opera scenes & arias -...

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The Cleveland Institute of Music Opera Theater presents Opera Scenes & Arias followed by a complete performance of Gilbert & Sullivan’s Trial By Jury David Bamberger, Director John Simmons, Music Director & Accompanist Alison Garrigan, Costume, Wig & Makeup Designer Paul & Kathleen Zweifel, Supertitles Kulas Hall April 15 & 16, 2011 8:00 p.m. April 17, 2011 3:00 p.m. The CIM Opera Program is supported in part by a generous grant from the John P. Murphy Foundation

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The Cleveland Institute of Music

Opera Theater presents

Opera Scenes & Arias followed by a complete performance of

Gilbert & Sullivan’s

Trial By Jury

David Bamberger, Director

John Simmons, Music Director & Accompanist

Alison Garrigan, Costume, Wig & Makeup Designer

Paul & Kathleen Zweifel, Supertitles

Kulas Hall

April 15 & 16, 2011

8:00 p.m.

April 17, 2011

3:00 p.m.

The CIM Opera Program is supported in part by

a generous grant from the John P. Murphy Foundation

2

Scenes

*Friday/Sunday +Saturday

(more)

THE BARTERED BRIDE (1866)

Music by Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)

Libretto by Karel Sabina

English version by Marion Farquhar

“Marie Warns Vašek”

Introduced by Margaret Kazan

Vašek David Fair *

Michael John Talerico +

Marie April Martin *

Agostina Migoni +

MIGNON (1866)

Music by Ambroise Thomas (1811-1896)

Libretto by Michael Carré and Jules Barbier

“Connais-tu le pays”

Introduced by Kellie Rumba

Mignon Elizabeth Frey *

Alicia Bousner +

GIUDITTA (1934)

Music by Franz Lehár (1870-1948)

Libretto by Paul Knepler and Fritz Löhner

“Meine Lippen, sie küssen so heiss”

Introduced by Jacquelyn Mouritsen

Giuditta Jilda Farias

The Gypsies Troy Bruchwalski, Armando Contreras,

Raymond James Irwin, Adam Matonic

3

(more)

COSI FAN TUTTE (1790)

Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte

Trio: “Soave sia il vento”

Introduced by Kevin Simmons

Fiordiligi Catheryne Shuman *

Laura Anne Valles +

Dorabella Stacey Van Vossen *

Stephanie Kreutz +

Don Alfonso Ryan Downey *

Andrew G. Manea +

FIDELIO (1805)

Music by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Libretto Joseph Sonnleithner

“O wär' ich schon mit dir vereint”

Introduced by Pamela Torrey

Marzelline Alexandra Schiano

ROMÉO ET JULIETTE (1867)

Music by Charles Gounod (1818-1893)

Libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré

“The Poison Aria”

Introduced by Raymond James Irwin

Juliet Marilyn Reid Smith

RUSALKA (1901)

Music by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

Libretto by Jaroslav Kvapil

“The Hymn to the Moon”

Introduced by Alyssa Hensel

Rusalka Helen Wyatt

4

(more)

IL TROVATORE (1853)

Music by Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901)

Libretto by Salvatore Cammarano

“Stride la vampa”

Introduced by Veronica Ward

Azucena Rebecca Skirpan

DON PASQUALE (1843)

Music by Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848)

Libretto by Giovanni Ruffini

Staged by Ms. Hamm

“Quel guardo, il cavaliere...So anch'io la virtù magica”

Introduced by Kathleen Raab

Norina Megan Hamm

FALSTAFF (1893)

Music by Giuseppe Verdi

Libretto by Arrigo Boito

“The Merry Wives Receive a Letter” (Act I, Scene 2)

Introduced by Alexandra Schiano

Mrs. Meg Page Kjira Robinson *

April Martin +

Mrs. Alice Ford Laura Anne Cotney *

Marilyn Reid Smith +

Nannetta (Anne Ford) Kellie Rumba *

Anjin Stewart-Funai +

Dame Quickly Alicia Bousner *

Elizabeth Frey +

Fenton Kevin Simmons *

David Fair +

~ INTERMISSION ~

5

The Usher Andrew G. Manea *

Ryan Downey +

Edwin, The Defendant Jake Andricks *

David Fair +

The Learned Judge Mark Wanich *

John Gray Watson +

Counsel for the Plaintiff Marisa Buchheit *

Jacquelyn Mouritsen +

Angelina, The Plaintiff Sarah Mossman *

Ashley R. Close +

Foreman of the Jury Troy Bruchwalski *

Armando Contreras +

Other members of the Jury Javier Enrique Ferrer, Raymond James Irwin,

Joseph Lenehan, Adam Matonic,

Kevin Simmons, Michael Talerico,

Reid Taylor

Ladies of London Laura Ann Cotney, Jilda Farias, Alyssa Hensel,

Hillary Huebler, Margaret Kazan, Erica Koch,

Stephanie Kreutz, Agostina Migoni,

Kathleen Raab, Nicole Rodriguez,

Jessika Roy, Pamela Torrey,

Veronica Ward, Helen Wyatt, Rebecca Zaner

Chorus of Bridesmaids Carson Dorsey, Stephanie Klock,

Kathryn Middleman, Annie Reilly,

Gillian Terminiello, Stacey Van Vossen

TRIAL BY JURY (1875)

Words by William S. Gilbert (1836-1911)

Music by Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900)

