2018-2019 SEASON...STREET SCENE KURT WEILL1 3 From the President and CEO 4 From the Artistic...

2018-2019 SEASONADAM TURNER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

Samuel’s willsaid a lot about him.

What does your will say about you?

Dr. Samuel Coppage was an Old Dominion University information technology professor who spent much of his life and career in Norfolk and died in 2014. Thanks to his charitable bequest, today Samuel supports annual grants to Tidewater Community College, Hampton University and two area family places of worship. Connect your passion with the causes you care about by arranging for an estate gift through the Hampton Roads Community Foundation. Learn how at (757) 622-7951 or leaveabequest.org.

www.leaveabequest.org (757) 622-7951

1STREET SCENE | KURT WEILL

3 From the President and CEO 4 From the Artistic Director 7 From the Chairman of the Board 8 2018-2019 Board of Directors 9 2018-2019 Board of Governors12 About Virginia Opera13 Amenities and Theater Policies14 Synopsis15 Title Page16-17 Cast Listing18 Chorus, Supernumeraries and Orchestra42 Director's Notes43-49 Cast and Creative Team Biographies50 In Conversation with Adam Turner52 Virginia Opera Personnel52 The Herndon Foundation Emerging Artists Program 53 Tributes and Memorials 54-58 Contributors 59 Business/Government Support60 Housers and Volunteers

IN HAMPTON ROADSStreet Address: Harrison Opera House 160 W. Virginia Beach Blvd. Norfolk, VA 23510Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2580 Norfolk, VA 23501-2580Administration: 757.627.9545 757.622.0058 faxBox Office: 866.673.7282

IN CENTRAL VIRGINIAStreet Address: Dominion Energy Center 600 East Grace Street Suite 200 Richmond, VA 23219Mailing Address: P.O. Box 784 Richmond, VA 23218Administration: 804.644.8168 804.644.0415 faxBox Office: Etix: 800.514.3849 Subscriptions: 866.673.7282

IN NORTHERN VIRGINIAMailing Address 10660 Page Avenue #1345 Fairfax, VA 22038-1345Administration: 703.357.3682Box Office Tickets: 888.945.2468 Subscriptions: 703.993.2787

ON THE WEBVAOPERA.ORG

Russell P. Allen President and CEO

THE VISION OF VIRGINIA OPERA: We will enrich the cultural community of the Commonwealth of Virginia through the passion, power and beauty of opera.

THE MISSION OF VIRGINIA OPERA: To engage, educate and excite a diverse base of audiences, volunteers and professionals through the production of quality opera performances in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Virginia Opera Association, Inc., The Official Opera Company of the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a 501(c)(3) tax-deductible non-profit organization.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Dear Friends (and Broadway Fans):

Virginia Opera is proud to offer you today’s production of Street Scene - this Broadway triumph from the Golden Age of Broadway written by Kurt Weill. This production was conceived by long-time

Virginia Opera director, Dottie Danner, who makes her 16th appearance at Virginia Opera. Virginia Opera has a long history of producing Broadway musicals dating back to 1987 with a production of Man of La Mancha. This tradition has continued through to today; with Street Scene following, most recently at Virginia Opera, Sweeney Todd, Carousel and Camelot.

As you can see from this production of Street Scene, Virginia Opera has a strong affinity for Broadway musicals and will always provide you with an exciting and beautiful Broadway production; just as it provides you with the best in opera – witness last season’s closing production of Lucia di Lammermoor.

For those of you who enjoyed Virginia Opera’s relatively recent production of Sweeney Todd, our Street Scene production takes quite a different turn. Whereas Sweeney Todd was an interesting and successful updated production with very modern staging, Ms. Danner has imagined Street Scene as more of a traditional production; but as you will see, it’s interspersed with her innovative staging and some highly dramatic tableaus. Throughout this production, her insightful direction has taken Street Scene beyond traditional without sacrificing the feel of the period and while enhancing its power and musical artistry.

Virginia Opera is grateful for your presence here today. But as is the case of all performing arts, we could not produce the musical gem that you are seeing today without the contributed support of our generous donors. Though this may be your first Virginia Opera production, and perhaps you are a fan of “musicals” as opposed to “opera,”

RUSSELL P. ALLEN

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEOVirginia Opera requests your “contributed” support as well as your attendance. It is our company’s plan to continue to bring to our audiences both high quality opera and Broadway musicals – two forms of musically staged theater that are so very closely tied anyway.

Make a contribution today! Please take a minute to stop by our information table at Intermission to make an Annual Fund drive contribution as we begin this exciting new season. We would appreciate your support. Your direct contribution – by check, by credit card, or cash – will ensure the continuation of Virginia Opera’s wonderful Broadway productions and outstanding operatic performances.

Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Russell P. AllenPresident and CEO

4 VIRGINIA OPERA 2018–2019 SEASON

Welcome to today’s performance of Kurt Weill’s Street Scene! One of the twentieth-century’s most important and versatile musicians, Kurt Weill contributed a host of significant theatrical works throughout his career – operas, operettas, musical plays, musical comedies,

ballets, pageants – but in Weill’s words, Street Scene occupies a “niche of its own”. When it premiered in 1947, the New York Times’ notoriously cautious critic Olin Downes hailed it as “the most important step toward significantly American opera that the writer has yet encountered in the musical theater”. Adapted from playwright Elmer Rice’s 1929 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama of the same name, Street Scene has undeniably established itself as one of the masterpieces of the twentieth-century operatic canon.

Since the 2011-2012 Season, Virginia Opera has committed to kicking off each season with a bold artistic initiative (the “First of Firsts Series”), which aims to provide our audiences with productions they have never seen before. Throughout the last eight years, with this creative approach we have explored crucial additions to VO’s repertory - Aida, The Pearl Fishers, Falstaff, Sweeney Todd, Orpheus In the Underworld, Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins, Samson and Delilah - works that have stimulated our seasoned opera-goers while enticing newcomers to this incredibly vibrant art form. And now, for the first time in 44 years, we are thrilled to welcome Kurt Weill’s timely and enduring masterpiece, Street Scene.

Upon fleeing Nazi Germany for the United States in the 1930s, Kurt Weill began seeking out and working with the leading dramatists and lyricists in American culture, including Maxwell Anderson, Moss Hart, Ira Gershwin, Ogden Nash, and Alan Jay Lerner, to name but a few. With Street Scene, it’s no surprise that a story about “melting pot” America would also bring together a “melting pot” of creative collaborators – Harlem Renaissance-era poet Langston Hughes teamed with playwright Elmer Rice to provide the lyrics for Weill’s operatic adaptation. A drama that confronts a host of social issues (ranging from xenophobia, bigotry, domestic abuse, sexism, to classism), it’s easy to draw modern-day parallels with the current polarized global climate of “Us vs. Them”, including everything from immigration clashes to the #MeToo movement.

ADAM TURNER

NOTE FROM THE ARTISTIC DIRECTORKurt Weill’s first priority in the early writing stages was for complete integration of drama and music. By incorporating underscoring and recitative-like passages, the “numbers” would grow out of the action, avoiding a break between the spoken and sung word. For further guidance in adapting Elmer Rice’s stage work, Weill turned to Giuseppe Verdi and his treatment of the Shakespeare plays (Othello, Falstaff, Macbeth). With influences like Bizet, Wagner, Puccini, and Gershwin, the musical score features something for everyone (!) - blues numbers, parody of Italian opera, mock-Straussian duet, soft-shoe number, boogie-woogie jitterbug, torch songs, and full-throated Puccini-esque verismo lyricism. A true “melting pot” and a unique synthesis of Opera and Broadway.

I would like to extend my personal gratitude to The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music for their generous support in helping bring Street Scene to Virginia Opera’s stages. Special thanks to Kim Kowalke, Brady Sansone, Elizabeth Blaufox, and Dave Stein for sharing their wisdom, knowledge, and encouragement throughout the many months of studies and preparation.

"The purpose of art is communication, the wider the better. Kurt Weill was a great communicator. He had something to say and he said it in the simplest and most direct terms, in the universal language of that world beyond worlds to which all human souls are related...Being an artist, in the true sense of the word, he understood all human beings, and all their songs - for good songs are but the dream, the hopes, and the inner cries deep in the souls of all the peoples of the world." – Langston Hughes

With today’s performance of Street Scene, I hope you are transported by the passionate storytelling and incredible score. Thank you for your generous support and continued patronage, and please enjoy today’s performance!

Sincerely,

Adam TurnerArtistic Director


Sat., Dec. 22, 2018 | Sandler Center for the Performing Arts,Virginia Beach | 3PM

Holiday BrassFri, Dec. 14, 2018 | Saint Bede Catholic Church, Williamsburg | 8PM

Gonzalo Farias, conductor

Jingle Bell Jam

Holiday POPS!Thurs., Dec. 20, 2018 | Ferguson Center for the Arts, Newport News | 8PM Fri., Dec. 21, 2018 | Chrysler Hall, Norfolk | 8PM Sat., Dec. 22, 2018 | Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, Virginia Beach | 8PM Robert Shoup, conductorVirginia Symphony Orchestra Chorus

Glazunov: Winter from The Seasons, Op. 67Tchaikovsky: Rococo Variations for Cello and OrchestraSibelius: Symphony No. 5Tchaikovsky: Pas de Deux from The Nutcracker

RESERVE THE BEST SEATS NOW! VISIT VIRGINIASYMPHONY.ORG | 757.892.6366

Celebrate the Season with the Handel’s Messiah

Thurs., Dec. 13, 2018 | Regent University, Virginia Beach | 8PM Fri., Dec. 14, 2018 | First Baptist Church, Warwick Blvd., Newport News | 8PMSat., Dec. 15, 2018 | Harrison Opera House, Norfolk | 8PMJoAnn Falletta, conductorVirginia Symphony Orchestra ChorusRobert Shoup, chorusmaster

Winter DreamsFri., Nov. 30, 2018 | Ferguson Center for the Arts, Newport News | 8PMSun., Dec. 2, 2018 | Sandler Center for the Performing Arts, VA Beach | 2:30PMJoAnn Falletta, conductorJulian Schwarz, cello

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Dear friends,

You are about to see Virginia Opera’s premier production of Street Scene, by German composer and American émigré Kurt Weill. Drawing on several distinctly American musical idioms, Weill’s masterpiece opened on Broadway in

1947 and won the very first Tony Award for Best Original Score.

Kurt Weill wrote this work out of his heart’s desire to create a truly American opera. Street Scene brings to the opera stage a tale based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by eminent American playwright Elmer Rice. For his lyricist, Weill chose one of America’s greatest poets, Langston Hughes, to “lift the everyday language of the people into a simple, unsophisticated poetry.” This is a big, important work—depicting the teeming melting pot of New York City in the 1940s, on a steaming, brooding night that gives birth, as Weill put it, “to love and passion and greed and death.”

Strictly speaking, though, Street Scene isn’t really Virginia Opera’s first production this season. The Elixir of Love, a delightful version of Donizetti’s classic, re-imagined for children, set in the Wild West and performed by our Herndon Emerging Artists, has already begun touring elementary schools around the state, entrancing children and engaging them as delighted participants. (By year’s end, we anticipate that 60,000 students will have had this opportunity.)

In short, your Virginia Opera is off to a terrific start this year—one that will bring to our stages some of the world’s greatest operas, including Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Donizetti’s valentine to us all, The Elixir of Love (grown up version), and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. If you haven’t yet gotten your subscription, do so tonight.

BETSY WOLLAN

Let me thank each of you for your support of Virginia Opera as we begin this, our 44th season. Excellent regional opera companies are few and far between, and we are blessed to have one of the best here in Virginia. As the chair of the Board of Directors, I’m reminded every day how complex this art form is, and how challenging it will always be to keep world class opera alive and well in the Commonwealth. Without your patronage and your generosity, we would fail.

You help in so many ways--by subscribing, bringing friends, and through your donations to Virginia Opera. Please be as generous as you can be. And don’t forget there is no more powerful way to help than to spread the word. So enjoy the show, and tell all your friends. We’ll see you again for Don Giovanni!

