in Puccini’s Turandot. He will also sing Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore at the Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden, Germany, and returns to San Diego Opera as Major General in Pirates of Penzance. Concert highlights include performances with the Utah Symphony Orchestra, featuring a program of Brahms songs and Mozart’s C-minor Mass with Markus Stenz.
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Mireille Asselin ’10 After a highly successful debut as Adele in Die Fledermaus with the Metropolitan Opera in December of 2015, soprano Mireille Asselin’s career has been flourishing. Her engagements for the 2017–2018 season include Euridice in Orfeo ed Euridice with Opera Columbus and Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Atelier. She also returns to the roster of The Metropolitan Opera for The Merry Widow. This fall, she will be the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem and Vaughan Williams’ Pastoral Symphony with the North Carolina Symphony. Eric Barry ’11 This past season, tenor Eric Barry sang Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Memphis, and the Duke in Rigoletto with Syracuse Opera. Earlier this year, he performed Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera Colorado. This season, his engagements include Macduff in Macbeth with Opera San Antonio and Alfredo in La traviata with Amarillo Opera. Andy Berry ’16 This season, bass Andy Berry continues as a second-year Resident Artist with Pittsburgh Opera where he will sing the roles of Angelotti in Tosca, Antonio in The Marriage of Figaro, and Daggoo in Moby Dick. In Pittsburgh Opera’s 2016–2017 season, Mr. Berry performed as the Marchese D’Obigny in La traviata, as both a Cappadocian and Fifth Jew in Salome, as Isacio in Richard the Lionheart, and as a Mandarin in Turandot. Jennifer Black ’04 Last season, soprano Jennifer Black was seen as Merilee the Giantess in Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Fallen Giant with American Lyric Theatre, the Countess in La mère coupable with On Site Opera, and as the soprano soloist for Strauss’ Four Last Songs with Ridgefield Symphony, Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde with the Chamber Orchestra of San Antonio, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Phoenix Symphony. She returned to the Metropolitan Opera for its production of Jenůfa, where she covered the role of Berena. This season, she returns to the Sarasota Opera as Adalgisa in Norma.
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2017–2018 • high notes
Zach Borichevsky ’08 This season, tenor Zach Borichevsky debuts at The Dallas Opera as Alfredo in a new production of La traviata and at Theater Basel in a new production of La traviata. He will also debut with the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda in performances of Adams’ The Gospel According to the Other Mary, and with the St. Louis Symphony under Hannu Lintu in The Bells. This summer, he starred as Alfredo in La traviata with the Glyndebourne Festival. Teresa Buchholz ’98 In January 2017, mezzo-soprano Teresa Buchholz sang the role of Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana with the Cedar Rapids Opera. On the concert stage, she appeared as the mezzo soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the National Chorale at Lincoln Center. This past summer, she appeared in the role of Zofia in Stanisław Moniuszko’s Halka. She begins her 2017–2018 season singing the role of Berta in Riccardo Zandonai’s Il Grillo del Focolare with Teatro Gratticielo under the baton of Israel Gursky. This fall, she will also appear as Anne in Virgil Thompson’s The Mother of Us All with Hudson Hall. In March, she’ll appear as the mezzo soloist in Verdi’s Requiem with the Helena Symphony. Heather Buck ’96 In the 2017–2018 season, soprano Heather Buck returns to New York City Opera for a reprisal of the title role in Argento’s monodrama Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night, and Alma Beers in Wourinen’s Brokeback Mountain, a role she first created with Teatro Real Madrid. She returns to Odyssey Opera as Joan of Arc in a semi-staged performance of Dello Joio’s The Trial at Rouen, and also retuns to Virginia Opera as Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Rubin Casas ’95 In the fall of 2017, bass-baritone Rubin Casas makes his return to Virginia Opera for Samson et Dalila singing the role of Abimelech. He will also sing Sparafucile in Rigoletto at Opera Las Vegas. This past year, Casas “employed his dark voice expressively” for the role of Banco in Macbeth at the Opera Company of Middlebury and joined the Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre as the Commentator in Don Giovanni with “rumbling bravura.”
