Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre LaSalle Bank salutes those who make the arts a part of our lives. Personal Banking· Commercial Banking· Wealth Management Making more possible LaSalle Bank ABN AMRO ~ www.lasallebank.com t:J Wealth Management is a division of LaSalle Bank, NA [,.m ©2005 LaSalle Bank NA Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender. Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre DETROIT OPERA HOUSE · HOME or MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE IBRe\VO {contents} The Official Magazine of the Detroit Opera House BRAVO IS A M ICHIGAN O PERA THEATRE Fal PUBLICATION CONTRIBUTORS Dr. David DiChiera Karen VanderKloot DiChiera cason Roberto Mauro Mary Parkhill William Weaver -wELCOME Michigan Opera Theatre Staff Letter from Dr. David DiChiera . .. ... .. .. ... .. 4 Dave Blackburn, Editor PUBLISHER Live Publishing Company ON STAGE Frank Cucciarre, Design and Art Direction NORMA . .. 7 Blink Concept & Design, Inc. Production Setting . .. .8 Chuck Rosenberg, Copy Editor Bellini and Norma . .. .9 Toby Faber, Director of Advertising Sales Physicians' service provided by Henry Ford THE SLEEPING BEAUTY .... ........ 11 Medical Center. Setting .. ....... ... .. ... .. ............. 12 The Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg 14 Pepsi-Cola is the official soft drink and juice provider for the Detroit Opera House. Cadillac Coffee is the official coffee of the Detroit LA BOHEME 15 Opera House Setting . ... 16 Steinway is the official piano of the Detroit Opera House and Michigan Opera Theatre. Steinway Artist Profiles . 17 pianos are provided by Hammel Music, exclusive representative for Steinway and Sons in Michigan. Chorus and Orchestra . 21 President Tuxedo is the official provider of fonnal wear for the Detroit Opera House. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE Michigan Opera Theatre is a nonprofit cultural Administration and Staff. ... .22 organization, whose activities are supported in Board of Directors and Trustees . 24 part by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for Avanti Society . ..... 25 the Arts, and other individuals, corporations and foundations. Michigan Opera Theatre is CONTRIBUTORS an Equal Opportunity Employer. Campaign to Restore the Detroit Opera House . .26 Michigan Opera Theatre Contributors .. .. .. .29 IN MEMORIAM Mort Zieve ...... .31 Robert VanderKloot .33 City of Detroit Cultural Affairs Blanche Pollock .. .36 Department ~ I!.arts (wd .. cultuml _.", affairs MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE Made possible with the support of the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, a partner agency of the National Endowment Community Programs . .37 for the Arts General Information ... 38 Detroit Opera House www.MichiganOpera.org BRAVO 3 Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre {welcome} Welcome to Michigan Opera Theatre's Fall Season! Greetings, dear friends, and welcome to whose generosity has contributed to the Michigan Opera Theatres 35th fall opera Ford Centers completion. season. We're exceptionally proud to bring Additionally, the new Opera House you another exciting season full of beautiful Parking Center is open for your convenience. music, intense passion, remarkable artistry We've worked diligently to improve and and, of course, Desperate Divas. ensure parking for your visit to the Detroit We begin the 2005 season, made possible by Opera House, and this beautiful new block­ the generous support ofFord Motor Company; long faCility is reserved just for you during with Bellinis great bel canto masterpiece, regularly scheduled performances. If you Norma. Absent from our repertoire for more didn't make use of the structure on this than a decade, Norma graces the grand stage visit, I encourage you to do so on your next. of the Detroit Opera House for the first time. It's well lit, convenient and, with entrances Replete with some of the most beautiful and exits on John R and Grand River, park­ music in the operatic catalogue and one of ing is easier than ever before. I thank you operas most desperate divas, it is a tale of fo r your patience over the last year, as we tragic love, which will certainly leave you brought this project to fruition. breathless. I wish to express my deepest gratitude to We'll close the 2005 fall opera season with board member and dear friend Herman a perennial favorite; Puccinis La Boheme. Frankel, whose vision and foreSight made Without a doubt, La Boheme is one of the the Opera House Parking Center a reality greatest love stories ever sung and one of Without his determination that Michigan opera's most endearing tragedies. Puccinis Opera Theatre control its own parking des­ librettists, Giacosa and Illica, saw fit to give We're exceptionally proud to tiny, this undertaking would never have the opera a truly desperate diva in Mimi­ happened. in fact, a cast of desperate bohemians-and bring you another exciting sea­ The 200512006 seasons look to be as for his part, the composer produced a score son full of beautiful music, exciting as any in our