Carmen by Georges Bizet

Opera in Williamsburg presents:

April 20, 22, and 24, 2018 in partnership with The America-Israel Cultural foundation (AICF)

Kimball Theatre, Williamsburg, Virginia

Opera in Williamsburg Naama Zahavi-Ely Founder and Artistic Director Jorge Parodi, Music Director

Opera in Williamsburg is an innovative opera company, founded in 2012, that creates productions of fully-staged opera classics with world-class casts in an intimate setting in Williamsburg, Virginia. Funded by ticket sales, individual contributions, and grants, Opera in Williamsburg is committed to the highest artistic standards and maintains a relationship with the International Vocal Arts Institute (IVAI), founded and run by Joan Dornemann and Paul Nadler.

Opera in Williamsburg’s objectives are:

 Create effective, attractive, engaging and elegant mainstream opera productions with outstanding singers, committed acting and directing, and meticulous ensemble work.  Provide opportunities for exceptional singers, musicians, and other artists to earn a living by their art.  Attract new audiences to live, mainstream opera, with a special focus on younger audiences and school-age students Opera in Williamsburg, Inc is a non-profit tax-exempt organization with 501(c)3 letter of recognition from the IRS (EIN 47-5511655). We are very thankful indeed for the support of members of the community, which has allowed us to reach this point. Volunteers are welcome to join the group of loyal friends whose contributions of advice, assistance, hospitality and funding are essential to our work. If you are interested, please contact Naama Zahavi-Ely at [email protected] or 757-544-9461.

Opera in Williamsburg is supported in part by generous grants of the Williamsburg Area Arts Commission (WAAC), the York County Arts Commission, the Virginia Commission for the Arts (VCA) and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). It works in partnership with the America-Israel Cultural Foundation (AICF).

Don’t miss our next opera!

Opera in Williamsburg presents:

Verdi’s La Traviata

September 12, 14, and 16, 2018 Conductor: Jorge Parodi

Our heartfelt thanks to Opera in Williamsburg Advisory Board

Susan Baime Linda Kligman-Try Jayne Barnard Paul Maramaldi Gulay Berryman Brenda Mitchell Dot Bryant Jorge Parodi Michael Bryant Oliver Portmann Carolyn Campbell Linda Collins Reilly Branch Fields Don Williams Clyde Haulman Naama Zahavi-Ely

New board members are welcome!

Carmen by Georges Bizet Libretto: Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy after a novella by Prosper Mérimée Premiered at the Opéra-Comique in Paris in 1875

April 20, 22, and 24, 2018 At the Kimball Theatre, Williamsburg, Virginia Conductor: Jorge Parodi Stage director: Isabel Milenski Carmen ...... Lisa Chavez, Mezzo-Soprano Don José ...... Eric Fennell, Tenor Escamillo ...... Yuri Kissin, Bass-Baritone Micaëla ...... Elinor Sohn, Soprano Zuniga/Moralès ...... Adelmo Guidarelli, Bass-Baritone Frasquita ...... Megan Pachecano, Soprano Mercédès ...... Elsa Queron, Mezzo-Soprano Le Dancaïre ...... Suchan Kim, Baritone Le Remendado ...... Pavel Sulyandziga, Tenor Ensemble Soprano ...... Cathy Thorpe, Deborah Soderholm Ensemble Mezzo-Soprano ...... Agueda Fernandez-Abad Ensemble Tenor ...... Eric Lamp, Richard Leibowitz Ensemble Bass ...... Colin Whiteman Dancer ...... Jennifer Pyle Townswoman ...... Kelsey Helmick Assistant to the Music Director ...... Ugo Mahieux Costumes ...... Eric Lamp Lighting ...... Jerry Pedroza Supertitles adaptation and projected backgrounds ...... Naama Zahavi-Ely Production Manager ...... Jerry Pedroza Production Assistant/Deck Crew Chief ...... Mary Cate Mangum Crew ...... Brock Henderson, Rose Paddock Producer ...... Naama Zahavi-Ely 5

CARMEN — SYNOPSIS

Act 1 A square in Seville The setting is a square in Seville, with a cigarette factory in the background. A group of soldiers relax in the square, waiting for the changing of the guard and commenting on the passers-by. Micaëla appears, seeking Don José. The officer in charge tells her that José is not there yet, and invites her to wait with them. She declines, saying she will return later. José arrives and is teased lightly about his girl Micaëla. As the factory bell rings, the cigarette girls emerge and exchange banter with men in the crowd. Carmen enters and sings her provocative habanera on the untameable nature of love – it is like a rebel bird, or a Gypsy child who knows no laws. The men plead with her to choose a lover, and after some teasing she throws a flower to Don José, who thus far has been ignoring her. The women go back to the factory. Micaëla returns and gives José a letter and a kiss from his mother. He reads that his mother wants him to return home and marry Micaëla. Just as José declares that he is ready to heed his mother's wishes, the women come running from the factory. Zuniga, the officer of the guard, learns that Carmen and another woman exchanged insults, then blows. When challenged, Carmen answers with mocking defiance; Zuniga orders José to tie her hands while he prepares the prison warrant. Left alone with José, Carmen beguiles him with a seguidilla, in which she sings of a night of dancing and passion with her lover—whoever that may be—in Lillas Pastia's tavern. Confused yet mesmerised, José agrees to free her hands; as she is led away she pushes José to the ground and runs off laughing. José is arrested for dere- liction of duty. Act 2 Lillas Pastia's Inn Two months have passed. Carmen and her friends Frasquita and Mercédès are entertaining Zuniga and other army men in Pastia's inn. Carmen is delight- ed to learn of José's release from two months' detention. Outside, a chorus and procession announces the arrival of the toreador Escamillo. He is invited inside, and introduces himself with the "Toreador Song." He sets his sights on Carmen, who brushes him aside. Lillas Pastia hustles the crowds and the soldiers away.