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Erin Caves ’95 Upcoming engagements for tenor Erin Caves include the titular role in Parsifal with Opera Vlaanderen, and a return to Oper Stuttgart to reprise the role of Hermann in Pique Dame. Last season he sang Tristan in Tristan und Isolde with Oper Stuttgart and Badische Staatstheater Karlsruhe, and Walther von Stolzing in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg with Komische Oper Berlin. Michael Chioldi ’94 Baritone Michael Chioldi’s 2017–2018 season began in September with his return to Virginia Opera for Le Grand Prêtre de Dagon in Samson et Dalila. This season, he will return to Palm Beach Opera for Scarpia in Tosca, and to Austin Opera for the role of Giorgio Germont in La traviata. He will debut with The Dallas Opera in the role of Abimélech in Samson et Dalila, and at Gran Teatre del Liceu in the role of Carlo Gérard in Andrea Chénier. Steven Condy ’90 This year, baritone Steven Condy returned to Opera Delaware for the role of Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola. In May, he traveled to Guatemala City to sing the role of Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore with the Lyric Opera of Guatemala. This summer, he reprised the title role of Don Pasquale with the Brevard Music Festival. Next year, Mr. Condy will sing the title role in Falstaff with Intermountain Opera. This season, he joins the roster of the Metropolitan Opera in La Bohème. James Creswell ’99 This season, bass James Creswell’s engagements include appearances as A Blind Ballad-Singer in Gloriana with Teatro Real de Madrid, and as Le Comte des Grieux in Manon with the San Francisco Opera. Last season, he met great success with performances of Fasolt and Hunding in Wagner’s Ring Cycle for Opera North (UK). This past summer, he sang the role of the First Nazarene in Salome with the Holland Festival.
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2017–2018 • high notes
Adam Diegel This season, tenor Adam Diegel’s engagements include a return to the Metropolitan Opera in September as Flavio in Norma, and in March for Madama Butterfly. In January 2018, he will reprise his critically acclaimed interpretation of Cavardossi in Tosca with the Palm Beach Opera. Last season, Mr. Diegel performed two of his signature roles throughout the world as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly at Opera Hong Kong and Palm Beach Opera, and Don José in Carmen at the San Francisco Opera, Opera Maine, and Opera San Antonio. Jeffrey Dowd ’86 In the 2017–2018 season, tenor Jeffrey Dowd continues as a member of the ensemble of Theater Essen where his engagements include Siegmund in Die Walküre, Konrad in Hans Heiling, Altoum in Turandot, and Alfred in Die Fledermaus. He will also appear as the title role in Tannhäuser with the Estonian National Opera, and as Erik in Der fliegende Holländer with Oper Halle. Brian Downen ’96 For the 2017–2018 season, tenor Brian Downen returns to the roster of the Metropolitan Opera for Les Contes d’Hoffmann. Earlier this year, he sang the role of Monsieur Triquet in Eugene Onegin with the Metropolitan Opera.
Jane Dutton ’95 This season, soprano Jane Dutton will reprise the role of Brünnhilde in Grange Park Opera’s new production of Die Walküre.
Gala El Hadidi ’10 This season, mezzo-soprano Gala El Hadidi will reprise her critically acclaimed portrayal of Carmen with Opéra Royal de Wallonie, and will perform the role of Babarikha in The Tale of Tsar Saltan with Staatsoperette Dresden.
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Jennifer Feinstein ’11 In the 2017–2018 season, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Feinstein will make her role and house debuts as Laura in La Gioconda with the Tiroler Landestheater in Innsbruck, Austria. In the 2016–2017 season, Ms. Feinstein returned to the Beethoven Festival in Warsaw for a concert performance and CD recording as the title role in Bizet’s Djamileh, and covered Amneris in Aïda for the Pacific Symphony in Costa Mesa, California. She also appeared as a soloist with the South Florida Symphony Orchestra for a series of American song concerts throughout the state. Leah Hawkins ’15 Soprano Leah Hawkins is in her third season of the DomingoCafritz Young Artist Program at Washington National Opera. In the 2017–2018 season, she will appear at WNO as Ma Zegner in the premiere of Proving Up by composer Missy Mazzoli and librettist Royce Vavrek, and Voce dal cielo in Verdi’s Don Carlo. She will also appear as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra and the Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra. Samuel Hinkle ’16 Baritone Samuel Hinkle’s 2017–2018 season engagements include singing Marco in Gianni Schicchi with Salt Marsh Opera and covering Maximillian in Candide with Palm Beach Opera. This past summer, Mr. Hinkle performed as a member of the Pacific Music Festival Vocal Institute. Zhiguang Hong ’16 Bass-baritone Zhiguang Hong’s 2017–2018 engagements include covering the title role of Falstaff with National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, China, in a collaboration production between the Vienna State Opera and NCPA under the baton of Zubin Mehta. This past summer, he sang the roles of Escamillo in Carmen and the Astrologer and Abbot in The Burning Fiery Furnace with Central City Opera. This fall, he made his Carnegie Hall debut in a recital with fellow Yale Opera alumnus Jessica Pray.
