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    Applications Now Accepted for 2016 Institute for Women Conductors!

    The Dallas Opera is Proud to Announce Applications Are Now Being Accepted For The Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera

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    Expanded 2016 Program: Nov. 26 – Dec. 11, 2016

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    TDO Seeks to Create New Opportunities for Talented Young Women Conductors Making Their Mark in the Field of Opera

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    Additional Support from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, TACA Bowden & Embrey Family Foundations Artist Residency Fund and the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation

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    www.dallasopera.org/womenconductors

     DALLAS, FEBRUARY 22, 2016 – Working to address a long-standing career issue in the opera world, The Dallas Opera is delighted to announce that applications are now being accepted for a unique residential program designed to provide training and career support for distinctively talented women conductors: The Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera. 

    Female conductors, as well as accomplished women singers, opera coaches and accompanists, and instrumentalists with established careers seeking a new career at the podium are encouraged to apply for the expanded institute, now in its second year.  Although the emphasis is on women conductors on the cusp of major careers in opera, more seasoned applicants will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

    The Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors will reconvene on November 26, 2016 and run through December 11, 2016 in Dallas, Texas.  This year’s institute will include two public concerts (details pending) in addition to intensive one-on-one’s, master classes, career advancement curriculum, and opportunities to conduct the highly regarded Dallas Opera Orchestra.

    IWC_2015 Fellows
    IWC 2015 Fellows L-R: Jennifer Condon; Natalie M. Beale, Jessica Gethin (center, standing), Lidiya Yankovskaya, Anna Skryleva, Stephanie Rhodes (center, seated)

    The institute, conceived by Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, was created a year ago with initial support from the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation.  Since that time, it has garnered additional generous support from Linda and Mitch Hart, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the TACA Bowden & Embrey Family Foundations Artist Residency Fund.

      Read more →

    What We Learned from the Women Conductors Institute

    In his latest Off the Cuff, Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny reflects on the success, and opportunities for further improvement, from the inaugural Institute for Women Conductors.

    by Keith Cerny
    published Sunday, January 3, 2016

     

    Dallas — Between Nov. 28 and Dec. 6, The Dallas Opera held the inaugural program of the Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors. Six conductors were selected from more than 100 applicants representing 27 countries, and four additional American observers were also selected. As it turned out, of these six, two were Americans, another two Australian, one British, and one Russian/German. More information on the program can be found here. As a measure of the program’s impact, a Google search in mid-December of the terms “Women Conductors” and then “News” from computers in both Dallas and New York showed this program realizing 9 of the 10 top search slots. (The other entry was an article about Marin Alsop’s subscription series debut with the Chicago Symphony).

    Although I began the serious planning and initial fundraising two-and-a-half years ago to create this conducting program, the question of why women face barriers to professional success in some fields has been on my mind for more than 35 years. By way of background, my own career has been diverse, encompassing music performance, high technology, and business, and I have observed in many different settings the challenges that women face in establishing themselves in traditionally male-dominated fields.

    I grew up in an academic family; and my mother and several of her friends were among the first women to be admitted to Ph.D. programs in physics and chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley; this experience gave me some important early exposure to the challenges facing women in academia at that time. When I attended Harvard Business School in 1989, and worked as a consultant for two top-tier firms in the U.S. and Europe in the 1990s, I observed a range of barriers for women achieving success in the business world—some overt, others more subtle. And, most recently, in my career as an opera General Director and CEO, I continue to see barriers for women as conductors and leaders in classical music, with the result that women are significantly under-represented in top management—including Music Director positions—as well as guest conductor opportunities at leading American opera companies. I consider the Institute for Women Conductors to be one of my most important personal initiatives at The Dallas Opera to date, and am extremely grateful for the support of Linda and Mitch Hart, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation, and Baker Botts LLP.

    The inaugural conducting program at The Dallas Opera was very intensive, especially since in its first year it covered a vast range of material in just nine days. (In the future, when more funding will be available, the institute will last a full two weeks). The curriculum was focused around two primary areas. The first was hands-on conducting experience with The Dallas Opera Orchestra, and master classes with singers and piano presented by TDO’s Music Director Emmanuel Villaume and Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement. The second curriculum area, which I designed personally, was a series of seminars, panel discussions and role plays on important topics including personal branding and image management; conducting successful media interviews; succeeding in a male-dominated field; selecting repertoire for career impact; accepting and declining specific engagements; partnering with the concertmaster; and finding the right artist manager. The program culminated in a public concert on Dec. 5, 2015, with each of the six conductors conducting an overture and two arias or small ensembles with orchestra. The concert received excellent reviews, and the very high standard of the singers in the performance was noted by multiple reviewers.

    Over the holiday period, I indulged in a little self-reflection about the curriculum for the seminars, panel discussion and role-plays we had developed. I wondered, with more than 35 years of thinking about the question of barriers to women in professional fields, how well did I anticipate the needs of the participants, and how could the program be improved in future years? I have organized my self-reflections into three areas: pleasant surprises, future opportunities, and—if I may be permitted—one general observation on how gender differences may possibly influence international conducting careers.

     

    Photo: Karen Almond/The Dallas Opera – The conductors take a bow at the Dallas Opera’s Institute for Women Conductors final concert at the Winspear Opera House

     

     

    Pleasant surprises

    At the start of the conducting program, we organized a welcome get-together for the participants and observers at the elegant home at one of the lead sponsors. Many of the conductors and observers had only flown in that day, and some were quite jet-lagged. Of the nine participants, I had only met one before. One of the things that most impressed me in this event was how secure and confident the 10 conductors and observers were, as they interacted with donors they had never met in a city that many of them had never been to before. This outcome was extremely reassuring to me, as the contemporary conducting field requires any conductor—male or female—to be willing and supremely able to build relationships with their supporters and patrons.

    Another pleasant surprise was how well the participants and observers collaborated from the very start, and formed their own network. Yes, this criterion had been an important part of the selection process, but personality and teamwork can be hard to judge from applications and references alone. Music Director Emmanuel Villaume, Principal Guest Conductor Nicole Paiement and I had worked to select conductors and observers who were outstanding musicians, and who also appeared to have a strong interest in being mutually supportive, as we wanted to create a long-term network among the group. I was delighted to see that we were able to get this right.

    Photo: Karen Almond/The Dallas Opera – Conductor Stephanie Rhodes

     

     

    Future Opportunities

    In evaluating the group, I saw three areas where the workshop and seminar program can be of greatest value to women conductors (in addition to, of course, the master classes and work with the Dallas Opera Orchestra). None of these areas are especially gender specific, in my mind. The first area is helping the conductors to better articulate their personal brand – i.e. the three-to-five areas that they believe make them memorable and distinctive relative to other conductors. These might include having made a major debut with a particular opera company, having conducted an important new opera, having won a major international conducting position, or having been the protégé of a famous conductor. The inter-personal confidence, noted above, allowed them to express themselves very well in mock interviews with TDO’s Director of Media and PR, Suzanne Calvin, and, later, in actual media interviews (see, for example, this piece on TheaterJones), they all made considerable progress over the week in being able to articulate their brands to themselves, one another, the program faculty, and ultimately, the media.

