Merola Grand Finale 2016

I was remiss in not keeping up with the Merolini this summer, but last weekend I did attend the Merola Grand Finale & heard all of them in one go, in a program of 19 opera excerpts, a sort of graduation exercise for all 29 participants. The concert was semi-staged, with just a few props & pieces of furniture on a bare stage, plus occasional lighting changes.

The performances were uniformly forthright & extroverted. Mezzo Tara Curtis received a shout of "Brava!" for her solemn interpretation of Cassandra's monologue from Les Troyens. Her voice was weighty & often penetrating, & it felt like she had even more in reserve. I probably spent too much time, though, wondering why she popped a balloon full of confetti at the beginning of the scene.

Countertenor Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen sounded steadfast & neat in "Che farò senza Euridice?" & ornamented the repeats tastefully. His Orfeo was frustrated rather than sorrowful. Soprano Chelsey Geeting's voice was full & warbling as well as a bit dusky in Antonia's song from The Tales of Hoffman, & her rendition felt aptly remote.

In a duet from Berlioz's Béatrice et Bénédict, tenor Amitai Pati was a dapper Bénédict. He has a pleasing, smooth voice & an appealing stage presence. Soprano Alexandra Schenck as Béatrice sounded bright & youthful. Bass Matthew Anchel sang his prayer scene from Nabucco standing on a couch & sounded soft-edged & benign.

The audience applauded loudly for bass-baritones Josh Quinn & Nicholas Boragno in a duet from La Cenerentola, in which both characters acted clownishly. I liked Mr. Boragno's hearty singing & acting & Mr. Quinn's tight, clear patter. The audience also clearly enjoyed Mr. Pati & baritone Andrew G. Manea in "Au fond du temple saint" from The Pearl Fishers. Mr. Pati's voice was lyric & dreamy, & Mr. Manea's had a nice grittiness & masculinity.

A 3 tier wedding cake was brought on stage right before the scene from Anna Bolena featuring soprano Mary Evelyn Hangley & mezzo Taylor Raven. Ms. Hangley's voice was muscular & solid, & it was nice to hear her sing high notes both loudly & softly. Ms. Raven had a distinctive, somewhat metallic, sound that was open & consistent throughout her range. Their performance was loud & dramatic & received enthusiastic applause.

Soprano Yelena Dyachek sang "Letzte Rose, wie magst du" from Martha with a substantial & commanding sound. Soprano Sarah Cambidge was an aggressive Donna Anna, with an ear-filling voice & big high notes in "Don Ottavio, son morta!"

In Rienzi's prayer scene, tenor Kyle van Schoonhoven's clear & open high notes were immediately striking, & his voice had unusual timbres. He was accompanied by a silent chorus line of women who promenaded behind his back then posed themselves on either side of him. I'm sure bass-baritone Cody Quattlebaum sang his strutting aria from Trouble in Tahiti wonderfully, but all I can remember is that he flamboyantly unwound his man bun during it.

Soprano Teresa Castillo & tenor Josh Lovell had good ensemble in a bubbly duet from Le Comte Ory. Ms. Castillo's singing was pretty, sparkling & precise, & Mr. Lovell's high notes were controlled & secure. He agilely bounded around the stage, & the wedding cake finally came into play when Ms. Castillo lifted its top tier & smashed it in her partner's face.

During the final ensemble for the entire cast, it was very cute to see photos of them taken throughout the summer projected on stage. Conductor Rory Macdonald led with lively gestures, but the orchestra sounded slack & there were synchronization problems between stage & pit. The audience applauded each number supportively, & many gave the performers a standing ovation at the end. The 3-hour show had a start time of 7:30pm, but the lights didn't go down until past 7:40pm, & people were still being seated during the overture.

§ Merola Grand Finale 2016

Conductor - Rory Macdonald
Stage Director - Aria Umezawa

Musical Preparation - Jonathan Brandani, John Elam, Noah Palmer, Nicolò Sbuelz, Jennifer Szeto
French Diction - Patricia Kristof Moy
Italian Diction - Alessandra Cattani

Overture from Die Fledermaus by J. Strauss
Orchestra

"Quando avran fine omai ... Padre, germani, addio!" from Idomeneo by Mozart
Ilia - Shannon Jennings
Fortepiano - Jonathan Brandani

"Linda! Linda! ... Da qual di che t'incontrai" from Linda di Chamounix by Donizetti
Linda - Adelaide Boedecker
Carlo - Isaac Frishman

"Les Grecs ont disparu! ... Malheureux roi! Dans l'éternelle nuit" from Les Troyens by Berlioz
Cassandre - Tara Curtis

"Ecco novel tormento! ... Che farò senza Euridice?" from Orfeo ed Euridice by Gluck
Euridice - Teresa Castillo
Orfeo - Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen
Fortepiano - Nicolò Sbuelz

"Elle a fui, la tourterelle!" from Les Contes d'Hoffmann by Offenbach
Antonia - Chelsey Geeting

"Comment Ie Dédain pourrait-il mourir?" from Béatrice et Bénédict by Berlioz
Béatrice - Alexandra Schenck
Bénédict - Amitai Pati

"Vieni, o Levita! ... Tu sul labbro de' veggenti" from Nabucco by Verdi
Zaccaria - Matthew Anchel

"Se all' impero" from La Clemenza di Tito by Mozart
Tito - Boris Van Druff

"Ma dunque io sono un ex ... Un segreto d'importanza" from La Cenerentola by Rossini
Dandini - Josh Quinn
Don Magnifico - Nicholas Boragno
Fortepiano - John Elam

"C'est toi, toi qu'enfin je revois ... Au fond du temple saint" from Les Pêcheurs de Perles by Bizet
Nadir - Amitai Pati
Zurga -Andrew G. Manea

"Durch Zärtlichkeit und Schmeicheln ... Ich gehe doch rate ich dir" from Die Entführung aus dem Serail by Mozart
Blonde - Jana McIntyre
Osmin - Matthew Anchel

"Dio, che mi vedi in core ... Sul suo capo aggravi un Dio" from Anna Bolena by Donizetti
Anna Bolena - Mary Evelyn Hangley
Giovanna Seymour - Taylor Raven

"Or dove fuggo io mai? ... Ah, per sempre io ti perdei" from I Puritani by Bellini
Riccardo - Josh Quinn

"Nancy! Julia! Verweile! ... Letzte Rose, wie magst du" from Martha by Flotow
Lady Harriet - Yelena Dyachek
Lionel - Brian Michael Moore

