Thank You!

To the young singers, who are thrilling us with their courageous spirit and talent. Benson Great Hall, Bethel University To our splendid collaborative pianists, who are ready to play hundreds of arias, whether old, new, popular or obscure, and who work while we listen. MINNESOTA To the judges, who donate their time, talent, DISTRICT experience and judgment to selecting the winners AUDITIONS – and counseling the singers after the auditions.

To the volunteers backstage and at the front of the house, whose assistance is critical to helping the singers and assuring that the program runs smoothly.

To our donors, without whom these auditions would not be possible.

To you, the audience, who make this a realistic theatrical experience for tomorrow’s operatic stars. Saturday, January 18, 2020 10:00 am www.metauditionsmn.org Metropolitan Opera Upper Midwest Region and Minnesota District Auditions Supporters NATIONAL COUNCIL AUDITIONS The Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions are made possible through generous donations to the Minnesota District and the Upper Midwest MISSION STATEMENT: To discover exceptional young talent Region Auditions.The gifts provide Winners and Encouragement Awards, and and provide a venue for young opera singers across North cover expenses of the collaborative pianist, venue rental, and judges. We en- courage you to donate today, and to consider a planned gift to support opera America at all levels of development, to be heard by in the future. representatives of the Metropolitan Opera and to assist those with the greatest potential for operatic careers. We thank the following organizations and individuals for contributions made by January 10, 2020:

NATIONAL COUNCIL STAFF ORGANIZATIONS Carol E. Domina, President Judson and Barbara Bemis Upper Midwest Metropolitan Opera National Council Camille LaBarre, Chair Auditions Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation Melissa Wegner, Executive Director Thomson Reuters Employee Matching Gift Brady Walsh, Administrator Twin Cities Opera Guild Arleen Carlson Memorial Awards Twin Cities Opera Guild Jean Lemberg Memorial Award Eric Owens, National Advisor INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS MINNESOTA COMMITTEE Arlene Alm Tom Mann Connie Fullmer, Mrs. Dorothy Alshouse Sylvia McCallister Jerold O. Bahls Patricia McGowan Region Co-Chair and Minnesota District Director Michelle Blaeser James R. Nash Jimmy Longoria, Dan Buivid Suzanne & Bill Payne Region Co-Chair and Finance Director Deborah Carlson Sydney M. Phillips in memory of Jon Schasker Ken and Nina Rothchild James R. Nash, Media Director Tim and Lynn Dennis Georgiana Ruzich Mimi Stewart, Program and Registration Cheryl Dickson and James Smith Ron and Carol Rydell Christine Carvell ~ Christina Christensen ~ Jon Christensen ~ Maurice and Signe Dysken Jay Severance Margo Garrett ~ Tom Kaysen ~ Georgiana Ruzich ~ Karen and Peter Erickson Wendy and Steven Shaler William and Bonnie Frels Biruta and Andris Spruds Terry Stewart ~ Gail Weber ~ Terese Weitzel Connie Fullmer and Mimi and Terry Stewart Jimmy Longoria Harry M. Walsh Margo Garrett Robert Warde UPPER MIDWEST REGION DISTRICT DIRECTORS Shirley Hetherington Iowa: Sara Compton ~ Donald Simonson David Ingbar and Mary Meighan Lucy R. Jones Nebraska: Laura Burton Franz~Adrienne Dickson Art Kaemmer, M.D. ND-Manitoba: Louise Pinkerton~Royce Blackburn Geoffrey Kolb Wisconsin: Lisa Kay Hanson Elliot Long The judges will select as many singers as they deem qualifed to advance to the The Audition Road to the Met Stage January 19, 2020 Upper Midwest Region Auditions. Monetary awards are also determined by the judges. Annually, the Metropolitan Opera National Council holds Au- ditions in 40 Districts and 12 Regions throughout the continen- THE JUDGES tal United States, in addition to one District in Canada, one in American pianist HOWARD WATKINS is a frequent associate of Mexico and one in Puerto Rico. Singers compete frst in District some of the world’s leading musicians on the concert stage and as Auditions; winners advance to Region Auditions. Minnesota is an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. His appearances throughout the Americas, Europe, Asia, Russia, and Israel have in- holding both the District and Region competitions this week- cluded collaborations with Joyce DiDonato, Diana Damrau, Kathleen end. Battle, Grace Bumbry, Mariusz Kwiecien, Anna Netrebko, Matthew Polenzani, and violinists Xiang Gao and Sarah Chang at such venues Saturday’s Audition winners will join those from Iowa, Nebras- as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Spivey Hall, Kennedy Center, the Pierpont Morgan Library, the United States Supreme Court, Alice Tully Hall with the ka, North Dakota-Manitoba and Wisconsin Districts to compete Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, the three stages of Carnegie Hall, and the Sunday in the Upper Midwest Region Auditions. Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. He has accompanied the classes of legendary artists Re- nata Scotto, Frederica von Stade, Regine Crespin, Birgit Nilsson, Sherrill Milnes, and George Shirley. Mr. Watkins has served on the faculties of The Juilliard School, the Winners of the 12 Region Auditions will be brought to New York Tanglewood Music Center, the Aspen Music Festival, the Mannes School of Music, the for musical preparation with the Metropolitan Opera’s music North Carolina School of the Arts, the International Vocal Arts Institute (Israel, Japan, staff. On Monday, February 24, 2020, these singers will audition and China), IIVA in Italy, the Brancaleoni Music Festival in Italy, the Tokyo Internation- al Vocal Arts Academy (TIVAA), and VOICExperience in Orlando, Tampa, and Savan- with piano in the National Semi-Finals on the stage of the Met- nah. He has also worked on the music staffs of Palm Beach Opera, the Washington ropolitan Opera. National Opera, and the Los Angeles Opera. A native of Dayton, Ohio, Mr. Watkins completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Accompanying and Chamber Music at the University of Michigan. In 2004, he was honored as the recipient of both the Paul Approximately 8-11 of the Semi-Finalists will be selected as Na- C. Boylan award from the University of Michigan for his outstanding contributions to tional Finalists. These singers will compete on Sunday, March 1, the feld of music, and a Special Achievement Award from the National Alumni Asso- 2020, in the Grand Finals Concert, accompanied by the Metro- ciation of the University of Dayton. politan Opera Orchestra. A national winner of MONC Auditions in 1993, EMILY PULLEY made her Metropolitan Opera debut the following season and has gone on Semi-Finalists each receive $2,500; Finalists receive $7,500 each; to appear as a principal artist in nearly 200 performances there, in- and winners receive $15,000. cluding lead roles in Faust, Dialogues des Carmélites, The Rake’s Progress, La bohème, and the Met premiere of The Merry Widow. She continues to appear with opera companies and symphonies throughout the U.S. and around the world and is frequently sought out by contemporary composers to develop and premiere new works. In addition to her engagements as a soprano, Emily has begun to enjoy success in mezzo soprano and musical theatre repertoire such as the title role in Carmen, Desiree in A Little Night Music, Mrs. De Rocher in Dead Man Walking, and Madeline Mitchell in Three Decembers, having previously sung the role of Maddy’s daughter Bea in multiple productions. A summa cum laude graduate of West Texas A&M University, Emily received a Distinguished Alumni Award in 2014 and spent the following year on faculty there as an Artist-in-Res- idence, teaching private voice and directing Opera Workshop. She made her profession- Last year, one of the singers the Upper Midwest Region sent to al directorial debut last fall with a production of La bohème for Opera Ithaca that went New York advanced to the fnals -- And MILES MYKKANEN on to be performed with the Symphony of the Mountains. She fnished out the year as part of a national tour of The Light in the Piazza as the stand-by for Renée Fleming at was a top winner! Los Angeles Opera and the Lyric Opera of Chicago. ROBIN GUARINO has directed opera, musical theatre, flm and new works in the following companies and the- ater/performance venues: The Metropolitan Opera, The Avery Fischer and Alice Tully Hall, The Brooklyn Acad- emy of Music, Next Wave Festival, The San Francisco OFFICIAL COLLABORATIVE Opera, Seattle Opera,Houston Grand Opera, Canadian PIANIST Opera Company, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Virginia Op- era, Gotham Chamber Opera, The Skylight Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, The Florentine Opera, The Bard Festival, Eos Orchestra as well as Juilliard Opera Theatre, The Yale Institute for Music Theatre, The Merola Program,The Jacobs School of Music, The Manhattan School of Music, and the Mannes School of Music. LARA BOLTON is a pianist, vocal coach, conductor, and arranger. Her work She holds the J. Ralph Corbett Distinguished Chair of Opera at the Cincinnati spans many different genres, including classical, rock, jazz, and musical the- College-Conservatory of Music since 2008. She has a strong commitment to ater. In addition to maintaining an active concert and recording career, she developing new works and supporting the work of living composers and li- serves on the faculty at the University of Minnesota as a vocal coach. She is brettists and continues that passion as Artistic Director of Opera Fusion: New a regular music director for Arbeit Opera Theater, and will conduct their up- Works a collaboration with Cincinnati Opera and CCM Opera funded by The coming production of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia. She has created an inno- Andrew W Mellon Foundation. vative aria/soul/jazz synthesis project called Voxspex, which has been pro- duced in Minneapolis and New York and will be remounted in February, 2020. Other opera and theater affliations include Mill City Summer Opera (where she was Head of Music), San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera, BRADY WALSH judges for Metropolitan Opera Nation- San Diego Opera, Seattle Opera, Washington Concert Opera, Chicago Opera al Council throughout the United States and hears young Theater, Quad Cities Symphony, Minnesota Opera, Opera Santa Barbara, Out artists in screening auditions at the Met, as well as at var- of the Box Opera, West Bay Opera, Opera Colorado, and Amarillo Opera, the ious summer festivals across the country. This past year Jungle and Guthrie theaters, and Theater Latté Da. he was named a special guest for the fnals of the inau- gural Nicola Martinucci International Vocal Competition Ms. Bolton is a former San Francisco Opera Adler Fellow and has been a in Lucca, Italy. In January 2020, he will be a guest speaker Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist for the Washington National Opera. She also at the NATS Winter Conference in New York. Previous- helped develop a Young Artist Program for Opera Santa Barbara. In addition ly, Mr. Walsh has held positions on the artistic staff of to having been a pianist for the Merola Opera Program, she has also worked at The Santa Fe Opera, and in the managerial department the Music Academy of the West, Brevard Music Festival, and Interlochen Arts of Opus 3 Artists. He is a co-founder of Carpe Diem Productions in Round Camp. As an alumna of Interlochen Arts Academy, she received a Bachelor of Lake, NY, and served as Music Director for 4 years. A graduate of the Crane Music Theory degree from the University of Michigan and a Master of Music School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, Mr. Walsh studied Music Business, Mu- in Collaborative Piano from the University of Maryland-College Park. sic Education, and Opera Performance as a bass-baritone. While studying, he performed in regional summer programs and now actively performs as a guest artist with regional and New York City based operetta and musical theatre companies. Katherine Ridder, Soprano Program breaks will be announced from the stage. Il est doux, il est bon HÉRODIADE, Massenet Donde lieta uscì LA BOHÈME, Puccini Mi tradì quell’alma ingrata DON GIOVANNI, Mozart SINGERS Ain’t it a pretty night? SUSANNAH, Floyd Erika Baikoff, Soprano O luce di quest’anima LINDA DI CHAMOUNIX,Donizetti Ich bin euer Liebden sehr verbunden DER ROSENKAVALIER,Strauss Snow maiden’s death SNOW MAIDEN,Rimsky-Korsakov Silver aria THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE, Moore