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2017–2018 • high notes
Alison King ’14 Soprano Alison King continues as a member of the Opera Studio at Opera Frankfurt in the 2017–2018 season. She begins her season singing Ines in Il trovatore, and will appear as Anna in L’Africaine, Clotilde in Norma, and the Soprano in A Wintry Spring (Haddad). Her engagements this past spring with Opera Frankfurt included Eine Kartenaufschlägerin in Arabella, Polyxène in Les Troyens, and Musetta in La Bohème. Paweł Konik ’16 Baritone Paweł Konik begins his 2017–2018 season with a return to the Silesian Opera House where he makes his role debut as Mercutio in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. Then he will sing Händel’s Messiah during the Annum Festival. Later this season, Mr. Konik will make his house debut at the Castle Opera in Szczecin singing Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte. Earlier this year, he appeared as Tancredi in Monteverdi’s Il combattimento di Tancredi et Clorinda with the Dutch National Opera and Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with Wrocław Opera. This summer, he performed Zaretsky in Eugene Onegin and Soldat/Nazarene in Salome with the Verbier Festival. Evanna Lai (Chiew) ’16 Mezzo-soprano Evanna Lai recently made her professional European and radio debut at the Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam as Nancy T’ang in Nixon in China with the Dutch Youth Orchestra. Ms. Lai looks forward to several art-song and chamber recitals in the 2017–2018 season, as well as her Elm City Consort debut as Calliope in the premiere performance of La Lira Muta, a pastiche opera. This summer, she sang the role of Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with Opera Theater of Connecticut. David Leigh ’14 This season, bass David Leigh returns to the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development program. This spring, he will make his Metropolitan Opera debut singing Le Surintendant des plaisirs in a new production of Cendrillon alongside Joyce DiDonato under the baton of Bertrand de Billy. On April 28, his performance in Cendrillon will be broadcast as part of the Met Live in HD broadcasts. This season, he will also appear as Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Théâtre de la Ville de Luxembourg, Opéra national de Lorraine Nancy, Festival International d’Opéra Baroque de Beaune, Festival d’Aix en Provence, and the Florentine Opera. 8
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Samuel Levine ’12 Tenor Samuel Levine is a recent graduate of the Opera Studies program at the Juilliard School, where he received an artist diploma. This season, his engagements include Testo in Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda and Noah in I Have No Stories to Tell You with Opera Philadelphia, and Viktor Frankenstein in Frankenstein with West Edge Opera, Oakland. Earlier this year he appeared as Joe in the world premiere of Three Way with Nashville Opera, a role he reprised with the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Ryan MacPherson ’00 This fall, tenor Ryan MacPherson will record his performance of Mr. Rochester in Louis Karchin’s Jane Eyre for the Naxos label, a role he created in the world premiere production with New York’s Center for Contemporary Opera.
Christopher Magiera This season, baritone Christopher Magiera will reprise the role of Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera Naples. He will join the DePaul School of Music for a performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Five Mystical Songs. In the 2016–2017 season he debuted in John Adams’ The Wound Dresser with the McLean Symphony, and Dvořák’s Requiem with the Berkshire Choral Festival. This past summer, he performed the role of Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with the Opera Theater of Saint Louis. Anne Maguire ’17 Mezzo-soprano Anne Maguire has had the distinction of being a 2015 MONC National Semi-Finalist, as well as a 2016 Glimmerglass Festival Young Artist, where she covered the role of Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible. Currently, she is the 2017 Oregon District Metropolitan Opera National Council winner. Ms. Maguire has performed in concert with the Waterbury Symphony and in numerous orchestral and concert performances in New Canaan and Hartford. This spring, she will return to the Yale Opera as a guest artist singing the role of the Witch in Hänsel und Gretel.