history I thank you for so apt with the emotions oflove and loss that joining us, and I hope you'll return to enjoy La Boheme remains as relevant and enticing the rest of our 35th-anniversary season. today as it was at its premiere, more than a intense passion, remarkable EnJ OY the performance! century ago. artistry and, of course, Now in our ninth year presenting ballet, the Detroit Opera House continues to be the Desperate Divas. only venue in Southeastern Michigan to stage the worlds great dance companies. We look campaign, the Crowning Achievement, will forward to another season of exceptional per­ soon bring the Detroit Opera House to completion. This lO-year Journey has not formances. The 2005-2006 DairnlerChrysler David DiChiera Dance Series opens, in grand fashion, with only restored our beautiful theater, but also Founder and General Director the much-anticipated return of the Kirov turned it into a valuable resource for our Ballet - one of only three U.S. performances community. With the completion of our Michigan Opera Theatre this season. The Sleeping Beauty is a magnificent new Ford Center for Arts and Learning on fairy tale, lavishly produced and performed the horizon, we look forward to expanding by the artists of the Kirov Ballet. The Orchestra educational opportunities and welcoming of the Mariinsky Theatre of St. Petersburg will learners of all ages to this magnificent new masterfully perform Tchaikovskys magical faCility score. I extend my deepest gratitude to the Ford I take special pride in noting a couple of steps Motor Company, DaimlerChrysler, Margo into a very bright future for Michigan Opera Cohen, David and Marion Handleman, Lee Theatre. The completion of our final capital and Floy Barthel, Maggie Allesee and all those 4 BRAVO www.MichiganOpera.org Detroit Opera House Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre PRIVATE CLIENT GROUP ~. The Private Client Group is proud to announce that with every $1 million new investment management or trust account you open, we will donate $5,000 to the Detroit Opera House in your name. So, while we help clients preserve and grow their wealth through sound investment management, private banking, trust and estate management, we will also ensure the arts remain for future generations. To experience the Private Client Group, call Bill Goodhue at (248) 901-2136. Managing wealth for over 160 years. National City,. Some restrictions apply. ©200S, National City Corporation ® Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre n October Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre {reyenge}~~ Setting: Gaul, 50 B.C. ACT I ACT II The Cast Deep in a forest, druids and warriors of That night, dagger in hand, Nonna tries In order of vocal appearance Gaul gather at the altar of the god hminsul, to bring herself to kill her children in their where their priest, Oroveso , leads them in a sleep to keep them from PoUione ("Teneri OROVESO prayer for revenge against the conquering figli") . But she cannot, instead summoning Arutjun Kotchinian*t Romans. When they have left, the Roman Adalgisa to take them to Pollione ("Dehl POLLIONE pro-consul, PoUione, enters with his centu­ Con te Ii prendi") . The girl refuses, pleading Juli an Gavin" (8, 12, 15) rion, Flavio, to whom he confesses his love with the despairing mother to pity her chil­ Dongwon Shin* (9m, 14) for a young druid priestess, Adalgisa ("Meco dren ("Mira, 0 Norma") . Norma embraces FLAVIO aU'altar di Venere"). This passion complicates Adalgisa, overcome by her offer of ftiend­ Mark T. Panuccio his relationship with the high priestess, ship to go to Pollione and plead for Norma. NORMA NOlm a, Orovesos daughter, who betrayed Scene II Hasm ik Papian (8, 12 , 15) her vows of chastity for Pollione and secretly The druids assemble at their altars to hear Brenda Harris (9m, 14) bore him two children. Trumpets herald the Orovesos announcement that PoUione is ADALGISA druids' return, but Pollione declares his love being replaced by a crueler commander. He Irina Mishura will arm him against their wrath ("Me pro­ rages at Romes hateful bondage ("Ah! del tegge, me duende"); Flavio nonetheless per­ CLOTILDE tebro al giogo indegno"), but counsels sub­ Eva Evola* suades him to leave. The druids now assem­ mission for the moment, to make ultimate ble, and Norma replies to Orovesos demands CONDUCTOR revolt more certain of success. Awaiting her for war with a prayer to the chaste moon god­ Stephen Lord lovers return, Norma is stunned to learn from dess for peace, cutting the ritual mistletoe Clotilde that Adalgisas entreaties to him have DIRECTOR ("Casta Diva"). The others echo her words, r Mario Corradi been in vain. In a fu ry, the priestess calls the while she muses privately on her love for her druids and tells them the gods decree war. Roman enemy ("Ahl bello a me ritorna"). She strikes the war shield three times, and her Chorus Master: Suzanne Mallare Acton After the company disperses, Adalgisa arrives battle cry is taken up by the people ("Guerra I Set and Costume Design: John Pascoe to pray for the strength to resist Pollione Guerra!") .