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Monteverdi's L'orfeo

Monteverdi's L'orfeo

Monteverdi’s L’

Claudio Monteverdi / Alessandro Striggio / Librettist

René Schiffer / Composer, Reconstruction of the lost Bacchanale ending, 1607

Apollo’s Fire: The Cleveland Baroque Jeannette Sorrell / Artistic Director and Conductor

Karim Sulayman / Orfeo Erica Schuller / La Musica, Amanda Powell / Messagiera, , Bacchante I Amanda Crider / Speranza, Pastore III, Bacchante II Molly Netter / Ninfa I Madeline Apple Healey / Ninfa II Owen McIntosh / Pastore I, Spirit I Jacob Perry / Pastore II, Spirit II Mischa Bouvier / Plutone Jonathan Woody / Caronte Carlos Fittante / Principal Dancer Elena Mullins / Dancer in Baccante Scene

Jeannette Sorrell / Conductor and Sophie Daneman / Stage Director

Sunday Afternoon, April 15, 2018 at 4:00 Hill Auditorium Ann Arbor

87th Performance of the 139th Annual Season 139th Annual Choral Union Series Media partnership provided by WGTE 91.3 FM. Special thanks to Jenna Bacolor, Joseph Gascho, Seema Jolly, Matthew Ozawa, and Ann Arbor Public Schools Community Education and Recreation (Rec & Ed) for their participation in events surrounding this afternoon’s performance. Special thanks to Tom Thompson of Tom Thompson Flowers, Ann Arbor, for his generous contribution of lobby floral art for this afternoon’s performance. ’s Fire and Jeannette Sorrell appear by arrangement with Columbia Artists Management, LLC. Apollo’s Fire CD recordings, including a new album, are for sale in the lobby at intermission and after the concert. The artists will sign CDs following the performance. This production is made possible by major grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation. In consideration of the artists and the audience, please refrain from the use of electronic devices during the performance. The photography, sound recording, or videotaping of this performance is prohibited. PROGRAM

Claudio Monteverdi L’Orfeo | Orpheus in the Underworld Favola in Musica, 1607 (A Fable in )

Prologue

Act I: The fields of Thrace.

Act II: A continuation of the previous scene.

Intermission

Act III: The bands of the River Styx, gateway to .

Act IV: The court of in Hades.

Act V: The fields of Thrace.

This afternoon's performance will be performed in Italian with English supertitles.

3 SYNOPSIS

Prologue. The personification of Music she must abandon him there. Orfeo addresses the noble audience (i.e. the cries out at her departure, and startles court of ) and introduces the Caronte, the oarsman. He demands that subject of Orfeo, the famous singer of Orfeo turn back. In a magical , Orfeo antiquity. draws on all his musical powers in an attempt to win over Caronte; but to no Act I. The fields of Thrace. Nymphs and avail. Finally, Orfeo’s music puts him to shepherds are gathered to celebrate sleep. He steals the oarsman’s boat and the wedding of Orfeo and Euridice. A crosses the river. shepherd invites the party to sing to , the goddess of marriage, for her Act IV. The court of Pluto in Hades. blessings. Following a dance, a shepherd Proserpina, Pluto’s wife, has heard asks Orfeo to delight them with a . Orfeo’s song and is moved to plead with Orfeo sings a hymn of thanks to his her husband on Orfeo’s behalf. Pluto father Apollo and his image, the sun, cannot resist Proserpina, and orders that and then expresses his love to Euridice, Orfeo may have Euridice back, provided who had formerly scorned him. She he does not look back as she follows sings of her own love for him, and the him out of Hades. Orfeo leads Euridice dance resumes. A shepherd calls them joyfully from Hades, but cannot obey this to give thanks at the temple, and the condition. Euridice is taken back to the nymphs and shepherds present prayerful dead forever, and Orfeo is expelled from meditations on the transitory nature of Hades. sorrow and joy. Act V. The fields of Thrace. Orfeo, on the Act II. A continuation of the previous edge of madness, wanders in hopeless scene. A shepherd invites Orfeo to despair, asking the mountains and rest under the trees, and they sing in valleys to weep with him. He hears his praise of the stream, the meadows echo and begins to converse with it. In and the woods, where Pan, the god bitterness, he rejects all womankind, of shepherds, wanders. The merry since none are as perfect as Euridice. company is interrupted by the sudden (From this point on, Monteverdi’s arrival of the messenger, Sylvia, who music is lost but the original 1607 brings the devastating news that continues as follows.) Orfeo is Euridice has died, having been bitten overheard by a band of wild Bacchant by a snake. Orfeo vows to descend into women, worshippers of Bacchus. He Hades and bring Euridice back to earth. hides himself. The women, enraged by With bitter lamentations, the nymphs his rejection of all womankind, burst and shepherds leave to pay their final on stage in pursuit. While hunting homage to the dead Euridice. Orfeo, they sing praises to Bacchus and celebrate his gift of wine. At the end Act III. The bands of the River Styx, of their song, Orfeo is discovered. A gateway to Hades. Orfeo has found his stylized battle dance ensues, in which way guided by Hope (Speranza), but Orfeo meets his demise.

