Natchez Festival of Music
Transcription
Natchez Festival of Music
N A T C H E Z F estival of Music 23rd Season • May 4-25, 2013 www.natchezfestivalofmusic.com Exceptional Opulence, Legendary Ambiance NATCHEZ OPERA FESTIVAL, INC. P.O. Box 2207, Natchez, Mississippi 39121, 601-442-4272 in association with and supported by ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY and The University of southern mississippi TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome to Our 2013 Season���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 2 History of the Natchez Festival of Music �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3 Calendar of Performances���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 4 Board of Directors���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6 Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 7 Alcorn State University Choir �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 8 Young Patrons Program�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9 Special Events���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11 The Artistic Director���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 12 Super Stars���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13 The Artists���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15 A Bel Canto Gala with Paul Groves and the Super Stars Three Billy Goats Gruff������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 25 Rhapsody in Blue/Puttin’on the Ritz�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26 Natchez Festival of Music Guild Members���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27 Natchez Festival of Music Guild President���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 28 Natchez Festival of Music Committees���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 29 Special Recognitions ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 32 Kiss Me Kate Contributions���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 33 Ticket Information�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 34 American Frontiers ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 35 A Bel Canto Gala with Paul Groves���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36 Home Sweet Home/Rossini, Puccini and Martinis�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 37 Elizabeth Taylor Green field/The Black Swan Returns�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 39 Musical Wine Tasting/The Magical World of Tango������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 41 Kiss Me Kate������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 43 Rigoletto Rigoletto�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 49 Economic Impact of the Natchez Festival of Music������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 55 Seasons Past������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 56 The Mission The mission of the Natchez Festival of Music is to enlighten and enrich the lives of the citizens of the greater Mississippi/Louisiana region and neighboring areas by producing operas, operettas, musicals, recitals, and special concerts, and by providing educational outreach programs in music and the performing arts. Our vision is to be a driving force for cultural activity that attracts people to Natchez and Mississippi from around the world. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 1 WELCOME TO OUR 2013 SEASON May 1, 2013 Dear Festivalgoers, It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Natchez Festival of Music. We have planned a variety of musical events for you this season ranging from jazz to orchestral and Broadway to Opera. There is truly something for everyone. I am pleased to be in my third year as Artistic Director. It has been a pleasure to be a part of this organization’s growth and to work with our outstanding performers, board members, staff and guild. Natchez is such a wonderful community, and it has been a real pleasure to work with everyone here. The growth of the Natchez Festival of Music is reflected in our significant increase in our various boards, sponsors, and donors, and educational audiences, as well as our increase in ticket sales and grants. If you are new to the Natchez Festival of Music, we hope you enjoy our many wonderful performances. If you are a festival regular, welcome back and we’re glad you’re here. We hope you enjoy each of our very special events. Sincerely, jay dean Artistic Director Jay Dean Artistic Director On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Natchez Festival of Music, welcome to our 23rd season! And what an exciting season it is, from the joy of hearing some of the finest young talents in America today to hosting for the first time three star performers from the Metropolitan Opera in our Bel Canto Gala. Few, if any, communities the size of Natchez have the privilege of experiencing the kind of live performances this year’s festival offers. MARY LESLEY Chairman Part of the festival’s mission is to provide positive performing opportunities for outstanding artists, to nurture and encourage talented young singers in their early careers, and in turn to allow them to share in an educational and outreach school program that provides high quality musical experiences for youngsters throughout the Miss-Lou area. Although the Natchez Festival of Music runs the first three weeks of May, many other special programs occur throughout the year. This past December we began what I believe will become an annual tradition, the Christmas Cabaret. I urge you to watch for news of this year’s cabaret and for all the concerts and recitals we will host in the coming months. See us at www.natchezfestivalofmusic.com This year’s festival has somewhat of an American tilt to it with evenings devoted to three of our greatest composers and song writers – George Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter. We also pay tribute to two of the most notable American singers of the 19th century Adelina Patti and Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, who was born into slavery and rose to become one of the most popular singers in this country and Europe. Along with the American greats, we also feature South America’s tango, and we close the festival with Verdi’s Rigoletto. It is a season I’m very proud of and one to share with friends in the region. After all, we can’t forget the “Natchez” part of the Natchez Festival of Music. As we like to say, “Come for the music. Stay for the experience.” 2 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music HISTORY OF THE NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC T wenty-three years ago, Lani and Ron Riches attended the Santa Fe Opera Festival. Flying home, Lani remarked to her husband, “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Natchez could have an opera festival like that?” Acting on this impulse, they immediately scheduled a meeting with civic leaders to discuss the idea. A few days before the gathering was to take place, Dr. and Mrs. David Blackburn happened to be staying at the Riches’ historic inn, Monmouth Plantation. A dear friend of the Riches was also having dinner with them that night. Buzz Harper struck up a casual conversation with the Blackburns, only to discover that Dr. Blackburn was a well-respected opera teacher and conductor, then working in New York. Sitting over coffee on the veranda, Lani voiced her dream of having an opera festival in Natchez and in response, Dr. Blackburn revealed that two of the performers they heard in Santa Fe were singers in his New York studio. The Blackburns were invited to stay over and attend the meeting set with the mayor and other interested citizens of Natchez. The meeting was held at the Carriage House on the grounds of Stanton Hall. Dr. Blackburn was asked by Mayor David Armstrong and the others to compile a concept of what kind of festival would work in Natchez. After the plans were drawn up the Blackburns returned to Natchez to present the plan to leading citizens of the area. This meeting, held at Monmouth Plantation, created the Natchez Opera Festival. Dr. Blackburn was transformed into a committed Natchez resident, as well as the co-founder and artistic director of the Natchez Opera Festival. A Natchez opera committee was formed; Lani Riches and Bettye O’Brien co-chaired the committee. Later Ken Miller was appointed as the first chairman to produce a festival. The Natchez Opera Festival incorporated and formed a board of directors with Dr. David Steckler as chairman. Subsequent board chairmen were Dr. Elmer Gaudet, Jr., Dr. Don Killelea, Dr. Larry Konecky, Paris Winn, Ronald McGowan, “Sandy” Fowlkes IV, Dr. Larry Konecky, and currently, Mary Lessley. Later, the Guild board was formed to work in conjunction with the board of directors. The Guild supports the actual production of the Festival. Guild presidents are as follows: 1992- Ken Miller; 1993 - Ken Miller; 1994 - Katherine Killelea, Doris Ann Benoist, and Andree Williams; 1995 - Frank Bauer, Bee Byrnes, and Marcia Thompson; 1996 - Frank Bauer, Marcia Thompson, and Marge Alexander; 1997 - Marge Alexander and Frank Bauer; 1998 - Marge Alexander and Frank Bauer; 1999 - Katie Freiberger; 2000 - Patty Killelea; 2001 - Diana Glaze; 2002 - Melinda Ballard and Layne Taylor; 2003 - Kathy White; 2004 - Karlyn Ritchie; 2005 to 2007 - Cathy Walker; 2007 to 2008 - Diana Glaze; and 2008 to present - Rena Jean Schmieg. The Purpose ... The mission and purpose of the Natchez Festival of Music is to provide high quality Opera, Broadway, and Jazz performances in an area of the United States where very little is available. The Festival seeks to provide positive performing opportunities for outstanding artists; to develop a young artist program to nurture and encourage talented young singers in their careers; and, in turn, to allow them to share in an educational and outreach school program throughout the Mississippi-Louisiana area. The festival hires professional performers each season - mainstage artists, guest artists, and young artists. Auditions are held in New York and Natchez in the fall for the following season’s productions. The artists are selected for their outstanding talent and their personalities; they must fit into the Natchez lifestyle. Each year since its inception the Festival has grown and become a major regional event. In 1998, the Festival was awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts for Arts in the Community. In 2001, Alcorn State University became a major sponsor of the Natchez Opera Festival, Inc., thus creating a long-term relationship to transform the arts in southwest Mississippi. In 2002 Opera News recognized the Festival for artistic excellence. In 2003, Dr. David Blackburn was awarded the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in Opera and Music Education. Also in 2003, the Natchez Opera Festival, Inc. changed the promotional name of the May festival to The Natchez Festival of Music, expanding musical offerings to a more diverse audience. Following the untimely death of Dr. Blackburn, George Hogan became the Artistic Director, creating a connection with the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor. Taking charge as Artistic Director in 2011, Dr. Jay Dean connects the Natchez Festival of Music to the University of Southern Mississippi, creating a strong tie to other outstanding music festivals throughout Mississippi. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 3 CALENDAR OF PERFORMANCES Natchez Festival of Music 23nd Season, 2013 Opera, Broadway, Jazz SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY 1 2 FRIDAY 3 SATURDAY 4 Rhapsody in Blue First Prestyterian Church 7:00 p.m. Admission: $30 (Pre-party 5:30-6:30 p.m. Historic Natchez Foundation) 5 American Frontiers 6 7 8 9 10 Jonathan Levin Trinity Episcopal Church 4:00 p.m. Admission: $20 12 Two Events See list at bottom of calendar Two Events See list at bottom of calendar 11 The Black Swan Returns 18 The Van Court Town House 7:00 p.m. Admission: $30 13 14 15 16 Sansing Lecture The Black Swan of Natchez (Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield) 17 Cherokee 5:00 and 7:00 pm. Admission: $20 Trinity Episcopal Church 7:00 p.m. Admission: Free 19 Puttin’ on the Ritz 20 21 22 23 24 The Magical World of Tango The Prentiss Club 7:00 p.m. Admission: $30 26 27 Sunday, May 12: 28 Home Sweet Home Waverly Plantation 4:00 p.m. Admission: $20 29 Rossini, Puccini and Martinis Eola Hotel Lobby 7:00 p.m. Admission: Free 4 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 30 “A Bel Canto with Paul Groves Trinity Episcopal Church 7:00 p.m. Gala at Gloucester Admission: $100 (Pre-party 5:30-6:30 p.m. The Merrill House). Kiss Me Kate Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center 7:00 p.m. Admission: $30 25 Rigoletto Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center 7:00 p.m. Admission: $30 Final Gala - Linden 10:00 p.m. - midnight Admission: $20 31 Sunday, May 19: Musical Wine Tasting Briar Vue at the Briars 4:00 p.m. Admission: $40 Rossini, Puccini and Martinis Eola Hotel Lobby 7:00 p.m. Admission: Free NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 5 WELCOME TO OUR 2013 SEASON Board of Directors Artistic Director Jay Dean Eminent Board Atkins, Leon Ball, David Board Members Banta, Ethel Lessley, Mary, Chairman Boelte, Hedy Glaze, Diana, Secretary Byrne, Tony Taylor, Thomas P. Treasurer Deakle, John Adams, Robert M. (Bob) Dearing, Robert Benoist, Doris Ann Dickens, George Benoist, Virginia Gerace DuPuy, Merkel Brice, Maxine Emrick, Dr. Fred Burkes, Sandra Estes, Terry Cook, Burnley Feltus, Jeanette Durkin, Camille Florence, I.J. Gemmell, Michael Killelea, Katherine Henley, Bobbye Kochek, Alan Kendall, Julie Lee, Dr. Donzell King, Kathleen Mackey Leet, Lynn James Konecky, Larry LeMay, Brad Person, Arthur Paradise, David Robertson, Mary Perkins, Marie Schmieg, Rena Jean Riches, Lani Schuchs, Nan Erle Riches, Ron Schwager, Ginger Smith, Ricky Sizemore, Robert Songy, Ed Wynn, Bobbye Sturgeon, Holmes, II Board Attorney Switzer, Ronald Kuehnle, Atty. Bruce Tatum, Mike Varnell, Neil Worley, Michael Past Chairmen 1991 1992-1995 1996-1998 1999-2002 2003-2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2011 2012-2013 Ken Miller Dr. David Steckler Dr. Elmer Gaudet Dr. Don Killelea Dr. Lawrence Konecky Paris Winn Ronald McGowan Dr. Lawrence Konecky William “Sandy” Fowlkes, IV Dr. Lawrence Konecky Mary Lessley Funded, in part, by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Mississippi Arts Commission. Banking worth a standing ovation When the lights dim and the curtain rises, the efforts and teamwork of talented individuals come together. That same philosophy holds true in banking, where at B&K the efforts of many are brought together for your total satisfaction: a standing ovation banking so to speak. B&K is proud to support the Natchez Festival of Music. Natchez • Vicksburg • Baton Rouge www.bkbank.com Answers. Since 1836. 