the british are coming

THE BRITISH INVASION A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS MAY–JUNE 2015 THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 1

THE BRITISH INVASION A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS

RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS: P. 6 SIR JOHN IN LOVE Sunday, May 17 at 3pm Wednesday, May 20 at 7:30pm Saturday, May 23 at 7:30pm Boston University Theatre

ARTHUR SULLIVAN: THE ZOO P. 20 WILLIAM WALTON: THE BEAR Friday, May 22 at 7:30pm Sunday, May 24 at 3pm Boston University Theatre

KINGS, QUEENS, SAINTS & SINNERS P. 30 FIVE MONODRAMAS Saturday, May 30 at 7:30pm Boston University Theatre

THOMAS ADÈS: P. 44 POWDER HER FACE Thursday, June 18 at 7:30pm Friday, June 19 at 7:30pm Saturday, June 20 at 7:30pm The Boston Conservatory Theater

Gil Rose, Artistic and General Director

Randolph J. Fuller, Festival Underwriter

ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 1 DAS LAND OHNE OPER—NEIN! BY RANDOLPH J. FULLER

Of all the worn-out bromides Still it was unquestionably relentlessly repeated by self-styled Sullivan’s success in the field that eminent musicologists, perhaps the convinced other English composers most infuriating is the old canard to pursue careers in opera. What that England, indeed Britain could be more tempting, after as a whole, has never produced all, than to follow Sir Arthur’s anything of lasting interest, much commercial and artistic triumph of less quality, in the realm of opera. Ivanhoe (1891) with operas of their Even today you read in endless own? program notes that nothing but a musical wasteland exists between Ivanhoe was the score that opened Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and Richard D’Oyly Carte’s magnificent the appearance of Britten’s Peter new Royal English Opera House Grimes. Much of this nonsense can (still standing) and that played be traced back to a vicious little for an unprecedented 155 nights, book penned in 1904 by one Oskar requiring a double cast to sustain Schmitz titled Das Land ohne the run (and incidentally raking Musik (The Land without Music), in more money that The Mikado!). and in the Anglophobic punch-up Probably the only thing that leading to the First World War, precludes regular performances of its disparaging message somehow this richly Romantic score is the managed to stick. To paraphrase staggering expense of staging it Oscar Wilde, Schmitz would no properly—no Regietheater here! doubt have argued that in England The tournament scene at Ashby opera was an art form that dare not alone would bankrupt most opera speak its name. companies today.

But how can this be? Focusing just Carte’s chief aim in opening his on the 19th century, is it possible to new opera house was to deal with claim that British composers had the whole question of “Englishness” nothing interesting to say when Sir in the field of opera, and to that Arthur Sullivan was busy creating end he had planned to commission a series of comic masterpieces with a whole series of new works by his partner Gilbert? Even before the younger generation of British the appearance of these universally composers. Alas it was not to be. loved works, the Irish-born but Ivanhoe was to be followed by a London-focused Michael Balfe had new work composed by Sir Frederic already established a successful Hymen Cowen (1852–1935) titled Anglo-opera tradition with his Signa. But Cowen failed to deliver immensely popular The Bohemian the score on time, and Carte’s Girl (1846), a work that defines enterprise failed. Yet, amazingly the term “war horse.” Sheet music enough, the opera was transferred for the opera’s hit tune “I dreamt to La Scala in Milan where it was

PHOTO: ELLIOTT&FRY PHOTO: I dwelt in marble halls” could be premiered in 1893, the same season found virtually on every parlor as Puccini’s Manon Lescaut and piano stand across the English Verdi’s Falstaff. The directors of La speaking world well into the 20th Scala were no fools, and they must century. have heard something in Cowen’s

From top: Sir Charles Villiers Stanford and Sir Frederic Hymen Cowen

2 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG music that mightily impressed Wreckers (1909), a bit of English Epicurean) audiences responded them. Perhaps that enterprising verismo dealing with nasty doings enthusiastically. Sermons were CD label Chandos might consider a among the lowly in a Cornish preached against it which only recording of this work to follow up fishing village. Despite her training increased ticket sales. And on top on their previous wonderful release at the Leipzig Conservatory of it all the music was irresistible. of Ivanhoe. (where Sullivan studied as well), a Messalina was quickly adopted into refreshing breeziness recognizably the repertory and remained firmly And now the flood gates were English surges through her fixed there well into the 1920s. Do open! Operas came pouring off essentially late Romantic German you think we’re missing something? the pens of British composers at style. One senses that English folk an astonishing rate, and many of melodies are not far away, the next Even here our survey of British them did very well indeed. Consider step in the “Englishing” of opera. opera is hardly complete—the Sir Charles Villiers Stanford who amazing story of Rutland Boughton composed no less than nine operas. This summer in early August the and his Celtic music-dramas is a His version of Shakespeare’s Much Bard Festival provides an eagerly tale of hubris run wild—but still Ado about Nothing (1900) raises awaited opportunity to evaluate the best way to enjoy this Odyssey inevitable curiosity, but Stanford is Dame Ethel’s place in the Pantheon is in live performance. We here at mostly recalled today for his comic of English opera with a fully staged Odyssey Opera hope that we’ve opera Shamus O’Brien (1896), a bit production of The Wreckers. It’s laid Oskar Schmitz permanently to of clever nonsense about daring- hard not to think of this event as rest. That’s what happens when you do among Irish rebels. So popular the logical addendum to Odyssey hear too much Wagner. was this tuneful work that it was Opera’s British Invasion. quickly adopted in the United States (where Irish immigrants But in the end, if you really want were aplenty), playing on Broadway something off the charts, then you of all places in the season of 1897. need to consider Isadore de Lara’s Randolph J. Messalina. Messalina?—we’re a long Fuller And now we arrive at that amazing way off from Ivanhoe and Cornish phenomenon of Dame Ethel Smyth fishing villages. Born in London (1858–1944), possibly the most in 1858, de Lara decided to pass successful English opera composer up the usual training in Leipzig, between Sullivan and Vaughan choosing instead to study in France Williams (though Delius might with Edouard Lalo. High life in claim that titles as well, could we Paris seems to have inspired him only figure out what style he wrote as he composed no less than 13 in). At a time when you might have operas, but in 1899 he struck gold expected to encounter an ingrained with this musical retelling of the prejudice against female composers, notorious Roman Empress. This is Dame Ethel simply swept aside any opera x-rated! Messalina is probably doubts about her talent with works the most lurid opera before Salome, of such robust professionalism and in the spirit of Fin-de-Siècle that her male colleagues were left decadence (the English were hardly breathless. Six operas are to her exempt from this sort of thing. credit—the second, Die Wald (1901), Think of Walter Pater’s Marius the performed at the Metropolitan Opera the season of 1903. But her masterpiece has always been The

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 3 Don’t miss The Festival of Contemporary Music with world premieres of 15 works commissioned for the Tanglewood Music Center’s 75th Anniversary, 7/20–7/27. Other highlights include Puccini’s Tosca, Act 1 featuring Sondra Radvanovsky and Bryn Terfel (7/11), TMC orchestra’s program of opera highlights including music of Golijov (8/2), and the BSO led by Andris Nelsons with Kristine Opolais in music of Puccini, Verdi, and more (8/15.)

888-266-1200 • tanglewood.org boston symphony orchestra andris nelsons music director

“Sophisticated & enchanting. A triumph!” - THE NEW YORK TIMES AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL DIRECTED BY PETER DUBOIS

BOOK BY HUGH SUMPTUOUS TONY WHEELER SUGGESTED BY A FILM BY INGMAR BERGMAN ORIGINALLY PRODUCED & MUSIC & LYRICS BY DIRECTED ON BROADWAY BY STEPHEN HAROLD PRINCE SONDHEIM A LITTLE ORCHESTRATIONS BY TICKETS ON SALE AVENUE OF THE ARTSJONATHAN TUNICK THURSDAY, JUNE 18! NIGHTSEPT.11 MUSICBU THEATRE - OCT.11 4 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG DIRECTOR’S WELCOME

It’s my immense pleasure to welcome you to Odyssey Opera’s spring 2015 festival, featuring a panoply of shows from the treasure trove that is English opera. From works by venerable masters like Vaughan Williams, to that maestro of farce, Arthur Sullivan, to explosive, cutting-edge works by contemporary composers like Peter Maxwell Davies and Thomas Adès, I think you’ll agree that the Brits are truly creative innovators when it comes to musical drama.

Join us for a classic Shakespearean romp in Vaughan Williams’s Sir John in Love, and have a bittersweet laugh at the never- changing foibles of human nature. Next, a double bill of comedy, poking fun at tropes of love lost and won. Arthur Sullivan’s The Zoo rolls elements of the absurd into lightning-quick musical wordplay, while William Walton’s The Bear gives a tongue-in- cheek account of an unlikely love story.

Take a one-night-only opportunity to experience some impressive

PHOTO: IRENE HAPUT IRENE PHOTO: displays of vocal virtuosity: five singers command the stage in turn for remarkable solo characterizations—the mythological Greek queen Phaedra, the tragic Ophelia, the mystical St. Teresa of Avila, the warmonger King Harald and his retinue, and the mad King George III.

Finally, I’m thrilled to be bringing Thomas Adès’s Powder Her Face back to Boston. This caustic, larger-than-life story made a splash at Opera Unlimited in 2003, and proves that opera is still a vital force for both entertainment and social commentary.

You may notice that we’re missing a piece of technology for these shows—that’s right, no supertitles. And while the majority of what you’ll hear is in English, it’s true that you might miss a few words. However, I think the immersive combination of words, music, movement, and acting adds up to a powerful storytelling formula that will deliver just as it was meant to, if you remove the intermediary of the page and let yourself be carried away.

We’re pulling out all the stops for this festival—we’ve assembled a team of singers, instrumentalists, designers, and directors that are truly at the forefront of their fields, and the results are going to be spectacular. Thank you for being here to celebrate opera with us—it’s going to be a bloody good time indeed!

Gil Rose Artistic and General Director

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 5

RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS SIR JOHN IN

6 LOVEODYSSEYOPERA.ORG RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS (1872–1958) SIR JOHN IN LOVE

Opera in Four Acts.

Libretto by the composer, based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor.

Oren Gradus Sir John Falstaff Michael Chioldi Ford, a citizen of Windsor Samuel Levine Fenton, a young gentleman of the Court at Windsor Megan Pachecano Anne Page, Page’s daughter Courtney Miller Mrs. Ford Mara Bonde Mrs. Page Cindy Sadler Mrs. Quickly, housekeeper to Dr. Caius George Cordes Page, a citizen of Windsor Matthew DiBattista Sir Hugh Evans, a Welsh parson James Demler Pistol, a sharper attending on Falstaff Jonathan Cole Nym, a sharper attending on Falstaff Stanley Wilson Bardolph, a sharper attending on Falstaff Jesse Darden Slender, a foolish young gentleman Sumner Thompson Dr. Caius, a French physician Robert Honeysucker Host of the Garter Inn Ethan Bremner Shallow, a country justice Jacob Scharfman Rugby, Dr. Caius’s servant Andy Papas Peter Simple, Slender’s servant Ted Palés John, Ford’s servant Barratt Park Robert, Ford’s servant Erin Merceruio Nelson Jenny Pluckpears, Nym’s sweetheart Sophie Michaux Alice Shortcake, Bardolph’s sweetheart Coleman Rose Robin, Falstaff’s page

Odyssey Opera Orchestra and Chorus Gil Rose, Conductor

RALPH VAUGHAN WILLIAMS Joshua Major, Stage Director Melinda Sullivan, Choreographer Stephen Dobay, Scenic Designer Katherine Stebbins, Costume Designer Costumes supplied by Malabar Limited, Toronto Rachel Padula Shufelt, Hair and Make-up Designer Dennis Parichy, Lighting Designer

SIR JOHN PHOTO: FLICKR/KEVANDOTORG

IN SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2015 AT 3PM WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2015 AT 7:30PM SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2015 AT 7:30PM Boston University Theatre 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston

LOVE THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 7 SYNOPSIS

Setting: Windsor, England. 15th century. ACT I In a street outside the Pages’ house, Justice Shallow ACT I and Parson Evans are complaining of mistreatment A street in Windsor by Falstaff and his men. Shallow’s cousin Slender is trying to write a sonnet to Anne Page, but can’t get ACT II past the line “O sweet Anne Page.” Sir John Falstaff Scene i A room in Page’s house arrives with Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol, his cronies. Scene ii A room in the Garter Inn Slender claims that Falstaff’s men got him drunk and then stole his wallet, a charge that they deny. Anne, Intermission Mrs. Page, and Mrs. Ford arrive, and announce that dinner is ready. ACT III Scene i A footpath near Windsor Shallow and Evans remain to discuss a match between Scene ii A field near Windsor Slender and Anne. They send Slender’s servant Simple Scene iii A room in Ford’s house with a note to Mrs. Quickly to obtain her aid. Anne returns and sends the men to dinner, then, alone, ACT IV bemoans her parents’ attempts to marry her off—Page Scene i A room in Ford’s house wants her to marry Slender, while Mrs. Page favors Dr. Scene ii Windsor Forest Caius, the French physician. Anne, however, is in love with Fenton, who arrives and joins her in a duet. Page arrives and drives Fenton off, thinking that he is only Run time: Two hours and 15 minutes after Anne’s dowry. with one 20-minute intermission Dr. Caius, his servant Rugby, and his housekeeper Mrs. Quickly arrive. Caius intercepts the letter as Simple attempts to give it to Mrs. Quickly, and after Sir John in Love used by permission of Oxford University Press. reading it, thinks that Evans is also after Anne. Caius, Rugby, and Simple depart, and Fenton emerges. He gives Mrs. Quickly a ring for Anne and some gold for herself, thus swaying her sympathies in his favor.

At the Garter Inn, Bardolph, Nym, and Pistol are celebrating a successful thieving expedition with the inn’s host. Falstaff joins them and describes a plan to improve his financial situation by seducing Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page, then swindling them. He writes the two women identical love letters, but Pistol and Nym, offended by his rudeness, refuse to deliver them. Falstaff then instructs his page Robin to deliver the letters, and Pistol and Nym decide to inform Ford of Falstaff’s plan. The jealous and suspicious Ford decides to disguise himself and call on Falstaff to see how his plan is proceeding.

8 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG ACT II ACT IV Scene i. Mrs. Page and Mrs. Ford read their letters Scene i. Ford asks Mrs. Ford’s forgiveness for and discover they are identical except for the names. suspecting her, and she grants it. The Fords and the The merry wives plot revenge on the treacherous Pages then plot the final stage of their revenge on Falstaff and enlist Mrs. Quickly’s aid, asking her to Falstaff. They plan to lure him at midnight to Herne’s deliver a letter to Falstaff inviting him to Mrs. Ford’s Oak in Windsor Forest, the rumored haunt of Herne house that night. the Hunter and a band of fairies. Mrs. Page intends to dress as the Fairy Queen, and with the help of Anne Scene ii. At the Garter Inn, Mrs. Quickly arranges and the local children will pinch and taunt Falstaff. the rendezvous between Mrs. Ford and Falstaff. Ford Mrs. Page tells Caius that Anne will be dressed in arrives and introduces himself to Falstaff as “Master green and Page tells Slender that she will be dressed Brook,” saying that he is in love with Mrs. Ford and in white. Each encourages their chosen suitor to steal wants to discover whether rumors of her easy virtue away with Anne and marry her. are true. Offering Falstaff money to pursue Mrs. Ford on his behalf, Ford is shocked to discover that they Scene ii. The merry wives and Falstaff, dressed already have a planned assignation. Falstaff exits to as Herne the Hunter with stag’s antlers, arrive at dress for his date, and Ford rages against his wife’s Herne’s Oak. At the stroke of midnight, the wives run supposed infidelity. Meanwhile, Dr. Caius reveals his away, and Anne (dressed in blue) and Mrs. Quickly plans to challenge Evans to a duel. enter with their band of “fairies,” dancing and teasing Falstaff. Caius enters seeking a fairy in green, and ACT III Slender enters seeking a fairy in white. They find Scene i. Fenton prevails upon the Garter’s Host to aid their respective fairies and depart. A horn call stops him in his suit for Anne. Anne and her friends arrive. the taunting, and the Fords and Pages reenter to The Host praises Fenton, but Anne instructs Fenton to mock Falstaff. Falstaff realizes he has been tricked speak for himself, and is convinced of his true love. She and takes it in good humor. Page invites Falstaff to tells them that her mother believes she will marry Dr. have the last laugh at Mrs. Page, saying that by now Caius, and her father believes she will marry Slender, Anne is married to Slender. Slender arrives with his but she plans to deceive them both and marry Fenton. “bride,” who turns out to be young William Page in The Host promises to find them a priest. disguise. Mrs. Page says that Anne is in fact married to Caius, but Caius arrives with his “bride,” the page Scene ii. In a field, Caius and Evans engage Robin. Anne and Fenton then arrive and reveal they halfheartedly in their duel, observed by Ford, Shallow, are married. Falstaff leads the company in a group Slender, and the Host. Eventually the Host suggests reconciliation. that they forgive each other and return to the inn for a pint. Ford then invites the company to his house, promising to show them “a monster.”

Scene iii. At Ford’s house, the merry wives are preparing their trap. Mrs. Ford tells her servants to dump the contents of a laundry hamper into a ditch at her command, and then all except Mrs. Ford hide. Falstaff arrives, but before he can proceed in earnest with his seduction, Mrs. Quickly bursts in to warn of Mrs. Page’s arrival. Mrs. Page—as part of the plan— cries that Ford is on his way to the house in a jealous rage; unbeknownst to the merry wives, Ford is in fact on his way. Falstaff hides in the laundry basket and is carted off. Ford and his contingent arrive and search the house for the “monster,” but only find Mrs. Page.

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 9 PROGRAM NOTES BY DR. LAURA STANFIELD PRICHARD

Ralph (pronounced Rafe) Vaughan Williams was born in Down Ampney, Gloucestershire, on October 12, 1872 and died in London on August 26, 1958. He is buried in Westminster Abbey near his great-uncle Charles Darwin. Sir John in Love is an opera in four acts with a libretto, by the composer himself, based on Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor and supplemented with texts by Philip Sydney, Thomas Middleton, and Beaumont and Fletcher. Malcolm Sargent conducted the work’s premiere on March 21, 1929 with a student cast (Royal College of Music), and the professional premiere took place at Sadler’s Wells Theatre on April 9, 1946 under the direction of Lawrance Collingwood.

Opera has a long history in attention as a composer. An avid Ralph was taught to read by his England. Following the death of collector of folk songs in the English grandmother from the same book Purcell in 1695, English music countryside, Vaughan Williams with which she had instructed became increasingly influenced acquired many of the melodic her younger brother, Charles. by Italian and German tastes. characteristics of vernacular music He was young at the time of the Composers such as Handel and for his own compositional palette, controversies surrounding Darwin’s Pepusch worked for the new and through the influence of his works, but was aware of them. Hanoverian (Georgian) kings, and work he forged a new national When he was seven, Ralph asked Italian stars such as the castratos school. his mother about The Origin of Farinelli and Senesino competed Species, and she replied, “The Bible with local talent throughout the BIOGRAPHY tells us that God made the world early 1700s. Satirical ballad opera Ralph Vaughan Williams was born in six days. Great-uncle Charles developed as a form of English about ninety miles west of London thinks it took rather longer. But stage entertainment, partly in into a family with Anglican and we needn't worry—it is equally reaction to the dominance of Italian Unitarian roots. His father Arthur wonderful either way.” The young opera, and great continental was the Vicar at All Saints Church, composer drew strength from his composers such as Mozart, Haydn, Down Ampney. Previously, Arthur roots and fused skepticism with J. C. Bach, and Mendelssohn had a post at nearby Bemerton, the vision. remarked on England’s well- very same parish where the great established church choirs, choral metaphysical poet George Herbert Like most of the Wedgwoods and societies, and orchestras around (1593–1633) had been Vicar three Darwins, Vaughan Williams 1800. hundred years earlier. Vaughan read history, literature, natural Williams felt a lifelong kinship science, and music at Cambridge The Romantic generation of with Herbert, who was a younger (receiving degrees in both Music great British composers began contemporary of Shakespeare. and History). He mixed composition with the emergence of Edward with conducting, lecturing, and Elgar (1857–1934), followed by a Ralph’s mother was Margaret editing the music of Henry Purcell whole new generation of talented Wedgwood, and her mother was and the English Hymnal. By 1904, musicians. The leading figure of Caroline Darwin. Josiah Wedgwood Vaughan Williams began to collect this younger group of composers (1730–1795), the founder of the and transcribe English folk songs, was Ralph Vaughan Williams great pottery at Stoke-on-Trent, which were fast becoming extinct (1872–1958), who for nearly and Erasmus Darwin (1731-1832), due to the increase of literacy sixty years remained the most physician and poet, were his and printed music in rural areas. influential person in English music, great-great-grandfathers. When Despite his declared atheism, his nine symphonies, six operas, Vaughan Williams was only two, which in later years mellowed into and succession of major choral his father died and Margaret what his wife Ursula described as works being widely regarded as moved the family into Leith Hill “a cheerful agnosticism,” Vaughan his greatest achievements. Like Place (Surrey) with the Wedgwood/ Williams was inspired throughout Elgar, Vaughan Williams was a Darwin family. His great uncle, his life by much of the liturgy and late developer, reaching his mid- Charles Darwin, was a frequent music of the Anglican church, thirties before attracting serious visitor. the language of the King James Bible and Shakespeare, and the visionary qualities of English verse.

