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
ON WES T VANCOUVER'S WATERFRONT, TWO OF CANADA'S
FOREMOST MODERNISTS WILL BE CELEBRATED
GORDON SMITH AND DOUGLAS COUPLAND HAVE CREATED
S I G N I F I C A N T O R I G IN A L W O R K S F O R T H E R E S I D E N T I A L L O B B I E S
AND 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 REMAIN. ARRANGE YOUR
P R I VAT E A P P O I N T M E N T T O D 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
Jonathan Darlington, Music Director
Under the Distinguished Patronage of Her
Honour the Honourable Judith Guichon, obc,
Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
CONTENTS
VO Administration and
Ticket Centre
8
9
12
Festival Site Map
Calendar of Events
Ticket Information
15
VERDI | OTELLO
The Michael and Inna O’Brian Centre
for Vancouver Opera
1945 McLean Drive
Vancouver, BC, V5N 3J7
Administration:
T: 604 682 2871
F: 604 682 3981
VO Ticket Centre:
(sponsored by Mission Hill Family Estate)
T: 604 683 0222
[email protected]
www.vancouveropera.ca
Vancouver Opera acknowledges
that we work and perform on the
unceded and traditional territory of
the Musqueam, Squamish, and
Tsleil-Waututh First Nations.
Publication Manager Vincent Wong
Design & Layout Annie Mack,
Katie Ferris Witherspoon
Copy Editor KO Communications
Cover photo Caitlin Wood and Alex
Lawrence in The Marriage of Figaro.
Photo By Emily Cooper.
Published by Archway Publishers as a
special edition of Playboard Magazine,
Volume 51, Number 11, April 2017.
Send all correspondence to: Suite 137 –
12100 Riverside Way, Richmond, B.C.,
V6W 1K5. Tel: 604 370 1191. All rights
reserved. Printed in Canada.
Vancouver Opera is a professional company.
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.
16
The Cast
18Synopsis
19
Notes from Conductor
20
Notes from Director
21
Production Insights
22
From Othello to Otello
24Biographies
28
VO Orchestra, Chorus, Supernumeraries
29
Production Team
51
MOZART | THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
52 The Cast
54 Synopsis
55 Notes from Conductor
56 Notes from Director
57 Production Insights
58 A Revolutionary Opera
60 Biographies
67 VO Orchestra and Production Team
68 Sid Neigum Spotlight
69 Figaro Study Guide
71
SPECIAL EVENTS
72
31
HEGGIE | DEAD MAN WALKING
32
The Cast
34Synopsis
35
Notes from Conductor
36
Notes from Director
37
From Memoir
to Melody
38
Sister Helen Prejean on Compassion
39
Production Insights
41Biographies
48
VO Orchestra, Chorus, Supernumeraries
49
Production Team
Paul Wong’s Five
Octave Range
73 Ute Lemper and
Tanya Tagaq
75 Festival Community Events
83
VO DEVELOPMENT
101 VO EDUCATION
1062017–2018 Season
109 Patron Information
113 VO Board, Staff & Foundation Board
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
BOX
OFFICE
VANCOUVER
PLAYHOUSE
THE PLAYHOUSE
QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE
QUEEN ELIZABETH
THEATRE
QE
BOX
OFFICE
TRANSIT SHELTER
FESTIVAL
TENT
CAMBIE STREET
HAMILTON STREET
OPERA
BAR
UNDERGROUND
VOF
BOX
OFFICE
FESTIVAL
PATIO
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
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
unique schedule of performances, social and educational experiences to suit their tastes, whether just for a
day, a weekend or throughout the entire Festival.
Lovers of grand Italian opera can learn more about the music of Verdi and enjoy a glass of wine in the
Opera Bar before attending a performance of Otello. Children who attend both Opera Tales and Mistatim
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
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
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.
Take in something new, visit something familiar and be prepared for surprises at the VOF. @vancouveropera
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
APRIL 28
APRIL 29
APRIL 30
2:00pm
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
OPENING
Vancouver Playhouse
2:00pm
OTELLO
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
4:30pm
In Conversation
with Jake Heggie
Festival Tent
7:30pm
OTELLO
OPENING
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
4:30pm
Ethical Justice in
the 21st Century
Festival Tent
7:30pm
DEAD MAN WALKING
OPENING
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL
9
EVENTS
OCCURING
ALL FESTIVAL
LONG
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
MAY 1
MAY 2
MAY 3
12:00pm
Opera Tales &
Opera Zoo
Queen Elizabeth Plaza
Vancouver Public Library
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Vancouver Playhouse
3:00pm
3:00pm
Young Singers
Masterclasses
PAUL WONG EXHIBIT
"FIVE OCTAVE RANGE"
Starting at 8:00pm
each night throughout
the Festival
2:00pm
New Works Project
Festival Tent
Festival Tent
4:30pm
4:30pm
OPERA BAR:
Music of Heggie,
Verdi & Mozart
HAPPY HOUR
Tuesday — Saturday
4:00pm — 7:00pm
Festival Tent
DEAD MAN WALKING
Thursday — Saturday
Until Close
Festival Tent
7:30pm
7:30pm
POST SHOW SOCIALS
Where is Opera
Headed?
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
OTELLO
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
8:00pm
CARMINA BURANA
SING-ALONG
RED CARPET
BENCHES
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
BY SCOTT COHEN
Relax and socialize on
the Queen Elizabeth plaza
any time of the day or
evening. All are welcome!
MAY 8
MAY 9
3:00pm
Young Singers
Masterclasses
MAY 10
3:00pm
New Works Project
Festival Tent
Festival Tent
PRE SHOW TALKS
4:30pm
Figaro’s Design
1 hour before each opera
Festival Tent
OTELLO
Led by Dr. Claudio
Vellutini, Assistant
Professor, Musicology at
UBC School of Music
4:30pm
Civic Impact in Opera
Festival Tent
DEAD MAN WALKING
Led by composer/
conductor Cassie
Luftspring
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Led by staff from VO’s
Education department
7:30pm
DOXA FILM NIGHT:
BECOMING TRAVIATA
Vancouver Playhouse
All performance times
are subject to change
10
VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL
7:30pm
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Vancouver Playhouse
7:30pm
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Vancouver Playhouse
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MAY 4
MAY 5
MAY 6
MAY 7
12:30pm
Opera Zoo
Vancouver Playhouse
3:00pm
3:00pm
Young Singers
Masterclasses
New Works Project
Festival Tent
Festival Tent
4:00pm
Backstage Tour of the
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
4:30pm
In Conversation
with Ute Lemper
Festival Tent
OTELLO
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Backstage Tour of the
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
2:00pm
DEAD MAN WALKING
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Backstage Tour of the
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Stage Fighting Workshop
Festival Tent
7:30pm
DEAD MAN WALKING
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Vancouver Playhouse
7:30pm
UTE LEMPER
OTELLO
Orpheum Theatre
Queen Elizabeth Theatre
MAY 11
Young Singers
Masterclasses
Vancouver Playhouse
4:30pm
8:00pm
3:00pm
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
4:00pm
4:00pm
7:30pm
7:30pm
1:30pm
MAY 12
3:00pm
New Works Project
Festival Tent
MAY 13
POST FESTIVAL
12:30pm
Opera Zoo
Vancouver Playhouse
Vancouver Playhouse
Festival Tent
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
May 16 - 7:30pm
May 17 - 7:30pm
May 18 - 7:30pm
1:00pm
4:30pm
Whose Story Is It?
Traditional Opera
through Modern Eyes
4:30pm
Sila Singers:
Throat Singing Duo
Mistatim: A
Family Performance
Festival Tent
Festival Tent
Festival Tent
1:30pm
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
6:00pm
Vancouver Playhouse
Opera Academy
Performance
Purchase tickets by
calling the VOF
ticket centre at
604 683 0222
Festival Tent
7:30pm
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Vancouver Playhouse
7:30pm
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Vancouver Playhouse
8:00pm
TANYA TAGAQ
Vogue Theatre
7:30pm
MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Vancouver Playhouse
7:30pm
The Artistry of Youth:
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
want to see, tickets start at only $45!
Visit: vancouveropera.ca
Call: 604 683 0222
Or Stop By: VO Ticket Centre
Two and three show VIP passes are the best way
to experience the Vancouver Opera Festival. In
addition to great seats for our mainstage opera
productions these include a lot of exclusive perks
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
650 Hamilton Street
VANCOUVER PLAYHOUSE
600 Hamilton Street
FESTIVAL TENT
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
$9.00
$9.00
$11.00
$6.00
$12.50
$17.00
Each Half Hour or portion
Matinee until 6:00pm
All Day Max until 6:00pm-P2 Level
All Day Max until 6:00pm-P1 Level
Motorcycle Max 6:00am-6:00pm & 4:00pm-12:00am (in designated stalls only)
Flat Rate Theatre Parking after 4:00pm
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
© 2 0 1 7 M I S S I O N H I L L F A M I LY E S T A T E
Join our family with a Privilege Membership,
your exclusive access to vintage releases and winery events.
Visit www.missionhillwinery.com for details
P R O U D S P O N S O R O F T H E VA N C O U V E R O P E R A
VERDI
OTELLO
ITALIAN OPERA'S GREATEST TRAGEDY
OTELLO
TITLE IMAGERY
NEW PRODUCTION
APRIL
28• 30M
M
MAY
4• 6
QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE
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
THE CAST
Director Michael Cavanagh
(in order of vocal appearance)
Montano
Angus Bell
Cassio
John Cudia
Desdemona
Erin Wall
Iago
Gregory Dahl
Roderigo
Martin Sadd
Otello
Antonello Palombi
Emilia
Megan Latham
A Herald
Glenn de Verteuil
Lodovico
Thomas Goerz
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
16
OTELLO
ACT II: 34 MINS
INTERMISSION: 25 MINS
ACT III: 38 MINS
ACT IV: 30 MINS
Associate Conductor
Gordon Gerrard
Principal Répétiteur / Assistant
Chorus Director
Tina Chang
Chorus and Children’s
Chorus Director
Kinza Tyrrell
Fight Choreographer
Nicholas Harrison
Set and Imagery Designer
Erhard Rom
Musical Preparation
Mary Castello*
Production Stage Manager
Theresa Tsang
Lighting Designer
Gerald King
Wig Designer
Stacey Butterworth
Assistant Director
Sarah Jane Pelzer*
Assistant Lighting Designer
Andrew Pye
English SURTITLES™ Translations
Anika Vervecken
Assistant Stage Managers
Claire Friedrich
Shannon Macelli
Apprentice Stage Manager
Linzi Voth
* 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,
arrives at his home port following a successful campaign
against the Turks. His lieutenant, Iago, laments his safe
return, furious that Otello has appointed Cassio to the
position of Captain rather than him. In a bid to discredit
Cassio, Iago convinces him to drink to celebrate Otello’s
safe return. A drunken Cassio is soon goaded into a
brawl, wounding another soldier. Otello arrives and,
in a rage, strips Cassio of his rank and sends everyone
away. His wife, Desdemona, who had been woken up
by the commotion, calms him down and they exchange
commitments of love and devotion.
Cassio is lured into a conversation with Iago as Otello
listens, unobserved. Iago asks Cassio about his lover,
Bianca, knowing Otello will believe they are speaking
of Desdemona. When Cassio produces Desdemona’s
handkerchief, left for him by a secret admirer, Otello’s
worst suspicions are confirmed. The Venetian ambassador
and his courtiers arrive to great fanfare, and Otello is told
that he has been recalled to Venice, with Cassio promoted
to governor of Cyprus. Otello cannot contain his jealous
rage and lashes out at Desdemona in front of everyone,
causing a humiliating scene. Iago presses Otello to take
vengeance on both Cassio and Desdemona quickly,
before he loses the opportunity.
ACT II
ACT IV
The clever Iago persuades Cassio to petition Desdemona
for help with convincing Otello to reinstate him. Iago
uses this opportunity to tell the general that Desdemona
has been unfaithful, planting a first seed of suspicion
in Otello’s mind. His distrust grows with Desdemona’s
subsequent request to pardon Cassio. She offers to
soothe the headache he claims to have by wrapping
his head with her handkerchief. Consumed by jealous
paranoia, he rejects her comfort by throwing the
handkerchief to the ground. Iago stealthily obtains the
handkerchief and makes plans to plant it in Cassio’s
chambers as proof of their affair.
In her chambers, Desdemona prays to the Virgin Mary
as she waits for Otello to come to her. He enters and
asks whether she has said her prayers – he does not
want her to go to her death unprepared. Despite her
pleas, he strangles her. The servant Emilia returns with
news that Cassio has killed Roderigo, who Iago had
sent to murder him. Upon discovering what Otello has
done, Emilia reveals that her husband Iago is to blame
for planting the handkerchief. Soldiers enter with further
proof from the dying Roderigo that Iago is behind the
entire plot. The despondent Otello stabs himself and
collapses beside the body of his beloved for a final kiss.
18
OTELLO
NOTES FROM THE CONDUCTOR |
Otello, Verdi’s penultimate opera, was written over a
period of several years – revisions of Simon Boccanegra
and Don Carlos together with the small matter of his
Requiem getting in the way. His collaboration with the
Italian librettist, novelist and composer Arrigo Boito
eventually gave birth to a work of great genius, many
putting it on par with Shakespeare’s tragedy on which it
was based. The opening night at La Scala on February
5th, 1887 was a predictable triumph.
“Otello marks a new evolution in Verdi’s style, a step
to what is called music of the future.” So wrote Antonio
Fogazzaro, a music critic and a contemporary of Verdi.
To what was he referring? The most obvious and daring
innovation – at least for an Italian – was a commitment
to an uninterrupted musical-dramatic thread, almost
Wagnerian in its overall design. What we think of as
the techniques of standard Italian arias, recitatives,
and ensembles literally melt into each other. If one
adds into the mix a rich orchestration, including bass
clarinet, English horn, bass trombone, piccolo, etc., and
a more advanced chromatic harmonic language, one
understands entirely what Fogazzaro was talking about.
The three main characters demand distinct and
challenging virtues. In Otello, Verdi invented a role for
a very heavy ‘tenore spinto’. He has one of the greatest
entrances in all opera as he exclaims imperiously, fullvoiced like a trumpet at the top of his range ‘Esultate…’
JONATHAN DARLINGTON
Almost immediately afterwards he has to be sweet and
suave in his love duet, then tortured and crazy, capable
of subtle asides and sudden excessive vocal paroxysms.
Desdemona, (from the Greek dysdaimon meaning
'ill-fated’), Verdi wrote ".. is not a woman but a type.
She is the type of goodness, resignation, self-sacrifice.
There are beings who are born for others, who are quite
unaware of their own egos….". Accordingly, he writes
exquisite lines for her filled with the purity of innocence.
Finally Iago, where Verdi breaks with his own tradition
of the typical ‘Verdi Baritone’. He wrote in a letter to
Boito: "A curious thing! The role of Iago apart from a
few éclats could all be sung at half-voice." "Every word
spoken by Iago is on the human level," as Boito writes.
"a villainous humanity if you like, but still human……one
of his talents is the faculty he possesses of changing his
personality according to the person to whom he happens
to be speaking, so as to deceive them or to bend them to
his will."
Small wonder that for a long time Iago was the preferred
title of the opera.
Maestro Darlington, BA (Hons) Durham University, LRAM, is a Fellow
of the Royal Academy of Music and a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
He has been Music Director of Vancouver Opera since 2002.
OTELLO
19
NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR |
What a wonderfully humbling experience it is to tackle
Otello, the product of not just one of the greatest artists
in history, but three. William Shakespeare brought this
story and these characters to life with incredible depth
of insight and breadth of meaning. The task of distilling
the play into a libretto worthy of operatic treatment fell
to Arrigo Boito, a master of the craft and an emerging
giant in his own right as a composer. Finally, the great
Giuseppe Verdi, at the height of his genius, wrote a
score filled with breathtaking intensity and tenderness,
beauty, and power. It truly does stand among the
greatest works of sung storytelling of all time. These
incredible artists present a turbulent, multi-layered world
where our most powerful emotions are on vivid display.
The story begins and ends with a storm, the former a
product of natural forces and the latter of human ones.
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
force that anything in their path may be destroyed.
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
MICHAEL CAVANAGH
well-placed suggestions can lead to a destructive spiral,
how our darkest fears, resentments, and suspicions can
be used to trap us and trip us up, bringing about our
downfall as human beings and as a society.
In nature, there are predators and there is prey. Not
always is the former larger and more powerful than
the latter. The smallest spider can defeat, and feast on,
a victim many times its size. It spins a web, then baits
its target, waiting patiently for it to be lured inevitably
to its destruction. In human nature, the webs can be of
our own devising or created by others, but if we don't
learn to see them and take steps to avoid them, we
are doomed. Brilliant artists like Shakespeare, Boito,
and Verdi light the way, shining powerful beams of
clarity into the darkest corners of our selves, where the
cobwebs and pitfalls await.
Michael Cavanagh enjoys a busy directing schedule across North
America and Europe. He will be directing new productions of all three
Mozart-Da Ponte operas for San Francisco Opera, beginning in 2019.
PRODUCTION INSIGHTS |
DAN PATERSON
Verdi's Otello made its premiere at the Teatro alla Scala,
Milan, on February 5, 1887. The production that you
are about to see marks the first time since the 19801981 season that Vancouver Opera has staged this
grand masterpiece.
Tasked with the challenge of realizing this opera are the
creative team of Director Michael Cavanagh, Set and
Imagery Designer Erhard Rom, and Lighting Designer
Gerald King. Vancouver Opera fans will remember our
production of Nixon in China which was the last time the
director/designer team of Cavanagh and Rom worked
together at VO. Gerald King has designed the lighting
for numerous VO productions,
most recently Madama Butterfly and Evita during our
2015–2016 season. It’s truly an honour to have these
masters of their craft as collaborators once again.
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
equipped with – ample space in the wings to run two
large-scale operas in repertory fashion as we are doing
during this year's Festival. We asked Erhard to design
a set with a single footprint to work, with adjustments,
for two vastly different productions. I believe Erhard has
delivered with aplomb, giving us sets that function in
the available space, yet serve the purposes of both a
classic 19th century European opera and a modern 21st
century American opera. As with all of our productions
at Vancouver Opera, the sets, costumes, lights, and
projections are all here to serve the music. For this
production, we are using the expanded orchestra pit,
with more than 60 musicians under the direction of
Maestro Jonathan Darlington. It’s sure to be a feast for
the senses!
