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  • verdi

    AIDA

    http://seattleopera.org

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  • 16 OPERA’S NEWEST SCRIBEBy Jessica Murphy Moo

    18 AIDA’S SMALL MOMENTSBy Jessica Murphy Moo

    20 SEATTLE OPERA'S SOCIAL IMPACT CONSULTANT— CHRISTIANA OBEYSUMNER

    38 HONORING THE LEGACY OF LEONTYNE PRICE

    40 SEATTLE OPERA’S GALA

    45 NEXT UP: O+E

    Production Essentials

    8 Production Sponsors

    9 The Cast of Aida

    10 The Story of Aida

    11 Artists

    13 Dancers

    13 Actors

    13 Supernumeraries

    14 Chorus

    14 Orchestra

    Departments

    5 From the General Director

    6 Board of Directors

    7 From the President

    7 Service Directory

    15 Education and Community Program Sponsors

    22 Seattle Opera Staff

    23 Staff Chat

    24 Individual Donors

    32 Commemorative Gifts

    33 Leadership and Producer’s Circles

    34 Institutional Donors

    34 In-Kind Sponsors

    34 Volunteer Fundraising

    35 Seattle Opera Foundation

    36 Seattle Opera at the Center

    43 Amusements

    43 Online at Seattleopera.org

    47 Upcoming Events

    EditorJessica Murphy Moo

    Graphic DesignKelly Hamilton Colglazier

    Contributing EditorsMary BrazeauJonathan DeanEd HawkinsDavid McDade

    Cover Image: Artwork © Marquis Lewis (aka RETNA), © Philip Newton

    Seattle Opera

    VOLUME 42 ISSUE 5

    AIDA

    Seattle Opera is now offering large-print and Braille versions of this program. Please see coat check for details.

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    OPERA CLASSICSSERIES

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    4 Seattle Opera 2017/18 Season

    May 2018Volume 42, No. 5

    Paul Heppner Publisher

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    Encore Arts Programs is published monthly by Encore Media Group to serve musical and theatrical events in the Puget Sound and San Francisco Bay Areas. ©2018 Encore Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction without written consent of Seattle Opera and Encore Media Group is prohibited.

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  • Welcome to our production of Aida, the final opera we are presenting at McCaw Hall this season. Verdi’s opera is a huge undertaking for any opera company, and it gives me particular pleasure that this production has come into being through our partnership with three of America’s finest opera companies. This Aida has already been played with great success by our colleagues at San Francisco Opera and Washington National Opera, and after our run of performances, it will move on to Minnesota Opera. There are obvious financial benefits to sharing costs among all parties in the co-production model; but there are also benefits that go beyond the mere economic. We know well from our own double-cast model how different artists bring different nuances to a role. In the same way, a production matures and develops with each performance and every iteration.

    But above all, the notion of partnership itself is central to the way arts organizations are operating today. With Beatrice and Benedict, we saw the effectiveness of partnering with other local arts organizations to create a performance that went beyond a normal operatic experience. To reflect this thinking further, we recently re-named our Education department as Programs and Partnerships. Our next chamber opera production, which heavily features community partnerships, will be O+E. This English-language telling of Gluck’s Orpheus and Eurydice reimagines for today’s society the myth’s universal themes of love and loss. Like The Combat, this production of O+E will be performed at our own Seattle Opera rehearsal studios. There are five performances, running June 2–10.

    One of opera’s greatest strengths is the way in which so many of its great masterpieces are timeless. Society may change, but human behavior remains remarkably constant down the ages. Aida proves the point. Aida is a clear reflection of the political landscape of the time of its composition. Italy had recently been unified, and Europe was alive to the idea of nationalism. Egypt, although nominally a province of the Ottoman Empire, was itself beginning to find its own national identity—and what better way to announce your arrival on the international scene than to build an opera house! But these were volatile times, and Verdi was wise enough to sense the thin line between nationalistic fervor and expansionism and imperialism. Colonialism in Africa was as real as the growing threat of Prussia’s military power in Europe. It is impossible to look at Aida, with its scenes of triumphalism and xenophobia, and not see a mirror of Verdi’s times; and equally, it is impossible to look at our world today and believe that much has changed.

    One of the pleasures of my job is to welcome our casts and artistic teams to Seattle Opera, and in the case of Aida, we have the classic case of the return of some long-time friends, as well as some company debuts. Six of our two casts are first-timers to our company, along with most of the creative team. But it has been quite a while since we had a production by Francesca Zambello on our stage, and even longer since our Maestro John Fiore—who first cut his operatic teeth here back in the early 1970s when he was in his teens—was with us on the podium. This powerful production of Aida digs deep into the work’s inner core. I hope the show provides you with as much enjoyment as Aida has given all its audiences since its Cairo premiere.

    FROM THE GENERAL DIRECTOR

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  • Representatives to the BoardGayle Charlesworth, Seattle Opera GuildGail Neil, Seattle Opera ChorusEoin Hudson, BRAVO! Eric Jacobs, The Seattle Symphony and Opera

    Players’ Association

    Seattle Opera FoundationJeffrey Hanna,

    PresidentCharles B. CosséJames D. CullenJay Lapin

    Brian Marks, ex officio

    Steven C. Phelps Anne M. RedmanMichael TobiasonMoya Vazquez

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

    Victoria IvarssonLinda Nordstrom Eulalie SchneiderJudy SchuchartVirginia B. Wright

    Honorary Life MembersBeverly BrazeauDonald L. Johnson

    Duff KennedyMichael M. Scott

    Past PresidentsNorma B. CrocoAlbert O. Foster†

    Max E. Gellert†

    Harold H. Heath†

    H. Dewayne Kreager†

    Francis A. LeSourd†

    James M. McDonald Jr.†

    Stanley N. MinorJohn F. Nesholm

    Sheffield Phelps†

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

    WeyerhaeuserHoward S. Wright†

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2017/18 Season

    Vice PresidentsBrenda Bruns, M.D.Susan MacGregor

    CoughlinJames D. CullenDiana GaleA. Richard Gemperle Bruce R. McCaw Louise MillerJames David Raisbeck

    Jonathan RosoffMatthew SegalMartha ShermanStephen A. SprengerJohn SullivanMoya VazquezWilliam T.

    Weyerhaeuser

    DirectorsWillie C. AikensThomas H. AllenBarry BoldingToby BrightSusan BuskeGregory Chan, M.D.Robert ComfortJanice C. ConditCharles B. CosséNatalie de MaarSusan Detweiler, M.D.Carolyn Eagan Adam J. FountainRobert FriesLeslie GiblettPaul Goodrich Jeffrey HannaKennan

    Hollingsworth, M.D.Ron Hosogi

    Gary Houlahan Michael HymanBruce E. H. JohnsonBrian LaMacchiaTom McQuaidBrendan MurphyRosemary W.

    PetersonSteven C. PhelpsTom PuentesJean StarkRussell F. TousleyJudy TsouJames UhlirSusanne Wakefield,

    Ph. DJoan S. WatjenScott Wyatt

    Lesley Wyckoff

    Chairman John F. Nesholm

    President Brian Marks

    Immediate Past President Maryanne Tagney

    Treasurer John Starbard

    Secretary Milkana Brace

    † Deceased

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  • On behalf of the Seattle Opera Board of Directors, I want to thank you for joining us for the final opera of our 2017/18 mainstage season. This production of Verdi’s Aida has it all—great storytelling, dynamic artistic design, dance, and sweeping dramatic music.

