TABLE OF CONTENTS

Welcome...... 3 Leadership...... 6 About PFO...... 7 The Love of Danae...... 9 Mister Rogers’ ...... 11 The Valkyrie...... 16 Scandals...... 21 ...... 23 Education Overview...... 25 The Enchanted Forest...... 27 Music That Matters...... 28 Individual Contributors...... 29 Festival Fans...... 31 Host Families...... 32 Season Sponsors...... 32 Special Thanks...... 33 Festival Orchestra...... 34 Festival Production Staff...... 35 Directors...... 36 Conductors...... 44 Artists’ Bios...... 49 Patron Information...... 64

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PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 1

WELCOME FROM THE PRESIDENT

elcome to Festival Opera’s 2019 WSummer Festival Season. Help us celebrate our 8th festival season in the cool comfort of the Winchester Thurston School in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh. Here you will enjoy an interesting and impressive array of operas, recitals, lectures, and more in an informal setting. Please take advantage of the unique opportunity of hearing the world premiere of two of Mr. Fred Rogers’ operas. Other highlights of the season include the seldom heard The Love of Danae—the latest in our Richard Strauss series—The Valkyrie—the second in Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle and a special version of Puccini’s Gianni Schicci. I’m thrilled to announce that A Gathering of Sons, the latest commission from our “Music That Matters” series of operas which highlight contemporary social issues, won the World Bronze Medal for Excellence in Society and Societal Issues at the New York TV and Film Awards in Las Vegas this April. A Gathering of Sons was chosen from hundreds of entries from 50 countries worldwide. I’m also very pleased to welcome our new Executive Director—Mr. Christopher Powell, a Pittsburgh native, arts administrator, music educator, French horn player and choral conductor with nearly 25 years of experience in nonprofit administration. Chris comes to the company most recently from The Glimmerglass Festival in Cooperstown, NY and previously from Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, SC and the Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, MA—some of the top summer opera and symphonic music festivals in the nation.

Eugene N. Myers, M.D., FRCS Edin (Hon) President, Pittsburgh Festival Opera

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 3 FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Dear Friends, elcome to Pittsburgh Festival Opera’s festive, intimate, Wcontemporary opera-theater experience! Let’s look at those adjectives for a moment. Our summer festival is truly festive—our extraordinary productions, including The Ring, the Fred Rogers’ operas, the new Scandals half of the program that goes with Puccini’s hilarious comedy Gianni Schicchi, and the host of concerts, receptions, parties and cabarets, all followed by the opportunity to mingle with artists in the bar after performances—all that is absolutely fun and festive. But intimate? The Valkyrie, you might ask? And Strauss’s The Love of Danae?! To which my response is: absolutely intimate. And this is one of the things that makes PFO unique. Our version of The Valkyrie is brilliantly reorchestrated by Jonathan Dove and tells the timeless story in (a mere) three hours. And it deals with the most intimate family relationships. Also, all our productions take place in our intimate 400-seat theater. No distant figures on a far- flung stage in our festival. Instead, we experience real people in real relationships, who in their singing speak to us directly, up-close- and-personal—and mostly in English. And what do we mean by ‘opera-theater’? This has been a key part of our artistic ambition and identity since Mildred Miller founded our company 41 years ago. For us, theatrical excitement and authenticity are as important as musical excellence, and they go hand in hand. And lastly—contemporary? All live opera (and music, and theater) takes place in the present, the here and now—even if it is sometimes set in the past. Our productions are theatrically modern and provocative. And we regularly commission new works, on topics that are important to us here, today, in a cycle we call ‘Music that Matters’. This year you can follow the creation of two new works written by women, with scenes presented in workshop format, which you can then experience in full production at next year’s festival. So we hope very much that an evening in our company, with our exciting repertoire and imaginative productions, offers you the unique combination of festive, intimate, contemporary opera- theater. And that is what the Pittsburgh Festival Opera experience is all about. Enjoy—and see you in the bar after the show!

Jonathan Eaton Artistic Director, Pittsburgh Festival Opera

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 4 OPERA FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

t’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood…” Admit it, you “Iprobably just sang those words in your head. What a wonderful legacy to leave a world filled with kindness and song. What made Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood so special is not too different than what makes opera relevant today; the importance of telling a story—of discovering how our similarities far outweigh our differences. Mister Rogers helped children and adults through difficult times and he coached us through good things too, like how to love your friends, your family, yourself and most importantly, to be kind to one another. Now, for the first time ever, Pittsburgh Festival Opera is staging two of Mister Rogers’ 13 operas for our audience to experience in person, Windstorm in Bubbleland and Spoon Mountain. After Windstorm in Bubbleland aired Fred Rogers said, “When a bubble is gone, you don’t see it anymore—with your eyes. And when an opera’s over, you don’t hear it anymore—with your ears. But, you can remember. You can remember what bubbles look like and what operas sound like. And what friends feel like. And you’ll always have them with you—in your memory.” I am so pleased to welcome you, friend, to Pittsburgh Festival Opera’s 42nd season and my first at the helm of this ambitious company—in our beautiful neighborhood of Pittsburgh. I hope that you will take the time to experience all of our Festival programming this summer. Warmest greetings to you and welcome to Pittsburgh Festival Opera!

Christopher M. Powell Executive Director Pittsburgh Festival Opera

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 5 ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

LEADERSHIP Christopher M. Powell Lindsay Lehman Executive Director Associate Artistic Director Jonathan Eaton Victoria Bails Artistic Director Marketing Assistant Robert Frankenberry Iain Crammond Music Director Box Office Manager Roxy MtJoy Robert Chafin Director of Institutional Advancement Young Professional Artist Program Director Anqwenique Kinsel Education Director

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dr. Jerry Clack Mildred Miller Posvar Gail Mosites Chairman* Founder Educator and Singer Dr. Eugene Myers Retired Opera Singer Dr. Etsuro K. Motoyama President Sharon Alvarez Professor Emeritus Distinguished Professor Tom W. Olofson Chair Lana Neumeyer in Entrepreneurship Vice President Medical Center Joseph M. Katz Graduate Neumeyer Environmental Joseph Bielecki School of Business Services. Inc. University of Pittsburgh Vice-President Juddson Poeske Attorney Dr. Roxana Barad Product Manager Physician Clement George Elizabeth Russell Treasurer Dr. Margaretha Retired Educational Senior Associate, Casselbrant Consultant Risk Consulting, PwC Retired Physician Children’s Hospital Dr. James R. Sahovey Carolyn Smith Physician Secretary Demareus N. Cooper Executive Coach Educator and Singer Phyllis J. Sidwell and Educator Educator and Joyce Candi Grove Social Service Consultant Carole L. Kamin Retired Educator Secretary Roseanne Wholey William Guy Executive/Consultant Retired Manager-Buyer Author and Poet Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh * In memoriam

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 6 OPERA PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA

ittsburgh Festival Opera presents innovative opera Pby producing American works, reinterpreting older works, and new works for the widest possible audience. The company focuses on diversity in programming and casting, crossing boundaries and bringing together talents from all the arts, encouraging new talent, and broadening audiences through outreach and education, to create a body of work that is original, entertaining, contemporary, and relevant. The company was founded in 1978 by Mildred Miller Posvar and Helen Knox. Pittsburgh Festival Opera (formerly Opera Theater of Pittsburgh) has been imaginatively led by Artistic Director Jonathan Eaton since 1999. In its over 40-year history, Pittsburgh Festival Opera has presented more than 50 Pittsburgh premieres and 28 world premieres. The Young Professional Artists Program casts new talent in appropriate roles alongside established local and nationally renowned professional artists during the summer season. The Festival produces the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition each autumn.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 7 PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 8 OPERA THE LOVE OF DANAE Friday, July 12 at 7:30 pm Pittsburgh Premiere Music Richard Strauss Libretto Joseph Gregor Orchestration Benjamin Makino English Translation Karin R. Powell Cast Ryan Milstead Mercury Brendan Sliger Pollux Robert Chafin Danae Meghan DeWald Xanthe Melissa McCann Midas Kevin Ray Queen Semele Hannah Brammer Queen Europa Courtney Milstead Queen Alkmene Rebecca Sacks Queen Leda Molly Burke King 1 John Park King 2 Matthew Brooks King 3 Chris Curcuruto King 4 Andrew Potter Guard 1 Mitch Fitzdaniel Guard 2 Marcus Simmons Guard 3 Benjamin Strong Guard 4 Joseph Baunoch Ensemble Amanda Batista, Benjamin Strong, Brendan Sliger, Chelsea Seener, Elizabeth Sywulka, Fulton Eaglin, J. Patrick McGill, Joseph Baunoch, Juwan Johnson, Kristin Starkey, Marcus Simmons, Maria Bozich, Mitch Fitzdaniel, Natalie Butchko, Rhiannon Vaughn, Tianchi Zhang Concert Production

Conductor Benjamin Makino Concert Director Rose Freeman Costume Coordinator Autumn Capocci Lighting Design Bob Steineck and Madeleine Steineck Assistant Conductor/Chorus Master Joseph Bozich Rehearsal Pianist Tingting Yao Stage Manager Katy Click Assistant Stage Managers Lauren Krohn and Layne Preston

Estimated performance time is 3 hours. By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner. The Love of Danae was generously underwritten by Jerry Clack.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 9 DIRECTOR’S NOTES

hough The Love of Danae had its public Tpremiere in 1952, Strauss conceived the opera in 1920 and wrote the opera between 1937–1940. It wasn’t until 1944 that a single private dress rehearsal was performed. Much of the opera’s complex plot merrily teases about greed, money, power, a God’s affection and eventually love. Yet by the third act, we watch Jupiter apologize and atone for his greed for Danae, releasing her to the love that belongs to humanity. The God accepts his loss with a moving farewell. Though the opera combines many Greek myths, the reality of Strauss’ life while he created this opera, (subversively, though unsuccessfully, working to save his daughter-in- law’s immediate family from genocide), proves itself to be just as nuanced and rich as the story itself. Imagining Strauss writing through such difficult times, it is hard not to see the parallels between his own life and his god of gold and what might have been Strauss’s dream that those who abuse power may finally realize their mistakes and make things right in the end. Those who witnessed Strauss greeting the orchestra after the only dress rehearsal of his beloved work, echoed his words, “Perhaps we shall meet again in a better world.” Strauss never got to witness the premiere of The Love of Danae. It is not lost on me that Pittsburgh Festival Opera’s Jerry Clack fought so fiercely for this opera’s production here, but sadly passed before he could experience it. As our world seems to be in an era of escalating complexity, I hope we can take a moment to be grateful for fierce advocates of truth, art and beauty such as Jerry Clack. My hope is that as we tell our stories, we include the struggle amidst the joy. My hope is that you can join me in the goal of my work: To watch opera with the joy of a child, but borrow from it the courage required to keep up the fight. May we meet Richard Strauss and Jerry Clack again in a better world. —Rose Freeman

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 10 OPERA MISTER ROGERS’ OPERAS July 13th, 20th, and 25th at 7:30pm July 14th at 2:00pm World Stage Premiere Music and Libretto by Fred Rogers Adapted and Arranged by Robert Frankenberry Additional Music by Robert Frankenberry Orchestrations by Roger Zahab and Robert Frankenberry Libretto Transcription by Trevor Bonomi Spoon Mountain

Prince Extraordinary Mitch FitzDaniel Betty Green Kara Cornell King Kittypuss Alexander Boyd Commodore Fulton Eaglin Storyteller Marissa Scotti, Alexandra Johnson Natalie Butchko News Reporters Ken Rice and Andy Sheehan Queen Mumsiebelle Adrianna Purple Twirling Kitty Jenna Weaver Wicked Knife and Fork Claire Choquette

Windstorm in Bubbleland

Robert Redgate Alexander Boyd Hildegard Hummingbird Jenna Weaver Betty Kara Cornell Captain B Claire Choquette Friendly Frank the Weather Porpoise Fulton Eaglin W.I. Norton Donovan/The Wind Mitch FitzDaniel Theresa Adrianna Cleveland Three Secretaries/ The Breezettes Marissa Scotti Alexandra Johnson Natalie Butchko

Program continued on next page.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 11 MISTER ROGERS’ OPERAS

Production

Producer Lynne Squilla Director Tomé Cousin Music Director, Arranger, Conductor Robert Frankenberry Projection Scenic Design and Video Joseph Seamans Lighting Designer Bob Steineck Costume Designer Anthony Sirk Costume Construction Autumn Capocci Hair and Makeup Designer Jina Pounds Stage Manager Katy Click Assistant Stage Managers Lauren Krohn and Carly Valdez