Dan Paterson has served as Technical Director for Vancouver Opera
since 2012.
FROM OTHELLO TO OTELLO |
An older husband is jealous of his young beautiful wife.
Rumours fly, household items go missing, and everyone
gathers in a bedroom to sort things out.
It sounds like the plot of a slapstick comedy, or perhaps
a sex farce, but it is the storyline of what may be
William Shakespeare’s most heartbreaking play,
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice.
Written shortly after Julius Caesar and Hamlet —tragedies
about dynastic struggle, besieged rulers and accusatory
ghosts — Othello could not be more different. It is about
a newly married couple. Their deaths have no political
impact. Their destruction is triggered by a piece of
domestic ephemera: a handkerchief.
BY PAUL BUDRA
Shakespeare found the basic plot in an Italian story
collection. The tale of a jealous African soldier married
to a Venetian woman may have had topical appeal
because in August of 1600, Muhammad al-Annuri,
Legate of the King of Barbary, arrived on a diplomatic
mission to the court of Elizabeth I, creating a sensation
with his dark complexion, flowing robes, turban and
scimitar. “Moors” were in the public eye, so it is perhaps
no coincidence that Iago, Othello’s nemesis, calls him a
“Barbary horse.”
The play was popular in its time. An audience member
who saw it in 1610 said the actors “drew tears not
only by their speech but also by their action. Indeed,
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,
and one of the most opaque. Samuel Coleridge
famously called him a “motiveless Malignity,” but
actors, audiences and critics have speculated about his
motivations for centuries. Caught between the malevolent
Iago and the duped Othello is Desdemona, a young
woman who has rejected her father for the man she
loves and whose innocence precipitates her own death.
Shakespeare fan, out of a self-imposed retirement in the
1870s. Verdi took Shakespeare’s most concentrated
tragedy and narrowed its focus further, moving the action
entirely to Cyprus and reducing the cast size. It has been
recognized as one of the most powerful of Shakespeare
adaptations since its opening night in 1887: the premiere
performance garnered 20 curtain calls.
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
CONDUCTOR
Lapworth, England
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Evita, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Fidelio with the Orchestra of the 18th
Century, Amsterdam; Die Fledermaus and
Die Zauberflöte with Semperoper Dresden; Le
nozze di Figaro with Royal Swedish Opera:
Così fan tutte with Opera Australia; The
Makropoulos Case with Frankfurt Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Madama Butterfly with Vienna Staatsoper
MICHAEL CAVANAGH
STAGE DIRECTOR
Winnipeg, MB
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Madama Butterfly, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Elektra with Edmonton Opera; Die Entführung
aus dem Serail with Opera Columbus; Falstaff
with Manitoba Opera; Nixon in China with
Royal Swedish Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Carmen with Austin Lyric Opera
Aida with Royal Swedish Opera
ANTONELLO PALOMBI
OTELLO
tenor
Lavello, Italy
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Otello with Stadttheater Klagenfurt;
Luigi in Il tabarro with Teatro San Carlo;
Cavaradossi in Tosca with Teatro delle Muse;
Radames in Aida with Teatro San Carlo
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly with Macerata
Opera Festival; Andrea Chénier with Gran
Teatre Liceu
liricopera.com
ERIN WALL
DESDEMONA
GREGORY DAHL
IAGO
JOHN CUDIA
CASSIO
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
soprano
Vancouver, BC
Donna Anna in Don Giovanni, 2014
Anna Sorensen in Silent Night with Michigan
Opera Theatre; Vanessa with Santa Fe Opera
Hanna Glawari in The Merry Widow with
Boston Lyric Opera
Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with San
Francisco Opera; Arabella with the Canadian
Opera Company
erinwall.com
24
OTELLO
baritone
Winnipeg, MB
Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, 2016
Emilio Picariello in Filumena with Calgary
Opera; Ford in Falstaff with Manitoba Opera;
Gianni Schicchi with Opéra de Québec;
Amonasro in Aida with Opéra de Montréal
Scarpia in Tosca with L’Opéra de Montréal;
Rigoletto with L’Opéra de Québec
gregorydahl.com
tenor
Bloomfield, NJ
Juan Perón in Evita, 2016
Dr. Woodly in Happy Birthday Wanda June
with Indianapolis Opera; Curly in Oklahoma!
with Lyric Opera of Chicago; The Phantom in
The Phantom of the Opera, Broadway,
New York
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
The Duke in Rigoletto with Lyric Opera of the
North
johncudia.com
BIOGRAPHIES
THOMAS GOERZ
LODOVICO
MEGAN LATHAM
EMILIA
MARTIN SADD
RODERIGO
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
bass-baritone
Kitchener, ON
Prophet/Larry King in Dark Sisters, 2015
Owen Hart in Dead Man Walking with Opéra
de Montréal; The Mikado with Calgary Opera;
Zuniga in Carmen with Vancouver Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Titurel in Parsifal with Festival de Lanaudière;
Dr. Knarre in Charlotte with Taipei Scenography
Festival
deanartists.com
mezzo-soprano
Abbotsford, BC
Ruth in Dark Sisters, 2015
Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte with Pacific
Opera Victoria; Rossweisse in Die Walküre
with Canadian Opera Company; Alisa in Lucia
di Lammermoor with Edmonton Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Soloist, Handel’s Messiah with Bach on the
Rock; John Allison in The Lake with Turning
Point Ensemble/Astrolabe Musik Theatre;
Second Armed Man in The Magic Flute with
Vancouver Opera; Alberich in Das Rheingold
with ViVace
Rodolfo in La bohème with Burnaby Lyric
Opera; Nanki-Poo in The Mikado with Calgary
Opera; Soloist, Handel’s Messiah with Victoria
Symphony Orchestra; The Duke in Rigoletto
and Pollione in Norma with Vancouver
Island Opera
deanartists.com
GLENN DE VERTEUIL
HERALD
Herald in Rigoletto, 2015
Dr. Blind in Die Fledermaus, 2015
Eine Kartenaufschlägerin in Arabella with
Canadian Opera Company; Giovanna in
Rigoletto with Canadian Opera Company
ANGUS BELL
MONTANO
bass-baritone
Bankstown, Australia
tenor
Victoria, BC
baritone
Vancouver, BC
Chorus in Evita, 2016
Chorus in Rigoletto, Sweeney Todd, Die
Fledermaus, and Carmen with Vancouver
Opera
STACEY BUTTERWORTH
WIG DESIGNER
Vancouver, BC
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Evita, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Rigoletto, Dark Sisters, and Madama Butterfly
with Vancouver Opera; Wigmaker for Tom
Hanks in the feature film Circle; Wigmaker
for Jared Leto in the feature film The Outsider;
Wigmaker for Gillian Anderson in The X-Files;
Wigmaker for Jennifer Lawrence in the feature
film Mother
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Wotan in Die Walküre with Heroic
Opera Company
OTELLO
25
BIOGRAPHIES
MARY CASTELLO
PIANIST
Kitchener, ON
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Hansel and Gretel, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Pianist, Opera Tales and Viardot’s Cendrillon
with the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists
Program; Répétiteur, L’elisir d’amore and Little
Women with Opera McGill
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Répétiteur, Dead Man Walking and
The Brothers Grimm with Opera on
the Avalon
TINA CHANG
PRINCIPAL RÉPÉTITEUR/
ASSISTANT CHORUS DIRECTOR
Vancouver, BC
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Evita, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Répétiteur, Herculanum and Il Campanello with
Wexford Festival Opera; Assistant Conductor
& Principal Répétiteur, Dark Sisters with
Vancouver Opera; Pianist & Coach with UBC
Summer Vocal Workshop
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
marycastellopianist.com
Répétiteur, Ariadne auf Naxos with UBC
Opera; Coach, soundSCAPE Festival,
Maccagno, Italy
GORDON GERRARD
ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR
GERALD KING
LIGHTING DESIGNER
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Rivers, MB
Répétiteur, Faust, 2006
Music Director of the Regina Symphony
Orchestra; Tosca with Kammeroper Schloss
Rheinsberg; Associate Conductor of the
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra;
Die Fledermaus with Calgary Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Eugene Onegin with Opera Nuova
The Nutcracker with The National Ballet of
Canada
gordongerrard.com
26
OTELLO
Vancouver, BC
Evita, 2016
Crazy for You with Citadel Theatre; Da Kink
in My Hair with National Arts Centre and
Theatre Calgary; The Merry Wives of Windsor
and Romeo and Juliet with Bard on the Beach;
Faerie Queen with Royal Winnipeg Ballet;
Les Misérables with Western Canada Theatre
CARMEN GARCIA
MAKE-UP DESIGNER
Valencia, Spain
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Macbeth, 2017
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Hansel and Gretel with Vancouver Opera;
The Consul with UBC Opera; Eine Nacht in
Venedig with UBC Opera; Head of Make-Up
with Vancouver Opera, 1997-present
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Ariadne auf Naxos with UBC Opera;
Turandot with Vancouver Opera
PARVIN MIRHADY
COSTUME DESIGN
CONSULTANT
Tehran, Iran
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Hansel and Gretel, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Costume Designer, Nixon in China, Barber
of Seville, and Dark Sisters with Vancouver
Opera; Head of Costumes with Vancouver
Opera, 2002-present
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
2017-2018 Vancouver Opera Season
and Festival
BIOGRAPHIES
SARAH JANE PELZER
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
ERHARD ROM
Victoria, BC
set and imagery designer
Seattle, WA
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Assistant Director, Hansel and Gretel, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Director, Cendrillon and Opera Tales with the
Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program;
Assistant Director, The Marriage of Figaro with
Opera Manitoba; Assistant Director, The Merry
Widow with Edmonton Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Assistant Director, Dead Man Walking with
Opera on the Avalon
La bohème, 2012
RECENT APPEARANCES:
THERESA TSANG
PRODUCTION STAGE
MANAGER
Brandon, MB
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Evita, 2016
The Shining with Minnesota Opera; Set and
Imagery Designer, Lucia di Lammermoor
with San Francisco Opera; Set and Imagery
Designer, Semele with Seattle Opera; Nixon in
China with Royal Swedish Opera
RECENT APPEARANCES:
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Moby-Dick with Utah Opera
erhardrom.com
Stage Manager, Maria de Rudenz with
Wexford Opera Festival; Stage Manager,
Salmon Girl (World Premiere) with Raven Spirit
Dance
Faculty Stage Manager, Kopernikus with Banff
Centre; Stage Manager, Medea with Wexford
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
CHORUS AND CHILDREN’S
CHORUS DIRECTOR
Kinza Tyrrell
Anonymous
Antonello Palombi
The Illahie Foundation
Victoria, BC
Erin Wall
Brigitte & Henning Freybe
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Gregory Dahl
Mrs. Irene McEwen
John Cudia
Mrs. Barbara Lowy
Megan Latham
Val & Dick Bradshaw
Thomas Goerz
Reet Kana
Evita, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Assistant Conductor/Chorus Director/Principal
Répétiteur, Madama Butterfly with Vancouver
Opera; Conductor, Dark Sisters with Vancouver
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
Violin 1
Mark Ferris, Concertmaster
Domagoj Ivanovic, Associate Concertmaster
Evelyn Creaser Rumley
Ken Lin
Peter Krysa
Toni Stanick
Paula Wise
Colleen Venables
Sarah Westwick
Cameron Wilson
Violin 2
Andrea Siradze, Principal
Heilwig von Koenigsloew, Assistant Principal
Adrianne Stride
Karina Slupski
Christine Lin
Sandra Fiddes
Janna Sailor
Tina Park
Viola
Tawnya Popoff, Principal
Isabelle Roland, Assistant Principal
Mila Tymoshenko
Barbara Irschick
Colin Miles
Sarah Kwok
Cello
Rebecca Wenham, Principal
Susan Round, Assistant Principal
Harold Birston
Peter Caton
Ben Goheen
Bass
Michael Vaughan, Principal
Chris Light, Assistant Principal
Meaghan Williams
Laurence Mollerup
Wiktor Lebeda
Flute
Brenda Fedoruk, Principal
Laura Vanek
Anne-Elise Keefer
Piccolo
Anne-Elise Keefer
Oboe
David Owen, Principal
Erin Marks
Cor Anglais
Erin Marks
Clarinet
Mary Backun, Principal
Erin Fung
28
OTELLO
VANCOUVER OPERA CHORUS
Bass Clarinet
AK Coope
Bassoon
Ingrid Chiang, Principal
Allan Thorpe
Carrie To
Isaac Bull
Horn
Laurel Spencer, Principal
Steve Denroche
Heather Walker
Dawn Haylett
Trumpet
Tom Shorthouse, Principal
Jim Littleford
Henry Christian
Robin Shier
Trombone
Jeremy Berkman, Principal
Jim Tranquilla
Bass Trombone
Sharman King
Cimbasso
David Sabourin, Principal
Timpani
Phillip Crewe, Principal
Percussion
Graeme Tofflemire, Principal
Lauri Lyster
Leonard Pearson
Robin Reid
Harp
Janelle Nadeau, Principal
Albertina Chan
Organ
Tina Chang, Principal
Orchestra Manager
Jim Littleford
Orchestra Librarian
Tom Shorthouse
Orchestra Stage Manager
Jim Tranquilla
SUPERNUMERARIES
Kenyon Alexander
Henry Beasley
Jason Bosher
Tom Jensen
Brett Macdonald
Malcolm MacLachlan
Peter Alexander
Grant Allert
Kevin Armstrong
Angus Bell
Spencer Britten
DJ Calhoun
Tristan Chalcraft
Henry Chen
Sheila Christie
Rebecca Collett
Jason Cook
Francesca Corrado
Bette Cosar
Melody Courage
Glenn de Verteuil
Doug DeVillier
Jeanine Fynn
Christian Garcia
Cathleen Gingrich
Brenda Glass Alexander
Matthew Gaskin
Martina Govednik
William Grossman
Allyson Hop
Adam Kozak
Melanie Krueger
Aviva Lacterman
Katherine Landry Yacht
Harout Markarian
Lisa-Dawn Markle
Willy Miles-Grenzberg
Heather Molloy
Ed Moran
Rose-Ellen Nichols
Wade Nott
Sungsan Oh
Heather Pawsey
Mark Pepe
Frédérik Robert
Julia Rooney
Eric Schwarzhoff
Dionne Sellinger
Diane Speirs
Barbara Towell
Szu-Wen Wang
Don Wright
VANCOUVER OPERA
CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Ember Dickson
Rachel Dreger
Mariechen Dresselhuis
Zachary Mortimer
Emily Paquette
Jeremiah Vezina
OTELLO PRODUCTION TEAM
VANCOUVER OPERA PRODUCTION
Technical Director
Dan Paterson
COSTUMES, WIGS, HAIR,
AND MAKE-UP
Assistant Technical Director
Gregg Steffensen
Head of Costumes & Costume
Design Consultant
Parvin Mirhady
Production Stage Manager
Theresa Tsang
Assistant Stage Managers
Claire Friedrich
Shannon Macelli
Apprentice Stage Manager
Linzi Voth
Festival Properties Manager
Heidi Wilkinson
Props Builders
Sharon Zimmerman
Frances Henry
Jason Wingham
Cutter
Paul Fan
Sewers
Liwayway Garcia
Marion Schoeler
Mo Lin Ng
Foroozan Talei Ford
Xiao Ping Liu
Norma Bowen
Maryam Zamani
Djanila Hamain
Wig Designer
Stacey Butterworth
Scenic Carpenters
George Scott
Jeffery Hunter
Monica Arthurs
Brian Culp
Carpenter Assistant
David Radford
Head Scenic Artist
Jennifer Hedge
Lead Scenic Artist
Melanie Verreault
Scenic Painters
Maureen Mackintosh
Kristen Sands
Karina Kalvaitis
Eric Bushell
Additional Scenic Elements by
Head of Wigs and Hair
Elke Englicht
GREAT NORTHERN WAY
SCENE SHOP
Props Intern
Winter Stacey
Head of Make-Up &
Make-Up Designer
Carmen Garcia
Production Shop Manager
Angela Carlson
Production Carpenter
Scott Ellis
Head Wardrobe Dresser
Margaret Underhill
Production Electrician
John Beatty
Stage Employees, Dressers & Hair,
Wigs and Make-Up Crew
Members of IATSE 118
Production Buyer
Carol Mcdonald
Production Video
Brad Dodds
Master Carpenter
Dave Winstanley
Head Scenic Artist
Justus Hayes
Scenic Painter
Sandy Margaret
The sets for Otello were built in the Pacific
Opera Victoria Scene Shop.
PACIFIC OPERA VICTORIA
Master Electrician
Paul Neumeyer
Head Carpenter
Keith Allan
Head of Sound
Vaughn Pease
Lead Hand Carpenter
Phil Shaver
English SURTITLES™ Operator
Anika Vervecken
OTELLO
29
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CENTRE
PRESENTATION CENTRE OPEN
88 PACIFIC BOULEVARD, VANCOUVER
604.899.8800
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DEAD MAN WALKING
DMW TITLE
IMAGERY
A CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN
CLASSIC
NEW PRODUCTION | COMPANY PREMIERE
APRIL
29
M
MAY
2• 5• 7M
QUEEN ELIZABETH THEATRE
Matinee
TICKETS START AT $45 | CALL 604 683 0222 | vancouveropera.ca
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
THE CAST
Director Joel Ivany
(in order of vocal appearance)
Sister Helen Prejean
J'Nai Bridges
Sister Rose
Karen Slack
Sister Catherine
Heather Pawsey
Sister Lillianne
Barbara Towell
First Mother
Dionne Sellinger
Kitty Hart
Karen Ydenberg
Prison Guard 1
Willy Miles-Grenzberg
Howard Boucher
Michael Barrett
Prison Guard 2
DJ Calhoun
Younger Brother
Cameron Andres
Five Solo Inmates
Frédérik Robert, Peter
Alexander, Adam Kozak,
Kevin Armstrong, Angus Bell
Older Brother
Spencer Britten
Joseph De Rocher
Daniel Okulitch
Jimmy
Andreas Dala
Mrs. Patrick De Rocher
Judith Forst
Mrs. Charlton
Heather Molloy
Owen Hart
Thomas Goerz
Motorcycle Cop
Willy Miles-Grenzberg
Father Grenville
J. Patrick Raftery
George Benton
Charles Robert Austin
Jade Boucher
Emma Parkinson
A paralegal
Julia Rooney
Teenage Girl
Bianca Salazar
Teenage Boy
Lucas Othmer
Anthony De Rocher
Zac Beardsley
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
32
DEAD MAN WALKING
INTERMISSION: 25 MINS
ACT II: 65 MINS
Assistant Conductor /
Chorus and Children’s
Chorus Director /
Principal Répétiteur
Kinza Tyrrell
Wig Designer
Stacey Butterworth
Assistant Lighting Designer
Andrew Pye
Assistant Chorus Director / Répétiteur
Tina Chang
English SURTITLES™ Operator
Anika Vervecken
Set and Imagery Designer
Erhard Rom
Fight Choreographer
Nicholas Harrison
Costume Designer
Sheila White
Musical Preparation
Mary Castello*
Assistant Stage Managers
Marijka Asbeek Brusse
Emma Hammond
Assistant Costume Designer Jodi Jacyk
Stage Manager
Kate Porter
Lighting Designer
Gerald King
Assistant Director
Jessica Derventzis
Apprentice Stage Manager
Tamara Vuckovic
* 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 Shop and 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
mission, reveals to her sisters that she has agreed to be
the spiritual advisor to a death row inmate, Joseph De
Rocher, with whom she has been corresponding. Despite
criticism from her colleagues and prison staff, she is
determined to fulfill her duty to the man, and assist him
in coming to terms with his fate. After meeting with De
Rocher, she agrees to speak on his behalf at a hearing of
the pardon board, where she is confronted by the victims’
families. The board refuses the pardon and Sister Helen
encourages Joseph to confess to his crimes. He refuses,
leaving an intercession from the governor as his only
hope to avoid execution. Facing resistance from all sides,
an overwhelmed Sister Helen hears the news that the
governor has refused to intercede, and faints.