    The only reason we are able to bring this production value to Seattle is—you. As a ticket-buyer, as a supporter of this art form, you care about the art in our community, and we are grateful for your commitment to us.

    When you support Seattle Opera, you make a commitment to our community. Let’s take a step back and consider how many talented people are

    involved in the show you are about to see. All told, there are more than 200 people working on this production of Aida—from singers to creative team, to chorus, dancers, musicians, and backstage crew. And then there are another 120+ staff members who work year round to get the set onstage, costumes built, singers prepared, tickets sold, and funds raised.

    Really, this art form is all about people—a lot of people—most of whom make their home here in Seattle. Opera is also about the wondrous art we can create together. Seattle Opera is so grateful that you value who we are and what we do. And as our new building next door to McCaw Hall approaches completion, I want to thank you for ushering us into the company’s next chapter.

    As we near our fiscal year end, the Seattle Opera Foundation is putting $400,000 to match your new and increased gifts before June 30. All of the raised funds will go toward the operating costs of bringing great opera—with great artists—to Seattle year after year. Please consider a donation to Seattle Opera today at seattleopera.org/give.

    Finally, I’d like to give a heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to our successful 2018 Gala: Visions of Aida. We raised $447,000 in net proceeds for Seattle Opera’s annual fund. Singers Leah Crocetto, Alexandra LoBianco, and Gordon Hawkins brought down the house with their performances. We captured a few photos from that night to share with you on page 41 in this program.

    Thank you for all you do to make opera possible, both here in McCaw Hall and throughout our community.

    Brian MarksPresident, Seattle Opera Board of Directors

    FROM THE PRESIDENT

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

    Seattle Opera Audience ServicesPhone: 389.7676Outside Seattle: 800.426.1619For TTY Service: 800.833.6388Fax: 389.768924-Hour Information Line: 676.5800Tickets Online: www.seattleopera.orgGroup Sales: 676.5588Website: www.seattleopera.org

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

    Seattle Opera Administrative OfficesPhone: 389.7600Fax: 389.76511020 John StreetSeattle, WA 98109-5319Two blocks west of FairviewWebsite: www.seattleopera.org

    Marion Oliver McCaw Hall Location: 321 Mercer StreetPhone: 733.9725www.mccawhall.comHead Usher: 733.9722 Security Office: 733.9735For TTY Service: 684.7100Restaurant—Prelude: 615.0404Ticket Donations (day of show): 676.5544Lost and Found: 684.7200 and 684.7192Parking: 684.7340Traffic and Transportation Hotline: 233.3989, ext.1Monorail: 905.2620 and 396.5009Hall Rental: 684.7103Seattle Center Information: 684.7200

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

    BRAVO! Phone: 389.7676Email: [email protected]

    Seattle Opera GuildPhone: 232.8723Email: [email protected] Opera Guild is an organization independent of Seattle Opera.

    The SOWING CirclePhone: 676.5516Email: [email protected]

    Wagner and More (WAM)Phone: 389.7669Email: [email protected]

    © J

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  • Seattle Opera 2017/18 Season

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    anPRODUCTION SPONSORSLENORE M. HANAUERC.E. STUART CHARITABLE TRUSTADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM4CULTURE

    PERFORMANCE SPONSORSCLASSICAL KING FM 98.1 MAY 13, 2018, FAMILY DAY

    ROBERT AND LORETTA COMFORT MAY 19, 2018

    ARTIST SPONSORSCHRISTOPHER AND CAROLYN EAGAN GORDON HAWKINS

    EUGENE AND JEAN STARK FRANCESCA ZAMBELLO

    SPOTLIGHT DINNER SPONSOR LEASE CRUTCHER LEWIS

    Thank you to the caring Seattle Opera donor family—your enduring Annual Fund support fuels this mainstage production and so much more throughout the season.

  • † Seattle Opera debut

    English captions by Jonathan Dean © 2018. Makeup provided by M·A·C. Aida is a co-production of Washington National Opera, San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, and Minnesota Opera. Scenery for this production was constructed at Bay Productions and is jointly owned by Washington National Opera, San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, and Minnesota Opera. Costumes for this production were constructed at the San Francisco Opera Costume Studio and are jointly owned by Washington National Opera, San Francisco Opera, Seattle Opera, and Minnesota Opera.

    Opera presentation and production © Seattle Opera 2018. Copying of any performance by camera, audio, or video recording equipment, and by any other copying device, and any other use of such copying devices during the performances is prohibited.  

    Premiere: Cairo Opera House, December 24, 1871

    Performed at Marion Oliver McCaw Hall: May 5, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 18, 19, 2018

    In Italian with English captions

    Evening performances 7:30 p.m. Matinees 2:00 p.m.

    Acts I and II: 1 hour and 17 minutesIntermission: 25 minutesActs III and IV: 1 hour and 5 minutes

    Music by Giuseppe VerdiLibretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni

    CONDUCTOR

    John Fiore

    ORIGINAL STAGE DIRECTOR

    Francesca Zambello

    STAGE DIRECTOR

    E. Loren Meeker†

    ARTISTIC DESIGNER

    RETNA†

    SCENERY DESIGNER

    Michael Yeargan

    COSTUME DESIGNER

    Anita Yavich†

    LIGHTING DESIGNER

    Mark McCullough

    ASSOCIATE LIGHTING DESIGNER

    Peter W. Mitchell†

    CHOREOGRAPHER

    Jessica Lang†

    ENGLISH CAPTIONS

    Jonathan Dean

    ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR

    Philip A. Kelsey

    ASSISTANT STAGE DIRECTOR

    Dan Wallace Miller

    CHORUSMASTER

    John Keene

    MUSICAL PREPARATION

    Li-Tan Hsu, Philip A. Kelsey, David McDade, Jay Rozendaal, Gordon Schermer, Christina Siemens

    STAGE MANAGER

    Yasmine Kiss

    DANCES STAGED BY

    Claudia McDonald†

    CAST (in order of vocal appearance)

    RAMFIS

    Daniel Sumegi

    RADAMÈS

    Brian Jagde† (May 5, 11, 13, 16, 19)David Pomeroy† (May 6, 9, 12, 18)

    AMNERIS

    Milijana Nikolic† (May 5, 11, 13, 16, 19)Elena Gabouri† (May 6, 9, 12, 18)

    AIDA

    Leah Crocetto† (May 5, 11, 13, 16, 19)Alexandra LoBianco (May 6, 9, 12, 18)

    KING

    Clayton Brainerd†

    MESSENGER

    Eric Neuville

    HIGH PRIESTESS

    Marcy Stonikas

    AMONASRO

    Gordon Hawkins (May 5, 11, 13, 16, 19)Alfred Walker (May 6, 9, 12, 18)

    AIDA

    9Aida

  • 10 Seattle Opera 2017/18 Season

    THE STORYACT I Radamès, an army officer, hopes to be chosen to lead his people to victory. If he can win the war, he speculates, he might also be allowed to marry Aida, who is a captive from the nation Radamès is aiming to conquer. Princess Amneris, who loves Radamès, notices that he is strongly affected by the appearance of Aida. Amneris is overcome with jealousy. Accompanied by his ministers, the King enters. A messenger brings news of an imminent invasion. Radamès is announced as the chosen commander. The crowd expresses their hope for his victorious return. Aida, too, is caught up in the battle cry, and after the court leaves, berates herself for having called for the defeat of her own people. Divided between loyalty to her country and her love for Radamès, she asks the gods for strength.

