M a r i n a d e l R e y S y m p h o n y

August 17, 2017, 7:00pm Burton Chace Park

Ope ra a t t h e Shor e Giuseppe Verdi: Aïda

Characters -Aïda, an Ethiopian Princess -King/Pharaoh of Egypt-Amneris, the Pharaoh’s daughter-Radamès, Captain of the Guard-Amonasro, King of Ethiopia-Ramfis, a High Priest-A Messenger-High Priestess-Chorus

Frank Fetta-Conductor Out of a war between nations, two from each nation find a forbidden love, and through deceit and treachery are finally united as they are con-demned to death.

Radamès learns from the high priest Ramfis that the Ethiopians are ready to attack, and he thinks himself as a warrior to protect his county. But then his thoughts and emotions turn to Aïda. Though she is an Ethiopian princess and enemy, she is now a captured slave. Amneris enters and hears Radamès mus-ings and wonders if those are about her. Aïda enters, and Radamès’ looks betray him-Amner-is knows Radamès sings of Aida, not her. Am-neris then sets out to destroy Aïda. Radamès is commissioned to protect Egypt and leaves for battle.

In Amneris’ apartment, she and Aïda are alone, and to trap Aïda, Amneris says Radamès was killed in battle. Aïda's reaction to this lie confirms the love between the two. Amneris

then admits it was a lie, that Radamès lives, he will obey the King, and he will be hers. The two are now mortal rivals. The triumphant Radamès is greeted by the King/Pharaoh who gives him the victor’s crown. He grants Radamès any wish, and his wish is that the captives are set free. This would include Aïda, and her father, but who is disguised and lies that the Ethiopian King was slain in battle. Over the objections from Ramfis and the priests, the Pharaoh agrees except for Aïda and her father, Amonas-ro. The King then gives the hand of Amneris to Radamès. Radamès, Aïda, Amonasro, Amneris, the Pharaoh and priest sing their conflicting thoughts and emotions.

Aïda arrives for a tryst with Radamès, but before he arrives her father, Amonasro, en-ters, and tells her that while Radamès may be her lover, he is also a way of escape and victory over the Egyptians. This upsets Aïda, but she eventually consents. Radamès enters and sings of his love for Aïda. She tries to convince him to escape with her. He eventually agrees, and pic-tures himself in Ethiopia. In his blissful love-state Radamès answers Aïda's question on which route to take. Radamès divulges a state secret of an open route. Amonasro rushes in now that their escape is possible. Radamès becomes upset that he was deceived, but Amonasro convinces him it was fate, and now they must escape. Meanwhile, Amneris re-en-ters and overhearing what happened de-nounces all three. Aïda and her father escape, but a remorseful Radamès remains and gives himself over to the priests.

Rhamades is to be tried as a traitor. Am-neris, still in love with him, laments her actions which led to the trial with the priests. She tries to persuade Radamès to forget Aïda, but he will not, his love is for Aïda alone. Amneris cannot shut out the voices of the trial where Radamès is found guilty of treason and sentenced to death-to be entombed under the Temple of Vulcan. In the tomb Radamès realizes he is not alone, Aïda emerges from the shadows. Her fa-ther, Amonasro, King of Ethiopia, was killed in battle, and sensing Radamès death sentence, she secretly went back to the temple to be with him. They are sealed within the tomb. In their duo, Aïda and Radamès sing O terra Addio/Farewell, O earth, and in each other’s embrace they sing as darkness descends.

Marina del Rey SymphonyAugust 17, 2017

Burton Chace Park(MLH and ZQH)

Please keep the park clean, recycle this and pick up before you leave.

Artistic / Production StaffFrank Fetta-Artistic Director & MaestroMatthew Hetz-Executive Director/President, Marina del Rey Symphony Lucie Kim-Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and HarborsZeffin Quinn Hollis-Stage Director and Production Sylvie Gosse-ChoreographerAlyxx Iannetta-CostumesSarah Shields-PropsTimothy León-Assistant Conductor and Chorus MasterHauk Graham-MdRS Stage ManagerJim Ciancaglini-MdRS Stage ManageStephen Isenberg-Impact Video: Video/Supertitles

Principal CastCandace Bogan-Aïda, an Ethiopian Princess Eric Castro-King/Pharaoh of EgyptNandani Sinha-Amneris, the King’s daughter Matteo Bitetti-Radamès, Captain of the GuardRalph Cato-Amonasro, King of Ethio-pia Patrick Blackwell-Ramfis, a High PriestRicardo Mota-A MessengerEmma McDermott-High Priestess

Principal CoversJennifer Lindsay-Aida CoverEmma McDermott-Aida CoverJae Moon-Radamès CoverMarina Kesler-Amneris CoverEsteban Rivas-King CoverEliseo Zari-Messenger Cover

Prisoner Chorus / Episcopal Chorale Society

Dr. Chas Cheatham-Founder and Artistic Director

The Orchestra and SoCal Symphony Society extend our deep gratitude to Los Angeles County Supervisor Jan-ice Hahn, and the Department of Beaches and Harbors for their fore-sight and commitment in presenting these concerts: Gary Jones-Director; Kerry Silverstrom-Chief Deputy Direc-tor; Carol Baker-Division Chief of Community & Marketing Services Di-vision and Lucie Kim, Monica-Sarah Roldan, Catrina Love, and Troy Le.Send an e-mail of thanks for these concert to Supervisor Janice Hahn:http://www.janicehahn.com and to Dept. of Beaches and Har-bors: http://beaches.lacounty.gov/contact-us/

Auntie M Creative Consultants are these concerts Technical Directors

Culver City Symphony Orches-tra is the parent orchestra.Visit www.culvercitysymphony.org.To contact us info@culvercitysymphony.org

Thank you to Veterans Memorial Com-plex, Culver City; Zajac Vocal Studio; and Hollywood Luthern Church for the rehearsal venues.

