Friday, March 11, 2016, 8pm Saturday, March 12, 2016, 8pm Sunday, March 13, 2016, 3pm Zellerbach Hall L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato
Mark Morris Dance Group Chelsea Acree Sam Black Durell R. Comedy Rita Donahue Domingo Estrada, Jr. Lesley Garrison Lauren Grant Brian Lawson Aaron Loux Laurel Lynch Stacy Martorana Dallas McMurray Brandon Randolph Nicole Sabella Billy Smith Noah Vinson Jenn Weddel Michelle Yard
Janelle Barry Patrick Coker Brandon Cournay Derek Crescenti Amber Star Merkens Maile Okamura Wendy Joy Reinert UtafumiTakemura Nicholas Wagner
Mark Morris, artistic director
Nancy Umanoff, executive director
with
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale Nicholas McGegan, music director
and
Sherezade Panthaki soprano Yulia Van Doren soprano Thomas Cooley tenor Douglas Williams baritone
This performance is made possible, in part, by Patron Sponsors Patricia and Anthony Theophilos. Cal Performances’ 2015–2016 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo.
PLAYBILL PROGRAM
L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato
Music George Frideric Handel (1685 –1759)
Libretto Pastoral ode after poems by John Milton, rearranged by Charles Jennens
Conductor Nicholas McGegan
Choreography Mark Morris
Set Design Adrianne Lobel Costume Design Christine Van Loon Lighting Design James F. Ingalls
SOLOISTS
Sherezade Panthaki soprano Yulia Van Doren soprano Thomas Cooley tenor Douglas Williams baritone
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and Chorale
DANCERS Janelle Barry*, Sam Black, Patrick Coker, Durell R. Comedy, Brandon Cournay, Derek Crescenti* , Rita Donahue, Domingo Estrada, Jr., Lesley Garrison, Lauren Grant, Brian Lawson, Aaron Loux, Laurel Lynch, Stacy Martorana, Dallas McMurray, Amber Star Merkens, Maile Okamura, Brandon Randolph, Wendy Joy Reinert, Nicole Sabella, Billy Smith, Utafumi Takemura, Noah Vinson, Nicholas Wagner, Jenn Weddel, Michelle Yard *understudy
Premiere: November 23, 1988, Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, Brussels, Belgium
Overture: G.F. Handel, Concerto Grosso in G Major, Op. 6, No. 1, A tempo giusto – Allegro
There will be one 20-minute intermission. LIBRETTO L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato Pastoral ode after poems by John Milton (1608 –1674) Rearranged by Charles Jennens (1700 –1773)
PART THE FIRST L’Allegro L’Allegro Air Accompagnato Haste thee nymph, and bring with thee Hence, loathèd Melancholy, Jest and youthful Jollity, Of Cerberus, and blackest midnight born Quips and cranks, and wanton wiles, In Stygian Cave forlorn Nods, and becks, and wreathèd smiles, ‘Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, Such as hang on Hebe’s cheek, and sights unholy And love to live in dimple sleek; Find out some uncouth cell, Sport, that wrinkled Care derides, Where brooding Darkness spreads And Laughter, holding both his sides. her jealous wings And the night-Raven sings; Chorus There under Ebon shades, Haste thee nymph, and bring with thee and low-brow’d rocks, Jest, and youthful Jollity; As ragged as thy Locks, Sport, that wrinkled Care derides, In dark Cimmerian desert, ever dwell. And Laughter, holding both his sides.
Il Penseroso L’Allegro Accompagnato Air Hence, vain deluding Joys, Come, and trip it as you go, Dwell in some idle brain, On the light fantastic toe. And fancies fond with gaudy shapes possess, As thick and numberless Chorus As the gay motes that people the Sun Beams, Come, and trip it as you go, Or likest hov’ring dreams On the light fantastic toe. The fickle Pensioners of Morpheus’ train. Il Penseroso L’Allegro Accompagnato Air Come, pensive Nun, devout and pure, Come, thou Goddess fair and free, Sober, steadfast and demure; In heav’n yclept Euphrosyne; All in a robe of darkest grain, And by men heart-easing Mirth, Flowing with majestic train. Whom lovely Venus, at a birth, With two sister-Graces more, Arioso To ivy-crowned Bacchus bore. Come, but keep thy wonted state, With even step, and musing gait; Il Penseroso And looks commercing with the skies, Air Thy rapt soul sitting in thine eyes. Come rather, Goddess, sage and holy; Hail, divinest Melancholy, Accompagnato Whose saintly visage is too bright There held in holy passion still, To hit the sense of human sight; Forget thyself to marble, till Thee bright-hair’d Vesta long of yore, With a sad leaden downward cast To solitary Saturn bore. Thou fix them on the earth as fast.
PLAYBILL LIBRETTO
Arioso L’Allegro And join with thee calm Peace and Quiet, Recitative Spare Fast, that oft with gods doth diet, If I give thee honour due, And hears the Muses in a ring Mirth, admit me of thy crew! Round about Jove’s altar sing. Air Chorus Mirth, admit me of thy crew! Join with thee calm Peace and Quiet, To listen how the hounds and horn Spare Fast, that oft with gods doth diet. Cheerly rouse the slumb’ring morn, From the side of some hoar hill, L’Allegro Through the high wood echoing shrill. Recitative Hence, loathèd Melancholy, Il Penseroso In dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell Air But hast thee, Mirth, and bring with thee Oft, on a plat of rising ground, The mountain nymph, sweet Liberty. Hear the far-off Curfew sound, And if I give thee honour due, Over some wide-water’d shore, Mirth, admit me of thy crew. Swinging slow, with sullen roar; Of, if the air will not permit, Air Some still removèd place will fit, Mirth, admit me of thy crew Where the glowing embers, through To live with her, and live with thee, the room, In unreprovèd pleasures free; Teach light to counterfeit a gloom. To hear the lark begin his flight, And singing startle the dull night; Air Then to come in spite of sorrow, Far from all resort of Mirth, And at my window bid good morrow. Save the cricket on the hearth, Mirth, admit me of thy crew. Or the bellman’s drowsy charm, To bless the doors from nightly harm. Il Penseroso Accompagnato L’Allegro First, and chief, on golden wing, Recitative The cherub Contemplation bring; If I give thee honour due, And the mute Silence hist along, Mirth, admit me of thy crew! ‘Less Philomel will deign a song, In her sweetest, saddest plight, Air Smoothing the rugged brow of Night. Let me wander, not unseen By the hedgerow elms, on hillocks green: Air There the ploughman, near at hand, Sweet bird, that shun’st the noise of folly, Whistles over the furrow’d land, Most musical, most melancholy! And the milkmaid singeth blithe, Thee, chantress, oft the woods among, And the mower whets his scythe, I woo to hear thy evensong. And every shepherd tells his tale Or, missing thee, I walk unseen, Under the hawthorn in the dale. On the dry smooth-shaven green, To behold the wand’ring moon Riding near her highest noon. Sweet bird… LIBRETTO Il Moderato Air Air Sometimes let gorgeous Tragedy Each action will derive new grace In sceptred pall come sweeping by, From order, measure, time and place; Presenting Thebes, or Pelops’ line, Till Life the goodly structure rise Or the tale of Troy divine; In due proportion to the skies. Or what, though rare, of later age Ennobled hath the buskin’d stage. L’Allegro Accompagnato Recitative Mountains, on whose barren breast Thus, Night oft sees me in thy pale career, The lab’ring clouds do often rest; Till unwelcome Morn appear. Meadows trim with daisies pied, Shallow brooks, and rivers wide L’Allegro Tow’rs and battlements it sees, Solo Bosm’d high in tufted trees. Populous cities please me then, And the busy hum