presents

THE GOLDEN AGE OF BROADWAY

= South Pacific Porgy and Bess = Carousel West Side Story Special Guest: Arts High School Choir

Steven Fox, Music Director

Sunday, March 13, 2016 at 3pm Benjamin Franklin School, Ridgewood

Steven Fox, Music Director Janet Montgomery, Principal Accompanist and Assistant Conductor Catherine Guinard, Chorale Administrator Board of Trustees Dr. Joseph DeFazio, President Jane W. Stein, Vice President Robert Dodds, Treasurer Andrea Covais, Hugh Dougan, Enid Hayflick, Dr. Edward Hedlund, Patricia Klecanda, Virginia Miner, Royal Ronning, Susan Seay

Save the Dates

Pro Arte Chorale Annual Benefit Thursday, April 21, 2016 Seasons, Washington Township, NJ

Classics from Vienna Saturday, June 11 at 8:00pm with members of The Clarion Orchestra and the Pascack Valley High School Choir Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Ridgewood, NJ

These programs are made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.

Performance venue is handicapped accessible. Large print programs are available at every concert.

For more information, or to join our mailing list, Contact the Pro Arte Chorale office at (201) 497-8400 Email: [email protected] web: www.proartechorale.org

March 13, 2016 at 3pm Benjamin Franklin Middle School, Ridgewood, NJ The Golden Age of Broadway

Steven Fox, Conductor

Janet Montgomery, Accompanist

The Pro Arte Chorale

Arts High School Choir (Newark, NJ)

Carousel – Medley Rodgers and Hammerstein (1943)

Give Me Jesus Arranged by Hall Johnson (1942)

Make Our Garden Grow Leonard Bernstein (1956) from Candide

West Side Story – Medley Leonard Bernstein (1957)

Intermission

South Pacific – Medley Rodgers and Hammerstein (1949)

Lonely House Kurt Weill/music and from Street Scene Langston Hughes/lyrics (1946)

Simple Little Things Harvey Schmidt/music and from 110 in the Shade Tom Jones/lyrics (1963)

Porgy and Bess – Medley George and Ira Gershwin (1934) This year, Pro Arte Chorale lost three of our long-time and beloved members, Ruth Hanes,In Barbara Memoriam Parker and David O’Leary, and our founder, John Coulter. We dedicate this concert to their memory, with appreciation for their devotion to Pro Arte Chorale and the choral arts. acdb It is a pleasure and honor to write a tribute to John Coulter for the first concert of the Pro Arte Chorale 2015-2016 season. John was an extraordinary visionary and lover of choral music. Little did he know back in 1964 when creating this little choral group called the Memmott Chorale that he would give birth to an organization that would grow to one of the premiere choral organizations in the country. His dedication and entrepreneurial-ship made it all happen. And it was all for the glory of the choral art. His tireless efforts led the organization from triumph to triumph. The mammoth enterprise of putting on the American premiere of the complete Berlioz Les Troyens at Carnegie Hall was a golden moment and a culmination of ten years hard work but he was not content to rest on those laurels. He continued to forge ahead with European tours and expanded activity in the area. My memories of him are too numerous to recount here but the one that sticks out above them all is that of his countenance as he sang in the bass section. He was the epitome of the amateur choral singer, singing with intense involvement and total joy. May God rest his soul. John Nelson

Pro Arte Chorale Maestros John Nelson, Roger Nierenberg, founder John Coulter, Maestros William Memmott, Bart Folse and Steven Fox. Andrew McKinnon Proprietor

Serving the community since 1928 and family owned for over 50 years. Ridgewood Cycle Shop meets the needs of all cycling enthusiasts, from families to professional riders, triathletes, road racers, mountain bikers, children and adults of all ages.

At Ridgewood Cycle Shop, we are committed to providing outstanding customer satisfaction through superior customer service. Our knowledgeable sales staff will assist with purchasing the right bicycle for you. We offer all ranges of mechanical services from our friendly and qualified service team. In addition to sales and service we offer group rides and different levels of fit services by certified fit technicians including Retul, a precise 3D Motion Capture System.

