New England Conservatory Studies Department presents

La finta giardiniera Opera in three acts by

Libretto by

GIUSEPPE PETROSELLINI

Edited for the Neue Mozart-Ausgabe by Rudolph Angermüller and Dietrich Berke Used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors Company, U.S. and Canadian agent for Baerenreiter-Verlag, publisher and copyright owner.

Conductor Paul Nadler Stage Director Steven Goldstein Set Design by Jon C. Savage Costume Design by Brooke Stanton

Lighting Design by Christopher Ostrom

Musical Preparation Damien Francoeur-Krzyzek This organization is supported in part by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, Timothy Steele and by a grant from the Boston Cultural Council, Production Stage Manager Karin Ludlow a local agency funded by the Massachusetts Cultural Council Production Manager Rich Frost and administrated by the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Tourism, and Special Events.

Please switch off cellular phones, pagers, and watch alarms.

Connect with NEC and our music on Facebook, Twitter, and beyond, and sign up for e-mail news bulletins. Performed at the Emerson Paramount Center / Robert J. Orchard Stage

Boston, MA

April 22-25, 2017

There will be a 15-minute Intermission between Act I and Act II/III. necmusic.edu/concerts

CAST OF CHARACTERS Upcoming Student Recitals at NEC all programs subject to change April 22 & 24, 2017 April 23 & 25, 2017 Gaia Wilmer, jazz composition (GD) Cheyanne Coss SANDRINA Sooyeon Kang Student of Ken Schaphorst and Frank Carlberg (Marquise Violante Onesta) Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 8:00 p.m., Pierce Hall David Rivera Bozon BELFIORE Sangmoon Lee Kaitlin Loeb SERPETTA Andrea Wozniak You Zhao, collaborative piano (GD ’18) Shang Zhang RAMIRO Wei En Chan Student of Cameron Stowe Rebecca Worthington ARMINDA Jessine Johnson Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 3:00 p.m., Pierce Hall Corey Hart PODESTÀ James Walsh Nicholas Tocci NARDO Nicholas Tocci Christopher Hwang, cello (GD ’18) (Violante’s servant Roberto) Student of Laurence Lesser and Lluís Claret Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 3:00 p.m., Keller Room

SoYoung Choi, violin (M.M.) NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY ORCHESTRA Student of Miriam Fried Paul Nadler, conductor Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 8:00 p.m., Brown Hall

First Violin Harriet Langley, Justin DeFilippis, Alyssa Wang, Heewon Koo, Benjamin Park, composition (DMA) Yeonkyung Kim, Étienne Girard, Su Yeon Park Student of Kati Agócs Second Violin Chi Li, Sungmi Park, Max Yiming Mao, David Bernat, Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 8:00 p.m., Williams Hall Shanshan Maggie Zeng, Emma Carleton Viola Rayna Yun Chou, Hank Huang, Devan Freebairn, Jesse Morrison Seyun Park, contemporary improvisation (M.M.) Cello Mina Kim, Minjoo Kim, Chia Yi Su, Jakob Taylor (recits) Student of Ran Blake, and Hankus Netsky Double James Weng, Wen Peng Friday, April 28, 2017 at 8:00 p.m., St. Botolph G-01 Flute Michelle Sung, Mona Sangesland Oboe Marshal McClure, Kyle Kurihara Kevin Metzger, guitar (M.M.) Bassoon Cynthia L. Stacy, Nicholas Hooks Student of Eliot Fisk and Jérôme Mouffe French horn Hajime Goto, Nicholas A. Miller Friday, April 28, 2017 at 8:30 p.m., Williams Hall Trumpet Shengduo Chen, Yu Tang Huang Timpani Julian Loida Katherine Arndt, violin (B.M.) Harpsichord Damien Francoeur-Krzyzek (Sat/Mon), Timothy Steele (Sun/Tues) Student of Miriam Fried Friday, April 28, 2017 at 8:30 p.m., Pierce Hall Student Librarian Cynthia L. Stacy Jonathan Elbaz, jazz piano (B.M.) Student of Frank Carlberg, Stratis Minakakis, and Ethan Iverson Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 8:00 p.m., Keller Room

