2010-2011 - New Orleans Opera

New Orleans
Opera Association
Robert Lyall, General &
Artistic Director
1010 Common Street • Suite 1820
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 529-2278 • FAX 529-7668
1-800-881-4459
www.neworleansopera.org
The Plácido Domingo Stage
at The Mahalia Jackson Theater
for the Performing Arts
Student Preview Performances
and Student Study Guides
Sponsored by
Joe W. and
Dorothy Dorsett
Brown Foundation
Il
Trovatore
Verdi's
(The Troubadour)
PERFORMANCE
 STUDENT
WEDNESDAY MARCH, 30, 2011 • 7:00 PM
FRIDAY, APRIL 1 , 2011  8:00 PM
SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 2011  2:30 PM
 In Italian with English supertitles
Mahalia Jackson eater for the Performing Arts
This Student Study Guide is
Published by the New Orleans
Opera Association.
Carol Rausch, Education Director
Edited & Compiled by John Fink
Designed by Arlene D. Brayard
e Gershwins®
Porgyand Bess℠
Mozart's
Bizet's
October 15 & 17, 2010
November 19 & 21, 2010
the Magic Flute
the Pearl Fishers
Student Performance
October 13, 2010 • 7:00 PM
Student Performance
November 17, 2010 • 7:00 PM
Student Performance
January 26, 2011 • 7:00 PM
January 28 & 30, 2011
Etiquette And Outfits
Additional Reminders
Minding your P’s & Q’s
• Please unwrap all cough drops and candies before
the curtain rises.
Every baseball fan knows what to do during the
seventh-inning stretch. Likewise, every opera fan
knows to honor certain longstanding traditions. Here
are a few to keep in mind:
Don’t be Late!
Unlike a movie theater, New Orleans Opera does not
allow latecomers to take their seats after the
performance has begun. (Those who miss the curtain
can still take in the show—live—on television monitors
in the lobby. Latecomers will be able to take their
seats at a suitable interval—usually intermission.)
When cued to go back into the hall at the end of
intermission, please do not delay. Contracts require us
to adhere to a strict performance time and a late entry
will disturb your fellow patrons, cast and orchestra.
Be a Quiet Audience Member!
The talents of New Orleans’ Opera singers and
musicians are presented without amplification. There is
no Dolby™ Stereo in the Mahalia Jackson Theater, and
some of the most dramatic moments in opera are the
quietest. Please don’t create noisy disruptions such as
talking, rustling programs, or fiddling with candy
wrappers.
Show Appreciation Appropriately!
Enthusiastic displays of appreciation are always
welcome after a well-executed aria. If you’re not
exactly sure when to react, just follow the crowd. Feel
free to shout “Bravo!”
What to Wear
Once patronized mainly by royalty, opera today is
enjoyed by people from all walks of life. In modern
day New Orleans, you’ll see opera-goers wearing
everything from ball gowns and tuxes to blue jeans
and button-downs. Feel free to dress up for a special
night out, dress down for comfort, or find your own
happy medium. When it comes to the opera, almost
anything but the most casual wear is considered
appropriate.
• Please use moderation in applying perfume, cologne,
or scented lotion; many people are highly allergic to
perfumes.
• Avoid hats that might obstruct the view of the person
seated behind you. Also please leave jewelry that may
make noise (for example: bangles) at home.
• Please, no babes in arms in the theater.
• Many operas contain adult themes. Before bringing
children, it is best to make sure that the material is
appropriate for their age or maturity level. Our box
office staff can help you make this determination.
• If bringing children, instruct them in proper
audience behavior. It is also helpful to familiarize
them with the story and the score so that they know
what to expect.
• Please turn off all beepers, cell phones, and watch
alarms before entering the theater.
• No food or drink is allowed in the theater seating
area, both to preserve the condition of the theater
and to spare other patrons the noise and distraction.
• The Overture is part of the performance. Please
refrain from talking at this point.
• Please also refrain from talking, humming, singing,
or beating time to the music during the
performance.
• Avoid kicking the back of the seat in front of you;
this is very annoying, even if it is done in time to the
music. Also, watch your children to prevent their
doing the same.
• We realize that traffic both in and out of the theater
can be congested following a performance; still, it is
distracting to other patrons to leave while the show
is still in progress. Thank you for your consideration.
