Viva Verdi!
In celebrating our roots, we claim the tremendous legacy of Rosa Ponselle, so integral to opera in Baltimore. In the very shadow of her home, Villa Pace, we will present music from Verdi operas associated with Miss Ponselle. These glorious selections, sung by the operatic stars of today and tomorrow, bring full circle the magnificent and beloved tradition of opera in our community. Please join us for a grand celebration of Giuseppe Verdi and Rosa Ponselle!
PROGRAM
Il trovatore
Final Act
Libretto by Salvadore Cammarano
INTERMISSION
Aïda
Act 3 - The Nile Scene
Libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni
La forza del destino
Final Scene
Libretto by Francesco Maria Piave
Sung in Italian with English surtitles
There will be one 15-minute intermissions
June 9, 2024 | 3:00pm
Inscape Theatre at Stevenson University1525 Greenspring Valley RoadStevenson, MD 21153*This event is not affiliated with Stevenson University
SYNOPSES
Il trovatore
Act IV
Manrico, the troubadour and rival to the Count Di Luna for the love of Leonora, is imprisoned in the palace of the Count. Leonora is in a room of the palace hoping to find a means of saving Manrico. She hears the monks singing the “Miserere” heralding death and hears Manrico’s voice as well, bidding her farewell. Di Luna appears, saying Manrico and Azucena, Manrico’s presumed mother, must die at dawn. Leonora begs for mercy, offering herself in exchange for her lover's life. The Count forces her to swear that she belongs to him. Rejoicing that she has saved Manrico's life, she takes a slow-acting poison.
In a prison cell, Azucena, riddled with guilt over her past, is almost at the point of complete madness. She ponders her fate, and is comforted by the troubadour. Leonora enters and tells Manrico to flee, although she must stay. He assumes she has promised herself in exchange for his freedom, and denounces her. She admits taking poison, and as it takes effect, bids him farewell. The Count arrives and realizes that Leonora has deceived him; furious, he orders Manrico beheaded and he is dragged off by guards. Azucena awakens and asks for her son. He is about to die, Di Luna tells her. Too late, Azucena tries to stop the Count. She tells him that he has killed his own brother. As Di Luna realizes his mistake, Azucena cries that her mother is avenged.
Aïda
Act III - The Nile Scene
On the banks of the Nile, Aïda, the Ethiopian princess enslaved by the Egyptians, recalls her beautiful and fertile native land that she will never see again. Radames, the Egyptian warrior in love with Aïda, has asked her to meet him; she fears this will be their farewell. Her father, the Ethiopian King Amonasro, appears and suggests that Aïda should persuade Radames to reveal the battle plans that could spell defeat for the Egyptians, reminding her of her duty to him and to her country. Amonasro hides when Radames appears, declaring his love for Aïda. She proposes to Radames that they run away, enticingly describing the beauty of her homeland and their life together, but to do this she will need to know how they can cross the undefended border. He reveals the location and Amonasro comes out of hiding, revealing himself as the King of Ethiopia and the Egyptians’ mortal enemy. Radames realizes the enormity of what he has done. Furious at Aïda for her betrayal, he refuses to leave with them and surrenders himself as a traitor.
La forza del destino
Act IV - Final Scene
Leonora, after having lived a life seemingly destined to be full of tragedy and sorrow, has disguised herself as a monk in a monastery, ensuring a completely solitary life of reflection and prayer. She longs for the peaceful release of death, recollecting her love for Alvaro and begging God for peace. A duel between two men is heard in the vicinity of Leonora's isolation. Upon hearing them she takes refuge. Carlo, Leonora's brother, is mortally wounded by Alvaro, Leonora's former fiance, who invades the what he thinks is a hermit's sanctuary to request the last rites for the man who is dying nearby. Leonora and Alvaro recognize each other. Alvaro tells her of the tragic events that occurred, and she rushes to embrace her dying brother. However, he stabs her and she returns mortally wounded. The Father Superior, who has come in answer to Leonora's alarm, orders Alvaro to stop cursing fate and to humble himself before God. The dying Leonora joins him in this plea, and Alvaro declaims that he is now redeemed.