Brian Kim, jazz voice (M.M.) Student of Dominique Eade and Jason Moran Saturday, April 29, 2017 at 8:30 p.m., Brown Hall

Upcoming Concerts at NEC SYNOPSIS Visit necmusic.edu for complete and updated concert information Not so long ago or far away: The Marquise Violante Onesti was stabbed by her lover LIEDERABEND XXXV, Cameron Stowe and Tanya Blaich, coordinators Count Belfiore in a fit of jealous rage. She was left for dead but secretly recovered. She An evening of songs featuring graduate student performers from NEC’s voice and resurfaced, relocated and, calling herself Sandrina, went into hiding working as a collaborative piano departments gardener in the house of a local Podestà. At her side is her man-servant, Roberto, whom Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 6:00 p.m., Williams Hall she has passed off as her cousin, Nardo.

NEC PHILHARMONIA , Hugh Wolff, conductor The Opera Begins. Adams Tromba lontana ; Stravinsky Petrushka (1947 version) ; Suk Meditation on the Old Bohemian Chorale “Saint Wenceslas”, op. 35; Janáček Sinfonietta Act 1: Wednesday, April 26, 2017 at 7:30 p.m., Jordan Hall The Podestà, Sandrina, the maid Serpetta, Nardo and the Cavalier Ramiro sing cheerfully about the beautiful day, but not all is well. Sandrina is troubled because the OMER QUARTET Podestà has fallen in love with her. Serpetta is angry and jealous of Sandrina because Works by Schumann, Bartók, and Beethoven she has feelings for the Podestà. Nardo is infatuated with Serpetta, who teases him but Thursday, April 27, 2017 at 7:30 p.m., Jordan Hall continually rejects his affections, and Ramiro is bitter and heartbroken after being discarded by his former lover. The Podestà dotes on Sandrina and rallies the house to MARION RUBIN BERMAN ’31 PIANO HONORS CONCERT prepare for the arrival of his niece and her betrothed. He tries to console a brooding Ballades and Scherzos of Chopin Ramiro but to no avail. When they are alone, the Podestà professes his love to Sandrina, Friday, April 28, 2017, at 8:00 p.m., Jordan Hall but Serpetta keeps interrupting. Sandrina reminds Nardo of her terrible fate at the hands of the Count. Ramiro enters, and she tells them both of the torments of being a INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY woman. Alone, Nardo echoes a similar sentiment from his male perspective. The niece, Sunday, April 30, 2017 at 7:30 p.m., Brown Hall Arminda, arrives quickly followed by her suitor, none other than the Count Belfiore. Everyone tries to make nice to him, though Arminda lets him know she’s not to be FIRST MONDAY AT JORDAN HALL trifled with. Seeing Sandrina for the first time, Arminda brags about her forthcoming Monteverdi madrigals from Eighth Book of Madrigals ; Stravinsky L’histoire du soldat marriage to Belfiore. Hearing that her former lover, the very man she has gone into Performers include; Michael Wayne, clarinet ; Richard Ranti, bassoon ; hiding from is on his way to the Podestà, Sandrina faints. Belfiore enters as Arminda Thomas Siders, cornet ; Toby Oft, trombone ; Paul Biss, Sarah Darling, Julia Connor, leaves to get help. He approaches Sandrina and is shocked to recognize no other than violin ; Justin Blackwell, plucked continuo ; Donald Palma, Simon Martyn-Ellis, Violante, the lover he thought he had murdered. Ramiro enters and encounters the double bass ; Robert Schulz, percussion ; Jacquelyn Stucker, Elena Snow, soprano ; returning Arminda, who is of course the woman who had spurned him. Sandrina Ian Howell, ; Charles Blandey, Eduardo Ramos, ; awakens and finds herself looking directly into the eyes of Belfiore. The Podestà enters Christopher Carbin, bass ; Kristin Wagner, dancer ; Steven Goldstein, narrator and demands an explanation, Sandrina wavers but decides not to reveal herself as Monday, May 1, 2017 at 7:30 p.m., Jordan Hall Violante, and the act ends in confusion and mutual recriminations on everyone’s part.