of men. Air Or let the merry bells ring round, Chorus And the jocund rebeck sound Populous cities please us then, To many a youth, and many a maid, And the busy hum of men. Dancing in the checquer’d shade. Where throngs of knights and barons Bold, In weeds of peace high triumphs hold; Chorus With stores of ladies, whose bright eyes And young and old come forth to play Rain influence, and judge the prize On a sunshine holyday, Of wit, or arms, while both contend Till the livelong daylight fail, To win her grace, whom all commend. Thus past the day, to bed they creep, Populous cities… By whisp’ring winds soon lull’d asleep. Air There let Hymen oft appear PART THE SECOND In saffron robe, with taper clear, And pomp, and feast, and revelry, Il Penseroso With mask, and antique pageantry; Accompagnato Such sights as youthful poets dream Hence, vain deluding Joys, On summer eves by haunted stream. The brood of Folly without Father bred! How little you bested, Il Penseroso Or fill the fixed mind with all your toys! Accompagnato Oh! Let my lamp, at midnight hour, Me, when the sun begins to fling Be seen in some high lonely tow’r, His flaring beams, me goddess bring Where I may oft out-watch the Bear To archèd walks of twilight groves, With thrice-great Hermes, or unsphere And shadows brown that Sylvan loves; The spirit of Plato to unfold There, in close covert, by some brook, What worlds, or what vast regions hold Where no profaner eye may look. Th’immortal mind that hath forsook Her mansion in this fleshly nook. Air Hide me from day’s garish eye, While the bee with honey’d thigh,
PLAYBILL LIBRETTO Which at her flow’ry work doth sing, With antique pillars’ massy proof, And the waters murmuring, And story’d windows richly dight, With such consorts as they keep Casting a dim religious light. Entice the dewy-feather’d sleep; And let some strange mysterious dream Chorus Wave at his wings in airy stream There let the pealing organ blow Of lively portraiture display’d, To the full voic’d choir below, Softly on my eyelids laid. In service high and anthem clear! Then as I wake, sweet music breathe, And let their sweetness, through mine ear, Above, about, or underneath, Dissolve me into ecstasies, Sent by some spirit to mortals good, And bring all Heav’n before mine eyes! Or th’unseen genius of the wood. Air L’Allegro May at last my weary age Air Find out the peaceful hermitage, I’ll to the well-trod stage anon, The hairy gown, and mossy cell If Jonson’s learned sock be on; Where I may sit and rightly spell Or sweetest Shakespeare, Fancy’s child, Of ev’ry star that Heav’n doth shew, Warble his native wood-notes wild. And ev’ry herb that sips the dew; Till old experience do attain Air To something like prophetic strain. And ever against eating cares, Lap me in soft Lydian airs; Solo Sooth me with immortal verse, These pleasures, Melancholy, give, Such as the meeting soul may pierce And I with thee will choose to live. In notes, with many a winding bout Of linkèd sweetness long drawn out; Chorus With wanton heed, and giddy cunning, These pleasures, Melancholy, give, The melting voice through mazes running, And we with thee will choose to live. Untwisting all the chains that tie The hidden soul of harmony. L’Allegro Air Il Moderato Orpheus’ self may heave his head, Duet From golden slumbers on a bed As steals the morn upon the night, Of heap’d Elysian flow’rs, and hear And melts the shades away: Such strains as would have won the ear So truth does Fancy’s charm dissolve, Of Pluto, to have quite set free And rising reason puts to flight His half-regain’d Eurydice. The fumes that did the mind involve, Restoring intellectual day. Air These delights if thou canst give, Il Penseroso Mirth, with thee I mean to live. Recitative But let my due feet never fail Chorus To walk the studious cloisters’ pale, These delights if thou canst give, And love the high embowed roof, Mirth, with thee we mean to live. ORCHESTRA ROSTER
PHILHARMONIA BAROQUE ORCHESTRA Nicholas McGegan, music director
The Players and Their Instruments
Philharmonia’s musicians perform on historically accurate instruments. Below each player’s name is information about his or her instrument’s maker and origin. VIOLIN VIOLA Carla Moore , concertmaster Ellie Nishi* Johann Georg Thir, Vienna, 1754 Anonymous, Germany, 18th Century Egon & Joan von Kaschnitz Concertmaster Chair David Daniel Bowes Elizabeth Blumenstock Richard Duke, London, c. 1780 Andrea Guarneri, Cremona, 1660; on loan from Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Maria Ionia Caswell Period Instrument Trust Anonymous, Mittenwald, c. 1800 Susan B. Levy Chair Aaron Westman Jolianne von Einem † Francis Beaulieu, Montreal, 2012, Rowland Ross, Guildford, England, 1979; after Bros. Amati, Cremona, c. 1620 after Antonio Stradivari, Cremona
Lisa Grodin VIOLONCELLO Paulo Antonio Testore, Contrada, Paul Hale* Larga di Milano, 1736 Joseph Grubaugh & Sigrun Seifert, Petaluma, 1988; after A. Stradivari Katherine Kyme Carlo Antonio Testore, Milan, 1720 Phoebe Carrai Anonymous, Italy, c. 1690 Anthony Martin Osher Cello Chair Endowment Thomas Oliver Croen, Walnut Creek, California, 2005; after F. Gobetti, Venice, 1717 Robert Howard Anonymous, Venice, 1750 Tyler Lewis Anonymous, Italy c. 1800 William Skeen Anonymous, Northern Italy, c. 1680 Maxine Nemerovski Zheng Cao Memorial Cello Chair Joseph Gaffino, Paris, 1769
Sandra Schwarz DOUBLE BASS Rowland Ross, Portsmouth, England, 1987; after A. Stradivari Kristin Zoernig * Joseph Wrent, Rotterdam, Holland, 1648 Noah Strick Celia Bridges, Cologne, 1988 Timothy Spears Anonymous, Germany Lisa Weiss Anonymous, London; after Testore
Gabrielle Wunsch Lorenzo Carcassi, Florence, 1765
PLAYBILL ORCHESTRA ROSTER
FLUTE TRUMPET Stephen Schultz* John Thiessen* Martin Wenner, Singen, Germany, 2012; Rainer Egger, Basel, Switzerland, 2003; after C. Palanca, c. 1750 after Johann Leonhard Ehe III, Nuremberg, 1746
Fred Holmgren OBOE Fred Holmgren, Massachusetts, 2005; Marc Schachman* after J. L. Ehe III H. A. Vas Dias, Decatur, Georgia, 2001; after T. Stanesby, England, c. 1710 Principal Oboe Chair In Memory of Clare TIMPANI Frieman Kivelson and Irene Valente Angstadt Kent Reed* Lani Spahr Pete Woods, Aldershot, England, 1996; Harry vas Dias, 2006; after 18th-century continental, hand tuned after Thomas Stanesby, London, c. 1720
HARPSICHORD BASSOON Hanneke van Proosdij * Andrew Schwartz* John Phillips, Berkeley, 1986; Guntram Wolf, Kronach, Germany, 2008 after Albert Delin, Tournai, 1768; generously lent by Nicholas McGegan Kate van Orden Peter de Koningh, Hall, Holland, 1978; after Prudent, c. 1760 ORGAN Hanneke van Proosdij HORN Gerrit C. Klop, Holland, 1990; generously R. J. Kelley * lent by the UC Berkeley Music Department Richard Seraphinoff, Bloomington, Indiana, 2006; after J. C. Hofmaster, London, c. 1740 KEYBOARD GLOCKENSPIEL Hanneke van Proosdij Yamaha, Japan
* Principal † Principal Second Violin CHORALE ROSTER
PHILHARMONIA CHORALE
Bruce Lamott, director
SOPRANO TENOR Tonia d’Amelio Kevin Gibbs Angela Arnold Corey Head Jennifer Ashworth Jimmy Kansau Barbara Rowland David Kurtenbach Helene Zindersian Mark Mueller Angelique Zuluaga Jonathan Smucker
ALTO BASS Daniel Cromeenes Paul Boyce Katherine McKee Jeffrey Fields Laurel Cameron Porter Tom Hart Heidi Waterman James Monios Jacque Wilson Chad Runyon Celeste Winant Ian Walker