Yours,Betsy

Elisabeth Muhlenfeld WollanBoard Chairman

FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD


Elisabeth M. Wollan, Chair

Paul Winslow, Chair-Elect

Peter M. Huber, Esq., Secretary

Marc Kirchner, Treasurer and Chair, Finance Committee

Nancy Branch, Chair, Artistic Advisory Committee

Millie Wilkerson, Chair, Hampton Roads Development Committee

Langdon Christian, IV Chair, Central Virginia Development Committee

Marilyn Scott, Chair, Education and Audience Development Committee

Guy K. Tower, Chair, Governance and Nominating Committee

Susan Quate, Chair, Marketing Committee

Edith G. Grandy, Member-at-Large

Michael Lott, Member-at-Large

Lewis W. Maye, III, Member-at-Large

Raymond DeFrank, President, Hampton Roads Board of Governors

Thomas A. Grant, President, Central Virginia Board of Governors

Kym Hemley, President, Northern Virginia Board of Governors

Henry Garrity, Chair, Virginia Opera Foundation Board

Mark E. Board, President, Virginia Opera Guild

Allan S. Reynolds, Jr., Immediate Past Chair

Russell P. Allen, President and CEO

Jeannie P. BalilesStanley G. Barr, Jr., EmeritusLynn CarwellChristopher CoffingStephen Z. CookBenjamin Cottrell, Sr.Lucy Church, EmeritaBess DeckerRenee GilmanDr. William T. HarkAndrea HollowayIna D. LevyEdward L. LillyValerie NeffGerald J. Pepe, Ph.DPatti PuseyS. Warren RichardC. Jeffers Schmidt, Jr.Martha Lee ShawHon. Lydia C. TaylorDr. William M. WaldropDeborah Wyld

ELISABETH M. WOLLAN | Chair

Past Chairs

Edythe C. HarrisonFounding Chair 1974-1977Stanley G. Barr, Jr., Esq. 1978-1979Edythe C. Harrison 1979-1981Walter P. Conrad, Jr. 1981-1983Mary R. Albergotti 1983-1984Edward S. Stein 1984-1985Eleanor Bradshaw 1985-1986Thomas H. Nicholson 1986-1988Dorothy Doumar 1988-1989Jane Patton Browning 1989-1990Joyce H. Strelitz 1990-1992Peter M. Huber, Esq. 1992-1994Dixie Wolf 1994-1996Peter M. Huber, Esq. 1996-1998Alan D. Albert, Esq. 1998-2000Robert M. Rubin, D.M.D 2000-2001John Turbyfill 2001-2003John Field 2003-2005Allan S. Reynolds, Jr. 2005-2007Mark T. Cox IV 2007-2009Joan B. Miller 2009-2011Alan D. Albert, Esq. 2011-2015Allan S. Reynolds, Jr. 2015-2017

OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2018-2019

2018-2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS


HAMPTON ROADS BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Raymond DeFrank, President

Donna AllenRussell P. AllenAllen BakerStanley G. Barr, Jr., EmeritusMark BoardNancy BranchLynn CarwellFloyd ClingenpeelChristopher CoffingStephen CookBenjamin Cottrell IVBess DeckerHenry GarrityMarilyn GindrozEdith G. GrandyLaura GrossAndrea HollowayNancy HuberPeter M. Huber, Esq.Mary Anne Kellam-CanadaBrian KintMarc C. KirchnerRobert KuhloIna D. LevyEdward L. Lilly, MDLinda H. LillyLewis W. MayeSarah McCoyRhonda MurrayShantell NashatkaValerie NeffThomas Nicholson, IIIGerald J. Pepe, Ph. DSusan QuateAllan S. Reynolds, Jr.S. Warren RichardDede SchneiderDr. Stephen V. ScoperMartha Lee ShawHomer A. Smith, Jr.Hon. Lydia Taylor

Guy K. TowerWilliam WaldropCarrie WhiteMillie WilkersonPaul WinslowDeborah Wyld

CENTRAL VIRGINIA BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Thomas A. Grant, President

Russell P. AllenJeannie P. BalilesLangdon T. Christian IVJosée CovingtonAmmon G. Dunton, Jr.Sharon FerrantiCary FountainRenee GilmanDr. William T. HarkBilly HarperAnne HodgesCynthia HolmesAnne-Marie IraniEsta KornsteinDr. Susan KornsteinMichael LottMary Virginia OverholserPatricia PuseyMarika A. RawlesDr. John ReynoldsC. Jeffers Schmidt, Jr.Marilyn ScottJ. Kenneth Timmons, Jr.Dr. Elisabeth Muhlenfeld Wollan

CENTRAL VIRGINIA ADVISORY COUNCIL

Eldridge BlantonElizabeth M. BredrupAmy BridgeDeborah CorlissMark T. Cox IVJudy GonzalezCaramine White, Ph.DMillie WilkersonPaul WinslowDeborah Wyld

NORTHERN VIRGINIA BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Kym Hemley, President

Russell P. AllenSean Foohey

BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE VIRGINIA OPERA FOUNDATION

Henry Garrity President

Allan S. Reynolds, Jr.The Honorable Lydia C. Taylor

Dr. William WaldropMary “Bucci” Z. ZeugnerRussell P. Allen, Ex-Officio

HONORARY MEMBERS

The Honorable Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA)

The Honorable Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)

The Honorable Rep. Scott Rigell (R-VA)

The Honorable Rep. Robert Wittman (R-VA)

The Honorable H. Chapman Petersen, Senator, Virginia General Assembly

The Honorable Janet Howell, Senator, Virginia General Assembly

The Honorable George Barker, Senator, Virginia General Assembly

The Honorable David L. Bulova, Delegate, Virginia General Assembly

The Honorable Kenneth R. Plum, Delegate, Virginia General Assembly

The Honorable Vivian Watts, Delegate, Virginia General Assembly

The Honorable Sharon Bulova, Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Scott Silverthorne, Mayor, City of Fairfax

Rick Davis, Dean, College of Visual and Performing Arts, George Mason University

Maestro Christopher Zimmerman, Music Director, Fairfax Symphony Orchestra

2018-2019 BOARD OF GOVERNORS


SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2019SANDLER CENTER FOR THE

PERFORMING ARTS, VIRGINIA BEACH

RENÉE FLEMING, soprano

VIRGINIAARTSFESTIVAL

TICKETS: VAFEST.ORG OR CALL 757-282-2822FESTIVAL BOX OFFICE: 440 BANK STREET, NORFOLK

GROUPS OF 10+ SAVE! CALL 757-282-2819 FOR DETAILS.

This program funded in part by the citizens of Virginia Beach through a grant from the Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission.

Grammy® Award-winners!

THE KING’S SINGERSHoliday Concert

presents

FRIDAYDECEMBER 21, 2018ST. BEDE CATHOLIC CHURCH

WILLIAMSBURGFunded in part by the Williamsburg Area Arts

Commission and the City of Williamsburg.

THURSDAYDECEMBER 20, 2018CHRIST & ST. LUKE’S CHURCH

NORFOLK


Virginia Opera Association, Inc., in its 44th year of operation, is known and respected nationwide for the identification and presentation of the fin-est young artists, for the musical and dramatic integrity of its productions, and for the ingenuity and variety of its education and outreach pro-grams. The Company has a working budget of $5.3 million with over 28 mainstage performanc-es, reaching nearly 50,000 attendees. In March of 1994, by unanimous vote of the Virginia Gen-eral Assembly, Virginia Opera was named The Official Opera Company of the Commonwealth of Virginia in recognition of the organization’s contribution to the Commonwealth and to the world of opera.

Organized in 1974 by founding chair Edythe C. Harrison, Virginia Opera was launched with two productions in the Norfolk Center Theater. Short-ly thereafter, Peter Mark was appointed Artistic Director, a position he held for over 35 years. Pe-ter Mark was named Artistic Director Emeritus in 2012. Russell P. Allen, appointed President and CEO in 2011, currently leads the company – re-turning to Virginia Opera after six years as Gen-eral Manager from 1994-2000. Adam Turner was appointed Artistic Director in 2018.

Virginia Opera’s statewide expansion began by producing in Richmond in 1977 with the encour-agement of Governor Mills Godwin and Mrs. T. Fleetwood (Anna) Garner. Under their leadership, The Richmond Friends of Opera was formed to present Virginia Opera productions annually in the capital city. By 1983, the Richmond and Central Virginia Board of Virginia Opera formed and a Richmond office was opened. In Novem-ber 1992, the Company presented its first main-stage performance at the Center for the Arts at George Mason University in Fairfax. This devel-opment was hailed as “one of the major local operatic events of the year” by The Washington Post, and deemed a special day in music history for the Washington D.C. area by Opera News.

RUSSELL P. ALLEN, PRESIDENT AND CEO

ADAM TURNER, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

PETER MARK, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR EMERITUS

LEARN MORE ABOUT VIRGINIA OPERA:

WWW.VAOPERA.ORG

ABOUT VIRGINIA OPERA

Virginia Opera has presented some of the na-tion’s most promising singers on its stages in-cluding Diana Soviero, Ashley Putnam, John Aler, Rockwell Blake, Renée Fleming, Barbara Dever, Grant Youngblood, Fabiana Bravo, Law-rence Brownlee, Nmon Ford, Jake Gardner, Mary Elizabeth Williams,David Portillo, Ginger Costa-Jackson, David Pershall and Nadine Si-erra. Attracting acclaimed directors from the theater and opera world, audiences have en-joyed the work of Gian Carlo Menotti, Gordon Davidson, Greg Ganakas, Arvin Brown, Dorothy Danner, Lillian Groag, Sam Helfrich and Stephen Lawless, among others, in new productions de-signed by the nation’s top opera and theater designers. Virginia Opera has continued its tra-dition of commissioning/co-commissioning new works as illustrated by the world premieres of A Christmas Carol, Harriet – The Woman Called Moses, Simón Bolivar, Pocahontas, and, most recently, Rappahannock County.

The company produces four mainstage produc-tions including performances at the Edythe C. and Stanley L. Harrison Opera House in Norfolk, Carpenter Theatre at Dominion Arts Center in Richmond, and at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts in Fairfax. Virginia Opera is the only opera company to perform a full season of opera in multiple mainstage venues and to reach more than 150,000 students and commu-nity members each year through its innovative Education and Community Outreach Program. Building upon past accomplishments, the 2018-2019 Season features an exciting level of artist-ry and diverse programming. While remaining committed to securing the highest caliber of vocal talent, the Opera will invite brilliant con-ductors and directors, assisted by the next gen-eration of gifted artists, to challenge audiences and create new opera experiences.


NORFOLK –

EDYTHE C. AND STANLEY L. HARRISON OPERA HOUSE• Refreshments are available

on the Lower and Grand Lobby levels. No food or drink is permitted in the theater.

• ADA Seating may be reserved by contacting Virginia Opera’s Box Office at 757.623.1223 prior to performances.

• Smoking is not allowed in any part of the building.

• Parking is available for $5.00 in the city-run parking lots at the Harrison Opera House for main stage Virginia Opera performances (Parking is on a first come, first serve basis; while supplies last. Parking regulations and reserved parking must be observed at all times). Additional free, on-street parking is also available, subject to Norfolk parking re-strictions. The City of Norfolk enforces “No Parking” regu-lations on Llewellyn Avenue and other streets surrounding the Harrison Opera House where “No Parking” signs are posted. Virginia Opera is not responsible for any parking tickets received by patrons and discourages using other privately and commercially owned lots in the vicinity of the Harrison Opera House for parking. When coming to a Virginia Opera event, please allow ample time to park, and take care to obey all posted parking regulations and Har-rison Opera House parking attendant staff.

• Late Seating is at Opera man-agement’s discretion. Virginia Opera reserves the right to have late seating at intermis-sion only.

• Electronic Devices, cameras and recording equipment are strictly prohibited. Illegal recordings may be confiscat-ed. All electronic devices must be silenced; including cell phones, pagers, PDAs, and wristwatches.

• In Case of Emergency, patrons expecting emergency calls (services or babysit-ters) may direct them to 757.627.9545, ext. 3378 and leave their seat number with the House Manager, who will locate the patron immediately if a call is received.

• Children Virginia Opera reserves the right to deny ad-mission to children under the age of five. Patrons of any age must have a ticket to enter the theater.

RICHMOND –

DOMINION ENERGY CENTER• Refreshments are available

on the Lower and Mezzanine levels of the theatre. No food in the theatre. Beverages without ice are permissible.

• ADA Seating may be reserved by contacting Virginia Opera’s Box Office at 866.673.7282 prior to performances.

• Smoking is not allowed in any part of the building.

• Parking Public parking is available at the lot on 5th and Broad Streets, and the garage at 5th Street. Handicap parking is available at the lot at Grace Street, and at the garage at 6th and Franklin Streets.

• Late Seating is at Opera man-agement’s discretion. Virginia Opera reserves the right to have late seating at intermis-sion only.

• Assistive Listening Devices are available in the lobby at no charge.

• Electronic Devices, cameras and recording equipment are strictly prohibited. Illegal recordings may be confiscat-ed. All electronic devices must be silenced; including but not limited to cell phones, pagers, PDAs, and wristwatches.

• In Case of Emergency, the Concierge phone number is 804.592.3350.

• Children Virginia Opera reserves the right to deny ad-mission to children under the age of five. Babies in arms will not be admitted to the theater. Patrons of any age must have a ticket to enter the theater.

FAIRFAX –

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR THE ARTS• Refreshments are available in

the main lobby. No food or drink is permitted in the theatre.

• ADA Seating all Center for the Arts facilities have accessible seating available.

• Parking those patrons wishing accessible parking will find three locations close to the building. The first is located in the Mason Hall parking lot. The second location is in the Parking Deck located next to the Concert Hall. The third location is located along Mason Pond Drive across the street from the Concert Hall. At any time, patrons may drop off and pick up in front of the Concert Hall. The Concert Hall does have a wheelchair that can be used to transport patrons from the drop off zone to their seats and back.

• Assistive Hearing The Center for the Arts offers FM listening devices for any patron that may need assistive hearing. The receivers are located in the Concert Hall at the Cour-tesy Desk opposite the Box Office. The system is available on a first come basis.

• Children Contact the Center for the Arts regarding chil-dren’s admissions and poli-cies. All persons occupying a seat in the Center for the Arts will be required to purchase a ticket.

AMENITIES AND THEATER POLICIES


SYNOPSIS

- from the Souvenir Program, Adelphi Theater, Jan. 1947 - courtesy of The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music


Virginia Opera is The Official Opera Company of the Commonwealth of Virginia Russell P. Allen, President and CEO.

