PROGRAM

Québec City

Noël avec variations Michel Corrette (1707-1775) À la venue de Noël, duo Philippe Esprit Chédeville (1696-1762) À la venue de Noël, chant Traditional Une jeune pucelle Marc-Antoine Charpentier (1643-1704) Jesous Ahatonnia Jean de Brébeuf (1593-1649) Domine salvum fac regem Anonymous, Manuscript des Ursulines

Le Départ || The Departure

La matelotte Marin Marais (1656-1728) Marche de Philidor André Philidor l’ainé (1652–1730) V’la l’bon vent Traditional Les Madelonettes Anonymous

Les Premières Nations || The First Nations

Danse du grand calumet Jean-Philippe Rameau de la paix from Les (1683 – 1764) Indes Galantes Marche des Hurons Corrette Chant des Otchipués Anonymous Danse du Calumet Anonymous

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 1 PROGRAM

Les Appalaches || The Appalachians

La Mississippi Anonymous Gilderoy Traditional Brightest and Best Traditional The Christ Child’s Lullaby Traditional The Cherry Tree Carol Traditional Kentucky Wassail Traditional Washington’s March Anonymous

La Nouvelle-Orléans || New Orleans

Sur ce parterre Chédeville En vos mains Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687) Venez mortels André Campra (1660-1744) Quelle voix Campra Pour l’aimable Campra Dans les cieux Lully Noël, Noël Campra

THIS CONCERT IS PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE

QUÉBEC GOVERNMENT OFFICE IN HOUSTON //

CE CONCERT EST PRODUIT EN COLLABORATION AVEC LE

BUREAU DU QUÉBEC À HOUSTON

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 2 MERCURY MUSICIANS

Lauren Snouffer,Soprano

Cecilia Duarte, Mezzo-Soprano

Gilles Plante, Flute, Recorders and Hurdy-Gurdy

Jonathan Godfrey, Violin Sponsored by Randy & Cathy Crath

Oleg Sulyga, Violin Sponsored by Mrs. Andrew Wilkomirski

Courtenay Vandiver-Pereira, Cello

Deborah Dunham, Violone

Paul Morton, Theorbo & Guitar

Jesús Pacheco, Percussion Sponsored by Mrs. Andrew Wilkomirski

THIS CONCERT IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE HOUSTON ENDOWMENT,

THE BROWN FOUNDATION, THE CULLEN TRUST FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS,

AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON THROUGH HOUSTON ARTS ALLIANCE.

Live streaming of this performance is produced by

Bend Productions, Inc.

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 3 ARTIST PROFILES

LAUREN SNOUFFER, SOPRANO

Recognized for her unique artistic curiosity in world-class performances spanning the music of Claudio Monteverdi and Johann Adolph Hasse through to Missy Mazzoli and George Benjamin, American Lauren Snouffer is celebrated as one of the most versatile and respected sopranos on the international stage.

Operatic performances on leading international stages have fortified the soprano’s place as one of the eminent interpreters of contemporary music; she sang the title role of Berg’s Lulu in a new production at the Teatro Municipal de Santiago conducted by Pedro-Pablo Prudencio and directed by Mariame Clément, and returned to Houston Grand Opera for the world premieres of The Phoenix by composer Tarik O’Regan and librettist John Caird and The House Without a Christmas Tree by Ricky Ian Gordon and Royce Vavrek.

Lauren Snouffer’s concert schedule has yielded collaborations with many of the world’s most distinguished conductors and orchestras including numerous performances with Franz Welser-Möst and The Cleveland Orchestra, Cristian Măcelaru and the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Krzysztof Urbański and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Edo de Waart and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Bernard Labadie and Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Markus Stenz and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, with Patrick Dupré Quigley and the San Francisco Symphony, Harry Christophers of the Handel & Haydn Society of Boston, and with Marin Alsop and the Orquestra Sinfônica do Estado de São Paulo.

