New England Conservatory Opera Studies Department presents

Gianni Schicchi

by Gioacchino Rossini

Orchestra edition by Bryan Higgins, by arrangement with Motet Music Publishing Company

This organization is supported in part

by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, and by a grant from the Boston Cultural Council, Conductor David Yi a local agency funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council Stage Director Steven Goldstein and administrated by the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism, and Special Events. Musical Preparation Timothy Steele

Unauthorized use of cameras and tape recorders is not allowed in Jordan Hall.

Please switch off cellular phones, pagers, and watch alarms. Assistive Listening Devices are available for Jordan Hall concerts at the coatroom,

or by contacting the Head Usher or House Manager on duty.

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Sunday and Monday, December 13 and 14, 2015 7:00 p.m.

Brown Hall

necmusic.edu/concerts

CAST OF CHARACTERS Upcoming Concerts at NEC Visit necmusic.edu for complete and updated concert information: December 13, 2015 December 14, 2015 GIANNI SCHICCHI Junhan Choi Junhan Choi JAZZ COMPOSERS ’ WORKSHOP ORCHESTRA , Frank Carlberg, director LAURETTA Sooyeon Kang Benedetta Cordaro NEC student jazz ensemble performs student jazz compositions ZITA Chelsea Bolter Brindley McWhorter Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at 7:30 p.m., Brown Hall RINUCCIO Rafael Delsid Rafael Delsid GHERARDO James Walsh James Walsh NEC SYMPHONIC WINDS , NEC CHAMBER SINGERS , NAVY BAND NELLA GyuYeon Shim Xu Chu NORTHEAST , William Drury, Erica Washburn, and Lt. Cmdr. Greg Fritz, GHERARDINO Jackson Daley Jackson Daley conductors – A Holiday Concert, a reprise of their December 2 Worcester BETTO Thomas Hamilton Thomas Hamilton performance SIMONE Christopher Carbin Christopher Carbin Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at 7:30 p.m., Jordan Hall MARCO Chauncey Blade Chauncey Blade LA CIESCA Kristin Fahning Enola Schow “I N THE MIX ”, student jazz ensembles coached by faculty artists MAESTRO SPINELLOCCIO, Wednesday December 16, 2015 at 7:00 p.m., Pierce Hall AMANTI DI NICOLAO, NOTARY Nicholas Tocci Nicholas Tocci “I N THE MIX ”, student jazz ensembles coached by faculty artists PINELLO Allyn McCourt Allyn McCourt Thursday December 17, 2015 at 7:00 p.m., Pierce Hall GUCCIO Chi Xue Chi Xue BUOSO DONATI Elena Snow Elena Snow NEC WIND ENSEMBLE STUDENT CONDUCTORS , Boyang Yu, Holly Choe, and Harris Malasky, conduct members of the wind ensembles: Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn; Plog Music for Brass Octet; NEC Philharmonia Enesco Dixtuor for Wind Instruments; Takemitsu Garden Rain David Yi, conductor Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 8:00 p.m., Brown Hall

First Violin Hee-Soo Yoon, Heewon Koo, Luther Warren, SONATA CLASS CONCERT Sophia Anna Szokolay, Kyumin Park, Manuel Abecasis Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 8:00 p.m., Williams Hall Second Violin Lily Honigberg, Isabella Costanza, Leonard Fu, Joshua Ryu, Su Yeon Park Viola Sloane Wesloh, Jing Peng, Abraham Martin, Rae Gallimore Cello Minjoo Kim, Aihao Zhang, Paul van der Sloot Bass Elam Richter, Nick Leonard Flute Jisun Oh Oboe Andrew Port Clarinet Barret Ham Bassoon Alice Hsieh French horn Megan Shusta, Lorenzo Robb Trumpet Ivan Eremin Bass Trombone Riley Giampaolo Timpani Seth Burkhart NEC Opera Performances, Spring 2016 Percussion Harrison Honor Visit necmusic.edu for complete and updated concert information: Harp Liwei Huang Piano Yang Lin JANÁČEK : THE CUNNING LITTLE VIXEN NEC Opera students and members of NEC Philharmonia, under the SYNOPSIS direction of Joshua Major; Gil Rose, guest conductor Saturday, February 6-Tuesday, February 9, 2016, Cutler Majestic As Buoso Donati lies dead, his relatives gather round to mourn his passing, but are really more interested in learning the contents of his will. Betto mentions a rumor Theater, Boston; performance times vary – tickets required he has heard that Buoso has left everything to a monastery; this disturbs the others