35 North Broad Street Ridgewood, NJ 07450 Tel: (201) 444-2553 Fax: (201) 444-1059 www.ridgewoodcycle.com

Soprano Alto Tenor

Jane Dougan Susan Aster* Howard Gruber** Elena Etkina* Donna Carlson Edward Hedlund* Carol Gaslow Connie De Fazio Hewitt Jeter Marie Griffo* Dorothy Dey Sam Moschella Catherine Guinard Susan Kellogg* Richard Schachter Audrey Jantzen Helaine Ledany Harry Sink* Enid Hayflick Nancy Malinoski Michael Stella Elizabeth Ann McGrath Dianne McKinnon Denise Michaud* Gisela O’Connell Bass Virginia Miner Janet Salisbury Joseph De Fazio* Jennifer Otto Lauren Wolfe* Hugh Dougan Barbara Owen* Norma Wolfe* Michael Etkin Ksenija Pecaric Lawrence Kaiser Susan Seay* Henrique Neves Mary Jane Shevlin Walter Perog Rachel Sink Royal Ronning Patricia Yatsko

* Soloists in West Side Story ** Soloist in West Side Story and South Pacific Arts High School

Advanced Choir

Alexis Akawuaku Elijah Greene Elyssa Beth Musngi Thamyris Almeida Samantha Harper Keivan Ortiz Rahmon Bateman Israel Hernandez Sherell Pressley-Williams Alana Bell Al-Jabree Hicks Angelina Recio Isaiah Boone Chadala Hopkins Yezenia Rodriguez DeJanè Ciceron Jahee Hunter Bethany Romero Zaria Cole Keion Jackson Jorddy Romero Nahdir Coleman Azaria Johnson Issachar Scroggins Bianca Costa Jhakeer Johnson Brandon Sepulveda Terrell Crawford Robert Johnson Elizabeth Smith Nathalia Cruz Latazha Jones Chyantre Swann Imani DeBarry Alexandra Jorge Amir Thomas Bianca DePaula Mal Karweh Alejandra Urgiles Carlos Duran-Santana Brandon Lagares Charles Waiters Karin Figueras Gabriel Maltez KiYree Wilder Jabrile Frazier-Sears Angelica Martinez Najee Wilson Yeimy Gamez Castillo Edwin Montanez Sarah Goncalves Ariel Mosconi

Soloists: “Lonely House” performed by Israel Hernandez “Simple Little Things” performed by Ariel Mosconi “Give Me Jesus” performed by Elizabeth Smith

2015-2016 SEASON Handel MESSIAH Ridge Performing Arts Center, Basking Ridge, NJ Saturday, December 19, 2015, 7:30 pm Carnegie Hall, Wednesday, December 23, 2015, 7:30pm

Forest and Vale Calvary Episcopal Church, Summit, NJ Frostiana, Randall Thompson In Windsor Forest, Ralph Vaughan Williams Blakesongs, Richard Charlton Saturday, February 20, 2016, 8:00pm

Haydn THE CREATION The Concert Hall at Drew University Saturday, May 21, 2016, 8:00pm

Messiah Sing: December 13, 2015 Summer Sings: June 22- July 20, 2016

Tickets available at www.masterwork.org.

Funding has been made possible in part by funds from Morris Arts through the New Jersey State Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Pro Arte Chorale, a 60-member all-volunteer chorus now celebrating its 52nd season, is one of NewAbout Jersey’s most prominent Pro choral Arteorganizations. TheChorale Chorale has appeared in major concert venues across the region including the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Avery Fisher Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, and the South Orange Performing Arts Center. In addition to its own subscription series in Bergen County, the Chorale has appeared with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, American Symphony Orchestra, Westfield Symphony Orchestra, Mark Morris Dance Company, and the New York Chamber Symphony. Currently under the musical direction of Steven Fox, the Pro Arte Chorale has also been conducted by Joshua Greene, David Crone, Roger Nierenberg, Bart Folse and John Nelson. In addition, the Chorale has sung under the batons of Nicholas McGegan, Zubin Mehta, Julius Rudel, Hugh Wolff, Zdenek Macal, Yuri Temirkanov, Leon Botstein, Gerard Schwartz, and David Wroe.