6 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music Member FDIC MARGARET MARTIN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER This beautiful building echoes with the sounds of music and memories in its reincarnation from its earlier life as Natchez High School when it was filled with the energy and bustle of generations of young people working to be the best citizens possible. It was renamed in honor of Miss Margaret Martin, long time educator and principal of the school, a devotee of the arts, and a highly admired advocate of integrity, honor, and excellence in every endeavor. After an extensive period of neglect and disuse, the building became the home of the Natchez Opera Festival, now the Natchez Festival of Music, and took on its new life as Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center. The Natchez Opera Festival worked to organize and obtain a large number of grants to help restore the building, beginning with addressing such basic needs as a new roof. Window panes have been replaced and the exterior window frames painted. The entire building has been thoroughly cleaned. Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center and the Natchez Festival of Music have evolved together to create an exceptional auditorium and venue for fine arts. The entire auditorium has been painted and acclimatized with central air conditioning and heat, the floors have been redone, the aisles have been carpeted, drapes have been hung on the windows and chandeliers from the ceiling, and the seats have been upholstered with padding and cushions. An orchestra pit has been built and the rigging above the stage has been updated and a new stage curtain and a totally computerized state of the art lighting system have been added. A Community Heritage Preservation Grant from the Department of Archives and History is contributing to the ongoing renovation of the stage and exterior work, including new gardens. The Natchez Festival of Music shares Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center with the Natchez Ballet Academy, the Natchez Gymnastics Association, and the Natchez Art Association. This is indeed a growing and active center for the performing arts. The Natchez Festival of Music continues to enhance this wonderful facility so that it will add to the enjoyment and memories of a very special home for the finest in music and the arts. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 7 ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY CONCERT CHOIR The Concert Choir at Alcorn State University consists of talented students from across the globe. The choir is proud to incorporate a wide range of styles in its programming and perform frequently throughout Mississippi and the surrounding region. Community service, worship, and a true passion for the arts are among the many things that drive the musicians who make up the ASU Concert Choir. Graduates of the Fine Arts Department at Alcorn State University have gone on to top graduate programs and successful careers as both educators and performers. For more information please contact Ms. Donna Schaffer, Director of Choral Activities, dschaffer@ alcorn.edu; 601-877-6264 or visit www.alcorn. edu, Admissions 1-800-222-6790, or write Alcorn State University, Alcorn, State, MS 39096. Director - Ms. Donna Schaffer Accompanist-Mr. Tony Gordon President – Chan Washington Vice President – Larry Macklin Secretary - Madalene Barksdale Technical Director-Jerry Jordan Librarian – Madalene Barksdale First Sopranos: AiJalon Barnes,+ Amber Kinney, Olivia Martinez, *+Rhonda Price, +Chelsea Rush, +Darnisha Williams Second Sopranos: +Jada Brown, Anastasia Plugatar, +Antoinette Powell, +Chandrenica Washington, First Altos: + Madalene Barksdale, Tabatha Barlow, +Ashley Harris, Amber Jones, *+LeErica Knight, +Emily Lewis-Johnson Second Altos: +Shamar Bishop,+ Nekeidra Jones, First Tenors: + Larry Macklin, *+Marcus Mercy, +Jairus McClinton,+ Drake Sanders,+ Christopher Stallings Second Tenors: +Jataris Hatten, +Birdon Mitchell, +Jonathan Taylor +Kenton Walker Baritones: +Elvin Frye,+ Robert Guyton,+ Jonathan Hood, +Jaime Jones,+ DeMarcus McNeal,+ Darrell Morris, Michael Phelps, De’von Smith Basses: Jerry Jordan, William Murphy, *William Parker, Marcus Williams +Denotes Membership in the Elite Touring Choir *Denotes Section Leader “The Seven Last Words of Christ” By Theodore Dubois 8 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music YOUNG PATRONS PROGRAMS Recognizing the importance of the Natchez Festival of Music in the Mississippi-Louisiana (Miss-Lou) region for nearly a quarter of a century and that this Festival will no doubt endure for years ahead, the Festival continues to promote and enhance programs for young patrons to ensure future audiences and access to the arts in the MissLou. Through special events, arts advocacy, affordable packages and community outreach, the Young Patrons Program of the Natchez Festival of Music (YPNFM) attracts arts enthusiasts from kindergarten through the age of 45. The Festival’s annual Children’s Opera in April reaches nearly 10,000 school children K-6 with approximately 20 productions in Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Walthall, Lincoln, Pike, and Wilkinson counties in Mississippi and Concordia and Tensas parishes in Louisiana. These children are exposed to the classics in a fun way! These unique opportunities enrich artistic and cultural experiences, teaching the children about the pleasures and rewards that come with music while grooming the next generation to appreciate the arts. Through sponsored tickets, area music teachers and their students, as well as K-12, college students and families enjoy live entertainment, jazz, Broadway and opera productions at reduced prices. Young adult patrons, age 45 and younger, find special packages very affordable for young families. Additionally, there are a number of performances which are paired with exclusive as well as free receptions and “meet and mingle events” with the artists. For more, see the “Fat Lady for Young Patrons” tab on the Festival website at natchezfestivalofmusic.com. Important Information regarding the Festival TELEPHONES: As a courtesy to other patrons, please disconnect electronic paging devices and turn off cellular telephones. Fire notice: The exit sign nearest the seat you occupy is the shortest route out in the event of fire or other emergency. BEVERAGES: Beverage service is available in the Great Escape Club Room before performances and during intermissions. LATECOMERS: Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of theatre management during appropriate pauses in the program. Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center policy is to begin performances at the advertised curtain time. personal property: Lost and found inquiries may be directed to the administrative offices at MMPAC. PHOTOGRAPHS AND RECORDING: Cameras and recording devices may not be brought into the theatre without the consent of the management. Please note that the recording in any form of a live performance may be a violation of federal copyright laws. restrooms: Restrooms are located on the first floor and balcony. SMOKING: The theatre is a smoke-free facility. Wheelchair accessible entrance: One entrance to the Center is wheelchair-accessible. The entrance is into the main lobby on the first floor (orchestra level), located on the right side of the building. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 9 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC 10 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music special events Each of these special events will take place in a lovely antebellum home, church, or special venue, providing an opportunity to showcase the outstanding historical architecture of Natchez. AMERICAN FRONTIERS Trinity Episcopal Church May 5 Piano virtuoso Jonathan Levin exhibits his incredible diversity of style performing music from the Romantic Era to present day. THE BLACK SWAN OF NATCHEZ Trinity Episcopal Church May 16 Dr. David Sansing presents an illustrated lecture on Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield. A BEL CANTO GALA WITH PAUL GROVES Trinity Episcopal Church May 11 International Superstars take the stage in this Signature Event RHAPSODY IN BLUE First Presbyterian Church May 4 Pianist Joseph Britain and the Natchez Festival of Jazz Orchestra perform the music of George Gershwin, “America’s Music Man.” PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ The Van Court Town House May 10 The music of Russian-born composer Irving Berlin envelopes this elegant evening. HOME SWEET HOME Waverly Plantation May 12 Soprano Susan Ruggiero pays tribute through song to 19th Century great Adelina Patti. GALA AT GLOUCESTER May 11 A grand reception follows A Bel Canto Gala with Paul Groves as patrons mingle with the Superstars. THE BLACK SWAN RETURNS ROSSINI, PUCCINI AND MARTINIS Eola Hotel Lobby May 12 and 19 An evening of opera, show tunes, and martinis is showcased in the beautiful Eola Hotel Lobby. A MUSICAL WINE TASTING Cherokee May17 Diana Thompson presents a musical tribute to AfricanAmerican vocalist Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield. FINAL GALA Linden Plantation May 25 Festival artists mingle with patrons at the elegant finale to an outstanding season at beautiful Linden. THE MAGICAL WORLD OF TANGO BriarVue at The Briars May 19 Romina Gurian, Zack Rabin and Pablo Sotomayor perform world-class music amidst the sensory pleasures of wine and view of the Mississippi River. The Prentiss Club May 24 Alejandro Drago captures heart and soul through music and dance with The Tango Review Ensemble. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 11 THE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Jay Dean Artistic Director Opera has always been part of Jay Dean’s career. This special world into music has given him the opportunity to perform with such eminent artists as Plácido Domingo, Renée Fleming, Denyce Graves and Roberta Peters. His serving as assistant conductor for the Austin Lyric Opera shows his engagement to this music’s field. And now, after performing with the Mississippi Opera as guest conductor in several concerts, Dean became its new artistic director. Considered a musical ambassador for Mississippi, Dean was state president of the National Opera Association and served on the board of the Mississippi Opera Education Committee in which opera joins together with one of the greatest passions of Dean, education. Dean received his DMA in orchestral conducting from The University of Texas at Austin. Before coming to The University of Southern Mississippi – whose orchestra he has been conducting for more than twenty years – he was music director of the Dekalb Youth Symphony Orchestra in Atlanta, the Mercer University/Atlanta Chamber Orchestra, the Columbus State University Orchestra, the Atlanta Festival Orchestra and Chorus, the Austin Civic Orchestra and the Southwest Chamber Orchestra. His work as a conductor has reached many orchestras in Europe, the United States and Latin America. In addition, he has directed performances with major popular artists such as Doc Severinsen, The Pointer Sisters, Patti La Belle, Dionne Warwick, Patti Austin, Ricky Skaggs and Sandy Patty. Dean’s skills as a producer and artistic manager enable him to work music in a much broader context. He is the Founding Artistic Director of Festival South, a multi-week, multi-genre music festival, and General Director of the Hattiesburg Concert Association. He has been the executive director of the Vicksburg International Chamber Music Festival, the artistic director of the Southern Arts Festival as well as the music coordinator for four international art exhibitions presented by the Mississippi Commission for International Cultural Exchange. In 2009, Jay Dean and the University of Southern Mississippi Symphony Orchestra received the Governor’s Award for Leadership in the Arts, a reward for his intense and clear vision for bringing the world to Mississippi. This vision includes performances, produced by Dean, with internationally known classical icons such as Itzhak Perlman, Yo-yo Ma, Sir James Galway, Joshua Bell, Nadja SalernoSonnenberg, Manuel Barrueco, John Browning, Christopher Parkening, Edgar Meyer, and many more. Dean’s commitment to education has caused him to be involved in many institutions and activities. He has been the executive director of 12 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music the Professional Resource Institute of Musical Excellence, president of the Mississippi Orchestra Teachers Association and president of the Mississippi Music Educators Association Orchestra Division. He served as the representative from the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning on the advisory board for the formation of the Mississippi School of the Arts and he has been the regional membership chair for the International Conductors Guild. Since 1988, Jay Dean has been the music director of The SouthernMississippi Symphony Orchestra. During his tenure, the orchestra has risen to enjoy an international reputation that enhances not only the university, but also the state and region. His recruiting efforts have turned that organization into a multinational conglomerate that includes students from over fifteen countries. Dean´s skilled leadership created unique partnerships that allow members of the orchestra to provide musical performances in every school and senior center in Hattiesburg. Jay Dean affirms that his central mission “is to provide life-changing experiences for his students and raise the quality of life in the community and state of which he is a part.” SUPERSTARS Paul Groves Louisiana native and one of Louisiana State University’s most successful alumni Paul Groves is on a short list of the most sought-after tenors on the stages of the world’s leading opera houses and concert halls. After studying at the Julliard School, Groves debuted at the Metropolitan Opera in 1992, and then he was on his way to perform with the Paris Opera, the Salzburg Festival, the San Francisco Opera, La Scala, and the Vienna State Opera and to sing with orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra. He not only has a terrific voice, but he’s also known for being an extremely talented actor—a perfect combination for opera. In the New York Philharmonic performance of Leonard Bernstein’s satirical musical Candide, he was Candide to the delight of audiences. Still in his 40s, Groves has a long career ahead. Paul Groves begins the 2012-13 season singing Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde with baritone Thomas Hampson and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. His extensive international concert season continues with performances with the London Philharmonic Orchestra singing Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius, the San Francisco Symphony singing Berlioz’s Te Deum, and the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk singing Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust. Operatic engagements for the season include performances in Iphigénie en Aulide with Theater an der Wien and Don Giovanni with the Teatro Real, Madrid. Groves is performing in Natchez on his return home to the New Orleans area. More at opus3artists.com. LucaS Meachem Carthage, North Carolina native, Baritone Lucas Meachem began formal voice training at Appalachian State University in the Blue Ridge Mountain town of Boone, North Carolina. Studies took him to the Eastman School of Music and Yale’s Department of Music. Meachem has established himself as an internationally sought-after performer whose compelling lyric baritone voice and dramatic interpretations have led him to the world’s most important operatic stages. In the 2007-2008 season, Lucas Meachem made his Metropolitan Opera debut in the role of General Rayevsky in Prokofiev’s War & Peace. Meachem’s 2012-13 season begins with a tour of Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta with soprano Anna Netrebko, with