10 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG SIR JOHN IN LOVE about Falstaff's appointment with on his boundless imagination to The early 1920s marked a pastoral his wife (his raging “Cuckold” get him out of the same corners it interlude for Vaughan Williams, being echoed by the women's “the backs him into. He always manages with the composition of his cuckoo then”), and the joyous final to turn his folly into wisdom with opera Sir John in Love, The Lark ensemble. Vaughan Williams is a sometimes risky pirouette and Ascending, A Pastoral Symphony, most inspired in the way he uses his understanding that “the world The Shepherds of the Delectable music to subtly separate complex is but a play.” Vaughan Williams’s Mountains, and the Mass in G strands of action, as in the opening setting is sweet, ironic, and minor. These pieces are full of the quarrel scene, the basket scene, or exuberant, perfectly matching the rich harmonies associated with the “Herne the Hunter” episode. many varied archetypes occurring the composer in his most “English The unmasking scene in Windsor in Shakespeare's play. Vaughan summertime” moments, and they Forest is often excerpted as an Williams’s libretto cleverly prunes have origins in the revival of orchestral showpiece and was later Shakespeare's words and adds English polyphony and in Vaughan developed by the composer into a a number of Elizabethan lyrics, Williams's identification of his choral cantata. either by Shakespeare or by others music with “the imperishable (Philip Sydney, Thomas Middleton, glories of English prose.” The characters are not only sharp, and the great Jacobean literary due to Shakespeare, but rounded by partnership of English Restoration Sir John in Love’s music brims the tuneful music, which deepens drama, Beaumont and Fletcher), for with invention and imagination: the drama. Anne Page's foolish use in arias and ensembles. it conveys a love of the English suitors, for instance, are not merely countryside and the feel of country fools. Dr. Caius becomes more than Like the play, the opera proceeds society in Elizabethan England a quarrelsome comic Frenchman on two lines: Falstaff's wooing that is absent from Verdi’s Falstaff. when he breaks into song out of of Mistresses Page and Ford, That pastoral quality is what love for Anne. Through Vaughan and Fenton's wooing of Anne, makes The Merry Wives of Windsor Williams’s music, Anne becomes both strands brought together in special among Shakespeare’s the great humanizing influence Windsor Forest. Vaughan Williams plays—as the only play that among all the characters. included fifteen full minutes of Shakespeare set in his own time English folk tunes in the score. He and place, and in which he was (SIR JOHN) FALSTAFF had incorporated the Renaissance writing openly and directly about Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives lute song Greensleeves, before, a society and a social order that of Windsor was a rich source of but for this opera he borrowed he knew personally. The play has inspiration for classical composers: the verses which had appeared its own unique if rough-hewn Antonio Salieri set a very with it in William Ballet’s lute quality, and the words and music condensed version of the story in song book of 1584, A Handefull of Sir John capture that colorful his short two-act dramma giocoso of Pleasant Delites, and assigned atmosphere. entitled Falstaff, ossia Le tre burle them to Mrs. Ford to sing in Act (Falstaff, or The Three Jokes, III, just as Falstaff arrives for their Musical delights include the 1799); Otto Nicolai based a three- tryst. Greensleeves also appears opening ensemble scene in which act German Singspiel (arias with later in the opera, in a lovely Slender, seemingly unaware of the extensive dialogue) on the play instrumental arrangement for bustle about him, vainly tries to in the 1840s, and Giuseppe Verdi flute and strings, as the entr’acte devise a wooing song for Anne but came out of retirement to develop before the closing scene in Windsor never gets any further than “O his last opera Falstaff (1893) with Forest. In 1934, five years after Sir sweet Anne Page.” Other superb his librettist Arrigo Boito from The John was premiered at the Royal moments include the rollicking Merry Wives of Windsor and scenes College of Music in London, Ralph Drinking Song at the inn, the from Henry IV, parts 1 and 2. Greaves created the Fantasia on women's delightfully dancing Greensleeves for strings, flute, and Trio (“Sigh no more ladies”), The character of Falstaff embodies harp by joining the entr’acte with Anne's beautiful aria (“This is all the strengths and weaknesses of the passage based on Lovely Joan, my father's choice”), the love duet human nature: he is a cheater and sung by Mrs. Quickly in Act II. in which Fenton's song (“Do but a liar, bombastic and touchingly look on her eyes”) is answered by naive, and takes for granted his ©Laura Stanfield Prichard 2015. Anne's “Come, O Come my Life's privilege as a nobleman. But he is Delight,” Ford's rage when told quick-thinking, resilient, and relies

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 11 ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS

GIL ROSE, CONDUCTOR LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA, ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR

CHORUS ORCHESTRA

Sopranos Flute Violin I Alecia Batson Sarah Brady Charles Dimmick Lawren Hill Jessica Lizak Heidi Braun-Hill Erin Merceruio Nelson Jae Young Cosmos Lee Kynesha Patterson Oboe Robert Anemone Erica Petrocelli Jennifer Slowik Amy Sims Evelyn Tsen Nancy Dimock Annie Rabbat Heather Braun Mezzo-sopranos Clarinet Tascha Anderson Jan Halloran Violin II Abigail Dock Gary Gorczyca Colleen Brannen Elizabeth Kinder Piotr Buczek Elyse Mendelson Bassoon Yumi Okada Sophie Michaux Margaret Phillips Ethan Wood Rebecca Rapoport-Cole Meryl Summers Tera Gorsett Annegret Klaua Tenors French Horn Ethan Bremner Kevin Owen Viola Jason Connell Clark Mathews Peter Sulski Roland Mills Mark Berger Ted Palés Trumpet Noriko Herndon Fred C. Van Ness, Jr. Joseph Foley Jason Fisher Stanley Wilson Tony Gimenez Alexander Vavilov

Baritones Trombone Cello Samuel Bowen Don Davis Katherine Kayaian Barratt Park Aristides Rivas Miles Rind Percussion Velleda Miragias Jacob Scharfman Nicholas Tolle Double Bass Linda Osborn, repetiteur Timpani Anthony D’Amico Jonathan Hess Bebo Shiu

Harp Amanda Romano

12 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG ARTIST PROFILES

OREN GRADUS such as Masetto in Don Giovanni, University. His recordings appear (SIR JOHN FALSTAFF) Timur in Turandot, the Old on the Sony Classical, BMG, Accord Brooklyn-born bass Hebrew in Samson et Dalila, and Newport Classics labels. Mr. Oren Gradus is the King in Aida, and Garibaldo Chioldi makes his home in New rising in recognition in Rodelinda, opposite Renée York City. and critical acclaim Fleming. PHOTO: KEN HOWARD throughout North SAMUEL LEVINE America and Europe as a brilliant MICHAEL CHIOLDI (FENTON) basso cantante. His 2012-2013 (FORD) Samuel Levine season included several career American baritone has emerged as an milestones: he made his house Michael Chioldi is elegant and robust debut with Washington National quickly gaining a tenor on the cusp of Opera as Henry VIII in Anna reputation as one a major career. His Bolena, his house and role debuts of the most sought- 2014 performance with Gotham with Gran Teatre del Liceu in after dramatic baritones of his Chamber Opera, in the dual Barcelona as the four villains generation. Praised for his “warm, roles of Testo in Monteverdi’s in Les Contes d’Hoffman, his rich tone” (Opera News) and “deeply Il Combattimento di Tancredi e house debut with Canadian Opera communicative phrasing” (The Clorinda and Noah in the world Company as Raimondo in Lucia di Baltimore Sun), he has received premiere of Lembit Beecher’s I Lammermoor, and his house and unanimous acclaim from critics and Have No Stories to Tell You, was role debuts with Opéra d’Avenches audiences around the world for his called “eloquent, full-bodied,” in Switzerland as Zaccaria portrayals of the dramatic baritone “bright-voiced and skillful” in Nabucco. Mr. Gradus returned to roles of Verdi, Puccini, and Strauss. (Wall Street Journal) and “well- the Metropolitan Opera as Publio His recent role debuts include the sung” (New York Times). Recent in La Clemenza di Tito, which title roles in Verdi’s Macbeth with highlights include Narraboth was broadcast as part of The Met: Palm Beach Opera and Nabucco in Salome with Virginia Opera, Live in HD series. He also had the with Lyric Opera Baltimore, Conte Neighbor/Ravan in the world privilege of performing in concert di Luna in Il Trovatore with Utah premiere of River of Light with with the legendary Roger Waters Opera, and Rodrigo in Don Carlo Houston Grand Opera, the title in his original opera Ça Ira in with Austin Lyric Opera. His 2014- role of Der Protagonist with Fire Gothenberg, Sweden. In the 2013- 15 season includes his debut at the Island Opera Festival, Traveler 2014 season, Mr. Gradus reprises Royal Opera House, Muscat for in the world premiere of Clemency his powerful portrayal of Colline in performances of Macbeth, Toledo with Boston Lyric Opera, and the Met’s production of La Bohème, Opera as Scarpia in Tosca, Virginia Léon in The Ghosts of Versailles which will be broadcast in theaters Opera as Jochanaan in Salome, with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis worldwide. He also returns to and New Orleans Opera as Enrico and Wexford Festival Opera. Pittsburgh Opera for performances in Lucia di Lammermoor. In concert, he has appeared at of Ramfis in Aida and Sarastro Chicago Symphony Center, Weill in Die Zauberflöte, and makes his Chioldi has been the recipient of Hall at Carnegie Hall, l’Orchestra house debut with Baltimore Opera numerous awards and honors, Sinfonico di Milano Giuseppe as Zaccaria in Nabucco. including the Metropolitan Opera Verdi, and with New York Festival National Council Competition of Song. Upcoming engagements Oren Gradus studied music at (Winner 1995), the MacAllister include a role debut as Don José in the Oberlin Conservatory and Competition, the Licia Albanese- Carmen at the Savannah VOICE subsequently became a member of Puccini Competition, the Miami Festival (presented by Sherrill the Pittsburgh Opera Center and Opera Competition, the Sullivan Milnes), Lurcanio in Ariodante in the Houston Grand Opera. Mr. Foundation, and the Anna Case- R.B. Schlather’s internationally- Gradus made his Metropolitan Mckay Award. He received his acclaimed series of Handel’s Ariosto Opera debut during the 2002- Bachelor’s degree from West operas at the Whitebox Art Center 2003 season, and has since Virginia University, and his in New York City, and a debut with performed various roles there Master’s degree from Yale Opera Philadelphia. Mr. Levine is a

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 13 graduate of the Oberlin Exsultate, jubilate with the Round Midsummer Opera, and Ohio Light Conservatory, the Yale University Rock Symphony Orchestra; Opera. School of Music, and the training Mozart's Requiem with the Russell PHOTO: LISA KOHLER LISA PHOTO: programs of the Santa Fe Opera Arts Council, and Handel’s Israel in MARA BONDE and the Tanglewood Music Festival. Egypt with the Westminster Choral (MRS. PAGE) Festival. She will perform Michal Soprano Mara MEGAN PACHECANO TAYLOR LARIE PHOTO: in Handel's Saul with the Ad Astra Bonde has thrilled (ANNE PAGE) Music Festival this coming season. audiences in diverse Megan Pachecano venues throughout PHOTO: DANIEL BUCKLEY recently made her COURTNEY MILLER the United States role debut as Adina (MRS. FORD) and Europe with her electric stage in L’elisir d’amore Mezzo-soprano presence and musical artistry. with New Rochelle Courtney Miller just Equally at home in both classical Opera, joined Opera Theater of finished two seasons and popular styles, Mara is no Connecticut in a concert series with Virginia Opera. stranger to the world of “symphony at the Sanibel Music Festival, There, she sang Meg pops.” She has been the guest artist appeared as the soprano soloist Page in Falstaff, Second Lady for “Holiday Pops” with the Boston in Handel's Messiah with the in The Magic Flute, Mercédès in Pops, the Naples Philharmonic, Helena Symphony, and returned Carmen, Page in Salome, Flora the Syracuse Symphony, the to Caramoor Center for Music and in La Traviata, Cousin Hebe in New Haven Symphony, and the the Arts as a Bel Canto Apprentice H.M.S. Pinafore, and Dryade in Charlotte Symphony. She made Artist. Ms. Pachecano has Ariadne auf Naxos while covering her Boston Pops debut under the performed the roles of Norina in the Composer. This year she will direction of Keith Lockhart in Don Pasquale (Salt Marsh Opera), make her Odyssey Opera debut “Brush up your Shakespeare,” Gianetta in L’elisir d’amore (Opera singing Mrs. Ford in Sir John in which was nationally televised MODO), Zerlina in scenes from Love and Madison Opera debut as on PBS's Evening at Pops. On Don Giovanni (Somerset Valley Meg in Little Women. As a Young the concert stage, she has sung Orchestra), Crobyle in Thaïs (The Artist at Glimmerglass Festival with the Utah Symphony, the San Opera Company of Middlebury), this summer, she performed Diego Symphony, the Stamford and covered Serafina in Il Suzuki in the Madama Butterfly Symphony, the Ridgefield campanello di notte (Garden State YAP performance. An avid Symphony, the Nashua Symphony, Opera). As a Studio Artist at Opera recitalist, Ms. Miller has won first the Handel & Haydn Society, and New Jersey she covered Pitti Sing place in the National Federation Boston Baroque. Mara is a featured in The Mikado, and later toured in of Music Clubs’ Young Artist soloist on Robert Shaw’s Telarc their outreach production of Hansel Competition in Women’s Voice and recording Appear and Inspire. A and Gretel. Ms. Pachecano holds a the American Prize in Art Song very special recording project is Master of Music in Classical Voice in Women’s Voice. She will be Sound Spectrum (Navona Records), from Manhattan School of Music performing Ravel’s Shéhérazade featuring Mara collaborating with where she performed Susanna in with the Brevard Music Center her father, composer and pianist Le nozze di Figaro and Annabel Orchestra this summer as well as Allen Bonde. Mara's recent opera Lee in Gargoyle Garden, and a recital tour. Acclaimed Boston debuts include Hanna in The Merry holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice performances include Sister Helen Widow with Imperial Symphony Performance from The University in Dead Man Walking with Boston Orchestra, Adina in L'elisir d'amore of Texas at Austin. Ms. Pachecano Opera Collaborative and a double with Sarasota Opera, and Echo has sung Haydn’s Lord Nelson bill as the title role in L’enfant et in Ariadne auf Naxos with Boston Mass and Little Organ Mass, les sortilèges and Concepción in Lyric Opera. Mara holds a Master Beethoven’s Die Ruinen von Athen, L’heure Espagnole with Boston of Music in vocal performance and Mozart's Great Mass in C Conservatory. Ms. Miller has also from Boston University. She was a minor with the Astoria Symphony worked with Chautauqua Opera, Fellow at the Aspen Music Festival Orchestra; Villa-Lobos’s Bachianas Boston Lyric Opera, Juventas and one of twelve singers selected Brasileiras No. 5 and Mozart’s New Music Ensemble, Boston to study at the Britten-Pears

14 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG School in Aldeburgh, England, Requiem, Mozart’s Coronation Music Festival, Masterworks with Richard Bonynge and Joan Mass, Elgar’s Sea Pictures, Chorale, Motor City Symphony, Sutherland. Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, Canton Symphony, Wooster Bruckner’s Mass in F Minor, and Symphony, Lake Placid Sinfonietta, PHOTO: RICHARD BLINKOFF CINDY SADLER the Duruflé and Mozart Requiems. Hilton Head Orchestra, Ascension (MRS. QUICKLY) Music in New York, and Orquesta Heralded for her GEORGE CORDES de las Américas in Mexico City. He rich, satiny voice (PAGE) and his wife, Elizabeth, live in the and impeccable Bass-baritone George Adirondacks of New York, where characterizations, Cordes has sung they founded and direct High mezzo-soprano Cindy more than 60 opera Peaks Opera. Sadler is a force to be reckoned roles with companies PHOTO: JONATHAN HARTT with on the operatic scene. The throughout North MATTHEW DIBATTISTA 2014-15 season includes her America and in Japan, including (SIR HUGH EVANS) reprise of The Italian Lesson and the Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Matthew DiBattista’s Dinah in Trouble in Tahiti with Lyric Opera, Houston Grand engagements this Opera Piccola San Antonio, the Opera, Dallas Opera, Santa Fe season include Marquise in La fille du Regiment Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Camille Raquin in with Mill City Opera, and return Pittsburgh Opera, New Orleans Picker’s Thérèse engagements to Syracuse Opera as Opera, Opera Tampa, Opera Raquin (Long Beach Opera Prince Orlovksy in Die Fledermaus, Columbus, Opera Grand Rapids, El and Chicago Opera Theater); New Orleans Opera as Marcellina Paso Opera, Syracuse Opera, the Curley in Floyd’s Of Mice and in Le nozze di Figaro, and Austin Tokyo City Orchestra, and Teatro Men (Tulsa Opera); Britten’s War Opera as Gertrude in Romeo and de la Opera in San Juan, Puerto Requiem (Dayton Philharmonic Juliette. In the 2013-14 season, Rico. A principal artist with New Orchestra); and the servant Ms. Sadler was lauded for her York City Opera for six seasons, in Capriccio (Lyric Opera comedic charm in Chautauqua’s he was featured in consecutive of Chicago). Last season’s Peter Grimes, her scene-stealing PBS “Live from Lincoln Center” engagements include his turn as Marthe in Austin Opera’s telecasts of Tosca and La bohème. Lyric Opera of Chicago debut Faust, and for her ability to make Other highlights include the role of in Parsifal; Eddie Fisslinger an impression as Marie in The Most Bottom in Britten’s A Midsummer in Elmer Gantry (Tulsa Opera); and Happy Fella with Tulsa Opera. She Night’s Dream with Lyric Opera Monastatos in Magic Flute (Opera also made company debuts with of Kansas City and the Reverend Theatre of St. Louis). Recently Portland Opera as Ruth in Pirates Hale in The Crucible and Nourabad he sang Steve Hubble in A of Penzance, the Jacksonville in Les Pecheurs de Perles, both with Streetcar Named Desire (Virginia Symphony as Marcellina in The Opera Boston. Since 2007, George Opera), Beppe in I Pagliacci and Marriage of Figaro, and Pine has appeared each summer with Tinka in Il tabarro (Opera Mountain Music Festival as Mrs. Opera by the Bay in Hingham, MA, Theatre of St. Louis), and Clancy in Hoiby’s one-woman in opera, operetta, and musical Jack in Tippett’s Midsummer opera The Italian Lesson. Other revues. In 2015, he returns there Marriage (Boston Modern highlights include the Old Baroness as Ko-Ko in The Mikado. In 2011, Orchestra Project). in Sarasota Opera’s Vanessa, her he gave a “powerful and witty Career highlights: Jasper debut at Florida Grand Opera as performance” of the title role in Vanderbilt in Kirke Mechem’s The Gertrude in Romeo and Juliette, Sweeney Todd with Pendragon Rivals (world premiere, Zita in Gianni Schicchi and Baba Theatre in New York and rejoined Skylight Opera Theatre); the Turk in The Rake’s Progress at that company in 2014 in the title roles in Unsuk Chin’s Alice in the Princeton Festival, and Katisha role of Man of La Mancha. On the Wonderland (American premiere, in Syracuse Opera's The Mikado. concert stage, George has appeared Opera Theatre of Saint Louis); An accomplished concert artist, Ms. with the Hartford Symphony, Stage Manager in Rorem’s Our Sadler counts among her repertoire Berkshire Choral Festival, Town (Monadnock Music Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, Verdi’s Plymouth Philharmonic, Duxbury Festival); Flute in A Midsummer