(If you’d rather not sit in traffic, consider taking part
in the free pre-performance “Nuts and Bolts” session
one hour prior to the performance on floor M-2.)
New Orleans Opera Association
General and Artistic Director - Ext. 224
Robert Lyall
Executive Director – Ext. 223
Todd Simmons
Chorus Master, Music Administration &
Education Director – Ext. 222
Administrative Staff 504-529-2278
Director of Marketing & Public Relations –
Ext. 225
Janet Wilson
Business Manager – Ext. 227
Gina Klein
Box Office Manager – Ext. 226
Carol Rausch
John M. Fink
Director of Production – Ext. 231
Asst. Box Office Manager – Ext 221
Lee Marc Molnar
Devin Ernest
Director Of Development – Ext. 232
Jenny Windstrup
Technical Director – 504-833-0110
G. Alan Rusnak
Opera Guild Volunteer – Ext. 225
Dr. Carolyn Clawson
www.neworleansopera.org
new orleans opera association
presents
Verdi’s
IL Trovatore
THE CAST
COUNT DI LUNA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MARK RUCKER
LEONORA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MARY ELIZABETH WILLIAMS
MANRICO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RENZO ZULIAN
AZUCENA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . IRINA MISHURA
FERRANDO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . JOHN A. STEPHENS

RUIZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . RONALD LAITANO
Special thanks to New Orleans artist Tim Trapolin for
creating and donating the 2010-2011 season illustrations in
honor of Robert Lyall and Edward F. Martin.
INEZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . VALERIE JONES FRANCIS
OLD GYPSY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . DAVID CASTILLO
MESSENGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . MIKE CAMMERATA
PRODUCTION STAFF
Verdi’s
Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .David Lefkowich
Il Trovatore
(The Troubadour)
Conductor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Robert Lyall
Chorus Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carol Rausch
Director of Production . . . . . . . . . . .Lee Marc Molnar
Opera in 4 Acts
Set in Aragon and the mountains of Vizcaya,
in the early 15th century
Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jill Krynicki
Asst. Stage Manager I . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lindsay Byrne
Asst. Stage Manager II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Julia Tyson
Scenic Designer . . . . . . .Orig. Design by David Gano
Music by Giuseppe Verdi
Libretto by Salvatore Cammarano
(completed by Leone Emanuele Bardare)
Add. Scenic Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .G. Alan Rusnak
Lighting Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Don Darnutzer
Asst. Lighting Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Neil Ingles
Costume Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . .Charlotte Lang
The opera premiered at the
Teatro Apollo, Rome, 19 January 1853
Costumes by . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Malabar, LTD
In Italian with English supertitles
Props . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jonathan Uhlman
Supertitles Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Elizabeth Rota
Wigs/Makeup . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Don and Linda Guillot
Accompanist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Janna Ernst
The Synopsis of
Il Trovatore
Act I
Act II
(The Duel)
(The Gypsy)
Outside the guardroom of Aliaferia Palace in
Aragon, Count di Luna's soldiers are waiting to
apprehend Manrico, a troubadour, who rivals
the count for the favors of the Lady Leonora.
Ferrando, captain of the guard, keeps his men
awake by telling them of a Gypsy woman
burned at the stake years ago for bewitching Di
Luna's younger brother. The Gypsy's daughter
sought vengeance by kidnaping the child and,
so the story goes, burning him at the very stake
where her mother died. Di Luna, though, still
hopes his brother lives.
As dawn breaks in the Biscay mountains, Gypsies
sing at work with hammer and anvil. Azucena the Gypsy's daughter described earlier by
Ferrando - relives her mother's fiery execution,
recalling the dying woman's plea for vengeance.
Manrico asks to hear her full story, becoming
confused when Azucena, overwhelmed with
memories, blurts out that by mistake she hurled
her own son into the flames. Assuring him of a
mother's love, Azucena makes Manrico swear
revenge, but he says a strange power stayed his
hand when he could have killed Di Luna in the
duel. A messenger brings news that Leonora,
thinking Manrico dead, plans to enter a
convent and despite Azucena's pleas, Manrico
rushes away.