Past seasons include Houston Grand Opera performances of Le nozze di Figaro conducted by Harry Bicket in a production by Michael Grandage as well as presentations of Carousel, Show Boat, The Rape of Lucretia, and L’italiana in Algeri; Lyric Opera of Chicago performances of Rusalka, La clemenza di Tito, and a new production of Orphée et Eurydice directed and choreographed by John Neumeier under the baton of Harry Bicket; a Seattle Opera debut as La Comtesse Adèle in Rossini’s Le comte Ory conducted by Giacomo Sagripanti; Die Zauberflöte at Seattle Opera and Lyric Opera of Kansas City; a new Christopher Alden production of Handel’s Aci, Galatea, e Polifemo with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra under the baton of Nicholas McGegan, and Max Emanuel Cencic’s new production of Hasse’s Siroe at the Opéra Royal de Versailles, with additional performances in Budapest and Vienna.

An impactful discography includes Hasse’s Siroe and Handel’s Ottone with George Petrou for Decca, Gottschalk’s Requiem for the Living with Vladimir Lande on Novona Records, Grantham’s La cancíon desesperada conducted by Craig Hella Johnson on Harmonia Mundi, and Feldman’s The Rothko Chapel with Steven Schick for ECM.

An alumna of the Houston Grand Opera Studio, Lauren Snouffer graduated from Rice University and The Juilliard School. Performing with Mercury since 2009, Lauren Snouffer most recently appeared in Corelli’s Christmas Concerto.

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 4 ARTIST PROFILES

CECILIA DUARTE, MEZZO-SOPRANO Praised by The New York Times as "A creamy voiced mezzo-soprano," Mexican born, Cecilia is a versatile singer that has performed around the world performing different music styles, from jazz, to classical and contemporary music.

Cecilia has been greatly recognized for creating the role of Renata in the first Mariachi OperaCruzar la Cara de la Luna with the famous Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, and commissioned by Houston Grand Opera in 2010. She has toured with the production nationally and internationally in stages such as Châtelet Theatre in Paris, Chicago Lyric Opera, San Diego Opera, Arizona Opera, The Fort Worth Opera, New York City Opera, Teatro Nacional Sucre in Quito, Ecuador, And El Paso Opera. In 2019, she reprised the role of Renata in HGO’s El Milagro del Recuerdo, a prequel to Cruzar.

Since then, Cecilia has created other roles for world premieres of chamber operas and new works, such as Jessie Lydell in A Coffin in Egypt, (HGO and the Wallis Annenberg Center in L.A.); Gracie in A Way Home (HGO and Opera Southwest); Harriet/First Responder in After the Storm (HGO); and Alicia in Some Light Emerges (HGO). Operatic roles include Zerlina in Don Giovanni, Loma Williams in Cold Sassy Tree, Isabella in Rapaccini’s Daughter, Sarelda in The Inspector, and Tituba in The Crucible, among others.

Cecilia is also active in the world of early music, having performed frequently with Ars Lyrica Houston, The Bach Society Houston, The Oregon Bach Festival, the Festival Ensemble in Stuttgart, Germany, and the Festival de Música Barroca de San Miguel de Allende, México.

Recent appearances with Mercury include An Early English Christmas, A French Baroque Christmas and A Mexican Baroque Christmas.

GILLES PLANTE, FLUTE, RECORDERS AND HURDY-GURDY

Born in Montreal, Gilles Plante started his musical career as a recorder player, developing an interest in early music. In 1967, he founded an early music group called Ensemble Claude-Gervaise. The Ensemble, active now for fifty years, has traveled around the world playing Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque music on period instruments and has created a discography of over a dozen critically- acclaimed titles. Gilles is also a highly-respected lecturer on early music and instruments and has lately specialized in the music played in Nouvelle-France in the XVIIth and XVIIIth century.

Recent appearances with Mercury include A French Baroque Christmas and Bach’s Christmas Magnificat.

