28 APRIL – 13 MAY

THREE NEW OPERA PRODUCTIONS PLUS DOZENS OF EVENTS OVER 16 DAYS

OTELLO DEAD MAN WALKING THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

plus PAUL WONG, UTE LEMPER, TANYA TAGAQ and more

2016 – 2017 SEASON SPONSOR A SPECIAL EDITION OF PLAYBOARD MAGAZINE O N W E S T VA NCOUVER'S WATERFRONT, TWO OF CANADA'S F O R E M O S T MOD ERNIST S WILL BE CELEBRATED

G O R DON SMITH AND DOUGLAS COUPLAND HAVE CREATED S IGN IFI C ANT ORIGI NAL WORKS FOR THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBIES A N D PUBLIC SPACES AT GROSVENOR AMBLESIDE

Clockwise from top left: Public Art by Douglas Coupland; Residential Lobby Art by Gordon Smith; 98 Individually-Designed Residences by James KM Cheng and Mitchell Freedland

10 RESIDENCES R E MAIN. ARRANGE YOUR PRI VATE APPOINTMENT TOD AY.

604.265.5509 | GrosvenorAmbleside.com

The developer reserves the right to make changes to the information contained herein without notice. Renderings may not be accurate. E.&O.E. Kim Gaynor, General Director O N W E S T VA NCOUVER'S WATERFRONT, TWO OF CANADA'S Jonathan Darlington, Music Director F O R E M O S T MOD ERNIST S WILL BE CELEBRATED Under the Distinguished Patronage of Her Honour the Honourable Judith Guichon, obc, G O R DON SMITH AND DOUGLAS COUPLAND HAVE CREATED Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia CONTENTS S IGN IFI C ANT ORIGI NAL WORKS FOR THE RESIDENTIAL LOBBIES A N D PUBLIC SPACES AT GROSVENOR AMBLESIDE 8 Festival Site Map 51 MOZART | THE VO Administration and 9 Calendar of Events MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Ticket Centre 12 Ticket Information 52 The Cast The Michael and Inna O’Brian Centre 54 Synopsis for Vancouver Opera 55 Notes from Conductor 1945 McLean Drive Vancouver, BC, V5N 3J7 15 VERDI | OTELLO 56 Notes from Director 57 Production Insights 16 The Cast Administration: 58 A Revolutionary T: 604 682 2871 18 Synopsis Opera F: 604 682 3981 19 Notes from Conductor 60 Biographies 20 Notes from Director VO Ticket Centre: 67 VO Orchestra and (sponsored by Mission Hill Family Estate) 21 Production Insights Production Team T: 604 683 0222 22 From Othello to Otello 68 Sid Neigum Spotlight [email protected] 24 Biographies 69 Figaro Study Guide www.vancouveropera.ca 28 VO Orchestra, Chorus, Supernumeraries 29 Production Team 71 SPECIAL EVENTS Vancouver Opera acknowledges that we work and perform on the 72 Paul Wong’s Five unceded and traditional territory of Octave Range the Musqueam, Squamish, and 31 HEGGIE | DEAD MAN WALKING 73 Ute Lemper and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. Tanya Tagaq 32 The Cast 75 Festival Community Events Publication Manager Vincent Wong 34 Synopsis Design & Layout Annie Mack, 35 Notes from Conductor Katie Ferris Witherspoon 36 Notes from Director Copy Editor KO Communications 37 From Memoir 83 VO DEVELOPMENT Cover photo Caitlin Wood and Alex to Melody Lawrence in The Marriage of Figaro. Photo By Emily Cooper. 38 Sister Helen Prejean Clockwise from top left: Public Art by Douglas Coupland; Residential Lobby Art by Gordon Smith; on Compassion 98 Individually-Designed Residences by James KM Cheng and Mitchell Freedland 39 Production Insights 101 VO EDUCATION Published by Archway Publishers as a 41 Biographies special edition of Playboard Magazine, Volume 51, Number 11, April 2017. 48 VO Orchestra, Chorus, Send all correspondence to: Suite 137 – Supernumeraries 10 RESIDENCES R E MAIN. ARRANGE YOUR 106 2017–2018 Season 12100 Riverside Way, Richmond, B.C., 49 Production Team PRI VATE APPOINTMENT TOD AY. V6W 1K5. Tel: 604 370 1191. All rights 109 Patron Information reserved. Printed in Canada. 113 VO Board, Staff & 604.265.5509 | GrosvenorAmbleside.com Vancouver Opera is a professional company. Foundation Board It operates under the jurisdiction of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association, Vancouver Musicians’ Association, and IATSE, and is a member of OPERA America and Opera.ca. The developer reserves the right to make changes to the information contained herein without notice. Renderings may not be accurate. E.&O.E. IN TUNE WITH OUR COMMUNITY

We do more than operate gold mines. Through contributions to the arts, healthcare, education and community development, our commitment is to contribute to long-term social and economic benefits in the communities where we live and work. We’re proud of our record of safe, responsible operations everywhere we do business and of the legacy we’re building for generations to come.

NYSE: GG | TSX: G goldcorp.com WELCOME | FROM GENERAL DIRECTOR KIM GAYNOR

Welcome to the inaugural Vancouver Opera Festival!

A festival is by definition a celebration. During the past 18 months, we have planned a celebration with something for everyone, from opera devotees to those who have never before attended opera.

The Festival’s format enables you to attend all three of this year’s mainstage operas during a three-day period, or on a relaxed schedule over the course of the Festival. This year’s offerings include a late Verdi masterpiece, a Mozart favourite, and a contemporary tour de force. You also can take part in a host of educational and community events — free with your Festival pass — or wander around the Queen Elizabeth Plaza, where you’ll see an extraordinary outdoor art installation commissioned by VO for the Festival. In fact, the entire Queen Elizabeth Theatre complex will come alive with activities throughout each day. Relax on our specially designed plaza furniture, enjoy some refreshments in our Opera Bar, and share your experience with others.

All of this activity is possible because of our wonderful private and public supporters, including our cherished donors and subscribers. I would like to especially thank our Honorary Festival Patron Martha Lou Henley, C.M., Vancouver Opera Foundation, and our government partners: the Canada Council for the Arts, the British Columbia Arts Council, and the City of Vancouver. Our gratitude goes also to VO’s season sponsor Goldcorp and the Festival’s many founders and production sponsors.

Finally, I can’t resist telling you that we have just announced details of our 2017–2018 season and festival. The new season includes an enticing mix of classics and discoveries, exciting new artists, productions never before seen in Vancouver, and a much-anticipated opera premiere. You can find more details about the productions, casts and schedule on vancouveropera.ca. I hope you’ll be as thrilled as I am about this new season.

I look forward to seeing you at the Festival, and at all of next season’s performances!

Kim Gaynor General Director, Vancouver Opera

VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL 5 WELCOME | FROM VO BOARD CHAIR PASCAL SPOTHELFER

Today, you join Vancouver Opera at the start of a thrilling new era. With the launch of our new Festival, our goal is to compel, entice and delight both seasoned opera-goers and those new to opera. The 16 days of our inaugural Festival are filled with many new and innovative activities that offer points of access to many audiences. From classics to bold new works, dovetailed with many other events, we hope that this year's Festival will provoke and inspire you.

The Vancouver Opera Festival is vitally important to Vancouver Opera's future as a company. It is part of our strategic effort to broaden and deepen our connections to the communities we serve. We are grateful for the continued generosity of our many individual donors, corporate supporters and government partners in what has been a pivotal year for our organization.

VO's goal, as our Mission Statement suggests, is to redefine"… Opera and revolutionize its accessibility and community value". All of us at Vancouver Opera — staff, artists and Board members alike — draw inspiration from this statement. We are proud to engage more and more people with great works of music theatre, both old and new, entertaining and poignant — and, above all, uniquely transformative, as only opera can be. Enjoy the Festival!

WELCOME | FROM MINISTER OF CANADIAN HERITAGE MÉLANIE JOLY

Welcome to the inaugural Vancouver Opera Festival.

Since its first production in1960, Vancouver Opera has brought the magic of opera to western Canada and highlighted the talents of Canadian opera singers and other professionals. We are so proud of all our artists, producers, composers and technicians — they are among the most talented and innovative in the world.

This year, for the first time, Vancouver Opera is presenting its repertoire in a condensed festival format. Along with three new, major productions, it will offer cutting-edge programming and outreach activities appealing to a diverse audience.

As Minister of Canadian Heritage, I wish Vancouver Opera the greatest success with its Festival, and wish everyone involved an exciting and rewarding experience.

6 VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL WELCOME | FROM PREMIER CHRISTY CLARK

As Premier of the Province of British Columbia, I am pleased to welcome everyone attending the first ever Vancouver Opera Festival.

This festival will no doubt be a remarkable one. The lineup of performances is intriguing — from a celebrated classic to a little performed masterpiece and a modern triumph, and much more. With discussion panels, interactive conversations, choral evenings and master classes, this festival is an exciting opportunity for performers and audiences alike as talented newcomers work with established ones to hone their craft — while the audience gets the chance to see the stars of tomorrow shine.

Vancouver Opera is a landmark of culture in BC. With opportunities for secondary students to attend dress rehearsals and programming designed for young people, Vancouver Opera is instilling the importance of artistic expression and the performing arts at an early age. I would like to thank them for organizing this festival and for their work in providing educational, creative and collaborative resources for the community.

Please accept my best wishes for an engaging and entertaining Festival!

WELCOME | FROM MAYOR GREGOR ROBERTSON

On behalf of my colleagues on Vancouver City Council, I want to extend my best wishes to everyone at the inaugural Vancouver Opera Festival.

Vancouver Opera was founded in 1958 by a group of visionary community leaders who believed in the value of the performing arts to the life of a great city, and who recognized the power of opera to connect people to the universal human drama. We are proud of our thriving arts community in Vancouver and our reputation as a major centre for the performing arts. Showcasing the talent and innovation in this sector of our city, Vancouver Opera strives to be the destination performing arts organization that entertains, stimulates and enriches its audience. Thank you to the organizers and artists who dedicate their time and effort to make Vancouver Opera a continued success.

Best wishes for a successful Festival!

VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL 7 FESTIVAL MAP

DUNSMUIR STREET

VP VANCOUVER BOX OFFICE PLAYHOUSE THE PLAYHOUSE

QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE

QE BOX OFFICE

VOF BOX OFFICE

OPERA UNDERGROUND BAR CAMBIE STREET TER ON STREET

FESTIVAL FESTIVAL

TENT PATIO HAMI LT TRANSIT SHEL

PAUL WONG

UNDERGROUND

GEORGIA STREET

VANCOUVER OPERA BOX OFFICE: 604 683 0222

BOX OFFICE HOURS

VO Ticket Centre (1945 McLean Drive) VOF Box Office (Queen Elizabeth Plaza) Queen Elizabeth or Vancouver Playhouse Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm Tuesday-Friday 1:00pm-6:00pm 1.5 hours before performances Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm Saturday 1:00pm-6:00pm Sunday 10:00am-2:00pm

8 VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL FESTIVAL MAP CALENDAR OF EVENTS

The Vancouver Opera Festival is a fantastic opportunity to be immersed in all of the high drama and design that makes opera such an engaging art form. With so many activities to choose from everyone can create a

DUNSMUIR STREET unique schedule of performances, social and educational experiences to suit their tastes, whether just for a day, a weekend or throughout the entire Festival.

VP VANCOUVER BOX OFFICE PLAYHOUSE THE PLAYHOUSE Lovers of grand Italian opera can learn more about the music of Verdi and enjoy a glass of wine in the

QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE Opera Bar before attending a performance of Otello. Children who attend both Opera Tales and Mistatim QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE will be introduced to the fun and magic of storytelling — a great way to introduce the next generation to the world of opera! Those seeking something more contemporary are advised to attend of all of the events QE BOX OFFICE around Dead Man Walking. If fashion is your thing, don't miss the Marriage of Figaro to see the custom-made costumes by Canadian designer Sid Neigum. Backstage tours, workshops, master classes and much more give you a behind-the-scenes look at the skill and dedication involved in producing opera. For a VOF BOX OFFICE different take on binge culture — true opera aficionados can attend all three operas in one weekend!

Follow us on social media to find out about pop-up performances and to add your voice to the conversation.

OPERA UNDERGROUND Take in something new, visit something familiar and be prepared for surprises at the VOF. @vancouveropera BAR CAMBIE STREET TER

ON STREET FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY FESTIVAL FESTIVAL

TENT PATIO HAMI LT TRANSIT SHEL APRIL 28 APRIL 29 APRIL 30

2:00pm

PAUL WONG MARRIAGE OF FIGARO OPENING Vancouver Playhouse

2:00pm OTELLO Queen Elizabeth Theatre

4:30pm 4:30pm UNDERGROUND In Conversation with Jake Heggie Ethical Justice in Festival Tent the 21st Century GEORGIA STREET Festival Tent

VANCOUVER OPERA BOX OFFICE: 604 683 0222

BOX OFFICE HOURS 7:30pm 7:30pm OTELLO DEAD MAN WALKING OPENING OPENING VO Ticket Centre (1945 McLean Drive) VOF Box Office (Queen Elizabeth Plaza) Queen Elizabeth or Vancouver Playhouse Queen Elizabeth Theatre Queen Elizabeth Theatre Monday-Friday 9:00am-5:00pm Tuesday-Friday 1:00pm-6:00pm 1.5 hours before performances Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm Saturday 1:00pm-6:00pm Sunday 10:00am-2:00pm

VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL 9

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY

EVENTS MAY 1 MAY 2 MAY 3 OCCURING 12:00pm ALL FESTIVAL 2:00pm Opera Tales & LONG Opera Zoo MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Vancouver Playhouse Queen Elizabeth Plaza Vancouver Public Library

3:00pm 3:00pm New Works Project PAUL WONG EXHIBIT Young Singers Festival Tent "FIVE OCTAVE RANGE" Masterclasses Starting at 8:00pm Festival Tent each night throughout the Festival

4:30pm OPERA BAR: 4:30pm Music of Heggie, Where is Opera HAPPY HOUR Verdi & Mozart Headed? Tuesday — Saturday Festival Tent Festival Tent 4:00pm — 7:00pm POST SHOW SOCIALS 7:30pm 7:30pm Thursday — Saturday DEAD MAN WALKING OTELLO Until Close Queen Elizabeth Theatre Queen Elizabeth Theatre

8:00pm CARMINA BURANA SING-ALONG RED CARPET Queen Elizabeth Theatre BENCHES BY SCOTT COHEN Relax and socialize on MAY 8 MAY 9 MAY 10 the Queen Elizabeth plaza any time of the day or 3:00pm 3:00pm evening. All are welcome! Young Singers New Works Project Masterclasses Festival Tent

Festival Tent

PRE SHOW TALKS 4:30pm 4:30pm 1 hour before each opera Figaro’s Design Civic Impact in Opera Festival Tent Festival Tent

OTELLO

Led by Dr. Claudio Vellutini, Assistant Professor, Musicology at UBC School of Music

DEAD MAN WALKING

Led by composer/ conductor Cassie

Luftspring

MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 7:30pm 7:30pm 7:30pm Led by staff from VO’s DOXA FILM NIGHT: MARRIAGE OF FIGARO MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Education department BECOMING TRAVIATA Vancouver Playhouse Vancouver Playhouse Vancouver Playhouse

All performance times are subject to change

10 VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL

THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

MAY 4 MAY 5 MAY 6 MAY 7

12:30pm Opera Zoo Vancouver Playhouse

3:00pm 3:00pm Young Singers New Works Project 1:30pm Masterclasses Festival Tent MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Festival Tent Vancouver Playhouse 2:00pm DEAD MAN WALKING 4:00pm 4:00pm 4:00pm Queen Elizabeth Theatre Backstage Tour of the Backstage Tour of the Backstage Tour of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Queen Elizabeth Theatre Queen Elizabeth Theatre Queen Elizabeth Theatre Queen Elizabeth Theatre Queen Elizabeth Theatre

4:30pm 4:30pm

In Conversation Stage Fighting Workshop with Ute Lemper Festival Tent Festival Tent

7:30pm 7:30pm 7:30pm OTELLO DEAD MAN WALKING MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Queen Elizabeth Theatre Queen Elizabeth Theatre Vancouver Playhouse

8:00pm 7:30pm UTE LEMPER OTELLO Orpheum Theatre Queen Elizabeth Theatre

MAY 11 MAY 12 MAY 13

3:00pm 3:00pm 12:30pm POST FESTIVAL Young Singers New Works Project Opera Zoo Vancouver Playhouse Masterclasses Festival Tent Vancouver Playhouse Festival Tent

1:00pm MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 4:30pm 4:30pm Mistatim: A May 16 - 7:30pm Whose Story Is It? Sila Singers: Family Performance May 17 - 7:30pm Festival Tent Traditional Opera Throat Singing Duo May 18 - 7:30pm through Modern Eyes Festival Tent Festival Tent 1:30pm Purchase tickets by MARRIAGE OF FIGARO calling the VOF 6:00pm Vancouver Playhouse ticket centre at Opera Academy

Performance 604 683 0222 Festival Tent

7:30pm 7:30pm 7:30pm MARRIAGE OF FIGARO MARRIAGE OF FIGARO MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Vancouver Playhouse Vancouver Playhouse Vancouver Playhouse

8:00pm 7:30pm TANYA TAGAQ The Artistry of Youth: Vogue Theatre A Workshop Performance Festival Tent

VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL 11 HOW CAN I GET TICKETS OR FESTIVAL PASSES?

BY TELEPHONE Purchase tickets by calling the VO ticket centre at 604 683 0222 (Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm, Saturdays from 12:00pm to 4:00pm, and Sunday from 10:00am to 2:00pm during the Festival). Payment will be taken via credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express). Your purchased tickets will be emailed, or held at Will Call.

IN PERSON AT THE O’BRIAN CENTRE FOR VANCOUVER OPERA Purchase your tickets or passes in person directly at the Vancouver Opera Ticket Centre. You can pay with cash, cheque, or major credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express).

VO Ticket Centre: 1945 McLean Drive Vancouver, BC Canada V5N 3J7

Ticket Centre Hours: Monday-Friday: 9:00am to 5:00pm (in person and phone sales) Saturday April 29th / May 6th / May 13th: 10:00am-4:00pm (phone only) Sunday April 30th / May 7th: 10:00am-2:00pm (phone only)

ON SITE AT THE VOF BOX OFFICE Purchase your tickets or passes in person at the VOF Box Office on the Queen Elizabeth Plaza just beside the Festival Tent. You can pay with cash, cheque, or major credit card (Visa, Mastercard, or American Express).

VOF Box Office: Tuesday to Friday: 1:00pm-6:00pm (in person sales only) Saturday April 29th: 1:00pm-6:00pm (in person sales only)

ON SITE AT THE QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE OR VANCOUVER PLAYHOUSE BOX OFFICE Purchase your tickets or passes in person at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre or Vancouver Playhouse Box Office just before the show.

Box Office Hours: 1.5 hours prior to performances

WILL CALL Will Call tickets can be picked up at the Queen Elizabeth and Vancouver Playhouse Box Offices Note: Please arrive at box office early if picking up tickets.

12 VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL TICKET INFORMATION

SINGLE TICKETS TO THE OPERA VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL PASSES Choose single tickets for the opera or event you Two and three show VIP passes are the best way want to see, tickets start at only $45! to experience the Vancouver Opera Festival. In Visit: vancouveropera.ca addition to great seats for our mainstage opera Call: 604 683 0222 productions these include a lot of exclusive perks Or Stop By: VO Ticket Centre not available to regular ticket purchasers. Call our ticket centre at 604 683 0222 or visit the VOF Box Office to purchase.

FESTIVAL LOCATIONS

QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE VANCOUVER PLAYHOUSE FESTIVAL TENT 650 Hamilton Street 600 Hamilton Street Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza

PARKING INFO Enter the parkade off Cambie Street. Since parking in the vicinity of Vancouver Civic Theatres is extremely limited, we do our best to restrict use of our parkade to theatre patrons on show nights.

There is, however, limited parking in the parkade and it fills up early. There is no guarantee of available parking even with a ticket to a QET event.

Patrons with valid Parking Permit for People with Disabilities may reserve parking, as available, by calling 604 665 2193 on weekdays at least 24 hours in advance of the performance. Please have your decal number and ticket information ready. An elevator operates from both floors of the parkade to the Plaza Level on Hamilton Street.

RATES IN THE QET PARKING GARAGE ARE AS FOLLOWS: $2.00 Each Half Hour or portion $9.00 Matinee until 6:00pm $9.00 All Day Max until 6:00pm-P2 Level $11.00 All Day Max until 6:00pm-P1 Level $6.00 Motorcycle Max 6:00am-6:00pm & 4:00pm-12:00am (in designated stalls only) $12.50 Flat Rate Theatre Parking after 4:00pm $17.00 Flat Rate Event Parking after 4:00pm

The Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association provides links to parking information and downloadable maps of the downtown area. Visit downtownvancouver.net

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

Call Translink at 604 953 3333 for exact bus routes, or visit the Translink website at translink.bc.ca

VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL 13 VMF_Opera_PrintAd_Resized.pdf 1 2017-04-06 4:01 PM

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PROUD SPONSOR OF THE VANCOUVER OPERA VERDI OTELLO ITALIAN OPERA'S GREATEST TRAGEDY OTELLO TITLE IMAGERY

NEW PRODUCTION

APRIL MAY 28•30M 4•6 QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE M Matinee

TICKETS START AT $45 | CALL 604 683 0222 | vancouveropera.ca

GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY

OTELLO 15 OTELLO Lyric Drama in Four Acts | By Giuseppe Verdi | Libretto by Arrigo Boito | In Italian with English SURTITLES™

NEW VO PRODUCTION | QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE | APRIL 28 – MAY 6, 2017

Conductor Jonathan Darlington Director Michael Cavanagh

THE CAST (in order of vocal appearance)

Montano Angus Bell Desdemona Erin Wall Cassio John Cudia Emilia Megan Latham Iago Gregory Dahl A Herald Glenn de Verteuil Roderigo Martin Sadd Lodovico Thomas Goerz Otello Antonello Palombi

with the Vancouver Opera Chorus and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra

First performed at La Scala, Milan February 5, 1887. First produced by Vancouver Opera 1981.

ACT I: 30 MINS ACT II: 34 MINS INTERMISSION: 25 MINS ACT III: 38 MINS ACT IV: 30 MINS

16 OTELLO Associate Conductor Principal Répétiteur / Assistant Assistant Lighting Designer Gordon Gerrard Chorus Director Andrew Pye Tina Chang Chorus and Children’s English SURTITLES™ Translations Chorus Director Fight Choreographer Anika Vervecken Kinza Tyrrell Nicholas Harrison Assistant Stage Managers Set and Imagery Designer Musical Preparation Claire Friedrich Erhard Rom Mary Castello* Shannon Macelli

Lighting Designer Production Stage Manager Apprentice Stage Manager Gerald King Theresa Tsang Linzi Voth

Wig Designer Assistant Director Stacey Butterworth Sarah Jane Pelzer*

* Member of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program

Sets constructed by Pacific Opera Victoria Scene Shop and Great Northern Way Scene Shop Projection designs realized by Greg Emetaz and Corwin Ferguson Costumes created by Opéra de Montréal Properties created by Vancouver Opera Properties Department

Production Patron Martha Lou Henley, C.M. 2016–2017 Season sponsored by

With the continuing support of

OTELLO 17 SYNOPSIS | OTELLO

ACT I ACT III

A violent storm rages but Otello, the governor of Cyprus, Cassio is lured into a conversation with Iago as Otello arrives at his home port following a successful campaign listens, unobserved. Iago asks Cassio about his lover, against the Turks. His lieutenant, Iago, laments his safe Bianca, knowing Otello will believe they are speaking return, furious that Otello has appointed Cassio to the of Desdemona. When Cassio produces Desdemona’s position of Captain rather than him. In a bid to discredit handkerchief, left for him by a secret admirer, Otello’s Cassio, Iago convinces him to drink to celebrate Otello’s worst suspicions are confirmed. The Venetian ambassador safe return. A drunken Cassio is soon goaded into a and his courtiers arrive to great fanfare, and Otello is told brawl, wounding another soldier. Otello arrives and, that he has been recalled to Venice, with Cassio promoted in a rage, strips Cassio of his rank and sends everyone to governor of Cyprus. Otello cannot contain his jealous away. His wife, Desdemona, who had been woken up rage and lashes out at Desdemona in front of everyone, by the commotion, calms him down and they exchange causing a humiliating scene. Iago presses Otello to take commitments of love and devotion. vengeance on both Cassio and Desdemona quickly, before he loses the opportunity.

ACT II ACT IV

The clever Iago persuades Cassio to petition Desdemona In her chambers, Desdemona prays to the Virgin Mary for help with convincing Otello to reinstate him. Iago as she waits for Otello to come to her. He enters and uses this opportunity to tell the general that Desdemona asks whether she has said her prayers – he does not has been unfaithful, planting a first seed of suspicion want her to go to her death unprepared. Despite her in Otello’s mind. His distrust grows with Desdemona’s pleas, he strangles her. The servant Emilia returns with subsequent request to pardon Cassio. She offers to news that Cassio has killed Roderigo, who Iago had soothe the headache he claims to have by wrapping sent to murder him. Upon discovering what Otello has his head with her handkerchief. Consumed by jealous done, Emilia reveals that her husband Iago is to blame paranoia, he rejects her comfort by throwing the for planting the handkerchief. Soldiers enter with further handkerchief to the ground. Iago stealthily obtains the proof from the dying Roderigo that Iago is behind the handkerchief and makes plans to plant it in Cassio’s entire plot. The despondent Otello stabs himself and chambers as proof of their affair. collapses beside the body of his beloved for a final kiss.

