TDO Hart Institute Media Release – September 16 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014
suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
Changing the Face of Classical Music
The Dallas Opera Hart Institute
For Women Conductors
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Celebrating 5 Years of Transformational Success
OCTOBER 27 – NOVEMBER 9, 2019
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Outstanding New Faculty include: Ana De Archuleta,
Elizabeth Buccheri, Rona Eastwood, Julia Lagahuzère,
Sophie Joyce, Lee Anne Myslewski, and Dmitry Vdovin
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In Partnership with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s
Women in Classical Music Symposium
DALLAS, OCTOBER 9, 2019 – The Dallas Opera is preparing to host twelve distinguished professionals (six conductors, three administrators, and three American Observers) selected to participate in the fifth annual residency of the Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera taking place Oct. 27 – Nov. 9, 2019 in Dallas, Texas. The six conductors are:
Seeking to address a long-standing issue of gender-imbalance at the podium, The Dallas Opera in 2015 launched a unique multifaceted program—one of a handful in the world—designed to provide training and career support for distinctively talented women conductors on the cusp of major international careers.
“I was beyond thrilled to hear of my acceptance to the 2019 Dallas Opera’s Hart Institute” wrote U.S. participant Tamara Dworetz. “The opportunity to learn from world-class conductors, instrumentalists, opera singers and leaders will strengthen my skills and broaden my dimensionalism as a conductor while bolstering my career and professional network; I cannot thank Linda and Mitch Hart and The Dallas Opera enough for initiating and supporting this progressive and powerfully impactful program.”
Ian Derrer, The Dallas Opera’s Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO explains: “Providing career advancement opportunities makes it possible for these talented women to compete for top-level positions in classical music. This is one of the most important contributions we could make to this art form, and it will be needed for years to come. After five years, the support and passion of the TDO Family burns brighter than ever.”
A total of 90 women conductors and professional musicians heeded the call in 2019, despite even more stringent admissions requirements initiated last year. Applicants from 27 countries included music directors, principal and assistant conductors, concertmasters and music staff from top-ranked symphonies, opera companies, and conservatories.
“Even for the most talented artists, a journey to the forefront of the conducting profession is difficult, and particularly so for women,” wrote Taiwanese conductor Madeline Tsai. “The Dallas Opera’s Linda and Mitch Hart Institute gives its residents a strong gust of wind forward as they sail toward their dreams on the horizon.
“I am immensely grateful and honored for this incredible opportunity to learn from an amazing faculty and other talented artists at the Institute.”
As is the case each year, talented U.S. Observers were chosen to audit the 2019 Institute: Rebecca Henry, Sarah Klein and Rachel Waddell.
Reserved seating for the 2019 Hart Institute Showcase Concert at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 9, 2019 is available for $25 or $50 per person (depending on the section) and can be purchased through The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or by visiting dallasopera.org/harttickets.
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The Dallas Opera Hart Institute in 2019 will consist of hands-on master classes with the Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director, Emmanuel Villaume; TDO’s Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement and Carlo Montanaro, a renowned Italian conductor. Returning faculty include a variety of industry leaders and members of The Dallas Opera Senior Staff.
Sessions include career advancement seminars; topical industry discussions; intensive one-on-ones and a variety of networking opportunities.
American conductor Molly Turner noted: “As a young conductor, getting into the Hart Institute opens so many doors traditionally left open only for older and often male conductors.”
“I’m humbled to have such a dedicated opportunity to focus on a genre and repertoire that are least familiar to me and to engage artistically with the excellent musicians and administration of The Dallas Opera” added US conductor Tiffany Chang.
NEW HART FACULTY IN 2019:
Ana De Archuleta is president and CEO of ADA Artist Management and has quickly established herself as one of the most sought-after managers in the operatic field, representing a thriving roster of vocalists, conductors and directors worldwide.
Elizabeth Askren, Franco-American conductor, has guest conducted the London Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris.
Elizabeth Buccheri, chamber musician and vocal coach, was assistant conductor of Lyric Opera of Chicago from 1987 to 2013. A dedicated teacher, Ms. Buccheri has given master classes at The Juilliard School, Eastman School of Music, AMFS, Lawrence Conservatory, and the music academies of Lithuania and Latvia.
Lisa Bury, Chief Advancement and Strategy Officer for The Dallas Opera, previously served in senior positions at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago and Florida Grand Opera.
Rona Eastwood is Senior Associate Director of Conductors at Askonas Holt. The move across to artist management followed, initially assisting Martin Campbell-White with conductors and occasional touring projects. She has remained with the company ever since, ultimately building an independent list of artists.
Sophie Joyce is the Director of the Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, the Metropolitan Opera’s elite program for leading young singers on the cusp of international opera careers.
Julia Lagahuzère is the General Director of “Opera for Peace” and former Deputy Casting Director for Opéra National de Paris in the two theatres of Opéra de Bastille and Palais Garnier. She is also artistic consultant to the Queen Sonja International Music Competition in Oslo, Norway.
Charlotte Lee is the President and Founder of Primo Artists, a boutique classical music agency in New York.
Thomas Maddrey is the founding partner and lead attorney for Maddrey PLLC, a boutique firm dedicated to art law and creative business law.
Lee Anne Myslewski oversees all aspects of Wolf Trap Opera, an artist-centric program whose alumni are singing in every opera house in the nation and in the most prestigious houses in the world and also serves as the executive producer and co-host of Center Stage from Wolf Trap, a nationally-syndicated radio program.
Paolo Petrocelli serves as the Cultural and Music Diplomacy Officer for the Permanent Secretariat of the World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates and has become a leading member of some of the most prestigious international organizations, including the United Nations, UNESCO, and the World Economic Forum. He also acts as Director of Institutional Relations and International Affairs for UNESCO’S “Opera for Peace.”
Stephanie Rhodes Russell, a renowned opera collaborator, is a Conducting Fellow with the Fort Worth Symphony and Associate Conductor for the Grand Teton Music Festival.
Jennifer Spencer is currently working alongside Ivan Fischer on the artistic and touring planning for the Budapest Festival Orchestra, and (in October 2017) she created a small conductor roster which she operates in conjunction with IMG Artists Ltd from London.
Beth Stewart is the founder of Verismo Communications, a classical music PR firm that prizes authenticity over plasticity, creates space and opportunity in clients’ lives, and operates with unswerving integrity.
Dmitry Vdovin is founder and artistic director of the Bolshoi Theatre Young Artist Program. He is also the Artistic Director of UNESCO’S “Opera for Peace” initiative.
Jenna Wolf, Development and Communications Consultant for “Opera for Peace – Leading Young Voices of the World” as well as the PR and Marketing Director for Lenny’s Studio, New York, New York.
This year’s Hart Institute for Women Conductors is also partnering with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s inaugural “Women in Classical Music Symposium” taking place November 6-9, 2019 in the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, in order to provide even greater resources and connections for women in the field.
“I am delighted to work alongside our colleagues at The Dallas Opera as the Dallas Symphony launches its Women in Classical Music Symposium. The Hart Institute has established itself as an important event for women conductors, and their input while designing the symposium has been invaluable,” said Kim Noltemy, President & CEO of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. “Together, we are showing that the Dallas performing arts community is committing to a sustained effort to make changes in the industry.”
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“The Hart Institute has and will continue to transform the field, with alumnae being singled out for important appointments, projects, and commissions in both the opera and symphonic world,” notes TDO’s Director of Artistic Administration David Lomeli.
Hart Institute alumnae accomplishments in just the past year include the appointment of Anna Skryleva as Music Director of the Magdeburg Opera and as the first female Chief Conductor of the Klassik Philharmonie Hamburg, Tianyi Lu as Welsh National Opera’s first “Female Conductor in Residence,” the appointment of Lina Gonzalez-Granados as a 2019-2020 Conducting Fellow for both Seattle Opera and the Philadelphia Orchestra; Chicago Opera Theater’s Lidiya Yankovskaya (Artistic Director of the Refugee Orchestra Project) leading refugee musicians in a performance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, the naming of Stephanie Mercier to the position of Director of Artistic and Production Operations at Washington National Opera, and the promotion of another Hart Administrator, Jennifer Rivera, to the position of Executive Director and CEO of Long Beach Opera.
Additionally, two Hart Institute conductors (and one faculty member, Nicole Paiement) made the list of the “Top 20 Women Conductors in the World” in 2019 (Norman Lebrecht, Slipped Disc).