Grand Performance Rights and additional creative support for The Fred Rogers’ Operas were underwritten by Jamini Davies. Photography is provided by Terry Clark, Lynn Johnson, Jim Judkis and The Fred Rogers Company.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 12 OPERA PROGRAM NOTES

he two operas being staged this season by TPittsburgh Festival Opera: Spoon Mountain and Windstorm in Bubbleland, originally appeared on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood in the late 1980s and were examples of Fred Rogers’ desire to introduce children to quite sophisticated musical forms on his popular PBS children’s program. Fred Rogers composed 13 operas for his television program, all of which contained important lessons about kindness, respect, sharing, patience and forgiveness that both children and adults could understand. Pittsburgh Festival Opera is honored to be re-imagining these two works for the stage, under the direction of Tomé Cousin, who played the character of Ragdoll Tomé on the Neighborhood, with expanded musical score and voice parts by Music Director Robert Frankenberry. Project Producer Lynne Squilla and Projection Scenic Designer Joe Seamans also worked with Fred Rogers on the Neighborhood program and on his PBS documentaries and educational productions. From The Good Neighbor: The Life and Work of Fred Rogers by Maxwell King: “Fred Rogers’ operas, often wacky and highly imaginative, show-cased his musical abilities as well as the talents of his cast. The rotating cast included John Reardon, an accomplished with the in New York, who’d known Fred Rogers since their student days at Rollins College in Florida, as well as other members of the Neighborhood’s core troupe, such as Betty Aberlin, Don Brockett, Chuck Aber, Joe Negri, Audrey Roth, Bob Trow, François Clemmons, and Michael Horton, a trained opera singer who was behind the scenes doing puppet voices.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 13 PROGRAM NOTES CONTINUED

According to Horton: “… all Fred ever did was write down melody lines. In many ways, it was pretty much an improvisation, because everyone would get together at a table read, and then when it came time for you to sing your part, Fred had worked it out ahead of time with [Music Director/ pianist/composer] Johnny Costa and the trio, knowing what direction he wanted it to go in. It was this great collaborative process that sort of unfolded in real time.” Critic Joyce Millman noted on Salon.com in 1999: “These trippy productions about windstorms in Bubbleland and Wicked Knife and Fork Man’s tormenting of the happy Spoon people were a cross between the innocently disjointed imaginings of a preschooler and some avant-gardeopus by John Adams.”

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 14 OPERA DIRECTOR’S NOTES

ike most Baby Boomers, I, too, grew up L watching the iconic children’s television program hosted by Fred Rogers as his on- screen persona, the friendly, caring Mister Rogers. Mr. Rogers, along with a host of neighborhood and puppet characters, pioneered high quality children’s edcuational television on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which was produced since the late 1960s at WQED right here in Pittsburgh. I personally had the very unique experience of being an inspiration for Fred to create a new character for the television program, Ragdoll Tomé. Ragdoll became the popular play toy and pretend real life friend of the puppet Prince Tuesday in the Neighborhood of Make Believe. On filming breaks during my tenure with the program, Fred, Johnny Costa (The program’s musical director) and I would have discussions on a wide range of subjects. The topics included fishing, swimming, limericks, pets, cooking, and one day even the mystic poet Rumi’s works, but I don’t ever recall discussing music, let alone operas. So imagine my surprise and delight at being informed that there were not just one or two operas but thirteen! Thirteen Fred Rogers operas produced between 1968 and 1986 and a full play in 1989. Amazing. How fortuitous that Producer Lynne Squilla (who also worked with Fred Rogers) and PFO Artistic Director Jonathan Eaton felt inspired to investigate producing two of Fred’s operas, and then seek me out to direct! Fred’s timeless messages of universal acceptance, the importance of listening and his commitments to the building and nurturing of friendships, are embedded throughout these operas. I’m certain Fred would be very happy that you are here, neighbors, and that his works are continuing to educate, uplift and connect us all. —Tomé Cousin, Director

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 15 THE VALKYRIE July 19th and 27th at 7:30pm July 21st at 2:00pm Music and Libretto Richard Wagner Arranger/Orchestrator Jonathan Dove English Translation Andrew Porter Cast

Siegmund William Joyner Sieglinde Elisabeth Rosenberg Hunding Andrew Potter Wotan Jeremy Galyon Brünnhilde Melanie Henley Heyn Fricka Leah Heater Helmwige Hanna Brammer Gerhilde Maria Bozich Ortlinde Amanda Levy Grimherde Rebecca Sacks Rossweisse Megan Potter Waltraute Kelly Lynch Schwertleite Kristin Starkey Supernumeraries Randi Daffner, Angela Hsu, Krista Ivan, Frank McAleavy, Regan Scott Montaja Simmons, Russell Wilner Production Conductor Walter Morales Director Jonathan Eaton Scenic and Costume Designer Danila Korogodsky Lighting Designer Bob Steineck Costume Construction Autumn Capocci Hair and Makeup Designer Jina Pounds Assistant Director Joshua May Assistant Conductor and Rehearsal Pianist Stephen Variames Stage Manager Carly Valdez Assistant Stage Managers Arwen Kozak and Layne Preston Fight Choreographer Randy Kovitz

Estimated performance time is 3 hours. The Valkyrie will be performed with one 15 minute intermission.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 16 OPERA DIRECTOR’S NOTES

n our designs the four operas of Wagner’s Ring Cycle Iare set in a place where time and space began, amid the sands of centuries, on the shoulders of eons of generations of species that have gone before. The story lines of the four operas follow the dying struggles of an old corrupt order and the birthing of a new order. These death-and-birth-struggles focus round a central conflict: the love of power versus the power of love. Deeply embedded in the story lines are philosophical dilemmas of determinism versus free will and moral struggles of egocentricity versus altruistic love. In the old-world order, immortals and supra-humans compete to determine how the world will continue. The world has several different species of beings. There are gods (or perhaps more aptly named, since they enjoy no omnipotence, immortals) led by Wotan. It is Wotan’s job to maintain the order and balance of his world, which is held together by treaties and laws. Wotan has great power but is limited by the order he is in power to protect. He has to learn how to exercise power responsibly, with ethical consistency, and beyond the trammels of ego. There are Nibelung dwarves, led by Alberich, who briefly gains terrible power by forswearing love and forging the Rhinemaidens’ gold into a ring, and continues to represent a powerful malignancy throughout the cycle. There is Erda, a sort of earth mother and seer who interprets the fabric of the universe, reads the threads of time and destiny. She is a powerful counterbalance to Wotan—an anima to his animus, and with her ability to read the future, a pillar of determinism in a world reaching for freedom of will. The operas are also peopled with giants, an ancient race and declining part of the world compact, and other elemental and natural spirits, such as Rhinemaidens or wood-birds. All these lesser characters are largely unable to see beyond their own immediate urges and needs. And there are mortal humans, the new boys on the block. Innocent, free-acting humans are seen by Wotan as the only viable future opposition to Alberich. However, the human race seems still to be in its infancy—it hasn’t developed yet to

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 17 DIRECTOR’S NOTES CONTINUED become a powerful part of a new world order—and hasn’t yet developed an ability to function freely without self- interest or self-deception, to act out of selfless love. Wotan is the guardian of the laws of the existing old order, and his spear or staff is the codex of those laws. Wotan breaks his trust several times early on, most notably in seizing the ring initially for himself. To side-step the consequences of his misdealing he tries repeatedly to create new races to help defend and ultimately redeem the immortals. The Valkyries are his daughters born of Erda, and Siegmund and Sieglinde are his twins born of the mortal Wälsung clan. Wotan cannot breed his new races alone, he is not an omnipotent god, and needs the female gods and mortal women too—hence part of the hold Fricka has over him: the mingling of genes is also governed by rules of moral consistency, by the dependence and responsibility of male to female, or of ‘marriage’. Alberich becomes Wotan’s nemesis—and each antagonist sees elements of himself in the other. Wotan too forgoes love, even if he does not forswear it, and sacrifices Siegmund and Brünnhilde. Wotan begins to see himself as the Nibelung’s alter-ego, calling himself “Light-Alberich”. Alberich is a formidable and complex opponent: in his renunciation of love he is invested with magnificence as well as malignity. The similarity of the Valhalla and Ring motifs also might suggest that Wotan and Alberich are two sides of the same coin. Sight, clear sight, becomes a key symbol in the piece: Erda has power because she is a seer, she has a sight that transcends that of Wotan. However, her vision is part of a determinist world—her view of the future ends, terrifyingly for her, at the point where Wotan decides to break with the old order and try to engineer a world where free will reigns. Part of Wotan’s early frustration is that he cannot see clearly; he sees enough to know he and his kind are doomed, and not enough to see a clear way forward—here he experiences terrible impotence and frustration. This makes him fractious, unpredictable, willful, destructive—carrying out dreadful vengeance

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 18 OPERA DIRECTOR’S NOTES CONTINUED on his half-breed offspring Siegmund and Brünnhilde. Part of his dilemma lies in his need to create a free being with free will who can redeem the gods—and his early inability to step back from intervening in that free being’s destiny. In Valkyrie he tries to load the dice in favor of his offspring. Eventually he realizes this is self- defeating: “A free man creates himself: those I create are merely slaves.” “I cannot father a son who is free.” His journey ends when he sets up a confrontation with Siegfried which Wotan plans to lose. Forcing Siegfried to defeat him and break the spear that enshrines the old order means Siegfried will have complete freedom of action to establish a new order—but, alas, Siegfried turns out not yet to have freedom from the deceptions and depredations of ego and passion, and many of the decisions he will make in the last opera will prove destructive. Brünnhilde is the immortal who is deprived of her godhood and becomes mortal—and with it discovers the joys and terrible egoistic passions of human love. Apparently betrayed by Siegfried, she discovers a murderous need in herself for revenge. She struggles towards a more selfless love in choosing to sacrifice herself on Siegfried’s funeral pyre. Thereby she will also purge the ring of its evil and allow it to be returned to the Rhinemaidens. The flames of the pyre will also burn down Valhalla and the world of the immortals. And afterwards, what is left? In the story-line of the operas, Alberich survives—but remains mute. So, presumably, does Loge, half-god of fire. The immortals are gone. Siegfried and Brünnhilde leave behind no offspring. Is the new order one in which man has redeemed the gods? One where love vanquishes power, altruism liberates the ego? Or is it, in typical grand German Romantic style, a Liebestod—a love-death—in which consummation can only be achieved in oblivion? Would Wotan, I wonder, be proud of this world we inhabit, which mortal man has inherited and fashioned? There are no answers—but there is the music. And the music at the end of Twilight of the Gods is transcendent. Let us continue to hope. —Jonathan Eaton

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 19 HISTORICAL NOTES

agner began the text for his Ring cycle in 1848—a Wyear of international revolution against aristocratic overlords which was followed, largely, by a reinforcing of the old order. His sources include five epic sagas, in Icelandic, Middle High German, and Old Norse, all dating from 13th century. He also acknowledged the influence of Aeschylus’ Oresteia and Prometheus plays. The texts of the operas were written in reverse order, starting with The Death of Siegfried (which became Twilight of the Gods), then Young Siegfried (subsequently entitled Siegfried), then Valkyrie then Rhinegold. Having completed the first draft of the four operas he then retrospectively changed the ending, consigning the gods and their order to perish in the flames of Valhalla. The music was then written ‘forwards’, starting with Rhinegold in 1853. From start to end the overall composition took 26 years, with the first complete cycle being performed in 1876.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 20 OPERA SCANDALS July 26th at 7:30pm July 28th at 2:00pm Scandals–a preface to Schicchi. Puccini revealed, reviled or redeemed? A new music drama by Jonathan Eaton With music by Giacomo Puccini Cast

Giacomo Puccini Joel Balzun Dante Alighieri Christopher Curcuruto Doria Manfredi Chelsea Seener Giulia Manfredi Rhiannon Vaughn Corinna Anush Avetisyan Elvira Bonturi Jennifer Noel Fosca Melissa McCann Maria Amanda Levy Doctor/Pathologist Marcus Simmons Ricordi Joseph Baunoch Iginia Maria Bozich Antonio Puccini Matthew Brooks Arturo Toscanini Mitch FitzDaniel Emmy Emmy

Production

Director Jonathan Eaton Musical Director Brent McMunn Associate Directors Derrick Brown and Joshua May Pianist Hyerim Song Lighting Designer Madeleine Steineck Costume Designer Autumn Capocci Hair and Makeup Designer Jina Pounds Stage Manager Arwen Kozak Assistant Stage Manager Layne Preston

Estimated performance time is 1 hour.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 21 DIRECTOR’S NOTES

ittsburgh Festival Opera is happy to present the Pworld premiere of a new music drama incorporating some of Giacomo Puccini’s best-loved music. Scandals serves as a First Act preceding Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, which follows then as the Second Act. While based on real events in Puccini’s life, all dialogue, characters and scenes in the play are imaginary. Scandals explores some newly revealed scandals in Puccini’s life and sets them against some of his operatic achievements. It starts at Puccini’s deathbed, in an imaginary scene with the master surrounded by family and friends, both dead and alive. Puccini expects of course upon his death to rise straight to heaven—but Dante Alighieri, creator of the original story to Gianni Schicchi, (and for that matter, something of a creator of the mythology of hell) has other ideas: Purgatory is where Puccini belongs. The composer tries to justify himself, setting out examples of his operatic repertoire (sung by all the relatives and friends on stage, who double as characters in his operas) to plead his case. All these are countered by Dante, who consigns Puccini to ever-deepening circles of hell. Puccini makes a final plea: if nothing else in his oeuvre serves to redeem him, how about Gianni Schicchi—the comic opera inspired by Dante himself, which (though full of greed and fraud) pleads the case for the sanctity of young love—and the heroine doesn’t die?! Puccini calls for a performance of Gianni Schicchi to prove his case, which becomes the second Act of the evening—at the end of which Dante must rule: does the composer merit redemption or damnation?

