Porgy and Bess

The Gershwins ® ’ Porgy and Bess ® by George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin

L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O

Table of Contents IN THIS ISSUE Porgy and Bess pp. 24-38

44 Patron Salute 46 Aria Society 55 Breaking New Ground

6 From the General Director 8 From the President 10 Board of Directors 12 Women’s Board/Guild Board/ Chapters’ Executive Board/ Ryan Opera Center Board 14 Administration/Administrative Staff/ Production and Technical Staff 16 From Broadway to Lyric: Exploring Musical Theater 24 Tonight's Opera 25 Story of the Opera 27 Cast 28 Cast Profiles 35 Opera Notes 40 Musical Staff/Orchestra/Chorus 42 Artistic Roster 43 Ryan Opera Center/Lyric Unlimited/Education Corps/ Supernumeraries

60 Annual Corporate Support/ Matching Gifts 62 Planned Giving: The Overture Society 64 Annual Individual and Foundation Support 70 Commemorative Gifts 71 Special Thanks/Acknowledgements 72 Facilities and Services/ Theatre Staff

56 60th Anniversary Gala Contributors 57 Major Contributors – Special Events and Project Support 58 Lyric Unlimited Contributors/Look To The Future 59 Ryan Opera Center Contributors

From Broadway to Lyric pp. 16-23

On the cover: Show curtain for Porgy and Bess by set designer Peter J. Davison

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L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O

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From the General Director

Any great American opera company should have as part of its artistic mission the presentation of American works. At Lyric Opera of Chicago we have presented memorable productions of operas by important American composers, but only one of those can be cited arguably as the great American opera of the 20th century – Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess . After its triumph here during the 2008-09 season, this opera is returning to Lyric by popular demand. Once again we will demonstrate that Porgy and Bess , no matter what incarnations it has had in other venues, is unquestionably at its most persuasive when performed in an opera house with all the vocal, orchestral, and visual resources that a major opera company can provide. My own first experience with Porgy and Bess in a theater was at Glyndebourne, and it made a visceral impact on me – I was overwhelmed by it both musically and dramatically. That initial contact with the work confirmed for me that it is, in fact, timeless,

communicating to audience as vividly today as it did when it premiered eight decades ago. It presents characters whose humanity is palpable in every line they sing, and their emotions speak to our hearts from first note to last. Lyric’s production of Porgy and Bess makes abundantly clear that this opera portrays a community. It does so in great depth, with a believability and a power that can be legitimately compared with any other opera in which the idea of community is central (Britten’s Peter Grimes , for example).Gershwin and his co-creators understood this profoundly, the result being that the choral passages and the episodes for supporting characters are presented with a vividness to match any of the scenes for the central couple. Any production of Porgy and Bess should confirm music as the theatrical engine of the piece. Much of the score entered this country’s cultural fabric long ago – from “Summertime” and “Bess, You Is My Woman Now” to “It Ain’t Necessarily So” and “I Loves You, Porgy.” Hearing the piece in the theater for the first time, I was struck not only by the wonderful solo episodes but by the cumulative power of the ensembles. To my ear, the entire score boasts both the emotional immediacy and the melodic inventiveness that I associate with the operas of Puccini. Francesca Zambello’s captivating production, already acclaimed in the Lyric premiere of this opera, is returning with an almost totally new cast. I’m delighted to welcome back to our stage as Porgy – one of his signature roles – Eric Owens, previously unforgettable in Doctor Atomic , Hercules , and most recently Rusalka (Eric has also been announced to sing his first Wotan in our upcoming Ring cycle). Opposite him in her Lyric debut is Adina Aaron, the superbly gifted American soprano whose impressive successes in both Europe and America precede her. On the podium is Ward Stare, now established as one of the most important American conductors of his generation.

STEVE LEONARD

Those of you who have enjoyed Porgy and Bess before will, I’m sure, be thrilled to revisit both the music and the drama that make it such a satisfying experience in the opera house. To our audience members who are new to this opera, I can say that there are few thrills to be compared to discovering a masterpiece for the first time – and Porgy and Bess is truly a masterpiece.

Anthony Freud

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From the President

Welcome to Lyric Opera and our 60th anniversary season! I know you’ll have a memorable experience in the Ardis Krainik Theatre, and I hope it will inspire you to return throughout the season. Excellence. Relevance. Fiscal responsibility. These are the core values of Lyric Opera, and we can anticipate that the 2014-15 season will in every way exemplify them, showing clear evidence of the company’s continuing aspiration to be the great North American opera company for the 21st century. Excitement and momentum are palpable under the leadership trio of general director Anthony Freud, music director Sir Andrew Davis, and creative consultant Renée Fleming. The entire company demonstrates extraordinary dedication to producing artistic excellence onstage. At the same time, Lyric is expanding its reach and relevance to the vast Chicago community through events presented under

the Lyric Unlimited umbrella. Our audience is continuing to grow and so is our donor base, as we continue to seek to earn your loyalty through all our activities, both on and off the stage. Ongoing financial sustainability is, of course, critical to Lyric’s future. Our “Breaking New Ground” campaign – unanimously affirmed by the Board of Directors in early 2013 – is designed to support our new strategic initiatives that are now in place. We already enjoy the support of a large and enthusiastic number of subscribers and single-ticket buyers. But we need to broaden and deepen the cultural service we provide to a larger number of people, and to do this, we must diversify and grow our activities. We want to increase the number of new productions in our opera season, annually produce a major musical, and significantly increase the range of activities both inside the opera house and around the city through our Lyric Unlimited initiative. We want to reach more children by increasing our presence in schools around the city. We need to invest substantially in new technology. We are redesigning our website, intensifying our digital communications activities and updating our information technology systems. We urgently need to modernize and upgrade our stage facilities and equipment, where we have fallen behind over the last 20 years. The investment is now needed to safeguard Lyric’s position as one of the world’s foremost opera companies. As we move forward to secure a successful, vibrant future for the company, our reliance on funded long-term contributed revenue support is greater than ever. We want to increase the endowment by $100 million over the next three to five years, to be achieved principally through legacy gifts. Please consider including Lyric Opera in your estate planning and join our illustrious Overture Society of planned givers.

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Breaking New Ground is receiving broad and generous support from the Board of Directors, but to be successful we must secure financial support from a broader range of patrons and donors. We welcome and encourage your support as we work to ensure Lyric’s long-term viability at the standards of excellence we all expect and demand. Please know how grateful we are to each and every one of you. As audience members and donors, you are vital to Lyric’s health and success. I thank you on behalf of Lyric’s artists, staff, and volunteer boards. With your support we’ll maintain this company’s stature as not only one of the crown jewels of Chicago cultural life, but also one of the most respected and distinguished opera companies in the world.