When only Carmen, Frasquita and Mercédès remain, the smugglers Dancaïre

and Remendado arrive and reveal their plans to dispose of contraband. Frasquita and Mercédès are eager to help them, but Carmen refuses, since she wishes to wait for José. After the smugglers leave, José arrives. Carmen treats him to a private exotic dance; her song is joined by a distant bugle call from the barracks. When José says he must return to duty, since the bugle calls him to the barracks, she mocks him. He shows her the flower that she threw to him in the square and sings of his love to her. Carmen demands that he leave with her for the mountains. José refuses to desert, but as he prepares to depart, Zuniga enters looking for Carmen. He and José fight, and are separated by the returning smugglers, who restrain Zuniga. Having attacked a superior officer, José now has no choice but to join Carmen and the smugglers. Act 3 A wild spot in the mountains Carmen and José enter with the smugglers and their booty; Carmen has now become bored with José and tells him scornfully that he should go back to his mother. Frasquita and Mercédès amuse themselves by reading their fortunes from the cards; Carmen joins them and finds that the cards are foretelling her death, and José's. The women depart to distract the customs officers who are watching the locality. José is placed on guard duty. Micaëla enters with a guide, seeking José and determined to rescue him from Carmen. She hears a gunshot and hides in fear; it is José, who has fired at an intruder who proves to be Escamillo. José is happy to meet the bullfighter, but rages when Escamillo declares that he is in love with Carmen. The pair fight but are interrupted by the returning smugglers and girls. As Escamillo leaves he invites everyone to his next bullfight in Seville. Micaëla is discovered; at first, José is not willing to leave with her despite Carmen's mockery, but then he agrees to go when Micaëla tells him that his mother is dying. He departs, vowing he will return. Escamillo is heard singing in the distance. Act 4 Seville, outside an ancient amphitheatre Zuniga, Frasquita and Mercédès are among the crowd awaiting the arrival of the bullfighters. Escamillo enters with Carmen, and they express their mutual love. Escamillo goes into the arena. Frasquita and Mercedes warn Carmen that José is nearby. Alone, she is confronted by the desperate José. He pleads vainly for her to return to him. Cheers are heard from the arena. As José makes his last entreaty, Carmen contemptuously throws down the ring he gave her and attempts to enter the arena to meet Escamillo. José stabs her, and as Escamillo is acclaimed by the crowds, Carmen dies. As the crowd exits the arena, José confesses to killing the woman he loved.

JORGE PARODI (MUSIC DIRECTOR)

Internationally acclaimedmusic director Jorge Parodi has worked in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia. Recent credits include Lucrezia Bor- gia and I Capuleti e i Montecchi for Buenos Aires Liri- ca in Argentina;The Turn of the Screw for the Castle- ton Festival in Virginia and The Banff Centre in Cana- da; Maria de Buenos Aires for The Atlanta Opera and Opera Grand Rapids; and L'Enfant et les Sortilèges for the Juilliard School. He recently premiered the latest opera by John Musto in a co-production between On Site Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and Pittsburgh Opera, and made his company debut at Opera Tampa in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Le Nozze di Figaro; upcoming engagements include La Traviata at the Savannah Voice Festival and at Opera in Williamsburg.

Jorge Parodi is the Music Director of the Senior Opera Theater at the Manhattan School of Music, where he has conducted its productions to critical ac- claim. He is also the Music Director of Opera in Williamsburg (Virginia), where he has conducted several productions, including Rigoletto, La Cenerentola, Lucia di Lam- mermoor, and Le Nozze di Figaro. Maestro Parodi was the Artistic Director of Opera Hispanica, where he performed with such artists as Isabel Leonard and Eglise Gutierrez, and led a highly praised production of Piazzolla's María de Buenos Aires.

He has offered master classes at the Insti- tuto Superior de Arte del Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires); Conservatorio de Puerto Rico; Manhattan School of Music, as co- teacher with opera legend Martina Arroyo; and at the Escuela Superior de Canto (Madrid). Mr. Parodi was a judge at Aram Khachaturian International Competition in Armenia.

ISABEL MILENSKI (STAGE DIRECTOR)

Returning to Opera in Williamsburg for her fourth production,Isabel Milenski’s past associations were Cosí fan tutte, Cenerentola and Rigoletto. For the Long Beach Opera in California she staged Shostakovich’s Moscow, Cherry Town, Jana- cek’s Jenufa, Milhaud's Trois Operas Minutes, Ri- chard Strauss' The Silent Woman and Han- del's Semele. At the Los Angeles Getty Center she directed Peri’s Euridice and Virginia Woolf's play Freshwater. In New York she directed Apollo and Daphne for Pocket Opera of New York and an off-Broadway musical, Woody Guthrie Dreams. In the Bay Area she staged a fiery adaptation of Ho- mer’s Odyssey as a rock opera for Oakland’s famous foundry The Crucible. Ms. Milenski is the Artistic Director of Hofstra University’s Opera Theater where she has led the university’s opera program since 2008. She also is the founder and artistic director of Floating Opera New York.