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 22 OPERA GIANNI SCHICCHI July 20th and 21st at 8:00pm July 26th at 7:30pm July 28th at 2:00pm Music Giacomo Puccini Libretto Giovacchino Forzano English Translation Anne and Herbert Grossman Cast

Gianni Schicchi Joel Balzun Lauretta Anush Avetisyan Zita Danielle Wright Rinuccio Tianchi Zhang Gherardo Brendan Sliger Nella Chelsea Seener Gherardino Evangeline Sereno Betto di Signa Marcus Simmons Simone Joseph Baunoch Marco Christopher Curcuruto La Ciesca Elizabeth Sywulka Maestro Spinelloccio Juwan Johnson Ser Amantio di Nicolao J. Patrick McGill Pinellino Benjamin Strong Guccio Rhiannon Vaughan

Production

Conductor Brent McMunn Director Derrick R. Brown Costume Designer Autumn Capocci Lighting Designer Madeleine Steineck Hair and Makeup Designer Jina Pounds Assistant Conductor Joseph Bozich Rehearsal Pianist Hyerim Song Stage Manager Arwen Kozak Assistant Stage Manager Layne Preston Orchestra Reduction Tony Burke, Pocket Productions

Gianni Schicchi was generously underwritten by Phyllis Sidwell. Estimated performance time is 1 hour. By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 23 PROGRAM NOTES

n December 14, 1918—just over one month after Othe armistice ending World War I had been signed—the Metropolitan Opera gave the premiere of Puccini’s operatic triple bill, Il Trittico. The composer was not present as concerns over mines remaining in the ocean had prohibited travel. Puccini wrote to the Met’s general manager Giulio Gatti-Casazza shortly before the performance, saying, “Could I have foreseen the sudden collapse of our enemies, I certainly should have been helping celebrate the glorious victory in New York.” Though the composer initially expressed his wishes that the trio of one-acts should only be performed together, in 1921 he consented to allow them to be separated and performed as stand-alone pieces. In addition to the significant difficulties (to say nothing of the expense) presented in casting and rehearsing three distinct operas with large casts and wide-ranging vocal requirements, Puccini wrote to one of his librettists, Giuseppe Adami, of a further factor in the decision: “In Bologna, (the three operas) seemed to me to be as long as a transatlantic cable!” Certainly many found the brutally veristic story of Il Tabarro sordid and off-putting; Puccini wrote that “this red stain needs to be counterbalanced” by “something elevated.” His choice for this foil was the lyric tragedy Suor Angelica, which he considered to be the most successful of the three new operas. The public, however, declared otherwise, giving it an icy reception. Time has decidedly reversed that decision. For the third opera, Puccini turned to Dante’s Divine Comedy, writing to his librettist, “After Il Tabarro, so dark and brooding I feel the need to have some fun. You won’t hold it against me, my dear friend, if I give it all to Gianni Schicchi.” Absolutely no one held it against him. Gianni Schicchi was immediately recognized by audience and critics alike as one of the great operatic comedies, despite the gallows humor presented by a talking cadaver. Among the many delights presented by this score are the wildly popular aria, “O mio babbino caro,” virtuosic ensemble writing for the greedy family members, and lush orchestral evocations of the waters of the Arno.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 24 OPERA EDUCATION OVERVIEW

ince our founding 41 years ago, Pittsburgh Festival Opera has remained committed Sto providing quality arts education programs to youth, teachers and families in Western PA. Over the past 10 years through our Opera Tots!, Opera in the Schools and other outreach programs, we are proud to have served more than 15,000 children and over 1,200 educators in Pittsburgh. Hailed as a model for early childhood arts education by Opera America, these programs continue to teach opera as a creative tool for learning that aids in long term academic success for all children. It’s through the Opera Tots! classroom residency program, that many children in Western, PA schools have their first experiences with opera.

Learning through music is a time-honored and powerful educational tradition. Opera is for everyone, especially young people. The Opera in the Schools program includes in-school visits with artists, teacher’s guide, a fully staged production and transportation to the theater.

To learn more about our education programs and how to get PFO Kids at your school, please contact Education Director Anqwenique Kinsel [email protected]

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 25

THE ENCHANTED FOREST

Soprano Caryn Crozier Mezzo Claire Choquette Shaqui Scott Baritone Hayden Keefer Pianist Agnieszka Sornek

Director Seamus Ricci Set & Costume Design Elizabeth Rishel Music Director Anqwenique Kinsel

Composers W.A. Mozart, Bizet, Gilbert & Sullivan, Puccini, Donizetti and Verdi Original story and lyrics Anna Young of Nashville Opera

THE STORY

e start our journey as the lead to the dragon! They must find a way to W(chosen by the audience) and fight off danger, save the forest, and face his/her best friend, Bumble, begin their fears. to search the enchanted forest for the The nature of a choose-your-own- fire-breathing dragon. Bumble and the adventure is to leave some of the story lead notice dragon tracks leading them up to chance. That means, we can’t deep into the forest. Soon after, we are give everything away in our synopsis. introduced to another character who However, before your performance, try seems to have a secret. (You’ll have to guess what you think might happen. to wait for your show to find out what Will the dragon be stopped? What is exactly it is!) the secret our mysterious character is The new character has a sudden crush keeping? How in the world do you fight a on the lead and is very happy to join dragon in an enchanted forest? Use your the other two in search of the dragon. imagination to answer these questions Of course, there are twists and turns and see if you were right! which eventually lead the cast directly

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 27 MUSIC THAT MATTERS: NEW OPERA WORKSHOPS July 24th at 7:30pm

The Night Flight of Minerva’s Owl

Composer Guang Yang Librettist Paula Cizmar

Virgula Divina

Composer Karen Brown Librettist Jessica Lanay Moore

Music That Matters Series In 2014 Pittsburgh Festival Opera launched its Music that Matters series, with the goal of commissioning new operas that address important societal issues, and how those issues affect the people of western Pennsylvania. The process generally follows a two or three year cycle in order to fully realize, workshop and provide feedback to young creative teams of composers, librettists, directors and designers. Developmental workshops are conducted in the first year in an effort to introduce the subject matter to local audiences and solicit feedback to guide the artistic team. With the feedback from the workshop process, the work is further refined, developed, and a premiere is scheduled in a subsequent year.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 28 OPERA INDIVIDUAL CONTRIBUTORS

Trustee’s Circle ($50,000+) Drs. Robert and Janet Squires Ansley Robin Mary Reynolds Ralph Roskies Jerry Clack* Denman Zirkle David Sandborg Dan and Carole Kamin Anonymous Contributor ($250+) Director’s Circle Anonymous Gwendolyn Schmidt ($10,000+) Jane Arkus Drs. Robert Croan and Preston and Annette Shimer Hans and Leslie Fleischner Michael Feldman Joseph Spirer William and Victoria Guy Michelle Ann Duralia Peter Staffel Phyllis Sidwell Barrett and Laura Freedlander Bob and Jane Steineck Arlyn Gilboa Margaret Tarpey and Artist’s Circle ($5000+) David Green Bruce Freeman Jamini V. Davies Thomas McCaffrey Barbara Thompson Dr. Etsuro Motoyama David Plecenik Erik Wagner Dr. and Mrs. Eugene and Tor Richter and Karen Esch George and Jana Walczak Barbara Myers* Mary Lee Stenson Anita Watts Sandra Vaughan-Inman Dr. Terence Zuber Ovation Society ($3,000+) Naomi Yoran Sandie Brand Sharon Alvarez Associate ($100+) Friends Arthur Kerr, Jr. Kenneth Manders and Mark Abramowitz Linda Bamberg Weia Boelema Kathleen Boykin Scott J. Bell Steven and Gail Mosites, Jr. Leslie Brockett Elizabeth L. Birru Dr. and Mrs. Mark and David Carcy Jeffrey Borrebach Roseanne Wholey Rosemary Coffey Marie Byrne Joseph Bielecki* Donna Close Margaret Campbell Dr. James Sahovey Demareus Cooper J. Alan Crittenden Joyce Candi Grove* David D’Emilio Susan Delaney Dr. Roxana Barad William Dieterle Richard and Sandy Ekstrom Robert and Marsha Fidoten Jenn Fary Patron ($1000+) Dina Fulmer Jim Ferlo Lauren Gailey Kenneth Frankenbery Kenneth Brand Bernard Goldstein Mr. & Dr. Lawrence and Jane Breck Frances Galardi Stuart Gaul Michele Gray-Schaffer Dr. Margaretha Casselbrant* James Greenberg Christopher Donahue Gabriella Gosman Leonie Heystek Gordon Haw Anthony Figurelli* John Heath Clement George* James Hune Patricia Jennings Katherine Holter Julian Gil Peggi Kelley Mark Mazur Elizabeth Kennard Milton Kimura Amy Kellman Mary E. Myers James Kerr Lana Neumeyer Claudia Kirkpatrick Takako Kiyota Michael Lewis Juddson Poeske Dr. Katia Lewis-Sycara Mildred Posvar* Joan Kolonay Curtis Kovach and Fran Czak Anne Lynch Dr. Keith Richmond Ronald Mack Elizabeth Russell and Linda Natho Alan and Vivian Lawsky Margaretha Levinson Sarah Macmillen Dr. E. Ronald Salvitti Joanne Martin Edward Sorr Kathryn Logan Dr. & Mrs. Robert and Nancy McGill Bud and Carolyn Smith Daniel McTiernan David Sogg Marsha Lowenstein Elaine Luther Christine Michaels Thomas and Diane Stanley Dr. Ingrid Naugle Sidney Stark David Majka Susan Mcgregor-Laine Bonnie Resinski Benefactor ($500+) Nicholas Miskovsky Brett Rutherford Janet Moritz Peter and Susan Smerd Susan Campbell and Patrick Curry David Nimick Peggy Smyrnes-Williams Nancy Coleman Timothy Nye Anonymous James Crockard Georgia Petropoulos Marvin M. Wedeen Alison Kresh Christopher M. Powell Lawrence Yagoda Wesley William Posvar Robert Young *Mildred Miller Posvar Legacy Society Contributions made from June 1, 2017 through May 31, 2019. For corrections or information about making a tax-deductible gift to Pittsburgh Festival Opera, please contact Director of Institutional Advancement Roxy MtJoy at 412-621-1499. Please check to see if your employer offers a matching gift program. RING LEADERS

n recognition of their generous support of The Ring Fund, we thank the Ifollowing Ring Leaders:

Mark Abramowitz Mark Heine Georgia Petropoulos Douglas Ahlstedt Leonie Heystek David Plecenik Jane Arkus Katherine Holter Mildred Posvar Linda Bamberg Mary Hosler Wesley William Posvar Roxana Barad Alison Huettner Aron and Karen Primack Joseph Bielecki Dan and Carole Kamin Ansley Robin Weia Boelema Elizabeth Kennard Ralph Roskies Lawrence and Jane Breck Arthur Kerr, Jr. Joy Sabl Margaret Campbell Takako Kiyota-Petek James Sahovey Susan Campbell and George and Joan Kolonay Gwendolyn Schmidt Patrick Curry Josephine Kost Martin and Dolores Schultz Margaretha Casselbrant Alison Kresh Dylan Shaffer Rosemary Coffey Kathryn Logan Stephen Shaner Nancy Coleman Elaine Luther Annette Shimer Nancy Condee Gwen MacDonald Bud and Carolyn Smith Demareus Cooper Kenneth Manders David Sogg Hope Cottrill Mark Mazur Edward Sorr Robert Croan and Douglas McGill Robert and Janet Squires Michael Feldman Barbara McKenna Peter Staffel David D’Emilio Amy Minter Thomas and Diane Stanley Jamini V. Davies Nicholas Miskovsky Sidney Stark William and Nancy Dieterle Gail Mosites Jane Steineck Karen Drilling Marian Mosites Robert Swendsen Charles Felix Etsuro Motoyama Margaret Tarpey Claire Floyd Roxy MtJoy Barbara Thompson Robert Frankenberry Eugene and Barbara Myers Pat Truschel Mark Freeman Mary E. Myers Sandra Vaughan-Inman Dina Fulmer Ingrid Naugle George Walczak Lauren Gailey Lana Neumeyer Jeffrey Wigton Frances Galardi Christine Neuwirth Lawrence Yagoda Joyce Candi Grove Joan Nilson Naomi Yoran William and Victoria Guy Jesse Njus Roger Zahab Kathleen Hann George Parous Terence Zuber Fil and Jana Hearn