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2017–2018 • high notes
Jamilyn Manning-White ’12 In the summer of 2016, soprano Jamilyn Manning-White sang Juliet in the world premiere of Thomas Pasatieri’s Three Shakespearean Monologues with the Phoenicia International Festival of the Voice, and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and his Mass in C major with the Berkshire Choral Festival. This season, she returns to Heartbeat Opera for its gala production of Heartbeat on the High Line. Meechot Marrero ’16 In the 2017–2018 season, soprano Meechot Marrero continues as a member of the Deutsche Oper Berlin ensemble, after being awarded the American-Berlin Scholarship from the Opera Foundation. With Deutsche Oper Berlin this season, Ms. Marrero will perform the roles of Princess Nicoletta in The Love for Three Oranges, Magd in Elektra, Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, Frasquita in Carmen, L’innocente in L’arlesiana, Modestina in Il viaggio a Reims, and Adele in Die Fledermaus. Sarah Jane McMahon ’04 This season, soprano Sarah Jane McMahon returns to the New Orleans Opera to sing the role of Monica in The Medium. She will also perform as a soprano soloist in the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the New Orleans Opera, and in That’s Amore with the Heartland Festival Orchestra. This spring, she starred as Marguerite in Faust with the New Orleans Opera. Lucas Meachem Baritone Lucas Meachem begins his 2017–2018 season with a return to The Metropolitan Opera to reprise the role of Marcello in La Bohème. His 2017–2018 season also includes performances of Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with the Houston Grand Opera, Athanaël in Thaïs with the Minnesota Opera, and the title role in Don Giovanni with Sächsische Staatsoper in Dresden, Germany. Liam Moran ’05 This summer, bass Liam Moran debuted with the Bard Music Festival as Stolnik in Stanisław Moniuszko’s Halka. He also returned to the Metropolitan Opera for Der Rosenkavalier.
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Andrés Moreno García ’17 During the 2017–2018 season, tenor Andrés Moreno García will be in Berlin, Germany, singing as a member of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden’s Opera Studio and is a scholarship recipient from the Liz Mohn Kultur- und Musikstiftung. With the Staatsoper, he will make his debuts in the roles of Gastone in La traviata and Parpignol in La Bohème, and will work with conductors including Zubin Mehta and Massimo Zanetti. In concert, Mr. Moreno García will sing with the Georgian National Opera and Ballet Theater of Tbilisi and the Kinderopernhaus Lichtenberg. This past summer, he sang the role of Edmondo in Donizetti’s L’assedio di Calais and Slim in Oklahoma! with the Glimmerglass Festival. Dean Murphy ’17 In the fall of 2017, baritone Dean Murphy joined the ensemble of the Deutsche Oper Berlin. In the 2017–2018 season, he is performing in twelve productions at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, in roles including Fiorello in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Wagner in Faust, and Dancaïro in a new production of Carmen. This past summer, Mr. Murphy was a Bonfils-Stanton Apprentice Artist with the Central City Opera where he sang the roles of The Herald in Britten’s The Burning Fiery Furnace and Pierre la Fitte in Amy Beach’s Cabildo. Abigail Nims ’07 This season, mezzo-soprano Abigail Nims will appear as Zegner Sister I in Proving Up with Opera Omaha. In the 2016–2017 season, Ms. Nims performed in Handel’s Messiah with the Naples Philharmonic and Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Mahler’s Second Symphony with the Duluth Superior Symphony, and Dvořák’s Stabat Mater with the Bach Festival Society of Winter Park. Edward Parks ’08 Baritone Edward Parks’ 2017-2018 season includes Inman in Cold Mountain with North Carolina Opera, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore with Opera Oviedo in Spain, Valentin in Faust with Lyric Opera of Chicago and Portland Opera, Escamillo in Carmen with Atlanta Opera, and a return to the roster of Metropolitan Opera for Le nozze di Figaro, as well as concerts with the Marilyn Horne Foundation and the Winter Chamber Festival. This past summer he created the role of Steve Jobs in the world premiere of Mason Bates’ The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs with Santa Fe Opera. 11