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 15 Night’s Dream (Boston Lyric Mr. Demler first gained an arts administrator, Jonathan Opera); Molqi in The Death of international attention at Houston serves as the Program Manager of Klinghoffer and Bégearss in The Grand Opera, where he appeared the Boston University Tanglewood Ghosts of Versailles (Opera as Guglielmo in Così Fan Tutte and Institute, an organization for which Theatre of St. Louis); David in Die Peter in Hansel and Gretel, and as he has also served on vocal faculty. Meistersinger von Nurnberg (Boston soloist with the Houston Symphony, Jonathan holds degrees in voice Symphony Orchestra); Flavio where he sang the role of Maestro and opera performance from Baylor in Norma (Tanglewood, Charles in a concert version of Salieri’s University, Boston University, Dutoit conducting); the title role rarely performed opera Prima la and the Boston University in The Good Soldier Schweik (Long musica, poi le parole. James Demler Opera Institute, and is currently Beach Opera); Yarzhkin in The made his Carnegie Hall debut with completing a Doctor of Musical Arts Nose (Opera Boston); Jack O’Brien the Opera Orchestra of New York in Voice and Pedagogy from the in The Rise and Fall of the City as Dikson in Boieldieu’s La Dame University of Colorado, Boulder. of Mahagonny and Louis in Blanche, and has returned to that Eötvös’ Angels in America (North venue singing prominent roles in STANLEY WILSON American premiere, both with Donizetti’s Roberto Devereux and (BARDOLPH) Opera Boston); Martin in Catalani’s La Wally. Mr. Demler Hailing tenor Copland’s The Tender Land, has been a full-time member of the Stanley Wilson in the (PBS’s “Great Performances”); and voice faculty of Boston University Worcester Telegram Pedrillo in Die Entführung aus dem College of Fine Arts since 2005. & Gazette’s recent Serail (Glimmerglass Opera). review of A Worcester JONATHAN COLE Schubertiad, Joyce Tamer stated, JAMES DEMLER PHOTO: JONATHAN HARTT (NYM) “Tenor Stanley Wilson opened the (PISTOL) Jonathan Cole, program with three lieder which Baritone James baritone, is from he sang expressively and with a Demler is known for Dallas, Texas and is relaxed and focused tone.” “This is his versatile range of excited to make his a real gem” states Henry Fogel in repertory, spanning Odyssey Opera debut. Fanfare magazine of Mr. Wilson’s the operatic, oratorio, He has performed in a variety of latest CD, Art Songs of the British concert, and popular music genres. capacities with organizations such Romantics. Mr. Wilson was also Recent performances include as Central City Opera, Boston Lyric honored by the Minuetto Music the role of Dikoj with Boston Opera, Boston Youth Symphony Festival with their Rising Star Lyric Opera in Janácˇek’s Katya Orchestra, Boston University Opera Award. He is the Executive Director Kabanova, and re-engagements Institute, Marblehead Festival of A Worcester Schubertiad, a as soloist with the Boston Pops Chorus, and CU New Opera non-profit organization which in both the Spring of 2012 and in Works. Jonathan has sung over celebrates the vocal and chamber their 2012/13 Christmas concerts, thirty roles on the operatic stage; music of Franz Schubert and his in which he sang Ralph Vaughn highlights include Ford in Verdi’s contemporaries through public Williams’s Fantasia on Christmas Falstaff, Mercutio in Gounod’s concerts and educational forums Carols. In the summer of 2013 Mr. Roméo et Juliette, Guglielmo in in central Massachusetts. Opera Demler was the baritone soloist Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Marcello in credits include Ferrando in Così fan with the Landmarks Orchestra of Puccini’s La Bohème, and Figaro tutte, Mr. Angel in The Impresario, Boston, singing excerpts from La in Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia. Bardolfo in Falstaff, Tanzmeister Traviata and Rigoletto. He made An avid supporter of new music, in Ariadne auf Naxos, Kaspar in his film debut as Noah in Wes Jonathan has performed lead Amahl and the Night Visitors, the Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, roles in collaboration with Jake Witch in Hansel and Gretel, Tinca which opened the 2012 Cannes Heggie, Tobias Picker, and the late in Il Tabarro, Gherardo in Gianni Film Festival, and was also a guest Stephen Paulus, and has performed Schicchi, Gastone in La Traviata, Public Address Announcer for the staged and workshop premieres and Lorenzo in I Capuleti e I Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in of operas by William Bolcom, Lori Montecchi and a cover of Jaquino June 2012. Laitman, and Libby Larsen. As in Fidelio with Opera Boston.

16 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG PHOTO: MIRANDA LOUD MIRANDA PHOTO: Stanley’s concert work includes SUMNER THOMPSON ambient/experimental duo Sven, performances of Vivaldi’s Dixit (DR. CAIUS) whose work has been featured on Dominus; Handel’s Israel in Egypt, Described as Animal Planet, amongst other Messiah, and Judas Maccabaeus; possessing “power venues. Mozart’s Requiem, Great Mass in and passion,” and C Minor, and Coronation Mass; “stylish elegance,” ROBERT Haydn’s Mass in the Time of War; tenor Sumner HONEYSUCKER Mendelssohn’s Elijah; Beethoven’s Thompson is in high demand on (HOST) Choral Fantasy; Puccini’s Messa di the concert and opera stage across A recipient of the Gloria; the premiere of Gwyneth North America and Europe. He Boston Globe's Walker’s Come Life, Shaker Life; has appeared as a soloist with Musician of the Year Schubert’s Mass in B-flat and many leading ensembles and award in 1995, Robert Mass in E-flat, and Saint-Saëns’s orchestras including the Britten- Honeysucker has performed such Christmas Oratorio. Visit his Pears Orchestra, the National roles as Count di Luna, Germont, website at stanleywilsontenor.com Symphony, the Boston Early Music Ford, Iago, Amonasro, Rigoletto, to see upcoming engagements and Festival Orchestra, Apollo’s Fire, and Renato with companies in available CDs. Pacific Baroque Orchestra, Les Boston, Philadelphia, Sacramento, Boréades de Montréal, Mercury Salt Lake City, Tulsa, and Fort JESSE DARDEN Baroque, Les Voix Baroques, The Worth. He has also sung Don (SLENDER) Handel and Haydn Society, Boston Giovanni, Figaro, Sharpless, Jesse Darden is in Baroque, Tafelmusik, the Orpheus Porgy, and Jake in opera houses in his first year with the Chamber Orchestra, Gli Angeli Auckland, NZ; Berlin, Germany, Boston University Genève, and the orchestras of and Linz, Austria. Orchestral Opera Institute, Cedar Rapids, Phoenix, Richmond, performances have included studying with Memphis, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Penelope Bitzas. He holds degrees San Antonio, and Charlotte. the Boston Symphony Orchestra from the University of North Notable engagements include the (Seiji Ozawa) and with the Atlanta Carolina at Greensboro and the role of El Dancaïro in Carmen with Symphony (Roberto Abbado), All Ohio State University. Jesse spent the Cincinnati Opera, the role Rise with the Boston Symphony his 2012 and 2013 summers as a of Aeneas in Purcell’s Dido and Orchestra (Kurt Mazur), Vaughn Studio Artist with Chautauqua Aeneas at the Ottawa Chamber Williams’s Hodie with Salt Lake Opera. He received the Chautauqua Music Festival, soloist in Bach’s Symphony (Keith Lockhart), and Opera Studio Artist Award and St. Matthew Passion as part of Charles Ives’s General William returned in 2014 as an Apprentice the Handel and Haydn Society’s Booth Enters into Heaven with the Artist. Jesse was a 2015 Regional 200th anniversary season, the Pittsburgh Symphony (Michael Finalist with the Metropolitan role of the Restaurant Waiter in Tilson Thomas). In addition, Opera National Council Auditions. Britten’s Death in Venice with the Mr. Honeysucker has performed Recent roles include Belfiore in Chicago Opera Theater, and his with symphonies in St. Louis, La finta giardiniera, Don José in debut with Boston’s Odyssey Opera Sacramento, Omaha, Roanoke, La tragédie de Carmen, Prunier in the role of Dr. Caius in Vaughan St. Paul, Long Island, NY, and in La rondine, Fenton in Falstaff, Williams’s Sir John in Love. Mr. Flagstaff, AZ. He has also appeared Sir Philip in Owen Wingrave, and Thompson can be heard on the with orchestras in Tokyo, Osaka, Albert in Albert Herring. Upcoming Boston Early Music Festival’s Nobeoka, and Sapporo, Japan. projects include Louis Ironson Grammy nominated recording of in Angels in America and Prince Lully’s Psyché on the CPO label, Mr. Honeysucker is a member of Charmant in Cendrillon, both with and also with Les Voix Baroques on Videmus, as well as a member the BU Opera Institute. Jesse will Canticum Canticorum, Carissimi and co-founder of the Jubilee Trio, sing Martin in The Tender Land Oratorios, and Humori, all on which presents American art with Opera North this summer. the ATMA label. Mr. Thompson songs, including those of under- is also an electric bassist and performed African American percussionist and is one half of the composers. His discography

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 17 includes performances on five Region) and earned his Master of Camerata, Providence Singers, Videmus discs: Music of William Music in 2006 from the University Schola Cantorum of Boston, and Grant Still (New World), Watch of Wisconsin. ecbremner.com Community Music Works. and Pray (Koch International), More Still (Cambria), Highway 1, JACOB SCHARFMAN WEICK ALEX PHOTO: ANDY PAPAS (SIMPLE) USA (music of William Grant Still, (RUGBY) Praised by the St. released by Albany Records), and Jacob Scharfman Louis Post-Dispatch Good News (Videmus Records). He brings a bright new for his “rich voice” is also featured on a CD recently voice to his home city. and comic timing, released by the Jubilee Trio titled The Boston Musical Baritone Andy Le’s have a Union (Brave Records). Intelligencer recently Papas hails from Mr. Honeysucker is also featured praised his baritone as “certain to nearby Winchester, Mass. and on the Centaur, Ongaku, and gain popularity[…]well-rounded makes his Odyssey Opera debut. Titanic labels. He is a member of and rich, maintaining clarity and He was most recently seen as the voice faculties at The Boston precision throughout his entire Stephano in the World Premiere Conservatory and The Longy range.” Operatic engagements this of Joseph Summers’s The Tempest School of Music. season include Mr. Webb in Rorem’s with the Shakespeare Concerts. Our Town with Boston Opera As Magnifico inLa Cenerentola ETHAN BREMNER Collaborative, Prince Yeletsky in for Skylight Music Theater, the (SHALLOW) Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel called Since his arrival with Harvard’s Lowell House, him “delightfully ridiculous.” In in Boston, Ethan and the Pilot (cover) in Rachel March, Andy was Magnifico for Bremner has become Portman’s Little Prince with Opera Skagit Opera of Seattle, and he will one of the city’s most Fayetteville (AR). A favorite soloist be back in Washington State in sought-after young tenors. He made of the Henry Purcell Society of May for Beethoven’s 9th Symphony his local debut with Boston Opera Boston, he will debut at the Boston with the Mid-Columbia Symphony. Collaborative in 2006 as Achilles Early Music Festival this June. Last summer the Rutland Herald in Gluck’s Iphigenie en Aulide, Last summer, he sang recitals in dubbed him “a riot” as Haly in then sang with the company as Tailloires, France and Bologna, L’Italiana in Algeri with the Rodolfo in Puccini’s La bohème. Italy, and premiered the role of Aro Opera Company of Middlebury. He also had an auspicious debut in Operahub’s Der Vampyr, hailed This summer he sings his third as Cavaradossi in Puccini’s Tosca, by the Boston Globe as “stellar[…] Magnifico of the year, this time for Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir one of the most rewarding the Bar Harbor Music Festival. In d’amore, and Tamino in Mozart’s theatrical events of the season.” August he returns to Union Avenue The Magic Flute with Longwood Jacob graduated magna cum laude Opera of St. Louis as one of the Opera. He performed in the from Brown University in 2013, courtiers in Rigoletto. He made his premier performance of Odyssey where he played Aeneas in Purcell’s professional musical theater debut Opera of Boston as Baroncelli in Dido and Aeneas, delivered a recital in Fiddler on the Roof with the Wagner’s Rienzi. Most recently of Elizabethan poetry in song, and Reagle Music Theatre in 2013, and he performed as Vasek in Boston riveted Commencement audiences is a member of Actor’s Equity. Andy Midsummer Opera’s Production of with his “Star-Spangled Banner.” has performed and covered leading The Bartered Bride and as Don José He also directed the university’s roles with Opera New Jersey, in Carmen. Recent appearances on Madrigal Singers and completed a Opera for the Young, St. Petersburg the concert platform include Verdi’s second major in Italian Studies. His Opera, and Opera Providence, Requiem with Cape Cod Symphony translation of The Blood of Honor, a among others. He earned his MM and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony historiography of dueling by Marco from the University of Houston with Boston Civic Symphony. Mr. Cavina, is set to be published by and his BM from the University of Bremner was a Finalist in the Cambridge University Press. On Michigan. andypapas.com 2010 Metropolitan Opera National staff at Trinity Church and Central Council Auditions (New England Reform Temple, he has appeared as a soloist with the Boston

18 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 19

ARTHUR SULLIVAN THE ZOO

WILLIAM WALTON THE

20 BEARODYSSEYOPERA.ORG SIR ARTHUR SULLIVAN (1842-1900) THE ZOO A New and Original Musical Folly in One Act ARTHUR SULLIVAN Libretto by Bolton Rowe (B.C. Stephenson) Daniel Shirley Æsculapius Carboy, a chemist in love with Lætitia Chelsea Beatty Lætitia, loved by Carboy Colin Levin Thomas Brown—but really—the Duke of Islington, THE a nobleman disguised, in search of virtue which he finds in Eliza Sadie Gregg Eliza Smith, a perfectly virtuous and highly principled young lady, in charge of the Refreshment Stall ZOO Simon Dyer Mr. Grinder, Lætitia’s father, a retired grocer WILLIAM WALTON (1902-83) THE BEAR

Extravaganza in One Act Libretto by Paul Dehn and William Walton, based on the play by Anton Chekhov

Stephen Salters Grigory Stepanovich Smirnov Janna Baty Yelena Ivanovna Popova Simon Dyer Luka

Odyssey Opera Orchestra and Chorus Gil Rose, Conductor (The Bear) James Blachly, Conductor (The Zoo)

Lynn Torgove, Stage Director Stephen Dobay, Scenic Designer Amanda Mujica, Costume Designer Rachel Padula Shufelt, Hair and Make-up Designer WILLIAM WALTON Dennis Parichy, Lighting Designer PHOTO: ANDY MCLEMORE

FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2015 AT 7:30PM THE SUNDAY, MAY 24, 2015 AT 3PM Boston University Theatre 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston

BEAR THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 21 SYNOPSES

THE ZOO Grinder enters, growling about his “wicked daughter” Setting: the London Zoological Gardens: the bear pit: and her lover, but receives no aid from the crowd. the refreshment stall. Mid-19th century. Eliza, returning from her errand, sings of how, in her innocence, she cannot understand why men shower Intermission her with gifts and attention. Lætitia, Carboy, Grinder, and the crowd reenter, with all appealing to Grinder THE BEAR to have mercy on the young lovers. When Grinder still Setting: the drawing room of Madam Popova’s country refuses to consent to Lætitia and Carboy’s marriage, house, 1890. Carboy demands a rope, makes his farewells, and heads off to the bear pit for another suicide attempt. Run time: ninety minutes Thomas arrives dressed in his “native guise” as with one twenty-minute intermission the Duke of Islington and proposes to Eliza, who is distraught at the thought of leaving her beloved Distribution of the R.Clyde edition of The Zoo by music dealer Christopher I. animals. Thomas, however, reveals that he has Browne, UK. The Bear used by permission of Oxford University Press. purchased the entire menagerie, and all celebrate. The forgotten Carboy emerges from the bear pit, explaining THE ZOO that the bears had been moved due to renovations, and announces his intention to try the lion pit instead. But As the scene opens, a chorus of Ladies and Gentlemen Thomas finally sways Grinder with a well-filled purse, of the British Public are milling with patriotic bravery and all rejoice at the triumph of true love and the about the Zoo’s bear pit and refreshment stall. They greatness of Britannia. notice Carboy attempting to hang himself on the veranda of the refreshment stall, and inquire as to THE BEAR his motivation. He laments that Mr. Grinder, the father of Lætitia, the woman he loves, has refused to Yelena Ivanovna Popova, a pretty young widow, is grant her hand in marriage to a mere impoverished resolutely mourning her husband, despite her servant apothecary. The lovers have been communicating Luka’s entreaties to enjoy life once more. Popova says via prescriptions, potions, and ointments—but alas, that despite her late husband’s fickleness and cruelty, compounding matters, two doses that Carboy meant for she will prove her virtue by remaining faithful to his Lætitia and Grinder respectively have been mixed up, memory until death. There is a knock on the door, with potentially disastrous results. Eliza Smith, the and Luka announces the arrival of a very determined proprietress of the refreshment stall, enters and, upon visitor. The visitor is Grigory Stepanovich Smirnov, seeing Carboy’s efforts, orders him to desist. Hearing a landowner who claims that Popova’s husband owed her, Eliza’s suitor Thomas Brown enters and briefly him thirteen hundred roubles at the time of his death. worries that Carboy is a rival, but Eliza reassures him. Smirnov claims that he himself will go to debtors’ prison if he doesn’t collect the debt immediately, Lætitia enters and explains that the mixed-up and refuses to leave until Popova hands over the labels were switched by her sister as a joke; she and cash. Incensed by his vulgarity, Popova leaves, and Carboy sing of their love while Eliza and Thomas, in Smirnov, alone, shouts for vodka and laments the counterpoint, sing of all the treats that Thomas has tenderheartedness preventing him from collecting his consumed while hanging around Eliza’s stall. Thomas debts. Returning, Popova scorns Smirnov’s statement collapses and the crowd looks on concernedly while that men are more constant than woman, citing her offering conflicting advice. Thomas comes to, declaring own life as example, and finally declares that the only “It was the last bun...” and Carboy sends Eliza off solution to his boorish demands is a duel. She goes for a prescription. While ministering to his patient, to fetch pistols, and Smirnov admires the fiery spirit Carboy discovers the Order of the Garter beneath which resides beneath her beauty. Popova returns and Thomas’s coat, thereby revealing him as a peer in admits that she does not know how to fire a pistol, disguise. Thomas confesses he is indeed a member so Smirnov gives her a flirtatious lesson. In the end of the aristocracy and, though intimidated by public Smirnov declares he cannot shoot, for he has fallen in speaking, manages to convey to the crowd his sincere love with her, and prepares to leave. Popova calls him love for Eliza and wish to marry her. back and they embrace, to Luka’s consternation.