CAST
Rochelle Bard
Leonora
(Trovatore & Forza)
Helena Brown
Aïda
Kate Jackman
Azucena
Brian Major
Amonasro
Tim Mix
Conte di Luna
Padre Guardiano
Dane Suarez
Manrico
Radames
Alvaro
James Harp
Director
ORCHESTRA
Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
Cello
Flute
Clarinet
Piano
José Cueto
Celeste Blase
Christof Huebner
Kirsten Walsh
Sarah Nichols
David Drosinos
James Harp
CHORUS
Jason Buckwalter
Jeffrey Grayson Gates
Vijay Ghosh
Henry Hubbard
Peter Juengst
Kevin Wetzel
James Harp
Aaron Sherber
Kimberly Christie
Chuck Atwell
Jason Buckwalter
April Forrer
Lisa Lyons
Alyssa Stanton
PRODUCTION STAFF
Director
Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Manager
Set/Lighting Designer
Production Coordinator
Costumer
Wigs & Make Up
Supertitle Operator
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Costumes provided by Sarasota Opera Association, Inc.
Engagement of this event's opera performers is through the generosity of the Loretta Lee Ver Valen Endowment Fund for Leading Operatic Artists
This production is support in part by
the Maryland State Arts Council (msac.org)
TOSCA
The story of a hot-blooded diva with more than a slight mean streak. A chief of police who's even meaner than she is. A political prisoner. And a painter who is to die for.
An Opera in Three Acts
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
after Victorien Sardou
Sung in Italian with English surtitles
There will be two 20-minute intermissions
April 13, 2024 | 7:00pm
Pre-Performance lecture
with Maestro Steven White | 6:00pm
Church of the Redeemer
5603 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21210
SYNOPSIS
Act I. During the time of the Napoleonic Wars in Rome, Cesare Angelotti, an escaped political prisoner, takes refuge in the church of San'Andrea della Valle. There, he meets the painter Mario Cavaradossi who is working on a portrait of Angelotti's sister, the Marchese Attavanti, as Mary Magdalene. As he paints he amuses himself by comparing his subject's beauty to that of his lover, the tempestuous diva Floria Tosca ("Recondita armonia"). When Angelotti recognizes the artist as a fellow revolutionary and ass for his help, Cavaradossi agrees, but decides to hide his involvement from Tosca, who he expects to visit him in the church. Tosca's jealousy is aroused at Cavaradossi's delay in opening the door, and at the subject of his painting, but he assures her of his love ("Non la sospiri la nostra casetta"). The two revolutionaries leave for a hiding place at Cavaradossi's villa as a cannon shot announces Angelotti's escape. The church becomes a center of activity as the Sacristan announces that Baron Scarpia, the Chief of Police, will hold a gla celebrating the government's victory. Scarpia and his men search the church, and suspecting that Tosca and Cavaradossi are implicated in Angelotti's escape, the Baron preys on Tosca's jealousy by suggesting that her lover has been unfaithful with the Marchese. Knowing that Tosca will immediately confront Cavaradossi, he orders his mean to follow her. As the Te Deum is sung, Scarpia plans to hang Angelotti, and seduce Tosca.
Act II. In Scarpia's apartment in the Farnese Palace, the Baron anticipates the enjoyment of Tosca's favors ("Ha più forte sapore"). The spy Spoletta has arrested Cavaradossi, but has not found Angelotti. When Tosca is summoned to the Palace after singing in the victory gala, Scarpia's questioning and Cavaradossi's screams as he is tortured unnerve her, ad she reveals where Angelotti has hidden. Cavaradossi is enraged, but shouts defiance as news is brought that Napoleon has won the Battle of Margengo, a major defeat for Scarpia's side. He is dragged off to prison. Scarpia then makes his offer — Tosca's body for her lover's life. In despair, Tosca laments that her devotion to God and her art cannot save her from this fate ("Vissi d'arte"). Scarpia explains that he will order a mock execution, and prepares a safe-conduct pass for Tosca and Cavaradossi. Tosca stabs him, places candles at his head and a crucifix on his chest, and leaves.
Act III. At the Castel Sant'Angelo just before dawn, Cavaradossi writes a last letter to Tosca ("E lucevan le stelle"). She arrives with the safe conduct pass, tells him that she has killed Scarpia, and that the two of them can look forward to a happy future together after the fake execution. But after the shots have been fired, Tosca realizes that the bullets were real; Scarpia, whose body has been discovered, has exacted revenge from beyond the grave. She evades the guards and leaps from the battlements to her death, crying that she and Scarpia will meet before God.