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 5 PROGRAM NOTES

The choice and ordering of New World indigenous pieces on this program create practices with Old World folk the reimagined soundscape and cultivated traditions. of an eighteenth-century Christmas journey, one that Noëls are sacred but non- proceeds up the St. Lawrence liturgical songs that originated River from Quebec City to the in folk culture for use in Great Lakes and then down the Christmas-time celebration, Illinois and Mississippi Rivers and any one of the three noëls to New Orleans. Although the featured on this program – route effectively connects “Une jeune pucelle,” “À la two ends of French-held venue de Noël,” and the Noël territory in North America Suisse – could illustrate how (Nouvelle-France), it also a single tune might traverse skirts the western fringes of continents, musical genres, and the British colonies, so that a popular traditions. “Une jeune measure of Anglo-American pucelle” (A young virgin), for repertory appears within an example, tells the story of the otherwise Franco-American Annunciation and of Mary’s lineup. The array of pieces wonder at the foretold birth thus entails French noëls of her child. The tune of this and contredanses, English noël, however, is taken from carols and ballads, French a previously existing song compositions inspired by called “Une jeune fillette” (A Native Americans, actual young girl), which tells the Native American songs very different story of a girl (as transcribed by French forced to enter a convent as chroniclers), and ultimately a an alternative to her family selection of opera and cantata paying a marriage dowry. And melodies drawn from an that earlier song is the French eighteenth-century manuscript version of an Italian song, once owned a New Orleans “Madre non mi far monaca” Ursuline convent. And because (Mother, don’t make me a nun), the music of this program whose first appearance dates emanates from colonial North to the late 15th century. The America, it illustrates patterns technical term for new words of musical dissemination that to an old tune is contrafactum, link not only European and and countless religious songs Native Americans, but also are contrafacta based on secular and sacred musical popular songs with sometimes genres, while intermingling surprisingly irreligious texts.

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 6 PROGRAM NOTES

The further appearance of devotion and piety. “Jesous “Une jeune pucelle” in an Ahatonnia” illustrates a arrangement for instrumental further goal of the Counter- ensemble by Marc-Antoine Reformation in disseminating Charpentier demonstrates the the Catholic faith to new connection between learned converts in ever more distant composition and popular parts of the globe. song. Similarly, Philippe Esprit Chédeville created a duo Looking ahead on the program version of “À la venue de Noël,” to the journey’s end, the songs and Michel Corrette composed of an Ursuline manuscript variations on the Noël Suisse, from eighteenth-century New so that the noël also pervaded Orleans illustrate the ongoing the more refined tradition of creation of contrafacta, polyphonic composition in which we may take as further France. evidence of the strong connection between popular “Une jeune pucelle” is distinct, tunes and sacred devotions. In however, because its further this case, however, the tunes use by the Jesuit missionary are drawn not from traditional Jean de Brébeuf as “Jesous folk melodies, but from recent Ahatonnia” (Jesus is born) operas, ballets, and cantatas by represents the first known the leading composers of the contrafactum in the Huron French Baroque: Lully, Campra, language. Following the chain Destouches, Desmarets, of connections starting with Bacilly, Clérambault. Given the Renaissance Italian song to the Ursulines in 1754, this “Madre non mi far monaca,” manuscript collection of “Jesous Ahatonnia” is a three- accompanied melodies is fold contrafactum whose dated 1736, and it represents a lineage connects the Italian, careful copy of four published French, and Huron nations volumes under the title while encompassing both Nouvelles poésies spirituelles secular and sacred tradition. et morales sur les plus beaux Speaking more generally, airs de la musique françoise this much of the program et italienne (New verses, illustrates the continued spiritual and moral, set to vigor of Counter-Reformation the most beautiful melodies spirituality, showing how a of French and Italian music). popular sacred repertory was Thus, for example, an aria in meant to inculcate personal praise of liqueurs from André