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 30 OPERA GIFTS

Pittsburgh Festival Opera has received gifts IN HONOR OF: Dr. Margaretha Casselbrant by Carol Caroselli Pete Geissler by David Green Dr. Eugene and Barbara Myers by The Pittsburgh Foundation Roxy MtJoy by Alison Kresh Mildred Miller Posvar by Paul Gitnik Margaret Absalom Patricia Jennings Phyllis Sidwell by John D. Culbertson Sidney Stark by Susan and Peter Smerd Barrett and Laura Freedlander Lynne Squilla by Jamini V. Davies Pittsburgh Festival Opera has received gifts IN MEMORY OF: John Close by Donna Close Jerry Clack by Timothy Nye Anita Watts FESTIVAL OPERA FANS estival Opera Fans is a membership group of loyal supporters of Pittsburgh FFestival Opera to stimulate interest for opera through volunteerism; to expand access to opera in the greater Pittsburgh community; to explore the intersection of opera with other art forms through fun and informative social events; and to create new revenue streams to benefit the health of the Festival. Members enjoy invitations, discounts and early access to special events and activities throughout the calendar year. Annual membership is just $40 per person and $75 for two memberships in the same household. For membership inquiries, contact Debra Schurko at [email protected]. Current membership:

Debra Schurko, William Guy Gail Mosites Dr. James Sahovey President Carole Kamin Dr. Etsuro Alton Schadt Nardo Berardinelli Motoyama Lee Knox Dolores Schultz Joseph Bielecki Dr. Eugene N. Myers Robert Lowenstein Carolyn Smith Jane Breck MD Millie Myers Desiree Soteres Peppino Esposito Elaine Luther Lana Neumeyer Barbara Thompson Jim Ferlo Kathleen Manukyan Marilyn Painter David Thompson Tao Flaherty Lisa McElhattan Mary Ellen Petrisko Robert Thompson Clement George Douglas McGill David Plecenik George Walczak Pamela Groff Susan Meadowcroft Juddson Poeske Karen Miller Elizabeth Russell

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 31 HOST FAMILIES

ach spring, Pittsburgh Festival Opera is searching for host families to join our artist housing Enetwork. Becoming a host allows Pittsburgh Festival Opera to bring in many talented opera singers, directors and crew members. By opening up your home to one or more of these artists, you can provide a safe and comfortable space for an artist while also getting to know one of opera’s stars of tomorrow. Donor Host Perks: Host families receive complimentary tickets to Pittsburgh Festival Opera productions and invitations to special events with the artists, including the closing night cast party. A deeper benefit is the opportunity to build a personal relationship with a young artist who might soon be performing in the world’s great opera houses. “Craig and I have enjoyed housing Young Artists for the past seven years, and these young artists have richly enhanced our lives. I think you would enjoy having young artists in your home and will enjoy hearing the music and the sounds that come out of these young people when they are practicing in your home and performing on the Pittsburgh Festival Opera stage.”—Dan Catanzaro Dr. Sergey and Marina Belenky Susan Loucks Gail and Steve Mosites Jamini Davies Weia Boelema and Kenneth Manders John Paredes Lynne Flavin Lara Lynn and Doug McGill Lynn and Brian Schreiber Bronwyn Hagerty Dan Catanazaro and Susan and Peter Smerd Craig McDonald SEASON SPONSORS Foundations The Alan L. and Barbara B. The Dorothy M. Froelich PNC Foundation Ackerman Foundation Chairitable Trust PNC Charitable Trusts Amazon Smile Foundation The Grable Foundation Ryan Memorial Foundation Bloomberg Philanthropies The Heinz Endowments W. I. Patterson Charitable Fund The Henry C. Frick Elsie H. Hillman Foundation Women & Girls Foundation Educational Fund of Muse Foundation The Buhl Foundation Opportunity Fund The J. Christopher Donahue & Ann C. Donahue The Pittsburgh Foundation Charitable Fund Corporate Federated Investors Hirtle Callaghan Three Rivers Packaging First Commonwealth Bank Merrill Lynch UPMC Frank B. Fuhrer Muddy Creek Energy UPMC Health Plan Wholesale Company Richard Bocking Winery Government PA Council on the Arts Allegheny Regional Asset District

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 32 OPERA SPECIAL THANKS

Elizabeth Birru Dr. Scott D. Fech, PNC Grow Up Great Head of School and BOOM Concepts The Faculty, Staff and Matt Shiels Administration of Blender, Inc. Anna Singer Winchester Thurston Brashear High School School Tesla Dionne Brelsford Fred Rogers Productions The United Way Carlow University The Frick Pittsburgh University of Pittsburgh Drama Department Carnegie Mellon Hope Academy University Urban Impact Foundation KDKA TV Anchor School of Drama Performing Arts Ken Rice Carnegie Stage Ustianochka Vodka KDKA TV Dan Catanzaro and Investigative Reporter Margy Whitmer Craig McDonald Andy Sheehan Winchestor Thurston Jim Cunningham Suzanne Masri School East Liberty KingView Mead Woodland Hills Presbyterian Church High School Pittsburgh Playwrights Paul and Mai-Lan Fagan Theatre Roger Zahab

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 33 FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA

Violin I Harp Jason Neukom, Andrew Kohn Marissa Knaub Avon Concertmaster Jesica Sharp Crewe Percussion Anne Moskal, Flute Kevin Danchik Concertmaster Josephine Kost Piano/Keyboard John Lardinois Julie McGough Rebecca Neukom Hyerim Song Oboe Stephen Variames Violin II Scott J. Bell Ruirun Xun Sandro Leal Tingting Yao Santiesteban Clarinet Ashley Freeburn Mary Beth Malek Librarian Aviva Hakanoglu Rachel Cohen Jay Koziorynsky Maureen Conlon Bassoon Caitlin Hedge David Sogg Viola Horn Jason Hohn Rana Jurjus Sean Neukom Lindsey Nova Maija Anstine Deborah McDowell Jay Koziorynsky Trumpet/Flugelhorn The musicians employed Cello Josh Boudreau in Pittsburgh Festival Elisa Kohanski Trombone Opera productions Will Teegarden Kevin McManus are members of the Ryan Ash American Federation of Nadine Sherman Tuba/Bass Trumpet Musicians of the United Katya Janpoldyan Samuel Buccigrossi States and Canada.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 34 OPERA FESTIVAL PRODUCTION STAFF

ADMINISTRATION Faculty Stage Manager Company Management Joel Balzun Katy Click and Arts Administration Robert Chafin Assistant Stage Managers Intern Demareus Arwen Kozak Elizabeth Sloan Naomi Cooper Lauren Krohn Tomé Cousin Music, Orchestra, Layne Preston Kara Cornell Carly Valdez and Artistic Jane Eaglen Administration Intern Jonathan Eaton Lighting Designers Nolan Carbin Robert Frankenberry Bob Steineck Box Office Manager Jeremy Galyon Madeleine Steineck Iain Crammond William Joyner Electrics Interns Kelly Lynch Box Office Zach Benton Benjamin Makino Michael Baim Assistant Manager Anna Singer Alexandra Johnson Kaitlyn Kunz Coach, Nina Minnelli Box Office Interns Mastersingers Project Head of Wardrobe Claire Kim Eric Weimer Allison Roup Autumn Capocci Head Coach Costume Interns Development and Stephen Variames Special Events Intern Jordyn Averitte Katelyn Clement Maya Patrick PRODUCTION Gabriela Schunn YOUNG PROFESSIONAL Production Manager Dresser ARTISTS PROGRAM Holly Breuer Stephanie Bragel Director Technical Director Head of Hair and Makeup Robert Chafin Charles Lockridge Jina Pounds Artistic Director, Carpentry Interns Hair and Makeup Intern Mastersingers Project Kelsey Garber Izzy Kitsch Jane Eaglin Kyle O’Connor Shannon Siebel Assistant Director, Mastersingers Project Props Master Danielle Wright Rachel Ferrari Engel Young Professional Artists Program Intern Anissa Clay

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 35 ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

JONATHAN EATON (The Valkyrie) has served as Artistic Director of Pittsburgh Festival Opera since 1999, and has led the company in presenting varied and unusual repertoire as well as reimagined classics. Notable productions have included the world’s first Eco-opera A New Kind of Fallout by Lyons and Ryan, Weill’s Lost in the Stars conducted by Julius Rudel, a historic revival of Duke Ellington’s Beggar’s Holiday, and Daron Hagen’s Shining Brow, an opera about Frank Lloyd Wright, which was performed on the terraces of the architect’s iconic house, Fallingwater. Among the forty or more productions he has directed for Pittsburgh Festival Opera are Wagner’s complete Ring Cycle in Jonathan Dove’s reduced orchestration with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and Weill’s Die Bürgschaft/The Bond, which was subsequently chosen to open the Kurt Weill Festival in Dessau, , in 2003. In 2010 he spearheaded the company’s transition into becoming a summer festival, also founding a summer Young Artists Program and International Voice Competition. Eaton has also directed widely in opera houses throughout North America and Europe. His work was seen at the Lincoln Center every year for fifteen years at Opera, with Turandot, , and celebrated productions of and I , which were televised for nationwide broadcast on “Great Performances Live from Lincoln Center.” He has also directed for the Chicago Lyric, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Diego, Kentucky, Indianapolis, and Memphis opera companies, and the Santa Fe and Spoleto festivals. In Canada he has directed for the Canadian Opera and Vancouver Opera; in Britain, he has directed at the Royal Opera Covent Garden, English National Opera, Welsh National Opera, and Opera North; in Germany he has directed for the Hannover, Dessau, Würzburg, and Bielefeld operas and the Bochumer Symphoniker. He has also directed at the Netherlands Opera, and in France for the opera companies of Nantes, Lyons, and Nancy.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 36 OPERA ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

In addition to his work for Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Eaton served as Artistic and Stage Director of !SING– DAY OF SONG for Ruhr 2010 Cultural Capital of Europe. He led a series of projects over three years related to singing, which culminated in June 2010 with more than a million people singing in 53 cities simultaneously, and a fully-staged mega-concert with 58,000 singers in the Schalke football stadium in Gelsenkirchen. This project was televised by WDR and broadcast across Europe. Eaton has also directed plays and musicals at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, the Actors Theater Louisville, the Repertory Theater of St. Louis, and the Pittsburgh Playhouse. In addition, Eaton has enjoyed an extended teaching career and served as Professor of Opera at CCM in Cincinnati, and Director of Opera at Carnegie Mellon University and at the Cleveland Institute of Music. He has given masterclasses at many universities and conservatories around America and in Europe. Eaton is currently the Margot and Bill Winspear Chair in Opera Studies at the University of North Texas in Denton.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 37 DIRECTORS

TOMÉ COUSIN (Mister Rogers’ Operas) Tomé Cousin– An “interdisciplinary artist,” heavily influenced by his eclectic range of creative mentors: Susan Stroman, Martha Clarke, George C. Wolfe, Ruth Maleczeh, Wendell Harrington, Luigi, Fred Rogers, John Weidman, Bertrum Ross, Miquel Goudrou, Hector Mercado, Judith Leifer, Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane, Hope Clarke, Charles Mee, Pina Bausch, Theo Bleckmann, Blondell Cummings and Meredith Monk, Tomé views the divisions of the performing arts to be artificial. As a result he has molded an award winning international career that includes collaborations in dance, theater, music, film, photography, television and literature. He holds a Bachelors of Arts in Dance History and Choreography from Point Park University and a Masters of Fine Art in New Media Art and Performance from Long Island University. Additionally he studied at the Museum of Fine Arts (Baltimore), The Bauhaus School (Dessau, Germany), The Alvin Ailey School of American Dance, and The Martha Graham School. For nine seasons Tomé appeared as “Ragdoll Tomé” on PBS’ award winning children’s program Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. Other television appearances include: Sesame Strasse (Germany), Flitterabend (Germany), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC), The Rosie O’Donnell Show (ABC), The Today Show (NBC), The 2000 Tony Awards (CBS), The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (NBC) and Contact Live From Lincoln Center (PBS—2003 Emmy Award Best Live Entertainment). As a choreographer Tomé has received 2 fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, and the Vera and Howard Heinz Foundations to complete a full evening dance/theater work Marathons. He has three commissions from the Lambda Foundation for the presentation of his AIDS awareness dance/theater concerts Wakeup parts I, II, III and his multi media collaborations with Squonk Opera. In addition he is the recipient of four Choreographic/Continuum grants and three Dance/ Theater fellowships from the Pennsylvania Council the Arts. Mr. Cousin has composed over 70 original dance, theater, musical, new opera, film, installation, and site specific works for performance.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 38 OPERA DIRECTORS