Introduced by Marilyn Reid Smith

6

Voice Department

Production Staff

Stage Managers…Catheryne Shuman, Reid Taylor, Laura Anne Valles

Assistant Stage Managers …Kellie Rumba, Elizabeth Tredent

Production Manager/Properties Mistress … Sarah Stewart

Costume Designer …Alison Garrigan

Wig/Makeup Assistant … Krista Tomorowitz

Wardrobe Assistants …Kathleen Raab, Jan Wolf

Supertitles … Paul & Kathleen Zweifel

About the Staff

David Bamberger (Artistic Director) has staged some 200 productions on

three continents in styles from grand opera to musicals. A founder of Cleve-

land Opera, he was the company’s General Director from 1976 to 2004, build-

ing it into one of America's major regional opera companies. He secured The

Three Tenors in Concert to celebrate its 25th anniversary. At the insistence of

Jerome Robbins, Mr. Bamberger staged the dialogue scenes for West Side

Story, thus gaining permission for Cleveland Opera to be the only opera

company in the Western hemisphere permitted to re-create Robbins’ original

choreography. Mr. Bamberger’s work from coast to coast ranges from The

Barber of Seville at Lincoln Center (New York City Opera) to The Ballad of

Baby Doe (Los Angeles Music Center), with such stars as Roberta Peters, Bev-

erly Sills and Sherrill Milnes. For Santiago, Chile, he staged Rigoletto and Lu-

cia di Lammermoor and, for the Israel Vocal Arts Institute, La Bohème and La

Cenerentola. In 1990, he represented the opera industry before Congress, testi-

fying in a successful effort to garner support for the National Endowment for

Opera Theater

Artistic Director. . . David Bamberger

Music Director & Conductor. . . Harry Davidson

Opera Coach & Chorus Master. . . John Simmons

Opera Theater Administrator . . . Claire Connelly

Production Manager . . . Sarah Stewart

Mary Schiller, Head

Clifford Billions

Vinson Cole

Jung Eun Oh

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the Arts. He has served on the Board of Directors of OPERA America and of

the National Alliance for Musical Theater, of which he was a founder. At

home on the non-musical stage, Mr. Bamberger directed the first major New

York production of Sophocles’ classic tragedy Oedipus at Colonus and a

national tour of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. His writings include

several articles for Opera News and best-selling textbooks for religious

schools. His two-volume history of the Jews based on Abba Eban’s My People,

banned in the former Soviet Union, has been used in Russian translation in

both Russia and Israel. Mr. Bamberger’s many honors include the Ohio Gover-

nor’s Award for Arts Administration and honorary doctorates from Swarth-

more College (his alma mater), Cleveland State University and CIM.

John Simmons (Music Director) has appeared in numerous recitals in Austria,

the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Italy and in the U.S. at Weill Recital

Hall and Merkin Hall in New York City. A student of Yoheved Kaplinsky, he

received a Master of Music degree in piano performance from Peabody Con-

servatory. He also holds a diploma in piano performance from the Hochschule

für Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna, Austria, where he studied with

Paul Badura-Skoda. Mr. Simmons has coached, taught and performed at the

American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz, Austria, the Spoleto

Festival USA, the Centro Studi Italiani, the Amalfi Coast Festival, the Shaker

Mountain Festival and the Lincoln Center Festival. He was on the coaching

faculty at the C.W. Post campus of Long Island University, was appointed mu-

sic director of the Elysium Festival in Bernried, Germany in 2004, and was in

residence at Rutgers University as guest professor of collaborative piano for

2004-2005. Mr. Simmons was music director and pianist for New York Opera

Project’s production of Samuel Barber’s Vanessa in spring 2004. He has col-

laborated in recital with tenor John Aler, and has performed with the London

Symphony Chorus, the Westminster Choir, the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago and

was featured as a soloist with the Spoleto Festival Orchestra. He was on the

coaching faculty of Juilliard Opera Center and worked with tenors John Aler

and Jonas Kaufmann.

Alison Garrigan is now enjoying her fifth year working with CIM Opera

Theater. Aside from designing numerous scene programs here (The Orient

Expressly was her first) her work may be remembered from Die Fledermaus,

Ariadne auf Naxos and Xerxes. Elsewhere, she is the resident designer at

Cleveland Public Theater, where her designs include Boom, Pulp, Our Town, A

Bright Room Called Day, The Rocky Horror Show and Hedwig and The Angry

Inch. She also designs at such venues as Theatre Ninjas (Anna Bella Eema),

Cleveland State University (The Alchemist, The Oresteia), CSU Summer

Stages (The Shadow Box, Chekhov In Yalta, Return To Forbidden Planet),

Beck Center (Little Shop Of Horrors,The Diary Of Anne Frank, Jekyll and

Hyde The Musical, The Seagull, Hamlet), Dobama (Trestle At Pope Lick

Creek, Fuddy Meers), Great Lakes Theater Festival/CMSD (Guys and Dolls,

Hot Mikado, South Pacific) and most other area theatres.

8

About the Cast

Jake Andricks (tenor) is a second-year master’s student studying with Vinson

Cole. He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Applied Voice and Church

Music at Indiana Wesleyan University in 2009, where his performances in-

cluded Tamino in Die Zauberflöte. In December 2009, Mr. Andricks was in-

vited to return to his alma mater to perform the tenor arias from Handel’s Mes-

siah. In his first year at CIM, Mr. Andricks appeared as Max in Der Freis-

chütz and Ferrando in Così fan tutte in the opera scenes productions, and as

Scaramouche in the Cleveland premiere of the complete Ariadne auf Naxos.

Alicia Bousner (mezzo-soprano) is a first year Master of Music student study-

ing with Mary Schiller. Ms. Bousner is a 2010 graduate of the University of

Mount Union where she earned her bachelors degree in Psychology. Ms.

Bousner made her CIM debut as Princess Amastre in Xerxes. She has been a

featured vocal soloist with the Mount Union Marching Band and Mount Union

Repertory Strings. In addition, she has been the featured alto soloist for the

Mount Union Alliance Chorale, performing Mozart’s Missa Brevis in D Major

and Mozart’s Requiem. In 2010, Ms. Bousner performed the leading role in

Mount Union Opera Workshop’s production of Rossini’s La cenerentola.