22 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG PROGRAM NOTES BY DR. LAURA STANFIELD PRICHARD

INTRODUCTION Early Romantic operetta provides He was the conductor of the Leeds Opera has a long history in a bridge to later masterworks. Festival for almost twenty years, England, with roots in dance, Parisian composers Hervé (a.k.a. a recital accompanist for the royal masque, and tragedy (like Henry Florimond Ronger, 1825-1892) and family (knighted in 1883), and Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas). Adolphe Adam (composer of Giselle, “incomparably the greatest English Throughout the Baroque period, 1803-1956) are considered to have musician of the age” according to English music was heavily created the first operettas (with author William Schwenck Gilbert. influenced by continental tastes. spoken dialogue instead of sung German opera composers such as recitative). The French government, Sullivan became famous overnight G. F. Handel worked for the new which sponsored all grand opera, after a successful 1862 performance Hanoverian (Georgian) kings in limited independent musical of his incidental music for The competition with English concert productions to one-act works, with Tempest in the Crystal Palace. Over producers, and Italian stars rivaled no more than three characters. the next decade, he published his local talent throughout the early Jacques Offenbach’s dozens of only song cycle (The Window, to 1700s. Several distinct forms of successes of the 1850s established texts by Tennyson), a cello concerto comic theater thrived. the operetta form as a viable and symphony, several dramatic financial endeavor, and resulted in cantatas, and popular hymn tunes English ballad operas combined the three-singer limit being lifted such as St. Gertrude (adopted as spoken text with current popular in 1858. Onward, Christian Soldiers by tunes: the most influential was the Salvation Army). Large-scale John Gay’s popular The Beggar’s High British comedies of the same works of this period include huge Opera (1728). British politicians period required newly composed commissions for the Crystal Palace were wary of the success of such musical scores with recitatives (Festival Te Deum, 1872), the Three a low-brow form and took steps to instead of spoken dialogue; they Choirs Festival (an 1869 three-act stifle this budding branch of British were billed as comedy operas, comic oratorio, The Prodigal Son), and theater. operas, and light operas. Michael the 1873 Birmingham Festival (The Balfe’s wildly popular opera The Light of the World). Comic opera was imported from Bohemian Girl (1845) told of Italy and competed with French members of the nobility raised Sullivan met his longtime styles up to the revolutions of the by gypsies, and its English arias collaborator, W. S. Gilbert, in 1870 1770s-90s. In 1843, Parliament spawned popular hits (like Balfe’s and was commissioned to write the clamped down on popular “I Dreamt That I Dwelt in Marble burlesque-style comic opera Thespis entertainment by passing the Halls,” still heard in recitals today). with him for the Gaiety Theatre the Theatres Act: it specified that Light-hearted stories were buoyed following year. After this project, saloons, gardens, and cafés by melodies that could appeal to they went their separate ways until providing music could only be popular taste, combining the best of late 1874, but the decade was filled licensed if run as “theatres,” and several contrasting types of music with other theatrical commissions, that the Lord Chamberlain could theater. including suites of incidental vet and prevent any new plays music for Shakespeare plays, and threatening “the preservation of ARTHUR SULLIVAN eventually a series of one-act comic good manners, decorum or of the In this heady climate, Arthur operas. public peace.” Spoken drama was Sullivan began a career as a limited to the patent theatres, composer of both “serious” music Richard D’Oyly Carte, the where grand opera also thrived (he had trained in the Chapel manager of the Royalty Theatre, (originally only the Theatre Royal, Royal, the Royal Academy of Music, commissioned Trial by Jury as Drury Lane, and Covent Garden and in Leipzig on a Mendelssohn a short one-act to fill out a bill in London), so promoters began to scholarship) and of “light” music with Offenbach’s La Périchole. raise funds to establish new venues. (his father was a theatre musician Starring Sullivan’s brother Fred who became an army bandmaster). as the Learned Judge, the work was a surprise hit (running over 300 performances) and

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 23 established “Gilbert & Sullivan” from 1877-1883, and conducted Present-day interest in the opera as a formidable team who would every Gilbert and Sullivan operetta traces back to Terence Rees’s create twelve more operas together. from Sorcerer to Mikado. purchase of the autograph score at During the development of Trial a Sotheby’s auction in 1966. A new by Jury, and premiering only Stephenson and Cellier’s success edition spawned successful runs of three months later, Sullivan also with Dorothy terrified Gilbert and the work by Fulham Light Opera collaborated with B. C. Stephenson Sullivan, competing for audiences in 1971 (directed by Max Miradin), on The Zoo. and leading singers. Henry Leslie, and the D’Oyly Carte opera who had been sold the production company in 1978. The Zoo has also LIBRETTIST during its initial run at the Gaiety, been recorded by the BBC, and Benjamin Charles Stephenson made so much money from Dorothy broadcast on a number of occasions. (1839–1906) was a Victorian that he was able to build his own dramatist, lyricist, and librettist theater in London, christening it THE BEAR who wrote under the pen name the Lyric Theatre. Sir William Walton was born in Bolton Rowe. The pseudonym came Oldham, Lancashire, England on from his grandfather’s last address THE ZOO 29 May 1902 and died in Forio, in Mayfair, on Bolton Row. Sir Arthur Sullivan was born Ischia (off the coast of Naples) in Lambeth, London on 13 May on 8 March 1983. The Bear is an Stephenson was the librettist for 1842 and died in London on 22 opera in one act based on a comic The Zoo, and also contributed November 1900. The Zoo is a comic vaudeville by Anton Chekhov. libretti for pirate-themed operettas opera in one act with a libretto by It premiered at Jubilee Hall at by Frederic Clay and for Alfred B. C. Stephenson, writing under the Aldeburgh Festival (founded Cellier’s successful one-act operetta the pseudonym “Bolton Rowe.” by Walton’s younger colleague Charity Begins at Home (1872, Overshadowed by the premiere of Benjamin Britten) on 3 June 1967. over 200 performances). He made Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial by Jury an English adaptation of Lecocq’s three months earlier, The Zoo Born in the far northwestern operetta Le Petit Duc (1878) and opened on 5 June 1875, at the St. corner of England, Walton was a was lauded for his translations of James’ Theatre, as an afterpiece to chorister and an undergraduate Victorin Sarou’s plays Nos intimes Gilbert’s farce Tom Cobb. It ran 18 at Christ Church, Oxford. The (as Peril) and Dora (as Diplomacy) performances, and then transferred Sitwell siblings were his lifelong for the Bancrofts at the Prince of to the Haymarket from 28 June-10 sponsors, supporting ballets such Wales Theatre in London. July. It was revived on 2 October as Façade (1923), his career in 1875 at the Philharmonic Theatre London, and his early modernist Stephenson’s most well-known where it ran for a month. When works. Successes of the next piece was Dorothy (1886), with The Strand Theatre considered a decade included his viola concerto music by Alfred Cellier (mostly revival in 1877, Sullivan asked his (premiered by composer Paul composed in 1876). Dorothy was friend Alan Cole to help rewrite Hindemith as the soloist), the the most successful English comic the libretto, but the original work massive choral cantata Belshazzar’s opera of the period, running for was next produced at the Royalty Feast, and the Crown Imperial 931 performances in London, Theatre from 14 April-3 May 1879. march for the coronation of George frequently revived for two decades, VI. and starring Lillian Russell in the This forty-two minute one-act first American production (1887). English opera published under During World War II, Walton was Composer Arthur Cellier had sung the subtitle “a musical folly” dates exempted for military service to with Arthur Sullivan in the Chapel from the beginning of Sullivan’s compose music for six wartime Royal as a boy, served as Sullivan’s theatrical career, with sprightly, films, but German bombs destroyed music director for D’Oyly Carte charming music that is now most his house in 1941. He composed often heard as a curtain raiser for his later Savoy operas.

24 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG slowly, sometimes spending Co-librettist Paul Dehn more than five years on a large (pronounced “Dane,” as in “the commission (the opera Troilus and melancholy”) had been stationed Cressida was his major project from at Camp X in Ontario, Canada, 1947 to 1954). where spies and Special Forces teams were trained during World In 1956, Walton and his wife War II. After taking part in moved from London to a small missions in Norway and France, island near Naples, Italy. The he narrated films, wrote plays and Boston Symphony premiered film score lyrics, and collaborated his cello concerto the following professionally with composers year and he continued to score such as James Bernard, Lennox films. He accepted a second opera Berkeley, and Walton. During the commission in 1958 from the last decade of his career, Dehn Koussevitzky Foundation (that concentrated on screenwriting for idea would become The Bear eight espionage films (notably Goldfinger years later) and completed the score and The Spy Who Came in from the while convalescing from successful Cold) and thrillers (the four Planet surgery for lung cancer. of the Apes sequels and Murder on the Orient Express). Walton’s second opera is a forty-two minute “extravaganza in one act” Both Chekhov’s play and Walton’s full of satirical parodies. Its English opera surprised their creators due libretto was based by the composer to their warm critical reception. and Oscar-winning British Chekhov remarked in Moscow in screenwriter Paul Dehn (1912-1976) 1888, “I’ve managed to write a on Anton Chekhov’s 1888 Russian stupid vaudeville which, owing to “farce-vaudeville” The Bear: A Joke the fact that it is stupid, is enjoying in One Act (Медведь: Шутка в одном surprising success.” Walton had действии, sometimes alternately become so used to criticism in the titled in English The Boor). It was press that he was amazed by his familiar to American audiences opera’s enthusiastic reception at the through an English translation Aldeburgh Festival in 1966: “There that had premiered in London in must be something wrong when the 1911 and in the United States in worms turned on some praise.” 1915. Chekhov’s one-act comedy had been inspired in turn by the ©Laura Stanfield Prichard 2015. 1865 French play Les Jurons de Cadillac by Pierre Berton; the works share the conceit of a male “bear” being tamed by a woman.

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 25 ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS

GIL ROSE, CONDUCTOR* JAMES BLACHLY, CONDUCTOR^ ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR, THE BEAR

CHORUS ORCHESTRA

Sopranos Flute Violin I Alecia Batson Sarah Brady Charles Dimmick Lindsay Conrad Heidi Braun-Hill Erin Merceruio Nelson Oboe Amy Sims Kynesha Patterson Jennifer Slowik Megumi Stohs Lewis

Mezzo-sopranos Clarinet Violin II Tascha Anderson Jan Halloran^ Colleen Brannen Roselin Osser Gary Gorczyca Piotr Buczek Stephanie Scarcella Yumi Okada Hilary Anne Walker Bassoon Annegret Klaua Ronald Haroutunian Tenors Viola Jason Connell French Horn Peter Sulski Roland Mills Kevin Owen Mark Berger Ted Palés Clark Mathews^ Noriko Herndon Jason J. Wang Trumpet Cello Baritones Joseph Foley Rafael Popper-Keizer Samuel Bowen Tony Gimenez^ Katherine Kayaian Ryne Cherry Seth Grondin Trombone Double Bass Barratt Park Don Davis Anthony D’Amico Alexei Doohovskoy^ Timothy Steele, repetiteur ^ Sullivan Only Percussion * Walton Only Robert Schulz Jonathan Hess

Harp Franziska Huhn*

Piano Timothy Steele*

26 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG ARTIST PROFILES

DANIEL SHIRLEY returns to the Seattle Symphony Premiere), Cherubino (Le nozze di (CARBOY) in 2016 for Beethoven’s Ninth Figaro), Belinda (Dido and Aeneas), Of his 2013 Carnegie Symphony. Daniel is the recipient of Flora (The Turn of the Screw), and Hall debut, the New awards from the William Matheus Charlotte (A Little Night Music). York Concert Review Sullivan Foundation, the George Chelsea holds a Master of Music noted, “Daniel London Foundation, and the degree in Vocal Performance Shirley’s voice American Traditions Competition, from the University of Colorado, soared over the large forces with among others. Boulder, where she studied with strength and clarity.” The tenor Julie Simson. Chelsea received PHOTO: JONATHAN COLE continues to earn critical praise CHELSEA BEATTY her Bachelor of Music degree from for his appearances in concert, (LÆTITIA) The Boston Conservatory in 2009, opera, and musical theater. His Praised as “a well- where she studied with Patty 2014-15 concert season includes rounded package” Thom. Chelsea currently studies debuts with the Lexington with “a captivating with Dr. Rebecca Folsom. Philharmonic in Carmina stage presence” by Burana, Choral Society the Boston Music COLIN LEVIN of Durham in C.P.E. Intelligencer, soprano Chelsea (THOMAS BROWN) Bach’s Magnificat, and Beatty is an active performer, In the 2014-2015 the Milwaukee Symphony teacher and arts administrator season, highlights for Orchestra in Messiah. He appears based in Boston. In January 2015, baritone Colin Levin with Madison Opera throughout Chelsea was named a finalist in the include appearing as the current season, first as the Boston District of the Metropolitan Taddeo in L'italiana title role in Candide for the Opera National Council Auditions. in Algeri with Opera Company of 10th Anniversary Celebration She also appeared as Rodolfo Middlebury; as the Businessman of the Overture Center for the in an all-female production of in Rachel Portman’s The Little Arts, and then as Anthony Hope Puccini's classic opera (renamed Prince with Opera Fayetteville, in Sweeney Todd. The 2013- La Femme Bohème for its non- where he appeared last season 14 season brought debuts with traditional casting) with Marble as The Steward in John Michigan Opera Theater in Der City Opera of Knoxville, Tennessee. Dove's Flight, and returning Fliegende Holländer, the Pacific In the 2013-2014 season, Chelsea to Fargo-Moorhead Opera in La Symphony in Messiah, Opera enjoyed engagements with local Fille du Regiment. He also appeared Memphis in The Mikado, companies including Odyssey as a concert artist throughout the the Seattle Symphony in Carmina Opera, Boston Modern Orchestra region, and previously covered Burana, and Boston Baroque in Il Project, OperaHub, Juventas Victor and The Producer in the Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria. New Music Ensemble, Capella world premier of The Poe Project: Clausura, Quincy Choral Society, Buried Alive and Embedded. Recent Daniel’s diverse repertoire Opera on Tap Boston and Boston performance highlights include Mr. includes masterpieces of the New Music Initiative. In 2013, Lindquist in A Little Night Music at symphonic and sacred canons. Chelsea was named a winner of the the Castleton Festival, Baden- He is becoming known for his MONC Auditions in the Colorado/ Baden 1927 with Gotham Chamber inspired interpretations of the Wyoming District and a finalist Opera (cover), the baritone works of Bach and Handel, in the Denver Lyric Opera Guild soloist in Mozart’s Requiem with and his fearless singing of Competition. Past roles include the Tanglewood Youth Symphony the Carmina Burana roasting Anne Trulove (The Rake’s Progress), and Chorus under the baton of swan. He made his Carnegie Mimì (La Bohème), Suor Angelica Ken-David Mazur, and Figaro in Il Hall debut with Distinguished (Suor Angelica), Pamina and Barbiere di Siviglia with both Bel Concerts International New York Second Lady (The Magic Flute), Cantanti Opera and Winter Opera in Jonathan Willcocks’s A Great Mary Warren (The Crucible), St. Louis. Colin made his Jordan and Glorious Victory, and has been Nicola Tesla (Light & Power– Hall debut as Manfred Lewin in featured numerous times with World Premiere), Lady in White the East Coast professional premier Chicago’s Music of the Baroque. He (Dreimaldrei gleich unendlich– U.S. of Jake Heggie's staged song cycle

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 27 for baritone and ensemble, For a earned her a My Entertainment sung in Europe. Elsewhere he Look or a Touch, with the Boston World Best Actress Award has been seen as Superintendent Gay Men's Chorus. Colin has nomination. Previous roles include Budd (Albert Herring, Boston additionally appeared with Florence Pike (Albert Herring), Opera Collaborative), Old Adam the Ensemble for the Romantic Mallika (Lakmé), Second Lady (The (Ruddigore, Oxbridge Opera), Century, the Brooklyn Academy Magic Flute), Madama La Rosa Micha (The Bartered Bride, of Music, in solo concerts with (La Gazzetta), Meg (Little Women), Thrapston Plaza Opera), and both the Salem Philharmonic and Public Opinion (Orpheus Montano (Otello, St Paul's Sinfonia), Orchestra and the Hillyer in the Underworld). Upcoming as well as in many appearances Festival Orchestra, and with the engagements include Our Town with Blackheath Halls Opera. A late Opera Boston, where he most (Mrs. Soames) with Boston proponent of contemporary music, notably covered the title role in Opera Collaborative. A native of he has performed Koyaanisqatsi Hindemith’s Cardillac. Colin has Washington State, Sadie earned with the Philip Glass Ensemble participated in many young artist her B.A. from Pacific Lutheran and Berio's Coro under Sir programs, including the Caramoor University, and her M.M. from Simon Rattle, worked with LSO Music Festival, a two-year Studio New England Conservatory. Sadie Soundhub, and made many Artist program with Opera New has worked with renowned artists European and world premiers Jersey, and with St. Petersburg Marilyn Horne, Jane Eaglen, of works by both established Opera and the Sugar Creek Opera. Greer Grimsley, Jake Heggie, and and up-and-coming composers. Mohammed Fairouz. She has sung In masterclasses Mr. Dyer has PHOTO: LU ZANG LU PHOTO: SADIE GREGG (ELIZA) for conductors Stephen Lord, Gil worked with Richard Bonynge, Sadie Gregg has Rose, David Angus, Arthur Fagen, Susan Bullock, Matt Rose, Yvonne been commended by Joseph Mechavich, and Andrew Minton, Brindley Sherratt, the Boston Musical Altenbach. Sadie has studied with Wolfgang Brendel, James Bowman, Intelligencer as Sharon Daniels, and currently and more. Also an experienced “a mezzo-soprano studies with Bradley Williams oratorio soloist, he has performed with a rich, flexible and coaches with Jean Anderson many canonical bass roles instrument,” and as “a standout” Collier. including, most notably, Haydn's whose “amber-toned mezzo-soprano Creation and Bach's Johannes PHOTO: JESS JACOBS JESS PHOTO: sounded strong across her full SIMON DYER (MR. Passion as Christus. range” by the Boston Classical GRINDER, LUKA) PHOTO: COSME COSARO COSME PHOTO: Review. Equally at home with opera British-born bass- STEPHEN SALTERS and concert repertoire, Sadie’s baritone Simon (SMIRNOV) recent performances include Les Dyer is a graduate Stephen Salters’s Lettres de Werther (Charlotte) of The Boston passionate and with Boston Opera Collaborative, Conservatory and impeccably Handel’s Messiah (Alto Soloist) with Trinity Laban Conservatoire articulated the Roxbury Latin School, Vivaldi’s of Music and Dance. He has performances of a Gloria with Mt. Cavalry Church, performed worldwide at venues wide range of repertoire have won The Ecstasies Above (Alto Soloist) including Barcelona's Theatre him acclaim throughout Europe, with the Metropolitan Chorale of Akademia, KKL Luzerne, The the UK, Asia, and the United Brookline, and Kátya Kabanová Royal Albert Hall, Royal Festival States. Boston audiences have and La Traviata with Boston Lyric Hall, Barbican Hall, St John's seen Mr. Salters in all musical Opera. Sadie’s portrayal of Ottavia Smiths Square, Museum of Fine mediums—recital, oratorio, opera, in L'incoronazione di Poppea Arts in Boston, and many more. and orchestral soloist. In opera, with New England Conservatory Roles at The Boston Conservatory he created the title role in Elena earned her a 2014 ArtsImpulse include Nick Shadow (The Rake's Ruehr's Toussaint Before the Spirits Best Supporting Actress Award Progress), Mustafa (L'italiana for Opera Boston where the Boston nomination. Her performance in in Algeri), Collatinus (The Rape Globe called his performance 2013’s La Cenerentola (title role) of Lucretia), and Papageno (Die “Astounding...Salters is a fearless with Boston Opera Collaborative Zauberflöte), which he has also and exhaustingly honest performer