4 GREEK TRAGEDY, REBORN AS BAROQUE

The ancient Greeks knew the power proposed that speech should set of music. It is not surprising that one the pattern for song. The Camerata of their greatest centers on believed the Greeks had used a style a musician. As an archetype of the in-between speech and song — and inspired singer, Orpheus is one of the that Greek drama was predominantly most significant figures in classical sung rather than spoken. (Most mythology — portrayed in art, poetry, scholars today still agree that Greek music, and painting. He was the son drama was at least partly sung or of Apollo (god of music and healing), chanted.) The Camerata who sang and played the lyre to charm were especially fascinated with the wild beasts. His ultimate challenge story of Orpheus, since Orpheus was was to charm Caronte, the oarsman the great singer and musician of of the River Styx, who served as the Greek antiquity. gatekeeper to Hades. In the of As the Camerata set out to recreate Orpheus, the power of Music takes on ancient Greek music-drama, their the forces of Death. experiments led to the development Two thousand years later, the lost of and recitativo — quasi- wisdom of the ancient Greeks became spoken melodic text in which the the focus of Italian intellectuals and notes are in service of the words, and artists at the end of the Renaissance. the words are in service of dramatic The first years of the 17th century expression. The job of the composer, in became one of the most and certainly the performer, was innovative moments in Western to communicate the affetto (the history, as musicians tried to recreate “affection” or emotional mood). To the lost musical style — and the lost allow the singer as much dramatic emotional power — of the ancient freedom as possible, the instrumental Greek dramas. In Firenze (), accompaniment was light and spare: a group of musicians, poets, and a couple of violas da gamba, a couple intellectuals known as the Florentine of , and harpsichord or organ. Camerata believed that Renaissance This became known as basso continuo music had become corrupt. They accompaniment — an essential sought a way to return to the lost feature of Baroque opera. Camerata forms and style of the ancient Greeks, composer first set the which they believed would lead not story of Orpheus and Euridice to music only to greater music, but also an in 1600. His rival Caccini published his improved society. own version of the story a few months The Camerata members were later. intrigued by ancient descriptions of The great Claudio Monteverdi was the emotional and moral effect of a few years younger than Peri and Greek drama. Though the music of the Caccini. Though living in Mantua, he Greeks was lost, clues to its nature was deeply immersed in the concepts could be found in the writing of the of the Florentine Camerata. Working Greek thinker Aristoxenus, who had with the prominent poet Alessandro