    ACT II The troops led by Radamès have won the war. Amneris, still tormented by doubt and jealousy, resolves to question Aida and confirm her suspicions. Amneris manages to trick Aida into revealing her love for Radamès; furious, Amneris tells Aida to give up all hope of being with Radamès. The people celebrate the return of the victorious army. Radamès asks that the prisoners of war be brought forth; among them, Aida recognizes her father. Hiding his true identity, her father, King Amonasro, pleads for the lives of his people. Radamès asks that the prisoners be set free. The high priest Ramfis, warning of the consequences, succeeds in having Aida and her father retained as hostages. Amneris’s father rewards Radamès with her hand in marriage.

    INTERMISSION

    ACT III To prepare for her wedding to Radamès, Amneris retires to the temple to worship with Ramfis. Outside the temple, Aida waits for Radamès. She longs for the happiness she knew as a child in her homeland. Her father joins her and raises her hopes for a happy life at the side of her beloved. Hoping to exploit Aida’s love for Radamès, Amonasro demands she find out from Radamès the name of the route his armies will take. Amonasro conceals himself nearby, where he can overhear the plan. Radamès affirms his love for Aida and hopes another victory will allow him to win her once and for all. Aida does not share his enthusiasm and instead encourages him to flee the country with her. As they start to leave, Aida asks which route his troops will take. Radamès answers her, whereupon Amonasro reveals himself and Radamès realizes he has blurted out an important military secret. Realizing he has also been overheard by Ramfis and Amneris as they leave the temple, Radamès surrenders to the High Priest, ready to accept the consequences of his betrayal.

    ACT IV Torn between love and jealousy, Amneris hopes to save Radamès from the priests and win him for herself. She urges him to defend himself, but he rejects her. The priests assemble and three times allow Radamès a chance to present his defense; but three times he is silent. They sentence him to death. Amneris pleads with the priests to revoke the sentence, and when they ignore her, she curses them.

    Buried alive in a tomb, Radamès finds Aida, who had hidden there earlier. While the priests chant their hymns, the two lovers die, united at last. Above their tomb, Amneris prays for peace.

    DIRECTOR’S NOTE“Verdi set his magnificent opera, Aida, in Egypt/North Africa. This production—while not tied literally to historic time and place—uses this location as a springboard for telling universal themes of conflict when we are forced to choose between loyalty to our family (and country) and following our heart. Instead of presenting this as a historical piece, we’re taking a modern approach in order to better connect with the humanity of the characters and more clearly see how they mirror who we are today.”  —E. Loren Meeker

  • ARTISTSCLAYTON BRAINERDKing

    Bass-Baritone (Portland, OR)Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Soloist, Verdi Requiem (Utah Festival Opera), Soloist, Verdi Requiem (Defiant Requiem), Soloist, Bach’s St. John Passion (Orchestra Seattle)Upcoming: Soloist, Wotan’s Farewell (LUCO), Soloist, Bach’s St. Matthew Passion (American Festival Chorus)

    LEAH CROCETTOAida

    Soprano (Spartanburg, SC)Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Elisabetta, Don Carlo (Washington National Opera); Leonora, Il trovatore (Oper Frankfurt); Liù, Turandot (San Francisco Opera)Upcoming: Leonora, Il trovatore (Seattle Opera)

    JOHN FIORE Conductor (New York, NY, and Seattle, WA)

    Seattle Opera Debut: La bohème (’91)Previously at Seattle Opera: Tosca (’93)Recently: Tosca (Deutsche Oper Berlin); Les Troyens (Semperoper Dresden); Otello (Semperoper Dresden)Upcoming: Madame Butterfly (Santa Fe Opera); Carmen (Grand-Théâtre de Genève); The Flying Dutchman (Semperoper Dresden)

    ELENA GABOURIAmneris

    Mezzo-Soprano (Paris, France)Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Amneris, Aida (Arena di Verona); Ulrica, Un ballo in maschera (Seoul Opera Center); Azucena, Il trovatore (Opéra de Lille)Upcoming: Amneris, Aida (Opera Australia and Arena di Verona); Azucena, Il trovatore (Seattle Opera)

    GORDON HAWKINSAmonasro

    Baritone (Washington, DC)Seattle Opera Debut: Amonasro, Aida (’92) Previously at Seattle Opera: Nabucco, Nabucco (’15); Porgy, Porgy and Bess (’11); Count di Luna, Il trovatore (’10); Donner/Gunther, Der Ring des Nibelungen (’09) Recently: Scarpia, Tosca (Arizona Opera); Amonasro, Aida (Washington National Opera); Alberich, Der Ring des Nibelungen (Washington National Opera)

    BRIAN JAGDERadamès

    Tenor (Plainview, NY)Seattle Opera DebutRecently: The Stranger, Das Wunder der Heliane (Deutsche Oper Berlin); Calaf, Turandot (San Francisco Opera); Maurizio, Adriana Lecouvreur (Royal Opera Covent Garden)Upcoming: Cavaradossi, Tosca (San Carlo Opera Festival, San Francisco Opera)

    JESSICA LANGChoreographer (Doylestown, NY)

    Seattle Opera DebutRecently: This Thing Called Love (Jessica Lang Dance); Her Notes (American Ballet Theatre) Upcoming: En - World Premiere (Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre); National Tours (Jessica Lang Dance) 

    ALEXANDRA LOBIANCOAida

    Soprano (St. Petersburg, FL)Seattle Opera Debut: Donna Anna, Don Giovanni (’14)Recently: Prima Donna/Ariadne, Ariadne auf Naxos (Austin Opera); Turandot, Turandot (Des Moines Metro Opera); Helmwige, Die Walküre (Lyric Opera of Chicago)Upcoming: Tosca, Tosca (North Carolina Opera); Soloist, Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 (Madison Symphony Orchestra)

    11Aida

  • ARTISTS CONT.MARK MCCULLOUGHLighting Designer (Charlotte, NC)

    Seattle Opera Debut: The Elixir of Love (’98)Previously at Seattle Opera: Norma (’03)Recently: Candide and The Barber of Seville (Washington National Opera); Anna Bolena (Canadian Opera Company)Upcoming: Rigoletto (LA Opera); Der Ring des Nibelungen (San Francisco Opera); Porgy and Bess (Seattle Opera)

    LAURA MEADPrincipal Dancer (Berkeley, CA)

    Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Jessica Lang Dance; Metropolitan Opera; Betsy, Come Fly Away (Broadway) 

    E. LOREN MEEKER Stage Director (Ashland, MA)

    Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Rigoletto (Lyric Opera of Chicago); The Daughter of the Regiment (Atlanta Opera); La pietra del paragone (Wolf Trap Opera)Upcoming: La bohème (Opera San Antonio); The Cunning Little Vixen (Glimmerglass Opera); The Pearl Fishers (Houston Grand Opera)

    PETER W. MITCHELLAssociate Lighting Designer (Chanhassen, MN)

    Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Lighting Designer, Odyssey (Metropolitan Museum of Art); Lighting Designer, Robin Hood (Glimmerglass Festival); Associate Lighting Designer, Aida (Washington National Opera)Upcoming: Lighting Designer, Odyssey (Glimmerglass Festival); Associate Lighting

    Designer, West Side Story (Houston Grand Opera & Glimmerglass Festival); Associate Lighting Designer, Silent Night (Glimmerglass Festival)

    ERIC NEUVILLE Messenger

    Tenor (Waupaca, WI)Seattle Opera Debut: Normanno, Lucia di Lammermoor (’10) Previously at Seattle Opera: First Priest, The Magic Flute (’17); Testo, The Combat (’17); Gastone, La traviata (’17) Recently: Young Thompson, Glory Denied (Nashville Opera); Pedrillo, The Abduction from

    the Seraglio (Madison Opera); John Kipling, A Kipling Passion (Choral Arts NW) Upcoming: Bernstein’s Mass (Austin Symphony); Ferrando, Così fan tutte (Portland Chamber Orchestra), Considering Matthew Shepard (Conspirare)