"Don Ottavio, son morta! ... Or sai chi l'onore" from Don Giovanni by Mozart
Donna Anna - Sarah Cambidge
Don Ottavio - Isaac Frishman
Fortepiano - Noah Palmer

"Allmächt'ger Vater, blick' herab" from Rienzi by Wagner
Rienzi - Kyle van Schoonhoven

"There's a law" from Trouble in Tahiti by Bernstein
Sam - Cody Quattlebaum

''Ah, quel respect madame pour vos vertus m'enflamme" from Le Comte Ory by Rossini
La Comtesse Adèle - Teresa Castillo
Le Comte Ory - Josh Lovell

"Herr Chevalier, ich grüsse sie! ... Brüderlein, Brüderlein und Schwesterlein" from Die Fledermaus by J. Strauss
Eisenstein - Kyle van Schoonhoven
Frank - Cody Quattlebaum
Rosalinde - Mary Evelyn Hangley
Adele - Jana McIntyre
Ida - Teresa Castillo
Orlofsky - Taylor Raven
Falke - Andrew G. Manea
Chorus - tutti Merolini

Saturday, August 20th
War Memorial Opera House

Merola Grand Finale 2014

Talya Lieberman as Zerbinetta &
Shirin Eskandani as the Composer.
Photography by Kristen Loken.

Last weekend I attended the aptly named Merola Grand Finale, a sort of plenary graduation exercise for all 29 of this summer's Merola Artists. They presented 16 operatic excerpts on the stark, rural set of SF Opera's up-coming production of Susannah, with a full orchestra in the pit. Director Omer Ben-Seadia's staging was sensible. The performers wore formal concert dress, & good use was made of hand-carried props, lighting changes & the full stage space.

Everyone gave assured & easeful performances. Baritone Thomas Gunther singing was robust & connected in the prologue to Poulenc's Les mamelles de Tirésias, during which the curtain came up on the set. In a scene from Thomas's Hamlet, soprano Amanda Woodbury's sound was big & lustrous, & baritone Edward Nelson's voice had alluring colors. I liked mezzo Shirin Eskandani's textured, slightly gritty, sound & ardent acting as the Composer from Strauss's Ariadne. Soprano Talya Lieberman was her strong-voiced Zerbinetta.

Soprano Maria Fasciano has a somewhat metallic edge to her voice, & she was an intense Nedda in a furtive scene from Pagliacci. Baritone Alexander Elliot was Silvio, singing with an open & pleasing sound. Mezzo Eliza Bonet is a characterful singer with a grounded voice, & she had fun performing a frothy Offenbach number while flirting with both the audience & a male chorus of Merolini.

Rhys Lloyd Talbot as Guglielmo,
Anthony Reed as Don Alfonso
& Mingjie Lei as Ferrando.
Photography by Kristen Loken.

Tenor Mingjie Lei, bass-baritone Rhys Lloyd Talbot & bass Anthony Reed were a lively trio in the opening scene from Così fan tutte. Mr. Reed portrayed Don Alfonso's worldly confidence convincingly. Soprano Karen Chia-ling Ho gave a plush & dramatically sustained rendition of Margherita's prison scene from Mefistofele, & she did some theatrical stage business using her shawl to represent an imaginary baby.

Tenor Chong Wang sang "La donna è mobile" from Rigoletto with beautifully taut & secure high notes, & he did a good job characterizing the rakish Duke. As Gilda, soprano Adelaide Boedecker displayed bright, poignant singing. The following quartet with Ms. Bonet & baritone Gideon Dabi was firmly anchored. Tenor Casey Candebat & soprano Julie Adams were terrific in a duet from L’amico Fritz. Mr. Candebat's singing was smooth & controlled, & Ms. Adams voice was big, ringing & urgent.

Conductor Ari Pelto was attentive to the singers, giving them clear cues & never pushing, but he left the orchestra sounding shapeless. The audience responded warmly to all the performers. I felt a little sad to be at my last KAC-hosted event in the press room that evening.

§ Merola Opera Program
Presents
Merola Grand Finale and Reception

Conductor, Ari Pelto
Director, Omer Ben-Seadia

Overture to Nabucco (Verdi)

Les mamelles de Tirésias (Poulenc)
“Public, attendez sans impatience”
Le directeur, Thomas Gunther
Piano, Kirill Kuzmin

Hamlet  (Thomas)
“Vains regrets!...Monseigneur! Ophélie…Doute de la lumière”
Ophélie, Amanda Woodbury
Hamlet, Edward Nelson

Rodelinda (Handel)
“Eduige, t’inganni…Di Cupido impiego i vanni”
Garibaldo, Rhys Lloyd Talbot
Harpsichord, Kirill Kuzmin 

La Fille du regiment (Donizetti)
“La voilà…Au bruit de la guerre”
Marie, Yujin Kim
Sulpice, Scott Russell

Zazà (Leoncavallo)
“Zazà, piccolo zingara”
Cascart, Gideon Dabi

Ariadne auf Naxos (Strauss)
“Sie hält ihn für den Todesgott...Ein Augenblick ist wenig”
Zerbinetta, Talya Lieberman
Composer, Shirin Eskandani
Piano, Edoardo Barsotti
Harmonium, Sahar Nouri
Keyboard, Ronny Michael Greenberg

La clemenza di Tito (Mozart)
“Parti; non è più tempo ...Deh, per questo istante solo”
Sesto, Nian Wang
Tito, Casey Candebat
Harpsichord, Ronny Michael Greenberg

I Pagliacci (Leoncavallo)
“Nedda! Silvio! A quest’ora…Decidi il mio destin”
Nedda, Maria Fasciano
Silvio, Alexander Elliott
Tonio, Gideon Dabi

La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (Offenbach)
“Vous aimez la danger…Ah! Que j’aime la militaire!”
Duchesse, Eliza Bonet
Chorus, Tutti Merolini Men

Così fan tutte (Mozart)
“La mia Dorabella…È la fede della femmina…Una bella serenata”
Ferrando, Mingjie Lei
Guglielmo, Rhys Lloyd Talbot
Don Alfonso, Anthony Reed
Harpsichord, Blair Salter

Mefistofele (Boito)
“L’altra notte in fondo al mare”
Margherita, Karen Chia-ling Ho

