Porgy and Bess at Seattle Opera - Encore Spotlight...Anne M. Redman Joshua Rodriguez John Sullivan Moya Vazquez Advisory Board ... Robert Fries Leslie Giblett Paul Goodrich Jeffrey

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January 2020 | Volume 44, No. 3

PAUL HEPPNER PresidentMIKE HATHAWAY Senior Vice President

KAJSA PUCKETT Vice President, Sales & Marketing

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ProductionSUSAN PETERSON Vice President, Production

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Seattle Opera 2019/20 Season4

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FEBRUARY 4

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Carl Theodor Dreyer’s silent film La Passion de Jeanne d’Arc (1928) accompanied by Britain’s celebrated early music vocal ensemble.

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EUGENE ONEGIN

20 REJECTION LETTERBy Jonathan Dean

22 LITERATURE AND LEGACY OF ALEXANDER PUSHKINBy Alena Gray Aniskiewicz

31 MEET KENZIEBy Glenn Hare

Production Essentials

10 Production Sponsor

11 The Cast

12 The Story

14 Artists

18 Actors

18 Supernumeraries

18 Chorus

18 Orchestra

24 In the Lobby

Departments

7 From the General Director

8 Service Directory

8 Board of Directors

9 From the President

26 Seattle Opera Staff

27 Staff Chat

28 Institutional Donors

28 In-Kind Partners

29 Donor Impact

30 Programs and Partnerships Sponsors

32 Encore Society

35 Leadership and Producer’s Circles

37 Amusements

37 Seattle Opera Podcast

38 Upcoming Events

Seattle Opera

EditorGlenn Hare

Graphic DesignLarisa Melkumova

Cover ImagePhilip Newton

VOLUME 44 ISSUE 3

Seattle Opera offers large print and Braille versions of this program. Please see coat check for details.

Seattle Opera acknowledges that McCaw Hall and the Opera Center are located on the ancestral homeland of the Coast Salish people. As Seattle Opera strives to create respectful partnerships throughout the Pacific Northwest, we hope to contribute to collective healing and true reconciliation.

5Eugene Onegin

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“I was overwhelmed.My entire body was trembling—but in

a very loving way. I felt very joyful.It was beautiful, it was healing.”

—Elisa Brown, renowned soprano

“Her voice was so ethereal...Powerful, marvelous soprano.”

—Lee Meriwether & Marshall Borden

Featuring one of the world’s oldest art forms—classical Chinese dance—along with patented scenographic effects and all-original orchestral works, Shen Yun opens a portal to a civilization of enchanting beauty and enlightening wisdom.

THE RESOUNDING VOICES of bel canto soloists are an integral part of the Shen Yun experience. Each program is heightened by several moving selections from our singers. Their impassioned songs give voice to hopes that have shaped Chinese culture for centuries.

VOCAL SOLOISTS

5,000 Years of Civilization reborn

“It’s like being in heaven!”—Paul Behrends, consultant

“Superb!Every performance was stunning.”

—WNYC

Shen Yun Returns All-New Production with Live OrchestraMcCaw Hall at Seattle Center | March 27–April 5

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Thank you for joining us for Tchaikovsky’s lushly orchestrated story of unanswered love. Based on Alexander Pushkin’s verse novel of the same name (still frequently assigned in Russian schools), Eugene Onegin is the quintessential Russian lyric opera. Pushkin’s plot—much like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in English-speaking countries—is familiar to nearly every Russian. The story follows Eugene Onegin, a worldly aristocrat bored by his new life in the country, and Tatyana, a teenager from a nearby estate infatuated by the handsome newcomer. Musically, Eugene Onegin is an operatic masterpiece that perfectly surrounds the story and appeals to the romantic in all of us. It’s an exquisite example of why we adore Tchaikovsky. Under the baton of Maestro Aleksandar Marković, expect to be swept away to imperial Russia.

Our just-announced 2020/21 season will be a stellar showcase of artistic talent, and it’s my pleasure to give you a brief glimpse of artists scheduled to perform at McCaw Hall in the coming months. Vanessa Goikoetxea, the soprano who captured our hearts as Micaëla in Carmen, returns in the season opener, appearing in a new production of Pagliacci & Cavalleria rusticana. We’ll also have the distinction of two visionary women at the helm of Mozart’s masterpiece Don Giovanni: Stage director Brenna Corner and conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya will spearhead a dynamic new co-production.

We’ll welcome back two impressive tenors who gave memorable performances in Rigoletto and Cinderella. Liparit Avetisyan (Duke of Mantua) and Matthew Grills (Don Ramiro) will charm Seattle once again in The Elixir of Love, alternating in the endearing lead role Nemorino. Next winter we will present the Seattle premiere of Flight, a very successful contemporary opera based on a true story and set in an airport terminal. Korean Canadian countertenor David DQ Lee will make his Seattle Opera debut in this entertaining “slice-of-life” ensemble dramedy. To close out the season, two globally praised sopranos will ignite the stage as opera’s ultimate diva. Spanish artist Saioa Hernández and Armenian Karine Babajanyan headline a gorgeous period revival of Puccini’s classic Tosca.

As you think about the wonderful artists appearing next season, I invite you to reflect on the many ways this art form has transformed your life by offering you emotions and experiences that only music and the human voice can give. Thank you for playing a part in this lifelong journey of discovery and celebration.

With gratitude,

Christina Scheppelmann

FROM THE GENERAL DIRECTOR

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Representatives to the BoardGayle Charlesworth, Seattle Opera GuildCarissa Castaldo, Seattle Opera ChorusEvan Bennett, BRAVO!Eric Jacobs, The Seattle Symphony and Opera

Players’ Organization

Seattle Opera FoundationSteven C. Phelps,

PresidentCharles B. CosséJames D. CullenEllen EvansJeffrey Hanna

Jay LapinAnne M. RedmanJoshua RodriguezJohn SullivanMoya Vazquez

Advisory BoardConnie BloxomJohn M. Bloxom, Jr.Beverly BrazeauNorma B. CrocoDavid R. DavisBetty Hedreen

Victoria IvarssonLinda Nordstrom Eulalie SchneiderJudy SchuchartVirginia B. Wright

Honorary Life MembersBeverly BrazeauDonald L. Johnson

Duff KennedyMichael M. Scott

Past PresidentsNorma B. CrocoAlbert O. Foster†

Max E. Gellert†

Harold H. Heath†

H. Dewayne Kreager†

Francis A. LeSourd†

James M. McDonald Jr.†

Stanley N. MinorJohn F. Nesholm

Sheffield Phelps†

Steven C. PhelpsMaryanne TagneyRussell F. TousleyRichard S. TwissWilliam T.

WeyerhaeuserHoward S. Wright†

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2019/20 Season

Vice PresidentsSusan MacGregor

CoughlinJames D. CullenAdam J. FountainA. Richard GemperleBruce E. H. JohnsonBrian LaMacchiaLouise Miller

Jonathan RosoffMartha ShermanStephen A. SprengerMoya VazquezWilliam T.

Weyerhaeuser

DirectorsWillie C. AikensBarry BoldingToby BrightBrenda Bruns, MDSusan BuskeStella Choi-RayCharles B. CosséSusan Detweiler, MDCarolyn EaganRobert FriesLeslie GiblettPaul Goodrich Jeffrey HannaKennan

Hollingsworth, MDRon Hosogi

Gary HoulahanMichael HymanTom McQuaidSteven C. Phelps Tom PuentesJames David RaisbeckJoshua RodriguezJean StarkRussell F. TousleyJudy TsouJames UhlirSusanne Wakefield,

PhDJoan S. WatjenScott Wyatt

Chairman John F. Nesholm

President Brian Marks

President-Elect Lesley Chapin Wyckoff

Immediate Past President Maryanne Tagney

Treasurer Brendan Murphy

Secretary Milkana Brace

† Deceased

SEATTLE OPERA DIRECTORYUnless otherwise indicated, the following numbers are in the 206 area code.

Seattle Opera Audience ServicesPhone: 389.7676Outside Seattle: 800.426.1619For TTY Service: 800.833.6388Group Sales: 676.5588Ticket Donations (day of show): 676.5544Website: www.seattleopera.org

Seattle Opera Donor ServicesPhone: 389.7669Email: [email protected] Room reservations: 389.7669 or [email protected]

Seattle Opera Administrative OfficesPhone: 389.7600363 Mercer StreetSeattle, WA 98109-4600Website: www.seattleopera.org

Marion Oliver McCaw Hall Location: 321 Mercer StreetPhone: 733.9725www.mccawhall.comHead Usher: 733.9722 Security Office: 733.9735Restaurant—Prelude: 615.0404Lost and Found: 684.7200 Parking: 684.7340Monorail: 905.2620Hall Rental: 684.7103Seattle Center Information: 684.7200

Amusements: Gifts of Artistic ExpressionHours: 5:00 p.m. for evening performances and 11:30 a.m. for matinee performances; during intermissionsPhone: 774.4990Email: [email protected] Shop Manager: Kate FarwellAmusements is operated jointly by Seattle Opera and Pacific Northwest Ballet.

BRAVO! Phone: 389.7676Email: [email protected]

Seattle Opera GuildEmail: [email protected] Opera Guild is an organization independent of Seattle Opera.


Welcome to a memorable night of music at Seattle Opera! Whether you’re an opera subscriber or an occasional attendee drawn to McCaw Hall by Tchaikovsky’s lush music and Pushkin’s tale of unrequited love, we’re glad you’re here.

The beginning of the year is always exciting—filled with the anticipation of new opportunities, adventures, and challenges. At Seattle Opera, the announcement of our new season makes this time of year especially thrilling. For the 2020/21 season, we’ve assembled an outstanding array of productions, from classics like Pagliacci & Cavalleria rusticana, Don Giovanni, and Tosca to an accessible new work, Flight, based on actual events of a refugee stranded in the Charles de Gaulle Airport for 18 years. Next season also marks the return of The Elixir of Love, which has not been performed here in more than two decades. I’m eager to see this topsy-turvy love story.