NEC CI DEPARTMENT CONCERT : “The Great Learning” Act 2: Tuesday, May 2, 2017 at 7:30 p.m., Jordan Hall Ramiro confronts Arminda, but she is coarse with him and set on marrying the Count. Ramiro vows revenge on his rival. Arminda realizes Belfiore is desperate to see NEC COMPOSERS ’ SERIES , Malcolm Peyton, director Sandrina and becomes furious. The Count denies this, but she is not easily fooled and Wednesday, May 3, 2017 at 7:30 p.m., Jordan Hall threatens to punish him. Sandrina denies to Belfiore that she is his long-lost Violante. She nearly betrays her identity but won’t admit to it. Ramiro bursts in with the news that HONORS ENSEMBLE : AMICI WIND QUINTET Belfiore is wanted for the murder of the Marquise Violante. Under the Podestà’s Thursday, May 4, 2017 at 7:30 p.m., Jordan Hall interrogation, the Count implicates himself but Sandrina clears him of suspicion, declaring that she herself is the supposedly dead Violante. Left alone with Belfiore, she

retracts her declaration and leaves him in the first stages of madness. Serpetta arrives to VOICE FACULTY tell the Podestà, Nardo, and Ramiro that Sandrina has run away, when she has in fact Jane Eaglen, Carole Haber, Karen Holvik – Chair been abducted by Arminda and left in a dark wasteland to die. This is overheard by Ian Howell, MaryAnn McCormick, Michael Meraw, Lorraine Nubar Nardo, and he immediately sets out to find Belfiore. All set out to find Sandrina, or their Lisa Saffer, Bradley Williams – Assistant Chair respective love interests, but everyone becomes lost and confused in the wilderness, mistaking each other for the wrong people and casting accusations at each other. Sandrina and Belfiore lose their minds and imagine themselves to be characters from Greek mythology.

Act 3: Nardo finally makes his escape from the completely insane and entranced Sandrina and Belfiore. Arminda begs her uncle for permission to marry the Count, and Ramiro Upcoming Opera at New England Conservatory demands that the Podestà order Arminda to marry him. An exasperated Podestà tells (all programs subject to change) them to do as they like but to leave him alone. Arminda again scorns Ramiro's affections. Ramiro swears that he'll never love another and that he will die alone, far RAVEL : L’enfant et les sortil èges from Arminda. Count Belfiore and Sandrina awake, no longer delusional. The Count & makes a last appeal to Sandrina who finally admits that she is indeed Violante but loves DEBUSSY : L’enfant prodigue him no more. The Count is saddened and agrees to leave her, but within minutes they fall back into each other’s arms. Arminda returns to Ramiro, and Serpetta finally gives Wednesday, October 4, 2017, NEC’s Jordan Hall way to Nardo. The Podestà accepts his lonely state, declaring he’ll find another Sandrina. Conducted by Hugh Wolff Directed by Joshua Major ARTISTIC TEAM & GUEST BIOGRAPHIES