    Secondly, the conductors clearly need a greater understanding of the music business—both at the internal operating level (e.g. marketing, fundraising, finance), and the overall field (e.g. executive recruiters and hiring processes, the role of artist managers, how guest conductors get hired). This area will be the focus of the summer reunions that will be held each year, with participants and observers being invited to attend each summer for five years following their initial residency.

    One final area that came to light is the urgent need for the conductors to have video of themselves conducting. In the online applications for the program through Yaptracker.com, we had encouraged applicants to include video of themselves conducting. Relatively few of them did, since getting video of conducting typically requires payments to artists and unions that budget-strapped opera houses and symphonies (is there any other kind?) are not always able to pay. These videos are vital, however, in eliciting the interest of artist managers, making it possible to apply for conducting programs, and securing guest conducting appointments. The Dallas Opera will be providing personalized video of the performances to the six conductors in the first part of 2016.

     

    One Possible “Confidence Gap”

    While the strategy of TDO’s program is to create opportunities and support for exceptionally talented women conductors, rather than to focus on barriers to success, I had one general observation that I think will help the program, and ultimately the field. One of the lead faculty members was my friend and colleague Carol Lazier, President of the San Diego Opera Board, who shared an important article with me on women and careers; whether one agrees with every point made in the article or not, the piece is certainly worthy of discussion and self-reflection. The article, entitled “The Confidence Gap”, was written by Claire Shipman (a reporter for ABC News), and Katty Kay (anchor of BBC World News America) in the May, 2014 edition of the Atlantic Magazine. The subtitle of the article was “Evidence shows that women are less self-assured than men—and that to succeed, confidence matters as much as competence. Here’s why, and what to do about it.”

    Photo: Karen Almond/The Dallas Opera – Conductor Natalie Murray Beale

     
     
     
     
    While generalizing about gender differences in conducting is dangerous, especially since we had women representing such diverse countries, ethnic backgrounds, and local musical cultures participating in the conducting institute, Shipman and Kay’s article rang true with my experience leading the program. To quote the authors:

    “Even as our understanding of confidence expanded, however, we found that our original suspicion was dead-on: there is a particular crisis for women—a vast confidence gap that separates the sexes. Compared with men, women don’t consider themselves as ready for promotions, they predict they’ll do worse on tests, and they generally underestimate their abilities. This disparity stems from factors ranging from upbringing to biology.

    A growing body of evidence shows just how devastating this lack of confidence can be. Success, it turns out, correlates just as closely with confidence as it does with competence. No wonder that women, despite all our progress, are still woefully underrepresented at the highest levels. All of that is the bad news. The good news is that with work, confidence can be acquired. Which means that the confidence gap, in turn, can be closed.”

    What was refreshing and reassuring about the Conducting Institute was the extent to which the conductors were able to project a high level of—situationally appropriate—confidence in many donor-focused social settings and media interviews; this is vital in a world where Music Directors and guest conductors are expected to interact intensively and effectively with their audiences and supporters. The conductors and observers were also very comfortable in sharing highly personal perspectives in a group setting as we worked through questions of personal branding, the role of artist management, and career aspirations. There was, however, one specific area that resonated, for me at least, with the comments of Shipman and Kay. As I commented during the program, almost all of the conductors apologized too much to the orchestra, and this is an area where they may unknowingly give other conductors the edge. (I shared this perspective with them during the working sessions, and I think they all quickly assimilated the point).

    Just to be clear, I believe that conductors should apologize to the orchestra if they make a technical mistake. My favorite example is the ferociously difficult finale of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, where it is very easy to get a beat pattern wrong as the meters change rapidly. However, in this case, a quick – “sorry, my mistake” suffices – although it is critically important to get this right the second time, or the orchestra will lose confidence in you. With the institute conductors, who were all accomplished musicians, but who varied considerably in podium experience and sophistication of stick technique, they tended to apologize when making a musical request. This sends the wrong message, completely. If a conductor wants the oboes and flutes to emphasize the phrasing, the first trumpet to play more quietly, or the strings to play with a different bowing, there is no need – indeed, it is unproductive – to be apologetic. (Rudeness won’t get them anywhere either, of course). This is a relatively minor point, and can be corrected, but is also important as these conductors work to secure future engagements in an extremely competitive field.

    In closing, I was delighted with the success of The Dallas Opera’s inaugural conducting program, and am already looking forward to next year—which will feature considerably more orchestra time, stretched over a full two weeks. My team and I are also working on the follow-up networking opportunities for the group, and preparing for the summer reunion in the summer of 2016, which will feature more master classes and discussions of the music business, based on what we’ve learned from the process and the participants themselves.

    Thanks to the generosity of Linda and Mitch Hart, The Dallas Opera has made a 20-year commitment to this program, so we will have ample time in the coming years to fine-tune the curriculum, choice of repertoire, faculty backgrounds, and format of the final public concerts. All in all, I feel very encouraged by how well-equipped these relatively young conductors are, to tackle the challenges of an international conducting career. I look forward to following their progress with great interest and, admittedly, a measure of personal satisfaction that stems from the role of The Dallas Opera in preparing these outstanding young professionals for the next set of challenges awaiting them.

    It has been a rare pleasure and privilege.

     

    IWC Receives Mellon Foundation Grant

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE

    A $500,000 Grant from

    The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

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    In Support of a New Initiative:

    “The Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for

    Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera”

    Inaugural Session, Nov. 28-Dec. 6, 2015

                DALLAS, NOVEMBER 18, 2015 – The Dallas Opera has been awarded a $500,000 grant over a three-year period from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in support of the company’s new initiative, “The Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera.” This innovative program is designed to support the career aspirations and advancement of women conductors in the field of opera, while addressing the thorny problems resulting from ingrained gender inequality at the top of the profession. 

                The inaugural institute is scheduled to take place in Dallas from November 28th through December 6, 2015 with participants (six institute fellows, four additional American observers) selected from more than a hundred qualified applicants originating in 27 countries around the globe.  There is no comparable program today for addressing the needs of talented young female conductors seeking to make their mark on the world’s top opera organizations.

                Although “Level One” opera companies in North America (as defined by OPERA America) produce approximately a hundred different opera productions each year, women conductors will stand at the podium for only around 5% of the total number of productions during the 2015-2016 Season. 

                The situation is equally dire in the symphonic world: of the top symphony orchestras in the U.S., only one is led by a female music director (the Baltimore Symphony’s Marin Alsop).

                Recent trends indicate the gender gap may, in fact, be widening.  Data from the National Center for Education Statistics show that over the past decade, 44% of Masters Degrees and 30% of all doctorates in conducting went to women.  Nevertheless, a mere dozen female conductors are positioned to lead the top 103 high-budget orchestras on this continent (League of American Orchestras report, 2013).  “To some extent,” opined The Independent (U.K.) in 2010, “the scarcity of female conductors is a vicious circle.  With so few women…in high-profile posts, the role models have not existed to inspire more, so the situation becomes self-perpetuating.”

                “The Institute for Women Conductors” was created under the auspices of Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny to identify and support emerging major women conductors and provide an intensive residential program that combines master classes, coaching, and distinguished guest lecturers with hands-on podium time in front of a full-sized orchestra. 

