2014/2015

Verdi’s

Rossini’s The Italian Girl in Algiers

World Premiere! Mark Weiser’s Where Angels Fear to Tread

Mozart’s The Magic Flute

Queen of the night, The Magic Flute Welcome…

…to a season of brilliant entertainment! Music Director Joseph Marcheso and I are very happy to 2014/2015 announce three of the world’s most famous : Mozart’s bewitching The Magic Flute, Rossini’s season hilarious The Italian Girl in Algiers (a first forO pera Verdi’s San José!), and Verdi’s dazzling Rigoletto. In addition we are producing the world premiere of Mark Weiser’s Rigoletto S eptember 6-21, 2014 first ,Where Angels Fear to Tread, which is among the most powerful dramas I have witnessed. Rossini’s The Italian Girl Each of these operas is dramatically and musically strong, and as a package they range from gripping in Algiers no vember 15-30, 2014 drama to wry comedy. It is a constellation of unforgettable, theatrical experiences. World Premiere! Mark Weiser’s The past thirty years have been a miraculous time for Opera San José, and it has been a privilege to Where Angels work beside Irene Dalis in building this company Fear to Tread from an idea in the mind of its founder to an ongoing, F ebruary 7-22, 2015

treasured experience in the region’s cultural life. This Mozart’s has been possible only with the enthusiastic support of opera lovers and of those who have gained a love The Magic Flute of the art form through our performances. Joseph A pril 18-26, May 1 & 3, 2015 and I will work together with our board of trustees to ensure Opera San José remains a vital and dynamic institution well into the future.

We hope you will be there for every shining moment of our 31st opera season! C hris A yers P hoto Larry Hancock, General Director

welcome For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 3 6/7/11/14/19/21 S eptember 2014

V ERdi’S Rigoletto eric A tale of innocence lost. A vengeance gone tragically awry. A deformed court w o jester wants nothing more than to protect his virtuous daughter from a licentious l finger duke who seduces and then abandons her. Giuseppe Verdi’s famous masterwork, Rigoletto, leads us on a chilling whirlwind of revenge that has entranced audiences since its first performance.S ung in Italian with English supertitles.

Giuseppe Verdi Composer / Francesco Maria Piave Librettist / Joseph Marcheso Conductor Brad Dalton Stage Director / Based on the play Le roi s’amuse by Victor Hugo

4 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 5 15/16/20/23/28/30 N ovember 2014

RossinI’S The Italian Girl in Algiers eric A lost love. A twist of fate. A clever Italian girl is shipwrecked in a foreign land while w o searching for her lover, finding herself the focus of a powerfulS ultan’s unwanted l finger affections. Rossini’s sparkling and fast-paced opera weaves a madcap story full of twists and turns in this comedic adventure to a land of magnificent palaces, swashbuckling pirates and lavish harems. S ung in Italian with English supertitles.

Gioachino Rossini Composer / Angelo Anelli Librettist / Ming Luke Conductor Michael Shell Stage Director

6 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 7 7/8/12/15/20/22 FEBRUARY 2015

W EIser’S Where Angels Fear to Tread eric A collision of cultures. A misunderstanding of horrific consequences. A rich w o English widow marries a penniless but handsome young Italian against the l finger wishes of her family. Based on the novel by E. M. Forster, this insightful narrative follows the inevitable harm done by blind prejudice and selfish desire. S ung in English with English supertitles.

Mark Lanz Weiser Composer / Roger Brunyate Librettist / Joseph Marcheso Conductor Lillian Groag Stage Director / Based on the novel Where Angels Fear to tread by E. M. Forster

8 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 9 18/19/23/26 1/3 A pril 2015 May 2015

Mozart’S The Magic Flute P hoto: eric A quest for enlightenment and honor. A mystical story about the power of love. A young prince discovers a flute with magic and a girl who will make him whole. Mozart’s fantastical and comical tale draws you into a world of magic fantasy, w o l complete with a giant serpent, a secret brotherhood, and a lovesick bird finger / Wing catcher. S ung in German with English supertitles.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Composer / Emanuel Schikaneder Librettist