Troy Bruchwalski (baritone) is a junior undergraduate studying with Clifford

Billions. In 2008, he won “Classical Singer” magazine's regional competition

at CIM, moving on to compete in the national convention in New York

City. Mr. Bruchwalski placed 2nd in the Buckeye State NATS competition in

2009 and 3rd in 2010. In his first year at CIM, he performed in the chorus of

Beatrice and Benedict and also portrayed Phantis in a scene from Gilbert and

Sullivan's Utopia, Limited. This past year, Mr. Bruchwalski portrayed the

Marquis (La Traviata) as part of CIM’s Opera Gala.

Marisa Buchheit (soprano) is a senior studying with Jung Eun Oh. While at

CIM she has performed in many opera productions, in which she has portrayed

A Lay Sister in Puccini’s Suor Angelica and the title role (cover) in Gilbert and

Sarah Stewart (Production Manager) joined the CIM Opera Theater staff

three seasons ago after five years at Playhouse Square Center, where

she worked as Line Producer and Production Stage Manager for seven long-

running musicals in the Hanna Theatre (including Love, Janis and Forbidden

Broadway). Previously, she completed a 20-year tenure at Cleveland Opera as

Director of Production and Artistic Administrator, while also serving as a

member of Opera America's Production/Technical Committee for eight

years. Local credits also include work at The Cleveland Play House, Great

Lakes Theatre Festival, Ohio Ballet, Cleveland Ballet, Dance Cleveland, and

Cain Park, as well as other special projects such as the Tall Ships Festival, the

Police Memorial Tatoo, and live broadcasts from the Hanna Theatre. Ms.

Stewart has been proud to be a member of Actor's Equity for over 25 years.

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Sullivan’s Patience. She has also performed leading roles in Carousel, The

Sound of Music, Chicago, and West Side Story. In 2008, Ms. Buchheit

performed in Puccini’s hometown with the Opera Festival of Lucca, Italy, and

in 2009 studied German Lieder at AIMS in Graz, Austria. Recently crowned

Miss Greater Cleveland, she will be competing for Miss Ohio 2011 this June.

Ashley R. Close (soprano) is a graduate student studying with Jung Eun

Oh. Last summer, Ms. Close sang Suor Dolcina in Suor Angelica with the

Italian Operatic Experience. Last year at CIM she performed in scenes from

La Traviata, Patience and La Vie Parisienne. Ms. Close earned a Bachelor of

Music degree at the Crane School of Music SUNY Potsdam. There she played

the lead role of Kate in the world premiere of scenes from The Highway-

man, and covered the role of the Falcon in the world premiere of the opera The

Sailor Boy and the Falcon starring Stephanie Blythe.

Laura Anne Cotney (soprano) is a first-year graduate studying with Mary

Schiller. She earned her Bachelor of Music from the UNC School of the

Arts. This summer, she attended the American Institute of Musical Studies in

Graz, where she was a semi-finalist in the Meistersinger Competition. Past

teachers, coaches, and master class clinicians have included Glenn Siebert,

Sharon Stephenson, Karen Peeler, Patricia Craig, Barbara Bonney, Arthur

Fagen, and Harry Bickett. She has been seen on stage as Pamina and Susanna

in scenes and in the roles of Bastienne in Mozart’s Bastien und Bastienne and

Don Ettore in Haydn’s La Canterina.

Armando Contreras (baritone) is a freshman studying with Vinson Cole. A

singer since elementary school, he was a member of the Grammy Award

winning Phoenix Boys Choir for six years and, in 2002, made his Carnegie

Hall debut with the choir. In high school, he performed the roles of Edward

Rutledge in 1776, Olin Britt in The Music Man, and General Cartwright in

Guys and Dolls. He was also a soloist in Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester

Psalms and was the bass section leader at his church. He made his professional

debut with Phoenix Opera, performing in the operas Aida and Carmen.

Carson Dorsey (soprano) is a freshman studying with Mary Schiller at CIM.

She was a member of various choirs in North Texas and a frequent soloist at

Preston Meadow Lutheran Church. Prior to CIM she appeared as Miss Doro-

thy in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Mrs. Potts in Beauty and the Beast. She

attended Interlochen Arts Camp in 2009 where she performed Mercedes in

scenes from Carmen and chorus in selections from Die Fledermaus and The

Tender Land. Recently she appeared in the chorus of CIM’s production of

Xerxes in addition to serving as an assistant stage manager.

Ryan Downey (baritone) is pursuing his master’s degree at CIM with Clifford

Billions. Mr. Downey graduated from Arizona State University with his bache-

lor’s degree in Voice Performance. At ASU, Mr. Downey sang the bass solos

in Fauré’s Requiem and Handel’s Messiah. With the Lyric Opera Theater at

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ASU he played the role of Betto in Gianni Schicchi. Mr. Downey has

performed in Rome with Operafestival di Roma, singing scenes and roles

including Antonio in Le nozze di Figaro. At CIM, he has performed Gerneral

Ariodate in Xerxes, The Musiklehrer and Truffaldin in Ariadne auf Naxos, and

scenes from La Traviata and Così fan tutte.

David Fair (tenor) is in the first year of the Professional Studies program. He

made his CIM debut last fall in the title role of Handel’s Xerxes. Last summer,

Mr. Fair performed the role of Gastone in La Traviata with Undercroft Opera,

where he also sang Parpignol in La Bohème in 2008. Other roles include Nanki

-Poo in The Mikado with the Pittsburgh Savoyards, the Crab Man in Porgy and

Bess with Opera Theater of Pittsburgh, Mayor Upfold in Albert Herring and

Beppe in Pagliacci with Opera in the Ozarks. He has a B.A. in Theater from

the University of Maryland College Park. Mr. Fair is a student of Clifford Bil-

lions, with whom he will be studying at the University of Miami Frost School

of Music in Salzburg, Austria, this summer.