There is so much to look forward to and this is the best time to subscribe—to secure your favorite seats for all of next season. As a full-season subscriber, you’ll enjoy free parking,

hassle-free ticket exchanges, significant savings, and much more. Subscriptions are convenient, flexible, and provide a financial base to launch the wonderful productions we’ve lined up.

A new year also creates an opportunity to reflect: Seattle Opera just celebrated the one-year anniversary of moving into our new home next door! You, our generous supporters, made the building possible and over the last year, I hope you’ve had the chance to experience the programs that have brought it to life. Your support through Seattle Opera’s Annual Fund is what makes all the recitals, talks, and programs possible. The Opera Center makes the music and beauty of opera available to you beyond the five times a year we present productions in McCaw Hall. You can now be part of important community initiatives like The Falling and the Rising, a new chamber opera we presented in November. The Falling and the Rising is a story of honor, courage, and strength seen through the eyes of wounded warriors. The production embodied our commitment to telling stories relevant to our region and our involvement in issues that shape our world.

The Falling and the Rising was an opportunity to collaborate with several local organizations that work every day to improve the lives and well-being of veterans and their families. One of the most inspiring scenes of the production happened when the chorus—composed entirely of veterans—joined the principal singers to perform the finale at the end of the opera. The choir rehearsed in the Opera Center for eight weeks prior to the performance—a valued collaboration with Path with Art, a nonprofit dedicated to using art as an aid to recovering from trauma.

I extend heartfelt appreciation to the Education and Community Engagement Committee and Programs and Partnerships staff for their dedication to the project. There are two board directors who invested an extraordinary amount of energy into making this project a success that I want to celebrate: Susan MacGregor Coughlin, who diligently shepherded the initiative from the beginning through advocacy work and fundraising—she participated in so many meetings that she purchased a parking pass to the Mercer Garage—and Joshua Rodriguez, an Army veteran who spearheaded important components of the production and connected Seattle Opera to the veteran community and organizations that support them. Both Susan and Josh are exemplary volunteers who represent the extraordinary passion, generosity, and dedication of the Seattle Opera Board of Directors.

Thank you for attending our presentation of Eugene Onegin. Revel in the knowledge that thousands of people made this production possible (artists, crew, staff, subscribers, donors) and it’s only complete with you in the seat—let the music transport you! I look forward to seeing you here through the remainder of this season, and I encourage you to join us for all the singing and performances Seattle Opera has planned for you in the next one.

Thank you,

Brian Marks President, Seattle Opera Board of Directors

FROM THE PRESIDENT

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Photo © Philip Newton

We are deeply grateful to you, Seattle Opera’s 4,798 Annual Fund donors. Your passion for opera and contributions at every dollar amount inspire great performances in McCaw Hall and support engaging activities at the Opera Center and throughout Washington State all season long.

Thank You!

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Scenery for this production was constructed at the Lyric Opera of Kansas City Shops. This production is jointly owned by Lyric Opera of Kansas City, Hawaii Opera Theatre, Michigan Opera Theatre, The Atlanta Opera, and Seattle Opera.

Principal Costumes from Santa Fe Opera.

† Seattle Opera mainstage debut

English captions © Jeremy Sortore 2020. Opera presentation and production © Seattle Opera 2020. Copying of any performance by camera, audio, or video recording equipment, and by any other copying device, and any other use of such copying devices during the performances is prohibited.

Premiere: Maly Theatre, Moscow, 1879Seattle Opera Premiere: 1975

Performances at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall: January 11, 12m, 15, 18, 19m, 22, 24, & 25, 2020Evening Performances 7:30 p.m. Matinees 2:00 p.m.

In Russian with English captions.

Act I: 70 minutesIntermission Act II: 40 minutesIntermission Act III: 30 minutes

Music by Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky Libretto by Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky and Konstantin S. Shilovsky Based on Alexander Pushkin’s verse novel Eugene Onegin

CONDUCTOR

Aleksandar Marković †

PRODUCTION STAGE DIRECTOR

Tomer Zvulun

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

Stephanie Havey †

SCENIC DESIGNER

Erhard Rom

COSTUME DESIGNER

Isabella Bywater

LIGHTING DESIGNER

Robert Wierzel

CHORUSMASTER

John Keene

CHOREOGRAPHER

Logan Pachciarz †

ENGLISH CAPTIONS

Jeremy Sortore †

ASSISTANT STAGE DIRECTOR

Michael Janney

LANGUAGE COACH

Misha Myznikov

ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR

Philip A. Kelsey

MUSICAL PREPRATION

Philip A. Kelsey, David McDade, Jay Rozendaal

STAGE MANAGER

Yasmine Kiss

CAST (in order of vocal appearance)

TATYANA

Marjukka Tepponen (Jan. 11, 15, 19, 25) Marina Costa-Jackson (Jan. 12, 18, 22, 24)

OLGA

Melody Wilson †

MADAME LARINA

Margaret Gawrysiak

FILIPEVNA

Meredith Arwady †

EUGENE ONEGIN

John Moore (Jan. 11, 15, 19, 25) Michael Adams (Jan. 12, 18, 22, 24)

LENSKY

Colin Ainsworth

MONSIEUR TRIQUET

Martin Bakari

ZARETSKY / A CAPTAIN

Misha Myznikov

PRINCE GREMIN

David Leigh †

EUGENE ONEGIN

11Eugene Onegin

ACT IThe Larina Family HomeAt her country estate, Madame Larina and nurse Filipevna can hear Larina’s two daughters, Tatyana and Olga, sing a song about love. Larina begins to reminisce about her own marriage to a man she did not love; “The good Lord sends us habit as a substitute for happiness,” she concludes. The workers on the estate sing and dance to celebrate the harvest. Tatyana is lost in the romantic literature she loves, while her younger, more carefree sister Olga wants to join the celebration. Larina warns Tatyana that real life is different from her stories. Filipevna announces that two young men have arrived: Olga’s fiancé Lensky, a poet, and his new friend Eugene Onegin. Tatyana is immediately attracted to Onegin, who tells her he has inherited a nearby estate and how dull he finds life in the country. Filipevna recognizes the effect Onegin has on Tatyana.

Tatyana’s RoomTatyana is dressed for bed, but she is restless and unable to sleep. She asks Filipevna to tell her stories about her youth and marriage. Tatyana confesses that she has fallen for Onegin. Once alone, she pours her heart out into a letter to Onegin. Filipevna enters to wake Tatyana. Tatyana convinces Filipevna to have her grandson deliver the letter to Onegin.

Another Part of the EstateServant girls sing songs while they pick fruit. Meanwhile, Tatyana anxiously awaits Onegin’s response to her letter. Onegin enters and explains that he is not a man who falls in love easily. He tells her that he is unworthy of her love and can only offer her friendship. He warns Tatyana to stay in control of her emotions. The servant girls are heard singing again. Devastated, Tatyana is unable to respond to his rejection.

INTERMISSION

ACT IIThe Ballroom of the Larina EstateAgainst his better judgment, Onegin accompanies Lensky to a party celebrating Tatyana’s name day. Onegin dances with Tatyana but becomes increasingly irritated by the gossipy old neighbors, whom he overhears maliciously discussing him and Tatyana. An elderly French fop, Monsieur Triquet, sings a song he has composed honoring Tatyana. Onegin decides to punish Lensky for dragging him to this miserable party by flirting with Olga. Enraged, Lensky challenges Onegin to a duel. Onegin reluctantly accepts the challenge.

A Barren FieldLensky and his second, Zaretsky, wait for Onegin. Lensky reflects on his life, his poetry, his fear of death, and his love for Olga. Onegin arrives with his servant, Guillot. Both Onegin and Lensky are reluctant to go forward with the duel, but neither has the courage to stop it. Zaretsky gives the signal. Onegin shoots and kills Lensky.

INTERMISSION

ACT IIIPrince Gremin’s Palace in St. PetersburgFive years later, Onegin, who fled Russia after the duel, returns to the imperial capital and attends a ball. He reflects on the emptiness of his life and his remorse for killing Lensky. Prince Gremin, Onegin’s wealthy older relative, enters and introduces his wife. Onegin is astonished to see that the Prince has married Tatyana. Tatyana is also surprised to see Onegin, but tries to suppress her emotion. Dazzled by Tatyana’s beauty and nobility, Onegin realizes that he is now in love with her. He decides to write to her to arrange a meeting.

A Few Weeks Later Onegin’s letter has disturbed Tatyana by stirring up the emotions she once felt for him. Onegin arrives; Tatyana asks why he is pursuing her now. Is it because she is no longer a simple girl from the country, but a lady of high and fashionable society? Onegin tells her his love is genuine and begs her to run away with him. Brought to tears by his plea, Tatyana admits that she still loves him, but explains that their union will never be. Onegin implores her. Tatyana is determined to remain faithful to her husband. Tatyana bids Onegin farewell forever. Alone, ashamed, and despairing, Onegin rails against his fate.