De Rocher’s execution date has been set for August
4th at midnight. Despite the mental and physical toll
her work with the prisoner has taken, Sister Helen
remains by his side and urges that he make peace
with the Lord. The two begin talking in earnest, and
find common ground through their mutual love of rock
and roll music. De Rocher’s mother and two younger
brothers arrive to visit, and Helen takes one last picture
of the family. During the course of the subsequent
legal hearings, members of the victims’ families begin
to question whether the death penalty will really give
them the justice they seek. With the execution fast
approaching, Sister Helen gives De Rocher one final
chance to tell his story before accompanying him to the
execution chamber.
34
DEAD MAN WALKING
NOTES FROM THE CONDUCTOR |
It’s been said many times but it really is truly amazing
and almost unbelievable that Dead Man Walking is
Jake Heggie’s first venture into the operatic field. The
complexity of the piece is handled with incredible mastery
and above all his love of the human voice comes shining
through in his sensitive and idiosyncratic vocal writing.
This ability to write beautifully for the voice is a gift that
many would-be opera composers do not possess, but
owing to Heggie’s understanding and love of the ‘art
song’ he has it in abundance. The speech inflections
and rhythm of the English language form the bedrock on
which everything in the opera is built. For example, the
opening orchestral rhythmic and melodic pattern, from
which many thematic elements in the opera are derived,
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
detected which Heggie very skillfully fuses together.
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’.
JONATHAN DARLINGTON
Astonishingly however, every passing nod to an
illustrious forebear or musical idiom is assimilated into
Heggie’s own very personal musical language and is
there for a purpose, that of driving the narrative. Hence
the spiritual tune of ‘He will gather us around..’ which
acts as one of the work’s unifying elements or the
recorded rock and roll number that precedes the violent
acts with which the opera begins.
Jake Heggie’s aim is to speak directly to an audience’s
heart and mind. Remarkably, in a story of such highly
charged subject matter he manages to make us feel
sympathy for all the characters involved. He forces us to
make up our own mind without taking sides, which is a
truly stunning achievement
Maestro Darlington, BA (Hons) Durham University, LRAM, is a Fellow
of the Royal Academy of Music and a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
He has been Music Director of Vancouver Opera since 2002.
DEAD MAN WALKING
35
NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR |
In the early 1980’s, a former Hollywood star became
President of the United States, Star Wars was at the top
of the box office, and a million demonstrators rallied in
Central Park in support of a “Nuclear Freeze” during
heightened tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet
Union. Against the backdrop of these oddly familiar
events, Sister Helen Prejean began her journey to help
convicted murderers on death row.
Her best-selling book, Dead Man Walking (1993),
became a national bestseller, and was turned into an
Academy Award-winning film of the same name in
1995. This success led to a commission to write the
opera, Dead Man Walking, which premiered in San
Francisco in 2000.
This opera has never felt more timely and relevant. It
is still an important work, whose message needs to be
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,
the belief in something greater than ourselves, and
the passion to follow that belief through to the end.
36
DEAD MAN WALKING
JOEL IVANY
This opera is not easy: the subject matter is graphic,
disturbing, and difficult. However, the message of
hope, forgiveness, and reconciliation is powerful,
difficult, and necessary.
Despite being an American subject, the themes,
message, and power of this work are universal. It makes
a person take time for introspection and ask difficult
questions – ones that perhaps we didn’t think opera
could address. This opera, Jake Heggie’s first, is a
masterpiece in operatic theatre.
It may sound altruistic, but I believe that opera and
music can truly change a person. I have no idea what
an audience member is feeling when they walk through
the front door, but I hope that we all can be as open as
possible to the story, music, and message that is being
told – it can be transformative.
Joel Ivany is Founder and Artistic Director of Against the Grain Theatre
and Program Director of Open Space: Opera in the 21st Century at
Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
FROM MEMOIR TO MELODY:
DEAD MAN WALKING IN 2017 |
JAKE HEGGIE
It was June of 1997 when playwright
and librettist Terrence McNally first
suggested Dead Man Walking as
the subject of our first opera. I can
still sense the electric shiver of intense
recognition that opera was exactly
the right art form to bring this story
to the stage. The emotional language
is immense, so it makes sense for the
characters to sing. It is American, yet
universal. It is timely, yet timeless. It is
an intimate story with the stakes high
at every turn and, thanks to the great
film by Tim Robbins (starring Susan
Sarandon and Sean Penn), it has the
feeling of being part of our American
DNA. It also felt like exactly the
right story for me as a composer.
With the blessing and enthusiastic
support of the amazing Sister Helen
Prejean, we set to work. She gave
us permission to explore and tell her
story as we saw fit, knowing it would
need to be adapted for the stage.
Her single request was that it remain
a story of redemption.
Dead Man Walking was a highly
controversial project at a time when
the premiere of a new American
opera was rare. San Francisco
Opera’s General Director, Lotfi
Mansouri, made sure we had
everything we needed to produce
the work at the highest level
possible. The cast included Susan
Graham as Sister Helen, John
Packard as Joseph DeRocher, and
Frederica von Stade as his mother.
The conductor was Patrick Summers,
the director was Joe Mantello, with
sets by Michael Yeargan. Opening
night was October 7, 2000. The
run sold out and two additional
performances were added. Reviews
were all over the place, but nobody
was ambivalent; everyone had
a strong opinion. The opera did
what we had hoped: it moved and
surprised people, and brought them
into a dialogue about something
they had perhaps only considered in
the abstract.
Since that first production in San
Francisco, the opera has traveled
around the globe, with nearly 300
performances on five continents.
Recently, Dead Man Walking had
its 50th international production at
the Kennedy Center in Washington,
DC. The journey continues and
the dialogue intensifies as the
difficult central question of the
story is posed again: are we for
vengeance or forgiveness?
Jake Heggie is an American opera composer
in San Francisco.
DANIEL OKULITCH IN DEAD MAN WALKING (2006).
PHOTO BY TRUDIE LEE, COURTESY OF CALGARY OPERA
DEAD MAN WALKING
37
COMPASSION IN DEAD MAN WALKING |
We need art to open up the heart and
bring us to places we are never going
to go. I stand as a witness to share the
story. Come with me, let me tell you
what I learned, what I saw, then take it
into your own soul and work out what
it is that you are being called to do.
- Sr. Helen Prejean
The first thing that becomes clear when
reading Sister Helen Prejean’s book,
Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness
Account of the Death Penalty, is the
incredible amount of compassion
that Sr. Helen feels for all members
of our society – even those who have
committed heinous crimes. The book,
the 1995 film, and the opera of Dead
Man Walking brought international
attention to her work as an advocate
against the death penalty. Sr. Helen’s
message comes from a deep belief in
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
COLLEEN MAYBIN & SISTER HELEN PREJEAN
United States. Although there is no
doubt that the central character, De
Rocher, committed a horrible crime,
Sr. Helen shows us the connections
between poverty and incarceration
that coloured his entire experience with
the judicial system.
Many groups within Canada face
strikingly similar challenges. According
to a recent article in Maclean’s
magazine (February, 2016), Canada’s
crime rate is sitting at a 45 year low.
However, the number of Indigenous
people who are incarcerated has hit
an all-time high. Indigenous peoples,
who experience endemic poverty on
reserves and the continued impact of
residential schools, make up only 4%
of the national population and yet
they comprise over 30% of the prison
population. Indigenous populations
find themselves affected by similar
socio-economic conditions to
those at work behind Dead Man
Walking.
I saw the suffering and I let myself
feel it… I saw the injustice and was
compelled to do something about
it. I changed from being a nun who
only prayed for the suffering world
to a woman with my sleeves rolled
up, living my prayer.
- Sr. Helen Prejean
Colleen Maybin is Director, Education &
Community Engagement at
Vancouver Opera.
Sister Helen Prejean is a member of the
Congregation of St. Joseph, author of Dead
Man Walking, and a leading American advocate for the abolition of the death penalty.
PRODUCTION INSIGHTS |
DAN PATERSON
The creative team for Dead Man Walking is well known
to our audiences. Director Joel Ivany gave us his grand
and passionate rendition of Carmen in our 2014–2015
season. Erhard Rom, who designed the magical and
inventive set for our 2009–2010 season production of
Nixon in China, brings this production’s set and imagery
design. Sheila White débuts as our costume designer,
while Lighting Designer Gerald King, a VO veteran, has
collaborated on many of our productions, most recently
Madama Butterfly and Evita.
It is the designers’ job to realize the director's vision,
creating the physical world in which the opera takes
place. This was no small challenge in this piece, which
spans a lengthy period and takes place in several
different locations. Many of us have seen the movie or
read Sister Helen’s book and we have a good sense
of both the location and the time period, and while
we may not have been inside the Louisiana State
Penitentiary, we can imagine the dark realities found
inside. Our designers must imagine a world that meets
our expectations while at the same time creating the
locations required to convincingly tell the opera’s story.
J'NAI BRIDGES AND DANIEL OKULITCH ENJOY A BREAK
AND A LAUGH DURING A RECENT PHOTO SHOOT.
PHOTOS BY EMILY COOPER
Festival Properties Manager Heidi Wilkinson has worked
tirelessly with her team to build and source props for
the Festival’s three mainstage operas, each with its own
set of unique creative requirements. Head of Wardrobe
Parvin Mirhady has guided her team of cutters and
sewers through the collection, rental, and construction
of costumes. We also called on the services of the
carpenters and painters of the Pacific Opera Victoria
Scene Shop and the painters of the Great Northern Way
Scene Shop here in Vancouver. Our thanks go to them
for their collaboration.
Dan Paterson has served as Technical Director for Vancouver Opera
since 2012.
BIOGRAPHIES
JONATHAN DARLINGTON
CONDUCTOR
JOEL IVANY
DIRECTOR
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Evita, 2016
Carmen, 2014
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Lapworth, England
Fidelio with the Orchestra of the 18th Century,
Amsterdam; Die Fledermaus and Die Zauberflöte
with Semperoper Dresden; Le nozze di Figaro
with Royal Swedish Opera: Così fan tutte with
Opera Australia; The Makropoulos Case with
Frankfurt Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Toronto, ON
Mozart’s Requiem with the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra; A Little Too Cozy with Against the
Grain Theatre; Carmen with the Canadian
Opera Company; Program Director of Open
Space: Opera in the 21st Century at Banff
Centre
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
J’NAI BRIDGES
SISTER HELEN PREJEAN
mezzo-soprano
Lakewood, WA
Bersi in Andrea Chénier with San Francisco
Opera and Bayerische Staatsoper; Nefertiti in
Akhnaten with LA Opera; Carmen in Bel Canto
with Lyric Opera of Chicago; Lucretia in
The Rape of Lucretia at Wolf Trap Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Josefa Segovia in Girls of the Golden West at
San Francisco Opera
Madama Butterfly with Vienna Staatsoper
Kopernikus with Banff Centre
Orphée et Eurydice with Opera Columbus
jonathan-darlington.com
joelivany.com
DANIEL OKULITCH
JOSEPH DE ROCHER
CHARLES ROBERT AUSTIN
GEORGE BENTON
MICHAEL BARRETT
HOWARD BOUCHER
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
bass-baritone
Calgary, AB
Don Giovanni, 2014
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Don Giovanni with Santa Fe Opera and New
Orleans Opera; Leporello in Don Giovanni
with Opéra de Montréal; Lyndon B. Johnson in
JFK with Fort Worth Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro with Israel
Philharmonic Orchestra
bass-baritone
Seward, NE
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Praise-God Tweke in Merry Mount (Hanson) at
Carnegie Hall; Duke Bluebeard in Bluebeard’s
Castle with Virginia Arts Festival; Dr. Grenvil in
La traviata with Seattle Opera; Duke Bluebeard
in Bluebeard’s Castle with the Buffalo
Philharmonic Orchestra
aormanagement.com
jnaibridgesmezzo.com
tenor
Corner Brook, NL
Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd, 2015
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus with Opera
5, Toronto; Osiris in Isis and Osiris for
VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert, Toronto
Soloist, Mozart Requiem with Newfoundland
Symphony; Monostatos in Die Zauberflöte with
Edmonton Opera
deanartists.com
danielokulitch.com
DEAD MAN WALKING
41
BIOGRAPHIES
JUDITH FORST, O.C., O.B.C.