AN AMERICAN OPERA In Two Acts

Dominion Energy CenterOctober 12 & 14, 2018

Edythe C. and Stanley L. Harrison Opera House

September 28, 30 & October 2, 2018

GMU’s Center for the Arts October 6 & 7, 2018

MUSIC BY

KURT WEILLBOOK BY

ELMER RICELYRICS BY

LANGSTON HUGHES& ELMER RICEbased on his play of the same name.

Sung in English with English Supertitles.

THE 2018-2019 SEASON IS MADE POSSIBLE IN PART THROUGH SPONSORSHIP BY:

This performance is funded in part by the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc., New York, NY

Used by arrangement with European American Music Corporation, agent for the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music, Inc., the Rice Estate and the Hughes Estate.


Sung in English with English Supertitles.

AN AMERICAN OPERA In Two Acts

ADAM TURNERDOROTHY DANNER

JAMES E. LAWLOR, IIIGREG GANAKAS

JAMES P. MCGOUGHDAVID HARWELL

AARON CHVATAL

PAT SEYLLER

ALAN FISCHER†APRIL MARTIN

RYAN D. KUSTERMARGARET GAWRYSIAK

†MELISA BONETTI*†ZOE JOHNSON

◊TREVOR NEAL*MAXSON TAXTER

JILL GARDNER◊DAVID BLALOCK

*†LOGAN Z. WEBBER*ZACHARY JAMES

ConductorDirectorLighting DesignerChoreographerResident Wig & Makeup DesignerOriginal Scenic Design for the Center City Opera Assn.Original Costume Designer for Brevard Music Center

Costume Designer

Abraham Kaplan Greta Fiorentino Carl Olsen Emma Jones Olga Olsen Shirley Kaplan Henry Davis Willie Maurrant Anna Maurrant Sam Kaplan Daniel Buchanan Frank Maurrant

CAST(In order of appearance)


This performance concludes after two hours and fourty minutes.

*Mainstage Debut †Herndon Foundation Emerging Artist◊Former Herndon Foundation Emerging Artist

JOSH MILLER DENIZ UZ

EMILY RUSSELL

SHELBY RHOADESJOHANNA KVAM

ELIZABETH WILEYERIN LINDSAY CARR

Assistant DirectorAssistant Conductor & Chorus MasterChildren's Chorus Master Principal CoachRehearsal PianistDialect CoachResident Stage Manager

CAST CONTINUED

†EVAN BRAVOS*CHRIS KORKALO

◊BENJAMIN WERLEY*BROOKE NICOLE JONES

EMILY RUSSELL*JACOB YOUNG*LILA KORKALO

*DASIANAE "D" CROSS*MAUREEN MCKAY

PETER KENDALL CLARK*AHNASTASIA ALBERT

*DAVID MICHAEL BEVIS†JOSHUA ARKY

*†STEVEN D. MILES*MIGUEL GIRONA

*GARNEY JOHNSON*JAMES KEESLER

†TALIN NALBANDIANADRIANE S. KERR

George Jones Steve Sankey Lippo Fiorentino Jennie Hildebrand Mrs. Hildebrand Charlie Hildebrand Mary Hildebrand Grace Davis Rose Maurrant Harry Easter Mae Jones Dick McGann Vincent Jones Dr. Wilson Officer Murphy City Marshall Fred Cullen First NursemaidSecond Nursemaid


SYNOPSIS

CHORUS, SUPERS, ACTORS AND ORCHESTRAVIRGINIA OPERA CHORUS

ADULT CHORUS – FEMALETalin Nalbandian† ...................................First NursemaidEmily Russell ..........................................Mrs. Hildebrand Anna Feucht ...........................Salvation Army Girl/CoupleBridget Cooper ...............................................Mrs. DavisTara Hoyle ..........................................Salvation Army Girl

Adriane S. Kerr ..................................Second NursemaidSandra Krueger ....................................................ChorusNancy Hayes Pope ...............................................ChorusBiljana Soldo .........................................................ChorusArna Majcher ........................................................Chorus

ADULT CHORUS – MALESteven D. Myles† .............................................Dr. WilsonJoshua Arky† ......................................Vincent Jones Joseph Mazzara† ...................................Milkman/CoupleAndri M. Gowens ..................................................ChorusRon Milovac ..........................................................ChorusBrian K. Moody .....................................................Chorus

R. Ben Vergara .....................................................ChorusRafael A. Callazo Morales ...................................ChorusGary K. Smith .......................................................ChorusWalter Swan .........................................................ChorusRichard F. Williams ..............................................Chorus

CHILDREN’S CHORUS Maxson Taxter .........................................Willie MaurrantBrooke Nicole Jones^ ........................ Jennie HildebrandElissa Dresdner^ ...................................................... JoanMorgan Royal-Hartman^ ......................................MyrtleSophia J. Bourcier ..................................................... JoeDasianae D. Cross ................................................. GraceCharlotte Hoyle ........................................................ SallyLila Korkalo .......................................................... Mary H

Jacob Young ..................................................... Charlie HSaniyyah Bamberg^ .............................................ChorusJaelin Mitchell^ .....................................................ChorusHannah Ramsbottom^ .........................................ChorusKennedy Stone^ ....................................................ChorusDonté Thompson^ ................................................ChorusJoshua Cross ........................................................ChorusAlexis N. Sutton ....................................................Chorus

VIRGINIA OPERA SUPERNUMERARIES AND ACTORSChris Korkalo ............................................. Steve SankeyJames Keesler ...............................................Fred CullenGarney Johnson .........................................City MarshallMiguel Girona .......................................... Officer MurphyMariska Baugus ...............................................Violin Girl

Dan Shaughnessy ...............................Ambulance DriverRichard F. Williams ...............................Old Clothes ManJohn S. Howell Sr. ................................................Interne A. Michael Singleton .............................. First PolicemanBryan L. Smith ....................................Second Policeman

VIOLIN IVahn ArmstrongYun Zhang Amanda GatesJonathan Richards Tara-Louise MontourKirsty Barnett Green Mayu CiprianoSeiko Syvertsen

VIOLIN IISimon LapointeElizabeth Coulter Vonderheide

Jorge AguirreAngelina Gandolfo Lesa McCoy BishopWesi Boyer

VIOLABeverly Kane BakerJocelyn Smith Matthew UmlaufSatoko RickenbackerAlexandra Takasugi

CELLOMichael DanielsRebecca Gilmore Phillips Carter MelinNancy Keevan

BASSChris WhiteScott Harris William McPeters

FLUTEDebra Wendells Cross

OBOEGeorge Corbett

CLARINETMichael ByerlyScott BoyerWilliam Thomas

BASSOONLaura Leisring

TRUMPETDavid VonderheideAdam Gandolfo

HORNJacob WilderJohn Shawger

TROMBONEScott McElroyTanner Antonetti

TIMPANIMichael Laubach

PERCUSSIONDavid Walker

HARPBarbara Chapman

PIANO/CELESTAJohanna Kvam

VIRGINIA OPERA ORCHESTRA

^ denotes member of the Governor's School for the Arts Vocal Music Program

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DIRECTOR'S NOTES

STREET SCENE IS A TRIPLE THREATIt is a Pulitzer Prize winning play, an opera and a Broadway musical all integrated into one theatrical masterpiece, and that is exactly what composer Kurt Weill intended. Then add the poetic lyricism of the brilliant Langston Hughes and you have the Broadway Opera of Kurt Weill's dreams. Street Scene creates a wonderfully demanding challenge for its cast, conductor and director and it all takes place in an action-packed 24 hours on one sidewalk in New York.

Street Scene had a difficult birth in 1946 in Philadelphia where audiences who recently celebrated Brigadoon and Finian's Rainbow were sitting in half-empty houses trying to understand a new concept of Broadway. The show limped into New York, got wonderful reviews, won the Tony for “best score” and is now considered a breakthrough masterpiece.

To me, Street Scene feels more relevant than ever with its characters fiercely divided on issues of immigration, politics and social justice. These issues were of extreme importance to Weill, Hughes and Elmer Rice, the author of the play, and are an integral part of what makes Street Scene so important today. Our production begins with the image of the American Dream.

The detail and time required to bring this community of 60 multi layered characters to life was severely impacted by the villainous Hurricane Florence, and at this writing, we are still hurrying to reveal all the possibilities of this dynamic piece.

Bravo to Virginia Opera for producing it!

Dorothy DannerDirector


CAST & CREATIVE TEAM BIOGRAPHIES

ADAM TURNERArtistic DirectorAmerican conductor Adam Turner is quickly gaining momentum as a conductor to watch on internation-al opera stages. Recently named Artistic Director of Virginia Opera (following four seasons as Principal

Conductor and Artistic Advisor), Maestro Turner garners critical acclaim for the breadth of his repertoire, artistic vision, and polished technique. Of his recent performance of Der Freischütz with Virginia Opera, Opera News hailed: “Conductor Adam Turner … ensured crackling rhythms as much as lyrical spaciousness, resulting in a performance that felt vital and spontaneous throughout.”

In his inaugural season as Artistic Director of Virginia Op-era, Maestro Turner will conduct performances of Street Scene, Don Giovanni, The Elixir of Love, and Madama Butterfly, in addition to Jack Perla’s An American Dream. On top of his productions at Virginia Opera, he will con-duct The Seven Deadly Sins for the Buffalo Philharmonic, Eugene Onegin with Intermountain Opera Bozeman, and Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers with San Diego Opera. Mo. Turner will also return to Central City Opera to con-duct Madama Butterfly for the 2019 summer season. Last season, Mo. Turner conducted Händel’s Messiah at Virginia Symphony and The Halloween Tree with American Lyric Theatre at Arizona State University. In his post at Virginia Opera, he conducted performances of Samson et Dalila and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As the inaugural recip-ient of the Julius Rudel/Kurt Weill Conducting Fellowship in 2015, he collaborated with renowned conductor John DeMain on Washington National Opera’s production of Kurt Weill’s final stage composition Lost in the Stars.

Other recent guest conducting engagements include: The Tender Land at Northwestern University; Three Decembers with Hawaii Opera Theatre; a Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program Holiday Concert with Washington National Opera; Roméo et Juliette at Lyric Opera Baltimore; Sweeney Todd at Hawaii Opera Theatre and Eugene Opera; Le nozze di Figaro, Dead Man Walking, Carmen, La bohème, Man of La Mancha and Oklahoma! with Central City Opera; Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, Carmen, Brigadoon, My Fair Lady, Camelot, and Britten’s biblically inspired Noye’s Fludde during his tenure as Resident Conductor at Ash Lawn Opera; and Der Freischütz, The Seven Deadly Sins, Pagliacci, La bohème, Der fliegende Holländer H.M.S. Pin-afore, Carmen, Ariadne auf Naxos, The Mikado, Carousel, and Camelot for Virginia Opera.

During regular appearances with Virginia Symphony Or-chestra and the Richmond Symphony, Mr. Turner con-ducted Young People’s Concerts and additional outreach activities. His leadership of Virginia Opera’s annual “Opera in the Park” series, featuring both of the aforementioned orchestras in their respective communities, reaches near-ly 10,000 attendees across the Commonwealth of Virginia with a program of opera and popular hits, ensuring the next generation of prospective opera lovers, and bridging the gap between popular and classical music genres. He appeared recently in concert with singer-songwriter Bruce Hornsby, conducting the Virginia Symphony Orchestra at the 2018 Funhouse Fest, and has performed alongside

singer-songwriter Ben Folds, conducting “The Orchestra Experience” during his tour stop in Virginia Beach. Addi-tionally, Maestro Turner conducted at the David Oistrakh Festival in Estonia, featuring appearances with the St. Pe-tersburg Festival Orchestra, Pärnu City Orchestra, and the Kaiserslautern Symphony Orchestra.

Turner first gained recognition at age 25 during his ten-ure at Stadttheater Pforzheim in Germany while taking over conducting responsibilities of a production of Les Misérables. Musicals – Das Musicalmagazin, Germany’s premier musical theater publication lauded his work: “Les Mis reveals even here its magical effectiveness… The main reason for this is the performance of the orchestra, led by a young American conductor, Adam Turner, who brings to the piece a suspenseful drama that one does not always hear, even on the legendary, anniversary recording at the Royal Albert Hall. During the dramatic dialogues, he pushes the action forward but one is nonetheless able to understand every single word…he builds up the aria-like solos with great crescendos yet purposefully does not turn the first Thénardier-Song into a homely operetta number…” There, he also conducted Lehár’s Paganini and Cole Porter’s High Society.

Prior to his appointment as one of the youngest artistic leaders in Virginia Opera’s history, Turner proved he has a vision for the future of the industry as a member of the next generation of leaders while holding several admin-istrative and music staff appointments at houses across the country including Seattle Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Central City Opera, Portland Opera, Tulsa Opera, Syracuse Opera, and Ash Lawn Opera. In these positions, Turner worked side-by-side with world-renowned maestri includ-ing Asher Fisch, Steuart Bedford, John DeMain, Gary Thor Wedow, and Broadway veteran Rob Fisher. Turner holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Morehead State University, and a Master of Music degree from The Catholic University of America. He furthered his training with internationally acclaimed conductors and pedagogues Neeme Järvi, Paa-vo Järvi, Marin Alsop, Jorma Panula, Gustav Meier, Ken-neth Kiesler, and Kate Tamarkin.

