Welcome! Is Leonard Bernstein’s Candide an opera or is it a piece of music theatre? As we celebrate the centennial of the composer’s birth we can certainly agree—no matter what we call it—that Candide is a great work. It is also a great challenge to produce and a great vehicle to feature the large and talented group of young performers in the Bob Cole Conservatory Opera Institute. It has been a pleasure to have Eli Villanueva with us again as our guest Stage Director. His imagination, humor, and generosity have made this not only a learning experience but a happy working process for all of us. It has been a pleasure to work with the faculty and students in Theatre Arts and we are grateful to department chairs Jeff Janisheski and Johannes Müller Stosch for supporting this collaboration. The Opera Institute has grown significantly in recent years and we, like Candide, have nothing but optimistic ideas for our future … … Thank you for coming! David Anglin Opera Institute Bob Cole Conservatory of Music The Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach and the College of the Arts present The Opera Institute’s production of: Leonard Bernstein’s (1918-1990) Candide April 6, 7 & 8, 2018 / University Theatre CSULB Conductors: Ioannis Protopapas (8pm) / Jonathan Talberg (2pm) Stage Director: Eli Villanueva Set & Video Designer: Yee Eun Nam Costume Designer: A. Jeffrey Schoenberg Lighting Designer: David Zahacewski Musical Preparation: David Anglin, Brian Farrell, Guk-Hui Han Cast April 6 & 7 / 8:00pm April 7 & 8 / 2:00pm Candide: Berkley Keilhack Candide: Thomas Murphy O’Hara Cunegonde: Saane Halaholo Cunegonde: Emily Bosetti Voltaire, Pangloss, Martin: Ryan King Voltaire, Pangloss, Martin: Malek Sammour Paquette: Kelsey Reynolds Paquette: Michaela Marie Blanchard Maximilian: Brandon Guzman Maximilian: John Carroll Governor: Tim Cervenka Governor: Cesar Ballardo Old Lady: Pauline Tamale Old Lady: Kaylee Lackman Vanderdendur: Jimmy Lopez Vanderdendur: Jimmy Lopez Cacambo: Nathan Fennacy Cacambo: Nathan Fennacy Personnel Ensemble Soprano Mezzo Tenor Baritone Melina Adragna Madeleine Adragna Cesar Ballardo John Carroll Emily Booth Holly Freiberg Isaiah Chacon Tim Cervenka Candelaria Dangerfield Natalie Gonzalez Jimmy Lopez Charlie Egger Niko Murakami Caroline Hyatt Vincent Loza Nathan Fennacy Rosalyn Sexton Nancy Morgan Brandon Guzman Abigail Wyatt Steven Leyton Orchestra Violin I Bass Clarinet, Bass Clarinet Trumpet Jaclyn Kim Katie McNamara Melissa Demarjian Tatiana Giesler Violin II Flute, Piccolo Oboe, English Horn, Trombone Alice Lee Elvin Schlanger Oboe d'amore Brad Martinez Seth Leue Viola Flute Percussion David Kang Emily Harrington Bassoon Arthur Lin Henry Mock Violoncello Clarinet, E-flat Clarinet Keyboard Hyunji Yi Jonathan Galbreath French Horn Brian Farrell Jennifer Ornelas Guk-Hui Han ProductionTeam Production Manager: Elena Valladolid Stage Manager: Megan Beretta Assistant Stage Managers: Cassandra Rodriguez, Kristina Stone Technical Director: Anthony Wilson Master Carpenter: Craig Benson Master Electrician / Light Board Operator: Jake Rhodes Props Master: Kaitlin Trimble Assistant Costume Designer: Claire Mezzetta Hair and Makeup Assistants: Ashley Antonio, Josie Austin, Christine Bowie, Denise Cruz Assistant Lighting Designer: Szu-Yun Wang Theatre Arts Media and Sound Technician: Dave Goyette Video Projection Operator: Aliyah Smith Follow Spot Operators: Phil Karli, Haley Blizzard Stagehands: Raven Montgomery, Will Harper Production Graphic Design: Jonathan Torres 4 Candide The operaCandide is based upon the novel by Voltaire, Candide, or Optimism published in 1759. It ridicules the philosophy that "All is for the Best in the Best of All Possible Worlds." It portrays the hero Candide’s dissatisfaction when he reaches the utopian Eldorado and it ends in a mood of modest, yet confident optimism. The book was publicly burned in Geneva, prohibited in Paris, and put on the Vatican index of prohibited books. It went through edition after edition. The original Broadway production of Bernstein’s Candide opened at the Martin Beck Theater in New York on December 1, 1956 to mixed reviews and closed the following February. Bernstein revised the work several times, including a version for Scottish opera in 1989, before his death in 1990. There are five versions of Candide available for performance; we present today what is known as the ‘National Theatre Version’ revised and first performed in April, 1999 at the Olivier Theatre, London. Voltaire: Candide, ou l'Optimisme edition from 1759. Synopsis Candide, a Westphalian youth, believes fervently in the optimistic philosophy of his tutor, Pangloss, that everything happens for the best. Candide plunges headlong into travel and an endless series of disasters, including the apparent death of the woman he loves, Cunegonde, and the execution of Pangloss himself in the Spanish Inquisition. His travels take him to the New World in the company of a long-suffering Old Woman, and the miraculously saved Cunegonde, to the fabled land of Eldorado. Once back home in Westphalia Candide finally repudiates Pangloss’s philosophy and resolves