5 Striggio as librettist, Monteverdi libretto was printed and distributed brought the fledging invention of twice for the two premiere opera to fulfilment as a musical art performances at the palace of form evoking ancient Greek drama. Mantua in 1607. Both printings Thus, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo follows contain Striggio’s verses for the the conventions of classical Greek classical Greek ending of the Orpheus tragedy: a prologue (from pro and story: Orpheus, having rejected all logos, “preliminary speech”) features womankind, is attacked and torn to a character who introduces the pieces by a band of wild Bacchantes drama and explains the background (drunken female worshippers of of the ensuing story. In the case of Bacchus, the god of wine). This is L’Orfeo, the prologue is delivered how the tale ends in the myth as by the personification of Music. handed down to us by Virgil and . Then follows the parodos (entry of However, the manuscript score used the characters/group) — here we at those 1607 performances is lost. meet the shepherds and nymphs What survives, aside from the who are gathered for the wedding printed libretto, is a slightly later of Orpheus and Euridice. After this, version of the score, published in the story unfolds through episodes, 1609. The 1609 score does not interspersed by stasima — choral contain the Bacchanale ending as interludes commenting on the seen in the 1607 libretto. Instead, it evolving situation. The tragedy ends includes a different, happy ending, set with the exodus, concluding the story. to poetry that may be by a different Monteverdi far surpassed Peri librettist. (The Monteverdi scholar and Caccini in his evocation of the Iain Fenlon suggests that this portion ancient Greek Chorus — the group of the libretto is not sufficiently of 12–50­ singers who comment with accomplished to be the work of a collective voice on the dramatic Striggio, but rather an amateur poet.) action. Just as in Greek drama, the In the 1609 published version, Chorus in L’Orfeo responds to events, Orpheus rejects all womankind, but conveying the emotions of the then is gently rebuked by Apollo, bystanders and the public. As in the and taken up to Heaven by him in plays of Sophocles and Euripides, the a golden chariot. The “happiness” events that overwhelm the lives of of this ending is a bit weakened the heroes are in no way explained by the fact that Euridice is still or justified. Rather, the ancient myth languishing in Hades. It also breaks is used as a metaphor for the deep with the Greek dramatic conventions, problems of current society. Thus, which Monteverdi and Striggio had L’Orfeo, like its Greek predecessors, otherwise followed so carefully. This is a painful reflection on the human happy or semi-happy Apollo ending condition that still resonates today. is certainly more in sync with courtly Baroque convention, but it abandons One Opera, Two Endings the classical Greek myth that the The ending of L’Orfeo has been Florentine Camerata and, presumably, the source of debate for years. The Monteverdi, were so intent on

6 THE BIRTH PANGS OF AN OPERA

The colorful history of opera is filled learn the part of Proserpina as well as with disastrous debuts, cancellations La Musica, which had originally been by singers, and last-minute cast sent to him. On February 9, Francesco substitutions. Perhaps this legacy lamented in a near-hysterical letter found its birth in the debut of that the singer, whose name was Magli, Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, which, though had still not arrived. Magli finally arrived not quite the first opera, is generally one week before the performance, and considered the first great one. Francesco was alarmed. “He knows As the court composer of the only the prologue, and seems to think Duke of Mantua, it was Monteverdi’s that he will not have time to learn the task in 1607 to compose music for other part before the Carnival.” He a project of the Duke’s son — the suggested that Magli might simply Prince Francesco. The prince was have to learn the words, and the music the leader of an Academy (a group of would be altered to suit him, especially gentlemen amateurs) who wanted to since the music had “too many notes” present a new opera on the Orpheus (troppo voci). It is interesting that there story at the Mantuan palace for the is no mention of Monteverdi in this; Carnival season. The prince did not apparently the composer’s compliance give Monteverdi much notice to in rewriting the composition to suit the compose what would become the singer was assumed. groundbreaking opera of all time. The necessary miracle seems to On January 5, 1607 he wrote to his have occurred — as it usually does: brother Ferdinando in Pisa that he had Magli learned his part in time, and taken the initiative in organizing “una Francesco reported on February 23 favola in musica” for the approaching that “Not only has he thoroughly Mantuan Carnival in late February — learned his whole part, but he delivers about seven weeks away. it with much grace and a most pleasing Ferdinando asked his brother effect; I am delighted with him.” for help in requesting the loan of a singer in the service of the —Jeannette Sorrell Grand Duke of Tuscany. Ferdinando replied in a few days, recommending a castrato who had performed in comedies “with great success.” On January 17 Francesco sent a formal letter of request to the Grand Duke, asking that the singer should be sent to Mantua in early February. He also enclosed some music for the castrato to begin studying. By February 2, however, letters show Francesco already getting nervous. Francesco now needed this singer to