Conductor Steven Fox is now in his fourth season as Music Director of The Pro Arte Chorale. He is also Artistic Director of The Clarion Orchestra and The Clarion Choir, and Founder of Musica Antiqua St. Petersburg, which he established as Russia’s first period-instrument orchestra at the age of 21. In recent seasons he has made his debut as a guest conductor with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra in San Francisco, Handel and Haydn Society in Boston, Juilliard415 at , the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and the Quebec Symphony Orchestra. From 2008 to 2013 he was an Associate Conductor at , and he has served as Assistant Conductor for the Lindemann Young Artists Program and Juilliard Opera. He recently conducted a new production of Mozart’s Magic Flute at l’Opéra de Québec and is leading Clarion for the second year in performances at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Recognized as a leader in his generation of conductors, Steven has been called ‘an esteemed director’ by The New Yorker, ‘visionary’ by BBC Music Magazine, and ‘a conductor to watch’ by Seen and Heard International. Steven graduated as a Senior Fellow with High Honors from and with ‘distinction’ from the Royal Academy of Music, London, where he was later named an Associate in 2010. He has given master classes and clinics at Dartmouth College, The , and , where he served for two years as preparatory conductor of the Yale Schola Cantorum. AboutJanet Montgomery the has Artists won acclaim as a pianist, organist, coach, and conductor. She has appeared in concert at venues ranging from Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center to Washington National Cathedral, and the Juilliard School. She has accompanied such groups as the New York Choral Society, the Gregg Smith Singers, Musica Sacra, and the Masterwork Chorus. She is a founding member of the Serafini Brillanti Trio; the group has recorded a CD and has performed extensively in New Jersey, Florida, and the Chicago area. Ms. Montgomery is the director of music at the Community Church of Glen Rock and is the accompanist and keyboard assistant at the Barnert Temple of Franklin Lakes. She is also on the music faculty of the Dwight Englewood School. Ms. Montgomery graduated from the Oberlin Conservatory with a bachelor’s degree in piano performance and has a master’s degree in accompanying from the Manhattan School of Music. She also holds the AAGO certification from the American Guild of Organists.

Jerry Forderhase, the Arts High School choir director, opened a private vocal studio in New York City in 1972. Since then, his students have performed major roles at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Vienna, Covent Garden, San Francisco, Houston, Santa Fe, Berlin, Chicago Lyric and Frankfort opera houses. They have sung with the major orchestras of the world and have recorded with Deutsche Gramophone as well as other major labels. His students have also been active in Broadway musicals, Off-Broadway shows, cabarets, commercials, voice-overs, industrials, and theatre.

As a conductor/teacher, he has worked with professional choirs and orchestras, directed college and high school choirs as well as church choirs in Texas, Connecticut, and New York. His undergraduate degree is from Howard Payne University, graduate degree from Baylor University, and a doctorate from . Dr. Forderhase continues to maintain his private studio in NYC as well as Adjunct Voice Teacher at NJCU, vocal consultant and teacher for the Delbarton Schola Cantorum, Morristown, NJ and in his eighteenth year as a vocal teacher/choir director at Arts High School in Newark, NJ. A Brief History of Arts High School

Arts High School opened its doors to students in September 1931, as the first of its kind in the United States and almost immediately became the model for the High School of Art & Music in New York City. According to Harrison E. Webb, our first principal, “It was taken for granted that Art, Music and Drama were to be regarded as major pursuits, comparable in importance to Latin, Mathematics and the Sciences in academic high schools.”

Arts High School is a magnet, public high school. It is located in the urban community of Newark. There are approximately 600 students enrolled in grades’ 9-12. Students are admitted based on special examination and auditions. Our student body consists of 85% African-Americans, 13% Hispanics and 2% other. All students are required to participate in a college preparatory program with a strong concentration in music, art, drama, dance and television communications to which two, forty minute periods are assigned daily.

Arts High School’s aim is to provide all students with the academic skills and artistic talents necessary to develop into accomplished creative artists and performers. Impetus of the curriculum is to train students who have a sense of harmony, form, rhythm, design, color, movement and theater. Every six and eighth grade student living in the city of Newark who has an aptitude and love for the arts may apply for admission.

The school was relocated for one and one-half years while a major construction project was undertaken. In January 1996, the doors of Arts High School were reopened. This extraordinary school now boasts a full complement of drama and dance studios, and experimental theater, a TV production suite, a gymnasium, a guidance suite, a dining room and science laboratories. The unique Art Deco design of the auditorium was preserved.