PAUL NADLER – Conductor Paul Nadler has distinguished himself as an exciting and highly respected operatic and symphonic conductor. Since his Metropolitan Opera debut in 1989, he has led that company in more than sixty performances. Recently he has conducted Johann Strauss’s Special thanks to: Die Fledermaus, Dvořák’s Rusalka, and Verdi’s Ernani at the Met, as well as a hugely successful series of Verdi’s Aida at Opéra de Montréal earlier this season. He has just Jim deVeer and Advanced Lighting and Production Services returned from Romania, where he conducted the world premiere of George Foca-Rodi’s NEC Information Technology Services Lamento for the Holocaust and Mozart’s Requiem with the Bucharest Philharmonic, Sally Millar followed by concerts with the Iasi Philharmonic Orchestra. He is delighted to be making Benjamin Honeycutt his debut this April with New England Conservatory Opera, conducting Mozart’s La Finta Talamas Giardiniera . Arts Emerson and the staff at the Emerson Paramount Center / Robert J. Orchard Stage: Maestro Nadler’s performances at the Met have featured stars such as Placido Craig Allen, Bonnie J. Baggesen, Stuart Beacham, Juliet Cocca, Zak Fayssoux Domingo, Renée Fleming, Dmitri Hvorostovsky, Anna Netrebko, Luciano Pavarotti, and Rebecca A. Frank, Christina Harrington, Matthew Harrington, Michael Murphy Bryn Terfel. Other Met repertoire includes Die Zauberflöte , Fidelio , Rigoletto , Aida , Don Benjamin O. Saint Louis, Jamie Siebenaler, Mark Wallace, Ben Walsh Carlo , La Traviata , Un Ballo in Maschera , Il Barbiere di Siviglia , Tannhäuser , Andrea Chenier , Roméo et Juliette , Carmen, The Merry Widow, Eugene Onegin , and Stravinsky’s triple bill Le Sacre du Printemps/Le Rossignol/Oedipus Rex . Co-founder and music director of the International Vocal Arts Institute, he returns each summer to this prestigious profess- sional workshop. Early in his career, he won the Jerusalem Symphony Competition. He

FOR NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY also founded the Cincinnati Chamber Orchestra, where he remained as music director Interim President, Provost, & Tom Novak and conductor through 1983. He is conductor emeritus of the Southwest Florida Dean of the College Symphony Orchestra and principal guest conductor of the Filarmonica de Stat Iasi Assistant Dean for Administration & Alison Garner (Romania). Academic Affairs College Artistic Manager Hank Mou STEVEN GOLDSTEIN – Stage Director Senior VP of Finance & Operations Ed Lesser Goldstein brings impressive stage, film and opera credits, having appeared in Vice President of Marketing & Carol Phelan productions staged by David Mamet, William H. Macy, and renowned opera director Communications Francesca Zambello. A founding member of the Atlantic Theater Company in New York, Finance Administrative Director Shaula Jauk his acting performance highlights include Our Town on Broadway with Spalding Gray; Accounts Payable Accountant Rachinda Gutierrez the premieres of Boy’s Life , Oh Hell and The Light s at the Lincoln Center Theatre; Audience Services Manager Natalie Wheeler Romance (premiere), The Vosey Inheritance , The Water Engine and Shaker Heights Director of Performance Services Brian Yankee (premiere) at the Atlantic Theater Company; Romance and Keep Your Pantheon Production Manager Bob Winters (premiere) at the LA Theater Center; Intimate Apparel (premiere) at Center Stage Baltimore; and Harmony (premiere) at La Jolla Playhouse. His TV appearances include OPERA STUDIES Quarterlife , Law & Order and The Guiding Light . On film, he has acted in The Untouchables , Chair of Opera Studies Joshua Major Signs and Wonders , The Spanish Prisoner , The Night We Never Met , Homicide , House of Acting Steven Goldstein Games and Things Change . Diction Jean Anderson Collier Goldstein’s professional singing performances include engagements with the New Movement Peter DiMuro York City Opera, Seattle Opera, LA Opera, Vancouver Opera, Cleveland Opera, Israeli Stage Combat Andrew Moss Opera and Chicago Opera Theater. In 2011, he made his Metropolitan Opera debut Opera Production & Rich Frost singing in Richard Strauss’ Capriccio starring Renee Fleming. Administrative Director His directing credits include L’incoronazione di Poppea , Dialogues of the Vocal Coaching & Musical Preparation Jean Anderson Collier, Carmelites , Der Kaiser von Atlantis , Gianni Schicchi for NEC; Spring Awakening , A Little Damien Francoeur-Krzyzek Night Music , Street Scene , and Hello Again , La Tragedié de Carmen , Dialogues of the Timothy Steele Carmelites , Die Fledermaus and Die Zauberflöte for CCM. Steven has been a faculty Michael Strauss member of the Opera Department of NEC since 2013. Daniel Wyneken Senior Staff Assistants Helen Zhibing Huang, Andrea Wozniak CHRISTOPHER OSTROM – Lighting Designer Nicholas Tocci Christopher Ostrom has designed several productions for NEC including Albert Herring, Graduate Work-Study Staff Christon Carney, Julia Dwyer, Hansel and Gretel, Dido and Aeneas, La Périchole , Turn of the Screw, La Gazzetta , Jordan Harrington L'incoronazione di Poppea, Die Fledermaus , Dialogues of the Carmelites and Agrippina. For fifteen seasons he served as resident lighting designer at Opera Boston, where his ORCHESTRA credits include Béatrice et Bénédict , Cardillac , La Grande-Duchesse , Angels in America , Stanford and Norma Jean Calderwood Hugh Wolff Fidelio , The Bartered Bride , Lucretia Borgia and Nixon in China . For Chautauqua Opera, he Director of Orchestras has designed The Consul , The Cunning Little Vixen , Werther , Stiffelio , and The Crucible . Administrative Director of Orchestras Marjorie Apfelbaum Other credits include: Faust for the Macau International Music Festival; Capriccio for The Associate Director of Orchestras David Loebel Curtis Institute and Opera Philadelphia; and Rigoletto at Tulsa Opera; The Artistic Director of Chamber Orchestra Donald Palma Crucible at Mobile Opera; Tosca for Opera Providence; in a co-production Performance Librarian Ashton Bush between Opera San Jose and the Packard Humanities Institute; and productions for Instrument Librarian Benjamin Honeycutt Lyric Stage, New Rep, Stoneham Theatre, Revels, Boston Ballet, Provincetown Repertory Theatre, Snappy Dance Theatre, Odyssey Opera, Brandeis University and Asolo Repertory Theatre. In addition, Christopher is the Managing Director and Artistic