H George Cleve Conductor eadpiece: arturo rios

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Rigoletto JOSEPH MARCHESO CONDUCTOR Music Director and Principal Conductor of Opera San José: Hansel and Gretel, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, La traviata, Faust, La bohème, La Cenerentola, Manon, Carmen, The Elixir of Love, Lucia di Lammermoor; ; Opera Theater of St. Louis; Festival Opera; San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Brad Dalton Stage Director O pera San José: Madama Butterfly, Il trovatore, Faust, Idomeneo, Anna Karenina, Così fan tutte; Metropolitan Opera; San Francisco Opera; State Opera of South Australia; Pittsburgh Opera; Opera Boston; Washington Opera; Opera; Austin Lyric Opera; Barbican Centre J oseph Marcheso (London); Houston Grand Opera; National Shakespeare Conservatory Music Director The Italian Girl in Algiers MING LUKE CONDUCTOR O pera San José: Falstaff, La voix humaine, Pagliacci, The Barber of Seville, Eugene Onegin; Symphony Napa Valley; Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra; Birmingham Royal; Bolshoi Orchestra; San Francisco Ballet; Gödöll Symphony Orchestra; Sacramento Opera; Napa Regional Dance Company; Sacramento Philharmonic; Komorni Orchestr Akademie of Prague

MICHAEL SHELL STAGE DIRECTOR Western Plains Opera; The Santa Fe Opera; Michigan Opera Theater; Opera Theatre of Saint Louis; Pittsburg Opera; Atlanta Opera; Opera Tampa; Virginia Opera; Opera North; Piedmont Opera; Opera Theatre of the Rockies; Central City Opera; Opera Institute; Opera Omaha; Opera Tampa; Opera Company of the Highlands

Where Angels Fear to Tread JOSEPH MARCHESO CONDUCTOR Music Director and Principal Conductor of Opera San José: Hansel and Gretel, Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, La traviata, Faust, La bohème, La Cenerentola, Manon, Carmen, The Elixir of Love, Lucia di Lammermoor; San Francisco Opera; Opera Theater of St. Louis; Festival Opera; San Francisco Conservatory of Music

LILLIAN GROAG STAGE DIRECTOR O pera San José: Of Mice and Men, Pagliacci; Oregon Shakespeare Festival; the Old Globe Theatre; Actors Theatre of Louisville; Mark Taper Forum’s Taper Too; New York City Opera; Berkeley Repertory; Milwaukee Repertory; Missouri Repertory; Seattle Repertory; Glimmerglass Opera; The Juilliard School of Music; the Sundance Institute Playwrights Lab; Virginia Opera

The Magic Flute GEORGE CLEVE CONDUCTOR CHRIS O pera San José: Don Giovanni, Idomeneo, Carmen, Cavelleria rusticana, Pagliacci; San

Francisco Opera; Boston Symphony; Singapore Symphony; ABC Symphonies of Australia; AYERS New Zealand Symphony; Mozarteum Orchestra; Vienna Symphony; Royal Philharmonic;

PHOTO Philharmonia Orchestra; English Chamber Orchestra; the Swedish Radio Orchestra

14 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 15 Critically Acclaimed...

Falstaff Idomeneo “ In the new production of Falstaff... “ To attend such an Bearden holds forth, a strapping excellent production... comic presence and mighty is a rare and special singer. It’s a hansome production, opportunity.”

directed by José Maria Condemi, S an Francisco Classical Voice whose brisk, deft pacing was matched...by conductor Andrew Whitfield, leading the orchestra through the breakneck score.”

Richard Scheinin, San Jose Mercury News Anna Karenina “ First-rate Anna...”

San francisco Chronicle F a l La bohème staff: chris ayers photo / others: “19th century Paris comes alive...”

san Jose Mercury News R obert S ho ml er

416 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 175 Enriching Your Experience

Season Opening Night Party Se ptember 6, 2014 D on’t miss the season opening party presenting Opera San José’s new general director, Larry Hancock, new music director, Joseph Marcheso, and cast, following the opening performance of Rigoletto. $50 per person / for reservations call 408.437.4450

World Premiere Gala Dinner Fe bRUARy 7, 2015 Meet composer, Marc Weiser, and the creative team­—stage director, set designer, costume designer, and lighting designer—at a gala dinner celebrating the world premiere of Where Angels Fear to Tread. $300 per person / for reservations call 408.437.4450

Irene Dalis Vocal Competition Ma y 16, 2015 To top off the 31st Season, Opera San José presents the Ninth Annual Irene Dalis Vocal Competition. Ten winners from the West Coast Auditions for Singers will compete with two arias each for $50,000 in cash prizes. Be there to cast your vote for the audience favorite! May 16, 2015 at the California Theatre. Premiere seating at $150 to benefit Opera San José Educational Programs. For tickets and information call 408.437.4450.

Free Previews Agusu t 26, 2014 / Rigoletto Nom ve ber 4, 2014 / The Italian Girl in Algiers J aNUARy 27, 2015 / Where Angels Fear to Tread Ari p l 7, 2015 / The Magic Flute Opera San José will host FREE previews of each opera production at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library in downtown San José from noon to 1pm at the 5th Floor Beethoven Center, on the Tuesday, one week prior to the opening of each opera.