                The Institute, launched with catalyst funding from the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation, will culminate on Saturday, December 5th, in a public concert “showcase” expected to attract high-ranking industry influencers and decision makers to the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House to experience these artists at work. 

                Additionally, Mr. Cerny is keen to develop a national “center for excellence” for women conductors, hosted by The Dallas Opera, as well as an ongoing support network consisting of peer-to-peer discussions, experienced mentoring, regular career consultations on specific media and management issues, and steps to encourage other music organizations to develop solutions that address the ongoing gender imbalance.

                “The under-representation of women at the top of our profession is a complex problem that will require more than a single solution,” explains Mr. Cerny.  

                “Even where overt discrimination isn’t a factor, women conductors in the field often aren’t as visible as their male counterparts.  In this business, ‘out of sight’ is ‘out of mind’ to a very real extent,” Cerny adds, “and talented women conductors are too-often passed over for important positions and opportunities because they haven’t caught the attention of artist management agencies, board search committees and the people most involved in an opera company’s day-to-day hiring decisions. 

                “By raising their profiles and increasing the visibility of outstanding women conductors through programs like the IWC, we have a chance to influence the future of this art form—and an opportunity to bring even more talented leaders to the conducting field.”

                The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant, combined with additional major gifts, underscores the importance of programs designed to uncover solutions to longstanding inequities in the arts, such as the gender imbalance at the podium addressed by the “Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera.”

    2015 IWC FELLOWS:

    JENNIFER CONDON (Australia/Germany)

    Jennifer Condon has been passionate about opera from an absurdly young age – since her teens she has been fortunate to have fellow Australian, Simone Young, as mentor.  Jennifer studied piano in Sydney, and conducting in Melbourne and Vienna before commencing work as a souffleuse at the Hamburg State Opera in 2008.  She now has a repertoire of over 55 operas.  During her time in Hamburg, Jennifer also brought Peggy Glanville-Hicks’ opera Sappho (1963) from the composer’s hand-written manuscript to the recording studio.  The CD, with an eminent cast including Deborah Polaski, Sir John Tomlinson and Wolfgang Koch with the Gulbenkian Orchestra, has been released to considerable critical acclaim.  Jennifer lives in Berlin and works as a free-lance vocal coach and prompt as she pursues a conducting career.  Assistant conducting engagements to date include Lohengrin in Zurich and Salome in Vienna.  Future engagements include Reimann’s Lear in Budapest and Ariadne auf Naxos in Tokyo.

    JESSICA GETHIN (Australia)

    Conductor Jessica Gethin, winner of the prestigious Brian Stacey Australian Emerging Conductor Award, has won praise from audiences and critics alike for her dynamic energy, outstanding musicianship and abounding presence on the podium.  A graduate of the exclusive Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program, Ms. Gethin commenced her official appointment as Chief Conductor of the Perth Symphony Orchestra (Perth, Australia) in 2011.  Jessica Gethin has performed on stages throughout Europe, USA, UK, Canada, Asia and Australia as conductor, concert presenter, program writer, orchestrator, guest lecturer, music educator and adjudicator.  With a diverse background working across a variety of genres ranging from classical, jazz, opera and ballet to musical theatre, contemporary and film score; Jessica has recorded for numerous CDs, television documentaries, live radio broadcasts and television commercials.  She was recently named one of the “100 Most Influential Women in Australia” for 2015 by the Australian Financial Review.  Artist collaborations include conducting Welsh bass baritone Bryn Terfel, Divinyl’s Chrissy Amphlette, The Ten Tenors, soprano Rachelle Durkin, Australian screen star Lisa McCune, soprano Marina Prior, tenor David Hobson, jazz trumpeter James Morrison and Dutch violinist Rudolf Koelman, to name a few.  Ms. Gethin currently resides in Western Australia with her husband and two children.

    NATALIE MURRAY BEALE (UK)

    Conductor Natalie Murray Beale is a BBC Performing Arts Fund Fellow and is being mentored by Esa-Pekka Salonen. She has performed with the Welsh National Opera, Opera Holland Park, Spitalfields Festival, Chamber Orchestra of London and the City of London Sinfonia.  Ms. Murray Beale has also gained valuable experience as Assistant Conductor for the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Festival d’Aix, Wiener Festwochen and Den Nye Opera with the Philharmonia, Bergen Philharmonic, B’Rock Orchestra, Le Cercle de l’Harmonie and the Freiburger Barockorchester.  Previous positions include serving on the music staff of Welsh National Opera; as coach at the Royal Opera House, Young Artist Programme; and as Guest Chorus Director of London Symphony Chorus. 

    Ms. Murray Beale enjoys collaborating with composers and recently conducted the soundtracks to the video game Alien:Isolation (BAFTA nominated) and the British film Robot Overlords. Her performances of the new opera, We are Shadows, received a Royal Philharmonic Society award.  This year she will make her debuts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

    STEPHANIE RHODES (USA)

    Stephanie Rhodes is a renowned opera collaborator, having served on the music staff of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, The Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, LA Opera, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera and Wolf Trap Opera, amongst others. She has garnered experience as a conductor, assistant conductor, prompter, chorus master, rehearsal pianist, orchestral keyboardist and diction coach.  This summer she joins the Miami Summer Music Festival as the Studio Program Director and conductor of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, additionally participating as a fellow in the festival’s Orchestral Conducting Institute. As a Fulbright award recipient, Ms. Rhodes spent the 2012/13 season in Moscow specializing in Russian repertoire and pronunciation for non-native singers. She was recently commissioned by The Dallas Opera to transliterate Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and is currently working on a book to standardize Russian diction for singers. An alum of the Houston Grand Opera Studio and San Francisco’s Merola Opera program, she holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Utah State University in Collaborative Piano and Piano Performance.

    ANNA SKRYLEVA (Russia/Germany)

    Russian conductor Anna Skryleva has lived and worked in Germany for the past 15 years.  Currently, Ms. Skryleva is engaged as principal resident conductor at The State Theatre, Darmstadt, in addition to performing as a concert pianist and a chamber musician in Russia, other European nations and Mexico.  Anna Skryleva’s career as a conductor began in 2002 in Karlsruhe, where she was engaged at the Music College as music assistant of the conductor Prof. Alicja Mounk.  From 2007 to 2012, Anna Skryleva was engaged at the State Opera Hamburg as musical assistant of Simone Young, where she acquired a wide repertoire, from German Romanticism to Italian bel canto to modern music of the 20th century.  After successfully conducting Richard Strauss’ Salome at the State Theatre Darmstadt in 2013, Anna Skryleva was named Darmstadt’s Principal Resident Conductor.  Since then, she has conducted new productions and revivals of works including Otello, Tristan und Isolde, Il trittico, Madame Butterfly, La traviata and many more.  The German publication Main-Echo named Anna Skryleva “Person of the Year 2013.”  Earlier this year, she was nominated for the “Emotion Award 2015” in the Category “Women in Leadership”; winners will be announced later this month.

    LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA (USA)

    Lidiya Yankovskaya’s recent work as a symphonic and opera conductor has been hailed as “superb,” “expert,” and “coax[ing] every possible expressive note from the instrumentalists.”  Currently, Ms. Yankovskaya serves as Music Director of Harvard University’s Lowell House Opera, Artistic Director of Juventas New Music Ensemble, and Music Director with Commonwealth Lyric Theater.  She also works regularly with Gotham Chamber Opera, Center for Contemporary Opera, and New York Lyric Opera.  Last summer, Ms. Yankovskaya served as a conducting fellow under renowned conductor Lorin Maazel at the Castleton Festival, where she had the privilege of assisting Maestro Maazel and filled in for him regularly in rehearsal and performance.  Recent productions have received multiple awards ranging from The American Prize to the National Opera Association Award.  In addition to her work as a conductor, Lidiya is a pianist and coach, recently serving as Music Director for Opera Boston’s education tours.  Presently, she is working as a Russian Diction Coach and occasional rehearsal conductor for Tanglewood Festival Chorus (the chorus of the Boston Symphony). www.LidiyaYankovskaya.com

    2015 IWC OBSERVERS:

    ARIANNE ABELA (USA)

    Known for her work promoting charitable organizations, conductor Arianne Abela has appeared on NBC’s Today Show and America’s Got Talent as artistic director of “3 Penny,” a non-profit chorus and orchestra, and co-founder of “House of Clouds.”  Arianne served as music director of Saybrook College Orchestra and has conducted the Yale Symphony Orchestra, Wesleyan University Orchestra and the Vidin State Philharmonic Orchestra in Bulgaria.  As a chorusmaster, Abela has prepared choirs for Michael Tilson Thomas, Leonard Slatkin, Rafael Payare, and Martin Katz, as well as for the University of Michigan Opera in productions of Mozart’s The Magic Flute and Rossini’s The Barber of Seville.  As a soloist and professional ensemble singer, Abela has performed with major ensembles across North America, Europe and Asia.  Abela is currently a doctoral candidate in conducting at the University of Michigan under the tutelage of Jerry Blackstone. She holds a master’s degree in conducting from Yale University and a bachelor’s degree from Smith College.

    LUÇIK APRAHÄMIAN (USA)

    Luçik Aprahämian’s versatility as a conductor makes her equally at home in front of an orchestra, leading a vocal ensemble, or guiding outstanding performances on the opera stage.  With her profound passion for opera, Dr. Aprahämian has served as co-artistic director of Southern Arizona Opera, worked with Opera Parallèle and Bayshore Lyric Opera (both located in the Bay area), and served as assistant conductor and director of the Opera Theatre Program at the University of California at Santa Cruz.  She is an avid exponent of new music and has commissioned and premiered works for choir, orchestra, and opera with ensembles in the Bay Area and Arizona.  Recent premieres include Andrew Pascoe’s opera, God: The Opera and David Evan Jones’s chamber opera, The Rehearsal.   Dr. Aprahämian received her bachelor’s degree in fortepiano performance practice, as well as a master’s degree in conducting, from the University of California at Santa Cruz.  She pursued additional graduate studies to earn her doctorate in conducting from the University of Arizona. 

    AVLANA EISENBERG (USA)

    Music Director of the Boston Chamber Symphony, Avlana Eisenberg has conducted orchestras throughout the United States and in France, Germany, Austria, Scotland, Spain, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary. Her debut CD, with soloist Zina Schiff and the Budapest Symphony Orchestra MAV, features violin concertos by Sibelius and Barber and the world premiere orchestral recording of Ben-Haim’s Three Songs without Words.  Eisenberg received a Fulbright Fellowship for conducting study in Paris and apprenticeship at the Paris National Opera and was one of Glamour magazine’s “Top Ten College Women of the Year.”  As an undergraduate at Yale University, she founded and directed the Silliman Symphony and was honored with Yale’s “V. Browne Irish Award for Excellence in the Performing Arts.”  An alumna of Interlochen Arts Camp and the Aspen Music Festival, Eisenberg holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Michigan and a Graduate Performance Diploma from the Peabody Institute.

    CO BOI NGUYEN (USA)

    Ms. Co Boi Nguyen has been on the faculty of the University of Redlands, School of Music since 2006, serving as music director of the University of Redlands Orchestra and Opera.  From 2005 to 2007, Ms. Nguyen was conductor and faculty member of the C.W. Post Chamber Music Festival at Long Island University, New York.  At the same time, she also worked as assistant conductor to Oscar-winning composer Tan Dun in New York.  As an alumna of the Vietnam National Academy of Music, Ms. Nguyen returns to Hanoi regularly to perform and to give master classes.  She made her highly acclaimed debut with the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra at the Hanoi Opera House in July 2002, making her the first woman ever to lead the ensemble.  Ms. Nguyen is a graduate of the conducting programs at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia and the Juilliard School in New York.

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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

    Thrilling Inaugural Concert – Women Conductors!

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO PRESENT

    The Inaugural Concert of the Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors

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    SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2015

    7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Dallas, TX

    Single Tickets $10

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    IWC Underwriting Support from

    Linda and Mitch Hart

    The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

    And the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation

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    Concert Support from Baker Botts and Cindy Feld

    PHOTO CREDIT: Lidiya Yankovskaya Conducts at Harvard; Photo by Scott Bump

                DALLAS, NOVEMBER 30, 2015 – The Dallas Opera is thrilled to present six women conductors of international stature making music with The Dallas Opera Orchestra and a host of outstanding young artists in one great evening designed to showcase the work of the inaugural Linda and Mitch Hart Institute for Women Conductors at The Dallas Opera.

                This extraordinary concert will take place on Saturday, December 5, 2015 at 7:30 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center located in the Dallas Arts District.  Tickets are $10 and may be purchased in advance at 214.443.1000 or at dallasopera.org (under “Upcoming Events” on the home page).

    LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA Lowell Opera House - photo by Scott Bump

                The on-stage concert will feature music by a wide variety of composers including Giacomo Puccini, Maurice Ravel, Georg.Friedrich Händel, Gian Carlo Menotti, Jake Heggie, W.A. Mozart, Gioachino Rossini, Mark Adamo, Giuseppe Verdi, Carlisle Floyd, Gaetano Donizetti, Jules Massenet, and Johann Strauss II.

                Conducting these selections will be the 2015 Institute Fellows Jennifer Condon (Australia/Germany), Jessica Gethin (Australia), Natalie Murray Beale (United Kingdom), Stephanie Rhodes (USA), Anna Skryleva (Russia/Germany), and Lidiya Yankovskaya (USA).

                Seven accomplished singers will share the spotlight with the conductors that evening.  They are: baritone Theador Carlson, mezzo-soprano Heather Johnson, tenor Alasdair Kent, bass Adam Lau, tenor Don O’Neal LeBlanc, soprano Sarah Jane McMahon, and soprano Stacey Tappan.

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                Crucial underwriting support for the institute comes from Linda and Mitch Hart and The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.  Catalyst funding for the Women Conductors Institute comes from the Richard and Enika Schulze Foundation. 

                Concert support is from Baker Botts and Cindy Feld.

                Conductor sponsors for the 2015 Institute are Patti Cody, Susan Geyer, Joy Mankoff, Joyce Mitchell, Lynn Mock and a sponsor who prefers to remain anonymous.