Associate at Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater on Cape Cod. www.christopherostrom.com Scene Shop BeNT Productions Richard Gray & Becki Gray JON C. SAVAGE – Scenic Designer Tom Farrell Jon Savage is very happy to be returning to NEC where past credits include Die Anthony Phelps Zauberflöte , Die Fledermaus and La Gazzetta . Other credits include The Disappearing Brett Rochford Number (Underground Railway); Imagining Madoff ( New Rep Theatre ); The Farm (Boston Ben Williams Playwright’s Theatre); All's Well That Ends Well (Comm Shakes, Elliot Norton Award, Best Props Master Kris Holmes Production, Large Company); Comedy of Errors (Comm Shakes, Elliot Norton Award, Best Audio / Visual Technicians Nell Robinson Design, Large Company); and Ryan Landry’s “M” (Huntington Theatre). Regional credits Supertitles by Cori Ellison include A Grand Night for Singing (Bucks County Playhouse); State Fair (Walnut Street Theatre); Is He Dead (Olney Theatre); and Ain't Misbehavin' (Bay Street Theatre). Jon was COSTUME & WARDROBE the Associate Set Designer for the Broadway production of Hot Feet and has worked in Costume Shop Manager Brooke Stanton television and film for productions on the History Channel and the HBO Miniseries, John Wig Artisan Rachel Shufelt Adams. Jon is currently on faculty at Boston University and is a member of United Hair & Make-up Jennifer DeMarco-Gregory Scenic Artists. Wig Run Crew Troy Siegfreid Costume Shop Crew Gina Angell BROOKE STANTON – Costume Designer Erin Camp Brooke Stanton is a costumer who has worked in theatre, film, and television. Her clients Avery Earle include George Lucas, Disney, American Repertory Theatre, American Conservatory Luisa Earle Theatre, Peter Sellars, Bay Colony Shakespeare Company, Commonwealth Shakespeare Dianne Stanton Company, New England Conservatory, Odyssey Opera and Babson College, among Molly Williams others. She studied Costume Design at NYU and Textiles at California College of the Wardrobe Supervisor Jill Costello Arts. Dressers Lisa Earle Joellen Olari KARIN LUDLOW – Production Stage Manager Ms. Ludlow is delighted to be returning to the New England Conservatory where last ELECTRICS & LIGHTING SUPPORT year she stage managed Agrippina . Local credits include four seasons for Odyssey Opera Master Electrician Kevin Barnett where she stage managed Ezio and Sir John in Love , directed by Joshua Major. Other Assistant Master Electrician/Board Op Bridget Collins credits with Odyssey Opera include The Importance of Being Earnest , Dimitrij , Le Cid, and Electrics Crew Sean Baird Die Tote Stadt . Her six seasons with Opera Boston include stage managing Béatrice et Sumner Ellsworth Bénédict, Fidelio, Tancredi , , The Pearl Fishers , L’Etoile and the North Kevin Fulton American premiere of Angels in America . She made her Boston stage management Katie Hoolsema debut at Boston Lyric Opera with Maria Stuarda . Regional credits include five seasons as Michael Jarvis Production Stage Manager at The New Repertory Theatre and ten seasons as Production Nate Jewett Stage Manager at Lake George Opera. Favorite credits include three seasons for Alex Kennedy Sarasota Opera Association where she stage managed Tosca, Die Fledermaus , The Flying RJ La Mura Dutchman , and various works of the Verdi cycle. Becky Marsh Tyson Miller JEREMY AYERS FISHER – Assistant Stage Manager Taylor Ness Mr. Fisher has assisted primarily with Odyssey Opera, credits including Powder Her Face Brian Shaw and The Picture of Dorian Grey , and will be assisting on their upcoming productions of The Importance of Being Earnest, Der Zwerg, and Patience . Also an operatic tenor, Mr. Fisher studies with the internationally-acclaimed tenor Yegishe Manucharyan. Mr. Fisher