MRS. PATRICK DE ROCHER
THOMAS GOERZ
OWEN HART
EMMA PARKINSON
JADE BOUCHER
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
mezzo-soprano
New Westminster, BC
Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance, 2012
Anne’s Mum in Two Boys with The
Metropolitan Opera; Old Woman in Candide
with Vancouver Symphony Orchestra; Madame
de Croissy in Dialogues des Carmélites with
Canadian Opera Company; Bianca in
The Rape of Lucretia with Houston
Grand Opera
bass-baritone
Kitchener, ON
Prophet/Larry King in Dark Sisters, 2015
Owen Hart in Dead Man Walking with Opéra
de Montréal; The Mikado with Calgary Opera;
Zuniga in Carmen with Vancouver Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Titurel in Parsifal with Festival de Lanaudière;
Dr. Knarre in Charlotte with Taipei
Scenography Festival
deanartists.com
mezzo-soprano
Lethbridge, AB
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Carmen with Burnaby Lyric Opera
Soloist, Beethoven Symphony No. 9 with
Kingston Symphony Orchestra; Soloist,
Vivaldi’s Gloria with Alberta Baroque
Ensemble; Mezzo-Soprano in Storybook with
Opera 5, Toronto
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Florrie in Rattenbury with Pacific Opera
Victoria; Soloist, Messiah with
Vancouver Bach Choir
emmaparkinson.com
J. PATRICK RAFTERY
FATHER GRENVILLE
KAREN SLACK
SISTER ROSE
KAREN YDENBERG
KITTY HART
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
tenor
Washington, DC
Figaro in The Barber of Seville, 1991
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Governor in Candide with the Vancouver
Symphony and Regina Symphony;
Haushofmeister in Ariadne auf Naxos with
Pacific Opera Victoria; Aegisth in Elektra with
Opéra de Marseille
deanartists.com
soprano
Philadelphia, PA
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Serena in Porgy and Bess with Sydney
Symphony; Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with
Nashville Opera; Alice Ford in Falstaff with
Arizona Opera; Aida with Austin Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Anna in Le Villi with Scottish Opera;
Sister Rose in Dead Man Walking with
Kentucky Opera and Minnesota Opera
sopranokarenslack.com
42
DEAD MAN WALKING
soprano
Langley, BC
Almera in Dark Sisters, 2015
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Beggar Woman in Sweeney Todd with
Vancouver Opera; Frasquita in Carmen with
Vancouver Opera; Echo in Ariadne auf Naxos
with Vancouver Opera; First Lady in The Magic
Flute with Vancouver Opera
BIOGRAPHIES
DJ CALHOUN
PRISON GUARD 2
baritone
Calgary, AB
ANITA KRAUSE
SISTER HELEN PREJEAN
mezzo-soprano
Vancouver, BC
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE :
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Chorus in Evita, 2016
Jeff/Chris/Dick in Stickboy with Vancouver
Opera In Schools; Curtis/Ensemble in Stickboy
with Vancouver Opera; Paris in Roméo et Juliette
with Vancouver Opera
djcalhoun.com
(COVER)
The Mayor’s Wife in Jenufa, 1996
Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi for
VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert, Toronto;
Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music with
Stratford Festival; Faculty Member, University
of Western Ontario
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Symphony
Nova Scotia; Music at Western Recital Series
deanartists.com
PETER ALEXANDER
SOLO INMATE 2
KEVIN ARMSTRONG
SOLO INMATE 4
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
baritone
Vancouver, BC
Chorus in Rigoletto, 2015
Chorus in Sweeney Todd with Vancouver
Opera; Soloist, Carmina Burana with Regina
Symphony Orchestra; Germont in La traviata
with The Opera Project; Valentin in Faust with
Vancouver Island Opera
tenor
Nelson, BC
Chorus in Evita, 2016
Macheath in Threepenny Opera with Theatre
in the Raw; Official Registrar in Madama
Butterfly with Vancouver Opera; Turridu in
Cavalleria Rusticana with Calgary Concert
Opera; Cerberus in KHAOS (World Premiere)
with Amy Ferguson Institute; Pontius Pilate in
Jesus Christ Superstar with Thunerseespiele,
Switzerland
reverbnation.com
WILLY MILES-GRENZBERG
MOTORCYCLE COP/
PRISON GUARD 1
baritone
St. Catharines, ON
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Chorus in Evita, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Baritone Soloist in Carmina Burana with
Vancouver Bach Choir; Singer/Songwriter/
Guitarist in Sounds Global Concert Series
with Vancouver Intercultural Orchestra; Guest
Soloist at Chinese New Year’s Gala at Surrey
Bell Centre; Christmas Caroler in When Calls
the Heart TV Series
willymilesmusic.com
ANGUS BELL
SOLO INMATE 5
bass-baritone
Bankstown, Australia
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Montano in Otello, 2017
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Herald in RIgoletto with Vancouver Opera;
John Allison in The Lake with Turning Point
Ensemble/Astrolabe Musik Theatre; Second
Armed Man in The Magic Flute with Vancouver
Opera; Alberich in Das Rheingold with ViVace
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Wotan in Die Walküre with Heroic
Opera Company
DEAD MAN WALKING
43
BIOGRAPHIES
SPENCER BRITTEN
OLDER BROTHER
ADAM KOZAK
SOLO INMATE 3
HEATHER MOLLOY
MRS. CHARLTON
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
HEATHER PAWSEY
SISTER CATHERINE
FRÉDÉRIK ROBERT
SOLO INMATE 1
JULIA ROONEY
PARALEGAL
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
tenor
Port Moody, BC
Chorus in Evita, 2016
Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with UBC Opera
and Bard on the Beach; Boy (Cover) in
Stickboy with Vancouver Opera In Schools
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
tenor
North Vancouver, BC
Chorus in Evita, 2016
Yakuside in Madama Butterfly with Vancouver
Opera; Chorus in Die Fledermaus and Carmen
with Vancouver Opera; Plum Seller in La
bohème with Vancouver Opera
mezzo-soprano
Regina, SK
Chorus in Evita, 2016
Student/Alyssa in Stickboy with Vancouver
Opera and Vancouver Opera In Schools;
Chorus, Sweeney Todd and Die Fledermaus
with Vancouver Opera; Concepcion in L’heure
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
soprano
Regina, SK
Chorus in Evita, 2016
Jennifer in One Thousand White Paper Cranes
for Japan with Prague Modern Orchestra,
Czech Republic; Presendia in Dark Sisters with
Vancouver Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Omnis Temporalis with Little Chamber Music
Series That Could; Komachi in Kayoi Komachi
(World Premiere) with Tomeo Arts
heatherpawsey.com
44
DEAD MAN WALKING
tenor
Falher, Alberta
Eva’s Brother/Chorus in Evita, 2016
Soloist, Rachmaninoff’s The Bells with the
Vancouver Bach Choir; Sultan Soliman/
Pulcherio/Biondello in The Lost Operas of
Mozart with City Opera Vancouver; Ed in
Dragging Piaf: a cinematic live concert with
Queer Arts Festival
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Soloist, Valentine’s Pop Shows with Vancouver
Symphony Orchestra
frederikrobert.com
soprano
Calgary, AB
Cio-Cio-San’s Cousin in Madama Butterfly,
2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
2016 Laureate with Jeunes Ambassadeurs
Lyriques, Montréal; Summer Intensive, The
American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New
York; Soloist in Operettennachmittag with the
German-Canadian Benevolent Society of BC;
Laetitia in The Old Maid and the Thief with
Fear No Opera, Victoria
juliarooneymusic.com
BIOGRAPHIES
DIONNE SELLINGER
FIRST MOTHER
BARBARA TOWELL
SISTER LILLIANNE
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
mezzo-soprano
Swift Current, SK
Cio-Cio San’s Mother in Madama Butterfly,
2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Kate/Suzuki in Tom Pinkerton: The Ballad of
Butterfly’s Son, a workshop in association with
Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre and SFU;
Zulma in L’italiania in Algeri with Calgary Opera
Peep Bo in The Mikado with Edmonton Opera
mezzo-soprano
Thunder Bay, ON
Chorus in Evita, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Miss Manners on Music, Recital with Pianist
Tina Chang; Viva Italia with City Opera
Vancouver; Marie in The Lake, Barbara
Pentland Documentary; Cio Cio San’s Aunt
in Madama Butterfly with Vancouver Opera;
Opera for Everyone with Quintessence, BC
Tour
barbandtina.com
CAMERON ANDRES
YOUNGER BROTHER
Vancouver, BC
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Hansel and Gretel, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Gavroche in Les Misérables with Arts Club
Theatre Company; Schwartz in A Christmas
Story with Arts Club Theatre Company; Edgar
in Ragtime: In Concert with Fighting Chance
Productions
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library with
Nickelodeon; Cyrus and the Wallet with
BravoFACT
@thecam_theman
ANDREAS DALA
JIMMY
Vancouver, BC
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Children’s Chorus in Evita, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Moth in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with
UBC Opera; Boy Soprano Soloist in Elijah with
Vancouver Bach Choir; Pie Jesu (Webber) duet
with Simone Osborne for Wall Centre Gala
Fundraiser
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Children’s Chorus in Carmina Burana with
Vancouver Bach Choir
ZAC BEARDSLEY
ANTHONY DE ROCHER
LUCAS OTHMER
TEENAGE BOY
Fallon, NV
Yellowknife, NT
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show with
Geekenders Theatre; Boland in Dogfight with
Semper Fi Collective and Pacific Theatre;
Goran in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with Align
Entertainment
Parkour Stuntman, 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup
Commercials; Parkour Stuntman, 2017 IT Glue
Commercial
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Geekenders
Theatre; Rocky in The Rocky Horror Show with
Geekenders Theatre
DEAD MAN WALKING
45
BIOGRAPHIES
BIANCA SALAZAR
TEENAGE GIRL
STACEY BUTTERWORTH
WIG DESIGNER
MARY CASTELLO
PIANIST
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Maple Ridge, BC
Dark Sisters, 2015
Snow White with Army of Sass; Rigoletto
with Vancouver Opera; Sweeney Todd with
Vancouver Opera; Don Carlo with Vancouver
Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Divas with Army of Sass; Las Vegas Review
with SPECC-tacular Productions
Vancouver, BC
Evita, 2016
Rigoletto, Dark Sisters, and Madama Butterfly
with Vancouver Opera; Wigmaker for Tom
Hanks in the feature film Circle; Wigmaker
for Jared Leto in the feature film The Outsider;
Wigmaker for Gillian Anderson in The X-Files;
Wigmaker for Jennifer Lawrence in the feature
film Mother
estudiosalazar.ca
TINA CHANG
assistant chorus director
and répétiteur
Vancouver, BC
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Evita, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Répétiteur, Herculanum and Il Campanello with
Wexford Festival Opera; Assistant Conductor
& Principal Répétiteur, Dark Sisters with
Vancouver Opera; Pianist & Coach with UBC
Summer Vocal Workshop
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Répétiteur, Ariadne auf Naxos with UBC
Opera; Coach, soundSCAPE Festival,
Maccagno, Italy
46
DEAD MAN WALKING
Kitchener, ON
Hansel and Gretel, 2016
Pianist, Opera Tales and Viardot’s Cendrillon
with the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists
Program; Répétiteur, L’elisir d’amore and Little
Women with Opera McGill
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Répétiteur, Dead Man Walking and The
Brothers Grimm with Opera on the Avalon
marycastellopianist.com
JESSICA DERVENTZIS
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
CARMEN GARCIA
MAKE-UP DESIGNER
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Toronto, ON
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Valencia, Spain
Macbeth, 2017
Director, Dido and Aeneas with Opera McGill;
Director, Cinderella with Calgary Opera
School Tour; Director, Die Zauberflöte with
Opera Kelowna; Assistant Director,
La Cenerentola with Edmonton Opera
RECENT APPEARANCES:
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Director, Fête Galante and Boatswain’s Mate
with Opera 5; Director, La bohème with Opera
Kelowna
@jessderventzis
Hansel and Gretel with Vancouver Opera
The Consul with UBC Opera; Eine Nacht in
Venedig with UBC Opera; Head of Make-Up
with Vancouver Opera, 1997-present
Ariadne auf Naxos with UBC Opera;
Turandot with Vancouver Opera
BIOGRAPHIES
GERALD KING
LIGHTING DESIGNER
KATE PORTER
STAGE MANAGER
ERHARD ROM
SET AND IMAGERY DESIGNER
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Vancouver, BC
Evita, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Crazy for You with Citadel Theatre; Da Kink in
My Hair with National Arts Centre and Theatre
Calgary; The Merry Wives of Windsor and
Romeo and Juliet with Bard on the Beach; Faerie
Queen with Royal Winnipeg Ballet;
Les Misérables with Western Canada Theatre
Halifax, NS
Rigoletto, 2015
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Götterdämmerung with the Canadian
Opera Company; Carmen with Vancouver
Opera; Into the Woods and The Pirates of
Penzance with Thousand Islands Playhouse;
Acis and Galatea, La clemenza di Tito, and
L’incoronazione di Poppea with Opera Atelier
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
L’elisir d’amore with the Canadian
Opera Company
Seattle, WA
La bohème, 2012
RECENT APPEARANCES:
The Shining with Minnesota Opera; Set and
Imagery Designer, Lucia di Lammermoor
with San Francisco Opera; Set and Imagery
Designer, Semele with Seattle Opera; Nixon in
China with Royal Swedish Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Moby-Dick with Utah Opera
erhardrom.com
THE FOLLOWING PATRONS HAVE
GENEROUSLY SPONSORED THESE
ARTISTS’ APPEARANCE IN
DEAD MAN WALKING.
KINZA TYRRELL
ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR/
CHORUS AND CHILDREN’S
CHORUS DIRECTOR/PRINCIPAL
RÉPÉTITEUR
Victoria, BC
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Evita, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Assistant Conductor/Chorus Director/Principal
Répétiteur, Madama Butterfly with Vancouver
Opera; Conductor, Dark Sisters with Vancouver
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
ARTIST
PATRON
Jonathan Darlington
Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer
Joel Ivany
Arlene Gladstone
& Hamish Cameron
Kinza Tyrrell
Lori Hareid
in memory of Bjorn Hareid
Sister Helen Prejean
Mr. Bruce Munro Wright
Jake Heggie
Michael and Inna O’Brian
Mary Poppins, White Christmas, Dream
Girls, and Next to Normal for Arts Club
Theatre Company; Ariadne auf Naxos for
Pacific Opera Victoria; Imaginary Mary,
Warriors, and The Trustee for Warner Bros/
Sony Entertainment for ABC Television; ThreeTime Jessie Richardson Award Winner for
Outstanding Costume Design
Daniel Okulitch
Anonymous
J’nai Bridges
Mr. Bruce Munro Wright
Karen Slack
Dr. Heather Clarke
Judith Forst
Ms. Martha Lou Henley, C.M.
sheilala.ca
Robert Austin
Anonymous
Thomas Goerz
Reet Kana
Emma Parkinson
Wayne Wiens,
in memory of
Andrea Pinto Lebowitz
Karen Ydenberg
Mrs. Alix Brown
SHEILA WHITE
COSTUME DESIGNER
Vancouver, BC
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
DEAD MAN WALKING
47
DEAD MAN WALKING ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS
VANCOUVER OPERA ORCHESTRA
Violin 1
Mark Ferris, Concertmaster
Angela Cavadas, Associate Concertmaster
Lawrie Hill
Yun Jung
Carolyn Canfield Cole
Heilwig von Koenigsloew
Evelyn Creaser Rumley
Richard Dorfer
Domagoj Ivanovic
Ellen Farrugia
Violin 2
Patricia Armstrong, Principal
Andrea Siradze, Assistant Principal
Ken Lin
Toni Stanick
Peter Krysa
Colleen Venables
Paula Wise
Adrianne Stride
Viola
Tawnya Popoff, Principal
Marcus Takizawa, Assistant Principal
Isabelle Roland
Marie-Claude Brunet
Mila Tymoshenko
Reginald Quiring
Cello
Rebecca Wenham, Principal
Heather Hay, Assistant Principal
Peggy Lee
Harold Birston
Susan Round
Bass
Les Kasprzak, Principal
Michael Vaughan, Assistant Principal
Chris Light
Meaghan Williams
Laurence Mollerup
Flute
Brenda Fedoruk, Principal
Anne-Elise Keefer
Laura Vanek
Piccolo/Alto Flute
Laura Vanek
Oboe
David Owen, Principal
Erin Marks
Cor Anglais
Emma Ringrose
Clarinet
Mary Backun, Principal
Michelle Anderson
48
DEAD MAN WALKING
VANCOUVER OPERA CHORUS
Bass Clarinet
Erin Fung
Bassoon
Ingrid Chiang, Principal
Isaac Bull
Allan Thorpe
Contrabassoon
Allan Thorpe
Horn
Laurel Spencer, Principal
Nick Anderson
Heather Walker
Steve Denroche
Trumpet
Tom Shorthouse, Principal
Jim Littleford
Henry Christian
Trombone
Jeremy Berkman, Principal
Jim Tranquilla
Bass Trombone
Sharman King
Harp
Janelle Nadeau, Principal
Timpani
Phillip Crewe, Principal
Percussion
Graeme Tofflemire, Principal
Lauri Lyster
Pianoforte
Tina Chang, Principal
Orchestra Manager
Jim Littleford
Orchestra Librarian
Tom Shorthouse
Orchestra Stage Manager
Jim Tranquilla
SUPERNUMERARIES
Zac Beardsley
Cecilly Day
Frantz De Rycke
Justin Lapeña
Deborah Morris
Aiko Nishira
Masa Nishira
Lucas Othmer
Bianca Salazar
Sarah Seekamp
Guy Vallieres
Tracy Wiens
Peter Alexander
Grant Allert
Kevin Armstrong
Angus Bell
Spencer Britten
Henry Chen
Sheila Christie
Francesca Corrado
Bette Cosar
Glenn de Verteuil
Doug DeVillier
Jeanine Fynn
Christian Garcia
Brenda Glass Alexander
Allyson Hop
Paul Just
Adam Kozak
Melanie Krueger
Aviva Lacterman
Harout Markarian
Lisa-Dawn Markle
Heather Molloy
Rose-Ellen Nichols
Wade Nott
Heather Pawsey
Frédérik Robert
Julia Rooney
Dionne Sellinger
Diane Speirs
Barbara Towell
Szu-Wen Wang
Don Wright
VANCOUVER OPERA
CHILDREN’S CHORUS
Cameron Andres
Andreas Dala
Sydnee Faria
Carolyn Forward
Joyce Ho
Thea Ledenko
Alistair Leong
Antony Leong
Kayla McElheron
Nadya Nuyen
Taylor Dianne Robinson
Keiyshia Ting
DEAD MAN WALKING PRODUCTION TEAM
VANCOUVER OPERA PRODUCTION
Technical Director
Dan Paterson
COSTUMES, WIGS, HAIR,
AND MAKE-UP
Assistant Technical Director
Gregg Steffensen
Head of Costumes
Lydia Hiebert
Festival Production Stage Manager
Theresa Tsang
Cutter
Paul Fan
Stage Manager
Kate Porter
Sewer
Norma Bowen
Assistant Stage Managers
Marijka Asbeek Brusse
Emma Hammond
Wig Designer
Stacey Butterworth
Apprentice Stage Manager
Tamara Vuckovic
Head of Wigs and Hair
Elke Englicht
Festival Properties Manager
Heidi Wilkinson
Head of Make-Up & Make-Up
Designer
Carmen Garcia
Props Builders
Sharon Zimmerman
Frances Henry
Jason Wingham
Props Buyer
Carol Macdonald
Props Intern
Winter Stacey
Production Carpenter
Scott Ellis
Production Electrician
John Beatty
Production Video
Brad Dodds
Master Carpenter
Dave Winstanley
Master Electrician
Paul Neumeyer
Head of Sound
Vaughn Pease
English SURTITLES™ Operator
Anika Vervecken
Additional Scenic Elements by
GREAT NORTHERN WAY
SCENE SHOP
Production Shop Manager
Angela Carlson
Lead Scenic Painter
Justus Hayes
Scenic Painter
Sandy Margaret
Head Wardrobe Dresser
Margaret Underhill
Stage Employees, Dressers & Hair,
Wigs and Make-Up Crew
Members of IATSE 118
The sets for Dead Man Walking were built
in the Pacific Opera Victoria Scene Shop.
PACIFIC OPERA VICTORIA
Head Carpenter
Keith Allan
Lead Hand Carpenter
Phil Shaver
Scenic Carpenters
George Scott
Monica Arthurs
Jeffery Hunter
Brian Culp
Carp Assistant
David Radford
Head Scenic Artist
Jennifer Hedge
Lead Scenic Artist
Melanie Verreault
Scenic Painters
Maureen Mackintosh
Kristen Sands
Karina Kalvaitis
Eric Bushell
DEAD MAN WALKING
49
audition
to premiere
From
Blakes appreciates the importance of
supporting the arts, and we are proud to
sponsor Vancouver Opera’s production of
The Marriage of Figaro.
TORONTO
CALGARY
VANCOUVER
MONTRÉAL
OTTAWA
NEW YORK
LONDON
RIYADH/AL-KHOBAR*
BAHRAIN
BEIJING
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP | *Associated Offices | blakes.com
TITLE IMAGERY - FIGARO
MISTAKEN IDENTITIES, LECHEROUS MASTERS,
CONTEMPORARY DESIGN
TICKETS START AT $30 | CALL 604 683 0222 | vancouveropera.ca
GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY
PHOTO: DESIGN FROM VO’S THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO COSTUME DESIGNER SID NEIGUM’S
READY-TO-WEAR COLLECTION. PHOTO BY LUIS MARA, COURTESY OF SID NEIGUM
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
51
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
THE CAST
Director Rachel Peake
(in order of vocal appearance)
Figaro
Alex Lawrence +
Iain MacNeil ‡
Susanna
Caitlin Wood +
Rachel Fenlon ‡
Bartolo
Ricardo Lugo +
Scott Brooks ‡
Marcellina
Anita Krause +
Leah Giselle Field ‡*
Cherubino
Mireille Lebel +
Pascale Spinney ‡*
Count Almaviva
Phillip Addis +
Aaron Durand ‡
Barbarina
Vanessa Oude-Reimerink* +
Taylor Pardell ‡*
Basilio
Christopher Mayell +
Ryan Downey ‡*
Soprano Chorus, Bridesmaid
Nicole Brooks
Countess Almaviva
Leslie Ann Bradley +
Lara Ciekiewicz ‡
Don Curzio
Christopher Mayell +
Ryan Downey ‡*
Antonio
Peter Monaghan*
Mezzo-Soprano Chorus, Bridesmaid
Megan Morrison
Tenor Chorus
Tony Bittar-Sayegh
Baritone Chorus
Brandon Thornhill
All
with the Vancouver Opera Orchestra
+
‡
April 30(m) May 3(m), 6, 9, 11,13(m), 16, 18,
May 6(m), 10, 12, 13, 17
*
Member of the Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program
First performed at Vienna Imperial Court Theatre on May 1, 1786. First produced by Vancouver Opera 1964.