THE STORY

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ARTISTS


MICHAEL ADAMSEugene Onegin

Baritone (Fort Worth, TX)Seattle Opera Debut: Guglielmo, Così fan tutte (’18)Recently: Zurga, The Pearl Fishers (Gran Teatre del Liceu);

Papageno, The Magic Flute (Washington National Opera); Masetto, Don Giovanni (Grand Théâtre de Genève) Upcoming: Kuligin, Katya Kabanova (The Metropolitan Opera); Don Giovanni, Don Giovanni (The Glimmerglass Festival); Belcore, The Elixir of Love (Seattle Opera)

COLIN AINSWORTHLensky

Tenor (Brooklin, Ontario)Seattle Opera Debut: Steersman, The Flying Dutchman (’16)Recently: Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni (Opera Atelier); Alfredo, La

traviata (Pacific Opera Victoria) Soloist, Berlioz’s Romeo and Juliet (Oregon Bach Festival)Upcoming: Tamino, The Magic Flute (Opera Atelier); Soloist, Bach’s St. John and St. Matthew Passions (Oregon Bach Festival)

MEREDITH ARWADYFilipevna

Contralto (Kalamazoo, MI)Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Madame Flora, The Medium (Oper Frankfurt); Filipevna, Eugene Onegin (Atlanta Opera);

Third Lady, The Magic Flute (Washington National Opera)Upcoming: Kathy Hagen, Champion (Michigan Opera Theatre)

MARGARET GAWRYSIAKMadame Larina

Mezzo-Soprano (Geneseo, IL)Seattle Opera Debut: Vera Boronel, The Consul (’14)Previously at Seattle Opera: Berta, The Barber of Seville (’17);

Marcellina, The Marriage of Figaro (’16)Recently: Marcellina, The Marriage of Figaro (Opera Colorado); Old Lady, Candide (Tanglewood/Ravinia Festival); Madame Larina, Eugene Onegin (Atlanta Opera)Upcoming: Berta, The Barber of Seville (Dallas Opera)

STEPHANIE HAVEYAssociate Director (Knoxville, TN)

Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Director, La bohème (Pittsburgh Opera); Director, La traviata (Arizona Opera and Hawaii Opera Theatre); Associate Director,

Rigoletto (Houston Grand Opera)Upcoming: Director, Norma (Boston Lyric Opera and Pittsburg Opera); Director, Carmen (Arizona Opera)

JOHN KEENEChorusmaster (Lancaster, PA)

Seattle Opera Debut: Chorusmaster, Fidelio (’12)Previously at Seattle Opera: Chorusmaster, Rigoletto (’19), Cinderella (’19); Pianist, Three Singing Sisters (’19)

Upcoming: Pianist, concerts with Melody Wilson and Angela Brown (Seattle Opera); Chorusmaster, La bohème (Seattle Opera); Judge, Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions

MARTIN BAKARIMonsieur Triquet

Tenor (Yellow Springs, OH)Seattle Opera Debut: Peter the Honeyman, Porgy and Bess (’18)Recently: Charlie Parker, Charlie Parker’s Yardbird (Atlanta Opera

and Arizona Opera); The Visitor, In the Penal Colony (Portland Opera); Ferrando, Così fan tutte (Syracuse Opera) Upcoming: Mingo, Porgy and Bess (Atlanta Opera); Soloist, Carmina Burana (Carnegie Hall); Dr. Blind, Die Fledermaus (Fort Worth Opera)

ISABELLA BYWATERCostume Designer (London, UK)

Seattle Opera Debut: Eugene Onegin (’02)Recently: Director and Designer, Suor Angelica, Il tabarro, and Gianni Schicchi (Den Norske Opera); La bohème (San Diego Opera); Faust (Mariinsky Theatre);

Lucia di Lammermoor (Den Jyske Opera)

MARINA COSTA-JACKSONTatyana

Soprano (Las Vegas, NV)Seattle Opera Debut: Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte (’18)Previously at Seattle Opera: Three Singing Sisters Concert (’19)

Recently: Desdemona, Otello (Savonlinna Opera Festival); Elisabetta, Don Carlo (Grange Park Opera); Mimì, La bohème (LA Opera)Upcoming: Amelia, Simon Boccanegra (Washington Concert Opera); Giulietta, Tales of Hoffman (Covent Garden); Mimì, La bohème (Opéra National de Paris)

ARTISTS ST. JAMESC A T H E D R A L

M U S I C AT

2020 Vierne Complete Organ WorksCelebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of Louis Vierne, organist of Notre-Dame Cathedral.Johann Vexo Sat. 1/25, 7:30pmOrganiste de Choeur, Notre-Dame de Paris

Current Notre-Dame Cathedral organist plays Vierne’s Symphony No. 1 + other composers.Joseph Adam Fri. 2/21, 7:30pmThe majestic Symphony No. 2 and the fourth book of Pièces de Fantaisie.

More info at 206-382-4874www.stjames–cathedral.org/music

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15Eugene Onegin

DAVID LEIGHPrince Gremin

Bass (New York, NY)Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Timur, Turandot (Canadian Opera Company); Colline, La bohème (Bolshoi Theatre); Zuniga, Carmen (San Francisco Opera)

Upcoming: King Marke, Tristan und Isolde (Santa Fe Opera); The Monk, Don Carlo (Dallas Opera); Timur, Turandot (Austin Lyric Opera)

ALEKSANDAR MARKOVIĆConductor (Vienna, Austria)

Seattle Opera Debut Recently: Der Rosenkavalier and Jenůfa (Opera North); Rienzi (Philharmonie im Gasteig, Munich)Upcoming: Elektra (Cankarjev Dom, Ljubljana)

JOHN MOOREEugene Onegin

Baritone (Milford (Okoboji), IA)Seattle Opera Debut: Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro (’16) Previously at Seattle Opera: Steve Jobs, The (R)evolution of Steve

Jobs (’19); Figaro, The Barber of Seville (’17); Papageno, The Magic Flute (’17) Recently: Frank Lloyd Wright, Shining Brow (Arizona Opera); Achilla, Giulio Cesare (Glyndebourne Festival); Figaro, The Barber of Seville (Portland Opera) Upcoming: Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro (New Zealand Opera)

PORTLANDOPERA.ORG 503.241.1802

For tickets, special lodging offers, and dining recommendations, contact [email protected].

A collaboration with Portland Baroque Orchestra, featuring contralto Avery Amereau

and countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen.

MARCH 20, 22m, 24, 26, 28NEWMARK THEATRE

ConductorERIN HELYARD

DirectorCHAS RADER-SHIEBER

http://stjames-cathedral.org/musichttp://bviolinsltd.comhttp://portlandopera.org

ARTISTS CONT.

An audience favorite for over a century, this tale of four young Parisians who dedicate their lives to art and love is guaranteed to touch your heart. Puccini’s lush score—performed by a 60-piece orchestra—perfectly captures their simple joys and heartbreaking sorrows. The “full-bore, traditional production” (DC Metro Week) fills the stage with nearly 100 performers and plenty of period detail, resulting in “genuine theatrical magic” (The Washington Post)

In Italian with English subtitles.Evenings 7:30 PM Sundays 2:00 PM Tuesday 11:00 AM

Featuring the Seattle Opera Chorus and members of Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

MCCAW HALL206.389.7676SEATTLEOPERA.ORG

OPERA’S QUINTESSETIAL LOVE STORY


MISHA MYZNIKOVZaretsky/A Captain

Bass (Russkie-Borisy, Azerbaijan)Seattle Opera Debut: Guillot, Eugene Onegin (’02)Previously at Seattle Opera: Hermann, The Tales of Hoffmann (’14)

Seattle Opera Chorus Member since 1993Recently: Junius, The Rape of Lucretia; Eugene Onegin, Eugene Onegin; Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro (Tacoma Opera)Upcoming: Silvio, Pagliacci (Northwest Lyric Opera); Soloist, Handel’s Messiah (Federal Way Performing Arts and Event Center); Rachmaninoff’s Songs (Northwest Edvard Grieg Society)

LOGAN PACHCIARZChoreographer (Kansas City, MO)

Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Choreographer, Eugene Onegin (Atlanta Opera); Director, Moving Arts Kansas City (Moving Arts); Director, Moving Arts Cincinnati (Moving Arts)

Upcoming: Choreographer, Eugene Onegin (Palm Beach Opera); Choreographer, The Shining (Lyric Opera of Kansas City); Director, Moving Arts Kansas City (Moving Arts)

ERHARD ROMScenic Designer (Seattle, WA)

Seattle Opera Debut: La bohème (’13) Previously at Seattle Opera: Semele (’15)Recently: The Marriage of Figaro (San Francisco Opera); Rigoletto (Houston Grand Opera);

La bohème (Dallas Opera)Upcoming: Salome (Atlanta Opera); Don Giovanni and Samson and Delilah (Washington National Opera)

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IN SEATTLE at McCaw Hall

February 105:30-8:00pm

17Eugene Onegin

MARJUKKA TEPPONENTatyana

Soprano (Helsinki, Finland)Seattle Opera Debut: Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte (’18)Recently: Mona, Ice and Woglinde, Das Rheingold (Finnish

National Opera); Mimì, La bohème (Rijeka National Opera)Upcoming: Mimì, La bohème (Jyväskylä Opera); Micaëla, Carmen (Tampere Opera); Violetta, La traviata (Savonlinna Opera Festival)

ROBERT WIERZELLighting Designer (Branford, CT)

Seattle Opera Debut: The Turn of the Screw (’94)Previously at Seattle Opera: Semele (’15); The Tales of Hoffmann (’14); Don Giovanni (’14)Recently: Rigoletto

(Houston Grand Opera); The Ghosts of Versailles (Opera Royal du Château de Versailles); Shout Sister Shout! (Seattle Repertory Theatre)Upcoming: Salome (Atlanta Opera); Samson and Delilah, Don Giovanni, Blue (Washington National Opera); Deep Blue Sea (Park Avenue Armory)

MELODY WILSONOlga

Mezzo-Soprano (Newark, DE)Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Fenena, Nabucco (Union Avenue Opera); Flower Maiden, Mondparsifal Alpha (Wiener Festwochen

and Berliner Festspiele); Addie, Regina (Opera Theatre of Saint Louis) ; Maddalena, Rigoletto (Hungarian State Opera)Upcoming: Sanctuary Road (Oakland Symphony and Chautauqua Symphony)

TOMER ZVULUNProduction Stage Director (Tel Aviv, Israel)

Seattle Opera Debut: Lucia di Lammermoor (’10)Previously at Seattle Opera: Semele (’15); La bohème (’13)Recently: Silent Night (Washington National

Opera); Dinner at Eight (Wexford Festival Opera); The Flying Dutchman and Rigoletto (Houston Grand Opera)Upcoming: Silent Night (Utah Opera); Dead Man Walking (New Israeli Opera); The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (Atlanta Opera, Austin Opera, and Lyric Opera of Kansas City)

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ACTORS

Cristopher Alan Berns Rosetta Greek

SUPERNUMERARIES

Tina Asavaphanlert Jimmy Harrop David Lee Shana Moffat

CHORUS

SopranoJennifer Cross Karen Early Evans Dana Johnson Robbins Ellaina LewisLinda Mattos Ibidunni Ojikutu Eleanor Stallcop-Horrox Shelly Traverse Amy Van Mechelen Lyndee White

MezzoLorraine Burdick Laura Eichelberger YeonSoo Lee Gail Neil Elizabeth Peterson Melissa Plagemann Susan Salas Lucy Weber

TenorNathan Barnes Benjamin Cleveland Joel Cummings Andrew Etherington Jon Farmer Anthony James Tim Janecke Karl Reyes Stephen Wall

Bass/BaritoneRyan Bede Michael Dunlap Craig Grayson Glenn Guhr Ben Kramer Dierre Lopez Zachary Martin Julian Reisenthel Revere Taylor

ARTISTS CONT.