performances in eleven of Europe’s most important musical centers including Vienna, Munich, Paris, Berlin, and Amsterdam. Meachem then returns to the Lyric Opera of Chicago to sing Marcello in La Bohème, followed by performances as the title role in Don Giovanni with Cincinnati Opera. Meachem performs this season with the St. Louis Symphony in Zemlinsky’s Lyric Symphony, and in gala concerts with the Natchez Festival and the San Antonio Symphony. Meachem concludes the season this summer performing the title role in Il barbiere di Siviglia with the Mill City Opera in Minneapolis. Meachem is well-known to the San Francisco Opera, London and the Royal Opera House, Opera National de Paris, San Diego Opera, Opera de Toulouse, Lyric Opera of Chicago, St. Louis Symphony, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Teatro Real de Madrid, Glyndebourne Opera Festival in England, Santa Fe Opera, New Orleans Opera, among others. Still in his early 30s, Lucas’ star continues to ascend. More at lucasmeachem. com. Emily Pulley College Station, Texas native and summa cum laude graduate of West Texas A&M, famed soprano Emily Pulley earned her M.A. in Music from the University of North Texas before launching her professional career in the mid-1990s. An electrifying actress with a gift for comedy, known for her radiant voice, Pulley has won national and international acclaim on the operatic stages. She made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera in 1993 and has been a frequent performer there since. The New York Times describes her as a performer with “unfailing warmth, radiance, and spirit” whose singing is “flawless 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 13 SUPERSTARS and exquisite.” The New York Magazine proclaimed, “Emily Pulley explores most every facet of this volatile character with a useful soprano that can deliver a power punch as well as a caressing phrase, and she gives a compelling performance.” She made her debut at London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, as Mimi in Puccini’s La Bohème. Recently, as Minnie in La Fanciulla del West with Glimmerglass Opera, “she shone as Minnie, the pistolpacking, soft-hearted heroine of La Fanciulla del West, capturing the crowd with burnished sound and straightforward, unaffected acting.” She also has appeared with the New York City Opera, Houston Grand Opera, the Los Angeles Opera, Opera Colorado, Central City Opera, Austin Lyric Opera, the Seattle Opera, the Minnesota Opera, and the Dallas Opera, among others. She has starred in more than 150 opera performances. More at uzanartists.com. Maryann Kyle Soprano Maryann Kyle is from Meridian, Mississippi. She is much in demand as one of the country’s leading coaches of belt, legit, and classical vocal technique and as a performer. Kyle has performed with symphony orchestras and in operas throughout the country and abroad. Opera conductor Kurt Klippstatter said she “…possesses a beautiful soprano voice which is both expressive and technically well founded. Her combined vocal and dramatic talents make her a natural…” She has extensive experience teaching, coaching, and performing opera, recitals, concerts, and Broadway shows. Among her opera credits are La Bohème, Le Nozze di Figaro, Cosi fan Tutte, La Traviata, Die Zauberflote, and Carmen. Kyle was the vocal coach for Twist, a new musical by composers Tena Clark and Gary Prim, directed by Debbie Allen, which opened in Atlanta in 2010 and at the Pasadena Playhouse in 2011. She is associate professor of voice at the University of Southern Mississippi. More at maryannkyle.com. Robert Grayson Robert Grayson grew up in Southern California but for the past 23 years has lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. An accomplished tenor as well as pianist, Grayson is the Kirkpatrick Professor and Chair of the Voice/Opera Division at the Louisiana State University School of Music and general director of Opera Louisiane. A leading tenor at the New York City Opera for more than a decade, 14 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music Grayson has sung throughout the USA with many of the great opera houses including Chicago Lyric, Cleveland, Miami, Tulsa, and Spoleto. He received the Phi Kappa Phi award for “Outstanding Creativity in the Arts” and commendation from the Student Government Association for “Outstanding Teaching.” Grayson can be heard as “Caesar” on New World Records’ Grammy-winning recording of Antony and Cleopatra. Grayson made his New York debut as “Faust,” and he has sung over 100 performances as leading tenor at the New York City Opera in such operas as La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, Norma, Mefistofele, La Traviata and Carmen. Grayson has performed with numerous companies: The Spoleto Festival, Italy, Israel Philharmonic in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem & Haifa, Santa Fe Opera, Arizona Opera Company, Canadian Opera, Tulsa Opera, Miami Opera, Wolftrap, Saratoga, Cleveland, ARTPARK, San Diego Opera, Costa Mesa Opera, Los Angeles Opera Theatre, Music Center Opera, and others. He founded the Patrons of the LSU Opera, and coordinated efforts with the Baton Rouge Opera Guild, and BRAVO (Baton Rouge Area Volunteers for Opera). Grayson has produced a number of outstanding professional singers, including tenor Paul Groves. For the Bel Canto Gala, Grayson will be the piano accompanist. More at http:// wp.music.lsu.edu/faculty-staff/ grayson-robert/. THE ARTISTS JOHN CHRISTOPHER ADAMS Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto With “a major, stunning voice” (Opera News), John Christopher Adams is quickly establishing an international presence. Listeners applaud him for his “ability to pour his heart and soul into every phrase.” He completed a Bachelor’s Degree from the Mississippi College of Music and Master’s degree with Opera Artist Diploma from the University of CincinnatiCollege Conservatory of Music. He won numerous awards including the Metropolitan Opera National Council Audition, the Mosby Award, and the Da Capo Award at the Orpheus Vocal Arts Competition. Mr. Adam has performed with Festpielhaus Baden-Baden, Opernhaus Zurich, Seattle Opera, Cincinnati Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. RACHEL ARKY Billy Goats Gruff, Kiss Me, Kate, Rigoletto Rachel Arky mezzo-soprano, whose “expressive phrasing and fine sound” are coupled with an “endearing” and “convincing” stage presence was recently seen as Zellah in The Mark of Cain (Chelsea Opera) and Der Trommler in Der Kaiser von Atlantis (Opera Moderne). Ms. Arky also performed with Chautauqua Opera, Opera Manhattan, and the Martina Arroyo Foundation & La Musica Lirica. She also won Third Place in the Liederkranz Voice Competition’s Art Song Division. Ms. Arky completed her M.M. at Manhattan School of Music and her undergraduate studies at Barnard College, Columbia University, where she graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. PETER ATHERTON Rigoletto: Stage Manager Director and Bass-Baritone, Peter Atherton holds the Robert and Norma Lineberger Chair in Music at Chapman University Conservatory of Music and serves as the Artistic Director of Opera Chapman. He performs and directs extensively in opera, oratorio, concert and musical theater throughout the United States and Europe. His operatic credits include performances with the Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera, Baltimore Opera, Lyric Opera Cleveland, Wolf Trap Opera, San Francisco Opera, Opera Atelier, Cairo Opera and the Operafestival of Rome and Verona. In concert and oratorio he has performed to acclaim with numerous orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, L’Orchestra de la Suisse Romande, Basel Chamber Orches- tra, Bach Cercle Genéve, International Chamber Ensemble Rome, Los Angeles Master Chorale and Orchestre de Belgique. Mr. Atherton directed The Magic Flute for the Pacific Symphony Family Outreach Concerts in January and Die Lustige Witwe for Opera Chapman in April. He is thrilled to be making his directing debut with the Natchez Opera Festival. MEGAN BARRERA Puttin’ on the Ritz, Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto Megan Barrera, Cuban-Puerto Rican Soprano hails from Miami, Florida, and has sung a number of leading roles in the US and Europe including Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro and Musetta in La Bohème. Ms. Barrera made her professional debut in 2012 with Wichita Grand Opera singing the role of Norina in Don Pasquale. Her other credits include Pamina in Die Zauberflöte with Festival South Opera Young Artist Program and Opéra Louisiane, Gilda in Rigoletto with La Musica Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy, and performances with Florida Grand Opera. Ms. Barrera currently pursues a Doctorate of Musical Arts at Louisiana State University. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 15 THE ARTISTS JAMES BOYKIN Production Stage Manager James Boykin graduated from the University of Mobile with a degree in Musical Theatre. He has stage managed The Phantom of the Opera and La fanciulla del West. He has directed Traces of Memory and co-directed 9-5 the Musical. He has also played several roles including Mark Cohen from Rent, Dennis from All Shook Up, and Will Parker from Oklahoma. Kevin Breazeale Choreographer for Kiss Me Kate Kevin Breazeale is a Mississippi based free-lance choreographer who studied dance at Giordano Dance Center, Joel Hall and Lou Conte Studios and acting at the Actor’s Center in Chicago. His performance credits include several industrial and regional theatre shows in Chicago and throughout the Midwest as well as appearances with Hattiesburg Civic Light. Kevin has choreographed productions such as Victor Victoria (Tulane Summer Lyric Theatre), Les Miserables, Into the Woods, A Chorus Line, and Footloose (Chesterton High School, Ind.). He won the Mississippi Theatre Association State Drama Festival’s “Best Chore- ography” award for Altar Boyz (Just Over the Rainbow Theatre). Kevin also judges as a visual show choir clinician throughout the Midwest and Southeast. His show choirs consistently place as finalists winning many choreography caption awards. Other teaching credits include: choreography clinician at the Eastern Illinois University Music Camp, The Blue Ridge Show Choir Camp in WV, and the Butler Summer Showcase in El Dorado, and teaching choreography with On Your Toes Studio in Hattiesburg. Kevin recently choreographed the USM production of Sweeney Todd and will choreograph Hairspray for Maryann Kyle’s “Command Performance Workshop” during Festival South this summer. JOSEPH BRITAIN Rhapsody in Blue: Pianist Although Joseph Britain graduated USM in 1984 with a degree in accounting, he couldn’t avoid a career in music. His career as Music Minister for churches in Hattiesburg, Birmingham and St Louis has meant that thus far Joseph has never worked a day as an accountant. (He doesn’t even do his own taxes!) In addition to his church work, Joseph is a frequent performer and prolific arranger, appearing with and writing for The Mississippi, Alabama, Utah and Tampa Symphony Orchestras, as well as numerous university orchestra and bands. He last appeared in Natchez 16 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music as arranger/pianist for the Natchez Christmas Cabaret 2012. Kathleen Farrar Buccleugh Kiss Me Kate, Puttin’ on the Ritz, Rigoletto Kathleen Buccleugh, soprano, appeared as Despina in Cosi fan Tutte, Proskovia in The Merry Widow, Sister Genevieve in Suor Angelica, Gianetta in The Gondoliers, and Pernille in The Beautiful Bridegroom. Ms. Buccleugh’s concert appearances include Mozart’s Requiem under the baton of Dr. John Ratledge, and Handel’s Messiah, Eleanor Daley’s Requiem and Vivaldi’s Gloria under the direction of James Seay. She will premiere the soprano solos in Wesley King’s new Mass later this year. Ms. Buccleugh earned praise for her “purely lovely… delightful and touching” Johanna in her musical theater debut of Sweeney Todd with The Actor’s Charitable Theatre in Tuscaloosa in 2011. Ivan Conrad Billy Goats Gruff, Miss Me Kate, Rigoletto Bass-baritone Ivan Conrad’s credits include Rumpelstiltskin and Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro (Empire THE ARTISTS Opera), Ceprano in Rigoletto (Long Island Opera Company), Ghosts of Versailles and Summer and Smoke (Manhattan School of Music), Raimondo in Lucia de Lammermoor, Colline in La Bohème, and Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin. Mr. Conrad’s concert appearances include Mozart’s Requiem in Milan, engagements with the New York Philharmonic, and Beethoven’s Mass in C and Handel’s Messiah with the New Mexico Philharmonic. Future engagements include Alidoro in La Cenerentola and Simone in Gianni Schicchi with Dicapo Opera Theater and Peter Grimes and Falstaff with Chautauqua Opera. Alejandro Drago The Magical World of Tango Hailed by music critics as “a superb musician” with the “classical virtuosity of a Heifetz or Perlman,” the “suave café style of Florian Zabach” and the jazzy insouciance of Stephane Grapelli,” Alejandro Drago has “crisscrossed the line between concerto virtuoso and jazz soloist.” His versatile musicianship has allowed him to be successful with programs as diverse as the cycle of Six Sonatas for solo violin by Eugene Ysaye, the performance and recordings of his own arrangement of the celebrated “Cuatro Estanciones Portenas” by Astor Paizzolla in Austria, the world premiere of Arthur Barbosa’s Violin Concerto in the United States, and performances as soloist with the symphony Orchestra of University City, Missouri in Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto. His discography in France, USA and Argentina includes string quartets, concertos, avant-garde tangos for the EMI International label and works for solo violin CD distributed internationally by Naxos Music Library Japan and CD Tradition. Alejandro received a scholarship to study at Moscow State Conservatory and obtained his Master of Fine Arts in Violin Performance and Pedagogy. In 2008 he received a Master’s Degree in Violin Performance and a D.M.A. in Orchestral Conducting from the University of Southern Mississippi. His scholarly works have become important references in English language scholarly studies of Tango music. His symphonic and chamber arrangements of Argentine music have been performed extensively in Europe and Latin America, as well as in the United States by the fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, the Dallas Symphony orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Alejandro’s many awards include special prize in the Rodolfo Lipizer International Competition (Italy, 1992), third prize in the Petar Konjovich International young Musicians Competition (Yugoslavia, 1993) and the first prize in the “New Talents in classical Music” Competition (Buenos Aires, 1997). In July 2008 Alejandro joined the faculty at the University of North Dakota Department of Music as the Professor of Violin and Viola and Director of Strings/ Chamber Orchestra. TOM DUNGAN Festival Production Manager Tom, returning for his second season with The Natchez Festival of Music, has worked as a professional in the music field for over three decades, specializing in the areas of Production, Operations, and Event Logistics.He has worked closely with Festival’s Artistic Director Dr. Jay Dean, managing event logistics and production details for such worldrenowned artists as Itzahk Perleman, Yo-Yo Ma, Renee Fleming, Ray Charles, Marvin Hamlisch, Doc Severensin, and The Pointer Sisters.Previously held positions include Director of Operations with the Mississippi and Charleston, SC Symphony Orchestras. As both a Board and Staff member of the professional vocal group Carolina Chamber Chorale, Tom served as Coordinator for a historic recording of the choral chamber music catalog of famed 20th Century American composer Samuel Adler. Tom is an experienced lighting, sound, and special effects technician with StageTec, a production company specializing in large scale-events. Additionally, he is owner and operator of Rhythms Music Services, a fullservice musician’s contracting agency, based in Hattiesburg, MS. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 17 THE ARTISTS Landon Henry Kiss Me Kate Landon Henry is playing Ralph in Kiss Me Kate. He is a local actor and graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, where he received his BFA in Theatre Performance. He has acted and directed numerous productions at the Natchez Little Theatre and is extremely grateful to be a part of the Natchez Festival of Music. In June he will be moving to Chicago to pursue an acting career. He would like to thank Rob and Dr. Dean for the opportunity to participate in this event, as well as Monica Hayes for her fantastic guidance and support as his acting professor and coach! dianna glaze Billy Goats Gruff: Director Although she is a native of Pine Prairie, La., Diana now calls Natchez home. A graduate of the University of Southwestern Louisiana, she has been employed with Callon Petroleum Company for 30 years, now serving as Manager of Human Resources. Diana was involved with the Natchez Little Theatre, performing in various roles, directing, and serving on its Board of Directors. She now serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Natchez Festival of Music and also serves on the Board of Directors of Saint Joseph Arts, Inc. Past performances include various characters in The Dining Room, Emmaline Randall in Southern Exposure, dancer and comic foil in The Mississippi Medicine Show, Sylvia in Sylvia, Louise Seger in Always . . . Patsy Cline, Lottie in Crazy for You, Mrs. Mullen in Carousel, Mrs. Pearce in My Fair Lady, and Mame in Auntie Mame. Diana has directed The Cemetery Club, The Taffetas, A Taffeta Christmas, Always . . . Patsy Cline, and G.I. Jukebox. 18 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music David Goldblatt Puttin’ on the Ritz: Music Director Dr. David Goldblatt is an Assistant Professor of Piano and Music History as well as a Staff Accompanist at Alcorn State University. He earned his Ph.D. in Musicology at the University of Florida and his master’s degree in Piano Performance from the University of New Mexico. Prior to his arrival in Natchez, Dr. Goldblatt served as a Dance Accompanist at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College and an Adjunct Professor of Music at Santa Fe College. His research interests include various facets of Jewish Music and he has made multiple presentations on musical topics at academic conferences. Nora Graham-Smith Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto Nora Graham-Smith, most recently appeared as Berta in Denis Krief ’s production of Il Barbiere di Siviglia at Fondazione Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, Italy. Her past appearances include the title role in Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortileges, Mercedes in Carmen at Castleton Festival, Zerlina in Don Giovanni and Pitti-Sing in The Mikado with THE ARTISTS Syracuse Opera. Ms. GrahamSmith’s 2013 engagements include performances with Gotham Chamber in La hija de Rappaccini conducted by Neal Goren, Hannah in William Meyer’s opus A Death in the Family with Opera D’Avingon, and Maddelena in Rigoletto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the direction by Doug Fitch. luke grooms Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto Luke Grooms, joined the Metropolitan Opera roster as a cover during Prokofiev’s The Gambler and made his Carnegie Hall debut as Fante in I Due Foscari with the Opera Orchestra of New York. Recent roles include: The Duke in Rigoletto (St. Petersburg Opera), Nemorino in L’Elisir d’amore (Mississippi Opera), Roderigo in Otello (Opera in the Heights), and Gianetto in La Gazza Ladra (The Bronx Opera). Other selected roles include: Tonio, Belmonte, Albert Herring, Riccardo Percy in Anna Bolena, Ferrando, Tebaldo, Mitridate, Des Griex, and Lindoro with companies such as The Baltimore Opera, Lyric Opera Baltimore, Baltimore Lyric Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, New York City Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Opera North. Mr. Grooms also sang Dwight and God in Jerry Springer: The Opera in its New York premiere at Carnegie Hall and with Boston’s Speakeasy Stage Company, Piangi in The Phantom of the Opera national touring show, and Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd at The Fulton Theater. romina gurian A Musical Wine Tasting, Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto Soprano, Romina Gurian, a native of Buenos Aires Argentina currently studies with Virginia Grasso and attended Manhattan School of Music and Brooklyn College under the tutelage of Mignon Dunn. She earned full scholarships at the Music Conservatory of Westchester with Renata Scotto, the Epcaso summer institute with Enza Ferrari, and the Martina Arroyo Foundation. In 2007 Ms. Gurian made her operatic debut in Buenos Aires, Argentina as Gilda with the Juventus Lyrica. Recent roles include Silberklang in Der Schauspieldirektor and Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro. She is currently a young artist at Dicapo Opera in NY. Perry Davis Harper Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto Tenor Perry Davis Harper recently debuted with Opera Birmingham as Erster geharnischter Mann in Die Zauberflöte, and as the Tamino cover, and Pinkerton in concert performances of Madama Butterfly. Mr. Harper will be a resident artist with the Tri Cities Opera in the 2013-14 season singing the roles of Don Jose in Carmen and Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus. Other regional roles performed include Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with Sugar Creek Symphony and Song and Ferrando in Così fan tutte with Pacific Opera Project in Los Angeles. His roles while attending The University of Alabama have included Ferrando in Così fan tutte, Marco in The Gondoliers, and he created the role of Edgar Allan Poe in the world premiere of Amir Zaheri’s The Raven’s Revenge. He performed with Opera in the Ozarks in 2010 and the Druid City Opera Workshop in 2011. Mr. Harper holds a Master of Music degree in vocal performance from the University of Alabama and a Bachelor of Arts degree in music from Arkansas State University. His teachers have included Paul Houghtaling and Julia Lansford, and he has coached with Martha Wade, Bruce Stasyna, David Holkeboer, and Richard Masters. christopher hart Rigoletto: Chorus Master Christopher Hart has been involved in music and theater for over 40 years. He earned a Bachelor of Music Education (Choral) from Drake University and an Master of Arts in Music from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and has performed with the Sarasota Opera, the Tulsa Opera Chorus, 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 19 THE ARTISTS and more recently with the Pike County Little Theater. Christopher has also been Music Director for productions of Godspell and Handel’s Messiah. He is currently Director of Music and Arts at Centenary UMC (McComb), is an award-winning songwriter, and competes on reining horses. Jennifer Hart Kiss Me Kate: Music Director Jennifer Hart currently studies conducting under Dr. Jay Dean as a doctoral candidate at The University of Southern Mississippi an serves as the Marketing and Educational Outreach Assistant for the USM Symphony Orchestra. She served as the Music Director for The Mikado and Assistant Conductor for Don Giovanni during last year’s Natchez Festival of Music. Ms. Hart was Assistant Conductor and Chorusmaster for Southern Opera and Musical Theatre’s productions of I Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana and FestivalSouth’s productions of The Pirates of Penzance, The Magic Flute, and Don Giovanni. She produced and conducted The Little Prince, L’enfant et les sortileges, and Die Fledermaus. Ms. Hart’s musical theater conducting credits include Ragtime, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Who’s Tommy, Children of Eden, Oliver!, and Cats. Jennifer has performed at the Festival of the Aegean in Syros, Greece under the batons of John Rutter and Peter Tiboris and with Maryann Kyle and Paul Houghtaling for last year’s Christmas Cabaret. rusty JENKINS Kiss Me Kate Natchez native and popular local theatrical performer, Hyde Rust Jenkins II is an Ole Miss graduate who practices law in Natchez. Rusty served Adams County Prosecuting Attorney and later as Chancery Judge of the 17th Chancery District of Mississippi. He has owned and operated two businesses in the community and is a member of The First Presbyterian Church of Natchez. Rusty writes and records radio commercials. He is active in the Natchez Little Theatre and regularly volunteers to help raise funds for the Natchez City Cemetery each year with Angels on the Bluff. Jonathan Levin, Piano American Frontiers, Billy Goats Gruff: Music Director, Kiss Me Kate Born in North Carolina, Jonathan Levin debuted with the Raleigh Symphony Orchestra at age fifteen and has become an increasingly sought after recitalist. Solo and collaborative performances include 20 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music appearances at Steinway Hall, Brooklyn Public Library, the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland and the Kosciusko Foundation in Manhattan, Smedes Parlor Concert Series in Raleigh, NC, the New York Society for Ethical Culture and concerts in North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Nevada, Washington State and Florida. Mr. Levin has also performed with the Durham Symphony, the North Carolina Symphony and at the NC Governor’s Mansion and NC Museum of Art. He was awarded 2nd Prize at the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition and the Alan Walker Award from the American Liszt Society. Directing credits include Remarkable Theater Brigade’s Opera Shorts program in Manhattan, Musical Director of the Natchez Festival of Music’s Educational Outreach, and Artistic Director and founder of Clayton Piano Festival in Clayton, NC. Sara Linger Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto Sara Linger’s most recent appearances include Zerlina in Don Giovanni (FestivalSouth Opera Young Artist Program), The Child in L’enfant et les Sortileges (Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Co.), and Bach’s Mass in B Minor (soprano soloist, The University of Southern Mississippi). Other roles include The Prince in The Little Prince, Mabel in Pirates of Penzance, Second Spirit in Die Zauberflote, and THE ARTISTS Musetta in La Bohème (cover), and roles with the Natchez Festival of Music and Operafestival di Roma. Miss Linger recently completed a Bachelor’s of Music in voice and piano performance at the University of Southern Mississippi, with Dr. Maryann Kyle and Dr. Lois Leventhal. Larry Macklin Rigoletto Larry Macklin, tenor, is a presser award-winning scholar from Memphis, TN. Mr. Macklin is an Alcorn State alumnus who has received his bachelor’s degree in Music with a concentration in Vocal Performance. He is a National Association of Teachers and Navy Sea Chanters competitor. Mr. Macklin is an active professional stage performer. He has collaborated with professional theater companies such as Playhouse on the Square and Circuit Playhouse on the production of High School Musical in Memphis, TN. Mr. Macklin has volunteered in Port Gibson’s Blue Barn theatre on the production The Turnabouts. In the 2012 school year, he was the only undergraduate to participate in the National Historically Black Colleges and Universities Choir called “105 Voices” in Washington, D. C. Larry Macklin plans to further his career as a vocal performance major in graduate studies. He has high hopes to become a very notable performer someday. Elizabeth Moak Home Sweet Home: Piano Noted for her “sensitivity” and “generous imagination” (La Suisse, Geneva, Switzerland), pianist Elizabeth Moak has performed throughout the United States (including national television and radio) and internationally. Winner of the Mu Phi Epsilon International Competition, Elizabeth Moak holds the Diplôme de Virtuosité with highest honors from the Neuchâtel Conservatory (Switzerland). She has also been recognized for her collaborative work by the Peabody Conservatory (studies with Leon Fleisher, Julian Martin, and Ann Schein) and the Music Academy of the West. Critics have recently given commendatory attention to her 2012 debut solo recording Art, Fire, Soul: Piano Music of Judith Lang Zaimont, recorded at the request of and under the guidance of the composer, and cited Moak’s “brio, assurance, and remarkable talent” (ResMusica, www.resmusica.com, France) as well as her “musicianship and panache” (Classical Net). Rob Mulholland Kiss Me Kate: Stage Director Rob Mulholland, Staging Director, has directed Opera and Musical Theatre productions nationally and internationally in New York, London’s West End and the famed Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. He has worked with actors and singers from The Royal National Theatre, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Broadway, The Metropolitan Opera, and Hollywood. Credits include directing Denyce Graves in Carmen, serving as Production Manager for Placido Domingo in Concert, Cosi fan Tutte, The Magic Flute, The Marriage of Figaro, The Pirates of Penzance with FestivalSouth 2010, and Don Giovanni with the Natchez Festival 2012. His numerous musical theatre credits include West Side Story, Cats, Oliver!, Joseph…Dreamcoat, Company, Into the Woods, The King and I, Guys and Dolls, Cabaret, Big River, Grease, The Music Man, South Pacific, The Who’s Tommy, Chicago, The Drowsy Chaperone, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and The Producers for which he won a New Orleans Director of the Year Award. Recently in London and Edinburgh, he directed the critically acclaimed World Premiere of The Last South, which subsequently toured to 27 cities throughout the United Kingdom. Next month he directs the Tony Award winning Hairspray at the Historic Saenger Theatre in Hattiesburg. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 21 THE ARTISTS Rhonda E. Price Rigoletto Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, Rhonda currently attends Alcorn State University where she is a senior vocal music performance major. While at Alcorn, she has had the opportunity to travel around the country with Alcorn State University’s Concert Choir, performing and entertaining audiences of all ages. She has also had the distinguished opportunity to sing for the second inauguration of George Bush in 2005. The following year the Concert Choir performed at the highly revered Carnegie Hall. Ms. Price is a member of the Alcorn State University chapter of Choir Psi Phi National Music Society and the Theta Gamma chapter of Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Sorority, Inc. She has performed in productions of Ahmahl and the Night Visitors (2003), Porgy and Bess (2005) and Treemonisha (2006). daniel quintana Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto Daniel Quintana recently performed Mizgir in Rimsky-Korsakov’s Snegurochka and Theobald and Thorwart in Marrying Mozart. Past performances include Gangster 2 in Kiss Me, Kate and Sam Mason in Girl Crazy (Utah Festival Opera), Guardia/Prete/ Cardinale in Il Caso Mortara and Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly (Dicapo Opera Theater), Manfredo in L’Amore dei Tre Re (Bleecker Street Opera), Marcello (Opera Las Vegas), Valentin in Faust (Regina Opera of Brooklyn), the title role of Gianni Schicchi (Opera BelCantanti), Smirnov in William Walton’s The Bear (Chelsea Opera), and Figaro in the Mercadante’s I Due Figaro. Future performances include Reuben in Joseph...Dreamcoat and REX. Zack Rabin A Musical Wine Tasting, Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto Bass-Baritone, Zack Rabin’s past performances include Innkeeper in Man of La Mancha (Natchez Festival 2010), Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos (Winter Opera St. Louis), Bartolo in Le Nozze di Figaro (St. Petersburg Opera), Innkeeper/Captain in Manon Lescaut (Chautauqua Opera), Spencer Coyle in Owen Wingrave, Publio in La Clemenza di Tito, Marquis in La Traviata (Boston University Opera Institute), and appearances with Sarasota Opera, Opera New Jersey, Ohio Light Opera, Lyric Opera of Virginia, New York Lyric Opera, Lyrique en-Mer in France, IIVA in Italy, and IVAI in Israel, and Bel Canto Northwest. Mr. Rabin will also perform Colline in La Bohème (Ash Lawn Opera). 22 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music James D. Rodriguez Rigoletto Baritone James D. Rodriguez has performed Don Profondo in Il Viaggio a Reims, Harasta in Cunning Little Vixen, Baron de Gondremarck in La Vie Parisienne, the Vicar in Albert Herring, Orgon in Tartuffe, Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier, Captain Magallanes in Salsipuedes, Rigoletto in Rigoletto, Escamillo in Carmen (Cypress Creek Foundation), Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro (Rising Star Singers Opera Program), Belcore in L’Elisir D’Amore (Regal Opera), Pritschitsch in The Merry Widow (Utah Festival Opera and Musical Theatre), and in the Texas Music Festival’s Le Chiavi di Bel Canto. Mr. Rodriguez won first place in the Moores School of Music Concerto Competition and the Texas Young Artist Vocal Competition. SUSAN RUGGIERO Home Sweet Home Susan Ruggiero, an active performer and educator based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi has received prestigious awards including the Shreveport Opera’s Singer of the Year Competition, the Mozart Award in the Na- THE ARTISTS tional Orpheus Vocal Competition, and district winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (2007, 2009). She has sung with New Orleans Opera, Natchez Opera, Mississippi Opera, Opera South, Kentucky Opera, Wildwood Opera, Blue Lake Opera, Opéra Louisiane, and was a Fellow at Tanglewood. Ms. Ruggiero performs regularly as a soloist and as a founding member of Accento Trio with flutist Danilo Mezzadri and pianist Elizabeth Moak. Susan teaches at The University of Southern Mississippi, at William Carey University, and is a performing faculty member at the Festival Música nas Montanhas in Poços de Caldas, Brazil and Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in Michigan. Ms. Ruggiero holds a bachelor’s degree in music from Michigan State University, master’s degrees in voice and flute performance from the University of Michigan, and a DMA from Louisiana State University. JOSEPH RYAN Billy Goats Gruff, Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto Joseph Ryan earned a Master’s in Voice Performance from Cincinnati Conservatory of Music has performed with Cincinnati May Festival, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, Cincinnati Opera, Sarasota Opera, Central City Opera, the Opera Theatre of Lucca, Italy and as a semi-finalist in the 2012 Opera Birmingham Competition. Mr. Ryan’s roles include Sacristan in Tosca and the Father in Hansel und Gretel (Opera Naples), Monterone in Rigoletto (St. Petersburg Opera), soloist in Orff ’s Carmina Burana and Mozart’s Requiem (Charlotte Symphony Orchestra), soloist in Brahms’ Liebeslieder Walzer (Encore Chamber Music Series, Palladium Theater), and a performer in A Composer’s Symposium: Carlisle Floyd (Opera Tampa Vocal Arts Festival). Rocky Sellers Rigoletto Bass, Rocky Sellers’, past performances include Usher/ Monterone in Rigoletto and Hawker in The Mighty Casey (Opera Saratoga), Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte (New York Lyric Opera), Betto in Gianni Schicchi (Poor Richard’s Opera), Presto in Les Mamelles des Tiresias (Temple University Opera), Leporello in Don Giovanni and Baron Douphol in La Traviatta (University of Tennessee-Knoxville Opera). Mr. Sellers has also performed with Sarasota Opera, the Como Opera Guild, Manhattan School of Music Opera Studio, and as The Sprecher in Die Zauberflöte (International Opera Program Seoul, Korea). Future engagements include performances with Independence Sinfonia Orchestra in Philadelphia, PA and as a Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Artist. Pablo Sotomayor Musical Wine Tasting; Rossini, Puccini and Martinis, The Black Swan: Pianist Pablo Sotomayor, one of the most internationally active and versatile Peruvian pianists of his generation, graduated with honors from the National Conservatory of Music of Lima, Peru and holds a Master’s Degree in Piano Performance from the University of Southern Mississippi. Mr. Sotomayer performs repertoire such as Rachmaninoff ’s second, Grieg’s, and Tchaikovsky’s first concerti in recitals and concerts in Peru and the United States. He has also worked with maestro Jay Dean as the premier accompanist for the USM Opera program and FestivalSouth. Other opera credits: Romanza’s 2011 La Bohème (Lima, Peru), Mississippi Opera’s Madame Butterfly (Jackson, MS), 2012 Natchez Festival’s Don Giovanni, and 2013 Natchez Festival’s Rigoletto. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 23 THE ARTISTS CHRISTOPHER STALLINGS Rigoletto Christopher Stallings is originally from Starkville, Mississippi, but has lived in Corinth, Mississippi most of his life. He is a graduate of Corinth High School. Growing up, music has always been a passion in his life, as well as all other forms of creativity and entertainment. He plans on graduating from Alcorn State University with a degree in vocal performance, and continuing his education with a masters degree in Counseling. Díana Darlene Thompson Billy Goats Gruff, Kiss Me Kate, Rigoletto Díana Darlene Thompson is a versatile vocalist and characterful performer. Her voice possesses a rare richness and depth for a lyric coloratura soprano, yet is still exceptionally agile and maintains its high, upper extension. In her coloratura repertoire, she is noted for “negotiating all… [the] pyrotechnics with aplomb and sparkling skill.” Díana holds a Master of Music degree from the University of North 24 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music Carolina at Greensboro and a Bachelor of Music degree from Augusta State University, both in vocal performance. She has been seen in the roles of Adele in Die Fledermaus, Miss Silverpeal in Die Schauspieldirektor, Millie in Picnic, Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, and Sister Genevieve in Suor Angelica. Díana is also a member of the American Spiritual Ensemble and has performed with the Augusta Opera, Greenville Light Opera Works, Charleston Chamber Opera, Charleston Chamber Orchestra, the Martina Arroyo Prelude to Performance program, and the Singers of Cary. In addition to opera, Díana has also been a soprano soloist in Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Cantata 4, Haydn’s Mass in Time of War, Vivaldi’s Magnificat, excerpts from Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess, and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy. THREE BILLY GOATS GRUFF Three Billy Goats Gruff Music by Mozart, Donizetti, Rossini Words and Story adaptation by John Davies Diana Glaze Stage Director CAST Jonathan Levin Musical Director Accompanist Lucy Diana Thompson Soprano Ernesto Rachel Arky Mezzo Soprano Osmin Ivan Conrad Bass-Baritone Dandini Joseph Ryan Baritone James Boykin, Stage Manager Fairy Tales Come to Life through Music Children learn through music. In this day and age many young parents fail to teach their children nursery rhymes and fairy tales. However, children can learn many things through them. This year’s Billy Goats Gruff is performed for our Children’s Outreach Program. John Davies was approached by the Kansas City Lyric Opera’s educational director in 1997 and was asked to consider writing an opera featuring strategies for dealing with bullies. Since the problem of dealing with bullies in schools was a continuing problem, he agreed to do this. Children’s literature is filled with bullying types, so he choose the Troll in the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. During the course of the opera the Goats consider how to deal with the bully by avoiding him altogether and resolving to talk with grownups about the problem. In the end, strength of character and determination win the day with the smallest goat. Having accidently pushed the Troll form the bridge, she enlists his friendship. Facing the bully down is not an officially Bobbye wynn recommended course of action. However, it makes for some fun theatre and provides a point of Chairperson Educational Outreach Program discussion in classroom interaction about bullying. As with last year’s opera, The Three Little Pigs, the music is taken from operas by Mozart, Donizetti and Rossini and the libretto is by John Davies. The Children’s Education Program reaches out to many communities of children. Public and Private school students share performances together. Many of the children from all strata of society experience a medium of music that many have never heard before. Special thanks goes out to the following people who have helped in the following ways: costumes provided by Cindy Idom and Mike Lazarus and sets by Layne Taylor and the Natchez Little Theatre, Larry Buckley, and West Elementary School, and the music from operas by Mozart, Donizetti and Rossini, and the libretto by John Davies. Bobbye Wynn Educational Outreach Program Chairman Natchez Festival of Music pROUDLY sPONSORED BY: 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 25 PERFORMANCES Rhapsody in Blue A Tribute to George Gershwin, America’s Music Man Joseph Britain, pianist and arranger A mix of jazz and classical music, performed by pianist Joseph Britain, the Natchez Festival Jazz Orchestra and other guests, demonstrates how Gershwin “took music from the nightclub to the concert hall.” NATCHEZ REALTY Rena Jean Schmieg Broker, Graduate of the Realty Institute 601.446.8280 Business 601.660.2136 Cell 601.446.8982 Fax rschmieg@bellsouth.net Congratulations Natchez Festival of Music to the for a Fantastic 23rd Season 7:00 p.m. Saturday, May 4 First Presbyterian Church of bringing outstanding performers and great music to Natchez and the surrounding areas. Life is Great! Business is Good! People are Wonderful! Uptown Grocery & Deli Puttin’ on the Ritz “Not your average market” 531 South Canal St. Natchez, Mississippi 601-445-9111 The Natchez Festival of Music wishes to Thank St. Mary Basilica and Father David O’Conner for their support 26 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music The Music of Irving Berlin Russian-born American composer Irving Berlin wrote an estimated 1,500 songs. This fun-filled performance spans his 60-year career and includes scores from Broadway shows and Hollywood films. 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 10 The Van Court Town House NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC GUILD MEMBERS Board of Directors President: Rena Jean Schmieg Vice-President: Margaret House Secretary: Nan Erle Schuchs Treasurer: Maxine Brice Doris Ann Benoist Ginny Benoist Sandra Burkes Sue Burkhalter Coral Byrd Paula Estes Evelyn Fairbanks Jeanette Feltus Beverly Jenkins Pat Jonaitis Julie Kendall Brad LeMay Pam McDonald Bill McGehee Elodie Pritchartt Bill Robertson Mary Robertson Peggy Sandel Ginger Schwager Claudette Songy Kathy Traina Edwin “Win” C. Ward Faye Weatherly Pam Wood Honorary Members In appreciation of their generous donation of their talents in helping the Guild with our special fund raising events, the following artists, home owners, and auctioneers have been designated at Honorary Members of the Natchez Festival of Music Guild: Swing with the Music of Love Dr. and Mrs. Jack Rodriguez Mr. Barry Maxwell Ms. Lynn Beach Smith Mr. Sam Bruton Bel Canto Gala Mr. and Mrs. John Deakle Fr. Walton Jones Final Gala Mrs. Jeanette Feltus Body of Members Mr. and Mrs. Lem Adams Mrs. Leona Adams and Family Mr. and Mrs. Boyd Alexander Mr. and Mrs. Dale Anderson Mrs. Anne B. Allmand Brother Vincent Bache, OSB Mrs. C. Stevens Bailey Dr. and Mrs. David Ball Mrs. Ethel G. Banta Dr. and Mrs. Robert Barnes Mrs. Kirk Bartley Mrs. Jack Benoist Mr. and Mrs. Paul H. Benoist Mr. and Mrs. Jack Benson Mr. and Mrs. John Bergeron Mr. and Mrs. Rawdon Blankenstein Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Boelte Mr.and Mrs. Edward Bond Mr. and Mrs. John P. Bornman, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Brice, Sr. Ms. Beverly Britt Mr. and Mrs. Ron Brumfield Mr. and Mrs. Bill Bryan Mr. George C. Bryan Dr. and Mrs. Peter Bundgard Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Burkes Mr. and Mrs. Pat Burns Mr. and Mrs. Richard Byrd Mrs. Bee Byrnes Dr. and Mrs. William F. Calhoun Dr. and Mrs. Daniel McCallum and Family Mr. and Mrs. Philip Carby Mrs. Jewel Causey Ms. Katherine Chamlee Mr. and Mrs. Ron Chapman Mr. Tim Chesteen Mrts. Laurie Coffee Ms. Marsha Colson Mr. and Mrs. Marlon Copeland Ms. Debbie Cosey Mrs. Constance P. Cowart Mrs. Martha Currie Mr. and Mrs. John Dale Mr. and Mrs. Wilton Dale, Jr. Mrs. Liz Dantone Mr. Charles Davenport Dr. and Mrs. Charles R. Davis Mr. Cliff Davis Mr. Clinton Davis Mr. and Mrs. Robert M. Dearing Mr. John De La Tour Dr. and Mrs. Gerald F. DeLaune Mr. Jerry Dixon Mr. and Mrs. Hayward Drane, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Drouillard Mr. Merkel Dupuy Ms. Camille Durkin Mr. and Mrs. John Ehricht Mrs. Ann Eidt Dr. and Mrs. Fred Emrick Mr. and Mrs. Terry Estes Ms. Joan Evans Mrs. Evelyn Fairbanks Mrs. Donald Farrar Ms. Charlene Favre Mr. and Mrs. Clark Feiser Mrs. Jeanette Feltus Mr. and Mrs. Bob Flurry Mrs. Sue Fountain Dr. and Mrs. Jim Franklin Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Fry Mr. and Mrs. Pat Galloway Mrs. Ann Garrity Mrs. Dorothy Gaudet-Rainer Dr. and Mrs. James Gavette Mr. and Mrs. Mike Gemmell M. James Germany Mrs. Diana Glaze Ms. Wendy Grandin Mr. Frank Gresock Mrs. George Guido Dr. and Mrs. Robert Haimson Mr. and Mrs. Larry Hardee Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Harrison Mrs. Donna Harrison Mr. and Mrs. Ed Haworth Mr. Bll Heburn Mr. and Mrs. Bill Henley Princess Prudence Hernandez Mr. and Mrs. Al Hollingswoth Mr. and Mrs. Harold House Mr. Bill Huffler Mrs. Nancy Hungerford Mr. and Mrs. Bennie Jeansonne Mrs. Beverly Phillips Jenkins Mrs. Hyde D. Jenkins Mr. Hyde R. Jenkins Mr. and Mrs. Adolf J. Jonaitis Mrs. Mary Ann Brandon Jones Mr. and Mrs. Leo Joseph Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Kaiser Mrs. Betty Kaiser Mr. Keith Karlson Mrs. John