PLAYBILL ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Mark Morris was born Scripps/American Dance Festival Award for on August 29, 1956, in Lifetime Achievement (2007), the Leonard Seattle, Washington, Bern stein Lifetime Achievement Award for the where he studied with Elevation of Music in Society (2010), the Ben - Verla Flowers and jamin Franklin Laureate Prize for Creativity Perry Brunson. In the (2012), the Cal Performances Award of early years of his Distinction in the Performing Arts (2013), and career, he performed the Orchestra of St. Luke’s Gift of Music Award with the companies of (2014). In 2015, Mark Morris was inducted into Lar Lubovitch, Hannah Kahn, Laura Dean, the Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Van derbilt Whit - Eliot Feld, and the Koleda Balkan Dance ney Hall of Fame at the National Museum of Ensemble. He formed the Mark Morris Dance Dance in Saratoga Springs, New York. Group (MMDG) in 1980, and has since created Morris opened the Mark Morris Dance close to 150 works for the company. From 1988 Center in Brooklyn, New York, in 2001 to pro - to 1991, he was director of dance at Brussels’ vide a home for his company, rehearsal space Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, the national for the dance community, outreach programs opera house of Belgium. In 1990, he founded for children and seniors, and a school offering the White Oak Dance Project with Mikhail dance classes to students of all ages and abilities. Baryshnikov. Much in demand as a ballet choreographer, The Mark Morris Dance Group (MMDG) was Morris has created 20 ballets since 1986 and his formed in 1980 and gave its first performance work has been performed by companies world - that year in New York City. The company’s wide, including San Francisco Ballet, American touring schedule steadily expanded to include Ballet Theatre, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de cities in the United States and around the Genève, and the Royal New Zealand Ballet. world, and in 1986 it made its first national Noted for his musicality, Morris has been television program for the PBS series Dance in described as “undeviating in his devotion to America . In 1988, MMDG was invited to be - music” ( The New Yorker ). He began conducting come the national dance company of Belgium, performances for MMDG in 2006 and has since where it spent three years in residence at the conducted at the International Festival of Arts Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels. The and Ideas, Lincoln Center, and BAM (Brooklyn Dance Group returned to the United States in Academy of Music). He also served as music di - 1991 as one of the world’s leading dance com - rector for the 2013 Ojai Music Festival. Morris panies. Based in Brooklyn, New York, MMDG works extensively in opera, directing and chore - maintains strong ties to presenters in several ographing productions for the Metropolitan cities around the world, most notably to its Opera, New York City Opera, English National West Coast home, Cal Performances, and its Opera, and the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, Midwest home, the Krannert Center for the among others. Performing Arts at the University of Illinois at Morris was named a fellow of the Mac - Urbana-Champaign. MMDG also appears reg - Arthur Foundation in 1991 and has received 12 ularly in New York, Boston, Seattle, and Fairfax. honorary doctorates to date. He has taught at The company made its debut at the Mostly the University of Washington, Princeton Uni - Mozart Festival in 2002 and at the Tanglewood versity, and Tanglewood Music Center. He is a Music Festival in 2003 and has since been in - member of the American Academy of Arts vited to both festivals annually. and Sciences and the American Philosophical From the company’s many London seasons, Society, and has served as an advisory board it has received two Laurence Olivier Awards member for the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts and a Critics’ Circle Dance Award for Best Initiative. Morris has received the Samuel H. Foreign Dance Company. Reflecting Morris’ ABOUT THE ARTISTS commitment to live music, the Dance Group has featured live musicians in every perform - ance since the formation of the MMDG Music Ensemble in 1996. MMDG regularly collabo - rates with renowned musicians, including cellist Yo-Yo Ma, pianist Emanuel Ax, mezzo- soprano Stephanie Blythe, and jazz trio The Bad Plus, as well as leading orchestras and Lauded by The New York Times as “America’s opera companies, including the Metropolitan leading period instrument ensemble” and cele - Opera, English National Opera, and the London brating its 35th season, Philharmonia Baroque Symphony Orchestra. MMDG frequently works Orchestra (PBO) has been dedicated to au - with distinguished artists and designers, includ - thentic performances of Baroque, Classical and ing painters Howard Hodgkin and Robert early Romantic music on original instruments Bordo, set designers Adrianne Lobel and Allen since its inceptions in 1981. Under the leader - Moyer, costume designers Martin Pakledinaz ship of music director Nicholas McGegan, and Isaac Mizrahi, and many oth ers. Philharmonia was named Ensemble of the Year MMDG’s film and television projects in - by Musical America in 2004. clude Dido and Aeneas, The Hard Nut , Falling The orchestra performs an annual subscrip - Down Stairs , two documentaries for the tion season in the San Francisco Bay Area and UK’s South Bank Show , and PBS’ Live From is heard regularly on tour in the United States Lincoln Center. In 2015, Morris’ signature and around the world. PBO has its own profes - work, L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, sional chorus, the Philharmonia Chorale, under had its national television premiere on PBS’ the leadership of Bruce Lamott. It welcomes Great Performances . While on tour, the Dance eminent guest artists including mezzo-soprano Group partners with local cultural institutions Susan Graham, countertenor David Daniels, and community organizations to present fortepianist Emanuel Ax, violinist Rachel Access/MMDG, a program of arts and Podger, and guest conductors including Jordi humanities-based activities for people of all Savall, Masaaki Suzuki, and Trevor Pinnock. ages and abilities. Philharmonia’s recent US tour appearances Cal Performances and MMDG’s relationship include Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart over the last 29 years has played a major part in Festival, the Tanglewood Festival, the Ravinia fulfilling Cal Performances’ commitment to Festival, the Great Performers series at Lincoln bring important dance works on a grand scale Center, the International Chamber Orchestra to Zellerbach Hall. MMDG first performed Festival in Minnesota, Carnegie Hall in New two mixed repertory programs at Zellerbach York, the Festival del Sole in California’s Napa Hall in 1987. Since then, Cal Performances has Valley, and Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los presented more than 200 MMDG perform - Angeles. Internationally, PBO has performed ances in Zellerbach Hall, including regular at the BBC Proms in London, Snape Maltings, performances of the holiday classic The Hard and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. Phil - Nut , and nearly 60 different works by Mark harmonia appeared as the featured orchestra at Morris, including many premieres and com - the International Handel Festival in Gottingen, missions. Germany, in 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2005.