In the palace gardens, Leonora confides to Inez
how at a tournament she placed the victory
wreath on the brow of an unknown knight in
black armor; she saw him no more until he came
to serenade her. Though Inez has misgivings,
Leonora declares her love for the handsome
stranger. No sooner do the women reenter the
palace than Di Luna arrives to court Leonora.
Simultaneously Manrico's song is heard in the
distance, and Leonora rushes to greet him.
The jealous count challenges
Manrico to a duel,
and they hurry
away.
Di Luna, burning with passion for Leonora,
waits by the cloister to kidnap her. When she
enters with the nuns, he strides forward, only
to be halted by Manrico, who suddenly
appears with his men. As
the forces struggle, the
lovers escape.
Manrico sings farewell from inside the bastion.
Leonora resolves to save him. When Di Luna
appears, Leonora agrees to yield to him but
secretly swallows poison.
Act III
(The Gypsy's Son)
Di Luna has pitched camp near the bastion of
Castellor, where Manrico has taken Leonora.
After the soldiers sing of their eagerness for
victory, Ferrando leads in Azucena, who was
found nearby. The Gypsy describes her poor,
lonely life and says she is only searching for her
son. Di Luna reveals his identity, at which
Azucena recoils and is recognized by Ferrando
as the supposed murderer of Di Luna's baby
brother. The count orders her burned at the
stake.
Inside the castle, Manrico assures Leonora that
her love makes him invincible. As the couple
prepares to go to the wedding chapel, Manrico's
aide Ruiz bursts in to say that Azucena has been
seized and tied to a stake. Manrico stares in
horror at the distant pyre, which has been lit.
He runs to his mother's rescue, vowing
vengeance.
Act IV
(The Torture)
Ruiz brings Leonora to the foot of the tower
where the captured Manrico is imprisoned.
There she voices her undying love and prays for
his release. Monks are heard intoning a doleful
Miserere for the soul of the condemned, while
In their cell, Manrico comforts Azucena, who
longs for their home in the mountains. No
sooner does the old Gypsy fall asleep than
Leonora rushes in to tell her lover he is saved,
urging him to flee. Manrico comprehends the
price of his freedom and denounces her, but
the poison begins to take effect. He takes her
in his arms as she dies. Furious at being cheated
of his prize, Di Luna sends Manrico to the
executioner's block, while Azucena staggers
to her feet to see the ax fall. She cries out that
her mother is avenged: Di Luna has killed his
own brother.
S
The Composer
Giuseppe
(Joseph Fortunin François)
Verdi
1813 — 1901
Giuseppe Verdi was
born in Le Roncole,
town of Busseto, Italy,
in 1813, into a family of
small landowners and
tavern owners. At an
early age music
fascinated Verdi. When he was seven he was
helping the local church organist; at 16 he
became assistant organist at a church in Busseto.
At age nineteen he was sent to Milan, where he
was refused a place at the prestigious
conservatory since he was four years older than
the admittance age. Verdi remained in Milan to
study with Vincenzo Lavigna, a composer and
former La Scala musician. In 1836, he returned
to Busseto where he was appointed town music
master. Verdi married his patron’s daughter and
they had a son and a daughter.
In 1838, Verdi resigned from his position in
Busseto and moved to Milan, where he began
to turn his attention to opera. In 1839 his first
opera, Oberto, was performed at La Scala with
fair success. His next opera Un Giorno di Regno,
failed totally, and Verdi was very depressed, as
he had lost his wife and both children to illness.
He was ready to give up composing. An
impresario who retained faith in Verdi’s abilities
gave him a copy of a libretto about
Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon, and his
siege on Jerusalem. The opera, titled Nabucco,
premiered in 1842 with great success and carried
Verdi’s reputation across Italy, Europe and the
New World. Italy embraced the chorus of the
Hebrew slaves, “Va, pensiero,” as an expression
of Italian liberation from Austrian rule. It was
followed by another opera with marked
political overtones, I Lombardi, again well
received. Verdi consistently chose libretti based
on literary works by major authors from
different countries. Shakespeare is represented
with Macbeth, Otello and Falstaff, Victor Hugo
with Ernani and Rigoletto, Voltaire with Alzir, to
mention only three examples. Because of his
intense patriotism and the times in which he
lived, Verdi’s operas are filled with political
themes, historical contexts and injustices being
exposed and resolved.
