season 46 2014 - 2015 PRESENTS RADIO HOUR AT FITZGERALD THEATER Every kid deserves a brush with inspiration. Christina Baldwin Sponsored by ©2012 Target Brands, Inc. Target and the Bullseye Design are Target Inc. Brands, Target ©2012 722966 Inc. Brands, Target registered trademarks of A Commission and Regional Premiere of The Radio Hour by Jake Heggie was supported by New Music USA, made possible by annual program support and/or endowment gifts from Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, Rockefeller Brothers That’s why Target is on track to give Learn about the difference Fund, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Francis Goelet Charitable this support is making for Lead Trusts, Anonymous. Jake Heggie $1 BILLION FOR EDUCATION kids nationwide. by the end of 2015. Target.com/Education S, M 14 8 S, M 15 4 2014-2015 46TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON SPECIAL THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS CONCERT RADIO HOUR Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 8 pm Fitzgerald Theater Jack and Linda 10 East Exchange Street Hoeschler Fund of the Saint Paul, MN Saint Paul Foundation Pre-Concert Conversation with Classical Minnesota Public Radio Host The John and Ruth John Birge, composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer at 7 pm. Huss Fund of the Saint Paul Foundation Sunday, March 15, 2015 at 4 pm Lucy R. Jones Fitzgerald Theater Garrison Keillor and Pre-Concert Conversation with Classical Minnesota Public Radio Host Jenny Lind Nilsson John Birge, composer Jake Heggie and librettist Gene Scheer at 3 pm. R C Lilly Foundation VocalEssence Chorus & Ensemble Singers Philip Brunelle, conductor Christina Baldwin, actor Nikki Swoboda, director A Commission and Regional Premiere of The Radio Hour by Jake Heggie was Charles Kemper, pianist supported by New Music USA, made possible by annual program support and/ or endowment gifts from Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trusts, Anonymous 2014-2015 SEASON SPONSORS Piper Family Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a Minnesota State Arts Board Operating Support grant, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund, and a grant from the Wells Fargo Foundation Minnesota. VOCALESSENCE PLEASE NOTE SPECIAL THANKS 1900 Nicollet Avenue • This concert may be recorded for broadcast Janet Babcock, Ecumen Seasons Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403 — please help us keep the performance at Maplewood 612-547-1451 space quiet. Take a moment now to check John Birge, Minnesota Public Radio www.vocalessence.org that all cell phones, paging devices, Jack and Linda Hoeschler VocalEssence is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. wristwatch alarms and the like are turned William Morrissey off before the concert begins. Thank you for Judy Sagen facebook.com/vocalessence your cooperation. twitter.com/vocalessencemn • Recording devices and cameras are VINTAGE VOICES Board of Directors prohibited. No photography, video, or audio VocalEssence would like to welcome Paul Pribbenow, Ph.D., President recording is allowed in the concert hall. our special guests attending this Radio Kathryn Roberts, Vice President Please abstain from texting, tweeting or Hour concert through the VocalEssence Jacob Wolkowitz, Treasurer checking your email during the concert. Vintage Voices program, which enriches Susan J. Crockett, Ph.D., Secretary the appreciation of choral music for older • Student and group discounts are available Kristine Aasheim adults in the Twin Cities. Mary Ann Aufderheide for most VocalEssence concerts. Half-price Ann Barkelew tickets are available to students (ages 6-18 Ecumen Seasons at Maplewood Philip Brunelle and college) with a student ID. Groups of 10 Roma Calatayud-Stocks or more save 15% on tickets. Children under age 6 are not allowed at VocalEssence Karen Charles TEXT Judith Drobeck performances, except for select community Debbie Estes and family concerts, including ¡Cantaré! and God Bless America Ann Farrell Star of Wonder. Irving Berlin (1918, 1938 revised) Jamie Flaws arr. Hawley Ades (1962) • Accessible seating is available at all of our Art Kaemmer, M.D. God bless America, land that I love; concert venues. However, some of our Joseph Kalkman Stand beside her and guide her facilities do not have elevator access to Fred Moore Through the night with a light from above. the balcony level. Please make your needs David Myers From the mountains to the prairies, known when you order tickets. Kristen H. O’Brien To the oceans white with foam, James M. Odland • You may return VocalEssence single God bless America, my home sweet home. Cay Shea Hellervik concert tickets for resale up to 48 hours Don Shelby prior to a performance. No refunds or Timothy Takach exchanges can be given; however, you will Jenny L. Wade be sent a receipt for your tax-deductible Dorene Wernke contribution. (VocalEssence subscribers VocalEssence would like to Honorary Directors may call 612-371-5642 to request free ticket