ACT I: 44 MINS
52
ACT II: 48 MINS
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
INTERMISSION: 25 MINS
ACT III: 38 MINS
ACT IV: 32 MINS
Scenic Designer
Drew Facey
Stage Manager
Beth Grieve
Costume Designer
Sid Neigum
Assistant Director /
Movement Coach
Tracey Power
Assistant Lighting Designer
Sara Smith
Lighting Designer
John Webber
Wig Designer
Stacey Butterworth
Musical Preparation
Kimberley-Ann Bartczak
Assistant Stage Managers
Collette Brown
Michelle Harrison
Apprentice Stage Manager
Taryn Dougall
English SURTITLES™ Translations
Anika Vervecken
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
to Susanna, the Countess’ chambermaid. Susanna
cautions him that she fears the Count will reinstate the
feudal droit du seigneur, the right of a lord to take a
husband’s place in his marriage bed. Dr. Bartolo arrives
with his housekeeper, Marcellina, and they plan to force
Figaro to instead marry Marcellina as payment for an
old debt. The young page Cherubino enters the room to
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.
The Count declares that Figaro must marry Marcellina,
but Figaro objects on the grounds that he cannot obtain
permission from his long-lost parents. By virtue of a
birthmark, it is discovered that Figaro is, in fact, Bartolo
and Marcellina’s child, and plans are made for a double
wedding. The Countess dictates a letter for Susanna to
send to the Count, arranging a meeting in the garden
that evening.
ACT II
ACT IV
The Countess hatches a plan with Susanna to expose
the Count. They prepare to disguise Cherubino as a
woman, but are foiled by the Count entering the room.
He demands to know who is hidden in his wife’s closet.
When he leaves to fetch a crowbar, Cherubino escapes
out the window and Susanna takes his place. Upon
discovering Susanna in the closet, an embarrassed
Count pleads for forgiveness until the gardener Antonio
arrives, complaining of about someone jumping out the
window. Figaro quickly takes the blame, interrupted by
Marcellina and Bartolo’s arrival with a legal challenge
to the upcoming wedding.
Figaro comes upon Barbarina, and discovers that
Susanna has sent a note to the Count. Susanna and the
Countess arrive in the garden, dressed in each other’s
clothing. The Count attempts to woo the disguised
Countess, while Figaro mistakes Susanna for the
Countess and pretends to seduce her to enrage the
Count. The Count calls the household to arms, forcing
the women’s true identities to be revealed, and everyone
unites in celebration.
54
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
NOTES FROM THE CONDUCTOR |
Who could have predicted in 1786 that the first
collaboration between Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
and Lorenzo Da Ponte would produce one of the most
performed and beloved operas to this day? Johannes
Brahms said of this opera: “In my opinion, each number
in Figaro is a miracle; it is totally beyond me how
anyone could create anything so perfect; nothing like it
was ever done again, not even by Beethoven.”
From the energetic and bustling first few notes of the
overture to the finale of the fourth act, Figaro sparkles
with music of the greatest variety: expressing youthful
longing, heartbreaking betrayal, mounting rage and
fury, and bubbling laughter, sometimes even at the same
time! The genre of 18th century opera buffa is raised to
new heights with a libretto that captures the timelessness
and complexity of human relations.
Mozart has crowned all of this with unforgettable arias,
duets, and ensembles, in particular the masterful second
Act Finale which unfolds over an unprecedented 20
minutes of continuous music (it is in fact, the longest
LESLIE DALA
single movement he ever composed). Beginning with a
tense scene between the Count and Countess, additional
characters appear as tensions increase, subside, and
then double over again, with music that sweeps us
along in the most inventive and delightful manner. This
ultimately culminates in an ensemble which can only be
described as a miracle of imagination and form.
We all take something different away from Figaro,
whether we are active participants in the spectacle or
observers. Although there are many musical “highlights”,
the work is best appreciated as the sum of its parts.
As a conductor, it is an incredibly humbling but also
rewarding and joyful experience to be able to immerse
oneself in this bountiful score which delights the ear and
the mind in a way that seems as fresh now as when it
was composed over 230 years ago.
Maestro Dala is Associate Conductor of Vancouver Opera, and Music
Director of the Vancouver Bach Choir.
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
55
NOTES FROM THE DIRECTOR |
Take a moment to imagine yourself at the opening
night of Le nozze di Figaro: Vienna, 1786. You are
aware that Beaumarchais’ play on which this opera is
based was denounced by both an emperor and a king.
Scandal surrounds this work, but Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte have cleverly couched
some of the more direct social commentary within the
piece’s comedy, leaving it laced underneath for the
audience to discover but slipping it past the censor’s
gaze. Mozart himself is conducting tonight’s production,
seated at the keyboard. You have never before seen an
opera buffa portray such complex characters. From the
opening of the first scene you, the wealthy upper-class
opera audience of 1786, are for the first time being
asked to view the world, the problems of the play, and
the quest for life’s happiness through the perspective of
the servant class.
In our production we seek to capture this feeling of
social division in a world more closely aligned with
our present-day. The era of this production is a time-
RACHEL PEAKE
out-of-time. A mashup of 1786 and 2026, we are in
an imagined near-future where we see traces of the
past mixed with our own contemporary class conflict
and cultural references. Here Susanna and Figaro are
a different kind of “other” – tattooed and pierced, they
represent a counter-culture that might be at odds with
how some opera-goers see themselves. Yet with the
power of this story and Mozart’s music, we still go on
their journey with them. We are carried away on the
whimsy of a romantic comedy where mistaken identities
and hearts worn on the sleeves can lead to all range of
problems but where, ultimately, love will find a way.
I got married last summer in the midst of preparing for this
project. While my wedding day was quite different from
the one you’ll see tonight, I must confess that some of my
own romance may have filtered through onto the stage….
Rachel Peake is a two-time Jessie Richardson award-winning director
and dramaturge of theatre, musical theatre, and opera, and is a
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
of this opera, the production team was drawn to
exploring the concept of fashion. Could we bring the
world of prêt-à-porter to the opera, and create the design
of the show around this concept?
Director Rachel Peake was intrigued by this idea: not
only would she choose her creative partners for sets
and lights, but she would also have to find a designer
from the fashion world who could make the leap into
designing for opera.
After an exhaustive search, fashion designer Sid Neigum
agreed to design costumes for our production. Sid's
fashions have been seen on the runway of London Fashion
Week, and he has been labeled by Vogue as
"one to watch". Scenic Designer Drew Facey and Lighting
Designer John Webber complete the creative team.
The costumes you will see tonight are a fusion of
classic and modern styles. The setting and time period
are purposely undefined, highlighting the concept of
Susanna and Figaro as outsiders or "others".
One of the first elements of Drew Facey's set that you
will likely notice is the floor’s mirrored surface. While
this definitely creates a challenge for John Webber's
lighting design, it serves to create and reinforce a
sense of reflection and introspection for the characters.
In a brilliant touch of design, it also establishes a
subconscious connection for the audience to the fashion
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 |
At age 30, after years of being celebrated throughout
Europe first as a child prodigy, and then as a piano
soloist and a prolific composer, Mozart settled in Vienna
with his wife, Constanze. Buoyed by the success of his
most recent opera, The Abduction from the Seraglio,
Wolfgang was hoping to obtain a plush job at the
court of Joseph II, the music-loving emperor. He rented
a large apartment, bought a beautiful fortepiano and
an expensive billiard table, and could have enjoyed
a lovely life, quietly composing and performing
concertos and string quartets. He chose, however,
to write a new opera, a truly revolutionary one: The
Marriage of Figaro. The work created quite a stir at the
Imperial Court. Two hundred and thirty years after the
premiere, Mozart’s urgent music, inspired by Da Ponte’s
iconoclastic libretto based on Beaumarchais’s irreverent
play, La Folle Journée (The Mad Day) ou le Mariage de
Figaro, has never left the stage.
The opprobrium started with Pierre-Augustin Caron de
Beaumarchais, who was quite a controversial figure:
poet, musician, businessman, spy at the service of the
king, arms dealer, and playwright. In his Figaro trilogy,
Beaumarchais’ plays reflected the social changes that
were emerging with the French Revolution. His first play,
Le Barbier de Séville, ou la Précaution inutile (1775)
was an undisputed success and inspired operas by
58
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
SYLVIA L'ÉCUYER
Paisiello and Rossini. Le Mariage de Figaro (1778) was
a sequel to Barbier. It had a few private readings before
Beaumarchais received permission from the authorities
to stage a public performance in Paris in 1784. The
madcap, action-packed comedy, which ridiculed the
aristocracy, denounced social inequalities and gave
centre stage to a valet and a chamber maid, was
declared ‘’despicable’’ by Louis XVI and lauded as ‘’the
Revolution already in action’’ by Napoléon Bonaparte.
Joseph II’s young sister, Marie-Antoinette, the wife of
Louis XVI, enjoyed the play, which quickly reached
Vienna in its original version before being translated
to German in 1785. A copy of the original German
translation was found in Mozart’s library.
The Emperor did not, however, allow the National
theater to stage The Marriage of Figaro. Enter another
fascinating character: Lorenzo Da Ponte, Italian poet,
Catholic priest exiled from Venice for his dissolute life,
and now poet for the Imperial Court and librettist for the
Italian Theatre in Vienna. In his 1830 autobiography,
Memoirs, Da Ponte credits himself with obtaining
permission for Mozart to write an opera on the libretto
he would provide, arguing that music would soften
its political message. Actually, Mozart did not lessen
the social criticism, quite the contrary! He pushed the
revolutionary message even further. For example, in the
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
CONDUCTOR
RACHEL PEAKE
DIRECTOR
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Toronto, ON
Madama Butterfly, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
La Cecchina with Glenn Gould School; St.
Matthew Passion with Vancouver Bach Choir;
The Magic Flute with Bard on the Beach; A
Midsummer Night’s Dream with UBC Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Vancouver, BC
Stickboy, 2014
RECENT APPEARANCES:
L’Élection with Théâtre la Seizième;
Angels in America: Part One with Studio 58;
Green Lake with Solo Collective Theatre;
Firebird with Gros Morne Summer Music,
Newfoundland
Don Giovanni with Centre for Opera Studies in
Italy; The Overcoat: an Opera with Vancouver
Opera, Tapestry Opera, and Canadian Stage
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
lesliedala.com
rachelpeake.com
Hyperlink with The Elbow Theatre; A Christmas
Carol with Gateway Theatre
PHILLIP ADDIS
COUNT ALMAVIVA
baritone
Port Colborne, ON
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos, 2007
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Papageno in Die Zauberflöte with Canadian
Opera Company; Pelléas in Pelléas et
Mélisande with Hamburgische Staatsoper;
Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro with
Semperoper Dresden
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Eugene Onegin with Calgary Opera; Pelléas
et Mélisande with Cincinnati Symphony
Orchestra
phillipaddis.com
LESLIE ANN BRADLEY
COUNTESS ALMAVIVA
SCOTT BROOKS
BARTOLO
LARA CIEKIEWICZ
COUNTESS ALMAVIVA
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
soprano
Port Perry, ON
Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, 2014
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Mimi in La bohème with Norwalk Symphony;
Soloist, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with
Victoria Symphony; Desdemona in Otello with
Pacific Opera Victoria
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Soloist, Water Music with Toronto Symphony
Orchestra; Soloist, Haydn’s The Creation with
Richard Eaton Singers
leslieannbradley.com
60
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
bass-baritone
Kamloops, BC
Zuniga in Carmen with Burnaby Lyric Opera;
Mephistopheles in Faust with Highlands Opera
Studio
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Masetto/Commendatore in Don Giovanni with
Jeunesses Musicales du Canada; Ensemble
Member, Atelier Lyrique de L’Opéra de
Montréal
soprano
Winnipeg, MB
Amelia in Simon Boccanegra with Pacific
Opera Victoria; May in John Estacio’s Ours
with Opera on the Avalon; Liù in Turandot
with Manitoba Opera; Maria in The Sound of
Music with Opera on the Avalon
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Jenufa with Pacific Opera Victoria; Tatiana in
Eugene Onegin with Calgary Opera
deanartists.com
BIOGRAPHIES
RYAN DOWNEY
DON BASILIO/DON CURZIO
AARON DURAND
COUNT ALMAVIVA
RACHEL FENLON
SUSANNA
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
tenor
St. John’s, NL
Witch in Hansel and Gretel, 2016
John in Ours with Opera on the Avalon;
Corcoran in HMS Pinafore with Toronto
Operetta Theatre
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
baritone
100 Mile House, BC
Le Dancaïre in Carmen, 2014
Don Giovanni Reimagined with Amici
Chamber Ensemble; Papageno in The Magic
Flute with Opera Kelowna; Baritone in Rocking
Horse Winner with Tapestry Opera
soprano
Victoria, BC
Zerlina in Don Giovanni, 2014
Recitals in Scotland, Vienna, Berlin, and
Toronto; Guinevere in Camelot with Pacific
Opera Victoria; Nannetta in Falstaff with
Pacific Opera Victoria; Pamina in The Magic
Flute with Vancouver Opera
Howard Boucher in Dead Man Walking with
Opera on the Avalon; Beethoven’s Symphony
No. 9 and Le nozze di Figaro with Windsor
Symphony
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Owen Hart in Dead Man Walking with Opera
on the Avalon; Schaunard in La bohème with
Opera Kelowna
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
ryanpauldowney.com
@gingervanni
rachelfenlonsoprano.com
LEAH GISELLE FIELD
MARCELLINA
ANITA KRAUSE
MARCELLINA
ALEX LAWRENCE
FIGARO
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE :
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi for
VOICEBOX: Opera in Concert, Toronto;
Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music with
Stratford Festival; Faculty Member, University
of Western Ontario
The man with the helmet/the seller of
memories/the beggar in Julietta with
Opernhaus Zürich; Belfiore in Un Giorno di
Regno with the Glimmerglass Festival; Opera
Gala with Opera Nacional de Mexico; Silvio
in I Pagliacci with Opernhaus Zürich
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
zemskygreenartists.com
mezzo-soprano
Calgary, AB
Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel, 2016
Armélinde in Cendrillon with the Yulanda M.