PLAYBILL ABOUT THE ARTISTS
PBO has had numerous successful collabo - Nicholas Mc Gegan (con - rations with celebrated composers and chore - ductor ) has long been ographers. In November 2006, to mark its 25th hailed as “one of the season and the 20th anniversary of Nicholas finest Baroque conduc - McGegan’s tenure as music director, Phil har - tors of his generation” ( The monia premiered its first commissioned work, a Independent ) and “an one-act opera by Jake Heggie with a libretto by expert in 18th-century Gene Scheer entitled To Hell and Back . style” ( The New Yorker ); In collaboration with the Mark Morris and he is recognized in - Dance Group, Philharmonia gave the US pre - ter nationally for his passionate, probing, and mieres of the highly acclaimed productions of revelatory explorations of music of all periods. Handel’s Acis and Galatea , Purcell’s King 2015 marked his 30th year as music director of Arthur , and Rameau’s ballet-opera Platée . Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and he con - Philharmonia has also collaborated with many tinues as principal guest conductor of the Bay Area performing arts groups, including Pasadena Symphony and artist-in-association Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, American Con - with Australia’s Adelaide Symphony. servatory Theater, San Francisco Girls Chorus, As he embarks on his fourth decade on the and Chanticleer. podium, McGegan’s current season features ap - In 2011 Philharmonia launched its own pearances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic recording label, Philharmonia Baroque Pro - (with which he has appeared annually for nearly ductions. Its first release was an archival per - 20 years); the St. Louis, BBC Scottish, RTÉ formance of mezzo-soprano Lorraine Hunt National, and New Zealand symphonies; the Lieberson singing Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’été and Cleveland Orchestra/Blossom Music Festival; Handel arias. Subsequently, its recording of and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Cara moor. Haydn symphonies was nominated for a Under McGegan this season, PBO performs Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Perfor - Scarlatti’s La gloria di primavera at Carnegie Hall mance. Recent releases include highlights from and throughout California’s Orange County. Handel’s Teseo and three Haydn symphonies, Nicholas McGegan has also been a regular Nos. 57, 67, and 68. visitor to The Juilliard School for many years. Prior to the launch of Philharmonia Baroque In his typical style, he works with both the Productions, the orchestra made 32 highly Juilliard Orchestra (modern ensemble) and praised recordings for harmonia mundi, Refer- Juilliard415, which he conducted for the first ence Recordings, and BMG. Its recording of the time in 2010, just one year after the program Handel oratorio Susanna received a Grammy was established. He has visited Juilliard almost nomination and a 1991 Gramophone Award for annually since, either to teach or perform. In Best Baroque Vocal Recording. 2015, McGegan led the Juilliard415 ensemble Classical KDFC continues to broadcast in its debut performance in California, with a unreleased Philharmonia concert recordings special side-by-side performance with Phil - the second Sunday of every month from 8- harmonia Baroque Orchestra. 9pm. KDFC is the radio home of PBO. English-born, McGegan was educated at Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra was founded Cambridge and Oxford. He was made an by harpsi chordist and early music pioneer Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the Laurette Goldberg. British Empire (OBE) “for services to music overseas.” Other awards include the Halle Handel Prize; the Order of Merit of the State of Lower Saxony (Germany); the Medal of Honor of the City of Göttingen; and a declaration of Nicholas McGegan Day by the Mayor of San ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Francisco in recognition of his work with in 1997, and has appeared with Philharmonia Philharmonia Baroque. In 2013, the San Baroque Orchestra at Walt Disney Concert Francisco Conservatory of Music awarded him Hall in Los Angeles, at New York City’s Lincoln an honorary degree of Doctor of Music. Center, and at the Renée and Henry Seger - For more information, please visit www.nicholas - strom Concert Hall in Orange County. Phil - mc gegan.com. har monia Chorale appears on the orchestra’s recordings of Arne’s Alfred , Scarlatti’s Cecilian Vespers , and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
Bruce Lamott has been director of Phil harmonia Chorale for more than a decade. He first per - formed with PBO in 1989 as continuo harpsi - chordist for Handel’s Giustino . Lamott was Critically acclaimed for its brilliant sound, ro - previously the director of bust energy, and sensitive delivery of the text, choruses and conductor of the Mission the Philharmonia Chorale was formed in 1995 Candlelight Concerts at the Carmel Bach to provide a vocal complement whose fluency Festival, where his 30-year tenure also included in the stylistic language of the Baroque period performing as a harpsichordist and presenting matched that of Philharmonia Baroque as a lecturer and education director. In eight Orchestra. The 24 members of the ensemble seasons as choral director and assistant con - are professional singers with distinguished solo ductor of the Sacramento Symphony, he con - and ensemble experience. Chorale members ducted annual choral concerts of major works, appear regularly with organizations such as the including both Bach Passion settings and San Francisco Symphony, Carmel Bach Fest - Haydn’s The Seasons , as well as preparing the ival, and American Bach Soloists, and are chorus for most of the standard symphonic guest soloists with most of the area’s sym - choral repertoire. phonic and choral organizations. They appear Lamott received a bachelor’s degree from in roles with regional opera companies and Lewis and Clark College, and a master’s and have been members and founders of some of PhD in musicology from Stanford University, the country’s premiere vocal ensembles, in - where he researched the keyboard improvisa - cluding Chanticleer, the Dale Warland Singers, tion practices of the Baroque period. He joined and Theatre of Voices. the musicology faculty at UC Davis, where Founded by John Butt, a Baroque key - he directed the Early Music Ensemble. He cur - boardist and one of the world’s leading Bach rently resides in San Francisco, where he scholars, Philharmonia Chorale has been led teaches choral music and music history at by conductor and musicologist Bruce Lamott San Francisco University High School and is a since 1997. In its first decade, the group’s reper - part-time professor of music history at the San toire included nine Handel oratorios, Bach’s Francisco Conservatory of Music. Among his St. John Passion and Christmas Oratorio , other music-related activities, Lamott teaches Mozart’s Mass in C minor, and—in collabora - continuo realization in the Merola Program of tion with other choral ensembles—Beethoven’s the San Francisco Opera and lectures for the Symphony No. 9. The group made its New San Francisco Opera Guild. York debut at the Brooklyn Academy of Music
PLAYBILL ABOUT THE ARTISTS