Soprano Candace Bohan - AïdaCandace Leigh Anya Bogan is our Aida. Most memorable performances include the role of Madama Butterfly with the Culver City Sympho-ny, Mimi (La Boheme) with the San Bernardino Symphony, Domna Saburova (Tsar’s Bride) with

Independent Opera Los Angeles, Nedda (Pagli-acci) at Central Florida Lyric Opera, and Anna Mauarant (Street Scene) with the San Diego State University Opera Theatre. Ms. Bogan was awarded 1st place in the 2016 LA International Liszt Competition Division IX.

Tenor Matteo Bitetti - RadamèsMattéo’s Bitetti's latest performances have been as Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with PCC Opera in Pasadena (2015), as tenor soloist with the Torrance Symphony in a tribute to Mario Lanza, as Alfred in die Fledermaus with Nevada Opera Theater, as Canio in I Pagliacci and as Cavara-dossi in Tosca with the Redlands Bowl Summer Festival. Matteo will be performing as tenor soloist with the Redlands Bowl Summer Festival in the Singing Cinema, and as Canio in I Pagli-acci with the Marina Del Rey Summer Festival Orchestra (2015).

Mezzo-Soprano Nandani Sinha - AmnerisBorn in the United States, Nandani relocated to Germany where she received formal training in voice and piano. She earned a BM cum laude in vocal performance from Cornell University, and a Master of Music from California State Univer-sity at Los Angeles. A favorite performer in Southern California, Nandani has performed with such organizations as the Los Angeles Opera, Long Beach Opera, Celestial Opera, Malibu Coast Chamber Opera, Westwood Madrigals, Viklarbo Chamber Ensemble, Malibu Coast Madrigals, Westwood Master Choir, Mal-ibu Friends of Music, the Kairos Musical Soirees, SPaCE Salon Los Angeles, Malibu

Performing Arts Society, and Redlands Sym-phony

Baritone Ralph Cato - AmonasroRalph Cato/Baritone. Early in his career, Cato travelled extensively with Albert McNeil’s Ju-bilee Singers as a featured soloist. He has sung Carmina Burana to great acclaim numerous times from Estonia to America and much orato-rio, including the Mozart C minor Mass with the Kölner Philharmonie in Köln Germany, and more recently tackled the avant-garde Aye in Philip Glass’ Aknaten for Long Beach Opera. For Redlands Opera, he has portrayed the title role in Gianni Schicchi, Sharpless (Madama Butterfly), Marcello (La Boheme), Sonora (Fan-ciulla del West), Germont (LaTraviata), Escamil-lo (Carmen) and Tonio (I Pagliacci)

Baritone Eric Castro - King of Egypt/PharaohEric Castro is a Baritone soloist, performing in opera, concert, and oratorio with professional orchestras and opera companies at major venues in North America and in Europe. He has performed multiple times as a soloist at Walt Disney Concert Hall: twice with California Phil-harmonic Orchestra — as Marcello in a “La Bo-hème” Concert and as “Konchak, Polovetsian khan” in Borodin’s “Polovetzian Dances”; and twice again with Los Angeles Lawyers Philhar-monic — in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and in Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana.”

Prisoner Chorus / Episcopal Chorale SocietyDr. Chas Cheatham-Founder and Artistic Director

Ensemble Cast

SopranosYun ChoiMelinda EhrlichGökçen GundayChristie LawrenceJessie MassoudiMegan MelbyeChristina RoszhartConstance von Briesen-Kamm

AltosRochelle FirestoneSimru GunseliMarina KeslerGrace KimCynthia Nitrini StaryStephanie Morgan-RussellSarah Shields

TenorsRicardo MotaGabriel ParedesDonald PerryEliseo Zari

BassosDavid ConleyKen MartinEsteban RivasJuan Antonio RiveraLuis RodriguezRaed Saade Prisoner Chorus SopranosAndrea BoldenE. Jean BroadsBeatrice ColemanPamela EvelynFlorence FernandezRosalia GranadosKaren JohnsonPamm LandDami OsobaQwendolyn Price

AltosTrudy DorseyDorothy Gardner Angela GreyLydia JohnsonLuanna LawrenceMarge LevySandra McGeePatti Jo McKayYvonne O’NealYallie Peterson

TenorsArthur BroadousLinda Broadous-MilesMaude HoggardJacquelyn LevyDonald Perry

BassosEugene ChatmanSam DacusLawrence DiggsKyril KasimoffKiernan O’NealJohn Thorne