Karen Barraza, Soprano Tanto amore segreto…Tu, che di gel TURANDOT, Puccini Depuis le jour LOUISE, Charpentier Un bel dì vedremo MADAMA BUTTERFLY, Puccini Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante CARMEN, Bizet

Mia Athey, Mezzo-Soprano Una voce poco fa IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA,Rossini Smanie implacabili COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Mozart I bought this suitcase in New York FLIGHT, Dove Chacun à son goût DIE FLEDERMAUS, Strauss, J.

Elena Howard-Scott, Soprano Ain’t it a pretty night? SUSANNAH, Floyd Ach, ich fühl’s DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart Ah! Je veux vivre ROMÉO ET JULIETTE,Gounod O mio babbino caro GIANNI SCHICCI, Puccini

Amanda Blue, Soprano Come scoglio COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Mozart O toi qui prolongeas mes jour ORPHÉE ET EURYDICE, Gluck I want magic! A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, Previn Song to the Moon RUSALKA, Dvorák

8 Sam Utley, Tenor Lindsay Kate Brown, Mezzo-Soprano Young Gypsy’s Romance ALEKO, Rachmaninoff O mon Fernand LA FAVORITE, Donizetti Ich baue ganz auf deine Stärke DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL, Mozart Prastitje vi THE MAID OF ORLEANS, Tchaikovsky Prologue THE TURN OF THE SCREW, Britten Einsam wachend in der Nacht TRISTAN UND ISOLDE, Wagner Mes amis, écoutez l’histoire LE POSTILLON DE LONJUMEAU, Adam Sgombra è la sacra selva…Deh! Proteggimi, O Dio NORMA, Bellini