Tomé has served as the resident director/choreographer for the Theater At Hartwood Acres with productions of Blues in the Night, Cole, Song and Dance, One Mo Time, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, and Ruthless. He has also served as a resident choreographer for the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Playhouse Theater Co, and City Theater productions of Miss Evers Boys, The 3 Penny Opera, Freedom Train, Pippin, and Cabaret Verboten. As a featured actor he appeared in The Jacksons (An American Dream), a mini-series for ABC television. Tomé was the inspiration for the animated character “Pop Hat” in the Rolling Stone’s video The Harlem Shuffle, directed by animators Ralph Bakshi and John Kricfalusi. He also appeared as a featured model for Gentlemen’s Quarterly Magazine (GQ) Tom Ford for Gucci Fashions, and Rosie O’Donnell’s Rosie Magazine (Gap fashions), and served as a model/subject for interdisciplinary photographer John Lucas. He has been a featured performer with Elton John, RuPaul, Culture Club, Human League, Bruce Springsteen, Grace Jones, Sister Sledge and Nona Hendryx. Tomé was also a featured performer in the national ad campaign for Alize aperitif. Tomé was an original cast member of the Susan Stroman and John Weidman musical Contact (2000 Tony Awards for Best Musical and Choreography) at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, Lincoln Center. Tomé returned to Broadway in 2002 as a featured vocalist in the 20th Anniversary Dreamgirls Concert and CD recording. Currently, Tomé serves as the Directing Supervisor for original director Susan Stroman for her Tony Award winning musical Contact. To date Mr. Cousin has directed five regional productions (Pittsburgh, Norfolk, New York, Boston, Sarasota), and three international companies in Hungary, Korea and Poland. He is the published author of The Total Theater Artist and New Media Performance (2009 Lambert Academic Press). In 2010, Tomé was awarded the SDC Foundation Mike Ockrent Directors Fellowship, for the new John Guare play A Free Man of Color, directed by George C. Wolfe at Lincoln Center Theatre. In 2011, Tomé was the invited special guest instructor for the 7th annual Little Ladies/Little Gentlemen

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 39 DIRECTORS

International Children’s Theatre Festival in Ankara, Turkey. Also, in 2011 Tomé was appointed to the full time faculty at Carnegie Mellon University as an assistant professor in the school of drama. In the spring of 2012, he co-authored/co-directed the revival of June Havoc’s 1963 play Marathon 33 for the Pittsburgh Playhouse and returned in the fall of 2012 to direct/choreograph The Producers for Susan Stroman Productions. Along with the Chinese premier of Contact in Shanghai, China the 2014/2015 season brought the direction of the plays Souvenir and The Wiz, master classes, lectures and direction for the American Dance Machine for the 21st Century in NYC.

ROSE FREEMAN (The Love of Danae) Rose Freeman stage directs and produces theatrical performance in multiple performance mediums. Freeman has created national fine art shows for M Gallery of Fine Art, served as managing producing director for Cerqua Rivera Dance Theatre, and production managed a national tour for Feld Entertainment’s Monster Jam Monster Truck Show. Freeman stage directs space generated theater, burlesque, and opera. She stage directed Vic Mensa’s 2016 Lollapalooza homecoming concert. Previous operatic productions include Nico Muhly’s Dark Sisters, Mohammed Fairouz’s Sumeida’s Song, ’s (all with Third Eye), and Forest Fantasies with Lingerie Lyrique. Notable productions include Caroline Shaul’s The Shaulshank Redemption, Po’Chop’s Black As Eye Wanna Be, Hannah Ii Epstein’s Punk Punk, Pippi’s Lost Stockings: a Burlesque Satire, and Michael Wise’s Alice. Favorite burlesque collaborations include Siren Jinx, Po’Chop, and Mia Divine. Rose is a recovering stage manager with a decade of experience. Hailing from Columbia College Chicago, Freeman is teaching artist with the Chicago Vocal Arts Consortium. She is a company member of Third Eye Theatre Ensemble, Nothing Without a Company, and the DirectorsLabChicago Steering Committee. She has spoken on the emerging artists panel during the 2011 Chicago Theatre Symposium, participated in the 2012 DirectorsLabChicago, and 2017 La MaMa Umbria Intl. Symposium for Directors. Freemanrose.wordpress.com

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 40 OPERA DIRECTORS

DERRICK R. BROWN (Gianni Schicchi, Scandals) Based in Dallas, Texas, Derrick R. Brown works throughout the DFW metroplex and abroad as an up- and-coming stage director, performer, and musicological lecturer. As director he recently presented Gianni Schicchi and Mozart’s Der Schauspieldirektor; he will mount a new production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance this spring, and will make his debut in film presenting an ambitious work bringing Bach’s Cantata 82, Ich habe genug. No stranger to the stage, Derrick was a part of PFO’s 2018 lineup as Schaunard in the touring cast of La Bohème Warhola and as a featured soloist in the Bernstein on Broadway revue. Recent performance credits in both opera and include The Wolf & Cinderella’s Prince (Into the Woods), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Leporello (Don Giovanni), Dick McGann (Weill’s Street Scene), and Mr. Lindquist (Sondheim’s A Little Night Music). Derrick tours locally throughout the DFW area with the contemporary Verdigris Ensemble as they embark on their third season, bringing new music to communities in collaboration with other local artists and media. He gives lectures and pre-show talks for local chamber groups, provides stage movement coachings to students and professionals, and will teach operatic acting this fall at The University of Texas at Arlington. Derrick has a passion for bringing music to new and interesting spaces to raise appreciation for classical music; he has been involved in concerts in private residences, outdoor gardens, shopping malls, movie theaters, art galleries, and has been a part of a concert series held in convenience stores. Derrick received his Masters in Opera performance May 2018 and received recognition as the Most Outstanding Master’s Student in Opera Studies that year.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 41 DIRECTORS

JANE EAGLEN (Artistic Director, The Mastersingers Project) has enjoyed one of the most formidable reputations in opera as a dramatic soprano for the past two decades. Her performances of roles such as Isolde in Tristan und Isolde, the title roles in Puccini’s Turandot, Bellini’s Norma, and Strauss’s , Brünnhilde in Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen have earned her acclaim on stages of the leading opera houses of the world, including the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, , Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Teatro alla Scala, , and L’Opera National de Paris. Other notable roles in her repertoire include the title roles of Tosca (English National Opera as well as in Argentina, Australia, and Japan), La Gioconda (English National Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago), and Donna Anna in Don Giovanni (, English National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera, Teatro Comunale di Bologna, etc.), Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera (Paris and Bologna). She has appeared with many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic conducted by Zubin Mehta (“Immolation” Scene from Götterdämmerung and the final scene from Strauss’s ), Chicago Symphony conducted by Daniel Barenboim (Strauss’s Four Last Songs), Boston Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bernard Haitink (“Immolation” Scene from Götterdämmerung), Orchestra of Santa Cecilia conducted by Daniele Gatti (Verdi Requiem), Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 conducted by Klaus Tennstedt, Schoenberg’s Gurre-Lieder conducted by Claudio Abbado for the Salzburg and Edinburgh Festivals, plus concert performances of Die Walküre and Götterdämmerung with the Gurzenich Orchestra of Cologne conducted by James Conlon.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 42 OPERA DIRECTORS

Eaglen’s extensive discography includes a number of solo albums for Sony Classical: “Arias by Wagner and Bellini:” “Arias by Strauss and Mozart;” “Strauss’ Four Last Songs” (which includes Wagner’s Wesendonck Lieder and Berg’s Seven Early Songs), and “Italian Opera Arias.” The complete recording of Wagner’s Tannhäuser conducted by Daniel Barenboim for Teldec earned her a Grammy Award. She was awarded the Sir Reginald Goodall Memorial Award for Outstanding Service to Wagner and his music by the Wagner Society of London in 2003. She may also be heard in recordings of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 conducted by Riccardo Chailly for Decca, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 conducted by Claudio Abbado for Sony Classical, Tosca for Chandos, Norma conducted by Riccardo Muti for EMI, and the title role in Medea in Corinto for Opera Rara. Her voice is also featured on Sony Classical’s soundtrack for the film adaptation of Sense and Sensibility. While continuing to perform, she is active as a teacher. In addition to her full-time teaching role at NEC, she is co-founder and artistic director of the Wagner Intensive summer program held at Baldwin-Wallace University Conservatory of Music and the Mastersingers Project for Young Dramatic Voices at Pittsburgh Festival Opera. She has also served as Senior Artist in Residence at the University of Washington School of Music, Principal Vocal Instructor for the Young Artist Program of the Seattle Opera, teaches periodically at the Cardiff International Academy of Voice, and returns annually to teach and mentor young artists for the Merola Program at the San Francisco Opera. Jane Eaglen returns to the Pittsburgh Festival Opera 2019 Season as the Myers Family Artist-in-Residence.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 43 DIRECTORS / CONDUCTORS

SEAMUS RICCI (Director, The Enchanted Forest) is a Pittsburgh director and performer who has worked for Opera San Jose, Pittsburgh Festival Opera, Opera North, City Theatre of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University School of Music, Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, Neighborhood Opera Company, Undercroft Opera, Stage 62 and South Park Theatre. Most recent productions include Don Giovanni, Jesus Christ Superstar, La Rondine, Elijah and Cendrillon: Marie’s Story. Holding a Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance and Music Education as well as a Master’s in Elementary/Early Childhood Education, Seamus remains active in schools providing and developing education programs in the community.

WALTER MORALES (The Valkyrie) is a native of Costa Rica, and is the Music Director of the Edgewood Symphony Orchestra. His previous positions include Music Director of Undercroft Opera, Carnegie Mellon University Contemporary Ensemble, Head of Music of Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, Principal Guest Conductor of the Pittsburgh Philharmonic, Assistant Director of Orchestral Studies at Carnegie Mellon University and Assistant Conductor of the Carnegie Mellon Philharmonic. He has guest conducted with National Symphony Orchestra of Costa Rica, Westmoreland Symphony Orchestra, Butler County Symphony Orchestra, McKeesport Symphony Orchestra, Heredia Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra, University of Costa Rica Symphony Orchestra, University of Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Youth Chamber Orchestra and Rutgers Chamber Orchestra. He has served as a cover conductor for Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra. In 2015 he was the first prize winner of the American Prize in Orchestral (Community Orchestra Division).

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 44 OPERA CONDUCTORS

In 2016, he was awarded Third Prize of the American Prize in Orchestral Conducting (Professional Division) and also received Second Place of the American Prize in Opera Conducting (Professional Division) for the production of Figaro Redux with Pittsburgh Festival Opera. In 2017, he was awarded Third Prize in Conducting (Professional Division) and was also a finalist in Opera Conducting (University Division). He is currently a finalist for the 2018 American Prize in Opera Conducting for Handel’s Julius Caesar with Pittsburgh Festival Opera and for with Carnegie Mellon University Opera.