Verdi took a vital interest in all aspects of the
production of his operas - the stage settings,
costuming, the movement of the characters on
the stage, their positions as they sang, and so
forth. He made sketches in the libretto margins
and then personally prepared production
manuals wherein he indicated precisely, scene
by scene, such things as the placement of
props and the position of singers at key points
in the score.
The period Verdi later called his “years in the
galleys” now began, with a long and
demanding series of operas to compose and
(usually) direct, in the main Italian centers and
abroad. They include Ernani, Macbeth, Luisa
Miller and eight others written from 1844-1850
in Paris and London, as well as in Rome, Milan,
Naples, Venice, Florence and Trieste (with a
pause in 1846 when his health gave way).
Features of these works include strong, somber
stories, a vigorous, almost crude orchestral style
that gradually grew fuller and richer, and
forceful vocal writing to convey the impact of
the drama. His models included Rossini
(composer of The Barber of Seville), and
Donizetti (composer of Lucia di Lammermoor).
Verdi took great care with the choice of topics
and planning of the details in his libretti. The
“galley years” have their climax in the three
great, popular operas of 1851-1853. First among
them is Rigoletto, the first opera Verdi wrote
that dealt with both tender and raw human
emotion, effectively translated into moving
melodies. This was followed by the story of a
gypsy’s curse, Il Trovatore, at the beginning of
1853. Six weeks later came La Traviata, the story
of a doomed courtesan, the most personal and
intimate of Verdi’s operas.
Saved by the
In late 1853 Verdi traveled to Paris to prepare Les
Vêpres Siciliennes for the Paris Opera, where it was
performed in 1855 with modest success. Verdi then
traveled to Venice, where his next opera, Simon
Boccanegra, a drama about love and politics in
medieval Genoa, was performed. Plans for his next
opera, Un Ballo in Maschera, about the assassination
of a Swedish king in Naples, were called off by the
censors, but it was performed in Rome instead in 1859.
Verdi became involved in political activity at this time.
First he was a representative of Busseto in the
provincial parliament; and in 1861, upon the
proclamation of the kingdom of Italy, he was
elected to the national parliament. In 1862 his
next opera La Forza del Destino had its premiere
at St. Petersburg, and three years later, in Paris, he
presented Don Carlo, a grand opera in which
personal dramas of love, comradeship and liberty
are set against the persecutions of the Inquisition
and the Spanish monarchy.
In 1870, Verdi returned to Italy, settling in Genoa, and
began work on Aïda, which was given at the Cairo
Opera House at the end of 1871 to mark the opening
of the Suez Canal (Verdi was not present). Verdi was
ready to give up opera, but in 1879 the composer-poet
Boito and the music publisher Ricordi convinced him
to write another one. Otello, based on the tragic play
by William Shakespeare, was completed in 1886. Many
consider Otello his most powerful tragic work, a true
study in evil and jealousy. His last opera was
based on another Shakespeare work,
Falstaff. It was Verdi’s first comedy
since the beginning of his career,
and an expression of his lifelong
devotion to Shakespeare and his
love for humanity. It was
performed in 1893 at La Scala in
Milan. Verdi spent his last years in
Milan, wealthy and honored. He
died at the beginning of 1901,
and was buried at the Casa di
Riposo, a rest home for retired
musicians that he had
established. Some 28,000 people
lined the streets
of Milan for his funeral.
Bell
In 1814, the village of
Le Roncole, Italy, was sacked
by Austrian and Russian
armies on their march against
the French. The women of
the village took refuge with
their children in the church of
St. Michele Arcangelo, but the
invaders stormed the church
and killed everyone but
one mother who hid in the
belfry with her infant sonthe child was Giuseppe Verdi.