Violin IEduardo Rios, ConcertmasterJennifer Bai Mariel BaileyBlayne BarnesKelly Farris Timothy GarlandLeonid Keylin Mae Lin Mikhail Shmidt, Assistant ConcertmasterSarah Staples John Weller Arthur Zadinsky

Violin II Elisa Barston, Principal Kathleen Boyer, Assistant PrincipalGennady Filimonov Sydney Adedamola Evan Anderson Natasha Bazhanov Linda Cole Xiao-po Fei Artur GirskyAndrew Yeung

ViolaArie Schachter, Principal Timothy Hale, Assistant PrincipalAmber Archibald-Sesek Wesley DyringAllison FarkasJoseph Gottesman Sayaka Kokubo Daniel Stone

CelloNathan Chan, Principal Eric Han, Assistant Principal Bruce Bailey Vivian GuEmily Hu Charles JacotJoy Payton-Stevens David Sabee

Bass Jordan Anderson, Principal Jonathan Burnstein, Assistant Principal Jennifer Godfrey Travis Gore William Langlie-MiletichTodd Larsen

Flute Jeffrey Barker, Principal Robin Peery

Piccolo Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby

Oboe Mary Lynch, Principal Chengwen Winnie Lai

Clarinet Benjamin Lulich, Principal Laura DeLuca

Bassoon Seth Krimsky, Principal Paul Rafanelli

Horn Mark Robbins, Principal Jenna Breen John Turman Danielle Kuhlmann

Trumpet David Gordon, Principal Michael Myers

Trombone Ko-ichiro Yamamoto, Principal David Lawrence Ritt Stephen Fissel

Timpani Matthew Decker, Principal

Harp Valerie Muzzolini, Principal

Personnel Manager Scott Wilson

Assistant Personnel Manager Keith Higgins

Rotating members of the string sections are listed alphabetically.

The Orchestra is composed of members of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

ORCHESTRA

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“I have not yet said a tenth part of what I want to say,” Tchaikovsky once wrote his patron. “My heart is full. It thirsts to pour itself out in music.” Music was one way he expressed himself; he also wrote countless letters, and there’s even a wax cylinder recording of Tchaikovsky speaking. It’s fun, if pointless, to speculate about what communication channels Tchaikovsky would favor were he living among us now. Would he keep a blog? Would he tweet? Would he keep in touch with his brothers by video call, or would he text them incessantly? Perhaps he would still write letters.

Anybody remember letters? You youngsters who grew up in an all-digital world may not be as familiar with the emotional dynamics of letter writing as those of us who remember those bygone days (I’m Gen X). Letters are curiously both intimate and distant: intimate because it’s actually a thing, an old-fashioned, analog piece of reality, a sheet of paper your correspondent physically touched, maybe wept over or kissed—and distant because the person is absent. No matter how fraught, how intense the message, nobody is breathing down your neck expecting a response right then and there. You’ve got a little space. Even if you’re reading a declaration of love, or a coming-out letter, or a marriage proposal, or great news (“Mom and baby are both healthy!”), or terrible (“Your loved one is missing, presumed dead”), the very mechanism of the letter offers its recipient a little privacy. You respond within days, not minutes.

Tchaikovsky needed letters the way he needed air and water. When he began work on Eugene Onegin, he started with the scene in which Tatyana writes her letter. One of the most intense declarations of love in all opera, its music burned its way through Tchaikovsky’s soul just as it does that of his heroine. Our title character then breaks Tatyana’s heart, rejecting her in person with his “Let’s just be friends” aria—and no matter how beautifully the baritone sings, winning the audience’s sympathy here is a tall order. How can he be so cold? So chill? In fact, it requires considerable delicacy and tact to do what Onegin does. An in-person response is appropriate; if he responded with another letter, it might fall into the wrong hands and Tatyana would be further humiliated. Moreover, in his aria, he goes out of his way to say, “It isn’t you, it’s me.” Tatyana could have had it much worse. He could have taken advantage of her without requiting her passion.

Unfortunately, that’s what Tchaikovsky himself did in the same situation. The 37-year-old bachelor had decided he needed to get married. In those days, people weren’t gay, activities were. He may have thought a wife and kids would help him avoid “bad habits.” (Scholars continue to debate the extent of Tchaikovsky’s internalized homophobia.) When a former student he barely knew wrote him a passionate love letter, instead of telling her, as Onegin does Tatyana, “I’m not the marrying kind,” Tchaikovsky married her almost sight unseen.

Nadezhda von Meck was Tchaikovsky’s patron. Over fifteen years, they exchanged more than 1,200 letters.



It was the biggest mistake of Tchaikovsky's life. He had grossly underestimated how incompatible they were. It wasn’t just a question of his not being interested in women—this particular woman repelled him more and more by the hour. He quickly started coming up with excuses to avoid her, and after a few months (and something resembling a nervous breakdown), they separated. This “marriage” caused intense personal misery, public humiliation, and wasted energy and investment on both sides. Onegin, in comparison, was a gentleman.

At least, he was in Act One. In Act Two, Onegin’s petty spitefulness, stubborn pride, and ennui get the better of him, leading to Lensky’s death and Onegin’s own exile. He returns from abroad in Act Three a changed man, finally able to recognize Tatyana’s beauty and return

her love. And so they reverse roles: this time he writes the passionate, pleading love letters, and she rejects him. If Onegin learned his lesson, it was too late.

Tchaikovsky learned, the hard way, that an intimate relationship with a woman was not for him. But a relationship at a distance, the separation mitigated by letters? Much more successful.

The same year as his disastrous marriage, Nadezhda von Meck, Tchaikovsky’s patron, wrote him the first of more than 1,200 letters that passed between them over the next dozen years. Early on they agreed never to meet; this love affair was entirely platonic, their relationship fundamentally a financial one. Tchaikovsky understood her reasons for never interacting with him in person: “You fear that you will not find in me those qualities with which your imagination, inclined to idealization, has

invested me. And you are quite right.” Harsh reality would never be allowed to correct the fanciful images they loved of each other. Perhaps it involved an element of delusion, but this relationship worked. Von Meck’s patronage enabled Tchaikovsky to give the world such masterpieces as his Fifth Symphony, Sleeping Beauty, and The Queen of Spades.

If you’ve ever heard Tchaikovsky’s music, you’ve met the man. He’s one of the most popular composers who ever lived, not because he wrote great tunes, not because of how he used harmony or orchestral color or musical form, but because he speaks to us as an individual in everything he wrote—eloquent, passionate, and recognizably idiosyncratic. His music speaks to us as intimately as a letter.

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Seattle Opera's 2002 production of Eugene Onegin featured Nuccia Focile as Tatyana and Peter Edelmann as Eugene Onegin.


Eugene Onegin 21

The wild story of Alexander Pushkin’s life resembles characters from dramas written by the author himself. Pushkin was born in Moscow in 1799 to a family with a long and complicated history in Russia. His father descended from an ancient aristocratic line who had fallen on hard times. On the other side, Pushkin’s maternal great-grandfather was the nobleman and military leader Abram Petrovich Gannibal. Kidnapped as a child from present-day Cameroon, Gannibal was brought to Russia as a gift for Peter the Great, who ended up adopting him as a godson. When Peter’s daughter Elizabeth assumed power, Gannibal served as a member of her court. Pushkin celebrated his storied lineage, even as his African heritage at times alienated him from Russian society.

Largely neglected by his parents, young Pushkin divided his time between the family’s extensive library of French literature and conversations with the household serfs. This early education in Western literature and colloquial Russian speech would serve him well, as his later works were prized for their introduction of everyday Russian into literary forms. Shortly after the successful publication of his mock epic poem Ruslan and Lyudmila in 1820, Pushkin was arrested for his liberal writings and exiled from the centers of Russian culture. Though pardoned and allowed to return to Moscow in 1826, Pushkin continued to face censorship and a tense relationship with the court for the rest of his life. Nevertheless, the following years were productive and in 1831 Pushkin completed Eugene Onegin, a verse novel on which he had been working for almost eight years. That same year, Pushkin married Natalya Goncharova and the pair moved to St. Petersburg. It was there Pushkin would challenge Baron Georges d’Antès to a duel after suspecting the Frenchman was wooing Goncharova. Mortally wounded in the duel, Pushkin died February 27, 1837.

LITERATURE AND LEGACY OFALEXANDER PUSHKIN By Alena Gray Aniskiewicz, PhD

HIS LEGEND LIVES ONThough the duel ended Pushkin’s life, it ignited his legend. Ukrainian-born humorist, dramatist, and novelist Nikolai Gogol had already deemed Pushkin “the Russian national poet,” and the dramatic circumstances of his death only deepened the allure. Celebrating the anniversary of the poet’s birth, novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky stood in front of a monument to Pushkin in Moscow in 1880 and declared him a prophet and the “embodiment of Russia’s national ideals.” Pushkin remained a favorite across generations. Vladimir Lenin defended his work against critics, Joseph Stalin celebrated him as a hero, and Soviet propaganda highlighted Pushkin’s African heritage as evidence of a tradition of ethnic diversity. Today, Pushkin remains known as “Russia’s Shakespeare,” schoolchildren continue to memorize passages of his verse, and contemporary Russian rappers point to the poet as a forefather of hip-hop. Repeatedly cast as an embodiment of Russianness, Pushkin is both timeless and ever-changing. In this, he is as enigmatic as Russia itself.