The Rake’s Progress (Stravinsky)
“Vary the song…Come master…My tale shall be told”
Tom Rakewell, Benjamin Werley
Nick Shadow, Matthew Stump

La Cenerentola (Rossini)
“Sì, tutto cangerà…Là del ciel”
Alidoro, Szymon Wach
Cenerentola, Shirin Eskandani

Rigoletto (Verdi)
“La donna è mobile…Un dì se ben rammentomi”          
Gilda, Adelaide Boedecker
Maddalena, Eliza Bonet
Il Duca, Chong Wang
Rigoletto, Gideon Dabi
Sparafucile, Anthony Reed

L’amico Fritz (Mascagni)
“Suzel, buon dì…Tutto tace”
Suzel, Julie Adams
Fritz, Casey Candebat

Falstaff (Verdi)
“Un coro e terminiam la scena...Tutto nel mondo è burla”
Alice, Julie Adams
Nannetta, Adelaide Boedecker
Dame Quickly, Eliza Bonet
Meg, Shirin Eskandani
Fenton, Benjamin Werley
Dr. Caius, Chong Wang
Ford, Thomas Gunther
Bardolfo, Casey Candebat
Falstaff, Matthew Stump
Pistola, Scott Russell
Chorus, tutti Merolini

7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 16
War Memorial Opera House

Up-coming: Merola Grand Finale

Merola Opera has announced the casting for its Grand Finale performance in the War Memorial Opera House on Saturday, August 16th. This is the final public showcase for this summer's hard-working artists, & it's always a big evening. Apprentice stage director Omer Ben-Seadia directs, & Ari Pelto conducts.

§ Merola Opera Program
Presents
Merola Grand Finale and Reception

Conductor, Ari Pelto
Director, Omer Ben-Seadia

Les mamelles de Tirésias (Poulenc)
“Public, attendez sans impatience”
Le directeur, Thomas Gunther

Hamlet  (Thomas)
“Vains regrets!...Monseigneur! Ophélie…Doute de la lumière”
Ophélie, Amanda Woodbury
Hamlet, Edward Nelson

Rodelinda (Handel)
“Eduige, t’inganni…Di Cupido impiego i vanni”
Garibaldo, Rhys Lloyd Talbot

La Fille du regiment (Donizetti)
“La voilà…Au bruit de la guerre”
Marie, Yujin Kim
Sulpice, Scott Russell

Zazà (Leoncavallo)
“Zazà, piccolo zingara”
Cascart, Gideon Dabi

Ariadne auf Naxos (Strauss)
“Kindskopf! Merkt auf!”
Zerbinetta, Talya Lieberman
Composer, Shirin Eskandani

La clemenza di Tito (Mozart)
“Deh, per questo istante solo”
Sesto, Nian Wang

Lucrezia Borgia (Donizetti)
“Vieni, la mia vendetta…Qualunque sia l’evento”
Alfonso, Anthony Reed
Rustighello, Mingjie Lei

I Pagliacci (Leoncavallo)
“Silvio! A quest’ora…Decidi il mio destin”
Nedda, Maria Fasciano
Silvio, Alexander Elliott
Tonio, Gideon Dabi

Così fan tutte (Mozart)
“La mia Dorabella…È la fede della femmina…Una bella serenata”
Ferrando, Mingjie Lei
Guglielmo, Rhys Lloyd Talbot
Don Alfonso, Anthony Reed

Mefistofele (Boito)
“L’altra notte in fondo al mare”
Margherita, Karen Chia-ling Ho

The Rake’s Progress (Stravinsky)
“Vary the song…Come master…My tale shall be told”
Tom Rakewell, Benjamin Werley
Nick Shadow, Matthew Stump

La Cenerentola (Rossini)
“Sì, tutto cangerà…Là del ciel”
Alidoro, Szymon Wach
Cenerentola, Shirin Eskandani

Rigoletto (Verdi)
“La donna è mobile…Un dì se ben rammentomi”          
Gilda, Adelaide Boedecker
Maddalena, Eliza Bonet
Il Duca, Chong Wang
Rigoletto, Gideon Dabi
Sparafucile, Anthony Reed

La Grande-Duchesse de Gérolstein (Offenbach)
“Vous aimez la danger…Ah! Que j’aime la militaire!”
Duchesse, Eliza Bonet
Chorus, Tutti Merolini

L’amico Fritz (Mascagni)
“Suzel, buon dì…Tutto tace”
Suzel, Julie Adams
Fritz, Casey Candebat

Falstaff (Verdi)
“Volgiti e mira…Tutto nel mondo è burla”
Alice, Julie Adams
Nannetta, Adelaide Boedecker
Dame Quickly, Eliza Bonet
Meg, Shirin Eskandani
Fenton, Benjamin Werley
Dr. Caius, Chong Wang
Bardolfo, Casey Candebat
Falstaff, Matthew Stump
Pistola, Scott Russell
Chorus, tutti Merolini

7:30 p.m. Saturday, August 16
War Memorial Opera House

Merola Opera: Don Giovanni

Amanda Woodbury (Donna Anna)
Photography by Kristen Loken.

Last Thursday night I attended Merola Opera's performance of Don Giovanni. The non-traditional production is set entirely in a modern-day artist's studio. I did not always understand what was supposed to be happening, but it was consistently theatrical. During the overture we see Don Giovanni painting Donna Anna then groping her. An apron-wearing Leporello pushes chairs & tables around the studio & shows Donna Elvira newsprint sketchpads full of drawings of female nudes during the Catalog Aria. Zerlina & Masetto arrive at the studio for a wedding photo. The chorus, dressed in black, appear throughout, moving languorously & looking like judgmental zombies. In the banquet scene they slap on a table in unison when the Commendatore knocks at the door, & they collectively smother Don Giovanni at the end. The act 1 finale was oddly static & opposite to the libretto.

Soprano Amanda Woodbury, riding a wave of strength, immediately impressed the audience with her large, edgy voice & sustained focus. Even though she was completely potent, it felt like she was using only half her reserves. She received extended ovations for both of her arias. Soprano Karen Chia-Ling Ho as Donna Elvira had a muscular & assertive voice. Her character was fittingly angry without being wholly neurotic. She did a terrific un-operatic offstage scream in the finale. Soprano Yujin Kim looked & sounded plucky, pert & a bit bold as Zerlina.

Edward Nelson (Don Giovanni)
and Szymon Wach (Leporello).
Photography by Kristen Loken.