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While the Hart Institute began with a focus on supporting talented conductors, the challenges faced by women opera administrators remain equally daunting. To address this imbalance, The Dallas Opera added a new component to the Hart Institute: through 2022, TDO will invite between two and four American opera administrators to participate each season. These women will be selected on the basis of their potential to become leaders of one of America’s top opera companies.
The 2019 Hart Institute Administrators are:
The selected opera administrators will have access to all group sessions and special sessions during the annual residency in Dallas.
One of the goals of the program is to construct a wide network of influential female leaders in the administrative offices of performing arts organizations, both large and small, as well as onstage and in the orchestra pit.
HART INSTITUTE – NEW CONDUCTING FELLOW
JANE KIM (USA) is the recipient of the 2018 Charles Schiff Conducting Prize. She currently serves as Assistant Conductor with the Little Orchestra Society. She has appeared with the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra and Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect, and, as cover conductor, she works with the New York Philharmonic, Canadian Opera Company, Juilliard Orchestra, and other ensembles. Previously, Jane served as Music Director of the Juilliard Pre-College String Ensemble and conductor of the Juilliard Lab Orchestra. Her summer activities include Aspen Music Festival, which she attended as a Conducting Fellow, and Pierre Monteux Music Festival, where she was named a Bernard Osher Scholar. Jane holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from The Juilliard School.
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Naming Support for the Institute from Linda and Mitch Hart
Initial Support from the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation
Additional Support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation,
Baker Botts LLP, Cindy and Charlie Feld, Jenifer and Peter Flynn,
Susan and Mark Geyer, Holly and Tom Mayer, J.P. Morgan,
Betty and Steve Suellentrop, Martha and Max Wells,
Debra Witter and Scott Chase, and Texas Women’s Foundation
Made Possible by an OPERA America Innovation Grant
Supported by the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation
ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA:
One of the leading opera companies in the country, The Dallas Opera has an extraordinary legacy of world-class productions and thrilling premieres featuring the greatest operatic artists of our time. Inaugurated in 1957 with a concert featuring the incomparable Maria Callas, TDO is known for the notable U.S. debuts of a host of legendary artists including Plácido Domingo, Dame Joan Sutherland, Jon Vickers, Franco Zeffirelli, and Sir David McVicar. The company has long been an industry leader and innovator through groundbreaking initiatives like the Hart Institute for Women Conductors, free public simulcasts, acclaimed art song recitals, the national vocal competition, special concerts, and outstanding family and award-winning education programs. TDO’s home is the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House, a jewel in the Dallas Arts District. As one of the largest performing arts employers in North Texas, TDO is proudly committed to diversity, onstage and off, and is a major contributor to the economic vitality and international cultural reputation of this region.
2019-2020 SEASON SPONSOR
The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
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EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation;
Texas Instruments Foundation; the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs;
The Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera.
Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.
Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.
All performances in The Dallas Opera’s 63rd International Season will take place in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, unless otherwise indicated. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired.
The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain at most performances. Full and Flex subscriptions are designed to meet the needs of every budget. Prices range from just $57 (for three performances of your choice) to a top orchestra floor price of $777 for all five mainstage productions. Single tickets are priced from $25 to $289 (a few box seats may be higher). For additional information or to make your purchase, call 214.443.1000 or visit www.dallasopera.org.
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The Dallas Opera is Proud to Announce the
Conductors, Administrators, and Observers for The Fifth Annual
Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for
Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera
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Oct. 27 – Nov. 9, 2019 in Dallas, Texas
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Distinguished 2019 Hart Institute Conducting Faculty Include
Emmanuel Villaume, Nicole Paiement, and Carlo Montanaro
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Initial Support from the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation
Additional Support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation,
Baker Botts LLP, Cindy and Charlie Feld, Jenifer and Peter Flynn, Susan and Mark Geyer, Holly and Tom Mayer,
Betty and Steve Suellentrop, and Martha and Max Wells
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Made Possible by an OPERA America Innovation Grant
Supported by the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation
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Hart Institute Public Concert: Saturday, November 9, 2019
The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
DALLAS, MAY 29, 2019 – The Dallas Opera is proud to announce the names of the twelve distinguished professionals (six conductors, three administrators, and four American observers) selected to participate in the fifth annual residency of the Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera taking place Oct. 27 – Nov. 9, 2019 in Dallas, Texas:
Working to address a long-standing issue at the podium, The Dallas Opera in 2015 launched a unique multifaceted program—one of a mere handful in the world—designed to provide training and career support for distinctively talented women conductors on the cusp of major international careers. Female conductors, as well as accomplished women singers, opera coaches, accompanists, and instrumentalists with established careers seeking to further develop their skills at the podium, were encouraged to apply.
“Big D is my Big W,” observed Polish conductor Marta Kluczyńska. “I feel awesome.”
“I was beyond thrilled to hear of my acceptance to the 2019 Dallas Opera’s Hart Institute” wrote U.S. participant Tamara Dworetz. “The opportunity to learn from world-class conductors, instrumentalists, opera singers and leaders will strengthen my skills and broaden my dimensionalism as a conductor while bolstering my career and professional network; I cannot thank Linda and Mitch Hart and the Dallas Opera enough for initiating and supporting this progressive and powerfully impactful program.”
This groundbreaking initiative received vital foundational support from the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation. Naming support came through the generosity of Linda and Mitch Hart.
Additional support for the 2019 Hart Institute comes from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, Baker Botts LLP, Cindy and Charlie Feld, Jenifer and Peter Flynn, Susan and Mark Geyer, Holly and Tom Mayer, Betty and Steve Suellentrop, and Martha and Max Wells.
Made possible by an OPERA America Innovation Grant, supported by the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation.
Ian Derrer, The Dallas Opera’s Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO explains: “One of the ways we advance our art form and engage more people is by providing career advancement opportunities for gifted women conductors, ensuring they have the chance to compete for top-level positions in classical music.
“That’s why the Hart Institute was founded and why it will be needed for years to come.
“The support and passion of the TDO Family is behind this effort—more than ever.”
A total of 90 women conductors and professional musicians heeded the call in 2019, despite even more stringent admissions requirements initiated last year. Applicants from 27 countries included music directors, principal and assistant conductors, concertmasters and music staff from top-ranked symphonies, opera companies, and conservatories.
“Even for the most talented artists, a journey to the forefront of the conducting profession is difficult, and particularly so for women,” wrote Taiwanese conductor Madeline Tsai. “The Dallas Opera’s Linda and Mitch Hart Institute gives its residents a strong gust of wind forward as they sail toward their dreams on the horizon.
“I am immensely grateful and honored for this incredible opportunity to learn from an amazing faculty and other talented artists at the Institute.”
As is the case each year, four talented U.S. Observers were chosen to audit the 2019 Institute: Rebecca Henry, Jane Kim, Vera Volchansky and Rachel Waddell.
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The 2019 Linda and Mitch Hart Institute will consist of hands-on master classes with the Mrs. Eugene McDermott Music Director, Emmanuel Villaume; TDO’s Martha R. and Preston A. Peak Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement and Carlo Montanaro, a renowned Italian conductor last seen on our podium conducting three world-class tenors (Michael Fabiano, Bryan Hymel and Matthew Polenzani) in TDO’s “One Night Only Gala.”
Sessions include career advancement seminars with experienced professionals; topical industry discussions; intensive one-on-ones and networking opportunities; as well as the chance to conduct The Dallas Opera Orchestra in a public concert in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center on the evening of November 9, 2019 (additional details to be announced at a later date).
This year’s Hart Institute for Women Conductors is partnering with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s inaugural “Women in Classical Music Symposium” taking place November 6-9, 2019 in the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, in order to provide even greater resources and connections for women in the field.
“I am delighted to work alongside our colleagues at The Dallas Opera as the Dallas Symphony launches its Women in Classical Music Symposium. The Hart Institute has established itself as an important event for women conductors, and their input while designing the symposium has been invaluable,” said Kim Noltemy, President & CEO of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. “Together, we are showing that the Dallas performing arts community is committing to a sustained effort to make changes in the industry.”
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American conductor Molly Turner noted: “As a young conductor, getting into the Hart Institute opens so many doors traditionally left open only for older and often male conductors.”