Kenneth G. Pigott

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Board of Directors The Honorable Pat Quinn

Life Directors Frank W. Considine James W. Cozad Edgar Foster Daniels Richard J. Franke Edgar D. Jannotta George E. Johnson Robert H. Malott James J. O’Connor Gordon Segal Robert E. Wood II

W. James Farrell Mark E. Ferguson Michael W. Ferro, Jr Rick Fezell Russell W. Fisher

Ken Norgan Sharon F. Oberlander

* John W. Oleniczak Olufunmilayo I. Olopade, M.D.

The Honorable Rahm Emanuel

* David T. Ormesher * William A. Osborn Matthew J. Parr * Kenneth G. Pigott

Honorary Chairmen of the Board

* Renée Fleming * Sonia Florian

* Anthony Freud † Gordon P. Getty Ronald J. Gidwitz * Ruth Ann M. Gillis Brent W. Gledhill Ethel Gofen * Howard L. Gottlieb Avrum Gray Melvin Gray Maria C. Green * Dietrich M. Gross Mary Pat Hay Carrie J. Hightman Eric L. Hirschfield * J. Thomas Hurvis Gregory K. Jones † Stephen A. Kaplan Kip Kelley II * Richard P. Kiphart * Nancy W. Knowles † Fred A. Krehbiel * Josef Lakonishok † Robert W. Lane Richard A. Levy

James W. Cozad

Co-Chairman Emeritus

Don M. Randel Anne N. Reyes J. Christopher Reyes Thomas A. Reynolds III † William C. Richardson, Ph.D. Collin E. Roche Ricardo Rosenkranz Edward B. Rouse Joseph O. Rubinelli, Jr. * Shirley Welsh Ryan

Edgar D. Jannotta

Co-Chairman Emeritus

Allan B. Muchin

Co-Chairman Emeritus

Directors Katherine A. Abelson * Whitney W. Addington * James L. Alexander

Richard P. Kiphart Chairman Kenneth G. Pigott President and Chief Executive Officer Lester Crown Chairman of the Executive Committee Anthony Freud General Director and Chief Operating Office r Sir Andrew Davis Vice President Renée Fleming Vice President James L. Alexander Vice President Shirley Welsh Ryan Vice President William C. Vance Vice President Donna Van Eekeren Secretary Paul J. Carbone Treasurer Brent Fisher Assistant Treasurer Mary Ladish Selander Assistant Secretary

John P. Amboian Paul F. Anderson Larry A. Barden

John F. Sandner Claudia M. Saran Rodd M. Schreiber Jana R. Schreuder Marsha Serlin * Brenda M. Shapiro * Eric S. Smith Pam Szokol Franco Tedeschi Mark A. Thierer Cherryl T. Thomas * William C. Vance * Donna Van Eekeren Mark Wagner Roberta L. Washlow Miles D. White

* Julie Baskes

James N. Bay, Jr. Melvin R. Berlin Gilda R. Buchbinder Allan E. Bulley III * Marion A. Cameron * Paul J. Carbone David W. Carpenter Timothy L. Christen Richard W. Colburn Michael P. Cole Vinay Couto

Robert A. Livingston

* James W. Mabie * Craig C. Martin

Maura Ann McBreen Robert J. McCullen Blythe J. McGarvie Andrew J. McKenna Frank B. Modruson Robert S. Morrison

* John V. Crowe * Lester Crown Marsha Cruzan * Andrew Davis † Gerald Dorros Ann M. Drake

William Mason General Director Emeritus

* Allan B. Muchin Linda K. Myers Jeffrey C. Neal Sylvia Neil † John D. Nichols

John D. Edelman Stefan T. Edlis Sheri Eichelberger Lois Eisen

* Indicates member of the Executive Committee † Indicates National Director

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Women’s Board † Mimi Mitchell President † Margot Stone Bowen Vice President of Board Activities † Mrs. Michael Ferro Vice President of Education † Rebecca Walker Knight Vice President of Fundraising † Corinne Wood Vice President of Special Events Trisha Rooney Alden Mrs. Anthony A. Antoniou Mrs. Alger B. Chapman, Jr. † Elizabeth O’Connor Cole Mrs. Nancy Carrington Crown * Mrs. Lester Crown * Mrs. Richard W. Durkes * Mrs. W. James Farrell Mrs. Matthew A. Fisher Mrs. Robert W. Galvin Ms. Lili Gaubin † Mrs. Ronald J. Gidwitz Keith Kiley Goldstein Mrs. William B. Graham Mrs. Annemarie H. Gramm Karen Z. Gray Mrs. King Harris Mrs. Julian W. Harvey † Caroline T. Huebner Elinor Addington Jannotta Mrs. Philip E. Kelley Mrs. Frederick A. Krehbiel Mrs. Arthur C. Martinez * Mrs. Richard P. Mayer Mrs. Florence D. McMillan Alison Wehman McNally Mrs. Christopher C. Milliken Suzette B. Bulley Marie Campbell Mamie Biggs Case

Chapters’ Executive Board † Mrs. Sherie Shapiro President † Mrs. Peggy Beata Vice President – Development † Mrs. Carla Thorpe Vice President – Education Awareness † Ms. Susan M. Miller Vice President – Membership † Ms. Vee Minarich Vice President – Program † Ms. Agnes Canning Treasurer † Rick Greenman Secretary Ms. Judith A. Akers Ms. Marlene R. Boncosky Mrs. Robert C. DeBolt Ms. Ingrid Dubberke * Jonathon Eklund

Hyde Park/Kenwood Ms. Vee Minarich Lake Geneva Ray Ring Near North Mrs. Mary Lunz Houston Northfield Ms. Margareta Brown Northwest Ms. Dorothy Kuechl Riverside Rick Greenman Wilmette Mrs. Nancy R. Fifield Winnetka Mrs. Julie McDowell

Life Members Paula Hannaway Crown * Mrs. A. Campbell de Frise * Jane Duboise Gargiulo Mrs. Jay A. Pritzker Mrs. Gordon Segal * Former President † Executive Committee

