A DAY IN PARIS: 1743 PREMIERES NOV. 21 | 8 PM DOWNTOWN SERIES PROGRAM PROGRAM

À Notre-Dame Paris Au Concert Spirituel At Notre-Dame Paris At the Concert Hall FRANÇOIS COUPERIN (1668-1733) JEAN-MARIE LECLAIR (1697-1764) Leçons de Ténèbres — Première Leçon Concerto for Violin in A minor, Op. 7 No. 5 I. Vivace Chez monsieur de La Poplinière II. Largo At the Home of Mr. La Poplinière III. Allegro assai JEAN-PHILIPPE RAMEAU (1683-1764) Troisième Concert from Pièces de Au Théâtre de l’Opéra clavecin en Concerts At the Opera House I. La Lapoplinière RAMEAU II. La Timide Ritournelle from Hippolyte et Aricieie III. Premier Tambourin, Deuxième Tambourin en Rondeau Air de la Folie from Platée

À la cour du Roi Louis XV At the Court of King Louis XV This concert is made possible in part by the Houston RAMEAU Endowment, The Brown Foundation, The Cullen Trust for the Cantate Orphée Performing Arts, and the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance. I. Récitatif: Par le charme vainqueur d’un chant harmonieux Thank you to The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston for allowing use of Jean Baptiste Camille Corot’s Orpheus Leading Eurydice II. Air: Que du bruit de tes hauts exploits from the Underworld (purchase was funded by the Agnes Cullen III. Récitatif: Mais son âme, sensible à la seule Eurydice Arnold Endowment Fund, 87.190).

IV. Air: J’ai pour témoin de ma Victoire Thank you to the City of Houston, Houston First, V. Récitatif: À se penser flatteur, il s’émeut, il se trouble and the Wortham Center for helping to make this concert possible. VI. Air: En vain, par de nouveaux accords VII. Récitatif: inutiles regrets! à sa douleur mortelle Live streaming of this performance is produced by Bend Productions, Inc. VIII. Air: En amour, il est un moment

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 2 MERCURY MUSICIANS ARTIST PROFILES

Antoine Plante, Conductor ELENA VILLALÓN, Elena Villalón, Soprano Jonathan Godfrey, Violin Soprano Elena Villalon is a studio artist at Houston and was named a Grand Finals winner of the 2019 VIOLIN I National Council Auditions. Career highlights include Ines in Kevin Newbery’s new production Jonathan Godfrey, Concertmaster of La Favorite, and La Mujer in the world premiere of Sponsored by Randy & Cathy Crath Javier Martinez’ El Milagro de Recuerdo. Ms. Villalon was a Anabel Detrick Gerdine Young Artist with Opera Theater of St. Louis in the Kana Kimura 2018/2019 season, where she debuted as Barbarina in The Andrés González Marriage of Figaro and performed scenes as Lucia from . She sang Marzelline in Fidelio with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, where she VIOLIN II earned the company’s Barbara and Stanley Richman Award. She now appears Oleg Sulyga, Principal in recital with Houston Grand Opera and the Cincinnati Song Initiative, and has also performed in a variety of digital concerts. The soprano was engaged to Sponsored by Mrs. Andrew Wilkomirski portray Sophie in Werther, Clorinda in La Cenerentola, and to cover the role of Maria Lin Bess in HGO’s Breaking the Waves before these productions were cancelled due Joanna Becker to the pandemic. During the 2020/2021 season, she will perform in HGO online Hannah Watson productions of Vinkensport, The Snowy Day, and Hansel and Gretel.