REBECCA WORTHINGTON – Arminda made his Boston debut with Boston Opera Collaborative in the title role of Albert From: North Carolina Herring . Other credits include Le Cid , , Dimitrij, and The Picture of Dorian Grey Soprano, studying with Bradley Williams with Odyssey Opera. He spent two summers as an Apprentice Artist with Opera Credits/Awards: Forester’s Wife and Owl in Příhody lišky Bystroušky , Tisbe in an Saratoga, where he was seen as Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor, Borsa in Rigoletto, and educational outreach version La Cenerentola, REV 23, Violetta in La Traviata and Fireball Snedeker in The Mighty Casey . As an Apprentice Artist with Sugar Creek Susannah in Opera Scenes- New England Conservatory; Suor Angelica -Opera Symphony and Song, he performed Camp Williams and covered Will Tweedy in Carlisle Birmingham; Haydn’s Missa in Angustiis and Eve in Haydn’s Creation . Floyd’s Cold Sassy Tree. He conducted his graduate studies at Northwestern University, where he sang Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, as well as Des Grieux and Lensky in ANDREA WOZNIAK - Serpetta selections from Manon and Eugene Onegin . He was the house tenor at Prairie Fire From: White Lake, MI Theatre for a number of years, singing the leads in the major Gilbert and Sullivan Soprano, studying with Lisa Saffer operettas. Mr. Fisher received his Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Credits/Awards: NEC workshop performances of Naga and Gilgamesh ; the world Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, singing roles including Albert in Albert Herring, Hansel in premiere of Ouroboros Trilogy presented by the Beth Morrison Projects; Belinda in Dido Neely Bruce’s Hansel and Gretel, Lt. Cable in South Pacific, and Benvolio in Roméo et and Aeneas ; Grace Kelly in Michael Daugherty's Jackie O; and Johanna in Sweeney Todd ; Juliette. Fury 2 in the workshop of Julian Wachner and Cerise Jacobs’ REV 23 ; Spirit in Cendrillon ; NEC chamber music series and CPP fellowship program with guitarist Bradley Stone, DAMIEN FRANCOEUR-KRZYZEK – Harpischord, Musical Preparation bassist Kathryn Nottage. Collaborative pianist Damien Francoeur-Krzyzek joined the faculty of New England Conservatory in 2007. A passionate devotee of instrumental and vocal chamber music, SHANG ZHANG – Ramiro he has made frequent appearances on the Jordan Hall stage with faculty colleagues From: Luoyang, China from the string, woodwind and voice departments. In 2014 he joined oboist John Mezzo-Soprano, studying with Jane Eaglen Ferrillo and bassoonist Richard Svoboda in the premiere of Andrew List’s Journey Credits/Awards: Spirit in Cendrillon , NEC; Suzuki in Madama Butterfly , La Musica Toward the Eternal Flame as part of the Boston Woodwind Society’s Double Reed Day at Lirica; Sister Alice, Dialogues of the Carmelites , Peabody Conservatory; Carmen in NEC and rejoined these same colleagues for a performance of the Poulenc Trio at the Carmen , Shanghai Conservatory. Second Prize Great Composer Competition, The Music Tanglewood Music Festival in the summer of 2015. Damien made his German debut of America; The First Prize, The Friday Morning Music Club, Sue Goetz Ross Student alongside saxophonist Kenneth Radnofsky and violinist Elmira Darvarova in a program Competition for Voice ; Honorable Mention, Bergonzi International Vocal Competition. of David Amram’s chamber music at the Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie in Karlsruhe. Most recently, Damien joined soprano Margot Rood at Longy School of Music in a recital of art song by living American composers. An active contributor to the field of opera, Damien has served on the music staff at SCENIC BUILD & STAGE SUPPORT Opera Theatre of Saint Louis since 2008 and can be heard alongside members of the Saint Louis Symphony in the 2014 world premiere recording of Ricky Ian Gordon’s 27 . Stage Manager Karin Ludlow An avid linguist, he has studied and coached more than a dozen languages and is a Assistant Stage Manager Jeremy Ayres Fisher frequent contributor of Slavic song repertoire on NEC’s Liederabend series. 2nd Assistant Stage Manager Amanda M. Otten Assistant to Steven Goldstein Gretchen Werda TIMOTHY STEELE – Harpsichord, Musical Preparation Assistant to Jon C. Savage Ryan Bates Timothy Steele is an active vocal coach, collaborative pianist, and conductor, and has taught for twenty-five years on the opera faculty at New England Conservatory. He has Technical Director Peter Lanza conducted for outreach tours with the Boston Lyric Opera and is a former music director Assistant Technical Director Brandon McSweeney for Opera Providence. He has served as assistant conductor/pianist for over 140 Master Carpenter William Hawkins IV productions with twenty-five opera companies, including Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Boston Lyric Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, Wolf Trap Opera, Central City Opera, and PORT Opera. He assisted with the Pulitzer Prize winning opera MADAME WHITE SNAKE for productions in Boston and Taiwan and