Jilda Farias (soprano) is pursuing a Bachelor of Music degree at CIM where

she is studying under the direction of Mary Schiller. Ms. Farias is an alumna of

Interlochen Arts Academy, where she appeared as Mimi in Act II of La

Bohème and The Mother in a condensed version of Hansel and Gretel.

Throughout her time at CIM she has had performance opportunities such as the

role of the Nursing Sister in Puccini’s Suor Angelica, the title role in a scene

from Gilbert & Sullivan’s Patience, and covering the role of Flora in Verdi’s

La Traviata.

Javier Enrique Ferrer (tenor) is a first year student in the Voice Department

at CIM, being taught by Vinson Cole. He studied voice for over four years

under the guidance of Oscar Diaz, Jr., in Miami, Florida. With this training he

was able to participate in and win a number of state competitions. Among

these are the National Association of Teachers of Singing, and Miami Music

Teachers Association. Mr. Ferrer has performed in a number of ensembles of

operas such as Die Zauberflӧte, Die Fledermaus and Dido and Aeneas.

Elizabeth Frey (mezzo-soprano) is a master’s student at CIM, studying with

Mary Schiller. She has performed the role of Arsamene in the CIM production

of Handel's Xerxes, the role of Dryad in Strauss' Ariadne auf Naxos, as well as

scenes from Mozart's La Clemenza di Tito and Monteverdi's L'incoronazione

di Poppea. She also performed the role of Cherubino in Mozart’s Le nozze di

Figaro with the Maryland Opera Society. A native of California, Ms. Frey ap-

peared as the Mother in UC Davis’ production of Menotti’s Amahl and the

Night Visitors, and received the UC Davis Vocal Recognition award.

Megan Hamm (soprano) has been praised for her “gleaming” and “affecting”

performances. During her time at the Cleveland Institute of Music, she has

performed the roles of Romilda in Handel’s Serse, Violetta in La Traviata and

Suor Genevieve in Suor Angelica. Having received her master’s degree in

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2010, she is now finishing her Professional Studies Certification studying with

Mary Schiller. In her native Oklahoma, Ms. Hamm performed The Dew Fairy

in Hänsel und Gretel and Pamina in Die Zauberflöte. She is a frequent guest

soloist, her credits including a nationally broadcast concert from the Kennedy

Center and an appearance at Severance Hall with famed composer-conductor

Marvin Hamlisch.

Alyssa Hensel (soprano) is a freshman at CIM studying with Jung Eun Oh.

Her performance experience includes Chorus in Xerxes, Meg March in Little

Women, Elsa Schraeder in The Sound of Music, Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the

Rain and Miriam in Come to the Well written by Pittsburgh local Jim Lueers.

She attended summer programs at the University of Michigan and Eastman

School of Music. She represented her high school in eight Pennsylvania Music

Educators Associations (PMEA) Chorus festivals. Miss Hensel was awarded

the Constance T. Rockwell Scholarship by the Pittsburgh CLO Guild.

Hillary Huebler (soprano) is a sophomore, studying with Mary Schiller. In

2009, she placed first in her division at the Regional NATS competition and

was given the Most Promising High School Singer Award. She has performed

with the Saginaw Bay Symphony and Bijou Orchestra. She has been in many

productions, notably as The Empress in Obama, written and produced by the

Detroit Theatre for the Dramatic Arts and performed at the Kennedy Center

during inauguration week. Her favorite operatic role is Monica (The

Medium). During her freshman year at CIM she participated in scenes from

several operas, including La Traviata.

Raymond James Irwin (tenor) is a sophomore from Sacramento, California,

studying with Clifford Billions. He has performed leading roles in productions

ranging from Disney to Sondheim including Albert in Bye, Bye Birdie and

Anthony Hope in Sweeney Todd. Last year, Mr. Irwin was featured in all CIM

Opera productions including scenes from La Traviata, Ariadne auf Naxos and

La Vie Parisienne. In the fall of 2011, Mr. Irwin performed in the chorus of

Xerxes by Handel, also with CIM Opera. Mr. Irwin has been heard on

“Catholic Radio” and appeared on "Good Day Sacramento."

Margaret Kazan (soprano) is a sophomore at CIM, studying with Jung Eun

Oh. In high school, she performed with the Chamber Singers and Danvers

Academy Theatre where she won numerous awards. Past stage credits with

North Shore Music Theatre, The Methuen Young People’s Theatre, and CIM

include leading roles in The Mikado (Katisha), The Gondoliers (Tessa), and the

ensembles of The Pirates of Penzance, Patience, The Mystery of Edwin Drood,

and Aida. She performed The Magic Flute and Dido and Aeneas with the

Treble Chorus of New England, and trained in New England Conservatory’s

Youth Chorale and Voice Department.

Stephanie Klock (soprano) is a sophomore at CIM studying with Jung Eun

Oh. Ms. Klock’s credits include major roles in Fiddler on the Roof, The Boy

12

Friend, Les Misérables, and The Mikado. At CIM, she has performed in Xerxes

and Ariadne auf Naxos, as well as scenes from Patience and Porgy and Bess.

She has attended Interlochen Arts Camp, Illinois Summer Youth Music Work-

shop, and Austin Lyric Opera Vocal Workshop. In 2009, she received the

Outstanding Vocalist Award at the Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest,

and the Book Award for high achievement in Italian at Case Western.