Introduction to Opera Pi r or to every performance Before each performance in the California Theatre (except Saturday, February 7, 2015), General Director Larry Hancock will share his thoughts on the opera, discuss the plot and characters, tell you about R

the composer, and answer your questions, greatly enriching your opera- obert going experience. Each 45-minute Introduction to Opera is FREE with S

performance ticket and begins at 6:30pm prior to evening performances ho and 1:30pm prior to Sunday matinees. ml er

18 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 19 Your Subscriber Advantages

Save money P atrons may subscribe to all four operas for additional savings. Save up to $100 on single seating. Free exchanges A s a subscriber, you have the benefit of exchanging into another date in the run, based on availability, and with at least 48 hours notice to the Box Office. Free replacements H ave you ever lost your tickets or left them at home? If you are subscribed to the season, the Box Office will reprint your tickets on the day of the performance at no additional cost to you. Free updates S tay informed via our website, operasj.org, which includes blogs, videos, calendar, and news and events. In addition, subscribers will be sent free up-to- the-minute eNews with information about the production, creative team, cast changes, best available seating, special offers, and more. And best of all…guaranteed seats S ubscribe and your seats are where you want them for the whole season! There’ll be no scrambling for your favorite seats for a popular production. Your seats are guaranteed for every performance with nothing left to chance.

“@ OperaSanJose, Talking to wife about buying two Series F

Grand Tier subscriptions. Well worth it.” Justin Lloyd@justinlloyd Follw us: R

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20 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 For tickets and information visit operasj.org or Call 408.437.4450 21 Seating & Ticket Options Ticket Order Form BUY NOW AN D SAVE! up to 40% Series, Days, Times & Dates Four Ways to Order Series A b c d e f online operasj.org

Day Sat sun thu sun fri sun phone 408.437.4450 (box office phone lines are open M-F, 9am to 5pm)

Tie m 8pm 3pm 8pm 3pm 8pm 3pm fax 408.437.4455 anytime Rigoletto Sep 6 sep 7 sep 11 sep 14 sep 19 sep 21 Mail opera San José / 2149 Paragon Drive / San José, CA 95131-1312 The Italian Girl in Algiers nov 15 nov 16 nov 20 nov 23 nov 28 nov 30 Please make your check payable to Opera San José. Where Angels Fear to Tread feb 7 feb 8 feb 12 feb 15 feb 20 feb 22 The Magic Flute Apr 18 apr 19 apr 23 apr 26 May 1 May 3 Payment Information

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Season Tickets for a Series of All Four Operas

Series Letter (1st choice) Section Number Seat Location and Four-Opera Series Prices Series Letter (2nd choice) Section Number Series A b c d e f X $ = $ # of 4-opera series first choice price Section

1 grand Tier $380 $380 $380 $380 $380 $380 H handling Fee = $ 10.00 2 Orchestra Center $340 $340 $340 $340 $340 $340 C ity Facility Usage Fee* = X $ 4.00 = $ 3 Mezzanine $240 $240 $240 $240 $240 $240 # of 4-opera series T-ax Deductible Gift = $ 4 Orchestra Ring $240 $240 $240 $240 $240 $240 Grand Total $= 5 Family Circle $120 $120 $120 $120 $120 $120

If you do not receive confirmation that we have your season ticket order within two weeks of placing the order, please email [email protected] to confirm that your request has been received.A ll sales are final.T he IRS considers the The California Theatre Location full price of returned tickets a charitable contribution. Ticket exchanges are based on seating availability and will require additional collection if you exchange into a more expensive seating area. Allow 48 business hours for any exchange. The California Theatre is at 345 South First Street between San Carlos and San Salvador in Casting is subject to change without notice. Tickets to individual operas will go on sale Aug 4, 2014. downtown San José. The theatre is equipped with wheelchair access and assistance for the hearing impaired. *This City-wide fee of $1.00 per ticket ($4.00 for a season subscription) is to help ensure that the California Theatre and all City theatres are maintained to a proper standard. This fee does not go to Opera San José.

22 23 Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit 4206 2149 Paragon Drive San José, CA San José, CA 95131-1312 operasj.org 408.437.4450

Irene Dalis, Founder Larry Hancock, General Director Joseph Marcheso, Music Director

2014/2015 season

Verdi’s Rigoletto Rossini’s SAVE up to 40% The Italian Girl on The Full Season in Algiers get your tickets now! World Premiere! operasj.org 408.437.4450 Mark Weiser’s “ I was blown away by the caliber of Where Angels the performances, scenery, theater… Fear to Tread Everything about Opera San José is top notch!” Mozart’s Opera san jose Patron The Magic Flute

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