Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre \\She inspired me to feel beautiful, I felt very comforta ble, Linda makes you feel so good, Her selection is the best, You know what? You buy these pieces and end up keeping them forever," - Elle Elder BIRMINGHAM LINDA DRESNER NEW YORK You never forget your fi rst time, 299 W Maple Road Bi rmingham, MI 248,642,4999 · 484 Park Avenue New York, NY 212,308,3177 Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre B~VO CONTENTS Spring 2008 The Official Magazine W ELCOME of the Detroit Opera House Letter from David DiChiera ....... .... ... ........... ...... .... ........ ........ ... 4 BRAVO is a Michigan Opera Theatre publication. Rebekah Johnson, Editor ON STAGE Mitch Carter, Contributing Editor Peter Pan .................. .. .... .... .... ... ....................... ............. ... .. .. ..... .... 6 Contributors History of the Grand Rapids Ballet Company .......... .... .... ... ... .. 10 Mitch Carter David DiChiera The Joffrey Ballet: Giselle .. .... ... ..... ... .. .. .... .. .. .... .... ........ ..... ... ... 12 Karen V DiChiera Rebekah Johnson Stephen Lusmann La Sonnambula ... .... ........ .... .... .... .... ... .. .. ... .. .... ..... .... ....... .. .. .... ... 16 F EATURE STORY: Publisher Echo Publications, Inc. Renata Scotto Awakens La Sonnambula from its Slumber ..... .... 18 Royal Oak, Michigan www.echopublications.com La Rondine .... ... .... .... .. ... .. .. ....... ..... .. ..... .... .. .. ..... .... ... .... .... .... ... .. .20 Tom Putters, president FEATURE STORY: Toby Faber, Advertising Sales Director Lotfi Loves Opera T-H-I-S Much ..... ... ............ .............. .. .... ..... .22 Physicians' services provided by Henry Ford Medical Center. La Traviata .... ....... .. ...... .. ... .. ..... ... ... .. .. ... ... .... ... .. ...... ... .. .. .. .. .... ... .. 24 Pepsi-Cola is the official soft drink FEATURE STORY: and juice provider of the Traviata Brings Teacher and Students Together ........................ 26 Detroit Opera House. Cadillac Coffee is the official coffee MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE of the Detroit Opera House. Artist Profiles ............... .... ...... ............ .... ............... ... .. ... ........ ... ... ... 28 Steinway is the official piano of the Chorus and Orchestra ................... .. .. ... ....... .... .......... .................... 41 Detroit Opera House and Michigan Opera Theatre. Steinway pianos are Education at the Detroit Opera House: Community provided by Hammell Music, Programs and Learning at the Opera House, Dance Education, exclusive representative for Steinway and the Michigan Opera Theatre Children's Chorus ......... .... ...... ... 36 and Sons in Michigan. Family Album .. ................ .............. ..... ........ .. ............. ..... ...... .. ......44 President Tuxedo is the official provider of formalwear for the Detroit Opera House. Board of Directors and Trustees ........... ... .... ............ ............. .... .... ..42 Administration and Staff .................. ............ ... ...... ........ < ..... .• . .. 43 Michigan Opera Theatre is a nonprofit cultural organization, whose activities are supported in part by the Michigan CONTRIBUTORS Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, Increasing Regional Philanthropy Program Update .... ..... ............. ..48 the National Endowment for the Arts, and other individuals, corporations Avanti Society .... ... ........ ....... .. .......... ............... ... ... ... ... .. .. .. .. .. .... .... 50 and foundations. Michigan Opera Campaign to Restore the Detroit Opera House ..... ................... ...... 51 Theatre is an Equal Opportunity Michigan Opera Theatre Contributors ....... .... ..................... .. ......... 53 Employer. Volunteer Information ...... .. .. ... .... ...... .. .. .. .. .... .... .......... ...... .... .... .... 58 General Information .......... ...... .... ... ...... ....... .. ..... .... ... ....... ..... .. .... .. 62 NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS Detroit Opera House Copyright 2010,www.MichiganOp Michiganera .oOperarg Theatre BRAVO 3 Welcome to the 2008 Spring season of Opera and Dance! our 37th season of opera continues Our 12 th season o f p.;,t his spring, I am pleased to present d ance closes in March hree operas that span nearly a century with performances by two of Italian opera. We open with La Sonnambula , different but equ ally one of the great bel canto operas b y the en ch anting dance greatest of all bel canto composers, Vincenzo companies. March 1, Bellini, who also composed Norma. This great 2008, marks the return of masterpiece is a first for MOT and could very the Grand Rapids Ballet well be the first time it has been performed in Company, who made their Michigan. Opera