Guild Board of Directors † Oscar Tatosian President Kathleen E. Manning Vice President – Backstage Tours Craig R. Milkint Vice President – Membership † Ms. Julie Ann Benson Vice President – Fundraising † Michael Tirpak Secretary † Edmund H. Lester Treasurer Maggie Rock Adams Ms. Allison Alexander Ms. Lorraine Marie Arbetter Leslie Bertholdt *†Patrick J. Bitterman Minka Bosco Terese Marie Connolly Frank de Vincentis Eben Dorros Mrs. Amanda Fox Laurie Jaffe G. Louise Johnson Mark Kozloff, M.D. Marc Lacher Mrs. Daria M. Lewicky Ms. Kathleen E. Manning Daniel T. Manoogian * Ms. Martina M. Mead Linda Curtis O’ Bannon, M.D. Kimberly Palmisano Jeffrey Port, M.D. Ms. Christina M. Rashid Mary Lynne Shafer † Ms. Joan M. Solbeck Sustaining Members Mrs. John H. Anderson * Mrs. Gustavo A. Bermudez Mrs. Avrum H. Dannen * Robert F. Finke Mrs. William R. Jentes Chester T. Kamin * Kip Kelley John M. Kohlmeier Mrs. Robert E. Largay James G. McCormick † Ms. Britt M. Miller * John H. Nelson Ms. Lisbeth Stiffel R. Todd Vieregg Young Professionals Patrick M. Callahan President Kimberly Palmisano Vice President Lisa DeAngelis Event Logistics Catherine Ketter Event Promotion Carolyn Fitzgerald Marketing Kieran Shanahan Membership Emily Vietoris Social Media Charlotte Bohrer Special Projects Jenny Tola Volunteer Coordinator James A. Staples Kathryn Sullivan Ms. Cathy Wloch Ms. Anne Zenzer

The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center Board of Directors Susan Kiphart President Janet Burch Vice President John Nitschke Vice President Joan Zajtchuk Vice President Debbie K. Wright Treasurer Brent Fisher Assistant Treasurer Richard W. Shepro Secretary Dan Novak Assistant Secretary * Katherine A. Abelson Nicole M. Arnold * Julie Baskes Marcus Boggs Heidi Heutel Bohn Tanja Chevalier Lawrence O. Corry Mrs. James W. Cozad * Allan Drebin Lafayette J. Ford Anthony Freud

Joseph Ender Ms. Erika Erich

Ms. Nancy R. Fifield Ms. Margie Franklin

Ms. Aida Guidice Dennis C. Hayes Mrs. Mary Lunz Houston Joseph Kashickey * Ms. Dorothy Kuechl Ms. Kate Letarte Craig Love David Nellemann Ms. Claudia Winkler Sustaining Members * Ms. Julie Ann Benson Mrs. William Hamilton * Mrs. Jorge Iorgulescu Lester Marriner * Mrs. Michael Oberman * Ms. Jennie M. Righeimer Howard Robins Mrs. Karl Stein Mr. and Mrs. Myron Tiersky Mrs. Dorothy V. Wadley Life Members * Mrs. Anthony Antoniou * Mrs. J William Cuncannan Mr. Roy Fisher Mrs. Herbert A. Glieberman * Mrs. Donald Grauer Mrs. Patrick R. Grogan * Mrs. Merwyn Kind * Mrs. Jonathon R. Laing Mrs. Frank M. Lieber * Mrs. Howard S. Smith * Mrs. William C. Tippens * Mrs. Eugene E. White Chapter Presidents Barrington Ms. Marlene Boncosky Evanston Barbara Eckel Far West Joseph Kashickey Flossmoor Area Ms. Sharon Gibson Glencoe Mrs. Brenda Lenahan Highland Park/Deerfield Mrs. Caroline Siegel Hinsdale Joseph Ender

Melvin Gray Anne Gross

Mrs. Thomas D. Heath Mary Ellen Hennessy Chester T. Kamin * Kip Kelley Phillip G. Lumpkin Jeanne Randall Malkin Robert C. Marks Erma S. Medgyesy Frank B. Modruson William J. Neiman Susan Noel Michael A. Oberman Jane DiRenzo Pigott Orli Staley * William C. Vance Donna Van Eekeren Howard A. Vaughan, Jr. Mrs. Richard H. Wehman Jack Weiss Life Members * Mrs. Anthony A. Antoniou Bernard J. Dobroski Barbara Heil Howard * Keith A. Reed * Mrs. J. W. Van Gorkom

Mrs. Robert S. Morrison Mrs. Christopher Murphy Mrs. Susan B. Noyes * Mrs. James J. O’Connor * Mrs. Paul W. Oliver, Jr. Mrs. William A. Osborn Mrs. Jerry K. Pearlman Mrs. Frederick H. Prince Mrs. James C. Pritchard M.K. Pritzker *†Mrs. J. Christopher Reyes Mrs. John M. Richman Betsy Bergman Rosenfield * Mrs. Patrick G. Ryan † Mrs. James L. Sandner Nancy S. Searle Mrs. Benjamin Shapiro

Mrs. Alejandro Silva Mrs. John R. Siragusa Mrs. Lisbeth Stiffel Mrs. James P. Stirling Marilynn Thoma

* Mrs. Theodore D. Tieken Mrs. Richard H. Wehman Mrs. Robert G. Weiss Mrs. Patrick Wood-Prince

* Former President † Executive Committee

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Anthony Freud, OBE General Director The Women’s Board Endowed Chair

Sir Andrew Davis Music Director

Renée Fleming Creative Consultant

Drew Landmesser Deputy General Director

John D. and Alexandra C. Nichols Endowed Chair Mary Ladish Selander Director of Development

Brent Fisher

Lisa Middleton Director of Marketing Cayenne Harris Lyric Unlimited Director

Director of Finance

Nicholas Ivor Martin Director of Operations and Special Initiatives

Andreas Melinat

Director of Artistic Administration

Kelley Ahuja

Dan Novak

Director of Human Resources

Director, Ryan Opera Center The Ryan Opera Center Board Endowed Chair

OFFICE OF THE GENERAL DIRECTOR Anthony Freud General Director The Women’s Board Endowed Chair Madeleine Walsh Executive Programs Administrator Geary S. Albright Executive Assistant to the General Director OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY GENERAL DIRECTOR Drew Landmesser Deputy General Director Sarah Generes Executive Assistant to the Deputy General Director and the Music Director ARTISTIC Andreas Melinat Director of Artistic Administration Christoph Ptack Associate Artistic Administrator Evamaria Wieser Casting Consultant DEVELOPMENT Mary Ladish Selander Director of Development

HUMAN RESOURCES Kelley Ahuja Director of Human Resources Tiffany Tuckett Talent Manager, Administrative Staff Stephanie Strong Benefits Manager INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Will Raj Director of Information Technology Christian Carranza Manager of IT Operations Mary Mueller Tessitura Administrator Rita Parida Senior Applications Specialist René Calvo Help Desk Coordinator LYRIC UNLIMITED Cayenne Harris Lyric Unlimited Director Jacob Stanton Assistant to the Lyric Unlimited Director Mark Riggleman Director of Education Chapters’ Endowed Chair for Education Alejandra Boyer Lyric Unlimited Manager Jesse Gram Audience Education Manage Todd Snead School Engagement Manager Lisa Della Pia Lyric Unlimited Coordinator Drew Smith Program Assistant