Artist Underwriting for Adam Turner provided by Edith and Cy Grandy.



DOROTHY DANNERDirector Noted for her inventive staging, Dorothy Danner has directed near-ly 200 productions of operettas, musicals and plays throughout the United States, Canada and Belgium; including operas for the companies

of Glimmerglass, Houston, Philadelphia, Miami, Cleveland, Minnesota, Cincinnati, Portland, Kansas City, Virginia and for San Francisco Merola. Her production of A MIDSUM-MER NIGHTS DREAM in New York for the Juilliard, gar-nered wide critical acclaim, as did her PBS-TV, TRIBUTE TO GILBERT AND SULLIVAN for the Boston Pops and her television staging of Richard Wargo’s opera, BALLYMORE- the first and only musical setting of a Brian Friel play.

Ms. Danner has had the honor of staging the premieres of contemporary composers Barab, Botti, Garwood. Ham-lisch, Harnick, Lloyd, Mechem. Musgrave, Sirotta and Wargo. And she has served on the awards panel for the National Institute of Music Theatre and on Opera America’s Panel for New Works.

As a performer, Dorothy Danner, aka Dorothy Frank, ap-peared in 9 Broadway shows, from the original ONCE UPON A MATTRESS to Michael Bennett’s BALLROOM. She performed on numerous TV Variety shows – Perry Como, Ed Sullivan among others- as well as in several films in-cluding Mel Brook’s THE PRODUCERS.

A dedicated and inspiring teacher, she was co-founder of the Glimmerglass Young Artist Program, has served on the faculties of the Juilliard School, the Curtis Institute of Music, and the Chautauqua Institution and has been a frequent guest director at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia, New York University, Boston University and at Carnegie-Mellon.

Dorothy Danner is a member of a theatrical family that includes actors Blythe, Harry and Hillary Danner, Gwyneth Paltrow, writer-film maker, Jake Paltrow, actress Kather-ine Moennig and departed brother-in-laws, violin maker William Moennig 3rd and writer-producer Bruce Paltrow.

Artist Underwriting for Dorothy Danner provided by Peter and Nancy Huber.

GREG GANAKASChoreographerAward-winning Director, Choreogra-pher and Master Teacher Greg Ga-nakas is represented by Encompass Arts Management, and DGRW Talent Agency.

Credits include Broadway, Off Broad-way, National Tours, International Productions, Television and Corporate Entertainment packages. He has worked at Radio City Music Hall, for Disneylive Entertainment, and for such venues as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Madi-son Square Garden. His Regional Theatre credentials in-clude directing numerous productions for the Tony Award winning Goodspeed Opera House, Dallas Theatre Center, Long Wharf Theatre, and the Studio Theatre among others. His repertoire crosses over into the Opera world, where he has staged productions for Glimmerglass, Minnesota Opera Company, Virginia Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre and Central City Opera. His production of “An Evening of Gilbert and Sullivan”, featuring Beverly Sills and the Bos-ton Pops, was filmed live at Boston Symphony Hall as part of The PBS’ Great Performance Series. His International credentials include The Maputo Music Festival, South Afri-ca, The 50th Anniversary production of West Side Story at the Globus Theatre, Russia, The World Premiere of "Sin-gapora The Musical" staged at the newly renovated Cap-ital Theater in Singapore, and most recently, The Ravenna Festival's Autumn trilogy, in Ravenna, Italy, celebrating Puccini's 'La Boheme'.

Ganakas has garnered many awards and honors for his work, including the Helen Hayes Award, the Connecticut Critics Circle Award, the Kennedy Center College Theater Festival Award, the New York University Distinguished Teaching Award, and Special Honors for his productions at The New York International Fringe Festival and the New York Music Theater Festival. His production of “Izzo Goes to Broadway” earned an Emmy Award in the Arts - Entertain-ment category, and helped raise thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society’s “Coaches vs Cancer” initiative.

A committed educator, he served on the faculty of New York University, where he founded their nationally re-nowned Music Theater program. His guidance and exper-tise helped make it one of the highest regarded programs for Music Theater training in the country. Throughout his tenure he mentored young artists, who have gone on to successful careers in the theater and have made award-winning contributions to the performing arts.

Mr. Ganakas' has had the distinct privilege of collaborating with such artists as Dame Julie Andrews, Hal Prince, Chi-ta Rivera, Betty Buckley, Patti LuPone, Clint Black, Sarah Jessica Parker, Bernadette Peters, Susan Stroman, Idina Menzel, Carly Simon, Kristen Chenoweth, Sarah Hyland, and Joel Grey, as well as composers and writers Jerry Herman, Marvin Hamlisch, Alan Menken, Douglas Carter Beane, and Joe Di'Pietro among others.

Originally from East Lansing, Michigan, Greg Ganakas re-sides in New York City.



JAMES LAWLOR IIILighting DesignerJimmy is a freelance lighting de-signer based in New York City, with clients in theater, opera, dance, and corporate media. New York projects include work for Hedwig & The Angry Inch on Broadway, The Joyce, Epic

Theatre Ensemble, The Vineyard Theatre, CBS/MTV, Atlan-tic Theatre Company, Ars Nova, HERE Arts Center, Classic Stage Company, Cherry Lane Theatre, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Theatre Row, Bushwick Star, La MaMa ETC, PS 122, New York University, and many others.

US and International projects include productions with The Smithsonian, Shakespeare Theatre, Signature Theatre, Arena Stage, Bristol Riverside Theatre, Opera Tampa, Bal-timore Center Stage, Spoleto Festival USA, Opera Naples, Norwegian Cruise Lines, Hartford Stage, The Watermill Center, Hub Theatre Co, Lively Productions, Theatre Mitu, Opera Roanoke, Edmonton Fringe Festival, Infinity Theatre Company, multiple sites of HBO’s Game Of Thrones Expe-rience, and many others.

Jimmy is the resident Lighting Designer for The Ashley Bouder Project, Animus Theatre Company, Infinity Theatre Company, and Lively Productions. He is affiliated with Ch’i Design Studio and Chromatic Light.

Jimmy holds an MFA in Design for Stage and Film from New York University, where he was a graduate assistant. He also holds a BA from James Madison University in Theatre.

Member of United Scenic Artists Local 829

Member of Wingspace Design Collective

JIM MCGOUGH Resident Wig and Makeup DesignerJames P. McGough is pleased to re-turn for his 22nd season with the Virginia Opera. He is excited to work on new operas this year as well as re-

visiting some “old friends.” He enjoys collaborating on both new, innovative productions as well as traditional approaches to the operas we present. Over a 30 year career, Jim’s work has been seen in theatres across the U.S. from Broadway to regional productions. He dedicates this season to the loving memory of his parents.

PAT SEYLLERCostume DesignerPat Seyller as been the Costume Shop Manager at the VA Opera since 1982 and has designed or coordi-nated many of the shows that have been produced in that time. She is

also the Costume Director at Opera Theatre of St Louis and works each summer at the Seagle Music Colony with their young singers program. Has also worked at the Santa Fe Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Atlan-ta Opera and Lake George Opera.

SHELBY RHOADES Principal Coach and Director of Emerging Artists ProgramOhio native Shelby Rhoades returns to Virginia Opera for her fourth sea-son as Principal Coach/Director of

Emerging Artists. She most recently was based in New York City, where she was among the coaching faculty at The Juilliard School since the fall of 2008. Ms. Rhoades currently resides as Principal Coach/Director of Young Artists for the Ash Lawn Opera Festi-val, in Charlottesville, VA. Previous engagements include Coach Fellow for the Aspen Music Festival *Opera Theater 2003-2008, music staff for Seattle Opera/Young Artists Program, and Tacoma Opera. Ms. Rhoades has prepared singers for premieres by composers Jake Heggie, Thom-as Pasatieri, Elliott Carter, among others, and has also worked with renowned singers Isabel Leonard, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Lawrence Brownlee, Morgan Smith, Vin-son Cole and Jane Eaglen. She has worked with Maestros such as Julius Rudel, George Manahan, Gary Thor Wedow, Dean Williamson, and Anne Manson. She holds degrees in Piano Performance, Chamber Accompanying, and Vocal Performance. In addition to her tenure at Juilliard, she has also served at the University of Washington/Seattle, Pacific Lutheran University, and Anderson University.

MAUREEN MCKAY(Rose Maurrant)Maureen McKay is praised and cel-ebrated for her silvery soprano and dynamic character portrayals. This season, McKay returns to The Met-ropolitan Opera as Suor Genovieffa

in Suor Angelica, Opera Colora-do as Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro and Lyric Opera of Kansas City as Despina in Così fan tutte. This summer, she joins the Komische Oper Berlin in their NYC perfor-mance tour of Die Zauberflöte as Pamina in the produc-tion where she originated the role in 2012 with Barrie Kosky. Recent performances include Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel with The Metropolitan Opera, and Bayerische Sta-atsoper, Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance and Nannetta in Falstaff with San Diego Opera, Susanna with Lyric Op-era of Kansas City, Pamina with Gran Teatre del Liceu, The Bolshoi Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival, Wash-ington National Opera, and Opera Colorado, Leila in Les pêcheurs de perles with Seattle Opera, Nannetta with the Saito Kinen Festival, Anne Trulove in The Rake's Prog-ress with Portland Opera, as well as Pamina and Gretel.

Artist Underwriting for Maureen McKay provided by Cabell and Mary Jane Birdsong.


DAVID BLALOCK (Sam Kaplan) David Blalock is becoming widely known for his beautiful lyric voice and diverse repertoire. Highlights of his 2018-2019 season include a return to Virginia Opera as Sam Ka-plan in Street Scene, his debut with

West Edge Opera as Pelléas in Pelléas et Mélisande, and a role and house debut as Alfredo in La Traviata with Arizona Opera. Recent engagements include A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Virginia Opera, Così fan tutte with Opera San Jose, a concert of arias and opera highlights with the San Francisco Symphony, Silent Night with Lyric Opera of Kansas City and Atlanta Opera, and Champion with Wash-ington National Opera. He has previously appeared with Virginia Opera in Sweeney Todd, Der fliegende Holländer, Ariadne auf Naxos, Carmen, The Magic Flute, and Falstaff.

Artist Underwriting for David Blalock provided by Ina Levy and Richard Staub.

JILL GARDNER (Anna Maurrant)Jill Gardner sits among today’s lead-ing operatic heroines. Gardner is consistently hailed for her portrayals of the leading ladies of the verismo repertoire and Puccini heroines alike. This season, Ms. Gardner performs

the role of Anna Maurrant in Street Scene with Virginia Opera, Minnie in La fanciulla del West with Maryland Lyric Opera, and Cio-Cio-San in Madama Butterfly with Greens-boro Opera. She also performs as a soloist in Greensboro Opera’s “Opera Gala” and Binghamton Philharmonic’s “Wagner’s Ring Cycle in One Night” concert. Last season, she performed Minnie in La fanciulla del West with Virginia Opera, the Marquise of Berkenfield in La fille du Régiment with Hawaii Opera Theatre, and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth with Opera Tampa.

Artist Underwriting for Jill Gardner provided by Tom and Christie Nicholson.

ZACHARY JAMES (Frank Maurrant)Zachary James is a “born stage an-imal” (Opera Today) known for his “tremendous power and presence” (The Arts Desk) and “intrinsically beautiful”, “cavernous bass” (Opera News). He created the role of Abra-

ham Lincoln in Philip Glass’ The Perfect American (Teatro Real, English National Opera, Opera Queensland), Terry in Missy Mazzoli’s Breaking The Waves (Opera Philadelphia), Oberon in Il Sogno (Teatro Citta della Pieve) and Lurch in The Addams Family (Broadway) and the Scribe in the Olivier Award-winning English National Opera production of Akhnaten. He has also sung with the New York Philhar-monic, Philadelphia Orchestra, NHK Symphony Tokyo, LA Opera, Arizona Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Ro-anoke, Anchorage Opera, Central City Opera, Union Avenue Opera, Shreveport Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Opera Ithaca, Knoxville Opera and more. Zach will make his Metropolitan Opera debut in 2019. www.ZachJames.com

Artist Underwriting for Zachary James provided by Jim Deming.

APRIL MARTIN (Greta Fiorentino) April Martin made her New Amster-dam Opera debut this June singing Inez in Donizetti's rarely performed

opera, La Favorita. This summer, Ms. Martin returned to the Bar Harbor Music Festival to sing Gretel in Hänsel und Gretel. She sang the role of Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance with Piedmont Opera in March 2018. As a member of Virginia Opera’s 2018-2019 Hern-don Foundation Emerging Artists Program, April sings Greta Fiorentino in Street Scene and Giannetta in The Elixir of Love. On the concert stage, she debuted with the Richmond Symphony in an "A New Year in Vienna" Concert (2018) and joined fellow artists from Virginia Opera to perform at "Opera in the Park" (2017). www.aprilmartinsoprano.com

Artist Underwriting for April Martin provided by Homer Smith.




