,. LEON WILSON CLARK OPERA SERIES

SHEPHERD SCHOOL OPERA

presents an evening of

SCENES FROM OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE

Debra Dickinson, stage director Hal Lanier, music director

February I, 2, 3, and 4, 1996 7:30p.m. Wortham Opera Theatre

RICE UNIVERSITY PROGRAM

SHE LOVES ME Music by Sheldon Harnick; lyrics by Jerry Bock; book by Joe Masteroff First performed in New York City, 1963 I Don't Know His Name Amalia Balash: Stephanie Gruver Ilona Ritter: Narelle Yeo Tango Tragique/Dear Friend Amalia Balash: Adrienne Starr Georg Nowack: Daniel Wampler Waiter: Matthew George

MIGNON by Ambroise Thomas; libretto by Michel Carre and Jules Barbier First performed in Paris, 1866 Plus de soucis, Mignon/Jeconnais un pauvre enfant Philine: Vanessa Van Valin Wilhelm Meister: Cameron Aiken Mignon: Shawna Peterson

KISMET Adapted from Aleksandr Borodin by Robert Wright and George Forrest Book by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis First performed in New York City, 1953 And This Is My Beloved Marsinah: Kelley Mack Caliph: Zachary Bruton Poet: Brady Knapp Wazir: Jeffrey Jackson Chief ofPolice: Daniel Wampler NAUGHTY MARIETTA by Victor Herbert First performed in New York City, 1910 It Never, Never Can Be Love Marietta: Deborah Cool Captain Dick: Paul Neal

OKLAHOMA Music by Richard Rodgers; lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II First performed in New York City, 1943 People Will Say We're in Love Laurey: Kristin Nelson Curly: Creighton Rumph

VANESSA by Samuel Barber; libretto by Gian-Carlo Menotti First performed in New York City, 1958 Act III, Scene 2 Erika: Angelia LaRock Vanessa: Lara Christine Bruckmann Doctor: Raymond Granlund Anatol: Jason Scarcella Baroness: Mary Cowart

SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; book by Hugh Wheeler First performed in New York City, 1979 Pretty Women I A Little Priest Sweeney Todd: Clifford Derix Mrs. Lovett: Courtney Daniell-Knapp Judge: Brady Knapp

INTERMISSION 1776 Music and lyrics by Sherman Edwards; book by Peter Stone First performed in New York City, 1969 But, Mr. Adams ,. John Adams: Jonathan Pearl Ben Franklin: Matthew George Thomas Jefferson: Zachary Bruton Roger Sherman: Daniel Wampler Robert Livingston: Jeffrey Jackson John Hancock: Clifford Derix

DER ROSENKAVALIER by Richard Strauss, libretto by Hugo von Hofmannsthal First performed in Dresden, 1911 Act II: Presentation of the Rose ' Octavian: Kimberly Gratland Sophie: Rebecca Coberly

LES MISERABLES Music and lyrics by Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boubil English text by Herbert Kretzmer First performed in Paris, 1980 Fantine's Death/The Confrontation Fantine: Mary Cowart Jean Valjean: Deric Rosenblatt Inspector Javert: Raymond Granlund

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Music by Jerry Bock; lyrics by Sheldon Harnick; book by Joseph Stein First performed in New York City, 1964 Matchmaker, Matchmaker Tzeitel: Kirsten Haimila Hodel: Claire Salomon Chava: Kristin Sampson DIE FLEDERMAUS by Johann Strauss; libretto by Carl Haffner and Richard Genee First performed in Vienna, 1874 Act I: Farewell Trio Rosalinda: Lara Christine Bruckmann Adele: Julianne Gearhart Eisenstein: Julian Altschul

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber; lyrics by Charles Hart First performed in London, 1986 Angel ofMusic/Phantom of the Opera Christine: Laura Coker Raoul: Creighton Rumph Phantom: Lee Gregory

SUSANNAH by Carlisle Floyd First performed in Tallahassee, Florida, 1955 Act II, Scene 3 Susannah: Tracy Rhodus Reverend Blitch: Philip Bouknight

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; book by Hugh Wheeler First performed in New York City, 1973 A Weekend in the Country Anne: Deborah Cool Petra: Kimberly Gratland Charlotte: Angelia LaRock Frederic: De ric Rosenblatt Carl Magnus: Jason Scarcella Henrik: Cameron Aiken PRODUCTION TEAM

Director . . Debra Dickinson Music Director/Pianist Hal Lanier Production Manager . Alex Stutler Rehearsal Pianist . Neal Kurz Running Crew . Michelle Jockers

This production is made possible by a generous endowment from the late Dr. Leon Wilson Clark.