UNIQUELY RUSSIANMuch like its creator, Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin has captivated generations of Russians. Built around a plot that mirrors the life of its author—complete with disaffected poets, romantic ideals, and tragic duels—Eugene Onegin not only helped create a new Russian

Located in central Moscow, this famous statue of Alexander Pushkin was dedicated in 1880 by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.



literary language, but also introduced character types that became fixtures in Russian culture. Dostoevsky described Eugene Onegin as “tangible and realistic,” and insisted that in the novel’s verse “real Russian life is embodied with creative power and perfection.”

What, we might ask, makes Eugene Onegin “realistic” and so very Russian? Part of this sense of realism is born of Pushkin’s innovative incorporation of contemporary Russian speech and recognizable characters into his work. Prior to Pushkin, Russian literature was largely beholden to models from Western Europe. In embracing the language and legends of Russia, Pushkin created a new, native form. Whether drawing on medieval history and folklore in Ruslan and Lyudmila or pioneering a unique verse form that came to be known as the “Onegin stanza” in Eugene Onegin, Pushkin made the Russian language literary.

From this new Russian verse emerged Eugene Onegin’s iconic characters—particularly, Tatyana and Onegin. The characters understand each other through the lens of the books they have read. Tatyana sees Onegin as a hero from her favorite novels. As much as the novel offered a reflection on the role of stories and culture in shaping identity, it also became a story that continues

to shape Russians’ understandings of themselves. Tatyana typified a strong, idealistic, and self-sacrificing vision of the Russian woman that would echo through Russian literature for the next century. She was, Dostoevsky claimed, the “apotheosis of the Russian woman.” Onegin became a prototype of the “superfluous man.” Talented, but unable to fit into social norms, the alienated and ineffectual superfluous man reflected the social conditions of the time and populated many 19th-century Russian novels, including those of Ivan Turgenev, Mikhail Lermontov, and Ivan Goncharov.

FROM PAGE TO STAGEPushkin’s influence on Russian culture was not only literary. Almost immediately, the beauty of his verse and the power of his stories inspired performers and composers to adapt Pushkin for the stage. Passages from Eugene Onegin were performed by Russian actors not long after its publication, Mikhail Glinka premiered his version of Ruslan and

Duel Between Onegin and Lensky, an illustration by Ilya Yefimovich Repin, 1899.

Joseph Stalin celebrated Pushkin as a hero, and Soviet propaganda highlighted his African heritage as evidence of a tradition of ethnic diversity.


Eugene Onegin 23


IN THE LOBBYIt doesn't take a love of Russian literature or classical music to be completely fascinated by the two men who created Eugene Onegin. Descended from a freed slave from Central Africa, Alexander Pushkin is regarded as Russia’s greatest poet and a symbol of Russian culture itself. Pushkin wrote the original novel in verse Eugene Onegin, a story about a young man who kills his best friend and wastes his one shot at true love.

Later, Onegin was adapted into an opera by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky—the most popular Russian composer of all time, known for The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. In the late 1870s, Tchaikovsky was fed up with grand opera. Rather than an epic Ring or Aida, he wanted to create something that felt familiar to audiences’ everyday lives. Thus, he turned to Pushkin’s famous piece—one of the ubiquitous works of Russian literature. Like Pushkin, who had mixed-race ancestry, Tchaikovsky also clashed with societal norms as a gay man in a repressed society.

Visit the Seattle Opera lobby displays to learn more.

Pictured: Composer Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky.Pictured: Alexander Pushkin, author of the verse novel Eugene Onegin, on which the opera is based.

Lyudmila in 1842, and Modest Mussorgsky's masterpiecev, Boris Godunov, derives from a play by Pushkin. Even before composing Eugene Onegin, Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky himself had turned to Pushkin’s works for inspiration, using passages from Pushkin’s 1824 poem The Gypsies in his Zemfira’s Song. Tchaikovsky also would return to Pushkin later in his career, drawing from the author’s texts as the basis for both 1884’s Mazeppa and 1890’s The Queen of Spades.

Despite Tchaikovsky’s experience setting Pushkin’s verse to music and the precedent set by Glinka and Mussorgsky, the decision to create an opera based on the novel initially seemed a “wild idea” to the composer when the singer Yelizaveta Lavrovskaya suggested it in 1877. Not only was the text sacred to the Russian reading public, it also lacked the high dynamic drama so often characteristic of the operatic stage. Despite his initial reluctance, Tchaikovsky purchased a copy of Pushkin’s text later that night, and by the following day had begun work on the scenario for the opera. In Eugene Onegin, he found an “infinity of poetry” and characters who felt “real” and “whose feeling are like [his] own.” Rather than dealing with “Ethiopian princesses” and “Pharaohs” who were “so remote,” Tchaikovsky was happy to tell a story that resonated with his own experience. Like so many before and after him, Tchaikovsky found himself in Pushkin’s characters, not only as a Russian, but also as someone who deeply understood the experience of loneliness and frustrated romantic desires.

Almost two hundred years and an ocean away from Pushkin’s Russia, Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Eugene Onegin brings the poetry, beauty, and humanity of the Russian classic to Seattle.

Alena Gray Aniskiewicz is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute for the Humanities at the University of Michigan. Her research and teaching explore the maintenance and manufacture of literary history and cultural heritage in contemporary popular culture. She is currently completing a book on Polish hip-hop and the nation's poetic tradition.


IN THE LOBBYIt doesn't take a love of Russian literature or classical music to be completely fascinated by the two men who created Eugene Onegin. Descended from a freed slave from Central Africa, Alexander Pushkin is regarded as Russia’s greatest poet and a symbol of Russian culture itself. Pushkin wrote the original novel in verse Eugene Onegin, a story about a young man who kills his best friend and wastes his one shot at true love.

Later, Onegin was adapted into an opera by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky—the most popular Russian composer of all time, known for The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. In the late 1870s, Tchaikovsky was fed up with grand opera. Rather than an epic Ring or Aida, he wanted to create something that felt familiar to audiences’ everyday lives. Thus, he turned to Pushkin’s famous piece—one of the ubiquitous works of Russian literature. Like Pushkin, who had mixed-race ancestry, Tchaikovsky also clashed with societal norms as a gay man in a repressed society.

Visit the Seattle Opera lobby displays to learn more.

Pictured: Composer Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky.Pictured: Alexander Pushkin, author of the verse novel Eugene Onegin, on which the opera is based.

Lyudmila in 1842, and Modest Mussorgsky's masterpiecev, Boris Godunov, derives from a play by Pushkin. Even before composing Eugene Onegin, Peter Ilych Tchaikovsky himself had turned to Pushkin’s works for inspiration, using passages from Pushkin’s 1824 poem The Gypsies in his Zemfira’s Song. Tchaikovsky also would return to Pushkin later in his career, drawing from the author’s texts as the basis for both 1884’s Mazeppa and 1890’s The Queen of Spades.

Despite Tchaikovsky’s experience setting Pushkin’s verse to music and the precedent set by Glinka and Mussorgsky, the decision to create an opera based on the novel initially seemed a “wild idea” to the composer when the singer Yelizaveta Lavrovskaya suggested it in 1877. Not only was the text sacred to the Russian reading public, it also lacked the high dynamic drama so often characteristic of the operatic stage. Despite his initial reluctance, Tchaikovsky purchased a copy of Pushkin’s text later that night, and by the following day had begun work on the scenario for the opera. In Eugene Onegin, he found an “infinity of poetry” and characters who felt “real” and “whose feeling are like [his] own.” Rather than dealing with “Ethiopian princesses” and “Pharaohs” who were “so remote,” Tchaikovsky was happy to tell a story that resonated with his own experience. Like so many before and after him, Tchaikovsky found himself in Pushkin’s characters, not only as a Russian, but also as someone who deeply understood the experience of loneliness and frustrated romantic desires.

Almost two hundred years and an ocean away from Pushkin’s Russia, Tchaikovsky’s magnificent Eugene Onegin brings the poetry, beauty, and humanity of the Russian classic to Seattle.

Alena Gray Aniskiewicz is a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute for the Humanities at the University of Michigan. Her research and teaching explore the maintenance and manufacture of literary history and cultural heritage in contemporary popular culture. She is currently completing a book on Polish hip-hop and the nation's poetic tradition.


YB_ResizeforAna 1 1/2/20 1:38 PM

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SEATTLE OPERA STAFF

ADMINISTRATIONDominica Myers

Associate Director of Administration

ARTISTICMary Brazeau

Artistic Administration ManagerJonathan Dean

DramaturgPaula Podemski

Company ManagerEmmy Ulmer

Titlist

MUSICJohn Keene

Head of Music Staff and Chorusmaster

Philip A. Kelsey Assistant Conductor

David McDade Head of Coach-Accompanists

Jay RozendaalCoach-Accompanist/Orchestra Librarian

Emily Cabaniss Company Librarian/Archivist and Music Associate

Stephen Wall Chorus Personnel Coordinator

Beth Kirchhoff Chorusmaster Emeritus

STAGE MANAGEMENTYasmine Kiss

Production Stage ManagerCatherine Costanzo, Julianna Brei-Crawley

Assistant Stage ManagersTeresa Micheletti

Production Assistant

DEVELOPMENTHong Chhuor

Associate Director of DevelopmentChris Burkett

Individual Giving OfficerJulia Curns-Welch

Institutional Giving OfficerCaitlyn Davis

Stewardship and Events AssociateMatt Lider

Individual Giving OfficerStephanie Matsunaga

Development Operations Coordinator

Tosha Mayo Development Coordinator

Erica McIntyreDevelopment Operations Manager

Catherine MerloSr. Individual Giving Officer

Anna Nolan Institutional Giving Associate

Ahana SenStewardship and Events Associate

Isabel ThomasResearch and Database Manager

Caroline Webb Stewardship and Events Manager

FINANCEMarissa Betz-Zall

Associate Director of FinanceRandee Byrd

Payroll ManagerVictoria Campbell

Accounts Payable/Receivable Associate

Lindsey O’ConnorSenior Accountant

Trevor TorresPayroll Assistant

FACILITIESTodd Clark

Facilities ManagerMark Nebel

Facilities Coordinator

INFORMATION SYSTEMSIain Quigley

Desktop User Support Technician Stuart McLeod

SQL Developer and CRM Administrator

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONSBrittany Rall

Associate Director of MarketingKianna Carter

Marketing Assistant and Audience Services Representative

Arryn DavisMarketing Coordinator

Gabrielle Nomura Gainor Communications and Public Engagement Manager

Glenn HareSenior Communications Manager

Ed Hawkins Marketing Manager/Copywriter

Larisa MelkumovaGraphic Designer

Erika Norris Web Producer

Meg StoltzDigital Marketing Manager

SALES AND SERVICESMichelle M. Carrasquillo

Associate Director of Marketing, Sales and Services

Gregory Schell Ticket Operations Manager

Kristin McCarthyAudience Services Manager

Corrie YadonPatron Experience Manager

Debra McKinneyGroup Sales Coordinator

Katrina Finder, Alexander HawkerAudience Services Lead

Erin Buck, Yoojeong Cho, Leonie Fogle, Shelly Traverse, Emma Wahl, Cassie Willock