Ms. Milenski has worked with Adler Fellows at the San Francisco Opera and has been on the faculties of the Manhattan School of Music’s Summer Voice Festival where she directed Cavalli’s La Calisto and Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea. For the Cincinnati Conservatory she directed Cosí fan tutte and Argento's The Voyage of Edgar Allen Poe as well as Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, which received a National Opera Association award. Other educational opera productions include The Marriage of Figaro at the Juilliard School; and Smetana's The Bartered Bride, Kurt Weill's Street Scene and The Pirates of Penzance for Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids. Other teaching credits include Penn State University, Beijing’s National Center for the Perfor- ming Arts, Hong Kong’s Academy for the Performing Arts and Tokyo Internatio- nal Vocal Arts program in Japan. She is a returning faculty for Oberlin in Italy where, in Arezzo, Italy, she will direct Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi in 2018.

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LISA CHAVEZ (CARMEN) Lisa Chavez, described by her “plush storm of a voice” and “graceful stage presence,” has made Carmen a signature role, with performances at New York City Opera, Sarasota Opera and Opera San Jose. Last summer she made her Carnegie Hall debut as Alto Soloist in Dan Forrest’s Jubilate Deo. She made her debut with Sarasota Opera as Madame de Croissy in Dialogues of the Carmelites last February. In the fall of 2017 Ms. Chavez returned to New York City Opera, singing the title "tour de force" role of Dolores Claiborne in the New York premiere of Tobias Picker's Dolores Claiborne. For the 2013-2015 seasons she was a principal resident artist with Opera San Jose. Roles sung in her tenure: Isabella in L’Italiana in Algeri, Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Maddale- na in Rigoletto, Harriet Herriton in the premiere of Where Angels Fear to Tread, Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, Meg Page in Falstaff and Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte. Memorable roles include Paula in Florencia en el Amazonas (NYCO), Federico García Lorca in Ainadamar, Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti, Secretary in The Consul, Madame Volanges in Dangerous Liaisons and Dorabella in Cosí fan tutte.

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ERIC FENNELL (DON JOSÉ)

Allentown, Pennsylvania, native Eric Fennell (tenor) has enjoyed a diverse opera career on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. Career highlights include: Duca (Rigoletto) Deutsche Opera Berlin; Rodolfo (La Bohème) Glimmerglass Opera; Hoffmann (Les Contes d’Hoffmann) Hawaii Opera Theater; Alfredo (La Travi- ata) New York City Opera; Don José (Carmen) Pacific Opera Victoria; Roméo (Roméo et Juliette) Greek Na- tional Opera; Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) Utah Opera; Riccardo (Un ballo in maschera) Theater Pforz- heim; Dorian (Dorian Gray – world premiere) Slovak National Opera; Roberto (Le Villi) Latvian National Opera; Don Carlos (Don Carlos) Lithuanian National Opera; Roberto (Roberto Devereux) Dallas Opera; Werther (Werther) Staatstheater Braunschweig; and Faust (Faust) Wroclaw Opera. Mr. Fennell has music degrees from Gettysburg College and Boston University. He also studied at Boston University’s Opera Insti- tute under Phyllis Curtin and Sharon Daniels. Since 2010 he has been a resident of Berlin, Germany.

ELINOR SOHN (MICAËLA)

Lyric soprano Elinor Sohn was Donna Elvira in Opera in Williamsburg’s Don Giovanni. She made her European debut with the Stuttgart Staatsoper, where she started as a member of the OpernStudio and later joined the Ensemble, singing Alcina, Agathe, Clorinda, Pamina, Zerlina, Echo (Strauss), Die Blumenmädchen (Wagner), Eurydice (Gluck), Fourth Maid (Elektra, Strauss) and others. In November 2011 Ms. Sohn made her highly successful Is- raeli debut in the role of Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), with the Israeli Camerata Orchestra. Since then she has made many critically acclaimed appearances in her home country, singing the lead soprano roles. Ms. Sohn completed her master’s degree in 2010

13 as a student of Patricia McCaffrey in New York and her bachelor’s degree in 2008 at the Jerusalem Academy of Music. Regularly attending the IVAI opera program, she has performed with great success the roles of Yvette (La Rondine), Ilia (Idomeneo), Donna Anna (Don Giovani), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus) and Alcina (Alcina). Ms. Sohn has gained experience in the art song and concert field with recitals in New York, Canada, Germany and Israel, and had her German concert debut at the Liederhalle in Stuttgart in February 2012, singing Spohr’s Sechs Deutsche Lieder. She is the recipient of the prestigious Silverman Award (first places in 2010 and 2011) and the Faye Harbour Award in 2012.

YURI KISSIN (ESCAMILLO)

Bass-baritone Yuri Kissin was born in Perm (Russia). After starting his career in Israel, he moved to France and spent two years at the Paris Opera Studio (formerly named Cen- tre de Formation Lyrique). He has taken part in many productions, both on the stages of the Opéra Bastille and the Palais Garnier: War and Peace, Tosca, Parsifal, « K » by Philippe Manoury, Don Carlos, Boris Godounov, Evgeny Onegin, La Traviata, Capriccio, Ariadne auf Naxos, Lulu, Dialogues des Carmélites, Madama Butterfly, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Salomé, Die Frau ohne Schatten, Ariane et Barbe Bleue, Rigoletto, Macbeth, Billy Budd, Francesca da Rimini, Gianni Schicchi, La Cerisaie and Khovantschina.

In the past few seasons, he has sung at most of the French opera houses and festivals: Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Montpellier, Toulouse, Rennes, Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, Toulon, Dijon, Bordeaux, Limoges, Nancy, Nantes, Metz, Nice, and abroad in Madrid, Tel-Aviv, Jerusalem, Moscow, Perm, Amsterdam, Maribor and Monte-Carlo as well as at the Royal Opera Houses in Denmark and in Swe- den.