VIOLA JONATHAN GODFREY, VIOLIN Kathleen Carrington, Principal Matthew Carrington A founding member of Mercury, violinist Jonathan Godfrey has served as Concertmaster and violin soloist since the CELLO orchestra’s inception. A graduate of Rice University, Mr. Courtenay Vandiver Pereira, Principal Godfrey is also currently Assistant Concertmaster of the Sonya Matoussova Houston Grand Opera Orchestra. He has performed with many ensembles including the Houston Symphony, the Houston Bach Society, the IRIS Chamber Orchestra, and the VIOLONE River Oaks Chamber Orchestra. Deborah Dunham, Principal He has also served as Concertmaster of the Sinfonietta Cracovia, The Houston THEORBO Grand Opera Orchestra, The American Radio Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Paul Morton X, and the Pacific Music Festival Orchestra. He has concertized in the US and abroad, performing solo and chamber music recitals in Boston, Chicago, HARPSICHORD/ORGAN Cleveland, Houston, Interlochen, and Kansas City, as well as Guanajuato, León, Mario Aschauer Monterrey, and Santiago, Mexico; Yokohama, Kyoto, Matsumoto, Sapporo, Date, and Tokyo, Japan; and Quito and Ambato, Ecuador.

A music educator as well, Mr. Godfrey has taught for twenty five years, including positions on the violin faculty of both the Interlochen Arts Camp and the Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory. Mr. Godfrey is also the co-director of Prelude Music Classes for Children, a school of music for young children and their families

LYNN WYATT CHAIR that teaches the research-based music and movement program Music Together® and a co-founder of the Prelude Music Foundation.

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 3 ARTIST PROFILES PROGRAM NOTES

ANTOINE PLANTE, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR The pieces on this program quickness of the recitative style LYNN WYATT CHAIR represent an illuminating of, say, Handel or Mozart is the assortment of both French musical most familiar to us. The style Praised by audiences and musicians alike for his genres and Parisian sites of musical here instead preserves an earlier, conducting verve and innovative programming, patronage during the first half of seventeenth-century approach Antoine Plante has garnered praise for bringing the eighteenth century. Opera, to recitative that spreads the text music to life.“Plante led his orchestra, the choir cantata, concerto, instrumental trio, out for rhetorical effect. Also and the soloists in an impressive account of the and Tenebrae music represent not distinctive is the French style: : authoritative, vigorous, emotionally only the theater, court, and church appoggiaturas (a form of accented intense, at times utterly gripping,’’writes Charles genres, but also private and public embellishment) and similar sliding Ward of the Houston Chronicle. venues of musical performance that vocal ornaments create piquant illustrate the depth and vitality of dissonances that further enhance Plante is a founder of Mercury Chamber Orchestra, a Houston, Texas- Parisian musical culture at this time. the expressive power of Couperin’s based orchestra that has experienced remarkable audience growth over Paris had been a center of musical setting. The larger structure of its twenty-year history. In that capacity, Plante has become known for innovation since the emergence