Audience Services Representatives

DIRECT SALESEd Boyd

Direct Sales ManagerMegan Bailey

Direct Sales AssistantMary Hobbs

Senior Account RepresentativeAngie Bolivar, Virginia Jackson, Dorothea Kopta, Cheryl Nance, Claudio Remirez, Gail Sage, Albert Sanders, Toni Zeigler

Account Representatives

PRODUCTIONRussell Crosbie

Technical Director Alicia Moriarty

Assistant Production DirectorConnie Yun

Assistant Lighting DesignerMare Sasse

Assistant Production Manager

COSTUMESSusan I. Davis

Costume DirectorHeidi Zamora

Costume Show Manager, Design Coordinator

Ieva OhaksCostume Rental-Stock Coordinator

Hannah TyoCostume Assistant

Denise BarryLead Cutter

Miriam Goodman-MillerCrafts Supervisor

Christina Hobbs, Shanna SincellCutters

Cynthia Abbott, Kim Dancy, Julia Trimarco

First HandsCaton Hamrick, Kate Hartman, Rose Hope, Amara Madeo, Shellie Moomey, Yoko Niendorf, Abby Oster, Christina Rosendaul, Anji Wetherill

StitchersKellie Dunn, Cheyenne Smith

CraftspersonCarrie Steficek

Wardrobe HeadChristy Kazimour

Assistant Wardrobe HeadScott Arend

2nd Assistant Wardrobe Head

Ivy Ash, Ron Erickson, Scott Gray, Lesley McDaniel, Mary Seasly, Charlie Trowbridge, Keri Young

Wardrobe Attendants

HAIR AND MAKEUPLiesl Alice Gatcheco

Hair and Makeup ManagerAshlee Naegle

Wig MasterJulia Wing Krafft

Wig AssistantAshlee Naegle

Lead Principal Hair and Makeup Artist

Calli Dey, Trisha Partida, Shelby Rogers

Principal Makeup ArtistsLuce Cosineau, Julia Wing Krafft, Fiona Kraus, Anne McGowan, Allegra Rege, Anne Timms

Hair and Makeup ArtistsCheryl del Rosario Lavarias, Rosetta Greek

Hair and Makeup Assistant

STAGE CREWCharles T. Buck

Master Stage CarpenterJason Balter, Bruce Warshaw

Assistant Master Stage CarpentersJustin Loyd

Head FlymanAdam Lantz, Matthew Lint, Robert Millard, Tommy Price, Jason Wagoner

Assistant Stage CarpentersJim Nash

Master ElectricianMartin Cunningham

Assistant Master ElectricianMolly Brindley, Chris Dimoff, Jim Gable

Assistant ElectriciansChris Reay

A/V SupervisorHannah Fenske

Properties MasterSandy Burke

Assistant Properties MasterPetrude W. Olds Jr.

Assistant PropertiesCandy Solie

Lightboard OperatorJack Burke

Master Sound Technician

PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPSRachelle Adams

Operations ManagerNaomi André

Scholar in ResidenceT.J. Callahan

Programs Communications Coordinator

Courtney ClarkSchool Programs Manager

Sara LitchfieldYouth & Family Programs Manager

Lokela Alexander MinamiCommunity Engagement Manager

Britney Schroeder Production Manager, Community Projects

Stephanie SintefTour & Productions Coordinator

Miriam Anderson, Courtney-Savali Andrews, Jessica Andrews, Andrew R. Coopman, Liz Frazer, Li-Cheng Hung, Kayla Johnson, Chelsea LeValley, Steven Luksan, Debra McKinney, Christine Menschner, Kathryn Van Meter, Rachel Nofziger, Melissa Plagemann, Tasha Smith, Kristen Swenson, Ta Wei Tsai, Lyndee White, Cassandra Willock

Teaching Artists

Principals, stage directors, choristers, stage managers, assistant stage managers, and assistant directors employed in this production are members of the American Guild of Musical Artists AFL-CIO.The musicians are represented by the Seattle Symphony and Opera Players’ Organization, a Chapter of the International Guild of Symphony, Opera, and Ballet Musicians. Scenery construction and stage crew work is performed by employees represented by I.A.T.S.E., Local #15.Costume and wardrobe work is performed by employees represented by I.A.T.S.E., Local #887.Scenic artists and hair/makeup work is performed by employees represented by I.A.T.S.E., Local #488.

Alejandra Valarino BoyerDirector of Programs and Partnerships

Aren Der HacopianDirector of Artistic Administration and Planning

Kristina MurtiDirector of Marketing and Communications

Doug ProvostDirector of Production

Allison RabbittDirector of Development

Jane RepensekChief Financial Officer/ Chief Operations Officer

Nancy Del Villar VivéDirector of Human Resources

CHRISTINA SCHEPPELMANN, GENERAL DIRECTOR


Ashlee is our Wigmaster. She creates about 200 different wig looks every season. About 40 of these are built from the ground up with each hair individually tied by hand, which can take 40 hours or more to complete. While attending college, Ashlee was an intern in our Hair and Makeup Department and returned to work as a Hair and Makeup Artist in 2008. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her two boys and husband.

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HOW DO YOU MAKE A WIG? I start by measuring and taking detailed pictures of the singer’s head. Then I make a mold using plastic wrap around the singer’s entire head almost like a helmet. I mark the hairline, ears, and eyebrows with a marker. When it is removed, I place the mold on a wig block. This allows me to create the wig without the artist present. It’s similar to a costume maker using a dress form. The mold has to be a perfect fit so that the wig fits perfectly.

Once I have the “singer’s head” on the block, I add the lace, a nylon-like webbing specific to wigs. I hand-tie the hair to the lace by forming a slipknot with the hair root, looping the strand through the lace then pulling it through the net to secure it in place. I repeat the process thousands of times.

HOW DO YOU STAY FOCUSED ON REPEATING THE SAME TASK FOR SO LONG? It’s as if I go into a Zen-like type of meditation; I’m able to concentrate on

each knot without getting distracted. Sometimes we stream movies and just listen to dialogue. I can play the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy over just one day of work. That also helps me keep track of time.

WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF WIGMAKING?Making sure everyone's vision is met, from the director to the costume designer and singers. HOW MUCH HAIR DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE A WIG? Each wig is different, but approximately 12 to 16 ounces of hair. The hairstyle and the size of the singer’s head also can determine how much hair is needed. Sometimes I use less, because I will re-front the hairline of an existing wig. HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN THE WIGS? It’s real hair, so I wash and condition each wig after every performance. I sanitize the lace caps with alcohol. I use shampoos and

conditioners designed for color-treated hair. To prevent split ends, I treat the hair with oil to keep the ends from drying and then seal them in Ziploc bags and store them.

WHAT’S THE MOST ELABORATE WIG YOU’VE MADE?The wig I made for Lester Lynch for Il trovatore is the most challenging wig I’ve made in recent years. He’s African-American and the wig is made entirely of textured hair. We make an effort to be mindful of each singer's ethnic background and how they feel being transformed. It was hand-tied and braided into cornrows to get him into character. It took me more than 40 hours to create.


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INSTITUTIONAL DONORSSeattle Opera is exceedingly grateful for the following cumulative contributions in support of Seattle Opera at the Center and the Annual Fund. The impact of these organizations keeps opera and the arts thriving in our community.

MATCHING GIFTSAetna • Alaska Airlines • Apple Inc. • AT&T • Bank of America • Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation • BlackRock, Inc. • BECU • Cambia Health Foundation • Chevron • Costco Wholesale • Expedia Inc. • ExxonMobil • Frontstream • General Electric • Google, Inc. • IBM • Intel Corporation • Johnson & Johnson • King County Employee Giving Program • Microsoft • Morgan Stanley • Network for Good • Northern Trust • Oracle Corporation • Quaker Hill Foundation • Royal Dutch Shell • City of Seattle, Seattle Shares • Starbucks • Texas Instruments • The Boeing Company • The Coca-Cola Company • The Polyclinic • T-Mobile USA, Inc. • Thrivent Financial • UnitedHealth Group • Verity Solutions • Washington State Combined Fund Drive

$15,000–$24,999 The Boeing Company • Cossé International Securities, Inc. • Heartland • Tucker Family Foundation • Wagner and More

$10,000–$14,999Anonymous • DAV Charitable Service Trust • Janet Wright Ketcham Foundation • Seattle Opera Guild • Union Bank

$5,000–$9,999ArtsWA | Washington State Arts Commission • Badgley Phelps • Creelman Foundation • The Dabney Point Fund • La Biosthétique • M.A.C. Cosmetics • Richard B. and Barbara B. Odlin Foundation • The Performing Arts Readiness Project • Wyman Youth Trust

$3,000–$4,999Davis Wright Tremaine • Peter F. Donnelly Merit Fund • Fales Foundation Trust • Garvey, Schubert, & Barer • Parker, Smith, & Feek, Inc. • Charles Maxfield and Gloria F. Parrish Foundation • Perkins Coie • Ryan, Swanson & Cleveland, PLLC

$1,500–$2,999ArtsLEAF • Trilogy Musical Notes Club

$1,000–$1,499Colymbus Foundation • Leathercare, Inc. • The Reed McClure Firm • The Seattle Foundation: Poncho Legacy Fund • Talking Rain