Some of our esteemed graduates include singers Sarah Vaughn, Melba Moore, Connie Francis and Frank Negron; jazz artists Wayne Shorter and Woody Shaw; Philadelphia Orchestra Trumpeter Seymour Rosenfeld; music directors Mort Lindsey and Charlie Calello; actors Michael B. Jordan, Taurean Blaque and Tisha Campbell; ballerina Beatrice Rodriquez, fashion designer Steven Burrows and dancer/choreographer Savion Glover.

Ulrich_brookhaven_Minnetian_5wx4h.pdf 1 3/11/15 11:13 AM

67 YEARS OF HOME DESIGN EXCELLENCE.

Step into... THE ULRICH EXPERIENCE

C …Quiet elegance inspired by the ambiance of the “Low Country”— M a color palette popular in the Outerbanks of the Southeast USA, Y [this kitchen] features the warmth of

CM wood and the cool of simple lines in a combination that truly embodies the MY longstanding hallmark of Ulrich kitchen design—a look that is as unique and CY special as the family that inhabits it.

CMY —Ulrich designer, Don DiNovi, CKD K

100 Chestnut Street, Ridgewood, NJ 07450 Photography by Peter Rymwid 201.445.1260 • www.ulrichinc.com

KITCHENS • BATHS • HOME OFFICES • LIBRARIES • MEDIA ROOMS • RENOVATIONS & ADDITIONS ProSave Arte Chorale the Annual Dates Benefit Thursday, April 21, 2016 Seasons, Washington Township, NJ

Classics from Vienna Saturday, June 11 at 8:00pm with members of The Clarion Orchestra and the Pascack Valley High School Choir Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Ridgewood, NJ NOW OPEN 1315 Route 17 South in RAMSEY Ramsey, NJ 07446 201-962-9099 318 Madison Street 430 Route 17 S. Hoboken, NJ 07030 Carlstadt, NJ 07072 201-656-2161 201-933-4000 42 Newark Street 417 West Stone Dr. Hoboken, NJ 07030 Kingsport, TN 201-710-5520 37660 www.BiggiesClamBar.com DERMATOLOGY ASSOCIATES

Sharon A. Galvin, M.D. Jonathan S. Dosik, M.D.

Adult & Pediatric Dermatology Dermatologic & Laser Surgery

348 South Maple Avenue Glen Rock, NJ 07452 201-652-6060 Corporate Friends and FoundationsAmazon Smile Boiling Springs Saving Bank Copper Beech Foundation Community Thrift Shop The Geotechnical Dept, LLC IBM Matching Gift Fund NJ State Council on the Arts Lillian P. Schenk Fund Vaughn Williams Foundation

The ProAcknowledgments Arte Chorale deeply appreciates the support and assistance of the following throughout our 2015-2016 season:

Stephen Gonzenbach and Margie Downs, Bethlehem Lutheran Church Susan Ullrich¸West Side Presbyterian Church Melody Villanueva-Arroyo, Central Unitarian Church, Paramus Kathy Smyth, Kathy Smyth Design Jon Bognar and Victoria Schmidt, Printology

The Pro Arte Chorale gratefully acknowledges the following volunteers for all their help this season!

Hugh and Jane Dougan, Grant Writing Thomas Hellegers and Mike Stella, Marketing and Publicity Marc DeFazio, Box Office Susan Seay, Dianne McKinnon and Nancy Malinoski, Fundraising Events Lawrence Kaiser, Program Notes Patricia Klecanda, Concert Programs and Postcards

Annual Giving – Pro Arte Chorale

Benefactors ($1,000+) Associates ($100-$199) continued Hugh & Jane Dougan Constance Collins Enid Hayflick Kenneth & Janet Cubeli Guy & Susan Seay Heidi Finkleberg In Memory of Zachary Finkleberg, MD Patrons ($500-$999) Paul & Marie Griffo Andrea Covais Howard Gruber Dr. Joseph & Constance De Fazio Richard Hansen Robert Dodds Aaron Kauffman Richard Hanson James Kidd In Memory of Julie Hanson Candace Latham Patricia Klecanda Norma Rodgers Nancy Malinoski Thomas Seamon Dr. Robert & Virginia Miner Friends ($50-$99) Sponsors ($200-$499) George Adair Claire Giger Donald & Marilyn Becker Dianne McKinnon Albert Bey Robert & Mary Jane Shevlin Angela Bombardi Dorothy Neff Associates ($100-$199) Michele Notarangelo Kevin Adkins Edward Sattler Dianne Alecci Carol & Jay Schmitz Jason Bradburn Noah & Kate Scooler Mark Bradburn Francis & Barnara Schott Claude & Mary Alice Cesard Jean Strickholm