7 recreating. It seems doubtful that this Bacchanale ending would have been un-Greek ending was Monteverdi’s completely inappropriate for the and Striggio’s original intention, for entertainment of prospective in-laws. several reasons. Some scholars have suggested that The balance and symmetry in the Prince Francesco (the future groom) lengths of the other acts appears to may not only have requested the have been planned with the extensive happy ending, but may have written Bacchanale in mind, not the much the Apollonian libretto himself. In any shorter Apollo scene. Each of the case, the Duke of Savoy’s visit was five acts ends with an extensive canceled, and with it the intended ensemble scene — either a lengthy third performance of L’Orfeo. chorus or a substantial set of solo or This performance is Apollo’s duet verses interlaced with choral Fire’s own reconstruction of the or instrumental refrains. The libretto lost Bacchanale ending. Composer of the Bacchanale ending follows René Schiffer (Apollo’s Fire principal this pattern, with an extensive series cellist) is widely respected for of solo and duet verses alternating his reconstructions of lost pieces with the Bacchante chorus. The in historical styles, including a Apollo ending, however, provides only reconstruction of the unfinished the extremely short chorus “Vanne “Lacrimosa” from Mozart’s , Orfeo,” with no solo verses. Following which can be heard on Apollo’s on the heels of the very extensive Fire’s CD recording of the Requiem. in Act V, the ensemble Schiffer has set Striggio’s verses of material feels insufficient and the Bacchanale scene to music in the unsatisfactory. style of Monteverdi. Another curious question surrounds To a 21st-century audience, at the purpose of the Moresca dance great distance from Ancient Greece that ends the opera. A moresca was and even greater distance from the traditionally a stylized battle dance, prehistoric era in which Greece’s often involving grotesque characters. myths were born, the celebratory It originally evoked a combat between nature of the Bacchanale seems Moors and Christians. Such a dance bizarre. Are the women celebrating was perhaps more likely intended as the drunken rites of Bacchus, or a battle between Orpheus and the are they murdering Orpheus and attacking Bacchantes, rather than a preparing to sacrifice him? The celebration of Orpheus’ apotheosis. answer is both. Even in historic The Apollo ending may have been Athens, the cult of ordered by the Duke of Mantua, (Bacchus) still flourished, and once intended for a third performance of a year the respectable women of the opera which was to take place Athens would go off into the woods a few months after the premiere, together, become intoxicated, and when it was anticipated that the kill animals with their own hands, Duke of Savoy would visit to seal sacrificing them to Dionysus and negotiations for a royal marriage. By eating the raw flesh. The combination 17th-century standards, the original of violence and ecstasy was unique

8 to this particular feminine cult, and no doubt it provided tremendous emotional release for these women who were so oppressed and restricted 364 days of the year. Striggio’s libretto for the Bacchanale clearly demonstrates this juxtaposition of celebration and rage against Orpheus. For a further exploration of the ancient Greeks’ view of these themes, audience members may wish to read Euripides’ play The Bacchae, which examines the destructive violence that can occur when the human desire for Dionysian experience is denied or oppressed.

Program notes by Jeannette Sorrell, ©2018.

UMS ARCHIVES

This evening’s concert marks the fifth performance by Apollo’s Fire and Jeannette Sorrell under UMS auspices. The ensemble and Ms. Sorrell made their UMS debuts in November 2011 at Hill Auditorium in a program with countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, and most recently appeared under UMS auspices in March 2016 at St. Catholic in a performance of Bach’s St. John’s Passion. Karim Sulayman and Jonathan Woody make their second appearances under UMS auspices this evening following their UMS debuts in November 2014 at St. Francis of Assisi with Apollo’s Fire and Jeannette Sorrell in a performance of Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610. Owen McIntosh makes his second appearance under UMS auspices this evening following his UMS debut in March 2016 at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church with Apollo’s Fire and Jeannette Sorrell.