Recordings of Il
Trovatore
Il Trovatore (The Troubadour)
Milanov, Bjoerling, Barbieri, Warren
RCA Victor Orchestra – Cellini
Il Trovatore (The Troubadour)
Marton, Pavarotti, Zajick, Milnes
Metropoplitan Opera Orchestra
and Chorus – Levine
Recordings Online Links available on our Website’s Education Page
Stride la Vampa
Irina Arkhipova
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVcDd5M0-gw
Stride la vampa
Fedora Barbieri
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6YMuAiUd4U
Tacea la notte placida
Zink Milanov
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86KwGmNwtOk
Tacea la notte placida
Renata Tebaldi
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z1kKZCHVb8
Tacea la notte placida
Leontyne Price
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqnwwGyGppI
Tacea la notte placida
Martina Arroyo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YLJdqt2BEw
Tacea la notte placida
Montserrat Caballe
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s36IEKHjGbs
Di quella pira
Luciano Pavarotti
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0_UG2UnM7o
Soldier’s Chorus
Metropolitan Opera
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lJnic2GJkc
Il balen del suo sorriso
Mark Rucker
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GD7HY0qfBEQ
Il balen del suo sorriso
Robert Merril
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJyaOSw9QEw
Il balen del suo sorriso
Dmitri Hvorotovsky
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6bA4yd9EZY
Mira, d’acerbe lagrime
Radvanovsky, Hvorostovsky
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81z1YzH_994
D’amor sull’ari rosee
Sondra Radvanovsky
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eNvAFXz7WY
D’amor sull’ari rosee
Anna Moffo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42j-Tgp-Vyw
Finale
Sutherland, Horne, Pavarotti
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-LjoMvS_-c
Opera Production
Opera is created by the
combination of myriad art forms.
First and foremost are the actors
who portray characters by revealing
their thoughts and emotions through
the singing voice. The next very
important component is a full symphony
orchestra that accompanies the singing
actors and actresses, helping them to
portray the full range of emotions possible
in the operatic format. The orchestra
performs in an area in front of the
singers called the orchestra pit while the singers perform on
the open area called the stage. Wigs, costumes, sets and
specialized lighting further enhance these performances, all
of which are designed, created, and executed by a team of
highly trained artisans.
new production. The set designer combines the skills of
both an artist and an architect using “blueprint” plans to
design the actual physical set which will reside on the
stage, recreating the physical setting required by the
storyline. These blueprints are turned over to a team of
carpenters who are specially trained in the art of stage
carpentry. Following the actual building of the set, painters
following instructions from the set designers’ original plans
paint the set. As the set is assembled on the stage, the
lighting designer works with a team of electricians to throw
light onto both the stage and the set in an atmospheric as
well as practical way. Using specialized lighting
instruments, colored gels and a state of the art computer,
the designer along with the stage director create a
“lighting plot” by writing “lighting cues” which are stored
in the computer and used during the actual performance of
the opera.
The creation of an opera begins with a dramatic scenario
crafted by a playwright or dramaturg who alone or with a
librettist fashions the script or libretto that contains the
words the artists will sing. Working in tandem, the
composer and librettist team up to create a cohesive
musical drama in which the music and words work together
to express the emotions revealed in the story. Following
the completion of their work, the composer and librettist
entrust their new work to a conductor who with a team of
assistants (repetiteurs) assumes responsibility for the
musical preparation of the work. The conductor
collaborates with a stage director (responsible for the visual
component) in order to bring a performance of the new
piece to life on the stage. The stage director and conductor
form the creative spearhead for the new composition while
assembling a design team which will take charge of the
actual physical production.
During this production period, the costume designer in
consultation with the stage director has designed
appropriate clothing for the singing actors and actresses to
wear. These designs are fashioned into patterns and crafted
by a team of highly skilled artisans called cutters, stitchers,
and sewers. Each costume is specially made for each singer
using his/her individual measurements. The wig and
makeup designer, working with the costume designer,
designs and creates wigs which
will complement both the
costume and the singer as well as
represent historically accurate
“period” fashions.
Set designers, lighting designers, costume designers, wig
and makeup designers and even choreographers must all
be brought “on board” to participate in the creation of the
MetroPelican Opera
As the actual performance date
approaches, rehearsals are held on the
newly crafted set, combined with
costumes, lights, and orchestra in order to
ensure a cohesive performance that will
be both dramatically and musically
satisfying to the assembled audience.
Hansel and Gretel
Opera A La Carte
A Celebration in Song
MetroPelican Opera in-school performances can be booked
through Young Audiences by calling (504) 523-3525.
For more information on scheduling please contact the
New Orleans Opera Director of Education at 529-2278,
ext.222 or email crausch@neworleansopera.org.
New Orleans Opera Association
Robert Lyall, General & Artistic Director
(504) 529-2278 • FAX 529-7668 • 1-800-881-4459 • www.neworleansopera.org