“I’m humbled to have such a dedicated opportunity to focus on a genre and repertoire that are least familiar to me and to engage artistically with the excellent musicians and administration of The Dallas Opera” added US conductor Tiffany Chang.
“The Hart Institute appears to be having a pronounced positive impact on the field, with alumnae being singled out for important appointments, projects, and commissions in both the opera and symphonic world,” notes TDO’s Director of Artistic Administration David Lomeli.
Marc A. Scorca, President and CEO of OPERA America, earlier remarked: “The Dallas Opera continues to expand its influence and stature among American opera companies, as shown by this exciting new initiative. The company is to be applauded for taking a significant step to remedy the existing gender imbalance on the podium. This effort complements OPERA America’s support of the work of female opera composers and promises to enrich the art form by encouraging more gifted artists to express themselves through opera.”
Chinese conductor Jiannan Cheng summed up: “I am honored and thrilled to be selected to participate in the Hart Institute at the Dallas Opera and I am looking forward to growing as a conductor through this world-class experience!”
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While the Hart Institute began with a focus on supporting talented conductors, the challenges faced by women opera administrators are equally daunting. To address this imbalance, The Dallas Opera last year added a new component to the Hart Institute: through 2022, TDO will invite between two and four American opera administrators to participate each season. These women will be selected on the basis of their potential to become leaders of one of America’s top opera companies at some point in their careers.
The 2019 Hart Institute Administrators are:
The selected opera administrators will have access to all group sessions and special sessions during the annual residency in Dallas. This curriculum includes the role of the board, leadership development, personal branding, media and PR training, effective artist management, and navigating recruiting processes for senior level positions. To continue to develop their musical skills, which is essential for any opera executive, the administrators will observe rehearsals with The Dallas Opera Orchestra and conducting master classes. Special sessions on Development, Finance, and Marketing will be offered as well.
One of the goals of the program is to construct a wide network of influential female leaders in the administrative offices of performing arts organizations, both large and small, as well as onstage and in the orchestra pit.
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2019 Hart Institute Conductors
TIFFANY CHANG (USA)
Taiwanese-American conductor Tiffany Chang is the Visiting Assistant Professor of Conducting and Conductor at Oberlin Conservatory and Assistant Professor at the Berklee College of Music. She also served impactful terms as Interim Director of Orchestral Studies at Baldwin Wallace Conservatory and Acting Director of Orchestral Activities at Boston University. A 2017 Winner of The American Prize in Opera Conducting, Chang has been engaged by NEMPAC Opera Project, BlueWater Chamber Orchestra, OperaHub, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra of Boston, ALEA III, Xanthos Ensemble, Brookline Symphony Orchestra, international music festivals such as IASAS and AMIS, among others. She studied with David Hoose and Bridget-Michaele Reischl, receiving a DMA in orchestral conducting from Boston University and several degrees in cello performance, music education, composition, and music theory from Oberlin Conservatory.
JIANNAN CHENG (CHINA)
Jiannan Cheng, a native Chinese conductor, served as an assistant in the 2018 Opernfestspiele Heidenheim in Germany where she conducted a performance of Verdi’s Nabucco with the Stuttgart Philharmonic. Recently, Cheng worked with the City Lyric Opera in New York City as the répétiteur and the assistant conductor in a production of La Tragédie de Carmen. Cheng was the 2018 Conducting Fellow of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and served as the Music Director in the CCM production of Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito and the 2019 Interim Music Director of the CCM Concert Orchestra. Cheng was a candidate for the 2017 German Conductors’ Award, second prize winner of the 2016 4×4 Competition for Composers & Conductors and studied with Kurt Masur at the 2015 Aurora Music Festival in Sweden.
TAMARA DWORETZ (USA)
Tamara Dworetz is a 2019 Conducting Fellow for the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music. Her upcoming commitments include serving as assistant conductor to Bramwell Tovey, Principal Conductor of the BBC Concert Orchestra at the BBC Proms in London. Recently, Tamara was awarded 2nd prize in the Boston Pops’ Bernstein-inspired conducting competition. Previous positions include Assistant Conductor for the Austin Symphony Orchestra and the Butler Opera Center. A dedicated music educator, Tamara was the conductor for the Austin Youth Orchestra, University of Texas University Orchestra and Lakeside High School Orchestra program in Atlanta, Georgia. Tamara attended Indiana University, the University of Texas at Austin, and she is currently pursuing a Doctorate of Musical Arts degree at Boston University.
MARTA KLUCZYŃSKA (POLAND)
Marta Kluczyńska graduated with degrees in Symphony and Opera Conducting and Piano Studies from The Fryderyk Chopin University of Music Warsaw. At the age of 24 she made her opera debut at the Polish National Opera in Warsaw where she, as a resident conductor, has conducted numerous opera and ballet performances including A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Benjamin Britten, The Haunted Manor by Stanisław Moniuszko, The Nutcracker by Peter Tchaikovsky, and Romeo and Juliet by Sergej Prokofiev. In 2017, Kluczyńska made her critically acclaimed debuts at the Wrocław Opera with La Cenerentola and at Landestheater Coburg (Germany) with Le nozze di Figaro. She has led concerts with orchestras such as Sinfonia Varsovia, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra (Katowice), Polish Radio Orchestra (Warsaw) and the Polish Sinfonia Iuventus.
MADELINE TSAI (TAIWAN)
Chi-Chen Madeline Tsai is a versatile musician who has been trained as a conductor, pianist, singer, organist, and timpanist. She was the only Asian female invited to the Solti International Conducting Competition in Hungary, where she won the People’s Choice Award. Following this award, she conducted the Pazardzhik Symphony Orchestra in Bulgaria and the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra in Taiwan. She has also conducted the St. Petersburg Chamber Philharmonic, the Philharmonic Chamber Orchestra Berlin, the Rousse Philharmonic Orchestra, the Lithuanian State Philharmonic Orchestra, and the National Radio Orchestra Bucharest. As a coach and accompanist, she assisted Grace Bumbry for her masterclasses on Aida and Cavalleria Rusticana in Vienna. Ms. Tsai is currently completing a doctorate in orchestral conducting at the University of Cincinnati.
MOLLY TURNER (USA)
Molly Turner is an emerging young conductor from Seattle, Washington. She recently completed her Bachelors in Music Composition at Rice University and will pursue a Masters in Orchestral Conducting at Juilliard in the fall. Her primary conducting mentors include Larry Rachleff, Gerard Schwarz, and Jerry Hou. At Juilliard, she will be working with David Robertson. Recently, she has been featured with the Rice Campanile Orchestra, the Eastern Festival Orchestra, and the Shepherd Undergraduate Opera Scenes. She has also conducted The Philharmonia Orchestra (UK) and the Bay Area Youth Symphony (Houston). A strong advocate for new music, Ms. Turner regularly collaborates with Rice’s New Music Ensemble “Hear & Now” as a composer, violist, and conductor. She enjoys writing for the voice and conducts her own works.
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2019 Hart Institute Administrators
KRISTEN BIGHAM (USA)
Kristen Bigham is the Gift Planning Associate at Lyric Opera of Chicago. Combining over five years of experience in the financial services industry with her background as a trained vocalist and director, she works to enhance and expand Lyric’s robust legacy giving program and community, The Overture Society. A native of Fort Worth, TX, she received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of North Texas and her Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts. Dedicated to promoting the presence, creativity, and leadership of women within the performing arts, Kristen is a passionate arts advocate and development professional, and has worked with numerous arts organizations throughout Chicago, including Rough House Theater, Piven Theatre, Links Hall, and Forte Chicago.
BEVERLY LOVE (USA)
Beverly Love is currently a search consultant and Chief Operations & Administrative Officer with Wilbanks Partners, a boutique asset management executive search firm. She previously worked in the office of the Chief Economist and Asia Chairman of Morgan Stanley & Company and subsequently spent three years in Russell Reynolds Associates’ asset and wealth management practice. Prior to that, Beverly was the founding Director of the Greater Atlanta Christian School of Music. A jugendlich dramatischer soprano, she has performed throughout the US and in Italy and Austria. She earned a Masters in Voice/Opera Performance from Southern Methodist University, summa cum laude and Phi Kappa Lambda, and a Bachelors in Vocal Performance from Abilene Christian University, where she graduated with Honors, summa cum laude, and Valedictorian.