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 7 PROGRAM NOTES

Campra’s cantata Silène (1714), the king) that is included on could become a paean to this program. This setting our Creator, as seen in the performed here is preserved in following texts (translations by another Ursuline manuscript, Jennifer Gipson): this one from Quebec City. In France, the celebration of original Mass often concluded with a Liqueur enchantresse, motet setting of this text, and Enchanting liqueur, in hearing this piece we can Source de nos plaisirs, perceive how the Ursulines Source of our pleasures, nurtured that bit of French Par une douce yvresse, liturgical tradition in the New By a sweet drunkenness, World. Rempli tous nos desirs. Satisfy all our desires. A further ingredient in the reimagined soundscape from contrafactum eighteenth-century Nouvelle- De ta gloire éclatante France comprises the Anglo- With your brilliant glory American folksongs of the Brille cet univers, neighboring English colonies, The universe shines, which are represented here Ta parole puissante by carols (including “The Your powerful word Cherry Tree Carol,” which Forma ces corps divers. takes the form of a ballad), Created its array of a hymn (Reginald Heber’s heavenly bodies. verses, “The Brightest and Best,” set to an earlier tune, We can well envision the “Star in the East”), and a usefulness to the Ursulines of Scottish ballad (“Gilderoy”). a collection of recent sacred Some of these pieces had contrafacta in their efforts to already existed for a century maintain the spiritual health of or more before the journey the newly founded community imagined here, and all of of La Nouvelle-Orléans. them continue to thrive in the Indeed, the importance of current repertory of American Ursulines in the establishment folk music. “Gilderoy,” to of the French colonies in take one example, originated North America deserves one in the seventeenth century last remark because of the as the embroidered tale anonymous setting of “Domine of a legendary Scottish salvum fac regem” (God save highwayman who was hanged

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 8 PROGRAM NOTES in 1636. The tune was popular Rameau’s North American enough in the 1730s to serve as entrée from Les Indes the basis for a contrafactum, Galantes, but his and Corrette’s “She was yet coy,” in the musical portraits are hardly London ballad-opera, the disparaging. Rather, sauvage Jovial Crew, and then to in their usage connoted, not persist in American fiddling ferocity or viciousness, but repertory heard today from the more sentimental idea of Massachusetts to the Ozarks. a purity or nobility associated with man in his natural and Although not last on the uncorrupted state. Rameau’s program, the last element Danse and Corrette’s Marche discussed here of New therefore express a majestic World musical exploration elegance that many Europeans illustrates how French saw in Native Americans musicians both heard and and their rituals. In Rameau’s imagined Native Americans case, he had witnessed ritual when they encountered them. dancing performed in Paris The melodies of the “Chant by a visiting delegation of des Otchipués” and “Danse the Illinois Confederation in du Calumet” are drawn, 1725. His response was “Les respectively, from Gabriel Sauvages,” first written as Sagard’s travelog, Le grand a harpsichord piece in 1727 voyage du pays des Hurons and later the centerpiece of (1632), and Bacqueville de the final entrée ofLes Indes la Potherie’s Histoire de Galantes. Rameau’s music for l’Amérique septentrionale the Parisian theater is a long (1722). Both melodies are way from a traditional noël or transcriptions made of the a popular contredanse, and singing of peuples sauvages all of these from the melody as heard by French explorers of a ritual Huron dance, but and missionaries. By contrast, each occupies a place in the Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Danse vast musical tableau of French du grand calumet de la paix colonial America. from Les Indes Galantes (1736) and Michel Corrette’s “Marche Gregory Barnett© des Hurons” are original compositions inspired by the Native Americans. The same term, sauvages, appears in

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 9 MERCURY PATRON SOCIETY

Mercury’s Patron Society recognizes individuals that make an annual leadership gifts of $2,500 or more. Mercury is grateful to the follow- ing individuals whose annual contributions provide vital support for the organization and make our concerts, events, and music educa- tion programs possible.