and precipitates a frantic search for the will. It is found by Rinuccio, who is PERKIN OPERA SCENES confident that his uncle has left him plenty of money. He withholds the will Performances by graduate opera majors momentarily and asks Zita to allow him to marry Lauretta, daughter of Gianni Sunday, March 6, 2016 at 7:00 p.m., Brown Hall Schicchi, a newcomer to Florence. Zita replies that if Buoso has left them rich, he Monday, March 7, 2016 at 7:00 p.m., Brown Hall can marry whom he pleases, as she and the others sit to read the will. A happy Rinuccio sends little Gherardino to fetch Schicchi and Lauretta. HANDEL : AGRIPPINA The relatives discover in the will that Buoso has indeed bequeathed his fortune NEC Opera students and members of NEC Philharmonia, under the to the monastery. Indignant, they try to figure out if something can be done and direction of Crystal Manich; Christopher Larkin, guest conductor turn to the eldest, Simone. Rinuccio suggests that only Gianni Schicchi can advise Saturday, April 16-Tuesday, April 19, 2016, Paramount Theater, them what to do, but this is scorned by Zita and the rest, who sneer at Schicchi's Boston; performance times vary – tickets required humble origins and now say that marriage to the daughter of such a peasant is out of the question. Rinuccio defends Schicchi ("Avete torto/Firenze é come un albero fiorito " You're mistaken/Florence is like a flowering tree), after which Schicchi and

Lauretta arrive. Schicchi quickly grasps the situation, and Rinuccio begs him for help,

but Schicchi is told by Zita to "be off" and take his daughter with him. Rinuccio and Upcoming Student Recitals at NEC Lauretta listen in despair as Schicchi announces that he will have nothing to do with all programs subject to change such people. Lauretta makes a final plea to him (“O mio babbino caro” Oh, my dear papa), and he agrees to look at the will. He sends his daughter outside so that she Taeguk Mun, cello (B.M.) will be innocent of what is to follow. Student of Laurence Lesser Spinelloccio, the doctor, arrives. Schicchi conceals himself, mimics Buoso's Wednesday, December 16, 2015 at 8:00 p.m., Brown Hall voice and declares that he's feeling better; he asks the doctor to return that evening. Schicchi then unveils his plan ("Si corre dal notaio" Run to the notary); Max Light, jazz guitar (B.M. ‘15) having established in the doctor's mind that Buoso is still alive, Schicchi will disguise Student of Joe Morris and Stratis Minakakis himself as Buoso and dictate a new will. All are delighted with the scheme, and Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 8:00 p.m., Keller Room place personal requests for Buoso's various possessions, the most treasured of which are "the mule, the house and the mills at Signa". After an argument, the relatives agree to leave the disposition of the mule, the house and the mills to Victoria Garcia, trombone (M.M.) Schicchi, though each in turn offers him a bribe. The women help him to change Student of Stephen Lange into Buoso's clothes. Before taking his place in the bed, Schicchi warns everyone of Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at 8:00 p.m., Brown Hall the grave punishment for those found to have falsified a will: the loss of their hands and exile from Florence.

The notary arrives, and Schicchi starts to dictate the new will, filling the OPERA STUDIES requests of the family, but when it comes to the mule, the house and the mills, he Chair of Opera Studies Joshua Major orders that these be left to "my devoted friend Gianni Schicchi". Incredulous, the Acting Steven Goldstein family can do nothing while the lawyer is present, especially when Schicchi reminds Diction Jean Anderson Collier them of the penalties for forgery. The notary exits, and the family rages at Schicchi Movement Peter DiMuro, Andrew Moss, as he chases them out of what is now his house, and when he returns stands moved Melinda Sullivan at the sight of the two lovers. He turns to the audience and asks them to agree that Opera Production & Richard Frost no better use could be found for Buoso's wealth. Although the poet Dante has Administrative Director condemned him to hell for this trick, Schicchi asks the audience to forgive him in Vocal Coaching & Musical Preparation Jean Anderson Collier, light of "extenuating circumstances." Damien Francoeur-Krzyzek, Timothy Steele, Michael Strauss, Daniel Wyneken Senior Staff Assistants Benedetta Cordaro, Kara Morgan Graduate Work-Study Staff Helen Huang, Patrick Shelton, Special thanks to: Elisa Sunshine, Andrea Wozniak The NEC Performance Services Staff NEC Information Technology Services Sally Millar ORCHESTRA Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood Hugh Wolff Director of Orchestras Administrative Director of Orchestras Marjorie Apfelbaum Associate Director of Orchestras David Loebel Artistic Director of Chamber Orchestra Donald Palma Performance Librarian Melissa Steinberg FOR NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY Instrument Librarian John Stanton Interim President, Provost, & Tom Novak Student Orchestra Manager Holly Choe Dean of the College Student Librarian Miguel Vásquez Lopez Assistant Dean for Administration & Alison Garner Academic Affairs College Artistic Manager Hank Mou VOICE FACULTY Senior VP of Finance & Operations Ed Lesser Jane Eaglen Carole Haber Vice President of Marketing & Carol Phelan Karen Holvik – Chair MaryAnn McCormick Communications Michael Meraw Patricia Misslin Finance Administrative Director Shaula Jauk Lorraine Nubar Lisa Saffer Accounts Payable Accountant Rachinda Gutierrez Bradley Williams – Assistant Chair Audience Services Manager Natalie Wheeler Director of Performance Services Brian Yankee Production Manager Bob Winters