the Leçons introduces each of the his deftness in balancing a great works repertoire with lesser-known of the Notre Dame School in the verses, by a letter from the Hebrew and unknown pieces. His exciting musicality has made him an audience late 12th century, so that we can alphabet, Aleph through He, as in favorite, as evidenced by Mercury’s fast-growing audience. well imagine François Couperin’s the Bible. Couperin sets each letter Leçons de Ténèbres reverberating in a long vocalise-like melisma that He is also a passionate supporter of classical music education and has in the same space as had then leads to the recitative verse led Mercury’s educational outreach program, a significant effort that medieval polyphony. Numerous that follows. includes classroom music education in underserved schools, master French composers of Couperin’s classes for school orchestras, and performances for school children. era – Charpentier, Delalande, Jean-Philippe Rameau’s Pièces Plante is extremely versatile. At ease with the great romantic and Clérambault, Corrette – set the de Clavecin en Concert alters modern composers, he also loves to perform Classical and Baroque Lamentations of the Prophet the venue from public to private music with period instrument orchestras. Experienced in directing Jeremiah during Holy Week to and the music from sacred to mourn the crucifixion of Jesus. secular, while also introducing the orchestral pieces as well as staged works, he has conducted several Couperin followed the pattern of composer’s unique contribution to operas and ballets. He collaborated with noted French director Pascal setting three readings for each of the Baroque trio. Between the mid- Rambert to produce a modern staged version of Lully’s Armide, which Holy Wednesday, Holy Thursday, seventeenth and mid-eighteenth was performed to critical acclaim in Paris and Houston. He worked with and Holy Friday, but only those for centuries, the trio ensemble of two Dominic Walsh Dance Theater to create a score for Dominic Walsh’s Holy Wednesday survive. The first treble-range instruments over a ballet Romeo and Juliet. An innovative artist, he has premiered new of these is presented here. basso continuo dominated chamber works such as The Crimson Prince with Director Denis Plante, and music repertory. The trio sonatas Loving Clara Schumann with Director Tara Faircloth. Leçons de Ténèbre originated as of Arcangelo Corelli, in particular, Under his leadership, Mercury has grown to be an important arts readings, and Couperin’s settings inspired an international fever for organization in Houston, offering over 50 concerts per season in of Jeremiah’s verses reflect this trios, and in France, Couperin was many different venues, making great music accessible to the whole in their recitative style. Although an early and ardent promoter, using predominantly syllabic and the trio medium to merge both community. through-composed, Couperin’s French and Italian characteristics. Plante has been invited to perform as guest conductor for the San Leçons don’t sound like what we Rameau’s Pièces en Concert follow Antonio Symphony, Oregon Bach Festival Orchestra, Chanticleer, consider to be recitative because Couperin examples in treating the Ecuador National Symphony Orchestra and Atlanta Baroque. the metrically free, business-like Corellian trio sonata more as a