Our thanks to all who have made donations for special events this past season, to patrons whose names have been inadvertently omitted and for contributions that were received after our program printing deadline. Your names will be gratefully acknowledged in our next program. Carousel and SouthProgram Pacific – Rodgers and NotesHammerstein The day after Oklahoma! opened in 1943, no one realized that a new age had dawned on Broadway. But it soon became apparent that standards had changed, and that the slap-dash musical comedies of the past were no longer acceptable.

This new standard challenged everyone in the business, including Rodgers and Hammerstein themselves. Film producer Sam Goldwyn bumped into Richard Rodgers soon after the opening of Oklahoma! and said, “Know what you should do now? Shoot yourself!” Few could hope to follow up such a massive hit with similar successes. However, Rodgers and Hammerstein remained the most important team in musical theatre for years to come by writing shows that kept re-defining the genre.

In 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein created Carousel, an adaptation of Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar’s fantasy “Liliom”. Carousel is set in a fishing village in Maine and tells the story of Billy Bigelow and Julie Jordan, young New Englanders who fall into a passionate but abusive marriage. When Julie becomes pregnant, Billy tries to provide for his unborn child by taking part in a robbery with the shady Jigger Craigin – and dies by falling on his own knife. Years later, Billy’s ghost returns from heaven for one day to help his wife and daughter get on with their lives. This often dark story was matched to a glorious score (the lengthy duet—a whole scene in itself—”If I Loved You,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” the operatic “Soliloquy,” and the glorious “Carousel Waltz“ that opens the show), luminous choreography by Agnes DeMille, and a remarkable cast of newcomers led by John Raitt and Jan Clayton.

Following its Broadway run, it toured fifty-five cities for two years, and followed with a run in London. In 1956, it was made into a film with Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones, and has been revived countless times, including noteworthy productions in London (1992) and New York (1994), and in 1999 Time Magazine named it “best musical of the century.” Richard Rodgers said that it was his favorite musical of all.

As the 1940s ended, New York was the undisputed center of the theatrical world, and Broadway’s last musical hit of the decade was one of the biggest ever. Working with co-librettist and director Josh Logan, Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote a musical based on two stories from James Michener’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel, Tales of the South Pacific. Set on a tropical island occupied by American forces during World War II, it told of a young military nurse from Arkansas, Nellie Forbush, falling in love with a middle-aged French planter Emile de Becque, and of upper-crust Lieutenant Cable giving his heart to a Polynesian girl. Romance forces these two “decent” Americans to confront the bigotry they were taught at home. Set amid the life and death tensions of wartime, it was a world away from the whacky musical comedy librettos that had reigned on Broadway at the start of the decade.

With powerhouse stars Ezio Pinza and Mary Martin, a well crafted script, and a score that included “Some Enchanted Evening”, “Younger Than Springtime”, “Bali Hai”, “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught”, and “I’m In Love With A Wonderful Guy”, South Pacific (1949) proved to be a critical and commercial sensation, creating an unprecedented demand for tickets.

South Pacific was unusual in many ways. There were two equally important love stories, almost no dance, and the dramatic tension was not provided by any single antagonist (a.k.a. - a “bad guy”) or “silly misunderstanding.” Both love stories were up against “carefully taught” racial prejudices. These reflex hatreds drive key characters to push away from the people they love. In the case of a young Lieutenant and his native girl, the results are tragic, but Nellie and Emile are finally reunited.

