Verdi NEW PRODUCTION MARCH 14–23 | 2014 ESTHER NELSON, GENERAL & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | DAVID ANGUS, MUSIC DIRECTOR | JOHN CONKLIN, ARTISTIC ADVISOR blo.org Esther Nelson, General & Artistic Director 2013/14 A Season of All New Productions BELLINI I Puritani New Production MAY 2–11 | 2014 Citi Performing Arts Center℠ Shubert Theatre Elvira has been promised to one man, but loves another. When she believes the object of her affection has betrayed her, she descends into madness. Bellini’s bel canto gem unfolds during a tumultuous English civil war and features achingly beautiful music and mad scenes filled with pathos. The central roles of the tragic lovers feature two singers acclaimed for their appearances in BLO’s The Barber of Seville; John Tessier and Sarah Coburn, whose vocal gifts are perfectly suited to Elvira’s tour de force soprano arias. Troy Cook and Paul Whelan sing the roles of the powerful men who oppose them. Sarah Coburn John Tessier BLO.ORG | [email protected] | 617.542.6772 WELCOME Welcome to the premiere of our new Rigoletto production. As I write this, our creative team is applying the finishing touches. After the Boston performances this production will move on to our co-producers: The Atlanta Opera and Opera Omaha. It will also enjoy future performances around the nation. For a long time now stage director Tomer Zvulun, together with our Music Director David Angus, set designer John Conklin, and costume designer Victoria Tzykun, have immersed themselves in the music and dramaturgy of Rigoletto. Verdi based his opera on Victor Hugo's dark play Le Roi S'amuse, a subject that gripped him with the same power as Macbeth had earlier. He composed this opera in just a few weeks with relentless creative energy. The result is one of the most powerful and emotionally draining operas in the repertoire. Verdi’s work was not done, however. He and his librettist, Francesco Piave, endured a long period of frustrating cuts and revisions demanded by the censors, but Rigoletto ultimately marked Verdi's greatest victory over them. Such censorship power seems astonishing to us today, as does the then-common practice of theater directors feeling free to fundamentally and arbitrarily "improve" the text, even the opera's title, music, and/or characters, including the alteration of entire scenes. Composers and librettists have always understood that their operas are subject to different interpretations and cuts, depending on the theaters, performers, audiences, and times, but the wholesale changes to which some of their works were subjected in previous centuries would outrage even the most adventurous opera directors of today. Hovering above our set is the remote image of an unobtainable ideal city, based on a painting by Piero della Francesca. Below, we find ourselves drawn into The Duke, costume design by Victoria Tzykun the glittery, corrupt court and that of a sinister, dark world around it. We have decided to leave the opera in its Renaissance time period. For Verdi, and for Hugo, the curse of a father whose daughter had been ravished was central to the drama. It is often difficult in an updated setting to credibly portray the terror such a curse would have unleashed. Also, the tragedy of Rigoletto’s deformity, PROGRAM and thus having to survive as a court buffoon, does not have the same impact in a later society. According to Verdi, Rigoletto is "grossly deformed and absurd but inwardly passionate and full of love." CONTENTS Join us in welcoming the Italian-based American conductor Christopher Franklin, who is making his debut with us. We are also pleased to once again Welcome 1 offer you an extraordinary cast of major guest artists as well as a roster of our Board of Directors 5 Emerging Artists. A Conversation with We hope that you will cheer them on through a special Challenge opportunity Sarah Coburn by Richard Dyer 6 and make the Friends of BLO the official sponsors for next Season’s opener, an exciting new production of an opera favorite! Your gift will be matched by our BLO Presents Rigoletto 8 Board of Directors. Meet the Artists 9 I look forward to seeing you in the lobby or at our next opera, I Puritani, which Orchestra, Chorus & reunites the stars from our popular recent The Barber of Seville, Sarah Coburn Acknowledgments 12 and John Tessier. BLO & Production Staff 13 Production History of Rigoletto by Magda Romanska 15 Education and Community Events 16 Esther Nelson BLO's Version of Rigoletto General & Artistic Director by Magda Romanska 18 Donors 21 Both locally and beyond, Boston Lyric Opera leads the way in celebrating the art of the voice through innovative programming and community engagement programs that are redefining the opera-going experience. Under the vibrant leadership of General & Artistic Director Esther Nelson, BLO’s productions have been described by the magazine Musical America as “part of the national dialogue” because of their role as entry points for new audiences, and The New York Times observed