DONOR ADVISED FUNDSAyco Charitable Foundation • BNY Mellon Charitable Gift Fund • The Boston Foundation • Community Foundation of Utah • The Dallas Foundation • Edward Jones • Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund • Fiduciary Charitable Foundation • MyICON Foundation • Inland Northwest Community Foundation • Innovia Foundation • Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle • Oklahoma City Community Foundation • Saint Paul Foundation • Schwab Charitable Fund • The Saratoga Charitable Foundation • Seattle Foundation • TIAA Charitable • U.S. Charitable Gift Trust • United Way of King County • Vanguard Charitable

OFFICIAL IN-KIND PARTNERS

$500,000–$999,999True-Brown Foundation

$250,000–$499,999C.E. Stuart Charitable Trust

The Chisholm Foundation

Joshua Green Foundation

John Graham Foundation

$100,000–$249,999Sunderland Foundation

Peach Foundation

The Hot Chocolate Fund

Grousemont Foundation

The Foster Foundation

$25,000–$49,999The Peg and Rick Young Foundation

Pacifica Law Group

Ned and Kayla Skinner Arts Enrichment Fund

BNSF Railway Foundation

D.V. and Ida J. McEachern Charitable Trust

$50,000–$99,999

$1,000,000 AND MORE

Anonymous Seattle Opera Foundation

Washington State— Building for the Arts

Tagney Jones Family Fund at Seattle Foundation

Nesholm Family Foundation

Bruce R. McCaw Family Foundation

Norcliffe Foundation

Anonymous

Anonymous

Costco Wholesale

Nuckols-Keefe Family Foundation

Glen Kerry Trimble Fund


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You often share your joy for opera with family members and friends. And through your gift to the Annual Fund, you share this great music and drama with others in our community. Your contribution supports our newest community access initiative to provide low-cost tickets to those who work in critical public and emergency service sectors, including educators, nonprofit workers, public servants, members of the military, and first responders. Through your generosity, more people can enjoy the art form you cherish!

More than 6,000 tickets were sold to teens, students, seniors, and more through Community Access programs last season with an average price of just $35. Additionally, we provide free tickets to community members who would not otherwise be able to afford to attend the opera through partnerships with Boys & Girls Club of King County, Make-a-Wish of Alaska and Washington, Path with Art, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and many more.

Your donation helps to support ticket access programs in our community. Thank you!

SEATTLEOPERA.ORG/DONATE

“As part of the first responders’ community, I think the rush tickets offer is a great gesture of gratitude to the first responder and public sector communities. The work itself can sometimes be thankless. I applaud Seattle Opera for creating a program that recognizes those who serve.” —Loraine G. Seattle Municipal Employee

Loraine G. and her daughter enjoy a performance of Cinderella.

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29Eugene Onegin

$25,000 AND MOREClassical KING FM 98.1 Grousemont Foundation Seattle Opera Foundation *†True-Brown Foundation The Wallace Foundation ◊

$5,000–$24,999Anonymous Anonymous, in honor of Adina MeyerThe Boeing Company ◊Marshall and Jane Brown Costco Wholesale * Susan M. Coughlin and John K Lauber *◊ DAV Charitable Service Trust ◊ The Foster Foundation †The Hot Chocolate FundThe Seattle Foundation: Poncho Legacy

FundSeattle Opera Guild Union Bank †The Peg and Rick Young Foundation

$1,000–$4,999Mr. and Mrs. Willie C. AikensElena Aleksandrova-PerelmanArtsLEAF

PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPS SPONSORS

ArtsWA | Washington State Arts Commission ◊ †

Dow Constantine and Shirley CarlsonRussell Elliott Maritta KoNational Endowment for the ArtsD.V. and Ida J. McEachern Charitable Trust *Ann H. MilamCornelius and Penny RosseMarguerite RussellTrilogy Musical Notes Club *

ENDOWED FUND SUPPORTC. Keith Birkenfeld Memorial Trust

for EducationThe Clowes Fund In-School Education

Programs EndowmentCarmen Elizabeth Delo Endowed Fund for

EducationWilliam Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund

for Educational Outreach at Seattle Opera

Perry Lorenzo Fund for In-School Education

Dr. Stanley M. Pier Endowed Fund for In-School Education

Cecilia Schultz Music Foundation Fund for Educational Scholarships

Gertrude E. Sprenger Education Endowment

Your support fuels the programs and community partnerships that enrich the lives of individuals across the Pacific Northwest!

Gifts toward Programs and Partnerships at Seattle Opera make it possible to connect with classrooms and neighborhood centers all across Washington State, sharing opera with 70,000 people each year outside of our mainstage programming. We are grateful for the following donors who have made a commitment of $1,000 or more between July 1, 2018 and October 31, 2019.

* denotes Youth Program support† denotes In-School Program support◊ denotes Chamber Opera support

The Youth Opera Project is a comprehensive opera training program designed to guide youth through the journey of rehearsing and performing a fully staged, fully produced youth opera.

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By Glenn Hare

Kenzie is a typical 5th-grader—she lives with her working mom, has homework to do, and suffers from asthma. She’s really into video games, often daydreams, and has a daily routine. When her family is forced to leave their home, her world is turned upside down. How she faces this is told in Earth to Kenzie, Seattle Opera’s newest school opera. Earth to Kenzie will tour the state this spring.

“The production offers a child’s point of view on a very important topic,” says School Programs Manager Courtney Clark. “It reflects what many youth are experiencing here in Seattle and across the nation.”

Just days before Christmas, Kenzie and her mother are evicted. Their home is being demolished to build luxury condominiums. And they have no place to go. Rather than packing her things, Kenzie plays her favorite video game, imagining a new space adventure with her avatar, Edwin.

“It’s a tough story,” adds Jessica Murphy Moo, the librettist, “but if children are experiencing housing insecurity, then we should ‘go there’ with them.” They find temporary housing in a family shelter, but Kenzie worries about going back

to school. She has a homework assignment—an essay about what she did during the holiday break—but doesn’t want anyone to know that she and her mom spent Christmas living in their car.

When Kenzie returns to school, her teacher collects the essays from the class. Kenzie, embarrassed that she didn’t turn hers in, runs out of the classroom before the teacher can introduce her new classmate, Eddie. Back at the family shelter, she discovers that Eddie lives there too. Together they team up to do their homework. The opera ends with Kenzie and her new friend sharing their essay with the class.

Although it's a serious story, Earth to Kenzie has its happy moments, explains Moo. “We wanted to balance the tough stuff with some fun and adventure. The story contains laughter and love, friendship, dancing, and space kitties.”

Musically, the opera offers themes derived from video games and contains waltzes, duets, and propulsive ensemble pieces. “I had two goals while composing,” says Frances Pollock. “I wanted the kids to recognize themselves in the music and I wanted to give them the music of opera at its best.”

Your investment in Seattle Opera spreads opera experiences like Earth to Kenzie across our state and sparks our engagement with elementary school students. Thank you for supporting our 2020 School Opera Tour and other Programs and Partnerships programs. To learn more and to see Earth to Kenzie, visit seattleopera.org/kenzie

Bring Earth to Kenzie to your local elementary school by contacting [email protected].

Earth to Kenzie will tour Washington State this spring. Seattle Opera’s School Opera Tour introduces K–6 students to musical storytelling, encourages creativity, and inspires meaningful conversations.

Earth to Kenzie is supported, in part, by a grant from the Washington State Arts Commission in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.


31Eugene Onegin

Seattle Opera is honored to recognize members of the Encore Society—patrons who have named Seattle Opera or the Endowment for Seattle Opera as a charitable beneficiary through a Will or Trust. Their legacy donations are helping to secure the future of opera.

ENCORE SOCIETY MEMBERSAnonymous (36) • Charles and Barbara Ackerman • Gary N. Ackerman and Robin Dearling • John Aka-matsu • Reverend and Mrs. John M. Allen • Linda and Tom Allen • Margaret Almen • Ernesto Alorda and Jonathan David Gerson • Robert L. and Rosemarie Anderson • Ms. Laura Arpiainen • David W. Barker • Mary L. Bass • Marla Beck • Dr. Janet Beckmann and the late Dr. George Beckmann • In honor of Minnie Bergman • Janice B. Berlin • Jean Berry • Rachael Black and the late Ronald Barensten • Jack and Connie Bloxom • Patricia L. Bostrom • Sandra Boyd • Joseph Brancucci and William Carley • F. H. Braymer • Toby Bright • Marshall and Jane Brown • Lynn Buell • Sarah H. Burdell • William B. and Ann S. Burstiner • Lisa Bury • Susan Buske • Betty R. Carter • Drs. Gregory and Darlene Chan • Carolyn Chawla • Jean Cho and David Mankoff • Mrs. Heinke Clark • Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence W. Clarkson • Janice C. Condit • Carol Veatch Corbin • Norma B. Croco • Tavia Crowder • James and Wendy Cullen • William and Laurie Daniel • Nancy Davies • Agi Day • Lorraine del Prado and Thomas Donohue • John Delo and the late Carmen Delo • Sharon Demuth • Dr. Susan E. Detweiler and the late Dr. Alexander Clowes • Marjorie Dougherty • Fred and Adele Drummond • Michael G. Dryfoos and Ilga Jansons • Pat Dubrow • Ann R. Eddy • Patricia Edwards • Karl and Carol Ege • Anna F. Egidy • In memory of H. Wendell Endicott • William Etnyre and David Claus • Jane and Thomas Fadden • Lyn and Paul Fenton • Jack and Dorothy Fidler • Susan and Thomas Fife • Jack and Marsha Firestone • Ernest and Elizabeth Frankenberg • David F. Freedman • Carole Fuller and Evan Schwab • Gloria Gagne • Diana H. Gale • Donna Gathany • Gail J. Gazda • Rich-ard and Mary Beth Gemperle • Dr. and Mrs. Robert P. Gibbons • Leslie Giblett • Rebecca C. Gillette • Dr. Ulf G. and Inger A. Goranson • Claire and Michael Gordon • Mark J. Gralia • Dr. Martin L. Greene and Kathleen Wright • John Andrew Hackley • Jeffrey