SUZANNE VINNIK
Suzanne Vinnik is an award-winning international opera singer, photographer and arts entrepreneur known for her innate musical phrasing, daring fashion sense and ability to provide innovative marketing solutions to artists, brands and arts organizations. The soprano saw a need for a specialized social media network and marketplace for women in classical music thus creating, Shoperatic. The community stands at over 11k female identifying women in opera (the largest in the industry) and is responsible for generating well over $450k in income for artists since 2017 with zero outside funding or paid advertisement. As a cultural affiliate, the soprano enjoys volunteering and co-producing events with Sing For Hope. Vinnik is an alumnus of the Opera Studio di Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome, Italy.
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2019 Hart Institute Observers
REBECCA HENRY (USA)
Rebecca Henry began the 2018-2019 season as Music Director for Georgetown Gilbert and Sullivan Society’s production of Ruddigore. This summer, she will be serving on the voice faculty of the Performing Arts Institute at Wyoming Seminary. A proponent of new music, Rebecca was music director for the world premiere of Do Not Disturb (Forgotten Opera Company) and premiered works in New Works Fest with Opera on Tap. Additional conducting credits include The Mikado, La Perichole, HMS Pinafore, Ruddigore, and Robin Hood (Victorian Lyric Opera Company). Future engagements include an appointment as Associate Conductor for Bel Canto in Tuscany. When she is not conducting, she can be seen performing as a mezzo-soprano throughout the country and abroad. She received her Undergraduate degree from Rice University and her Masters from McGill University in Montreal.
JANE KIM (USA)
Jane Kim is the recipient of the 2018 Charles Schiff Conducting Prize. She currently serves as Assistant Conductor with the Little Orchestra Society. She has appeared with the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra and Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect, and, as cover conductor, she works with the New York Philharmonic, Canadian Opera Company, Juilliard Orchestra, and other ensembles. Previously, Jane served as Music Director of the Juilliard Pre-College String Ensemble and conductor of the Juilliard Lab Orchestra. Her summer activities include Aspen Music Festival, which she attended as a Conducting Fellow, and Pierre Monteux Music Festival, where she was named a Bernard Osher Scholar. Jane holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley and a master’s degree in orchestral conducting from The Juilliard School.
VERA VOLCHANSKY (USA)
Vera Volchansky, described as conductor of “impeccable taste…whose artistic ability transforms a performance into a meaningful event,” has performed in the United States, Europe, Asia and Russia. Ms. Volchansky is the 2013 American Prize finalist in Conducting, and holds a master’s degree in Conducting from the Eastman School. She was chosen as Conducting Fellow with the American Academy of Conducting in Aspen. As a winner of the Fulbright Award, she studied music of the Russian Avant-Garde and the style of the St. Petersburg school of conducting. Her favorite performances include Stravinsky’s Soldier’s Tale, Lucia di Lammermoor, and a sold-out concert celebrating the newly-installed Reuter Organ with Grammy-Winning organist Paul Jacobs. Vera was also recently featured on the Moving Forward Podcast with John Lim.
RACHEL WADDELL (USA)
Rachel L. Waddell is an American conductor rapidly gaining acclaim for her innovative concert programming, and commitment to new music, education, and collaboration. In recognition of her concert programs, Waddell was recently named a finalist for the American Prize’s 2019 Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming. Waddell is entering her third season as the Director of Orchestral Activities at the University of Rochester in New York. She previously served as the Associate Conductor of the Canton Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the award-winning Canton Youth Symphonies. While with Canton, Waddell conducted over eighty performances. Additionally, she has guest conducted around the country, including the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Cleveland’s Suburban Symphony Orchestra, the Las Vegas Philharmonic, and the Flagstaff Light Opera Company.
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ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year. TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.
2019-2020 SEASON SPONSOR
The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
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EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation;
Texas Instruments Foundation; the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs;
The Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera.
Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.
Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.
TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2019-2020 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Full and Flex Subscriptions are on sale now; single Tickets range from $19 to $289 and go on sale to the public on July 15, 2019. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2019-2020 MAINSTAGE SEASON
The Dallas Opera celebrates its 63rd International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.
THE MAGIC FLUTE by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
October 18, 20(m), 23, 26, November 1 & 3(m), 2019
This magical production from LA Opera and Seattle Opera opens the season on a high note!
Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder
Time: Ancient times
Place: An Egyptian-inspired mythological land
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Original Director: Sir Peter Hall
Director: Kyle Lang*
Set and Costume Designer: Gerald Scarfe
Lighting Designer: TBA
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Paolo Fanale* (Tamino), Andrea Carroll* (Pamina), Olga Pudova* (The Queen of the Night), Morris Robinson (Sarastro), Markus Werba* (Papageno), Diana Newman* (First Lady), Samantha Hankey* (Second Lady), Hannah Ludwig* (Third Lady), Brian Frutiger* (Monastatos), Jeni Houser* (Papagena), David Pittsinger (The Speaker), Aaron Short* (1st Man in Armor) and Ryan Kuster (2nd Man in Armor).
THE GOLDEN COCKEREL by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
October 25, 27(m), 30, and November 2, 2019
A Dallas Opera co-production that opened to rave reviews in Santa Fe!
Libretto by Vladimir Belsky based on the poem by Alexander Pushkin
Time: 19th century
Place: The thrice-tenth tsardom, a faraway place in Russian folklore
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Director and Choreographer: Paul Curran
Set and Costume Designer: Gary McCann
Lighting Designer: Paul Hackenmueller
Projections Designer: Driscoll Otto
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Wig and Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Starring: Venera Gimadieva* (Queen of Shemakha), Nikolay Didenko* (King Dodon), Viktor Antipenko* (Prince Guidon), Corey Crider (Prince Afron), Kevin Burdette (General Polkan), Barry Banks* (The Astrologer), Lindsay Ammann (Amelfa), and Jeni Houser (The Golden Cockerel).
DON CARLO by Giuseppe Verdi in Concert/Semi-Staged
March 20, 22(m), 25 & 28, 2020
Father against son; Catholic against Protestant; friend against friend in this epic opera.
Libretto by Joseph Méry and Camille du Locle after Friedrich von Schiller’s poem “Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien”
Time: Around 1560
Place: France and Spain
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Director: Edward Berkeley
Lighting Designer: Krista Billings
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Leah Crocetto* (Elizabeth de Valois), Jamie Barton* (Princess Eboli), Robert Watson* (Don Carlo), Mariusz Kwiecien (Rodrigo), Morris Robinson (Philip II), Andrea Silvestrelli (The Grand Inquisitor), David Leigh (A Monk), Ewa Plonka* (Tebaldo), Elizabeth Sutphen* (A Heavenly Voice), and Angel Vargas (Count Lerma/The Royal Herald).
PULCINELLA / THE HUMAN VOICE (La voix humaine) – a new Dallas Opera production!
Pulcinella, a ballet with song in One Act by Igor Stravinsky
La voix humaine an opera by Francis Poulenc with a libretto by Jean Cocteau (from his stage play)
April 3, 4, 5(m) & 8, 2020
PULCINELLA (100TH Anniversary Production)
Conductor: Nicole Paiement
Director: Candace Evans
Set and Costume Designer: TBA
Lighting Designer: Krista Billings
Choreographer: Sean Smith
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Starring: Sean Smith (Pulcinella), Lindsay Metzger (Rosetta), Richard Ollarsaba* (Fourbo & Dottore), Matthew White* (Caviello) with soloists and corp dancers from Dallas Black Dance Theatre.
THE HUMAN VOICE (La voix humaine)
Time: 20th century
Place: Paris, France
Conductor: Nicole Paiement
Director: Patricia Racette
Set Designer: Tommy Bourgeois
Lighting Designer: Krista Billings
Wig & Make-up Designer: TBA
Starring: Patricia Racette (Elle)
THE BARBER OF SEVILLE by Gioachino Rossini
April 24, 26(m), 29, May 2, 8 & 10(m), 2020
Your heart will be racing—but not for the exit!
Libretto by Cesare Sterbini based on Beaumarchais’ play Le Barbier de Séville
Time: 18th century
Place: Seville, Spain and the surrounding countryside
Conductor: Riccardo Frizza
Director: Christopher Mattaliano
Set Designer: Allen Moyer
Costume Designer: Jamie Scott
Lighting Designer: Krista Billings
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Lucas Meachem (Figaro), Pretty Yende* (Rosina), Lawrence Brownlee* (Count Almaviva April 29 through May 19), Xabier Anduaga* (Count Almaviva April 24 & 26), Renato Girolami* (Doctor Bartolo), Adam Lau (Don Basilio), and Margaret Gawrysiak* (Berta).
* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, March 25, 2019
Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014
suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
Time is Running Out!
Don’t Miss Your One Chance to Experience
Three of the Finest Tenors of Our Time:
“FABIANO, HYMEL & POLENZANI”
With The Dallas Opera Orchestra
Conducted by Maestro Carlo Montanaro
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SATURDAY, MAY 11, 2019, 7:00 P.M.
The Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas TX
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Centerpiece of 2019 Dallas Opera Gala
https://dallasopera.org/performance/one-night-only/
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Concert Tickets Include Access to After Party With Complimentary Wine, Beer and Band!
DALLAS, TX, MARCH 25, 2019 – The Dallas Opera is proud to present three of the most sought-after tenors of the 21st century as they perform a tremendously exciting program of classic opera arias, Broadway favorites and American standards.
“Fabiano, Hymel, and Polenzani” will perform together onstage for the very first time on Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. (please note special time) in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, as the centerpiece of The 2019 Dallas Opera Gala, an elegant annual spring fundraiser.
“The V.I.P. Experience” includes pre-concert reception, premium concert seats, seated dinner and the After Party. Additional information and pricing are available at https://dallasopera.org/performance/tdo-gala/.
Concert tickets may be purchased separately by calling The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visiting https://dallasopera.org/performance/one-night-only/.
Single tickets for the concert are priced at $50 to $275 each and include free access to the exciting post-performance After Party—with live music and complimentary beer and wine—in the magnificent lobby of the Winspear Opera House.
Internationally-acclaimed American tenors Michael Fabiano, Bryan Hymel and Matthew Polenzani will perform with The Dallas Opera Orchestra under the baton of renowned Italian guest conductor Carlo Montanaro.
Each of these magnificent artists is “at the top of his game.” This season alone, their schedules reveal an impressive array of “must see” concerts and performances including:
The Dallas Opera, with support from Holly and Tom Mayer, invites you to experience these four world-class artists performing together for the first time. The trio, conducted by Maestro Montanaro, will sing a selection of Opera’s most memorable moments from Turandot, Pagliacci, Werther, L’elisir d’amore, Fedora, Eugene Onegin and La Gioconda. The program will also include an American Song medley and unforgettable songs from some of the finest productions of the twentieth-century musical stage.
“Maestro Montanaro and these incredibly gifted tenors have come together in the prime of their careers to create an unforgettable evening of poignant and passionate performances,” explains Ian Derrer, The Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO. “The trio will perform highlights from the opera repertoire that have made them world famous, as well as audience favorites that originated under the bright lights of Broadway.
“It’s easy to see why true opera lovers are willing to travel long distances to experience these artists onstage, and why our patrons are already buzzing with anticipation.
“This opportunity to hear Michael Fabiano, Bryan Hymel and Matthew Polenzani, side by side,” Derrer adds, “is not likely to be repeated here in Dallas. Music lovers should take note and make the most of it!”
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V.I.P. Gala Tickets include an exclusive pre-performance reception, the concert, a post-performance dinner curated and prepared by Wolfgang Puck Catering, and a lively After Party featuring complimentary wine and beer.
Gold Box Gala Tickets start at $1,250 apiece – Tenor Orchestra Gala Tickets start at $1,000.
For additional information about the full gala package, please contact Dallas Opera Special Events Manager Tracy Mott at 214.443.1063 or tracy.mott@dallasopera.org.
For single tickets and information regarding the concert itself, consult the friendly people in The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or online at https://dallasopera.org/performance/one-night-only/
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MICHAEL FABIANO Tenor
Of Michael Fabiano’s debut as Lensky in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at the Royal Opera, The Sunday Times in London wrote: “I can’t think of a Lensky at Covent Garden who has held the audience so spellbound in 40 years of Onegin-going… a glorious debut.” The recipient of the 2014 Beverly Sills Artist Award and the 2014 Richard Tucker Award, Mr. Fabiano is the first singer to win both awards in the same year, and is considered one of the greatest tenors in the world today.
In the 2018/19 season, Mr. Fabiano made his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut as Rodolfo, opening their season in a new production of La bohème. He returns to the Metropolitan Opera for his role debut as Faust in Boito’s Mefistofele followed by Rodolfo in La bohème, and portrays a second incarnation of Faust when he assumes the title role in the Gounod opera at the Royal Opera. His debut at Staatsoper Berlin follows, where he will sing the Duke in a new production of Rigoletto, followed by another role debut as Carlo VII in Verdi’s Giovanna d’Arco (Joan of Arc) at the Teatro Real. This season, Fabiano opened the Royal Opera in a new production of La bohème conducted by Antonio Pappano, and sang the Duke in Rigoletto, a role in which he made his debut at the Los Angeles Opera. Mr. Fabiano sang his first Des Grieux in Massenet’s Manon at the San Francisco Opera, with subsequent performances in Bilbao at ABAO-OLBE. He performed in recital for Oper Frankfurt, returned to the Metropolitan Opera for Rodolfo in La bohème, and Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, a role he will reprise for Opera Australia, and sang Corrado in Il Corsaro at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia. Both the La bohème and the Rigoletto from the Royal Opera as well as the La bohème from the Met received international HD broadcasts. In celebration of the Bernstein centennial, Mr. Fabiano finishes his season with a performance of excerpts from West Side Story at the Napa Valley Festival, and a Bernstein concert at the Ravinia Festival.
BRYAN HYMEL Tenor
Hailed by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung for his “range of expression and vocal power combined with the subtle art of characterization,” tenor Bryan Hymel is the winner of the 2013 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera for his trio of performances in Les Troyens, Robert le diable, and Rusalka at London’s Royal Opera House. The New York Times praised his “unflagging stamina and impetuous abandon” during his 2012 Metropolitan Opera debut as Énée in Les Troyens, for which he was presented with the Metropolitan Opera’s Beverly Sills Artist Award. An exclusive recording artist for Warner Classics, his first solo album Héroïque debuted at number 3 on the Billboard Classical Music chart, and earned Hymel the coveted Georges Thill Prize by the Académie Nationale du Disque Lyrique and the Newcomer of the Year Award from ECHO Klassik.
On the concert stage, Hymel has been seen in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 led by Gustavo Dudamel at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala; the Verdi Requiem with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra under Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and at the Edinburgh Festival under Donald Runnicles; Walter Braunfels’ Jeanne d’Arc with the Salzburg Festival; a European Tour of La Damnation de Faust with the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse; Roger Waters’ Ça Ira at the Gothenburg Culture Festival and in its US debut with the Nashville Symphony; and in Berlioz’ Requiem with The Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse. A frequent collaborator with the PKF – Prague Philharmonia, he appeared at the Royal Opera House in Oman for a special New Year’s concert under Music Director Emmanuel Villaume, as well as concerts in Prague’s Smetana Hall and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. He made his debut in recital at London’s Wigmore Hall in 2016.
MATTHEW POLENZANI Tenor
One of the most gifted and distinguished lyric tenors of his generation, Matthew Polenzani’s elegant musicianship, innate sense of style, dramatic commitment, and timeless artistry have established his continued presence at leading operatic, concert and recital venues worldwide.
In his triumphant 2017-18 Season, Matthew returned to Lyric Opera of Chicago in two of his signature roles: the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto and Nadir in Les Pêcheurs de Perles. His reprisal of Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore at the Metropolitan Opera was praised by The New York Times for his “pliant strength and clarion tone” and was broadcast on PBS, as well as “The Met: Live in HD.” Mr. Polenzani traveled to Zürich Opera for his role debut as Rodolfo in Verdi’s Luisa Miller and to the Bavarian State Opera as Fernand in Donizetti’s La favorite, receiving rave reviews for both. He ended last season singing Rodolfo in La bohème at the Royal Opera House, heralded for his “pleasant lilt and clear timbre (Bachtrack).
Notable concert highlights last season included his performances as the tenor soloist in Haydn’s Creation with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival and his “A Night at the Opera” concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra, led by Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
Other recent season highlights include his Don Ottavio in Michael Haneke’s acclaimed staging of Don Giovanni for Paris National Opera. He sang Werther at both the Bavarian and Vienna State Operas. His role debuts at the Metropolitan Opera include Nadir in Les Pêcheurs de Perles and the title role of Roberto Devereux in a production by Sir David McVicar. Both operas were featured on the Met’s “Live in HD” series and subsequently released on DVD. To date, the acclaimed tenor has starred in more than 300 performances at New York’s Metropolitan Opera.