Baritone Edward Nelson was an authoritative Don Giovanni. His voice is strong & smooth & he sounded particularly alluring in the serenade "Deh, vieni alla finestra." Bass-baritone Szymon Wach sounded resonant & was a punkish Leporello who looked more like the Don's brother than his servant. Tenor Benjamin Werley did a nice job maintaining a long line in Don Ottavio's arias, & his voice had a bit of heft to it.

Bass Scott Russel was appropriately firm & stern as the Commendatore. The staging of the graveyard scene was awkward, with him standing in an auditorium doorway instead of onstage. Bass-baritone Rhys Lloyd Talbot was a good actor & sang pleasingly as Masetto. The cast sang well together, & ensemble numbers like the Commendatore's death scene & the epilogue sounded great.

Under conductor Martin Katz, the orchestra was often not together, especially the violins. There were some nice woodwind passages, & the harpsichord continuo was flamboyant. Because the orchestra is in the auditorium at the same level as the audience, it was loud & over-balanced the singers. I was in the 3rd row, close enough to notice the trumpet player was reading a book about music history. The hall was full, & my opera companion was delighted to spot composer Jake Heggie during the intermission. The cowbell used to signal the end of the intermission was obnoxious.

§ Don Giovanni
W.A. Mozart

Merola Opera Program Conductor: Martin Katz
Director: James Darrah

Don Giovanni: Edward Nelson
Leporello: Szymon Wach
Il Commendatore: Scott Russell
Donna Anna: Amanda Woodbury
Don Ottavio: Benjamin Werley
Donna Elvira: Karen Chia-Ling Ho
Masetto: Rhys Lloyd Talbot
Zerlina: Yujin Kim

Thursday, July 31, 7:30 p.m.
Everett Auditorium

Schwabacher Summer Concert

Shirin Eskandani (Mignon) and Anthony Reed (Lothario).
Photography by Kristen Loken.

Last week I heard the indoor version of the Schwabacher Summer Concert at Everett Middle School. It was a showcase for 10 of this summer's Merola Artists, who performed semi-staged scenes from 7 operas with a full orchestra behind them. All the singers gave outgoing, high-energy performances. Director Roy Rallo provided them with stage business for every moment. Props included a chair, a zither, an empty picture frame & a pair of velvet ropes with stanchions.

I liked the varied & dusky colors of mezzo Shirin Eskandani's voice. She was a melancholy Mignon & a contrastingly bright Rosina. Soprano Maria Fasciano sustained a high level of drama as Cio-Cio San in an excerpt from the end of act 2 of Madama Butterfly. Her voice is big & has a slight metallic sound. Sorrow was portrayed by a small, patient child who never showed the least sign of fidgeting.

Chong Wang (Don José)
and Nian Wang (Carmen).
Photography by Kristen Loken.

Soprano Talya Lieberman portrayed a very silly Semele in scenes from the Handel opera. She got a laugh just by the way she slumped in a chair. Her voice is high & warbling, & she flirtatiously showed off a seemingly effortless coloratura. The audience gave her a cheering ovation. Tenor Mingjie Lei, with his smooth, mellow voice, was a rueful Jupiter.

Mezzo Nian Wang had quite a few assignments, ending with the last scene of Carmen. She is an emphatic singer & was a disdainful & sneering Carmen. Tenor Chong Wang was her Don José, & his clear, taut high notes conveyed ardency. Carmen's friends wore glittery dresses that made them look more like Rheinmaidens than gypsies.

Baritone Alexander Elliott sounded solid & was perfectly cast in 2 comedic Rossini roles. He has the perky charisma of a musical theater performer & moves with the springiness of a dancer. Bass-baritone Matthew Stump's voice sounded appropriately mature & weighty for his characters. In a duet from La Cenerentola, he did a brave job singing lying on his side while Mr. Elliott sat on top of him.

Anthony Reed cuts a tall & attractive figure, & he has a surprising bass voice that is beaming & resonant. In a scene from Thomas's Mignon, he was a pensive Lothario & wore his jacket over his bare torso. I was completely unfamiliar with the opera, which seems to deal with a 19th century version of human trafficking. Eric Melear was a stable conductor, & there was fine playing from the trumpet & flute. The opera-savvy audience was enthused & supportive, & many gave the performers a standing ovation.

§ Schwabacher Summer Concert 2014
Merola Opera Program
Conducted by Eric Melear
Directed by Roy Rallo

Mignon (Ambroise Thomas)
From Act I, Scene 4
Wilhelm:  Mingjie Lei
Mignon: Shirin Eskandani
Jarno: Matthew Stump
Lothario: Anthony Reed

Semele (George Frideric Handel)
From Act III: Scenes 3-5
Juno: Nian Wang
Semele: Talya Lieberman
Jupiter: Mingjie Lei

Luisa Miller (Giuseppe Verdi)
From Act II
Count Walter: Matthew Stump
Wurm: Anthony Reed
Federica: Nian Wang
Luisa Miller: Maria Fasciano

Il barbiere di Siviglia (Gioachino Rossini)
From Act I: Scene 9
Figaro: Alexander Elliott
Rosina: Shirin Eskandani

Madama Butterfly (Giacomo Puccini)
From Act II
Goro: Chong Wang
Cio-Cio San: Maria Fasciano
Sharpless: Gideon Dabi
Prince Yamadori: Alexander Elliott
Suzuki: Nian Wang

La Cenerentola (Gioachino Rossini)
From Act II
Dandini: Alexander Elliott
Don Magnifico: Matthew Stump

Carmen (George Bizet)
From Act IV
Frasquita: Talya Lieberman
Mercédès: Shirin Eskandani
Don José: Chong Wang
Carmen: Nian Wang
Chorus: Tutti

Thursday, July 17, 7:30 pm
Everett Middle School Auditorium

Merola Opera: A Streetcar Named Desire

Adelaide Boedecker & Julie Adams
Photography by Kristen Loken

Thursday night I saw Merola Opera's production of André Previn's opera version of A Streetcar Named Desire. The opera sticks closely to its source, & the show's emphasis on acting & its young, dramatically convincing, cast made me feel I was sitting at a play rather than an opera. It's definitely a vehicle for the soprano playing Blanche, & Julie Adams sang with impressive stamina, consistency & commitment. Her voice has a substantial, viscous sound, & her singing was smooth & connected. She gave us soft high notes that were secure & lovely. Her physical performance was jittery, & her character was clearly under strain from mental illness right from the start. The audience gave a big ovation to her act 2 narration about the suicide of her husband.