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    2015 IWC FELLOWS:

    JENNIFER CONDON (Australia/Germany)

    Jennifer Condon has been passionate about opera from an absurdly young age – since her teens she has been fortunate to have fellow Australian, Simone Young, as mentor.  Jennifer studied piano in Sydney, and conducting in Melbourne and Vienna before commencing work as a souffleuse at the Hamburg State Opera in 2008.  She now has a repertoire of over 55 operas.  During her time in Hamburg, Jennifer also brought Peggy Glanville-Hicks’ opera Sappho (1963) from the composer’s hand-written manuscript to the recording studio.  The CD, with an eminent cast including Deborah Polaski, Sir John Tomlinson and Wolfgang Koch with the Gulbenkian Orchestra, has been released to considerable critical acclaim.  Jennifer lives in Berlin and works as a free-lance vocal coach and prompt as she pursues a conducting career.  Assistant conducting engagements to date include Lohengrin in Zurich and Salome in Vienna.  Future engagements include Reimann’s Lear in Budapest and Ariadne auf Naxos in Tokyo.

     JESSICA GETHIN (Australia)

    Conductor Jessica Gethin, winner of the prestigious Brian Stacey Australian Emerging Conductor Award, has won praise from audiences and critics alike for her dynamic energy, outstanding musicianship and abounding presence on the podium.  A graduate of the exclusive Symphony Australia Conductor Development Program, Ms. Gethin commenced her official appointment as Chief Conductor of the Perth Symphony Orchestra (Perth, Australia) in 2011.  Jessica Gethin has performed on stages throughout Europe, USA, UK, Canada, Asia and Australia as conductor, concert presenter, program writer, orchestrator, guest lecturer, music educator and adjudicator.  With a diverse background working across a variety of genres ranging from classical, jazz, opera and ballet to musical theatre, contemporary and film score; Jessica has recorded for numerous CDs, television documentaries, live radio broadcasts and television commercials.  She was recently named one of the “100 Most Influential Women in Australia” for 2015 by the Australian Financial Review.  Artist collaborations include conducting Welsh bass baritone Bryn Terfel, Divinyl’s Chrissy Amphlette, The Ten Tenors, soprano Rachelle Durkin, Australian screen star Lisa McCune, soprano Marina Prior, tenor David Hobson, jazz trumpeter James Morrison and Dutch violinist Rudolf Koelman, to name a few.  Ms. Gethin currently resides in Western Australia with her husband and two children.

    NATALIE MURRAY BEALE (UK)

    Conductor Natalie Murray Beale is a BBC Performing Arts Fund Fellow and is being mentored by Esa-Pekka Salonen. She has performed with the Welsh National Opera, Opera Holland Park, Spitalfields Festival, Chamber Orchestra of London and the City of London Sinfonia.  Ms. Murray Beale has also gained valuable experience as Assistant Conductor for the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Festival d’Aix, Wiener Festwochen and Den Nye Opera with the Philharmonia, Bergen Philharmonic, B’Rock Orchestra, Le Cercle de l’Harmonie and the Freiburger Barockorchester.  Previous positions include serving on the music staff of Welsh National Opera; as coach at the Royal Opera House, Young Artist Programme; and as Guest Chorus Director of London Symphony Chorus.  Ms. Murray Beale enjoys collaborating with composers and recently conducted the soundtracks to the video game Alien:Isolation (BAFTA nominated) and the British film Robot Overlords. Her performances of the new opera, We are Shadows, received a Royal Philharmonic Society award.  This year she will make her debuts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Malta Philharmonic Orchestra.

    STEPHANIE RHODES (USA)

    Stephanie Rhodes is a renowned opera collaborator, having served on the music staff of the Bolshoi Theatre of Russia, The Dallas Opera, Houston Grand Opera, LA Opera, San Francisco Opera, Washington National Opera and Wolf Trap Opera, amongst others. She has garnered experience as a conductor, assistant conductor, prompter, chorus master, rehearsal pianist, orchestral keyboardist and diction coach.  This summer she joins the Miami Summer Music Festival as the Studio Program Director and conductor of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, additionally participating as a fellow in the festival’s Orchestral Conducting Institute. As a Fulbright award recipient, Ms. Rhodes spent the 2012/13 season in Moscow specializing in Russian repertoire and pronunciation for non-native singers. She was recently commissioned by The Dallas Opera to transliterate Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta and is currently working on a book to standardize Russian diction for singers. An alum of the Houston Grand Opera Studio and San Francisco’s Merola Opera program, she holds degrees from the University of Michigan and Utah State University in Collaborative Piano and Piano Performance.

    ANNA SKRYLEVA (Russia/Germany)

    Russian conductor Anna Skryleva has lived and worked in Germany for the past 15 years.  Currently, Ms. Skryleva is engaged as principal resident conductor at The State Theatre, Darmstadt, in addition to performing as a concert pianist and a chamber musician in Russia, other European nations and Mexico.  Anna Skryleva’s career as a conductor began in 2002 in Karlsruhe, where she was engaged at the Music College as music assistant of the conductor Prof. Alicja Mounk.  From 2007 to 2012, Anna Skryleva was engaged at the State Opera Hamburg as musical assistant of Simone Young, where she acquired a wide repertoire, from German Romanticism to Italian bel canto to modern music of the 20th century.  After successfully conducting Richard Strauss’ Salome at the State Theatre Darmstadt in 2013, Anna Skryleva was named Darmstadt’s Principal Resident Conductor.  Since then, she has conducted new productions and revivals of works including Otello, Tristan und Isolde, Il trittico, Madame Butterfly, La traviata and many more.  The German publication Main-Echo named Anna Skryleva “Person of the Year 2013.”  Earlier this year, she was nominated for the “Emotion Award 2015” in the Category “Women in Leadership”; winners will be announced later this month.

    LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA (USA)

    Lidiya Yankovskaya’s recent work as a symphonic and opera conductor has been hailed as “superb,” “expert,” and “coax[ing] every possible expressive note from the instrumentalists.”  Currently, Ms. Yankovskaya serves as Music Director of Harvard University’s Lowell House Opera, Artistic Director of Juventas New Music Ensemble, and Music Director with Commonwealth Lyric Theater.  She also works regularly with Gotham Chamber Opera, Center for Contemporary Opera, and New York Lyric Opera.  Last summer, Ms. Yankovskaya served as a conducting fellow under renowned conductor Lorin Maazel at the Castleton Festival, where she had the privilege of assisting Maestro Maazel and filled in for him regularly in rehearsal and performance.  Recent productions have received multiple awards ranging from The American Prize to the National Opera Association Award.  In addition to her work as a conductor, Lidiya is a pianist and coach, recently serving as Music Director for Opera Boston’s education tours.  Presently, she is working as a Russian Diction Coach and occasional rehearsal conductor for Tanglewood Festival Chorus (the chorus of the Boston Symphony). www.LidiyaYankovskaya.com

     

    SINGERS, IWC INAUGURAL CONCERT

    Theodor Carlson, baritone

    Theodor Carlson sings operas of Verdi, Puccini, Wagner and Richard Strauss. Rigoletto, and The Flying Dutchman are among roles he’s sung in Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Dresden, and Baden Baden, He earned a University of Michigan Bachelor in Music, studied at Juilliard, and earned a diploma from the Rome-Accademia-Musicale Ottorino Respighi. He took First Prize in Verviers and New York competitions and earned MET and Puccini Foundation prizes. He toured Germany with Schubert’s Die Winterreise. He was Soloist in Handel’s Messiah and Mendelssohn’s Elijah. Carlson gave a Liceu Opera recital and presented lectures on Franz Schubert for the German-College in Barcelona. Carlson is featured in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Thüringen Philharmonic in December and Galas with the Frankfurt Symphony in the coming year.