Matthew Polenzani was the recipient of the 2004 Richard Tucker Award, the Metropolitan Opera’s 2008 Beverly Sills Award, and a 2017 Opera News Award.
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2018-2019 SEASON SPONSOR
The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
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ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year. TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.
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EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7. VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG
FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation, Texas Instruments Foundation, the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.
Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.
The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by
Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, and
The Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund
TDO Family Performances are a part of the
Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs
TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2018-2019 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Single tickets range from $19 to $289 (excluding boxes). Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2018-2019 MAINSTAGE SEASON: SPRING
The Dallas Opera celebrates its 62nd International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.
MANON LESCAUT by Giacomo Puccini
Semi-Staged Concert, March 1, 3 (m), 6, 9, 2019
Featuring images of select art works from the collections of The Dallas Museum of Art!
The woman who has everything discovers too late that she has nothing – without true love!
Libretto by Domenico Oliva and Luigi Illica
Time: Late 18th century
Place: France and America
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Director: Edward Berkeley
Costume Designer: Tommy Bourgeois
Lighting Designer: Krista Billings
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Kristin Lewis* (Manon Lescaut), Musa Ngqungwana (Lescaut), Gregory Kunde (Chevalier des Grieux), Andrea Silvestrelli (Geronte de Ravoir), Jonas Hacker* (Edmondo), Mark S. Doss (Innkeeper), Alyssa Martin (Singer), Matthew Grills* (Dance Master), Clay Hilley* (Lamplighter), Mark McCrory (Sergeant of the Royal Archers) and David Leigh* (Naval Captain).
LA BOHÈME by Giacomo Puccini
March 15, 17 (m), 20, 23, 29, 31 (m), 2019
The most timeless love story in all of opera returns to break your heart!
Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Time: 19th century
Place: The Latin Quarter of Paris, France
Conductor: Giuliano Carella
Director: Tomer Zvulun
Set Designer: Erhard Rom
Costume Designer: Peter J. Hall
Lighting Designer: Robert Wierzel
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Jean-François Borras* (Rodolfo), Pumeza Matshikiza** (Mimi), Anthony Clark Evans* (Marcello), Sara Gartland (Musetta), Will Liverman* (Schaunard), Nicholas Brownlee* (Colline), and Samuel Ramey (Benoit/Alcindoro).
FALSTAFF by Giuseppe Verdi
April 26, 28 (m), May 1, 4, 2019
Shakespeare’s uproarious comedy brought to musical life!
Libretto by Arrigo Boito
Time: During the reign of Henry IV of England
Place: Windsor
Conductor: Riccardo Frizza
Original Director: Lee Blakeley
Revival Director: Shawna Lucey*
Set and Costume Designer: Adrian Linford*
Lighting Designer: Rick Fisher*
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Mark Delavan* (Sir John Falstaff), Angela Meade (Alice Ford), Quinn Kelsey* (Ford), Mojca Erdmann* (Nanetta), Airam Hernández* (Fenton), Stephanie Blythe* (Dame Quickly), Megan Marino* (Meg Page), Alex Mansoori* (Bardolfo), Andrea Silvestrelli (Pistola), and Robert Brubaker (Dr. Caius).
* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
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THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO PRESENT
GIUSEPPE VERDI’S HEARTBREAKING 1853 MASTERPIECE
LA TRAVIATA
LIBRETTO BY FRANCESCO MARIA PIAVE
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STARRING
SOPRANO GEORGIA JARMAN AS VIOLETTA, TENOR RENÉ BARBERA AS ALFREDO, AND BELARUSSIAN BARITONE VLADISLAV SULIMSKY AS GIORGIO GERMONT
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CONDUCTED BY MAESTRO CARLO MONTANARO
IN HIS DALLAS OPERA DEBUT
ORIGINAL DIRECTION BY FRANK GALATI
2017 REVIVAL DIRECTED BY STEFANIA PANIGHINI
IN HER AMERICAN DEBUT
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OPENING NIGHT: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2017
7:30 PM IN THE WINSPEAR OPERA HOUSE
ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES
October 29 (m), November 1, 4, 10 & 12 (m)
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PRODUCTION UNDERWRITER:
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS FOUNDATION
DALLAS, OCTOBER 10, 2017 – The Dallas Opera is proud to present the second mainstage production of the 2017-2018 “Motives Unmasked!” Season: Giuseppe Verdi’s tender and bittersweet romance, LA TRAVIATA, opening on Friday, October 27, 2017 (The Amy and Vernon Faulconer Performance) at 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in Downtown Dallas. Verdi’s tragic-yet-beautiful tale of a “fallen woman” consistently appears at or near the top of the list of the world’s most popular operas.
This sumptuous production from Lyric Opera of Chicago stars American soprano Georgia Jarman as the doomed Paris courtesan, Violetta Valéry; American tenor René Barbera in his company debut as Alfredo, the naïve young man who falls head-over-heels for her; and Belarussian baritone Vladislav Sulimsky as Alfredo’s deeply concerned father, Giorgio Germont.
In their Dallas Opera debuts, acclaimed Italian conductor Carlo Montanaro guides the performance from the podium and Stefania Panighini—in her American debut—directs the 2017 revival of a production originally staged by director Frank Galati.
This production is made possible through the generosity of the Texas Instruments Foundation.
Subsequent performances of LA TRAVIATA will take place on October 29(m), November 1, 4, 10 and 12(m), 2017. Single tickets start at $19. Contact the Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or purchase online, 24/7, at dallasopera.org.
Based on the play La dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils (the Younger) who originally presented the tragic love story as a novel, Verdi’s 1853 masterpiece overflows with some of the opera’s most sensuous and beautiful melodies, the most memorable characters, and the most heart-rending drama, making it a popular favorite from that day to this.
Praised for her “crystalline tone and uncommon attention to detail” combined with “rhapsodic voluptuousness” (Opera), Georgia Jarman studied at Boston University and the Manhattan School of Music before captivating opera audiences across the U.S. in performances at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Boston Lyric Opera, Atlanta Opera, New Orleans Opera, Florentine Opera—as well as her 2010 Dallas Opera debut as Donna Elvira opposite Paolo Szot’s dangerously charming Don Giovanni. Since her initial bow at English National Opera, Ms. Jarman has conquered audiences throughout Europe and has become a favorite of audiences at Covent Garden. Her triumphs there include her portrayal of all four heroines in the Richard Jones production of The Tales of Hoffmann, for which The Independent (U.K.) hailed her as the “discovery of the year.”
Ms. Jarman’s mastery of both lyric coloratura and bel canto repertoire has earned critical acclaim and left audiences “gasping” with pleasure.
Romantically linked with Miss Jarman’s Violetta is tenor René Barbera, the first sole recipient of all three awards of the Operalia Competition in 2011. He sang performances of Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola in his debuts with Seattle Opera and Los Angeles Opera, and was heard as Almaviva at the Stanislavsky Music Theatre in Moscow. Mr. Barbera made his 2013 Santa Fe Opera debut as Rodrigo in Rossini’s La Donna del Lago. Recent highlights include Almaviva with the Opéra National de Paris, Ramiro in La Cenerentola, Almaviva and Iopas in Les Troyens in San Francisco, Tonio in La Fille du Régiment with Greensboro Opera, Almaviva in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Los Angeles Opera, Giannetto in La Gazza Ladra and Narciso in Il Turco in Italia at the Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro. He also appeared as the Italian Tenor in Der Rosenkavalier at the Lyric Opera of Chicago; made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera as Lindoro in L’italiana in Algeri, conducted by James Levine, prompting Classical Source to write: “He melted hearts with (his) ardent tone and thrilling high notes.”
Mr. Barbera sang his first Alfredo in La Traviata in Palermo, Italy.
This season, René Barbera will make a number of additional house debuts: Deutsche Oper Berlin as Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor, at Teatro all Scala Milan as Ernesto in Don Pasquale with conductor Riccardo Chailly, and for the Bayerische Staatsoper Munich as Ramiro in Rossini’s version of the Cinderella story, La Cenerentola. Other notable upcoming engagements include I Puritani at the Staatstheater Stuttgart and a return to the Opéra National de Paris as Almaviva.