28 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG and a thrilling singer.” Recent Orchestra, Tallahassee Symphony, highlights include the world Tuscaloosa Symphony, Longwood premiere of Dan Sonenberg's The Symphony, Hartford Symphony, the Summer King as the lead baseball Orquesta Filarmónica de Bogotá, player Josh Gibson, performed in Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Eugene Portland, Maine and New York Opera, Opera North, and Boston City as part of AOP workshops; Lyric Opera. She has performed presentations for Opera America; at the Aldeburgh and Britten singing Orfeo in Orvieto in a Festivals in England, The Varna gorgeous production by Karin Festival in Bulgaria, the Semanas Coonrod and John Conklin; a Musicales de Frutillar Festival in Seattle premiere of Fortune's Chile, and the Coastal Carolina Bones written by Ysaye Barnwell and Tanglewood Festivals. A expressly for Mr. Salters, and specialist in contemporary music, Odyssey Opera's first production, Ms. Baty has performed with Richard Wagner’s monumental Chameleon Arts Ensemble, Boston Rienzi. On the opera stage, with Modern Orchestra Project, Collage over 30 roles to his credit, he excels New Music, LA Philharmonic’s equally in contemporary works and Green Umbrella series, San standard repertory. Francisco Contemporary Music Players, Auros Group for New In the last 20 months, Mr. Music, and a new chamber music Salters appeared on several ensemble, Cantata Profana. She newly released CDs in world recently premiered a new song premiere performances, including cycle by Andy Vores written for her the Grammy nominated CD of and Collage New Music, as well as William Bolcom's Billy in the recording Donald Crockett’s new Darbies, written for Mr. Salters opera The Face and participating and The Lark String Quartet in collaborative workshops with (Released January 2014); Elena Prof. Crockett at the University Ruehr's Averno and Gospel Cha of Southern California. Her Cha with the Trinity Choir and discography includes numerous Nova orchestra, and SPIRIT, critically lauded recordings with A Spirituals CD, recorded in the Boston Modern Orchestra Wagner's illustrious musical Project and Gil Rose, the most home of Bayreuth (Spring Release recent of which (Toward that 2015). Yet another project is on Endless Plain, featuring vocal the horizon: a solo opera CD. music by Iranian/American stephensalters.com composer Reza Vali) was named as a Top 10 favorite release of 2013 by JANNA BATY the Classical division of National (POPOVA) Public Radio (USA). Since 2008 she Mezzo-soprano Janna has been on the faculty of the Yale Baty has performed School of Music. She was born in with the Boston Boston, Massachusetts (USA) and Symphony, Los lives in New York City. Angeles Philharmonic, Daejeon Philharmonic (South Korea), Hamburgische Staatsoper, L’Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Royal Philharmonic

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 29 KINGS QUEENS& SAINTS SINNERS FIVE MONODRAMAS

30 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG LENNOX BERKELEY (1903–89) FOUR POEMS OF ST. TERESA OF AVILA, OP. 27 For contralto and strings, featuring Stephanie Kacoyanis

I. If, Lord, Thy love for me is strong II. Shepherd, shepherd, hark that calling! III. Let mine eyes see Thee IV. Today a shepherd and our kin

RICHARD RODNEY BENNETT (1936–2012) OPHELIA Cantata for countertenor and ensemble, featuring Martin Near

BENJAMIN BRITTEN (1913–76) PHAEDRA, OP. 93 Cantata for mezzo-soprano and orchestra, featuring Erica Brookhyser

JUDITH WEIR (B.1954) KING HARALD’S SAGA Grand Opera in Three Acts for solo soprano, featuring Elizabeth Keusch

Act I. Harald (aria), Fanfare, Tostig (aria) Act II. St Olaf (aria), Harald (aria), Harald’s wives (duet) Act III. The Norwegian Army (chorus), Messenger (recit), Soldier (aria) Epilogue: The Icelandic sage (recit)

PETER MAXWELL DAVIES (B.1934) EIGHT SONGS FOR A MAD KING, OP. 39 Musical theatre work for male voice and ensemble, featuring Thomas Meglioranza

I. The Sentry (King Prussia’s Minuet) II. The Country Walk (La Promenade) III. The Lady-in-Waiting (Miss Musgrave’s Fancy) IV. To be Sung on the Water (The Waterman) V. The Phantom Queen (He’s Ay A-Kissing Me) VI. The Counterfeit (Le Contrefaite) VII. Country Dance (Scotch Bonnett) VIII. The Review (A Spanish March)

Odyssey Opera Orchestra Gil Rose, Conductor PHOTO: JACKSON PETER-ASHLEY

SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2015 AT 7:30PM Boston University Theatre, 264 Huntington Avenue, Boston

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 31 PROGRAM ORCHESTRA

FOUR POEMS OF GIL ROSE, CONDUCTOR ST. TERESA OF AVILA

OPHELIA Flute Violin II Sarah Brady* Colleen Brannen PHAEDRA Piotr Buczek Clarinet Heather Braun Intermission Michael Norsworthy* Tera Gorsett Zoya Tsvetkova KING HARALD’S SAGA Percussion Annegret Klaua Robert Schulz EIGHT SONGS FOR A MAD KING Craig McNutt* Viola Jonathan Hess Peter Sulski Run time: Ninety minutes Mark Berger with one twenty-minute intermission Harp Nathaniel Farney Ina Zdorovetchi Noriko Herndon

Piano/Harpsichord Cello Phaedra used by arrangement with European Linda Osborn* Nicole Cariglia* American Music Distributors Company, U.S. and Canadian agent for Faber Music Ltd., London, Miriam Bolkosky publisher and copyright owner. Violin I Aristides Rivas Charles Dimmick Velleda Miragias Ophelia used by arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc. on behalf of Novello & Co. Ltd, publisher and Megumi Stohs Lewis* copyright owner. Heidi Braun-Hill Double Bass

Four Poems of St. Teresa of Avila used by Amy Sims Anthony D’Amico arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc. on behalf of Yumi Okada Bebo Shiu Chester Music Ltd, publisher and copyright owner. Natalie Favaloro

Eight Songs for a Mad King used by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright *Maxwell Davies owner.

32 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG TEXTS AND TRANSLATIONS

LENNOX BERKELEY: III. Let mine eyes see Thee FOUR POEMS OF ST. TERESA OF AVILA (1515-82) Let mine eyes see Thee, sweet Jesus of Nazareth, translated by Arthur Symons (1865-1945) Let mine eyes see Thee, and then see death. Let them see that can, Roses and Jessamine, I. If, Lord, Thy love for me is strong Seeing Thy face most fair, all blossom are therein. If, Lord, Thy love for me is strong Flower of seraphin, sweet Jesus of Nazareth. As this which binds me unto Thee, Let mine eyes see Thee, and then see death. What holds me from Thee Lord so long, Nothing I require, where my Jesus is; What holds Thee Lord so long from me? Anguish all desire, saving only this; O soul, what then desirest thou? All my help is his, He only succoureth. Lord I would see Thee, who thus choose thee. Let mine eyes see Thee, and then see death. What fears can yet assail thee now? All that I fear is but lose Thee. IV. Today a shepherd and our kin Love’s whole possession I entreat, Today a shepherd and our kin Lord make my soul Thine own abode, O Gil, to ransom us is sent, And I will build a nest so sweet And He is God Omnipotent. It may not be too poor for God. For us hath He cast down the pride A soul in God hidden from sin, And prison walls of Satanas; What more desires for thee remain, And He is of the kin of Bras, Save but to love again, Of Manga, also of Llorent. And all on flame with love within, O, is not God Omnipotent? Love on, and turn to love again. If He is God, how then is He II. Shepherd, shepherd, hark that calling! Come hither, and here crucified? Shepherd, shepherd, hark that calling! With His sin also died, Angels they are and the day is dawning. Enduring death, tho innocent. What is this ding-dong, Gil, how is God Omnipotent? Or loud singing is it? Come Bras, now the day is here. Why, I have seen Him born, pardie, The shepherdess we’ll visit. And of a most sweet Shepherdess. Shepherd, shepherd hark that calling! If He is God, how can He be Angels they are and the day is dawning. With such poor folk as these content? O, is this the Alcade's daughter, See’st not He is Omnipotent? Or some lady come from far? She is daughter of God the Father, Give over idle parl’eyeing, And she shines like a star. And let us serve Him, you and I, Shepherd, shepherd, hark that calling! And since He came on earth to die, Angels they are and the day is dawning. Let us die with Him, too, Llorent, For He is God Omnipotent.

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 33 RICHARD RODNEY BENNETT: OPHELIA Ophélie by Arthur Rimbaud (1854-91) trans. Oliver Bernard

I. Sur l’onde calme et noire où dorment les étoiles On the calm black water where the stars are sleeping La blanche Ophélia flotte comme un grand lys, White Ophelia floats like a great lily; Flotte très lentement, couchée en ses longs voiles... Floats very slowly, lying in her long veils... —On entend dans les bois lointains des —In the far-off woods you can hear them sound the hallalis. mort. Voici plus de mille ans que la triste Ophélie For more than a thousand years sad Ophelia Passe, fantôme blanc, sur le long fleuve noir Has passed, a white phantom, down the long black river. Voici plus de mille ans que sa douce folie For more than a thousand years her sweet madness Murmure sa romance à la brise du soir Has murmured its ballad to the evening breeze. Le vent baise ses seins et déploie en corolle The wind kisses her breasts and unfolds in a wreath Ses grands voiles bercés mollement par les eaux ; Her great veils rising and falling with the waters; Les saules frissonnants pleurent sur son épaule, The shivering willows weep on her shoulder, Sur son grand front rêveur s’inclinent les roseaux. The rushes lean over her wide, dreaming brow. Les nénuphars froissés soupirent autour d'elle ; The ruffled water-lilies are sighing around her; Elle éveille parfois, dans un aune qui dort, At times she rouses, in a slumbering alder, Quelque nid, d’où s’échappe un petit frisson d’aile : Some nest from which escapes a small rustle of wings; —Un chant mystérieux tombe des astres d’or —A mysterious anthem falls from the golden stars.

II. O pâle Ophélia ! belle comme la neige ! O pale Ophelia! beautiful as snow! Oui tu mourus, enfant, par un fleuve emporté ! Yes child, you died, carried off by a river! C’est que les vents tombant des grand monts de It was the winds descending from the great mountains Norwège of Norway T’avaient parlé tout bas de l’âpre liberté ; That spoke to you in low voices of better freedom. C’est qu’un souffle, tordant ta grande chevelure, It was a breath of wind, that, twisting your great hair, À ton esprit rêveur portait d’étranges bruits, Brought strange rumors to your dreaming mind; Que ton coeur écoutait le chant de la Nature It was your heart listening to the song of Nature Dans les plaintes de l’arbre et les soupirs des nuits; In the groans of the tree and the sighs of the nights; C’est que la voix des mers folles, immense râle, It was the voice of mad seas, the great roar, Brisait ton sein d’enfant, trop humain et trop doux ; That shattered your child's heart, too human and too soft; C’est qu’un matin d’avril, un beau cavalier pâle, It was a handsome pale knight, a poor madman Un pauvre fou, s'assit muet à tes genoux ! Who one April morning sat mute at your knees! Ciel ! Amour ! Liberté! Quel rêve, ô pauvre Heaven! Love! Freedom! What a dream, oh poor crazed Folle! Girl! Tu te fondais à lui comme une neige au feu: You melted to him as snow does to a fire; Tes grandes visions étranglaient ta parole Your great visions strangled your words —Et l’Infini terrible éffara ton oeil bleu! —And fearful Infinity terrified your blue eye!

III. —Et le Poète dit qu’aux rayons des étoiles —And the poet says that by starlight Tu viens chercher, la nuit, les fleurs que tu cueillis ; You come seeking, in the night, the flowers that you picked Et qu’il a vu sur l’eau, couchée en ses longs voiles, And that he has seen on the water, lying in her long veils La blanche Ophélia flotter, comme un grand lys. White Ophelia floating, like a great lily.

34 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG BENJAMIN BRITTEN: PHAEDRA Recitative (to Oenone) from Phaedra by Jean Racine (1639–99) Oh Gods of wrath, verse translation by Robert Lowell (1917–77) how far I've travelled on my dangerous path! I go to meet my husband; at his side Prologue will stand Hippolytus. How shall I hide In May, my thick adulterous passion for this youth, in brilliant Athens, on my marriage day, who has rejected me, and knows the truth? I turned aside for shelter from the smile Will he not draw his sword and strike me dead? of Theseus. Death was frowning in an aisle— Suppose he spares me? What if nothing's said? Hippolytus! I saw his face, turned white! Can I kiss Theseus with dissembled poise? The very dust rises to disabuse Recitative my husband—to defame me and accuse! My lost and dazzled eyes saw only night, Oenone, I want to die. Death will give capricious burnings flickered through my bleak me freedom; oh it's nothing not to live; abandoned flesh. I could not breathe or speak. death to the unhappy's no catastrophe! I faced my flaming executioner, Aphrodite, my mother's murderer! Adagio (to Theseus) I tried to calm her wrath by flowers and praise, My time's too short, your highness. It was I, I built her a temple, fretted months and days who lusted for your son with my hot eye. on decoration. The flames of Aphrodite maddened me. Alas, my hungry open mouth, Then Oenone's tears thirsting with adoration, tasted drouth— troubled my mind; she played upon my fears, Venus resigned her altar to my new lord. until her pleading forced me to declare I loved your son. Presto (to Hippolytus) Theseus, I stand before you to absolve You monster! You understood me too well! your noble son. Sire, only this resolve Why do you hang there, speechless, petrified, upheld me, and made me throw down my knife. polite! My mind whirls. What have I to hide? I've chosen a slower way to end my life— Phaedra in all her madness stands before you. Medea's poison; chills already dart I love you! Fool, I love you, I adore you! along my boiling veins and squeeze my heart. Do not imagine that my mind approved A cold composure I have never known my first defection, Prince, or that I loved gives me a moment's poise. I stand alone your youth light-heartedly, and fed my treason and seem to see my outraged husband fade with cowardly compliance, till I lost my reason. and waver into death's dissolving shade. Alas, my violence to resist you made My eyes at last give up their light, and see my face inhuman, hateful. I was afraid the day they've soiled resume its purity. to kiss my husband lest I love his son. I made you fear me (this was easily done); Text by Robert Lowell after Phèdre by Jean Baptist Racine Copyright © 1975 by Faber Music Ltd., London you loathed me more, I ached for you no less. Copyright © renewed Misfortune magnified your loveliness. All Rights Reserved The wife of Theseus loves Hippolytus! See, Prince! Look, this monster, ravenous for her execution, will not flinch. I want your sword's spasmodic final inch.

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 35 JUDITH WEIR: KING HARALD’S SAGA fame. We gladly fight for Harald, we plunder and we from Heimskringla by Snorri Sturluson (1179–1241) steal, our warriors’ strength is famous, our courage English adaptation by the composer and our zeal. We gladly kill for Harald, we slaughter all his foes. First we beat them to the ground and then Act I we... King Harald: I, Harald, by the grace of almighty God, King of all the A Messenger: northern lands, mightiest warrior that ever donned a O Sir! O Harald; I bring fateful news; your army lies in coat of mail and held a sharp edged sword, strongest great peril. The sun is bright but the fates are black. king that ever strode a longship’s prow and sailed the We meant to meet no danger; but as we approached the restless sea. Most merciless fighter that ever killed a town of York, we saw dust, a cloud of dust, raised by the living man. Whereas my brother the blessed and holy hooves of horses; and below it the gleam of handsome man, Olaf the saint said: Love thine enemies, I say: shields and bright coats of mail and we could see that Sever their limbs until they cause no trouble. When I it was an army, an army of men; and their glittering was young I raided endless Russia, my ship sailed past weapons sparkled like a field of broken ice. Byzantium, I scourged the Saracen men in Sicily, I trod the holy ground of Palestine. They knew my justice on A Soldier: both banks of the Jordan; wherever I went men said: Side by side the armies fought. Shoulder to shoulder May his soul abide in Christ! All around the orb my their men attacked. The storm of arrows raged around name is feared; by this name am I known: Harald the the King; and all around the clash of mail, the clang merciless. of swords; men running and falling; the crack of blows, bright weapons, flying, hewing flesh. Grating, Fanfare: glinting, men flinching, kicking, jolting, flinging axes, Hail Tostig, tell all Tostig, tell us your tale tall Tostig. breathless they gash and graze and grate. No room Treat us to the truth, tempt us with a truthless trick, to move, tripping, falling, horses rearing, a litter of trick us in a trance tall terse Tostig. Tell us all, tell us corpses. They shove and stab and stub raining blows all, talk, all hail, tell tale, tell tale telling Tostig. without purpose; the leaders cannot command; their shouted orders unheard in the ripping and crashing. Tostig: Now Harald the Norwegian King felt anger and fury; Hail. Take. Kill. Win. Sail. Fight. Go. into the thickest knot of bodies he ran, fighting two- handed, swinging weapons aimlessly. Blood pouring, Act II cramp and sweat, shouting, roaring, cutting down, St. Olaf: moving blindly. Nearby a man exhausted, fallen in the Sleep Harald, sleep on, I fear that death awaits, I hear mud cried: “Disaster had befallen us! We have been the wolves cry in the mountains, I see the wolves’ jaws duped! There was no cause for Harald to bring his red with blood; I see black ravens birds of carrion fly forces westward; we are all as good as dead!” At this to the west. I died at home a holy man; to my blessed moment King Harald was struck in the throat, and memory be true; trusty hero. drew his last breath, his last gasp.

Harald: Epilogue Put out to sea! Put out to sea. Sail. Far. Over Sea. Ancient Icelandic Sage: I have seen all this before; ships returning to the Harald’s wives: harbor unloading not live men, but corpses. Women Farewell, farewell, Harald, Harald. Take care, take weeping, children who have never seen their fathers: care. Harald, Harald. God bless, God bless, Harald, it seems to happen often and always they say the Harald. same thing: “Since so many were killed, we will never forget and make the same mistake,” but they do! And Act III it happens again. Why did Harald bother? He should The Norwegian Army: have stayed at home and made the best of it. I could We gladly leave for Harald, the land from which we have told him it would end like this. came, beneath his royal standard, his courage and his

36 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG PETER MAXWELL DAVIES: EIGHT SONGS FOR A MAD KING Have they chained you too, my darling, in a stable? Libretto by Randolph Stow (1935–2010), Do they starve you, strike you, scorn you, ape your howls? after King George III (1738–1820) They say some other woman is my wife, but the Queen’s name is Esther, Esther. I. The Sentry Fall on my eyes, O bride, like a starless night. Good day to your Honesty: God guard who guards the gate. VI. The Counterfeit Here is the key of the kingdom. I am nervous. I am not ill but I am nervous. You are a pretty fellow: If you would know what is the matter with me I am next month I shall give you a cabbage. nervous. Undo the door! But I love you both very well; if you would tell me the Who has stolen my key? truth. Ach! my Kingdom is snakes and dancing, I love Dr. Heberden best; for he has not told me a lie. my Kingdom is locks and slithering. Make room! Sir George has told me a lie; a white lie, he says, Pity me, pity me, pity me. Child, but I hate a white lie! child, whose son are you? If you tell me a lie, let it be a black lie!