    Heather Johnson, mezzo-soprano

    Heather Johnson made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 2013 as the Flower Maiden in the new production of Parsifal. She has sung with Sarasota Opera as Cenerentola, and in The Crucible, L’Amico Fritz, Rigoletto and Hansel and Gretel. With Boston Lyric Opera she has sung Don Giovanni, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and title role of Lizzie Borden in her Tanglewood Festival debut in 2014. Past and future engagements are Carmen with Volkstheater Rostock, Madama Butterfly and Hansel with PORT Opera, The Long Walk with Opera Saratoga, Little Women in Madison Opera, Salome and Becoming Santa Claus at The Dallas Opera. She has also been a regular with Opera Orchestra of New York and New York Choral Society in Carnegie Hall and with New York City Opera.

    Alasdair Kent, tenor

     Tenor Alasdair Kent is a Resident Artist at The Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, where his performances have included L’italiana in Algeri, Così fan tutte and Don Giovanni. Mr. Kent made his professional debut as Don Ramiro in La Cenerentola for Opera Queensland in his native Australia. As an Emerging Artist with Opera Philadelphia, he has performed in recital and will make his company debut in Cold Mountain in 2016. Mr. Kent has been part of the prestigious Merola Opera Program and the Martina Arroyo Foundation. In 2015, Mr. Kent won First Prize in the Violetta DuPont Vocal Competition. In 2016, Mr. Kent will perform Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with The Academy of Vocal Arts and as a Filene Young Artist with Wolf Trap Opera.

    Adam Lau, bass

    In the 2015-2016 season Adam Lau will debut with the San Francisco Symphony as the bass soloist in Händel’s Messiah. On the opera stage Mr. Lau will return to North Carolina Opera in il Barbiere di Siviglia and the Dallas Opera’s World Premiere of Mark Adamo’s Becoming Santa Claus. In the 2014-15 season, Mr. Lau made debuts with the Dallas Opera, and Opera Theater of St. Louis as Berardo in the American Premiere of Handel’s Riccardo Primo. In summer 2015, he created the role of Papa San in the World Premiere of Jack Perla’s opera, An American Dream with Seattle Opera. Mr. Lau has appeared with some of the nation’s leading festivals including The Hollywood Bowl with Los Angeles Philharmonic, Merola Opera Center, Aspen Opera Theater Center and Santa Fe Opera.

    Don O’Neal LeBlanc, tenor

     After a twenty-year hiatus, tenor Don O’Neal LeBlanc has returned to his life-long passion for singing. The San Benito, Texas native studied Vocal Performance at The University of North Texas. A 1990 regional finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Don performed leading roles in Gianni Schicchi, L’elisir d’Amore, Carmina Burana and numerous oratorios. Since returning to the stage, Don has been a frequent featured soloist with the UNT orchestra and chorus, Arlington-based Timeless Concerts, and various churches and arts organizations around the DFW area, including Opera on Tap, a non-profit of which he is co-manager. In 2015, in addition to joining The Dallas Opera chorus, Don was selected as a semi-finalist in the Professional Men’s Division of The American Prize in Vocal Performance.

    Sarah Jane McMahon, soprano

    Hailed by Opera News for her “golden sound,” Sarah Jane McMahon has sung on opera and concert stages throughout the U.S. and abroad, recently performing opposite Plácido Domingo, who selected her to join the Los Angeles Opera. A Masters graduate of Yale University, the many companies and orchestras she has performed with include the San Francisco Symphony, Munich Philharmonic, Washington Concert Opera, and New York City Opera. Her performances have also taken her to Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, the Vienna Concert House, and the Santo Domingo Festival. Her recent and upcoming engagements include performances with New Orleans Opera, Portland Symphony, Winston-Salem Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, Charlotte Symphony, Jacksonville Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, Cleveland Pops, Dallas Opera, and Tulsa Opera.

    Stacey Tappan, soprano

    Stacey Tappan has distinguished herself as an exceptional musical artist in the United States and abroad. Recent engagements include the world premiere of Adamo’s The Gospel of Mary Magdalene with San Francisco Opera; Lucia di Lammermoor with Arizona Opera; Clorinda in Cinderella and Miss Wordsworth in Albert Herring with LA Opera; the Charmeuse in Thaïs at the Edinburgh Festival; and The Ring Cycle with San Francisco Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. Current engagements include Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire and Florestine in The Ghosts of Versailles with LA Opera; Adamo’s Becoming Santa Claus and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro with Jacksonville Symphony. In addition, she will be heard in Carmina Burana with Los Angeles Master Chorale and Omaha Symphony.

     ~~~~

    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

    TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, 2015-2016 SEASON SPONSOR FOR THE DALLAS OPERA’S “SEEKING THE HUMAN ELEMENT” SEASON

    ~~~~

    The Dallas Opera Family Performances are generously supported by

    Texas Instruments 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 2015-2016 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 $275.  Full Subscriptions start at $99, Flex Subscriptions (three-performances of your choice) begin at $75.  Family performance tickets are just $5.  For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    Dallas Opera Administrative Offices Named for Noted Philanthropist

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    Tuesday, October 6, 2015
    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 Or Celeste Hart 214.443.1071
    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

    THE DALLAS OPERA IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE

    THE NAMING OF THE COMPANY’S ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES:

    ELSA VON SEGGERN OFFICE SUITE

    IN HONOR OF A PASSIONATE OPERA LOVER AND
    A LEGENDARY DALLAS PHILANTHROPIST
    ~~~~
    IN CONJUNCTION WITH A NEW $5 MILLION GIFT FROM
    E.F. VON SEGGERN CHARITABLE FOUNDATION TRUST

    DALLAS, OCTOBER 6, 2015 – Nearly six years after the company’s move into the iconic Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center, The Dallas Opera is thrilled to announce the naming of TDO’s administrative offices for one of the city’s most remarkable, colorful and generous patrons of the arts: the late Elsa von Seggern.

    One of two women described as “godmothers” of The Dallas Opera (the late, great Maria Callas also shared that distinction), the name recognizes von Seggern’s past generosity, as well as a new five-million dollar gift to the company from the E.F. von Seggern Charitable Foundation Trust.

    “The Elsa von Seggern Foundation was recognized in the 2011 unveiling of The Dallas Opera’s ‘21st Century Wall of Honor,” notes Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, “for significant contributions to the artistic and financial strength of the company in this century.”

    “The foundation’s incredibly generous gift of $5 million enables us to plan with greater confidence far into the future. In truth, the long-term impact of such a remarkable gift cannot be overestimated,” Cerny adds, “and is a wonderful way to pay tribute to Elsa’s historic involvement with The Dallas Opera since our earliest days in Fair Park.”

    A self-described “treasurer-in-residence” for the company, Elsa von Seggern went so far as to underwrite TDO’s payroll during the lean years of the 1970s, guiding the implementation of proper business practices and setting the stage for the artistic successes that followed.

