DEPAUL OPERA THEATRE PRESENTS by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart March 13 and15 DEPAUL UNIVERSITY MERLE RESKIN THEATRE 60 East Balbo Drive, Chicago Roberto Kalb, conductor | Harry Silverstein, director Dear Opera Lovers, Welcome to the DePaul Opera Theatre’s production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, one of the cornerstones of the opera repertoire. From the famous first notes of the overture to the final curtain, Mozart’s opera delivers a delightfully tangled and comedic love story for the ages. Performing this beloved opera are the students from the DePaul Opera Theatre program, which has been a platform for extraordinary talent since its inception decades ago. This weekend’s production is just one of three full-length operas that our students present annually, complete with a full orchestra. What you see and hear on stage in this production represents countless hours of preparation from our students. And if history is a judge, many of these students will soon become top performers in the world’s foremost opera houses. I am always proud to share our alumni news and updates in these programs (see page 12); it is thrilling to see the collective success they are each having in the opera world today! At the heart of our Opera Theatre program is a roster of faculty who have a sincere dedication to fostering and training the next generation of performers, educators, and craftsmen. They are some of the most celebrated and sought- after opera singers and directors in the world. None of this would be possible without their tireless support of our students and program. An opera program of such depth and excellence is deserving of a venue of equal stature. We are at an historic moment for the Opera Theatre program as the doors to the Sasha and Eugene Jarvis Opera Hall are now open to all, and our renowned program has a dedicated performance and rehearsal space for the first time in its history. The Lincoln Park venue will not only become a haven for our vocal performance students, but it will bring us deeper into our community as we welcome some of the finest area ensembles in making this their new home. Your first chance to hear our students perform an opera in the new Jarvis Opera Hall will be on June 5 and 7, when the DePaul Opera Theatre presents Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring. A moment in our new venue that you won’t want to miss! Thank you for supporting DePaul Opera Theatre. You are an integral part of the success of our program, and we are grateful that you have joined us for these performances. Enjoy the opera! Ronald Caltabiano Dean, DePaul University School of Music 2 The Marriage of Figaro (Le nozze di Figaro) Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791) Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte (1749-1838) World Premiere Burgtheater, Vienna, May 1, 1786 Conductor Lighting Designer Roberto Kalb Daniel Friedman Director Stage Manager Harry Silverstein Kait Samuels Chorus Master and Production Managers Musical Preparation Terry Harper/Michael Goebel Nicholas Hutchinson Assistant Director Choreographer Kat McKinley Lin Batsheva Kahn Assistant Stage Manager Set Design Hannah-Grace Mowery Noelle C. Thomas Title Stage Manager Costume Designer Rachel Garoon Rachel Lambert Projected English Titles by Frank Rizzo, © Lyric Opera of Chicago, 2010 The performance will run approximately three hours and 30 minutes, including three 10 minute intermissions. 3 CAST AND CHORUS CAST Bartolo CHORUS Count Colin Safley Soprano Kevin Wheatle Julia Clarke Basilio Jade Ferrell Countess Kyle Anthony Cortes Lauren Florek Gia Pappas Erin Hogan Don Curzio Rachel Singh Figaro Steven Schein Reever Julian Alto Barbarina by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAlexandra Oates Susanna Stephanie Gubin Lauryn Nelson Marieke De Koker Antonio Erika Sassmann Cherubino Augie Ahn Katherine Cosenza Starr Lucy Baker Carmen Vizin-Esquivel Due Donne Marcellina Jade Ferrell Tenor Isabella Stollenmaier Katherine Cosenza Starr Mitchell Barrett Alex Cefali Alan Krolikowski Steven Schein Bass Augie Ahn Cole Ichida Brennan Kennedy Everett Sarich Justin Thums 4 ORCHESTRA FIRST VIOLIN FLUTE Yu Xin, concertmaster Justina Chu Megan Yao, assistant concertmaster Anatolia Evarkiou-Kaku Tzau-Yan Ouyang Christina Lee OBOE Lina Yamin Jacob Shapiro Wan-Chun Hu Jungmin Kim Angelo Horngtay Chiu Lee CLARINET SECOND VIOLIN Shelagh Haney Yuan-ju Liu, principal Michael Thompson Trent Ransom, assistant principal BASSOON Corina Santos Liam Jackson Celina Farmer Alex Brake Yu Chao Weng Mozart Amadeus Wolfgang by Molly Wilson HORN Alayna Bell VIOLA Shae Wirth Kelly Bartek, principal Zachary Kessler, assistant principal TRUMPET Samantha Peng Mark Hale Georges Mefleh Katie Raney CELLO TIMPANI John Rogler, principal Lain Skow Timothy Sutton, assistant principal Margaret Wenzel HARPSICHORD Dr. Nicholas Hutchinson* BASS