II. The Country Walk VII. Country Dance Dear land of sheep and cabbages. Dear land Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people Dear elms, oaks, beeches, strangling ivy, with singing and with dancing, green snakes of ivy, pythons. with milk and with apples. God guard trees. The landlord at the Three Tuns Blue-yellow-green. makes the best purl in Windsor. is the world like a chained man’s bruise. Sin! Sin! Sin! I think of God. God also is a King. black vice, intolerable vileness in lanes, by ricks, at Courts. It is night on the world. III. The Lady-in-Waiting Even I, your King, have contemplated evil. Madam, let us talk, let us talk. I shall rule with a rod of iron. Comfort ye. Madam, I mean no harm. Only to remember, to remember VIII. The Review what it was that through silk, My people: I come before you in mourning, on my breast, lace, linen and brocade, a star. swooped on my needle. To remember. The King is dead. Madam, let us talk, talk, talk, talk. A good-hearted gentleman, a humble servant of God, I mean no harm, no harm, no harm, no... a loving husband, an affectionate sire. Poor fellow, he went mad. IV. To be Sung on the Water He talked with trees, attacked his eldest son, Sweet Thames, sweet Thames, disowned his wife, to make a ghost his Queen— far, far have I followed thee, a ghost his Queen. God guard my people. So they seized him, whipped him, (ach! yes!) Sweet Thames, flow soft. starved him, jeered in his face, Flow, burdened by my people. while he talked he talked he talked he talked he talked: (deliver me of my people; they are within.) they could not shave him, his mouth was never still. to Eden garden, unto Eden garden Sometimes he howled like a dog, in Hanover, Bermuda or New South Wales. And he veiled the mirrors not to see himself pass by, Sweet Thames, flow soft. Evacuate my people. for his eyes had turned to blackcurrant jelly. I am weary of this fate. I am alone. Poor fellow, I weep for him. He will die howling, V. The Phantom Queen howling, howling... Where is the Queen, why does she not visit me? Esther! O my heart’s ease. Text by Randolph Stow and George III, reprinted by arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 37 PROGRAM NOTES BY DR. LAURA STANFIELD PRICHARD

FOUR POEMS OF ST. TERESA OF in a BBC broadcast conducted by three years of his life in New York AVILA (1947) Arnold Goldsborough in April 1948 City, occasionally performing at Lennox Randal François Berkeley with the internationally renowned the Algonquin Hotel. His mother (1903-1989) was introduced to English contralto Kathleen Ferrier was a pianist who had trained with music by his father’s pianola rolls, (1912-1953) as soloist. The voice is Holst and sung in the premiere of a godmother who had studied accompanied by string orchestra, The Planets; she encouraged him piano and singing in Paris, and an with some solo writing for violin to study piano and to compose at aunt who was a salon composer. and cello, and with the sections an early age. Both a student and He read music and French at frequently divided to produce rich teacher at the Royal Academy Merton College, Oxford, while harmonies and full textures. of Music, Bennett’s colleagues coxing for the crew team and (including Howard Ferguson and was the first composer to set the The texts are English translations Lennox Berkeley) referred to him poetry of his friend W. H. Auden. by the poet and critic Arthur as “extraordinarily brilliant” and From 1926-1932, Berkeley studied Symons (1865-1945) of poems by “having perhaps the greatest talent in Paris with Nadia Boulanger, the sixteenth-century Spanish of any composer in his generation.” attending and reviewing concerts Carmelite nun St. Teresa of Ávila and socializing with the Diaghilev (1515-1582). They are noteworthy Bennett studied with Pierre Boulez circle. He had met Francis Poulenc both for their fervor, bordering on at Darmstadt and developed his at Oxford, and they formed a the erotic, and for their visionary own “dramato-abstract” style, lifelong friendship that resulted in incorporation of the Holy Family which gave way in the late 1970s visits, arrangements of each other’s into everyday Spanish life. The to an increasingly tonal idiom. He works, and written tributes. first song is a dialogue with God, published both original jazz songs to music based on an anguished, and his own arrangements from Berkeley was remarkably prolific, turning motive that underpins, the American Songbook. Three composing more than 200 in the cellos and basses, the final film scores earned Academy Award orchestral, chamber, vocal, and stanza. The second song begins nominations, including Murder on choral works. His liturgical music over a bagpipe-like drone of open the Orient Express (1974), which (especially the Missa Brevis) is part fifths and shepherds’ song; the won a BAFTA award. His work of the repertoire of every cathedral fourth evokes a pastoral scene contemporaneous with Ophelia choir, and his guitar music—among through a Bachian chorale prelude included the Three Choirs Festival the greatest of the twentieth and contrapuntal melody. The commission Symphony No. 3 (1987) century—is in constant demand third song, with the voice mostly and his score for Four Weddings around the world. After working for in its lower register, is the intense and a Funeral (1994). He was also the BBC during the 1940s, he was heart of the cycle. In his book about a prolific composer of operas, works a professor of composition at the the composer, Peter Dickinson for piano, and choral anthems, Royal Academy of Music until 1968, quotes the composer’s son Michael although these works rarely teaching such diverse talents as Sir Berkeley: he describes the third involved stylistic crossover or jazz Richard Rodney Bennett and Sir song as “just a perfect little piece influences. John Tavener. of music. It perhaps brought from [my father] some of the strongest Ophelia (1987) is a fifteen-minute A convert to Roman Catholicism emotions—the sacred went straight setting of Ophélie by the French in his mid-twenties, Berkeley to his heart and the music came symbolist poet Arthur Rimbaud composed a good deal of music straight back out again.” (1854-1891), written when for both Catholic and Anglican Rimbaud was sixteen. Bennett worship, as well as several concert OPHELIA, CANTATA FOR had planned to set it for many works on sacred or devotional texts. COUNTERTENOR (1987) years, and thought it an ideal Among the best known of the latter Sir Richard Rodney Bennett text when British countertenor is his fourteen-minute Four Poems (1936-2012) was a jazz pianist Michael Chance (b.1955) asked of St. Teresa of Ávila, op. 27, written and composer. He was best known him for a work for voice and ondes in 1947 shortly before the Piano for his fifty scores for film and Martenot. This early electronic Concerto. It was first performed television, and spent the last thirty- instrument was invented by

38 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG Maurice Martenot in 1928. The of Jean Racine’s Phèdre. The and the sagas of Iceland). She is instrument’s eerie, wavering character of Phèdre is one of the best known for her dramatic vocal tones come from oscillating radio most remarkable in Racine’s tragic works, including “micro-operas,” tubes producing electric pulses plays: the instrument of others’ three full-length operas, and works at two supersonic sound-wave suffering, she falls victim to her for television. In addition to Jane frequencies. They in turn produce own impulses, and inspires both Manning’s commission of King a lower frequency within audible terror and pity. Voltaire called Harald’s Saga, Weir has written range, equal to the difference in Racine’s French tragedy, which was pieces for Jessye Norman, Simon their rates of vibration, that is published in rhyming alexandrine Rattle, the English National Opera, amplified and converted into sound couplets in 1667, “the masterpiece and the Barbican Centre in London. by a loudspeaker. Although formal of the human mind.” production of new instruments Weir’s monodrama King Harald’s stopped in 1988, four French The story is an adaptation of the Saga is a tour-de-force for conservatories still teach the ondes tragic Greek myth of Phaedra, unaccompanied soprano singing Martenot. who falls in love with her stepson eight roles. It was written for Hippolytus. Britten chronicles British concert and opera soprano The work begins with a dense this fatal attraction through an Jane Manning (b. 1938), who cushion of nine solo strings ominous descending fifth motive has been called “the voice of (representing a stream), over which representing “Medea’s poison” and a classical music in this country” the harp and voice appear with series of scenes depicting Phaedra’s by English critic Ivan Hewitt. the line (in French) “On the calm wedding to Theseus, forbidden love, Over two hundred composers black water where the stars are a descent into madness, and her have created new works for Ms. sleeping, White Ophelia floats like attempt to find absolution. As in Manning, including Harrison a great lily...” The ondes Martenot many of Britten’s postwar works, Birtwistle (Nenie: The Death of (celestial music) enters with an he explores the themes of forbidden Orpheus, 1970), James MacMillan echo of the vocal melody at the end love and an individual at odds with (The Beneficiaries, 2009), Colin of the fourth stanza: “A mysterious society with the utmost economy. Matthews (Marginalia, 2009), anthem falls from the golden sky...” Richard Rodney Bennett (Spells, The penultimate stanza features The form of the cantata is modeled 1978), Oliver Knussen (Where a beautiful cadenza for ondes on similar works of Handel and the Wild Things Are, 1980), Martenot and harp. Purcell, especially in the quality of and Matthew King (The Snow the word setting. The orchestration Queen, 1982). Her books New PHAEDRA, OP. 93 (1975) concentrates the leading character’s Vocal Repertory are the most Benjamin Britten’s final vocal torment into two ascents of rich, influential books on contemporary work, Phaedra, is a compact, overlapping, divided strings vocal music published in English demanding dramatic cantata for (symbolizing the drinking of poison) (Oxford, 2 vol., 1990 and 1999). mezzo-soprano, scored for strings, and stark, desolate harmonies She and her husband, composer harpsichord, and percussion. This punctuated with harpsichord and Anthony Payne, were both awarded stark, economical work looks both percussion. honorary doctorates in music by the forward and back; its virtuosic University of Durham in 2007. vocal part (originally written for KING HARALD’S SAGA (1979) Janet Baker) is tense, brooding, Judith Weir (b. 1954) is a King Harald’s Saga is a candidate and emotionally charged. Eric contemporary British composer and for the shortest so-called “grand Crozier proposed the idea in the Master of the Queen’s Music since opera,” as its three acts and 1940s as a subject for an opera 2014 (succeeding Sir Peter Maxwell epilogue last under ten minutes. (after the premiere of Britten’s Davies). This opera joins many of The characters are drawn from Rape of Lucretia), but it was three her other recent compositions in thirteenth-century Icelandic sage decades before Britten and Peter having ties to medieval history, Snorri Sturlson’s Heimskringla Pears returned to the idea, taking as well as the traditional stories saga and include King Harald the text from Robert Lowell’s from the ancient “North” (both (singing of his exploits), the acclaimed 1961 verse translation her parents’ homeland of Scotland English traitor Earl Tostig

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 39 (urging the invasion of England), In 1967, he and Harrison Birtwistle The set of “mad” songs is unique Harald’s dead brother Saint Olaf, founded the avant-garde Pierrot in that the composer musically Harald’s two wives (who sing Players (since renamed the Fires translates the manic psychological a duet!), the whole Norwegian of London); this ensemble, modeled state of a complex and obsessive Army, a messenger, soldiers, and on the forces required for Arnold character while allowing the an Icelandic sage. The work is Schoenberg’s expressionist song audience to connect with the notable for its dramatic demands cycle Pierrot lunaire, inspired unstable episodes and outbursts of (a single singer portraying soloists, a series of masterpieces of the historical George III (who the groups, and even sustaining a experimental music theater. Eight librettist quotes in the text). Each farewell duet with herself), diverse Songs for a Mad King is a landmark section and phrase has its own scoring and musical syntax, and of the 1960s. It reinterprets the psychological motivation, which in historical resonance. The composer operatic mad scene and calls for turn demands a varied musical and comments: vocal and instrumental virtuosity. dramatic interpretation. Maxwell Davies originally crafted King Harald's Saga is a three- the vocal part (the “Mad” King For the premiere, the percussionist act opera based, as is a good George III, 1738-1820) for South acted as a “keeper” of the string deal of nineteenth-century African baritone Roy Hart, who and woodwind players, who sat opera, on an actual historical had a range of nearly five octaves inside large birdcages. The notation event; in this case, the and enjoyed experimenting with combines musical references Norwegian invasion of England extended vocal techniques and known to George III (Handel is in 1066 led by King Harald distorted vocalizations. quoted in No. 77), Schoenberg’s ‘Hardradi,’ which ended in Pierrot lunaire, birdcalls, rigorously defeat at the battle of Stamford The composer developed the work notated effects, improvised Bridge, nineteen days before from eight monologues (fantasies passages, and mechanical bird the successful Norman invasion and delusions) written by the calls. The king’s “birds” are heard at the Battle of Hastings. Australian writer Randolph Stow in the flute (No. 3), cello (No. 4), ...Since it would be difficult to (1935-2010), who had been in turn clarinet (No. 6), and violin (No. 7). stage a work which progresses inspired by a miniature mechanical Listeners at the premiere called the so quickly, the soprano gives organ that had once belonged to music “schizophrenic”—Handel’s a short spoken introduction King George III. Sources from the “Comfort ye” morphs into a foxtrot to each act to establish the last years of George III’s life state and other innocent tunes are staging, as might happen in that he suffered from dementia, stretched and distorted. Maxwell a radio broadcast of a staged and he had used the instrument to Davies states that the violence with opera. try to train his bullfinches to learn which the King reacts to the violin specific Baroque marches, minuets, in the last scene “is a giving-in to EIGHT SONGS FOR A MAD KING and other dance tunes. Randolph insanity, and the ritual murder by (1969) Stow also provided the libretto for the King of a part of himself, after Sir Peter Maxwell Davies (born Maxwell Davies’s 1974 monodrama which, at the beginning of No. 8, he September 8, 1934) is one of the Miss Donnithorne’s Maggot (based can announce his own death.” most important and influential on the mental breakdown of a British composers working today. historical antecedent for Dickens’s ©Laura Stanfield Prichard 2015. He was the first classical composer Miss Havisham), and ironically to open a music download website suffered a physical and mental (MaxOpus in 1996), and has taught breakdown of his own four years at universities in the United later as a result of contracting Kingdom, Australia, and the US malaria in Papua New Guinea. (Princeton, with the support of Aaron Copland).

40 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG ARTIST PROFILES PHOTO: LUTZ EDELHOFF ERICA BROOKHYSER Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte, STEPHANIE American mezzo Muse/Nicklausse in Les Contes KACOYANIS Erica Brookhyser d’Hoffmann, Emilia in Otello, Page Contralto Stephanie returns to Odyssey in Salome, Preziosilla in La Forza Kacoyanis has Opera after her del Destino, Lola in Cavalleria received critical appearance last Rusticana, Blumenmädchen in acclaim for her “velvet year as Brigitte in Parsifal, and Wellgunde, Waltraute, voice,” “vocal agility,” Die Tote Stadt. She appeared with and Second Norn in Der Ring des and “spiritually rich performances” Opera Colorado to sing the role of Nibelungen. and is gaining recognition for her Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, for versatile performances in opera, which she won rave reviews. Recent MARTIN NEAR concert, and musical theater. successes include her return to Acclaimed for Recent opera roles include Meg Los Angeles Opera as Meg Page singing “with sweet Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor in Falstaff and song recitals with limpidity” (The New (Boston Midsummer Opera), Saint the Newport Symphony. At Spoleto York Times), Martin Cecilia in Four Saints in Three Acts Festival USA her performance Near’s “cool, beaming (Boston Modern Orchestra Project), in a fully-staged production of El countertenor” has Aunt March in Little Women (Opera Niño by John Adams garnered been commended for “crystal del West), and Juno in Semele excellent notices. She also received clear…beautiful, blooming top (Harvard Early Music Society). She acclaim for her role debut as notes” (New York Classical Review). is also pleased to be in her third Brangäne in Tristan und Isolde Mr. Near began his professional season as a professional ensemble with Staatstheater Darmstadt. singing life at age ten in the member with Boston Lyric Opera. A major European highlight of choir of men and boys at Saint Especially recognized for her Erica’s career came in 2012 when Thomas Fifth Avenue in New interpretations of contemporary she won “Open Opera: Who will York City, advancing to Head music, Ms. Kacoyanis is a core become Carmen?”, a reality talent- Chorister. He now enjoys a varied member of the Boston-based search television show broadcast career exploring his twin passions Lorelei Ensemble, a vocal chamber on ARTE-TV. The series, which for early music and new music, group dedicated to early and aired in Germany and France, performing as a soloist with Blue contemporary works for women’s followed artists as they auditioned Heron, Les Délices (Cleveland), voices. She can be heard on their for the title role and prepared for Emmanuel Music, TENET (New recent recording, Live. Know. Love. the production, with music in the York), Handel and Haydn Society, She has also performed in several original French and dialogue in The Folger Consort (Washington, world premieres with ensembles German. Erica’s live performances D.C.), Boston Baroque, Ensemble including the Boston Modern as Carmen took place at the Berlin VIII (Austin), Boston Modern Orchestra Project, Intermezzo Seefestspiele. Orchestra Project, Juventas New Opera, and ALEA III. She also Music Ensemble, and Boston created the role of Lucy Steele in Miss Brookhyser spent two Cecilia. Recent highlights the world premiere of Sense and years in Los Angeles Opera’s include Ruth Lomon’s chamber Sensibility: The Musical (Wellesley Domingo-Thornton Young Artist opera Rebekah at Brandeis Summer Theatre). Her concert Program, and then travelled to University, two programs of Odes work includes solo appearances Germany to begin a four-year by Henry Purcell in Puetro Rico with Canto Armonico (under Simon tenure as principal mezzo at and New York, and a program of Carrington), Chorus North Shore, Staatstheater Darmstadt. Her avant-garde 14th century French Harvard-Radcliffe Collegium extensive repertoire there included songs with Blue Heron and Les Musicum, The Rachmaninoff Didon in Les Troyens, Fenena in Délices in Cleveland and Boston. Choir, Wellesley College Choir, Nabucco, Cherubino in Le Nozze di Metropolitan Chorale of Brookline, Figaro, Orfeo in Orfeo ed Euridice, and Newton Choral Society.

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 41 Upcoming engagements include (Mendelssohn’s Elijah), Los Songs for a Mad King with the LA the role of Nancy in Martha with Angeles Philharmonic (MacMillan, Philharmonic, Bach cantatas with Boston Midsummer Opera and Kurtag, Castiglioni), Orquestra Orpheus and Les Violons du Roy, several concerts and tours with Nacional de Mexico (Britten’s War Harbison’s Fifth Symphony with Lorelei Ensemble. Ms. Kacoyanis Requiem), and Stuttgart Bach the Boston Symphony, Babbitt’s holds degrees from Wellesley Collegium (Bach, Handel, Mozart, Two Sonnets with the MET College (B.A., English) and Brahms). An avid champion of Chamber Orchestra, and Roberto Boston University (M.M., Voice). chamber music, Ms. Keusch has Sierra’s Missa Latina with the stephaniekacoyanis.com performed with Kammerensemble Houston Symphony. Described in Neue Musik Berlin, Klangforum The New Yorker as “an immaculate ELIZABETH KEUSCH Wein, Ensemble Contrapunctus and inventive recitalist” his Soprano Elizabeth (Portugal), Da Capo Chamber Songs from the WWI Era program Keusch has won Players, Bang on a Can, Boston was named one of the “Ten Best international acclaim Musica Viva, the Chameleon Classical Performances of the Year” performing works ensemble, and the Brentano, by the Philadelphia Inquirer. His ranging from the Pacifica and Borromeo string operatic roles include Mozart’s Don Renaissance period to quartets. Ms. Keusch holds Giovanni and Count Almaviva, as the present, in recital and on the a Bachelor of Music in Voice well as Chou En-Lai in Nixon in operatic and concert stages. She Performance from the University China and Prior Walter in Peter recently performed the Argentinian of North Texas, a Master of Eötvös’s Angels in America with premiere of Helmut Lachenmann’s Music and Artist Diploma in Opera Boston. He also performs opera Das Mädchen mit den Voice Performance from the New regularly with the Mark Morris Schwefelhölzern with the Teatro England Conservatory of Music. Dance Group. His discography Colón. She has performed the piece includes orchestral songs of with Staatsoper Stuttgart, Neue THOMAS Virgil Thomson with the Boston Oper Wien, and Opera ad hoy of MEGLIORANZA Modern Orchestra Project, several Madrid, Spain. Ms. Keusch sang Thomas Meglioranza, acclaimed discs of Schubert songs the U.S. premiere of Lachenmann’s an American baritone and French mélodies with pianist tour de force for soprano and piano of Thai, Italian, and Reiko Uchida, and Bach cantatas …got lost… at the Tanglewood Polish heritage, was with the Taverner Consort. He is a Music Center to high critical born in Manhattan, Visiting Artist at the Longy School acclaim. Upcoming performances grew up in northern New Jersey, of Music of Bard College. will be at the Gardner Museum and graduated from Grinnell in Boston, Leuven (Belgium), and College and the Eastman School Karlsruhe (Germany). of Music. He was a winner of the Walter W. Naumburg, Concert The soprano has performed with Artists Guild, Franz Schubert/ the Boston Modern Orchestra Music of Modernity, and Joy in Project (the Statue in Lucas Foss’s Singing competitions. He has sung Griffelkin), Boston Philharmonic Messiahs, Bach Passions, and (Mahler’s 8th Symphony), Boston Carmina Buranas with many of the Symphony Orchestra (Golijov’s country’s top orchestras, as well La Pasión según San Marcos), as Copland’s Old American Songs Paris National Opera (Matthias with the National Symphony, Eight Pintscher’s L’espace derniers), Cleveland Symphony (Oliver Knussen’s Songs for Sue) , the National Symphony of Canada

42 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG BOSTON UNIVERSITY THEATRE BU Theatre Parking Parking is available at many nearby locations. For Owned by Boston University Operated in conjuction with the details, please visit huntingtontheatre.org or call the Huntington Theatre Company Box Office at 617 266 0800.