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 4 PROGRAM NOTES PROGRAM NOTES suite of character pieces. In the restraint that is summarized in its however, distinguish this concerto Hippolyte et Aricie that established case of the Troisieme Concert on final lines: “Tel aujourd’hui serait from anything by Vivaldi: trills Rameau’s reputation as an opera the program, the three movements heureux / S’il n’avait voulu trop with added turns, appoggiaturas, composer, despite the continued present a fanfare-like homage to tôt l’être!” (Many today would be stepwise “slides” covering an dominance of the repertory by Rameau’s wealthy and generous happy / Had they not desired that octave, and in one passage in the the operas of Jean-Baptiste Lully, patron, Alexandre Le Riche de La happiness too soon!). Although we finale, extended trilling over a the inventor of French opera who Poupelinière; a poignant second- are most likely familiar with sacred long chromatic ascent. Especially had died decades earlier. The movement mood portrait, La cantatas by Johann Sebastian noteworthy is the French lyrical instrumental Ritournelle that Timide; and a concluding pair of Bach, the cantata genre originated style of the slow movement in its opens Act III of Hippolyte et Aricie robust folk-dances (in both its in seventeenth-century Italy as ornamental detail within lilting represents a revision that made in title and music, the tambourin something quite different: secular rhythmic motion. 1742, in which Rameau replaced the evokes the pipe and drum of folk- music, often treating topical heart-rending aria for the character dance accompaniment). The themes in a small-scale musical A likely performing venue from of Phaedra (she suffers under a most distinctive feature of this setting (usually just a single voice eighteenth-century Paris for love-curse that will ultimately lead work, however, is the function and continuo). Rameau’s Orphée Leclair’s concerto is the Concert to her suicide) with the Ritournelle, of the harpsichord as an active typifies the early eighteenth- Spirituel. Founded in 1725 to whose minor-mode, syncopated obbligato part in the trio texture, century French cultivation of this perform instrumental and sacred fugue subject more generally rather than as mere harmonic intimate Italian genre. Scored for music during Holy Week when portends the deepening tragedy accompaniment. Against the soprano, violin, viola da gamba, and Parisian theaters were closed, the of the story. harpsichord’s decorated melodies continuo, Orphée uses recitatives Concert Spirituel emerged as the and profuse arpeggios, the upper and da capo arias in contrasting major non-operatic venue for public Rameau’s Air de la Folie (Folly’s parts seem at times restrained, moods (gracious, plaintive, musical performance. Leclair Aria) – originally composed and even overwhelmed. cheerful) to represent a small scena first introduced his concertos performed for the wedding of in which narration frames and and sonatas to great acclaim Louis, Dauphin of France, and the The imagined setting for this work’s comments upon the fateful moment at the Concert Spirituel in 1727, Infanta María Teresa Rafaela of performance is the Parisian home in the Orpheus story: Orpheus’ and that triumph proved crucial Spain – paints an entirely different of La Poupelinière, who maintained backward glance at Eurydice as for establishing his reputation in mood. In the story of Platée, Zeus his own orchestra (led by Rameau) they leave the Underworld. Paris as both composer and violin contrives to embarrass his wife and whose broader support of virtuoso. Hera by pretending to conduct the arts and letters led to his The French adaptation of Italian an affair and mock wedding friendships with Voltaire, Rousseau, genres continues with Leclair’s The institution of the Paris Opéra, with Plataea, an unsightly but Marmontel, and Rameau, and him Concerto in A Minor, Op. 7, Nº since its founding in 1669 and excessively self-admiring marsh as an unrivaled Maecenas of the 5. In this case, we can observe until this day, has been the center nymph. A rollicking gigue-like air, eighteenth century. the specific influence of the of operatic life in the city. In the piece parodies the virtuosic Vivaldian concerto in the fast- Rameau’s time, it was formally coloratura of Italian opera seria Rameau’s Orphée could well slow-fast order of movements, known as the Académie Royale de with its stop-start histrionics, have been performed alongside the use of a refrain or ritornello Musique, functioning as the opera during which Folly tells the story his Pièces en Concert at La form for each movement, and of state with its performances of Apollo and Daphne as a warning Poupelinière’s home, but an even in the some of the writing held in a theater in the Palais- to Plataea. imagined performance at the royal for the solo violin (especially the Royale in central Paris, and in one court underscores its seriousness motoric arpeggiation and bariolage at Versailles. Both Hippolyte et Gregory Barnett © of purpose in using the Orpheus figures of the fast movements). Aricie and Platée attained repertory legend to deliver a lesson in self- The details of melodic ornament, status at the Opéra. Indeed, it was