Faris Young Artists Program; La Zia Principessa
in Suor Angelica with South Ottawa Performing
Arts Collective; Amneris in Aida with Opera di
Concertisti, Vancouver
Emillia (Understudy) in Otello with
Vancouver Opera
mezzo-soprano
Vancouver, BC
The Mayor’s Wife in Jenufa, 1996
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Symphony
Nova Scotia; Music at Western Recital Series
Recital, Pianosalon Cristofori Berlin; Recitals in
Milan (Ricasoli Recitals) and London
baritone
Boston, MA
RECENT APPEARANCES:
deanartists.com
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
61
BIOGRAPHIES
MIREILLE LEBEL
CHERUBINO
RICARDO LUGO
BARTOLO
IAIN MACNEIL
FIGARO
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
mezzo-soprano
Vancouver, BC
Charlotte in Werther with Opéra de Reims;
Soloist, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with I Musici
de Montréal; Carmen with Prague State Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
The Archangel in Le paradis perdu with La
Grande Écurie et la Chambre du Roy; Penelope
in Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria with Opera Atelier
mireillelebel.com
bass
Ponce, PR
Timur in Turandot with Virginia Opera
Wachtmeister/Der Holsteiner in Friedenstag
with America Symphony Orchestra; French
General in Silent Night with Michigan Opera
Theater; Bonzo in Madama Butterfly with The
Metropolitan Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Le Bailli in Werther with CulturArte of Puerto
Rico; Sacristan in Tosca with Arizona Opera
ada-artists.com
CHRISTOPHER MAYELL
DON BASILIO/DON CURZIO
tenor
Kingston, ON
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Dr. Caius in Falstaff with Manitoba Opera
Pong in Turandot with Edmonton Opera and
Manitoba Opera; Charles Drayton in Pauline
with City Opera Vancouver; Albert Herring
with the Aldeburgh Music Festival
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Soloist, Carmina Burana with VOCA Chorus
of Toronto
christophermayell.com
baritone
Brockville, ON
Semi-Finalist, 2017 Metropolitan Opera
National Council Auditions; Tarquinius in
The Rape of Lucretia with Banff Centre; Le
Dancaïre in Carmen with the Canadian Opera
Company; Figaro in The Marriage of Figaro
with the Canadian Opera Company Ensemble
Studio
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Don Giovanni with Saskatoon Opera; Oper
Frankfurt Opera Studio
iainmacneil.com
PETER MONAGHAN
ANTONIO,
FIGARO (UNDERSTUDY)
VANESSA OUDE-REIMERINK
BARBARINA,
SUSANNA (UNDERSTUDY)
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
bass-baritone
Lethbridge, AB
Peter in Hansel and Gretel, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Beast in Beauty and the Beast with Theatre
Under the Stars; Don Magnifico in La
Cenerentola with Cowtown Opera; Don Pedro
in Béatrice et Bénédict with Fraser Lyric Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Colline in La bohème with Opera Kelowna
soprano
Mississauga, ON
Sandman/Dew Fairy in Hansel and Gretel,
2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia with Banff Centre;
Sarah Thorpe in No One’s Safe with Banff
Centre; Frasquita in Carmen with Edmonton
Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Josephine in HMS Pinafore with Edmonton
Opera; Nellie Forbush in South Pacific with
Calgary Opera
vanessaoudereimerink.com
62
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
BIOGRAPHIES
TAYLOR PARDELL
BARBARINA,
SUSANNA (UNDERSTUDY)
soprano
Grande Prairie, AB
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Gretel in Hansel and Gretel, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Semi-Finalist, Lotte Lenya Competition, New
York City; First Place Winner, American
Protégé International Music Competition,
Carnegie Hall; Gretel in Hansel and Gretel
with Burnaby Lyric Opera; Gilda in Rigoletto
with Vancouver Island Opera
taylorpardell.com
TONY BITTAR-SAYEGH
TENOR CHORUS
PASCALE SPINNEY
CHERUBINO
CAITLIN WOOD
SUSANNA
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
mezzo-soprano
Montreal, QC
Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, 2016
Semi-Finalist, 2017 Metropolitan Opera
National Council Auditions; Stéphano and
Gertrude in Roméo et Juliette with Jeunesses
Musicales Tour; Kate Pinkerton in Madama
Butterfly with Opéra de Montréal; Soloist,
Duruflé’s Requiem with Montreal Symphony
House
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Apprenticeship with Santa Fe Opera
Apprentice Singer Program
soprano
St. Albert, AB
Johanna in Sweeney Todd, 2015
Clorinda in La Cenerentola with Edmonton
Opera; Giulietta in I Capuleti e i Montecchi
with Opera in Concert; Despina in A Little Too
Cozy with Against the Grain Theatre
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Soloist, Symphony Under the Sky with
Edmonton Symphony; Susanna in Le nozze di
Figaro with Windsor Symphony
domoneyartists.com
NICOLE BROOKS
SOPRANO CHORUS,
BRIDESMAID
MEGAN MORRISON
MEZZO-SOPRANO CHORUS,
BRIDESMAID
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
tenor
Caracas, Venezuela
Turmoil in The Lake of Tears (World Premiere)
with Opera Kelowna; Monostatos in Die
Zauberflöte with Opera Kelowna; Don Basilio
in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Kelowna;
Vasek in The Bartered Bride with UBC Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni with Baroque
Camerata of Caracas
soprano
Wetaskiwin, AB
Tatyana in Eugene Onegin with UBC Opera;
Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with Bard on the
Beach and UBC Opera; Soloist, Mozart’s
Requiem with Vancouver Summer Chor
mezzo-soprano
Vancouver, BC
Madama Butterfly, 2016
RECENT APPEARANCES:
The Mezzo in Love in Public with SFU
Goldcorp Centre for the Arts; Dorabella in
Cosi fan tutte with Burnaby Lyric Opera; Sarah
Brown in Guys and Dolls with Chemainus
Theatre; Trommler in Der Kaiser von Atlantis
with City Opera Vancouver
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
63
BIOGRAPHIES
BRANDON THORNHILL
BARITONE CHORUS
bass-baritone
Jacksonville, FL
KIMBERLEY-ANN BARTCZAK
MUSICAL PREPARATION
STACEY BUTTERWORTH
WIG DESIGNER
Candiac, QC
Vancouver, BC
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Evita, 2016
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Turandot with Calgary Opera; Assistant
Conductor, The Sound of Music with Opera on
the Avalon; Ours with Opera on the Avalon
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Coalhouse Walker Jr. in Ragtime: In Concert with
Fighting Chance Productions; Schaunard in La
bohème with Burnaby Lyric Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
Baritone Soloist, Fauré’s Requiem with Symphony
of the Kootenays
Assistant Conductor, Dead Man Walking with
Opera on the Avalon
DREW FACEY
SCENIC DESIGNER
BETH GRIEVE
STAGE MANAGER
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Vancouver, BC
Evita, 2015
Regina, SK
Evita, 2016
Rigoletto, Dark Sisters, and Madama Butterfly
with Vancouver Opera; Wigmaker for Tom
Hanks in the feature film Circle; Wigmaker
for Jared Leto in the feature film The Outsider;
Wigmaker for Gillian Anderson in The X-Files;
Wigmaker for Jennifer Lawrence in the feature
film Mother
PARVIN MIRHADY
COSTUME DESIGN
CONSULTANT
Tehran, Iran
Assistant Stage Manager, Hansel and Gretel,
2016
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
Stickboy with Vancouver Opera; Onegin with
the Arts Club Theatre Company; Das Ding with
Can Stage/Theatre Smash; Merry Wives of
Windsor with Bard on the Beach
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Me & My Girl with The Shaw Festival;
The Merchant of Venice with Bard on the
Beach
drewfacey.com
64
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Stage Manager, Million Dollar Quartet at
the Globe Theatre, Regina; Assistant Stage
Manager with Vancouver Opera, 2007-present
Stage Manager, Working It Out and That’s
Danger with Alberta Workers’ Health Centre;
Assistant Stage Manager, L’elisir d’amore with
Vancouver Opera
Hansel and Gretel, 2016
Costume Designer, Nixon in China, Barber
of Seville, and Dark Sisters with Vancouver
Opera; Head of Costumes with Vancouver
Opera, 2002- present
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
2017-2018 Vancouver Opera Season
and Festival
BIOGRAPHIES
SID NEIGUM
COSTUME DESIGNER
Drayton Valley, AB
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Winner, DHL Exported at London Fashion
Week 2016; Presentation at Alex Eagle Studio,
Soho, London; Features in Vogue, Runway,
and Elle magazines; SID NEIGUM for Plan de
Ville, Des Kohan, The Room, Maison Simons,
and Boutique 1
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
London Fashion Week – September 2017
sidneigum.com
TRACEY POWER
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/
MOVEMENT COACH
Comox, BC
JOHN WEBBER
LIGHTING DESIGNER
Vancouver, BC
LAST VO APPEARANCE:
VANCOUVER OPERA DÉBUT
Rigoletto, 2015
RECENT APPEARANCES:
RECENT APPEARANCES:
Director, Chelsea Hotel - The Songs of Leonard
Cohen with Firehall Arts Centre/National Tour;
Choreographer, Onegin with Arts Club Theatre
Company; Director/Choreographer, Singin’ in
the Rain with Chemainus Theatre
Angels in America with Arts Club Theatre
Company; Onegin and St. Joan with Arts Club
Theatre Company; Pericles and Otello with
Bard on the Beach; Pauline with Vancouver
City Opera
UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS:
johnwebber.ca
Playwright/Choreographer, GLORY with
Western Canada Theatre/Alberta Theatre
Projects; Actor, UBUNTU, The Cape Town
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
Rachel Fenlon
Dr. Earl & Mrs. Anne Shepherd
Leslie Ann Bradley
Ms. Bev Park & Mr. Jim Logan
Ricardo Lugo
David Watmough in loving
memory of Floyd St. Clair
Lara Ciekiewicz
Ms. Lynn Kagan
Scott Brooks
David Watmough in loving
memory of Floyd St. Clair
Christopher Mayell
Ms. Shirley Barnett
Ryan Downey
Mr. & Mrs. Gerald A. B. McGavin
Anita Krause
Dr. Beverley Tamboline
Peter Monaghan
Andrew Mahon Foundation
Leah Giselle Field
Anne Miloni & Darlene
Miloni Graham
Vanessa
Oude-Reimerink
Abe & Leyla Sacks
Mireille Lebel
Mrs. Marietta Hurst
Taylor Pardell
Anonymous
Leslie Dala
Bruno Wall & Jane MacDonald
Rachel Peake
Jill Bodkin
Sid Neigum
Mike & Kathy Gallagher
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
65
June 1 to
September 23
TICKETS
FROM
21
$
Order early for best seats!
Amber Lewis and Kevin MacDonald
Season Sponsor
Images: David & Emily Cooper
Charlie Gallant and Nadeem Phillip
Opera & Arias 2016 Photo: David Blue
Howard Family Stage
OPERA & ARIAS: The Barber of Seville
Rossini’s masterpiece of the comic opera stage!
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.
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
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
TOM WRIGHT
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO STUDY GUIDE
CONTEMPORARY CONNECTIONS
The Marriage of Figaro was written more
than 230 years ago, but there are many
aspects of the opera that still ring true today.
IT’S A SEQUEL!
The story of Mozart’s The Marriage of
Figaro is actually a sequel to the tale told in
Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, even though
it premiered 30 years earlier, in 1786. The
Barber of Seville, written in 1816, was also
based on a Beaumarchais play and recounts
how three of the characters featured in
both operas — Rosina, Figaro and Count
Almaviva — originally met.
In some ways, it’s similar to the Star Wars
franchise. George Lucas’ first movie in
the series, Star Wars, which premiered in
1977, was actually called the fourth episode
in what would become a six-part series. In
1999, he released The Phantom Menace,
which was subtitled as Episode One and set
25 years earlier.
POLITICAL STATEMENTS IN ART
The Marriage of Figaro is based on a play by
French playwright Beaumarchais. In adapting
the play to the opera, both Da Ponte and Mozart
maintained Beaumarchais’ underlying critique
of the upper classes. Their criticism of the social
order was so blatant that it ran afoul of the official
state censors, who sought to ban parts of the
opera. Using art to express a political point of
view continues today. The blockbuster musical,
Hamilton not only tells the story of Alexander
Hamilton, one of the United States’ founding fathers,
but is also a strong statement against racism and
anti-immigration.
CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS
The partnership between Mozart (composer) and
Da Ponte (librettist) was a highly creative one
that produced three of the most popular operas
performed today: The Marriage of Figaro (1786),
Don Giovanni (1787) and Cosi fan tutte (1790).
Their collaboration resulted in operatic works full of
vibrant music and intriguing storytelling. Creative
partnerships continue to shape the world of music
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
1 “Oh, I haven’t lost courage, my
hopes secretly to get back his feudal
rights.”
dear doctor, to upset marriages more
advanced than his...”
2 “He was with me when you came
CHARACTERS:
A Figaro
4 “If the darling Countess, my beautiful
B Susanna
godmother, doesn’t intercede for me, I’ll
be sent away!”
C Cherubino
in here, asking me to plead with the
Countess to intercede on his behalf. Your
5 “I pardon you. In fact, I’ll do even
arrival threw him into a panic and he
more;
there’s a spare place for an
hid himself there.“
officer in my regiment; I give it to you;
leave immediately: goodbye.”
D Count Almaviva
E Marcellina
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 is a multi-screen video installation that
has been created for the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza on
the occasion of the inaugural Vancouver Opera Festival.
Designed to challenge convention, the work carefully
deconstructs the aural and visual components of opera
as an art form. Starting from the authentic, for-the-camera
performances of Marion Newman (mezzo-soprano),
Frédérik Robert (tenor), Joel Klein (baritone), and Teiya
Kasahara (coloratura soprano), a non-linear pastiche
of aural and visual video loops has been created, that
changes the traditional perception of the voice through
“mashing” and merging the diverse performances of
these artists.
Five Octave Range also is composed of short film and
video clips, still photography and graphic elements,
processed and edited using a palette of textural,
cinematic and digital techniques and video-art tropes,
such as pixel abstraction, sound manipulation, GIF
animation, looping, and various framing speeds
which will, at times, restore, amplify and enhance a
performance; at other times, intentionally distort real-time
image or sound.
The overall goal is to create for the viewer an
experimental, immersive and interactive experience. Opera
as we think we know it will be deconstructed in a way
that permits an uncanny relationship to coalesce between
sound and picture, linking past with present, analog
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
VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL + ARRIVAL AGENCY PRESENT:
HAPPY HOUR
Tuesday – Saturday
4:00pm – 7:00pm
APRIL 28TH ——— MAY13TH
A Pop-Up Nightclub at the Queen Elizabeth Plaza
Featuring Drinks, DJs, Performance, and More!
POST SHOW SOCIALS
Thursday – Saturday
Until Close
THE MCGRANE - PEARSON ENDOWMENT FUND has a l o n g
histor y of supporting innovative projects that pair artistic excellence
w i t h s o c i a l i m p a c t . T h e F u n d ' s T r u s t e e s w e r e c o m p e l l e d b y Paul Wong's Five-Octave Range owing to its potential to encourage
viewers to conceptualize opera, as an art form, in a new and
d i f f e r e n t w a y s . 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-disciplinar y 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
Ethical Justice in the 21st Century
In Conversation with Jake Heggie
Where is Opera Headed?
A Conversation with Ute Lemper
Civic Impact in Opera
Whose Story is it?
FestivalPasses.pdf
4
2017-04-17
•
•
•
•
•
The Music of Heggie/Verdi/Mozart
Free access to Carmina Burana Sing-Along (RSVP required)
Priority Access to Book a FREE Backstage
Tour of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Priority Access to Vancouver Opera’s
Stage Combat Workshop
Free Tickets to Film Night at the Opera (RSVP required)
6:27 PM
FestivalPasses.pdf
C
C
M
M
Y
Y
CM
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
2-SHOW
FESTIVAL PASS
VIP
#VANCOUVEROPERAFESTIVAL
MY
CY
CMY
K
1
2017-04-17
6:27 PM
3-SHOW
FESTIVAL PASS
VIP
#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
Tickets are selling fast.
4 performances only!
2017.18 Season
250.385.0222
www.pov.bc.ca
de
TILLY – JEAN-MICHEL RICHER
MONSEIGNEUR JEAN BILODEAU – GORDON GIETZ
DIRECTOR – SERGE DEN0NCOURT
CONDUCTOR - TIMOTHY VERNON
With the original cast from
the Montreal world première
Janáček: Jenůfa – October, 2017 Directed by Atom Egoyan
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:
MEDIA SPONSORS:
CORPORATE SPONSORS:
ANNUAL OPERATING GRANTS PROVIDED BY:
VO DEVELOPMENT:
WITH YOUR SUPPORT
Did you know that, on any given day of this Festival,
your ticket price covers less than one third of what you're
enjoying onstage?
Like the majority of professional performing arts
organizations throughout North America, Vancouver
Opera depends on contributed revenues from all sectors
to cover costs beyond those supported by the box office.
In any given year, individual donations, corporate
sponsorships, special event revenues and government
grants bring VO's artistic programming to life on our
mainstages and throughout the community.
Each season, VO’s family of donors generously extends
its support in many ways. Donors, such as you, ensure
that the power and beauty of this art form remains
engaging and accessible for audiences both today
and tomorrow. We at VO are deeply grateful for this
exceptional support and are inspired by the ways in
which your generosity continues to enrich our work.
There are countless ways in which you can play a role
in contributing to Vancouver Opera's ever-evolving story.
No gift is too small! For more information, please contact
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
Jake Boxer and Family
Canada Cultural Investment Fund
Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Christopher
The David Spencer Endowment
Encouragement Fund
Estate of Steve Floris
Mr. Ken & Mrs. Ellen Mahon
McGrane-Pearson
Endowment Fund
Bill & Irene McEwen Fund
Rix Family Foundation
David E. Scott & Katerina Tieman
Estate of Jean M. Southam, C.M.
Vancouver Foundation
Estate of Alan Wolrige
Jamie & Cindy Bruce
Cartier Investments
Estate of Katherine J. Heller
Lagniappe Foundation
Dr. Earl & Mrs. Anne Shepherd
Leslie Cliff
Barrie and Ann Gillmore
Dr. David & Mrs. Margaret
Hardwick
Mr. & Mrs. Bjorn Hareid
Mr. & Mrs. Gerald A.B. McGavin
Dr. Ian & Mrs. Jane Strang
Rix Clinical Labs
Estate of Anne Ethel Stevens
Bruno Wall & Jane MacDonald
Estate of Maureen Woodman
Hugh & Judy Lindsay
Michael & Micki Partridge
Dr. Beverley Tamboline
Vancouver Opera Orchestra
Diane Kennedy
Victor & Anna Kern Foundation
Killy Foundation
Diana Lam
Dawne Lacterman in memory of
Sophie Turko
Richard Loney
Manulife Financial
Joseph E. & Arlene McHugh
Bertha M. Mathisen
Peggy Mathisen
Katherine Mirhady
Sharon Morrow
Allyn & Kathleen Murison
in memory of Patrick & Aileen Murison
Estate of Ronald David Pearson
Estate of Marilyn Reid
Mr. Peter & Mrs. Barbara Richards
Mr. David E. Ritchie &
Ms. Gloria Beauchamp
RTDS Technologies
Estate of Freda Rush
Mr. Leo & Mrs. Maureen Sauve
J E Smith
Andrew Steele in memory of
Richard Lester
Marlene Trussell
Vancouver Opera Guild
Mr. & Mrs. Max Wieczorek
June Wilson
Carla Weiner
Mary White
The Wolridge Foundation
GIFTS OF $50,000 OR MORE
GIFTS OF $20,000 OR MORE
Andrew Mahon Foundation
Russell & Lee Anthony
Estate of Dorothy Boyce
Mr. & Mrs. Gerhard &
Ariane Bruendl
The Toni Cavelti Fund
GIFTS OF $10,000 OR MORE
Mr. George and Mrs. Anne Cross
The Illahie Foundation
Arlene Gladstone
GIFTS OF $1,000 OR MORE
Anonymous (1)
Christine Anton
Estate of Marjory Bankes
Ms. Lois M. Bewley
Marnie Carter
Dr. Heather Clarke
Ms. Rosemary Cunningham
James Dehoney
Lisa Ethans
Tom Ferries & Lisa Pankratz
Deux Mille Foundation
Mr. Allen & Mrs. Ruth Fowlis
Estate of Meri Ingebord
Cecilia Gill
Dr. Irving Guttman C.M., O.B.C.
Mr. Paul Heller
Diana and Tom Herbst
John & Marietta Hurst
S.A. Jarislowsky Investments
Mary Jordan
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)
Laura Arpiainen
Ms. Elizabeth Atmore
Mr. Walter Ball
Mr. & Mrs. Harry Bell-Irving
Mrs. Phyllis W. Berry
Ms. Lois M. Bewley
Mr. David Boothroyd
Donna Brendon
Mr. & Mrs. Gerhard & Ariane Bruendl
Mrs. Joan Buckham
Dr. & Mrs. Lawrence Burr
Marnie Carter
84
VO DEVELOPMENT
Mr. & Mrs. Gordon Christopher
Dr. Philip Clement
David & Donna Cook
Bette Cosar
E. Patricia Crehan
Mr. & Mrs. Peter Culos
Ms. Rosemary Cunningham
Mr. C.A. De Roode
Ms. Judith Deavy
Sheila DeJong
Ms. Marisa Demare
Richard DeVillier
Mrs. Katherine Dickinson
Valerie Dunsterville
& Richard Dunsterville
Mr. Harry Edinger
Moh & Yulanda Faris
Tom Ferries & Lisa Pankratz
Leslie Finlay
Nancy Flexman
Judith Forst
Ms. Mary Fraser
Mrs. John Friesen
IRVING GUTTMAN LEGACY FUND (CONT.)
Suzanne Gaston-Voute
Genus Capital Management Inc.
Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron
Mrs. Elaine Godwin
Harry & Effie Gordon
Dr. Sherrill Grace
Kenneth Owen Gracie
Mrs. Vera G. Grant
Christopher Grauer
Mrs. Shirley Gray
Charlotte Guttman
Frank Guttman
Mr. & Mrs. John Hagen
Mr. James Harris
Kenneth Hegler
Mr. Paul Heller
Martha Lou Henley, C.M.
