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Home , Armida, George Frideric Handel, Handel Prize, Rinaldo (opera), Robert White (tenor), Torquato Tasso

Monday Evening, February 17, 2020, at 7:30

The presents Juilliard415 Juilliard Nicholas McGegan, Conductor Ophelie Wolf, Stage Director

GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL (1685–1759) (concert version)

Cast (in order of appearance) Goffredo Maggie Reneé Valdman Almirena Hyoyoung Kim Rinaldo Karin Osbeck Argante Erik van Heyningen Jessica Niles Donna Song Hee Lee

Supertitles Operator: Celeste Montemarano Supertitles Creation: Cori Ellison, Celeste Montemarano Orchestral Preparation: , Jeffrey Grossman Vocal Preparation: Kenneth Merrill, Jeffrey Grossman Language Preparation: Corradina Caporello Rehearsal Pianist: Michał Biel

Performing edition devised by Robert Mealy, created by Peter Jones

Performance time: approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes, including an intermission

Juilliard’s full-scholarship Historical Performance program was established and endowed in 2008 by the generous support of Bruce and Suzie Kovner.

Juilliard415 is grateful to the Sidney J. Weinberg, Jr. Foundation for providing additional support for its performance season.

Juilliard’s Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts was established in 2010 by the generous support of Ellen and James S. Marcus.

This performance is part of Juilliard Opera, a program dedicated to the education and training of future generations of singers at Juilliard. Major support for Juilliard Opera is provided by the International Foundation for Arts and Culture and its Chairman, Dr. Haruhisa Handa.

Alice Tully Hall Please make certain that all electronic devices are turned off during the performance. Juilliard