Erica Koch (soprano) is a freshman at CIM studying with Jung Eun Oh. She

has performed as Consuela in West Side Story and has also appeared in

Princess Ida and Singin’ in the Rain. Ms. Koch attended Blue Lake Fine Arts

Camp in 2008 and, in 2009, Interlochen Arts Camp, where she studied as a

voice major. For the past four years, she has volunteered helping instruct

young singers at a church in her hometown near Chicago. Ms. Koch received

second place in the Society of American Musicians Competition in 2009 and

won her High School Concerto Competition in 2010.

Stephanie Kreutz (soprano) is a graduate student at CIM where she studies

with Clifford Billions, and appeared in Mozart’s La finta giardiniera. She

received a BA in Music and English from Tufts University in 2009. She at-

tended the Summer Intensive Workshop at San Diego Opera, and spent a se-

mester studying opera in Milan, Italy. Ms. Kreutz has performed the roles of

Emily in Our Town (a new opera by Ned Rorem), Belinda in Dido and Aeneas,

and Leonora in Captain Lovelock. Other roles in scenes programs include

Despina in Così fan tutte, Mrs. Gobineau in The Medium, and First Lady in Die

Zauberflöte.

Joseph Lenehan (baritone) is a freshman studying with Clifford Billions. At

CIM, in the fall of 2009, he performed in La Traviata in the role of Marquis

D’Obigny, and last February appeared in La finta giardiniera. He was a final-

ist in the high school Classical Singer Competition at CIM in the spring of

2009. He was a cast member of the Ohio Light Opera in Wooster, Ohio,

during the summers of 2006, 2007, and 2008, singing in the ensemble of such

works as Oklahoma!, The Desert Song, The Cabaret Girl, Der Vogelhändler,

Bluebeard, Princess Ida, The Queen’s Lace Handkerchief, and The Music

Man. Mr. Lenehan is from Mansfield, Ohio. Andrew G. Manea (baritone) is in his second year of the Bachelor of Music

program at CIM, studying with Clifford Billions. He is from Troy, Michigan,

where he attended Bethany Christian School from preschool through senior

year. He began singing when he was in seventh grade and began taking private

lessons at the age of fifteen. He has performed in CIM’s 2009-2010 season as

Baron Douphol in Verdi’s La Traviata, the Lackey in Strauss’s Ariadne auf

Naxos, Guglielmo in Mozart’s Così fan tutte, and Ariodate in Handel's Xerxes.

He has also stage managed, most recently for La finta giardiniera. In 2010 and

2011, he won 1st place in the Buckeye NATS Competition.

13

April Martin (soprano) was the maid Serpetta in La finta giardiniera, and was

praised by the Plain Dealer for her “freshness ready for such Mozart heroines

as Susanna and Pamina.” A master’s student studying with Mary Schiller, Ms.

Martin attended the American Institute of Musical Studies (AIMS) in Graz,

Austria, in the summer of 2008. In June 2010, in Urbania, Italy, she performed

a duet from Rita and the role of Sister Genovieffa in Suor Angelica. She has

been coached by Benton Hess, Bob Cowert and Hugh Murphy. At CIM, she

has sung Naiad in Ariadne auf Naxos, and scenes from Hansel and Gretel,

Werther and La clemenza di Tito. Adam Matonic (tenor) is a freshman studying with Clifford Billions at CIM,

where he made his stage debut in La finta giardiniera. He was an active mem-

ber of his high school theatre department, as well as of various community

theatres in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Favorite roles include Marius in Les

Misérables, Douglas Panch in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,

John the Baptist in Godspell, Pen Denning in 42nd Street and the Prince in

Sleeping Beauty. Mr. Matonic studied at Pittsburgh CLO’s Academy of Musi-

cal Theatre. As a high school junior he attended Oberlin Conservatory’s Vocal

Academy for High School Students. Kathryn Middleman (soprano) studied at the New England Conservatory of

Music in Boston for two years under the tutelage of Kathryn Fields before

coming to CIM to study voice with Jung Eun Oh and complete her Bachelor of

Music degree. Ms. Middleman performed with the 2009 All State Chorus of

Massachusetts and starred as Hope Harcourt in Cole Porter’s Anything

Goes. She interned at the Children’s Chorus of Springfield and worked with

students and alumni of McGill University’s Schulich School of Music, raising

five-thousand dollars for her high school music program. She served as stage

manager for both Handel's Xerxes and Mozart’s La finta giardiniera.

Agostina Migoni (soprano) is in her second year of the Bachelor of Music

degree at CIM, studying with Mary Schiller. She made her solo concert debut

with the Irving Philharmonic Orchestra singing “Donde lieta uscì,” Mimi’s aria

from La Bohème. She has appeared as Gretel in Humperdinck’s Hansel and

Gretel and, in CIM’s most recent scenes production, as Ella in Gilbert & Sulli-

van’s Patience. In addition to her leading roles, she has participated in

performances of Verdi’s Aida and La Traviata, Bernstein’s Candide, and

Bizet’s Carmen in various theatre venues throughout Dallas.

Sarah Mossman (soprano) is in her second year of the Bachelor of Music

degree at CIM, studying with Mary Schiller. Her many leading roles include

Marian in The Music Man and Lucy in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

Ms. Mossman made her CIM stage debut in 2009 singing in the chorus of La

Traviata, and debuted as a soloist as Ella in Patience in the 2010 scenes

program. She was also one of the charming “Transformers” in Handel’s

Xerxes. Her awards include an Honorable Mention in the 2008 National Foun-

dation for Arts Advancement Young Arts Competition, and in 2009, the

Cincinnati Overture Award as a vocalist.