Included in his repertoire are such roles as Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro), Leporello and Masetto Don( Giovanni), Don Alfonso (Cosí fan tutte), Basilio and Bartolo (Il Barbiere di Siviglia), Haly (L’Italiana in Algeri), Don Magnifico La( Cenerentola), Frère Laurent (Roméo et Juliette), Colline (La Bohème). This season, he sings Crébillon (La Rondine) in Toulouse, Hermann and Schlémil (Les Contes d’Hoff- mann) in Monte-Carlo, Colline from (La Bohème) in Massy, and he will take part in a concert version of Samson et Dalila at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in Paris.

PAVEL SULIANDZIGA (REMENDADO)

A master’s graduate of the Russian Academy of Music in 2015, tenor Pavel Suliandziga just completed the Profes- sional Studies diploma at the Mannes College of Music. His roles include Trike and Lensky in Eugene Onegin with the Russian Academy of Music; Tamino in Die Zauberflö- te with RAM in collaboration with ESMUC in Barcelona, Spain; Peter Quint in The Turn of the Screw; Ferrando in Così fan tutte; and Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore with Mannes. Pavel was also a solo performer in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the RAM Orchestra. He was the first-place winner in 2013 and 2014 with AADGT in New York, performing in Car- negie Hall; and third-prize winner in the Bella Voce competition in Moscow. He was also a participant in the Vianden Festival in Luxembourg in 2013 and 2014, and the IVAI summer program in New York and Montreal in 2016.

SUCHAN KIM (DANCAIRE)

Baritone Suchan Kim is a native of Busan, South Ko- rea. He was praised by Opera Today for his “sumptuous baritone voice” and for his exceptional level of energy in both voice and deportment. Roles he has performed include the title role and Leporello in Don Giovanni, Count and Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Guglielmo (Cosí Fan Tutte), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Marcello and Schaunard (La Bohème), Enrico (Lucia di Lammermoor), Tarquinius (The Rape of Lucretia), Ford (Falstaff), Dandini (La Cenerentola), Germano (La Scala di Seta), Tobia Mill (La cambiale di matrimonio), Silvio (I Pagliacci), Paquiro (Goyescas), Salieri (Mozart and Salieri) and King Solomon (Shulamit). He has performed with the Sarasota Opera, Opera in Williams- burg, Bare Opera, New Amsterdam Opera, Loft Opera, Opera Ithaca and others. Mr. Kim is a graduate of the prestigious Merola program and a student of Arthur Levy.

ADELMO GUIDARELLI (MORALES/ZUNIGA)

Luciano Pavarotti told bass-baritone Adelmo Guidarelli to “Make Opera Your Bible” when they first met, and he has strived to do so. In addition to opera performances, Mr. Guidarelli landed a National TV commercial for SONY’s PS4 Pro “Opera Campaign” that debuted during the 2018 Super Bowl game day coverage on NBC, has hosted a TV show called “Voices Among Us,” won the 2011 MAC Award for “Best Comedy Performer” for the opera comedy show OPERATION OPERA, was invited by Ryan Seacrest to perform Mozart’s “Non più andrai” on his E! Channel series Bank of Hollywood, was heard in a national commercial for Lidia’s Italian Gourmet Kitchen and is a featured soloist on a Ger- man Children’s CD called “Der Kleine Tanzbar Schubidu,” Part of the SONY MBA (Music Business Association) catalog, he sings the seasonal hits “A Christ- mas Toast” and “Sing Your Song.” His debut solo album titled “Treasured Songs of Italy & Germany” garnered an IAIRA certified International #1 hit for his dual language version of “Funiculi, Funicula,” and he won The Akademia Music Award for Best Gospel Song for his rendition of “Sweet Little Jesus Boy.” He is a voting member of The Recording Academy and an annual participant at the Grammy Awards.

ELSA QUÉRON (MERCEDES)

Elsa Quéron is a French mezzo-soprano, holding a master’s degree from the Manhattan School of Music. Roles include Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), L’Enfant (L’Enfant et les Sortilèges), Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel) and Lazuli (L’Etoile) by Chabrier. In 2016 Elsa sang with Fargo Moorhead Opera in Gianni Schicchi and Suor An- gelica as well as in Patience & Sarah by Paula Kimper in NYC and in Roméo et Juliette in Montreal. She was invited back to Fargo Moorhead Opera to sing Third Lady in The Magic Flute. Ms. Quéron is the author of a series of translations and IPA transcripts of French operas, such as the works of Ravel, Poulenc and Offenbach, and has taught French diction at Manhattan School of Music and the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia in Mexico.

MEGAN PACHECANO (FRASQUITA)

Soprano Megan Pachecano's recent performances include Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) with LoftOpera, Anne Page (Sir John in Love) with Odyssey Opera and Echo (Ariadne auf Naxos) with Austin Opera. Other role highlights are Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Norina (Don Pasquale), Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro) and Zerlina (Don Giovanni). She has sung with the Metropolitan Opera, Caramoor International Music Festival, Opera New Jersey, Salt Marsh Opera, The Opera Company of Middlebury, New Rochelle Opera, the Opera Theater of Connecticut at the Sanibel Music Festival and Orches- tra of New Spain at the Dallas Symphony Orchestra's Soluna Festival. She will next perform Valencienne in The Merry Widow and Farinelli's Trainer in Vinken- sport, or The Finch Opera with Opera Saratoga and the Lady of the Creek in Sueños de Béjar with Opera San Antonio. In the musical theatre world, Ms. Pachecano has sung with St. Petersburg Opera as Cinderella in Sondheim's Into the Woods and will next sing Cunégonde in Helena Symphony's Bernstein 100! concert. She recently created the role of Elizabeth on the cast album of Melillo's Son of the Storm. A frequent concert soloist, Ms. Pachecano regularly performs oratorio and other symphonic works with orchestras and choral festivals around the country. Ms. Pachecano holds a bachelor's degree in voice performance from The University of Texas at Austin and a master's degree in classical voice from Manhattan School of Music.