Lawrence DelPilar Deputy Director of Development Jonathan P. Siner Senior Director of Planned Giving Katy Hall Director of Individual, Foundation, and Government Giving Jenny Seidelman Associate Director of Corporate Giving Meaghan Stainback Donor Relations Manager Sarah Kull Grants and Research Manager Amanda Allen Administrative Coordinator – Individual and Planned Giving Hanna Pristave Research Coordinator Erin L. Koppel Deputy Director of Development Bridget Monahan Associate Director of Women’s Board Activities Marta Garczarczyk Director of Annual Giving Judy I. Lipp Assistant Director of Development – Donor Records and Reporting Nicole Eubanks Assistant Director of Development Donor Services and Special Events Amy Alvarado Annual Giving Manager Emily Esmail Donor Communications Manager Chelsea Southwood Stefanie Duff Administrative Assistants –

Leslie B. Mastroianni Deputy Director of Development Warren Davis Director of Guild Board, Chapters, and Young Professionals Katarina Visnevska Coordinator of Guild Board, Chapters, and Young Professionals Hilary Pieper FACILITIES Rich Regan Director of Facilities Nora O’Malley Facility Operations Manager Sharon Lomasney Events and Sales Manager Eric Bays Facilities Coordinator Steven Farrell Chief Engineer Charles Holliday Security Services Coordinator FINANCE Brent Fisher Director of Finance Cynthia Darling Teresa Hogan Senior Accountants Marie L. Connolly Manager of Administrative Services Emily Cohen Accounting Assistant Administrative Assistant – Guild Board, Chapters, and Young Professionals

Suzanne Singer Assistant to the Director of Development Deborah Hare Development Associate

Debbie Dahlgren Payroll Supervisor Susan Harant Receptionist

Women’s Board Jeffrey Dziedzic Karolina Sledz Administrative Assistants – Donor Records Contina Harris Development Associate

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MARKETING AND PUBLIC RELATIONS Lisa Middleton Director of Marketing Holly Gilson Deputy Director of Communications Tracy Galligher Deputy Director of Marketing Roger Pines Dramaturg Magda Krance Manager of Media Relations Maggie Berndt Public Relations Specialist Joel Friend Group Sales Manager Sarah Kaplan Marketing Manager Donna Sauers Audience Development Manager Andrew Cioffi Digital Content Producer Carrie Krol Graphic Designer Amanda Reitenbach Social Media Coordinator Jocelyn Park Marketing Production Coordinator Bailey Couture Ticket Program Sales Coordinator Stefany Phillips Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator Ticket Department Paul A. Molinelli Director of Ticketing Services Paula Getman Ticket Operations Supervisor Susan Harrison Niemi Phone Sales Supervisor Miguel González Patron Relations Representative Shelley Cameron Group and Special Ticketing Coordinator Chris Notestine VIP Tickets and Subscriber Relations Coordinator Anna Laurenzo Stephanie Lillie Dana McGarr Carol Michelini John Schell Lindsay Trinowski Zachary Vanderburg Ticket Staff OPERATIONS Nicholas Ivor Martin Director of Operations and Special Initiatives Thomas Young Director of Music Administration Stephanie Karr Chorus, Orchestra, and Ballet Manager Kirsten Alfredsen Justin Berkowitz Tabitha Boorsma Teléya Bradford Sarah Diller Amber Doss Sam Fain

Technical William Reilly, Jr. Master Carpenter Michael Barker Head Flyman Mike Reilly Automation/Rigging Bradley Long Shop Carpenter Robert Barros Layout Carpenter Drew Trusk Shop Welder Bruce Woodruff Layout Welder Richard “Doc” Wren Warehouse Coordinator Michael O’Donnell Jeffrey Streichhirsch Assistant Carpenters Chris Barker Mike Bowman Dan DiBennardi Joe Dockweiler Ryan McGovern

Michael O’Donnell, Jr. Frank Taylor Properties WARDROBE/WIGS AND MAKEUP Scott Marr Production Design Director Wardrobe Maureen Reilly Costume Director The Richard P. and Susan Kiphart Endowed Chair Lucy Lindquist Wardrobe Mistress Bradley Baker Sarah Brownewell Cecylia Kinder

Elise R. Kerr Administrative Coordinator, Operations Wendy Skoczen Staff Assistant Librarian Gretchen Eng Music Administration Assistant Production and Rehearsal Staff Cameron Arens Director of Rehearsal Administration

Garnett Bruce Shawna Lucey Matthew Ozawa Elise Sandell Paula Suozzi

Assistant Directors John W. Coleman Rachel C. Henneberry Caroline Moores Daniel Sokalski Rachel A. Tobias Stage Managers

Vija A. Klode Krystina Lowe Kathy Rubel Tony Rubino

Joanna Rzepka Barbara Szyllo Wardrobe Staff Scott Barker Terese Cullen Kelly Davis Tim Dedinsky Michelle DiBennardi Anna Krysik Ed Mack Wendy McCay Christina Mitsch Mary Monahan

Dan Donahue Brian Grenda Justin Hull Robert Hull, Jr.

Kristen Barrett Darin Burnett Jodi Gage Jennifer Harber Derek Matson Jayme O’Hara Anya Plotkin

John Ingersol Phil Marcotte Matthew Reilly Ray Schmitz Carpenters Michael C. Reynolds Master Electrician Soren Ersbak Board Operator Paul Christopher Head Audio/Visual Technician Nick Charlan Matt Ebel Audio/Visual Kevin Reynolds Surtitle Operator John Clarke, Jr. Joseph Haack Michael A. Manfrin Robert Reynolds Assistant Electricians

Daniel Sokalski Peggy Stenger Amy C. Thompson Rachel A. Tobias Bill Walters Assistant Stage Managers Ben Bell Bern Rehearsal Scheduler Josie Campbell Artistic Services Coordinator Amy Greene Operations Coordinator Marina Vecci Rehearsal Associate Gabrielle Gottlieb Jason Byer Rehearsal Assistants TECHNICAL AND LIGHTING Michael Smallwood Technical Director Allan and Elaine Muchin Endowed Chair April Busch Production Manager Michael Schoenig Technical Finance Manager Scott Wolfson Assistant Technical Director Stephen Snyder Technical Assistant Maria DeFabo Properties Coordinator Lighting Chris Maravich Lighting Director Heather Sparling Eric Watkins Assistant Lighting Designers