9 ARTISTS

Named for the classical god of music have become top-10 best-sellers on the and the sun, Apollo’s Fire was founded classical Billboard chart: the Monteverdi in 1992 by the award-winning young Vespers, Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos harpsichordist and conductor Jeannette and Harpsichord Concertos, a disc of Sorrell. Ms. Sorrell envisioned an ensemble Handel with Amanda dedicated to the Baroque ideal that Forsythe titled The Power of Love, music should evoke the various Affekts or and Jeannette Sorrell’s four crossover in the listeners. Apollo’s Fire is a programs: Come to the River — An Early collection of creative artists who share Ms. American Gathering, Sacrum Mysterium Sorrell’s passion for drama and rhetoric. — A Celtic Christmas Vespers, Sugarloaf Hailed as “one of the pre-eminent Mountain — An Appalachian Gathering, and period-instrument ensembles” (The Sephardic Journey — Wanderings of the Independent, London), Apollo’s Fire Spanish Jews. made its London debut in 2010 in a sold-out concert at Wigmore Hall, with Jeannette Sorrell (conductor, harpsichord) a BBC broadcast. Subsequent European is recognized internationally as one tours took place in 2011, 2014, and 2015. of today’s most creative early-music European performances include sold-out conductors. She has been credited by the concerts at the BBC Proms in London, the UK’s BBC Music Magazine for forging “a Aldeburgh Festival (UK), Madrid’s Royal vibrant, life-affirming approach to the re- , Bordeaux’s Grand Théàtre de making of early music…a seductive vision l’Opéra, and major venues in Lisbon, Metz of musical authenticity.” (), and Bregenz (Austria), as well as Hailed as “one of the world’s finest concerts on the Birmingham International Baroque specialists” (St. Louis Post- Series (UK) and the Tuscan Landscapes Dispatch), Ms. Sorrell was one of the Festival (Italy). youngest students ever accepted to North American tour engagements the prestigious conducting courses of include sold-out concerts at Carnegie Hall, the Aspen and the Tanglewood music the Tanglewood Festival (2015 and 2017), festivals. She studied conducting under the Ravinia Festival, the Metropolitan Robert Spano, Roger Norrington, and Museum of Art in New York (2013, 2014, Leonard Bernstein, and harpsichord with and 2015), the Boston Early Music Festival Gustav Leonhardt in Amsterdam. She won series, and the Library of Congress, as well both first prize and the Audience Choice as concerts at the Aspen Music Festival, Award in the 1991 Spivey International and major venues in Toronto, Los Angeles, Harpsichord Competition. and San Francisco. At home in Cleveland, Ms. Sorrell founded Apollo’s Fire in Apollo’s Fire enjoys sold-out performances 1992 and has led the ensemble (often as at its subscription series, which has harpsichord soloist) at such venues as drawn national attention for creative Carnegie Hall, the BBC Proms, the Royal programming. Theatre of Madrid, London’s Wigmore Hall, Apollo’s Fire has released 26 and the Tanglewood, Ravinia, and Aspen commercial CDs and currently records festivals. for the British label AVIE. Seven of these

10 As a guest conductor, Ms. Sorrell has haute-contre, . He also worked with many of the leading studied improvisation at the Second City American symphony . Recent Training Center in Chicago. engagements include the National In 2018, he makes his debut at Symphony at the Kennedy Center Stockholm’s Drottningholm Slottsteater as (Handel’s ). Her 2013 debut with Claudio Monteverdi in the world premiere the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as of Syskonen I Mantua, and in 2017 he conductor and soloist in the complete created the role of Albert in the world Brandenburg Concertos was met with premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s Some Light standing ovations every night, and hailed Emerges for Houston Grand Opera. He has as “an especially joyous occasion” also appeared with Boston Lyric Opera, (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). She has also Chicago Opera Theater, and New York City appeared as conductor or conductor/ Opera. soloist with the St. Paul Chamber Mr. Sulayman’s credits in the Italian Orchestra, New World Symphony, the Baroque include his 2017 Australian debut Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the as Testo in Monteverdi’s Il Combattimento Seattle Symphony, Utah Symphony, the di Tancredi e Clorinda with the Australian Opera Theatre of St. Louis with the St. Brandenburg Orchestra; the leading Louis Symphony, Handel & Haydn Society role of Eurillo in Scarlatti’s Gli Equivoci (Boston), and the Grand Teton Music nel Sembiante; Arnalta and Lucano Festival. (L’incoronazione di Poppea); Eumete, The proud daughter of an immigrant, Ms. Anfinomo, and Eurimaco Il( ritorno d’Ulisse Sorrell holds an artist diploma from Oberlin in Patria); Delfa (Giasone); and the Conservatory and honorary doctorate solos in Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata from Case Western University. She has Virgine (1610). also received two special awards from A dedicated chamber musician, Mr. the National Endowment for the Arts for Sulayman was a frequent participant her work on early American music and an at the Marlboro Music Festival in award from the American Musicological collaboration with pianists Mitsuko Uchida Society. and Richard Goode. Other highlights include appearances at Lincoln Center, Lebanese-American tenor Karim the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, the Sulayman (tenor/Orfeo) has garnered Casals Festival, Aspen Music Festival, international attention as a sophisticated the International Bach Festival, and the and versatile artist of his generation. A Aldeburgh Festival, and collaborations native of Chicago, Mr. Sulayman spent with conductors Harry Bicket, Jane Glover, years as a boy alto in the Chicago Helmuth Rilling, Yves Abel, and Robert Children’s and was hand-selected Spano. by Sir Georg Solti and Leonard Slatkin His discography includes the title role as a soloist with the Chicago Symphony in Handel’s Acis and Galatea, two releases Orchestra and St. Louis Symphony. He for Naxos in works of Grétry and Philidor, graduated from the Eastman School of Apollo’s Fire’s Sephardic Journey on Avie, Music and earned a master’s degree from and an album of 21st-century chamber Rice University. He later moved to Paris works, Piercing are the Darts, on Furious where he studied with renowned tenor/ Artisans. He is featured in the ARTE