star and household name in debut at the Detroit Opera the opera world -Renata Scotto - makes her House last season . This Mi chigan Opera Theatre debut directing the year, they return to bring production. Returning after a 19-year absence, us a charming production Australian conductor Richard Bonynge, one of of Peter Pan. The Grand the world's foremost authorities on bel ca nto Rapids Ballet Company is opera, directs the Michigan Opera Theatre Michigan's premiere dance orchestra. The cast of La Sonnambula features a troupe, a nd we are MOT debut by one of opera's new shining delighted to be close stars, Ekaterina Siurina in the role of Amina, "neighbors" with such a alternating in the role with Eglise Gutierrez youthful and energetic company. wh o made her acclaimed MOT debut last The Joffrey Ballet, which for the past few season as liu in Turandot. yea rs has performed The Nutcracker annuall y at Our second opera of the season, La Rondine, the Detroit Opera House, returns in March to returns to the Michigan Opera Theatre stage perform Gis ell e, regarded as one of the first for the first time since 1972, following a 36- masterpieces of traditional romantic ballet. A year absence. Puccini's tragic masterpiece will favorite among dance aficionados and novices be staged by world-renowned director and alike, ballet's most famous ghost story about opera impresario Lotfi Mansouri, who returns love and redemption from the world beyond to Michigan Opera Theatre for the first time will be sure to enchant yo u. since Anna Eolena in 1984. La Rondine also Of course, we are most grateful for the includes a U.S. opera premiere by Tiziana generous support of our sponsors that make Caruso, who will be alternating in the title role each season possible. I feel an excepti onal of Magda with MOT veter an Pamela gratitude for our corporate partners, as we ll as Armstrong. the foundations and individual donors who One of the world's most popular operas, and have graCiously extended their support so that a standard of the Michigan Opera Thea tre we may enrich lives with opera and dance. I repertoire, La Tra viata closes out our spring would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to our 2008 season. A h eart-wren ching story of 2008 spring opera season sponso r, Cadillac, forbidden love, La Traviata sees the return of and our 2007-08 dance season sponso r, the two artists who m ade their debut in last Chrysler Foundation, whose support for the season's Romeo and Juliet - Dina Kuznetsova past eleven years h as been critical to our and Arturo Chacon-Cruz return to the success. Michigan Opera Theatre stage as Violetta and Thank yo u for joining us for this most Alfredo. exciting 2008 spring season of opera and dance Enjoy the showl UD~ 4 BRAVO Copyright 2010,www.M MichiganichiganOpera.org Opera Theatre Detroit Opera House PRIVATE CLIENT GROUP The Pri vate Client Group is proud to announce that wi th every $1 mi llion ne w investment management or trust account you open, we wil l donate $5,000 to the Detroit Opera House in yo ur name. So , while we help clients preserve and grow their wea lth through sound financial guidance from our team of experts, we wi ll also help to ensure the arts rema in for future ge ne rations. To experience the Private Cl ient Group, ca ll Randi Bellner, Market Execu ti ve, at 248.729.8431. WEALTH PLANNING I PRIVATE BANKING I I NVESTMENTS I TRUST & ESTATE ADMINISTRATION National Cil¥ NationalCity.com/Wealth ©2007, National City Corporation® Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre Copyright 2010, Michigan Opera Theatre PETER PAN A M ESSAGE F ROM THE ARTISTIC D IRECTOR SYNOPSIS OF SCENES ACT! Welcome to Neverlandl Scene 1 Kensington Gardens For the next couple of hours do yourself a favor and don't Divertissement * j acques Iben grow up. I guarantee you the dancers won't. After more than 1. Introduction one hundred years this story still has the power to enchant Scene 2 Bedroom of the Darling Children young and old alike. Divertissement * j acques Ibert After reading the book I decided to take some of my favorite II. Conege moments and attempt to recreate the exuberant feeling of being III. Nocturne young and in control of your own life story, like Peter Pan IV Valse himself. One moment he's focused on killing pirates and the next he's on to a new adventure - as he says, "After Scene 3 Neverland Escales .. j acques Iben I kill them I forget them." II. Tunis I tried to reflect this easily distracted thought process through the musical arrangement of the score. I made a rule - Scene 4 Lost Boys' Camp whatever I felt would fit a scene musically Overture: William Tell Gioacchino Rossini I would do and not worry whether it went along with the rest La Giaconda: Dance of the Hours Amilcare Ponchielli of the score. We may go from a divertissement by j acques Ibert