John Salyers Isaac Turner Chris Valente Roger Weir Dressers Wigs and Makeup Sarah Hatten Wigmaster and Makeup Designer Kathleen Evans

Department Coordinator Chantelle Marie Johnson

Robert Kuper Lynn Koroulis Claire Moores Brittany Crinson Staff Lauren Cecil Anelle Eorio Lauren Marchfield Anita Trojanowski Chris Payne

Anthony Coia Jason Combs Gary Grenda Thomas Hull Daniel Kuh Jeremy Thomas Electricians Charles Reilly Property Master Michael McPartlin Properties Crew Head Brian Michael Smith Armorer José Trujillo Upholsterer Thomas Coleman, Jr. Robert Hartge Richard Tyriver Assistant Properties Michael Buerger Joseph Collins Robert Ladd Dan Lang Joe Mathesius

Nelson Posada Rochelle Fisher Rachel Tenorio Sarah Squire Jada Richardson Wig and Makeup Crew Scenic Art Brian Traynor Charge Artist

Maggie Bodwell Vivienne Marie Scene Artists

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TODDROSENBERG

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ROBERTKUSEL

I n its first 60 years, Lyric has become one of the world’s greatest opera companies and one of Chicago’s marquee cultural institutions. As Lyric looks upon its next decades, however, its mission to become a dynamic and innovative opera company for the 21st century has included a necessary redefinition and expansion of exactly what it means to be a modern American performing-arts organization. Lyric has begun exploring and expanding its mission in ways both large and small. From mariachi operas to engaging Renée Fleming as the company’s first creative consultant, the company is committed to experimentation and collaboration. One of the most visible ways that Lyric has broadened its scope is the American Musical Theater Initiative, launched during in the 2012- 13 season. It has begun with a celebration of the great works of American icons Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II that, in the first two seasons, has yielded acclaimed new productions of Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music . There are still three great Rodgers and Hammerstein shows – Carousel , The King and I , and South Pacific – to come. Why is a company known for grand opera even attempting to stage musicals? The answer is at once simple and complicated. A question of definitions When the new American Musical Theater Initiative was announced in 2012, Lyric was one of the first opera companies to make a large- scale commitment to presenting musicals. As reporter David Belcher noted in a recent New York Times feature about the trend of opera companies presenting this repertoire, Lyric “might have quietly made history.” Before 2012, musicals hadn’t gone totally unheard at Lyric: The new production of Show Boat was a great success (2011-12), and prior to that Bryn Terfel enjoyed a triumph when the company presented a new production of Sweeney Todd (2002-03). On the other hand, Lyric’s ongoing association with the Rodgers and Hammerstein repertoire is indeed exceptional for a major opera company. At the same time that Lyric is exploring this repertoire, European companies are doing the same. For example, English National Opera recently announced a partnership with a commercial producer in London’s West End, and in Paris’s Théâtre du Châtelet has captivated audiences with recent new productions of a number of musicals, including A Little Night Music, My Fair Lady,

From Broadway to Lyric: Exploring musical theater By Maggie Berndt

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which opera companies don’t actually bring the skills and the experience that would benefit those pieces.” Taking this careful and measured approach, Lyric selected the greatest works of Rodgers and Hammerstein to begin the initiative. These five masterpieces of the American musical are perfect examples of works that benefit from an operatic treatment. The partnership between Lyric and Rodgers and Hammerstein was fortuitous from the start. “From the first meeting I had with Anthony Freud and Renée Fleming, I was thrilled with the idea that this major American opera company would devote the same sort of passion and artistry to the musicals of Rodgers and Hammerstein that they already give to Mozart, Verdi, and Wagner,” said Ted Chapin, president and executive director of The Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization: an Imagem Company, when the series was announced. “This is the first series of its kind. For Lyric Opera to recognize the role that musicals from Broadway’s Golden Age have in the world of 21st-century lyric theater is remarkable – and a great honor for us.” New works, new audiences, new challenges Part of the essence of the American Musical Theater Initiative is to expand the breadth of repertoire that Lyric produces and to attract new audiences to the Civic Opera House. “Opera is and will always be the heart of why Lyric exists,” Freud warmly reminds. “Broadening our operatic repertoire, doing more new productions, giving our audiences opportunities to think about the great masterpieces as well as introducing them to more rarely performed

ROBERTKUSEL

Sweeney Todd was presented at Lyric in 2002-03, with Judith Christin as Mrs. Lovett and Bryn Terfel in the title role.

Sweeney Todd, and The Sound of Music. While the idea of an opera company presenting musicals might seem contradictory, the lines between opera and musicals have always been blurred. Renée Fleming, Lyric’s creative consultant since 2010 and one of the forces behind the creation of the initiative, believes wholeheartedly that musicals and opera are not mutually exclusive. “The Broadway musical is a natural descendant of the European opera and operetta tradition. With its productions of classics like the great Rodgers and Hammerstein shows, Lyric is celebrating music theater that is a central part of American culture,” says Fleming.

Lyric’s general director Anthony Freud also embraces the fluidity and ambiguity between the two genres: “Many people have tried to define the difference between an opera and a musical, but I don’t think there is a truly useful distinction. Any attempts to describe the basic characteristics of an opera versus a musical ultimately don’t hold water.” However, Freud does add an important caveat. “There are certain types of musical theater for which an opera company – its scale, its expertise, its range of skills – can be truly transformational,” he notes. “But there are many musicals, indeed the majority of musicals, to

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Following Sweeney Todd, Show Boat (2011-12) was the second musical to be presented as part of Lyric’s mainstage stage. Pictured at left are Angela Renée Simpson (Queenie) and Morris Robinson (Joe); and at right, Ericka Mac (Ellie, center).