    MILIJANA NIKOLICAmneris

    Mezzo-Soprano (Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia)Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Azucena, Il trovatore (Fondazione Petruzzelli and Teatro Verdi di Trieste); Amneris, Aida (Opera Australia, Gold Coast)Upcoming: Azucena, Il trovatore (Tokyo, Bunka-Kaikan); Amneris, Aida (Opera Australia, Sydney); Carmen, Carmen (West Australian Opera)

    DAVID POMEROYRadamès

    Tenor (Newfoundland, Canada)Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Florestan, Fidelio (Opera de Bellas Artes); Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly (Manitoba Opera); Tannhäuser, Tannhäuser (Oper Köln)Upcoming: Don Jose, Carmen (Bregenzer Festspiele); Peter Grimes, Peter Grimes (Vancouver Symphony), Calaf, Turandot (New Orleans Opera)

    RETNAArtistic Designer

    Seattle Opera DebutRETNA (Marquis Duriel Lewis) was born in 1979 in Los Angeles. At age 15, he began painting on posted fashion advertisements and, from there, led one of the largest and most innovative art collectives in the city. His work has exhibited at institutions and galleries in Los Angeles (including the façade of the Los

    Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art’s Grand Avenue location for their 2013 Gala celebrating the exhibition Art in the Streets), Miami, London, New York (including the public exhibition space of the Houston-Bowery Wall), and Hong Kong. RETNA has created exclusive collaborations with brands such as VistaJet, Nike, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel. He lives and works in Los Angeles.

    Seattle Opera 2017/18 Season12

  • SUPERNUMERARIES

    Bruce GardnerHenry HossnerDavid LeeGary LeeJames Milton

    Curtis NotestineTyrone OldsMonk RomerAndrew SchirmerJohn Smilgin

    MARCY STONIKASHigh Priestess

    Soprano (Elmhurst, IL)Seattle Opera Debut: Second Lady, The Magic Flute (’11)Previously at Seattle Opera: Mother, Hansel and Gretel (’17); Prima Donna/Ariadne, Ariadne auf Naxos (’15); Tosca, Tosca (’15)Recently: Tosca, Tosca (Arizona Opera); Ariadne/Prima Donna, Ariadne auf Naxos

    (Berkshire Festival Opera); Turandot, Turandot (Atlanta Opera)Upcoming: Senta, The Flying Dutchman (Cincinatti Opera), Mother, Hansel and Gretel (San Diego Opera); Miss Jessel, The Turn of the Screw (Seattle Opera)

    DANIEL SUMEGIRamfis

    Bass (Sydney, Australia)Seattle Opera Debut: Daland, The Flying Dutchman (’07) Previously at Seattle Opera: Don Pedro, Beatrice and Benedict (’18); Don Basilio, The Barber of Seville (’17); Daland, The Flying Dutchman (’16); Fafner/Hagen, Der Ring des Nibelungen (’09 and ’13)

    Recently: Fasolt/Hagen, Der Ring des Nibelungen (Opera Australia)Upcoming: Pogner, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (Opera Australia); Jokanaan, Salome (Israeli Opera); The Dutchman, The Flying Dutchman (Malmö Opera)

    ALFRED WALKERAmonasro

    Bass-Baritone (New Orleans, LA)Seattle Opera Debut: Orest, Elektra (’08) Previously at Seattle Opera: The Dutchman, The Flying Dutchman (’16); Lindorf/Coppélius/Dr. Miracle/Dapertutto, The Tales of Hoffmann (’14) Recently: Orest, Elektra; (San Francisco Opera); Josh Gibson, The Summer King, world premiere

    (Pittsburgh Opera); Titurel, Parsifal (Metropolitan Opera)Upcoming: Méphistophélès, Faust (Portland Opera); Porgy, Porgy and Bess (Seattle Opera); Speaker, The Magic Flute (Metropolitan Opera)

    ANITA YAVICH Costume Designer (Hong Kong)

    Seattle Opera DebutRecently: Aida (Washington National Opera); Cyrano de Bergerac (Metropolitan Opera); Madame Butterfly (Dallas Opera)Upcoming: David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori’s Soft Power, world premiere (Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles)

    MICHAEL YEARGANScenery Designer (Dallas, TX)

    Seattle Opera Debut: Eugene Onegin (’86)Previously at Seattle Opera: Vanessa (’99); Mourning Becomes Electra (’03); Aida (’08)Recently: La traviata (Opera Australia); Romeo and Juliet and The Elixir of Love (Metropolitan Opera)Upcoming: Rigoletto (LA Opera); Der Ring des Nibelungen (San Francisco Opera); The Merry Widow (Vancouver Opera)

    FRANCESCA ZAMBELLOOriginal Stage Director (New York, NY)

    Seattle Opera Debut: Faust (’87)Previously at Seattle Opera: War and Peace (’90); Florencia en el Amazonas (’05,’98); Tristan und Isolde (’98); Billy Budd (’01) General Director of The Glimmerglass Festival, Artistic Director of The Washington National Opera at the Kennedy CenterRecently: Candide (Washington National Opera and LA Opera); West Side Story (Houston Grand

    Opera); La Ciociara (Teatro Lirico di Cagliari)Upcoming: Der Ring des Nibelungen (San Francisco Opera); The Barber of Seville (Glimmerglass Festival); Porgy and Bess (Seattle Opera)

    ACTORS

    Ronin ArauctoBraden CookAndy GantnerElliott GantnerSummit Geiselman

    Gavin MichaelsHersh PowersShepard SwanerKeoki TakenoForrest Wu

    DANCERS

    Laura Mead, Dance CaptainCharmaine ButcherAlice CaoMatthew DibbleTrevor Hansen

    Thomas HouseMolly LevyBradley SchlagheckReed Tankersley

    Aida 13

  • ARTISTS CONT.

    ORCHESTRA

    Violin IJennifer Bai, Asst. ConcertmasterMariel BaileyBlayne BarnesEugene BazhanovCecilia Poellein BussKelly FarrisBrian FoxTimothy GarlandAdrianna HulscherLeonid KeylinMae Lin, ConcertmasterMikhail Shmidt Clark StoryJustin Woo

    Violin IIMichael Miropolsky, PrincipalKathleen Boyer, Asst. PrincipalGennady FilimonovBrittany Boulding BreedenLinda ColeXiao-po FeiArtur GirksyAndy LiangVictoria ParkerRachael PearsonJoy RheeAndrew Yeung

    CHORUS

    SopranoCarissa CastaldoJennifer CrossKaren Early EvansSerena EduljeeLauren JamesLinda MattosMary McLaughlinHeather MullinIbidunni OjikutuDana Johnson RobbinsEleanor Stallcop-HorroxAmy Van MechelenLyndee WhiteErin WhitfieldEliza Woodyard

    MezzoLorraine BurdickErica ConveryLaura EichelbergerElizabeth GalafaYeonSoo LeeCheryse McLeod LewisRachelle MossGail NeilDawn PadulaElizabeth PetersonMelissa PlagemannAllison RobertsonSusan SalasHeidi Vanderford

    TenorDuWayne AndrewsMichael AnemaNathan BarnesBen ClevelandJoel CummingsAndrew EtheringtonJon FarmerAnthony JamesTim JaneckeIan LoneyDan McGrawGerman MendozaKarl ReyesKorland SimmonsLogan SkirmStephen WallJames WaltersColin Ward