Evy Johnson, Soprano Kristina Dudley, Soprano Be kind and courteous A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Britten Ah! Fuggi il traditor! DON GIOVANNI, Mozart Welche Wonne, welche Lust DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL, Mozart O don fatale DON CARLO, Verdi Quel guardo il cavaliere… Du bist der Lenz DIE WALKÜRE, Wagner So anch’io la virtù magica DON PASQUALE, Donizetti Somehow I never could believe STREET SCENE, Weill Arriere! Je rechauffe les bons L’ENFANT ET LES SORTILEGES, Ravel

Lisa Marie Rogali, Soprano Avery Boettcher, Soprano L’empio rigor del fato RODELINDA, Handel È strano!...Ah, fors’è lui…Sempre libera LA TRAVIATA, Verdi Amour, ranime mon courage ROMÉO ET JULIETTE, Gounod Suis-je gentille ainsi?... Deh vieni, non tardar LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Mozart Obéissons quand leur voix appelle MANON, Massenet Adieu, notre petite table MANON, Massenet Ach, ich fühl’s DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart Quando men vo LA BOHÈME, Puccini Felix Aguilar Tomlinson, Tenor Naomi Brigell, Mezzo-Soprano Frisch zum Kampfe DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL, Mozart Wie Du warst! DER ROSENKAVALIER, Strauss, R. Hi, Sid! ALBERT HERRING, Britten Am I in your light? DOCTOR ATOMIC, Adams Povero Ernesto / Cercherò lontana terra DON PASQUALE, Donizetti Parto, parto, ma tu ben mio LA CLEMENZA DI TITO, Mozart Ah! Je vais l’aimer BÉATRICE ET BÉNÉDICT, Berlioz Vois sous l’archet frémissant LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN, Offenbach Amanda Kasem, Soprano Jennifer LeDoux, Soprano Voi lo sapete CAVILLERIA RUSTICANA, Mascagni Ah! Je veux vivre ROMÉO ET JULIETTE, Gounod Sein wir wieder gut ARIADNE AUF NAXOS, Strauss, R. Ach, ich fühl’s DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart I have dreamt WUTHERING HEIGHTS, Herrmann Prendi, per me sei libero L’ELISIR D’AMORE, Donizetti Song to the Moon RUSALKA, Dvorák My Darling Jim GLORY DENIED, Cipullo Emily Soule, Soprano Emily Cecilia, Soprano Amour, ranime mon courage ROMÉO ET JULIETTE, Gounod Klänge der Heimat DIE FLEDERMAUS, Strauss, J. The Tower THE TURN OF THE SCREW, Britten Come scoglio COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Mozart Ach, ich fühl’s DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart Steal me, sweet thief THE OLD MAID AND THE THIEF, Menotti Caro Nome RIGOLETTO, Verdi Song to the Moon RUSALKA, Dvorák Joseph Cianciulli, Tenor Andrew Morstein, Tenor Una furtiva lagrima L’ELISIR D’AMORE, Donizetti Sì ritrovarla io giuro LA CENERENTOLA, Rossini Ah! Mes amis LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT, Donizetti Ah, mes amis! LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT, Donizetti O wie ängstlich DIE ENTFÜHRUNG AUS DEM SERAIL, Mozart Here I stand THE RAKE’S PROGRESS, Stravinsky Il mio tesoro DON GIOVANNI, Mozart Romance of the Young Gypsy ALEKO, Rachmaninoff

Tiana Sorenson, Soprano Tim Murray, Baritone Five Fathoms Deep THE TEMPEST, Adès Avant de quitter ces lieux FAUST, Gounod Chacun le sait LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT, Donizetti Hai già vinta la causa LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Mozart Piangerò la sorte mia GIULIO CESARE, Handel Vien, Leonora LA FAVORITA, Donizetti The Presentation of the Rose DER ROSENKAVALIER, Strauss, R. Ya vas lyublyu PIQUE DAME, Tchaikovsky

Amber Monroe, Soprano Lauren Craig, Soprano Stridono lassù PAGLIACCI, Leoncavallo Un moto di gioia LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Mozart Come scoglio COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Mozart Monica’s Waltz THE MEDIUM, Menotti Und ob die Wolke sie verhülle DER FREISCHÜTZ, Weber Comme autrefois LES PÊCHEURS DE PERLES, Bizet Divinités du Styx ALCESTE, Gluck Svegliatevi nel core GIULIO CESARE, Handel