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Lyric inaugurated its Musical Theater Initiative in 2012-13 with Oklahoma! Pictured are Ashley Brown as Laurey and John Cudia as Curly; and Curtis Holbrook as Will with dancers Teanna Zarro (left) and Christine Smith (right)

audience was our traditional operagoers as I am that we attracted so many people who were new to Lyric.” Ultimately, Lyric’s work with musical theater will always be a work in progress. “Inevitably, each year, we have to take stock,” says Freud. “If an experiment is not working, you don’t maintain it. So far, it’s working – and each year we’ll try to do better than the previous year.” Looking ahead to Carousel With two popular and successful productions completed, the American Musical Theater Initiative now turns to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel for its third offering, opening in April 2015. In many ways, Carousel is an outlier in the Rodgers and Hammerstein canon. At its 1945 Broadway premiere it proved an immediate hit with critics and audiences, and Time magazine named it the best musical of all time in 1999. It boasts some incredibly famous songs, including the beautiful “If I Loved You” and the anthemic “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” At the same time, Carousel is often called the most operatic of all Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, and Anthony Freud deems it “the most sophisticated, the most ambiguous, the least straightforward” of all their works. “The characters are complex, the sympathies of the audience change constantly through the piece, and the conclusion asks as

of Lyric’s initiative have generated incredible excitement and record-setting audiences. More than 36,000 people saw Oklahoma! and half of that audience had never been to a Lyric performance before. Attendance achieved even greater heights for The Sound of Music , currently the best-selling production in the company’s history with almost 72,000 tickets sold and 58% of the audience new to Lyric. As Renée Fleming summarizes, “The overwhelming, positive response to these productions is proof that our audiences embrace the idea, and that they enjoy seeing the impressive resources of a great opera company like Lyric give new life to these shows we all love so much.” It is still too early to know whether the new audiences who came to see The Sound of Music and Oklahoma! will come back to hear Tosca or Tannhäuser . Still, Lyric has already seen success in encouraging its opera audience to hear the musicals and other new projects, such as the mariachi opera Cruzar la Cara de la Luna (2013) – about half of that production’s audience was new to Lyric. “The purpose of the American Musical Theater Initiative is to both bring in new audiences, and to provide exciting, entertaining, thought-provoking experiences for our existing opera audiences,” says Freud. “I’m just as enthusiastic about the fact that half of the

pieces and new works is absolutely at the heart of Lyric’s mission.” The American Musical Theatre Initiative gives Chicago audiences the opportunity to see the classic works of Broadway done on a scale that simply cannot be found anywhere else. As Freud notes, “At Lyric, we can perform musicals with a wonderful orchestra and an operatic chorus. These pieces do have a grand scenic scale, and in our very large opera house, we’re able to present musicals in a way that is impossible commercially.” Audiences at The Sound of Music experienced the depth of Lyric’s resources when soprano Christine Brewer (as the Mother Abbess) led the choir of nuns in “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” or when the von Trapp mansion was seen onstage in all of its exquisite period detail. In Oklahoma!, the expansive set gave plenty of room for the performers to move, whether in the exuberant square dance or the dramatic dream ballet. The music of every production has been anchored by the marvelous Lyric Opera Orchestra, an ensemble whose size is unprecedented for most contemporary Broadway musicals. Essentially, Lyric’s productions are an experience that can’t be replicated, and Freud’s hope is that “we’re recapturing the excitement these great works generated when they were new.” The two musicals presented to date as part

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TODDROSENBERG

Denyce Graves Defies Categorization Superstar mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves is featured in Lyric’s Carousel as Nettie Fowler, who acts as a mother hen to the New England waterfront community depicted by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Graves, who has performed everywhere – from the world’s greatest opera houses to the White House – is embarking on her first full- length musical theater production with Carousel . She welcomes the challenge: “I’ve always loved musical theater, and I feel so much better about getting my feet wet in this genre at an opera house. I’m thrilled to bits about doing this.” Lyric audiences are sure to relish hearing Graves’s powerful voice in Carousel, a show that Graves approaches with reverence and a long history. “‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ is one of the first songs I ever heard as a child,” she reminisces. “My mother used to sing it to me, and I’d always thought it was a spiritual!” On Lyric’s stage, she plans to approach each performance of the song with the “honesty, truthfulness, and compassion” that it demands. Graves has always been devoted to musical theater, which she’s performed a great deal as concert excerpts. She has had a chance to compare notes with her good friend and fellow opera star Christine Brewer (the Mother Abbess in last season’s Lyric production of The Sound of Music ) when the two performed recently at a concert for peace and unity in Ferguson, Missouri. Brewer found that memorizing her spoken lines was the most difficult part of preparation for her musical debut. “I’m cautious to make this statement, but I have a very good and detailed memory (my husband can attest to that!) and memorizing opera hasn’t been an issue, but memorizing lines will be different for sure,” notes Graves. All in all, Graves is delighted and grateful to turn over what she calls “a new page” in her career. Catch her onstage at Lyric starting in April!

Lyric’s Musical Theater Initiative continued in 2013-14 with The Sound of Music. (Below) Billy Zane portrayed Captain von Trapp, opposite Jenn Gambatese as Maria.

many questions as it answers.”

TODDROSENBERG

22 | N O V E M B E R 1 7 - D E C E M B E R 2 0 , 2 0 1 4 music and story, Lyric has assembled an amazing creative team. Tony Award-winning director Rob Ashford returns to direct after making his Lyric debut in February 2014 with the acclaimed new production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville . Joining him is costume designer Catherine Zuber, who also designed the Barber costumes. Making his theatrical debut as set designer is Italian artist Paolo Ventura. Rob Ashford saw the haunting circus- inspired images in Ventura’s 2008 “Winter Stories” exhibition several years ago and knew that they were the ideal inspiration for a future production of Carousel . When he was approached to direct Lyric’s new production, he suggested Ventura as a designer, who was immediately drawn to the project. Together, the design team has created a visual world that Ashford describes as “tinged in melancholy” Based on the acclaimed play Liliom by Ferenc Molnár, Carousel is a complex story of missed opportunities and second chances that was the personal favorite of composer Richard Rodgers. Carousel barker and general ne’er-do-well Billy Bigelow falls in love with the beautiful, innocent young mill-worker Julie Jordan, but neither of them can truly express the depth of their feelings. They marry, have a child, and then Billy dies in tragic circumstances. Years later, his ghost is given a chance at redemption through helping his now- grown daughter Louise. To fully explore the possibilities inherent in the

that will also contain moments of profound beauty and hope. To audiences who are familiar with the piece, Freud promises a unique, fresh approach to this beloved work: “Audiences who come to Lyric will see a Carousel that will have its own, very distinctive identity.” Maggie Berndt, Lyric Opera’s public relations specialist, is former publicist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O

JOHNREILLY

Lyric Opera of Chicago

The Gershwins ® ' Porgy and Bess ® By George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin Generous sponsors for this Lyric Opera presentation are the Elizabeth Morse Genius Charitable Trust, The Elizabeth Morse Charitable Trust, Cherryl T. Thomas and Ardmore Associates, and Roberta L. and Robert J. Washlow, with additional support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