    Bass/BaritoneDan AarthunRyan BedeWalt BrownJeff CaldwellMichael DunlapCraig GarretsonCody GougeCraig GraysonGlenn GuhrMichael HeitmannBen KramerKwangsuk KuDierre LopezMichael MonnikendamMisha MyznikovMatthew PosnerJulian ReisenthelJonah SpoolRevere Taylor

    ORCHESTRA, continued

    Viola Timothy Hale, PrincipalAaron ConitzPenelope CraneWesley DyringAllison FarkasJoseph GottesmanLaura RenzRachel Swerdlow, Asst. PrincipalJordan VoelkerJulie Whitton

    CelloEfe Baltacigil, PrincipalNathan Chan, Asst. PrincipalEric HanBruce BaileyTheresa BenshoofVivian GuCharles JacotJoy Payton-Stevens

    BassJoseph Kaufman, PrincipalChris BurnsSam CassedayBrendan FitzgeraldJennifer GodfreyTravis Gore, Asst. Principal

    FluteDeMarre McGill, PrincipalJudy KriewallZartouhi Dombourian-Eby

    PiccoloZartouhi Dombourian-Eby

    Oboe Mary Lynch, PrincipalChengwen Winnie Lai

    English HornShannon Spicciati

    ClarinetBenjamin Lulich, PrincipalLaura DeLuca

    Bass ClarinetEric Jacobs

    Bassoon Seth Krimsky, PrincipalMichael Gamburg

    HornJeff Fair, PrincipalJonathan Karschney, Asst. PrincipalJenna BreenJohn TurmanDanielle Kuhlmann

    TrumpetDavid Gordon, PrincipalChristopher Stingle

    TromboneKo-ichiro Yamamoto, PrincipalDavid RittStephen Fissel

    CimbassoJohn DiCesare, Principal

    TimpaniMatt Decker, Principal

    PercussionRob Tucker, PrincipalMichael Clark

    HarpValerie Muzzolini Gordon, PrincipalJohn Carrington

    BandaAlexander White, trumpet, PrincipalMichael Myers, trumpetVincent Green, trumpetGabriel Palmer, trumpetValerie Muzzolini Gordon, harp

    Personnel ManagerScott Wilson

    Assistant Personnel ManagerKeith Higgins

    Rotating members of the string sections are listed alphabetically.

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

    Seattle Opera 2017/18 Season14

  • EDUCATION & COMMUNITY PROGRAM SPONSORSYour support fuels the programs and community partnerships that enrich the lives of opera lovers across the Pacific Northwest!

    Gifts toward Seattle Opera’s Education & Community Engagement programs make it possible to connect with classrooms and neighborhood centers all across Washington State, sharing opera with 70,000 people each year outside of our mainstage programming. We are grateful for the following donors who have made a commitment of $5,000 or more as of March 22, 2018.

    LEAD SPONSORS ($25,000 AND MORE)The Boeing CompanyClassical KING FM 98.1Ann and Gordon Getty FoundationHearst FoundationsOPERA AmericaPeach FoundationSeattle Opera FoundationTrue-Brown FoundationThe Wallace Foundation

    GENERAL SUPPORT ($5,000–$24,999)Anonymous (3)Willie and Dorothy AikensC. Keith Birkenfeld Endowed FundBrenda Bruns, M.D. and Richard DeiningerSue BuskeJeff CarnevaliJonathan Caves and Patricia Blaise-CavesRobert and Loretta ComfortSusan MacGregor Coughlin and

    John LauberNatalie GendlerWilliam Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund

    for Education Outreach Programs at Seattle Opera

    The Hot Chocolate FundLinda L. JamesThe Janecke FamilyLundgren Endowment for New WorksJames and Lora Melhorn

    Lori and Bill PriceTom and Gretchen PuentesSeattle Opera GuildGertrude E. Sprenger Education

    EndowmentStephen Sprenger

    YOUTH PROGRAMSGENERAL SUPPORTEnvestnet | TamaracPaul and Terri SchaakePeg and Rick Young FoundationU.S. Bank Foundation

    IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMSThe Clowes Fund, Inc. Costco WholesaleCarmen Elizabeth Delo Endowed FundMargaret HaggertyPerry Lorenzo Endowed FundDr. Stanley M. Pier Endowed FundScott and Jenny Wyatt

    Opera ToursThe Foster FoundationPeach Foundation

    Become a Founding Member

    today!

    15Aida

    http://cityartsmagazine.com

  • OPERA’S NEWEST SCRIBEBy Jessica Murphy Moo

    When the artist RETNA first got the call from director Francesca Zambello to design this production of Aida, he did what he has done for most of his artistic career. He hit the books. Research has always been a big part of his artistic work. This would be his first opera. So he read old books on Verdi, new books on Verdi. Then he submitted his initial sketches.

    But Zambello sent him back to the drawing board.

    In a sense, RETNA had tried to give an opera director the type of designs his research told him that an opera director would want. But Zambello was looking for something else. “She said my work”—meaning the dynamic visual script, bold colors, and artistic voice that he has developed as a graffiti artist, in his fashion designs, and in his gallery work—“already embodied the spirit of what she was after,” RETNA says. In essence, Zambello really just wanted RETNA to be himself.

    He could do that.

    He has been doing that all along, ever since he started out as a graffiti artist as a 15-year-old in Los Angeles. So yes, RETNA is new to the opera scene, but the style and voice in the designs and illuminated scripts you will see when the curtain goes up have been in the works for decades.

    RETNA (born Marquis Duriel Lewis) has had a lifelong interest in ancient calligraphy and storytelling—Asian calligraphy, Old English writing, Egyptian hieroglyphics—and ancient cultures, particularly Mayan, Aztec, and Incan cultures. As he studied these texts and cultures, he saw a context for his own identity.

    “When I was young,” he says, “I was always in search of identity…to find where I came from, what am I a part of.” His mother’s side of the family is from El Salvador and has Native American lineage. His father is African American, also with Native American roots.

    “People want to put you in categories,” he says. “Are you this, are you that. And I always had this feeling that we’re all one people.” When he studied ancient

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  • calligraphies and ancient cultures, he started to see similarities that supported this view—pyramids in the architecture and themes in the ancient scripts that he saw as universal.

    Another universal, of course, is the human need—across cultures, across time—to create art.

    All in all, RETNA says he has had a fantastic experience crossing over into a new art form. (This co-production first went to San Francisco Opera and then on to Washington National Opera before coming to Seattle.) The scripts you’ll see are his own. In a way this is his own personal poetry. In the Triumphal Scene in particular, you’ll see his own symbology for male letters (the “s”) and female letters (the “e”). Overall his visual language is not one you can “read” character by character, but one that evokes an emotional response and invites a sense of mystery.

    Another reason Aida was a particularly fitting opera to start with was that he identifies not just as an artist, but as a scribe.

    He started as a graffiti artist, and he has always seen graffiti artists as scribes. The word “graffiti” comes from the Italian word “graffiato” which means “scratched.” And while our modern day idea of graffiti might call up images of urban street art and spray cans, the word “graffiti” in art history books often refers to art that was “scratched” onto a surface, say, a rock, a church, or an ancient Egyptian temple or wall.

    “In ancient times, the scribes were always part of working with the government with music, with the hieroglyphics on the wall, promoting who was in power, what the culture was like,” he says. RETNA notes that the more current day version—the graffiti artists—became out of “tune” with the establishment. His original medium was often, as he says, “labeled as illegal.” (RETNA was once arrested for this work.) As his career has evolved, he has jumped at the creative opportunities that have grown out of this work and out of a growing appreciation by more mainstream artistic decision-makers for the merits and contributions of street art.