PLATINUM BRONZE ($5,000 - $9,999) ($25,000 and above) June & Steve Barth* Mollie & Wayne Brunetti* Mary Kay & Walter Mark Buehler* Kirsten Jensen & David Kerley* Paul Erb & Barbara Belt Dr. & Mrs. Christopher Prince* Marcia & Tom Faschingbauer* Christine & Jan Spin* Linda & Joe Fowler Kristine & Stephen Wallace* Debra & Mark Gregg Lynn & Oscar Wyatt* Barbara & Stephen Hall* Anonymous Carmen Delgado & Duane C. King* Lili & Hans Kirchner* GOLD ($15,000 - $24,999) Julia & Keith Little* Donna & Mike Boyd* Marty & Bruce Lundstrom Carol & Joel Mohrman* Catherine & Randy Crath Kelly & David Rose* Bastiaan & Nathalie de Zeeuw* Linda & Tom Sparks Martha & Blake Eskew* Nina & Michael Zilkha* Virginia Hart & Robert Navo* Amy & Lloyd Kirchner* PATRONS ($2,500 - $4,999) Mrs. Warren W. Kreft* Matthew Brogdon* Rose Ann Medlin & William E. Joor III* Drs. Susan & Dennis Carlyle* Lori Muratta & Antoine Plante* Robert Chanon* Gaby & Kenny Owen* David & Margaret Fifield* Sharon & Tim Taylor Sheri Henriksen Mrs. Andrew Wilkomirski* Nan Earle & George Holliday* Cristela & Bill Jonson* SILVER ($10,000 - $14,999) Mimi Lloyd* Jessica & Jay Adkins* Angelika & Michael Mattern* Rebecca Fieler* Luc Messier & Julie Fette* William Guest* Patricia & Kevin Mitchell Janice & Timothy Howard* Joëlle & Geoffroy Petit Mariko & John Jordan* Nancy Scofield Hester Rosemary Malbin* Sasha Van Nes & Jim Smith* Neil Sackheim & Stephen Voss* Carolynne & Doug White* The van der Ven Family* Courtney Williams, MD*

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 10 MERCURY SUPPORTERS

Mercury is grateful to the following individuals whose ongoing support makes our concerts, events, and music education programs possible.

SUPPORTERS ($500 - $2,499) Warren Nicholson Joel Abramowitz & Rita Bergers* David & Maria Perez Mrs. Mary Lynne & Mr. Albert Allen* Olivia Petrini Di Monforte* Jim & Barbara Becker Patricia & Gary Rathwell* Dr. Joan H Bitar* Claudia Reyes Dr. Jerry L. Bohannon* Clarruth Seaton & Greer Barriault Michael & Marsha Bourque Mr. Don Shackelford* Chuck Bracht & Cheryl Verlander* Janis & Scott Stevenson Denise Byington Ralph & Meredith Stone Capital Advisors, Inc/Andy Brown Dr. Paul Vitenas* Joe & Kim Caruauna Rachel & Jason Volz David Cook Geoffrey Walker & Ann Kennedy* Dr. Gilbert Cote* Rick & Betsy Weber Mimi & David Cotellesse* Mr. & Mrs. Richard Weiss Cotton Club Collection Elizabeth D. Williams* The Carl and Phyllis Detering Fdn. Richard & Carlie Yoo Sharon & Bill Donovan Ann & Ben Ziker Richard & Rena D’Souza Anonymous(2) Denis Flanigan Ph.D. & Thomas Jolley* DONORS ($100 - $499) Robert Fuentes Anthony Abisogun* Gerald Gallion John & Kathy Agee Mr. Gary Gardner & Mrs. Peg Palisin Philip Ahern* Leonard Goldstein & Helen Wils Jack & Ruth Alpert* Irene & Greg Haas* Carol & Glen Anderson* Claire & Joseph Halloin* Art Attack - Merry Schooley Hovig Heghinian & Helga K. Aurisch Isabelle Bedrosian Jerry Baiamonte Heimbinder Family Foundation Robert L. Bailey* Robert & Carol Hermes Philip Ball* Janet & Ed Hess John & Rosemarie Baugher* Robert Heyl John Robert Behrman* Carter & Nancy Hixon* D. Bentley Maurice Isaac* Mark Berry Brad & Alida Johnson* Thomas Bevilacqua Molly & Hugh Rice Kelly Wyn & Morgan Bomar* Candace & Weir Kyle Natalia Boshernitzan Sarah & Christopher Lewis Andrew Bowen & Efrain Corzo* Priscilla L. List Darla Boyd* Jim & Ellana Livermore Klaus Bremer* Ms. Diane Marcinek* Lisa Brenskelle D M Marco Harry & Judy Bristol* Mrs. Nancy Wynne Mattison* Wm. F. Brothers, Jr. Kathleen Moore & Steven Homer Becky Browder* Dr. & Mrs. Robb Moses Mr. Rustin Buck*