CATHERINE THORPE (ENSEMBLE SOPRANO)

Soprano Catherine Thorpe has been praised by The Washington Post as having “a voice of liquid silver,” and The Boston Globe described her as “[a]n accurate and committed musician with a voice that can meet any de- mand, no matter how extreme, with secure and attractive tone.” Ms. Thorpe’s roles and musical stylings are as varied as her vocal range – from leading roles with the New York City Opera National Touring Company to featured solos with The Boston Pops. As the “girl singer” with the Sammy Kaye Orchestra, The Providence Journal aptly noted that she has “stage presence and range to spare…”

DEBORAH SODERHOLM (ENSEMBLE SOPRANO) Soprano Deborah Soderholm is a Williamsburg local and has appeared on several stages in the Hampton Roads area. Re- cent appearances include singing in Cupid’s Cabaret at Pen- insula Community Theater, Gilbert and Sullivan’s Iolanthe (Iolanthe) at TNCC, Opera in Williamsburg ‘s Rigoletto (party girl) and several musical theatre productions at The Wil- liamsburg Players, including Jekyll & Hyde (Red Rat Dancer/ Ensemble) Oliver! (Rose Seller/Old Annie) Cats (Grizabella), along with many cabarets. Favorite roles at The Theater Company at Fort Lee include Meshuggah-Nuns (Sister Mary Amnesia) and Children of Eden (Aphra). Deborah has had the honor of singing the national anthem for many events, such as the Williamsburg Inaugural Ball, baseball games, military ceremonies and this summer for the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Previously Deborah was a Social Studies teacher and theater director at Gerstell Academy in Finksburg, Maryland and is a graduate of the University of Oxford and Brigham Young University. She currently works for the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.

AGUEDA FERNANDEZ-ABAD (ENSEMBLE MEZZO) Mezzo-soprano Agueda Fernández-Abad has performed operas and oratorios with the leading orchestras of Argentina, the U. S. and Europe. Upon her arrival in the U.S. in 1990, she worked with the Florida Grand Opera, participating in several productions, including Carmen. Between 2003 and 2012, Mrs. Fernandez Abad offered diverse recitals in Germany, Italy and Spain, and performed in several productions in the iconic Spanish style operetta known as zarzuela. In 2007 she made her debut at the Valencian´s Opera House in Reina Sofia, under the baton of the Maestro Lorin Maazel. That same year in Barcelona she sang the world premiere of Mexican composer Alejandra Hernández´s electro- acoustic work,Thirty -three God's Names, reprised in Mexico City. Her latest appearances in Europe have included performances in Madrid of works by Salvatore Sciarrino; the leading role in the contemporary opera The Medium by G. C. Menotti, with the Chamber Opera Company of Moncloa; Bee- thoven’s Coral Fantasy and the Christmas Oratorio Nativity by the American composer Norman Dello Joio with Orchestra and Chorus of Radio y Televisión Española; and others. She is the recipient of numerous awards, among them the Leonor Hirsch de Von Buch Scholarship to study with Ernst Haeffliger; Final- ist/Special Honorary Mention in the Young Argentinean Soloist competition; and "Promociones Musicales" Award.

RICHARD LOEBOWITZ (ENSEMBLE TENOR) Tenor Richard Liebowitz is making his Opera in Williamsburg debut this season. He is an active member of the New York City choral community while working at New York Public Radio (WNYC and WQXR). Richard received his Bachelor of Music from Syracuse University (Setnor Award recipient); a Postgraduate Diploma from the Royal College of Music, London; and graduated from the Pre- College Division of The Juilliard School.

ERIC LAMP (ENSEMBLE TENOR / COSTUME DESIGNER)

Tenor Eric Lamp is thrilled to be returning to Opera in Williamsburg, where he was last seen in Lucia di Lammermoor and costumed its recent productions of Rigoletto and Le Nozze di Figaro. As a performer, Eric has appeared in Parade at the Metropolitan Opera, the original cast of La Cage aux Folles on Broadway, two world tours of the Phillip Glass/ Robert Wilson Einstein on the Beach, the Verbier Music Festival (Switzerland) and nine seasons in the opera chorus at the Bard Summerscape Festival. As costumer, his work has been seen in numerous productions for NYC's Utopia Opera, of which he is Ar- tistic Vice President, and Vital Opera.