14

Jacquelyn Mouritsen (soprano), a first year Master of Music student, is study-

ing with Jung Eun Oh. Her recent credits include Abdus in M. Ryan Taylor’s

opera The Other Wise Man with Utah/Idaho Performing Arts Company

(UNIPAC), Henry Penny in Thomas Benjamin’s short opera Chicken Little

with Brigham Young University’s Opera Ensemble, as well as chorus roles in

Dido and Aeneas with UNIPAC, and in Les Contes d’Hoffmann and Suor An-

gelica with BYU. Roles in opera scenes at Crittenden Opera Workshop in-

clude Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Dorabella in Così fan tutte, and Fourth

Friend in The Ballad of Baby Doe.

Kathleen Raab (soprano) is a sophomore in the Bachelor of Music program at

CIM. She studies with Jung Eun Oh. Her onstage experience includes Mabel in

The Pirates of Penzance, Geraldine in A Hand of Bridge, Marian Paroo in The

Music Man, and Katharine in Kiss Me, Kate. Last year she appeared in the CIM

opera Ariadne auf Naxos and in the spring opera scenes program. She has also

performed at Walt Disney World and with the South Bend Symphony Orchestra.

Annie Reilly (soprano) is a freshman at CIM, studying with Jung Eun Oh. She

has performed extensively in musical theater and received two nominations in

the Best Actress category at the 2009 New Hampshire Theater Awards for her

roles as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady and Madame Dubonnet in The Boy

Friend. Last fall, Ms. Reilly debuted at CIM in the chorus of Xerxes. She at-

tended the Carnegie Mellon Pre-College Drama program in 2008 and Music

program in 2009. She has sung with the Manchester Choral Society, NH All-

State Chorus, and All New England Choral Festival.

Kjira Robinson (soprano) is earning her Master of Music in Vocal Performance

from CIM, studying with Mary Schiller. Ms. Robinson made her CIM debut as

The Mother in Hansel and Gretel. She has performed in several productions with

Bay Shore Lyric Opera and Opera San Jose. Her roles with the University of the

Pacific Conservatory include The Countess in Le nozze di Figaro, Ottavia in

L’incoronazione di Poppea, Cat in Brundibar, and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus.

She was a soloist with the Opera, Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca, Italy, and

in the Oregon Bach Festival Youth Choral Academy.

Nicole Rodriguez (soprano) of Berkeley, California, spent most of her life in

the Young Musicians Program at The University of California Berkeley as a

double major in voice and violin. Her achievements include winning the

Mondavi Competition 2008 and performing at the San Francisco War Memo-

rial Opera House with such internationally known artists as soprano Hope

Briggs. Ms. Rodriguez sang with Frederica von Stade on three concerts, most

recently on the January 16th edition of “A Prairie Home Companion” singing

“The Lakmé Duet.” Now attending CIM, Ms. Rodriquez majors in voice,

studying with Mary Schiller.

15

Jessika Roy (soprano), born in Montreal, Canada, is a sophomore studying

under Jung Eun Oh. She has performed since the age of seven. She was

member of The Young Singers of the Palm Beaches and her high school elite

choir for four years. In the summer of 2006, she performed at the American

Celebration of Music for Mozart’s 250th Anniversary in Austria. Her featured

role at CIM was Zephyra in Patience. She was also in the chorus for La

Traviata. Her musical theatre debuts were Lady Thiang in The King and I and

Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn in The Music Man.

Kellie Rumba (soprano) is a second year Master of Music student at CIM,

studying with Mary Schiller. Ms. Rumba has performed such varied repertoire

as Atalanta in Handel’s Xerxes, Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Sesto in

Handel’s Julius Caesar in Egypt, Norina in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, Echo in

Richard Strauss’ Ariadne auf Naxos, and Angela in Gilbert and Sullivan’s

Patience. Ms. Rumba enjoys choral and oratorio repertoire, and has sung as a

soloist in Haydn’s Lord Nelson’s Mass and John Rutter’s Requiem, as well as

in choruses of Verdi’s Requiem and Mendelssohn’s Elijah.

Alexandra Schiano (soprano) is in the first year of her master’s degree, studying

with Mary Schiller. This February, she sang the title role in La finta giardiniera.

She received her Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Iowa. Ms.

Schiano has performed as Despina in Così fan tutte, Papagena in Die Zauberflöte,

Angelina in Trial by Jury, and Edith in The Pirates of Penzance. Partial roles

include Adina (L’elisir d’amore), Marzelline (Fidelio), both Susanna and Countess

Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Pamina (Die

Zauberflöte), Servilia (La clemenza di Tito), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Rosaura (Le

donne curiose), and Carolina (Il matrimonio segreto).

Catheryne Shuman (soprano) is a professional studies student of Clifford

Billions. At CIM, she starred in the title role of Ariadne auf Naxos, as Agathe

from Der Freischütz, and most recently, as Arminda in Mozart’s La finta

giardiniera. In 2010, she was awarded the prestigious Irvin Bushman Memo-

rial Vocal Prize at CIM, and won the Bellini Award and Audience Choice

Award in the Orpheus Competition’s student category. This year, she

competed as a Young Artist and won the Mozart Award. Next year, she will

be working towards a Professional Diploma in Opera at Roosevelt University

CCPA and will be performing with Chicago Opera Theater as a young artist.

Kevin Simmons (tenor) is in his second year at CIM studying with Clifford

Billions. Two months ago, he sang the role of the frantic Mayor in Mozart’s

La finta giardiniera. Mr. Simmons’ oratorio performances include solos in

The Creation and Messiah. His diverse opera roles include Monsieur Birdsong

in The Impresario and Martin in a scene from The Tender Land. In his first

year at CIM, he was cast as Jaquino in the opening scene from Fidelio. Since

then, he has appeared on CIM’s stage as Ferrando in a scene from Così fan

tutte, and as both Scaramouche and An Officer in last year’s highly praised

Cleveland premiere of Ariadne auf Naxos.