ENCORE SOCIETY SPRING EVENTJUNE 9WATCH YOUR MAILBOX FOR AN INVITATION THIS SPRING.

and Rosario Hanna • Larry Hanna • Christine R. Han-sen and Peter T. Hurd • Karen Hansen • Gini Harmon • Mr. Derik Harper • Jenny Hartley • Roger Henderson • Sylvia H. Hobbs • Drs. Mary and Marvin Hoffert • Mr. Paul Hoglund • Frank and Katie Holland • Dr. Kennan Hollingsworth and the late Dr. Phyllis Bagdi • Marilyn Holstad • Barbara Howell • Michael R. Huber and Danielle E. LaVilla • Erik Jacobsen • Jan Jarvis • Robert C. Jenkins • Speight Jenkins • Julia G. Johan-sen • Ginger R. Johnson • Paul and Janell Johnson • Braiden Rex-Johnson and Spencer A. Johnson • Vin-cent M. Jolivet • H. David Kaplan • Frances J. Kwapil • Sandra and John Labadie • Jan Lamers and the late Eric Lamers • Consuelo F. Larrabee • Gary M. Law • Rosemary Leong-Miller and Robert Miller • Marjorie J. Levar • Lady M. Boswell Lindal • Geraldine Lindsey and Don Froomer • Thomas D. Loftus • Mr. Everil E. Loyd, Jr. and the late Mrs. Vesta Loyd • Cheryl L. Lundgren • Edith J. Maffeo • William B. Maschmeier and Patricia Haggerty • Kim and Stephen Mats Mats • David Mattson • James C. Mattson • Dr. David W. McClure and Dr. Cheryl L. Maslen • Sarah McCoy and James Buchanan • Elisabeth McKee • Greg Meldahl • James and Lora Melhorn • Prof. Ann H. Milam • Caro-lyn and Roger N. Miller • Robert C. Milnor • Rosalie B. Minier • Randa Minkarah and Scott Mullins • Richard Munsen, MD • Lin Murphy • Nadine and John Murray • Nancy P. Narraway • John W. Nemanich, M.D. and Ellendee Pepper, M.D. • Bruce W. Novark M.D., D.D.S. • Wanda and Ralph Nuxoll • Peggy O’Brien-Murphy • Pamela A. Okano • Richard Q. Opler • Sarah M. Ovens • Dolores J. Palomo • Patricia S. Parrent • William and Carol Parsons • Marty and Sue Peterson • Steve C. Phelps • Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Purdy • Megan Pursell • Dennis and Margaret Purvine • Rabbitt Dorman Family • James and Sherry Raisbeck • Erica Rayner-Horn • Anne M. Redman • Eloise and Glen Rice • Paula A. Rimmer • Joyce C. and Saul Rivkin • John and Charlotte Robins • Mr. and Mrs. N. Stewart Rogers • Michael and Cheryl Rolland • Sharon Romm • Florence Rose-Thompson • Cornelius and Penny Rosse • Martha Lou Allan Sampson • Irwin and the late Barbara Sarason • Dr. Carolyn Scheve • Christopher Myers and Judith Schoenecker • Mrs. Lucia Schubert and the late Mr. Kenneth L. Schubert, Jr. • Virginia Senear and the late Allen Senear • Barbara Sherer • Evelyn E. Simpson • Joan Snelson • Rose Southall and the late John Southall • Stephen A. Sprenger • Margaret T. Stanley • John Starbard •

W. Dyanne Stepanek • Mrs. Jane and the late Dr. Al-exander R. Stevens • Matthew Stewart and Marshall Bilderback • Duane and Barbara Swank • Maureen Swanson • Donald and Gloria Swisher • Christine A. Szabadi • Delma Tayer • Beryl A. Thompson • Ian L. Thompson, M.D. • Russell F. and Sarah M. Tousley • Mr. and Mrs. Roland M. Trafton • Evelyn M. Troughton • Rae Tufts • James and Karen Unkefer • Muriel A. Van Housen • Sharon F. Van Valin • Moya Vazquez • Jean B. Viereck and Robert S. Leventhal • Betty L. Wagner • Jay S. Wakefield and Susanne M. Wakefield, Ph.D. • Nicholas A. Walls • Bill and Carol Warren • Judith Warshal and Wade Sowers • Karola Watson • Raleigh Watts • Scott Webster • Douglas Weisfield • Robert D. Welden and Jeffrey A. Watts • Dorothy Wendler • Drs. William and Gail Weyerhae-user • Judith A. Whetzel • Julie Wieringa • James and Felicity Wornast • Carolynne and Phil Wright • Jim Yancy • Shirley Zaic and Eric Johnson • Charles A. Zaragoza

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Last spring,Soprano Shelley Traverse performed during the Encore Society’s spring event. She will appear in our production of Charlie Parker’s Yardbird in February and March.


http://music4life.org

LEARN MORE AND BUY TICKETS:Visit the subscription desk today! In the lobby pre-show and during intermission.

Call 206.389.7676

Go online at seattleopera.org/subscribe

2020/21 SEASON SPONSOR: BARBARA STEPHANUS

Photo © Philip Newton

2020/21SEASON

SUBSCRIPTION SERIES PAGLIACCI & CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA | Aug. 2020 Experience twice the drama and twice the thrill with an exciting new production of opera’s classic double bill.

THE ELIXIR OF LOVE | Oct. 2020 Utterly enjoyable from first sip to last, the fizzy bel canto favorite returns with a colorful new production.

DON GIOVANNI | Jan. 2021 What goes around comes around on Mozart’s carousel of karma in an elegant new production from a female creative team.

FLIGHT | Feb.–Mar. 2021 This “highly entertaining” (OPERA NEWS) ensemble dramedy “soars high” (Opera Today). Seattle premiere!

TOSCA | May 2021 She lives for art. She dies for love. Saioa Hernández and Karine Babajanyan portray Puccini’s fiery diva in the return of a “beautiful painterly” (The Seattle Times) production.

OPTIONAL ADD-ON ANGELA MEADE & JAMIE BARTON IN CONCERT JOHN KEENE, PIANIST Friday, Oct. 23, 2020

FREE PARKING WHEN YOUSUBSCRIBE BY FEBRUARY 19Join us as we embark on a new era. Subscribing is the best way to see it all, save big, and enjoy exclusive benefits including flexible exchanges, interest-free payment plans, and more.


http://seattleopera.org/subscribe

YOUR SUPPORT: LIVE ON THE MAINSTAGE!Express your passion for Seattle Opera by sponsoring a production, artist, event, or program that resonates with you. Get to know the artists and the behind-the-scenes work that bring your favorite opera productions to life!

LEADERSHIP CIRCLEThrough a multi-year Annual Fund commitment of $100,000 or more, Seattle Opera’s most visionary supporters help realize an unbounded vision for Seattle Opera’s future. Leadership Circle member-ship gives you premium recognition, provides personalized access to your opera company, and allows you to create a lasting impact on the art you love.

We give profound thanks to the following Leadership Circle members (as of October 31, 2019):

AnonymousToby Bright and Nancy Ward Eric Hawley and Gwen LoweryGary and Parul HoulahanCarol Maione and Brian Marks Brendan MurphyJohn and Laurel NesholmJames and Sherry RaisbeckJeff and Martha ShermanEugene and Jean StarkMaryanne Tagney and David JonesTrue-Brown FoundationJay and Susanne WakefieldGail and William T. WeyerhaeuserAnn P. Wyckoff

PRODUCER’S CIRCLEThe Producer’s Circle recognizes donors who have made a three-year Annual Fund commitment of $60,000–$99,999. This tier of customized giving brings more possi-bilities than ever before to ensure the present and future of your opera company. Make your pledge today and enjoy memorable behind-the-scenes experiences with Seattle Opera!

We are grateful for the following Producer’s Circle members (as of October 31, 2019):

Marshall and Jane BrownChristopher and Carolyn EaganDr. Kennan H. Hollingsworth John Sullivan and Paula StokesSally Anne West

Customized sponsorship benefits make for a truly unforgettable experience. Contact Donor Services for more information at [email protected] or206.389.7669.

Leadership Circle members James and Sherry Raisbeck (sixth and tenth from the left) seen here after the Three Singing Sisters concert with (left to right) general director Christina Scheppelmann and pianist John Keene. Also pictured are Emilia Costa, Marina Costa-Jackson, Miriam Costa-Jackson, Ginger Costa-Jackson, Eric Valpey, and Rachel Valpey.

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35Eugene Onegin

EUGENE ONEGIN CDBring home the beautiful music of Tchaikovsky’s poignant Russian romance with this 1994 Philips complete opera recording, re-released by Decca Classics in 2005. Featuring Nuccia Focile (seen in Seattle as Tatyana in 2002), Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Onegin, and Neil Shicoff as Lensky. Semyon Bychkov conducts the St. Petersburg Chamber Choir and Orchestre de Paris. 2-CD set includes complete opera recording and libretto. $32.95.

Located on the Kreielsheimer Promenade Level of McCaw Hall. Open two and a half hours prior to curtain and during intermission.

AMUSEMENTSGifts of Artistic Expression

SEATTLE OPERA LIMITED EDITIONEUGENE ONEGIN LONG SLEEVE SHIRTSDesigner Kitty Kough has created this wistful illustration for the McCaw Hall debut of Tchaikovsky’s melancholy masterpiece. The winds of winter scatter the last leaves of spring as the tree of memory’s trunk morphs into a fountain pen, recalling Tatyana’s famous “letter scene.” The composer’s full name grounds the overall layout. White, black, and goldenrod design on dark grey heather background. Available in men’s and women’s long sleeve. Prices vary.

EUGENE ONEGIN BOOK Explore the literary masterpiece that inspired

Tchaikovsky’s opera. Alexander Pushkin’s landmark verse novel receives a translation by

Documents

Porgy and Bess at Seattle Opera - Encore Spotlight...Anne M. Redman Joshua Rodriguez John Sullivan Moya Vazquez Advisory Board ... Robert Fries Leslie Giblett Paul Goodrich Jeffrey