About the Program and when in 1714 his patron the Elector ascended to the throne of as By James M. Keller George I, Handel established himself full- time in . During the next 27 years Rinaldo Handel would be enmeshed in the high- stakes vicissitudes of London’s musical Born: February 23, 1685, in , Saxony, life, especially in the worlds of opera and . He composed and produced Died: April 14, 1759, in London nearly 40 on Italian texts for various companies in London, and, especially after He was a superb keyboard soloist and 1740, 25 , some of which are so composed music for venues as diverse theatrical in their plots as to qualify fully as as elegant salons and mighty cathedrals; “dramas without staging.” but at heart, George Frideric Handel was a creature of the stage, and he could infuse “The report of his uncommon abilities theatrical flavor into whatever he wrote. had been conveyed to England before his arrival, through various channels,” wrote For most of his career, Handel’s theatrical Handel’s first biographer, . aspirations lay in opera, and he triumphed “Many of the nobility were impatient for an particularly as a and impresario of Opera of his composing. To gratify this in London, his adopted city. He eagerness, Rinaldo, the first he made had received his earliest musical instruction in England, was finished in a fortnight’s in his native town of Halle, not far northwest time.” Handel achieved that impressive of Leipzig. In 1703 he left for the busier pace partly by repurposing nearly half musical capital of , where he the score from music he had written befriended (then earlier in . Some of those numbers still a student) and gained a position in the underwent considerable reworking; others municipal opera house, initially as a second were assumed practically unaltered. One violinist, later as a . In 1706 he example of the latter is the act two was off to Italy, a magnet for any composer “Lascia ch’io piango.” In that form, it at the turn of the and especially became one of the most famous of all for one attracted to the larger forms of Handel , although it had been born as vocal music. became his base of “Lascia la spina” in Handel’s 1707 oratorio operations for several years, during which Il trionfo del Tempo e del Disinganno. With he became acquainted with the Who’s Who a new text grafted on, what had been a of the Italian musical establishment and number advising a would-be lover to “avoid made a mark with a number of oratorios, the thorn, pluck the rose” became the motets, and even operas. more mournful “let me weep over my cruel fate.” Following his stint in Italy, Handel returned briefly to Germany, where in 1710 he The , also quickly prepared, was by assumed the position of to , who apparently worked Prince Ernst August, Elector of . from a draft prepared by , briefly But his time in Germany was reaching the manager of the Queen’s Theatre, its end. Handel first visited England the where the piece was mounted. (Hill following year, to oversee the production of was sacked after the third performance, his opera Rinaldo at the Queen’s Theatre. probably for unbridled expenses incurred His ensuing visits grew more frequent, in mounting Rinaldo.) The ultimate source Juilliard was ’s immensely popular Argante. Rinaldo falls for the ploy at first La Gerusalemme liberata, an epic poem but soon sees through it. Argante is not so published in 1581 that offers a largely clever; he continues his romantic pursuit fictional account of the , of the woman he takes to be Almirena but which took place in the late 11th century. (as Rinaldo knows but he does not) is really Armida. Armida, being Argante’s mistress, The work therefore involves a moral and is furious when he pitches woo to … well, military conflict between the Christians to her, but he thinks she’s Almirena. and the Muslims. The very idea may make us nervous in our enlightened times, but in On to act three and the unknotting of a 16th-century Italy or 18th-century England confusing situation. Armida, in her castle, the superiority of Christians over Muslims is about to kill Almirena, but Goffredo was taken for granted—plus it served as arrives just in time and manages to free an expedient metaphor for the dominance her. Rinaldo gets back to work and leads of European monarchs over non-European the crusading army to capture , ones at a time when Europe was fixated defeating the forces of Armida and Argante, on maintaining and expanding empires. who have put their personal contretemps behind them. Rinaldo and Goffredo are In act one, we meet Rinaldo (mezzo- reunited. Armida and Argante are captured , sung by a in Handel’s and they vow to convert to Christianity, time, though assuredly not in ours), who Armida relinquishing her magical powers is a heroic knight in the crusaders’ army. by extinguishing her infernal flame with The army’s general, Goffredo (), holy waters and by breaking her wand has consented to let his daughter Almirena in two. The two couples—Rinaldo and (soprano) marry Rinaldo once Jerusalem Almirena; Armida and Argante—look is captured. On the opposing side, the forward to Christian, wedded bliss. Saracen king of Jerusalem, Argante (), envisions defeat and arranges a three-day The premiere production proved very ceasefire to devise a plan. He summons successful, receiving 15 performances in Armida (Queen of Damascus, his mistress, its first season. It is easy to understand and, conveniently, a sorceress). They why. Apart from satisfying hunger for a decide to gain the military advantage novel work by the recently arrived Handel, by separating Rinaldo from his army. To the piece boasted an admired cast, a accomplish this, Armida uses her powers spectacular production (thunder, lightning, to abduct Almirena, upon which Rinaldo a chariot drawn by fire-belching dragons), will absent himself from the army to and a vibrant instrumental component (with capture her back. recorders suggesting birdcalls and the military ambience enlivened by trumpets In act two, Rinaldo and Goffredo set and ). It became the talk of London, out to regain Almirena, but Armida is a its status doubtless boosted by write-ups in step ahead of them; she has two sirens the newly founded satirical newspaper, the separate Rinaldo from his friend and Spectator, where it was pilloried for being deliver him to her palace. There, she an opera in Italian presented to English makes romantic moves on him. When audiences who did not comprehend that he spurns her advances, she tries Plan B, language (it was, in fact, the first such) and assuming the form of Almirena, who in for certain extravagances of the production. the meantime has been imprisoned and An essay by Spectator cofounder has rebuffed the two-timing advances of Addison took particular note of the flocks Juilliard