The rest of the cast gave dedicated performances as well. Soprano Adelaide Boedecker sounded supple & bright as Stella. Her sultry post-coital vocalise accompanied by the plucking of a double bass is my favorite part of the opera. Baritone Thomas Gunther was an angry Stanley Kowalski, & his voice was focused & firm. Tenor Casey Candebat as Mitch sang with great clarity & control, & he had the most apparent Southern accent in the cast. He's a fun actor to watch, though his Mitch sometimes seemed like a 12-year-old boy. I also liked the vivid acting of Eliza Bonet as Eunice.

Chong Wang, Thomas Gunther,
Benjamin Werley, & Casey Candebat
Photography by Kristen Loken

The terrific set depicts the Kowalski's home with a grimy realism yet is also a bit dream-like. There are no black-outs between scenes, so supers dressed like Stanley's poker buddies reset the stage in full view of the audience. We get to see Stanley having sex with Stella & Blanche. There's also a lot of cigarette smoking.

The opera is mostly dialogue. There are a few arioso scenes but no full-blown arias. The music is lush, & the orchestra is kept busy providing a constant flow of colorful, melodic fragments that encompass movie score romanticism, modern dissonance & jazz. The overall mood is ominous. Mark Morash's conducting was evenly paced. The Everett Middle School Auditorium does not have a pit, so the orchestra was in the auditorium in front of the stage. I sat 6 feet from the tuba. The orchestra's bright, prominent sound overbalanced the singers.

The performance ran for 3 & 1/2 hours, including 2 intermissions. The audience was engaged throughout, though there was a loud clunk from the right side of the auditorium in a quiet moment during one of Blanche's scenes. The insistent clanging of a cow bell signaled the end of each intermission. The show will be repeated this Saturday afternoon.

§ A Streetcar Named Desire
By André Previn
Libretto by Philip Littell
New orchestral reduction by Peter Grunberg

Merola Opera Program
Conductor: Mark Morash
Director: Jose Maria Condemi

Blanche DuBois: Julie Adams
Harold “Mitch” Mitchell: Casey Candebat
Stella Kowalski: Adelaide Boedecker
Stanley Kowalski: Thomas Gunther
Eunice Hubbell: Eliza Bonet
Steve Hubbell: Benjamin Werley
Mexican Woman: Shirin Eskandani
A Young Collector: Mingjie Lei

Thursday, July 10, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 12, 2 p.m.
Everett Middle School Auditorium

Thursday, July 10, 7:30 p.m.
Everett Middle School Auditorium
Merola: A Streetcar Named Desire

Casting for Merola Opera's Don Giovanni

Karen Chia-Ling Ho, Rhys Lloyd Talbot,
Edward Nelson, Amanda Woodbury
  Photo credit: Kristen Loken

The Merola Opera Program has announced casting for its 2 staged performances of Don Giovanni at the end of this month. The production is conducted by Martin Katz & directed by James Darrah. Other Merola performances this month are 2 performances of Andre Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire this Thursday & Saturday & the Schwabacher Summer Concert next week.





§ Don Giovanni
W.A. Mozart

Merola Opera Program
Thursday, July 31, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 2, 2 p.m
Everett Auditorium, 450 Church Street in San Francisco.

Conductor: Martin Katz
Director: James Darrah

Don Giovanni: Edward Nelson
Leporello: Szymon Wach
Il Commendatore: Scott Russell
Donna Anna: Amanda Woodbury
Don Ottavio: Benjamin Werley
Donna Elvira: Karen Chia-Ling Ho
Masetto: Rhys Lloyd Talbot
Zerlina: Yujin Kim

Casting for Schwabacher Summer Concert

Merola Opera has announced casting for the Schwabacher Summer Concert, which features a dozen Merola artists in scenes from 7 operas, accompanied by orchestra. The program is presented July 17th in the Everett Middle School Auditorium & as a free outdoor concert in Yerba Buena Gardens on Saturday afternoon, July 19th.

§ Schwabacher Summer Concert 2014
Merola Opera Program
Conducted by Eric Melear
Directed by Roy Rallo

Mignon (Ambroise Thomas)
Wilhelm:  Mingjie Lei
Mignon: Shirin Eskandani
Jarno: Matthew Stump
Lothario: Anthony Reed

Semele (George Frideric Handel)
Juno: Nian Wang
Semele: Talya Lieberman
Jupiter: Mingjie Lei

Luisa Miller (Giuseppe Verdi)
Count Walter: Matthew Stump
Wurm: Anthony Reed
Federica: Nian Wang
Luisa Miller: Maria Fasciano

Il barbiere di Siviglia (Gioachino Rossini)
Figaro: Alexander Elliott
Rosina: Shirin Eskandani

Madama Butterfly (Giacomo Puccini)
Goro: Chong Wang
Cio-Cio San: Maria Fasciano
Sharpless: Gideon Dabi
Prince Yamadori: Alexander Elliott
Suzuki: Nian Wang

La Cenerentola (Gioachino Rossini)
Dandini: Alexander Elliott
Don Magnifico: Matthew Stump

Carmen (George Bizet)
Frasquita: Talya Lieberman
Mercédès: Shirin Eskandani
Don José: Chong Wang
Carmen: Nian Wang
Chorus: Tutti

Thursday, July 17, 7:30 pm, Everett Middle School Auditorium, $25 - $40
Saturday, July 19, 2 pm, Yerba Buena Gardens, FREE

Eric Owens Master Class

Thursday evening Merola Opera presented bass-baritone Eric Owens in a master class for an audience of Merola members. Mr. Owens was cheerfully avuncular, & he focused on refining the sound of all 4 singers in the class. His suggestions were fairly technical & were confusing to me, but I am not a singer. He often demonstrated what he wanted by singing it himself.

Baritone Alexander Elliott sang "O du mein holder Abendstern" from Tannhäuser with a beautiful, open, resonant sound, & Mr. Owens worked to smooth out his line & German diction. Soprano Talya Lieberman sang "Oh! Quante volte" from Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Mr. Owens was an exacting listener as he coached her to soften her voice on the aria's long first note.