MARGARET GAWRYSIAK (Emma Jones)Known for her powerful voice and galvanizing performances, mez-zo-soprano Margaret Gawrysiak’s engagements this season include the Old Lady in Candide with The Knights at Tanglewood and Ravinia,

Marcellina in Le nozze di Figaro for her return to Opera Colorado, and Emma Jones in Street Scene with Virginia Opera. Future seasons will include a debut with Dallas Op-era. The 2017-2018 season saw a return to Seattle Opera as Berta in The Barber of Seville, and appearances with the Seattle Symphony for Beethoven’s Ninth Sympho-ny and New York City Ballet for Stravinsky’s Les noces. On the concert stage, she has appeared with the Boston Symphony Orchestra (Lorin Maazel conducting), American Symphony Orchestra, and others. She is a graduate of the young artists programs of the Seattle Opera, Merola, and Glimmerglass Festival, and received degrees from East-man School of Music and Wester Illinois University.

Artist Underwriting for Maggie Gawrysiak provided by Henry Garrity.

PETER KENDALL CLARK (Harry Easter) Peter Kendall Clark has appeared with New York City Opera, Virginia Opera, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Car-amoor Opera, Charlottesville Opera, Syracuse Opera, Belleayre Festival,

St. Petersburg Opera, Chelsea Opera, Opera on the James, Anchorage Opera and Skylight Music Theatre. Musical theater roles: Harold Hill, Sweeney Todd, Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance, Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun, Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady, Arthur in Camelot, and Fredrik in A Little Night Music. Recently: Sweeney Todd with Hawaii Opera Theatre, Le nozze di Figaro and Glo-ry Denied at Chelsea Opera, Candide (directed by Harold Prince) at New York City Opera and Camelot at Virginia Op-era. Upcoming: Bach B minor mass with Helena Sympho-ny, Macheath in The Threepenny Opera at Syracuse Opera.

MELISSA BONETTI (Olga Olsen) Melisa Bonetti has been hailed by Opera Today as “a warm, supple mezzo that struck all the right im-pressions” and as “commanding a wonderful presence in the lower middle voice but also easily soaring

heavenward with a well-schooled top.” As a member of Virginia Opera’s 2018-2019 Herndon Foundation Emerg-ing Artists Program, Melisa Bonetti sings Ms. Olga Olsen in Street Scene and Zerlina in Don Giovanni. Melisa returns to Virginia Opera after her residency with the company last year in which she covered Delilah in Samson and Delilah, sang Wowkle in La fanciulla del West, covered Hermia and Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and sang Ali-sa in Lucia di Lammermoor. During her time off between seasons, Melisa took on her first Russian work as Marta in Iolanta with Queen City Opera in Cincinnati, and attended the international voice masterclass Ebe Stignani program in Imola, Italy on a full scholarship.

RYAN KUSTER (Carl Olsen)Ryan Kuster is gaining national rec-ognition for the “dark, noble timbre of his voice.” Of his performance as Escamillo in Carmen with Opera Col-orado, the Community Digital News

wrote, “Mr. Kuster plays Escamillo as a self-confident showman who also displays a cool, cynical approach to love… It’s a marvelous performance of this small yet key role.” Recent engagements include a return to Dallas Op-era as Dr. Grenvil in La traviata and Old Hebrew in Samson et Dalila and Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Virginia Opera. Upcoming engagements include the role of Carl Olsen in Street Scene with Virginia Opera, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro with Opera Colorado, and a house debut with Hawaii Opera Theatre.

TREVOR NEAL (Henry Davis)Hailed by Opera News for his ex-tremely “warm and rich baritone”, Grammy Award-nominated baritone Trevor Neal is a favorite among au-

diences across the United States. A 2018 Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition Encouragement award recipient, Trevor’s 2018/19 season includes performances at the Newport Music Festival-Newport, RI as the Festival baritone, a return to Virginia Opera to sing the role of Henry Davis in Street Scene, and another season as a member of the Opera San Jose’s resident company. Audiences this season will see him in a matinee as Tonio in Pagliacci, Captain Gardiner in Moby Dick, and Sharpless in Mada-ma Butterfly. In the 2017/18 season, audiences saw him as Rambaldo in La Rondine, a matinee performance of Dutchman in Der fliegende Holländer, and a triumphant role debut as Giorgio Germont in La Traviata.


LOGAN Z. WEBBER (Daniel Buchanan)

Logan Webber is a native of Colo-rado Springs, Colorado, and has performed with The Colorado Col-lege Vocal Arts Festival, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Opera Theater of the Rockies, A.J. Fletch-

er Opera Institute, Piedmont Opera in North Carolina, Ash Lawn Opera, Chautauqua Opera, the Rural Artists Project in Alaska, and the American Institute of Musical Studies program in Graz, Austria. In 2018, Logan was one of two singers selected as a Young Artist at the Hawaii Opera The-atre, where he was featured in Eugene Onegin, La fille du Régiment, a one-act opera (Service Provider), as well as the premiere of Herb Mahelona’s oratorio, Kinohi. In the summer he made his mainstage debut with Charlottes-ville Opera as Rapunzel's Prince. As a member of Virginia Opera’s 2018-2019 Herndon Foundation Emerging Artists Program, Logan sings Daniel Buchanan in Street Scene, covers Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and performs in the Spring Education and Outreach Tour.

BENJAMIN WERLEY (Lippo Fiorentino)Pittsburgh native Benjamin Wer-ley—praised as having a “gleaming, flexible tenor” (Opera News)—has performed at many of the country’s leading opera companies, including

the Santa Fe Opera, Florida Grand Opera, Virginia Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Opera Colorado, and the Merola Opera Program. He was one of twenty singers nationwide selected to sing in the semi-fi-nals of the 2012-2013 Metropolitan Opera National Coun-cil Auditions in New York City, and has since completed several young artist programs. This season, he returns to Virginia Opera as Lippo Fiorentino in Street Scene, and makes his debut at Dayton Opera as Narraboth and Sec-ond Jew in their production of Salome. He is a graduate of the Jacob’s School of Music at Indiana University, where he studied with renowned soprano Carol Vaness and ped-agogue Paul Kiesgen.

AHNASTASIA ALBERT (Mae Jones)Broadway National Tour: Memphis as White Teen Girl; Holland America Cruiseline: Singer/Dancer; Regional: Fulton Theatre, PCPA Theatrefest, Utah Festival Opera, ABT, PEG; Re-gional Favs: Rock of Ages; Margot/u.s.

Elle, Legally Blonde; Cinderella, Into the Woods; West Side Story; Brenda/u.s. Tracy, Hairspray; Walt Disney World & Disneyland: Dancer/Singer; Union Member of AEA. Judge for Starbound National Talent Competititon. A huge thank you to Virginia Opera. Such a joy to sing & dance with my best friend, David Michael Bevis each night! Instagram: ru-mor_in_stpetersburg

DAVID MICHAEL BEVIS (Dick McGann)David Michael Bevis is thrilled to be making his Virginia Opera debut in Street Scene! Past credits include: Memphis National Tour, St Peters-burg Opera, Disney Cruise Line, Ogunquit Playhouse, Arts Center of

Coastal Carolina, freeFall and TheatreZone. BA: University of Tampa. Many thanks to Peter & Adam for the opportu-nity, Stazi for the best partner a guy could ask for, Avalon, my amazing Brian and incredible parents, supporting me through it all. Toi Toi & enjoy! www.DavidMichaelBevis.com @dmbevis

BROOKE NICOLE JONES (Jennie Hildebrand)Brooke Jones is a senior at The Gov-ernor’s School for the Arts (GSA) in Norfolk, Virginia and Hickory High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. She studies voice with Mr. Alan Fischer and is Alternate Soprano Section

Leader and Soloist at First Presbyterian Church of Norfolk under the direction of Dr. Stephen Z. Cook. Brooke has per-formed the roles of Cobweb in Virginia Opera’s A Midsum-mer Night’s Dream and Madame Goldentrill (cover) in Tide-water Opera Initiative’s The Impresario. At GSA, she has performed Sour Genovieffa in Suor Angelica, Gretel (cover) in Hänsel und Gretel, and Queen of the Night in The Magic Flute. She has also been a soloist in Handel’s Messiah and Orff’s Carmina Burana. Upon graduation, Brooke is looking forward to pursuing a degree in vocal performance.

ALAN FISCHER (Abraham Kaplan)Alan Fischer began his professional singing career at age of 6 as a so-loist with the Metropolitan and New York City Opera Children's Chorus-es. He is an accomplished teacher

specializing in operatic character development and audition presentation for singers. Since 1994, Mr. Fischer has been the Chair of the Vocal Music Department at the Governor's School of the Arts in Norfolk, Virginia where he has developed and maintained a very successful high school classical vocal music program with an emphasis on opera and art song. As a performer, he maintains over 50 character and supporting tenor roles in his repertoire and has performed with many American companies and in Europe. As a director, he has directed productions at Intermountain Opera, Tidewater Opera Ini-tiative, as well as directing and conducting more than 30 opera productions at The Governor's School for the Arts. He has sung in numerous productions with Virginia Opera since 1999 including Le nozze di Figaro, Tosca, Andrea Chénier, The Magic Flute, Turandot, La Bohème, Susannah, La Traviata, and Carousel.



EVAN BRAVOS (George Jones)Evan Bravos, baritone, has been praised by the Chicago Tribune for his “strong singing and acting” and marked as “a young talent to watch”. As a member of Virginia Opera’s 2018-2019 Herndon Foun-

dation Emerging Artists Program, Mr. Bravos will perform Mr. Jones (Street Scene) and Masetto (Don Giovanni); at Sarasota Opera, he will cover Papageno (Die Zauberflöte). Most recently, he was heard in recital as a Vocal Fellow at the Ravinia Steans Music Institute. At Opera Theatre of St. Louis, he created the roles of Pvt. Johnson and Sgt. Brown in the world premiere of Huang Rao’s An American Sol-dier and performed the role of John Bagtry (Regina). Past credits: Opera Santa Barbara, Central City Opera, Opera on the James and Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Unlimited series. Learn more about this artist: www.evanbravos.com

MAXSON TAXTER (Willie Maurrant)Maxson Taxter is a 7th grade student in Plaza Middle School’s Internation-al Baccalaureate program, in Virginia Beach. Besides being involved in chorus since 5th grade, Maxson

has sung the part of Hamilton in My Shot and has played the role of Charlie Brown in A Charlie Brown Christmas. He has also been a member of All-City Chorus for the past two years, a television anchor for the school’s news and performed in The One Act Play festi-val. Maxson is thankful for this opportunity and excited to make his professional debut with the Virginia Opera. Max would like to thank his elementary music teacher, Jen-nifer Nannery, as well as his current chorus teacher Erin DuBose. Maxson also appreciates all the support from his Mom, Dad and sisters, Cassandra and Juliana.

EMILY RUSSELL (Mrs. Hildebrand)Norfolk native Emily Russell has been performing and teaching music locally for over fifteen years. After re-ceiving her Bachelor of Music from James Madison University, Ms. Rus-

sell taught music in both public and private school settings and currently teaches private voice and piano. In addition to her work with Virginia Opera, Ms. Russell has performed with the Virginia Chorale, the Vir-ginia Symphony Chorus, Tidewater Opera Initiative, and Cantabile Project. She has an upcoming engagement as the mezzo-soprano soloist for Verdi’s Requiem with Sym-phonicity in February 2019.

ERIN LINDSAY CARR (Resident Stage Manager) Erin Lindsay Carr is thrilled to be join-ing VA Opera for the 2018-2019 sea-son. Some favorite credits include The Consul (Chicago Opera Theatre), FRIDA (Michigan Opera Theatre), Semiramide (Opera Delaware), Le

nozze di Figaro (Curtis Opera), Peter Pan, Showboat (Utah Festival Opera & Musical Theatre), Les Miserables, Annie, The Drowsy Chaperone, RENT, Mary Poppins, Titanic, Man of La Mancha. Originally from Philadelphia Erin has en-joyed traveling the US working for various companies. Erin spent the first half of 2018 on tour with Curious George performing for over 100,000 children. Erin received her Bachelors of Fine Arts in Stage Management from Syra-cuse University. Thank you to everyone at VA Opera for the warm welcome to Norfolk!



by William V. Madison

Virginia Opera’s new Artistic Di-rector is a familiar face: Adam Turner, who’s been with the company for nearly a decade, most recently as Principal Con-ductor and Artistic Advisor. The new title effectively enhances and enlarges his previous responsibili-ties. He’ll continue to conduct, and now, instead of being one voice in production meetings, he’ll be the deciding voice. This step seems

like a natural progression for an artist who, despite his youth and wide-ranging tastes, has followed a remarkably traditional career path. “My conducting idols are all conductors who rose through the ranks — the German house system — and learned their craft accompanying singers,” says Turner. With an undergraduate degree in piano performance and a Mas-ter’s in orchestral conducting, he seemed headed for a symphonic career until the opera house in Pforzheim, Ger-many, engaged him to rehearse singers and prepare pro-ductions, as well as to conduct. Returning to the U.S., he took positions such as assistant conductor, chorus master, and rehearsal pianist, gradually taking on more conduct-ing responsibilities. This path, too, follows the example of maestros he admires, who “recognized the importance of supporting the stage before they could really learn how to guide it and pace an evening-length theater work.” Turner says his definition of good conducting is constantly evolving, influenced by “another conductor or a director, an impresario, a book on leadership … I take kernels of wisdom from everyone I encounter.” He strives to “create a place where artists can realize their full potential,” he says, “uniting all these forces and providing a service of beauty.” One conducting mentor, John DeMain, “showed me the importance of being a man of the theater,” which involves “creating a moving experience, passionate, com-pelling, while remaining aware of the stage and being sure the performances get past the footlights and beyond me and into the theater. You really have to be focused on the big picture, always.”Turner also cites conductor–composer Benjamin Britten, who once described a “Holy Trinity” of composer, per-former, and listener. “It requires an equal amount of par-ticipation from the audience. That’s important to me, that I engage the audience along with the performer, and that I somehow bridge that divide, if there is one, trying to blur the line. It goes into selection of repertory, too. You can do anything, why limit yourself?”Already at VO, Turner has presided over a wide-ranging repertory, and he points with pride to Britten’s A Midsum-mer Night’s Dream, a rarity among regional opera com-panies; and to Weber’s Der Freischütz, which is seldom performed outside Germany. Both were included as part of VO’s “First of Firsts” series, which features works never before performed by the company. “It’s healthy for an in-stitution to challenge ourselves artistically,” he says. He’d love to see the company take on more contemporary op-era, pointing to several Virginian composers whose work he admires. “Our audience is open and willing to hear new music.”With standard repertory, “there are always going to be first-time experiences, the Moonstruck Bohème, the Pretty Woman Traviata,” referring to movies in which the hero-ines are thrilled by their first operas. “The beauty of the music and the beauty of the production captures someone — and then they come back and see Sweeney Todd or Samson and Delilah, and they find out there’s so much more than just Puccini and Verdi.”