D. Kendall Mrs. Donald Killelea Mr. and Mrs. Al King Mr. Alan Kocheck Dr. Larry Konecky Mr. and Mrs. Jerold Krouse Dr. and Mrs. Hank Kuiper Dr. Bruce Kuehnle Mr. and Mrs. Ron Lane Mr. and Mrs. Bazile Lanneau Mrs. Phyllis Lee-Ray Mr. and Mrs. Richard Leet Dr. and Mrs. Brad LeMay Mr. and Mrs. Jim Lessley Mrs. Pam Manasco Mr. and Mrs. Barry Maxwell Mrs. Gwen McCalip Mrs. Malva McCalip Mr. Jim McClure Mr. Terry McCuan Mr. and Mrs. John McCullough Mr. and Mrs. Marvin McDonald Mr. and Mrs. William F. McGehee Mr. Ronald McGowan Ms. Joan M. McLemore Mr. and Mrs. Scott McLemore Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas McNeely Mr. and Mrs. Bob McWilliams Mrs. Susan Meng Mr. and Mrs. Jake Middleton Mr. and Mrs. H. C. “Buddy” Miller Dr. and Mrs. Anthony Morris Mrs. JoAnn Mullins Mr. S. Wayne Murphy Ms. Yvonne Murray Mr. and Mrs. James Nutter Mr. and Mrs. Robert Owens Ms. Louise Peabody Mr. and Mrs. Gene Perkins Mrs. W. Samuel Perkins Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Person Mr. Hayden Petkovsek Mrs. Shirley Petkovsek Mrs. Edith Koerber Piazza Mrs. Freda Piazza Mr. George K. Piazza Mrs. Noemie Ponstein Ms. Elodie Pritchartt Mr. and Mrs. Robert R. Punches Mr. Bernie Pyron Mrs. Pat Ray Mrs. Camella Richardson Mr. and Mrs. Ron Riches Mr. and Mrs. William Robertson Mr. and Mrs. Walt Roddy Mrs. Jo Ann Rogers Mr. Mario Romano Mr. and Mrs. Tom Rosenblatt Mrs. Mackie L. Saleeby Mr. and Mrs. Walter Sandel Mr. and Mrs. Jim Sanders Mrs. Mary E. Sanguinetti Mr. and Mrs. Bob Sasser Mrs. Robert E. Schmieg Mrs. Nan F. Schuchs Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Schwager Mr. Robert E. Scudamore Mrs. Linda Shehan Mrs. Dunbar Shields Mr. and Mrs. Dan Shiells Dr. and Mrs. Robert Sizemore Mr. and Mrs. Bill Slatter Mrs. C. Gil Smith Mr. and Mrs. Ricky Smith Mrs. Sharon Smitherman Mr. and Mrs. Ed Songy Mr. and Mrs. H. I. Stahlman Mr. Joseph Stone Mr. and Mrs. Robert Strader Mrs. Jack B. Stubbs Mr. and Mrs. Holmes Sturgeon Mr. Ronald F. Switzer Mr. and Mrs. George Tanner Mr. H. Michael Tatum Mr. and Mrs. Billy Tew Mr. Dick Thompson Mr. and Mrs. Mike Thompson Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Tilden Mrs. Clifford Tillman Dr. and Mrs. Ancel C. Tipton, Jr. Mr. Walter Tipton Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Traina and Family Mr. and Mrs. Terry Trovato Dr. J. Neil Varnell Mr. and Mrs. Richard Walcott Mr. Al Walker Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Walker Mrs. Annalo N. Wallace Mr. and Mrs. E. C. Ward, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. H. Edward Weidlich Dr. Mike Wheelis Mrs. Anne White Dr. and Mrs. John White Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wilds Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Willard Mr. and Mrs. Jim Wilson Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Wingfield Mr. and Mrs. Roy Winkworth Mr. and Mrs. Gary Wood Mr. and Mrs. Dan Wynn Mr. and Mrs. Dan Yannitell Dr. and Mrs. Ben Yarbrough Mrs. Judy York 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 27 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC GUILD The Natchez Festival of Music Guild The Natchez Festival of Music Guild invites you to join this group, the part of the Natchez Festival of Music which encourages public participation and support for the activities and programs of the Festival to assure that Natchez and the surrounding areas have access to the finest musical productions possible. Membership in the Guild offers you the following privileges: ■■ Special Guild Membership ID Card ■■ Free Admission to either “Rhapsody in Blue” or Kiss Me Kate, a $30 value ■■ Recognition of your membership in the annual Natchez Festival of Music Program ■■ Opportunities to interact personally with the Natchez Festival of Music artists Yes! I want to join the Guild. Enclosed is my check made payable to the Natchez Festival of Music Guild. MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES Single Adult $20 Single Youth $10 Couple $30 Family $40 Name Address City State Zip Home Phone Cell Phone Work Phone Fax Email (Required for correspondence) COMMITTEE PREFERENCE Hospitality Amenities Housing Transportation Flowers Refreshments Special Events Production/Outreach Ushers Tickets Recitals Education Development Food for Arttists Publicity Local Remote Tours Programs Writing Internet Please send this membership form with your payment made out to Natchez Festival of Music Guild to P.O. Box 1562, Natchez, MS 39121. For further information, Phone 601.446.8280. Please check www.natchezfestivalofmusic.com for additional information about the Guild. 28 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music What a privilege it has been for me to work as the President of the Natchez Festival of Music Guild! The members of the Guild are dedicated to the Festival, they are enthusiastic and dependable, and they have made it fun and exciting to work together for the Festival. The Guild is the part of the Festival organization which assures public participation in support rena jeAn schmIEg of the Festival’s wonderful President productions by providing housing, transportation, amenities, and lunches for the artists; organizing and producing galas and other fund raising activities; and obtaining sponsors for these activities. We are also responsible for mailing lists, invitations, ushers, and other jobs necessary to enhance the musical productions of the Festival. This year the Guild has been involved with a number of special events. In September, we helped with The Romantic Giants, a program of music by Mozart and Hayden. October was busy, as we manned the Pepsi Booth for the Great Mississippi River Balloon Festival and helped with Die Fledermaus. We fed the Alcorn State University Concert Choir and held a reception following their Christmas Concert. A major new and popular event was “A Christmas Cabaret” held in the Natchez City Auditorium. Valentine’s Day was celebrated with our gala, “Swing with the Music of Love,” at the home of Dr. Jack and Linda Rodriguez. We are hosting a Reception honoring Paul Groves at Gloucester, the home of John and Gwen Deakle following “The Bel Canto Gala”, and the Final Gala at Linden, the home of Jeanette Feltus following the production of Rigoletto. Possibly the greatest pleasure in being a member of the Guild is having many opportunities to interact personally with the outstanding artists who come to Natchez each year as part of our Festival. We all enjoy them so much and have continuing friendships through the years with these talented musicians who give so generously of their talents to enrich our lives. The Guild welcomes all who are interested in becoming an active part of the Natchez Festival of Music and invites you to join us in continuing the tradition of bringing outstanding music to the Natchez Area. We look forward to seeing you at the wonderful productions of the Natchez Festival of Music again this year and to sharing the privilege of enjoying the great music which enhances our quality of life and provides so much pleasure for each of us. Rena Jean Schmieg NATCHEZ FESTIVAL COMMITTEES BAR AND BEVERAGE Arthur Person, Chairman Rusty Lewis Maxine and Bruce Brice Neil Varnell Peggy and Walter Sandel BUILDING/FACILITIES Dr. Senator Bob M. Dearing, Chairman Bob Adams Maxine Brice Julie Kendall Rena Jean Schmieg Nan Erle Schuchs CONSTANT CONTACT AND MAILING LIST Ginger Schwager Guild EDUCATION/CHILDREN’S OPERA Bobbye Wynn, Chairman Diana Glaze Cindy Idom FINANCE Tom Taylor, Chairman Brad LeMay FLORAL DECORATIONS Julie Kendall FUND RAISING Rena Jean Schmieg, Chairman Brad LeMay, Co-Chairman David Ball Will Devening Fred Emrick Terry Estes Rusty Jenkins Tom Taylor GRANT RESEARCH/WRITING Larry Konecky, Chairman Rena Jean Schmieg HISTORIAN Camille Durkin HOSPITALITY Bobbye Henley Guild MARKETING AND PUBLICITY Ginny Benoist, Chairman Doris Ann Benoist Rena Jean Schmieg Mary Lessley Eric Glatzer Bobbye Henley Sally Durkin Natchez Convention and Visitor Center Bill Furlow Nathez Democrat Griffith Mehaffey Connie Taunton NFM GUILD EVENTS Rena Jean Schmieg Brad LeMay NOMINATING COMMITTEE Robert Sizemore, Chairman Bobbye Henley, Co-Chairman Doris Ann Benoist Maxine Brice Terry Estes Julie Kendall Rena Jean Schmieg PROGRAM Sandra Burkes, Chairman Mary Lessley Rena Jean Schmieg PUBLIC RELATIONS/OUTREACH Rena Jean Schmieg Mary Lessley Doris Ann Benoist Bobbye Henley Eddie Songy Diana Glaze Bobbye Wynn SPECIAL EVENTS AND FUNDRAISERS “The Romantic Giants” Die Fledermaus Pepsi Booth at the Great Mississippi River Balloon Race Alcorn State University Christmas Concert Une Fete de Noel Fantastique “Swing with the Music of Love” Bel Canto Gala Reception Final Gala Roads Scholars THANK YOU LETTERS Sandy Taylor Ethel Banta TICKET SALES Mary Robertson Maxine Brice Julie Kendall HOUSING ANGELS Rena Jean Schmieg, Chairman Mrs. Ethel Banta Mrs. Jack Benson Mr .and Mrs. John Bergeron Mr. and Mrs. Ron Brumfield Mr. Stratton Bull Mr. and Mrs. Philip Carby Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Charbonneau Mrs. Liz Dantone Days Inn of Natchez Mr. and Mrs. Richard Edgin Mrs. Ann Eidt Mrs. Dottie Gaudet-Rainer Mrs. Diana Glaze The Hampton Inn Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Harrison Mr. Bill Hufler Mr. and Mrs. Bennie Jeansonne Mrs. Ann Elizabeth Kiser Mr. Terry McCuan Mr. and Mrs. John McCullough Mr. and Mrs. Marvin McDonald Mr. and Mrs. Bill McGehee Natchez Eola Hotel The Natchez Grand Hotel Mrs. Marie Perkins Mr. and Mrs. Bryant Reed Mrs. Jo Ann Rogers Mr. and Mrs. Dan Shiells Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Seibert Mrs. Stella Sharp Mr. and Mrs. Randy Smith Mrs. and Mrs. Ricky Smith Mr. and Mrs. Edward Songy Mr. and Mrs. H. I . Stahlman Mr. and Mrs. Tom Taylor Dr. J. Neil Varnell TRANSPORTATION ANGELS Margaret House, Co- Chairman Doris Ann Benoist, Co-Chairman Bill Robertson Edward Songy Rena Jean Schmieg Diana Glaze Stratton Bull Jo Ann Mullins Ginny Benoist Bill and Donnie McGehee Bryant and Jean Reed Tate Hobdy FOOD ANGELS Nan Erle Schuchs, Chairman Maxine Brice, Co-Chairman Margaret House Evelyn Fairbanks Dottie Gaudet Rainer Anne White John de La Tour Bill and Dottie McGehee Sandra and Eddie Burkes Br. Vincent Bache Julie Kendall Mary and Bill Robertson Colleen and Rusty Lewis Peggy and Walter Sandel Rena Jean Schmieg Marvin and Pam McDonald John and Valerie Bergeron Eddie and Cathy Walker Danny and Virginia O’Beirne Terry and Paula Estes Analisa Therrien Terry and Merideth Trovato Leona Adams and family Connie and Pat Burns Bob and Jay Owens Joann Mullins Bobbye and Dan Wynn Concordia Band & Trust Co. Jake Middleton Ton and Ginger Schwager Trinity Episcopal Church John and Gwen Deakle Brad and Sherri LeMay Bobbye Drane Mary Estelle Sanguinetti Eddie and Claudette Songy Natchez Eola Hotel Liz Garrity Donna Harrison Jeanette Feltus Pat Ray Robert Adams Darby and Dennis Short Ann and Bruce Fallice Charlotte and Marlon Copeland Doris Ann Benoist Peggy and Jack Benson Alan Kochek Shirley Petkovsek Elodie Pritchartt Pat Jonaitis Nan Erle Schuchs Bob and Candy Strader Priscilla and Johnny Dale Ruth McWilliams Bob and Judy Flurry Diane and Peter Burns Ginny and Paul Benoist Sandra and Charlie Davis Deborah and Lee Martin Nan Garrison DONATION ANGELS: Roux 61 The Elms Katie’s Ladies Cherish McCallum Monmouth Carolyn Gwin Hampton Inn Steampunk Coffee Roasters Kathleen Mackey King Merkel DuPuey Marcia’s Cottages Uptown Grocery Marina Cavette Rena Jean Schmieg Natchez Grand Hotel Natchez Festival of Music Guild Ed and Claudette Songy Davidson’s Package Store David Goldblatt Mary Lessley Natchez Market Blankenstein’s Supplies and Equipment Southwest Distributors Inc. Hicks Chicks Little Dagos Davidson’s Wine & Spirits Live Oak Nursery Wal-Mart Smith Printing and Office Supply Pat McDonough Pearl Street Pasta Natchez Pathology Laboratory 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 29 TWO WEEKS OF AMAZING PERFORMANCES, ART, FOOD and FUN IN HATTIESBURG! TICKETS ON SALE NOW! www.festivalsouth.org 30 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC believe. do. At AT&T we believe in communities. That’s why we do what we do. Like striving to connect people with good jobs, donating our time and talent, supporting the underserved, and promoting innovative educational programs. Because we believe the power of you creates limitless possibilities for us all. That’s why we proudly support the Natchez Festival of Music. © 2013 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 31 FESTIVAL OF MUSIC SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS Board of Directors and Eminent Board Members Natchez Festival of Music Guild Natchez Newspapers Inc. Country Roads Bluffs and Bayous City of Natchez Adams County Board of Supervisors Adams County Sheriff ’s Office Natchez Police Department Natchez Public Works Department Natchez City Planning Department T.G. McCary, Photographer Bruce Kuehnle, Jr., Attorney Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau Walter Tipton, Tom Bauer, Warren Ruther: Grand Hotel Franklin County Women’s Club Dr. Brad LeMay: Caring for our artists Dr. John White: Caring for our artists Dr. Richard Jeansonne Mississippi Arts Commission Natchez Chamber of Commerce Peter Rinaldi Callon Petroleum Company Housing Angels Transportation Angels All the Volunteers Mississippi Public Broadcasting Natchez Pilgrimage Tours Alcorn State University The University of Southern Mississippi Copiah Lincoln Community College The Brookhaven Matinee Musicale Club Sandra Stokes and the Ladies at San-Jay Taco Bell Concordia Bank and Trust Company Monmouth Plantation First Natchez Radio Group David and Betty Paradise Robert Adams Diana Glaze Terry Trovato Regina Charbonneau The Guest House The Vue The Days Inn E2 200 State Street 606 State Street Bridgett and Glenn Green 32 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music The Kiwanis Club Barry Maxwell Burnley Cook Isle of Capri Magnolia Bluffs Casino Natchez Fine Framing and Art Gallery Auburn Antebellum Home and Museum Bisland House Bed and Breakfast Brandon Hall Bed and Breakfast Cedar Grove Plantation Bed & Breakfast Devereaux Shields House Bed/Breakfast Fat Mama’s Tamales The Prentiss Club Linden Plantation Bed and Breakfast Magnolia Cottage Bed and Breakfast Miss-Lou Magazine Mississippi Bed and Breakfast Association Natchez Downtown Development Association Natchez Literary & Cinema Celebration National Park Service Live Oak Nursery Furlow Communications, LLC Vicki Kellum & Kami McDonald, WAFB Morning Show, Baton Rouge Natchez City Cemetery Mimi Miller Trevor Brown Pilgrimage Garden Club Mark Coffey Photography WLBT - Jackson HOSTS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS First Presbyterian Church Trinity Episcopal Church St. Mary Basilica Alan Kochek: Holly Hedges Bazile and Jeannie Lanneau: Waverly Plantation Eola Hotel and The Prentiss Club Mike and Sharon Blattner: Cherokee Leon and Kristy Atkins: The Briars/BriarVue John and Gwen Deakle: Gloucester Jeanette Feltus: Linden Plantation David and Gwen Ball: The Merrill House The Historic Natchez Foundation Fat Mama’s Tamales Auburn Antebellum Home Dunleith and the Castle Restaurant Monmouth and the 1818 Restaurant Pearl Street Pasta Restaurant CONTRIBUTIONS The list of contributors is a profile of those people and organizations who, through their gifts, make the Natchez Festival of Music possible. Their names appear in recognition of their commitment to excellence in the arts in Natchez, Mississippi. All contributors listed are from May 1, 2012 to April 30, 2013. GOLD