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Damien Pass ’09 Bass-baritone Damien Pass’ 2017–2018 season includes singing the Four Villains in Les contes d’Hoffmann with Opéra de Dijon. Last season, he appeared in the opera creation Bosch Beach by composer Vasco Mendonça and librettist Dimitri Verhulst, produced by LOD Muziektheater with ensemble Asko|Schönberg. He reprised the role of Colline in La Bohème for his Scottish Opera debut at the Royal Theater in Glasgow. David Pittsinger ’86 In the 2017–2018 season, bass-baritone David Pittsinger will sing the role of Palémon in Thaïs at The Metropolitan Opera, as well as Father Trulove in The Rake’s Progress with the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam. This past summer, he appeared as Father Trulove in The Rake’s Progress with the Festival d’Aix en Provence. Matthew Plenk ’06 Earlier this year, tenor Matthew Plenk performed the role of Ferrando in Così fan tutte with the Central City Opera. In the 2017–2018 season, he will appear on the concert stage as the Sailor’s Voice and Shepherd in Tristan und Isolde with the Cleveland Orchestra, as a soloist in Britten’s Ballade of Heroes with the Boulder Philharmonic, and as Steuermann in Der fliegende Höllander with the RAI Orchestra. Jessica Pray ’17 This fall, soprano Jessica Pray made her Carnegie Hall debut as a guest artist performing in Weill Recital Hall. She returns to her alma mater at the University of Iowa to perform in recital, and joins the Jacksonville Symphony as the soprano soloist in Fauré’s Requiem. In spring 2018, Ms. Pray will perform with the Warsaw Philharmonic in Candide as Cunegonde, and will join the Yale Symphony Orchestra as the soprano soloist in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. Emily Righter ’09 This summer, mezzo-soprano Emily Righter debuted with Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance singing the title role in Carmen. She was recently heard at Carnegie Hall and in Philadelphia as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater, Verdi’s Requiem, and John Rutter’s Magnificat. This fall, she will appear as Louise in the world premiere of Anna Hunter with the Savannah Voice Festival. In March 2018, she will be appear as Cherubino in Opera Tampa’s Le Nozze di Figaro. 12
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Rebecca Ringle ’06 Mezzo-soprano Rebecca Ringle’s engagements for the 2017–2018 season include Dryade in Ariadne auf Naxos for the Berkshire Opera Festival, and Catherine in Shining Brow with Urban Arias. In spring 2018, she will return to the Metropolitan Opera to cover Dritte Magd in Elektra. Aleksandra Romano ’14 This summer, mezzo-soprano Aleksandra Romano returned to the Glimmerglass Festival as Aurelio in the American premiere of Donizetti’s The Siege of Calais. Ms. Romano’s 2017–2018 season begins with her debut with the Madison Opera singing the title role in Carmen. In January, she will make her debut with Austin Opera singing the Komponist in Ariadne auf Naxos. Annie Rosen ’12 In the 2017–2018 season, mezzo-soprano Annie Rosen will appear as a soloist for the Chicago Opera Theater Gala, La Belle Époque with the Brooklyn Art Song Society, and Take Care of This House with the New York Festival of Song. In spring 2018, she will return to Chicago to sing Siébel in Faust with the Lyric Opera of Chicago. This past summer, Ms. Rosen sang the role of the Stepmother in The Juniper Tree with Wolf Trap Opera. Claudia Rosenthal ’14 This season, soprano Claudia Rosenthal will appear as a soloist in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Westmoreland Symphony, and as a soloist in Vaughan Williams’ Dona Nobis Pacem with the Erie Philharmonic. This fall, she will make her house and role debuts with the Annapolis Opera singing Beth in Adamo’s Little Women. Natalia Rubis ’17 This summer, soprano Natalia Rubis starred as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte with the Bach Festival. She began the 2017–2018 season singing Euridice/Amore in L’arte del mondo’s Orfeo 2.0 with the Düsseldorf Festival. In the spring, she’ll be the soprano soloist in Donizetti’s Messa di Requiem with the Poznan Philharmonic and will sing the role of Cristallina in Salieri’s La fiera di Venezia with L’arte del mondo.