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 11 MERCURY SUPPORTERS

DONORS ($100 - $499) cont. Dottie Burge & Vic Driscoll Ruth Hirschfeld Joel Camann Mark Hoose M. Scott Carrasco & Noemi Islam Michelle Wolpert* Karin & Nick Jameson* Jesus M Castillo Rita Justice Philip Chumlea Ada Mary Kaeppel* Gary & Susan Clamurro Klaus & Christa Kaiser Daniel & Anastasia Cory Cheryl M. Katz* Chris & Delia Cowles* Frank & Lynda Kelly * Valerie Cramer Edward Kenny* Bryan & Irene Crutchley Georgia & Stephen Kimmel* Benée & Chris Curtis* James G. Kralik* Molly Daniels Jeffrey C. Kubin Edward & Veronica Davidson Suzanne & Dan Kubin Allan & Bente Davies* Joseph & Marie-Josée Larsen* Michael & Carla Deavers Laurence Laveissiere* Karen Doolittle Fernando & Bernadette Levaro Clarice Droughton* Dianne Logan Richard & Jane Dudek Kathryn Lopez Frank & Mariam Dumanoir Dr. Jane Malin Dr. Herbert Edmundson* Mike & Maureen Mancini* Paul R. Elliott Donald & Marianne Marcus John & Judith Fagg Dr. Maricel Marquez-Cabarcas* Carol Fisherman Randi C. Martin James Fleshman Rebecca Marvil Lillian Flurry* The Matin Family Mary Foster & Don Desimone Joseph McGrath Sue France Karen Merriam Judy Frow Mr. Scott Mitchell Diane Garey Federico A Monzon Connie & James Garson Clyde Moore Mikhail & Elena Geilikman Robert Nash* Vernon Gillette* Regina Okhuysen-Cawley Peter & Ann Ginn Jim O’Rourke Joanne Goff* Julie & Charles Oudin* Tim & Melinda Grady Michael & Patricia Palmer Nancy Grason Michael Pancherz* Linda Greene* Meredith & Mark Parenti Donald Griffith Jovan Popovich & Vera Vujicic* Caroline Hassell Margaret Preston & John & Nancy Hathaway Robert Baumgartner Leslie Haugen Marc Puppo & Patricia de Groot Dr. Tamara Miner Haygood Bradley & Kimberly Quentin* Bob & Martha Henschen Philip Richards Ludie Hernandez-Buck Ed & Janet Rinehart* Enrique Hernandez de Tejada Brian Rishikof & Elena Lexina Kirk Heyne & Karen Twitchell Mr. Jack H. Rooker* Kirk Hickey & Bill Maguire Steve & Patricia Rosencranz*