Dominick Argento exchanges and lost ticket replacement.) thank The Saint Paul Hotel. William Bolcom Dave Brubeck* • Latecomers will be seated at appropriate Aaron Copland* pauses in the concert according to the Håkan Hagegård conductor’s wishes. Please plan plenty of Louise Heffelfinger time for locating the concert venue and Eskil Hemberg* parking. Or better yet, allow an extra hour Betty Hulings* and join us for Concert Conversations with James Earl Jones the composers and artists, held one hour Garrison Keillor before most concerts. Donald Mitchell Helmuth Rilling Administrative Staff John Rutter Mary Ann Aufderheide, Executive Director Peter Schickele Robert Graham, Education Manager and Music Librarian Dr. André J. Thomas Sharon Hodge, Communications Specialist Eric Whitacre Laura Holst, Development and Marketing Associate *In remembrance Kimberly Meisten, Director of Community Engagement Patricia Starks-Faggétt, Accounting Manager Artistic Staff Joel Swearingen, Operations Manager and Executive Assistant Philip Brunelle, Artistic Director Amanda Timmer, Education Manager for ¡Cantare! in Rochester Sigrid Johnson, Associate Conductor Katrina Wallmeyer, Director of Development and Communications Charles Kemper, Accompanist Elissa Weller, Grants and Special Events Manager Page 2 2014-2015 Season 2014-2015 Season Page 3 THE PROGRAM WELCOME TO RADIO HOUR VOCALESSENCE CHORUS Throughout the 46 years Philip Brunelle, conductor of VocalEssence there have been a number of firsts Viva l’Amour arr. Hawley Ades (1962) when it comes to staging Begin the Beguine Cole Porter (1935), arr. Kirby Shaw (1991) operas: There was Mozart’s La Finta Giardinera—fully Home on the Range arr. Mark Hayes (1990) staged at the original God Bless America Irving Berlin (1918), arr. Hawley Ades (1962) Guthrie Theater, and All the Things You Are Jerome Kern (1939), arr. Mark Hayes (2014) because the story takes place in a garden, the entire stage was a garden, Vigolin Norman Luboff (1958) with the largest number of fresh flowers ever Those Were the Days Medley arr. Paul Gerike (2015) seen (or smelled) on the Guthrie stage! In Gilligan’s Island (1964) subsequent years we staged Rossini’s La Gazza Ladra at the Fitzgerald (with Fred Kaemmer as Oscar Mayer Wieners (1965) the magpie up in a tree!), Rimsky-Korsakov’s Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (1967) The Snow Maiden at O’Shaughnessy, P.D.Q. Ding Dong School (1952) Bach’s Oedipus Tex at the just-opened Ordway Theater, and Britten’s at the The Howdy Doody Show (1956) Paul Bunyan Ordway and at the Aldeburgh Festival in Armour Hot Dogs (1967) England. This is just part of the list of operas The Mickey Mouse Club (1955) and musicals that VocalEssence has staged Bonanza (1959) over the years, which also includes works by Aaron Copland, Kurt Weill, Cole Porter and Green Acres (1965) Leonard Bernstein. Sesame Street (1970) The Roy Rogers Show (1951) Now, for the first time, we present a fully- Grandma’s Thanksgiving Harry Simeone (1947) staged opera for the Ensemble Singers composed by Jake Heggie, one of the outstanding American opera composers of — INTERMISSION — his generation. We are delighted to have this opportunity and pleased that both composer and librettist (Gene Scheer) are joining us for THE RADIO HOUR these performances of The Radio Hour. Jake Heggie, Gene Scheer (2014) Midwest Premiere I also want to feature our fantastic Chorus— Commissioned by Pacific Chorale, VocalEssence, and the best way is to harken back to the early days of radio when network stations had radio Conspirare, and The Philadelphia Singers choirs in residence. Fred Waring was first, organizing a choir in 1939 for radio broadcast Part One: A Really Bad Day prepared by Robert Shaw. In 1948 Waring Part Two: Through the Door began a five-year television stint along with Part Three: A New Day his radio broadcasts which evolved into Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians. Waring had Christina Baldwin, Nora a brilliant staff of arrangers (including Harry VocalEssence Ensemble Singers Simeone and Roy Ringwald) and they—along Philip Brunelle, conductor with names like Norman Luboff and Hawley Nikki Swoboda, director Ades—brought choral music to an ever- Scotty Gunderson, scenic designer widening audience through the medium of Wu Chen Khoo, lighting designer radio. And we can’t forget Kate Smith and her Carissa Bombard, stage manager Singers—without them I doubt Irving Berlin would have had such a patriotic success! Enjoy this time with early radio and ORCHESTRA ROSTER television—past and present! Flute: Jane Garvin Bass: Christopher Brown Clarinet: Rena Kraut Percussion: David Hagedorn – Philip Brunelle, Alto saxophone: Joan Hutton Piano: Charles Kemper Artistic Director and Founder, VocalEssence Violin: Alastair Brown Contractor: Christopher Volpe Cello: Diane Tremaine Page 2 2014-2015 Season 2014-2015 Season Page 3 PROGRAM NOTE The Radio Hour: A Choral Opera What seemed like a challenge turned out to be a mind-bending, Jake Heggie (b. 1961) and Gene Scheer (b.