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This celebrated production also marks the welcome return of Belarussian baritone Vladislav Sulimsky to the Dallas Opera stage in the wake of a show-stopping appearance on the Winspear stage as Ibn-Hakia in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta. A member of the famed Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, where he has sung countless roles since 2004, the Grammy-nominated Mr. Sulimsky made a strong impression on Dallas Morning News Classical Music Critic Scott Cantrell: “With a dignified presence and a substantive polished baritone, Vladislav Sulimsky is deeply sympathetic.”
“I am confident that Georgia Jarman and René Barbera will captivate audiences with their profound artistry and, together, they should create some of the most exciting chemistry onstage this season,” says Dallas Opera General Director & CEO Keith Cerny. “Just when you think Georgia can’t possibly sing any better—she astounds you by giving even more to her performances; and René’s star is rising so quickly in the opera firmament, he’s practically in orbit.
“This is one TRAVIATA,” Mr. Cerny adds, “that will be talked about for many seasons to come.”
American mezzo-soprano Abigail Levis will be making her Dallas Opera Debut as Violetta’s closest friend and confidante, Flora Bervoix. Earlier, Ms. Levis made quite a splash in the trousers role of Cherubino (at Wolf Trap and elsewhere) prompting Opera News to write that she “sailed through the role…leaving an impressive vocal glow in her wake.” Ms. Levis has been widely praised for her talent, versatility and fearlessness. She was awarded First Prize in the 2017 Klaudia Taev Competition and spent a full season with the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program at Los Angeles Opera.
Tenor Brenton Ryan will make his first appearance on the Winspear stage as Alfredo’s friend Gastone. Hailed by Opera News for his “remarkable tonal suavity and refined phrasing,” Mr. Ryan is the winner of the Birgit Nilsson Prize of the 2016 Operalia competition and will be seen this season as Spoletta in a new Metropolitan Opera production of Tosca being broadcast to theaters around the world.
Bass-baritone Dale Travis will return to the Dallas Opera in the role of Baron Douphol.
Baritone Daniel Armstrong will make his house debut as the Marchese D’Obigny along with soprano Rachel Sterrenberg as Annina (Violetta’s loyal maid). In his second appearance on the TDO stage this season, bass-baritone Ryan Kuster returns in the role of the sympathetic Doctor Grenvil.
Rounding out the cast is tenor Brian Rosewell as Violetta’s servant, Giuseppe; baritone Bobby L. Tinnion as Flora’s manservant; and bass Kyle Hancock as the Messenger.
All six performances will be led by renowned Italian conductor Carlo Montanaro in his official Dallas Opera debut.
After serving as music director of Warsaw’s Teatr Wielki from 2011 to 2014, Montanaro made house debuts at Opéra de Monte Carlo (Tosca), Rigoletto at Warsaw Opera, Seattle Opera (Maria Stuarda), Sydney Opera House, and San Francisco Opera where he conducted Puccini’s La Bohème. Mark Mandel of Opera News observed that Montanaro conducted with “Muti-like verve and sprung rhythms,” while a rave review of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra in Seen and Heard International drew attention to the “astounding job (Montanaro) did with this ensemble” and his terrific interaction with the singers. The review concluded, “Who says conductors don’t matter anymore?”
Maestro Montanaro regularly conducts high-level master classes for women conductors on the cusp of major careers, as part of the prestigious Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera.
This lushly romantic Lyric Opera of Chicago production was designed by Desmond Heeley with lighting design by Alan Burrett, and wig and make-up designs by Dawn Rivard.
The choreographer is John de los Santos.
Chorus Master Alexander Rom has the task of preparing the superb Dallas Opera Chorus.
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Set in 19th-century Paris, where the young heir to a distinguished family name falls passionately in love with a woman of uncertain virtue, LA TRAVIATA is one of the most soulfully romantic works in the opera canon.
Modeled after the too-short life and times of one of Paris’ best-known 19th century beauties, Marie Duplessis (who later went on to have a torrid affair with composer Franz Liszt); this is the story of her sometimes stormy relationship with writer Alexander Dumas the Younger, who immortalized her as “The Lady of the Camellias” after she succumbed to tuberculosis at the tender age of 23. After her death, the frenzied sale of her remaining jewels and belongings paid-off her outstanding debts and provided a tidy bequest to her niece in Normandy, who inherited Marie’s ill-gotten gains on the condition that she never set foot in Paris.
In Dumas’ book, which served as the basis for his later play, his fictional heroine tells us, “I built a future life on your love; I dreamed of the country, of purity.” In Verdi’s opera, Alfredo (the stand-in for Dumas fils) was raised far from the wicked city-life and, in his naiveté, barely comprehends the choices that Violetta has been forced to make, in order to survive.
However, composer Giuseppe Verdi, who at the time was living in his own “scandalous” and unconventional arrangement with Giuseppina Strepponi, understood these characters completely and renders them indelibly upon our hearts.
For additional information about the cast, artistic/production team, and synopsis, or to purchase this “hot ticket”—visit www.dallasopera.org today.
ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through groundbreaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year. TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.
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2017-2018 SEASON SPONSOR
The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
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EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7. VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG
FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager at celeste.hart@dallasopera.org
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation, Texas Instruments Foundation, the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera.
Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.
The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by
Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, and
The Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund
TDO Family Performances are a part of the
Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs
TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2017-2018 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Single Tickets range from $19 to $289. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2017-2018 SEASON MAINSTAGE INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Sixty-First International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.
SAMSON & DALILA by Camille Saint-Saëns
October 20, 22 (m), 25, 28, and November 5 (m), 2017
A passionate drama of biblical proportions!
Libretto by Ferdinand Lemaire
Time: 1150 B.C.E.
Place: Ancient Palestine
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume / Pierre Vallet*
Director: Bruno Berger-Gorski*
Set Designer: Peter Dean Beck*
Costume Designer: Carrie Robbins*
Lighting Designer: Alan Burrett
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Choreographer: Nycole Ray*
Starring: Olga Borodina* (Dalila), Clifton Forbis (Samson), Richard Paul Fink (High Priest of Dagon), Michael Chioldi* (Abimélech) and Ryan Kuster (Old Hebrew)
A traditional period production from Pittsburgh Opera!
LA TRAVIATA (“The Fallen Woman”) by Giuseppe Verdi
October 27, 29 (m), November 1, 4, 10 and 12 (m), 2017
Come toast the greatest love story in all of opera!
Time: Mid-19th century
Place: Paris, France and the French countryside
Conductor: Carlo Montanaro*
Original Director: Frank Galati*
Revival Director: Stefania Panighini**
Production Designer: Desmond Heeley
Lighting Designer: Alan Burrett
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Choreographer: John de los Santos
Starring: Georgia Jarman (Violetta Valéry), René Barbera* (Alfredo Germont), Vladislav Sulimsky (Giorgio Germont), Abigail Levis* (Flora Bervoix), Brenton Ryan* (Gastone), Dale Travis (Baron Douphol), Daniel Armstrong* (Marchese D’Obigny), Ryan Kuster (Doctor Grenvil) and Rachel Sterrenberg* (Annina)
A gorgeous, classic production from Lyric Opera of Chicago!
THE RING OF POLYKRATES & VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D MAJOR
A sweeping Viennese concerto paired with a charming domestic comedy!
By Erich Wolfgang Korngold
February 9, 11 (m), 14 and 17, 2018
Violin Soloist (KORNGOLD CONCERTO): Augustin Dumay*
The Dallas Opera Orchestra conducted by Emmanuel Villaume
THE RING OF POLYKRATES
Sumptuous Viennese music laced with orchestral color and wit!
Libretto by Leo Feld
Time: Early 20th century
Place: Vienna, Austria
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Director: Peter Kazaras
Set Designer: Donald Eastman*
Costume Designer: Tommy Bourgeois
Lighting Designer: Krista Billings
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Starring: Paul Groves* (Wilhelm Arndt), Laura Wilde* (Laura), Brenton Ryan (Florian Döbllinger), Susannah Biller* (Lieschen), and Craig Colclough* (Peter Vogel).
One of the most rarely performed opera gems! In its third professional U.S. production!
SUNKEN GARDEN by Michel van der Aa
March 9, 11 (m), 14 and 17, 2018
A phenomenal visual, musical and emotional adventure – live and in 3-D!