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 12 MERCURY SUPPORTERS

DONORS ($100 - $499) cont. Frank Rynd Keith Anthis Lea Sanford Rolando Arguijo Robert Sartain* Jeffrey & Rita Aron Pilar & Walter Schneider Eleanor Asbury Anne Schnoebelenz* Ann Barmore Charles & Andrea Seay Mary J. Beckham Ron Seeliger Sandi Berman Carroll & Dorry Shaddock* Pamela Best* Tom & Vicki Simmons* John Birks Carol & Tom Sloan* Valerie & Edward Blair Michael & Barbara Smith Sarah J Bottomley Randall Smith & Gwen Bradford Tamara Nicholl-Smith Walker & Kathy Brickey Brian Smyth Leslie Brown Marina Sokolova Michael & Michaele Brown* Mr. & Mrs. Baxter Spann Glenn & Eunice Buchanan Richard & Joan Spaw * Greg & Lucy Cain Patti Stoddart Colin Catoe Ms. Lisa Struthers* Kenwei Chen Mike & Lily Sweet Robyn Clark Michael Temple & Karen Jones Rosalyn Cobbold A. Isik Tezel Donna Cooper* Michael Thomas* Lesa Curry Arthur & Carolyn Thompson David DeRubeis Ann Tornyos* Ted Dom & Lynne Whitworth Maria Ugueto & Daniel Marsh Kevin Downs & Meghan Caulkett AG Unterharnscheidt Diana Duff Kevin Varner & Katherine Dickinson Todd & Emma Edwards Richard & Jody Vaughan Erika Espinosa Mr. & Mrs. Robert N. Wakefield Dr. Savitri Fedson Amy Waldorf Barbara Feldman Andrew G Wallace Bernice A Fisher Mr. & Mrs. Richard Wheeler Elizabeth Fountain & John Ward Kent & Bonnie Whitten Jan Fowler Beth & Jim Wiggins Jane Frantz William & Charline Wilkins Miguel Fuentes Edith Wittig Alfredo & Maria Galvan John & Deborah Woods Jesse Gongora Margo & Robert Yeager Bert Gordon Helen & Klaus Zanker Rosemary Grant Lawrence & Monica Ziemba John M. Griffin Anonymous (10) Dennis Griffith Louis Harrison FRIENDS (up to $99) Ms. Elinor Hart Bjorn Aannestad John Harvey Bill & Nancy Ackley Nancy Henderek Allison Adams Leonardo J Hernandez Ellen Alfar Luis G. Hernandez

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 13 MERCURY SUPPORTERS

FRIENDS (up to $99) cont. Richard Hickman Sally J. Smith Lynn Hilmers Tad Smith Franklin Holcomb Jennifer Stearns Winifred Honeywell Dragan & Ranka Stojkovic Dr. Jennifer Hong Karla & Bradley Stuebing Elizabeth M. House Boris & Vita Taksa Jonathan & Debb Jerke Cesar & Patty Tamez Ms. Pam Johnson Carolyn M. Tatge Joe & Kayoko Keselman Brian Tulloch Patricia Kievlan Robert & Sandra Wager Weldon Kuretsch* Dean Walker Mr. Guy Langelier Susan Weatherly* Mrs. Clara Lewis Debra & Ken Whitmire Jorge Lopez-de-Cardenas Martha Williams Mary Jo & David Martin Mark Wilson Mikhail Matoussov Dr. Robert K. Wimpelberg & Tamara McFarland* Peter Hodgson Joan McKirachan Paul & Andrea Yatsco Christopher Mendell Gay & Dean Zimmerman Daniel Meyler John Zodrow Chris & Elizabeth Miller Anonymous (12) Marion Miller Marie & Paul Monroe* GIFTS IN HONOR OR MEMORIAL Gail Nash Carl A. Detering Jr., Hillary K. Oseas in honor of J. Michael Boyd Cheryl & George Allen Pace Noemi Islam, Nan & Bruce Parker in memory of Jose Nobile Gnazzo Maria Patino Rosemary Malbin, Marjorie Patten in loving memory of Margo Pearson Michael Malbin Ngoc Pham Karen Merriam, Arlene Price in honor of June Barth Crispin Reyna Robb & Audrey Moses, Greg & Kate Robertson in loving honor of Jim Robin Tom & Margaret Gwynne Mrs. Lisa Robinson Warren Nicholson, Leslie Saia* in honor of Ginny Hart Ann Saunders Olivia Petrini di Monforte, Hans U. Schutt in memory of Count Rinaldo Jerry Seeley Petrini di Monforte Boudewijn Siemons Arnaud and Margaret Pichon, Kade Smith in memory of Maurice K. Isaac