for three years collaborated with WaterFire-Providence on a unique and popular series JESSINE JOHNSON – Arminda of opera evenings. In Boston he has performed with Emmanuel Music, the Handel and Soprano, studying with Jane Eaglen Haydn Society, and the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, among others. Credits/Awards: The Juilliard School Opera Scenes program as Konstanze in Die Entführung aus dem Serail , Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte , Violetta in La Traviata , and Marschallin in Der Rosenkavalier; Tatiana cover in Eugene Onegin (Juilliard); Contessa CAST BIOGRAPHIES Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro (University of Cincinatti-CCM). American Wagner Project, Reno, NV; Songfest and CCM Spoleto Festival in Italy; Wagner Societies of Washington, DAVID AUGUSTO RIVERA BOZON - Belfiore DC and Cincinnati. 3rd Place, Southwest Vocal, Phoenix, AZ. From: Colombia Tenor, studying with Bradley Williams SOOYEON KANG – Sandrina Credits/Awards: Paco in La vida Breve (NEC); Le Marie in Poulenc´s Les Mamelles de From: South Korea Tirésias , Les noces (Colombia´s National University´s Conservatory Choir and Orchestra); Soprano, studying with Lorraine Nubar Voices of Light (Colombian National Symphonic Orchestra); Los cantos del Tucuman Credits/Awards: Musetta in La Bohème , Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd, Susanna in Le (Unitas Ensemble). First Prize, Alliance Française´s Youth Musical Talents Contest 2013; Nozze di Figaro (University of Texas at Austin); soloist with Balcones Community Finalist, Vocal Price Competition 2016; XIV National Singing Contest of the Bogota Orchestra as the winner of Classical Artists Development Foundation Voice Philharmonic Orchestra; Cincinnati´s Corbett Opera Scholarship Competition. Competition; Round Rock Symphony Orchestra; Lauretta in Gianni Schicchi (Hubbard Hall and NEC). WEI EN CHAN – Ramiro From: Republic of Singapore SANGMOON LEE - Belfiore Countertenor, studying with Ian Howell From: South Korea Credits/Awards: soloist with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale & Orchestra in Haydn's Missa Tenor, studying with Carole Haber in tempore belli ; solos in Messiah with the MIT Concert Choir; Carmina Burana with Credits/Awards : Nemorino in L’elisir d’Amore ; Tamino in Die Zauberflöte ; Taesul-Kim in Cayuga Chamber Orchestra. This summer Mr. Chan will Tour Malaysia singing Bach Korean opera The hill of Chungna by Sungjae-Kim; School Master in The Cunning Little Cantatas and B Minor Mass . Vixen ; Bronze award at The Gaecheon Art Competition in Korea.