“The beauty of the music and the beauty of the production captures someone — and then they come back and see Sweeney Todd or Samson and Delilah, and they find out there’s so much more than just Puccini and Verdi.” The upcoming season kicks off with another “First of Firsts,” Kurt Weill’s Street Scene. An American opera writ-ten for Broadway, “It’s everything and the kitchen sink: opera parody, blues, jazz, Broadway dance numbers, and it has parallels with Madama Butterfly, which we’re also doing later in the season,” Turner says, adding, “which is not without coincidence!” Depicting two days on a single New York City block, Street Scene is a portrait of a com-munity — and Turner plans to involve the VO community, too. “We’re going to unite local schools, local actors, local dancers and musicians,” he says. Similar collaborative ef-forts for A Midsummer Night’s Dream not only helped to meet casting requirements, they also heightened interest in that particular opera and in Virginia Opera overall.Street Scene will be the sixteenth production at VO for stage director Dorothy Danner (a former Broadway danc-er), and another audience favorite, stage director Lillian Groag, returns for Don Giovanni, her twenty-fourth pro-duction with the company. “Our audiences love Dottie and Lillian,” Turner says, “and they’ll be delighted to see our veteran stage directors guiding these works at the begin-ning of the season. It was important to me that we honor the past, but also signal the future,” with stage directors Richard Gammon (Madama Butterfly) making his company debut, and Kyle Lang (The Elixir of Love), who’s directed at VO only twice before. Though he’s prepared singers for Giovanni, Elixir, and Butterfly, all four operas this season represent conduct-ing firsts for Turner, who will lead every performance. And beginning this season, “Instead of having a seat at the casting table, I am the casting table. I have the final say, and the primary responsibility for our artistic product rests with me.” Before becoming Principal Conductor four years ago, “I never realized how much the actual profession of con-ductor would inform all the other facets of leading an arts organization,” Turner says. “Just as when you’re trying to bring an orchestra into one unified voice, it’s the same thing with an opera company, unifying all the departments, with the one goal of creating a wonderful artistic expe-rience. Working in the rehearsal room, working with the production team, working with the board, that’s one of the lessons I’ve learned.” For an opera conductor, Turner is still quite young, and he embraces VO’s Next Generation initiative to secure the youngest opera audience in the United States by 2025. “It’s my primary goal to honor our seasoned operagoers while broadening our appeal to younger audiences, cultivating a healthy appetite for connection and real engagement,” he says. “I want to build on Virginia Opera’s reputation for artistic excellence, featuring debuts of world-class talent and repertory premieres, offering our audiences the high quality they’ve come to expect — while doing everything I can to make it even better!”

- WILLIAM V. MADISON is the author of MADELINE KAHN: BEING THE MUSIC and a former associate editor of OPERA NEWS Magazine.

IN CONVERSATION WITH ADAM TURNER

ADAM TURNER


Russell P. Allen President and CEO

Adam Turner Artistic Director

ADMINISTRATIONJoJo Chittum Receptionist/Administrative Assistant

ARTISTIC Nick CooperArtistic Administrator Shelby Rhoades Principal Coach and Director of Emerging Artists

Alex Wilkerson Intern

ACCOUNTINGKenneth Pearl Director of Finance and

Human ResourcesAndrew Meiggs Staff Accountant

DEVELOPMENTLisa Sands Director of Development, Hampton Roads

John-Paul Schaefer Director of Development, Central and Northern Virginia

Susan Porter Grants Administrator/ Institutional Giving

Caroline EmmertDevelopment Coordinator Hampton Roads

Jamie Wilson Development Coordinator Central/Northern Virginia

EDUCATION/OUTREACH Cecelia Schieve Statewide Director of Education and Outreach

Dr. Glenn Winters Community Outreach Director

HARRISON OPERA HOUSE Roberta Brennan Facilities Manager

Velma Morgan Housekeeping Supervisor

Lisa Stewart House Manager/Usher Coordinator

MARKETING & PATRON SERVICESLana Sadowski Director of Marketing, Hampton Roads

Amanda Jo Ely Group Sales & Audience Services Manager

Briana Klingaman Box Office Associate

Kendall Dodson Box Office Associate, Social Media Coordinator

Sarah Vitek Marketing and Office Assistant

PRODUCTIONLee Marc Molnar Director of Production

Roberta Brennan Properties Manager/Facilities Manager

Katie Ritter Company Manager

Erin Lindsay CarrProduction Stage Manager

Alex CammarotaRobert Klein

Assistant Stage Managers

Ken SteadmanLighting Supervisor

Angel CowenAsst. Master Electrician

Jay TuthillTechnical Director

Kyle ParhamAssistant Technical Director /Crew Chief

John-Luke WhittenStage Op Carpenter

Jessica CiccolellaProperties Artisan

Pat SeyllerCostume Director

Jessica HemsleyDraper

Annie YongeStitcher

Elizabeth KumpCraftsperson

James McGoughResident Wig & Make-up Designer

Elyse MessickWig & Make-up Shop Manager

Kathleen MooreMallory Evans

Wigs/Makeup Assistant Mark Baker Supertitle Operator

Courtney Colbert Wrangler

Emmanuel JonesRail

Kyle ParhamJohn-Luke Whitten

Deck Crew Faraji Jackson

Sound OperatorRobert CabrelKim Fuller Edilen Obamos

Followspots

THE HERNDON FOUNDATION EMERGING ARTISTS PROGRAM

Catherine Goode, Soprano Zoe Johnson, Soprano April Martin, SopranoMelisa Bonetti, Mezzo-sopranoTalin Nalbandian, Mezzo-sopranoDylan Elza, Tenor

Steven D. Myles, TenorLogan Z. Webber, TenorEvan Bravos, Baritone Phillip Bullock, Baritone Heeseung Chae, Baritone Joseph Mazzara, Baritone

John Tibbetts, BaritoneJoshua Arky,Bass-BaritoneJoseph Hubbard, BassJohanna Kvam, PianistCarson Rose Schneider, Pianist

VIRGINIA OPERA PERSONNEL


Tribute and Memorial Gifts are made each season to the Virginia Opera Foundation and are listed throughout the season in which the contribution is given. The following donors have contributed this year and were received by March 15, 2018.

MEMORIAL GIFTS

In Memory of Edith Bender from Kym Hemley Butz

In Memory of Wilson Jenkins Browning Jr. from Mary Katherine Browning Berger

In Loving Memory of Genevieve Cannon from Mr. David J. Russell and Ms. Virginia Cannon

In Memory of Carole Edelstein from Ms. Jane Johnson

In Memory and Honor of Rowena Fullinwider from Peter Fullinwider

In Memory of R Franklin and Arbee R. Edwards from the Edwards Family Charitable Fund

TRIBUTES AND MEMORIAL GIFTS

In Memory of Richard Miller:Mr. Jeffrey ChernitzerMr. and Mrs. Jeff CooperMr. Leslie FriedmanMr. and Mrs. Peter HuberMs. Barbara KahnMs. Ina Levy and Mr. Richard StaubMrs. Valerie NeffMs. Thelma Oser and FamilyMr. and Mrs. Allan ReynoldsRon Zoby ToursMs. Sharon RossMr. and Mrs. Mark Shaw

TRIBUTE GIFTS

In Honor of Amberleigh Klaus’s Birthday from Jojo Chittum

AUDIOVISUAL

Reston - Richmond - Hampton Roads

onyxav.com

ONYX is pleased to have

o u r e v e n t s d i v i s i o n

ONYX-LIVE! be a part of

the excellence at the

Virginia Opera during

the 2018 season. The

Arts play a vital part in

the plot of a healthy

community.

Events and Permanent Installations

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SAVE THE DATE!

2019 HAMPTON ROADS GALASaturday, April 13, 2019Harrison Opera HouseHonorary Co-Chairs:

Dr. Edward and Linda Lilly

2019 RICHMOND GALAWednesday, April 3, 2019

Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

For information about the 2018 Hampton Roads Gala, or tickets, contact Lisa Sands at 757.213.4554 or [email protected]

Contact John-Paul Schaefer about the Richmond Gala at 804.644.8168 ext. 3398

or [email protected]


Director Circle($25,000 and above)

CORPORATE:AltriaBusiness Consortium for Arts SupportDominion EnergyNorfolk SouthernVirginia Eye Consultants

FOUNDATION:E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter

FoundationChristian Family FoundationThe Hampton Roads Community

FoundationThe Herndon FoundationThe Joyce Strelitz FundThe Kurt Weill Foundation for MusicMary Morton Parsons FoundationSlatten-MacDonald Fund

GOVERNMENT:City of NorfolkVirginia Commission for the Arts

INDIVIDUAL:Anonymous Anonymous AnonymousDr. & Mrs. William D. CovingtonMr. and Mrs. Vince FerrantiDrs. William J. and Mary Ann FrableMr. Henry A. GarrityMr. and Mrs. David R. GoodeMr. & Mrs. Floyd D. Gottwald, Jr.

- The Herndon FoundationMrs. Courtney HyersMr. & Mrs. Harvey LindsayMrs. Bucci and Mrs. John Zeugner

Producers Circle($10,000 - $24,999)

CORPORATE:Virginia Tourism Corporation

FOUNDATION:Margaret Massie Disharoon

Charitable TrustFranklin Southampton CharitiesThe Fannie, Milton, and

Leslie Friedman FoundationHelen G. Gifford Foundation

Virginia Opera is grateful to the following contributors for their support of either our 2017-2018 Annual Fund Campaign, our Sustainable Future Campaign, or our 2018-2019 Annual Fund Campaign through September 1, 2018.

Maymont FoundationNicholson AAAA Charitable FoundationR.E.B. FoundationRichard S. Reynolds FoundationRebekah L. Huber Family Charitable Fund

GOVERNMENT:CultureWorks and The Arts and Cultural

Funding ConsortiumChesterfield CountyNewport News Arts CommissionPortsmouth Museum and Fine Arts

CommissionVirginia Beach Arts and Humanities

Commission

INDIVIDUAL:Mr. and Mrs. Stanley G. Barr Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Langdon T. Christian IVMr. Sean P. FooheyMs. Cary FountainMr. and Mrs. Cyrus W. Grandy VMr. Thomas A. GrantMr. and Mrs. Robert E. HillMr. and Mrs. Peter M. HuberMr. Richard I. MillerDr. Lawrence MoralesMr. and Mrs. Jose Luis MurilloPatricia PuseyDr. John ReynoldsMr. and Mrs. Allan S. Reynolds Jr.Mr. and Mrs. John S. ShannonMr. Homer A. SmithDr. Elisabeth Muhlenfeld Wollan

Artist Patron Society($5,000 - $9,999)

CORPORATE:Match Group LLCVirginia Opera Guild

FOUNDATION:J.L. Camp FoundationLouise B. Cochrane Charitable FoundationMarian P. Taylor Declaration Of Trust

GOVERNMENT:Alexandria Commission for the ArtsArts Council Of Fairfax CountyChesapeake Fine Arts CommissionWilliamsburg Area Arts Commission

INDIVIDUAL:Anonymous Donation in honor of Millie

and Alex WilkersonMr. and Mrs. Cabell B. BirdsongKym Hemley Butz and Joe ButzJudge and Mrs. James Cales Jr.Mrs. Carole CorsoDr. and Mrs. Mark CostenbaderMr. and Mrs. Benjamin G. Cottrell IVMr. Raymond DeFrankCol. James F. Deming and

Major Mark E. BoardHon. and Mrs. Robert G. DoumarMr. and Mrs. Wesley C. DudleyJudge and Mrs. Robert B. EdwardsMr. and Mrs. Dennis GartmanMs. Karen GulianoMrs. Eva S. HardyMr. James A. HixonMr. and Mrs. Barry A. HodgesMr. Jimmy Lee Huitt, Jr. and