James F. Ingalls (lighting designer ) has designed and has won the Obie, the Lucille Lortel, the several pieces for Mark Morris, including Orfeo Jefferson, and Long Wharf’s prestigious ed Euridice (Metropolitan Opera); King Arthur Murphy awards. Lobel recently had a show of (English National Opera); Sylvia , Sandpaper paintings at the Bowery Gallery in Chelsea. Ballet , Maelstrom , and Pacific (San Francisco Both her theater and her painting work can be Ballet); Platée (Royal Opera House, Covent viewed at www.adriannelobel.com. Garden, and New York City Opera); Mozart Dances , Romeo and Juliet: On M otifs of Shakes - Christine van Loon (costume designer ) was born peare , L ’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, in Hoeilaart, Belgium, and has studied commer - Dido and Aeneas, and The Hard Nut (MMDG). cial art, costume, and set design. At the Théâtre His work includes The Master Builder , directed Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, she worked in by Andrei Belgrader, Split Sides with Radiohead both the set and costume departments and with and Sigur Ros (Merce Cunningham Dance Maurice Béjart’s Ballet of the 20th Century. Van Company), and John Adams’ El Niño, The Loon has designed costumes for several Mark Death of Klinghoffer, and Nixon in China, Morris productions in addition to L’Allegro, il all directed by Peter Sellars. Recent design s Penseroso ed il Moderato , including Dido and for dance include The Nutcracker (Pacific Aeneas , Behemoth , and Going Away Party . Northwest Ballet/Seattle); Twyla Tharp’s 50th anniversary tour (US and New York State Sherezade Panthaki ’s Theater); The Sleeping Beauty , choreographed (soprano ) international by Alexi Ratmansky (Teatro alla Scala Ballet success has been fueled and ABT); Celts , choreographed by Lila York by superbly honed musi - (Boston Ballet); and Sea Lark and Death and cianship; “shimmering the Maiden (Paul Taylor Dance Company). sensitivity” ( Cleveland Recent theater work includes Desdemona, di - Plain Dealer ); a “radiant” rected by Peter Sellars (UCLA/CAP, Melbourne, voice ( The Wash ington and Sydney festivals); and Druid Shakespeare, Post ); and vividly pas - directed by Garry Hynes (Galway, Irish tour, sionate interpretations, “mining deep emotion and Lincoln Center Festival) . He often collabo - from the subtle shaping of the lines” ( The New rates with Melanie Rios Glaser and the Wooden York Times ). An acknowledged star in the early Floor dancers in Santa Ana, California. music field, Panthaki enjoys ongoing collabo - rations with leading early music interpreters in - Adrianne Lobel (scenic designer ) began work - cluding Nicholas McGegan, Simon Carrington, ing with Mark Morris in 1986 on Nixon in John Scott, Matthew Halls, and Masaaki China . In addition to L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Suzuki, with whom she made her New York Moderato , she has since designed The Hard Nut , Philharmonic debut. Highlights of her past and The Marriage of Figaro , Orfeo ed Euridice , current seasons include Messiah with Bach Platée , King Arthur , and Acis and Galatea . As a Collegium Japan, the National Symphony stage designer she has worked in opera, dance, Orchestra, Calgary Philharmonic, and the on- and off- Broadway, in regional theater in Nashville and San Antonio symphonies; Saul America, and in Europe for more than 30 years. with the Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra; Some highlights (other than working with Belinda in Dido and Aeneas and Galatea in Acis Morris) include An American Tragedy at the and Galatea with the Mark Morris Dance Met, The Magic Flute at Glyndebourne, Passion Group; Solomon with the Radio Kamer and A Year with Frog and Toad on Broadway, Filharmonie; Handel at Carnegie Hall with and Così fan tutte and The Marriage of Figaro , William Christie; Christmas Oratorio with the directed by Peter Sellars, at Pepsico Summer - Orchestra of St. Luke’s; Mozart’s Exsultate jubi - fare. She has been nominated for many awards late and Requiem, with the Washington Bach ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Consort; and St. John Passion , St. Matthew tras, the Cleveland Orchestra, and tours with Passion , and the Brahms Requiem with St. Mark Morris Dance Group including perform - Thomas Fifth Avenue. Panthaki’s repertoire ex - ances of Handel’s Acis and Galatea and L’Allegro, tends well beyond the music of the Renaissance il Penseroso ed il Moderato under conductor and Baroque to Orff’s Carmina Burana with Nicholas McGegan. the Houston Symphony, Rachmaninoff’s Vocalise and Strauss Lieder at the Bari Thomas Cooley (tenor ) International Music Festival, Britten’s War has established a reputa - Requiem with the Louisville Choral Arts tion on both sides of the Society, as well as solos in Stravinsky’s Les Atlantic—and beyond— Noces and Poulenc’s Stabat Mater and Gloria . as a singer of great ver - Panthaki holds an artist diploma from the Yale satility, expressiveness, School of Music. and virtuosity. Recent and upcoming appear - Yulia Van Doren (so - ances of note include prano) was recognized Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Balti - by Opera magazine as a more Symphony Orchestra and the Milwaukee “star-to-be” following her Symphony; Britten’s War Requiem with the Lincoln Center debut, Indianapolis, Atlanta, and Oregon symphonies; and the young Russian- Handel’s Messiah with the Oregon, Houston, American’ s first appear - and Charlotte symphonies as well as the ance with the Toronto Calgary Philharmonic and National Symphony Symphony Orch es tra was Orchestra; Peter Quint in Britten’s Turn of the acclaimed as a “revelation… a ravishing lyric Screw with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra; voice and an ease with vocal ornamentation Bob Boles in Britten’s Peter Grimes with the that turned her into an enchanted songbird” St. Louis Symphony in Carnegie Hall; the title (Toronto Star ). For her last-minute step-in with role in Handel’s Samson with the American the Cleveland Orchestra, the Cleveland Plain Classical Orchestra at Alice Tully Hall Dealer praised Van Doren as an artist of “melt - (Nicholas McGegan conducting); the world ing poignancy” and added, “to Van Doren, one premiere of Christopher Theofanidis’ Creation could easily have listened for hours.” A dedi - Oratorio with the Atlanta Symphony; Tristan cated interpreter of repertoire off the beaten in Frank Martin’s Le vin herbé with Bergen path, her career highlights include creating the National Opera; Crown Prince in Kevin Puts’ lead female role in the world premiere of Silent Night with Cincinnati Opera; Acis in a Shostakovich’s Orango with the Los Angeles new production of Handel’s Acis and Galatea Philharmonic, directed by Peter Sellars and and L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato with released on Deutsche Grammophon; two the Mark Morris Dance Group; Bach’s St. Grammy-nominated opera recordings with the Matthew Passion with the Seattle Symphony Boston Early Music Festival; the modern revival and the St. John Passion with Pacific Music - of Monsigny’s opera Le roi et le fermier at Opera works and the Pittsburgh Symphony; and de Versailles, Lincoln Center, and the Kennedy performances at the Oregon and Carmel Center (recorded for Naxos); and a tour of Bach festivals. As artist-in-residence with Handel’s Orlando with Philharmonia Baroque Chicago’s Music of the Baroque, Cooley also Orchestra to the Mostly Mozart, Ravinia, and performs Monte verdi’s Vespers , Handel’s Tanglewood festivals. Highlights of Van Doren’s Judas Macca baeus , and a program of Bach current season include appearances with the Cantatas this season. Cincinnati and Baltimore symphony orches -
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Douglas Williams (bass- THE DANCE GROUP baritone ) combines a “formidable stage pres - Matthew Rose (rehearsal ence” ( Seattle Times ) director ) began his dance with “a bass voice of training in Midland, splendid solidity” ( Music Michigan, with Linda Z. Web International ), mak - Smith at the age of 17. ing him one of the most After receiving his BFA appealing singing actors in dance from the Uni - of his generation. He has collaborated with versity of Michigan in leading conductors including Nicholas Mc - 1992, he moved to New Gegan, Helmut Rilling, Sir Neville Marriner, York City. He was a soloist with the Martha John Nelson, and Christoph Rousset, in such Graham Dance Company from 1993-1996, and prestigious venues as Lincoln Center, the in 1997 began working with MMDG. After sev - Kennedy Center, Stuttgart’s Mozart-Saal, and eral years of performing full-time with the the Frankfurt Alte Oper. Williams was highly Dance Group, he began assisting Morris with acclaimed as Polyphemus in the world pre - the creation of new works. He has been the miere Mark Morris Dance Group production company’s rehearsal director since 2006. of Handel’s Acis and Galatea , and he performs the role this fall with Boston Early Music Colin Fowler (music di - Festival. A recording with the group will be re - rector, piano ) began his leased in 2015. Other recent appearances in - musical study at the age clude Laurence in Grétry’s Le Magnifique with of five in Kansas City Opera Lafayette (recorded for Naxos) and and went on to study Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas with the Boston at the prestigious Inter - Early Music Festival. His recording of Char - lochen Arts Academy. pentier’s La Descente d’Orphée aux Enfers with He continued his educa - BEMF won the 2015 Grammy Award for Best tion at e Juilliard Opera Recording. Williams’ “superb sense of School, where he received his bachelor’s degree drama” ( The New York Times ) is as apparent on in music in 2003 and his master’s in 2005. the concert stage as it is in opera. Concert high - While at Juilliard, he studied piano with Abbey lights include a performance at Carnegie Hall Simon, organ with Gerre Hancock and Paul with James Levine and the MET Chamber Jacobs, harpsichord with Lionel Party, and Ensemble of Charles Wuorinen’s It Happens conducting with James dePriest and Judith Like This ; Handel’s Messiah with the symphony Clurman. A versatile musician and conductor, orchestras of Detroit and Houston; Beethoven’s Fowler works in many areas of the music scene Missa Solemnis with the Cathedral Choral in New York City. He is a veteran of numerous Society; Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius with New Broadway shows, most recently performing in Haven Symphony; and Bach’s St. John Passion the Tony Award-winning musical Jersey Boys. with Les Talens Lyriques. His 2015-2016 sea - A seasoned church musician, Fowler is cur - son features performances and a new record - rently the organist at Marble Collegiate Church ing of Scarlatti’s La Gloria di primavera with on Fih Avenue and also leads services and conductor Nicholas McGegan and Philhar - concerts at Park Avenue Synagogue, where he monia Baroque Orchestra and a reprisal of his has served as music director since 2012. As a role of Caronte in Monteverdi’s Orfeo with the classical soloist and collaborative artist, he has dance company Sasha Waltz & Guests in performed and recorded with many world- Berlin, Bergen, and Baden-Baden, and Opera renowned musicians and ensembles, including Lille in France. Deborah Voigt and the Los Angeles Phil - ABOUT THE ARTISTS harmonic. He began to collaborate with the Sam Black is originally Mark Morris Dance Group in 2005 and has from Berkeley, where he since then performed over 40 pieces with the began studying tap at the company on almost every keyboard instrument age of nine with Katie possible, including the harmonium and toy Maltsberger. He received piano. He has also conducted performances of his BFA in dance from Mozart Dances, Acis and Galatea, and e Hard SUNY Purchase, and Nut. Hailed by e New York Times as “invalu - currently teaches MMDG able” and “central to Morris' music,” he was ap - master classes and Dance pointed music director in 2013. for PD®. He first appeared with MMDG in 2005 and became a company member in 2007. Chelsea Acree grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, Patrick Coker grew up in where she began her Chester, Virginia. Most dance training with recently, he apprenticed Sharon Lerner, then con - with Cedar Lake Con- tinued at Carver Center temporary Ballet. In for the Arts and Tech- May 2014, he graduated nology. Since receiving magna cum laude from her BFA in dance from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Purchase College in 2005, she has had the op - program. Prior to mov - portunity to work with a variety of artists, in - ing to New York, he received his training from cluding SYREN Modern Dance, Laura Peterson, the Eastern Virginia School of the Performing Hilary Easton + Company, and Michael and the Arts, Richmond Ballet, and Jessica Morgan’s Go-Getters. Acree is on the faculty at The School School of Dance. From 2008 to 2010, he was at the Mark Morris Dance Center, where she awarded American Ballet Theater’s National teaches children and adults how to move Trainee Scholarship. Coker has attended inten - through space. She began working with MMDG sives at Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, in 2007 and joined the company in 2011. Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, and Jacob’s Pillow. He has danced works by Alvin Ailey, Janelle Barry is from Judith Jamison, Matthew Rushing, Hope Boy- Orange County, Cali- kin, Earl Mosley, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Ohad fornia, and earned her Naharin, and Hofesh Shechter. BFA in dance perform - ance from Chapman Durell R. Comedy , a Uni versity. Since moving native of Prince Georges to New York, she has County, Maryland, began performed with the Met - dancing at the age of six ro politan Opera, Esse with Spirit Wings Dance Aficio nado, I KADA Contemporary Dance Company. He graduated Company, and the Czech-American Marionette from the Visual and Theatre. Barry currently teaches dance to all ages Performing Arts pro - at the Mark Morris Dance Center as well as for gram of Suitland High the Dance for PD® program. She first performed School in 2004, and magna cum laude from with MMDG in The Hard Nut in 2015. She is George Mason University, receiving his BFA in grateful to her family, friends, and teachers for dance performance in 2008. Since then, he has their love and support . worked and performed with the Metropolitan Opera, Troy Powell, and Kyle Abraham, among others. Comedy was a member of the José
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Limón Dance Company from 2009-2015, per - Domingo Estrada, Jr., a forming principal and soloist roles. He has also native of Victoria, Texas, appeared as a soloist in the Baltimore Opera’s studied martial arts and Aida, and worked with Washington National earned his black belt in Opera from 2013-2014 as a principal dancer and 1994. He danced ballet dance captain. He was a fellowship student at the folklorico through his Ailey School and a 2014 adjunct faculty mem - church for 11 years. ber at George Mason University’s School of Estrada earned his BFA in Dance. Comedy began his apprenticeship with ballet and modern dance MMDG in November 2015. from Texas Christian University and had the honor of working with the late Fernando Brandon Cournay is Bujones. During his undergraduate studies, he originally from Detroit, attended the American Dance Festival where he Michigan, and received had the privilege of performing Skylight , a classic his BFA from e work by choreographer Laura Dean. He debuted Juilliard School. He has with MMDG in 2007 and became a company performed with the Mark member in 2009. Estrada would like to thank Morris Dance Group, God, his family, and all who support his passion. Morphoses, Company XIV, New York eatre Lesley Garrison grew up Ballet, Dance Heiginbotham, e Metropolitan in Swansea, Illinois, and Opera Ballet, and in the Radio City Christmas received her early dance Spectacular . Film/TV credits: Musical Chairs training at the Center of (HBO); commercials for Puma, Sesame Street, Creative Arts in St. Louis, and Target; and PBS’ Great Performances: Missouri, and Interlochen L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato with Arts Academy in Interl - MMDG. He has been an associate choreographer ochen, Michigan. She for numerous creations in both concert dance studied at the Rotter - and musical theater. Brandon is currently the damse Dansacademie in the Netherlands and rehearsal director and company manager of holds a BFA from Purchase College. Garrison Keigwin + Company. first performed with MMDG in 2007 and be - came a company member in 2011. She teaches at Rita Donahue was born The School at the Mark Morris Dance Center and raised in Fairfax, and for the Dance for PD® program. Virginia, and attended George Mason Univer - Lauren Grant has danced sity. She graduated magna with MMDG since 1996, cum laude in 2002, receiv - appearing in nearly 60 of ing a BA in English and a Mark Morris’ works. She BFA in dance. Donahue is on the faculty at The has danced with bopi’s School at the Mark black sheep/dances by kraigpatterson. She joined Morris Dance Center, MMDG in 2003. leads master classes around the globe, sets Morris’ work at universities, and frequently leads classes for the company. Grant received a 2015 New York Dance and Performance (“Bessie”) Award for her sustained achievement in per - ABOUT THE ARTISTS formance with Mark Morris and in recognition Laurel Lynch began her of her “invigorating spontaneity, expansive dance training at Peta - phrasing, and robust musicality.” Grant has been luma School of Ballet in featured in Time Out New York, Dance Magazine ; California. She moved to and the book Meet the Dancers ; appeared in PBS’ New York to attend The Great Performances , Live From Lincoln Center Juilliard School, where and ITV’s The South Bank Show; and was a she performed works by subject for the photographer Annie Leibovitz. Robert Battle, Margie Before joining MMDG, Grant moved to New Gillis, José Limón, and York City from her hometown of Highland Park, Ohad Naharin. After graduation, Lynch danced Illinois, and earned a BFA from NYU’s Tisch for Dušan Týnek Dance Theatre, Sue Bernhard School of the Arts. She and her husband David Danceworks, and Pat Catterson. Lynch joined Leventhal (former MMDG dancer and current MMDG as an apprentice in 2006 and became a Dance for PD® program director) are proud par - company member in 2007. Many thanks to Gene ents of son Zev, born March 2012. and Becky.