of live sparrows set a-winging in the garden are not very clearly documented, the scene of Rinaldo. For example: “There have 1711, 1717, and 1731 versions can be been so many Flights of them let loose in determined in considerable detail. They this Opera, that it is feared the House will differ quite a lot, even to the extent of never get rid of them; and that in other a character being omitted, roles being Plays they may make their Entrance in very reduced, vocal parts being transposed to wrong and improper Scenes, so as to be new keys, numbers being replaced, and seen flying in a Lady’s Bed-Chamber, or being rewritten. pearching upon a King’s Throne; besides the Inconveniencies which the Heads Tonight’s performance follows in that of the Audience may sometimes suffer Handelian tradition, largely following the from them.” 1717 version (which eliminates the 1711 character of Goffredo’s brother Eustazio, Further performances ensued, still at the his arias now re-assigned to Goffredo and Queen’s Theatre, in 1713, 1714–15, and his interjections in the finale being taken 1717; and then in 1731 it was revived yet by Almirena). In the interest of a more again for the opera company called the manageable running-time, this Juilliard Second Academy—all of these adding production also dispenses with the original up to 53 London performances in the opening section of act three, in which composer’s lifetime. In 1715, Rinaldo was a Christian magician helps trounce the also produced in Hamburg (in German), Muslim magician Armida—confirmation where it proved popular enough to merit of a subtext that modern audiences will revivals in six further seasons during the probably feel is sufficiently expressed . As one would expect of operas of without this 20-minute expanse. that period, the playbook was adapted to new casts and other circumstances of these James M. Keller is the longtime program various productions. Although changes annotator of the for the 1713 and 1714–15 presentations and the San Francisco Symphony.

Meet the Artists of the Pasadena Symphony. Though he is best known as a and Classical specialist, McGegan’s approach— intelligent, infused with joy, and never dogmatic—has led to appearances with many of the world’s major . His 2019–20 guest appearances include a Nicholas return to the Cleveland and the RANDY BEACH McGegan Houston, Baltimore, St. Louis, New Jersey, As he embarks on his sixth decade on and Pasadena symphonies. He led an all- the podium, Nicholas McGegan is Mozart program last fall at the Hollywood recognized for his probing and revelatory Bowl and rejoins the Los Angeles Chamber explorations of music of all periods. The Orchestra for a program of Rameau, Mozart, 2019–20 season marks the final year of and Schubert. He also leads the Royal his 34-year tenure as music director of Scottish National Orchestra and makes Philharmonia (PBO) and guest appearances with the Szczecin and . He is principal guest conductor Wroclaw philharmonics. Summer festivals Juilliard include Aspen and La Jolla. McGegan’s Heyningen appeared with the Cecilia prolific discography includes more than Chorus of New York for a 2019 performance 100 releases spanning five decades. of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. His 2020 Having recorded more than 50 albums of performances will include Escamillo in Handel, McGegan has explored the depths Carmen with Pacific Opera Victoria, and of the composer’s output with a dozen Sprecher in Die Zauberflötewith the Santa oratorios and close to 20 of his operas. Fe Opera, where he spent two summers as Under its own label, Philharmonia Baroque an apprentice artist, receiving the Donald Productions, Philharmonia has recently Gramm Memorial Award. He also spent released albums of Handel, Scarlatti, three summers with the Opera Theatre of Vivaldi, Brahms, Haydn, Beethoven, and St. Louis, where he received the Richman more. McGegan’s latest release with PBO Memorial Award. is Handel’s rarely performed Joseph and Dr. Gary Portadin Scholarship, Philo Higley His Brethren. McGegan is committed to the Scholarship, Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards next generation of musicians, frequently Scholarship, Hardesty and Beverley Peck conducting and coaching students in Johnson Fund residencies and engagements at Juilliard, Yale, Harvard, the Colburn School, Aspen Music Festival and School, Sarasota Music Festival, and Music Academy of the West. The English-born conductor, who was educated at Cambridge and , was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Hyoyoung Kim Order of the British Empire “for services to music overseas.” Other awards include Soprano Hyoyoung Kim, hailing from the Halle ; Order of Merit of Seoul, is a first-year master’s student in the State of Lower Saxony (Germany); voice at Juilliard studying with Edith Wiens. Medal of Honor of the City of Göttingen; Her most recent appearances include and a declaration of Nicholas McGegan Palm Beach Opera, Spoleto Festival, Day by the Mayor of San Francisco in Vancouver Opera’s NYIOP Korea audition, recognition of his work with Philharmonia. and as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at Seoul National University. She has also participated in master classes with Helmut Deutsch and Blackburn. A recipient of multiple honors and scholarships, Kim is a winner of the KBS (Korean Broadcasting System) competition and second prize at the Jungang competition in Korea, Erik van Heyningen including four performances with the KBS Erik van Heyningen, from Poway, Orchestra. In 2017, she was selected as California, is an artist diploma student at a Kumho Foundation Young Artist solo Juilliard, where he studies with William recitalist, giving duo concerts in 2018 Burden. Last summer, he was featured and 2019. in a new production of Salome at the Toulmin Foundation Scholarship Spoleto Festival and appeared as Fernando in La gazza ladra with Teatro Nuovo. Van Juilliard