STAFF Please note that these parking garages are BU Theatre House Manager ...... Daniel Morris independently owned and operated and are not Associate Production Manager ...... Bethany Ford affiliated with the Huntington Theatre Company or Wardrobe Run ...... Susie Moncousky the BU Theatre. Sound Engineer ...... J Jumbelic Electrician ...... Alisa Hartle Refreshments Carpenter ...... Dan Walsh Snacks, wine, beer, soft drinks, and coffee are Audience Services Manager ...... Jon Slater available before opening curtain and during Assistant Audience Services Manager .... Derrick Martin intermission in the main lobby. Food is not permitted BU Theatre Box Office Coordinator ...... Amanda Boscia inside the theatre. Drinks purchased at concessions Box Office Coordinator ...... Katie Catano are permitted inside the theatre. Subscriptions Coordinator ...... Mike Truppi Box Office Associates...... Noah Ingle, Amy Klesert, Babes in Arms Victoria Swindle Children must have their own seats. Babes in arms Full-Time Customer Service Reps...... Ben Carroll, are not permitted in the theatre. Kyle Lampe Customer Service Reps...... Barbara Alfonso, Ashley Close, Cameras Emily Knecht, Will Prapestis, Katelyn Reinert, The use of all cameras and recording devices, Bailey Rosenberg, Marie Susen, including cell phone cameras in the theatre is Regine Vital, Yurika Watanabe strictly prohibited. Assistant House Managers ...... Brian Dudley, Kelly Geoghegan Pagers and Cellular Phones Front of House Staff...... Eva Bond, Please silence all watches, pagers, and cell phones Adelaide Burich, Meaghan Collins, Alexia Chichlana, during the performance. Tammi Jean-Fedestein, Tim Green, Ben Levingston, Eileen Moran, Neil Novello, Wheelchair Accessibility Brianna Randolph, Alex Waterman The BU Theatre is accessible by ramp and Maintenance ...... Ronald Belmonte, Kenneth Carter, can accommodate both wheelchair and Tony Resendes, Gary Santos, Tony Sousa companion seating in the orchestra section. Please notify us when you purchase your tickets if wheelchair accommodations will be required and GENERAL INFORMATION confirm arrangements with the House Manager at Location 617 266 7900, ext. 1666. The Boston University Theatre is on the Avenue of the Arts (264 Huntington Avenue), diagonally across Hearing Enhancement from Symphony Hall. The BU Theatre is equipped with an FM hearing enhancement system. Wireless Contact Information headphones are available free of charge at Box Office: 617 266 0800 the concessions stand in the main lobby for your use Box Office fax: 617 421 9674 during a performance. BU Theatre Lost and Found: 617 266 7900, ext. 1666 Restrooms Box Office Hours Located in the lower-level and balcony lobbies. A The Box Office is generally open Tuesday-Saturday, wheelchair-accessible restroom is located in the main noon-curtain (or 6pm); Sunday, noon-curtain (or lobby on the first floor. 4pm). Hours change weekly. For the most up-to-date hours, please visit huntingtontheatre.org or call the Coat Check Box Office at 617 266 0800. Located in the lower lobby. Public Transportation If You Arrive Late We encourage patrons to use public transportation In consideration of our actors and other audience to the BU Theatre whenever possible. The Theatre is members, latecomers will be seated at the discretion conveniently located near the MBTA Green Line of the management. Hynes or Symphony Stations; Orange Line/Commuter Rail Mass Ave. Station; the No. 1 Harvard-Dudley bus BU Theatre Rental Information via Mass Ave. to Huntington Ave.; and the No. 39 All BU Theatre spaces are available for private Arborway-Copley bus to Gainsborough Street. parties, meetings, and receptions. For more info contact [email protected] or 617 933 8671.

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 43

THOMAS ADÈS POWDER HER FACE 44 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG THOMAS ADÈS (B.1971) POWDER HER FACE

Chamber Opera in Two Acts and Eight Scenes Text by Philip Hensher

Patricia Schuman The Duchess Ben Wager Hotel Manager/Duke/Laundryman/Other Guest Daniel Norman Electrician/Lounge Lizard/Waiter/ Priest/Rubbernecker/Delivery Boy Amanda Hall Maid/Confidante/Waitress/Mistress/ Rubernecker/Society Journalist

Odyssey Opera Orchestra Gil Rose, Conductor

Nic Muni, Stage Director and Scenic Designer Amanda Mujica, Costume Designer Rachel Padula Shufelt, Hair and Make-up Designer Linda O’Brien, Lighting Designer THOMAS ADÈS THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2015 AT 7:30PM FRIDAY, JUNE 19, 2015 AT 7:30PM SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 2015 AT 7:30PM The Boston Conservatory Theater POWDER 31 Hemenway Street, Boston HER FACE PHOTO: FLICKR/FEDEWILD THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 45 SYNOPSIS

Setting: England, 20th century. Powder Her Face is a darkly comic piece inspired by the glittering brittle figure of Margaret, Duchess of Argyll. A ACT I voracious society figure, she attracted clouds of gossip and Scene 1—Nineteen ninety scandal. The maxim, “Go to bed early and often,” seems to have Scene 2—Nineteen thirty four dictated her progress through life. Her world collapses when the Scene 3—Nineteen thirty six constant attention and unquestioning service she demands are Scene 4—Nineteen fifty three no longer in plentiful supply. Scene 5—Nineteen fifty three Paper-chase 1990: The Duchess surprises a Maid and an Electrician in the act of ridiculing her in her suite on the top floor of a West End Intermission hotel. Owing to their negligence, Her Grace’s coat is soiled. As she changes, all three express unanimous admiration for Her ACT II Grace’s clothes and scent, and varying opinions about her Grace’s Scene 6—Nineteen fifty five circumstances. An entrance ensues. Scene 7—Nineteen seventy Scene 8—Nineteen ninety 1934: The Duke is expected at a large country house. Former Ghost epilogue “Débutante of the Year” Mrs. Freeling awaits him eagerly as her divorce is discussed by a Confidante and a Lounge Lizard. His Run time: two hours and twenty minutes Grace’s recent affairs are a topic. A song is given and His Grace with one twenty-minute intermission arrives.

1936: Fashionable interest in Mrs. Freeling’s wedding to His Grace in no way affected by her status as a famous divorcée, Thomas Adès POWDER HER FACE and a magnificent reception is thrown. Behind the scenes, a Chamber Opera in 2 acts and 8 scenes for 4 singers and 15 players Text by Philip Hensher thoughtful Waitress prepares elaborate dishes. Used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, U.S. and Canadian agent for Faber Music Ltd., London, 1953: On one of her frequent visits to the capital, Her Grace publisher and copyright owner. relaxes in the room of one of London’s foremost hotels. She telephones for Room Service and gives the Waiter the friendly welcome which has earned her such popularity among the staff.

1953: Meanwhile, His Grace entertains a friend at home after returning from a party. Her Grace is discussed and information revealed.

1955: As the historic divorce trial nears its close and the Judge’s concluding remarks are awaited, Rubberneckers discuss the sensational aspects by which they have been attracted. A judgement is given and Her Grace reacts.

1970: Her Grace grants an interview at her lovely home. She offers insights from her experience of health, beauty, entertaining, millinery and English society.

1990: Her Grace receives two visits from the Manager of the prestigious London hotel which has been her home for over a decade. They finalize details of her forthcoming departure and in the interim, she reflects. She vacates the suite, whereupon it is made ready for the next occupant.

46 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG PROGRAM NOTES BY KYLE BARTLETT

A swooning accordion gives a wedding they were leading largely steep jumps from the lowest to glimpse of tango, and half a breath separate lives. Matters came to a the highest reaches of their vocal later a pulse of muted trumpet head, so to speak, when the Duke ranges, or by a recurring polite sparks a flash of the Jazz Age; a employed a locksmith to break cough punctuating a decidedly bumptious bass clarinet groove open a cabinet in the Duchess’s impolite act. The role of the followed by a fizz of cymbals drives London pied-à-terre while she was Maid, with her endless staccato home a punch-line. From the first away in New York. Inside were laughter and her “Fancy” aria, is a beat of Thomas Adès’s tragicomic many Polaroid photographs, some coloratura tour-de-force that makes opera Powder Her Face, the listener featuring the Duchess nude except the Queen of the Night sound like a feels transported to another world. for her signature triple strand of frumpy dowager. In addition to the Adès’s musical language here pearls, others showing her fellating Duchess, portrayed by a dramatic is memory itself—fragmented, an unidentified naked man. The soprano, there are only three other dreamlike shards of tunes that set of photos was the centerpiece singers who cover a total of sixteen seem familiar and strange at of evidence at the couple’s divorce roles: a high soprano, a bass, and a the same time. Like all memory, trial, initiated by the Duke in tenor. Powder Her Face is episodic, 1959 and running until 1963. The exaggerated, and somehow exotic. scandal and gossip surrounding Given the skill with which Adès Its lipstick is a smidge too red, its this trial earned Margaret the creates this musical portrait, heels a bit too high, its language nickname “The Dirty Duchess” it is easy to forget that Powder rather too salty for polite company. and led to her eventual social and Her Face was his Opus 14. Since To wit, it is every bit the musical financial downfall. then Adès has enjoyed one of the portrait of Margaret Campbell, the most successful careers of any Duchess of Argyll. Adès renders these scenes from composer of his time. Among many her life with an astonishing range international awards, in 1999 he Margaret Campbell was a real of orchestral color drawn from a was given the Ernst von Siemens person, one of the most famous— mere fifteen players—including Composer’s Prize for Arcadiana, and then infamous—British two(!) bass saxophones, three and in 2000 his large-scale socialites of her generation. She bass clarinets, and approximately orchestral work Asyla earned him was born Ethyl Margaret Whigham 40 percussion instruments. His the Grawemeyer Award. In 2004 in 1912, the only child of a Scottish meticulously specific notation he conducted the premiere of his millionaire and industrialist. not only calls for virtuosity in large-scale opera The Tempest at Her romantic profile is a who’s traditional techniques, but asks the the Royal Opera House, bringing a who of celebrity and high society, performers to control precisely the new production to the Metropolitan including the likes of David Niven location of the bow upon the string, Opera in 2012. In addition to (who reportedly deflowered and to manipulate the resonance of composing for the world’s major impregnated her at age 15), playboy the piano by sticking Blu-Tack on orchestras and opera houses, Adès Prince Aly Khan, Bob Hope, the strings, and to color the sound regularly appears as a conductor millionaire aviator Glen Kidston, of the brass instruments with a and pianist. and Metropolitan Museum curator cornucopia of different mutes. Theodore Rousseau, among many The result is an aristocratically Powder Her Face premiered in others. However, it is the events louche sound-world that shimmers 1995, when Adès was 24 years old, surrounding her marriage to Ian with fine detail even as it portrays at the Cheltenham Festival and Douglas Campbell, the 11th Duke outrageous people caught in Almeida Opera, London, and here of Argyll, that have come to define outrageous circumstances. and there one can identify the hand her remarkable life. of a composer readily familiar with The fluency of Adès’s instrumental the subtleties of English schoolboy The marriage of the Duke and writing is matched beat-for-beat humor. Among the many naughty Duchess deteriorated quickly, by vocal writing that is athletic in double- and triple-entendres in the hastened by his alcohol and drug its virtuosity and fiendish in its music and the libretto, one delights abuse and her speculated infidelity. complexity. The absurdist comedy in Margaret’s repeated calls to Only a few years after the 1951 is heightened by ridiculously room service for “meat.” Philip

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 47 ORCHESTRA

Hensher’s libretto is caustic, darkly GIL ROSE, CONDUCTOR comic, and decidedly unflattering in its portrayal of the Duchess. She comes across as vain, entitled, Woodwind I Piano and snobbish in the extreme. On Michael Norsworthy Linda Osborn the one hand, she seems to deserve all the bad luck and derision she Woodwind II Violin I has coming to her. On the other, Gary Gorczyca Charles Dimmick perhaps there is something to admire in her. At a time when Woodwind III Violin II women of her class were expected Amy Advocat Megumi Stohs Lewis to be little more than social decor, she displayed a voraciousness for French Horn Viola life and a devil-may-care attitude Kevin Owen Peter Sulski that set her apart. She is reputed to have had as many as eighty-eight Trumpet Cello lovers—the stamina and dedication Terry Everson David Russell alone are impressive in their own way. Trombone Double Bass Hans Bohn Anthony D’Amico Like librettist Hensher, Adès has little sympathy for the Duchess: she Percussion makes her entrance not as herself, Robert Schulz but as a drag parody performed by the hotel electrician. One moment Harp of quiet generosity, however, is Krysten Keches found near the end of the opera. Adès accompanies the Duchess’s last moment in her hotel room with the sound of rhythmically turning fishing reels. It is, simultaneously, the sound of a sad, lonely woman being reeled into an undeniable fate, and the small, delicate sound of a woman’s life coming undone.

© Kyle Bartlett 2015. Kyle Bartlett is a composer living in Philadelphia. kylebartlett.com

48 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG ARTIST PROFILES

PATRICIA SCHUMAN Houston Grand Opera, Pittsburgh at Minnesota Opera as General (THE DUCHESS) Opera, and Seattle Opera, and in Audebert in the world premiere Internationally recent seasons has sung with the of Silent Night, and Raimondo in celebrated soprano renowned Opera Philadelphia and Lucia di Lammermoor, Nourabad Patricia Schuman Glimmerglass Festival. in Les pêcheurs de perles with continues to garner Opera Cleveland, and Los Angeles the highest critical BEN WAGER (HOTEL Opera as Julian Pinelli in Die acclaim for her work on the operatic MANAGER/DUKE/ Gezeichneten. Ben Wager is a 2009 stage. Exceptionally high praise for LAUNDRYMAN/ graduate of the Academy of Vocal her stunning singing and riveting OTHER GUEST) Arts in Philadelphia. portrayals of The Duchess (Powder Ben Wager’s 2014- Her Face) with Opera Philadelphia, 2015 season brings DANIEL NORMAN Elvira Griffiths (An American an anticipated debut (ELECTRICIAN/ Tragedy) at Glimmerglass in Oslo with Den Norske Opera as LOUNGE LIZARD/ Festival, Estelle Oglethorpe in Escamillo in Carmen. Following WAITER/PRIEST/ John Musto’s Later the same his house debut as Colline in La RUBBERNECKER/ evening, and Carlotta O’Neill in bohème, he returns to the Lyric DELIVERY BOY) a world premiere of A Blizzard at Opera of Kansas City for two roles: Daniel Norman was Marblehead Neck—a collaboration Taddeo in L’italiana in Algeri, and a choral scholar at New College between Pulitzer Prize-winning Angelotti in Tosca, and returns Oxford, and went on to study in the playwright Tony Kushner and the to the role of the Hotel Manager US and Canada and at the Royal musical theater composer Jeanine in Powder Her Face with Odyssey Academy of Music. His concert Tesori—clearly confirm that Ms. Opera. He concludes the season repertoire ranges from Handel’s Schuman is a brilliant interpreter with Washington, D.C.’s Cathedral Messiah and Mozart’s Requiem, of newly commissioned 21st century Choral Society, in a concert of opera to Delius’s Mass of Life, Tippett’s operatic roles. favorites. Mr. Wager’s 2013-2014 A Child of Our Time, Stravinsky’s engagements included Nourabad Les Noces and Maxwell Davies’s A former Mozartean singer who in Les pêcheurs de perles with Taverner, at venues such as the has successfully moved through Nashville Opera and PORTOpera Concertgebouw, the Royal Albert the operatic repertoire of the 19th, for Colline in La bohème, as well as Hall, and the Royal Festival 20th, and the 21st centuries, Ms. a company debut with Lyric Opera Hall. He recently sang Britten’s Schuman has been engaged by the of Kansas City as Colline. He joined War Requiem with Philharmonia most distinguished opera houses the Albany Symphony for Dvořák’s Taiwan. His recordings include throughout Europe and the United Stabat Mater, and returned to the Beethoven’s 9th Symphony (Vänsä/ States, and she has collaborated Deutsche Opera Berlin to perform Minnesota Orchestra), and a solo with the finest conductors and such roles as Doctor Grenvil CD of Britten’s Winter Words. directors in the industry. In (La traviata), Zuniga (Carmen), Opera roles include Peter Europe she has been seen at Angelotti (Tosca), Der Steuermann Quint in The Turn of the Screw the Royal Opera House Covent (Tristan und Isolde), and Johann (Glyndebourne on Tour), Borsa in Garden, Vienna State Opera, La (Werther). Rigoletto (Covent Garden), Mao Scala, the Saltzburg Festival, the in Nixon in China (Opera Boston Glyndebourne Festival, Opera Other notable recent engagements and Verona), White Minister in Le North (Leeds), Edinburgh Festival, include Il Re in Aida with Dallas Grand Macabre (English National the Flemish Opera, Rome Opera, Opera, the Hotel Manager in Opera), the title role in Hugh and major houses in Toulouse, Powder Her Face and the Sprecher the Drover (New Sussex Opera), Zurich, Bologna and Cologne. In in Die Zauberflöte with Opera and Moser in Die Meistersinger the US she has performed on the Company of Philadelphia, Count (Glyndebourne Festival). Recent stages of The Metropolitan Opera, Rodolfo in La sonnambula with engagements include Mime in Washington Concert Opera, the Das Rheingold for Oviedo Opera, title role in Don Giovanni with Kentucky Opera, appearances

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 49 Carmina Burana at the Royal Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 in Albert Hall, Messiah at Wells New Haven (CT), as soloist in a Cathedral, Red Whiskers in Billy Puccini concert with Sanibel Music Budd for Glyndebourne in New Festival, and in Verdi’s Requiem York, a double bill commission of at the Cathedral of St. Joseph The Commission and Café Kafka in with the Hartford Symphony an Opera North/Aldeburgh/ROH Orchestra, and returned to the Linbury collaboration directed by roster of New York City Opera. In Annabel Arden, Kodály’s Psalmus 2014-15 she is engaged as soloist in Hungaricus with Oslo Domkor, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with and St. John Passion in Milan. Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra, Engagements in 2014/2015 include and in the incidental music from Liberto/Soldier in L’Incoronazione Mendelssohn’s A Midsummer di Poppea, Gastone in La Traviata, Night’s Dream with the Gheraldo in Gianni Schicchi, and Waterbury Symphony Orchestra, Offstage Voice in La Vida Breve, Cantaloube’s Chants d’Auverne with all for Opera North, and recitals the New Haven Symphony with Oxford Lieder Festival and Orchestra, Bach’s Mass in B Minor Beethoven’s 9th Symphony with and Cantata No. 4 with the Grand Het Gelders Orkest. Subsequent Rapids Symphony Orchestra, engagements include Dream of Mendelssohn’s Elijah with South Gerontius at Ely Cathedral and Dakota Symphony, and A Sea Steva in Jenufa for Opera North. Symphony with the Modesto Symphony Orchestra. PHOTO: MATTHEW FRIED MATTHEW PHOTO: AMANDA HALL (MAID/CONFIDANTE/ WAITRESS/MISTRESS/ RUBERNECKER/ SOCIETY JOURNALIST) The young American soprano Amanda Hall has earned recognition for her performances of demanding roles on both the operatic and concert stages. She recently sang her first performances as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte in her debut with Lyric Opera of Kansas City; debuted with Opera Naples as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, with Hartford Symphony Orchestra as soloist in Carmina Burana, with Lubbock Symphony Orchestra as Violetta in a concert version of La traviata, and with Eastern Connecticut Symphony Orchestra in Vaughan Williams’s A Sea Symphony; sang as soloist in