18 OTELLO NOTES FROM THE CONDUCTOR | JONATHAN DARLINGTON

Otello, Verdi’s penultimate opera, was written over a Almost immediately afterwards he has to be sweet and period of several years – revisions of Simon Boccanegra suave in his love duet, then tortured and crazy, capable and Don Carlos together with the small matter of his of subtle asides and sudden excessive vocal paroxysms. Requiem getting in the way. His collaboration with the Italian librettist, novelist and composer Arrigo Boito Desdemona, (from the Greek dysdaimon meaning eventually gave birth to a work of great genius, many 'ill-fated’), Verdi wrote ".. is not a woman but a type. putting it on par with Shakespeare’s tragedy on which it She is the type of goodness, resignation, self-sacrifice. was based. The opening night at La Scala on February There are beings who are born for others, who are quite 5th, 1887 was a predictable triumph. unaware of their own egos….". Accordingly, he writes exquisite lines for her filled with the purity of innocence. “Otello marks a new evolution in Verdi’s style, a step to what is called music of the future.” So wrote Antonio Finally Iago, where Verdi breaks with his own tradition Fogazzaro, a music critic and a contemporary of Verdi. of the typical ‘Verdi Baritone’. He wrote in a letter to Boito: "A curious thing! The role of Iago apart from a To what was he referring? The most obvious and daring few éclats could all be sung at half-voice." "Every word innovation – at least for an Italian – was a commitment spoken by Iago is on the human level," as Boito writes. to an uninterrupted musical-dramatic thread, almost "a villainous humanity if you like, but still human……one Wagnerian in its overall design. What we think of as of his talents is the faculty he possesses of changing his the techniques of standard Italian arias, recitatives, personality according to the person to whom he happens and ensembles literally melt into each other. If one to be speaking, so as to deceive them or to bend them to adds into the mix a rich orchestration, including bass his will." clarinet, English horn, bass trombone, piccolo, etc., and a more advanced chromatic harmonic language, one Small wonder that for a long time Iago was the preferred understands entirely what Fogazzaro was talking about. title of the opera.

The three main characters demand distinct and challenging virtues. In Otello, Verdi invented a role for Maestro Darlington, BA (Hons) Durham University, LRAM, is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music and a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. a very heavy ‘tenore spinto’. He has one of the greatest He has been Music Director of Vancouver Opera since 2002. entrances in all opera as he exclaims imperiously, full- voiced like a trumpet at the top of his range ‘Esultate…’

OTELLO 19 NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR | MICHAEL CAVANAGH

What a wonderfully humbling experience it is to tackle well-placed suggestions can lead to a destructive spiral, Otello, the product of not just one of the greatest artists how our darkest fears, resentments, and suspicions can in history, but three. William Shakespeare brought this be used to trap us and trip us up, bringing about our story and these characters to life with incredible depth downfall as human beings and as a society. of insight and breadth of meaning. The task of distilling the play into a libretto worthy of operatic treatment fell In nature, there are predators and there is prey. Not to Arrigo Boito, a master of the craft and an emerging always is the former larger and more powerful than giant in his own right as a composer. Finally, the great the latter. The smallest spider can defeat, and feast on, Giuseppe Verdi, at the height of his genius, wrote a a victim many times its size. It spins a web, then baits score filled with breathtaking intensity and tenderness, its target, waiting patiently for it to be lured inevitably beauty, and power. It truly does stand among the to its destruction. In human nature, the webs can be of greatest works of sung storytelling of all time. These our own devising or created by others, but if we don't incredible artists present a turbulent, multi-layered world learn to see them and take steps to avoid them, we where our most powerful emotions are on vivid display. are doomed. Brilliant artists like Shakespeare, Boito, and Verdi light the way, shining powerful beams of The story begins and ends with a storm, the former a clarity into the darkest corners of our selves, where the product of natural forces and the latter of human ones. cobwebs and pitfalls await. This simple yet devastating metaphor for the turbulence of our own lives informs everything about this most relevant of cautionary tales. The natural world often gathers its energies and releases them with such violent Michael Cavanagh enjoys a busy directing schedule across North America and Europe. He will be directing new productions of all three force that anything in their path may be destroyed. Mozart-Da Ponte operas for San Francisco Opera, beginning in 2019. Human nature can do the exact same thing if we allow it to, or if we let ourselves be manipulated by others for their own purposes. We don't need to look too far in our modern world to see countless examples of how a few

20 OTELLO PRODUCTION INSIGHTS | DAN PATERSON

Verdi's Otello made its premiere at the Teatro alla Scala, equipped with – ample space in the wings to run two Milan, on February 5, 1887. The production that you large-scale operas in repertory fashion as we are doing are about to see marks the first time since the 1980- during this year's Festival. We asked Erhard to design 1981 season that Vancouver Opera has staged this a set with a single footprint to work, with adjustments, grand masterpiece. for two vastly different productions. I believe Erhard has delivered with aplomb, giving us sets that function in Tasked with the challenge of realizing this opera are the the available space, yet serve the purposes of both a creative team of Director Michael Cavanagh, Set and classic 19th century European opera and a modern 21st Imagery Designer Erhard Rom, and Lighting Designer century American opera. As with all of our productions Gerald King. Vancouver Opera fans will remember our at Vancouver Opera, the sets, costumes, lights, and production of Nixon in China which was the last time the projections are all here to serve the music. For this director/designer team of Cavanagh and Rom worked production, we are using the expanded orchestra pit, together at VO. Gerald King has designed the lighting with more than 60 musicians under the direction of for numerous VO productions, Maestro Jonathan Darlington. It’s sure to be a feast for most recently Madama Butterfly and Evita during our the senses! 2015–2016 season. It’s truly an honour to have these masters of their craft as collaborators once again. Dan Paterson has served as Technical Director for Vancouver Opera since 2012.

Set and Imagery Designer Erhard Rom was given a particularly interesting challenge: to design one shared set for two distinct operas. The set for this production of Otello will also serve as the set for Dead Man Walking. While the Queen Elizabeth Theatre is one of Canada's largest proscenium theatres, it is not designed for – nor

ANTONELLO PALOMBI RECEIVING FINAL TOUCH UPS TO HIS HAIR BY VO’S HEAD OF WIGS AND HAIR ELKE ENGLICHT. PHOTO BY EMILY COOPER FROM OTHELLO TO OTELLO | BY PAUL BUDRA

An older husband is jealous of his young beautiful wife. Shakespeare found the basic plot in an Italian story Rumours fly, household items go missing, and everyone collection. The tale of a jealous African soldier married gathers in a bedroom to sort things out. to a Venetian woman may have had topical appeal because in August of 1600, Muhammad al-Annuri, It sounds like the plot of a slapstick comedy, or perhaps Legate of the King of Barbary, arrived on a diplomatic a sex farce, but it is the storyline of what may be mission to the court of Elizabeth I, creating a sensation William Shakespeare’s most heartbreaking play, with his dark complexion, flowing robes, turban and The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice. scimitar. “Moors” were in the public eye, so it is perhaps no coincidence that Iago, Othello’s nemesis, calls him a Written shortly after Julius Caesar and Hamlet —tragedies “Barbary horse.” about dynastic struggle, besieged rulers and accusatory ghosts — Othello could not be more different. It is about The play was popular in its time. An audience member a newly married couple. Their deaths have no political who saw it in 1610 said the actors “drew tears not impact. Their destruction is triggered by a piece of only by their speech but also by their action. Indeed, domestic ephemera: a handkerchief. Desdemona . . . moved us especially in her death when, as she lay on her bed, her face itself implored the pity of the audience.” Richard Burbage, the actor who first played Othello, was remembered in verse for his “grieved Moor.” But the play also had its detractors. Thomas Rymer, a literary critic, found the play full of “improbabilities” and reduced its moral to “a caution to all Maidens of Quality how, without their Parents consent, they run away with Blackamoors.”

This question of race is central to the play and its performance history. Traditionally white actors (including Laurence Olivier and Orson Welles) have played the role in blackface. Reclaiming the role for black actors — most famously by Paul Robeson — became a statement of civil rights.

But the play is not all about Othello. Iago is one of the largest speaking parts in the Shakespeare repertoire, Shakespeare fan, out of a self-imposed retirement in the and one of the most opaque. Samuel Coleridge 1870s. Verdi took Shakespeare’s most concentrated famously called him a “motiveless Malignity,” but tragedy and narrowed its focus further, moving the action actors, audiences and critics have speculated about his entirely to Cyprus and reducing the cast size. It has been motivations for centuries. Caught between the malevolent recognized as one of the most powerful of Shakespeare Iago and the duped Othello is Desdemona, a young adaptations since its opening night in 1887: the premiere woman who has rejected her father for the man she performance garnered 20 curtain calls. loves and whose innocence precipitates her own death. Paul Budra is Professor and Chair of English at Simon Fraser University.

It was the suggestion of doing an opera based on Othello that drew Giuseppe Verdi, himself a

PHOTO (LEFT): HIROMI OMURA AS DESDEMONA, ARIS ARGIRIS AS IAGO, AND LAUREN SEGAL AS EMILIA. PHOTOS BY YVES RENAUD, COURTESY OF OPERA DE MONTREAL. PHOTO (RIGHT): GREGORY DAHL AS IAGO, ANTONELLO PALOMBI AS OTELLO, AND ERIN WALL AS DESDEMONA. PHOTO BY EMILY COOPER OTELLO 23 BIOGRAPHIES

JONATHAN DARLINGTON MICHAEL CAVANAGH ANTONELLO PALOMBI CONDUCTOR STAGE DIRECTOR OTELLO Lapworth, England Winnipeg, MB tenor Lavello, Italy LAST VO APPEARANCE: Evita, 2016 LAST VO APPEARANCE: Madama Butterfly, 2016 VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT

RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Fidelio with the Orchestra of the 18th RECENT APPEARANCES: Otello with Stadttheater Klagenfurt; Century, Amsterdam; Die Fledermaus and Elektra with Edmonton Opera; Die Entführung Luigi in Il tabarro with Teatro San Carlo; Die Zauberflöte with Semperoper Dresden; Le aus dem Serail with Opera Columbus; Falstaff Cavaradossi in Tosca with Teatro delle Muse; nozze di Figaro with Royal Swedish Opera: with Manitoba Opera; Nixon in China with Radames in Aida with Teatro San Carlo Così fan tutte with Opera Australia; The Royal Swedish Opera Makropoulos Case with Frankfurt Opera UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Macerata UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Carmen with Austin Lyric Opera Opera Festival; Andrea Chénier with Gran Madama Butterfly with Vienna Staatsoper Aida with Royal Swedish Opera Teatre Liceu

liricopera.com

ERIN WALL GREGORY DAHL JOHN CUDIA DESDEMONA IAGO CASSIO soprano baritone tenor Vancouver, BC Winnipeg, MB Bloomfield, NJ

LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, 2014 Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, 2016 Juan Perón in Evita, 2016

RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Anna Sorensen in Silent Night with Michigan Emilio Picariello in Filumena with Calgary Dr. Woodly in Happy Birthday Wanda June Opera Theatre; Vanessa with Santa Fe Opera Opera; Ford in Falstaff with Manitoba Opera; with Indianapolis Opera; Curly in Oklahoma! Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow with Gianni Schicchi with Opéra de Québec; with Lyric Opera of Chicago; The Phantom in Boston Lyric Opera Amonasro in Aida with Opéra de Montréal The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway, New York UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with San Scarpia in Tosca with L’Opéra de Montréal; UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Francisco Opera; Arabella with the Canadian Rigoletto with L’Opéra de Québec The Duke in Rigoletto with Lyric Opera of the Opera Company North gregorydahl.com erinwall.com johncudia.com

24 OTELLO BIOGRAPHIES

THOMAS GOERZ MEGAN LATHAM MARTIN SADD LODOVICO EMILIA RODERIGO bass-baritone mezzo-soprano tenor Kitchener, ON Abbotsford, BC Victoria, BC

LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Prophet/Larry King in Dark Sisters, 2015 Ruth in Dark Sisters, 2015 Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus, 2015

RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Owen Hart in Dead Man Walking with Opéra Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte with Pacific Rodolfo in La bohème with Burnaby Lyric de Montréal; The Mikado with Calgary Opera; Opera Victoria; Rossweisse in Die Walküre Opera; Nanki-Poo in The Mikado with Calgary Zuniga in Carmen with Vancouver Opera with Canadian Opera Company; Alisa in Lucia Opera; Soloist, Handel’s Messiah with Victoria di Lammermoor with Edmonton Opera Symphony Orchestra; The Duke in Rigoletto UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: and Pollione in Norma with Vancouver Titurel in Parsifal with Festival de Lanaudière; UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Island Opera Dr. Knarre in Charlotte with Taipei Scenography Eine Kartenaufschlägerin in Arabella with Festival Canadian Opera Company; Giovanna in Rigoletto with Canadian Opera Company deanartists.com deanartists.com

ANGUS BELL GLENN DE VERTEUIL STACEY BUTTERWORTH MONTANO HERALD WIG DESIGNER bass-baritone baritone Vancouver, BC Bankstown, Australia Vancouver, BC LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Evita, 2016 Herald in Rigoletto, 2015 Chorus in Evita, 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Rigoletto, Dark Sisters, and Madama Butterfly Soloist, Handel’s Messiah with Bach on the Chorus in Rigoletto, Sweeney Todd, Die with Vancouver Opera; Wigmaker for Tom Rock; John Allison in The Lake with Turning Fledermaus, and Carmen with Vancouver Hanks in the feature film Circle; Wigmaker Point Ensemble/Astrolabe Musik Theatre; Opera for Jared Leto in the feature film The Outsider; Second Armed Man in The Magic Flute with Wigmaker for Gillian Anderson in The X-Files; Vancouver Opera; Alberich in Das Rheingold Wigmaker for Jennifer Lawrence in the feature with ViVace film Mother

UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Wotan in Die Walküre with Heroic Opera Company

OTELLO 25 BIOGRAPHIES

MARY CASTELLO TINA CHANG CARMEN GARCIA PIANIST PRINCIPAL RÉPÉTITEUR/ MAKE-UP DESIGNER Kitchener, ON ASSISTANT CHORUS DIRECTOR Valencia, Spain Vancouver, BC LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Hansel and Gretel, 2016 LAST VO APPEARANCE: Macbeth, 2017 Evita, 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Pianist, Opera Tales and Viardot’s Cendrillon RECENT APPEARANCES: Hansel and Gretel with Vancouver Opera; with the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Répétiteur, Herculanum and Il Campanello with The Consul with UBC Opera; Eine Nacht in Program; Répétiteur, L’elisir d’amore and Little Wexford Festival Opera; Assistant Conductor Venedig with UBC Opera; Head of Make-Up Women with Opera McGill & Principal Répétiteur, Dark Sisters with with Vancouver Opera, 1997-present Vancouver Opera; Pianist & Coach with UBC UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Summer Vocal Workshop UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Répétiteur, Dead Man Walking and Ariadne auf Naxos with UBC Opera; The Brothers Grimm with Opera on UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Turandot with Vancouver Opera the Avalon Répétiteur, Ariadne auf Naxos with UBC Opera; Coach, soundSCAPE Festival, marycastellopianist.com Maccagno, Italy

GORDON GERRARD GERALD KING PARVIN MIRHADY ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR LIGHTING DESIGNER COSTUME DESIGN Rivers, MB Vancouver, BC CONSULTANT Tehran, Iran LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Répétiteur, Faust, 2006 Evita, 2016 LAST VO APPEARANCE: Hansel and Gretel, 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Music Director of the Regina Symphony Crazy for You with Citadel Theatre; Da Kink RECENT APPEARANCES: Orchestra; Tosca with Kammeroper Schloss in My Hair with National Arts Centre and Costume Designer, Nixon in China, Barber Rheinsberg; Associate Conductor of the Theatre Calgary; The Merry Wives of Windsor of Seville, and Dark Sisters with Vancouver Vancouver Symphony Orchestra; and Romeo and Juliet with Bard on the Beach; Opera; Head of Costumes with Vancouver Die Fledermaus with Calgary Opera Faerie Queen with Royal Winnipeg Ballet; Opera, 2002-present Les Misérables with Western Canada Theatre UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Eugene Onegin with Opera Nuova 2017-2018 Vancouver Opera Season The Nutcracker with The National Ballet of and Festival Canada gordongerrard.com

26 OTELLO BIOGRAPHIES

SARAH JANE PELZER ERHARD ROM THERESA TSANG ASSISTANT DIRECTOR set and imagery designer PRODUCTION STAGE Victoria, BC Seattle, WA MANAGER Brandon, MB LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Assistant Director, Hansel and Gretel, 2016 La bohème, 2012 LAST VO APPEARANCE: Evita, 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Director, Cendrillon and Opera Tales with the The Shining with Minnesota Opera; Set and RECENT APPEARANCES: Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program; Imagery Designer, Lucia di Lammermoor Stage Manager, Maria de Rudenz with Assistant Director, The Marriage of Figaro with with San Francisco Opera; Set and Imagery Wexford Opera Festival; Stage Manager, Opera Manitoba; Assistant Director, The Merry Designer, Semele with Seattle Opera; Nixon in Salmon Girl (World Premiere) with Raven Spirit Widow with Edmonton Opera China with Royal Swedish Opera Dance

UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Assistant Director, Dead Man Walking with Moby-Dick with Utah Opera Faculty Stage Manager, Kopernikus with Banff Opera on the Avalon Centre; Stage Manager, Medea with Wexford erhardrom.com Festival Opera; Stage Manager, L’elisir d’amore and Eugene Onegin with Vancouver Opera

THE FOLLOWING PATRONS HAVE GENEROUSLY SPONSORED THESE ARTISTS’ APPEARANCE IN OTELLO.

ARTIST PATRON

Jonathan Darlington Ms. Regina Boxer

Michael Cavanagh Yoshiko Karasawa

KINZA TYRRELL Kinza Tyrrell Anonymous CHORUS AND CHILDREN’S Antonello Palombi The Illahie Foundation CHORUS DIRECTOR Victoria, BC Erin Wall Brigitte & Henning Freybe

LAST VO APPEARANCE: Gregory Dahl Mrs. Irene McEwen Evita, 2016 John Cudia Mrs. Barbara Lowy RECENT APPEARANCES: Assistant Conductor/Chorus Director/Principal Megan Latham Val & Dick Bradshaw Répétiteur, Madama Butterfly with Vancouver Opera; Conductor, Dark Sisters with Vancouver Thomas Goerz Reet Kana Opera; Music Director, Stickboy with Vancouver Opera In Schools

UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Assistant Conductor/Principal Répétiteur, La Bohème with Opera Kelowna; Co-Director of Voice Ensemble at University of Victoria

OTELLO 27 OTELLO ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS

VANCOUVER OPERA ORCHESTRA VANCOUVER OPERA CHORUS

Violin 1 Bass Clarinet Peter Alexander Mark Ferris, Concertmaster AK Coope Grant Allert Domagoj Ivanovic, Associate Concertmaster Kevin Armstrong Evelyn Creaser Rumley Bassoon Angus Bell Ken Lin Ingrid Chiang, Principal Spencer Britten Peter Krysa Allan Thorpe DJ Calhoun Toni Stanick Carrie To Tristan Chalcraft Paula Wise Isaac Bull Henry Chen Colleen Venables Sheila Christie Sarah Westwick Horn Rebecca Collett Cameron Wilson Laurel Spencer, Principal Jason Cook Steve Denroche Francesca Corrado Violin 2 Heather Walker Bette Cosar Andrea Siradze, Principal Dawn Haylett Melody Courage Heilwig von Koenigsloew, Assistant Principal Glenn de Verteuil Adrianne Stride Trumpet Doug DeVillier Karina Slupski Tom Shorthouse, Principal Jeanine Fynn Christine Lin Jim Littleford Christian Garcia Sandra Fiddes Henry Christian Cathleen Gingrich Janna Sailor Robin Shier Brenda Glass Alexander Tina Park Matthew Gaskin Trombone Martina Govednik Viola Jeremy Berkman, Principal William Grossman Tawnya Popoff, Principal Jim Tranquilla Allyson Hop Isabelle Roland, Assistant Principal Adam Kozak Mila Tymoshenko Bass Trombone Melanie Krueger Barbara Irschick Sharman King Aviva Lacterman Colin Miles Katherine Landry Yacht Sarah Kwok Cimbasso Harout Markarian David Sabourin, Principal Lisa-Dawn Markle Cello Willy Miles-Grenzberg Rebecca Wenham, Principal Timpani Heather Molloy Susan Round, Assistant Principal Phillip Crewe, Principal Ed Moran Harold Birston Rose-Ellen Nichols Peter Caton Percussion Wade Nott Ben Goheen Graeme Tofflemire, Principal Sungsan Oh Lauri Lyster Heather Pawsey Bass Leonard Pearson Mark Pepe Michael Vaughan, Principal Robin Reid Frédérik Robert Chris Light, Assistant Principal Julia Rooney Meaghan Williams Harp Eric Schwarzhoff Laurence Mollerup Janelle Nadeau, Principal Dionne Sellinger Wiktor Lebeda Albertina Chan Diane Speirs Barbara Towell Flute Organ Szu-Wen Wang Brenda Fedoruk, Principal Tina Chang, Principal Don Wright Laura Vanek Anne-Elise Keefer Orchestra Manager Jim Littleford VANCOUVER OPERA Piccolo CHILDREN’S CHORUS Anne-Elise Keefer Orchestra Librarian Tom Shorthouse Ember Dickson Oboe Rachel Dreger David Owen, Principal Orchestra Stage Manager Mariechen Dresselhuis Erin Marks Jim Tranquilla Zachary Mortimer Emily Paquette Cor Anglais Jeremiah Vezina Erin Marks SUPERNUMERARIES

Clarinet Kenyon Alexander Mary Backun, Principal Henry Beasley Erin Fung Jason Bosher Tom Jensen Brett Macdonald Malcolm MacLachlan

28 OTELLO OTELLO PRODUCTION TEAM

VANCOUVER OPERA PRODUCTION

Technical Director COSTUMES, WIGS, HAIR, Scenic Carpenters Dan Paterson AND MAKE-UP George Scott Jeffery Hunter Assistant Technical Director Head of Costumes & Costume Monica Arthurs Gregg Steffensen Design Consultant Brian Culp Parvin Mirhady Production Stage Manager Carpenter Assistant Theresa Tsang Cutter David Radford Paul Fan Assistant Stage Managers Head Scenic Artist Claire Friedrich Sewers Jennifer Hedge Shannon Macelli Liwayway Garcia Marion Schoeler Lead Scenic Artist Apprentice Stage Manager Mo Lin Ng Melanie Verreault Linzi Voth Foroozan Talei Ford Xiao Ping Liu Scenic Painters Festival Properties Manager Norma Bowen Maureen Mackintosh Heidi Wilkinson Maryam Zamani Kristen Sands Djanila Hamain Karina Kalvaitis Props Builders Eric Bushell Sharon Zimmerman Wig Designer Frances Henry Stacey Butterworth Jason Wingham Additional Scenic Elements by Head of Wigs and Hair GREAT NORTHERN WAY Production Buyer Elke Englicht SCENE SHOP Carol Mcdonald Head of Make-Up & Production Shop Manager Props Intern Make-Up Designer Angela Carlson Winter Stacey Carmen Garcia Head Scenic Artist Production Carpenter Head Wardrobe Dresser Justus Hayes Scott Ellis Margaret Underhill Scenic Painter Production Electrician Stage Employees, Dressers & Hair, Sandy Margaret John Beatty Wigs and Make-Up Crew Members of IATSE 118 Production Video Brad Dodds The sets for Otello were built in the Pacific Master Carpenter Opera Victoria Scene Shop. Dave Winstanley PACIFIC OPERA VICTORIA

Master Electrician Head Carpenter Paul Neumeyer Keith Allan

Head of Sound Lead Hand Carpenter Vaughn Pease Phil Shaver

English SURTITLES™ Operator Anika Vervecken

OTELLO 29 PRESENTATION CENTRE

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All illustrations re ect the artist's interpretation of the project and do not take into account the neighboring buildings, physical structures, streets and landscape. The developer reserves the right to make modications, substitutions, change brands, sizes, colours, layouts, materials, ceiling heights, features & nishes and other specications without prior notication. This is not an oering for sale. Any such oer may only be made with the applicable disclosure statement and agreement of purchase and sale. Concord Avenue One Limited Partnership. E & O.E. CANADA’S LARGEST COMMUNITY BUILDER HEGGIE DEAD MAN WALKING A CONTEMPORARY AMERICANDMW TITLE CLASSIC IMAGERY

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TICKETS START AT $45 | CALL 604 683 0222 | vancouveropera.ca

All illustrations re ect the artist's interpretation of the project and do not take into account the neighboring buildings, physical structures, streets and landscape. The developer reserves the right to make modications, substitutions, change brands, sizes, colours, layouts, materials, ceiling heights, features & nishes and other specications without prior notication. This is not an oering for sale. Any such oer may only be made with the applicable disclosure statement and agreement of purchase and sale. Concord Avenue One Limited Partnership. E & O.E. CANADA’S LARGEST COMMUNITY BUILDER

DANIEL OKULITCH IN DEAD MAN WALKING PHOTO BY TRUDIE LEE, COURTESY OF CALGARY OPERA DEAD MAN WALKING 31 DEAD MAN WALKING

Opera in Two Acts | Music by Jake Heggie | Libretto by Terrence McNally, based on the novel by Sister Helen Prejean, CSJ. | In English with English SURTITLES™

VANCOUVER OPERA PREMIERE | QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE | APRIL 29 – MAY 7, 2017

Conductor Jonathan Darlington Director Joel Ivany

THE CAST (in order of vocal appearance)

Sister Helen Prejean George Benton Kitty Hart J'Nai Bridges Charles Robert Austin Karen Ydenberg

Sister Rose Prison Guard 1 Howard Boucher Karen Slack Willy Miles-Grenzberg Michael Barrett

Sister Catherine Prison Guard 2 Younger Brother Heather Pawsey DJ Calhoun Cameron Andres

Sister Lillianne Five Solo Inmates Older Brother Barbara Towell Frédérik Robert, Peter Spencer Britten Alexander, Adam Kozak, First Mother Kevin Armstrong, Angus Bell A paralegal Dionne Sellinger Julia Rooney Joseph De Rocher Jimmy Daniel Okulitch Teenage Girl Andreas Dala Bianca Salazar Mrs. Patrick De Rocher Mrs. Charlton Judith Forst Teenage Boy Heather Molloy Lucas Othmer Owen Hart Motorcycle Cop Thomas Goerz Anthony De Rocher Willy Miles-Grenzberg Zac Beardsley Jade Boucher Father Grenville Emma Parkinson J. Patrick Raftery

with the Vancouver Opera Chorus and the Vancouver Opera Orchestra

Commissioned by San Francisco Opera, first performed October 7, 2000. Vancouver Opera Premiere.