Diana and Tom Herbst
Ms. Annie Hess
Lore Hoffmann
Mr. Ralph Hoffman
Mr. John F. Howes
Hughes Condon Marler Architects
Mr. John & Mrs. Marietta Hurst
Noriko & Naotaka Ike
Mr. Robert Kemeny
& Dr. Susan Jung-Kemeny
Dr. Linda Kaser & Dr. Judy Halbert
Susan Kessler
Dr. & Mrs. Robert Krell
Ms. Dorothy Kuva
Mr. Bruce Lang
Dr. Donald and Ms. Carol Lyster
Mr. Alex & Mrs. Barbara Mahood
Anne Mathisen
T. Mawson
Alex McLeod
Ms. Sharon & Dr. John McNeill
Dr. Katherine Mirhady
Ms. Maureen Molaro
Ms. Sharon Morrow
Kathleen Murison
Sharon Newman
Micki & Michael Partridge
Ms. Sheila Pratt
Mrs. Jane Regier
Mr. Peter & Mrs. Barbara Richards
Mrs. Leila Robertson
Mr. William Robertson
Kelly Robinson
Mr. Leo & Mrs. Maureen Sauve
Schloss Enterprises Ltd.
Mr. W. K. Schmidt
David Shefsiek & Blaine Hendsbee
Ms. Agnes Shin
Arianna Sovernigo
Ms. Jane Srivastava
Mr. A.R. Steele
Dr. Ian & Mrs. Jane Strang
Ronald Sutherland
Dr. Carol Tsuyuki
& Mr. Craig Tomlinson
Ms. Sheila Vaney
Ms. Joan Voisine
Dr. Robert Wakefield
Carla Weiner
Mrs. Gwyneth Westwick
Mrs. Mary White
Mr. Christopher Whitney
Mr. Ian Whitaker
John Wiebe
Mr. & Mrs. Roy E. Williams
Miss Eva Williamson
Bruce Munro Wright
Mr. Harold and Mrs. Erna Zinn
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
Roberta Lando Beiser
Mr. Jeremy Berkman
Dan and Ursula Bowditch
Carol Brauner
Kenneth Broadway
Jamie & Cindy Bruce
The Bruendl Foundation
Neil Carnell
Patricia Charles
Dr. Heather Clarke
Cindy Cooper
Mr. & Mrs. Cruickshank
Robert Dales in memory of
Dr. Irving Guttman, C.M., O.B.C.
Ms. Elisabeth Dawson
David De Corlieu
Ms. Audrey Dewan
Roslyn Eisenberg
Mohammed A. Faris & Family
Tom Ferries & Lisa Pankratz
Shirley Fitterman
Divyesh and Charu Gadhia
Ken Spencer & Judy Gale
Mike & Kathy Gallagher
Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron
Mrs. Elaine Godwin
Mr. Earl Drake & Ms. Monica Gruder Drake
Martha Lou Henley, C.M.
Jens & Linda Lee Henriksen
Diana and Tom Herbst
Mrs. Marian M Hingston
Lore Hoffmann
Mr. Howard R. Jang
Linda M Johnston
Ms. Lynn Kagan
In memory of Tom Blom
Sherry Killam
Julia and Demas Kim
Susan Knott
Paul Larocque
Bill & Risa Levine
Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Lindsay
Mr. & Mrs. Harold & Jenny Locke
Mrs. Barbara Lowy
Jana and Bill Maclagan
Mr. Charles & Mrs. Phyllis Maclean
Genny MacLean
Paul McEwen and Gwynneth Jones
John & Peggy McLernon
Mr. & Mrs. D. Murray
Michael and Inna O’Brian
Valerie and Brian Owen
Mr. David Parkes
Micki & Michael Partridge
Mr. Hein Poulus & Ms. Mollie
Massie-Poulus
Alan & Gwendoline Pyatt
Blaize & Allan Reich
Mr. John Robinson
Diane Roscoe
Dr. Cecil Sigal
Gillian and Russell Smith
Ms. Karen Smith
Lynn Smith & Jon Sigurdson
Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer
Ms. Jane Srivastava
Michael Stevenson and Jan Whitford
Robert Swansborough
Mary Tait & Bill Sirett
Dr. Beverley Tamboline
Dr. Barry & Mrs. Ronnie Tessler
Gina Thorstenson & Bob Bartholomew
Dr. Carol Tsuyuki
& Mr. Craig Tomlinson
Eugene Vigil
Ms. Alexandra Volkoff
Lis & Bruce Welch
Dr. Roy and Mrs. Gwyneth Westwick
Dr. Maurice & Mrs. Jane Wong
Mr. Bruce Munro Wright
Ms. Nancy Wu
Anonymous donors (2)
VOCE
Established in memory of Chorus past, in support of Chorus present, in preparation for Chorus future.
Brenda Alexander
Christine Anton
Claudio Arato
Dawne Dye
Irving Guttman
Richard Loney
Neil MacKenzie
Kathleen Murison
Lorna Olson
Micki Partridge
RTDS Technologies
(Winnipeg)
Marlene Trussell
Karen Wilson
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
Mike & Kathy Gallagher
Martha Lou Henley, C.M.*
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
Brigitte & Henning Freybe
Alan & Gwendoline Pyatt
Mary Tait & Bill Sirett
David Watmough
in loving memory of Floyd St. Clair
DIRECTOR’S CIRCLE | $10,000 - $19,999
Donors who wish to remain
anonymous ( 1 )
Val & Dick Bradshaw
Patricia Charles
The Mary & Gordon Christopher Foundation
Dr. Heather Clarke
Mohammed A. Faris & Family
Mr. & Mrs. Allen Fowlis
Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron
Mrs. Barbara Lowy
Andrew Mahon Foundation
Mrs. Irene McEwen
Paul McEwen and Gwynneth Jones
Dr. Earl & Mrs. Anne Shepherd*
Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer
Dr. Beverley Tamboline
Bruno Wall & Jane MacDonald
Mr. Bruce Munro Wright
Mrs. Marietta Hurst
Ms. Lynn Kagan
Reet Kana
Julia and Demas Kim
Mr. & Mrs. David McDonald
Mr. & Mrs. Gerald A. B. McGavin
John & Peggy McLernon
Andrew Mahon Foundation
Anne Miloni & Darlene Miloni Graham
Mirhady Family Fund,
held at Vancouver Foundation
Ms. Bev Park & Mr. Jim Logan
Abe & Leyla Sacks
Lynn Smith & Jon Sigurdson
Dr. Hilda Stanger
Dr. Ian & Mrs. Jane Strang
Wayne Wiens,
in memory of Andrea Pinto Lebowitz
INNER CIRCLE | $5,000 - $9,999
Donors who wish to remain
anonymous ( 1 )
Ms. Shirley Barnett
Jill Bodkin
Mrs. Alix Brown
Divyesh and Charu Gadhia
Dr. David Hardwick*
Lori Hareid in memory of Bjorn Hareid
Mrs. Judith Helliwell
Diana and Tom Herbst
PATRON | $2,500 - $4,999
Jens & Linda Lee Henriksen
Donors who wish to remain
Mrs. Aurora R. Hernandez
anonymous ( 2 )
Mrs. Marian M Hingston
Mr. Hans Alwart
Mr. Bob Houston
Joanie Anderson
Mr. Hua Jiang
Mr. Russ & Mrs. Lee Anthony*
Ms. Mary Jordan
Jim & Sarah Armstrong
Mrs. Evelyn Kahn
Roberta Lando Beiser
In Memory of Tom Blom
Mr. Michael & Mrs. Eunice Chan
Dr. Linda Kaser & Dr. Judy Halbert
Mr. Edward & Mrs. Dorothy Chiasson
Mr. Hank & Mrs. Janice Ketcham
Nika Collison and Daniel Robertson
Dr. Marla Kiess
Mr. George & Mrs. Ann Cross*
Sherry Killam
In memory of Barbara Roy
Dr. Andrei Krassioukov
Lisa Ethans & Paul Del Rossi
Robert Laing & Edward Wilson
Tom Ferries & Lisa Pankratz
Mr. & Mrs. R. Michael LePage
Senator Jack Austin
Bill & Risa Levine
& Ms. Natalie V. Freeman
Mr. & Mrs. Hugh Lindsay*
Mr. Sven & Mrs. Juliette Freybe
Patrick & Ju Lo
Ms. Judy Garner
Dr. Andrew Louie
Ms. Kim Gaynor
Dr. George Luciuk
Mrs. Elaine Godwin
Doris Luking in memory of Hans Luking
Mr. Paul & Mrs. Claudia Goldman
Jerry and Lilli Luking
Laura Groos & Gerry Prins
George & Jessica Macintosh
Robert Dales
in memory of Dr. Irving Guttman C.M., O.B.C. Jana and Bill Maclagan
Mr. Charles & Mrs. Phyllis Maclean
Mr. Ronald Hagler
86
VO DEVELOPMENT
Miriam Maisonville and David Sauder
Marilyn & Hart Mauritz
Mathisen Family Foundation
Mr. Ian Michaud
Simon & Carmen Murphy
in memory of Brian Joe
Dr. & Mrs. David R. Neima
Micki & Michael Partridge*
Dr. Peter Payne & Mrs. Lisa Payne
David & Janice Podmore
Louise Pronovost
Mr. Anthony Roper
Celeste W. Shannte
Mr. Ross & Ms. Ursula Southam
John & Judy Taylor
Dr. Carol Tsuyuki & Mr. Craig Tomlinson
Dr. Sandra Vestvik
Mervyn Lindsay Weir
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce & Lis Welch
Dr. Maurice & Mrs. Jane Wong
Fei Wong
James W. Wright
BENEFACTOR | $1,500 - $2,499
Donors who wish to remain
anonymous ( 3 )
Amrita Ahuja
Mamie Angus
Gordon & Minke Armstrong
William & Barbara Armstrong
Ms. Wendy G. Baker
Mr. & Mrs. Luis and Carole Bernhardt
Ms. Lois M. Bewley
Dan and Ursula Bowditch
Ms. Regina Boxer
John & Veronica Braico
John & Ruth Brock
Jamie & Cindy Bruce
Vivienne and James Brosnan
Jamie & Cindy Bruce
Stephanie A. Carlson
Miss Irene Caudwell
Joe and Gertie Chan
Mr. Michael J. Chutter
Dr. Peter & Jean Cooperberg
Robin & Parviz Cordwell
William and Emmanuelle Davis
Ms. Elisabeth Dawson
Mo Dhaliwal
Mr. Earl Drake
& Ms. Monica Gruder Drake
Valerie Dunsterville & Richard Dunsterville
Drs. Allen and Connie Eaves
Mr. Harry Edinger
Ms. Vivian Eliopoulos
Mr. Mark William Emanuel
Dr. Virginia Evans
Shirley Fitterman
Frank and Joan Lew Charitable Trust
Mrs. Pamela Friedrich
Dr. K. Alison Fulmer
Barrie & Ann Gillmore*
Mrs. San Given
Mr. Roland Haebler & Mrs. Catherine Haebler
Judith and Poul Hansen
Ms. Nancy Hermiston
John Horning and Lorraine Larkin
Dr. Martin Hosking
Mr. Paul Janke
Signe Jurcic
Horatio & Jackie Kemeny
Mr. Sharman King
Susan Knott
Dr. Sharon Grimes Knox
Jon & Eva LaFollette
Tom and Karen Lane
Pierre & Betty Lebel
Chuck Lew In memory of Mary Helen Lew
Mr. & Mrs. Harold & Jenny Locke
Dr. John S. & Mrs. Alfredette MacDonald
Mrs. Nancy Macdonald
Marlene Mackenzie
Genny MacLean
Ms. Jane McLennan
Mr. & Mrs. John and Sidney Madden
Ms. Elaine Mah
Mrs. Rosemary Mallory
Dr. Paul Mitchell-Banks
Dr. Peter & Mrs. Eve Munns
Mr. & Mrs. D. Murray
Brian Nickel and Paolo Pecchioli
Valerie and Brian Owen
Joyce Pearkes
Ms. Lorraine Portier
Mr. Hein Poulus & Ms. Mollie Massie-Poulus
David & Rona Radler
Blaize & Allan Reich
Mr. Klaus & Mrs. Margot Richter
Don & Dorothy Ritchie
Kitten Roberts
Mr. Ian Robertson & Mrs. Sian Pitman
Mr. John Robinson
Ms. Carol U. Ross
Ruth E. and Dr. William Hy Ross Foundation
David & Cathy Scott
Mr. Robert Sewell in memory of Marilyn Sewell
Dr. Cecil Sigal
Curtis Smecher
Gillian and Russell Smith
Bruce Sprague
Elaine and Fred Stearman
Michael Stevenson and Jan Whitford
Dr. and Mrs. Peter Stevenson-Moore
Dr. Barry & Mrs. Ronnie Tessler
Mrs. Neri Tischler and Dr. Aron Tischler
Mrs. Anne Tweedy
Ms. Susan Van der Flier
Ms. Alexandra Volkoff
Dr. & Mrs. T. Warner
Judy & Neil Watson
James & Veronica Weinkam
Dr. Roy and Mrs. Gwyneth Westwick
Mr. Paul Westwick
Ms. Terry Wilkinson
Eric and Shirley Wilson
Ms. Kathleen Winton
John and Mia Wong
Ms. Nancy Wu
Mr. Joe D. Wurz & Mrs. Kathleen M. Wurz
Dr. Edwin & Mrs. Patricia Yen
Susan Warren & George Youssef
Mr. Harold and Mrs. Erna Zinn
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.
*Lifetime Opera Round Table: donors have made generous gifts to the Vancouver Opera Foundation to endow their annual
Opera Round Table contributions.
JOIN THE OPERA ROUND TABLE
Members of the Opera Round Table enjoy many
exclusive benefits, including guided backstage tours,
invitations to Prelude Dinners, reserved theatre parking
and access to the members’ lounge at the Queen Elizabeth
Theatre, plus personalized subscription and ticket service.
Priority in requests for tickets, subscription changes and
seat improvements increase according to overall giving
at all levels of the Opera Round Table.
For more information, please contact
Carmen Murphy
Director, Major Gifts
& Planned Giving
604 331 4832
Jake Ryan Lindsey
Major Gifts Officer
604 331 4963
vancouveropera.ca/support
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
Ms. Gillian E. Chetty
Susan Drury & Dennis Perry
Nicole Garson & Michael MacLeod
Dr. Peter Harnetty
Martin Hosking
Dr. Judith Kalla
Mrs. Elizabeth Kirkwood
Peter Ko
Dr. Jack Kooy
Dr. Jan Lyons
Dr. Alan & Mrs. Helen Maberley
Dr. J W MacDonald
Vladimir Marquez
Linda & Larry Marshik
Jim & Maria McDougall
James & Mona Radelet
Vi and Maurice Roden
Mr. Arthur Ross
Dr. Wes Schreiber
Miss Dorothy Shields
Dr. Larry Stonesifer and Mr. Ronald Angress
Mrs. Mary Frances Tuck
Mr. J. Lorne Ginther
Mr. & Mrs. Leon Glassman
Georgeann Glover
Mr. John Grant
Mr. Vitalius Gudaitis
Ian Guthrie
Mrs. Shirley Hammond
Dr. Evelyn J. Harden in memory of Marcia
Jasiulko & Dr. Edgar F.Harden
James & Jennifer Hatton
In Memory of Ronald Hawkes
Penelope B.M. Hedges
Mrs. Maureen Hollins
Mrs. Lois Hosein
Ms. Marla Ignaszewski
Richard and Ruth Jackson
Mr. Hua Jiang
Valerie Jones
Emilie Joos
Mr. Robert Kendrick
Cameron and Wendy Killick
Rita King
Teresa Kirschner
Mike & Jean Kovich
John & Ann Kowalchuk
Esther Krohn
Ron Kruschen and Louise Akuzawa
Ms. Virginia Kwong
Mr. Donald Kydd
Dennis Laing
Diana Lam
Ms. Irene Larochelle
Ms. M Lau and Ms. Jo Lau
Mr. & Mrs. Trevor Lautens
Ms. Shannon Lavender
Mr. Fred Leonard
Mr. W Bill Leung
Michael Levy
Lana Liu
Mrs. Doris A. Lunn
Dr. Ian L. Macdonald In memory of Dr. Helen
Macdonald
Dr. & Mrs. John K MacFarlane
Dr. Alistair MacKay
E.J. Makortoff
Mr. John Mancini
JoAn Maurer
Mr. & Mrs. Robert & Mary McIlwaine
Mr. David W. McMurty
In Memory of Frank McNamara
Ms. Louise Merler
Mrs. Doreen M’Lot
Ms. Rowena Moffett
Ms. Leila Montgomery
June Nicolay
Dr. & Mrs. Joel Oger
Mr. Bernard Olfman
Mr. & Mrs. Jack Olsen
Mr. Kevin O’Reilly
Mrs. Mary Orr
Mr. Fred Palidor
Mr. Egidio Pasin
Mr. Glen Patterson
Danae and Laurier Peaker
Dawn Peck
Mrs. Janet and Mr. Clifton Prowse
Denise Pugash
Dr. Kimit Rai and Mrs. Linda Rai
Ram Randhawa
Drs. P. Ratner & J. Johnson
Gordon Reddy
Ms. Eleanor Reemeyer
Marit M. Rahavi
In honour of Sharman King
Ms. Olga Rumen
Maureen Ryan
Ms. Brenda Sawyer
Ms. Sondra Schloss
Ms. Patricia Schulte
Al & Leona
Manrico and Liz Scremin
Emmanuel Seropian
Ms. Claudia Sjoberg
Dr. Kathryn Skau
Mr. Allan Skidmore
Mr. Stanis Smith
Dr. Yan P. So
Dr. Kevin Solomans
Ms. Margaret Stearn
SUSTAINER | $300 - $999
Anonymous (10)
Kathleen Adams
Sara Ahmadian
Mr. W. Graham Allen
Ted and Jean Andrew
Glen Arthur
Ms. Mary Lou Astoria
Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Atkins
Mrs. Kathleen Jane Baker
Ms. Valencia Bankes
Ms. V. Barrett
Ms. Elizabeth Bell
Mr. Grant Bell
Dr. & Mrs. Andre Berner
Kartik Bharadwa
Ms. Karly Black
Mr. Joost Blom
Nic Boyde
Mrs. Marianne Brockmann
Mr. Malcolm & Mrs. Nancy Brodie
Victor Bud
Mr. J.J. Camp
Mr. Robert Cannon
Dean & Laura Cardno
Ms. Johanne Vincent & Dr. David Chercover
Mr. Charles Clapham
Ms. Hilde & Mr. Peter Colenbrander
Mr. Marc Crimeni
Leslie Dala
Mrs. Carolynn Dallaire
Mr. & Mrs. Julian Davies
Nancy Deshaw
Ms. Audrey Dewan
Mrs. Elizabeth Dropko
In memory of Barb Brown
Mr. Mark Dumont
Ms. Barbara Duncan
Dr. Frank L. Ervin
Express Remote Sensing Inc.