Brian Lawson began his Stacy Martorana began dance training in Toronto her dance training in at Canadian Children’s Baltimore, Maryland, at Dance Theatre. There he the Peabody Conserva - worked with choreogra - tory. In 2006, she gradu - phers such as David ated from the University Earle, Carol Anderson, of North Carolina School and Michael Trent. Law - of the Arts with a BFA in son spent a year studying contemporary dance. She at the Rotterdamse Dansacademie in the has danced with the Amy Marshall Dance Netherlands and graduated summa cum laude i n Company, the Neta Dance Company, Helen 2010 from Purchase College, where he was also Simoneau Danse, Kazuko Hirabayashi Dance granted the President’s Award for his contribu - Theater, Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, tions to the dance program. Lawson has had the and Rashaun Mitchell. From 2009-2011 she was pleasure of performing with Pam Tanowitz a member of the Repertory Understudy Group Dance, Dance Heginbotham, and Nelly van for the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Bommel’s NØA Dance, among others. He joined She joined MMDG in 2012. MMDG as an apprentice in 2011 and became a company member in 2013. Dallas McMurray , from El Cerrito, California, Aaron Loux grew up in began dancing at age 4, Seattle, Washington, and studying jazz, tap, and began dancing at the acrobatics with Katie Creative Dance Center Maltsberger and ballet with Kaleido scope, a with Yukiko Sakakura. youth modern dance He received a BFA in company. He began his dance from the Cali - classical training at the fornia Institute of the Arts. McMurray per - Cornish College Prepara - formed with the Limón Dance Company in tory Dance Program and received his BFA from addition to works by Jiří Kylián, Alonzo King, The Juilliard School in 2009. He danced at the Robert Moses, and Colin Connor. He performed Metropolitan Opera and with Arc Dance with MMDG as an apprentice in 2006 and be - Company before joining MMDG in 2010. came a company member in 2007.
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Amber Star Merkens , Brandon Randolph be - originally from Newport, gan his training with the Oregon, began her dance School of Carolina Ballet training with Nancy Theater in Greenville, Mittleman. She received South Caro lina, under the her BFA from e direction of Hernan Justo. Juilliard School and At age 14, he was accepted danced with the Limón into the South Carolina Dance Company before Governor’s School for the receiving the Princess Grace Award and joining Arts and Humanities, where he studied with MMDG in 2001. During her many years danc - Stanislav Issaev and Bobby Barnett. Randolph re - ing with MMDG, she performed in featured and ceived his BFA in dance from Purchase College soloist roles, including Dido/e Sorceress in in 2012. There, he had the opportunity to per - Dido and Aeneas . She has presented her own form with Dance Heginbotham as well as reper - choreography both in New York and abroad, tory by Stephen Petronio, Lar Lubovitch, Paul taught dance at the Mark Morris Dance Center, Taylor, and George Balanchine. Randolph began and worked as a freelance photographer for working with MMDG in 2013 and became a MMDG, the Silk Road Project, and Brooklyn company member in 2014. Rider, among others. Aer the birth of her sec - ond child in 2013, Merkens transitioned into an - Wendy Joy Reinert grew other passion, one of supporting new parents, up in Saratoga Springs, and founded Mother to Mother Postpartum, New York, training in LLC. She is now thrilled to be dancing again with classical ballet before at - MMDG as a guest artist. Merkens would like to tending Idyllwild Arts thank her family for their continuous support. Academy in Southern California and discover - Maile Okamura studied ing modern dance. She primarily with Lynda graduated from NYU’s Yourth at the American Tisch School of the Arts in 2003, where she Ballet School in San per formed in works by Nacho Duato, Trisha Diego, California. She Brown, and Robert Battle. Since graduating, was a member of Boston she has worked with Kun Yang Lin/dancers, Ballet II and Ballet Ari - Cherylyn Lavagnino Dance, Peridance En - zona before moving to semble, and Lorena Egan Dance, among New York to study mod - others. She performs regularly with the ern dance. Okamura has been dancing with Metropolitan Opera Ballet, and is also a MMDG since 1998. She has also had the pleasure professional aerial dancer and circus artist of working with choreographers Neta Pulver - performing her own work throughout New macher, Zvi Gotheiner, Gerald Casel, and John York City. Heginbotham, with whom she frequently collab - orates as dancer and costume designer. Maile and her husband, Colin Jacobsen, are the proud par - ents of Mimi Hanako, born in 2015. ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Nicole Sabella is origi - Utafumi Takemura re - nally from Clearwater, ceived her BFA with Florida, where she stud - honors in dance from ied at the Academy of SUNY Purchase and her Ballet Arts and the MFA from New York Pinellas County Center University’s Tisch School for the Arts at Gibbs of the Arts, where she High School under Su - was a recipient of the zanne B. Pomer antzeff. Siedman Award for In 2009, she graduated from the University of Dance. She has performed and taught nation - the Arts in Philadelphia, earning her BFA in ally and internationally with numerous chore - modern dance performance and the award for ographers. In 2010, she received the New York Outstanding Performance in Modern Dance. Dance and Performance (“Bessie”) Award with She was a performer with Zane Booker’s Pam Tanowitz Dance. She has performed with Smoke, Lilies, and Jade Arts Initiative. Sabella Mark Morris Dance Group in The Hard Nut first performed with MMDG in 2013 and be - since 1993 and in L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il came a company member in 2015. Moderato since 2002. For the last five years, she has been dancing and teaching with Dance Billy Smith grew up in for PD®. Fredericksburg, Virgin - ia, and attended George Noah Vinson is origi - Mason University on nally from Springfield, a full academic and Illinois, and received dance talent scholarship. his bachelor’s degree in He graduated magna dance from Columbia cum laude in 2007 and College Chicago. He was received achievement named a Dance Maga - awards in performance, choreography, and ac - zine “Dancer on the ademic endeavors. While at George Mason he Rise” in 2009 and as - performed the works of Mark Morris, Paul sisted Mark Morris in the creation of his most Taylor, Lar Lubovitch, Doug Varone, Daniel recent work for Houston Ballet, The Letter V , Ezralow, Larry Keigwin, Susan Marshall, and which premiered in May 2015. He began danc - Susan Shields. Smith’s own piece, 3-Way Stop , ing with MMDG in 2002 and became a com - was selected to open the 2006 American pany member in 2004. College Dance Festival Gala at Ohio State University and his original choreography for a production of Bye Bye Birdie won much critical praise. An actor as well, Smith’s regional the - ater credits include Tulsa in Gypsy , Mistoffelees in CATS , and Dream Curly in Oklahoma! . Smith danced with Parsons Dance from 2007 –2010. He joined MMDG as a company member in 2010.