debut in December in Juilliard’s Songfest. Operatic roles include in Le nozze di Figaro, Zerlina in Don Giovanni, and Adina in L’elisir d’amore. Kovner Fellowship Song Hee Lee Soprano Song Hee Lee, born and raised in Seoul, is a sophomore at Juilliard, where she studies with William Burden. In her first year, Lee performed much song repertoire and opera scenes including Susanna in Don Karin Osbeck Giovanni. Last summer, Lee participated at the Académie Internationale d’Été de Stockholm native Mezzo-soprano Karin Nice, where she participated in a master Osbeck is an artist diploma student at class with Dalton Baldwin and performed Juilliard, where she studies with Elizabeth scenes from Così fan tutte and L’Enfant et Bishop. Osbeck has performed as Nancy les sortilèges. in Albert Herring and the title role in La Cenerentola at Stockholm’s University College of Opera, where she earned her bachelor’s degree. This season, Osbeck has performed as Olga in Eugene Onegin at in Stockholm with conductor John Fiore. She received the Jenny Lind Scholarship in 2016, which encompassed a ERIC WOOLSEY Jessica Niles recital tour in North America and . From Alexandria, Virginia, soprano Jessica Patricia Haspert Scholarship in Vocal Arts, Niles is pursuing her master’s degree Jack Bakal Classical Artist Scholarship, studying with Edith Wiens at Juilliard. Scholarship, Hardesty & Concert highlights include Handel’s Aminta e Beverley Peck Johnson Fund Fillide with Juilliard415 conducted by William Christie at the Morgan Library and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with the Cecilia Chorus of New York at . Niles revived Aminta e Fillide with Les Arts Florissants at the 40th annual Festival Dans les Jardins de Maggie William Christie, and continued her work with Reneé Valdman Les Arts Florissants in a residency last April. Niles regularly curates recitals of art song Maggie Reneé Valdman, a mezzo-soprano and chamber music as well as premiering from Los Angeles, California, is a senior new works, including her commission The voice student at Juilliard studying with Opposite of Loneliness: A Chamber Piece Elizabeth Bishop. Last year, Valdman (Wenzelberg). Recital highlights include appeared as Carmen in La Tragédie de Fauré’s La Bonne Chanson coached by Carmen with City Lyric Opera, toured conductor Pierre Vallet, Liza Lehmann’s vocal Europe with Juilliard’s production of quartet In a Persian Garden coached by Dido and , studied with Dolora Craig Rutenberg, and Schoenberg’s String Zajick at the Institute for Young Dramatic Quartet No. 2. Niles made her Voices, and made solo debuts with the Juilliard

Reno Philharmonic and the California Valdman made her European debut as Philharmonic Orchestra at Disney Hall. In Cherubino in Le nozze di Figaro in Berlin. In 2018, Valdman sang Dorabella in Cosi fan addition to opera, Valdman sings a variety Tutte and Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro of repertoire in different genres in more as an apprentice artist at Teatro Nuovo than 10 languages and has a CD of her (formerly at Caramoor). In 2017, original music out on iTunes.