11 documentary Leonard Bernstein — The with the Wall Street Journal declaring, “the Composer, to be aired throughout Europe eloquent Ms. Crider carried the evening,” in the summer of 2018. while the New York Times praised her He created a social experiment/ “winsome, vulnerable, and deeply performance art piece called I Trust You, expressive” performance. Other opera designed to build bridges in a divided engagements include Boston Lyric Opera, political climate. A video version of this Glimmerglass Opera, Dallas Opera, and the experiment went viral, receiving millions Florentine Opera. She has appeared as of views on the internet, and was honored concert soloist at Carnegie Hall in Handel’s as a prize-winner in the My Hero Film Messiah, and in varied repertoire with the Festival. New World Symphony in Miami and the ensemble Seraphic Fire. She has toured Mischa Bouvier (/Pluto) has been nationally in Jeannette Sorrell’s early praised by the New York Times for his American program Come to the River. “rich timbre” and “fine sense of line,” and by the Boston Musical Intelligencer for Sophie Daneman (stage director) is his “rich baritone voice…and his refined an English soprano and stage director artistry.” A winner of the 2010 Concert particularly noted for her work in period Artist Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition, performances. She studied at the Guildhall his recent engagements include his School of Music with Johanna Peters Carnegie Hall debut with Orchestra of and has established an international St. Luke’s and Musica Sacra in Bach’s St. reputation in a wide-ranging repertoire. Matthew Passion; his Alice Tully Hall debut An accomplished recitalist, Ms. Daneman with Musica Sacra and conductor Kent has appeared at many of the world’s major Tritle, singing the New York premiere of recital venues, including the Wigmore Hall Jocelyn Hagan’s amass; and a debut at and the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, Puerto Rico’s Casals Festival, singing the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the the role of in St. Matthew Passion Musikverein in Vienna, and Carnegie Hall. under the baton of Helmuth Rilling with Following her successful staging of the the ensemble TENET, with which he sings 2013 tour for Les Art Florissants’ Le Jardin regularly. Recent recital engagements with des Voix program in Paris, Versaille, New pianist Yegor Shevtsov include Clemson York, Helsinki, Madrid, and Barcelona, University, Chamber Music Society of Little Ms. Daneman directed a double-bill Rock, Macon Concert Series, and Trinity of Rameau’s La naissance d’Osiris and Church’s Concerts at One. Mr. Bouvier Daphnis et Églé for Théatre de Caen with received his BM from Boston University Les Arts Florissants and William Christie, and his MM from the University and with performances in Caen, Luxembourg, Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. Dijon, London, and Paris. Subsequent engagements included staging the 2015 Amanda Crider (mezzo-soprano/Speranza, tour for Les Jardin des Voix, a Schumann Baccante 2) has quickly won national recital at the Holywell Music Room, Oxford, attention for her “gleaming vocalism” and a recording project of 17th-century (Boston Globe). She recently created music entitled Masque of Moments with the role of Alma in the world premiere Theatre of the Ayre for Linn Records. Next of Persona with Beth Morrison Projects, season she will assist Stephen Langridge