PLAYBILL ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Nicholas Wagner was Michelle Yard was born born and raised in Balti - in Brooklyn, New York. more, Maryland, and She began her profes - began dance and theater sional dance training at training at the age of four. the NYC High School of He graduated from the the Performing Arts and Univer sity of Illinois at continued her studies Urbana- Cham paign in as a scholarship student 2009, where he first at Alvin Ailey American worked with Mark Morris Dance Group. Dance Theater. She graduated with a BFA from Wagner became one of the first students in the NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Yard teaches Shadow Program, followed by supplemental Pilates as well as master classes for the Access/ dancing in The Hard Nut and L‘Allegro, il MMDG program. She joined MMDG in 1997. Penseroso ed il Moderato after he moved to New Mom, thank you. York City. He currently lives in Brooklyn and teaches full-time at Soulcycle.
Jenn Weddel received her early training from Boulder Ballet Company near where she grew up in Longmont, Colo - rado. She holds a BFA from Southern Metho- dist Univ ersity and also studied at Boston Con - servatory, Colorado University and the Laban Center, London. Since moving to New York in 2001, Weddel has created and performed with RedWall Dance Theater, Sue Bernhard Danceworks, Vencl Dance Trio, Rocha Dance Theater, TEA Dance Company, and with cho - reographers including Alan Danielson and Ella Ben-Aharon. Weddel performed with MMDG as an apprentice in 2006 and became a com - pany member in 2007. ABOUT THE ARTISTS Mark Morris Dance Group Staff Artistic Director Mark Morris Executive Director Nancy Umanoff Production Technical Director Johan Henckens Rehearsal Director Matthew Rose Music Director Colin Fowler Lighting Supervisor Nick Kolin Sound Supervisor Rory Murphy Costume Coordinator Stephanie Sleeper Administration Chief Financial Officer Elizabeth Fox Finance Manager Rebecca Hunt Finance Associate Rosalind Gaskill General Manager Huong Hoang Company Manager Jen De Santo Administrative Assistant Marianny Loveras Interns Diamond Croney, Marlie Delisfort, Julia Weber Development Director of Development Michelle Amador Development Associates Tyler Mercer, Sophie Mintz Development Assistant Kristen Gajdica Intern Kris Marx Marketing Director of Marketing Karyn LeSuer Marketing & Digital Media Manager Cortney Cleveland Marketing Assistant Myriam Varjacques Education Director of Education Sarah Marcus School Director Sydnie Liggett Education Programs Coordinator Jennifer Dayton School Administrator Rachel Merry Outreach Director Eva Nichols Dance for PD ®Program Director David Leventhal Dance for PD ®Program Coordinator Maria Portman Kelly Dance for PD ®Interns Amy Motson, Ginny Mottla, Pia Vinson Education Interns Naomi Johnson, Joanna Kitenge, Jessica Pearson, Julia Weber Dance Center Operations Operations Manager Elise Gaugert Facilities Manager Mark Sacks Rentals and Office Manager Erica Marnell Retail Store Manager Janice Gerlach Front Desk Assistants Tyrone Bevans, Alyssa Filoramo Jillian Greenberg, Laura Merkel Maintenance Jose Fuentes, Andy Rivera, Jean Rosa, Arturo Velazquez Booking Representation Michael Mushalla (Double M Arts & Events) Media and General Consultation Services William Murray (Better Attitude, Inc.) Legal Counsel Mark Selinger (McDermott, Will & Emery) Accountant O’Connor Davies Munns & Dobbins, LLP Orthopaedist David S. Weiss, M.D. (NYU Langone Medical Center) Physical Therapist Marshall Hagins, PT, PhD Hilot Therapist Jeffrey Cohen
PLAYBILL ABOUT THE ARTISTS Thanks to Maxine Morris.
Sincerest thanks to all the dancers for their dedication, commitment, and incalculable contribution to the work.
Major support for the Mark Morris Dance Group is provided by American Express, Anonymous, Sarabeth Berman and Evan Osnos, Morley and Frederick Bland, Allan and Rhea Bufferd, Cohen and Mark Selinger, Suzy Kellems Dominik, Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Judith R. and Alan H. Fishman, Shelby and Frederick Gans Fund, e Howard Gilman Foundation, Sandy Hill, Ellsworth Kelly Foundation, e Pierre and Tana Matisse Foundation, Suzanne Berman and Timothy J. McClimon, e Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Mertz Gilmore Foundation, Meyer Sound/Helen and John Meyer, Isaac Mizrahi & Arnold Germer, New England Foundation for the Arts, Stavros Niarchos Foundation, Ellen and Arnold Offner, PARC Foundation, Poss Family Foundation, e Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, e SHS Foundation, e Shubert Foundation, Diane Solway and David Resnicow, Jane Stine and R.L. Stine, e White Cedar Fund, and Friends of MMDG.
e Mark Morris Dance Group is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, Council Member Helen Rosenthal, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, the New York City Department for the Aging, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature, and the National ber of Dance/USA and the Downtown Brooklyn Arts Alliance.
L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato © 1988 Discalced, Inc.
For more information contact: Mark Morris Dance Group 3 Lafayette Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217-1415 (718) 624-8400 www.mmdg.org Facebook: markmorrisdancegroup Twitter: markmorrisdance Instagram: markmorrisdance Tumblr: mmdgontheroad YouTube: Mark Morris Dance Group
Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra Touring Staff Executive Director Courtney Beck Stage Manager Paolo Brooks Stage Equipment Coordinator E. J. Chavez Production Manager Myles K. Glancy Keyboard Technician Thomas Malone Artistic Administrator Jeff Phillips General Manager Elizabeth Shribman Music Librarian William Skeen