that BLO “clearly intends [its productions] to catch the interest of operagoers around the country.” This view is shared by the nearly 40,000 people who experience BLO through both the Company’s dynamic, fully staged productions at the Shubert Theatre and in found spaces throughout Boston, and through its extensive partnerships with such leading cultural organizations as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Boston Symphony Orchestra; Handel and Haydn Society; Boston Public Library; American Repertory Theater; Boston Children’s Museum; Zoo New England; and many others. The Company’s involvement with Boston extends far beyond the walls of the So Young Park as Queen of the Night in BLO's production of The Magic Flute. Photo by Eric Antoniou performance hall, embracing the schools, churches, neighborhood centers, and blazing new ground, building audiences Since its founding in 1976, BLO has staged cultural destinations of our vastly diverse and creating new ways to enhance the significant world premieres, US premieres and exuberant community. opera-going experience. This commitment as well as a co-commission with The Royal is further made manifest in the Company’s Opera, Covent Garden and continues to BLO’s wide-reaching education initiatives unwavering support for the artists—both be a destination for some of the leading introduce opera to new audiences and new established and emerging—who bring the artists, conductors, directors and designers generations. Thousands of high school art of opera to you, our valued audiences. from around the world. students attend final dress rehearsals of BLO provides each year’s class of Emerging BLO productions at the Shubert Theatre Artists with extraordinary opportunities to each year for free, and the Company’s develop their craft and grow. Many BLO annual Open House introduces the art Emerging Artists expand their careers to form to music lovers of all ages through free other world-leading stages, including New performances, backstage tours, and musical York’s Metropolitan Opera, Seattle Opera, PREPARE FOR YOUR activities. Through its in-school and after- and Lyric Opera of Chicago, while others OPERA EXPERIENCE school education programs for children and choose to remain in Boston and influence Learn more about the production with youth, BLO takes its place among a network future generations through performance Boston Lyric Opera’s of organizations that provide Boston and and teaching. pre-performance lectures. surrounding communities with services that are available nowhere else and that help Through your support and attendance, BLO Join us for engaging half-hour make Boston unique among U.S. cities. is able to employ nearly 500 artists and talks exploring how music and In addition, BLO audiences can enjoy creative professionals each year—vocalists, design interact to create dynamic free pre-performance lectures, which artisans, stagehands, costumers, and scenic and evocative performances. highlight the productions and music, designers—many of whom are members of Pre-performance lectures are free prior to Shubert Theatre performances. our own community and our neighbors. The to ticket holders and are held in BLO’s commitment to opera in all forms— Company is proud to play a significant role the Citi Performing Arts Center℠ classic masterworks to contemporary in the livelihood of these individuals and to Shubert Theatre one hour before explorations—is evident in its programming, provide meaningful employment for our every performance. which remains faithful to tradition while vibrant arts community. 2 | BOSTON LYRIC OPERA RIGOLETTO 2014 FRIENDS OF BLO:TRIPLE YOUR IMPACT This spring, in recognition of all that you make possible and in the hope that we can achieve even greater heights together, BLO’s Board challenges you. • RENEW YOUR GIFT TO DOUBLE IT • MAKE A FIRST — TIME OR INCREASED GIFT TO TRIPLE IT If we reach our goal of $250,000, the Friends of BLO will be credited with the production sponsorship of next Season's opener, an exciting new production of an opera favorite. All participants in the Challenge will be entered to win two tickets to the 2014 Opera Gala, A Season Opening Celebration on October 10, 2014. BLO’s community of patrons and supporters enables us to create innovative and moving opera on our stages and throughout our community – YOU ARE BLO. All renewed Friends of BLO gifts will be matched one to one. All new and increased Friends of BLO gifts will be matched two to one. *Gifts between $1 and $2,999 qualify for Friends of BLO ABA www.annbeha.com ▪ 33 Kingston Street ▪ Boston, MA 02111 ▪ 617.338.3000 New Britain Museum of American Art www.nbmaa.org Photo © Peter Vanderwarker With just four months to go… will you help us meet the Challenge and secure $4 million for BLO? The Envision Opera Challenge was launched in 2010 to support BLO’s efforts to engage new audiences and LIZZIE BORDEN HEADS TO provide opportunity for innovation in opera through programs like our TANGLEWOOD IN JULY 2014 Opera Annex.