BRENT McMUNN (Gianni Schicchi) has been Music Director/Conductor of Opera at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music since 2004. His professional operatic work includes five seasons as conductor at the , guest conducting at Arizona Opera, Calgary Opera, Lake George Opera, Kentucky Opera, and Opera New Jersey, plus a total of twenty seasons as Assistant and Cover Conductor at LA Opera, New York City Opera, and Santa Fe Opera. Gianni Schicchi is McMunn’s 9th production with Pittsburgh Festival Opera. As a pianist, McMunn has collaborated with eminent musicians, including principal players of the New York Philharmonic, members of the Juilliard String Quartet, cellist Lynn Harrell and ECM recording artist Michelle Makarski. He has appeared in recital in Carnegie Hall, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and the major venues in Southern California. He has frequently served as the official pianist for the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in Los Angeles, and currently has seven recordings available commercially as both pianist and conductor. He has also worked extensively with young singers in the young artist programs at the major companies he worked for, and as a faculty coach at the Juilliard School and the Aspen Music Festival.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 45 CONDUCTORS

ROBERT FRANKENBERRY (Pittsburgh Festival Opera Music Director, Music Director, Conductor and Arranger of Mister Rogers’ Operas, Music Director for Fight for the Right) leads a multifaceted career as a vocalist, pianist, educator, actor, and conductor. As music director for Pittsburgh Festival Opera, he has collaborated with Jonathan Eaton on critically-praised new productions of a wide-range of works, including “reimaginings” of works by Offenbach (The Tales of Hoffmann–Retold) and Bizet (Carmen: the Gypsy) and site-specific productions of Orpheus & Eurydice by both Gluck and Ricky Ian Gordon (presented as Euridice and Orpheus), Daron Hagen’s Shining Brow-Fallingwater version, and Montemezzi’s L’Incantesimo (The Love Spell); and has led the premieres of the Night Caps—also contributing as a composer—and Night Caps International projects, Roger Zahab’s Happy Hour, Gilda Lyons’ A New Kind of Fallout, and Dwayne Fulton’s A Gathering of Sons. Since joining the faculty of the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Theatre Arts in 2015, Robert has provided vocal direction and musical support for Pitt Stages’ productions of Nine, Peter & the Starcatcher, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream; musical direction for Hair and Little Shop of Horrors; and direction for The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Parade. On stage, he has performed a wide range of roles including Mozart (Amadeus), John Adams (1776), Carl-Magnus (A Little Night Music), Bacchus (Ariadne auf Naxos), and the title roles in Don Carlo, The Tales of Hoffmann, Faust, and Willy Wonka. A charter member of the New Mercury Collective, he originated the role of Orson Welles in Daron Hagen’s Orson Rehearsed in collaboration with Chicago’s Fifth House Ensemble in September 2018. At the piano, he performs regularly as an active member of numerous ensembles including Pittsburgh’s IonSound and AnimeBOP; New York City’s The Phoenix Players and PRISM Players; and multi-city entelechron and Chrysalis Duo. He can be heard singing and playing on the Naxos, Albany, New World Records, Roven Records, New Dynamic Records, and Innova labels.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 46 OPERA CONDUCTORS

BENJAMIN MAKINO (The Love of Danae) From complex contemporary and twentieth-century scores to core traditional repertoire, conductor Benjamin Makino has been recognized for his nuanced and thoughtful interpretations of broad and varied repertoire. Throughout his career, his work has been affiliated with some of the companies most recognized for innovation. Following the success of the first 30 Days of Opera festival, Makino was named Music Director of Opera Memphis, a position he held for four seasons. During his tenure the company rose to national and international prominence, praised for its innovative community engagement programs, experimentation, and groundbreaking commissioning projects. His artistic leadership was visible in various collaborations between Opera Memphis and other Memphis arts organizations. His proposal to pair Poulenc’s Les Mamelles de Tirésias with Milhaud’s Le bœuf sur le toit resulted in a fruitful collaboration with the New Ballet Ensemble and School. The following season the company premiered its commission, conceived by Makino, of Mark Robson’s arrangement for two pianos of Ravel’s L’heure espagnole. Following this, he worked with the leadership of the PRIZM Ensemble on the establishment of the PRIZM Chamber Orchestra, leading their debut performances from the continuo keyboard in Le Nozze di Figaro. In his final season, Makino initiated a broad multi-organization collaboration exploring religious themes in twentieth- century music titled Fractured: Music and Spirituality in a Time of Upheaval organized by the Memphis Theological Seminary and including the participation of Opera Memphis, the Rhodes College Master Singers, Luna Nova New Music and St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, culminating in Opera Memphis’ multimedia presentation of Arnold Schoenberg’s seminal Pierrot lunaire. Prior to joining Opera Memphis he was the Assistant Conductor and Chorus Master at Long Beach Opera, where he conducted productions of David Lang’s The Difficulty of Crossing a Field, Michael Nyman’s The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Ernest Bloch’s Macbeth, Michael Gordon’s Van Gogh and the U.S. premieres of Gavin Bryars’ The Paper Nautilus and

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 47 CONDUCTORS

Stewart Copeland’s Tell-Tale Heart. He also assisted productions of Nixon in China, Akhnaten, The Cunning Little Vixen, Der Kaiser von Atlantis, Die Kluge, Medea, and the U.S. premieres of Vivaldi’s Motezuma and Gabriela Ortiz’ ¡Únicamente la Verdad! He recently returned to the company, stepping in to conduct Frank Martin’s The Love Potion (Le vin herbé) for which he was praised in the Los Angeles Times for being “consistently sensitive to the work’s exquisite timing and placement of dynamics and color,” making “the most of the composer’s subtle chamber orchestra textures.” Makino served as the Music Director of the New Opera Workshop at the Writing the Rockies Conference in Gunnison, Colorado from 2016–18. This unique program complemented and expanded upon the Creative Writing graduate program in Poetry with an Emphasis on Versecraft at Western Colorado State University. The workshop produced performances of new operas set to student libretti, and provided the opportunity for composers and librettists to learn about the collaborative process, from creation through production. Makino holds a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, from Chapman University, where he was the recipient of a Presidential Scholarship and a master’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. Following his university studies, he was a scholarship student in the orchestral conducting program at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, and a recipient of a scholarship from the Italian Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C. for language studies in Naples. He was hand selected by General and Artistic Director Plácido Domingo to participate in the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program at the Washington National Opera and was the only United States citizen selected to participate in the 50th Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors. In 2014 he was identified by Opera America as a future leader in the field of Opera in the United States. In 2015, in recognition of his contributions to the City of Memphis, he was named one of the Memphis Business Bureau’s 40 Under 40. He currently lives in Porterville, California with his wife, jazz musician Sarah Rector, who heads the music program at Porterville College.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 48 OPERA ARTIST BIOS

ANUSH AVETISYAN Florence Pike in Albert Herring, Opera Yerevan, Armenia Theater Rutgers, New Brunswick, PFO 2019: NJ; La Frugola in Il Tabarro, Opera Lauretta (GS) Theater Rutgers, New Brunswick, NJ; Soprano (Sc), Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro, Opera Cadwallader Theater Rutgers, New Brunswick, NJ; Resident Artist Nicklausse in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Engagements: Lauretta in Gianni International Summer Opera Festival, Schicchi, Livermore Valley Opera, Morelia, Mexico. San Francisco, CA; Bianca in Florentine Tragedy, Livermore Valley Opera, San JOSEPH BAUNOCH Francisco, CA; Image of an Immigrant Indiana, PA Recital Soloist in Recital Series, Image PFO 2019: Guard/ of an Immigrant, New York, NY. Ensemble (LOD) Simone (GS) JOEL BALZUN Engagements: La Habra, CA Secret Police Agent in PFO 2019: , Dicapo Opera Theater; Gianni Schicchi (GS) Dr. Bartrolo in Le Nozze di Figaro, Soloist (Sc) National Lyric Opera; Angelotti in Cover Jupiter (LOD) Tosca, New Jersey Association of Engagements: Verismo Opera; Colline in La Bohème, Marcello in La bohème, Pacific Opera Dell’Arte Opera Ensemble; Bass Soloist Project, Los Angeles, CA; Bartolo/ in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Johnstown Antonio in Figaro’s Wedding, Cowtown Symphony Orchestra. Opera Company, Calgary, AB, Canada; Amelia’s Husband in Amelia Goes ALEXANDER To The Ball, Independent Opera BOYD Company, Los Angeles, CA; Joseph de Purcellville, VA Rocher in Dead Man Walking, Miami PFO 2019: Music Festival, Miami FL; El Dancaïre Robert Redgate/King in Carmen, Pacific Opera Project, Kittypuss (MRO) Hollywood, CA. Cover Wotan (VAL) Mastersinger AMANDA BATISTA Engagements: Moruccio in Tiefland, Manchester, NJ Sarasota Opera; Imperial Commissioner PFO 2019: Cover in , ; Grimherde (VAL) King melchior in Amahl and the Ensemble (LOD) Night Visitors, Kyrenia Opera; Barone Mezzo (Sc) Owl (MTM) Douphol in La Traviata, St. Petersburg Engagements: Carmen Opera; Monterone in , Opera in Carmen, International Summer Project Columbus. Opera Festival, Morelia, Mexico;

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 49 ARTIST BIOS

JOSEPH BOZICH HANNA BRAMMER Boston, MA Traverse City, MI PFO 2019: Assistant PFO 2019: Helmwige Conductor (LOD, (VAL) Queen GS) Chorus Semele (LOD) Master (LOD) Engagements: Engagements: Micaëla in Carmen, Assistant Conductor for The Cunning Sarasota Opera; Nuri in Tiefland, Little Vixen, Miami Music Festival; Sarasota Opera; Lauretta in Gianni Conducting Fellow, Eastern Music Schicchi, Salt Marsh Opera; Gilda in Festival, Assistant Conductor for Rigoletto, Mississippi Opera; Soprano 1 New Philharmonia Orchestra. in Hydrogen Jukebox, Nashville Opera. MARIA BOZICH MATTHEW Boston, MA BROOKS PFO 2019: Front Royal, VA Gerhilde (VAL) PFO 2019: First King Ensemble (LOD) (LOD) Cover Midas Engagements: Suor (LOD) Mastersinger Angelica in Suor Engagements: Semi- Angelica, New England Conservatory; Finalist in the Annapolis Opera Vocal Marie Antoinette in The Ghosts of Competition , Annapolis Opera; Carl Versailles, Miami Music Festival; Magnus in A Little Night Music, Hawaii Antonia in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Performing Arts Festival; Pinkerton Miami Music Festival; Encouragement in Madama Butterfly, Castleton Award from the Metropolitan Opera Festival; Trin in La Fanciulla del West, National Council, Washington Castleton Festival. District, Seattle. MOLLY BURKE HOLLY BREUER Spring, TX Kingston, PA PFO 2019: Queen PFO 2019: Set Leda (LOD), Designer (MRO) (GS) Cover Fricka Engagements: (VAL) Mastersinger Instructor of Design Engagements: at Pittsburgh CAPA Meg Page in , Prelude to 6–12; Production Manager/Assistant Performance, NYC; Mrs. Grose in Turn Professor at Missouri Western State of the Screw, Chicago Summer Opera; University; Resident Designer for the Elizabeth Proctor in , Barter Players, Abingdon, VA. Miami Music Festival; Florence Pike in Albert Herring, Chicago Summer Opera; La Badessa/La Zelatrice in Suor Angelica, Prelude to Performance, NYC.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 50 OPERA ARTIST BIOS

NATALIE in Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Wiesbaden BUTCHKO Staatsoper; Don Carlo, Don Carlo, Lorain, OH Staatsoper Hannover; Menelas, PFO 2019: Track Die Ägyptische Helena, Deutsche (MRO) Cover Oper Berlin. Queen Alkmene/ Ensemble (LOD) CLAIRE Engagements: Mrs. Splinters in CHOQUETTE The Tender-Land, Kent State Opera Edmond, OK Company; Prince Orlofsky in PFO 2019: Captain Die Fledermaus, Kent State Opera B/Wicked Knife- Company; Chorister/Alto for and-Ford (MRO) The Premiere of–Emergent Universe Mezzo (EF) Oratorio, The Cleveland Chamber Engagements: Angelina in Choir; Celaeno in The Harpies, La Cenerentola, Opera Fesival di Kent State Opera Company; Second Roma; Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti, Spirit in Die Zauberflöte, Kent State Louisiana State University; Olga Opera Company. in Eugene Onegin, Louisiana State University; Doris in Elizabeth Cree AUTUMN CAPOCCI (Puts), Louisiana State University Buffalo, NY (Collegiate premiere). PFO 2019: Head of Wardrobe ADRIANNA Engagements: CLEVELAND Costume Designer Pittsburgh, PA for If I Loved You... PFO 2019: A Roger’s and Hammerstein Musical Theresa/Queen Revue, UNT Opera; Makeup Designer Mumsiebelle (MRO) for The Cunning Little Vixen, UNT Engagements: Opera; Zita in Gianni Schicchi, UNT Dinah Washington/Ensemble in Opera; Lapák the Dog in The Cunning Don Pascquale, Pittsburgh Opera; Little Vixen, UNT Opera. Wanda in Beehive: The 60’s Musical, Tour; Pernetha Evans in The Long ROBERT CHAFIN Walk, Pittsburgh Opera; Effie White Morgantown, WV in Dreamgirls, Pittsburgh Musical PFO 2019: Theater; Ensemble in Summer King, Director of the Pittsburgh Opera. Young Professional Artist Program, Pollux (LOD) Engagements: Stroh, Intermezzo, Pittsburgh Festival Opera; Hoffmann