Dr. Cora T. HuittMr. and Mrs. Marcellus C. KirchnerMr. and Mrs. Robert KuhloMs. Ina D. Levy and Mr. Richard StaubMr. Michael & Mrs. Nancy LottSusan and Dale OllerDr. and Mrs. Gerald J. PepeMs. Jane ReynoldsMs. Lynn Cobb and Mr. Warren RichardDr. and Mrs. James SchneiderMs. Marilyn ScottDrs. William M. and Bonnie WaldropMr. and Mrs. Samuel WebsterMrs. Deborah Wyld

Bravo Society($2,500 - $4,999)

CORPORATE:Birdsong Corporation

FOUNDATION:Community Foundation for a Greater RichmondThe Edward L. and Linda H. Lilly Charitable FundJohn A. Cable FoundationNorthern Piedmont Community FoundationRouse-Bottom FoundationThe Ula Motekat Fund

CONTRIBUTORS


GOVERNMENT:Suffolk Fine Arts CommissionYork County Arts Commission

INDIVIDUAL:Dr. Daniel Alonso and Dr. Powers PetersonMs. Corliss ArcherMr. and Mrs. William W. BeyerDrs. Bruce and Cassianne BoothCapt. and Mrs. Malcolm P. BranchDr. and Mrs. O. Christian Bredrup Jr.Ms. Jennifer A. CableDr. and Mrs. Glenn R. CarwellMr. and Mrs. Christopher J. CoffingMr. and Mrs. Charles CooperMrs. Bess P. DeckerMr. Carl DolmetschMr. Ammon G. Dunton Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Frederick S. FisherMr. Chris and Mrs. Renee GilmanMr. and Mrs. Ray GindrozMr. and Mrs. Eric A. HansonDr. William T. Hark and Katherine DeLoyhtMr. and Mrs. Charles T. HillMr. and Mrs. John E. HollowayMr. Edward J. KellyMs. Shelloy K. KigerMr. and Mrs. James A. KitzMr. Lee Krumbein and Dr. Susan KornsteinMs. Esta KornsteinMr. and Mrs. Henry D. LightDr. and Mrs. Edward L. LillyMr. and Mrs. Lewis MayeMr. and Mrs. William B. McAree IIMr. and Mrs. Charles R. ModlinMr. and Mrs. Frank Monroe Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Johnson C. Moss Jr.Mrs. Valerie R. NeffMr. Tom Nicholson III and

Mrs. Christie NicholsonMr. and Mrs. Robert PettersonDr. and Mrs. Larry QuateMs. Marika A. RawlesMrs. Virginia RedickMr. Thomas E. RobinsonMr. Tom RobinsonLinda T. Dorsey & James SatterwhiteMr. and Mrs. C. J. Schmidt Jr.Mr. Stephen Scoper M.D.Ms. Marilyn ScottMr. J. Kenneth Timmons, Jr.Mr. Guy K. and Hon. Winship TowerMr. and Mrs. William D. UngermanMr. and Mrs. Dan VillaniDr. and Mrs. Aaron VinikMr. and Mrs. D. H. WattsMr. and Mrs. Wayne F. WilbanksMs. Evangeline Yoder

Benefactor Society($1,500 - $2,499)

CORPORATE:Caterpillar FoundationOmni Medical Group, LLCRutter Mills, LLP

GOVERNMENT:Henrico Education Foundation

INDIVIDUAL:AnonymousAnonymousMr. Allen E. Anderson and

Dr. Kenneth SkenaMr. Allen BakerMr. and Mrs. Vern BarhamMr. and Mrs. J. Temple BaylissMr. and Mrs. David N. BlakeyMr. and Mrs. S. L. BoglioMs. Valerie BrookemanMr. and Mrs. Stuart BuxbaumDr. and Mrs. J. F. ClingenpeelMr. and Mrs. Wayne ColemanMr. James M. ComptonMr. and Mrs. Daniel S. DechertMs. Margaret P. EdgertonMr. Eric L. FoxMr. and Mrs. Richard FurigaAdm. and Mrs. Harold W. Gehman Jr.Mr. and Ms. James J. GildeaMr. and Mrs. Robert GlasserMr. Robert GreenspunMr. and Mrs. Billy HarperDr. Sarah B. Clarkson and Dr. John HerreMrs. and Mr. Cynthia HolmesMrs. Sarah B. HuberDr. W. Glenn HurtDr. Anne-Marie IraniMs. Mary A. Kellam CanadaCdr. Kenneth A. KrantzMrs. Eleanor MarshallCol. and Mrs. Thomas H. MeurerMs. Joetta MillerMs. Shantell E. NashatkaMs. Donna NoonanMr. and Mrs. James NooneMr. and Mrs. Greg OverholserMr. and Mrs. Robert PacekMrs. Mary B. PerkinsMr. and Mrs. Donald E. PerryMs. Nancy PrillamanMr. and Mrs. David W. RennoldsMr.and Mrs. Laurens SartorisMr. & Mrs. G. Jacob Savage IIIMs. Lisa Sinclair and Mr. Jim BoswellMrs. Jane Spilman

Mr. Lawrence L. SteingoldMs. Page D. StylesHon. Lydia C. TaylorMr. John S. TheonMr. Adam TurnerMr. Paul Campsen and Dr. Carrie WhiteMr. and Mrs. George WiggintonMr. and Mrs. Paul WinslowDr. and Mrs. G. Byron Work

Opera Partner($1,000 - $1,499)

FOUNDATION:Elmwood Fund

INDIVIDUAL:Mr. Robert E. AdlerMs. Donna AllenMs. Ann AskewMrs. Judy BlandMrs. Caroline Y. BrandtMs. Rejena CarrerasMrs. Donna CaseMr. James FeldmanDr. and Mrs. Joseph G. Fiveash Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Carter B. FurrMr. and Mrs. Charles L. GoldMs. Vesta Lee GordonMr. and Mrs. Louis S. HarrisMr. Claus Ihlemann and Mr. Robert RomanMs. Gayle JohnsonMr. and Mrs. Stanley JonesMs. Diana LivingstonCol. and Mrs. David MaltbyMr. Memo Maquivar and Ms. Leslie

LamersMr. and Dr. H. L. MarksMr. and Mrs. Vincent J. Mastracco Jr.Mr. William H. MearsMr. and Mrs. Reynolds MonachMr. and Mrs. Michael OverstreetMr. and Mrs. Gary PittsMr. Frank RaysorMs. Eileen ScheinMr. Marc G. StadiemMrs. Gudi StambukMr. and Mrs. Paul K. StockmeyerMs. Dora Lee TaylorDr. Ashton TriceMr. C. W. TuckerMr. and Mrs. Kirk TuckerMr. and Mrs. J. Dirk WaleckaMrs. Harriet WhiteMrs. Faye G. WhitlockMr. and Mrs. Juan WhittingtonMs. Millie Wilkerson

CONTRIBUTORS


Opera Sustainer($500 - $999)

CORPORATE:Richmond PRISMRon Zoby Tours

FOUNDATION:Adele M. Thomas Charitable

Foundation, IncEugenia Kennedy FundUnited Jewish Community of

the Virginia Peninsula

INDIVIDUAL:AnonymousMs. Patricia ArantMr. & Mrs. Malcolm BellMr. Charles O. BurgessMr. Gary ChiaverottiMrs. Catherine ClaiborneMr. and Mrs. C. Robert ClarkMs. Mary ConnellMr. and Mrs. Ralph ConnellyDrs. Georgean And Mark DeBloisHon. and Mrs. Rodham T. DelkMr. Arthur A. FlemingMrs. Harry Frazier IVCol. and Mrs. David J. FriemanMr. Edwin GatewoodMr. Charles GibbonsMr. Robert C. Goodman Jr.Dr. and Mrs. T. Winston GouldinMrs. Dorothy P. GrandstaffMr. William GriggsDr. & Mrs. Dwight H. HarrisonCapt. and Mrs. Joel B. HeatonMs. Kathleen HodgeMs. Pamela Hyatt and

Mr. James M. GrahamMr. Robert InglisMr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. JohnsonMr. Edward Joyce IIIDr. and Mrs. Joseph F. Kent IIIMr. Brian KintMr. John KlemencDr. Christopher Kogut &

Dr. Thomas PeyserMr. and Mrs. Bruce M. KoplinMr. and Mrs. Peter M. KosteMr. and Mrs. Robert LaibstainDr. Velimir LuketicCapt. and Mrs. Carl V. MallettMr. and Mrs. S Randall McDanielMr. and Mrs. Earl McLainMr. Howard T. McLoughlinMs. Elizabeth MooreDr. and Ms. William B. MoskowitzMrs. Rhonda Murray

Mrs. Ilse NiedermayerDennis and JoAnn OlsonMr. Glenn PalatiniMr. Gene Parker and Ms. Ilene StevensMrs. Toni Parson-MobleyMr. Luca PaschinaMrs. Helen Raney PinckneyMr. Alfred Ponce and Ms. Alice ClayMr. and Mrs. Brett PorterMr. and Mrs. John R. RatiganMs. Rebecca RobinsonMr. & Mrs. John SchifferMr. and Mrs. James SchlossMr. and Mrs. Ron ShawMr. Fredric Shepard and

Mrs. Jennie CalhounMr. Dustin ShumanDr. and Mrs. David C. SmithMr. Benjamin SmithCapt. and Mrs. Robert J. SwainMrs. Linda WilsonMrs. Frances ZehmerMr. Roger ZoccolilloDr. & Mrs. Wilhelm Zuelzer

Opera Family ($250 - $499)

CORPORATE:Good Done GreatNetwork For GoodScherzo Music Club

FOUNDATION:The Alan and Esther Fleder Foundation

INDIVIDUAL:Mr. and Mrs. Alfred G. AlbyMr. and Mrs. Neill H. Alford IIIMr. Charles AllenMr. and Mrs. Philip M. Battles IIIDr. and Mrs. Charles E. Bell Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Phillip BernathDr. and Mrs. William Blake Jr.Mr. & Mrs. David BlockMr. & Mrs. Larry BorishMr. and Mrs. Rick BoydMs. Rita L. BrightonMr. and Mrs. Stephen BrothersMrs. Judy BrownMr. and Mrs. Marvin E. BurgeMs. Ann T. BurksDr. & Mrs. William BurstonMrs. Barbara L. CarrMr. William and Mrs. Teresa CiraMr. and Mrs. Don ColeMr. and Mrs. Russell Collins

Ms. Kathryn CookMr. Richard Barry and Ms. Linda CoxMs. Earlene CoynerMr. and Mrs. Britton B. Culpepper Jr.Mr. Bruce CurranMr. and Mrs. Stephen E. CurtisMs. Melanie K. Day and

Mr. Roland A. KarnatzMs. Nicole De JesusMr. and Mrs. Mark DelevieDr. Marc C. De SolminihacMr. & Mrs. Mark DrayMr. Jonathan DudleyMr. and Mrs. Waldemar EgerMrs. Dorothy EideMr. Howard J. EllisMr. Stephen EpsteinDr. Howard Fauver Jr.Mrs. Annette S. FieldMr. and Mrs. Barry FinkDr. and Mrs. Joseph V. FormicaMrs. Grover FranklinBernis GoldDr. & Mrs. Stanley A. GoldmanMs. Jane K. GoldmanMr. and Mrs. John GoodeDr. and Mrs. Dean R. GoplerudMr. and Mrs. Russell GregorMr. and Mrs. Arthur HamerschlagMs. Sue HaycoxDr. and Mrs. H. Keith HellemsDrs. Barry and Cynthia HellmanMs. Julia HenleyDr. and Mrs. Edwin B. HodgeDr. and Dr. Warren HopkinsMr. & Mrs. Michael HouseDr. and Mrs. Robert E. Howard Jr.Dr. and Mrs. Gilbert R. HoyMs. Mara I. IfjuMs. Catherine IrelandMs. Nancy S. JacobsonMrs. Connie JacobsonDr. Gayatri Kapur and Dr. Rasesh M. ShahDr. and Mrs. Warren KareshDr. and Mrs. Edward H. KarotkinMrs. and Mr. Ida C. KerwinCol. and Mrs. John S. KistlerMr and Mrs Robert H. LargeMr. Stanley Lichtman and

Mrs. Paulette Lichtman-PanzerMs. Mary Frances LoweMr. and Mrs. Douglas LowryDr. and Mrs. John C. Marsh MDMs. Sylvia MaumeDr. Betty J. MeyerMr. and Mrs. Randall MayesMr. and Mrs. F. William McClellandMr. and Mrs. Gabe McCoyDr. and Mrs. James L. McDaniel

CONTRIBUTORS


Mr. Graham MeechMr. and Mrs. William A. MessnerDr. and Mrs. S. Neil MorrisonMs. Jerilyn MullarkeyMr. and Mrs. Stuart NachmanMs. Pauline NarcavageDr. and Mrs. Norbert NewfieldMrs. Melisa O'BrianMr. Kenneth J. OrrMs. Thelma OserMrs. Mollie A. PayneCol. and Mrs. Eric F. PetersonMr. and Mrs. Michael PlettMs. JoAnn PorterMr. and Mrs. Kenneth PowdersMrs. Ann D. PrinceDr. and Mrs. David B. PropertMrs. Helen Scott ReedMs. Ann ReedMr. & Mrs. William R. Richardson Jr.Mr. and Mrs. Joe RissMr. and Mrs. John S. RoseMr. and Mrs. Edward E. Ruhnke Jr.Ms. Donna ScasseraDr. and Mrs. James K. SchmittMrs. Nancy K. ScogginsDr. and Mrs. Robert SeehermanMs. Cornelia SerotaMr. Robert G. ShackletonMr. and Mrs. Win ShortMichael and Pat ShutterlyMrs. Madeline SlyMr. Edgar A. SmithMs. Lori SmithsonMr. and Mrs. Nelson St. ClairLarry and Greta StallingsMs. Roberta M. StewartMs. Phyllis SzymanskiTommy Tavenner and