12 on his production of Theodora for Théâtre engagements include Mozart’s Die des Champs Élysées. Zauberflöte with Boston Baroque, Haydn’s chamber opera L’isola Disabitata with the Carlos Fittante (choreographer and American Classical Orchestra, Bach’s dancer) specializes in Baroque and St. Matthew Passion with Grand Rapids Balinese dance and is the artistic director Symphony, Il Ritorno d’Ulisse in Patria with of BALAM Dance Theatre, a contemporary Opera Omnia and Boston Baroque, and the fusion dance company inspired by role of the evangelist in Bach’s St. John Balinese theater. A graduate of the School Passion with Tucson Chamber Artists. of American Ballet with a BA in dance from Empire State College, Mr. Fittante Jacob Perry (tenor/second shepherd) is was a principle male dancer with the a cantor and chorister at the Basilica of New York Baroque Dance Company. He the National Shrine of the Immaculate studied and performed extensively in Bali Conception in Washington, as well as a with the Sanggar Semara Ratih of Ubud, core tenor of the soloist-ensemble Les and performs with Danzas Españolas, Canards Chantants and the chamber choir combining his knowledge of period dance The Thirteen. He can also be heard as with early Spanish folk forms. His career an ensemble singer and featured soloist highlights include performing with the with The Clarion Choir, ACRONYM, Piffaro, , , Mountainside Baroque, and The City and New York Theatre Ballet. His Baroque Choir of Washington. Having cultivated a choreography has been presented by passion for a wide variety of music ranging Apollo’s Fire, Boston Early Music Festival, from medieval folk song to vocal jazz, he New York, and the Kingsbury sings contemporary chamber works with Ensemble. He has performed at First Night Third Practice Ensemble, hexaCollective, New York, Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors, and Great Noise Ensemble. In April 2017 Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Central he gave a series of recitals with artists Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and of Tempesta di Mare in Philadelphia The Juilliard School. to celebrate the 450th anniversary of Claudio Monteverdi. He earned his BA in Owen McIntosh (tenor/first shepherd) vocal performance from the University of has been praised by the New York Times Maryland. for his “lovely, tender high tenor.” He has enjoyed a diverse career of chamber Amanda Powell (soprano/Messagiera, music and solo performance ranging from Proserpina, Baccante 1), is praised for her bluegrass to reggae, heavy metal to art “inspirational and expressive singing” song, and opera to oratorio. Mr. McIntosh (Classical Candor) and “abundant vocal has shared the stage with the country’s technique” (clevelandclassical.com). finest ensembles including Blue Heron, She enjoys a diverse performing career Boston Baroque, Carmel Bach Festival, Les including classical, folk, jazz, and Canards Chantants, New Vintage Baroque, global music. She holds a degree in Staunton Music Festival, TENET, Trident vocal performance from Shenandoah Ensemble, True Concord, San Diego Bach Conservatory and a certificate in jazz Collegium, and the Grammy-nominated improvisation from the Jazz in July Choir of Trinity Wall Street. Recent solo Institute (University of Massachusetts).