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Mercury’s Patron Society recognizes individuals that make an annual Mercury is grateful to the following individuals whose ongoing support leadership gifts of $2,500 or more. Mercury is grateful to the follow- makes our concerts, events, and music education programs possible. ing individuals whose annual contributions provide vital support for the organization and make our concerts, events, and music educa- SUPPORTERS ($500 - $2,499) Warren Nicholson Joel Abramowitz & Bergers* tion programs possible. David & Maria Perez Mrs. Mary Lynne & Mr. Albert Allen* Olivia Petrini Di Monforte* Jim & Barbara Becker Patricia & Gary Rathwell* PLATINUM BRONZE ($5,000 - $9,999) Dr. Joan H Bitar* Claudia Reyes ($25,000 and above) June & Steve Barth* Dr. Jerry L. Bohannon* Mr. Don Shackelford* Mollie & Wayne Brunetti* Mary Kay & Walter Mark Buehler* Michael & Marsha Bourque Janis & Scott Stevenson Kirsten Jensen & David Kerley* Paul Erb & Barbara Belt Chuck Bracht & Cheryl Verlander* Ralph & Meredith Stone Dr. & Mrs. Christopher Prince* Marcia & Tom Faschingbauer* Denise Byington Dr. Paul Vitenas* Capital Advisors, Inc/Andy Brown Rachel & Jason Volz Christine & Jan Spin* Linda & Joe Fowler Joe & Kim Caruauna Geoffrey Walker & Ann Kennedy* Kristine & Stephen Wallace* Debra & Mark Gregg David Cook Rick & Betsy Weber Lynn & Oscar Wyatt* Barbara & Stephen Hall* Dr. Gilbert Cote* Mr. & Mrs. Richard Weiss Anonymous Carmen Delgado & Duane C. King* Mimi & David Cotellesse* Richard & Carlie Yoo Lili & Hans Kirchner* Cotton Club Collection Ann & Ben Ziker The Carl and Phyllis Detering Fdn. Julia & Keith Little* Anonymous(2) GOLD ($15,000 - $24,999) Sharon & Bill Donovan Donna & Mike Boyd* Marty & Bruce Lundstrom Richard & Rena D’Souza DONORS ($100 - $499) Carol & Joel Mohrman* Catherine & Randy Crath Denis Flanigan Ph.D. & Anthony Abisogun* Kelly & David Rose* Thomas Jolley* John & Kathy Agee Bastiaan & Nathalie de Zeeuw* Linda & Tom Sparks Robert Fuentes Philip Ahern* Martha & Blake Eskew* Nina & Michael Zilkha* Gerald Gallion Jack & Ruth Alpert* Virginia Hart & Robert Navo* Mr. Gary Gardner & Mrs. Peg Palisin Carol & Glen Anderson* Amy & Lloyd Kirchner* Leonard Goldstein & Helen Wils Art Attack - Merry Schooley PATRONS ($2,500 - $4,999) Irene & Greg Haas* Mrs. Warren W. Kreft* Helga K. Aurisch Matthew Brogdon* Claire & Joseph Halloin* Jerry Baiamonte Rose Ann Medlin & William E. Joor III* Drs. Susan & Dennis Carlyle* Hovig Heghinian & Robert L. Bailey* Lori Muratta & Antoine Plante* Isabelle Bedrosian Philip Ball* Robert Chanon* Gaby & Kenny Owen* Heimbinder Family Foundation John & Rosemarie Baugher* David & Margaret Fifield* Sharon & Tim Taylor Robert & Carol Hermes John Robert Behrman* Sheri Henriksen Robert Heyl D. Bentley Mrs. Andrew Wilkomirski* Nan Earle & George Holliday* Carter & Nancy Hixon* Mark Berry Cristela & Bill Jonson* Maurice Isaac* Thomas Bevilacqua Brad & Alida Johnson* Wyn & Morgan Bomar* SILVER ($10,000 - $14,999) Mimi Lloyd* Jessica & Jay Adkins* Molly & Hugh Rice Kelly Natalia Boshernitzan Angelika & Michael Mattern* Candace & Weir Kyle Andrew Bowen & Efrain Corzo* Rebecca Fieler* Luc Messier & Julie Fette* Sarah & Christopher Lewis Darla Boyd* William Guest* Patricia & Kevin Mitchell Priscilla L. List Klaus Bremer* Janice & Timothy Howard* Joëlle & Geoffroy Petit Jim & Ellana Livermore Lisa Brenskelle Mariko & John Jordan* Nancy Scofield Hester Ms. Diane Marcinek* Harry & Judy Bristol* D M Marco WM. F. Brothers, Jr. Rosemary Malbin* Sasha Van Nes & Jim Smith* Mrs. Nancy Wynne Mattison* Becky Browder* Neil Sackheim & Stephen Voss* Carolynne & Doug White* Kathleen Moore & Steven Homer Mr. Rustin Buck* The van der Ven Family* Courtney Williams, MD* Dr. & Mrs. Robb Moses Dottie Burge & Vic Driscoll