Mrs. Susan Fiddick
Kathy Findlay
Mrs. Fay Forrester
Brian & Mary Forster
Nancy Garrett
Ms. Maegen Giltrow
88
VO DEVELOPMENT
SUSTAINER (CONT.) | $300 - $999
Ms. Doreen Stephens
Dr. Grant J. Stewart
Dr. Peter Suedfeld & Dr. Phyllis J. Johnson
Mr. Richard & Mrs. Margaret Swadden
Angelina Szeto
Tom and Margaret Taylor
Magdalena Julya Theron
Gina Thorstenson & Bob Bartholomew
Robert Thurlow
Ms. Annabel M Valentine
Nada Vuksic
Mrs. Betty J Walker
David Walman
Mrs. Carolyn Webster
John Fredrick Welter
Mr. Werner Wieland
Edward Wiens
Galt Wilson
Miss June Witty
Drs. Leo and Flora Wong
Mr. Y.W. Wong
Lois and Peter Woolley
Mr. Daniel R. Worsley
Mrs. Riitta Wrede
Mr. Gary Young
Mr. Gordon Yusko
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
Your gift plays an important role in Vancouver Opera’s ability
to maintain the highest artistic standards on the mainstage and
to expand our many ground-breaking education and community
activities.
At VO we love to thank our Friends! From taking a look behind the
scenes at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre to attending exclusive events,
Friends of Vancouver Opera enjoy unique opportunities to get closer
to the company and to the art form.
vancouveropera.ca/support
For more information, please contact
Lyndsay MacAulay
Development Manager,
Annual Campaigns &
Lotteries
604 331 4836
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 &
FES TIVAL
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
& Official Winery
Youth and Family
Engagement Partner
Primary
Print Sponsor
Official Florist
Making the Arts
More Accessible®
Overture Sponsor
Student Dress Rehearsal Sponsor
Production Sponsor
Social Media Sponsor
SURTITLES™ Sponsor
Emerging Artists Sponsor
Hospitality Partner
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
Deloitte & Touche
The Diamond Foundation
Fairchild Television
The Gearge W. Norgan Fund
Hannah Woodnut-Smith Memorial Fund
iTalkBB
Kinder Morgan Foundation
McGrane-Pearson Endowment Fund
Nordstrom
Odlum Brown Limited
Phillips, Hager & North Investment
Management Ltd.
Private Giving Foundation
Skyrocket Digital Inc.
The Edith Lando Charitable Foundation
The Hamber Foundation
Vancouver Foundation
Victoria Foundation
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
Anthem Properties
Divyesh and Charu Gadhia
Julia and Demas Kim
Bill & Risa Levine
George & Jessica Macintosh
Jana and Bill Maclagan
Mary and Rod McNeil
John and Dana Montalbano
Ms. Bev Park & Mr. Jim Logan
SpencerCreo Foundation
Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer
FESTIVAL VISIONARY | $25,000+
Roberta Lando Beiser
Moh Faris & family
Ms. Mary Jordan
Paul McEwen and Gwynneth Jones
FESTIVAL LEADER | $10,000+
Dr. Heather Clarke
Arlene Gladstone & Hamish Cameron
Sherry Killam
Michael Stevenson and Jan Whitford
Mr. & Mrs. Bruce & Lis Welch
James W. Wright
FESTIVAL BACKER | $5,000+
Deborah E. Graystone
Dr. Linda Kaser & Dr. Judy Halbert
Nika Collison and Daniel Robertson
ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL SUPPORT | $1,000+
Maestro Jonathan Darlington
Mo Dhaliwal
Mrs. Aurora R. Hernandez
Blaize & Allan Reich
Dr. Maurice and Mrs. Jane Wong
SUPPORT VANCOUVER OPERA
For more information, please contact us
To make a gift to Vancouver Opera, or to learn how
you can support us, please contact us.
Call us
604 682 2871,
extension 4832
Visit our website
vancouveropera.ca/
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.
vancouversun.com
Program 3
May 11 12 13, 2017
choreography
Emanuel Gat
Emily Molnar
Ohad Naharin
Queen Elizabeth Theatre | balletbc.com | ticketmaster.ca
gold season
sponsor
performance sponsors
friday, may 12
Community
BalCony sponsor
Hotel SponSor
Media partner
Support for Ballet BC haS Been generouSly provided By
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
•
•
•
Plans are underway for an exciting tour to some
of Italy’s most famous summer festivals.
Nabucco (Verdi) with Placido Domingo
The Pearl Fishers (Bizet) conducted by Placido Domingo
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
April 24 – 30, 2018
Spend a week in New York City and see four
sensational operas as well as the Met’s National
Council Grand Finals Concert, an event that has
launched the careers of many opera luminaries.
•
•
•
•
•
Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) with Pretty Yende and Michael Fabiano
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
in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre lobby or contact:
Lis Dawson
604 922 8008
Next, we will visit the Rossini (or Pesaro) Opera
Festival, which takes place in the ancient Roman
town of Pesaro, on the Adriatic coast.
The productions staged in the Arena di Verona,
which include operas, concerts and ballets, are
truly spectacular and come alive in the biggest
open-air theatre in the world. Details for this tour
will be available in the late fall of 2017.
Genny MacLean, Great Expeditions
604 738 5535
THE VANCOUVER OPERA GUILD
The Vancouver Opera Guild provides volunteer and
financial support to Vancouver Opera.
For membership information, please contact
Vancouver Opera at 604 682 2871 or visit
vancouveroperaguild.com
President-Elect
Acting/Past President
Vice President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer
TBC
Gwyneth Westwick
Mimi Nilsson
Elaine Peterson
Edward Mornin
Susan Mair
DAYMÉ AROCENA
THE BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA
20TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
2017 18
CHAN CENTRE PRESENTS SERIES
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
HUGH MASEKELA
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
VANCOUVER OPERA LOTTERIES
WIN
YOUR CHOICE OF
2017 Harley-Davidson
Dyna Low Rider S or
Heritage Softail Classic
OR $20,000 CASH!
PLUS 50/50 BONUS DRAW!
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
Harley Lottery: Chances are 1 in 4,000 (total tickets for sale) to win a grand prize! BC Gaming Event Licence #: 91914
50/50 Lottery: Chances are 1 in 7,000 (total tickets for sale) to win a grand prize! BC Gaming Event Licence #: 91915
OVERTURE
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
CORPORATE TABLES
INDIVIDUAL TABLES
AUCTION & EVENT DONORS
Concert Properies
Goldcorp
Korn Ferry
Transcontinental Investment
Corporation
Vancouver Opera Guild
Julia Kim
Roberta Beiser & Bill Levine
Jessica Macintosh
John Montalbano
Michael & Inna O’Brian
Pascal & Isabelle Spothelfer
Mary Jordan & Susan Van der Flier
Air Canada
AMA Waterways
Bill Reid Gallery
Blake, Cassels & Graydon, LLP
Calowa Investments, LLC
Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
GWC
Haida Heritage Centre
Harbour Jewellers & Designers
Highwater House
La Colline
Minuteman Press
Mission Hill Family Estate
Nicola Wealth
Leah & John O’Neill
Paul Balfour
Personal Travel Management
Sager Charters
The Room
The Verbier Festival
Versace Home
YOUR GIFTS HELP US BRING
TO LIFE GREAT OPERAS LIKE
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Whether your gift is directed to our mainstage productions,
our Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program or our provincewide 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
providing engaging opportunities for students and
teachers to learn through opera. The objective of our
education program is twofold: to offer students a handson opera experience and to expose them to career
opportunities in the performing arts.
Our programs also introduce secondary students to the
wide variety of employment options that are available
in the performing arts. Students have the opportunity to
meet artistic and administrative professionals who are at
the peak of their careers and learn how they achieved
success in such a challenging industry.
As an artform, opera includes multiple artistic disciplines,
and we believe there is something for everyone.
Through our workshops and opera camps, students
are encouraged to express themselves through writing,
music, theatre, and the visual arts in the creation of new
work. This highly collaborative environment teaches risktaking, listening and creative thinking.
Ultimately, our goal is to share the amazing experience
of opera with students of all ages by meeting them
where they are and showing them what is possible.
Work
Experience
Opera
Summer
Camp
TD
Student
Dress
Rehearsal
Colleen Maybin
Director, Education & Community Engagement
Vancouver Opera Education Programs
Nurturing hearts, opening minds and
broadening creativity through opera.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT COLLEEN MAYBIN,
DIRECTOR, EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
[email protected]
Opera
Experience
Vancouver
Opera In
Schools
Project
Opera
Delta
Opera and
Performance
Academy
supported by
VO EDUCATION
101
SUBSCRIBE NOW!
2017/18 SEASON
CELEBRATING 10 YEARS
OF EXCEPTIONAL,
INTERNATIONAL DANCE
SUBSCRIPTIONS NOW ON SALE
DANCEHOUSE.CA
MICHAEL SLOBODIAN, PHOTO
DanceHouse ad / Opera
7.125 x 4.9375” / CMYK / 8 February 2017
Keith > rare design inc: tel 604 505 4100
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
Music by Marcel Bergmann
Evening performances 7:30pm
Matinée performances 2:00pm
May 2018
Written and directed by Onalea Gilbertson,
Requiem for a Lost Girl explores themes of poverty,
mental illness and addiction. This strikingly original
chamber opera unfolds as a memorial service for
a young woman. Requiem was created and is
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.
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OPERA CAMP
Write, stage and perform
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)
July 4th to July 14th
Tuition: $500
Junior Summer Camp (8 – 12 years old)
July 17th to July 21st
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)
EDUCATION
For more information contact
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
is a must-visit destination for people who
love Vancouver—located at Vanier Park:
1100 Chestnut Street, Vancouver.
engagement, team collaboration,
creative support for programs,
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
about to see at our complimentary Preview Talks. A great
added value to your VO ticket, and an opportunity to gain
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
the work, to more details about the artists involved with the
production. Each talk lasts approximately 25 minutes.
Any recording (video, audio) or photographs of VO
performances are strictly prohibited without the permission of
Vancouver Opera.
ACCESSIBILITY
Elevators in the Queen Elizabeth Theatre parkade provide
patron access to the street level and the main entrances of the
Queen Elizabeth Theatre and the Vancouver Playhouse. There
also is a driveway for taxis and pick-up/drop-off for patrons
with physical needs.
Seating for patrons using wheelchairs is available on the
orchestra and mezzanine levels of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and
on the orchestra level of the Vancouver Playhouse. Elevator access is
available from each of the theatre’s main lobby to the upper levels.
For more information, please call the VO Ticket Centre.
Patrons who are hard-of-hearing may borrow
Sennheiser Infrared Hearing System headsets for any
performance, free of charge. Headsets are available at the
theatre coat check. This system was made possible through
the generous donation of Wolverton Securities Limited and the
Vancouver Foundation.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Please turn off all mobile phones, pagers, beepers, and alarm
watches before entering the theatre, so as not to disrupt the
performance. Pagers may be left at the coat check; patrons will
be alerted of any calls at the first convenient break.
LATECOMERS
To avoid disrupting the performance, latecomers may not be
seated once the show has started. If possible, they will be
ushered to their seats at the first appropriate break.
PARKING
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
parking decal. Parking is limited, so plan to arrive early.
TICKET SERVICES
Purchases
A variety of subscription packages as well as single tickets can
be purchased online through the VO’s website or by calling the
VO Ticket Centre.
Visit, write or call:
VO Ticket Centre, 1945 McLean Drive, Vancouver
T: 604 683 0222 | E: [email protected]
vancouveropera.ca/tickets
Hours of operation: Monday-Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Exchanges and Lost Tickets
Please contact the Ticket Centre directly with any questions
about exchanging and/or replacing tickets.
Print your tickets at home!
Vancouver Opera now offers an easy, convenient way to
get your tickets immediately after purchasing a VO ticket or
subscription package.
With a valid email address, you can receive your e-tickets
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.
PRIVACY
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
YOUR CHOICE OF
2017 Harley-Davidson
Dyna Low Rider S or
Heritage Softail Classic
OR $20,000 CASH!
PLUS 50/50 BONUS DRAW!
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
RED CARPET BENCHES I
Order Online: vancouveropera.ca
SCOTT COHEN
Harley
Lottery: Chances
are 1and
in 4,000
(total tickets
sale) to
wintransformed
a grand prize! the
BC Gaming
Licence #: 91914
Vancouver
architect
designer
Scott for
Cohen
has
QueenEvent
Elizabeth
Plaza with specially designed objects to create an enticing environment for relaxing
and socializing any time of the day or night. All are welcome!
50/50 Lottery: Chances are 1 in 7,000 (total tickets for sale) to win a grand prize! BC Gaming Event Licence #: 91915
VANCOUVER OPERA LOTTERIES
WIN
YOUR CHOICE OF
2017 Jaguar XE 2.0L AWD Prestige or
2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport HSE
OR $50,000 CASH!
PLUS 50/50 BONUS DRAW!
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
Jaguar/Land Rover Lottery: Chances are 1 in 5,000 (total tickets for sale) to win a grand prize! BC Gaming Event Licence #: 92763
50/50 Lottery: Chances are 1 in 7,000 (total tickets for sale) to win a grand prize! BC Gaming Event Licence #: 91915
TICKETS AT A GLANCE
SINGLE TICKETS TO THE OPERA
Choose single tickets for the opera or event you want to see; tickets start at only $45!
Visit: vancouveropera.ca
Call: 604 683 0222
Or Stop By: VOF Box Office, the Queen Elizabeth
or the Vancouver Playhouse Box Offices before the show.
VANCOUVER OPERA FESTIVAL PASSES
Two- and three-show VIP passes are the best way to experience the Vancouver Opera Festival. In
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
Office to purchase. Passes ensure entry to all these events and are available in limited quantities.
FESTIVAL PASSES INCLUDE
Exclusive Access to Private VIP Opening of Paul Wong’s Five Octave Range
April 27 at 7:30pm in the Festival Tent.
(Limited capacity - first come first served. Includes complimentary glass of champagne.)
TWO-SHOW VIP FESTIVAL PASS
INCLUDES PRIORITY ACCESS TO:
THREE-SHOW VIP FESTIVAL PASS
INCLUDES PRIORITY ACCESS TO:
Two operas of your choice at the VOF
Ethical Justice in the 21st Century
In Conversation with Jake Heggie
Where is Opera Headed?
A Conversation with Ute Lemper
Civic Impact in Opera
Whose Story is it?
The Music of Heggie/Verdi/Mozart
Three Operas of Your Choice at the VOF
Ethical Justice in the 21st Century
In Conversation with Jake Heggie
Where is Opera Headed?
A Conversation with Ute Lemper
Civic Impact in Opera
Whose Story is it?
The Music of Heggie/Verdi/Mozart
TWO- & THREE-SHOW VIP FESTIVAL PASSES INCLUDE
Free access to Carmina Burana Sing-Along (RSVP required)
Priority Access to Book a FREE Backstage Tour of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre
Priority Access to Vancouver Opera’s Stage Combat Workshop
Free Tickets to Film Night at the Opera (RSVP required)
RSVP at time of purchase is required for all non-opera performances
ANSWERS FROM THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO STUDY GUIDE (PAGE 69)
1: e
2: b
3: a
4: c
5: d
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
Roberta Lando Beiser
Nika Collison
Mo Dhaliwal
Reema Faris
Divyesh Gadhia
Deborah Graystone
Judy Halbert
Sherry Killam
Julia Kim
Bill Levine
Jessica Yan Macintosh
Bill Maclagan
Marilyn Loewen Mauritz
Paul McEwen
Mary McNeil
Lisa Payne
Janice Podmore
Michael Stevenson
Gwyneth Westwick
Jeffrey Wilhoit
VANCOUVER OPERA STAFF
Kim Gaynor, General Director
Director of Artistic
Planning
Tom Wright
Director of
Development
Brian Nickel
Jonathan Darlington, Music Director
Director, Education &
Community Engagement
Colleen Maybin
ARTISTIC PLANNING
Associate Director, Artistic Planning: Adrianne Wurz
Artistic Planning Assistant: Adam Da Ros
Festival Scheduler: Marcie Januska
Production Stage Manager: Theresa Tsang
Music
Associate Conductor / Chorus Director: Leslie Dala
Principal Répétiteur / Assistant Conductor / Assistant
Chorus Director: Kinza Tyrrell
Répétiteur: Tina Chang
Orchestra Manager: Jim Littleford
Music Librarian: Tom Shorthouse
Orchestra Stage Manager: Jim Tranquilla
Production
Technical Director: Dan Paterson
Assistant Technical Director / Facility
Manager: Gregg Steffensen
Festival Properties Manager: Heidi Wilkinson
EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Education & Community Projects Coordinator: Eleanor Siden
Volunteer & Board Coordinator: Rachelle Smalldon
Director of
Marketing
Lynsey Skramstad
Chief Financial
Officer
Catriona Cheng
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Director of Information Technology: Hali Autio
Office Manager and Junior Accountant:
William Murgatroyd
Accountant and Payroll Administrator:
Firan Tse
DEVELOPMENT
Director, Major Gifts & Planned Giving:
Carmen Murphy
Major Gifts Officer:
Jake Ryan Lindsey
Development Manager, Grants & Proposals:
Joseph Bardsley
Development Manager, Annual Campaigns and
Lotteries:
Lyndsay MacAulay
Special Events Coordinator: Theresa Mura
MARKETING
Marketing and Sales Manager: Vincent Wong
Ticket Centre Manager and Data Analyst: Tracey Flattes
Graphic Designers: Annie Mack, Katie Ferris Witherspoon
Digital Communications Manager: Michael Mann
Ticket Centre Associates: Gavriel Beigel, Tamerin Elliott
Charlene Hibbard
Publicist: Jodi Smith, JLS Entertainment
Patron Services Team Lead: Gloria Bernal
YULANDA M. FARIS YOUNG ARTISTS PROGRAM
Program Head: Leslie Dala
Head Coach: Kinza Tyrrell
Mary Castello
Ryan Downey
Vanessa Oude-Reimerink
Taylor Pardell
Sarah Jane Pelzer
Pascale Spinney
Leah Giselle Field
Peter Monaghan
VANCOUVER OPERA FOUNDATION BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2016 – 2017 SEASON
Chair: Lis Welch
Jake Boxer
Jill Bodkin
Neil Carnell
Treasurer and Secretary: Paul McEwen
Heather Clarke
Michael Gallagher
Poul Hansen
Julia Kim
Terry Pask
Lynn Smith
Russell Smith
Pascal Spothelfer
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
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