CHEYANNE COSS – Sandrina KAITLIN LOEB – Serpetta From: Eaton Rapids, MI From: Three Rivers, CA Soprano, studying with MaryAnn McCormick Soprano, studying with Lisa Saffer Credits/Awards: Dama, Macbeth (Opera Theatre of St Louis); Iphigénie, Iphigénie en Credits/Awards: Sandman in Too Many Sopranos , Yvette in La Rondine (Oberlin Tauride and Lidoine, Dialogues des Carm élites (NEC;) Lauretta, Gianni Schicchi and Conservatory of Music); Spirit in Cendrillon (NEC). Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte (Oakland University). Ms. Coss will cover the role of Vitellia, La Clemenza di Tito , for Opera Theatre of St. Louis this summer. NICHOLAS TOCCI – Nardo From: Nashua, NH COREY HART - Podestà Baritone, studying with Carole Haber From: Asheville, NC Credits/Awards: Pallante in Agrippina, Priest/Badger in The Cunning Little Vixen, Tenor, studying with Bradley Williams Spinelloccio/Notary in Gianni Schicchi (NEC). Credits/Awards: Captain Sylvio in Dr. Miracle , (NEC Outreach); Cat in Higglety Pigglety Pop! (Bard Vocal Arts Program); Tenor soloist, Creation (American Symphony Orchestra); JAMES WALSH – Podestà Tenor soloist, Messiah (The Orchestra Now). Corey will begin a Doctor of Musical Arts From: London, England Degree in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy at NEC in the fall. Tenor, studying with Carole Haber Credits/Awards: Title Role, Le Doctor Miracle ; Gherardo, Gianni Schicchi; Pasek/Mosquito The Cunning Little Vixen; Don Ramiro La Cenerentola; Tobias, Tobias and The Angel; Aeneas, Dido and Aeneas; Frederick, The Pirates of Penzance.