ACT I: 80 MINS INTERMISSION: 25 MINS ACT II: 65 MINS

32 DEAD MAN WALKING Assistant Conductor / Wig Designer Assistant Lighting Designer Chorus and Children’s Stacey Butterworth Andrew Pye Chorus Director / Principal Répétiteur Assistant Chorus Director / Répétiteur English SURTITLES™ Operator Kinza Tyrrell Tina Chang Anika Vervecken

Set and Imagery Designer Fight Choreographer Assistant Stage Managers Erhard Rom Nicholas Harrison Marijka Asbeek Brusse Emma Hammond Costume Designer Musical Preparation Sheila White Mary Castello* Apprentice Stage Manager Tamara Vuckovic Assistant Costume Designer Stage Manager Jodi Jacyk Kate Porter

Lighting Designer Assistant Director Gerald King Jessica Derventzis * Member of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program

By arrangement with: Bent Pen Music, Inc. Sole Agent: Bill Holab Music Sets constructed by Pacific Opera Victoria Scene Shopand Great Northern Way Scene Shop Projection designs realized by Greg Emetaz and Corwin Ferguson Costumes created by Vancouver Opera Wardrobe Department Properties created by Vancouver Opera Properties Department SURTITLES™ Courtesy of Calgary Opera

Production Patron Mike & Kathy Gallagher 2016–2017 Season sponsored by

With the continuing support of

DEAD MAN WALKING 33 SYNOPSIS | DEAD MAN WALKING

PROLOGUE

A teenage couple enjoys time alone at night near a lake in the woods, where they are set upon by two men, assaulted, and murdered.

ACT I ACT II

Sister Helen Prejean, a nun teaching at the Hope House De Rocher’s execution date has been set for August mission, reveals to her sisters that she has agreed to be 4th at midnight. Despite the mental and physical toll the spiritual advisor to a death row inmate, Joseph De her work with the prisoner has taken, Sister Helen Rocher, with whom she has been corresponding. Despite remains by his side and urges that he make peace criticism from her colleagues and prison staff, she is with the Lord. The two begin talking in earnest, and determined to fulfill her duty to the man, and assist him find common ground through their mutual love of rock in coming to terms with his fate. After meeting with De and roll music. De Rocher’s mother and two younger Rocher, she agrees to speak on his behalf at a hearing of brothers arrive to visit, and Helen takes one last picture the pardon board, where she is confronted by the victims’ of the family. During the course of the subsequent families. The board refuses the pardon and Sister Helen legal hearings, members of the victims’ families begin encourages Joseph to confess to his crimes. He refuses, to question whether the death penalty will really give leaving an intercession from the governor as his only them the justice they seek. With the execution fast hope to avoid execution. Facing resistance from all sides, approaching, Sister Helen gives De Rocher one final an overwhelmed Sister Helen hears the news that the chance to tell his story before accompanying him to the governor has refused to intercede, and faints. execution chamber.

34 DEAD MAN WALKING NOTES FROM THE CONDUCTOR | JONATHAN DARLINGTON

It’s been said many times but it really is truly amazing Astonishingly however, every passing nod to an and almost unbelievable that Dead Man Walking is illustrious forebear or musical idiom is assimilated into Jake Heggie’s first venture into the operatic field. The Heggie’s own very personal musical language and is complexity of the piece is handled with incredible mastery there for a purpose, that of driving the narrative. Hence and above all his love of the human voice comes shining the spiritual tune of ‘He will gather us around..’ which through in his sensitive and idiosyncratic vocal writing. acts as one of the work’s unifying elements or the recorded rock and roll number that precedes the violent This ability to write beautifully for the voice is a gift that acts with which the opera begins. many would-be opera composers do not possess, but owing to Heggie’s understanding and love of the ‘art Jake Heggie’s aim is to speak directly to an audience’s song’ he has it in abundance. The speech inflections heart and mind. Remarkably, in a story of such highly and rhythm of the English language form the bedrock on charged subject matter he manages to make us feel which everything in the opera is built. For example, the sympathy for all the characters involved. He forces us to opening orchestral rhythmic and melodic pattern, from make up our own mind without taking sides, which is a which many thematic elements in the opera are derived, truly stunning achievement takes its spring from the five syllables contained in the name of the condemned man Joseph De Rocher.

Throughout the work many musical influences can be Maestro Darlington, BA (Hons) Durham University, LRAM, is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music and a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. detected which Heggie very skillfully fuses together. He has been Music Director of Vancouver Opera since 2002. Although to my mind an ‘American’ opera in feel - because of the echoes of Stephen Sondheim and other Broadway musicals, Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, Carlisle Floyd, pop and film music etc.– in its use of conventions such as arias, ensembles, chorus numbers and so on it is a major ‘Grand Opera’.

DEAD MAN WALKING 35 NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR | JOEL IVANY

In the early 1980’s, a former Hollywood star became This opera is not easy: the subject matter is graphic, President of the United States, Star Wars was at the top disturbing, and difficult. However, the message of of the box office, and a million demonstrators rallied in hope, forgiveness, and reconciliation is powerful, Central Park in support of a “Nuclear Freeze” during difficult, and necessary. heightened tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Against the backdrop of these oddly familiar Despite being an American subject, the themes, events, Sister Helen Prejean began her journey to help message, and power of this work are universal. It makes convicted murderers on death row. a person take time for introspection and ask difficult questions – ones that perhaps we didn’t think opera Her best-selling book, Dead Man Walking (1993), could address. This opera, Jake Heggie’s first, is a became a national bestseller, and was turned into an masterpiece in operatic theatre. Academy Award-winning film of the same name in 1995. This success led to a commission to write the It may sound altruistic, but I believe that opera and opera, Dead Man Walking, which premiered in San music can truly change a person. I have no idea what Francisco in 2000. an audience member is feeling when they walk through the front door, but I hope that we all can be as open as This opera has never felt more timely and relevant. It possible to the story, music, and message that is being is still an important work, whose message needs to be told – it can be transformative. heard today more than ever.

What draws me to this piece is Sister Helen’s fight against what she sees as the injustice of the system, Joel Ivany is Founder and Artistic Director of Against the Grain Theatre and Program Director of Open Space: Opera in the 21st Century at the belief in something greater than ourselves, and Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. the passion to follow that belief through to the end.

36 DEAD MAN WALKING FROM MEMOIR TO MELODY: DEAD MAN WALKING IN 2017 | JAKE HEGGIE

It was June of 1997 when playwright possible. The cast included Susan and librettist Terrence McNally first Graham as Sister Helen, John suggested Dead Man Walking as Packard as Joseph DeRocher, and the subject of our first opera. I can Frederica von Stade as his mother. still sense the electric shiver of intense The conductor was Patrick Summers, recognition that opera was exactly the director was Joe Mantello, with the right art form to bring this story sets by Michael Yeargan. Opening to the stage. The emotional language night was October 7, 2000. The is immense, so it makes sense for the run sold out and two additional characters to sing. It is American, yet performances were added. Reviews universal. It is timely, yet timeless. It is were all over the place, but nobody an intimate story with the stakes high was ambivalent; everyone had at every turn and, thanks to the great a strong opinion. The opera did film by Tim Robbins (starring Susan what we had hoped: it moved and Sarandon and Sean Penn), it has the surprised people, and brought them feeling of being part of our American into a dialogue about something DNA. It also felt like exactly the they had perhaps only considered in right story for me as a composer. the abstract. With the blessing and enthusiastic support of the amazing Sister Helen Since that first production in San Prejean, we set to work. She gave Francisco, the opera has traveled us permission to explore and tell her around the globe, with nearly 300 story as we saw fit, knowing it would performances on five continents. need to be adapted for the stage. Recently, Dead Man Walking had Her single request was that it remain its 50th international production at a story of redemption. the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. The journey continues and Dead Man Walking was a highly the dialogue intensifies as the controversial project at a time when difficult central question of the the premiere of a new American story is posed again: are we for opera was rare. San Francisco vengeance or forgiveness? Opera’s General Director, Lotfi Mansouri, made sure we had Jake Heggie is an American opera composer everything we needed to produce in San Francisco. the work at the highest level

DANIEL OKULITCH IN DEAD MAN WALKING (2006). PHOTO BY TRUDIE LEE, COURTESY OF CALGARY OPERA

DEAD MAN WALKING 37 COMPASSION IN DEAD MAN WALKING | COLLEEN MAYBIN & SISTER HELEN PREJEAN

We need art to open up the heart and United States. Although there is no find themselves affected by similar bring us to places we are never going doubt that the central character, De socio-economic conditions to to go. I stand as a witness to share the Rocher, committed a horrible crime, those at work behind Dead Man story. Come with me, let me tell you Sr. Helen shows us the connections Walking. what I learned, what I saw, then take it between poverty and incarceration I saw the suffering and I let myself into your own soul and work out what that coloured his entire experience with feel it… I saw the injustice and was it is that you are being called to do. the judicial system. compelled to do something about - Sr. Helen Prejean Many groups within Canada face it. I changed from being a nun who The first thing that becomes clear when strikingly similar challenges. According only prayed for the suffering world reading Sister Helen Prejean’s book, to a recent article in Maclean’s to a woman with my sleeves rolled Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness magazine (February, 2016), Canada’s up, living my prayer. Account of the Death Penalty, is the crime rate is sitting at a 45 year low. - Sr. Helen Prejean incredible amount of compassion However, the number of Indigenous Colleen Maybin is Director, Education & that Sr. Helen feels for all members people who are incarcerated has hit Community Engagement at of our society – even those who have an all-time high. Indigenous peoples, Vancouver Opera. Sister Helen Prejean is a member of the committed heinous crimes. The book, who experience endemic poverty on Congregation of St. Joseph, author of Dead the 1995 film, and the opera of Dead reserves and the continued impact of Man Walking, and a leading American ad- vocate for the abolition of the death penalty. Man Walking brought international residential schools, make up only 4% attention to her work as an advocate of the national population and yet against the death penalty. Sr. Helen’s they comprise over 30% of the prison message comes from a deep belief in population. Indigenous populations human rights.

There are some human rights that are so deep that we can’t negotiate them away. People do heinous, terrible things. But there are basic human rights I believe that every human being has. The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights says it for me. - Sr. Helen Prejean

How is a story about the death penalty in the southern United States relevant to Canadian audiences? The story of Dead Man Walking centers on one man’s journey along death row, but on a deeper level Sr. Helen’s work explores the socio-economic realities behind the lives of many of the inmates who face the death penalty in the

38 DEAD MAN WALKING PRODUCTION INSIGHTS | DAN PATERSON

We need art to open up the heart and United States. Although there is no find themselves affected by similar bring us to places we are never going doubt that the central character, De socio-economic conditions to to go. I stand as a witness to share the Rocher, committed a horrible crime, those at work behind Dead Man The creative team for Dead Man Walking is well known Festival Properties Manager Heidi Wilkinson has worked story. Come with me, let me tell you Sr. Helen shows us the connections Walking. to our audiences. Director Joel Ivany gave us his grand tirelessly with her team to build and source props for what I learned, what I saw, then take it between poverty and incarceration and passionate rendition of Carmen in our 2014–2015 the Festival’s three mainstage operas, each with its own I saw the suffering and I let myself into your own soul and work out what that coloured his entire experience with season. Erhard Rom, who designed the magical and set of unique creative requirements. Head of Wardrobe feel it… I saw the injustice and was it is that you are being called to do. the judicial system. inventive set for our 2009–2010 season production of Parvin Mirhady has guided her team of cutters and compelled to do something about - Sr. Helen Prejean Nixon in China, brings this production’s set and imagery sewers through the collection, rental, and construction Many groups within Canada face it. I changed from being a nun who design. Sheila White débuts as our costume designer, of costumes. We also called on the services of the The first thing that becomes clear when strikingly similar challenges. According only prayed for the suffering world while Lighting Designer Gerald King, a VO veteran, has carpenters and painters of the Pacific Opera Victoria reading Sister Helen Prejean’s book, to a recent article in Maclean’s to a woman with my sleeves rolled collaborated on many of our productions, most recently Scene Shop and the painters of the Great Northern Way Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness magazine (February, 2016), Canada’s up, living my prayer. Madama Butterfly and Evita. Scene Shop here in Vancouver. Our thanks go to them Account of the Death Penalty, is the crime rate is sitting at a 45 year low. - Sr. Helen Prejean for their collaboration. incredible amount of compassion However, the number of Indigenous Colleen Maybin is Director, Education & It is the designers’ job to realize the director's vision, that Sr. Helen feels for all members people who are incarcerated has hit Community Engagement at creating the physical world in which the opera takes Dan Paterson has served as Technical Director for Vancouver Opera since 2012. of our society – even those who have an all-time high. Indigenous peoples, Vancouver Opera. Sister Helen Prejean is a member of the place. This was no small challenge in this piece, which committed heinous crimes. The book, who experience endemic poverty on Congregation of St. Joseph, author of Dead spans a lengthy period and takes place in several the 1995 film, and the opera of Dead reserves and the continued impact of Man Walking, and a leading American ad- vocate for the abolition of the death penalty. different locations. Many of us have seen the movie or Man Walking brought international residential schools, make up only 4% read Sister Helen’s book and we have a good sense attention to her work as an advocate of the national population and yet of both the location and the time period, and while against the death penalty. Sr. Helen’s they comprise over 30% of the prison we may not have been inside the Louisiana State message comes from a deep belief in population. Indigenous populations Penitentiary, we can imagine the dark realities found human rights. inside. Our designers must imagine a world that meets our expectations while at the same time creating the There are some human rights that are locations required to convincingly tell the opera’s story. so deep that we can’t negotiate them away. People do heinous, terrible things. But there are basic human rights I believe that every human being has. The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights says it for me. - Sr. Helen Prejean

How is a story about the death penalty in the southern United States relevant to Canadian audiences? The story of Dead Man Walking centers on one man’s journey along death row, but on a deeper level Sr. Helen’s work explores the socio-economic realities behind the lives of many of the inmates who face the death penalty in the J'NAI BRIDGES AND DANIEL OKULITCH ENJOY A BREAK AND A LAUGH DURING A RECENT PHOTO SHOOT. PHOTOS BY EMILY COOPER

BIOGRAPHIES

JONATHAN DARLINGTON JOEL IVANY J’NAI BRIDGES CONDUCTOR DIRECTOR SISTER HELEN PREJEAN Lapworth, England Toronto, ON mezzo-soprano Lakewood, WA LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Evita, 2016 Carmen, 2014 VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT

RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Fidelio with the Orchestra of the 18th Century, Mozart’s Requiem with the Toronto Symphony Bersi in Andrea Chénier with San Francisco Amsterdam; Die Fledermaus and Die Zauberflöte Orchestra; A Little Too Cozy with Against the Opera and Bayerische Staatsoper; Nefertiti in with Semperoper Dresden; Le nozze di Figaro Grain Theatre; Carmen with the Canadian Akhnaten with LA Opera; Carmen in Bel Canto with Royal Swedish Opera: Così fan tutte with Opera Company; Program Director of Open with Lyric Opera of Chicago; Lucretia in Opera Australia; The Makropoulos Case with Space: Opera in the 21st Century at Banff The Rape of Lucretia at Wolf Trap Opera Frankfurt Opera Centre

UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Josefa Segovia in Girls of the Golden West at UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Kopernikus with Banff Centre Madama Butterfly with Vienna Staatsoper San Francisco Opera Orphée et Eurydice with Opera Columbus jnaibridgesmezzo.com jonathan-darlington.com joelivany.com

DANIEL OKULITCH CHARLES ROBERT AUSTIN MICHAEL BARRETT JOSEPH DE ROCHER GEORGE BENTON HOWARD BOUCHER bass-baritone bass-baritone tenor Calgary, AB Seward, NE Corner Brook, NL

LAST VO APPEARANCE: VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT LAST VO APPEARANCE: Don Giovanni, 2014 Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd, 2015 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Praise-God Tweke in Merry Mount (Hanson) at RECENT APPEARANCES: Don Giovanni with Santa Fe Opera and New Carnegie Hall; Duke Bluebeard in Bluebeard’s Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus with Opera Orleans Opera; Leporello in Don Giovanni Castle with Virginia Arts Festival; Dr. Grenvil in 5, Toronto; Osiris in Isis and Osiris for with Opéra de Montréal; Lyndon B. Johnson in La traviata with Seattle Opera; Duke Bluebeard VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert, Toronto JFK with Fort Worth Opera in Bluebeard’s Castle with the Buffalo Soloist, Mozart Requiem with Newfoundland Philharmonic Orchestra Symphony; Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte with UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Edmonton Opera Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro with Israel aormanagement.com Philharmonic Orchestra deanartists.com danielokulitch.com

DEAD MAN WALKING 41 BIOGRAPHIES

JUDITH FORST, O.C., O.B.C. THOMAS GOERZ EMMA PARKINSON MRS. PATRICK DE ROCHER OWEN HART JADE BOUCHER mezzo-soprano bass-baritone mezzo-soprano New Westminster, BC Kitchener, ON Lethbridge, AB

LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance, 2012 Prophet/Larry King in Dark Sisters, 2015 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Carmen with Burnaby Lyric Opera Anne’s Mum in Two Boys with The Owen Hart in Dead Man Walking with Opéra Soloist, Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with Metropolitan Opera; Old Woman in Candide de Montréal; The Mikado with Calgary Opera; Kingston Symphony Orchestra; Soloist, with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra; Madame Zuniga in Carmen with Vancouver Opera Vivaldi’s Gloria with Alberta Baroque de Croissy in Dialogues des Carmélites with Ensemble; Mezzo-Soprano in Storybook with Canadian Opera Company; Bianca in UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Opera 5, Toronto The Rape of Lucretia with Houston Titurel in Parsifal with Festival de Lanaudière; Grand Opera Dr. Knarre in Charlotte with Taipei UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Scenography Festival Florrie in Rattenbury with Pacific Opera Victoria; Soloist, Messiah with deanartists.com Vancouver Bach Choir

emmaparkinson.com

J. PATRICK RAFTERY KAREN SLACK KAREN YDENBERG FATHER GRENVILLE SISTER ROSE KITTY HART tenor soprano soprano Washington, DC Philadelphia, PA Langley, BC

LAST VO APPEARANCE: VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT LAST VO APPEARANCE: Figaro in The Barber of Seville, 1991 Almera in Dark Sisters, 2015 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Serena in Porgy and Bess with Sydney RECENT APPEARANCES: Governor in Candide with the Vancouver Symphony; Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd with Symphony and Regina Symphony; Nashville Opera; Alice Ford in Falstaff with Vancouver Opera; Frasquita in Carmen with Haushofmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos with Arizona Opera; Aida with Austin Opera Vancouver Opera; Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos Pacific Opera Victoria; Aegisth in Elektra with with Vancouver Opera; First Lady in The Magic Opéra de Marseille UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Flute with Vancouver Opera Anna in Le Villi with Scottish Opera; deanartists.com Sister Rose in Dead Man Walking with Kentucky Opera and Minnesota Opera

sopranokarenslack.com

42 DEAD MAN WALKING BIOGRAPHIES

DJ CALHOUN ANITA KRAUSE WILLY MILES-GRENZBERG PRISON GUARD 2 SISTER HELEN PREJEAN (COVER) MOTORCYCLE COP/ baritone mezzo-soprano PRISON GUARD 1 Calgary, AB Vancouver, BC baritone St. Catharines, ON LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE : Chorus in Evita, 2016 The Mayor’s Wife in Jenufa, 1996 LAST VO APPEARANCE: Chorus in Evita, 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Jeff/Chris/Dick in Stickboy with Vancouver Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi for RECENT APPEARANCES: Opera In Schools; Curtis/Ensemble in Stickboy VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert, Toronto; Baritone Soloist in Carmina Burana with with Vancouver Opera; Paris in Roméo et Juliette Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music with Vancouver Bach Choir; Singer/Songwriter/ with Vancouver Opera Stratford Festival; Faculty Member, University Guitarist in Sounds Global Concert Series of Western Ontario with Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra; Guest djcalhoun.com Soloist at Chinese New Year’s Gala at Surrey UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Bell Centre; Christmas Caroler in When Calls Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Symphony the Heart TV Series Nova Scotia; Music at Western Recital Series willymilesmusic.com deanartists.com

PETER ALEXANDER KEVIN ARMSTRONG ANGUS BELL SOLO INMATE 2 SOLO INMATE 4 SOLO INMATE 5 baritone tenor bass-baritone Vancouver, BC Nelson, BC Bankstown, Australia

LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Chorus in Rigoletto, 2015 Chorus in Evita, 2016 LAST VO APPEARANCE: Montano in Otello, 2017 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Chorus in Sweeney Todd with Vancouver Macheath in Threepenny Opera with Theatre RECENT APPEARANCES: Opera; Soloist, Carmina Burana with Regina in the Raw; Official Registrar in Madama Herald in RIgoletto with Vancouver Opera; Symphony Orchestra; Germont in La traviata Butterfly with Vancouver Opera; Turridu in John Allison in The Lake with Turning Point with The Opera Project; Valentin in Faust with Cavalleria Rusticana with Calgary Concert Ensemble/Astrolabe Musik Theatre; Second Vancouver Island Opera Opera; Cerberus in KHAOS (World Premiere) Armed Man in The Magic Flute with Vancouver with Amy Ferguson Institute; Pontius Pilate in Opera; Alberich in Das Rheingold with ViVace Jesus Christ Superstar with Thunerseespiele, Switzerland UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Wotan in Die Walküre with Heroic reverbnation.com Opera Company

DEAD MAN WALKING 43 BIOGRAPHIES

SPENCER BRITTEN ADAM KOZAK HEATHER MOLLOY OLDER BROTHER SOLO INMATE 3 MRS. CHARLTON tenor tenor mezzo-soprano Port Moody, BC North Vancouver, BC Regina, SK

LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Chorus in Evita, 2016 Chorus in Evita, 2016 Chorus in Evita, 2016

RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with UBC Opera Yakuside in Madama Butterfly with Vancouver Student/Alyssa in Stickboy with Vancouver and Bard on the Beach; Boy (Cover) in Opera; Chorus in Die Fledermaus and Carmen Opera and Vancouver Opera In Schools; Stickboy with Vancouver Opera In Schools with Vancouver Opera; Plum Seller in La Chorus, Sweeney Todd and Die Fledermaus bohème with Vancouver Opera with Vancouver Opera; Concepcion in L’heure UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: espagnole with Calgary Opera Tanzmeister/Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos with UBC Opera; Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia with European Music Academy spencerbritten.com

HEATHER PAWSEY FRÉDÉRIK ROBERT JULIA ROONEY SISTER CATHERINE SOLO INMATE 1 PARALEGAL soprano tenor soprano Regina, SK Falher, Alberta Calgary, AB

LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Chorus in Evita, 2016 Eva’s Brother/Chorus in Evita, 2016 Cio-Cio-San’s Cousin in Madama Butterfly, 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Jennifer in One Thousand White Paper Cranes Soloist, Rachmaninoff’s The Bells with the RECENT APPEARANCES: for Japan with Prague Modern Orchestra, Vancouver Bach Choir; Sultan Soliman/ 2016 Laureate with Jeunes Ambassadeurs Czech Republic; Presendia in Dark Sisters with Pulcherio/Biondello in The Lost Operas of Lyriques, Montréal; Summer Intensive, The Vancouver Opera Mozart with City Opera Vancouver; Ed in American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New Dragging Piaf: a cinematic live concert with York; Soloist in Operettennachmittag with the UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Queer Arts Festival German-Canadian Benevolent Society of BC; Omnis Temporalis with Little Chamber Music Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief with Series That Could; Komachi in Kayoi Komachi UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Fear No Opera, Victoria (World Premiere) with Tomeo Arts Soloist, Valentine’s Pop Shows with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra juliarooneymusic.com heatherpawsey.com frederikrobert.com

44 DEAD MAN WALKING BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES

SPENCER BRITTEN ADAM KOZAK HEATHER MOLLOY DIONNE SELLINGER BARBARA TOWELL CAMERON ANDRES OLDER BROTHER SOLO INMATE 3 MRS. CHARLTON FIRST MOTHER SISTER LILLIANNE YOUNGER BROTHER tenor tenor mezzo-soprano mezzo-soprano mezzo-soprano Vancouver, BC Port Moody, BC North Vancouver, BC Regina, SK Swift Current, SK Thunder Bay, ON LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Hansel and Gretel, 2016 Chorus in Evita, 2016 Chorus in Evita, 2016 Chorus in Evita, 2016 Cio-Cio San’s Mother in Madama Butterfly, Chorus in Evita, 2016 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Gavroche in Les Misérables with Arts Club Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with UBC Opera Yakuside in Madama Butterfly with Vancouver Student/Alyssa in Stickboy with Vancouver RECENT APPEARANCES: Miss Manners on Music, Recital with Pianist Theatre Company; Schwartz in A Christmas and Bard on the Beach; Boy (Cover) in Opera; Chorus in Die Fledermaus and Carmen Opera and Vancouver Opera In Schools; Kate/Suzuki in Tom Pinkerton: The Ballad of Tina Chang; Viva Italia with City Opera Story with Arts Club Theatre Company; Edgar Stickboy with Vancouver Opera In Schools with Vancouver Opera; Plum Seller in La Chorus, Sweeney Todd and Die Fledermaus Butterfly’s Son, a workshop in association with Vancouver; Marie in The Lake, Barbara in Ragtime: In Concert with Fighting Chance bohème with Vancouver Opera with Vancouver Opera; Concepcion in L’heure Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre and SFU; Pentland Documentary; Cio Cio San’s Aunt Productions

UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: espagnole with Calgary Opera Zulma in L’italiania in Algeri with Calgary Opera in Madama Butterfly with Vancouver Opera; Tanzmeister/Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Peep Bo in The Mikado with Edmonton Opera Opera for Everyone with Quintessence, BC UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: with UBC Opera; Count Almaviva in Il Tour Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library with barbiere di Siviglia with European Music Nickelodeon; Cyrus and the Wallet with Academy barbandtina.com BravoFACT spencerbritten.com @thecam_theman

HEATHER PAWSEY FRÉDÉRIK ROBERT JULIA ROONEY ANDREAS DALA ZAC BEARDSLEY LUCAS OTHMER SISTER CATHERINE SOLO INMATE 1 PARALEGAL JIMMY ANTHONY DE ROCHER TEENAGE BOY soprano tenor soprano Vancouver, BC Fallon, NV Yellowknife, NT Regina, SK Falher, Alberta Calgary, AB LAST VO APPEARANCE: VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Children’s Chorus in Evita, 2016

Chorus in Evita, 2016 Eva’s Brother/Chorus in Evita, 2016 Cio-Cio-San’s Cousin in Madama Butterfly, RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show with Parkour Stuntman, 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Moth in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Geekenders Theatre; Boland in Dogfight with Commercials; Parkour Stuntman, 2017 IT Glue UBC Opera; Boy Soprano Soloist in Elijah with Jennifer in One Thousand White Paper Cranes Soloist, Rachmaninoff’s The Bells with the RECENT APPEARANCES: Semper Fi Collective and Pacific Theatre; Commercial Vancouver Bach Choir; Pie Jesu (Webber) duet for Japan with Prague Modern Orchestra, Vancouver Bach Choir; Sultan Soliman/ 2016 Laureate with Jeunes Ambassadeurs Goran in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with Align with Simone Osborne for Wall Centre Gala Czech Republic; Presendia in Dark Sisters with Pulcherio/Biondello in The Lost Operas of Lyriques, Montréal; Summer Intensive, The Entertainment Fundraiser Vancouver Opera Mozart with City Opera Vancouver; Ed in American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New

Dragging Piaf: a cinematic live concert with York; Soloist in Operettennachmittag with the UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Queer Arts Festival German-Canadian Benevolent Society of BC; UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Geekenders Children’s Chorus in Carmina Burana with Omnis Temporalis with Little Chamber Music Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief with Theatre; Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show with Vancouver Bach Choir Series That Could; Komachi in Kayoi Komachi UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Fear No Opera, Victoria Geekenders Theatre (World Premiere) with Tomeo Arts Soloist, Valentine’s Pop Shows with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra juliarooneymusic.com heatherpawsey.com frederikrobert.com

DEAD MAN WALKING 45 BIOGRAPHIES

BIANCA SALAZAR STACEY BUTTERWORTH MARY CASTELLO TEENAGE GIRL WIG DESIGNER PIANIST Maple Ridge, BC Vancouver, BC Kitchener, ON

LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Dark Sisters, 2015 Evita, 2016 Hansel and Gretel, 2016

RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Snow White with Army of Sass; Rigoletto Rigoletto, Dark Sisters, and Madama Butterfly Pianist, Opera Tales and Viardot’s Cendrillon with Vancouver Opera; Sweeney Todd with with Vancouver Opera; Wigmaker for Tom with the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Vancouver Opera; Don Carlo with Vancouver Hanks in the feature film Circle; Wigmaker Program; Répétiteur, L’elisir d’amore and Little Opera for Jared Leto in the feature film The Outsider; Women with Opera McGill Wigmaker for Gillian Anderson in The X-Files; UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Wigmaker for Jennifer Lawrence in the feature UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Divas with Army of Sass; Las Vegas Review film Mother Répétiteur, Dead Man Walking and The with SPECC-tacular Productions Brothers Grimm with Opera on the Avalon estudiosalazar.ca marycastellopianist.com

TINA CHANG JESSICA DERVENTZIS CARMEN GARCIA assistant chorus director ASSISTANT DIRECTOR MAKE-UP DESIGNER and répétiteur Toronto, ON Valencia, Spain Vancouver, BC VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Macbeth, 2017 Evita, 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: Director, Dido and Aeneas with Opera McGill; RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Director, Cinderella with Calgary Opera Hansel and Gretel with Vancouver Opera Répétiteur, Herculanum and Il Campanello with School Tour; Director, Die Zauberflöte with The Consul with UBC Opera; Eine Nacht in Wexford Festival Opera; Assistant Conductor Opera Kelowna; Assistant Director, Venedig with UBC Opera; Head of Make-Up & Principal Répétiteur, Dark Sisters with La Cenerentola with Edmonton Opera with Vancouver Opera, 1997-present Vancouver Opera; Pianist & Coach with UBC Summer Vocal Workshop UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Director, Fête Galante and Boatswain’s Mate Ariadne auf Naxos with UBC Opera; UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: with Opera 5; Director, La bohème with Opera Turandot with Vancouver Opera Répétiteur, Ariadne auf Naxos with UBC Kelowna Opera; Coach, soundSCAPE Festival, Maccagno, Italy @jessderventzis

46 DEAD MAN WALKING BIOGRAPHIES

GERALD KING KATE PORTER ERHARD ROM LIGHTING DESIGNER STAGE MANAGER SET AND IMAGERY DESIGNER Vancouver, BC Halifax, NS Seattle, WA

LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Evita, 2016 Rigoletto, 2015 La bohème, 2012

RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Crazy for You with Citadel Theatre; Da Kink in Götterdämmerung with the Canadian The Shining with Minnesota Opera; Set and My Hair with National Arts Centre and Theatre Opera Company; Carmen with Vancouver Imagery Designer, Lucia di Lammermoor Calgary; The Merry Wives of Windsor and Opera; Into the Woods and The Pirates of with San Francisco Opera; Set and Imagery Romeo and Juliet with Bard on the Beach; Faerie Penzance with Thousand Islands Playhouse; Designer, Semele with Seattle Opera; Nixon in Queen with Royal Winnipeg Ballet; Acis and Galatea, La clemenza di Tito, and China with Royal Swedish Opera Les Misérables with Western Canada Theatre L’incoronazione di Poppea with Opera Atelier UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Moby-Dick with Utah Opera L’elisir d’amore with the Canadian Opera Company erhardrom.com

THE FOLLOWING PATRONS HAVE GENEROUSLY SPONSORED THESE ARTISTS’ APPEARANCE IN DEAD MAN WALKING.

ARTIST PATRON

Jonathan Darlington Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer

Joel Ivany Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron KINZA TYRRELL SHEILA WHITE Kinza Tyrrell Lori Hareid ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR/ COSTUME DESIGNER in memory of Bjorn Hareid CHORUS AND CHILDREN’S Vancouver, BC CHORUS DIRECTOR/PRINCIPAL Sister Helen Prejean Mr. Bruce Munro Wright VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT RÉPÉTITEUR Jake Heggie Michael and Inna O’Brian Victoria, BC RECENT APPEARANCES: Mary Poppins, White Christmas, Dream Daniel Okulitch Anonymous LAST VO APPEARANCE: Girls, and Next to Normal for Arts Club Evita, 2016 Theatre Company; Ariadne auf Naxos for J’nai Bridges Mr. Bruce Munro Wright Pacific Opera Victoria; Imaginary Mary, RECENT APPEARANCES: Warriors, and The Trustee for Warner Bros/ Karen Slack Dr. Heather Clarke Assistant Conductor/Chorus Director/Principal Sony Entertainment for ABC Television; Three- Répétiteur, Madama Butterfly with Vancouver Time Jessie Richardson Award Winner for Opera; Conductor, Dark Sisters with Vancouver Outstanding Costume Design Judith Forst Ms. Martha Lou Henley, C.M. Opera; Music Director, Stickboy with Vancouver Opera in Schools sheilala.ca Robert Austin Anonymous

UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Thomas Goerz Reet Kana Assistant Conductor/Principal Répétiteur, La Bohème with Opera Kelowna; Co-Director Emma Parkinson Wayne Wiens, of Voice Ensemble at University of Victoria in memory of Andrea Pinto Lebowitz

Karen Ydenberg Mrs. Alix Brown

DEAD MAN WALKING 47 DEAD MAN WALKING ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS

VANCOUVER OPERA ORCHESTRA VANCOUVER OPERA CHORUS

Violin 1 Bass Clarinet Peter Alexander Mark Ferris, Concertmaster Erin Fung Grant Allert Angela Cavadas, Associate Concertmaster Kevin Armstrong Lawrie Hill Bassoon Angus Bell Yun Jung Ingrid Chiang, Principal Spencer Britten Carolyn Canfield Cole Isaac Bull Henry Chen Heilwig von Koenigsloew Allan Thorpe Sheila Christie Evelyn Creaser Rumley Francesca Corrado Richard Dorfer Contrabassoon Bette Cosar Domagoj Ivanovic Allan Thorpe Glenn de Verteuil Ellen Farrugia Doug DeVillier Horn Jeanine Fynn Violin 2 Laurel Spencer, Principal Christian Garcia Patricia Armstrong, Principal Nick Anderson Brenda Glass Alexander Andrea Siradze, Assistant Principal Heather Walker Allyson Hop Ken Lin Steve Denroche Paul Just Toni Stanick Adam Kozak Peter Krysa Trumpet Melanie Krueger Colleen Venables Tom Shorthouse, Principal Aviva Lacterman Paula Wise Jim Littleford Harout Markarian Adrianne Stride Henry Christian Lisa-Dawn Markle Heather Molloy Viola Trombone Rose-Ellen Nichols Tawnya Popoff, Principal Jeremy Berkman, Principal Wade Nott Marcus Takizawa, Assistant Principal Jim Tranquilla Heather Pawsey Isabelle Roland Frédérik Robert Marie-Claude Brunet Bass Trombone Julia Rooney Mila Tymoshenko Sharman King Dionne Sellinger Reginald Quiring Diane Speirs Harp Barbara Towell Cello Janelle Nadeau, Principal Szu-Wen Wang Rebecca Wenham, Principal Don Wright Heather Hay, Assistant Principal Timpani Peggy Lee Phillip Crewe, Principal Harold Birston VANCOUVER OPERA Susan Round Percussion CHILDREN’S CHORUS Graeme Tofflemire, Principal Bass Lauri Lyster Cameron Andres Les Kasprzak, Principal Andreas Dala Michael Vaughan, Assistant Principal Pianoforte Sydnee Faria Chris Light Tina Chang, Principal Carolyn Forward Meaghan Williams Joyce Ho Laurence Mollerup Orchestra Manager Thea Ledenko Jim Littleford Alistair Leong Flute Antony Leong Brenda Fedoruk, Principal Orchestra Librarian Kayla McElheron Anne-Elise Keefer Tom Shorthouse Nadya Nuyen Laura Vanek Taylor Dianne Robinson Orchestra Stage Manager Keiyshia Ting Piccolo/Alto Flute Jim Tranquilla Laura Vanek

Oboe SUPERNUMERARIES David Owen, Principal Erin Marks Zac Beardsley Cecilly Day Cor Anglais Frantz De Rycke Emma Ringrose Justin Lapeña Deborah Morris Clarinet Aiko Nishira Mary Backun, Principal Masa Nishira Michelle Anderson Lucas Othmer Bianca Salazar Sarah Seekamp Guy Vallieres Tracy Wiens 48 DEAD MAN WALKING DEAD MAN WALKING PRODUCTION TEAM

VANCOUVER OPERA PRODUCTION

Technical Director COSTUMES, WIGS, HAIR, Additional Scenic Elements by Dan Paterson AND MAKE-UP GREAT NORTHERN WAY SCENE SHOP Assistant Technical Director Head of Costumes Gregg Steffensen Lydia Hiebert Production Shop Manager Angela Carlson Festival Production Stage Manager Cutter Theresa Tsang Paul Fan Lead Scenic Painter Justus Hayes Stage Manager Sewer Kate Porter Norma Bowen Scenic Painter Sandy Margaret Assistant Stage Managers Wig Designer Marijka Asbeek Brusse Stacey Butterworth Emma Hammond

Apprentice Stage Manager Head of Wigs and Hair Tamara Vuckovic Elke Englicht

Festival Properties Manager Head of Make-Up & Make-Up Heidi Wilkinson Designer Carmen Garcia Props Builders Sharon Zimmerman Head Wardrobe Dresser Frances Henry Margaret Underhill Jason Wingham Stage Employees, Dressers & Hair, Props Buyer Wigs and Make-Up Crew Carol Macdonald Members of IATSE 118

Props Intern Winter Stacey The sets for Dead Man Walking were built in the Pacific Opera Victoria Scene Shop. Production Carpenter PACIFIC OPERA VICTORIA Scott Ellis Head Carpenter Production Electrician Keith Allan John Beatty

Lead Hand Carpenter Production Video Phil Shaver Brad Dodds

Scenic Carpenters Master Carpenter George Scott Dave Winstanley Monica Arthurs

Jeffery Hunter Master Electrician Brian Culp Paul Neumeyer

Carp Assistant Head of Sound David Radford Vaughn Pease

Head Scenic Artist English SURTITLES™ Operator Jennifer Hedge Anika Vervecken

Lead Scenic Artist Melanie Verreault

Scenic Painters Maureen Mackintosh Kristen Sands Karina Kalvaitis Eric Bushell

DEAD MAN WALKING 49 From audition to premiere

Blakes appreciates the importance of supporting the arts, and we are proud to sponsor Vancouver Opera’s production of The Marriage of Figaro.

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MISTAKEN IDENTITIES, LECHEROUS MASTERS, CONTEMPORARY DESIGN

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GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY

PHOTO: DESIGN FROM VO’S THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO COSTUME DESIGNER SID NEIGUM’S THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 51 READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTION. PHOTO BY LUIS MARA, COURTESY OF SID NEIGUM THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

Opera in Four Acts | By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte In Italian with English SURTITLES™

NEW VO PRODUCTION | VANCOUVER PLAYHOUSE | APRIL 30 – MAY 18, 2017

Conductor Leslie Dala Director Rachel Peake

THE CAST (in order of vocal appearance)

Figaro Count Almaviva Barbarina Alex Lawrence + Phillip Addis + Vanessa Oude-Reimerink* + Iain MacNeil ‡ Aaron Durand ‡ Taylor Pardell ‡*

Basilio Soprano Chorus, Bridesmaid Susanna Christopher Mayell + Nicole Brooks Caitlin Wood + Ryan Downey ‡* Rachel Fenlon ‡ Mezzo-Soprano Chorus, Bridesmaid Countess Almaviva Megan Morrison Bartolo Leslie Ann Bradley + Ricardo Lugo + Lara Ciekiewicz ‡ Tenor Chorus Scott Brooks ‡ Tony Bittar-Sayegh Don Curzio Marcellina Christopher Mayell + Baritone Chorus Anita Krause + Ryan Downey ‡* Brandon Thornhill Leah Giselle Field ‡* Antonio Cherubino Peter Monaghan* All Mireille Lebel + Pascale Spinney ‡*

with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra

+ April 30(m) May 3(m), 6, 9, 11,13(m), 16, 18, * Member of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program ‡ May 6(m), 10, 12, 13, 17

First performed at Vienna Imperial Court Theatre on May 1, 1786. First produced by Vancouver Opera 1964.

ACT I: 44 MINS ACT II: 48 MINS INTERMISSION: 25 MINS ACT III: 38 MINS ACT IV: 32 MINS

52 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO Scenic Designer Stage Manager Assistant Stage Managers Drew Facey Beth Grieve Collette Brown Michelle Harrison Costume Designer Assistant Director / Sid Neigum Movement Coach Apprentice Stage Manager Tracey Power Taryn Dougall Lighting Designer John Webber Assistant Lighting Designer Sara Smith Wig Designer Stacey Butterworth English SURTITLES™ Translations Anika Vervecken Musical Preparation Kimberley-Ann Bartczak English SURTITLES™ Operation Steph Kirkland

The sets, props, and costumes for this original production were built and created by Vancouver Opera.

Production Patrons Michael and Inna O’Brian 2016–2017 Season sponsored by

Performance sponsor

With the continuing support of

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 53 SYNOPSIS | THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO

ACT I ACT III

Figaro, a servant to the Count, prepares for his wedding The Count declares that Figaro must marry Marcellina, to Susanna, the Countess’ chambermaid. Susanna but Figaro objects on the grounds that he cannot obtain cautions him that she fears the Count will reinstate the permission from his long-lost parents. By virtue of a feudal droit du seigneur, the right of a lord to take a birthmark, it is discovered that Figaro is, in fact, Bartolo husband’s place in his marriage bed. Dr. Bartolo arrives and Marcellina’s child, and plans are made for a double with his housekeeper, Marcellina, and they plan to force wedding. The Countess dictates a letter for Susanna to Figaro to instead marry Marcellina as payment for an send to the Count, arranging a meeting in the garden old debt. The young page Cherubino enters the room to that evening. plead with Susanna for help. The Count enters Susanna’s chamber, and believing he is alone with Susanna, pursues her. Upon discovering Cherubino hiding under a sheet, the Count orders him off to serve military duty.

ACT II ACT IV

The Countess hatches a plan with Susanna to expose Figaro comes upon Barbarina, and discovers that the Count. They prepare to disguise Cherubino as a Susanna has sent a note to the Count. Susanna and the woman, but are foiled by the Count entering the room. Countess arrive in the garden, dressed in each other’s He demands to know who is hidden in his wife’s closet. clothing. The Count attempts to woo the disguised When he leaves to fetch a crowbar, Cherubino escapes Countess, while Figaro mistakes Susanna for the out the window and Susanna takes his place. Upon Countess and pretends to seduce her to enrage the discovering Susanna in the closet, an embarrassed Count. The Count calls the household to arms, forcing Count pleads for forgiveness until the gardener Antonio the women’s true identities to be revealed, and everyone arrives, complaining of about someone jumping out the unites in celebration. window. Figaro quickly takes the blame, interrupted by Marcellina and Bartolo’s arrival with a legal challenge to the upcoming wedding.

54 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO NOTES FROM THE CONDUCTOR | LESLIE DALA

Who could have predicted in 1786 that the first single movement he ever composed). Beginning with a collaboration between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart tense scene between the Count and Countess, additional and Lorenzo Da Ponte would produce one of the most characters appear as tensions increase, subside, and performed and beloved operas to this day? Johannes then double over again, with music that sweeps us Brahms said of this opera: “In my opinion, each number along in the most inventive and delightful manner. This in Figaro is a miracle; it is totally beyond me how ultimately culminates in an ensemble which can only be anyone could create anything so perfect; nothing like it described as a miracle of imagination and form. was ever done again, not even by Beethoven.” We all take something different away from Figaro, From the energetic and bustling first few notes of the whether we are active participants in the spectacle or overture to the finale of the fourth act, Figaro sparkles observers. Although there are many musical “highlights”, with music of the greatest variety: expressing youthful the work is best appreciated as the sum of its parts. longing, heartbreaking betrayal, mounting rage and As a conductor, it is an incredibly humbling but also fury, and bubbling laughter, sometimes even at the same rewarding and joyful experience to be able to immerse time! The genre of 18th century opera buffa is raised to oneself in this bountiful score which delights the ear and new heights with a libretto that captures the timelessness the mind in a way that seems as fresh now as when it and complexity of human relations. was composed over 230 years ago.

Mozart has crowned all of this with unforgettable arias, duets, and ensembles, in particular the masterful second Maestro Dala is Associate Conductor of Vancouver Opera, and Music Director of the Vancouver Bach Choir. Act Finale which unfolds over an unprecedented 20 minutes of continuous music (it is in fact, the longest

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 55 NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR | RACHEL PEAKE

Take a moment to imagine yourself at the opening out-of-time. A mashup of 1786 and 2026, we are in night of Le nozze di Figaro: Vienna, 1786. You are an imagined near-future where we see traces of the aware that Beaumarchais’ play on which this opera is past mixed with our own contemporary class conflict based was denounced by both an emperor and a king. and cultural references. Here Susanna and Figaro are Scandal surrounds this work, but Wolfgang Amadeus a different kind of “other” – tattooed and pierced, they Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte have cleverly couched represent a counter-culture that might be at odds with some of the more direct social commentary within the how some opera-goers see themselves. Yet with the piece’s comedy, leaving it laced underneath for the power of this story and Mozart’s music, we still go on audience to discover but slipping it past the censor’s their journey with them. We are carried away on the gaze. Mozart himself is conducting tonight’s production, whimsy of a romantic comedy where mistaken identities seated at the keyboard. You have never before seen an and hearts worn on the sleeves can lead to all range of opera buffa portray such complex characters. From the problems but where, ultimately, love will find a way. opening of the first scene you, the wealthy upper-class opera audience of 1786, are for the first time being I got married last summer in the midst of preparing for this asked to view the world, the problems of the play, and project. While my wedding day was quite different from the quest for life’s happiness through the perspective of the one you’ll see tonight, I must confess that some of my the servant class. own romance may have filtered through onto the stage….

In our production we seek to capture this feeling of Rachel Peake is a two-time Jessie Richardson award-winning director social division in a world more closely aligned with and dramaturge of theatre, musical theatre, and opera, and is a our present-day. The era of this production is a time- graduate of Studio 58 and the University of Alberta.

LEFT: CAITLIN WOOD HAVING HER MAKE-UP DONE. RIGHT: ALEX LAWRENCE GETS SOME HELP DRESSING FROM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR TRACEY POWER. PHOTOS BY EMILY COOPER

56 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO PRODUCTION INSIGHTS | DAN PATERSON

When discussions first began around the programming "one to watch". Scenic Designer Drew Facey and Lighting of this opera, the production team was drawn to Designer John Webber complete the creative team. exploring the concept of fashion. Could we bring the world of prêt-à-porter to the opera, and create the design The costumes you will see tonight are a fusion of of the show around this concept? classic and modern styles. The setting and time period are purposely undefined, highlighting the concept of Director Rachel Peake was intrigued by this idea: not Susanna and Figaro as outsiders or "others". only would she choose her creative partners for sets and lights, but she would also have to find a designer One of the first elements of Drew Facey's set that you from the fashion world who could make the leap into will likely notice is the floor’s mirrored surface. While designing for opera. this definitely creates a challenge for John Webber's lighting design, it serves to create and reinforce a After an exhaustive search, fashion designer Sid Neigum sense of reflection and introspection for the characters. agreed to design costumes for our production. Sid's In a brilliant touch of design, it also establishes a fashions have been seen on the runway of London Fashion subconscious connection for the audience to the fashion Week, and he has been labeled by Vogue as runways of Paris and Milan.

The music of Figaro is beloved the world over, consistently ranking among the top 10 most performed works of opera. The inventive costumes, the original sets, and the beautiful lighting of our new production have all been designed to support Mozart's classic score.