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2017–2018 • high notes
Galeano Salas ’13 For the 2017–2018 season, tenor Galeano Salas will be in Munich, Germany, continuing as a member of the Bayerische Staatsoper’s Opera Studio. There he will be singing the roles of Lord Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Ein Tierhändler in Der Rosenkavalier, Jüngling in Die Gezeichneten, Manfredo in I vespri siciliani, and Mitrane in Semiramide. Next summer, he will reprise Manfredo in I vespri siciliani for Münchner Opernfestspiele. Rolando Sanz ’03 This season, tenor Rolando Sanz will perform as a soloist in Hours of Freedom with The Defiant Requiem Foundation. Last season, Mr. Sanz sang the tenor solo of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Asheville Symphony, performed the role of Rageneau in Cyrano with the Michigan Opera Theater, and returned to the Metropolitan Opera for its productions of Salome, Idomeneo, Fidelio, and La traviata. Chad Shelton ’97 In the 2017–2018 season, tenor Chad Shelton returns to the Houston Grand Opera for two role debuts: Pollione in Norma and Aegisth in Elektra. He will then return to The Metropolitan Opera roster for Elektra. He also returns to the Austin Opera as Don José in Carmen and the Phoenix Symphony for Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Last season, he made returns to the Grand Théâtre de Genève for his first performances of Sir Edgar Aubry in Der Vampyr, the Houston Grand Opera to reprise Chairman Mao in Adams’ Nixon in China, and sang Don José in Carmen on tour in Japan as a guest artist of the Seiji Ozawa Music Academy Opera Project. Jenna Siladie ’13 In the 2017–2018 season, soprano Jenna Siladie will make her European debut as Gutrune in Götterdämmerung with Oper Wuppertal. Earlier this year, she made her Carnegie Hall debut as the soprano soloist in John Rutter’s Mass of the Children with the New England Symphonic Ensemble. Last season, she sang the roles of Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi and Suor Genovieffa in Suor Angelica with the Opera Company of Middlebury.
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Tyler Simpson ’10 This season, bass-baritone Tyler Simpson debuts with the Pittsburgh Opera starring as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro. He will also sing the role of Snug in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Teatro Massimo di Palermo in Sicily. In concert, he will be a soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and in Mozart’s Requiem with Le Festival Lyrique Internationale de Belle-Île-en-mer. Aaron Sorensen ’12 This season, bass Aaron Sorensen performs the role of Sparafucile in Rigoletto with Ash Lawn Opera, sings Rossini’s Stabat Mater and a concert titled Love & Loss with the Oakland Symphony, and returns to Brava! Opera as Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail.
Christoph Späth ’89 Tenor Christoph Späth continues to sing with the Komische Oper Berlin this season, performing the roles of Geharnischter in Die Zauberflöte, Pietro in Die Gezeichneten, Alvarez in Barbe-bleue, Triquet in Yevgeny Onegin, and Colonel Pickering in My Fair Lady.
Peter Tantsits ’04 In the 2017–2018 season, tenor Peter Tantsits will sing the role of Junge Offiziere in Die Soldaten with Oper Köln, Alviano Salvago in Die Gezeichneten with Stadttheater St Gallen, Danilowitz in L’étoile Du Nord with West Coast Kokkola Opera, and Spoletta in Tosca with Festival Hall Baden-Baden. Mr. Tantsits’ concert engagements include the tenor soloist in Festival D’Automne — Hors Les Murs and Canti di vita e d’amore with Maison de la radio. Kenneth Tarver ’92 This fall, tenor Kenneth Tarver returns to Opera Vlaanderen to reprise the role of Tamino in Die Zauberflöte. Other engagements for the 2017–2018 season include Count Alberto in L’occasione fa il ladro with Rossini in Wildbad at the Königliches Kurtheater, Carlo in Eduardo e Cristina with Rossini in Wildbad, Trinkhalle, and Aufidio in Lucio Silla with Teatro Real de Madrid. This year, Naxos released major recordings of his performances in Rossini’s Sigismondo and Bianca e Falliero.