CAST
Christine Lyons
Tosca
Dominic Armstrong
Cavaradossi
Andrew Manea
Scarpia
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Samual Keeler
Spoletta
Kevin Paton-Cole
Angelotti/Jailer
Phillip Collister
Sciarrone
Jarrod Lee
Sacristan
Bill Gohl
Archbishop of Rome
Joseph Delguste
Roberti
Steven White
Conductor
James Harp
Director
ORCHESTRA
Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
Cello
Flute
Clarinet
Bassoon
Trumpet
French Horn
Trombone
Timpani/Percussion
Piano
Organ
José Cueto
Celeste Blase
Christof Huebner
Kirsten Walsh
Sarah Nichols
Cheryl Hill
Terry Ewell
Tim White
Michael Hall
James Martin
Barry Dove
James Harp
Bert Landman
CHORUS
Mercy Calhoun-Dion
William Clark
Hakeem Henderson
Henry Hubbard
Peter Juengst
Will Kuethe
Isabel Marcus
Amanda Staub
Hannah Wardell
Emma Webster
CHILDREN'S CHORUS
Calliah Grace O'Brien
Rosalie Koren
Camile Sergeon
Anna Wang
James Harp
Kimberly Christie
Aaron Sherber
Chuck Atwell
Jason Buckwalter
April Forrer
Christopher Fotis
PRODUCTION STAFF
Director
Assistant Director
Stage Manager
Set/Lighting Designer
Production Coordinator
Costumer
Wigs & Make Up
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Costumes courtesy of Tri-Cities Opera Company, Inc.
Engagement of this event's opera performers is through the generosity of the Loretta Lee Ver Valen Endowment Fund for Leading Operatic Artists
Support for Maryland Opera also comes
from these generous organizations:
The Baltimore Opera Company Foundation Fund
The S. James Campbell Fund
The Kenneth S. Battye Charitable Trust
The PNC Foundation - Grow Up Great
The Philip A. Zaffere Foundation
The Cameron & Jane Baird Foundation
The Alvin S. Mintzes Family Trust
The Maryland State Arts Council
November 11, 2023
7pm
Program
Roméo et Juliette
Music by Charles Gounod | Libretto by Jules Barbier & Michel Carré
Balcony Scene
Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Music by Jacques Offenbach | Libretto by Jules Barbier
Violin Aria
Kleinzach Aria
Werther
Music by Jules Massenet | Libretto by Édouard Blau, Paul Milliet, & Georges Hartmann
Letter Scene
Love Duet
INTERMISSION
Faust
Music by Charles Gounod | Libretto by Jules Barbier & Michel Carré
Scene, Aria, Scene: "Attendez-moi la...Salut! Demeure chaste et pure...Alerte"
Scene, Aria: "Allons, n'y pensons plus!...Ah, je ris!"
Invocation to the Night
Love Duet
Final Scene
CAST
Juliette/Marguerite
Nicklausse/Charlotte
Roméo/Hoffmann
Werther/Faust
Méphistophélès
Alexandra Razskazoff
Chrystal E. Williams
Devin Eatmon
Dane Suarez
Carl DuPont
ORCHESTRA
Violin
Viola
Cello
Flute
Clarinet
Piano
Organ
Celaya Kirchner, Celeste Blase
Kate Zahradnik
Kirsten Walsh
Sarah Nichols
David Drosinos
James Harp
Bert Landman
James Harp
Aaron Sherber
Chuck Atwell
Jason Buckwalter
PRODUCTION STAFF
Director
Stage Manager
Set/Lighting Designer
Production Coordinator
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The Church of the Redeemer
St. Mark's Lutheran Church
Costumes courtesy of Tri-Cities Opera Company, Inc.
Faust Costumes Designed by Stephen Dell'Aversaro
Roméo et Juliette Costumes Designed by Betty Fredrickson
Werther Costumes Designed by Tri-Cities Opera Costume Shop
Engagement of this event's opera performers is through the generosity of the Loretta Lee Ver Valen Endowment Fund for Leading Operatic Artists
Support for Maryland Opera also comes
from these generous organizations:
The Baltimore Opera Company Foundation Fund
The S. James Campbell Fund
The Kenneth S. Battye Charitable Trust
The PNC Foundation - Grow Up Great
The Philip A. Zaffere Foundation
The Maryland State Arts Council
Synopses
Roméo et Juliette
Time: 14th century
Place: Verona, Italy
The Balcony Scene
Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet have fallen in love, even though their families are bitter enemies. Romeo comes to Juliet’s house and hears her speaking of him. They swear their eternal love, and as she is called away, promise to meet the following morning.
Les Contes D’Hoffmann
Time: Early 19th century
Place: Nuremberg, Germany
"Violin Aria"
Nicklausse is consoling Hoffmann who despairs of ever finding love. Nicklausse evokes Hoffmann’s artistic soul that can find solace in art. He likens the shimmering sounds of the violin as the triumphant sound of Love.