BENEFACTOR ($25,000-$49,000) SILVER BENEFACTOR ($10,000-$24,000) David Paradise Natchez Festival of Music Guild BRONZE BENEFACTOR ($5,000-$9,999) STAR ($2,500-$4,999) David Blackburn FND United Mississippi Bank Diana Glaze Adams County Board of Supervisors John G. Turner & Jerry G. Fischer PATRON ($1,000-$2,499) Callon Petroleum Albert A Newman Paul H. Benoist Neil Varnell Thomas P. Taylor Bobbye Henley Concordia Bank Bernard Wood Randall Smith Billy Tew Barrett Nobile Hugh Harris Bill Dale, Jr. Tommy Armstrong SUPPORTER ($500-$999) Ginger Hyland Ginger Schwager Carolyn Gwin Ann & Robert Paradise J. W. Seibert III Good Hope Inc. A.M. Shields Mary Lessley Claudette W. Songy Marcia and John McCullough Sandra Lane Julie Kendall Fred Emrick Jay Dean John Deakle Rita Davis John Dale Richard Byrd Virginia Brewer Hedy Boelte Supermarket Operations Matinee Musical State Farm Regions Bank Rena Jean Schmieg Lucius Butts III Pat Burns Bennie Boone R. Ricci Carriage House Dunleith Crew of Monarchs Rotary Club of Natchez Stratton Bull GIVER ($100-$249) Alfred J. Walker Ron Switzer Claiborne Hollis Kenneth Randall Carrie Iles Chuck Norris Carolyn Gwin Laurence Konecky Robert Haltom Mike Fowlkes Sue Burkhalter Doyle Spell Stout & Company Bennie Boone Brad Yarborough Rebecca Wilson Elizabeth Wilson Ancel C. Tipton Kenneth Stubbs James Sessions Freddie Sandel Albert Metcalfe Cliff Merritt M. L. McDonald Lee Martin Katherine Killelea Hayden Kaiser, Jr. Ed and Claudette Songy Kay and Jim Park Brandon Jones Carrie Iles Kate Don Green William Godfrey Robert Dearing Jim Coy Marlon Copeland A.J. Ferguson Kenneth Stubbs Ruth Ellen Calhoun Peter Buttross Nan Erle Schuchs John Bergeron CONTRIBUTOR ($1-$99) Marsha Colson Peggy Pierrepont Arthur Person David Bramlette Crew of Monarchs Ethel Banta Corrine Randazzo Dorothy Stubbs B Mizelle Memorials and Honorariums In Memory of Jo Berta Mcgehee Robert and Ann Paradise In Memory of David Heard Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Lester Meng Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Marie Biglane Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Charles Laird Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Cindy McSwain Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Arthur Eidt Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Bethan Lambdin Overton Arthur Person In Memory of Lil Graning Arthur Person Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Margaret Ward Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Nancy West Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Betty Ratcliffe Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Charlotte Biglane Nobile Barrett Nobile Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Joann Sessions Tim Sessions In Memory of Charles Bradley Passman Dr. and Mrs. Carl Passman In Honor of Rena Jean Schmieg Ruth Ellen Calhoun NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC The David Stuart Blackburn Endowment Fund In Memory of Donald C. Marion Jim and Mary Lessley In Memory of Nell Smith Jim and Mary Lessley FRIEND ($250-$499) Frank A. Drouillard Phyllis Mashburn Nancy Hungerford Patricia Dickens George Dickens Julius Carter 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 33 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC Natchez Festival Nace FesivaofoMusic Music IMPORTANT INFORMATION INFORMATION For Fo r Tickets: Ti c ke t s : (Gift Certificates available for one or entireorseason.) (Gift Certificates available for performance one performance entire season) By By phone: phone: In person: In person: Websites: sites: Web 601-445-2210 (601) 445-6103 (800) 647-6742 Natchez Pilgrimage Tours Natchez Pilgrimage Tours Natchez Visitor Center Natchez Visitors Center 640 S. Canal Street, Natchez, MS 39120 640 S. Canal Street, Natchez, MS 39120 www.natchezopera.com www.natchefestivalofmusic.com www.alcorn.edu/opera/index/html Remember: 1. gifts are are aa lovely lovely way to honor 1. Memorial Memorial gifts honor loved loved ones. ones. 2. Donations in honor of friends and family make 2. Donations in honor of friends and family make wonderful gifts. wonderful gifts. 34 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center 64 Homochitto Street P.O. Box 2207 Natchez, MS 39121 601.442.7464 Please help bring this outstanding season to our community. Natchez Festival of Music, P.O. Box 2207, Natchez, MS 39121 Name: __________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Platinum Benefactor ...............................$50,000+ Gold Benefactor .....................................$25,000–$49,999 Silver Benefactor.....................................$10,000–$24,999 Bronze Benefactor ..................................$5,000–$9,999 Star ........................................................$2,500–$4,999 Patron ....................................................$1,000–$2,499 Supporter...............................................$500–$999 Friend ....................................................$250–$499 Giver......................................................$100–$249 Contributor............................................$1-$99 PERFORMANCES Pearl Street Pasta 105 SOUTH PEARL NATCHEZ, MS 601-442-9284 Italian & American Fare New/Pick-up location on Main Street FLAT BREAD PIZZAS Open: Monday - Saturday Lunch (11:30 - 2:00) & Dinner (Open at 6:00) Closed Sundays American Frontiers Jonathan Levin, Piano Roman Sketches Op. 7 I. Nightfall Charles Griffes (1884-1920) Woodland Sketches Op. 50 VI. To a Water Lily Edward MacDowell (1860-1908) Fantasy Pieces Op. 17 I. Witches Dance 3 Preludes George Gershwin (1898-1937) The Tides of Manaunaun El Salon Mexico Henry Cowell (1897-1965 Aaron Copland (1900-1990) Arr. Leonard Bernstein Intermission Sonata No. 2 George T. Walker I. Theme and Ten Variations (1913-2011) II. Presto III. Adagio IV. Allegretto tranquillo Nine New Bagatelles William Bolcom 1. (…’and then what happened?’) (b. 1938) 2. (…what happened) 3. (…a bird comments–to another bird?) 4. (…Lord Lovell’s trunk) 5. (…a little story) 6. (…take no prisoners) 7. (…valse oubliable) 8. (…benediction) 9. (…pavane for the dead/hope’s feathers) Piano Sonata Charles Griffes I. Feroce; Allegretto con moto II Molto Tranquillo III. Allegro vivace 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 35 PERFORMANCE A Bel Canto Gala with Paul Groves “Libiamo ne’ lieti calici” Giuseppe Verdi from La Traviata (1813-1901) Emily Pulley, Maryann Kyle, Paul Groves, and Lucas Meachem “Largo al factotum della città” from Il barbiere di Siviglia Lucas Meachem, Baritone Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868) “Měsíčku na nebi hlubokém” (Song to the Moon) from Rusalka Emily Pulley, Soprano PAUL GROVES Tenor EMILY PULLEY Soprano “Una furtive lagrima” from L’elisir d’amore Antonín Dvorák (1841-1904) Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) Paul Groves, Tenor “Silvio! A quest’ ora” (Nedda and Silvio’s Duet) Ruggiero Leoncavallo from I Pagliacci (1857-1919) Lucas Meachem and Emily Pulley “Au fond du temple saint” (The Pearl Fishers Duet) from Les pêcheurs de perles Paul Groves and Lucas Meachem From La Bohème “O soave fanciulla” MARYANN KYLE Soprano LUCAS MEACHEM Baritone Emily Pulley and Paul Groves “Quando m’en vo’” Georges Bizet (1838-1875) Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) Maryann Kyle, Soprano “Donde lieta uscì … Dunque è proprio finita?” Emily Pulley, Maryann Kyle, Paul Groves, and Lucas Meachem ~Intermission~ “Tonight” from West Side Story ROBERT GRAYSON Piano Paul Groves and Emily Pulley From Die lustige Witwe (The Merry Widow) “Da geh’ ich zu Maxim” (You’ll find me at Maxim’s) Lucas Meachem, Baritone “Es lebt eine Vilja” (Vilja Song) Emily Pulley “Pavillion Duet” from the Merry Widow Emily Pulley and Paul Groves From Carousel “My Boy Bill” “If I Loved You” Franz Lehár (1870-1948) Oscar Hammerstein (1895-1960) Richard Rodgers (1902-1979) Lucas Meachem, Baritone Lucas Meachem and Emily Pulley “Dein ist mein Ganzes Herz” from Das Land des Lächelns (The Land of Smiles) Paul Groves, Tenor “Bring Him Home” from Les Misérables Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) Franz Lehár (1870-1948) Claude-Michel Schönberg (b. 1944) Lucas Meachem, Baritone “Serenade” Sigmund Romberg from The Student Prince (1949) Paul Groves, Lucas Meachem, Robert Grayson, and Emily Pulley 36 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music performances Home Sweet Home —————— The —————— Carriage House Restaurant On the grounds of Stanton Hall A Homage Peformance to Adelina Patti Open 5 days 11am – 2pm Lunch – Wed thru Sun Open Daily During Pilgrimage Susan Ruggiero, soprano Elizabeth Moak, pianist Witness the tribute to 19th-century opera singer Adelina Patti, who performed in the capitals of Europe and America during her stellar, legendary career. Sunday Buffet Brunch $16.95 per person $10 child 4:00 p.m. Sunday, May 12 Waverly Plantation Join us for Mint Julips and Famous Carriage House Fried Chicken & Baby Buttered Biscuits Ask About Our Daily Blue Plate Special Dine in or Take Out Open for Special Events and for Parties 401 High St, Natchez, MS 39120 Ph 601-445-5151 thecarriagehouse1@att.net Join Us On Face book for Daily Specials Rossini, Puccini and Martinis Enjoy a relaxed evening of opera, show tunes, and Eola martinis in the beautiful grand lobby of the historic Eola Hotel. 7:00 p.m. Sunday May 12 & 19 Eola Hotel Lobby 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 37 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC Call us at any of our five Mississippi & Louisiana locations for the best Truck prices, parts, and service in the state. Crosby 800-844-4341 Foxworth 800-235-6997 Jackson 877-818-0293 Canton 601-407-1160 Baton Rouge, LA 225-932-0221 38 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music http://www.oldrivervolvo.com performances Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield The Black Swan of Natchez Dr. David Sansing presents an Illustrated Lecture, sponsored by the National Park Service, Copiah Lincoln Community College and the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration. D Delta Rentals Delta Rentals, Inc. 601-442-6222 102 Hwy 61 South Natchez, MS 39120 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 16 Trinity Episcopal Church The Black Swan Returns A Tribute to Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield Diana Thompson, soprano 2013 Season A musical tribute to 19th century African-American Elizabeth Taylor Greenfield, who was born a slave in Natchez, Mississippi in 1817, and flourished as an opera singer on the stages of Europe. 5:00 & 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 17 Cherokee 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 39 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC 5 Stahlman St. 5 Stahlman Street 39120 Natchez, Mississippi Natchez, Mississippi 39120 601-442-8171 601-4425-8171 40 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music performances Musical Wine Tasting Experience a unique interactive sensory experience of wine, music and scenery overlooking the mighty Mississippi River, in this afternoon sojourn. 4:00 p.m., Sunday, May 19 BriarVue at The Briars Continued Success Natchez Festival of Music John and Valerie Bergeron Pleasant Hill LPL Financial· Member FINRA/SIPC The Magical World of Tango Alejandro Drago and the Tango Rendezvous Ensemble The pulsing beat of tango seduces as superb Argentine musician Alejandro Drago ensnares the audience. 7:00 p.m., Friday, May 24 The Prentiss Club 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 41 Natchez Festival of Music Natchez Festival of Music NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC 21st Season Proud Supporter Natchez Festival of Music 2 1 s23rd t S e Season ason 129Jefferson Jefferson Davis Davis Blvd. 129 Blvd. Natchez, MS 39120 Natchez, MS 39120 601·445·6200 601·445·6200 48 48 21stSeasonoftheNatchezFestivalofMusic 21stSeasonoftheNatchezFestivalofMusic 129 Jefferson Davis Blvd. Natchez, MS 39120 601·445·6200 onoftheNatchezFestivalofMusic Proudly supports the Jefferson Davis Blvd. Natchez129Natchez, Festival of Music MS 39120 Educational 601·445·6200 Outreach Program 42 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 48 21stSeasonoftheNatchezFestivalofMusic Kiss Me Kate KISS ME KATE Act I with her onstage, saying she will read it later. The cast of a musical version of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew is rehearsing for the opening of the show that evening. Egotistical Fred Graham is the director and producer and is starring as Petruchio, and his movie-star ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi, is playing Katherine. The two seem to be constantly arguing, and Lilli is particularly angry that Fred is pursuing the sexy young actress Lois Lane, who is playing Bianca. After the rehearsal, Lois’s boyfriend Bill appears; he is playing Lucentio, but he missed the rehearsal because he was gambling. He tells her that he signed a $10,000 IOU in Fred’s name, and Lois reprimands him. Offstage, Lilli has an opportunity to read the card. She walks on stage off-cue and begins hitting Fred. He ends up spanking her. Lilli furiously declares she is leaving the show. The gangsters force her to stay at gunpoint. The curtain opens. Petruchio and Kate have just been married, and they exit the church; the gangsters, dressed in Shakespearean costume, are onstage to make sure that Lilli stays. Petruchio implores for Kate to kiss him, and she refuses. Before the opening, Fred and Lilli meet backstage, and Lilli shows off her engagement ring from Washington insider Harrison Howell, reminding Fred that it’s the anniversary of their divorce. Two gangsters show up to collect the $10,000 IOU, and Fred replies that he never signed it. The gangsters obligingly say they will give him time to remember it and will return later. Lilli receives flowers from Fred, and declares that she is still “So In Love” with him. Fred tries to keep Lilli from reading the card that came with the flowers, which reveals that he really intended them for Lois. However, Lilli takes the card In Grateful Appreciation Restaurant and Lounge – Open Daily Breath Taking Views of the Mississippi River Outdoor Bar & Grill Capture the Sunset – Enjoy Cocktails and Grill Specials Sunday Buffet 11:00am – 2:00pm Featuring Prime Rib, New Orleans Style BBQ Shrimp,Grits & Grillades plus other Chef Specialties including our Fabulous Dessert Display Act II During the show’s intermission, the cast and crew lament that it’s “Too Darn Hot.” The play continues, and Petruchio tries to ‘tame’ Katherine. Off-stage, Lilli tries to explain that she is being forced to stay at the theatre by the gangsters. However, the gangsters discover that their boss has been killed, so the IOU is no longer valid. The gangsters get caught on stage and improvise a tribute to Shakespeare. The company prepares for the conclusion of the play even though they are now missing one of the main characters. However, just in time for Katherine’s final speech, Lilli arrives onstage. Fred and Lilli wordlessly reconcile on stage, and the play ends with them kissing passionately. Bergeron & Plauché, LLC Proud Supporter Natchez Festival of Music 507 Franklin St., Natchez 601-442-0088 • 800-308-5388 bergeronandplauchellc.com 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 43 KISS ME KATE Kiss Me Kate Production Staff Stage Director Music Director Choreographer Costume Coordinator Pianist Stage Manager Production Assistant Assistant Stage Manager Production Manager Lights Set Construction Rob Mulholland Jennifer Hart Kevin Breazeale Hali Hutchison Jonathan Levin James Boykin Sara Linger Gracie Cox Tom Dungan Mignon Reid Graham Anduri Herbert Hart Cast Lilli Vanessi/Katharine Fred Graham/Petruchio Lois Lane/Bianca Bill Calhoun/Lucentio Hattie First Man Second Man General Harrison Howell Megan Barrera Luke Grooms Nora Graham-Smith Perry Davis Harper Rachel Arky Ivan Conrad Joseph Ryan Zack Rabin Ensemble John Christopher Adams Kevin Breazeale Kathleen Buccleugh Gracie Cox Romina Gurian Landon Henry Rusty Jenkins Sara Linger Zack Rabin Diana Thompson Daniel Quintana Mark Coffey Natchez Photos General Photographic Services 601-442-4200 mkcoffey@me.com Enjoy Natchez Photos on Facebook Supporting the Arts Mrs. Holder’s Antiques Antiques Row 636 Franklin Street Natchez, Mississippi 601.442.0675 or 601.807.5075 (after hours) Kiss Me Kate Orchestra Sponsored by: John G. Turner & Jerry G. Fischer 44 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music Annette Holder Proprietor holdersantiques@bellsouth.net NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC Natchez Festival of Music Check in on our “News” tab for updates. Go to “Contact Us” tab for details. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, PushLocal and YouTube. www.natchezfestivalofmusic.com 23rd 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 45 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC all your electrical needs Proud Supporter of The Natchez Festival of Music 46 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC 38 years BLUFF TOP A Natchez Bed & Breakfast with breathtaking river views J. Neil Varnell, Owner 205 Clifton Avenue Natchez, MS 39120 1-800-211-6420 or 601-304-1002 www.blufftopnatchez.com “…music for everyone,” Neil Varnell 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 47 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC When I say “good,” you say “neighbor.” Terry Estes, Agent 35 Seargent S Prentiss Drive Natchez, MS 39122 Bus: 601-446-6555 www.terryestes.com Now that’s teamwork. Call me for your insurance needs and see how it feels to be on a #1 team. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. CALL ME TODAY. ® Kenneth W. Stubbs, MD Edward F. Daly, MD Blane A. Mire, MD Jose A. Serio, FNP Debra Probst Cindy Jenkins Judy Bartlet Donna Crisp Shalita Henderson Lacie Merritt Kimberly Warren Ashly Murray Jessica Dewitt Kathy Bean Blanche Morrison P097313.1 State Farm, Home Office, Bloomington, IL Natchez Eye Clinic 453 John R. Junkin Dr. 601-445-2164 Bravo! Natchez Festival of Music 48 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 3 Rigoletto Act 1 Scene 1: The Duke’s Palace At a ball in his palace, the Duke of Manuta sings of a life with as many women as possible. Rigoletto, the Duke’s hunchbacked court jester, mocks the husbands of the ladies to whom the Duke is paying attention. Marullo informs the noblemen that Rigoletto has a “lover,” but they can’t believe it. Rigoletto mocks Count Monterone, whose daughter the Duke had seduced. Monterone is arrested on the Duke’s order and curses the Duke and Rigoletto. This terrifies Rigoletto. Scene 2- Rigoletto’s Home Thinking of this curse, Rigoletto goes home and is stopped by the assassin Sparafucile, who offers his services. Rigoletto considers the proposition but declines. Rigoletto returns home to his daughter Gilda. He has been concealing her from everyone. She has been nowhere except to church, and does not even know her own father’s name or occupation. The Duke overhears Gilda confess to her nurse that she feels guilty for not having told her father about the young man (the Duke) she met at church. As she declares her love, the Duke enters. Pretending to be a student, he convinces her of his love. When she asks his name, he calls himself Gualtier Maldè. Fearing that her father has returned home, Gilda sends him away. Alone, she meditates about the Duke, whom she believes is a student. Later, Rigoletto returns while the hostile noblemen outside the walled garden get ready to abduct Gilda. Convincing Rigoletto that they are actually abducting the Countess Ceprano, they blindfold him and use him to help. So, with her father’s unknowing assistance Gilda is carried away. Upon realizing that it was Gilda who was carried away, Rigoletto collapses, remembering the curse. RIGOLETTO Act 2 The Duke’s Palace The Duke is concerned that Gilda has disappeared. The noblemen enter and inform him that they have captured Rigoletto’s mistress. By their description, he recognizes it to be Gilda. The courtiers now have fun with Rigoletto. He tries to find Gilda and asks the courtiers to return her to him. The men beat him up. Gilda rushes in and begs her father to send the people away. The men leave the room believing Rigoletto has gone mad. Gilda describes to her father what has happened to her in the palace and Rigoletto demands vengeance against the Duke. Act 3 Sparafucile’s Inn Rigoletto and Gilda arrive outside Sparafucile’s house. The Duke’s voice can be heard singing. Rigoletto makes Gilda realize that it is the Duke who is in the assassin’s house and that he is attempting to seduce Sparafucile’s sister, Maddalena. Rigoletto bargains with the assassin. Then he orders his daughter to put on a man’s clothes in order to disguise herself and tells her to go to Verona. A thunderstorm approaches and the Duke determines to remain in the house overnight. Gilda, who still loves the Duke, returns dressed as a man. She overhears Maddalena begging for the Duke’s life, and Sparafucile promises her that if another can be found in his place, he will spare the Duke’s life. Gilda resolves to sacrifice herself and goes into the house. She is wounded and collapses. At midnight, when Rigoletto arrives with money, he receives a corpse wrapped in a sack, and rejoices. He is about to throw the sack into the river when he hears the voice of the Duke singing in the distance. Confused, Rigoletto opens the sack and discovers his daughter who dies in his arms. Rigoletto’s worst fear has come to pass and he screams in horror: “La maledizione!” (“The curse!”). 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 49 RIGOLETTO Stage Director Production Staff Peter Atherton Jay Dean Pablo Sotomayor Christopher Hart Mignon Reid James Boykin Sara Linger Hali Hutchinson Tom Dungan Mignon Reid Catherine Gracie Cox Graham Anduri Herbert Hart Music Director Pianist Chorus Master Choreographer Stage Manager Production Assistant Costume Coordinator Production Manager Lights Supertitle Operator Set Construction Cast Rigoletto Duke of Mantua Gilda Sparafucile Maddalena Giovanna Countess Ceprano Mateo Borsa Count Monterone Marullo James D. Rodriguez John Christopher Adams Romina Gurian Rocky Sellers Rachel Arky Kathleen Farrar Buccleugh Megan Barrera Luke Grooms Ivan Conrad Zack Rabin Ensemble and Courtiers Perry Davis Harper Sara Linger Larry Macklin William Parker Rhonda Price 50 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music Daniel Quintana Joseph Ryan Nora Graham-Smith Christopher Stallings Diana Thompson NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC DARBY’S The Complete Home Store featuring - Darby’s Famous Fudge www.darbysfudge.com Dennis & Darby Short 410 Mail Street 601-446-9737 Natchez, MS 39120 FAX 601-446-8279 darbysin@bellsouth.net Ernst Pharmacy 300 Highland Boulevard Natchez, MS 39120 Phone 601-442-9853 Toll Free 888-442-9853 Fax 601-445-8674 Frank Ernst, Rph, Valerie Beach, PT, Joe Ernst, PT, Kim Cobb, Ins/Clk COMPLETE RETAIL PHARMACY Creating a Symphony of Music and Flowers 629 Franklin Street Natchez, MS 39120 601-442-4321 Moreton’s FLOWERLAND TURNING PAGES Books & More 208 Washington Natchez, MS 601-442-2299 www.turningpagesbooks.com 866-242-2269 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 51 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC Edna’s Cake Creations 483 John R. Junkin Drive NATCHEZ, ms 39120 601-443-9000 www.ednascakes.com Historic Home Tours Custom Group Tours Event Ticket Sales Your City-Wide Concierge www.natchezpilgrimage.com 1-800-647-6742 Natchez Fine Framing and Art Gallery Art Classes Phone: 601.446.9345 Southwest Distributors 101 High Street • Natchez 601-442-3706 31 Irving Lane • Natchez, Mississippi • 601.653.0017 BRAVO NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC! First Presbyterian Church welcomes “Rhapsody in Blue” 400 State Street 601-442-2581 52 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music NATCHEZ Bravo Natchez Festival of Music NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC The Natchez Festival of Music thanks Trinity Episcopal Church for hosting “Black Swan” “American Frontiers” “A Bel Canto Gala with Paul Groves” Gwin, Lewis, Punches & Kelley, LLP 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 53 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC TRULY, SMITH & LATHAM, P.L.L.C. Marion Smith Robert C. Latham Commercial Printing P.O. Drawer 1307 320 Main Street Natchez, MS 39120 Telephone: 601-442-6495 Facsimile: 601-442-8874 Expert Layout Design & Professional Printing Services Business Forms Letterhead Envelopes Business Cards Specialty Printing Two convenient locations! 4202 Carter Street Vidalia, LA 318-336-8339 20 Fourth Street Natchez, MS 601-445-8777 54 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music ECONOMIC IMPACT NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC Economic, Cultural, and Other Impacts The Natchez Festival of Music, as the primary sponsor of world-class, live musical performances in the Mississippi-Louisiana Region (Miss-Lou) for nearly a quarter of a century, has been a constant for jazz, Broadway, opera and outreach programs. During this 23rd Season, the Festival plays host to international performers who are recognized as the best in the business. Commitment to cultural events such as the Festival offers makes Natchez and the Miss-Lou attractive to its residents and visitors from around the world. During each May Festival Season, as many as 50 highly trained professional musicians from all over the United States and from other countries perform in Natchez. The Festival auditions in New York and in Natchez produce superior talent and personality for each May Festival Season. The Festival is recognized for excellence: Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts for Arts in the Community (1998), Governor’s Award of Excellence in the Arts in Opera and Music Education (Dr. Blackburn, 2003), listed as one of the Top Twenty Events in the Southeastern United States, recognized for artistic excellence in Opera News (2002), recipient of national acclaim and recognition because of its excellence. Significant Festival economic impact is in tourist dollars spent for tickets, accommodations, dining, entertainment and merchandise. About 48% of the ticket sales come from persons outside of the City of Natchez but within the Miss-Lou. Approximately 34% of the ticket sales are from out-of-state sales, and 18% of the ticket sales are by Natchez residents. The 50+ performers are in the area for up to six weeks. Locals “buy local” for first-rate performances. The Festival circulates its $200,000+ in production costs in the Miss-Lou. Through special events, arts advocacy, affordable packages and community outreach the Young Patrons Program of the Natchez Festival of Music attracts arts enthusiasts from kindergarten through the age of 45. The annual Children’s Opera reaches nearly 10,000 school children K-6 with approximately 20 productions in Adams, Jefferson, Franklin, Walthall, Lincoln, Pike and Wilkinson counties in Mississippi and Concordia and Tensas parishes in Louisiana. These children are exposed to the classics in a fun way! These unique opportunities enrich artistic and cultural experiences, teaching the children about the pleasures and rewards that come with music while grooming the next generation to appreciate the arts. Top-notch performances by and support from the musical arts programs at Alcorn State University and the University of Southern Mississippi in the way of symphonies, orchestras, and student and faculty performances throughout the year establish the Festival as a music destination, broadening the tourism base in the Miss-Lou and retaining the historical heritage of Natchez and the Miss-Lou as a community which supports music. 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 55 SEASONS PAST 1991: Gala Operatic • Recital • Man of La Mancha • La Traviata 1992: Songs of the Rivers • The Marriage of Figaro • Madama Butterfly 1993: Grand Vienese Opera Ball • The Merry Widow • La Bohème 1994: Big River • Pagliacci • Carmen 1995: The Student Prince • Hansel & Gretal • You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown • Rigoletto 1996: The Pirates of Penzance • Die Fledermaus • The Fantastics • Tosca 1997: Gianni Schicchi • Gallantry • She Loves Me • Faust 1998: Mikado • Camelot • Suzanna • The Boyfriend • Tales of Hoffman 1999: Carousel • Don Pasquale • Once Upon a Mattress • Don Giovanni 2000: The Barber of Seville • I Do, I Do • Man of La Mancha • La Traviata 2001: H.M.S. Pinafore • Carmen • La Bohème • 150th Anniversary Concert of Jinny Lind 2002: The Merry Widow • Suor Angelica • Pagliacci • Songs of the Rivers • Madama Butterfly 2003: Romeo et Juliette • The Magic Flute • Rigoletto • An Evening with George & Ira Gershwin 2004: Showboat • The Impressario • Marcus Robert Trio • An Evening of Rodgers & Hammerstein • Turandot 56 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 2005: Porgy & Bess • Jim Collum Jazz Band • An Evening with Cole Porter • Gianni Schicchi • Tosca 2006: Treemonisha • Fiddler on the Roof • Il Tabarro • An Evening of Jazz: A Tribute to New Orleans • Little Red Riding Hood • Die Fledermaus 2007: Mozart’s Requiem • My Fair Lady • An Evening of Jazz • Noah’s Flood • Chanticleer • Falstaff 2008: Spiritual and Gospel Extravaganza • A Cabaret • Oklahoma! • The Pfister Sisters • The Telephone • Bluebeard’s Castle • G Train the Musical • Così fan tutte 2009: Lord Nelson Mass • House • Evening of Jazz • The Fantasticks • Death by Aria • Broadway and Opera Highlights • Carmen 2010: Clarence “Bud” Scott Jazz Tribute • Saturday Big Band Dance • Man of La Mancha • S.H.O.T. • Death by Aria • Stars of Tomorrow • La Bohème 2011: Songs of the Civil War • Little Red Riding Hood • Magical Moves of Jazz • Tango Rendevouz • It’s a Grand Night for Singing! Music of Rodgers and Hammerstein • Drop Dead Gorgeous Arias • Mozart on the Mississippi 2012: The Romantic Music of Natchez • Swingin’ Blues • A Hungarian Rhapsody • A Night of Romance in the Salon • The Three Little Pigs • The Mikado • The Glorious Sound of Brass Music for Trumpet and Organ • The Voice of a Nightingale • The Portrait of Elegance • Don Giovanni NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 57 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC Old South Winery 9 different Muscadine Wines Congratulates Natchez Festival of Music oldsouthwinery.com 65 Concord Ave. Natchz, MS 39120 10:00 - 5:00 Mon. -Sat. 601-445-9924 58 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC Portraiture by T. G. McCary 1207 Main Street Natchez, Mississippi 39120 601.446.5670 800.256.1207 www.tgmccary.com 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 59 NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC Favorite Festival Notes 60 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music NATCHEZ FESTIVAL OF MUSIC Favorite Festival Notes 23rd Season of the Natchez Festival of Music 61 2013