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PORGY AND BESS Story Of The Opera

the Train is at the Station ) as they reluctantly allow her a place in the community. ACT TWO Scene 1. A few weeks later, Jake and the fishermen are working on their nets as Porgy compares his life to theirs ( I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin’ ). Maria, the matriarch of Catfish Row, chases Sportin’ Life away from her when he tries to sell his “happy dust” ( I Hates Yo’ Struttin’ Style ). Lawyer Frazier arrives and sells Bess a divorce for a dollar; when he learns that she and Crown were never married, he raises his fee to a dollar and a half. All prepare to leave for the church picnic on Kittiwah Island. Sportin’ Life asks Bess again to come to New York with him and tries to give her more dope, which she refuses. Porgy chases him away, and he and Bess sing about their newfound happiness ( Bess, You Is My Woman Now ). All except Porgy leave for the picnic. Scene 2. At the picnic, Sportin’ Life sings about his own brand of religion ( It Ain’t Necessarily So ). All are getting ready to leave when Crown, hidden in the bushes, calls out to Bess. She tells him she’s Porgy’s woman now, but he forcibly won’t let her go. Scene 3. Back at Catfish Row, some time later, the fishermen are getting ready to leave as Bess raves, still delirious over Crown’s attack. Peter wants to send her to the hospital, but Serena would rather pray over her ( Oh, Doctor Jesus ). The street fills with people. Bess eventually emerges and explains to Porgy that, although she wants to stay with him, when Crown comes she’ll be forced to go with him ( I Loves You, Porgy ). Porgy tells her that she doesn’t have to go with Crown. A hurricane begins to rise, and Clara, frightened for her

husband Jake who is still out fishing, calls out his name. Scene 4. Everyone gathers in Clara’s room and prays for shelter from the hurricane. There is a knock at the door. Crown enters and tries to take Bess away. He laughs at the frightened townspeople and sings a bawdy song to counteract their prayers ( Red-Headed Woman ). When Clara sees Jake’s boat and runs out to find him, Bess calls for a man to go after her. Crown goes, after taunting Porgy and asking him why he won’t go. ACT THREE Scene 1. After the storm, the women are crying for their men; Sportin’ Life teases them and Bess. Crown enters; he and Porgy fight, and Porgy kills him. Scene 2. The next morning, the police and the coroner come to Catfish Row. They want to take Porgy down to identify Crown’s body. Sportin’ Life tells him that when he looks at him, Crown’s wound will begin to bleed. Telling Bess that Porgy will be locked up for sure, Sportin’ Life forces some dope on her and leaves more outside her door. Scene 3 . A week later, Porgy returns. While he tries to distribute the gifts he bought with the money he made playing craps in jail, he discovers Bess is gone ( Oh, Bess, Oh Where’s My Bess? ). He learns that she has gone off with Sportin’ life to New York. He decides to leave Catfish Row forever and follow her as the curtain falls. Reprinted by permission of Washington National Opera.

TIME: 1950s PLACE : Catfish Row and Kittiwah Island, South Carolina The opera will be performed with one intermission, after the second scene of Act Two.

ACT ONE Scene 1. In the courtyard of Catfish Row, Clara sings a lullaby to her child as the other women look on ( Summertime ). The drug dealer Sportin’ Life, Clara’s husband Jake, and some of the other men are playing craps. Jake sings his child a lullaby of his own ( A Woman Is a Sometime Thing ). The begger Porgy comes in to join the game; he defends Crown’s woman, Bess, then the others gossip about. Jake accuses him of being soft on her, but Porgy says that he isn’t soft on any woman; God made him a cripple and meant him to be lonely. Crown arrives with Bess and joins the game. He’s drunk and, when he loses, he starts a fight and kills Robbins with a cotton hook. Crown runs to hide, but tells Bess he’ll be back. Sportin’ Life offers to take her to New York with him, but she refuses. No one will help her and give her shelter before the police arrive except Porgy. Scene 2. Porgy and Bess are at Robbins’s funeral, where his widow, Serena, is leading the mourners. The police enter and arrest Peter as a material witness. Serena is still grieving as she convinces the undertaker to bury Robbins for less than his usual fee. Bess leads the mourners in a spiritual ( Oh,

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The Gershwins ® ’ PORGY AND BESS ®

• Production originally created for Washington National Opera.

• The worldwide copyrights in the music of George and Ira Gershwin® for this presentation are licensed by the Gershwin Family. arrangement with Tams-Witmark Music Library, Inc., 560 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY, 10022. • GERSHWIN is a registered trademark and service mark of Gershwin Enterprises. • Porgy and Bess is a trademark and service mark of Porgy and Bess Enterprises. • Lyric Opera of Chicago broadcasts are generously sponsored by The Hurvis Family Foundation, with matching funding provided by The Matthew and Kay Bucksbaum Family, The John and Jackie Bucksbaum Family, and Richard P. and Susan Kiphart. • Lyric Opera gratefully acknowledges the support of the Robert and Ellen Marks American Opera Endowed Chair. • Lyric Opera of Chicago wishes to thank its Official Airline, American Airlines. • This season’s projected English titles are funded in part by a generous grant from the Lloyd E. Rigler-Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation. • Porgy and Bess is presented by

By George Gershwin, DuBose and Dorothy Heyward and Ira Gershwin

Opera in three acts in English

First performed at the Colonial Theatre, Boston, on September 30, 1935 First performed by Lyric Opera on November 18, 2008 Characters in order of vocal appearance: Clara HLENGIWE MKHWANAZI °* Mingo CHASE TAYLOR * Sportin’ Life JERMAINE SMITH Jake NORMAN GARRETT * Serena KAREN SLACK * Robbins BERNARD HOLCOMB °° Jim EARL HAZELL Peter CURTIS BANNISTER * Lily VERONICA CHAPMAN-SMITH Maria GWENDOLYN BROWN °° Porgy ERIC OWENS Crown ERIC GREENE Bess ADINA AARON * Detective JOHN LISTER Policeman BRIAN McCASKILL Undertaker KENNETH NICHOLS Lawyer Frazier WILL LIVERMAN ° Annie LEAH DEXTER * Nelson ANTHONY P. McGLAUN * Strawberry Woman SAMANTHA McELHANEY * Crab Man JERMAINE BROWN, JR. * Coroner DEV KENNEDY Conductor WARD STARE Director FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO Set Designer PETER J. DAVISON Costume Designer PAUL TAZEWELL Lighting Designer MARK MCCULLOUGH Chorus Master MICHAEL BLACK Choreographer and Associate Director DENNI SAYERS Ballet Mistress AUGUST TYE Wigmaster and Makeup Designer SARAH HATTEN Assistant Director GARNETT BRUCE Stage Manager DANIEL SOKALSKI Musical Preparation

GRANT LOEHNIG PHILIP MOREHEAD MATTHEW PIATT

• No one will be seated while the performance is in progress.

Fight Director

CHUCK COYL CORI ELLISON

Projected English Titles

• The performance will last approximately three hours.