About Juilliard415 Celebrating its 10th anniversary season, Juilliard415, which takes its name from Juilliard415, the school’s principal period- the pitch commonly associated with the instrument ensemble, has made significant performance of (A=415), contributions to musical life in New York has performed major oratorios and baroque and beyond, bringing major figures in the operas every year since its founding, field of early music to lead performances including a rare fully-staged production of of both rare and canonical works by Rameau’s Hippolyte et Aricie during the of the 17th and 18th centuries. 2017–18 season. During the 2018–19 The many distinguished guests who have season, the ensemble presented Purcell’s led Juilliard415 include , William Dido and Aeneas at Opera Holland Park Christie, Monica Huggett, Nicholas McGegan, in London and the of Rachel Podger, and . Juilliard415 Versailles. A frequent collaborator with tours extensively in the U.S. and abroad, Juilliard’s Dance division, Juilliard415 having now performed on five continents, premiered new choreography by Juilliard with notable appearances at the Boston Early dancers last season in an all-Rameau program Music Festival, Leipzig Bachfest, and Utrecht led by Robert Mealy and teams up again with Early Music Festival (where Juilliard was the Juilliard Dance this season for a new work first-ever conservatory in residence), and on choreographed by Andrea Miller. Juilliard415 a 10-concert tour of New Zealand, where it has had the distinction of premiering returns for a second tour in spring 2020. new works for period instruments, most recently for The Seven Last Words Project, With its frequent musical collaborator, the a Holy Week concert at the Cathedral of Yale Institute of Sacred Music, the ensemble St. John the Divine for which the ensemble has played throughout Scandinavia, Italy, commissioned seven leading composers, Japan, Southeast Asia, the U.K., and India. including Nico Muhly, Caroline Shaw, and Juilliard415 made its South American debut Tania León. This season’s highlights include with concerts in Bolivia, a tour sponsored performances with William Christie and by the U.S. Department of State. In a Les Arts Florissants at the Philharmonie concert with the , de Paris; Handel’s Rinaldo conducted by conducted by , Juilliard415 Nicholas McGegan in New York and at the played a historic period-instrument Göttingen Handel Festival in Germany; a performance of Mendelssohn’s at the program of music inspired by Shakespeare Leipzig Gewandhaus in Germany. Previous led by Rachel Podger; the Juilliard415 debut seasons have been notable for side-by-side of Pablo Heras-Casado in a program of music collaborations with Philharmonia Baroque in from the Spanish Baroque; and another San Francisco, as well as concerts directed side-by-side collaboration with Philharmonia by such eminent musicians as , Baroque in San Francisco. Robert Mealy, Kristian Bezuidenhout, and the late . Juilliard

Juilliard415

Violin 1 /Recorder Timpani Chloe Kim Edward Li Matthew Hudgens Stella Perlic Majka Demcak Chiara Fasani Stauffer Emily Ostrom Manami Mizumoto Rebecca Nelson Jacob Dassa Rachel Prendergast Sydney ZumMallen Georgeanne Banker Jin Nakamura Catalina Guevara Viquez 2 Angela Lobato Stauffer Shelby Yamin Trumpet Kako Miura Bass Clinton McLendon Natalie Rose Kress John Stajduhar Michael Chen Aniela Eddy Robert Garrison Recorder John Thiessen Kelsey Burnham

Juilliard Historical Performance

Juilliard’s full-scholarship Historical performers and scholars in the field. Performance program offers comprehensive Frequent collaborations with Juilliard’s study and performance of music from Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for the 17th and 18th centuries on period Vocal Arts, the integration of modern instruments. Established and endowed instrument majors outside of the Historical in 2008 by the generous support of Performance program, and national and Bruce and Suzie Kovner, the program is international tours have introduced new open to candidates for master of music, repertoires and increased awareness of graduate diploma, and doctor of musical historical performance practice at Juilliard arts degrees. A high-profile concert season and beyond. Alumni of Juilliard Historical of opera, orchestral, and chamber music Performance are members of many of is augmented by a performance-oriented the leading period-instrument ensembles, curriculum that fosters an informed including the Portland Baroque Orchestra, understanding of the many issues unique Les Arts Florissants, Mercury, and to period-instrument performance at the , and they have also launched level of technical excellence and musical such new ensembles as the Sebastians, integrity for which Juilliard is renowned. House of Time, New York Baroque The faculty comprises many of the leading Incorporated, and New Vintage Baroque.