Based on Total Giving from 7/1/2019 – 12/04/2020 *Subscribers

We greatly appreciate each gift given to support Mercury, and we have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this listing. Please notify Jennifer Yorek of any inaccuracies or omissions by contacting her at [email protected]

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 14 FOUNDATIONS & CORPORATE COUNCIL

Mercury is grateful to the following foundations, government entities and Corporate Council members whose ongoing support makes our concerts, events, and music education programs possible.

CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE (over $50,000) The Brown Foundation, Inc. The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Houston Endowment Inc. Anonymous CONCERTMASTER’S CIRCLE ($25,000–$49,999) Houston Arts Alliance Southern Chemical Corporation Texas Commission on the Arts The Wyatt Foundation PLATINUM CIRCLE ($15,000–$24,999) Miller Outdoor Theatre Advisory Board Shell Oil Company Foundation Valobra Master Jewelers GOLD CIRCLE ($5,000–$14,999) The Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation Baker Botts, LLP BB&T/Truist Chevron ConocoPhillips Enspirall LLC William E. & Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Trust Houston Saengerbund Inscription Capital National Endowment for the Arts Phillips 66 Riviana Foods Team, Inc. Ware, Jackson, Lee, O’Neill, Smith & Barrow, LLP BRONZE CIRCLE (up to $2,499) Capital Advisors Cotton Club Collection ExxonMobil Foundation Mid America Arts Alliance

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 15 MISSION AND VISION

MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER, AUGUST 31, 2019

MERCURY’S MISSION

To serve the community by celebrating the power of music through teaching, sharing and performing with passion, intimacy and excellence.

MERCURY’S VISION

• Be the most welcoming and innovative arts institution

in Houston.

• Be an exemplary period instrument ensemble for the nation.

• Transform the lives of a diverse audience through music.

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 16 MERCURY BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION

BOARD ADMINISTRATION

Virginia Hart, President Antoine Plante Artistic Director, Lynn Wyatt Chair Blake Eskew, Treasurer

Timothy Howard, Secretary Brian Ritter Executive Director Lloyd Kirchner, Immediate Past

President Jennifer Yorek Antoine Plante, Artistic Director Development Director

Brian Ritter, Executive Director Katie DeVore Jay Adkins Marketing Manager

Steve Barth Judy Frow Catherine Crath Artistic Administrator

Bastiaan de Zeeuw Matthew Carrington Marcia Faschingbauer Music Librarian Rebecca Fieler sponsored by Rebecca Fieler

William Guest Andrés González Kirsten Jensen Education Manager

Keith Little

Rose Ann Medlin

Joel W. Mohrman

Ken Owen

Christopher Prince

James E. Smith

Christine Spin

Ana Treviño-Godfrey

Ralf van der Ven

Stephen Wallace

Lynn Wyatt, Special Advisor

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 17 NEIGHBORHOOD SERIES TRUMAN CAPOTE’S A CHRISTMAS MEMORY

PREMIERES DEC. 19 | 7:30 PM Truman Capote’s nostalgic Christmastime classic is read by David Rainey and enhanced with music from Mercury. LYNN WYATT CHAIR