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Rebecca Skirpan (mezzo-soprano), a native of Brownsville, Pennsylvania, is

in the third year of the Bachelor of Music program at CIM, studying with Mary

Schiller. She started singing at age seventeen when she attended Carnegie

Mellon’s pre-college program for voice. Her first opera performance was in

The Adventures of Sharp Ears the Vixen in the hen's chorus and general chorus

at Peabody Opera. She also performed in its chorus for La Traviata. Ms.

Skirpan was recently a semi-finalist at the Maryland Opera Society Competi-

tion. She made her CIM debut as Princess Amastre in Handel’s Xerxes.

Marilyn Reid Smith (soprano) received her Bachelor of Music degree from

Brigham Young University and is completing master's study at CIM with Mary

Schiller. Her roles include Violetta, Mme. Herz, Donna Elvira Rosalinda, Mimi,

Konstanze, and the international premiere of Rosewa in M. Ryan Taylor's Abinadi

(2003, subsequently televised internationally). She has been featured in three other

televised productions and has won three-time District and twice Regional Finalist

in the Metropolitan Opera National Competition. Other awards include first place

winner in the Ohio Buckeye NATS competition, the Max Berman Prize, BYU

Singer of the Year, Second Prize in the AIMS Meistersinger Competition, and

Young Artist with the Utah Valley Symphony.

Anjin Stewart-Funai (soprano) is a first year professional studies student of

Mary Schiller. In February, she sang the title role in La finta giardiniera. She

has recently sung leading roles in two Handel operas: Romilda in Xerxes at

CIM and, last summer, the title character in Partenope with the Italian Operatic

Experience program in Urbania, Italy. During 2009-2010, she was seen at CIM

as the Composer in Ariadne auf Naxos and Violetta in La Traviata. Other

complete roles include Adina (L’elisir d’amore), and Pernille (Captain Love-

lock). In 2010, she won 2nd place at the NATS Buckeye competition. Last fall,

she sang Violetta in the school production of the Opera Western Reserve

Young Artist program.

Michael John Talerico (tenor) is in the first year of the master’s program at

CIM, studying under the direction of Vinson Cole. In February, he was seen in

the comic role of the Mayor in La finta giardiniera. He is a native of Pitts-

burgh, Pennsylvania. He received his bachelor’s degree from West Virginia

University, where he studied with Augusto Paglialunga. Mr. Talerico has been

seen recently as Pluton in Orphée aux enfers with the Franco-American Vocal

Academy, and Fritzchen in Lichen and Fritzchen with the Boston Metro

Opera. Other roles include Nemorino in L’elisir d’amore and Basilio in Le

nozze di Figaro with the American Singers Opera Project in Winston-Salem,

North Carolina.

Reid Taylor (baritone) is a freshman studying with Clifford Billions. He has

appeared as the baritone soloist in such works as Fauré’s Requiem and

Kodaly’s Missa Brevis with the Junior Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh.

Awards he has won include first place in the high school and freshman catego-

ries of Pittsburgh’s regional NATS competitions. Mr. Taylor attended Carnegie

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Mellon’s Pre-College Program in 2008 and the Boston University Tanglewood

Institute in 2009. He also served as assistant to the conductor for Pittsburgh

Opera’s 2009/2010 season for the company’s productions of The Rape of Lu-

cretia, Carmen, and Le nozze di Figaro.

Gillian Terminiello (soprano) is a sophomore at CIM, studying for her Bache-

lor of Music Degree in performance with Jung Eun Oh. Ms. Terminiello sang

in Manhattan with the City Wide Youth Opera in roles such as Carolina in

Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto, the Countess in Mozart’s Le nozze di Fi-

garo, and Beatrice in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict. She performed in many

choirs in New Jersey including the Ridgewood Choir of New Jersey and the

Ramapo College Chorale. Ms. Terminiello also performed in Florence, Italy,

with Westminster Choir College’s Florence Voice Seminar.

Pamela Torrey (soprano) is a sophomore at CIM studying with Jung Eun Oh.

Her performance credits include Yum-Yum in The Mikado, Constance in The

Sorcerer, The Baker’s Wife in Into the Woods, Adela in The House of

Bernarda Alba, Gwendolen in The Importance of Being Earnest, The Jester in

Once Upon a Mattress, and Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense. At CIM, she has

been seen in the chorus of La Traviata and Patience. She placed second in the

NATS competiton in 2010 and was awarded an Honorable Mention in the

Barbara Staropoli Voice Competition at Nazareth College in 2009.

Laura Anne Valles (soprano) was cited by Donald Rosenberg in the Plain

Dealer for her “singing with full throated ardor” and for the “enormous voice”

she displayed as Ariadne in CIM’s production of Ariadne auf Naxos. Previ-

ously she brought these assets to Agathe in Der Freischütz and the title role in

Suor Angelica. She is a third year master’s student, studying with Mary

Schiller. A native Texan, Ms. Valles received her Bachelor of Music degree

from Capital University. Her performances at Capital University included Kat-

isha in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado and the First Lady in Mozart’s The

Magic Flute.

Stacey Van Vossen (soprano) is a first year Master of Music student at CIM,

studying with Mary Schiller. When at home in Michigan she works with

Nicholas Loren. Ms. Van Vossen received second place in the Opera Grand

Rapids Collegiate Vocal Competiton. She sang in master classes led by Neil

Semer, Michelle DeYoung, and Frederica von Stade. Her latest performances

include “Transformer” in Xerxes at CIM and Bargirl #2 in The Drunkard at

Heritage Theater in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She also attended The Wesley

Balk Opera/Music-Theater Institute in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, where

she played Hades in After the Light and Polyxena in Trojan Women.