Dan Paterson has served as Technical Director for Vancouver Opera since 2012.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 57 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO: A REVOLUTIONARY OPERA | SYLVIA L'ÉCUYER

At age 30, after years of being celebrated throughout Paisiello and Rossini. Le Mariage de Figaro (1778) was Europe first as a child prodigy, and then as a piano a sequel to Barbier. It had a few private readings before soloist and a prolific composer, Mozart settled in Vienna Beaumarchais received permission from the authorities with his wife, Constanze. Buoyed by the success of his to stage a public performance in Paris in 1784. The most recent opera, The Abduction from the Seraglio, madcap, action-packed comedy, which ridiculed the Wolfgang was hoping to obtain a plush job at the aristocracy, denounced social inequalities and gave court of Joseph II, the music-loving emperor. He rented centre stage to a valet and a chamber maid, was a large apartment, bought a beautiful fortepiano and declared ‘’despicable’’ by Louis XVI and lauded as ‘’the an expensive billiard table, and could have enjoyed Revolution already in action’’ by Napoléon Bonaparte. a lovely life, quietly composing and performing Joseph II’s young sister, Marie-Antoinette, the wife of concertos and string quartets. He chose, however, Louis XVI, enjoyed the play, which quickly reached to write a new opera, a truly revolutionary one: The Vienna in its original version before being translated Marriage of Figaro. The work created quite a stir at the to German in 1785. A copy of the original German Imperial Court. Two hundred and thirty years after the translation was found in Mozart’s library. premiere, Mozart’s urgent music, inspired by Da Ponte’s iconoclastic libretto based on Beaumarchais’s irreverent The Emperor did not, however, allow the National play, La Folle Journée (The Mad Day) ou le Mariage de theater to stage The Marriage of Figaro. Enter another Figaro, has never left the stage. fascinating character: Lorenzo Da Ponte, Italian poet, Catholic priest exiled from Venice for his dissolute life, The opprobrium started with Pierre-Augustin Caron de and now poet for the Imperial Court and librettist for the Beaumarchais, who was quite a controversial figure: Italian Theatre in Vienna. In his 1830 autobiography, poet, musician, businessman, spy at the service of the Memoirs, Da Ponte credits himself with obtaining king, arms dealer, and playwright. In his Figaro trilogy, permission for Mozart to write an opera on the libretto Beaumarchais’ plays reflected the social changes that he would provide, arguing that music would soften were emerging with the French Revolution. His first play, its political message. Actually, Mozart did not lessen Le Barbier de Séville, ou la Précaution inutile (1775) the social criticism, quite the contrary! He pushed the was an undisputed success and inspired operas by revolutionary message even further. For example, in the

58 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO opening scene, when Figaro realizes that the Count is pursuing his bride-to-be, his fury explodes in a feverish and brilliant aria. The Countess appears only at the beginning of the second act, expressing the humiliation of her husband’s infidelities in a heartbreaking lament. In the final act, the Count is humbled and begs for forgiveness on his knees. In true revolutionary spirit, the moral compass of the opera is in the hands of the servants.

The opera achieved moderate success with nine performances at the Burgtheater in May 1786; the real triumph took place in Prague at the end of that year, further from the Emperor’s court.

Le Nozze was the first of three masterpieces (the others were Don Giovanni and Cosi fan tutte) that resulted from Mozart and Da Ponte’s remarkable collaboration.

Sylvia L'Écuyer is the producer and host of Radio-Canada’s popular Place à l'opéra on ICI MUSIQUE as well as an internationally-renowned musicologist and Associate Professor at Université de Montréal.

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 59 BIOGRAPHIES

LESLIE DALA RACHEL PEAKE PHILLIP ADDIS CONDUCTOR DIRECTOR COUNT ALMAVIVA Toronto, ON Vancouver, BC baritone Port Colborne, ON LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Madama Butterfly, 2016 Stickboy, 2014 LAST VO APPEARANCE: Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos, 2007 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: La Cecchina with Glenn Gould School; St. L’Élection with Théâtre la Seizième; RECENT APPEARANCES: Matthew Passion with Vancouver Bach Choir; Angels in America: Part One with Studio 58; Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with Canadian The Magic Flute with Bard on the Beach; A Green Lake with Solo Collective Theatre; Opera Company; Pelléas in Pelléas et Midsummer Night’s Dream with UBC Opera Firebird with Gros Morne Summer Music, Mélisande with Hamburgische Staatsoper; Newfoundland Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro with UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Semperoper Dresden Don Giovanni with Centre for Opera Studies in UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Italy; The Overcoat: an Opera with Vancouver Hyperlink with The Elbow Theatre; A Christmas UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Opera, Tapestry Opera, and Canadian Stage Carol with Gateway Theatre Eugene Onegin with Calgary Opera; Pelléas et Mélisande with Cincinnati Symphony lesliedala.com rachelpeake.com Orchestra

phillipaddis.com

LESLIE ANN BRADLEY SCOTT BROOKS LARA CIEKIEWICZ COUNTESS ALMAVIVA BARTOLO COUNTESS ALMAVIVA soprano bass-baritone soprano Port Perry, ON Kamloops, BC Winnipeg, MB

LAST VO APPEARANCE: VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, 2014 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Zuniga in Carmen with Burnaby Lyric Opera; Amelia in Simon Boccanegra with Pacific Mimi in La bohème with Norwalk Symphony; Mephistopheles in Faust with Highlands Opera Opera Victoria; May in John Estacio’s Ours Soloist, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Studio with Opera on the Avalon; Liù in Turandot Victoria Symphony; Desdemona in Otello with with Manitoba Opera; Maria in The Sound of Pacific Opera Victoria UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Music with Opera on the Avalon Masetto/Commendatore in Don Giovanni with UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Jeunesses Musicales du Canada; Ensemble UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Soloist, Water Music with Toronto Symphony Member, Atelier Lyrique de L’Opéra de Jenufa with Pacific Opera Victoria; Tatiana in Orchestra; Soloist, Haydn’s The Creation with Montréal Eugene Onegin with Calgary Opera Richard Eaton Singers deanartists.com leslieannbradley.com

60 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO BIOGRAPHIES

RYAN DOWNEY AARON DURAND RACHEL FENLON DON BASILIO/DON CURZIO COUNT ALMAVIVA SUSANNA tenor baritone soprano St. John’s, NL 100 Mile House, BC Victoria, BC

LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Witch in Hansel and Gretel, 2016 Le Dancaïre in Carmen, 2014 Zerlina in Don Giovanni, 2014

RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: John in Ours with Opera on the Avalon; Don Giovanni Reimagined with Amici Recitals in Scotland, Vienna, Berlin, and Corcoran in HMS Pinafore with Toronto Chamber Ensemble; Papageno in The Magic Toronto; Guinevere in Camelot with Pacific Operetta Theatre Flute with Opera Kelowna; Baritone in Rocking Opera Victoria; Nannetta in Falstaff with Horse Winner with Tapestry Opera Pacific Opera Victoria; Pamina in The Magic UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Flute with Vancouver Opera Howard Boucher in Dead Man Walking with UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Opera on the Avalon; Beethoven’s Symphony Owen Hart in Dead Man Walking with Opera UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: No. 9 and Le nozze di Figaro with Windsor on the Avalon; Schaunard in La bohème with Recital, Pianosalon Cristofori Berlin; Recitals in Symphony Opera Kelowna Milan (Ricasoli Recitals) and London ryanpauldowney.com @gingervanni rachelfenlonsoprano.com

LEAH GISELLE FIELD ANITA KRAUSE ALEX LAWRENCE MARCELLINA MARCELLINA FIGARO mezzo-soprano mezzo-soprano baritone Calgary, AB Vancouver, BC Boston, MA

LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE : VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel, 2016 The Mayor’s Wife in Jenufa, 1996 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: The man with the helmet/the seller of Armélinde in Cendrillon with the Yulanda M. Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi for memories/the beggar in Julietta with Faris Young Artists Program; La Zia Principessa VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert, Toronto; Opernhaus Zürich; Belfiore in Un Giorno di in Suor Angelica with South Ottawa Performing Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music with Regno with the Glimmerglass Festival; Opera Arts Collective; Amneris in Aida with Opera di Stratford Festival; Faculty Member, University Gala with Opera Nacional de Mexico; Silvio Concertisti, Vancouver of Western Ontario in I Pagliacci with Opernhaus Zürich

UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: zemskygreenartists.com Emillia (Understudy) in Otello with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Symphony Vancouver Opera Nova Scotia; Music at Western Recital Series

deanartists.com

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 61 BIOGRAPHIES

MIREILLE LEBEL RICARDO LUGO IAIN MACNEIL CHERUBINO BARTOLO FIGARO mezzo-soprano bass baritone Vancouver, BC Ponce, PR Brockville, ON

VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT

RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Charlotte in Werther with Opéra de Reims; Timur in Turandot with Virginia Opera Semi-Finalist, 2017 Metropolitan Opera Soloist, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with I Musici Wachtmeister/Der Holsteiner in Friedenstag National Council Auditions; Tarquinius in de Montréal; Carmen with Prague State Opera with America Symphony Orchestra; French The Rape of Lucretia with Banff Centre; Le General in Silent Night with Michigan Opera Dancaïre in Carmen with the Canadian Opera UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Theater; Bonzo in Madama Butterfly with The Company; Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro The Archangel in Le paradis perdu with La Metropolitan Opera with the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy; Penelope Studio in Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria with Opera Atelier UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Le Bailli in Werther with CulturArte of Puerto UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: mireillelebel.com Rico; Sacristan in Tosca with Arizona Opera Don Giovanni with Saskatoon Opera; Oper Frankfurt Opera Studio ada-artists.com iainmacneil.com

CHRISTOPHER MAYELL PETER MONAGHAN VANESSA OUDE-REIMERINK DON BASILIO/DON CURZIO ANTONIO, BARBARINA, tenor FIGARO (UNDERSTUDY) SUSANNA (UNDERSTUDY) Kingston, ON bass-baritone soprano Lethbridge, AB Mississauga, ON VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: RECENT APPEARANCES: Peter in Hansel and Gretel, 2016 Sandman/Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel, Dr. Caius in Falstaff with Manitoba Opera 2016 Pong in Turandot with Edmonton Opera and RECENT APPEARANCES: Manitoba Opera; Charles Drayton in Pauline Beast in Beauty and the Beast with Theatre RECENT APPEARANCES: with City Opera Vancouver; Albert Herring Under the Stars; Don Magnifico in La Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia with Banff Centre; with the Aldeburgh Music Festival Cenerentola with Cowtown Opera; Don Pedro Sarah Thorpe in No One’s Safe with Banff in Béatrice et Bénédict with Fraser Lyric Opera Centre; Frasquita in Carmen with Edmonton UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Opera Soloist, Carmina Burana with VOCA Chorus UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: of Toronto Colline in La bohème with Opera Kelowna UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Josephine in HMS Pinafore with Edmonton christophermayell.com Opera; Nellie Forbush in South Pacific with Calgary Opera

vanessaoudereimerink.com

62 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO BIOGRAPHIES

TAYLOR PARDELL PASCALE SPINNEY CAITLIN WOOD BARBARINA, CHERUBINO SUSANNA SUSANNA (UNDERSTUDY) mezzo-soprano soprano soprano Montreal, QC St. Albert, AB Grande Prairie, AB LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, 2016 Johanna in Sweeney Todd, 2015 LAST VO APPEARANCE: Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Semi-Finalist, 2017 Metropolitan Opera Clorinda in La Cenerentola with Edmonton RECENT APPEARANCES: National Council Auditions; Stéphano and Opera; Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi Semi-Finalist, Lotte Lenya Competition, New Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette with Jeunesses with Opera in Concert; Despina in A Little Too York City; First Place Winner, American Musicales Tour; Kate Pinkerton in Madama Cozy with Against the Grain Theatre Protégé International Music Competition, Butterfly with Opéra de Montréal; Soloist, Carnegie Hall; Gretel in Hansel and Gretel Duruflé’s Requiem with Montreal Symphony UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: with Burnaby Lyric Opera; Gilda in Rigoletto House Soloist, Symphony Under the Sky with with Vancouver Island Opera Edmonton Symphony; Susanna in Le nozze di

UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Figaro with Windsor Symphony taylorpardell.com Apprenticeship with Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singer Program domoneyartists.com

TONY BITTAR-SAYEGH NICOLE BROOKS MEGAN MORRISON TENOR CHORUS SOPRANO CHORUS, MEZZO-SOPRANO CHORUS, tenor BRIDESMAID BRIDESMAID Caracas, Venezuela soprano mezzo-soprano Wetaskiwin, AB Vancouver, BC

VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT LAST VO APPEARANCE: Madama Butterfly, 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Turmoil in The Lake of Tears (World Premiere) Tatyana in Eugene Onegin with UBC Opera; RECENT APPEARANCES: with Opera Kelowna; Monostatos in Die Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with Bard on the The Mezzo in Love in Public with SFU Zauberflöte with Opera Kelowna; Don Basilio Beach and UBC Opera; Soloist, Mozart’s Goldcorp Centre for the Arts; Dorabella in in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Kelowna; Requiem with Vancouver Summer Chor Cosi fan tutte with Burnaby Lyric Opera; Sarah Vasek in The Bartered Bride with UBC Opera Brown in Guys and Dolls with Chemainus Theatre; Trommler in Der Kaiser von Atlantis UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: with City Opera Vancouver Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Baroque Camerata of Caracas

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 63 BIOGRAPHIES

BRANDON THORNHILL KIMBERLEY-ANN BARTCZAK STACEY BUTTERWORTH BARITONE CHORUS MUSICAL PREPARATION WIG DESIGNER bass-baritone Candiac, QC Vancouver, BC Jacksonville, FL LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT Evita, 2016 Evita, 2016

RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime: In Concert with Turandot with Calgary Opera; Assistant Rigoletto, Dark Sisters, and Madama Butterfly Fighting Chance Productions; Schaunard in La Conductor, The Sound of Music with Opera on with Vancouver Opera; Wigmaker for Tom bohème with Burnaby Lyric Opera the Avalon; Ours with Opera on the Avalon Hanks in the feature film Circle; Wigmaker for Jared Leto in the feature film The Outsider; Wigmaker for Gillian Anderson in The X-Files; UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Assistant Conductor, Dead Man Walking with Wigmaker for Jennifer Lawrence in the feature Baritone Soloist, Fauré’s Requiem with Symphony film Mother of the Kootenays Opera on the Avalon

DREW FACEY BETH GRIEVE PARVIN MIRHADY SCENIC DESIGNER STAGE MANAGER COSTUME DESIGN Vancouver, BC Regina, SK CONSULTANT Tehran, Iran LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: Evita, 2015 Assistant Stage Manager, Hansel and Gretel, LAST VO APPEARANCE: 2016 Hansel and Gretel, 2016 RECENT APPEARANCES: Stickboy with Vancouver Opera; Onegin with RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: the Arts Club Theatre Company; Das Ding with Stage Manager, Million Dollar Quartet at Costume Designer, Nixon in China, Barber Can Stage/Theatre Smash; Merry Wives of the Globe Theatre, Regina; Assistant Stage of Seville, and Dark Sisters with Vancouver Windsor with Bard on the Beach Manager with Vancouver Opera, 2007-present Opera; Head of Costumes with Vancouver Opera, 2002- present UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Me & My Girl with The Shaw Festival; Stage Manager, Working It Out and That’s UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: The Merchant of Venice with Bard on the Danger with Alberta Workers’ Health Centre; 2017-2018 Vancouver Opera Season Beach Assistant Stage Manager, L’elisir d’amore with and Festival Vancouver Opera drewfacey.com

64 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO BIOGRAPHIES BIOGRAPHIES

BRANDON THORNHILL KIMBERLEY-ANN BARTCZAK STACEY BUTTERWORTH SID NEIGUM TRACEY POWER JOHN WEBBER BARITONE CHORUS MUSICAL PREPARATION WIG DESIGNER COSTUME DESIGNER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/ LIGHTING DESIGNER bass-baritone Candiac, QC Vancouver, BC Drayton Valley, AB MOVEMENT COACH Vancouver, BC Jacksonville, FL Comox, BC LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT LAST VO APPEARANCE: VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT Evita, 2016 Evita, 2016 VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT Rigoletto, 2015 RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Winner, DHL Exported at London Fashion RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime: In Concert with Turandot with Calgary Opera; Assistant Rigoletto, Dark Sisters, and Madama Butterfly Week 2016; Presentation at Alex Eagle Studio, Director, Chelsea Hotel - The Songs of Leonard Angels in America with Arts Club Theatre Fighting Chance Productions; Schaunard in La Conductor, The Sound of Music with Opera on with Vancouver Opera; Wigmaker for Tom Soho, London; Features in Vogue, Runway, Cohen with Firehall Arts Centre/National Tour; Company; Onegin and St. Joan with Arts Club bohème with Burnaby Lyric Opera the Avalon; Ours with Opera on the Avalon Hanks in the feature film Circle; Wigmaker and Elle magazines; SID NEIGUM for Plan de Choreographer, Onegin with Arts Club Theatre Theatre Company; Pericles and Otello with for Jared Leto in the feature film The Outsider; Ville, Des Kohan, The Room, Maison Simons, Company; Director/Choreographer, Singin’ in Bard on the Beach; Pauline with Vancouver Wigmaker for Gillian Anderson in The X-Files; and Boutique 1 City Opera UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: the Rain with Chemainus Theatre Assistant Conductor, Dead Man Walking with Wigmaker for Jennifer Lawrence in the feature Baritone Soloist, Fauré’s Requiem with Symphony film Mother johnwebber.ca of the Kootenays Opera on the Avalon UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Playwright/Choreographer, GLORY with London Fashion Week – September 2017 Western Canada Theatre/Alberta Theatre Projects; Actor, UBUNTU, The Cape Town sidneigum.com Project with Citadel Theatre

traceypower.ca

THE FOLLOWING PATRONS HAVE GENEROUSLY SPONSORED THESE ARTISTS’ APPEARANCE IN THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO.

ARTIST PATRON ARTIST PATRON

Alex Lawrence Mary Tait & Bill Sirett Pascale Spinney The Bruendl Foundation

Iain MacNeil Anonymous Phillip Addis Julia and Demas Kim

Caitlin Wood Yuri Fulmer Aaron Durand Peggy & John McLernon DREW FACEY BETH GRIEVE PARVIN MIRHADY SCENIC DESIGNER STAGE MANAGER COSTUME DESIGN Rachel Fenlon Dr. Earl & Mrs. Anne Shepherd Leslie Ann Bradley Ms. Bev Park & Mr. Jim Logan Vancouver, BC Regina, SK CONSULTANT Tehran, Iran Ricardo Lugo David Watmough in loving Lara Ciekiewicz Ms. Lynn Kagan LAST VO APPEARANCE: LAST VO APPEARANCE: memory of Floyd St. Clair Evita, 2015 Assistant Stage Manager, Hansel and Gretel, LAST VO APPEARANCE: Christopher Mayell Ms. Shirley Barnett 2016 Hansel and Gretel, 2016 Scott Brooks David Watmough in loving RECENT APPEARANCES: memory of Floyd St. Clair Ryan Downey Mr. & Mrs. Gerald A. B. McGavin Stickboy with Vancouver Opera; Onegin with RECENT APPEARANCES: RECENT APPEARANCES: the Arts Club Theatre Company; Das Ding with Stage Manager, Million Dollar Quartet at Costume Designer, Nixon in China, Barber Anita Krause Dr. Beverley Tamboline Peter Monaghan Andrew Mahon Foundation Can Stage/Theatre Smash; Merry Wives of the Globe Theatre, Regina; Assistant Stage of Seville, and Dark Sisters with Vancouver Windsor with Bard on the Beach Manager with Vancouver Opera, 2007-present Opera; Head of Costumes with Vancouver Leah Giselle Field Anne Miloni & Darlene Vanessa Opera, 2002- present Miloni Graham Oude-Reimerink Abe & Leyla Sacks UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Me & My Girl with The Shaw Festival; Stage Manager, Working It Out and That’s UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS: Mireille Lebel Mrs. Marietta Hurst Taylor Pardell Anonymous The Merchant of Venice with Bard on the Danger with Alberta Workers’ Health Centre; 2017-2018 Vancouver Opera Season Beach Assistant Stage Manager, L’elisir d’amore with and Festival Vancouver Opera Leslie Dala Bruno Wall & Jane MacDonald drewfacey.com Rachel Peake Jill Bodkin

Sid Neigum Mike & Kathy Gallagher

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 65 June 1 to TICKETS $ September 23 FROM 21 Season Sponsor Order early for best seats! Amber Lewis and Kevin MacDonald and Kevin Amber Lewis

Opera & Arias 2016 Photo: David Blue

Howard Family Stage OPERA & ARIAS: The Barber of Seville Rossini’s masterpiece of the comic opera stage!

Charlie Gallant and Nadeem Phillip The music you know and love, in a costumed concert staging featuring the UBC Opera Ensemble and accompanied by members of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra. Hosted by Christopher Gaze. Images: David & Emily Cooper Mondays, August 28 and September 4 | 2pm and 7:30pm (both dates) BMO Mainstage | Global BC Youth Price available

Media Sponsors All Seats Reserved • Tickets: 604-739-0559 or bardonthebeach.org THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 67 SID NEIGUM SPOTLIGHT I TOM WRIGHT

Once I engaged Rachel Peake to direct The Marriage of Figaro and we began discussions on the “type” of production she wanted to create, I quickly realized that we had an opportunity to look outside the sandbox in which we normally work. Rachel’s concept of setting this production in the near future of 2026 influenced us to look at engaging a fashion designer to create the costumes. Rachel and I did our research on all the possible designers in Canada, both established and up-and-coming, that we would then reach out to for interviews. In the end, it was Sid’s geometric and math-based calculations in designing his clothes that intrigued us the most. He is a young designer who is quickly gaining attention in all the major fashion cities of the world. The VO Wardrobe department has enjoyed working with Sid and the challenge of bringing contemporary fashion design to the VO stage. We hope you enjoy seeing these beautiful and unique designs live onstage.

Tom Wright, Director of Artistic Planning

PHOTO BY EMILY COOPER SKETCHES BY SID NEIGUM

68 THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO STUDY GUIDE

CONTEMPORARY CONNECTIONS POLITICAL STATEMENTS IN ART The Marriage of Figaro was written more The Marriage of Figaro is based on a play by than 230 years ago, but there are many French playwright Beaumarchais. In adapting aspects of the opera that still ring true today. the play to the opera, both Da Ponte and Mozart maintained Beaumarchais’ underlying critique of the upper classes. Their criticism of the social IT’S A SEQUEL! order was so blatant that it ran afoul of the official The story of Mozart’s The Marriage of state censors, who sought to ban parts of the Figaro is actually a sequel to the tale told in opera. Using art to express a political point of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, even though view continues today. The blockbuster musical, it premiered 30 years earlier, in 1786. The Hamilton not only tells the story of Alexander Barber of Seville, written in 1816, was also Hamilton, one of the United States’ founding fathers, based on a Beaumarchais play and recounts but is also a strong statement against racism and how three of the characters featured in anti-immigration. both operas — Rosina, Figaro and Count Almaviva — originally met. CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS The partnership between Mozart (composer) and In some ways, it’s similar to the Star Wars Da Ponte (librettist) was a highly creative one franchise. George Lucas’ first movie in that produced three of the most popular operas the series, Star Wars, which premiered in performed today: The Marriage of Figaro (1786), 1977, was actually called the fourth episode Don Giovanni (1787) and Cosi fan tutte (1790). in what would become a six-part series. In Their collaboration resulted in operatic works full of 1999, he released The Phantom Menace, vibrant music and intriguing storytelling. Creative which was subtitled as Episode One and set partnerships continue to shape the world of music 25 years earlier. today. For example, music producer and songwriter Diplo, who has worked with such artists as Justin Bieber, Madonna and Beyoncé, is famous for his groundbreaking collaborations and impact on contemporary music.

MIX AND MATCH The Marriage of Figaro’s plot is far from straightforward! Read the synopsis and then see if you know who’s who by matching the following translated quotes with the characters who say them.

QUOTES: 3 “The Count fancies my beloved, and CHARACTERS: hopes secretly to get back his feudal 1 “Oh, I haven’t lost courage, my rights.” A Figaro dear doctor, to upset marriages more advanced than his...” 4 “If the darling Countess, my beautiful B Susanna 2 “He was with me when you came godmother, doesn’t intercede for me, I’ll C Cherubino in here, asking me to plead with the be sent away!” Countess to intercede on his behalf. Your D Count Almaviva arrival threw him into a panic and he 5 “I pardon you. In fact, I’ll do even hid himself there.“ more; there’s a spare place for an E Marcellina officer in my regiment; I give it to you; leave immediately: goodbye.” See answers on Page 111

THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO 69 Connecting the best in arts and culture proudly to the world.