South Pacific confirmed Rodgers and Hammerstein’s command of the genre. Along with worshipful reviews, it won the Tony for Best Musical and became the second musical to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Tony awards also went to the authors, as well as Pinza, Martin and other company members (eight Tonys in total, plus other awards). A year after the Broadway opening, a national tour began and played through 1955. Countless revivals followed and it played (and continues to play) across the globe. In 1955 it was made into a film with Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi. The original cast album sold over a million copies and the original production was seen by nearly four million theatre goers. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s knack for creating innovative and entertaining hits came to be called “The RH Factor,” and it would keep them on top through the next decade

Candide and West Side Story – Leonard Bernstein The charismatic and multi-talented Leonard Bernstein was the only principal conductor of the New York Philharmonic to compose for the Broadway stage, so it is not surprising that he created some of the most ambitious musical theatre scores of his time. His blending of classical, pop and jazz styles so distinctly invoked New York that his three hit musicals were all set in that city.

Broadway’s last self-proclaimed “comic operetta” was Bernstein’s Candide (1956), based on Voltaire’s picaresque story of a man who learns that blind optimism is no defense against life’s cruelties even in “this best of all possible worlds.” Award- winning poet, Richard Wilbur translated Voltaire, while playwright Lillian Hellman turned it into a script. Its political satire and operatic score, and the gorgeous ensemble “Make Our Garden Grow,” may be more than the general public will ever be able to handle. Thanks to a brilliant (if truncated) cast recording, Candide developed a dedicated following. A 1974 Broadway revival that revised the libretto and stressed the comedy racked up 740 performances, and opera house productions based on that version have done well. However, a lavish 1997 Broadway revival flopped, proving that this show’s popularity is still limited.

Bernstein composed West Side Story (1957) in collaboration with lyricist Stephen Sondheim, director/choreographer Jerome Robbins and librettist Arthur Laurents. Inspired by Shakespeare, it set a Polish-American Romeo and a Puerto Rican Juliet in the middle of a New York City street gang war (though originally conceived as a conflict between Jews and Irish Catholics set on the lower east side and called “East Side Story”). This show combined glorious music, a finely wrought libretto and unforgettable dancing. Bernstein’s melodies had a steamy vitality that gave the score tremendous appeal. “Maria” and “Somewhere” soared with operatic grandeur, “Dance at the Gym” was a jazz explosion, “America” had an irresistible Latin sound, and “Gee Officer Krupke” was a variation on classic vaudeville. West Side Story was only a modest success due in part to the complexity of the music which wove elements of both classical and jazz together, its focus on inner city gang violence mingled with ballet, and its tragic ending. Oddly, the 1961 movie, followed by the release of the Broadway cast album suddenly drew in audiences. Revived successfully on Broadway in 1980 and 2009, West Side Story remains one of the most popular musicals of all time. Trivia note: several of the outdoor dance sequences in the movie were shot in the tenement slums that were demolished to begin the building of Lincoln Center, almost immediately after the shooting of the film.

Porgy and Bess – George and Ira Gershwin George and Ira Gershwin turned out six shows in the 1930s, displaying a wider artistic range than any other team at that time. Their hits included Strike Up the Band (1930), Girl Crazy (1930), and Of Thee I Sing (1931).

After two quick failures, the Gershwins gave Broadway a unique jazz opera, Porgy and Bess (1935). The Gershwins teamed with playwright DuBose Heyward to adapt Porgy, his novel and hit play (co-adapted by wife Dorothy Heyward) about poor blacks living in the dockside tenements of Charleston. Gershwin read Porgy in 1926 and proposed that he should collaborate with Heyward on Porgy and Bess. In 1934, Gershwin and Heyward began work on the project by visiting the author’s native Charleston. Gershwin explained why he called Porgy and Bess a folk opera in a 1935 New York Times article: “Porgy and Bess is a folk tale. Its people naturally would sing folk music. When I first began work in the music I decided against the use of original folk material because I wanted the music to be all of one piece. Therefore I wrote my own spirituals and folksongs. But they are still folk music – and therefore, being in operatic form, Porgy and Bess becomes a folk opera”. The libretto of Porgy and Bess tells the story of Porgy, a disabled black beggar living in the slums of Charleston, South Carolina. It deals with his attempts to rescue Bess from the clutches of Crown, her violent and possessive lover, and Sportin’ Life, the drug dealer. Where the earlier novel and stage-play differ, the opera generally follows the stage-play. It had passion, infidelity, rape and heartbreak — all the makings of grand opera. George Gershwin’s score offered a singular blend of classical, popular and jazz styles that was possible only on Broadway. Most Depression-era critics and theater goers were less than enthusiastic about such a serious show, so the original production was a financial failure. ButPorgy and Bess became more popular over time, with acclaimed Broadway revivals in 1942, 1952, and 1976, at The Houston Grand Opera. In 1985, it became the first Broadway musical to enter the repertory of The Metropolitan Opera Company, and is now a staple of opera companies across the U.S. and Europe.