Mark Wanich (baritone) is an Artist Diploma student at CIM, studying with

Clifford Billions. He is a graduate of CIM (PS), Middle Tennessee State Uni-

versity (MA) and Georgia Southern University (BM), all in Vocal Perform-

ance. At CIM, he has been heard as Nardo (La finta giardiniera), Elviro

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(Xerxes), Harlequin (Ariadne auf Naxos), Claudio (Béatrice et Bénédict) and

Papageno (Die Zauberflöte). Mr. Wanich frequently performs German lied,

recently having sung Schubert’s Winterreise. He has been a member of Nash-

ville Opera's Fellowship program and Opera Cleveland's Short-Term Resi-

dency. He recently sang with the Ashland Symphony as the baritone soloist in

Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

Veronica Ward (soprano) is from Bridgewater, NJ. She has won many awards

including 1st place in both the classical and musical solo divisions of the 2007

Mid-Atlantic Teachers Conference and in the voice division of the 2009

Russian Music Festival, where she performed a solo in Carnegie Hall for the

first time. In 2010, she received a rating of “high honors” in the Westminster

Honors Recital Competition. During her senior year she received the music

departmental award of “Overall Outstanding Achievement in Music.” She is

currently an undergraduate at CIM studying with Jung Eun Oh, and appeared

in La finta giardiniera.

John Gray Watson (baritone) is a native of Northeast Ohio. He made his

professional debut as Antonio in Le nozze di Figaro with the Duke Symphony

Orchestra. Mr. Watson attended the American Institute of Music Studies in

Graz, Austria, and has sung in Austria, Italy and Slovakia. His CIM roles

include Nardo (La finta giardiniera), Elviro (Xerxes), Musiklehrer and Harle-

quin (Ariadne auf Naxos), Papageno (Die Zauberflöte), Peter (Hänsel und Gre-

tel), Frank (Die Fledermaus), Somarone (Béatrice et Bénédict), and the Poet

(Salieri’s Prima la musica…). Mr. Watson is currently earning a Professional

Studies Degree at CIM. He studies with Clifford Billions.

Helen Wyatt (soprano) is a senior from Flushing, Michigan. This summer, she

attended the Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute in San Francisco, Cali-

fornia, where she performed the role of Second Lady in Die Zauberflöte and

the partial roles of Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni, Alice in Falstaff, Agathe in

Der Freischütz, and Mercedes in Carmen. While there, she also sang in a mas-

ter class for renowned soprano Patricia Racette. Her roles with CIM Opera

Theatre include Anna in Puccini’s Le Villi, The Monitor in Suor Angelica, and

Flora in La Traviata. She is a student of Mary Schiller.

Rebecca Zaner (soprano) is a freshman performance major studying with Mary

Schiller, having begun vocal lessons with Mary Sue Hyatt in January 2007. In

2008, Ms. Zaner traveled to Italy, where she was selected to participate as the only

high school student in the Opera Theatre and Music Festival of Lucca. She has

performed in several concerts and competed in many vocal competitions. Ms.

Zaner has had the opportunity to study privately with such coaches as the late inter-

nationally-known Lorenzo Malfatti and Teatro alla Scala’s Gianfranco Cosmi. She

recently coached the role of Zerlina in its entirety.

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Richard Miller Award for Outstanding Singing-Overall Competition Winner

Samantha Renea Gossard

Advanced Women Samantha Renea Gossard, First Place

Megan Hamm, Second Place

Advanced Men Jake Andricks, Third Place

Senior Women

Elizabeth Tredent, Second Place

Senior Men Kevin Simmons, Third Place

Junior Women

Rebecca Skirpan, Second Place Jilda Farias, Third Place

Sophomore Women

Agostina Migoni, First Place Sarah Mossman, Fourth Place

Sophomore Men

Andrew Manea, First Place

Freshman Men Javier Ferrer, First Place

Armando Contreras, Fourth Place

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Our production of Trial by Jury was made possible by

a generous donation from:

Dr. Francis R. Gross and Dr. Jane Sembric Gross

Along with the generous donors who made gifts in support of capital

improvements for the opera productions:

David and Inez Myers Foundation

Northern Ohio Opera League

We also thank the following for their support of the CIM Opera Program:

Drs. David and Carola Bamberger (David and Carola – HDMA 2004)

Drs. Nathan and Sosamma Berger

James and Betty Blue

Mr. David Brooks

Mrs. Elizabeth A. Chesko (BM 1956)

Mr. Steven L. Coombs

Mr. Harry L. Davidson

Mr. and Mrs. David Deioma

Mrs. Marvin Evenchik

Mr. and Mrs. Marc Freimuth

Mr. James L. Harkins

Mr. Alan Hart

Laura Reisch Itzkowitz (BM 1985)

Ronald and Barbara Leirvik

Dr. and Mrs. Chien-Wei Liao

Ms. Cathy Lincoln

Mrs. Sheldon S. MacLeod

John P. Murphy Foundation

Marcine Behm Petrea (MM 1973)

Miss V. Lillian Politella

Ms. Sylvia Profenna

Ms. Irene M. Roberts (MM 2008)

Mr. and Mrs. Barry Sands

Dr. Gerard Seltzer and Phyllis Seltzer

Ms. Lucy Toledano

Dr. Paul Zweifel and Kathleen Zweifel

CIM Opera Theater gratefully acknowledges the assistance of:

Dr. Lisa Kish and Opera Cleveland

Terry Martin and Great Lakes Theatre Festival

Andrew Ferrell and The Cleveland Play House

The Pieter Bouterse Studio

The CIM Opera Theater expresses its gratitude to:

All members of the CIM faculty and staff who have made possible our

two full productions each year. We realize that many of you

have gone above and beyond your normal duties to make this happen.