YVR.ca SPECIAL EVENTS UTE LEMPER, TANYA TAGAQ, PAUL WONG and many more

SPECIAL EVENTS 71 FIVE OCTAVE RANGE: UP CLOSE & ABSTRACT (2017) | PAUL WONG

FRIDAY, APRIL 28 — SATURDAY, MAY 13, 2017 | QUEEN ELIZABETH PLAZA ADMISSION FREE WITH FESTIVAL TICKET

Opera is the art of emotion. Five Octave Range also is composed of short film and video clips, still photography and graphic elements, Five Octave Range is a multi-screen video installation that processed and edited using a palette of textural, has been created for the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza on cinematic and digital techniques and video-art tropes, the occasion of the inaugural Vancouver Opera Festival. such as pixel abstraction, sound manipulation, GIF animation, looping, and various framing speeds Designed to challenge convention, the work carefully which will, at times, restore, amplify and enhance a deconstructs the aural and visual components of opera performance; at other times, intentionally distort real-time as an art form. Starting from the authentic, for-the-camera image or sound. performances of Marion Newman (mezzo-soprano), Frédérik Robert (tenor), Joel Klein (baritone), and Teiya The overall goal is to create for the viewer an Kasahara (coloratura soprano), a non-linear pastiche experimental, immersive and interactive experience. Opera of aural and visual video loops has been created, that as we think we know it will be deconstructed in a way changes the traditional perception of the voice through that permits an uncanny relationship to coalesce between “mashing” and merging the diverse performances of sound and picture, linking past with present, analog these artists. with digital, harmony with dissonance and purity with abstraction. Viewers will create personal narratives based on their level of engagement with, and understanding of the installation, and informed by their own relationship with opera as a multi-disciplinary art form.

Five Octave Range has been underwritten by a generous grant from THE MCGRANE-PEARSON ENDOWMENT FUND, with additional in-kind assistance from the VIVO MEDIA ARTS CENTRE.

Paul Wong is an award-winning visual, media and interdisciplinary artist who has been at the forefront of contemporary public art for more than 40 years. Based in Vancouver, Wong is known for his frank and unapologetic engagement with social issues. For more information, visit paulwongprojects.com

DIRECTOR: Paul Wong PRODUCER: Thomas Anselmi VIDEO PRODUCTION: Kevin Doherty SOUND RECORDING DESIGN: Paddy Ryan CASTING: Rachel Iwaasa PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS: Jeff Berg and Sebnem Ozpeta

72 SPECIAL EVENTS UTE LEMPER: LAST TANGO IN BERLIN

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017 | 8:00 PM | ORPHEUM THEATRE $50•$65•$99 FROM FESTIVAL/VANCOUVEROPERA.CA/UTE-LEMPER

Join one of the world’s great song stylists on a vocal journey to the smoky cabarets of Berlin, charming cafés of Paris, and steamy dance halls of Buenos Aires.

Backed by a superb trio (piano, bandoneon and bass), Ute Lemper makes a rare Vancouver appearance, exploring the backstreets of these great cities with songs by Weill, Brecht, Brel, Piaf, and Piazzola, and stories of love, passion and survival.

Ute Lemper is a guest of the Goethe-Institut

This concert is part of Germany @ Canada 2017, an exciting cultural program presented by the Goethe-Institut and the German Embassy highlighting the German-Canadian friendship in honour of Canada's sesquicentennial year. Running from coast to coast and throughout the year, the program brings a dynamic sampling of German contemporary culture to Canada. Under the motto “Germany @ Canada 2017 – Partners from Immigration to Innovation / L’Allemagne @ Canada 2017 – Partenaires: de l’immigration à l’innovation”, this celebration includes over 40 events - concerts, exhibitions, conferences, performances and film screenings. Updated program details can be found here: SoGerman. ca / SiAllemand.ca and goethe.de/canada

TANYA TAGAQ

FRIDAY, MAY 12, 2017 | 8:00 PM | VOGUE THEATRE | GENERAL ADMISSION $50 (PLUS SERVICE CHARGES) FROM VOGUETHEATRE.COM/EVENTS/TANYA-TAGAQ

Polaris Prize Winner, master throat singer, fearless innovator. Known for her riveting and powerful performances, Canadian cultural icon Tanya Tagaq fuses an ancient Inuit artistic tradition with contemporary electronica, industrial and metal influences and her inimitable musical aesthetic. Says Rolling Stone, “One of today’s most electric, transfixing performers in any genre.”

FEATURING: Tanya Tagaq Jesse Zubot (viola & violin) Jean Martin (drums) Christine Duncan and The Element Choir

Co-presented with Music on Main

SPECIAL EVENTS 73 THE VANCOUVER BACH CHOIR CARMINA BURANA SING-ALONG

WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 2017 | 8:00 PM | QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE | $25•$35•$45 PARTICIPANTS: $19 (PRE-REGISTRATION, REHEARSAL ATTENDANCE REQUIRED) ADMISSION FREE TO FESTIVAL PASS HOLDERS WITH RSVP

A sing-along version of Carl Orff's mid-century masterpiece will challenge and delight both seasoned singers and choral enthusiasts. Members of the community can register to rehearse and perform with the Vancouver Bach Choir and sing on-stage at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. The audience will be taught the first and final movements of the work during the event itself by Music Director Leslie Dala.

FILM NIGHT AT THE OPERA: BECOMING TRAVIATA

MONDAY, MAY 8, 2017 | 7:30 PM | VANCOUVER PLAYHOUSE | IN FRENCH WITH ENGLISH SUBTITLES GENERAL ADMISSION | $12 | ADMISSION FREE TO FESTIVAL PASS HOLDERS WITH RSVP

Becoming Traviata is an exhilarating documentary about the creative process as well as a rousing rendition of Verdi’s glorious opera. Known for his innovative documentaries about classical music, director Philippe Béziat trains his cameras on a 2011 production of La Traviata helmed by celebrated stage director Jean-François Sivadier. The film provides a behind-the-scenes look at set design and musical direction, but the heart of the film is the intense collaboration between Sivadier and charismatic soprano Natalie Dessay as she prepares for the leading role of Violetta.

DIRECTOR: Philippe Béziat CAST: Natalie Dessay, Jean-François Sivadier

Co-presented with DOXA Documentary Film Festival

74 SPECIAL EVENTS VO FESTIVAL COMMUNITY EVENTS

Unless otherwise indicated, admission for all ticketed Community Events can be purchased through the VO Ticket Centre at 604 683 0222 or online at vancouveroperafestival.ca | Festival Passholders receive free access to these ticketed events with RSVP to the VO Ticket Centre. Details subject to change. Contact VO Ticket Centre for Up to Date information and ticketing

*Free Community Events taking place in the Queen Elizabeth Plaza Festival Tent and Vancouver Public Library are limited capacity and require a ticket obtained from the VO Ticket Centre. Festival Passholders receive priority access with RSVP for community events.

FAMILY EVENTS | Performances and activities for all ages

Opera Tales Tuesday, May 2, 2017 | 12:00 – 1:00PM | Vancouver Public Library | Free*

Members of the VO’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program bring to life fairy tales through well-known opera arias. A clever mash-up of story and opera for kids of all ages.

Opera Zoo Tuesday, May 2, 2017 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM | Alice Mackay Room, Vancouver Public Library | Free*

Saturday, May 6, 2017 | 12:30 – 1:30 PM and Saturday, May 13, 2017 | 12:30 – 1:30 PM Vancouver Playhouse | Free with same-day performance ticket to The Marriage of Figaro

The Festival’s pre-show interactive opera stations offer opportunities for young operagoers to engage with opera professionals through drawing, theatre games, dressing up, and, of course, singing! We thank the extraordinary participation of YVR which helps make this activity possible.

Opera Academy Thursday, May 11, 2017 | 6:00 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza Priority seating for Festival ticketholders*. Free to all audiences.

Students from the Delta School Board’s Opera Academy perform an original work they have co-created with VO Teaching Artists.

Mistatim: A Theatrical Experience for Children & Families Saturday, May 13, 2017 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | $19•$25 Ticket purchase required, not included in Festival Pass

A tale about the truest of friendships, Mistatim is an intercultural story of reconciliation that combines dance, theatre, mask, and music into one unforgettable experience. A production of Red Sky Performance.

SPECIAL EVENTS 75 OPERA SPEAKS | One-hour panel discussions and open dialogues exploring issues in opera

In Conversation with Jake Heggie Friday, April 28, 2017 | 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

A conversation with Dead Man Walking composer Jake Heggie and Vancouver Sun music critic David Gordon Duke about the future of opera.

Ethical Justice in the 21st Century Saturday, April 29, 2017 | 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

A panel discussion with Dead Man Walking author Sister Helen Prejean: Shelley Joseph of Truth and Reconciliation Canada: and Dr. Brenda Morrison, Director of the Centre of Restorative Justice at SFU about justice in contemporary society.

Music of Heggie, Verdi & Mozart Tuesday, May 2, 2017 | 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

Composer, conductor and educator Nicolas Krusek provides a closer look at the composers of this year’s Festival operas.

Where is Opera Headed? Wednesday, May 3, 2017 | 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

Opera is an art form that is continually being reinvented. Hear from TomoeArts (Kayoi Komachi), black bachx opera lab (Wild Dogs) and Pacific Opera Victoria in partnership with City Opera Vancouver Missing( ) about their upcoming productions and the rewards of producing new work.

A Conversation with Ute Lemper Thursday, May 4, 2017 | 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

A conversation with celebrated cabaret and Broadway singer Ute Lemper.

Figaro’s Design Tuesday, May 9, 2017 | 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

How is an opera designed? The artistic designers of VO’s The Marriage of Figaro share insights about the creative process.

76 SPECIAL EVENTS Civic Impact in Opera Wednesday, May 10, 2017 | 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

This two-part event focuses on VO's partnership with The Kettle Society and our forthcoming co-production of Onalea Gilbertson and Marcel Bergmann's Requiem for a Lost Girl, including performances by Kettle residents and a panel discussion with Kettle and VO staff.

Whose Story Is It? Traditional Opera through Modern Eyes Thursday, May 11, 2017 | 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

Traditional works of opera present challenges to modern companies and audiences when addressing issues of race, colonization and stereotypes. The second instalment in the Whose Story Is It? series, this event features a diverse panel of artists who will engage with these questions in dialogue with the audience.

Sila Singers: Throat Singing Duo Friday, May 12, 2017 | 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

Learn more about the diversity and beauty of the Inuit culture with Jenna Broomfield and Malaya Bishop. This engaging workshop will educate audiences about Inuit principles like community building, inclusivity, and sharing of knowledge. The performance will include both original and newly composed songs. The audience will also have an opportunity to participate by learning a throat singing song.

BACKSTAGE SERIES | Experience opera behind the scenes

Backstage Tour of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Thursday, May 4, 2017 | 4:00 – 5:00 PM Friday, May 5, 2017 | 4:00 – 5:00 PM Saturday, May 6, 2017 | 4:00 – 5:00 PM Queen Elizabeth Theatre | Free with RSVP to Festival Passholders only. Not open to general public.

From the wings and rehearsal halls to the make-up rooms, see where the magic happens in this one-hour backstage tour of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre led by VO experts.

Stage Fighting Workshop Friday, May 5, 2017 | 4:30 – 5:30 PM | Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

But it looks so real! Learn the basics of stage fighting in an interactive workshop with VO’s own fight director.

SPECIAL EVENTS 77

MASTERCLASSES | See the creative process in action

Young Singers Masterclasses Tuesdays: May 2, 9, 2017 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM Thursdays: May 4, 11, 2017 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

UBC Opera students are put through the paces in masterclasses led by Vancouver theatre veterans and principal cast members from this year’s mainstage productions.

New Works Project Wednesdays: May 3, 10, 2017 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM Fridays: May 5, 12, 2017 | 3:00 – 4:00 PM Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

UBC student composers and writers collaborate with two singers and a pianist to create new chamber opera works.

The Artistry of Youth: A Workshop Performance Saturday, May 13, 2017 | 7:30 – 8:30 PM Festival Tent, Queen Elizabeth Plaza | Free*

Participants from the Young Singers Masterclasses and New Works Project reveal their work created over the course of the Festival in an evening of opera arias and scenes.

78 SPECIAL EVENTS opera_bar_ad_v5.pdf 1 2017-04-18 2:21 PM

VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL + ARRIVAL AGENCY PRESENT:

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HAPPY HOUR APRIL 28TH ———MAY13TH POST SHOW SOCIALS Tuesday – Saturday A Pop-Up Nightclub at the Queen Elizabeth Plaza Thursday – Saturday 4:00pm – 7:00pm Featuring Drinks, DJs, Performance, and More! Until Close THE MCGRANE - PEARSON ENDOWMENT FUND has a long history of supporting innovative projects that pair artistic excellence with social impact. The Fund's Trustees were compelled by Paul Wong's Five-Octave Range owing to its potential to encourage viewers to conceptualize opera, as an art form, in a new and different ways.

By toying with convention and challenging preconceived notions about opera - and the performing arts at large - this installation makes the case for the value, accessibility and relevance of the original multi-disciplinary art form in today's information-saturated age. Stop, take a breath, turn off your smartphone, and enjoy this work of art!

Vancouver's leading arts source since 1967. Celebrating our 50th Anniversary in 2017. #straight50

Proud Media Sponsor Vancouver Opera Festival STAY CONNECTED AT STRAIGHT.COM UPGRADE YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH A FESTIVAL PASS

TWO- & THREE-SHOW VIP FESTIVAL PASS INCLUDES PRIORITY ACCESS TO: • Two operas of your choice at the VOF • The Music of Heggie/Verdi/Mozart • Ethical Justice in the 21st Century • Free access to Carmina Burana Sing-Along (RSVP required) • In Conversation with Jake Heggie • Priority Access to Book a FREE Backstage • Where is Opera Headed? Tour of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre • A Conversation with Ute Lemper • Priority Access to Vancouver Opera’s • Civic Impact in Opera Stage Combat Workshop • Whose Story is it? • Free Tickets to Film Night at the Opera (RSVP required) FestivalPasses.pdf 4 2017-04-17 6:27 PM FestivalPasses.pdf 1 2017-04-17 6:27 PM

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#VANCOUVEROPERAFESTIVAL #VANCOUVEROPERAFESTIVAL

RSVP at time of purchase is required for all non-opera performances RSVP at time of purchase is required for all non-opera performances “Deception, obsession, betrayal, and murder— Bouchard’s story has all of the trappings La Scena Musicale - of a great opera.”

Michel Marc Bouchard / Kevin March LES FELUETTES [LILIES] April 20, 22, 28 / 2017 at 8 pm April 30 at 2:30 pm Royal Theatre, 805 Blanshard Street, Victoria

Les Feluettes, a Pacific Opera Victoria / Opéra de Montréal co-production, comes to Victoria following its sensational world première last May.

Based on the electrifying romantic drama by Quebec playwright Michel Marc Bouchard, Les Feluettes unravels the truth behind a fatal love triangle among three teenage boys. Composer Kevin March matches the splendour of Bouchard’s language with music of fire and delicacy. OLD SIMON DOUCET – GINO QUILICO YOUNG SIMON DOUCET – ÉTIENNE DUPUIS

COUNT VALLIER de TILLY – JEAN-MICHEL RICHER MONSEIGNEUR JEAN BILODEAU – GORDON GIETZ Tickets are selling fast. 250.385.0222 DIRECTOR – SERGE DEN0NCOURT 4 performances only! www.pov.bc.ca CONDUCTOR - TIMOTHY VERNON With the original cast from the Montreal world première

Janáček: Jenůfa – October, 2017 Directed by Atom Egoyan 2017.18 Season Puccini: La Bohème – February, 2018 Handel: Rinaldo – April, 2018

Plus! 2 new Canadian productions in November, 2017 Rattenbury – A co-production with The Other Guys Theatre Company Missing – A co-commission and co-production with City Opera Vancouver

SEASON SPONSOR: PRODUCTION SPONSORS: CORPORATE SPONSORS:

MEDIA SPONSORS: ANNUAL OPERATING GRANTS PROVIDED BY: VO DEVELOPMENT: WITH YOUR SUPPORT

Did you know that, on any given day of this Festival, Each season, VO’s family of donors generously extends your ticket price covers less than one third of what you're its support in many ways. Donors, such as you, ensure enjoying onstage? that the power and beauty of this art form remains engaging and accessible for audiences both today Like the majority of professional performing arts and tomorrow. We at VO are deeply grateful for this organizations throughout North America, Vancouver exceptional support and are inspired by the ways in Opera depends on contributed revenues from all sectors which your generosity continues to enrich our work. to cover costs beyond those supported by the box office. In any given year, individual donations, corporate There are countless ways in which you can play a role sponsorships, special event revenues and government in contributing to Vancouver Opera's ever-evolving story. grants bring VO's artistic programming to life on our No gift is too small! For more information, please contact mainstages and throughout the community. Vancouver Opera's Development Office.

Brian Nickel Director of Development

A PRICELESS SUPPORTER OF THE ARTS: BRUCE MUNRO WRIGHT

Bruce Munro Wright is the Vancouver Managing Partner of MLT Aikins LLP, Western Canada's Law Firm. An avid opera aficionado, Bruce served as Vancouver Opera Board Chair from 2006 to 2008, and as Vancouver Opera Foundation Board Chair from 2012 to 2016. Since 2008, he has served as a member of the Trustee's Forum at Opera America / opera.ca. During this time Bruce also served as Chair of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Currently he chairs Health Arts Society in BC and Ontario, and Toronto-based Frontier College, a national literacy organization. He is a current member of the Ballet BC Board, the local Nature Conservancy Board, and is actively involved with Arts Umbrella and Early Music Vancouver. Past board service includes the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and the Contemporary Art Gallery. We salute and thank Bruce for his tireless dedication to us, and for his incredible support of the arts in Vancouver. Priceless!

VO DEVELOPMENT 83 VANCOUVER OPERA FOUNDATION (LIS WELCH, CHAIR) The Vancouver Opera Foundation is committed to financially supporting the operations and special projects of Vancouver Opera through its attainment, establishment and management of permanently endowed funds. The funds invested in the Vancouver Opera Foundation are presently valued at more than $14 million. GIFTS OF $1,000,000 OR MORE Moh and Yulanda Faris Martha Lou Henley, C.M. GIFTS OF $100,000 OR MORE B.C. Arts Renaissance Fund Mr. Ken & Mrs. Ellen Mahon Vancouver Foundation Jake Boxer and Family McGrane-Pearson Estate of Alan Wolrige Canada Cultural Investment Fund Endowment Fund Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Christopher Bill & Irene McEwen Fund The David Spencer Endowment Rix Family Foundation Encouragement Fund David E. Scott & Katerina Tieman Estate of Steve Floris Estate of Jean M. Southam, C.M. GIFTS OF $50,000 OR MORE Jamie & Cindy Bruce Estate of Katherine J. Heller Dr. Earl & Mrs. Anne Shepherd Cartier Investments Lagniappe Foundation GIFTS OF $20,000 OR MORE Andrew Mahon Foundation Leslie Cliff Dr. Ian & Mrs. Jane Strang Russell & Lee Anthony Barrie and Ann Gillmore Rix Clinical Labs Estate of Dorothy Boyce Dr. David & Mrs. Margaret Estate of Anne Ethel Stevens Mr. & Mrs. Gerhard & Hardwick Bruno Wall & Jane MacDonald Ariane Bruendl Mr. & Mrs. Bjorn Hareid Estate of Maureen Woodman The Toni Cavelti Fund Mr. & Mrs. Gerald A.B. McGavin

GIFTS OF $10,000 OR MORE Mr. George and Mrs. Anne Cross Hugh & Judy Lindsay Vancouver Opera Orchestra The Illahie Foundation Michael & Micki Partridge Arlene Gladstone Dr. Beverley Tamboline GIFTS OF $1,000 OR MORE Anonymous (1) Diane Kennedy RTDS Technologies Christine Anton Victor & Anna Kern Foundation Estate of Freda Rush Estate of Marjory Bankes Killy Foundation Mr. Leo & Mrs. Maureen Sauve Ms. Lois M. Bewley Diana Lam J E Smith Marnie Carter Dawne Lacterman in memory of Andrew Steele in memory of Dr. Heather Clarke Sophie Turko Richard Lester Ms. Rosemary Cunningham Richard Loney Marlene Trussell James Dehoney Manulife Financial Vancouver Opera Guild Lisa Ethans Joseph E. & Arlene McHugh Mr. & Mrs. Max Wieczorek Tom Ferries & Lisa Pankratz Bertha M. Mathisen June Wilson Deux Mille Foundation Peggy Mathisen Carla Weiner Mr. Allen & Mrs. Ruth Fowlis Katherine Mirhady Mary White Estate of Meri Ingebord Sharon Morrow The Wolridge Foundation Cecilia Gill Allyn & Kathleen Murison Dr. Irving Guttman C.M., O.B.C. in memory of Patrick & Aileen Murison Mr. Paul Heller Estate of Ronald David Pearson Diana and Tom Herbst Estate of Marilyn Reid John & Marietta Hurst Mr. Peter & Mrs. Barbara Richards S.A. Jarislowsky Investments Mr. David E. Ritchie & Mary Jordan Ms. Gloria Beauchamp

IRVING GUTTMAN LEGACY FUND Honouring the achievements of Vancouver Opera’s founding Artistic Director, with funds used to encourage the most promising young Canadian singers at Vancouver Opera. Anonymous (6) Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Christopher Valerie Dunsterville Laura Arpiainen Dr. Philip Clement & Richard Dunsterville Ms. Elizabeth Atmore David & Donna Cook Mr. Harry Edinger Mr. Walter Ball Bette Cosar Moh & Yulanda Faris Mr. & Mrs. Harry Bell-Irving E. Patricia Crehan Tom Ferries & Lisa Pankratz Mrs. Phyllis W. Berry Mr. & Mrs. Peter Culos Leslie Finlay Ms. Lois M. Bewley Ms. Rosemary Cunningham Nancy Flexman Mr. David Boothroyd Mr. C.A. De Roode Judith Forst Donna Brendon Ms. Judith Deavy Ms. Mary Fraser Mr. & Mrs. Gerhard & Ariane Bruendl Sheila DeJong Mrs. John Friesen Mrs. Joan Buckham Ms. Marisa Demare Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence Burr Richard DeVillier Marnie Carter Mrs. Katherine Dickinson

84 VO DEVELOPMENT IRVING GUTTMAN LEGACY FUND (CONT.) Suzanne Gaston-Voute Susan Kessler Ms. Jane Srivastava Genus Capital Management Inc. Dr. & Mrs. Robert Krell Mr. A.R. Steele Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron Ms. Dorothy Kuva Dr. Ian & Mrs. Jane Strang Mrs. Elaine Godwin Mr. Bruce Lang Ronald Sutherland Harry & Effie Gordon Dr. Donald and Ms. Carol Lyster Dr. Carol Tsuyuki Dr. Sherrill Grace Mr. Alex & Mrs. Barbara Mahood & Mr. Craig Tomlinson Kenneth Owen Gracie Anne Mathisen Ms. Sheila Vaney Mrs. Vera G. Grant T. Mawson Ms. Joan Voisine Christopher Grauer Alex McLeod Dr. Robert Wakefield Mrs. Shirley Gray Ms. Sharon & Dr. John McNeill Carla Weiner Charlotte Guttman Dr. Katherine Mirhady Mrs. Gwyneth Westwick Frank Guttman Ms. Maureen Molaro Mrs. Mary White Mr. & Mrs. John Hagen Ms. Sharon Morrow Mr. Christopher Whitney Mr. James Harris Kathleen Murison Mr. Ian Whitaker Kenneth Hegler Sharon Newman John Wiebe Mr. Paul Heller Micki & Michael Partridge Mr. & Mrs. Roy E. Williams Martha Lou Henley, C.M. Ms. Sheila Pratt Miss Eva Williamson Diana and Tom Herbst Mrs. Jane Regier Bruce Munro Wright Ms. Annie Hess Mr. Peter & Mrs. Barbara Richards Mr. Harold and Mrs. Erna Zinn Lore Hoffmann Mrs. Leila Robertson Mr. Ralph Hoffman Mr. William Robertson Mr. John F. Howes Kelly Robinson Hughes Condon Marler Architects Mr. Leo & Mrs. Maureen Sauve Mr. John & Mrs. Marietta Hurst Schloss Enterprises Ltd. Noriko & Naotaka Ike Mr. W. K. Schmidt Mr. Robert Kemeny David Shefsiek & Blaine Hendsbee & Dr. Susan Jung-Kemeny Ms. Agnes Shin Dr. Linda Kaser & Dr. Judy Halbert Arianna Sovernigo JAMES W. WRIGHT CREATIVITY FUND Vancouver Opera is deeply grateful to all those who made special gifts to the James W. Wright Creativity Fund in honour of his many years of service and on the occasion of his retirement in June 2016. Ms. Shirley Barnett Mrs. Marian M Hingston Gillian and Russell Smith Roberta Lando Beiser Lore Hoffmann Ms. Karen Smith Mr. Jeremy Berkman Mr. Howard R. Jang Lynn Smith & Jon Sigurdson Dan and Ursula Bowditch Linda M Johnston Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer Carol Brauner Ms. Lynn Kagan Ms. Jane Srivastava Kenneth Broadway In memory of Tom Blom Michael Stevenson and Jan Whitford Jamie & Cindy Bruce Sherry Killam Robert Swansborough The Bruendl Foundation Julia and Demas Kim Mary Tait & Bill Sirett Neil Carnell Susan Knott Dr. Beverley Tamboline Patricia Charles Paul Larocque Dr. Barry & Mrs. Ronnie Tessler Dr. Heather Clarke Bill & Risa Levine Gina Thorstenson & Bob Bartholomew Cindy Cooper Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Lindsay Dr. Carol Tsuyuki Mr. & Mrs. Cruickshank Mr. & Mrs. Harold & Jenny Locke & Mr. Craig Tomlinson Robert Dales in memory of Mrs. Barbara Lowy Eugene Vigil Dr. Irving Guttman, C.M., O.B.C. Jana and Bill Maclagan Ms. Alexandra Volkoff Ms. Elisabeth Dawson Mr. Charles & Mrs. Phyllis Maclean Lis & Bruce Welch David De Corlieu Genny MacLean Dr. Roy and Mrs. Gwyneth Westwick Ms. Audrey Dewan Paul McEwen and Gwynneth Jones Dr. Maurice & Mrs. Jane Wong Roslyn Eisenberg John & Peggy McLernon Mr. Bruce Munro Wright Mohammed A. Faris & Family Mr. & Mrs. D. Murray Ms. Nancy Wu Tom Ferries & Lisa Pankratz Michael and Inna O’Brian Anonymous donors (2) Shirley Fitterman Valerie and Brian Owen Divyesh and Charu Gadhia Mr. David Parkes Ken Spencer & Judy Gale Micki & Michael Partridge Mike & Kathy Gallagher Mr. Hein Poulus & Ms. Mollie Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron Massie-Poulus Mrs. Elaine Godwin Alan & Gwendoline Pyatt Mr. Earl Drake & Ms. Monica Gruder Drake Blaize & Allan Reich Martha Lou Henley, C.M. Mr. John Robinson Jens & Linda Lee Henriksen Diane Roscoe Diana and Tom Herbst Dr. Cecil Sigal

VOCE Established in memory of Chorus past, in support of Chorus present, in preparation for Chorus future. Brenda Alexander Irving Guttman Lorna Olson Marlene Trussell Christine Anton Richard Loney Micki Partridge Karen Wilson Claudio Arato Neil MacKenzie RTDS Technologies Dawne Dye Kathleen Murison (Winnipeg)

VO DEVELOPMENT 85 VANCOUVER OPERA ROUND TABLE

The outstanding generosity and commitment of this special group of community leaders enable the company to maintain the highest level of artistic excellence. Vancouver Opera is proud to salute their continued loyalty and dedication.