50 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG Bo on Early Music Fe ival s Paul O’Dette & Stephen Stubbs, sArtistic Directors

Don’t miss this celebration of Monteverdi with staged productions of his three surviving operas! Ulisse June 7, 10 & 12 | Boston University Theatre PoPPea June 9 & 14 | Boston University Theatre orfeo June 13 | NEC’s Jordan Hall June 21 | Great Barrington, MA

BEMF’s GRAMMY Award–winning Musical Directors Paul O’Dette and Stephen Stubbs and acclaimed Stage Director Gilbert Blin lead staged productions of Monteverdi’s three surviving operas—part of a weeklong festival that BBC Radio 3 called “arguably the most important and influential Early Music event in the world.” Order Today! | www.BEMF.org | 617-661-1812

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 51 ODYSSEY OPERA ARTISTIC STAFF PHOTO: LIZ LINDER LIZ PHOTO: GIL ROSE (ARTISTIC Full Moon in March, and the in Boston and a subsequent DIRECTOR, North American premiere of Peter performance at Chicago Opera CONDUCTOR) Eötvös’s Angels in America. Theater. A 2015 release on BMOP/ Gil Rose is a sound is impending. conductor helping Mr. Rose maintains a busy schedule to shape the future as a guest conductor on both the An active recording artist, Gil Rose of classical music. opera and symphonic platforms. serves as the executive producer of His dynamic performances and He made his Tanglewood debut in the BMOP/sound recording label. many recordings have garnered 2002 and in 2003 he debuted with His extensive discography includes international critical praise. the Netherlands Radio Symphony world premiere recordings of music Over the past decade, Mr. Rose at the Holland Festival. He has by John Cage, Lukas Foss, Charles has built a reputation as one of led the American Composers Fussell, Michael Gandolfi, Tod the country’s most inventive and Orchestra, Warsaw Philharmonic, Machover, Steven Mackey, Evan versatile opera conductors. In National Symphony Orchestra of Ziporyn, and many others on such September 2013 he introduced the Ukraine, Cleveland Chamber labels as Albany, Arsis, Chandos, Odyssey Opera, a company Symphony, Orchestra della ECM, Naxos, New World, and dedicated to eclectic and Svizzera Italiana, and National BMOP/sound. underperformed operatic repertoire, Orchestra of Porto. with a concert production of He has led the longstanding Wagner's Rienzi. Odyssey Opera In 1996, Mr. Rose founded Monadnock Music Festival in continued to unanimous acclaim the Boston Modern Orchestra historic Peterborough, NH, since with a June festival of fully staged Project (BMOP), the foremost his appointment as Artistic Italian operas and a September professional orchestra dedicated Director in 2012, conducting 2014 concert production of exclusively to performing and several premieres and making his Korngold’s Die tote Stadt. Formerly, recording symphonic music of opera stage directing debut in two Mr. Rose led Opera Boston as its the twentieth and twenty-first revivals of operas by Dominick Music Director starting in 2003, centuries. Under his leadership, Argento as well as conducting, and in 2010 was appointed the BMOP’s unique programming directing and producing the world company's first Artistic Director. and high performance standards premier recording of Ned Rorem’s Mr. Rose led Opera Boston in have attracted critical acclaim opera Our Town. several American and New and earned the orchestra fourteen England premieres including ASCAP awards for adventurous As an educator Mr. Rose served Shostakovich’s The Nose, Weber’s programming as well as the John five years as director of Orchestral Der Freischütz, and Hindemith’s S. Edwards Award for Strongest Activities at Tufts University Cardillac. In 2009, Mr. Rose led Commitment to New American and in 2012 he joined the faculty the world premiere of Zhou Long’s Music. of Northeastern University as Madame White Snake, which won Artist-in-Residence and returned the Pulitzer Prize for Music in Mr. Rose and BMOP recently to his alma mater Carnegie Mellon 2011. partnered with the American University to lead the Opera Studio Repertory Theater, Chicago Opera in a revival of Aaron Copland’s The Mr. Rose also served as the artistic Theater, and the MIT Media Lab Tender Land. director of Opera Unlimited, to create the world premiere of a contemporary opera festival composer Tod Machover’s Death In 2007, Mr. Rose was awarded associated with Opera Boston. and the Powers (a runner-up for the Columbia University’s prestigious With Opera Unlimited, he led the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in Music). He Ditson Award as well as an ASCAP world premiere of Elena Ruehr’s conducted this seminal multimedia Concert Music Award for his Toussaint Before the Spirits, the work at its world premiere at the exemplary commitment to new New England premiere of Thomas Opera Garnier in Monte Carlo, American music. He is a three-time Adès’s Powder Her Face, as well Monaco, in September 2010, and Grammy Award nominee. as the revival of John Harbison’s also led its United States premiere

52 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG JAMES BLACHLY principal conductor of Opera England Conservatory of Music in (CONDUCTOR, THE Venezuela, he led Puccini’s Gianni Boston after completing 20 years ZOO) Schicchi to acclaim in 2012, and on the faculty of the University of James Blachly is assisted Nathan and Julie Gunn in Michigan, where he oversaw the the artistic director coaching opera scenes. Opera Program, both teaching of the New York- and directing. Productions at the based Sheep Island He studied conducting with Donald University of Michigan include Ensemble, performing imaginative Schleicher at the University of Falstaff, Armide, A Midsummer programs in unusual venues, and Illinois, and has worked privately Night’s Dream, and Eugene Onegin. the co-founder of Make Music with Larry Rachleff. From 2003-2014 Joshua Major NOLA, an El Sistema-inspired was the Artistic Director of the program in New Orleans. He is JOSHUA MAJOR Pine Mountain Music Festival, currently the Zander Fellow with (STAGE DIRECTOR, SIR located in the Upper Peninsula of the Boston Philharmonic. This JOHN IN LOVE) Michigan on the shores of Lake season saw debut performances Toronto-born Joshua Superior, where he produced over with the Spokane Symphony Major began his 300 concerts of opera, symphony, Orchestra, Boston Philharmonic opera stage directing and chamber music. He continues New Directions, and two concerts career at the age of to be a stage director at the in Venezuela, where he was invited 23 with La Cenerentola for Opera International Vocal Arts Institute as guest conductor. This summer, Omaha. Soon after, Mr. Major in both Montreal and Tel Aviv, he makes his debut with Geneva worked as an assistant at the where he has directed annually Light Opera, conducting Così fan Welsh National Opera, to Rhoda since 1993. tutte at the Smith Opera House. Levine at Juilliard, and to Cynthia His production and conducting of Auerbach at both Chautauqua LYNN TORGOVE the Rite of Spring Dance Party Opera and the New York City (STAGE DIRECTOR, has called national attention to Opera. Mr. Major has worked THE BEAR/THE ZOO) his innovative programming. With as a stage director for almost Lynn Torgove is well the Boston Philharmonic Youth 30 years throughout the United known to Boston Orchestra, he initiated the Young States and Canada, developing an audiences as both a Composers Initiative, reading and impressive, diverse repertoire of singer and a director. recording the compositions of young productions. Recent productions She has performed in and directed composers from Harvard, NEC, include Un giorno di Regno many productions with the Boston Boston University, the Berklee (Verdi), Die Fledermaus (Strauss), Modern Orchestra Project over School of Music, and the Boston the North American premiere the last decade. She was the stage Conservatory. of Rossini's La Gazzetta, The director of John Harbison’s Full Consul (Menotti), The Cunning Moon in March in collaboration Last summer, he conducted a Little Vixen (Janáček), Lucia with Opera Boston and Lukas large-scale benefit concert of di Lamermoor (Donizetti), The Foss’s opera Griffelkin, as well as a Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra for Turn of the Screw (Britten), Les cast member. As a mezzo-soprano, six El Sistema-inspired programs mamelles de Teresias (Poulenc), she has sung in the recent concert in New York City hosted by Jamie L'Impressions de Pelleas (Brook/ performances of Virgil Thomson’s Bernstein. Debussy), L’enfant et les sortileges Fours Saints in Three Acts and (Ravel), and La tragedie de Carmen Sir Michael Tippett’s Midsummer Mr. Blachly made his Boston (Brook/Bizet). Mr.Major has worked Marriage. debut in 2014 with the Boston for numerous companies including Ms. Torgove has worked with Philharmonic Youth Orchestra Michigan Opera Theatre, Opera Emmanuel Music, last season conducting Ravel’s Rapsodie Theatre of St.Louis, Central City directing and singing the role espagnole, and was assistant Opera, Opera Omaha, Odyssey of Desiree Armfeldt in Stephen conductor to Gil Rose and chorus Opera, Wolf Trap Opera, and Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. master for the critically acclaimed Fort Worth Opera. In August She was also the stage director Odyssey Opera production of 2012 Mr. Major began as Chair and sang in John Harbison’s The Verdi’s Un giorno di Regno. As of Opera Studies at the New Great Gatsby, both in Jordan

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 53 Hall and at Ozawa Hall. With the International Festival, Theater regno, Il segreto di Susanna, and Cantata Singers, she has directed Erfurt, Tirolerlandestheater Zanetto. She is a Boston-based Stravinky’s The Rake’s Progress, in Innsbruck and Stadttheater freelance costume designer and Britten’s The Little Sweep and Bern. His revival of Jenu˚fa at seamstress and has designed for Noye’s Fludde, Hans Krása’s the Canadian Opera Company opera, dance, film, and theater. opera Brundibár, and A Kurt Weill in 2003 received Canada’s Other recent productions include Cabaret. Over the past few years, prestigious DORA award for Intimate Apparel (Lyric Stage Ms. Torgove has been a guest best theater production of the Company of Boston) and Our director at MIT, directing Foss’s year. Recent productions include Town, the opera (Monadnock Music Griffelkin and Purcell’s Dido and the U.S. stage premiere of Das Festival). Additionally she has Aeneas and Menotti’s Amahl and Liebesverbot at Glimmerglass designed for SpeakEasy Stage, the Night Visitors. Opera, La Finta Giardiniera and Theater Offensive, and numerous L’amico Fritz at San Francisco individual performers. She was As a mezzo-soprano, Ms. Torgove Opera Merola, Carmen at Boston the costume shop supervisor for is a regular soloist with both Lyric Opera, Cardillac at Opera New England Conservatory‘s Emmanuel Music and the Cantata Boston, the U.S. Stage premiere of opera productions of Turn of the Singers and can be heard as the El Amor Brujo/La Vida Breve at Screw and Paul Bunyan. She mezzo soloist on the Cantata Manhattan School of Music, Don earned a B.S. in History from Singers’ recording of John Giovanni at Opera Philadelphia Carnegie Mellon University. Harbison’s Four Psalms. She has and San Diego Opera, Elektra amandamujicadesign.com been a featured soloist with Opera at Michigan Opera Theater, Boston, St. Louis Symphony, and Dido and Aeneas/Orpheus KATHERINE STEBBINS (COSTUME the Portland Symphony, and the Brittanicus and Die Fledermaus DESIGNER, SIR JOHN IN LOVE) Tallahassee Symphony, Aston at Shenandoah Conservatory of Katherine Stebbins makes her Magna. Music. Odyssey Opera debut with Sir John in Love. Recent costume She has been faculty as a stage He served as Artistic Director for design credits include Dialogues director at the Opera Institute of the Tulsa Opera (1987-93) and of the Carmelites (New England Boston University, New England Cincinnati Opera (1996-2005), Conservatory), Lady Windermere’s Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, and is currently Professor of Fan (University of Massachusetts, and the Walnut Hill School for the Stagecraft at The Academy of Lowell), The Pillowman and Arts. She currently teaches at the Vocal Arts and Bard Conservatory Arcadia (MIT), Tosca (Boston Longy School of Music and Hebrew of Music Vocal Arts Program. Youth Symphony Orchestra), College, where she is the Head of Upcoming projects include Don and Splendor (Company One). Vocal Arts and was also ordained Pasquale at San Francisco Katherine has an MFA in as a Cantor in 2012. Opera’s Merola Program and Costume Design from Carnegie Norma at Florida Grand Opera. Mellon University and has had NIC MUNI (STAGE He currently teaches acting her work displayed at the Prague DIRECTOR AND at Academy of Vocal Arts in Quadrennial of Performance SCENIC DESIGNER, Philadelphia, Bard Conservatory Design and Space. More of her POWDER HER FACE) of Music, and Shenandoah designs can be viewed on her Nic Muni has Conservatory. website at katherinestebbins.com. directed at San Francisco Opera, AMANDA MUJICA STEPHEN DOBAY New York City Opera, Canadian (COSTUME (SCENIC DESIGNER) Opera Company in Toronto, DESIGNER) Stephen Dobay Houston Grand Opera, Seattle Amanda Mujica is previously designed Opera, Los Angeles Opera, delighted to return Un giorno di Regno, Glimmerglass Opera and Opera to Odyssey Opera, Il segreto di Susanna, Theater of St. Louis. In Europe having designed and Zanetto with he has directed for the Prague Miss Havisham’s Wedding Night, Odyssey Opera. Other shows in National Opera, the Kurt Weill A Water Bird Talk, Un giorno di Boston include Come Back Little

54 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG Sheba and Our Town at the for Manhattan School of Music University, and Die Fledermaus at Huntington, The Bartered Bride, Opera Theatre, Carmen and Lucia New England Conservatory. Merry Wives of Windsor, Don di Lammermoor for the Portland Pasquale, and An Italian Girl in Opera, and Faust and I Puritani for RACHEL PADULA SHUFELT (HAIR Algiers for Boston Midsummer the Philadelphia Opera Co. Recent AND MAKE-UP DESIGNER) Opera, Rumelia for Juventas, and designs include Outside Mullingar Rachel Padula Shufelt is a hair and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for the Philadelphia Theatre Co., make-up designer in the Boston Der Zwerg, Poppea, and L’heure The Skin of Our Teeth for the area. Broadway credits include espagnole for OperaHub. New Articulate Theatre, of which he is hair designer for Glass Menagerie York Credits include Under My a founding member, and Sunset (Booth Theatre). Recent local hair Skin (Little Shubert); The Cottage Boulevard for the Pioneer Theatre, and make-up credits include work (Queens Theatre in the Park); Salt Lake City. He has received on Marie Antoinette, Pippin, All the Gidion’s Knot (59E59 Theaters); an OBIE and Drama Desk and Way, Robin Hood, and The Lily’s Long Day’s Journey into Night L.A. Dramalogue Awards for his Revenge (American Repertory (The York Shakespeare Company); designs. He teaches lighting design Theatre) and Equally Divided Holy Crap!! (La MaMa); The at Purchase College, SUNY. (Merrimack Repertory Theatre). Realists (HERE); Allegro, Blood Rachel also works as a make-up Brothers, A Hard Wall at High LINDA O’BRIEN (LIGHTING artist for Boston Lyric Opera and Speed, and The Pillowman DESIGNER, POWDER HER FACE) Boston Ballet. (Astoria Performing Arts Center), Linda O’Brien, Odyssey Opera’s and Adult (Abrons Arts Center). General Manager, is pleased to be DR. LAURA STANFIELD PRICHARD Upcoming projects include Martha designing the lighting for Powder (PROGRAM NOTES) (Boston Midsummer Opera) Her Face. Ms. O’Brien has designed Laura Stanfield Prichard is on the and Pagliacci(Opera Columbus). lighting for numerous organizations board of Choral Arts New England stephendobay.com including Boston Ballet, Opera and has presented pre-concert Boston, WGBH and The Boston lectures for one opera a year since DENNIS PARICHY Conservatory​. She​ studied with 19998 for the San Francisco Opera (LIGHTING Dennis Parichy and received her and Merola Programs. This June DESIGNER) MFA from Brandeis University. they will premiere Marco Tutino’s Dennis Parichy La Ciociara, basen on the film has been designing MELINDA SULLIVAN Two Women. She is the principal lights professionally (CHOREOGRAPHER) pre-concert speaker for Boston for over fifty years, Melinda Sullivan is an active Baroque, the Berkshire Choral working on Broadway, off- and choreographer and teacher in Festival, and the Masterworks off-off Broadway, and in regional Boston, MA. After extensive Chorale, and presents regular theatres throughout the United touring with modern dance troupe lectures for the San Francisco and States. Broadway credits include Beth Soll & Company (1984–1995), Chicago Symphonies. She sings Talley’s Folly (Tony nomination), she turned her focus to dance in with the Tanglewood Festival Burn This, As Is, Crimes of the opera. Ms. Sullivan is resident Chorus and teaches music and Heart, and Coastal Disturbances, choreographer and movement coach dance students of all ages, in among others. He has designed over at Central City Opera and served departments ranging from twenty-five shows for People’s Light many years as ballet mistress at Northeastern University to the & Theatre Co., in Philadelphia, the Boston Early Music Festival. Winchester Cooperative Theater for including most recently Ghosts and She is on the opera faculty at Children. The Cherry Orchard. He designed Boston University and New several American premieres of England Conservatory, where she plays by Athol Fugard, directed by developed the Movement for Singers Mr. Fugard, including Sorrows and courses. Recent choreography Rejoicings, My Children, My Africa!, includes Trouble in Tahiti at and Playland. Opera credits include Central City Opera, La Serva three seasons at Central City Padrona at Boston Early Music Opera Festival, Death in the Family Festival, Cendrillon at Boston

THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 55 ADMINISTRATIVE AND PRODUCTION STAFF

Gil Rose Karin Hartmann Ludlow Darby Smotherman Artistic and General Director Production Stage Manager Audio (Powder Her Face) (Sir John in Love, Monodramas) Linda O'Brien Susan Handler General Manager Amanda Otten Costume Shop Coordinator Production Stage Manager Linda Osborn (The Zoo/The Bear, Rebecca Butler Artistic Administrator Powder Her Face) Costume Coordinator/Wardrobe Supervisor (Powder Her Face) April Thibeault Andrew Chandler Publicist Technical Director Jill Costello Wardrobe Supervisor Graham Wright Anthony D’Amico Marketing Advisor Personnel Manager Holly Johnson Painter Kyle Hemingway Dickinson Ryland Bennett Design Manager Orchestra Manager Jeffrey Burrows Painter/Dyer/Crafts Hailey Fuqua Brendan Conroy Box Office and Patron Props Master Christine Alger Services Manager Draper/Crafts Amy Witherby Zoe Kemmerling Stage Manager (Sir John in Love) Natalie LaChall Print Editor Draper Rebecca Griffith Stage Manager (The Zoo/The Bear) Meghan Dowd Crafts/Stitcher Elise Napoli Assistant Stage Manager Jill Coleman, Lisa Krause, (Sir John in Love) Heidi Michel, Emily Wensberg, Meghan Boehmer Tori Sweetser Stitchers Master Electrician (Sir John in Love, The Zoo/The Bear) Scenery built by BeNt Productions (Clinton, MA) Winston Limauge Master Electrician Costume Shops: Industrial Stitchers (Powder Her Face) Guild (Boston, MA) and The Boston Conservatory

SPECIAL THANKS

The Boston Conservatory bostonconservatory.edu

56 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG THE BRITISH INVASION: A FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH MUSICAL DRAMAS 57 JULES MASSENET LE CID Libretto by LOUIS GALLET, ÉDOUARD BLAU, and ADOLPHE D’ENNERY after the play by PIERRE CORNEILLE Starring internationally acclaimed tenor PAUL GROVES Conducted in concert by GIL ROSE

“I am young, it is true, but to souls nobly born, true valor cannot wait for the years to advance”

Don’t wait for the years to advance—catch the Boston premiere of one of France’s great operas, rarely produced in the US.

Le Cid is Massenet’s passionate depiction of the work that defined French classical tragedy. A tale of honor, bravery, love, and conflicted loyalties set against the backdrop of the Spanish-Moorish war, Le Cid encompasses the sweep of historical epic and the depths of the heart.

Tickets are on sale now for this extraordinary production—one night only!

ONE NIGHT ONLY! NOW ON SALE AT FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2015 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG NEC’S JORDAN HALL 617.585.1260

58 ODYSSEYOPERA.ORG