    RETNA likes what happens when artists of different mediums work together to make something new. He collaborated with the Aida creative team to determine dynamic surfaces and spaces for his scripts, how the lighting would illuminate them, and how they would work with the costume design and props (you’ll see the soldiers carrying flags with his designs and even a weapon in the shape of his calligraphy).

    “I’m one of those people that likes the process,” he says. “I think these days with technology we tend to forget all the people that are involved to make something happen. Sometimes you think someone pushes a button and everything comes together. So from Francesca, to lighting, to the grip, to the set, to all the craftsmen, from the music, the voices, the actors—that just fascinated me. How much work goes into it, how much creative energy from all walks of life who

    have all been in their respective fields for many years. They come together to make this production go on live for a couple of hours….the whole idea of all these people coming together was fascinating to see.”

    Opera, it seems, as an art form that involves so many talented artists and artisans with different skill sets, is particularly suited for this type of expansive artistic collaboration. “It’s nice to see we can all come together and see what we can offer. I was very thrilled to be a part of something like this,” he says.

    RETNA isn’t doing street graffiti anymore, though that art and that work are part of what has made him who he is, and he has been hired to paint many buildings. He has painted the façade of Los Angeles’s Museum of Contemporary Art’s Grand Ave location for their exhibition “Art in the Streets.” He has also created exclusive designs for Nike, Louis Vitton, and Chanel. Now he is working on a solo show for the Museum of MACO in Oaxaca and another show called “Beyond the Streets” at MOCA in Los Angeles.

    His newest project has sent him back to the books, once again studying ancient designs—this time architectural line drawings. He has been designing new letter formations that are created through architecture, inspired by Egyptian monument drawings that depict shadows with the architectural line drawings. “When you look at the buildings in a linear format,” he says, “they start to look like a language.”

    Or maybe a cool set design?

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  • AIDA’S SMALL MOMENTS By Jessica Murphy Moo

    It’s easy to equate Aida with grand opera and the Triumphal March, with huge voices and orchestra and chorus and dancers—an opera just stuffed to the gills with all the “big” stuff we love about this art form. Lucky for us, this production, co-produced by San Francisco Opera and Washington National Opera (and on to Minnesota Opera from here), involves all of these elements. But the original stage director, Francesca Zambello, and our stage director for this production, E. Loren Meeker, also decided to focus on the moments in Aida that are “small.”

    Small? In Aida?

    AIDA AND AMNERIS DUET (ACT II)By Act II, we know all about the clandestine love affair between Radamès and Aida. But Amneris only has her suspicions. She needs to know the truth. Amneris starts the duet in a sickly sweet manner, offering comfort and friendship. Aida, beware Amneris’s long, beautiful bel canto line…

    Aida tries to keep to herself, but Amneris sets a trap. She tells Aida that Radamès has been killed, and then let’s just say it’s impossible for Aida to hide her true feelings behind her high notes. And of course Verdi’s music tells the story as much as the words these characters sing. Elena Gabouri, who makes her US debut in the role of Amneris, a role she has

    performed around the world and brings next to Australia, notes the range in Amneris’s singing here, how she starts with a “graceful cantilena,” or lyrical melody, and moves toward a “dramatic syllabic ending.” (Her jealousy isn’t quite staccato, but close!) Amneris has achieved her goal of finding out what Aida was hiding, but in doing so, she has broken her own heart.

    “BOTH DUETS SHOW AMNERIS’S PERSONALITY: HER DARK SIDE IN THE DUET WITH AIDA AND HER HUMANITY IN THE DUET WITH RADAMÈS.”

    –ELENA GABOURI

    Maybe “intimate” is the better word. After all, if we strip away the “grandness,” we can see that the opera is about two people who love each other, a father and a daughter, the powerful and the powerless.

    All of these relationships involve love—sometimes true, sometimes paternal, sometimes unrequited. But it wouldn’t be opera—and it certainly wouldn’t be

    Verdi—if that love came without strings attached.

    The opera’s duets certainly make this point. There are four duets, and they are each pressure-cooker chess-game moments, where one character attempts to manipulate the other, even if (sometimes especially if) love is at stake.

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  • AIDA AND RADAMÈS DUET (ACT III)Now it’s Aida’s turn to manipulate the person she loves. She calls Radamès the “husband of Amneris.” Ouch! Radamès, back on his heels, tries to convince her that he loves her and only her, that he’ll do anything for her. Will he run away with her? she asks. Um…no, he doesn’t really want to do that. Couldn’t he just win the war and then have her be the “garland crowning my glory”? Nope. Aida has something else in mind. “Listen for the mood changes in the music,” says Leah Crocetto, who performed the role at San Francisco Opera, with Brian Jagde as Radamès, and at Washington National Opera. “The music starts quite victoriously and changes throughout. You can hear the manipulation happen in the music. Then there is quite hopeful music, where Aida begins to believe, again, that they can indeed run away together and be happy. It’s tragic.” And of course, this duet ends with her tricking Radamès into revealing his secret battle plans.

    “AIDA IS ICONIC. THERE IS A LOT OF PRESSURE TO DO HER JUSTICE. VOCALLY, THE RANGE IS ALL OVER THE MAP. HIGH AND FLOATY, LOW AND CHESTY; IT IS ALL NEEDED TO DO THIS ROLE.”

    –LEAH CROCETTO

    AMNERIS AND RADAMÈS DUET (ACT IV) In Verdi’s day there was always an intermission between Act III and Act IV. What this meant for the tenor was a break after the big duet with Aida and the trio with Amonasro. In this production the tenor has one big sing after another, before heading off to be tortured. Brian Jagde calls the duet between Amneris and Radamès a “live action duet.” There is no subtext at this point, he says. They’re saying just what they think. As Radamès is heading off to the tomb, Amneris offers to save him, if he’ll only agree to love her. But Radamès would rather die. “Radamès has too much virtue to take the easy route,” Jagde says. “He causes his own demise.” The duet gets louder and higher and faster. “The two voices are almost in competition,” Gabouri says. Amneris ends in despair, but Radamès has one more surprise in store.

    “RADAMÈS HAS THE HARDEST ARIA TO START A SHOW. YOU IMMEDIATELY KNOW HE IS AT RISK OF COMMITTING TREASON BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH HE LOVES THIS WOMAN.”

    –BRIAN JAGDE

    AIDA AND AMONASRO DUET (ACT III)In this duet, Amonasro confronts his daughter on a riverbank at night. Imagine it. Imagine the relief at finding each other after a long separation. Imagine the perhaps idyllic memories they bring to this moment, the hopes they have for the future, the love they have for each other. But they want different things. Alfred Walker, who returns to Seattle Opera in the role of Amonasro, notes the way these two characters’ loyalties are both in sync and in conflict in this moment.“I start with this beautiful melody, a lullaby, from when she was a little girl,” Walker says. “I soften her up. I tell her she’s going to have love and the throne. But I don’t really have the upper hand,” Walker says. “I need her. Then I turn the table; I even bring up the ghost of her mother. Soon she is begging me, and I have the upper hand. The last thing I say is ‘You’re not my daughter! You’re Pharaoh’s slave.’ I can’t say anything worse.” He succeeds in getting Aida to follow his command.