Libretto by David Mitchell
Time: Present Day
Place: Unknown
Conductor: Nicole Paiement
Director: Michel van der Aa*
Set Designer: Theun Mosk**
Costume Designer: Astrid Schulz**
Lighting Designer: Theun Mosk**
Sound Designer: Tom Gelissen*
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Starring: Roderick Williams* (Toby Kramer), Katherine Manley* (Zenna Briggs), and Miah Persson* (Iris Marinus).
Combining live actors and 2-D and 3-D film, to take you where opera has never gone before!
DON GIOVANNI by W.A. Mozart
April 13, 15 (m), 18, 21, 27 and 29 (m), 2018
Mozart’s operatic masterpiece brought vividly to life under the baton of Music Director Emmanuel Villaume!
Time: 20th century
Place: Seville, Spain and the surrounding countryside
Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
Director: Robert Falls*
Set Designer: Walt Spangler*
Costume Designer: Ana Kuzmanic*
Original Lighting Designer: Duane Schuler
Lighting Designer: Chris Maravich*
Wig & Make-up Designer: Dawn Rivard
Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
Starring: Mariusz Kwiecień (Don Giovanni), Laura Claycomb (Donna Anna), David Portillo* (Don Ottavio), Ellie Dehn* (Donna Elvira), Kyle Ketelsen* (Leporello), Virginie Verrez (Zerlina), Craig Verm (Masetto), and Morris Robinson (The Commendatore).
An evocative and thrilling production from Lyric Opera of Chicago!
* Dallas Opera Debut
** American Debut
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Live from the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House
At The AT&T Performing Arts Center
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2017, 7:30 p.m.
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Pre-Performance Activities and Entertainment includes Looney Tunes Cartoon For Scent-imental Reasons
Opening night simulcast made possible by support from
The Rosemary and Roger Enrico Foundation
DALLAS, SEPTEMBER 1, 2017 – The Dallas Opera announces a free public simulcast at beautiful Klyde Warren Park featuring the classic romance LA TRAVIATA, by Giuseppe Verdi. The special presentation takes place in Downtown Dallas Friday, October 27, 2017 (program begins at 6:30 p.m., curtain at 7:30 p.m.). It is a live opera simulcast of the production being performed in the Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center and is presented on a large high definition video screen. The opening night simulcast is made possible in part by The Rosemary and Roger Enrico Foundation. This event will mark the 16th live simulcast presented by The Dallas Opera.
Klyde Warren Park is located at 2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas, TX 75201. Sign up today for reminders and updates about activities at www.dallasopera.org/simulcast. This is a free, public space and no reservations are required to attend.
The public is encouraged to arrive early, bring blankets or chairs, and secure their spot on the lawn. A variety of wining-and-dining options include Savor, serving New American cuisine; Relish, a take-away burger and hot dog kiosk; and other nearby eateries and food trucks. Those interested in attending are advised to mark their calendars and register at www.dallasopera.org/simulcast.
La Traviata is the tale of a woman of questionable virtue sacrificing her happiness for the man she loves. Violetta Valéry is based on an actual person who was portrayed in the famed novel The Lady of the Camellias, which also inspired the movie “Pretty Woman” starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. Newcomers will likely recognize much of the music in this renowned opera, featured prominently in that popular 1990 romantic comedy.
“It is part of our mission at The Dallas Opera to serve the community through programs like our free public simulcasts, and we are delighted to present this classic Italian opera in Klyde Warren Park for our 16th Simulcast. For those who have yet to try opera, experiencing this magical art form in the relaxed setting of the park is a memorable and fun experience. Bring your friends and family, and we’re sure you’ll be cheering ‘bravo’ with thousands of other patrons by the end of the evening!” said Keith Cerny, the Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO of The Dallas Opera.
“We are thrilled to host the Dallas Opera’s La Traviata simulcast this fall and hope our patrons will enjoy the simulcast as well,” said Klyde Warren Park President Tara Green. “We are thankful to celebrate our partnership with the Dallas Opera for the 5th year in a row.”
The fun begins early at 6:30 p.m. with KLUV Radio’s popular morning jockey Jody Dean, who hosts the event with Kristian Roberts, Education Program Senior Manager for The Dallas Opera. Activities include a trivia contest, behind-the-scenes interviews with the cast, and a cartoon. The company will also be accepting donations for the non-profit organization, Locks of Love.
The amorous antics of cartoon classic character Pepé Le Pew, the skunk, will be featured in the Looney Tunes short For Scent-imental Reasons from Warner Bros. Audience members of all ages will delight in the caper as Pepé tries to woo the lovely Penelope Pussycat. The 1949 cartoon, in which all voices were done by Mel Blanc, won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
The Dallas Opera is proud to partner with Locks of Love, a non-pr-ofit organization that provides hairpieces to disadvantaged children with medical hair loss. Donations of hair will be accepted at the simulcast, and donors will receive a complimentary pair of opera tickets to see The Dallas Opera’s production of Samson & Dalila on Sunday, November 5. Hair must be at least 10” and bundled in a ponytail or braid. Each hairpiece by Locks of Love is crafted from human hair, custom-made for each child, and helps restore a sense of normalcy to their everyday lives. Please visit www.dallasopera.org/simulcast for complete information.
Soprano Georgia Jarman, will sing the lead role of the fatally ill courtesan, Violetta Valéry. She’ll be making sparks with tenor René Barbera, who is making his Dallas Opera debut in the role of Alfredo, her true love. For another key role, Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont, The Dallas Opera is bringing back an extraordinary baritone: Vladislav Sulimsky from Belarus. Two dynamic Italians will be making their company debuts, conductor Carlo Montanaro and director Stefania Panighini to lead the production. The chorus is a magnificent presence in this opera and will be prepared by acclaimed Dallas Opera Chorus Master Alexander Rom.
Sung in Italian, with English language translations projected above the stage, La Traviata can also be experienced at five additional performances: October 29, November 1, 4, 10, 12, 2017 in the Winspear Opera House with tickets starting at just $19. Tickets may be purchased online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org or by contacting The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000.
About Klyde Warren Park
Klyde Warren Park serves as a central gathering space for Dallas and its visitors. The 5.2 acre deck park, designed by the Office of James Burnett, is an urban green space built over the recessed Woodall Rodgers Freeway between Pearl and St. Paul streets in downtown Dallas. Klyde Warren Park is a highly active space, providing daily free programming for the public ranging from yoga to lecture series to outdoor concerts and films. The park is privately operated and managed by the Woodall Rodgers Park Foundation. For more information on programming, volunteering or to make a donation to support free daily programs, please visit www.KlydeWarrenPark.org.
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The complete season schedule, artist and production team bios, synopses and more can be found at www.dallasopera.org.
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ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
Founded in 1957, The Dallas Opera is an internationally-recognized innovator dedicated to the overall advancement of the operatic art form and the support of established and emerging artists, as well as the education and development of new opera audiences in North Texas—and beyond. These goals are achieved by commissioning and producing world-class opera; through ground-breaking institutes, national competitions and topical programs; and by presenting opera in both traditional and non-traditional formats and venues in order to attract patrons of every age, background, educational level, and ethnicity—while engaging with more than 87,000 people in our community each year. TDO is equally committed to the task of responsible stewardship and is managed with efficiency and accountability, to the highest possible standards.
~~~~
2017-2018 SEASON SPONSOR
The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family
~~~~
EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
IS AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7. VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG
FOR HIGH-RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS
Contact Suzanne Calvin, Director of Media and PR at suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org
Or Celeste Hart, Communications Manager at celeste.hart@dallasopera.org
The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Elsa von Seggern Foundation; Texas Instruments Foundation; the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs; the Texas Commission on the Arts and The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
American Airlines is the official airline of The Dallas Opera. Lexus is the official vehicle of The Dallas Opera. Advertising support from The Dallas Morning News.
The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by
Texas Instruments, Lockheed Martin, and the Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund.
TDO Family Performances are a part of the Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs
TICKET INFORMATION FOR THE 2017-2018 DALLAS OPERA SEASON
All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise indicated. Single Tickets range from $19 to $289. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.
THE DALLAS OPERA 2017-2018 SEASON MAINSTAGE INFORMATION
The Dallas Opera celebrates its Sixty-First International Season in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the Dallas Arts District. Evening performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinees begin at 2:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. English translations will be projected above the stage at every performance and assistance is available for the hearing impaired. With the exception of FIRST NIGHT, The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances.
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