Ayaka Arai, principal * DePaul University School of Music faculty Andrew French 5 PRODUCTION STAFF Production Manager Light Board Programmer/ Michael Goebel Operator Anna Janicek Technical Director Stan Hicks Wardrobe Shop Assistant Zach Wagner Master Electrician Michael Goebel Wardrobe Margot Bardeen Props Master Jennifer G.M. Lightfoot Mitchell Ransdellby Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Hailey Rakowiecki Wardrobe Head Run Crew Megan Turner Mitchell Ransdell Assistant Lighting Designer Set Construction Joe Clavell Building Brown Workshop Spot Operators Merle Reskin Jesus Reyes and Jared Munroe Technical Director Jen Leahy Merle Reskin Assistant Technical Director Jim Keith Special thanks to Bocca Louppo Productions 6 DEPAUL OPERA THEATRE ADMINISTRATION Business Coordinator, Dean Community Music Division Ronald Caltabiano Adam Briggs Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Technology Manager Katherine Brucher Brian Gier Senior Director of Business Administration Educational Programs Coordinator, Ben Polancich Community Music Division Daniel Glynn Chair, Music Performance Harry Silverstein Director of Marketing & Communications Janice Hay Chair, Musical Studies Jacqueline Kelly-McHale Concert Manager Heidi Hewitt DEPAUL OPERA THEATRE Assistant Director of Admissions Director Giovanna Jacques Harry Silverstein Facilities Coordinator VOICE FACULTY Aidan KranzMozart Amadeus Wolfgang by Eric Esparza, coordinator Coordinator of Marketing, Alban “Kit” Bridges Jr. Communications & Engagement, Nicole Cabell Community Music Division Sam Handley Kari Lindquist Linda Hirt Nicholas Hutchinson Technical Director Kimberly Jones Michael Sportiello, Amanda Majeski Box Office Manager Nicholas Phan Laura Swierzbin Scott Ramsay Jeff Ray Assistant Director of Advising Stacey Tappan Amy Weatherford Viktoria Vizin Assistant Director of Academic Services Sarah Wells Kaufman STAFF Coordinator of Career Services & Director of Development Alumni Engagement Aubrie Willaert Mary Arendt Executive Assistant to the Dean Director, Community Music Division Mara Yurasek Susanne Baker THEATRE SCHOOL STAFF Director of Admission Manager of Audience Services Ross Beacraft Jessica Krust Coordinator of Performance & Box Office Manager Instrumental Library Collin Jones Genevieve Beaulieu House Manager Performance Coordinator, Preston Choi Community Music Division Ashley Beech Graphic Design Communiqué Graphic Design 7 BIOGRAPHIES ROBERTO KALB (Conductor) Mexican conductor Roberto Kalb is currently Resident Conductor and Head of Music at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis. This upcoming season’s engagements include debuts with the Compañia Nacional de Ópera at the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City (L’elisir d’amore) and Wolf Trap Opera (Elegy for Young Lovers). He will also return to Florida Grand Opera to conduct La traviata. This season Kalb conducted Carmen at Tulsa Opera, and he will return to Opera Theatre of Saint Louis to conduct the world premiere of Tobias Picker’s Awakenings. In recent seasons, Kalb has conducted at Michigan Opera Theatre (27), Tulsa Opera (Il barbiere di Siviglia), Florida Grand Opera (Frida), Kentucky Opera (Rigoletto), and Opera Theatre of Saint Louis (Rigoletto). Kalb holds degrees from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, University of Michigan, and the New England Conservatory of Music. HARRY SILVERSTEIN (Director) Harry Silverstein has been the Director of DePaul Opera Theatre since 1990 and instructs singers in performance techniques. Mr. Silverstein has directed opera professionally in the U.S. and abroad in such theaters as the Lyric Opera of Chicago, San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, English National Opera and for companies in Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and The Netherlands. Mr. Silverstein has staged both contemporary operas and works from the standard repertory, including the European and South American premieres of works by Philip Glass and world premieres in Houston and Delaware. NOELLE C. THOMAS (Scenic Director) Recent design credits with DePaul Opera Theatre include Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicci, Die Fledermaus, The Magic Flute, Falstaff (scenery and costumes), Hansel and Gretel, The Merry Widow, Idomeneo and The Marriage of Figaro. Other scenic design work includes projects with Paderewski Symphony Orchestra, The University of Warsaw, TimeLine Theatre, Arts & Minds, Chicago College of Performing Arts, Collaboraction, Teatro Luna, Bay View Music Festival and Theatre on the Lake. Costume Design for The Purple Rose, Chicago Dramatists, DePaul Opera and Northwestern University. Associate and assistant scenic designer for Court Theatre, Northlight, Alley Theatre, Goodman Theatre, Yale Rep, Milwaukee Rep, Paramount Arts Center, TimeLine Theatre, Cleveland Playhouse, Syracuse, Writers Theatre and