"Kleinzach Aria"
Hoffmann is regaling his drinking buddies with an old student song about a malformed dwarf named Kleinzach. As he tells the flamboyant tale, he becomes overcome with memories of a beautiful woman whose voice will always echo in his heart.
Werther
Time: Within the period July to December, in an undefined year in the 1780s.
Place: Wetzlar, Germany
Portion of Act 3
The young poet Werther is in love with Charlotte, but she promised her mother on her deathbed that she would marry another, and she did, leaving Werther in despair.
Charlotte is at home alone on Christmas Eve. She spends time rereading the letters that she has received from Werther wondering how the young poet is surviving and how she had the strength to send him away. She prays to God for more fortitude to bear her sorrow. Suddenly Werther appears, and while he reads to her some poetry of Ossian, he realizes that she does indeed return his love.
Faust
Time: 16th century
Place: Germany
Garden Scene
The aged philosopher Faust has struck a deal with the devil; he will offer Méphistophélès his soul in exchange for youth and romance. The nefarious plan soon involves the innocent Marguerite.
Faust and the devil come to Marguerite’s garden where they find a simple floral bouquet left by one of Marguerite’s admirers. Faust sends Méphistophélès away in search of a gift for Marguerite and enraptured, idealizes Marguerite as a pure child of nature. Méphistophélès brings in a box containing jewelry and a hand mirror and leaves it on Marguerite's doorstep. The two leave and Marguerite enters pondering her earlier encounter with Faust. Marguerite tries on the jewels and is captivated by how they enhance her beauty. Méphistophélès enjoys seeing his handiwork and invokes the night to spur on the romance. Faust romances Marguerite, swearing eternal love. Faust begins to leave but watches her in the shadows, listening to her singing of her love for him. As Méphistophélès sardonically laughs, Faust runs into her arms.
The Prison Scene
Marguerite has borne Faust’s child and murdered it in her insanity; she has been imprisoned and will be executed. Méphistophélès and Faust enter the prison where they plan to spirit Marguerite away to safety. As the devil leaves to keep watch, Faust laments his complicity in Marguerite’s doom. She awakens, and recalls their early days of courtship. The devil appears, insisting that they leave immediately. Marguerite recognizes the demon and calls upon the angels to take her away to heaven.
Cast Biographies
Juliette/Marguerite
Soprano ALEXANDRA RAZSKAZOFF was named a Grand Finals Winner in the 2022 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition. She is acclaimed by The New York Times as a “richly faceted, slinky soprano,” whose “soprano [is] rich, distinctive of timbre, and penetrating, and possess[es] a lovely bloom on top” (Opera News). In the 2022-23 season, Alexandra made her house debut with The Atlanta Opera reprising Wellgunde (Das Rheingold) and will return to Teatro Municipal de Santiago to make her role debut as Micaëla (Carmen). She also will reprise the role of Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) in a new production at the notable EL TEC de Monterrey, Mexico in September, 2023. Alexandra also appeared in a series of concerts with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Maryland Opera, Washington Opera Society, Vero Beach Opera and Panama City Symphony. She reengaged with Palm Beach Opera for their 2023 season to cover Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte) and Alice Ford (Falstaff). Alexandra made some notable house debuts in spring and summer of 2022, including Beethoven's 9th Symphony with Bozeman Symphony and Mimì (La bohème) at Teatro Municipal de Santiago, Chile. She performed Violetta (La Traviata) with Out of the Box Opera, as well as Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) with Teatro Grattacielo at the Phoenicia International Festival of The Voice.
Nicklausse/Charlotte
Praised by Opera News as “fiery and gorgeous’, mezzo soprano CHRYSTAL E. WILLIAMS has been seen gracing the stage both nationally and internationally. In the 2022-2023 season, Ms. Williams continued her sought after recital work and made her Dayton Opera debut in a reprisal of Rebecca Parker in Charlie Parker’s Yardbird, made her role debut as Orlovsky in Die Fledermaus, returned to On Site Opera to sing the Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, joined American Lyric Theater in a workshop of Jasmine Barnes’/Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton’s She Who Dared, returns to the English National Opera to make her mainstage debut as Helen in King Priam (COVID19) and Nefertiti in Akhnaten, and is featured with her duo, Forrópera, in the Black Heritage Day celebration in coproduction with Greensboro Opera and the Charlotte Hawkins Brown Museum Music Festival. March 2024 will mark Ms. Williams’ Carnegie Hall debut in a world premiere written for the duo and American Composers Orchestra by John Glover and Kelley Rourke.The Chrystal E. Williams Scholarship was founded by Ms. Williams in 2004 to help students wishing to pursue a career in the performing arts, and is funded in part by her annual concert, “An Evening with Chrystal E.,” held each June in Norfolk, Virginia. Chrystal E. Williams is an alumna of the Academy of Vocal Arts. She holds a Master of Music degree in Opera Performance from the Yale School of Music, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Voice Performance from Carnegie Mellon University.