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 51 ARTIST BIOS

KATY CLICK CARYN CROZIER Pittsburgh, PA Canonsburg, PA PFO 2019: PFO 2019: Stage Manager Soprano (EF) (VAL) (LOD) Engagements: Engagements: Stage Giannetta in Manager for A New The Gondoliers, Brain, Front Porch Theatricals; Stage Pittsburgh Savoyards; Granny in Little Manager for Evil Dead The Musical, Red’s Most Unusual Day, Finger Lakes Pittsburgh Musical Theater; Stage Opera; Elsie Maynard in Yeoman of the Manager for Jesus Christ Superstar, Guard, Pittsburgh Savoyards; Bianca The Strand Theater; Stage Manager in La Rondine, Undercroft Opera; 1st for Oklahoma!, Pine-Richland Wood Sprite/Rusalka cover in Rusalka, High School. ViVace Opera. DEMAREUS CHRISTOPHER NAOMI COOPER CURCURUTO Pittsburgh, PA Sydney, PFO 2019: NSW, Australia Faculty (YPAP) PFO 2019: Marco Engagements: (GS) Cover Gianni Narrator for Lincoln Schicchi (GS) Third Portrait in Americana, Edgewood King (LOD) Mastersinger Symphony; Speaking Earth in Engagements: Leporello in A Gathering of Sons, Pittsburgh Festival Don Giovanni, UNT Opera. Opera; Erda in Rhinegold, Pittsburgh Festival Opera. MEGHAN DEWALD Pittsburgh, PA KARA CORNELL PFO 2019: Pittsburgh, PA Danae (LOD) PFO 2019: Betty/ Faculty (YPAP) Betty Green (MRO) Engagements: Faculty (YPAP) Soloist for Christmas Engagements: Concerts 2018, Cleveland Orchestra; Rosina in Barber Soloist and festival academy 2014 for of Seville, Raylynmor Opera; Carmen Berio Coro and Snags and Snarls, in Carmen, Long Island Lyric Opera; Lucerne Festival; Contessa Almaviva in Rosina in Barber of Seville, Utah Le nozze do Figaro (2013), Delaware Festival Opera and Musical Theatre; Valley Opera Company; Soprano soloist Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti, Indianapolis (2018) for Little Match Girl passion, Chamber Orchestra; Carmen in Carmen Resonance Works. the Gypsy, Pittsburgh Festival Opera.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 52 OPERA ARTIST BIOS

FULTON EAGLIN LEAH HEATER Boston, MA West Virginia, PA PFO 2019: PFO 2019: Friendly Frank the Fricka (VAL) Weather Porpoise/ Engagements: Julia Commodore (MRO) Child in Bon appètit!, Cover Merkur/ Opera Maine; Ensemble(LOD) Amneris in Aida, Virginia Opera; Engagements: Don Jose in Carmen, Mother in Hansel and Gretel, Pittsburgh Opera51; Faust in Faust, Opera51; Opera; Alto 6 in Le vin herbè, Wolf Floretan in Fidelio, NEMPAC Opera; Trap Opera/DC Concert Opera; Bacchus in Ariadne auf Naxos, Lowell Gertrude in Hamlet, Opera Ithaca. House Opera. MELANIE MITCH HENLEY HEYN FITZDANIEL Abrahamsville, PA Boston, MA PFO 2019: PFO 2019: Prince Brünnhilde (VAL) Extraordinary/ Engagements: Magda W.I. Norton Sorel in The Consul Donovan (MRO) (upcoming), Baltimore Concert Opera; Engagements: Schaunard in Salome in Salome, Spoleto Festival La Bohème, Boston Opera USA; Suor Angelica in Suor Angelica, Collaborative; Baritone in Hydrogen Konservatorium Wien; Contessa in Jukebox, Boston University Opera Le nozze di Figaro, Konservatorium Institute; Starveling in A Midsummer Wien; Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Night’s Dream, Boston University Konservatorium Wien. Opera Institute. CALEB JEREMY GALYON HOLLINGSOWRTH Kendall Park, NJ Vicksburg, MS PFO 2019: Wotan PFO 2019: (VAL) Faculty (YPAP) Assistant Director Engagements: (MRO) Sound Sparafucile in Designer (MRO) Rigoletto, Hong Kong Engagements: Guglielmo in Così Opera; Timur in Turandot, Hong Kong fan tutte, University of North Texas; Opera; Soloist for Carnegie Hall with Assistant Director for The Cunning John Rutter, MidAmerica Productions; Little Vixen, University of North Soloist for Beethoven 9, Silicon Valley Texas; Maitre Corbeau in Le testament Symphony; Soloist for Verdi Requiem, de la tante Caroline, University of Allentown Symphony. North Texas.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 53 ARTIST BIOS

ALEXANDRA HAYDEN KEEFER JOHNSON Pittsburgh, PA Tulsa, OK PFO 2019: PFO 2019: Street Baritone (EF) Singers (MRO) Engagements: Don Engagements: Vixen Alfonso in Così fan Sharp-Ears in tutte, LAHSOW The Cunning Little Vixen, UNT Opera; (Bloomington Opera Workshop); Angela in “If I Loved you...” A New Frank in Die Fledermaus, Duquesne Rodgers and Hammerstein Revue, UNT Opera Workshop; Sergeant Meryll in Opera; Rose Maurrant in Street Scene, The Yeoman of the Guard, Pittsburgh UNT Opera; Morgana in Alcina, UNT Savoyards; Vodnik in Rusalka, Opera; Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, LAHSOW (Toronto Opera Workshop). Amalfi Coast Music Festival. RANDY KOVITZ JUWAN JOHNSON (Fight Director) Martinsburg, WV Randy recently staged PFO 2019: Maestro fights for Oklahoma Spinelloccio (GS) at Pittsburgh Ensemble (LOD) CLO, King Lear at Recipient of Marlin Quantum and served H. Mickle Scholarship as stunt coordinator for the film “Unsinkable.” Past credits include WILLIAM JOYNER fights on and off Broadway, in Argyle, TX regional theater, and for film and PFO 2019: Siegmund television. Highlights include the (VAL) Faculty (YPAP) world premiere productions of Angels Engagements: In America and Burn This (including Niciäs in Thaïs, the Broadway premiere), the Broadway William and Mary production of The Kentucky Cycle, Symphony; Bacchus in Ariadne auf Sir Peter Hall’s Midsummer Night’s naxos, Glyndebourne Festival Opera; Dream and four seasons at the Tony Malatestino in Francesca da Rimini, Award®-winning Utah Shakespearean Opéra National de Paris; Chevalier des Festival. He is also an actor and Grieux in , Teatro alla Scala; filmmaker. www.randykovitz.com Faust in Mefistofele, Washington National Opera.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 54 OPERA ARTIST BIOS

AMANDA LEVY KELLY LYNCH Houston, TX Pittsburgh, PA PFO 2019: Ortlinde PFO 2019: Waltraute (VAL) Cover (VAL) Faculty, YPAP Nella (GS) Engagements: Engagements: Kate Amelia in Simon Pinkerton/Emerging Boccanegra, Chatham Artist for Madama Butterfly, Opera in Concert Opera; Chrysosthemis in the Heights; Contessa in Le nozze di Elektra, Chatham Concert opera; Figaro, Opera in the Ozarks; Juliette Madame Larina in Eugene onegin, in Romeo et Juliette, Moores Opera Undercroft Opera; Desdemona in Center; Suzel in L’amico Fritz, Moores Verdi’s Otello, Chatham Concert Opera; Opera Center. Violetta in La traviata, Erie Opera Theater. YANG LIN Shanghai, China JOSHUA MAY PFO 2019: Pianist, Columbus, GA Mastersinger Project PFO 2019: Assistant Engagements: Director (VAL) Coach/Pianist/ Engagements: Harpsichordist for La Assistant Director, Clemenza di Tito, CCM Opera; Coach/ Stage Directing Pianist for Dinner at Eight, CCM Fellowship for Alcina, Hawaii Opera; Coach/Pianist for Cendrillon, Performing Arts Festival; Stage Director Canadian Vocal Arts Institute; Coach/ for Speed Dating Tonight, Schwob Pianist for Die Zauberflöte, New School of Music; Stage Director England Conservatory Opera; Coach/ for Cendrillon, Schwob School of Pianist for Lohengrin, National Center Music; Stage Director for Hansel & for the Performing Arts. Gretel, University of Michigan-Flint; Stage Director for Captain Lovelock, CHARLES University of Michigan-Flint. LOCKRIDGE Pittsburgh, PA PFO 2019: Technical Director

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 55 ARTIST BIOS

MELISSA MCCANN COURTNEY San Francisco, CA MILSTEAD PFO 2019: Xanthe Pittsburgh, PA (LOD) Cover PFO 2019: Queen Helmwige (VAL) Europa (LOD) Engagements: Stéphano in Roméo Zerbinetta in et Juliette (Florida Ariadne auf Naxos, Highlands Opera Grand Opera), Marcellina in Le nozze Studio; Prascovia in L’etoile du Nord, di Figaro (Glimmerglass Opera), Amore Opera. Flora Bervoix in La Traviata (Dayton Opera), Meg Page in Falstaff (Opera J. PATRICK Santa Barbara), and Emilia in Otello MCGILL (Kentucky Opera). Washington, PA PFO 2019: Hunding RYAN MILSTEAD cover (VAL) Pittsburgh, PA Ser Amantio di PFO 2019: Nicolao (GS) Jupiter (LOD) Engagements: Zuniga in Carmen the Engagements: Gypsy, Pittsburgh Festival Opera; Robert Storch Messenger in La Traviata, Pittsburgh in Intermezzo, Opera, Curio in Julius Caesar, Pittsburgh Festival Opera; Schaunard Pittsburgh Festival Opera; Gasparo in in La Bohème, Florida Grand Opera; Rita, Duquesne University Opera. Fiorello in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Teatro Regio Torino. MILDRED MILLER POSVAR JENNIFER NOEL Pittsburgh, PA Ann Arbor l, MI PFO 2019: PFO 2019: Company Founder, Cover Sieglinde Faculty (YPAP) (VAL) Mastersinger Engagements: Engagements: Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro, Bridesmaid in Le The Metropolitan Opera; Carmen in nozze di Figaro, ; Carmen, The Metropolitan Opera; Fanny in La cambiale di matrimonio, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Opera Southwest. The Metropolitan Opera.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 56 OPERA ARTIST BIOS

JOHN PARK JINA POUNDS La Canada Butler, PA Flintridge, CA PFO 2019: Hair and PFO 2019: First Makeup Manager King (LOD) Engagements: Wig Cover Siegmund and Makeup Head for (VAL) Mastersinger Rhinegold, Pittsburgh Engagements: Monostatos in Festival Opera; Wig and Makeup Die Zauberflöte, Sarasota Opera; Designer for Balm in Gilead, University Don Jose in Carmen, Central City of North Carolina School of the Arts; Opera; First Tenor in Le vin herbé, Wig and Makeup Technician for Long Beach Opera; Anatol in Vanessa, Shakespeare In Love, UNC Greensboro. Mannes Opera. KEVIN RAY ANDREW POTTER Pittsburgh, PA Lynchburg, VA PFO 2019: PFO 2019: Hunding Midas (LOD) (VAL), Fourth Engagements: King (LOD) Messenger in Aida, Engagements: Osmin Metropolitan Opera; in Abduction from the Charles VII in The Maid of Orleans, Seraglio, Opera Orlando; Sarastro in Odyssey Opera; Bacchus in Ariadne Die Zauberflöte, Southern Illinois auf Naxos, Berkshire Opera Festival; Music Festival; Michele in Il Tabarro, Prince in Rusalka, Arizona Opera; Erik Mid Opera; Commendatore in in Der fliegende Holländer, Estonian Don Giovanni, Pacific Opera Project; National Opera. Dr. Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore, Winter Opera St. Louis. ELISABETH ROSENBERG MEGAN POTTER Morro Bay, CA Lynchburg, VA PFO 2019: PFO 2019: Sieglinde (VAL) Rossweisse (VAL) Engagements: Engagements: Gerhilde & Sieglinde Azucena in in Wagner concert “Die Walküre” Il Trovatore, scenes with orchestra, Miami Wagner Southern Illinois Music Festival; Zita Festival; Soprano soloist in Verdi’s in Gianni Schicchi, Southern Illinois Requiem, Arkansas Symphony; Featured Music Festival; Dorabella in Così fan ensemble in Sweeney Todd, Houston tutte, Mid-Ohio Opera; Third Lady in Grand Opera. , Pacific Opera Project.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 57 ARTIST BIOS