PROGRAM NOTES

In these days of rising costs and reduced budgets, many opera compa­ nies across the United States are including musical theatre and operetta in their repertoire. Opera singers are being required to act, speak dialogue, and sometimes even dance in these popular productions. At the same time, the ranks of Broadway performers now include a number of crossover art­ ists: singers who have trained in opera and who are equally comfortable in both opera and musical theatre. Tonight's scenes program consists of scenes from operas and musicals which reflect the classwork from Opera Workshop I and II from the fall semester. In order to prepare our students for the professional world, we require first year Opera Workshop students to master the waltz, to learn a basic physical warmup, and to work on scenes from musical theatre. Sec­ ond year students have the option of choosing their own scenes from either opera or musical theatre, in English or a foreign language, and they have the added responsibility ofpreparing the scenes on their own outside of class, then presenting them to the class for critique and refinement. After this scenes program is concluded, Opera Workshop I will begin work on preparing auditions: arias, songs, and monologues. The students will par­ ticipate in .a mock audition and receive feedback from a panel of judges who are from Houston's professional opera and theatre communities. Opera Workshop II students will receive private coachings on arias which they will present to the public on April 25 here at the Wortham Opera Theatre. FACULTY BIOGRAPHIES

DEBRA DICKINSON has performed on Broadway, Off-J}roadway, in national tours, at Theatre an der Wien in Austria, and at various regional opera and theatre companies throughout the U S., including the Chau­ tauqua Opera and the Central City Opera. She has starred opposite both Richard Burton and Richard Harris in Camelot. Her affiliation wi~h the New York City Opera under Beverly Sills includes serving as the Associate Director of The Pajama Game. She holds a Bachelor's degree from North­ western University and a Master's degree from Hunter College in New York City. For four summers, Ms. Dickinson was the Acting Instructor at the Chautauqua Opera in New York. In Houston, Ms. Dickinson directed the highly acclaimed productions at Stages of The World Goes Round and A Grand Night for Singing. In addition to her position as Artist Teacher of Opera Studies for Acting and Movement at The Shepherd School ofMusic, she also teaches at Rice University's School of Continuing Studies. ' HAL LANIER, music director, is a native ofAtlanta, Georgia, and holds a Master's degree from the University ofMichigan. His professional affil­ iations include Houston Grand Opera, The Opera Company of Boston, Opera New England, Wolf Trap Opera Company, Texas Opera Theater, and the Atlanta Opera. His teaching experience includes musical direc­ tion for the University of Michigan Opera Workshop and vocal coaching for the Houston Opera Studio. For five years Mr. Lanier concertized with famed basso Cesare Siepi. Also known as a composer, he has written nu­ merous original scores for theatre and dance, most notably for Cheryl Crawford's Broadway production of So Long on Lonely Street. Other com­ positions have received their premieres at Lincoln Center and Kennedy Center and have been broadcast on National Public Radio. Mr. Lanier presently holds the position of Artist Teacher of Opera Studies at The Shepherd School ofMusic.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Special thanks from members ofthe Opera Workshop to Dr. and Mrs. Rick Peters. UPCOMING EVENTS OF SHEPHERD SCHOOL OPERA

Aaron Copland's The Tender Land, fully staged and costumed, with the Shepherd School Chamber Orchestra conducted by Larry Rachleff. March 24, 26, 28, and 30 7:30p.m., Wortham Opera Theatre Admission $1 0; students and senior citizens $7. For advance tickets, call 527-4933.

' An Evening of Operatic Arias April25 7:30p.m., Wortham Opera Theatre Free admission, no tickets required.

RICE