COLIN WHITEMAN (ENSEMBLE BASS)

Bass-baritone Colin Whiteman has been praised for the powerful and warm tone that he brings to his performances and is equally facile when singing the role of Frère Laurent in Romèo et Julietteor as Bottom in A Midsum- mer Night’s Dream. His robust resonance as Reverend Hale in Robert Ward’s The Crucible can be heard on the 2016 recording with Alba- ny Records. Mr. Whiteman appeared most recently as Norton in La cambiale di matrimonio with Bare Opera. Other performances include Reverend Hale (The Crucible) with Purchase College; Bartolo (Le Nozze di Figaro) with Brooklyn Opera; Seneca (L’incoronazione di Poppea) with Queens College and Purchase College; and Dottore Grenvil (La Traviata) and il Commendatore (Don Giovanni) with The New York Opera Exchange. Mr. Whiteman spent his early years as a regular performer in community musical theatre venues in Maine. He made the jump to opera in college, where he add- ed technical proficiency in stage lighting to his skills. He has completed inten- sive opera programs at Si parla, si canta in Italy (2014) and FAVA Salzburg in Austria (2013). Mr. Whiteman has studied with Jacque Trussel since 2008, earning a Master of Music cum laude and a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in Opera Performance and Vocal Studies at Purchase College – SUNY.

JENNIFER PYLE (DANCER)

Jennifer Pyle is excited to be making her opera debut in Carmen. A Williamsburg local, she is a ballet dancer and teacher, having trained with the Joffrey Ballet School in NYC and at the North Carolina School of the Arts. Jennifer is also a stage and film actor. Her most recent credit: Sorrelli in the Phantom Players' production of Phantom of the Opera.

KELSEY HELMICK (SUPERNUMERARY)

Kelsey Helmick is excited to be making her Opera in Wil- liamsburg debut! Her primary experience is in musical theatre, playing characters such as Maria in The Sound of Music, Magenta/Usherette in The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast. In real life, Kelsey is a professional makeup artist, with a particular interest in editorial and special effects makeup. She will next be seen in Jane Eyre, The Musical with The Williams- burg Players as Mrs. Burns and Lady Ingram. For Naomi and Peter..

ASSISTANT TO THE MUSIC DIRECTOR: UGO MAHIEUX Ugo Mahieux was born into an Ital- ian/French family of artists in Napoli. He has studied piano at Napoli’s San Pietro a Majella Music Conservato- ry and art history at the Federico II University. He has studied harpsi- chord and baroque music at the Centro di Musica Antica la Pie- tà dei Turchini in Italy with Antonio Florio. As an accompanist he has perfected his knowledge under the guidance of Irene Kudela, Margaret Singer, Robert Kettelson and Enza Ferrari. In 2008 he has entered the ‘Atelier Lyrique’ of the Paris National Opera as a young artist, where he started his career as music staff for main stage productions at the Palais Garnier and Opéra Bastille and also as a recital partner in concert venues as Auditorium du Louvre and Palais de l’Ely- sée, French Cultural institute in London and Villa Medici in Rome, Hospices de Beaune. Mr. Mahieux has been engaged as music staff at many other compa- nies and festivals in Europe as Opéra de Paris, Riga National Opera, Opéra de Marseille, Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Opéra de Lille, Théâtre du Châtelet, Opé- ra de Bordeaux, Spoleto Festival, Wildbad Rossini Festival and Teatro Valli in Reggio Emilia. During these engagements, Mr. Mahieux has worked with and coached celebrated artists, among others, Cecilia Bartoli, Natalie Dessay, Isabel Leonard, Patrizia Ciofi, Sandrine Piau, Ludovic Tezier, Lawrence Zazzo and Mi- chael Spyres. As a pianist and harpsichordist, he has worked and performed under distinguished conductors such as Marc Minkowski, Emmanuelle Haïm, Daniel Oren, Jean-Christophe Spinosi and Thomas Hengelbrock. Ugo Mahieux has ac- companied master classes of famous singers such as Raina Kabaivanska, Renato Bruson, Ann Murray and Luciana Serra. Mr Mahieux's playing has been featured on commercial recordings as Rossini's La Gazzetta (Naxos Label). As a language coach, he has prepared mezzo-soprano Karine Deshayes for her recent "Rossini" commercial recording (CIC Label) and tenor Topi Lehtipu for "Vivaldi, Arie per tenore"(Naive Label) Future engagements include coaching residencies at Ar- tescenica 2017, in Mexico, Williamsburg Opera, Savannah Festival, Dallas Opera, and various concerts through France, Italy and Latvia with violinist Olivia Stein- dler.

Orchestra

Violin 1 ········································· Simon Lapointe Violin 2 ······································· Heejin Weisbrod Viola ······················································· Fitz Gary Cello ··········································· Peter Greydanus Double Bass ·························· William Brockmann Clarinet ········································· David Gazaille Flute / Piccolo ·························· Christina Hughes Oboe ················································· Cat Cantrell Bassoon ··············································· Matt Lano Trumpet ································· Benjamin Lostocco French Horn 1 ································· Aleks Ozolins French Horn 2 ········································ Erin Paul Trombone ·····································Steven Nugget

JERRY PEDROZA (PRODUCTION MANAGER)

Jerry Pedroza is excited to be joining Opera in Wil- liamsburg for his fifth production (previous engagements were La Cenerentola, Rigoletto, Mar- riage of Figaro, and Barber of Seville). Having graduated in 2013 with a BA in Technical Theatre & Design from WV Wesleyan College, Jerry has worked all over the East Coast and is now based out of Brooklyn, New York. He served as the Assis- tant Production Manager of Orchestra for the Bre- vard Music Center Summer Festival in Brevard, North Carolina. One of his most recent credits of note involves stage managing the Off-Broadway premiere of Madeline’s Christmas (KOTA Produc- tions). Other regional credits include: The Beggar's Opera (Hofstra University Opera) New Year’s Eve in Times Square (Times Square Alliance) and NY Fashion Week (IMCD Lighting).