Mezzo Nian Wang sang remarkably clear & effortless triplets in the coloratura aria "Parto, parto" from La clemenza di Tito, & Mr. Owens aimed at brightening her sound. When he asked her to sing in an exaggerated nasal voice, her gutsy attempt caused the audience to laugh & applaud. Mr. Owens frequently put his index finger on the bridge of his nose to demonstrate a point, & Ms. Wang somehow started imitating him by singing with an upraised index finger in front of her face.

Bass-baritone Rhys Lloyd Talbot, nattily dressed in a pink shirt & bow tie, portrayed a suave devil in an aria from Gounod's Faust. He was an expressive actor, & his stage laughs were wonderfully insinuating. Mr. Owens worked to make his big voice more legato. Apprentice coach Edoardo Barsotti accompanied Mr. Talbot adroitly.

The master class ran for 2 hours without a break. I did not eat dinner beforehand, so I was grateful for the reception afterward, which was attended by Mr. Owens & the Merolini & had substantial food offerings.

§ Master Class & Reception With Eric Owens
Merola Opera Program 2014

"Wie Todesahnung ... O du mein holder Abendstern" from Tannhäuser by Richard Wagner
Alexander Elliott, baritone
Sahar Nouri, piano

"Oh! Quante volte" from I Capuleti e i Montecchi by Vincenzo Bellini
Talya Lieberman, soprano
Sahar Nouri, piano

"Parto, parto" from La clemenza di Tito by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Nian Wang, Mezzo-soprano
Kirill Kuzmin, piano

"Vous qui faites l'endormie" from Faust by Charles Gounod
Rhys Lloyd Talbot, bass-baritone
Edoardo Barsotti, piano

Thursday, June 26, 2014, 7:00 - 9:00 PM
San Francisco Conservatory of Music

Merola Opera: A Streetcar Named Desire

Julie Adams & Thomas Gunther

Photo credit: Kristen Loken

The Merola Opera Program has announced the cast for its 2 performances next month of Andre Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire. The fully staged production is conducted by Mark Morash & directed by Jose Maria Condemi. This is the first of Merola's public programs this summer, which also include a free outdoor concert in Yerba Buena Gardens, a production of Don Giovanni & a gala-style performance in the War Memorial Opera House. Additional events, such as master classes with soprano Jane Eaglen & bass-baritone Eric Owens, are accessible to Merola Members.

Merola Summer Festival 2014

§ A Streetcar Named Desire
André Previn
Thursday, July 10, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 12, 2 p.m.
Everett Middle School Auditorium

Conductor: Mark Morash
Director: Jose Maria Condemi

Blanche DuBois: Julie Adams
Harold “Mitch” Mitchell: Casey Candebat
Stella Kowalski: Adelaide Boedecker
Stanley Kowalski: Thomas Gunther
Eunice Hubbell: Eliza Bonet
Steve Hubbell: Benjamin Werley
Mexican Woman: Shirin Eskandani
A Young Collector: Mingjie Lei


§ Schwabacher Summer Concert
Thursday, July 17, 7:30 p.m. at Everett Middle School Auditorium
Saturday, July 19, 2 p.m. at Yerba Buena Gardens, FREE


§ Don Giovanni
W.A. Mozart
Thursday, July 31, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, August 2, 2 pm
Everett Middle School Auditorium


§ Merola Grand Finale and Reception
Saturday, August 16, 7:30 p.m.
War Memorial Opera House

2014 Schwabacher Debut Recital with Steven Blier

Last weekend I attended a Schwabacher Debut Recital program featuring 4 Adler Fellows. There was lovely singing throughout. Each performer presented a set of songs by a different composer. Short ensemble numbers for all 4 separated each set. Steven Blier was the accompanist & host, providing amusingly pithy commentary. He referred to the 1st set of Villa-Lobos songs as "art song in a string bikini." Soprano Maria Valdez sang them with a liquid, space-filling voice & displayed impressive dynamic control. Mezzo Zanda Švēde has a stunningly rich & substantial contralto-like sound, & she gave her set of Grieg songs in German an appropriately deep & dark texture.

Tenor A.J. Glueckert sang a set of Frank Bridge songs that ranged from the cheerful & floaty to the psychologically spacey, & his voice was consistently clear, ringing & fluid. Baritone Hadleigh Adams did a terrific job selling the hipster melancholy, nostalgia & regret of songs by New York composer Gabriel Kahane, whom Mr. Blier described as "the love child of Schumann, Faure & Stevie Wonder." Mr. Hadleigh sang with a neat, even & natural sound that was easy to listen to. He also acted the song's emotions with discreet & unaffected gestures.

The interstitial ensemble numbers were lighter in mood & acted as palate-cleansers, though the Smokey Robinson selection felt out of place. The singers seemed careful about balancing their voices. In their encore from Candide, they all sang out more, revealing just how much they had been holding back during the recital.

Mr. Blier has a muscular condition that restricts the use of his upper arms, & occasional allowances must be made, but his musical intentions are always definitively clear. After the audience applauded during the 1st set of songs, he asked for "vociferous applause" only at the black lines in the printed program. The concert was absorbing, & the audience gave extended applause for each singer's set, though there seemed to be a policy that performers not take a 2nd solo bow.

§ 2014 Schwabacher Debut Recitals
Presented by San Francisco Opera Center and Merola Opera Program

New York Festival of Song
In the Memory Palace

Steven Blier, piano
Maria Valdes, soprano
Zanda Švēde, mezzo-soprano
A.J. Glueckert, tenor
Hadleigh Adams, baritone

HEITOR VILLA-LOBOS (1887 - 1959)
Cançao da folha morta
The Ensemble

From Floresta do Amazonas
    Canção de amor
    Cair da tarde
    Melodia sentimental
Maria Valdes

WILHELM STENHAMMAR (1871 - 1927)
I seraillets have
The Ensemble

EDVARD GRIEG (1843 - 1907)
From 6 Songs, Opus 48
    Lauf der Welt
    Die verschwiegene Nachtigall
    Zur Rosenzeit
    Ein Traum
Zanda Švēde

WILLIAM STERNDALE BENNETT (1816 - 1875)
Come live with me
The Ensemble

FRANK BRIDGE (1879 - 1941)
Go Not, Happy Day
Goldenhair
When You Are Old and Grey
Dweller in my Deathless Dreams
A. J. Glueckert

STEPHEN SONDHEIM (b. 1930)
Two Fairy Tales
The Ensemble

GABRIEL KAHANE (b. 1981)
The Memory Palace
    Underberg
    7 Middagh
    Merritt Parkway
    North Adams
    Rochester
Hadleigh Adams