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2017–2018 • high notes
Lucas van Lierop ’17 This summer, tenor Lucas van Lierop was a Bonfils-Stanton Apprentice Artist with Central City Opera where he sang the role of Dominique You in Amy Beach’s Cabildo and also covered the lead role of Nebuchadnezzer in Britten’s The Burning Fiery Furnace. This fall, he performed with the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart under the baton of Helmuth Rilling. His future engagements include a concert in Moscow as part of Les Jeunes Ambassadeurs Lyriques. Eva Vogel ’02 This season, mezzo-soprano Eva Vogel will sing the role Roßweiße in Die Walküre at the Beijing Music Festival. She will appear as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Dvořák’s Stabat Mater in Konstanz, St. Gebhardskirche, and will perform Elgar’s Sea Pictures, Op. 37, in Duisburg at the Mercatorhalle. This past summer, she appeared as Mary in Der fliegende Holländer and as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Dvořák’s Stabat Mater, both with Opernfestspiele Heidenheim. Olivia Vote ’08 This spring, mezzo-soprano Olivia Vote sang the role of Nicklausse in The Tales of Hoffmann with the Hawaii Opera Theater. She begins her 2017–2018 season singing Mary in Der fliegende Holländer with the Atlanta Opera. She then joins the North Carolina Opera for Maddalena in Verdi’s Rigoletto and then sings Adalgisa in Bellini’s Norma with Opera Southwest. She rounds out her season as the mezzo-soprano soloist in Rossini’s Stabat Mater with the Washington Choral Arts Society in performances at the Kennedy Center. Brian Vu ’15 In the 2017–2018 season, baritone Brian Vu debuts with the Houston Grand Opera as Riff in Francesca Zambello’s new production of West Side Story. In summer 2018, he will return to the Glimmerglass Festival as Riff in West Side Story.
Brad Walker ’15 During the 2017–2018 season, bass-baritone Brad Walker is a second-year Adler Fellow where will sing Un Mandarino in Turandot with the San Francisco Opera. This past summer, Mr. Walker appeared as Schaunard in La Bohème with the San Francisco Opera. 16
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Chrystal E. Williams ’10 Last summer, mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams sang Olga in Eugene Onegin with Northern Lights Festival. Upcoming engagements include Charlotte in Werther with Baltimore Concert Opera and OperaDelaware; Pearl/Mary O’Fallen in Ricky Ian Gordon’s Morning Star; On-Site Opera; and concerts with Annapolis Opera. She returns to Birmingham Opera Company UK in 2019. Lisa Williamson ’12 This summer, soprano Lisa Williamson made her Portland Opera debut in a double bill of David Lang’s the difficulty of crossing a field and the little match girl passion, singing Virginia Creeper and the soprano soloist. She also starred as Laurie in Hartford Opera Theater’s production of Copland’s The Tender Land. Leah Wool ’03 This season, mezzo-soprano Leah Wool joins the Cincinnati Symphony for Bach’s Magnificat, and Shoestring Baroque for Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. Most recently, Ms. Wool made her debut with the Charlotte Symphony for Elijah, returned to Boston Baroque as Holofernes in Juditha Triumphans, and debuted with the Nashville Symphony in Mozart’s Requiem, Phoenix Symphony for Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, and the Defiant Requiem Foundation in Hours of Freedom: The Story of the Terezín Composer. Jin-Xiang Yu ’16 Soprano Jin-Xiang Yu recently starred in Poulenc’s one-woman opera La voix humaine with the New York OperaFest. She has been praised as a robust soprano with secure amber tone, a beautiful sense of phrasing, and formidable French diction (NY Classical Review). Last season, she returned to New Haven for performances with New Music New Haven, and as a Woolsey Competition winner, she appeared as the soprano soloist with the Yale Philharmonia on April 21, 2017, for Messiaen’s Poèmes pour mi.
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Next at Yale Opera
The Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
February 16–18, 2018 Shubert Theatre Tickets available at shubert.com or 203 562-5666
Doris Yarick Cross, Artistic Director, Yale Opera Erika Niemi Heltzel, Manager, Yale Opera
Yale Opera p.o. box 208246 new haven, ct 06520-8246 203 432-2690
music.yale.edu/opera