    “AMONASRO HAS CONQUERED NATIONS IN THE PAST TOO. WHEN AMONASRO IS INCOGNITO, HE SAYS TO THE KING OF EGYPT, ‘SHOW US MERCY. ONE DAY YOU MAY WANT MERCY.’ I THINK HE HAS BEEN ON BOTH SIDES.”

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  • SEATTLE OPERA’S SOCIAL IMPACT CONSULTANT—CHRISTIANA OBEYSUMNERSeattle Opera is taking its equity work seriously. Some of our leaders have taken part in City of Seattle equity training, staff members have started an Equity Task Force, and equity training was also the focus of our last staff retreat. We learned a great deal during our community conversations around Madame Butterfly, and we are carrying those lessons forward. Now, in our next phase of this work, we have hired a social impact consultant. ChrisTiana ObeySumner (a former BRAVO! member) is consulting with the company and organizing forums from now through the fall. We wanted you to hear about this work in ChrisTiana's own words.

    Seattle Opera 2017/18 Season20

  • In college, I took a Western Civilization course that changed my life. The design of the course was simple: two professors, one a professor of English and the other a professor of history, worked in tandem to explain how art and narrative are informed by the lived experience of the creator of the art or the author of the narrative. We read some great literature, while also considering both the historical biographical narrative of the author and the sociopolitical realities of the same period. For me personally, this examination went hand in hand with my personal questions and experiences of “otherness,” and how these experiences and narratives are borne out of the social construct of society at large.

    Now, as a social equity consultant, I draw on this foundation in everything I do, including my social impact consultancy at Seattle Opera. I first seek to examine the narrative of the organization. Once we can define that narrative and its context, we can look at how to share the truth of that narrative with others or how to implement changes.

    Art, in all of its forms, has historically acted as a catalyst for social reflection and subsequent calls to action for equitable change. Seattle Opera is engaging in this work. In late March, the company hosted a Cultured Conversation forum seeking the perspectives of the Black-American community. Through this dynamic discussion a historically Eurocentric institution listened to other perspectives. As my time with Seattle Opera soldiers onward through September, I will continue to seek the impact narratives of those communities who may be un(der)represented at Seattle Opera and consider strategies to foster a practice

    ChrisTiana ObeySumner, MNPL, (preferred pronouns they/them) has been facilitating and consulting on issues of social equity for a decade. Their passion for social equity is rooted in disability, racial, housing, and gender advocacy spanning 15 years. They've worked in housing and homelessness services, mental health and addictions direct service, and as a city commissioner on the Seattle Commission for People with Disabilities and the Seattle Renters Commission. As a former peer counselor and community organizer, ChrisTiana brings elements of storytelling and counseling-inspired approaches to difficult conversations. Their approach comes from a shared horizon of lived and professional experience, and a scholarly perspective, considering how our social history can help predict our future, and how our social contract lies at the foundation of social inequity. They have their Bachelor's of Science in Psychology, a Masters of Nonprofit Leadership, and they are working on a Masters of Public Administration at Seattle University. They were born in Alaska, and raised in the Philadelphia area. They love rock music, wry humor, and WWE.

    of equity—as opposed to inclusion or diversity, terms that still suggest there is a dominant identity who can do the “including.” We will host more racial equity conversations at Breaking Glass on July 28 (see page 48), Cultured Conversations with other historically marginalized groups, and events that seek to provide brave spaces for identities entering the opera space with trepidation.

    It is no wonder that, in our current social consciousness, opera might be seen as an opportunity for respite and healing, an escape from a world fraught with dissension, scarcity, fear, and vitriol. But to do so would turn opera into a museum-piece. How can the art form speak to us and our society today? How do we talk about a work like Porgy and Bess and its issues of ableism and misogyny today, when it was written for a different time? How do we contextualize the fetishization of Asian women in Madame Butterfly?

    I invite you to explore Seattle Opera’s lobby displays during intermission as a way to dig into the context of Aida. Not only will you see the influence of Verdi’s political consciousness on some of the themes in his work (in Aida and elsewhere he clearly sympathized with the marginalized in society), but you’ll also see other modern day influences—Leontyne Price, Hollywood, now RETNA—on the tradition and story of Aida as it is perceived today.

    I am excited to continue this journey with Seattle Opera and to support the company as it works to serve Seattle’s communities. I hope to see you at one of our upcoming events.

    –ChrisTiana ObeySumner

    21Aida

  • SEATTLE OPERA STAFF

    ADMINISTRATIONDominica Myers

    Board Relations Manager/Special Assistant to Aidan Lang

    Charlotte EnsleyAdministration & Board Relations Intern

    ARTISTICMary Brazeau

    Artistic Administration ManagerMeggie Watson

    Associate Director of Artistic Planning

    Jonathan DeanDramaturg

    Paula PodemskiCompany Manager

    Amy JurkiewiczChild Supervisor

    Emmy Ulmer Titlist

    MUSICJohn Keene

    Head of Music Staff and Chorusmaster

    Philip A. Kelsey Assistant Conductor

    David McDade Head of Coach-Accompanists

    Jay RozendaalCoach-Accompanist/Orchestra Librarian

    Emily Cabaniss Music Assistant/Company Librarian

    Stephen Wall Chorus Personnel Coordinator

    Lorenzo GuggenheimOrchestra Library Assistant

    Owen ProutCompany Library Assistant

    Beth Kirchhoff Chorusmaster Emeritus

    STAGE MANAGEMENTYasmine Kiss

    Production Stage ManagerMike Janney, Madeline Levy

    Assistant Stage ManagersKiera Krieg

    Production Assistant

    DEVELOPMENTTracy Reich

    Associate Director of DevelopmentJulia Curns-Welch

    Institutional Giving ManagerMatt Lider

    Individual Giving OfficerErica McIntyre

    Development Operations Manager

    Catherine MerloSr. Individual Giving Officer

    Kim OsitisDevelopment Research and Database Manager

    Caroline Webb Stewardship and Events Manager

    Sarah BernhardtCapital Campaign Associate

    Ahana SenDevelopment Associate

    David SilversteinInstitutional Giving Associate

    Susan Good, Johanna Mannisto Development Interns

    FINANCEMarissa Betz-Zall

    ControllerMichael Joyce

    Senior Financial AnalystRandee Byrd

    Payroll ManagerTrevor Torres

    Payroll AssistantLindsey O’Connor

    Staff AccountantHester Qiang

    Finance Intern

    FACILITIESTodd Clark

    Facilities Manager

    INFORMATION SYSTEMSIain Quigley

    Desktop User Support Technician Stuart McLeod

    Software Systems Administrator

    MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONSBrittany Rall

    Associate Director of MarketingHailey Burt

    Digital Marketing SpecialistKelly Hamilton Colglazier

    Graphic DesignerGabrielle Nomura Gainor

    Media Relations ManagerEd Hawkins

    Marketing Manager/CopywriterJessica Murphy Moo

    Senior Communications ManagerErika Norris

    Web ProducerMeg Stoltz

    Digital Marketing Manager

    SALES AND SERVICESMichelle M. Carrasquillo

    Associate Director of Marketing, Sales and Services

    Gregory Schell Ticket Operations Manager

    Kristin McCarthyAudience Services Manager

    Debra McKinneyGroup Sales Coordinator

    Corrie YadonAudience Services Coordinator

    Caroline Faflak, Amanda Holland, Kara Jespersen, Zeapoe Matalda, Tosha Mayo, Theodore Strack-Grose, Anne Szeliski, Emma Wahl

    Audience Services Representatives

    DIRECT SALESChrista Bond

    Direct Sales ManagerMary Hobbs, Albert Sanders

    Senior Account RepresentativesErin Hart, Virginia Jackson, Dorothea Kopta, Brian Lally, Rowan Sullivan, Noel Walker, Toni Zeigler