MARY CATE MANGUM (PRODUCTION ASSISTANT/DECK CREW CHIEF) Mary Cate Mangum is an AEA stage manager based in Brooklyn, N.Y. Her most recent credits include: Halcyon Days (directed by Alexander Dinelaris), Dance Divas: Nutcracker (Theatre Row), Cast and Loose: Live! (Joe’s Pub at The Pub- lic) and Romance of the Western Chamber (TADA Theatre). Other work includes NY Fashion Week 2016 (IMCD Lighting), company management (Brevard Music Center) and stage managing the 2015 Summer Concert Series – most notably A Prairie Home Companion and Keith Lockhart Conducts Mahler 1.

Supporters of Opera in Williamsburg in 2017 and 2018

Season Sponsors ($10000 and up) Brenda Snow and Oliver Portmann Williamsburg Area Arts Commission

Production Sponsors ($5000-$9999) Linda and David Graham Dorothy, Karen and Vince Norako

Foundation Builders ($2000-$4999) Linda and Donald Baker The Caterpillar Foundation Linda Kligman and Paul Try Frank and Marie Knuettel Danny and Leigh Mcdaniel Robert and Diane Petterson Linda Collins Reilly Patricia Volp

Major Benefactors ($1000-$1999) Lynn and Francis Bagli Diane and Ian Carr Ellen Jaronczyk Brenda and Ken Mitchell Sharon and Wesley Mueller Robert Pacek

Steadfast Supporters ($500-$999) Nanci Bond Carolyn and Russell Campbell Patricia and Stanley Ecton Pat Eden Bonita Krochmal Paul and Carolyn Maramaldi Charles Melton Sylvia and Robert Scholnick Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program Virginia Commission for the Arts Don and Betty Williams York County Arts Commission

Sustaining Friends ($200-$499)

Kay Allen Anonymous Jayne Barnard Ann Boehm Howard Browne Helen Eckman Melvin Ely Helen Hamilton Martha Jones and William Hutton Richard Johnson Ruth and Ed Jones Kenneth Krantz Daniel Mateescu ene Joanna Mathews-Kocur Robert Osmon Judith Porter Beverly Ragborg Rosanne Reddin W. Taylor Reveley III Wilma and Marc Sharp Harley Stewart Jeanne Sutherland and Rodney Taylor Kendra and Gene Swann Barbara Watkinson and Hans von Baeyer Tim and Ellen Weidman

Significant Donors ($100-$199)

Judith and James Adams Meredith Alba Anthony and Karen Annoni Anonymous Susan and David Baime James Barringer Robin and Robert Bledsoe Judith Bowers Ingrid Brown Laura Brown Cary Carson Charlene Christie Edith Chutkow Allen Cooke Doug and Gail Eklof Margo Griffin Linda and Bill Hansell Meche Kroop Joseph and Pamela Leinenbach Maurice Lynch Stephen and Marie Mamikonian Ronald and Carolyn Munro Teressa Murphy Scott and Cheryl Orr Adam and Monica Potkay Ganas Rakes Joan Ruszkowski Mary Schilling

Barbette Spaeth Paula Heller-Tenenbaum Peter Webster

Allies (to $99)

David Adler Marsha Allen John J. Ancellotti Paul Boren Deborah Corkey-Corber Gloria Cropp

Janet Cummings Elaine Cummings

Julie Galambush Nuala C. Galbari Danielle Gammon Kathleen Henderson Lee Hougen Patricia Hulings Jerald Johnson Larry and Linda Kramer Naomi and George Lake William and Carmen Lancellotti Robert Leek and Deanna Rote John Mardirosian David Nicholas Thomas Phelps Katherine Preston Edward Ramsaur Nancy Rehbein Pamela Rudder Elise Emanuel and David Scherer Clyde Spence M Eve Turner Geraldine Wagoner William Wemple

THANKS TO ALL WHO GIVE VITAL HELP TO OPERA IN WILLIAMSBURG !

• Susan Baime for her support and help in acquiring local advertise- ments • Linda Baker for editorial help and support of Opera in Williams- burg • Jayne Barnard for coordination with the Christopher Wren Associ- ation and for her finding the venue of Port Anne for us • Cathy Barron, Judi Emanuel, Patricia Sager, Stephanie Lupo, and Susan Baime for monitoring the silent auction tables at the dinner concert • Gulay and Clyde Berryman for tremendous generosity, gracious- ness and support through the years by hosting events for us and for other help

• Bonefish Grill Restaurant for hosting Opera in Williamsburg Bene- fit Nights • The Brevard Music Center, Janiec Opera Company, Andrea Boc- canfuso and Teila Vochatzer for help for The Marriage of Figaro • Dot Bryant for tireless work on publicity, processing of donations and thank you notes, and banking, plus excellent organizational skills • Michael Bryant for continued technical support and expertise • Carolyn and Russell Campbell for hosting team members, help with advertising, educational outreach and coordinating the donor event • Carolyn Campbell and Linda Kligman, co-chairs of the Donor Re- ception and the Board of Advisory set up committee • Carolyn Campbell for superb organizational skills, multi tasking and assistance with tracking advertisers • Diane Carr for hosting performers and loaning props, and for con- nection with the Williamsburg Arts Council • Michaella Cipriani and Voicexperience for their assistance with the supertitles • Kathy Devanny for hospitality, for help at the Kimball, and with local connections in finding props and hospitality • Pat Eden for hospitality for team members for Carmen • Judi Emanuel for her help at the Colonial Heritage concerts • The fundraising volunteer team: Susan Baime, Mary Doerflein, Bobbie Hunnicutt, Joanna Mathews-Kocur, Stephanie Lupo, Wilma Sharp, Tom Taormina, and Carolyn Campbell • Clyde Haulman for crucial and lasting support through the years • Debra Hill and Camilla Buchanan for hosting team members for La Cenerentola, Rigoletto, The Marriage of Figaro and the Barber of Seville • Nancy Hill for loaning costume parts for Carmen