SMOKEY ROBINSON (b. 1940)
You've Really Got a Hold On Me
The Ensemble

Encore: Quartet from Leonard Berstein's Candide

Sunday, March 30, 5:30 p.m.
Temple Emanu-El’s Martin Meyer Sanctuary

Merola 2014 Season Announcement

Earlier this week, Merola Opera announced next season's events at a wine, cheese & dessert reception for members in the plush Wattis Room at Davies Hall. Jean Kellogg, Executive Director, revealed that next summer's productions will be André Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire & Mozart's Don Giovanni. Streetcar will be presented in an arrangement for reduced orchestra by Peter Grünberg. Ms. Kellogg described Streetcar as a "good opera for young voices." Conrad Sweeting gave some details about the April 12th Gala at the Fairmont Hotel. The theme is "A Night in New Orleans." The event is black tie, but Mr. Sweeting assured us that the dress code could be interpreted liberally. The Gala will also honor former SF Opera general director Lotfi Mansouri. Dan Meagher, Merola's ebullient Marketing Director, told us about free opera movies at the SF Public Library & a holiday concert featuring soprano Kristin Clayton & baritone Bojan Knezevic in Lafayette on December 7th.

Former Merola artists soprano Nicole Foland & baritone Eugene Brancoveanu, accompanied by pianist Robert Mollicone, performed 3 numbers from Don Giovanni. Mr. Brancoveanu sang Leporello's Catalog Aria, & his list was on an iPad, so Ms. Foland, playing Donna Elvira, comically flicked through pictures of flags, famous women & the number 1003. Mr. Brancoveanu charmingly hammed it up. He prowled the room, interacted with audience members & even snatched a flower from off a table setting & devoured it. Ms. Foland also sang Blanche's act 3 aria "Sea Air" from Streetcar. It was a treat to hear both singers in such an intimate setting.

§ Merola 2014 Season Announcement
Monday, October 21st, 7pm
Wattis Room
Davies Symphony Hall

§ Opera & Ornaments
A Merola Opera Program Holiday Concert
Saturday, December 7, 2013, 2 pm
Lafayette Public Library · Community Hall
3491 Mt Diablo Blvd, Lafayette
$10

§ Merola Goes to the Movies
Koret Auditorium at the San Francisco Library Main Branch
Admission is free

OTELLO, directed by Franco Zeffirelli
Sunday, November 3rd, 2013, 1 pm

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, The Marx Brothers
Saturday, January 11th, 2014, 1 pm

THE MAGIC FLUTE, directed by Ingmar Bergman
Saturday, March 29th, 2014, 1 pm

Film to be announced
Saturday, May 24th, 2014, 1 pm

§ Gala
Saturday, April 12, 2014

§ A Streetcar Named Desire
July 10, 2014, 7:30 pm
July 12, 2014, 2 pm

§ Schwabacher Summer Concert
July 17, 2014, 7:30 pm
July 19, 2014, 2 pm

§ Don Giovanni
July 31, 2014, 7:30 pm
August 2, 2014, 2 pm

§ Merola Grand Finale and Reception
Saturday, August 16, 2014, 7:30pm

Le nozze di Figaro

The cast of Le nozze di Figaro
Photo by Kristen Loken

Last Thursday evening I saw Merola Opera's The Marriage of Figaro. The cast wore handsome 18th century costumes, & the staging was traditional, with no odd surprises. 5 large wardrobes, which the cast rearranged between acts, formed the set & represented closets & doors. The cast's singing & acting were uniformly clean, strong & enthused. Bass-baritone John Arnold portrayed an angry Figaro. Soprano Maria Valdes was a solid, slightly aloof, Susanna. Baritone Joseph Lattanzi is an exuberant actor. His Count was appropriately arrogant, sneering & a bit suave. Mezzo Rihab Chaieb flirted playfully with the audience & was a beguiling, if not particularly masculine, Cherubino. Since the set had no windows, she ran off the stage into the auditorium to get out of the Countess's room. Soprano Jacqueline Piccolino as the Countess has a richly-colored voice & sang with a nicely connected line. Her 2 arias held me rapt. She was a committed actor, & I liked how the staging played up the attraction between her & Cherubino.

L to R: Daryl Freedman (Marcellina), Thomas Richards (Dr. Bartolo),
John Arnold (Figaro), Matthew Newlin (Don Curzio)
and Joseph Lattanzi (Count Almaviva)
Photo by Kristen Loken

Tenor Casey Finnigan was hilarious as a lightly mincing Don Basilio. His voice was clear & penetrating. It would have been fun to hear him do Basilio's traditionally cut aria. As Marcellina, mezzo Daryl Freedman's voice sounded fittingly broad & matronly. Bass-baritone Thomas Richards made a stout, weighty sound as Bartolo, & his "La Vendetta" aria was nicely musical. The audience laughed at his goofy dancing during the wedding scene.

Conductor Xian Zhang led an orchestra of about 30, placed in the auditorium in front of the stage. Tempos were generally quick, & the orchestra & singers were occasionally not in sync. The orchestra sounded prominent. I liked the flute & clarinet solos. The harpsichord accompaniment was emphatic in the 1st half. During act 3, the lights went off on the music stands in the right of the orchestra, & a technician had to wade in among the musicians to fix it.

There were only 2 doors into the Everett Middle School auditorium, & only 1 ticket-taker at each door, so it took a while for everyone to get in. The show was well-attended, & the audience was supportive & applauded warmly for each number. They even broke into applause twice during the act 2 finale.

§ Le nozze di Figaro 
Merola Opera Program
Xian Zhang, conductor
Robin Guarino, director

Figaro: John Arnold
Susanna: Maria Valdes
Dr. Bartolo: Thomas Richards
Marcellina: Daryl Freedman
Cherubino: Rihab Chaieb
Count Almaviva: Joseph Lattanzi
Don Basilio: Casey Finnigan
Countess Almaviva: Jacqueline Piccolino
Antonio: Rhys Lloyd Talbot
Don Curzio: Matthew Newlin
Barbarina: Alisa Jordheim

Thursday, August 1 at 7:30 PM
Everett Auditorium at Everett Middle School

Schwabacher Summer Concert

L to R: Pene Pati, Zanda Švēde, Issachah Savage
Photo by Kristen Loken

Thursday night I heard the Schwabacher Summer Concert, featuring 8 Merola artists in semi-staged scenes from 6 operas. The singers were in concert dress & accompanied by a full orchestra on stage behind them. Steamer trunks, a few props & lighting changes provided the scenery. The performance was supertitled. All the Merolini sang out at a consistent volume & were engaging actors.