George Gershwin was working in Hollywood when he died due to a brain tumor in 1937. We can only imagine what he might have contributed to musical theater and film had he lived longer. Although heartbroken, Ira would work on many important stage and screen scores through the 1950s.

BETHLEHEM LUTHERAN CHURCH 155 LINWOOD AVENUE RIDGEWOOD, NJ 07450 201-444-3600 www.bethlehemchurch.com

Welcome to Bethlehem! We are a Christian community in the Lutheran tradition. Our church family finds joy in serving. We are blessed to be a blessing to others as we grow in faith through worship, the study of the Bible, and sharing each other’s joys and sorrows. We are now in our second century of sharing God’s love as shown to us by His Son, Jesus Christ. Be sure to visit our website (above) for more information about our worship services and our ministries. Come share our joy in serving God and others!

Our congregation was founded in 1912. After four decades, we outgrew our first building and purchased property for this facility. On June 21, 1959, this church was dedicated and became our “new” home. We are proud to house Bethlehem Early Learning Center. We believe that academic excellence can best be provided in a setting where the love of Jesus is both taught and demonstrated.

We are the hands, feet, and voice of Jesus in our community. We will not stay in Bethlehem either. We will stream out of Bethlehem into a broken world. We are followers of Jesus, and respect the authority of the Word of God. We desire that people would see Jesus in our lives wherever we go: to work, to school, at home, in our community, in the world. GERMAN, VREELAND & ASSOCIATES, LLP Certified Public Accountants

ROBERT W. DODDS, CPA

TELEPHONE (973) 605-2777 FAX (973) 605-8064 2 RIDGEDALE AVENUE • SUITE 300 email: [email protected] CEDAR KNOLLS, NJ 07927-119 Libbylicious Sewing Services Tel: 201.847.2375 Cell: 201.739.0751 Email: [email protected]

247 Everett Ave. Wyckoff, NJ 07481 www. Libbylicious.com

UPPER RIDGEWOOD COMMUNITY CHURCH

Congratulations, Pro Arte Chorale!

AP Accident Reconstruction & Analysis, Inc. Forensic Mapping, Crash Reconstruction Defensive Driver Training

Phone 201-348-0171 Fax 201-865-6493 545-39th Street, Suite 100 Union City, NJ 07087 Andrew Pisani [email protected] ACTAR #1778 Cestaro’s Furniture Finishing Stripping ~ Antiques Restored Fine Furniture Refinishing Suite 245 Ann Cestaro 86 Lackawanna Avenue Tel: (973) 278-5570 West Paterson, NJ 07424

730 Franklin Lakes Road, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417 Pastor Louis Kilgore (201) 891-0511 At Allendale Hair Studio

Jewelry by Grace Diamond, Fine Jewelry & Accessories, Too

100 West Allendale Ave P. 201.327.8983 Allendale , NJ 07401 C. 973.985.8406

Best wishes to Pro Arte for another great season of music making.

Elizabeth Ann McGrath

CLEMENTS-STELLA GALLAGHER MARKETING

Representatives for Commercial Foodservice Equipment

Michael Stella 201-767-5710 Paragon Valet is a premier family-owned and operated parking management company.

Visit us on the web at www.paragonvalet.com 201-796-2000 Email: [email protected]

PAUL D. RENNIE PAULINE C. RENNIE

“Congratulations two Wolfe Girls! Keep singing!” TIRE & AUTO SERVICE Mom - Grandma Quality • Value • Service • Integrity • Since 1935

209 S. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ 07450 www.richtersauto.com e-mail: [email protected] Tel: (201) 652-4818

(201) 345-4632

229 Godwin Ave.

Midland Park, NJ • Printing • Apparel • Banners

Pro Arte Chorale

P.O. Box 662 Ridgewood, NJ 07450 Tel: (201) 497-8400 Email: [email protected] www.ProArteChorale.org