    “Dallas and Texas have been good to me,” she was quoted as saying. “By universal law, you should put in where you take out; and that’s why I do it. I like the arts, and I wish that they could be supported in a big way.”

    This child of German immigrants who grew up on a farm in Nebraska was introduced to opera through the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts. The independent-minded von Seggern took several business courses enabling her to find work as a young stenographer in Omaha. She later sold dresses at a Chicago department store, learning the fundamentals of retail.
    However, a single visit to Dallas was enough to change the trajectory of her life. In the midst of the Great Depression, she decided to stay, taking a job at a local insurance firm where a friend, L.C. Ferguson, eventually contacted her with the suggestion that they go into business together. From an original investment of $185, the Dallas-based company they founded (Shovel Supply Company) became a major supplier of heavy equipment to a variety of companies and contractors, including independent oil producers throughout the Southwest.

    Besides her obvious business acumen, von Seggern possessed a relentless curiosity about people and places, a distinctive style and impeccable instincts.

    Entrepreneurial success and the wealth that came with it gave Elsa von Seggern the freedom to travel to exotic locales (including Siberia in the early 1960s), study “esoteric philosophy,” and indulge her fascination with all things Egyptian. It also gave her the freedom to give back—generously—to her adopted home town of Dallas.

    “Elsa’s mother instructed her youngest child to put her money where her mouth is,” explains Dwight E. “Gene” Saur, Jr., the original Trustee for the E.F. von Seggern Charitable Foundation Trust and the philanthropist’s longtime financial advisor. “She did so without hesitation,” he noted, “becoming one of the most generous patrons in Dallas Opera history.”

    The Women’s Board of The Dallas Opera acknowledged her impact by presenting Elsa von Seggern with the inaugural ‘Juanita and Henry S. Miller, Jr. Founders Award’ in 1991, designed to recognize individuals who have made exceptional volunteer and philanthropic contributions benefiting the opera. Before she passed away in 1995, Elsa had served as the sole underwriter of fourteen Dallas Opera productions, among other gifts to the company.

    “She was also a generous supporter of the Dallas Ballet, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth,” recalls Foundation Trustee Joe L. Sharp. “Yet, opera remained her grand passion, and the Foundation has made every effort to keep her memory fresh for new generations of opera audiences, by continuing to give generously in order to advance the cause of this art form in Dallas.

    “We know how pleased Elsa would be to see her name continue to be associated with the opera company that captured her heart, and commanded so much of her time, love, and lavish attention.”

    “There have been discussions with the E.F. von Seggern Charitable Foundation Trust for many years about the appropriate way to honor her lasting legacy at The Dallas Opera,” says Gae Whitener, Director of Development. “After a decade of personally working closely with the Foundation and learning about this remarkable woman, I’m delighted that the arrangement announced today will further spotlight “Miss von” and her pivotal role in the life of this company.”

    In addition to being added to signage, letterheads and signatures, the Elsa von Seggern Office Suite will feature a new showcase to educate visitors about her life and legacy.
    ~~~~

    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT “OCTOBER AT THE DALLAS OPERA”
    IS CONVENIENTLY AVAILABLE ONLINE, 24/7
    VISIT WWW.DALLASOPERA.ORG AND CHECK THE CALENDAR LISTINGS

    TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, 2015-2016 SEASON SPONSOR FOR THE DALLAS OPERA’S “SEEKING THE HUMAN ELEMENT” SEASON

    Ticket Information for the 2015-2016 Dallas Opera Season
    All performances are in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House at the AT&T Performing Arts Center unless otherwise described. Single Tickets range from $19 to $275. Full and Flex Subscriptions are on sale starting at $75. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2015-2016 FALL SEASON INFORMATION
    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Ninth 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. The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances excluding FIRST NIGHT of the season.

    GREAT SCOTT by Jake Heggie
    October 30, November 1(m), 4, 7 & 15(m), 2015
    A Thrilling Dallas Opera World Premiere!
    Libretto by Terrence McNally*
    Time: Present Day
    Place: A Major American City
    Conductor: Patrick Summers
    Stage Director: Jack O’Brien*
    Set and Costume Design: Bob Crowley
    Lighting Design: Brian MacDevitt*
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Joyce DiDonato* (Arden Scott), Ailyn Pérez (Tatyana Bakst), Frederica von Stade (Mrs. Edward “Winnie” Flato), Nathan Gunn (Sid Taylor), Anthony Roth Costanzo* (Roane Heckle), Kevin Burdette (Eric Gold/Ghost of Vittorio Bazzetti), Michael Mayes* (Wendell Swan). A Brand-New Dallas Opera Production!

    TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini
    November 6, 8(m), 11, 14, 20 & 22(m), 2015
    A passionate and timeless masterpiece in a beloved period production
    An opera in three acts first performed in Rome, Italy on January 14, 1900
    Text by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa after Victorien Sardou’s 1887 French-language play, La Tosca
    Time: Early 19th century
    Place: Locations in and around the City of Rome
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Stage Director: Ellen Douglas Schlaefer*
    Set and Costume Design: Ulisse Santicchi
    Lighting Design: Marie Barrett
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Children’s Chorus Master: TBA
    Starring: Emily Magee (Floria Tosca), Giancarlo Monsalve* (Mario Cavaradossi), Raymond Aceto (Baron Scarpia), William Ferguson (Spoletta), Dale Travis* (A Sacristan) and Ryan Kuster (Angelotti). One of The Dallas Opera’s Most Popular!

    BECOMING SANTA CLAUS by Mark Adamo
    December 4, 6(m), 9 & 12, 2015
    An Eagerly Awaited Dallas Opera World Premiere!
    Libretto by the composer, Mark Adamo.
    Time: Now
    Place: An Elven kingdom in the far, far north; also, the stable of the first Christmas
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Stage Director: Paul Curran
    Set and Costume Design: Gary McCann*
    Video Design: Driscoll Otto*
    Lighting Design: Paul Hackenmueller*
    Wig & make-up Design: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Jennifer Rivera* (Queen Sophine), Juan José de León (Prince Claus), Matt Boehler* (Donkey). Another New Dallas Opera Production

    * Dallas Opera Debut
    ** American Debut
    ______________________________________________________________________________
    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Texas Instruments Foundation, TACA, 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. A special thanks to the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for its continuing support.

    ###

    $5 Family Fun This Fall at TDO

    One of the season’s best entertainment bargains, and perfect for the entire family!