LEADERSHIP CIRCLE | $50,000+ Yoshiko Karasawa Martha Lou Henley, C.M.* Mike & Kathy Gallagher Michael and Inna O’Brian

IMPRESARIO CIRCLE | $35,000 - $49,999 The Illahie Foundation

MAESTRO’S CIRCLE | $20,000 - $34,999 Mr. & Mrs. Gerhard & Ariane Bruendl Mary Tait & Bill Sirett Brigitte & Henning Freybe David Watmough Alan & Gwendoline Pyatt in loving memory of Floyd St. Clair

DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE | $10,000 - $19,999 Donors who wish to remain Mohammed A. Faris & Family Paul McEwen and Gwynneth Jones anonymous ( 1 ) Mr. & Mrs. Allen Fowlis Dr. Earl & Mrs. Anne Shepherd* Val & Dick Bradshaw Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer Patricia Charles Mrs. Barbara Lowy Dr. Beverley Tamboline The Mary & Gordon Christopher Foundation Andrew Mahon Foundation Bruno Wall & Jane MacDonald Dr. Heather Clarke Mrs. Irene McEwen Mr. Bruce Munro Wright

INNER CIRCLE | $5,000 - $9,999 Donors who wish to remain Mrs. Marietta Hurst Ms. Bev Park & Mr. Jim Logan anonymous ( 1 ) Ms. Lynn Kagan Abe & Leyla Sacks Ms. Shirley Barnett Reet Kana Lynn Smith & Jon Sigurdson Jill Bodkin Julia and Demas Kim Dr. Hilda Stanger Mrs. Alix Brown Mr. & Mrs. David McDonald Dr. Ian & Mrs. Jane Strang Divyesh and Charu Gadhia Mr. & Mrs. Gerald A. B. McGavin Wayne Wiens, Dr. David Hardwick* John & Peggy McLernon in memory of Andrea Pinto Lebowitz Lori Hareid in memory of Bjorn Hareid Andrew Mahon Foundation Mrs. Judith Helliwell Anne Miloni & Darlene Miloni Graham Diana and Tom Herbst Mirhady Family Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation

PATRON | $2,500 - $4,999 Donors who wish to remain Jens & Linda Lee Henriksen Miriam Maisonville and David Sauder anonymous ( 2 ) Mrs. Aurora R. Hernandez Marilyn & Hart Mauritz Mr. Hans Alwart Mrs. Marian M Hingston Mathisen Family Foundation Joanie Anderson Mr. Bob Houston Mr. Ian Michaud Mr. Russ & Mrs. Lee Anthony* Mr. Hua Jiang Simon & Carmen Murphy Jim & Sarah Armstrong Ms. Mary Jordan in memory of Brian Joe Roberta Lando Beiser Mrs. Evelyn Kahn Dr. & Mrs. David R. Neima Mr. Michael & Mrs. Eunice Chan In Memory of Tom Blom Micki & Michael Partridge* Mr. Edward & Mrs. Dorothy Chiasson Dr. Linda Kaser & Dr. Judy Halbert Dr. Peter Payne & Mrs. Lisa Payne Nika Collison and Daniel Robertson Mr. Hank & Mrs. Janice Ketcham David & Janice Podmore Mr. George & Mrs. Ann Cross* Dr. Marla Kiess Louise Pronovost In memory of Barbara Roy Sherry Killam Mr. Anthony Roper Lisa Ethans & Paul Del Rossi Dr. Andrei Krassioukov Celeste W. Shannte Tom Ferries & Lisa Pankratz Robert Laing & Edward Wilson Mr. Ross & Ms. Ursula Southam Senator Jack Austin Mr. & Mrs. R. Michael LePage John & Judy Taylor & Ms. Natalie V. Freeman Bill & Risa Levine Dr. Carol Tsuyuki & Mr. Craig Tomlinson Mr. Sven & Mrs. Juliette Freybe Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Lindsay* Dr. Sandra Vestvik Ms. Judy Garner Patrick & Ju Lo Mervyn Lindsay Weir Ms. Kim Gaynor Dr. Andrew Louie Mr. & Mrs. Bruce & Lis Welch Mrs. Elaine Godwin Dr. George Luciuk Dr. Maurice & Mrs. Jane Wong Mr. Paul & Mrs. Claudia Goldman Doris Luking in memory of Hans Luking Fei Wong Laura Groos & Gerry Prins Jerry and Lilli Luking James W. Wright Robert Dales George & Jessica Macintosh in memory of Dr. Irving Guttman C.M., O.B.C. Jana and Bill Maclagan Mr. Ronald Hagler Mr. Charles & Mrs. Phyllis Maclean

86 VO DEVELOPMENT VANCOUVER OPERA ROUND TABLE

The outstanding generosity and commitment of this special group of community leaders enable the company to maintain the highest level of artistic excellence. Vancouver Opera is proud to salute their continued loyalty and dedication. BENEFACTOR | $1,500 - $2,499 Donors who wish to remain Barrie & Ann Gillmore* Don & Dorothy Ritchie anonymous ( 3 ) Mrs. San Given Kitten Roberts LEADERSHIP CIRCLE | $50,000+ Amrita Ahuja Mr. Roland Haebler & Mrs. Catherine Haebler Mr. Ian Robertson & Mrs. Sian Pitman Yoshiko Karasawa Martha Lou Henley, C.M.* Mamie Angus Judith and Poul Hansen Mr. John Robinson Mike & Kathy Gallagher Michael and Inna O’Brian Gordon & Minke Armstrong Ms. Nancy Hermiston Ms. Carol U. Ross William & Barbara Armstrong John Horning and Lorraine Larkin Ruth E. and Dr. William Hy Ross Foundation Ms. Wendy G. Baker Dr. Martin Hosking David & Cathy Scott Mr. & Mrs. Luis and Carole Bernhardt Mr. Paul Janke Mr. Robert Sewell in memory of Marilyn Sewell IMPRESARIO CIRCLE | $35,000 - $49,999 Ms. Lois M. Bewley Signe Jurcic Dr. Cecil Sigal The Illahie Foundation Dan and Ursula Bowditch Horatio & Jackie Kemeny Curtis Smecher Ms. Regina Boxer Mr. Sharman King Gillian and Russell Smith John & Veronica Braico Susan Knott Bruce Sprague MAESTRO’S CIRCLE | $20,000 - $34,999 John & Ruth Brock Dr. Sharon Grimes Knox Elaine and Fred Stearman Mr. & Mrs. Gerhard & Ariane Bruendl Mary Tait & Bill Sirett Jamie & Cindy Bruce Jon & Eva LaFollette Michael Stevenson and Jan Whitford Brigitte & Henning Freybe David Watmough Vivienne and James Brosnan Tom and Karen Lane Dr. and Mrs. Peter Stevenson-Moore Alan & Gwendoline Pyatt in loving memory of Floyd St. Clair Jamie & Cindy Bruce Pierre & Betty Lebel Dr. Barry & Mrs. Ronnie Tessler Stephanie A. Carlson Chuck Lew In memory of Mary Helen Lew Mrs. Neri Tischler and Dr. Aron Tischler Miss Irene Caudwell Mr. & Mrs. Harold & Jenny Locke Mrs. Anne Tweedy DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE | $10,000 - $19,999 Joe and Gertie Chan Dr. John S. & Mrs. Alfredette MacDonald Ms. Susan Van der Flier Donors who wish to remain Mohammed A. Faris & Family Paul McEwen and Gwynneth Jones Mr. Michael J. Chutter Mrs. Nancy Macdonald Ms. Alexandra Volkoff anonymous ( 1 ) Mr. & Mrs. Allen Fowlis Dr. Earl & Mrs. Anne Shepherd* Dr. Peter & Jean Cooperberg Marlene Mackenzie Dr. & Mrs. T. Warner Val & Dick Bradshaw Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer Robin & Parviz Cordwell Genny MacLean Judy & Neil Watson Patricia Charles Mrs. Barbara Lowy Dr. Beverley Tamboline William and Emmanuelle Davis Ms. Jane McLennan James & Veronica Weinkam The Mary & Gordon Christopher Foundation Andrew Mahon Foundation Bruno Wall & Jane MacDonald Ms. Elisabeth Dawson Mr. & Mrs. John and Sidney Madden Dr. Roy and Mrs. Gwyneth Westwick Dr. Heather Clarke Mrs. Irene McEwen Mr. Bruce Munro Wright Mo Dhaliwal Ms. Elaine Mah Mr. Paul Westwick Mr. Earl Drake Mrs. Rosemary Mallory Ms. Terry Wilkinson INNER CIRCLE | $5,000 - $9,999 & Ms. Monica Gruder Drake Dr. Paul Mitchell-Banks Eric and Shirley Wilson Valerie Dunsterville & Richard Dunsterville Dr. Peter & Mrs. Eve Munns Ms. Kathleen Winton Donors who wish to remain Mrs. Marietta Hurst Ms. Bev Park & Mr. Jim Logan Drs. Allen and Connie Eaves Mr. & Mrs. D. Murray John and Mia Wong anonymous ( 1 ) Ms. Lynn Kagan Abe & Leyla Sacks Mr. Harry Edinger Brian Nickel and Paolo Pecchioli Ms. Nancy Wu Ms. Shirley Barnett Reet Kana Lynn Smith & Jon Sigurdson Ms. Vivian Eliopoulos Valerie and Brian Owen Mr. Joe D. Wurz & Mrs. Kathleen M. Wurz Jill Bodkin Julia and Demas Kim Dr. Hilda Stanger Mr. Mark William Emanuel Joyce Pearkes Dr. Edwin & Mrs. Patricia Yen Mrs. Alix Brown Mr. & Mrs. David McDonald Dr. Ian & Mrs. Jane Strang Dr. Virginia Evans Ms. Lorraine Portier Susan Warren & George Youssef Divyesh and Charu Gadhia Mr. & Mrs. Gerald A. B. McGavin Wayne Wiens, Shirley Fitterman Mr. Hein Poulus & Ms. Mollie Massie-Poulus Mr. Harold and Mrs. Erna Zinn Dr. David Hardwick* John & Peggy McLernon in memory of Andrea Pinto Lebowitz Frank and Joan Lew Charitable Trust David & Rona Radler Lori Hareid in memory of Bjorn Hareid Andrew Mahon Foundation Mrs. Pamela Friedrich Blaize & Allan Reich Mrs. Judith Helliwell Anne Miloni & Darlene Miloni Graham Dr. K. Alison Fulmer Mr. Klaus & Mrs. Margot Richter Diana and Tom Herbst Mirhady Family Fund, held at Vancouver Foundation

PATRON | $2,500 - $4,999 The contributions listed reflect gifts made to Vancouver Opera prior to April 7, 2017. Every effort is made to ensure our lists are accurate at the time of printing. We sincerely apologize for any errors or omissions. Donors who wish to remain Jens & Linda Lee Henriksen Miriam Maisonville and David Sauder anonymous ( 2 ) Mrs. Aurora R. Hernandez Marilyn & Hart Mauritz Mr. Hans Alwart Mrs. Marian M Hingston Mathisen Family Foundation *Lifetime Opera Round Table: donors have made generous gifts to the Vancouver Opera Foundation to endow their annual Joanie Anderson Mr. Bob Houston Mr. Ian Michaud Opera Round Table contributions. Mr. Russ & Mrs. Lee Anthony* Mr. Hua Jiang Simon & Carmen Murphy Jim & Sarah Armstrong Ms. Mary Jordan in memory of Brian Joe Roberta Lando Beiser Mrs. Evelyn Kahn Dr. & Mrs. David R. Neima Mr. Michael & Mrs. Eunice Chan In Memory of Tom Blom Micki & Michael Partridge* JOIN THE OPERA ROUND TABLE Mr. Edward & Mrs. Dorothy Chiasson Dr. Linda Kaser & Dr. Judy Halbert Dr. Peter Payne & Mrs. Lisa Payne For more information, please contact Nika Collison and Daniel Robertson Mr. Hank & Mrs. Janice Ketcham David & Janice Podmore Members of the Opera Round Table enjoy many Mr. George & Mrs. Ann Cross* Dr. Marla Kiess Louise Pronovost exclusive benefits, including guided backstage tours, Carmen Murphy Jake Ryan Lindsey In memory of Barbara Roy Sherry Killam Mr. Anthony Roper invitations to Prelude Dinners, reserved theatre parking Lisa Ethans & Paul Del Rossi Dr. Andrei Krassioukov Celeste W. Shannte Director, Major Gifts Major Gifts Officer Tom Ferries & Lisa Pankratz Robert Laing & Edward Wilson Mr. Ross & Ms. Ursula Southam and access to the members’ lounge at the Queen Elizabeth & Planned Giving Senator Jack Austin Mr. & Mrs. R. Michael LePage John & Judy Taylor Theatre, plus personalized subscription and ticket service. 604 331 4832 604 331 4963 & Ms. Natalie V. Freeman Bill & Risa Levine Dr. Carol Tsuyuki & Mr. Craig Tomlinson Priority in requests for tickets, subscription changes and Mr. Sven & Mrs. Juliette Freybe Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Lindsay* Dr. Sandra Vestvik seat improvements increase according to overall giving vancouveropera.ca/support Ms. Judy Garner Patrick & Ju Lo Mervyn Lindsay Weir Ms. Kim Gaynor Dr. Andrew Louie Mr. & Mrs. Bruce & Lis Welch at all levels of the Opera Round Table. Mrs. Elaine Godwin Dr. George Luciuk Dr. Maurice & Mrs. Jane Wong Mr. Paul & Mrs. Claudia Goldman Doris Luking in memory of Hans Luking Fei Wong Laura Groos & Gerry Prins Jerry and Lilli Luking James W. Wright Robert Dales George & Jessica Macintosh in memory of Dr. Irving Guttman C.M., O.B.C. Jana and Bill Maclagan Mr. Ronald Hagler Mr. Charles & Mrs. Phyllis Maclean

VO DEVELOPMENT 87 FRIENDS Vancouver Opera is extremely grateful to have so many Friends in its donor family, whose ongoing annual support greatly contributes to the company’s well-being and development. Individual gifts play a major role in our ability to maintain the highest artistic standards on the mainstage, and to help finance the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program and educational outreach activities. We would like to acknowledge our many generous donors at our Contributor and Friend levels: We are extremely grateful for all your support!

ADVOCATE | $1,000 - $1,499 Mr. Glenn Bullard Peter Ko James & Mona Radelet Ms. Gillian E. Chetty Dr. Jack Kooy Vi and Maurice Roden Susan Drury & Dennis Perry Dr. Jan Lyons Mr. Arthur Ross Nicole Garson & Michael MacLeod Dr. Alan & Mrs. Helen Maberley Dr. Wes Schreiber Dr. Peter Harnetty Dr. J W MacDonald Miss Dorothy Shields Martin Hosking Vladimir Marquez Dr. Larry Stonesifer and Mr. Ronald Angress Dr. Judith Kalla Linda & Larry Marshik Mrs. Mary Frances Tuck Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkwood Jim & Maria McDougall

SUSTAINER | $300 - $999 Anonymous (10) Mr. J. Lorne Ginther Mr. John Mancini Kathleen Adams Mr. & Mrs. Leon Glassman JoAn Maurer Sara Ahmadian Georgeann Glover Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Mary McIlwaine Mr. W. Graham Allen Mr. John Grant Mr. David W. McMurty Ted and Jean Andrew Mr. Vitalius Gudaitis In Memory of Frank McNamara Glen Arthur Ian Guthrie Ms. Louise Merler Ms. Mary Lou Astoria Mrs. Shirley Hammond Mrs. Doreen M’Lot Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Atkins Dr. Evelyn J. Harden in memory of Marcia Ms. Rowena Moffett Mrs. Kathleen Jane Baker Jasiulko & Dr. Edgar F.Harden Ms. Leila Montgomery Ms. Valencia Bankes James & Jennifer Hatton June Nicolay Ms. V. Barrett In Memory of Ronald Hawkes Dr. & Mrs. Joel Oger Ms. Elizabeth Bell Penelope B.M. Hedges Mr. Bernard Olfman Mr. Grant Bell Mrs. Maureen Hollins Mr. & Mrs. Jack Olsen Dr. & Mrs. Andre Berner Mrs. Lois Hosein Mr. Kevin O’Reilly Kartik Bharadwa Ms. Marla Ignaszewski Mrs. Mary Orr Ms. Karly Black Richard and Ruth Jackson Mr. Fred Palidor Mr. Joost Blom Mr. Hua Jiang Mr. Egidio Pasin Nic Boyde Valerie Jones Mr. Glen Patterson Mrs. Marianne Brockmann Emilie Joos Danae and Laurier Peaker Mr. Malcolm & Mrs. Nancy Brodie Mr. Robert Kendrick Dawn Peck Victor Bud Cameron and Wendy Killick Mrs. Janet and Mr. Clifton Prowse Mr. J.J. Camp Rita King Denise Pugash Mr. Robert Cannon Teresa Kirschner Dr. Kimit Rai and Mrs. Linda Rai Dean & Laura Cardno Mike & Jean Kovich Ram Randhawa Ms. Johanne Vincent & Dr. David Chercover John & Ann Kowalchuk Drs. P. Ratner & J. Johnson Mr. Charles Clapham Esther Krohn Gordon Reddy Ms. Hilde & Mr. Peter Colenbrander Ron Kruschen and Louise Akuzawa Ms. Eleanor Reemeyer Mr. Marc Crimeni Ms. Virginia Kwong Marit M. Rahavi Leslie Dala Mr. Donald Kydd In honour of Sharman King Mrs. Carolynn Dallaire Dennis Laing Ms. Olga Rumen Mr. & Mrs. Julian Davies Diana Lam Maureen Ryan Nancy Deshaw Ms. Irene Larochelle Ms. Brenda Sawyer Ms. Audrey Dewan Ms. M Lau and Ms. Jo Lau Ms. Sondra Schloss Mrs. Elizabeth Dropko Mr. & Mrs. Trevor Lautens Ms. Patricia Schulte In memory of Barb Brown Ms. Shannon Lavender Al & Leona Mr. Mark Dumont Mr. Fred Leonard Manrico and Liz Scremin Ms. Barbara Duncan Mr. W Bill Leung Emmanuel Seropian Dr. Frank L. Ervin Michael Levy Ms. Claudia Sjoberg Express Remote Sensing Inc. Lana Liu Dr. Kathryn Skau Mrs. Susan Fiddick Mrs. Doris A. Lunn Mr. Allan Skidmore Kathy Findlay Dr. Ian L. Macdonald In memory of Dr. Helen Mr. Stanis Smith Mrs. Fay Forrester Macdonald Dr. Yan P. So Brian & Mary Forster Dr. & Mrs. John K MacFarlane Dr. Kevin Solomans Nancy Garrett Dr. Alistair MacKay Ms. Margaret Stearn Ms. Maegen Giltrow E.J. Makortoff

88 VO DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINER (CONT.) | $300 - $999 Ms. Doreen Stephens Ms. Annabel M Valentine Miss June Witty Dr. Grant J. Stewart Nada Vuksic Drs. Leo and Flora Wong Dr. Peter Suedfeld & Dr. Phyllis J. Johnson Mrs. Betty J Walker Mr. Y.W. Wong Mr. Richard & Mrs. Margaret Swadden David Walman Lois and Peter Woolley Angelina Szeto Mrs. Carolyn Webster Mr. Daniel R. Worsley Tom and Margaret Taylor John Fredrick Welter Mrs. Riitta Wrede Magdalena Julya Theron Mr. Werner Wieland Mr. Gary Young Gina Thorstenson & Bob Bartholomew Edward Wiens Mr. Gordon Yusko Robert Thurlow Galt Wilson

The contributions listed reflect gifts made to Vancouver Opera prior to February 14, 2017. Every effort is made to ensure our lists are accurate at the time of printing. We sincerely apologize for any errors or omissions.

BECOME A FRIEND OF VANCOUVER OPERA vancouveropera.ca/support Your gift plays an important role in Vancouver Opera’s ability For more information, please contact to maintain the highest artistic standards on the mainstage and to expand our many ground-breaking education and community Lyndsay MacAulay activities. Development Manager, At VO we love to thank our Friends! From taking a look behind the Annual Campaigns & scenes at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to attending exclusive events, Lotteries Friends of Vancouver Opera enjoy unique opportunities to get closer 604 331 4836 to the company and to the art form.

Your future generosity, our longevity

"Eighty percent of Canadians give during their lifetimes, but only eight percent include a legacy gift in their will. Why? Perhaps it's because no one had this conversation with them." - Canadian Association of Gift Planners, March 2012

At some point all of us think about our personal legacy and hope to make a meaningful contribution to future generations. If you would like your children and grandchildren to be able to enjoy performances of Vancouver Opera for many years to come, perhaps you would consider making a planned gift? A planned gift ensures that future generations can share your passion for opera and music education, and you can enjoy the benefits that making such a gesture can have for your estate.

We want to have a meaningful conversation about this giving option with our audiences and supporters, but some conversations have to start with you - especially when you're considering your personal legacy.

Let's have that conversation whenever you're ready. VANCOUVER OPERA GENERAL DIRECTOR KIM GAYNOR. PHOTO BY SARAH DERIAZ

For information or to notify us of a planned gift please contact Carmen Murphy, Director, Major Gifts & Planned Giving, 604 331 4832 2017–2018 SEASON & FESTIVAL TURANDOT - L'ELISIR D'AMORE EUGENE ONEGIN - THE OVERCOAT

SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE NOW 604 683 0222 | vancouveropera.ca

vancouveropera.ca ORGANIZATIONAL DONORS, PARTNERS AND SPONSORS Vancouver Opera gratefully acknowledges and thanks the following organizational supporters.

2016–2017 SEASON SPONSOR:

PARTNERS AND SPONSORS:

Production Sponsor Youth and Family Primary & Official Winery Engagement Partner Print Sponsor Official Florist

Making the Arts More Accessible®

Overture Sponsor Production Sponsor SURTITLES™ Sponsor Hospitality Partner

Student Dress Rehearsal Sponsor Social Media Sponsor Emerging Artists Sponsor Ute Lemper Sponsor

Production Sponsor

GOVERNMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT:

WITH SPECIAL THANKS TO:

Vancouver Opera Foundation The David Spencer Endowment Encouragement Fund

LOTTERIES:

VANCOUVER OPERA IS A PROUD MEMBER OF:

VO DEVELOPMENT 91 ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT Vancouver Opera also wishes to acknowledge and thank the following organizations for their generosity and support. The list acknowledges organizations that have made gifts to various Vancouver Opera initiatives from July 1, 2015 to November 1, 2016.

The Beech Foundation Odlum Brown Limited Deloitte & Touche Phillips, Hager & North Investment The Diamond Foundation Management Ltd. Fairchild Television Private Giving Foundation The Gearge W. Norgan Fund Skyrocket Digital Inc. Hannah Woodnut-Smith Memorial Fund The Edith Lando Charitable Foundation iTalkBB The Hamber Foundation Kinder Morgan Foundation Vancouver Foundation McGrane-Pearson Endowment Fund Victoria Foundation Nordstrom

We give where we live®

At TELUS, we love helping local communities flourish. We’re delighted to have given over $440 million and volunteered more than 6.8 million hours to local causes across Canada since 2000.