Stephanie RichmondDr. & Mrs. Joseph VaccarellaDr. and Mrs. Olmedo VillavicencioMr. and Mrs. Robert E. WarakomskyMr. Nicholas WheelerMr. Robert WitajewskiMr. Elliot WolffHoward and Martha ZaritskyMr. & Mrs. Robert Zelnick

CONTRIBUTORSSponsors of the 2018 Gala: Opera is AmoreGALA CO-CHAIRSDana Jo Decker and Andrea Holloway

PRESENTING SPONSORTroutman Sanders

GOLD SPONSORSunTrust

ARTISTS UNDERWRITERSJohn FieldRichard Miller The Nicholson Companies

WINE SPONSORWilliamsburg Winery

MUSIC SPONSORSMary Anne Kellam CanadaWells Fargo Advisors

DESSERT SPONSORMahoney Nashatka Richmond

COCKTAIL SPONSORJoe Butz and Kym Hemley Butz

SILVER SPONSORSRussell P. Allen Jackie Decker Corletto Bess DeckerPeter and Dana Jo DeckerMerrill LynchRudy MiddletonPriority AutomotiveAllan and Harriet ReynoldsRutter MillsSinclair CommunicationsTowneBank

DECORATIONS SPONSORLifetime Solutions Plus

PATRONDavid and Miriam Blake Ms. Deborah Wyld

FRIENDBridget Browne Jac and Sharon CalesMichael Hodges

Sponsors of the 2018 Gala: A Night at the Museum – Central Virginia

GALA COMMITTEERenee Gilman, ChairMr. Langdon T. Christian IVMs. Cary FountainMs. Leslie Lamers Mrs. Patricia P. PuseyMs. Terry White Dr. Elisabeth Muhlenfeld Wollan

PRESENTING SPONSORDominion Energy

CORPORATE TABLE SPONSORSCovington TravelDavenport & Company, LLC SunTrustUPS Freight

CORPORATE SPONSORKPMG

INDIVIDUAL TABLE SPONSORSMr. Russell P. AllenMs. Jeannie Baliles and Dr. John ReynoldsMr. & Mrs. Langdon T. Christian IVMr. and Mrs. Vince FerrantiChris and Renee GilmanAnne and Barry HodgesDr. Anne-Marie Irani and Dr. Lawrence

SchwartzMary Virginia and Greg OverholserMrs. Patricia P. Pusey Dr. Elisabeth Muhlenfeld Wollan

PRISM TABLE SPONSORDr. William J. Frable

INDIVIDUAL SPONSORS Mr. Russell P. Allen (Auctioneer co-sponsor)Dr. & Mrs. William J. Frable (Auctioneer co-sponsor)Ms. Marilyn ScottDr. Elisabeth Muhlenfeld Wollan (Save the Date Card sponsor)

CONTRIBUTORS (DESSERT) George and Jamie WiggintonMark T. Cox IV and Emily Warren CoxChristopher J. CampbellRejena G. CarrerasPhilip P. HoppeNancy King Scoggins


SPONSORS IN-KIND:Katherine Godin – The Community Idea

StationsWhite House Flowers FACILITY AND FOOD:Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

PHOTOGRAPHY:Wolfgang Jasper Photography

AUCTIONEER:Swisher Auctions

Tap into Virginia Opera

CO-CHAIRSChristopher CoffingTami Burke

PRESENTING SPONSORSMerrill LynchVirginia Eye Consultants

WITH SUPPORT FROMAtlantic Wealth Management GroupUBS Financial Services, Inc.

CONTRIBUTORSIN-KIND DONATIONS Barboursville VineyardsMs. Elizabeth Britt-KellyByrd TheatreCustom PrintingThe Dancing TomatoLynn PeyerMassimo ZanettiMrs. William T. Reed III Quirk HotelRichmond Times-DispatchShirley’s CateringTom French FlowersVirginia Living MagazineWHRO Public MediaWilliamsburg Winery

Corporations Making Contributions Through Matching Gift Programs: AltriaBank of AmericaThe Boeing CompanyBrink’s FoundationThe Capital Group Companies, Inc.Caterpillar FoundationCIGNA FoundationDominion EnergyDominion Virginia Power/N.C. PowerExxonMobil FoundationFannie Mae FoundationFreddie Mac FoundationIBM Matching Grants ProgramJohn Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co.LandAmericaMass Mutual Financial GroupMerrill LynchNorfolk Southern FoundationSunTrust BankTeagle FoundationThomson Tax & AccountingWachovia Wells Fargo FoundationUBS Foundation

SPONSORS IN-KIND: Katherine Godin – The Community Idea StationsRichmond Performing Arts Alliance, Janet Starke, Executive Director White House Flowers

FACILITY AND FOOD:The Commonwealth Club

PHOTOGRAPHY: Wolfgang Jasper Photography

AUCTIONEER: Swisher Auctions

Ninth Annual Opera in the ParkThe City of NorfolkMr. Leroy S Benz Mr. Richard MillerVirginia Eye ConsultantsSinclair CommunicationsWHROWilliamsburg WineryChatham VineyardsMermaid WineryFesteventsSouthern Auto Group

NEXT GENERATION CAMPAIGN AnonymousAnonymousAnonymousAnonymousDr. & Mrs. Edward LillyW.F. Magann CorpMr. & Mrs. Allan ReynoldsMr. & Mrs. Samuel Webster

Although space limitations only allow us to list donations of $250 or more, we gratefully acknowledge the generosity of all our contributors. Every gift received helps us fulfill our commitment to quality opera in your community. We thank all of you.

If your name was inadvertently omitted or incorrectly listed, please advise us by calling Caroline Emmert at 757.627.9545 x3318

Contributions and pledges received after Sept. 1, 2018 will be acknowledged in future programs. Thank you for your support.


VIRGINIA OPERA GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGESSUPPORT FROM THESE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES

VIRGINIA OPERA SINCERELY APPRECIATES THE EFFORTS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE VIRGINIA OPERA GUILD

Alexandria Commission for the Arts City of NorfolkCultureWorks and The Arts and

Cultural Funding ConsortiumCity of Richmond Henrico County Arts Council of Fairfax County Chesapeake Fine Arts Commission Chesterfield County

City of Fairfax Commission on the Arts Newport News Arts Commission Portsmouth Museum and Fine Arts Commission Suffolk Fine Arts Commission Virginia Beach Arts and Humanities Commission Virginia Commission for the Arts Williamsburg Area Arts Commission York County Arts Commission

Department of Parks and Recreation

Chairman - Mark E. BoardVice chair - Marianne NicholsonVice chair - Jim GrahamVice chair - Valerie NeffSecretary - Powers Peterson, M.D.Treasurer - Robert C. KuhloHistorian - Amber Taylor Reeves

Board of Directors:Mark BoardMarianne NicholsonJim GrahamPowers PetersonBob KuhloAmber Taylor-ReevesJanita Burgess HessPamela HyattBarbara BuchmannElena StevensAllen Anderson

Cy GrandyDora Lee TaylorMartha Lee ShawGwendolyn BrownMillie ColeHolly TracyJoanne RentnerValerie NeffBarbara BoslegoTom Horsch

Committee ChairsArtist Transportation - Holly TracyCommunications - Pamela HyattGift Shop - Janita Burgess HessFundraising - Barbara BuchmannEvents - Allen AndersonMembership - Jim Graham

Support from the following will enable us to provide mainstage and outreach programsfor over 150,000 students and adults throughout the Commonwealth this season.

VIRGINIA OPERA SALUTESBUSINESS CONSORTIUM FOR ARTS SUPPORT

Atlantic Dominion Distributors/Hoffman Beverage

Bank of America Birdsong Corporation Davenport & Company, LLC Dixon Hughes Goodman Dollar Tree Stores, Inc.

The Dragas Companies Foundation (anonymous) Fulton Bank Hampton Roads Community

Foundation Haynes Furniture Company, Inc. Kaufman & Canoles McGuire Woods

Norfolk Southern Foundation O’Connor Brewing Company Palladium Registered

Investment Advisors Patricia and Douglas Perry

Foundation Southeast Virginia

Community Foundation

Southern Bank Virginia Natural Gas, Inc. The Virginian-Pilot Wells Fargo Foundation Wilbanks, Smith & Thomas

Asset Management, LLC Willcox & Savage, P.C. Williams Mullen

Contributors to the Business Consortium for Arts Support have generously endorsed Virginia Opera’s programs and activities this season. This distinguished group of donors annually contributes to the Business Consortium to support arts organizations throughout

Hampton Roads thus improving the quality of life in our local communities. The Virginia Opera both salutes the following and extends its sincerest thanks for their continued generosity.

Arts Ally level contributors at www.bcartsupport.org


HOUSERS AND VOLUNTEERS

HOUSERSByron BakerCarolyn BakerJames DemingHenry GarrityJohn & Mary Jane HallDrs. John Herre & Sally

ClarksonHolly HublerDr. Edward M. Johnson

& Dr. Elizabeth Childs-Johnson

The Rev. Canon Win Lewis and Cathy Lewis

Julie McDonaldRobert MillsMarianne NicholsonThomas Nicholson III &

Christie DixonRobert & Miriam PalmerThomas Pinion & Robert

SeatonDuane Wilson

RICHMOND VOLUNTEERSSaverio Anselmo, Volunteer

Coordinator Justin Ayars Shirley Budlong Pat Hartsock Darrell HedrickBob Jones Elizabeth Munt Bernice Oppenhimer Vivian WhiteJohn Wisk

NORFOLK VOLUNTEERSNancy Barham Vern Barham Betty Baucom David BlakeMiriam Blake Brian Blair Ellie Brann Wendy Briggs Emily BudlongIvy Carpenter Chad Carson Lana Cary

Elizabeth Carson Robin Casteen Meredith Carson Susan Cavalieri Ellie Cesnaros Claudia Clarke Cassie Davies Anne Davis Marie Deegan Sara Dowless Ana Haley Jarod Haley Harry Hudome Hayden Jones Trish JonesRandy Keller Tanya Keller Katherine LaFave Rebecca Litt Warren Maddox Marta San Jose Marin Marisa Marsey Steve Marsey Isaac Martin Jennifer Palestrant Lois Patten Lucia Perez-Pastor Marcia Potts Jame Noglic Viann Nguyen Josh Sands Ken Sands Pam Saunders Liam Sherron Brad Small Kelly StefankoCaitlyn Stuck Vero Tucker Ellie White Shelby Wilber Kamila Williams

NORFOLK VOLUNTEER USHERSLorrene Anderson Janice Anten Beverly Bachman Eureka & Mareka Belcher Joe and Maureen Bernard

Dick Blessington Doris B. Bonner Kathy Boyd Judith and Richard Brown Jenny & Gennie Cannon Yolima Carr Eleonora Anna Cavallin Robert O Clapp Susan Clarke Lorenz Connelly, Jr. Margie Conner Joan Cowan Peggy Crabtree Mary K. Daniels Mary Delaney Barbara Desler Loretta DiCamillo Donald and Sandra Donato Barbara Edoff Joanne Fischer Kameron Foreman Brenda Frech Mike and Cindy Freedman John Grant Bob Greene Margaret Hackett Madeline Hadaway Sharal Halcomb Anne Haworth Loyce Jarvis Robert A. and Carol Jean

Johnson Patricia B. Jones Anne Lewis Joyce Lindahl Joan Malone Ardell McCoy Pat McGlinchy Penny Mignacca Colleen Miller Helen and Sid Mittleman Christine Monson Ruth & Edd Nixon Jimmy Nugroho Aaron and Gloria Ostroff Marion D. Palmer Sarah “Sally” Palmerton Dick and Gayle Paradiso Bob and Carol Pettyjohn

Roberta Phipps Marilyn Ranhorn Brunhild Rawlings Brenda Roundtree Amor Sales John B. Samuel Jack and Barbara Seligman Camilla Shannon Pat Sova Zulma Spatz Florence Mercier Speight Mercy Stephens Dorothy (Dolly) Streit Rosemary Swider Ruby Tillie Bernice Van Aalten David and Elizabeth Van

Hook Larry Van Hoose Teresita Veloso Jack and Kathie Wahl Don Warmke Joan Warnalis Charles Warthen Martha G. Weaver Mo Wheatley Gloria and Hal Wilkinson Donna Williams Colleen C. Wood Joanne Woodruff Barbara Young Lidia Zappacosta Norma S. Zinn Jocelyn Reiter Ellison Holly Hubler Julie McDonald

We’re helping trees(and kids) grow.

Dominion Energy’s Project Plant It! has worked with Virginia’s educators and students to plant more than 500,000 trees since 2007. So our kids can grow up appreciating the environment.

DominionEnergy.com

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