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P R O F I L E S | L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O

ERIC OWENS ( Porgy ) Previously at Lyric Opera: Vodník/ Rusalka (2013-14); title role/ Hercules (2010- 11); General Leslie Groves/ Doctor Atomic ( 2007-08). The celebrated bass- baritone, a Philadelphia

JERMAINE SMITH ( Sportin’ Life ) Previously at Lyric Opera: Sportin’ Life/ Porgy and Bess (2008-09). The tenor is closely associated with the role of Sportin’ Life, in which he

Aaron’s greatly acclaimed portrayal was telecast throughout Europe and released on DVD. She has reprised Aida at the Savonlinna Festival in Finland, the Opéra de Marseille, Cologne Opera, the Opéra Royal de Wallonie in Liège (Belgium), and most recently last season at the Aalto-Theater in Essen, Germany. Aaron’s successes in Verdi repertoire also include Un ballo in maschera (Erfurt), Don Carlo (Tel Aviv, Kiel), Il trovatore (Marseille, Avignon, Montreal, Anchorage), Falstaff (Bilbao, Toulon), and the Requiem (Stuttgart, Cologne, Marseille). After making her role debut as Tosca in Stuttgart, Aaron repeated the role in Essen and returns to it later this season in Marseille. Other successes range stylistically from Vitellia/ La clemenza di Tito (Cologne) and Fiordiligi/ Così fan tutte (Tel Aviv) to Rosario/Granados’s Goyescas (Montpellier Festival), Mimì/ La bohème (Tel Aviv), the title role/ Madama Butterfly (Miami), and the title role/Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha (Paris’s Théâtre du Châtelet). Most recently, he portrayed Queequeg/Jake Heggie’s Moby Dick at Washington National Opera and made his first forays into Wagner: as Melot/ Tristan und Isolde in concert with the Puerto Rico Symphony at the Casals Festival, Donner/ Das Rheingold at Palermo’s Teatro Massimo, and Gunther/ Götterdämmerung with Opera North in the United Kingdom. He also starred with Opera North as Billy Bigelow/ Carousel in a much-acclaimed new production. With another important British company, BirminghamOpera, Greene created the leading role of Segismundo/ Life is a Dream by Jonathan Dove and Alasdair Middleton and portrayed Prince Ivan Khovansky/ Khovanshchina . His major U.S. appearances include Jake/ Porgy and Bess (Francesca Zambello’s production at Los Angeles Opera), Escamillo /Carmen (Opera Philadelphia), Robert Garner/Richard Danielpour’s Margaret Garner (world premiere, Michigan Opera Theatre), Ping/ Turandot (Opera Philadelphia), and eight productions at Virginia Opera. Greene is a former winner of Maryland’s Leontyne Price Vocal Competition and also former first-place winner in both the Rosa Ponselle All-Marylanders Competition and the NAACP ACT-SO competition. ERIC GREENE ( Crown ) Previously at Lyric Opera: Jake/ Porgy and Bess (2008-09). The baritone has achieved significant successes onstage with both European and American companies.

native, returns to his hometown this season to portray Philip II/ Don Carlo with Opera Philadelphia. He also sings Wagner’s Dutchman at Washington National Opera. Owens was heard last season as Sarastro/ Die Zauberflöte at the Metropolitan Opera, Handel’s Hercules at the Canadian Opera Company, Alberich/ Ring cycle at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, and as bass soloist in Bach’s St. Matthew Passion with Sir Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic. He also mentored the next generation of opera stars for the “American Voices” project at Washington’s Kennedy Center, at the invitation of Renée Fleming. Owens has created numerous challenging roles in contemporary repertoire, including the title character/Elliot Goldenthal’s Grendel (world premiere at Los Angeles Opera, subsequently Lincoln Center) and – in operas by John Adams – General Leslie Groves/ Doctor Atomic (San Francisco, DVD, Grammy-winning CD) and the Storyteller/ A Flowering Tree (Peter Sellars’s New Crowned Hope Festival in Vienna, CD). His operatic versatility encompasses Alberich/ Ring cycle (Metropolitan Opera – HD, DVD, CD); his debuts at San Francisco Opera ( Otell o) and Covent Garden ( Norma ); Rigoletto and Il trovatore (Los Angeles); Die Zauberflöte (Paris); A ri odante and L’Incoronazione di Poppea (London); and The Rape of Lucretia (Glimmerglass Opera). A Houston Grand Opera Studio alumnus, Owens has been heard at HGO in six roles, among them Aristotle Onassis/ Jackie O (world premiere, CD), Ramfis, Sarastro, and Méphistophélès. ADINA AARON ( Bess ) Lyric Opera debut

has appeared in Japan, Germany, Sweden, Austria, The Netherlands, Italy, Spain, and Norway. He has also sung the role with major American companies, including the Hollywood Bowl, Houston Grand Opera, Opera Pacific, Washington National Opera, and Los Angeles Opera (the latter two in Francesca Zambello’s production). Venues that have most recently acclaimed his portrayal include the Teatro San Carlo (Naples), Seattle Opera, Tanglewood (Boston Symphony Orchestra), Paris’s Opéra- Comique, the Théâtre de Caen, the Granada Festival, the Opéra de Luxembourg, and the Santa Fe Symphony. His other operatic repertoire includes the title role/ Joshua’s Boots ( world premiere at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, revival at Kansas City Lyric Opera), Henry Davis/ Street Scene and Zodzetrick/ Treemonisha (both with Opera Theatre of Saint Louis). He has made numerous appearances with the St. Louis Symphony. An alumnus of New England Conservatory and the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Smith is a faculty member of Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis. KAREN SLACK ( Serena ) Lyric Opera debut have been Sister Rose/Jake Heggie’s Dead Man Walking (Madison Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera), the title role/ Tosca and Leonora /Il trovatore (Arizona Opera), Violetta /La traviata (Sacramento Opera, West Bay Opera), and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 (Alabama Symphony). She will sing the Beethoven work later this season with the Quad City Symphony. Slack attracted considerable attention in her Metropolitan Opera debut as Verdi’s Luisa Miller, which was broadcast internationally. Other important operatic engagements include Aida (Lyric Opera of Kansas City), Desdemona/ Otello (Melbourne Symphony), and Cilla/Richard Danielpour’s Margaret Garner opposite Denyce Graves (Michigan Opera The soprano’s portrayal of Serena has been seen at both San Francisco Opera (DVD) and Washington National Opera. Among her most recent engagements

The American soprano has won great praise internationally in a variety of lyric and spinto roles. Highlights in her 2013- 14 season included

her Washington National Opera debut as Leonora/ La forza del destino , a work in which she previously triumphed in Cologne. She first attracted international attention as Aida in Franco Zeffirelli’s production in Busseto, Italy;

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