• Joy Hoffmann for hospitality to team members for Carmen • Martha Jones and Bill Hutton for hosting, loaning their car, and for continued strong support • Ruth and Ed Jones for hosting team members for La Ceneren- tola, The Marriage of Figaro, The Barber of Seville, and Carmen • Jane Kim, Michael Bryant and Dot Bryant for greeting and checking in dinner concert guests and taking payments for the auction • Linda Kligman & Brenda Mitchell, co-chairs of the fundraising volunteer team: Susan Baime, Mary Doerflein, Bobbie Hunnicutt, Joanna Mathews-Kocur, Stephanie Lupo, Wilma Sharp, Tom Taormina, Car- olyn Campbell • Linda Kligman for her enthusiasm and professionalism in finding advertisers, recruiting new volunteers and coordinating the donor event and Colonial Heritage dinner concerts

• Joanna Mathews-Kocur, coordinator of our publicity volunteer team: Joe Kocur, Brenda Mitchell, Doreen Conoscenti, Patricia Sager, Pam and Joe Leinenbach • Lucile Kossodo for hosting team members for The Marriage of Figaro and for Carmen • Paula and Gabe Koz for hosting team members for La Cenerentola and The Marriage of Figaro • Joe Land for the loan of capes for The Marriage of Figaro • Bob and Deanna Leek for hosting team members for Don Giovanni, Rigoletto, The Marriage of Figaro, The Barber of Seville, and Car- men and for generous donations of art • Paul Maramaldi for his work in educational outreach and superb organizational skills • Paul Maramaldi and Paul Try for bartending at the Donor Recep- tion • Elizabeth Milne for SOA collaboration • Brenda Mitchell for chairing the silent and live auction fundraiser and for writing the descriptions of items to be placed in the online auction • Ken Mitchell for proofreading and other behind-the-scenes help with auctions • Sharon Mueller for hosting singers for The Marriage of Figaro and Carmen and for car rental for The Barber of Seville • Our Savior church at Norge and Georgianna Paddock for rehearsal space and gracious welcome • Mary Jo O'Shaughnessy for making capes for The Marriage of Figa- ro • Robert Osmon for hosting singers for The Marriage of Figaro, for The Barber of Seville, and Carmen • Mr. and Ms. Orton for hospitality for team members for Carmen • Linda Collins Reilly for unceasing support and excellent perspective

• Patricia Sager for publicizing Opera in Williamsburg and fundraisers at Colonial Heritage events • Brenda Snow for hospitality for The Barber of Seville and for support and outreach • Deborah Soderholm for hosting a team member for La Cenerentola and for The Barber of Seville • Barbette and Robert Spaeth for gracious hospitality • Tom Taormina, auctioneer for live auction and paddle raise • Temple Beth El for providing rehearsal space for Carmen • Thomas Nelson Community College for reciprocal advertising • Paul Try for enthusiasm, assistance and expertise on many fronts and for photography at many events • Paul Try for photographing items to be placed in the online auction and for creating posters of the live auction items • Shirley Vermilion for hosting us at 2nd Sundays Williamsburg Art and Music Festival • Christian Vieweg for hospitality for team members for Carmen • Virginia Gazette, Daily Press, Williamsburg Families and The Wil- liamsburg Magazine for publicity • Trish Volp for hospitality to team members for Carmen • Hans von Baeyer and Barbara Watkinson for hosting performer • Nancy Wade for hosting for Rigoletto and for The Barber of Seville • Wallace and Sons General Store for the loan of valuable props • Susan Wiedmaier for providing hospitality for team members for Carmen • Don Williams for development advice and expertise • The Williamsburg Art Gallery for elegant hosting of our receptions and curtain raisers • Williamsburg Choral Guild for reciprocal advertising

• Williamsburg Families for reciprocal advertising • The Williamsburg Players for reciprocal advertising • Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra for reciprocal advertising

• Turit Willroy for hospitality to team members for Carmen

• The many loyal volunteers who help in the front of the house at the Kimball performances

We appreciate the support of all our friends and volunteers and apologize if we have left you off this list. Please know that Opera in Williamsburg values all our volunteers and helpers! Without you, we would not be able to put on these performances. THANK YOU!

NAAMA ZAHAVI-ELY (FOUNDER , ARTISTIC AND GENERAL DIRECTOR) Naama Zahavi-Ely is a music-lover who founded Opera in Williamsburg as one more place where excellent opera productions could be performed and enjoyed. Her policy is to put people first, and to search for and engage outstanding performers and creative team without compro- mise. She enjoys opera and classical music wherever she travels. She taught Biblical Hebrew at the College of Wil- liam and Mary for over a decade before retiring to her birth country, Israel. Naama loves sharing opera with her many Williamsburg friends, and sharing the beautiful city of Williamsburg with her many friends in the opera world. She believes that the city, and the Kimball Theatre in particular, is uniquely positioned for creating intimate opera classics of the kind that Opera in Williamsburg specializes in.

On April 23 Bonefish Grill will host a dinner for Opera in Williamsburg’s artists and artistic directors. Meet and greet them that evening (no performing).

Bonefish Grill will donate to Opera in Wil- liamsburg 15% of the proceeds from din- ers on April 23 who mention Opera in Wil- liamsburg.