Together, we give where we live.

Learn more about our commitment to local communities at telus.com/community

© 2017 TELUS. 17_00503

92 VO DEVELOPMENT FESTIVAL FOUNDERS Vancouver Opera's inaugural Festival is made possible by the generous support of many donors. We thank everyone who has made a gift, and invite you to make a gift so we may continue to bring opera into the community and into your life.

VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL PATRON | $1,000,000+ Martha Lou Henley, C.M.

FESTIVAL CHAMPION | $100,000+

Alan & Gwendoline Pyatt

FESTIVAL FOUNDER | $50,000+

Jill Bodkin Jana and Bill Maclagan Anthem Properties Mary and Rod McNeil Divyesh and Charu Gadhia John and Dana Montalbano Julia and Demas Kim Ms. Bev Park & Mr. Jim Logan Bill & Risa Levine SpencerCreo Foundation George & Jessica Macintosh Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer

FESTIVAL VISIONARY | $25,000+

Roberta Lando Beiser Ms. Mary Jordan Moh Faris & family Paul McEwen and Gwynneth Jones

FESTIVAL LEADER | $10,000+

Dr. Heather Clarke Michael Stevenson and Jan Whitford Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron Mr. & Mrs. Bruce & Lis Welch Sherry Killam James W. Wright

FESTIVAL BACKER | $5,000+

Deborah E. Graystone Nika Collison and Daniel Robertson Dr. Linda Kaser & Dr. Judy Halbert

ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL SUPPORT | $1,000+

Maestro Jonathan Darlington Blaize & Allan Reich Mo Dhaliwal Dr. Maurice and Mrs. Jane Wong Mrs. Aurora R. Hernandez

SUPPORT VANCOUVER OPERA For more information, please contact us

To make a gift to Vancouver Opera, or to learn how Call us Visit our website you can support us, please contact us. 604 682 2871, vancouveropera.ca/ extension 4832 support

VO DEVELOPMENT 93 VANCOUVER OPERA 2016–2017 YULANDA M. FARIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM

Meet the Young Artists of our 2016–2017 Season: (L-R):Vanessa Oude-Reimerink, Mary Castello, Peter Monaghan, Taylor Pardell, Ryan Downey, Sarah Jane Pelzer, Leah Giselle Field, Pascale Spinney

Thanks to the family of Yulanda M. Faris, Vancouver Opera’s Young Artists Program is now in its fifth year. The dream of creating a program in western Canada that helps young artists bridge the gap between formal education and their professional career has been realized.

For more information and to learn how you can support programs such as this, please call us at 604 682 2871.

PHOTO BY CAREN TERESCHAK

vancouveropera.ca YULANDA M. FARIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM

There are many millions of reasons why this program is now in its 5th year at Vancouver Opera. Thanks to Mohammed A. Faris and his family for making a tremendous foundational gift to launch this program and thanks again for their additional gift last year, made in memory of Yulanda M. Faris. We also thank all of you who have made gifts over the years since the inception of this program. Your support is appreciated!

For more information on how you can support Vancouver Opera, please contact us at 604 682 2871, or visit us at vancouveropera.ca/support PROUD TO SUPPORT VANCOUVER OPERA

ARTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.

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Program 3 May 11 12 13, 2017

choreography Emanuel Gat Emily Molnar Ohad Naharin

Queen Elizabeth Theatre | balletbc.com | ticketmaster.ca

gold season performance sponsors Community Hotel SponSor Media partner Support for Ballet BC haS Been generouSly provided By sponsor friday, may 12 BalCony sponsor

dancer rachel Meyer. photo Michael slobodian. The Vancouver Opera Guild is proud to support Vancouver Opera in its inaugural Festival Season.

Our mission is to promote appreciation, availability and quality of opera in BC through education, support and advancement of operatic excellence, and these productions do this in many ways!

THE VANCOUVER OPERA GUILD OPERA TOURS The Vancouver Opera Guild is offering two exciting opera tours in 2017 & 2018.

Los Angeles & San Diego October 13 – 18, 2017 Enjoy a wonderful week of art and opera in sunny California. Italy – August 2018 • Nabucco (Verdi) with Placido Domingo Plans are underway for an exciting tour to some • The Pearl Fishers (Bizet) conducted by Placido Domingo of Italy’s most famous summer festivals. • The Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert & Sullivan) with Greer Grimsley The tour will start at the Puccini Festival, in Torre del Lago, 20 kms from Lucca and Pisa. Performances are held in a magnificent open-air theatre, overlooking Lake Massaciuccoli. New York Metropolitan Opera Next, we will visit the Rossini (or Pesaro) Opera April 24 – 30, 2018 Festival, which takes place in the ancient Roman Spend a week in New York City and see four town of Pesaro, on the Adriatic coast. sensational operas as well as the Met’s National The productions staged in the Arena di Verona, Council Grand Finals Concert, an event that has which include operas, concerts and ballets, are launched the careers of many opera luminaries. truly spectacular and come alive in the biggest open-air theatre in the world. Details for this tour • Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) with Pretty Yende and Michael Fabiano will be available in the late fall of 2017. • Tosca (Puccini) with Anna Netrebko and Marcelo Alvarez • Romeo et Juliette (Gounod) with Ailyn Perez and Bryan Hymel • Cendrillon (Massenet) with Joyce DiDonato and Alice Coote • 2018 National Council Grand Finals Concert

Tour information is available at the Guild’s table Lis Dawson Genny MacLean, Great Expeditions in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre lobby or contact: 604 922 8008 604 738 5535

THE VANCOUVER OPERA GUILD

The Vancouver Opera Guild provides volunteer and President-Elect TBC financial support to Vancouver Opera. Acting/Past President Gwyneth Westwick Vice President Mimi Nilsson For membership information, please contact Vice President Elaine Peterson Vancouver Opera at 604 682 2871 or visit Secretary Edward Mornin vancouveroperaguild.com Treasurer Susan Mair DAYMÉ AROCENA THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA

20TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON

2017 18

CHAN CENTRE PRESENTS SERIES HUGH MASEKELA The Blind Boys of Alabama with Ben Heppner I SEP 23 The Gloaming I OCT 15 Zakir Hussain and Dave Holland: Crosscurrents I OCT 28 Ruthie Foster, Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Carrie Rodriguez I NOV 8 The Jazz Epistles: Abdullah Ibrahim and Hugh Masekela I FEB 18 Lila Downs I MAR 10 Daymé Arocena and Roberto Fonseca I APR 15 Circa: Opus I APR 28 TANYA TAGAQ BEYOND WORDS SERIES Kate Evans: Threads I SEP 29 Tanya Tagaq and Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory I MAR 16+17

SUBSCRIPTIONS ON SALE MAY 2

chancentre.com

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6 WAYS TO BUY VISIT US: In the Lobby and the Festival Plaza MAIL: VO Lotteries, 1945 McLean Drive Vancouver, BC V5N 3J7 EMAIL: [email protected] CALL: 604-682-2871 FAX: 604-682-3981 Order Online: vancouveropera.ca

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The success of BMO I Overture was made possible thanks to the collective dedication, hard work and vision of Vancouver Opera artists, music staff, production staff, generous donors, advocates and volunteers. We are proud to acknowledge this year’s supporters with sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude.

Presenting Sponsor Event Sponsors

Limelight Sponsors VANCOUVER OPERA LOTTERIES WIN

YOUR CHOICE OF 2017 Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider S or Heritage Softail Classic CORPORATE TABLES INDIVIDUAL TABLES AUCTION & EVENT DONORS OR $20,000 CASH! Concert Properies Julia Kim Air Canada La Colline PLUS 50/50 BONUS DRAW! Goldcorp Roberta Beiser & Bill Levine AMA Waterways Minuteman Press Korn Ferry Jessica Macintosh Bill Reid Gallery Mission Hill Family Estate Transcontinental Investment John Montalbano Blake, Cassels & Graydon, LLP Nicola Wealth 6 WAYS TO BUY Corporation Michael & Inna O’Brian Calowa Investments, LLC Leah & John O’Neill VISIT US: In the Lobby and the Festival Plaza Vancouver Opera Guild Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer Fairmont Hotel Vancouver Paul Balfour MAIL: VO Lotteries, 1945 McLean Drive Mary Jordan & Susan Van der Flier GWC Personal Travel Management Vancouver, BC V5N 3J7 Haida Heritage Centre Sager Charters EMAIL: [email protected] Harbour Jewellers & Designers The Room CALL: 604-682-2871 FAX: 604-682-3981 Order Online: vancouveropera.ca Highwater House The Verbier Festival Versace Home

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VANCOUVER OPERA LOTTERIES WIN

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6 WAYS TO BUY VISIT US: In the Lobby and the Festival Plaza MAIL: VO Lotteries, 1945 McLean Drive Vancouver, BC V5N 3J7 EMAIL: [email protected] CALL: 604-682-2871 FAX: 604-682-3981 Order Online: vancouveropera.ca

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Whether your gift is directed to our mainstage productions, our Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program or our province- wide educational initiatives, your financial support has an immense impact on our work. Please help us to ensure that Vancouver Opera is here for future audiences.

For more details and to give, visit our website or contact the VO Development Department.

Give to Vancouver Opera today

604 331 4836 [email protected] vancouveropera.ca/support

CAITLIN WOOD AS SUSANNA, ALEX LAWRENCE AS FIGARO. PHOTO BY EMILY COOPER

vancouveropera.ca VO EDUCATION: INSPIRING YOUNG MINDS

Vancouver Opera is proud of its long history of Our programs also introduce secondary students to the providing engaging opportunities for students and wide variety of employment options that are available teachers to learn through opera. The objective of our in the performing arts. Students have the opportunity to education program is twofold: to offer students a hands- meet artistic and administrative professionals who are at on opera experience and to expose them to career the peak of their careers and learn how they achieved opportunities in the performing arts. success in such a challenging industry.

As an artform, opera includes multiple artistic disciplines, Ultimately, our goal is to share the amazing experience and we believe there is something for everyone. of opera with students of all ages by meeting them Through our workshops and opera camps, students where they are and showing them what is possible. are encouraged to express themselves through writing, music, theatre, and the visual arts in the creation of new work. This highly collaborative environment teaches risk- Colleen Maybin taking, listening and creative thinking. Director, Education & Community Engagement

Vancouver Opera Education Programs Work TD Opera Experience Student Nurturing hearts, opening minds and Dress Summer broadening creativity through opera. Rehearsal Camp FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT COLLEEN MAYBIN, DIRECTOR, EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT [email protected]

Opera Vancouver Project Delta Experience Opera In Opera and Schools Opera Performance Academy supported by

VO EDUCATION 101 SUBSCRIBE NOW! 2017/18 SEASON CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF EXCEPTIONAL, INTERNATIONAL DANCE

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MICHAEL SLOBODIAN, PHOTO

DanceHouse ad / Opera 7.125 x 4.9375” / CMYK / 8 February 2017 Keith > rare design inc: tel 604 505 4100

REQUIEM FOR A LOST GIRL Music by Marcel Bergmann

Evening performances 7:30pm Matinée performances 2:00pm May 2018 VANCOUVER OPERA’S HEART PARTNER THE KETTLE SOCIETY

Vancouver Opera is thrilled to working alongside our neighbourhood partner, The Kettle Society, in supporting our community’s most vulnerable population. Vancouver Opera currently provides support to The Kettle through dress rehearsal tickets and by sponsoring writing and choral workshops for participants at three different locations across Vancouver.

As part of its 2017–2018 season, Vancouver Opera is proud to announce the education and community engagement headline production of Requiem for a Lost Girl.

REQUIEM FOR A LOST GIRL Written and directed by Onalea Gilbertson, Music by Marcel Bergmann Requiem for a Lost Girl explores themes of poverty, mental illness and addiction. This strikingly original Evening performances 7:30pm chamber opera unfolds as a memorial service for Matinée performances 2:00pm a young woman. Requiem was created and is May 2018 performed in partnership with a chorus of men, women and children who know the experience of homelessness – a raw, gorgeous and heart-altering blend of true stories and the theatrical that gives voice to the streets of North America.

ABOUT THE KETTLE | Supporting people living with mental illness to lead healthier lives by: Providing over 3,600 individuals with 26 services, a mental health drop-in, a transition house for women and over 200 units of supported housing Providing Housing, employment, advocacy and support services · Raising awareness of mental health issues and breaking down barriers Promoting the inclusion of people living with mental illness in all aspects of society The Kettle is committed to practical and non-judgemental harm reduction strategies in all its work, as it has been for over 35 years. The Kettle has a holistic approach that views physical, mental and spiritual aspects of life as interconnected and equally important.

VO EDUCATION 103 North Shore Light Opera Society Since 1948 May 18-20, 25-27 @ 8pm May 21 & 28 @ 3pm Presentation House Theatre 333 Chesterfield Ave North Vancouver Tickets Box Office: 604.990.3474 Adults $30 Senior $25 Student $20 British Columbia’s oldest continually producing amateur musical theatre organization

We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the City and District of North Vancouver through the North Vancouver Recreation and Culture Commission, the District of West Vancouver through their Community Grants program and the Province of British Columbia through the B.C.Lottery Corporation.

It’s tIme to DrInk Up

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Brought to you By the Juice truck www.thejuicecleanse.ca Write, stage and perform OPERA CAMP an original opera!

OPERA CAMP 2016. PHOTO BY CAREN TERESCHAK

Opera Camp is a fun-filled musical and theatrical experience. Led by VO Teaching Artists, this full-day program offers participants a hands-on opportunity to create something never seen before. The Teen Intensive includes master classes as well as the chance to design and build the set.

Teen Intensive (12 – 16 years old) Junior Summer Camp (8 – 12 years old) July 4th to July 14th July 17th to July 21st Tuition: $500 Tuition: $250

Registration Open now. No experience necessary. Bursaries are available to qualified students. More information at vancouveropera.ca/learn Register through the Vancouver Opera Ticket Centre: 604 683 0222 (Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm)

For more information contact EDUCATION Colleen Maybin, Director, Education & Community Engagement at 604 331 4960

VancouverÔs story begins here. JOIN US!

Become a part of the team that supports Vancouver Opera and promotes the art of opera in our city.

Volunteering with us offers opportunity for community Canada’s premier civic history museum engagement, team collaboration, is a must-visit destination for people who creative support for programs, love Vancouver—located at Vanier Park: 1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver. and leadership development. We offer new experiences, personal and professional goal achievement, recognition and a lot of fun!

BECOME A VOLUNTEER BY REGISTERING AT vancouveropera.ca/support/ volunteer

For more info, contact us at [email protected] or 604 682 2871

vancouveropera.ca PATRON INFORMATION

PREVIEW TALKS RECORDINGS AND PHOTOGRAPHS

Learn more about the Vancouver Opera production you’re Any recording (video, audio) or photographs of VO about to see at our complimentary Preview Talks. A great performances are strictly prohibited without the permission of added value to your VO ticket, and an opportunity to gain Vancouver Opera. insight into the performance. Preview Talks are offered an hour before every performance. Led by an expert, topics range from the composer’s life and repertoire, to historical context about PARKING the work, to more details about the artists involved with the production. Each talk lasts approximately 25 minutes. Parking is available at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre parkade, located off Cambie Street between West Georgia and Dunsmuir Streets. Accessible parking is available with an accessible ACCESSIBILITY parking decal. Parking is limited, so plan to arrive early.

Elevators in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre parkade provide patron access to the street level and the main entrances of the TICKET SERVICES Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Vancouver Playhouse. There also is a driveway for taxis and pick-up/drop-off for patrons Purchases with physical needs. A variety of subscription packages as well as single tickets can be purchased online through the VO’s website or by calling the Seating for patrons using wheelchairs is available on the VO Ticket Centre. orchestra and mezzanine levels of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and on the orchestra level of the Vancouver Playhouse. Elevator access is Visit, write or call: available from each of the theatre’s main lobby to the upper levels. VO Ticket Centre, 1945 McLean Drive, Vancouver For more information, please call the VO Ticket Centre. T: 604 683 0222 | E: [email protected] vancouveropera.ca/tickets Patrons who are hard-of-hearing may borrow Sennheiser Infrared Hearing System headsets for any Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm performance, free of charge. Headsets are available at the theatre coat check. This system was made possible through Exchanges and Lost Tickets the generous donation of Wolverton Securities Limited and the Please contact the Ticket Centre directly with any questions Vancouver Foundation. about exchanging and/or replacing tickets.

Print your tickets at home! ELECTRONIC DEVICES Vancouver Opera now offers an easy, convenient way to get your tickets immediately after purchasing a VO ticket or Please turn off all mobile phones, pagers, beepers, and alarm subscription package. watches before entering the theatre, so as not to disrupt the performance. Pagers may be left at the coat check; patrons will With a valid email address, you can receive your e-tickets be alerted of any calls at the first convenient break. directly to your inbox, whether you purchase tickets online or through the VO Ticket Centre. You can get your tickets sooner and avoid waiting in line at the theatre before the performance. LATECOMERS

To avoid disrupting the performance, latecomers may not be PRIVACY seated once the show has started. If possible, they will be ushered to their seats at the first appropriate break. Vancouver Opera is committed to protecting your privacy. For information on VO’s patron privacy policy, please visit our website: vancouveropera.ca. PERFORMANCE ETIQUETTE

In consideration of other patrons and the performers, please refrain from rustling programs, unwrapping candy or whispering during the performance. Given some people’s allergies, we also ask patrons to avoid wearing perfume or other scented products.

Patrons are requested to speak to a Vancouver Opera or Civic Theatres representative at intermission in the case of any disturbance or discomfort during a performance.

VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL 109 VANCOUVER OPERA LOTTERIES WIN

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6 WAYS TO BUY VISIT US: In the Lobby and the Festival Plaza MAIL: VO Lotteries, 1945 McLean Drive Vancouver, BC V5N 3J7 EMAIL: [email protected] CALL: 604-682-2871 FAX: 604-682-3981 Order Online: vancouveropera.ca RED CARPET BENCHES I SCOTT COHEN HarleyVancouver Lottery: Chances architect are 1and in 4,000 designer (total tickets Scott forCohen sale) tohas win transformed a grand prize! theBC GamingQueen Event Elizabeth Licence #: 91914 Plaza with specially designed objects to create an enticing environment for relaxing 50/50 Lottery: Chances are 1 in 7,000 (total tickets for sale) to win a grand prize! BC Gaming Event Licence #: 91915 and socializing any time of the day or night. All are welcome!

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YOUR CHOICE OF Choose single tickets for the opera or event you want to see; tickets start at only $45! 2017 Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider S or Visit: vancouveropera.ca Heritage Softail Classic Call: 604 683 0222 OR $20,000 CASH! Or Stop By: VOF Box Office, the Queen Elizabeth PLUS 50/50 BONUS DRAW! or the Vancouver Playhouse Box Offices before the show.

6 WAYS TO BUY VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL PASSES VISIT US: In the Lobby and the Festival Plaza MAIL: VO Lotteries, 1945 McLean Drive Vancouver, BC V5N 3J7 EMAIL: [email protected] Two- and three-show VIP passes are the best way to experience the Vancouver Opera Festival. In CALL: 604-682-2871 FAX: 604-682-3981 Order Online: vancouveropera.ca addition to great seats for our maintsage opera productions these include a lot of exclusive perks not available to regular ticket purchasers. Call the VO Ticket Centre at 604 683 0222 or visit the VOF Box Harley Lottery: Chances are 1 in 4,000 (total tickets for sale) to win a grand prize! BC Gaming Event Licence #: 91914 Office to purchase. Passes ensure entry to all these events and are available in limited quantities.

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TWO-SHOW VIP FESTIVAL PASS THREE-SHOW VIP FESTIVAL PASS INCLUDES PRIORITY ACCESS TO: INCLUDES PRIORITY ACCESS TO: VANCOUVER OPERA LOTTERIES Two operas of your choice at the VOF Three Operas of Your Choice at the VOF Ethical Justice in the 21st Century Ethical Justice in the 21st Century In Conversation with Jake Heggie In Conversation with Jake Heggie Where is Opera Headed? Where is Opera Headed? A Conversation with Ute Lemper A Conversation with Ute Lemper WIN Civic Impact in Opera Civic Impact in Opera Whose Story is it? Whose Story is it? The Music of Heggie/Verdi/Mozart The Music of Heggie/Verdi/Mozart YOUR CHOICE OF 2017 Jaguar XE 2.0L AWD Prestige or 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport HSE TWO- & THREE-SHOW VIP FESTIVAL PASSES INCLUDE OR $50,000 CASH! Free access to Carmina Burana Sing-Along (RSVP required) PLUS 50/50 BONUS DRAW! Priority Access to Book a FREE Backstage Tour of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Priority Access to Vancouver Opera’s Stage Combat Workshop 6 WAYS TO BUY Free Tickets to Film Night at the Opera (RSVP required) VISIT US: In the Lobby and the Festival Plaza MAIL: VO Lotteries, 1945 McLean Drive RSVP at time of purchase is required for all non-opera performances Vancouver, BC V5N 3J7 EMAIL: [email protected] CALL: 604-682-2871 FAX: 604-682-3981 Order Online: vancouveropera.ca ANSWERS FROM THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO STUDY GUIDE (PAGE 69)

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VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL 111

ADMINISTRATION

DISTINGUISHED HONORARY PATRON

Martha Lou Henley, C.M.

VANCOUVER OPERA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2016 – 2017 SEASON

Chair: Pascal Spothelfer Vice-Chair: Jill Bodkin Treasurer: Mary Jordan Secretary: Susan Van der Flier

Amrita Ahuja Deborah Graystone Bill Maclagan Michael Stevenson Roberta Lando Beiser Judy Halbert Marilyn Loewen Mauritz Gwyneth Westwick Nika Collison Sherry Killam Paul McEwen Jeffrey Wilhoit Mo Dhaliwal Julia Kim Mary McNeil Reema Faris Bill Levine Lisa Payne Divyesh Gadhia Jessica Yan Macintosh Janice Podmore

VANCOUVER OPERA STAFF

Kim Gaynor, General Director Jonathan Darlington, Music Director

Director of Artistic Director of Director, Education & Director of Chief Financial Planning Development Community Engagement Marketing Officer Tom Wright Brian Nickel Colleen Maybin Lynsey Skramstad Catriona Cheng

ARTISTIC PLANNING FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Associate Director, Artistic Planning: Adrianne Wurz Director of Information Technology: Hali Autio Artistic Planning Assistant: Adam Da Ros Office Manager and Junior Accountant: William Murgatroyd Festival Scheduler: Marcie Januska Accountant and Payroll Administrator: Firan Tse Production Stage Manager: Theresa Tsang DEVELOPMENT Music Director, Major Gifts & Planned Giving: Carmen Murphy Associate Conductor / Chorus Director: Leslie Dala Major Gifts Officer: Jake Ryan Lindsey Principal Répétiteur / Assistant Conductor / Assistant Development Manager, Grants & Proposals: Joseph Bardsley Chorus Director: Kinza Tyrrell Development Manager, Annual Campaigns and Répétiteur: Tina Chang Lotteries: Lyndsay MacAulay Orchestra Manager: Jim Littleford Special Events Coordinator: Theresa Mura Music Librarian: Tom Shorthouse Orchestra Stage Manager: Jim Tranquilla MARKETING Marketing and Sales Manager: Vincent Wong Production Ticket Centre Manager and Data Analyst: Tracey Flattes Technical Director: Dan Paterson Graphic Designers: Annie Mack, Katie Ferris Witherspoon Assistant Technical Director / Facility Digital Communications Manager: Michael Mann Manager: Gregg Steffensen Ticket Centre Associates: Gavriel Beigel, Tamerin Elliott Festival Properties Manager: Heidi Wilkinson Charlene Hibbard EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Publicist: Jodi Smith, JLS Entertainment Education & Community Projects Coordinator: Eleanor Siden Patron Services Team Lead: Gloria Bernal Volunteer & Board Coordinator: Rachelle Smalldon

YULANDA M. FARIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM Program Head: Leslie Dala Head Coach: Kinza Tyrrell Mary Castello Leah Giselle Field Vanessa Oude-Reimerink Sarah Jane Pelzer Ryan Downey Peter Monaghan Taylor Pardell Pascale Spinney

VANCOUVER OPERA FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2016 – 2017 SEASON

Chair: Lis Welch Treasurer and Secretary: Paul McEwen

Jake Boxer Heather Clarke Julia Kim Russell Smith Jill Bodkin Michael Gallagher Terry Pask Pascal Spothelfer Neil Carnell Poul Hansen Lynn Smith

VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL 113 Two small words:

WE’D LIKE TO EXTEND OUR GRATITUDE TO THE MANY AMAZING VOLUNTEERS who made this festival possible. Thanks to your dedication and the generous contribution of your time and talents, we’re able to present 16 days of professional opera, music, and educational experiences to the Vancouver community.

We hope you feel you gained as much as you gave to this festival. Thank you for your contribution!

vancouveropera.ca The comfort in knowing every aspect of your financial life is well looked after.

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