Samuel Joseph Schulte, Baritone Jacee Engels, Soprano Warm as the autumn light THE BALLAD OF BABY DOE, Moore Laurie’s Song TENDER LAND, Copland Deh vieni alla fnestra DON GIOVANNI, Mozart Donde lieta uscì LA BOHÈME, Puccini Come Paride vezzoso L’ELISIR D’AMORE, Donizetti Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante CARMEN, Bizet Der Vogelfänger bin ich ja DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart Bel raggio lusinghier SEMIRAMIDE, Rossini

Lauren Pearl Eberwein, Soprano John Humphrey, Tenor Adieu, notre petite table MANON, Massenet Fra poco a me ricovero LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Donizetti Donde lieta uscì LA BOHÈME, Puccini Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart Song to the Moon RUSALKA, Dvorák Ah! Lève-toi, soleil! ROMÉO ET JULIETTE, Gounod Or sai, chi l’onore DON GIOVANNI, Mozart Che gelida manina LA BOHÈME, Puccini

Teresa Perrotta, Soprano Andrea Lett, Soprano Come scoglio COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Mozart I am the wife of Mao Tse-Tung NIXON IN CHINA, Adams The Jewel Song FAUST, Gounod Caro Nome RIGOLETTO, Verdi Marietta’s Lied DIE TOTE STADT, Korngold Chacun le sait LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT, Donizetti Krystyna Zykulska’s aria OUT OF DARKNESS, Heggie Ach, ich fühl’s DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart Maria Vasilevskaya, Mezzo-Soprano Priscilla Wortman, Mezzo-Soprano Ces lettres!...Ah! Jes les relis sans cesse WERTHER, Massenet When I am laid in earth DIDO AND AENEAS, Purcell Nacqui all’affanno e al pianto… Divinités du Styx ALCESTE, Gluck No più mesta LA CENERENTOLA, Rossini O, mio Fernando LA FAVORITA, Donizetti Parto, ma to ben mio LA CLEMENZA DI TITO, Mozart Marfa’s Divination KHOVANSHCHINA, Mussorgsky Ah Tanya!... Ya ne sposobna… EUGENE ONEGIN, Tchaikovsky Emelia Petersen, Soprano Katherine Mayba, Soprano Ach, ich fühl’s DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart Der Hölle Rache DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart Je veux vivre ROMÉO ET JULIETTE, Gounod Goodbye, world OUR TOWN, Rorem Adelaide’s Aria - It’s My Wedding THE ENCHANTED PIG, Dove Les oiseaux dans la charmille LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN, Offenbach Non Disperar GIULIO CESARE, Handel Ah! Non credea…Ah! Non guinge LA SONNAMBULA, Bellini Amber Marsh, Soprano Xingyu Huo, Soprano Donde lieta uscì LA BOHÈME, Puccini Porgi, amor LE NOZZE DI FIGARO, Mozart Ach, ich fühl’s DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Mozart Donde lieta uscì LA BOHÈME, Puccini Steal me, sweet thief THE OLD MAID AND THE THIEF, Menotti Tu che di gel sei cinta TURANDOT, Puccini Elle a fui, la tourterelle LES CONTES D’HOFFMANN, Offenbach Have peace, Jo LITTLE WOMEN, Adamo Ji Lu, Baritone Matthew Dalen, Tenor Donne mie la fate a tanti COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Mozart Salut! Demeure chaste et pure FAUST, Gounod Vy mne pisali EUGENE ONEGIN, Tchaikovsky Lamento di Federico L’ARLESIANA, Cilea Sois immobile GUILLAUME TELL, Rossini Ach! So fromm, ach so traut MARTHA, Flotow Nemico della Patria ANDREA CHENIER, Giordano Ciel e terra armi di sdegno TAMERLANO, Handel Caitlin Mead, Soprano Alison King, Soprano Poison Aria ROMÉO ET JULIETTE, Gounod Come scoglio COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Mozart Take me back OUR TOWN, Rorem The Jewel Song FAUST, Gounod Snow maiden’s aria SNOW MAIDEN, Rimsky-Korsakov Un bel dì vedremo MADAMA BUTTERFLY, Puccini Ch’il bel sogno di Doretta LA RONDINE, Puccini Das war sehr gut ARABELLA, Strauss, R. Carole Schultz, Soprano Siena Forest, Soprano Regnava nel silenzio LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR, Donizetti Caro Nome RIGOLETTO, Verdi Ah! Je veux vivre ROMÉO ET JULIETTE, Gounod Speil’ich die Unschuld vom Lande DIE FLEDERMAUS, Strauss, J. My Darling Jim GLORY DENIED, Cipullo Quando m’en vo LA BOHÈME, Puccini Caro Nome RIGOLETTO, Verdi Chacun le sait LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT, Donizetti