to build a good, honest life for himself and his companions. Performer Biographies Madeleine Summer Adragna (Ensemble) is a soprano studying with Shigemi Matsumoto. She has sung the following roles in operatic scenes: Magda from La Rondine, Contessa Almaviva from Le nozze di Figaro, Jenny Smith from Rise and Fall of Mahagonny, La Ciesca from Gianni Schicchi, and Elettra from Idomeneo. Melina Summer Adragna (Ensemble) is a transfer student in the vocal studio of Shigemi Matsumoto. She began her studies at Pasadena City College, where she performed the role of Marcellina in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro. She has performed in opera scenes as the Countess from Le nozze di Figaro, as Cio-Cio-san from Madama Butterfly, First Lady from Die Zauberflöte and Donna Anna from Don Giovanni. Melina is an active member of LA Opera College Advisory Committee and The Donald Brinegar Singers. Harlee Balajadia (Vanderdendur cover) is pursuing two Bachelor of Music Degrees—one in Voice Performance and the other in Choral / Vocal Education. Harlee studies with Timothy MacDougall. He sang in the ensemble of the Opera Institute’s production of The Bartered Bride and sings in the Bob Cole Chamber Choir, under the direction of Dr. Talberg, and Pacific Standard Time, under the direction of Christine Guter. After completing his undergraduate degree, Harlee will complete his teaching credential here at CSULB. 5 Cesar Ballardo (Governor, Baron, Don Issacar, Ensemble) is a sophomore studying with Shigemi Matsumoto. He recently was featured in the BCCM Opera Scenes as Tamino from Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. He has also performed the roles of Don Giovanni in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, the Major General in Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance, Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and Count Almaviva from Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro in the El Camino College Opera Scenes. He graduated with an Associate Degree in Vocal Performance from El Camino where he studied with Vicki Muto and Anthony Moreno. Michaela Marie Blanchard (Paquette) will graduate with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance this May and is an alumna of the Classical Voice Conservatory at the Orange County School of the Arts. She will perform as mezzo soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in the BCCM’s 2018 Celebrating Music. Her solo recital, "The Nature of Love," will be produced by the Blanchard family and friends on Michaela’s twenty-third birthday, May 12th, 2018. Michaela is a student of Tim MacDougall and a member of the award-winning BCCM Chamber Choir. Michaela has worked with notable conductors such as James Conlon in the War Requiem as a part of Britten 100/LA: A Celebration, and Andreas Mitisek in the American premier of The Perfect American by Phillip Glass. She has sung for Grant Gershon, Eric Whitacre, Jake Runestad, Roberta Alexander, Julia Migenes, Delores Ziegler, and Ben Makino in masterclass settings. Michaela is grateful for the support of her family and mentors, and the many opportunities she has had as a student at the BCCM. Emily Booth (Ensemble) is a sophomore vocal performance major studying in the studio of Shigemi Matsumoto. This is her very first operatic appearance and she looks forward to more in the future. Emily Bosetti (Cunegonde) is a student of Shigemi Matsumoto in her fourth year as a vocal performance major. Her first role was in 2016 with the BCCM Opera Institute as Esmeralda in Smetana's The Bartered Bride. In 2017, she performed the role of La Comtesse in Chérubin with the Opera Institute, sang in the Long Beach Opera chorus of Philip Glass’ The Perfect American, and performed the role of Pepík in Janáček’s The Cunning Little Vixen at the Miami Music Festival. In Miami, Emily also sang the role of Konstanze in a scene from Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Notable prior opera scene roles include The Countess fromLe nozze di Figaro, Fiordiligi from Così fan tutte, Donna Anna from Don Giovanni, Marie from La fille du regiment, and Frasquita from Carmen. In 2017, Emily was chosen to represent the Choral/Vocal/Opera department in the BCCM Showcase held at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center. She looks forward to being featured as the soprano soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony in Celebrating Music 2018. John Carroll (Maximilian, Grand Inquisitor, King of Bavaria, Ensemble) is in the voice studio of Dr. Katharin Rundus. Last semester he studied in Italy and performed with the opera repertory group Opera at St. Mark’s. His favorite past roles include Le Baron in BCCM’s Cherubin, Guy Masterson in Guys and Dolls at Long Beach Playhouse, and Amiens in As You Like It at the New Swan Shakespeare Festival. He hopes you enjoy Bernstein’s helter-skelter adaptation of Voltaire’s picaresque novel. Tim Cervenka (Governor, Baron, Don Issacar, Inquisitor, Ensemble) is a junior studying with John Buffett. He is bass-baritone pursuing a double major in Vocal Performance and Music Education.