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
    Tuesday, August 18, 2015
    Contact: Suzanne Calvin 214.443.1014 Or Celeste Hart 214.443.1071
    suzanne.calvin@dallasopera.org celeste.hart@dallasopera.org

    TDO $5 Fall Family Performances
    With Generous Support from Presenting Sponsor
    Texas Instruments

    And the Betty and Steve Suellentrop
    Educational Outreach Fund
    ~~~~
    Part of “The Perot Foundation Education and Community Outreach Programs”
    ~~~~
    With additional support from
    Lockheed Martin
    ~~~~
    CONDUCTED BY
    PETER MANNING & PAOLO BRESSAN
    ~~~~
    “ROSSINI AND COMPANY”
    A DALLAS OPERA FAMILY CONCERT
    FEATURING THE DALLAS OPERA ORCHESTRA
    Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015, 2:00 p.m.
    Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House

    “BASTIEN AND BASTIENNE” by W.A. Mozart
    $5 FAMILY PERFORMANCE WITH TDO ORCHESTRA
    Saturday, Dec. 5, 2015, 2:00 p.m.
    Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House

    DALLAS, AUGUST 18, 2015 – Forget about the heat and put those computers, tablets, and smart phones aside in order to take advantage of budget-minded, kid-friendly performances offered by The Dallas Opera (TDO) this fall!
    The always popular Dallas Opera Family Performance Series is proudly presented by Texas Instruments, and made possible with additional generous support from the Betty and Steve Suellentrop Educational Outreach Fund and Lockheed Martin.
    Five dollar single tickets are available now through The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or 24/7 at dallasopera.org/family. Save by purchasing in advance; a three-pack subscription goes for just $12!

    The FAMILY CONCERT: “ROSSINI AND COMPANY” is a parade of Gioachino Rossini’s greatest hits including a wide variety of arias and overtures by this 19th century Italian composer. Patrons may be surprised at just how many pieces they already know and love and this event is sure to be enjoyed by fans of all ages. Featuring The Dallas Opera Orchestra and led by the acclaimed British conductor and violinist, Maestro Peter Manning, Guest Conductor and Concertmaster for The Dallas Opera, this concert performances will be presented on Saturday, November 21, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. in the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House.
    Prior to the concert, The C. Vincent Prothro Lobby will open at 12:30 p.m. for a host of hands-on crafts and activities for children.

    “One of the most exciting developments during my five years in Dallas” explains General Director and CEO Keith Cerny, “has been our ability to expand our education and community outreach efforts to reach tens of thousands of people across North Texas. It has also enabled the Dallas Opera to invite newcomers – particularly children and families – to experience the richness, color and excitement of opera as it was meant to be experienced, in the magnificent Winspear Opera House.
    “Thanks to our generous underwriters, this company is touching lives in a profound new way,” Cerny adds, “and reaching people who never knew that opera is easily accessible and highly entertaining.”

    ~~~~

    BASTIEN AND BASTIENNE is a charming, short, fully-staged comic opera composed by a very, very young Mozart (he was only twelve!). It centers on a lad and lassie with remarkably similar names who fall in love but are separated – at least briefly – by worldly enticements. Bastienne, a shepherdess, believes her boyfriend, Bastien, has fallen for a girl he met in the big city. Colas, the local magician, listens as Bastienne pours out her broken heart. Could he possibly have something “up his sleeve” that will bring this loving couple back together? The one-act opera was meant to serve as a gentle parody of the 18th century pastoral works that were then all the rage onstage.
    The renowned Paolo Bressan will conduct The Dallas Opera Orchestra in this delightful 1768 opera, which stars sopranos Alissa Roca and Anna Valcour sharing the role of Bastienne, and tenors Charles Karanja and Christopher Oglesby in separate casts as her beloved Bastien. The opera also features bass-baritones Mason Jarboe and Langelihle Mngxati as Colas, a magician of some wisdom and questionable skills.

    ~~~~
    EVENTS, GUESTS AND ARTISTS SUBJECT TO CHANGE
    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE DALLAS OPERA
    IS CONVENIENTLY 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
    ~~~~

    TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, 2015-2016 SEASON SPONSOR FOR THE DALLAS OPERA’S “SEEKING THE HUMAN ELEMENT” SEASON

    Ticket Information for the 2015-2016 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 $275. Full Subscriptions start at $99, Flex Subscriptions (three-performances of your choice) begin at $75. Family performance tickets are just $5. For more information or to make your purchase, contact The Dallas Opera Ticket Services Office at 214.443.1000 or visit us online, 24/7, at www.dallasopera.org.

    THE DALLAS OPERA 2015-2016 FALL SEASON INFORMATION
    The Dallas Opera celebrates its Fifty-Ninth 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. The Joy and Ronald Mankoff Pre-Opera Talk will begin one hour prior to curtain, at most performances excluding FIRST NIGHT of the season.

    GREAT SCOTT by Jake Heggie
    October 30, November 1(m), 4, 7 & 15(m), 2015
    A Thrilling Dallas Opera World Premiere!
    Libretto by Terrence McNally*
    Time: Present Day
    Place: A Major American City
    Conductor: Patrick Summers
    Stage Director: Jack O’Brien
    Set and Costume Designer: Bob Crowley*
    Lighting Designer: Brian MacDevitt*
    Projections Designer: Elaine J. McCarthy
    Wig & make-up Designer: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Joyce DiDonato* (Arden Scott) (The Marnie and Kern Wildenthal Principal Artist) Ailyn Pérez (Tatyana Bakst), Frederica von Stade (Mrs. Edward “Winnie” Flato), Nathan Gunn (Sid Taylor), Anthony Roth Costanzo* (Roane Heckle), Kevin Burdette (Eric Gold), Rodell Rosel* (Anthony Candolino), Michael Mayes* (Wendell Swan).
    A Brand-New Dallas Opera Production!

    TOSCA by Giacomo Puccini
    November 6, 8(m), 11, 14, 20 & 22(m), 2015
    A passionate and timeless masterpiece in a beloved period production
    An opera in three acts first performed in Rome, Italy on January 14, 1900
    Text by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa after Victorien Sardou’s 1887 French-language play, La Tosca
    Time: Early 19th century
    Place: Locations in and around the City of Rome
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Stage Director: Ellen Douglas Schlaefer*
    Set and Costume Designer: Ulisse Santicchi
    Lighting Designer: Marie Barrett
    Wig & make-up Designer: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Children’s Chorus Master: Melinda Cotten
    Starring: Emily Magee (Floria Tosca), Giancarlo Monsalve* (Mario Cavaradossi), Raymond Aceto (Baron Scarpia), Ryan Kuster (Angelotti), Dale Travis* (A Sacristan), William Ferguson (Spoletta), Wes Mason (Sciarrone).
    One of The Dallas Opera’s Most Popular!

    BECOMING SANTA CLAUS by Mark Adamo
    December 4, 6(m), 9 & 12, 2015
    An Eagerly Awaited Dallas Opera World Premiere!
    Libretto by the composer, Mark Adamo.
    Time: Now
    Place: An Elven kingdom in the far, far north; also, the stable of the first Christmas
    Conductor: Emmanuel Villaume
    Stage Director and Choreographer: Paul Curran
    Set and Costume Designer: Gary McCann*
    Lighting Designer: Paul Hackenmueller*
    Projections Designer: Driscoll Otto*
    Wig & make-up Designer: David Zimmerman
    Chorus Master: Alexander Rom
    Starring: Jennifer Rivera* (Queen Sophine), Juan José de León (Prince Claus), Matt Boehler* (Donkey), Hila Plitmann* (Yan), Lucy Schaufer* (Ib), Keith Jameson (Yab), Kevin Burdette (Ob).
    Another New Dallas Opera Production!

    * Dallas Opera Debut
    ** American Debut
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    The Dallas Opera is supported, in part, by funds from: Texas Instruments Foundation, TACA, 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. A special thanks to the Elsa von Seggern Foundation for its continuing support.

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