REBECCA SACKS Sister, Show Me Eternity, Skidmore Philadelphia, PA College in collaboration with The PFO 2019: College of Saint Rose; Maria in West Grimherde Side Story, C-R Kids Performing Arts; (VAL) Queen 2nd Place Overall, Special Diction Award, Alkmene (LOD) Russian Winter Festival Competition Engagements: 2018, New Russia Cultural Center. Spirit in Cendrillon, Opera Company of Middlebury; Komponist in Ariadne auf JOSEPH SEAMANS Naxos, Miami Music Festival; Donna Pittsburgh, PA Elvira in Don Giovanni, University of PFO 2019: Projection Georgia Opera; Sesto in La Clemenza Designer (MRO) di Tito, Ping & Woof Opera; Hansel Engagements: in Hansel and Gretel, Portland Opera Joseph Seamans to Go. began designing projections in 2012 after a 40-year SHAQUI SCOTT career making PBS documentaries Pittsburgh, PA and independent films, including PFO 2019: projects for NOVA, Frontline, and Tenor (EF) National Geographic. His work on (The Enchanted Mister Rogers Neighborhood included Forest), a native making more than 40 short films that of Pittsburgh, appeared on “Picture-Picture.” For Pennsylvania, is a guitarist and singer Pittsburgh Opera and American Opera whose experience spans a variety of Projects he designed projections for styles including opera, gospel, jazz, Ashes and Snow, which was renamed and R&B. Recently, he has completed Savage Winter when it appeared in Next his debut album titled Chase that is Wave 2018 at the Brooklyn Academy scheduled for release this summer. of Music. The Enchanted Forest is Scott’s return For Pittsburgh’s Quantum Theatre he to classical performance. has created projections for María de MARISSA SCOTTI Buenos Aires, Ainadamar, Mnemonic, Albany, NY All the Names, The Winter’s Tale, Ciara, PFO 2019: Street Red Hills, and Chatterton. He also Singer Trio designed projections for Pittsburgh’s (MRO), Cover Microscopic Opera’s productions of Grimherde (VAL) Thérèse Raquin, Night of the Living Engagements: Dead, and Frida. This is Seamans’ Madame Herz in Der Schauspieldirektor, first production with Pittsburgh The College of Saint Rose; Mabel in Festival Opera.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 58 OPERA ARTIST BIOS

CHELSEA SEENER Lucia di Lammermoor, IU Opera; New York, NY Mr. Potter in It’s A Wonderful Life, PFO 2019: Nella IU Opera; Hobson in , (GS) Soprano IU Opera; Colline in La Bohème, (Sc) Cadwallader IU Opera. Resident Artist Engagements: ANNA SINGER Cendrillon in Cendrillon, New York Pittsburgh, PA Lyric Opera; Donna Elvira in Don PFO 2019: Giovanni, Hawaii Performing Arts Faculty (YPAP) Festival; Servilia in La Clemenza di Tito, Engagements: Chicago Summer Opera; Fiordiligi in Elektra in Elektra, Cosi fan tutte, Boston University Opera; Chatham Opera; Abigail Williams in The Crucible, Miami Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, Music Festival. Pittsburgh Festival Opera; Madame de la Haltiere in Cendrillon, Resonance JINNI SHEN Works Pittsburgh; Duchess of New York, NY Krakenthorp in La Fille du Régiment, PFO 2019: Pittsburgh Opera. Min (MTM) Chorus (LOD) ANTHONY SIRK Engagements: Pittsburgh, PA Finalist for the 6th PFO 2019: Costume National University Vocal Competition; Designer (MRO) Street Scene, Mannes Opera; Engagements: Bird (future) in The Little Prince, Costume Designer for Savannah Voice Festival; participated Double Threat Trio, in The International Vocal Arts Pittsburgh CLO; Costume Designer Institute (IVAI). for Little Shop of Horrors, Creede Repertory Theatre; Costume Designer MARCUS for Madagascar, Theater Aspen; SIMMONS Costume Designer for Hedwig and the Philadelphia, PA Angry Inch, Pittsburgh Musical Theater; PFO 2019: Betto di Costume Designer for East Texas Hot Signa (GS) Guard/ Links, Pittsburgh Playwrights. Ensemble (LOD) Bass-Baritone (Sc) Engagements: King Balthazar in Amahl and the Night Visitors, Bloomington Symphony Orchestra; Raimondo in

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 59 ARTIST BIOS

BRENDAN of Homestead), and Michael Feinstein SLIGER (PBS Great Performances: Michael Berlin, Germany Feinstein At The Rainbow Room), PFO 2019: Merkur Associate Producer for the WGBH (LOD) Gherardo (GS) Broadway or Bust series. In 2017, Engagements: produced Pittsburgh Festival Opera’s Siegmund/Siegfried, broadcast version of A Gathering Ring für Kinder (Wagner’s Ring for Of Sons, which aired on WQED Children), Oper Leipzig; Siegfried and won a New York International in Ring für Kinder (Wagner’s Ring Film and Television World Bronze for Children), Kammeroper Köln; award. Working with Fred Rogers Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Choriner on Fred Rogers’ Heroes, 25 Years of Opernsommer; Bacchus in Ariadne the Neighborhood, and numerous auf Naxos, Pacific Opera Project; Jean educational videos, she came to Valjean in Les Misérables, Symphony appreciate the tremendous talents of Orchestra of Northern Virginia. this caring man and is honored to work with Pittsburgh Festival Opera to help HYERIM SONG bring two of Mister Rogers’ operas to New York, NY life this season. PFO 2019: Pianist (GS) KRISTIN Engagements: Vocal STARKEY coach for Martina Wantagh, NY Arroyo Foundation, PFO 2019: New York, NY; Vocal Piano Fellowship Schwertleite (VAL) for Aspen Music Festival and School, Cover Queen Leda/ Colorado, CO; Vocal Coach and Staff Ensemble (LOD) Pianist for Manhattan School of Music, Cover Zita (GS) Mastersinger New York, NY. Engagements: Big Stone in Euridice (workshop), Metropolitan Opera; LYNNE SQUILLA Hate, Apprentice Artist in Armide, Pittsburgh, PA OperaNEO; Lucretia in Rape of PFO 2019: Lucreti, Stony Brook Opera; Erda Producer (MRO) in , Opera Company Engagements: of Brooklyn. Television producer- director and writer for PBS, Nova, Discovery, TLC, A&E, SyFy, CBS, KDKA, Channel 4 UK. Event producer with Mark Rylance (Shakespeare and the Battle

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 60 OPERA ARTIST BIOS

BOB STEINECK BENJAMIN STRONG Pittsburgh, PA Indiana, PA PFO 2019: PFO 2019: Pinellino Lighting Designer (GS) Guard/ (LOD), Lighting Ensemble (LOD) Designer Engagements: (VAL), Lighting Demareus Cooper Designer (MRO) Encouragement Award, Pittsburgh Engagements: Lighting Designer District; Metropolitan Opera National for Funkedified, Rennie Harris Council Auditions, Carnegie Mellon; Puremovement; Lighting Designer Placed Second for NATS, Las Vegas for Alice, Cleveland Ballet; Lighting Nevada; Basilio in ll Barbiere di Siviglia, Designer and Production Manager IUP Opera Company. for Point of Interest, Raphael Xavier Company; Lighting Designer and PAULINA Production Manager for Lifted, Rennie SWIERCZEK Harris Puremovement. Toronto, ON, Canada PFO 2019: MADELEINE Cover Brünnhilde STEINECK (VAL) Mastersinger Pittsburgh, PA Engagements: PFO 2019: Master Fellow, ’17-’18, Tanglewood Music Electrician, Lighting Center; Fellow, Fall Island Vocal Designer (GS) Arts Seminar; Queen of the Night Engagements: in The Magic Flute, The Little Resident Lighting Designer for Orchestra Society. Doña Rosita the Spinster, Mercyhurst University; Lighting Designer for ELIZABETH The Drowsy Chaperone, Woodland SYWULKA Hills High School; Lighting Designer Whittier, CA for Evita, Upper St. Clair High PFO 2019: La School; Lighting Technician for Ciesca (GS) Cover MCG Jazz 2017–2018, Manchester Rossweisse (VAL) Craftsmen’s Guild. Ensemble (LOD) Engagements: Marguerite in Faust, Repertory Opera Company; Encouragement Grant Recipient for Lieder/Art Song Competition, The Gerda Lissner Foundation; Suor Angelica in Suor Angelica, Biola Opera Theatre; Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte, Biola Opera Theatre; Apprentice Artist for Winter Opera Festival, Sarasota Opera.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 61 ARTIST BIOS

STEPHEN ERIC WEIMER VARIAMES Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH PFO 2019: PFO 2019: Head Head Coach, Coach (YPAP), Mastersingers Project Pianist and Assistant Engagements: Cover Conductor (VAL) Conductor for Engagements: Music Director Der Ring des Nibelungen, Lyric Opera for Oklahoma! Covedale Theater; of Chicago; Music Preparation for Conductor for La Vida Breve, Die Goetterdaemmerung, Edinburgh Cincinnati Chamber Opera; Pianist for International Festival; Musikalischer Three Little Piggies, Nashville Opera. Assistant for Der Ring des Nibelungen, Bayreuther Festspiele; Conductor for RHIANNON Der fliegende Hollaender, Washington VAUGHN National Opera. Cover conductor for Washington, DC Der Ring des Nibelungen, PFO 2019: San Francisco Opera. Guccio (GS) Cover Queen Europe/ DANIELLE Ensemble (LOD) WRIGHT Engagements: Soprano Soloist for Detroit, MI Davide Penitente, Friday Morning PFO 2019: Zita (GS), Music Club; Semi-Finalist for NATS, Assistant Director, St. Olaf, MN; Young Artist for Summer Mastersingers Project Opera Institute, Eurasia Festival. Engagements: Mama Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana, JENNA WEAVER Madison Opera; Mrs. Todd in The Old Pittsburgh, PA Man and the Thief, Puccini’s Toaster; PFO 2019: Featured Mezzo Soloist in Remove Hildegarde the Veil, The Tapestry (Rock/Opera Hummingbird/Purple Group); Paula Deen in Krispy Kremes Twirling Kitty (MRO) and Butter Queens, Detroit Institute of Cover Ortlinde (VAL) Arts; Madeline in The Three Decembers, Engagements: First Cercatrice in Suor Opera MODO. Angelica, Marble City Opera; Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, West Virginia University; Gianetta in The Gondoliers, Pittsburgh Savoyards; Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, University of Tennessee Opera Theatre; First Spirit in The Magic Flute, Knoxville Opera.

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 62 OPERA ARTIST BIOS

RUIRUN XUN TIANCHI Fairfax, VA ZHANG PFO 2019: Jersey City, NJ Pianist (MRO) PFO 2019: Rinuccio Engagements: (GS) Cover Music Director First King/ for Mamma Mia! Ensemble (LOD) Scotch’n’Soda Theatre, Carnegie Engagements: Edgardo in Lucia di Mellon University; Rehearsal Pianist Lammermoor, NY summer program; for Sweeney Todd Scotch’n’Soda Nadir in Les pecheurs de perles, NY Theatre, Carnegie Mellon University; summer program; Elvino in La Rehearsal Pianist for The Light in the Sonnambula, The Apprentice Opera Piazza, Carnegie Mellon University Workshop in Mannes. School of Music. TINGTING YAO Memphis, TN PFO 2019: Pianist (LOD) (MTM)

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL OPERA 63 PATRON INFORMATION

BOX OFFICE Three ways to purchase tickets:

• Order online at pittsburghfestivalopera.org • Call the box office at 412-326-9687 Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–8pm; Sunday 1–4pm • Visit the Box Office in Winchester Thurston’s lobby Tuesday–Saturday, 10am–5pm, Sunday, 1pm–4pm, and during all performances.

The Box Office opens at least one hour before every performance.

VENUES Winchester Thurston School: Falk Auditorium, Middle School Building. Enter on Ellsworth or from parking lot Hilda Willis Room, Upper School Building. Enter at corner of Morewood and Bayard First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh Enter on Ellsworth

ACCESSIBILITY Winchester Thurston offers a level entrance and route to the Falk Auditorium and the Hilda Willis Room. Wheelchair seat locations offer removable armrests to facilitate easy entry and exit. Each accessible seat is paired with a companion seat, although additional companion seats are available. An elevator is available in the building should patrons need to access other floors.

PARKING Convenient free parking is located in the inner courtyard lot at Winchester Thurston (entrance on Ellsworth Avenue). Additional street parking is located nearby, and is free after 6pm and all day on Sundays. Please check posted street signs for special restrictions.

FOOD AND DRINK Light snacks are available for purchase before performances and during intermission. A cash bar is available at this time, as well as after the performances for Opening Night Parties. Winchester Thurston is equipped with water fountains, perfect for filling up your water bottle.

Please note: Only water in a closed container will be permitted in the theater.

PRE-SHOW TALKS Pre-show talks with members of the artistic staff take place beginning one hour before curtain time for select mainstage performances.

WINCHESTER THURSTON SCHOOL Winchester Thurston School is a nationally recognized co-educational independent school in Pittsburgh, PA, with a pre-K–5 campus in Allison Park and a pre-K–12 campus in Shadyside. Winchester Thurston actively engages each student in a challenging and inspiring learning process that develops the mind, motivates the passions to achieve, and cultivates the character to serve. 555 Morewood Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 winchesterthurston.org

PITTSBURGH FESTIVAL 64 OPERA