Historical Performance Administration Robert Mealy, Director Benjamin D. Sosland, Administrative Director Rosemary Metcalf, Assistant Administrative Director Annelise Wiering, Coordinator for Scheduling and Educational Support Masayuki Maki, Chief Tuner and Coordinator for Historical Keyboard Collection Juilliard

Historical Performance Faculty

Violin Flute Harpsichord Historical Theory/ Elizabeth Blumenstock Sandra Miller Richard Egarr Improvisation Robert Mealy Béatrice Martin Peter Sykes Cynthia Roberts Oboe Peter Sykes Charles Weaver Gonzalo X. Ruiz Cello Continuo Skills Secondary Lessons Phoebe Carrai Bassoon Avi Stein Nina Stern (recorder) Dominic Teresi John Thiessen (trumpet) Viola da Gamba Core Studies Todd Williams (horn) Sarah Cunningham Plucked Instruments Thomas Forrest Kelly Daniel Swenberg Robert Mealy Artists in Residence Bass Charles Weaver Peter Sykes William Christie Douglas Balliett Richard Egarr Rachel Podger

Ellen and James S. Marcus City. Juilliard Opera has presented numer- Institute for Vocal Arts ous premieres of new operas as well as One of America’s most prestigious pro- works from the standard repertoire. grams for educating singers, The Juilliard School’s Ellen and James S. Marcus Juilliard graduates may be heard in opera Institute for Vocal Arts offers young art- houses and concert halls throughout the ists programs tailored to their talents and world; diverse alumni artists include well- needs. From bachelor and master of music known performers such as Leontyne Price, degrees to an advanced Artist Diploma Renée Fleming, Risë Stevens, Tatiana in Opera Studies, Juilliard provides fre- Troyanos, Simon Estes, and Shirley Verrett. quent performance opportunities featuring Recent alumni include Isabel Leonard, singers in its own recital halls, on Lincoln Susanna Phillips, , Erin Center’s stages, and around New York Morley, Sasha Cooke, and Julia Bullock.

Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts Brian Zeger, Artistic Director Kirstin Ek, Director, Curriculum and Schedules Emily Wells, Associate Director Andrew Gaines, Production Administrator Davis Dykes, Projects Administrator, Performance Activities Chan, Projects Administrator, Curriculum Kiara Walker, Schedule and Program Coordinator Alexandra Cohen, Vocal Arts Administrative Apprentice Juilliard

Voice Faculty Alexandra Day J.J. Penna Edith Wiens, Chair Karen Delavan, Music Advisor for Diane Richardson, Principal Darrell Babidge Master of Music and Graduate Coach and Music Advisor for Elizabeth Bishop Diploma Artist Diploma in Opera Studies William Burden Cori Ellison Lauren Schiff Amy Burton John Giampietro Eve Shapiro, Dramatic Advisor Cynthia Hoffmann Bénédicte Jourdois for Artist Diploma in Opera Marlena K. Malas Natalia Katyukova Studies Robert C. White Jr. Kathryn LaBouff Jeanne Slater Gina Levinson Avi Stein Ellen and James S. Marcus Kenneth Merrill Cameron Stowe Institute for Vocal Arts Faculty David Moody, Chorus Master Stephen Wadsworth, James S. Stefano Baldasseroni Glenn Morton Marcus Faculty Fellow, Direc- Marianne Barrett Nils Neubert tor of Artist Diploma in Opera Edward Berkeley Adam Nielsen, Music Advisor for Studies Mary Birnbaum, Associate Master of Music and Graduate Howard Watkins Director of Artist Diploma in Diploma Gary Thor Wedow Opera Studies Donald Palumbo Steven Blier David Paul, Dramatic Advisor for Reed Woodhouse Corradina Caporello Master of Music and Graduate Brian Zeger, Artistic Director Robert Cowart Diploma

2019-2020 Ellen and James S. Marcus Institute for Vocal Arts Fellows Jeremy Chan, piano Lisenka Heijboer, opera directing Nathaniel LaNasa, piano