Roméo/Hoffmann
Tenor DEVIN EATMON from Ocala, Florida. His performance history includes work with the Central Florida Lyric Opera, Chelsea Opera, Opera in the Ozarks, Aspen Music Festival, most recently Opera Colorado, and soon to be Opera Orlando. With both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Voice Performance from Florida State University, Devin studied under the tutelage of former San Francisco Opera staring baritone, David Okerlund. Some of Devin’s most notable collegiate roles include, George Villiers in the Scholastic Premier of Carlisle Floyd’s, Prince of Players, Rodolfo in Giacomo Puccini's, La bohème, Curley in Floyd's, Of Mice and Men, and Edgar Aubrey in Heinrich Marschner’s German Romantic opera, Der Vampyr. Mr. Eatmon accepted a contract offer to be a member of the Apprentice Singer Program at The Santa Fe Opera in the summer of 2020 however, it was postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. While at Opera Colorado, he was to cover the role of Don José in their production of Georges Bizet’s, Carmen however, the season was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Currently, Mr. Eatmon is a member of the new operatic/pop fusion trio, The Serenad3, with America’s Got Talent finalist, Fernando Varela as well as internationally acclaimed OperaNews baritone, Craig Irvin. The group has already received critical acclaim having collaborated with some legendary artists, such as David Foster, Gloria Estefan, American Idol’s, Pia Toscano, and the A Capella sensation, Voctave. Devin is currently living in Orlando, Florida and is looking forward to future endeavors with The Serenad3 as well as Opera Orlando.
Werther/Faust
Praised for his "big, heroic voice" (LA Weekly) and "powerful emotions," tenor DANE SUAREZ (he/him) has developed an exciting and varied career. Last season, Dane made his Off-Broadway debut in Kate Tarker's world premiere play Montag at Soho Rep and joined OperaDelaware, The Carolina Philharmonic, Heartbeat Opera, Penn Square Opera, and Maryland Opera for concert and gala performances. He returned to New Jersey Festival Orchestra to sing Rinuccio (Gianni Schicchi), covered Apollo (Strauss's Daphne) with American Symphony Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, sang Luigi (Il tabarro) with On Site Opera, sang Turiddu (Cavalleria rusticana) with Lyric Opera of the North, and reprises Don José in Carmen with Festival Opera. Upcoming performances include Scalia (Scalia/Ginsburg) with Anchorage Opera (debut), Don José in La tragédie de Carmen with Newport Classical, Canio in his return to Opera Birmingham. With Penn Square Opera he performs excerpts from Carmen, Cavalleria rusticana, and Tosca, and he covers Calaf at OperaDelaware. He will also be heard in concert with The Phoenix Symphony as tenor soloist for both a Pops Concert and Handel's Messiah in Spanish.
Méphistophélès
Bass-baritone CARL DUPONT has held center stage in performances at The Glimmerglass Festival, Opera Carolina, Opera Columbus, First Coast Opera, Toledo Opera, Opera Saratoga, Sarasota Opera, Cedar Rapids Opera, El Palacio de Bellas Artes, Opera Company of Brooklyn, the IN Series, Carnegie Hall, and Leipzig Opera. He has been invited to present research and recitals in Salzburg, Rome, Stockholm, New York, Portland, and Miami. He has also proudly toured as a soloist and ensemble member with the American Spiritual Ensemble, the only professional ensemble dedicated to the preservation of the Negro Spiritual. Recent roles include Hawkins Fuller in Fellow Travelers, Don Basilio in The Barber of Seville, and Leporello in Don Giovanni. In concert, his recent highlights include performances with Bach in Baltimore in the title role of Elijah, in recital at The Kennedy Center, and in concert at the Anchorage Festival of Music in Alaska.
DuPont currently serves as an associate professor at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University. There, he has developed a course on art song by African American composers, co-chairs the Culturally Inclusive Task Force, and serves on the Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Committee.