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MERCURY SEASON 20/21 MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 7 MERCURY SUPPORTERS FOUNDATIONS & CORPORATE COUNCIL

FRIENDS (up to $99) cont. Mercury is grateful to the following foundations, government entities Patricia Kievlan Mark Wilson Weldon Kuretsch* Dr. Robert K. Wimpelberg & and Corporate Council members whose ongoing support makes our Mr. Guy Langelier Peter Hodgson concerts, events, and music education programs possible. Mrs. Clara Lewis Paul & Andrea Yatsco Jorge Lopez-de-Cardenas Gay & Dean Zimmerman CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE (over $50,000) Mary Jo & David Martin John Zodrow The Brown Foundation, Inc. Tamara McFarland* Anonymous (12) The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts Christopher Mendell Daniel Meyler GIFTS IN HONOR OR MEMORIAL Houston Endowment Inc. Chris & Elizabeth Miller Anonymous Marion Miller Carl A. Detering Jr., CONCERTMASTER’S CIRCLE ($25,000–$49,999) Marie & Paul Monroe* in honor of J. Michael Boyd Gail Nash Houston Arts Alliance Noemi Islam, Hillary K. Oseas Southern Chemical Corporation in memory of Jose Nobile Gnazzo Cheryl & George Allen Pace Texas Commission on the Arts Nan & Bruce Parker Rosemary Malbin, The Wyatt Foundation Maria Patino in loving memory of Marjorie Patten Michael Malbin PLATINUM CIRCLE ($15,000–$24,999) Margo Pearson Ngoc Pham Karen Merriam, Miller Outdoor Theatre Advisory Board Philip Richards in honor of June Barth Shell Oil Company Foundation Jim Robin Robb & Audrey Moses, Valobra Master Jewelers Mrs. Lisa Robinson in loving honor of Leslie Saia* GOLD CIRCLE ($5,000–$14,999) Tom & Margaret Gwynne Ann Saunders The Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation Warren Nicholson, Hans U. Schutt Baker Botts, LLP Jerry Seeley in honor of Ginny Hart BB&T/Truist Boudewijn Siemons Olivia Petrini di Monforte, Kade Smith Chevron in memory of Count Rinaldo Sally J. Smith ConocoPhillips Tad Smith Petrini di Monforte Enspirall LLC Jennifer Stearns William E. & Natoma Pyle Harvey Charitable Trust Dragan & Ranka Stojkovic Karla & Bradley Stuebing Houston Saengerbund Boris & Vita Taksa Inscription Capital Cesar & Patty Tamez National Endowment for the Arts Carolyn M. Tatge Phillips 66 Robert & Sandra Wager Riviana Foods Dean Walker Susan Weatherly* Team, Inc. Debra & Ken Whitmire Ware, Jackson, Lee, O’Neill, Smith & Barrow, LLP BRONZE CIRCLE (up to $2,499) We greatly appreciate each gift given to support Mercury, and we have Capital Advisors made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this listing. Please notify Jennifer Yorek of any inaccuracies or omissions by email at jennifer@ Cotton Club Collection mercuryhouston.org ExxonMobil Foundation Mid America Arts Alliance Based on Total Giving from 09/1/2019 – 11/19/2020 *Subscribers MERCURY SEASON 20/21 MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 8 MISSION AND VISION MERCURY BOARD AND ADMINISTRATION

BOARD ADMINISTRATION

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

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

President Jennifer Yorek Antoine Plante, Artistic Director Development Director

Brian Ritter, Executive Director Katie DeVore Jay Adkins Marketing Manager

Steve Barth Judy Frow Catherine Crath Artistic Administrator

Bastiaan de Zeeuw Matthew Carrington MILLER OUTDOOR THEATER, AUGUST 31, 2019 Marcia Faschingbauer Music Librarian Rebecca Fieler sponsored by Rebecca Fieler MERCURY’S MISSION William Guest Andrés González To serve the community by celebrating the power of music Kirsten Jensen Education Manager through teaching, sharing and performing with passion, intimacy Keith Little and excellence. Rose Ann Medlin Joel W. Mohrman

Ken Owen MERCURY’S VISION Christopher Prince

• Be the most welcoming and innovative arts institution James E. Smith in Houston. Christine Spin

• Be an exemplary period instrument ensemble for the nation. Ana Treviño-Godfrey Ralf van der Ven • Transform the lives of a diverse audience through music. Stephen Wallace

Lynn Wyatt, Special Advisor

MERCURY SEASON 20/21 MERCURY SEASON 20/21 | 9 Two Great Mercury Holiday Experiences!

DOWNTOWN SERIES AN EARLY AMERICAN CHRISTMAS PREMIERES DEC. 5 | 8 PM

NEIGHBORHOOD SERIES A CHRISTMAS MEMORY PREMIERES DEC. 17 | 7:30 PM

LYNN WYATT CHAIR