Baritone Alex DeSocio makes a firm, open & resonant sound, & his death scene from Don Carlo was secure & received appreciative applause. Soprano Aviva Fortunata sang Donna Elvira's "Ah, chi mi dice mai" & Desedemona with a sustained loudness & focus. Bass-baritone Rhys Lloyd Talbot moved around the stage a lot during his rendition of Leporello's Catalog Aria, so though he sang it with ease, he was not always with the orchestra.

The excerpt from L’Italiana in Algeri got the busiest staging, which included ropes, gun-toting harem guards & Isabella emerging from a steamer trunk to sing "Cruda Sorte!" Tenor Matthew Newlin's voice sounded even throughout it's range, though a bit stiff, in Lindoro's "Languir per una bella." Mezzo Zanda Švēde was a standout. Her voice is distinctively deep & viscous, & she was a confident & sultry Isabella.

Pene Pati

Photo by Kristen Loken

Tenor Pene Pati's voice was wonderfully warm, connected & Italianate in the final scene of Lucia di Lammermoor. His singing is fresh & musical, & he seems to have untapped reserves. He ended with a thrilling high note (high D?) definitely not in the score & received extended applause & cheers. Issachah Savage showed off his powerful & weighty tenor voice & very clear diction in a too-brief assignment from Otello. He was stunning.

Apart from a shaky Mozart overture, the orchestra, led by Kevin Murphy, played buoyantly. The brasses sounded nicely mellow in the Don Carlo excerpt, & the woodwinds were neat & transparent in the introduction to Act IV of Otello. The orchestra never overwhelmed the singers, whose voices rang out vibrantly into the auditorium. The audience was attentive and quiet, though latecomers seated during the performance caused some noise. The singers received enthused applause & bravos. A cellphone rang during the Otello excerpt. A gentleman in the back of the auditorium sighed loudly in the silence ending quiet scenes. The program will be repeated in a free performance at Yerba Buena Garden, Saturday, July 20th, at 2:00 PM

§ Schwabacher Summer Concert
Conductor: Kevin Murphy
Director: Roy Rallo

Overture to Der Schauspieldirektor (W.A. Mozart)

Don Giovanni (W.A. Mozart)
From Act I, Scene 5
Donna Elvira: Aviva Fortunata
Don Giovanni: Alex DeSocio
Leporello: Rhys Lloyd Talbot

Don Carlo (Giuseppe Verdi)
From Act IV, Part 2
Rodrigo: Alex DeSocio
Don Carlo: Pene Pati

L’Italiana in Algeri (Gioachino Rossini)
From Act I, Scene 3
Lindoro: Matthew Newlin
Mustafà: Rhys Lloyd Talbot
Haly: Thomas Richards
Isabella: Zanda Švēde
Taddeo: Alex DeSocio
Ensemble: Pene Pati, Issachah Savage

Lucia di Lammermoor (Gaetano Donizetti)
Act II, Part 2
Edgardo: Pene Pati
Raimondo: Rhys Lloyd Talbot
Ensemble: Matthew Newlin, Issachah Savage, Alex DeSocio, Thomas Richards

L’Amico Fritz (Pietro Mascagni)
From Act III
Fritz: Pene Pati
Beppe: Zanda Švēde
Offstage Chorus: Aviva Fortunata, Zanda Švēde, Matthew Newlin, Issachah Savage, Alex DeSocio, Rhys Lloyd Talbot

Otello (Giuseppe Verdi)
From Act IV
Emila: Zanda Švēde
Desdemona: Aviva Fortunata
Otello: Issachah Savage
Cassio: Matthew Newlin
Iago: Alex DeSocio
Lodovico: Rhys Lloyd Talbot
Montano: Pene Pati

Thursday, July 18 at 7:30 PM
Everett Auditorium at Everett Middle School

The Rape of Lucretia

Photo credit: Kristen Loken

Thursday night I saw Merola Opera's production of Benjamin Britten's The Rape of Lucretia. The opera was staged as a contemporary military inquest, with all the characters assembled in a court room. There were no scene breaks, & the singers were onstage throughout, both witnessing & enacting the events of the story. The rape scene was staged symbolically, Tarquinius throwing papers into the air & overturning furniture.

The evening was taut. Everyone gave firm singing & acting perfomances & maintained a determinedly serious mood. As the chorus, tenor Robert Watson & soprano Linda Barnett were implacably stern. Mezzo Kate Allen sang Lucretia with a full, matronly voice that was also a bit warbling. Mezzo Katie Hannigan was a consistent & mature-sounding Bianca. Soprano Alisa Jordheim as Lucia sounded contrastingly high & youthful. The vocalise between the female voices in act I was lovely. Baritone Chris Carr was smooth-sounding & even suave as Tarquinius. I especially liked baritone Efraín Solís as Junius in the scene where he connivingly insinuated reasons to rape Lucretia. Bass-baritone David Weigel had a deep, resonant voice that communicated gravity.

I'd actually never heard this opera before. There are many beautiful passages, & it has an inexorable, ritual-like atmosphere. The concluding invocation to Jesus, however, seems unprepared for. It certainly did not comfort Mr. Weigel's Collatinus, who stared at the audience in horrified anguish at the end.

The performance took place in the Everett Middle School auditorium, where the voices rang out nicely. There is no pit, so the chamber orchestra of 13 was on the floor in front of the stage. They probably sounded too prominent, but I liked their playing so much that I did not mind. It was nice to hear orchestral details, such as the double bass slides, so vividly. The school's aging, unupholstered seats were uncomfortable, even though Merola furnished them with branded seat cushions. The performance was well-attended, & the audience was attentive & focussed. The singers received appreciative applause & a partial standing ovation.

§ The Rape of Lucretia
By Benjamin Britten with libretto by Ronald Duncan

Merola Opera Program 2013
Conductor - Mark Morash
Director - Peter Kazaras

Male Chorus - Robert Watson
Female Chorus - Linda Barnett
Collatinus - David Weigel
Junius - Efraín Solís
Tarquinius - Chris Carr
Lucretia - Kate Allen
Bianca - Katie Hannigan
Lucia - Alisa Jordheim

Thursday, July 11,7:30 PM
Everett Auditorium