13 Ms. Powell is a favorite on the Apollo’s Jonathan Woody (-baritone/ Fire stage, appearing in the Praetorius Caronte) has been called “charismatic” Christmas Vespers, Mozart’s The Magic and “riveting” by the New York Times. A Flute, and as lead female vocalist in sought-after performer of early and new Jeannette Sorrell’s crossover programs music across North America, he has been Come to the River (national tour) and featured with such groups as Portland Sugarloaf Mountain, which became a Baroque Orchestra, Baroque Billboard best-selling CD in 2015. In 2015 Orchestra, Musica Angelica, Boston Early she also released her solo debut album Music Festival, San Francisco Symphony, Beyond Boundaries. Ms. Powell was a 2014 PROTOTYPE Festival, Beth Morrison Creative Workforce Fellow of Cleveland’s Projects, and LA Opera. In March 2018, Community Partnership for Arts and he traveled to Aldeburgh in the United Culture (CPAC). She serves on the voice Kingdom to participate in the Britten/ faculties of Kent State University and Pears Young Artist Programme, performing Cleveland State University. Handel’s Theodora. A committed chamber and ensemble artist, Mr. Woody is a Erica Schuller (soprano/Musica, Euridice) member of the Grammy-nominated Choir is a versatile performer who has been of Trinity Wall Street, is artistic director praised for her “abundant charm and of the innovative men’s group Trident luscious vocalism” by the Chicago Tribune. Ensemble, and has appeared in recent Her debut with Ars Lyrica Houston in seasons with the Rose Ensemble, the Mozart’s Exsultate, Jubilate was noted for Handel & Haydn Society, the Clarion Choir, its “vivid dynamic palette and assured, Bach Collegium San Diego, and TENET. glittering coloratura,” by American He holds degrees from the University of Organist Magazine. Other noteworthy Maryland, College Park (BM) and McGill performances include Mozart and Handel University (MM) and resides in Brooklyn, with New Trinity Baroque Orchestra, New York. Whitbourne’s Annelies with the Lincoln Trio, and a reprisal of the role of Livietta in Pergolesi’s Livietta e Tracollo with the Boston Early Music Festival. Past roles with The Haymarket Opera Company in Chicago include Oriana in Handel’s Amadigi di Gaula, Vespetta in Telemann’s , and Lisetta in Scarlatti’s Gli equivoci nel sembiante. As a concert soloist, she has performed with Great Lakes Baroque, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Bach Choir, and the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra. Ms. Schuller currently lives and teaches in Chicago.

14 APOLLO’S FIRE | BAROQUE ORCHESTRA & CHORUS

Jeannette Sorrell / Artistic Director & Conductor

Apollo’s Fire Apollo’s Singers String Band Soprano I & II Olivier Brault / Concertmaster Amanda Powell / Soloist Adriane Post / Violin Madeline Apple Healey / Soloist Carrie Krause / Violin Molly Netter / Soloist Emi Tanabe / Violin Melanie Emig Chloé Fedor / Violin Ashley Lingenhoel Karina Schmitz / Viola Rebecca Myers Hoke Rebecca Landell Reed / Viola da gamba Fiona Gillespie Jackson René Schiffer / Cello Elena Mullins Sue Yelanjian / Violone Alto Wind Band Amanda Crider / Soloist Kathie Stewart / Recorder Mindy Chu Steve Marquardt / Clarino Timothy Parsons Kiri Tollaksen / Cornetto & Trumpet Alexandra Opsahl / Cornetto & Recorder Tenor I & II Erik Schmalz / Sackbut & Slide Trumpet Owen McIntosh / Soloist Mack Ramsey / Sackbut & Slide Trumpet Jacob Perry / Soloist Liza Malamut / Sackbut & Slide Trumpet Corey Shotwell Garrett Lahr / Sackbut Andrew Fuchs Becca Burrington / Sackbut Jeff Barnett Nathan Dougherty Continuo Band Michael Jones John Lenti / Theorbo & Guitar William Simms / Theorbo & Guitar Bass I & II Maxine Eilander / Baroque Triple Harp Mischa Bouvier / Soloist Thomas Forrest Kelly / Organ & Regale Jonathan Woody / Soloist Jeannette Sorrell / Harpsichord & Organ Rob Eisentrout Daniel Fridley Aaron Keeney

Production Team Sophie Daneman / Stage Director Carlos Fittante / Choreographer Camilla Tassi / Assistant Director, Projection Designer, and Diction Coach Cassie Goldbach / Lighting Designer Tom Frattare / Production Manager Martins Daukss / Associate Production Manager

15 MAY WE ALSO RECOMMEND...

4/19–21 Cold Blood 4/22 Emanuel Ax

Tickets available at www.ums.org.

ON THE EDUCATION HORIZON...

4/19 UMS 101, Dance/Theater: Cold Blood (Power Center Green Room, 5:30 pm) Paid registration required; please visit bit.ly/UMSClasses to register.

4/19 Post-Performance Q&A: Cold Blood (Power Center, 121 Fletcher Street) Must have a ticket to that evening’s performance to attend.

Educational events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

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