    Account Representatives

    PRODUCTIONTim Stettler

    Technical DirectorAlicia Moriarty

    Operations ManagerConnie Yun

    Assistant Lighting Designer

    COSTUMESSusan I. Davis

    Costume Shop ManagerHeidi Zamora

    Costume Show ManagerIeva Ohaks

    Costume Rental-Stock CoordinatorHannah Tyo

    Costume AssistantDenise Barry

    Lead CutterMiriam Goodman-Miller

    Crafts SupervisorChristina Hobbs, Shanna Sincell

    CuttersCynthia Abbott, Laura Mé Smith, Julia Trimarco

    First HandsKellie Dunn

    Craftsperson

    Patti Emmert, Laura Girardot, Kate Hartman, Shellie Moomey, Yoko Niendorf, Lacee Renhart, Morgana Spake

    StitchersRon Erickson

    Wardrobe HeadChristy Kazimour

    Assistant Wardrobe HeadScott Arend

    2nd Assistant Wardrobe Head

    HAIR AND MAKEUPLiesl Alice Gatcheco

    Hair and Makeup ManagerAshlee Naegle

    Wig MasterEva Robins

    Lead Principal Hair and Makeup Artist

    Calli Dey, Ashlee Naegle, Trisha Partida, Shelby Rogers

    Principal Hair and Makeup ArtistsJenn Hill, Faith Matthews, Anne McGowan, Kelly Schmidt, Julia Wing-Krafft, Terry Wright

    Hair and Makeup ArtistsJosh Mina, Sophy Wong

    Assistant Hair and Makeup Managers

    Fiona KrausHair and Makeup Intern

    STAGE CREWCharles T. Buck

    Master Stage CarpenterJustin Loyd

    Head FlymanChris Balducci, Jason Balter, Dallas Duell, Ian Gardner, Adam Lantz, Jason Wagoner

    Assistant Stage CarpentersJim Nash

    Master ElectricianMartin Cunningham

    Assistant Master ElectricianMolly Brindley, Chris Dimoff, Jim Gable, John Small

    Assistant ElectriciansPetrude W. Olds Jr.

    Properties MasterSandy Burke

    Assistant Properties MasterCandy Solie

    Lightboard OperatorJack Burke

    Master Sound Technician/Designer

    PROGRAMS AND PARTNERSHIPSNicole Sonbert

    Youth & Family Programs Manager Rachelle Adams

    Operations ManagerCourtney Clark

    School Programs ManagerT.J. Callahan

    Community Programs CoordinatorBritney Schroeder

    Production Manager, Community Projects

    Sophia Kowalski Education Tour Coordinator

    Nerys JonesArtful Aging Program Manager

    Ryan Bede, Julia Benzinger, Jennifer Bromagen, Becca Cantrell, Ben Cleveland, John Coons, Katrina Deininger, Serena Eduljee, Andrew Etherington, Karen Early Evans, Jon Farmer, Alexander Gallo, Glenn Guhr, Michael Heitmann, Li-Tan Hsu, Tim Janecke, Nerys Jones, Darrell Jordan, Kay Yeh, Kelly Kitchens, Yeonji Lee, Cheryse McLeod Lewis, John Marzano, Jessica Milanese, Ibidunni Ojikutu, Dawn Padula, Melissa Plagemann, Allison Pohl, Marcus Shelton, Greg Smith, Meg Stohlmann, Revere Taylor, Shelly Traverse, Ta Wei Tsai, Annie Walters, Lucy Weber, Erin White, Lyndee White

    Teaching Artists

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

    Aren Der HacopianDirector of Artistic Administration and Planning

    Barbara Lynne JamisonDirector of Programs and Partnerships

    Kristina MurtiDirector of Marketing and Communications

    Doug ProvostDirector of Production

    Allison RabbittDirector of Development

    Jane RepensekChief Financial Officer/ Chief Operations Officer

    Nancy Del Villar VivéDirector of Human Resources

    AIDAN LANG, GENERAL DIRECTOR

    22 Seattle Opera 2017/18 Season

  • STAFF CHAT: MADELINE LEVYAssistant Stage Manager Madeline Levy has been working for Seattle Opera since the 2013 Ring, when she started as an intern and admits she got “hooked” on working behind the scenes for an opera company. Since then, she has learned the ins and outs of rehearsal schedules, union contracts, a show’s crew needs for costume and set changes, and all the small details that go into getting singers onstage on time. She also freelances for opera companies in different parts of the country and has been the head stage manager for two of Seattle Opera’s chamber operas.—Jessica Murphy Moo

    DURING REHEARSALS, PART OF YOUR JOB IS KEEPING TRACK OF ENTRANCES AND EXITS AND MARKING THOSE IN YOUR SCORE. SOUNDS LIKE A LOT TO KEEP TRACK OF. DO YOU HAVE A SYSTEM? Post-it Notes are our best friends. Most assistant stage managers use them because you can move them around. So when the director decides an entrance needs to be a bar later, you don’t have to erase and rewrite; you can just move your Post-it Note. Most people also have a color system: bright pink are entrances that I cue; light pink are for the entrances on the other side of the stage; blue is for exit; orange is for technical things; green is for wardrobe. It’s very colorful.

    THEN DURING THE SHOW YOU ARE BACKSTAGE—EITHER STAGE LEFT OR STAGE RIGHT—WEARING A HEADSET, MAKING SURE SINGERS ARE READY FOR THEIR CUES. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE YOU LISTENING TO ON YOUR HEADSET? A lot. The headsets have channels. We have one channel where you can hear everyone: production stage manager, the light board operator, sound, head carpenter. Then you have another channel for the light spot operators. It’s a lot of people in your ear. There’s headset etiquette. You don’t talk over other people, and you don’t talk when you’re on a standby for a cue. If someone is talking, they might miss a cue.

    WHAT WILL BE GOING ON BACKSTAGE DURING AIDA? Aida will be challenging because there are so many different groups: the chorus, dancers, supers, the child actors, and the principal singers, a lot of different groups doing different things all at once, plus a lot of moving parts as far as scenery goes. That will be an interesting path to navigate backstage!

    ARE YOU ALSO IN CHARGE OF THE BANDA (WHEN THERE ARE INSTRUMENTALISTS PLAYING FROM BACKSTAGE)? The trumpets will play from the two box seats up on the top. We have to make sure they’re up there for the Triumphal March.

    HOW IS AN OPERA STAGE MANAGER DIFFERENT FROM STRAIGHT THEATER? For stage management in opera, you have to be able to read music; you have to follow along with the score.

    YOU MUST HAVE SOME INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCES, BEING SO CLOSE TO THOSE MAGNIFICENT VOICES. When I was a production assistant during The Flying Dutchman, I went under the raked set and listened to Greer Grimsley sing. It was so beautiful, and I will always treasure that moment.

    YOU WERE ALSO ONSTAGE FOR BARBER… I was! Figaro came in from the “wrong” entrance, so I had to get him onstage and try to get him to the right entrance, but then he was tired out and he needed water….it was a lot of fun.

    WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU AREN’T WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES ON AN OPERA? I play Old-Time American Appalachian fiddle music with my father. My father went to med school in the South and fell in love with the music there. He was instrumental in recording some of the Old-Timers and getting the music further out. Up to that point the original Old-Time music players didn’t have recordings because it was more for social settings. He got me playing the violin really young, and I’ve come to love it. We do some touring ourselves.

    23Aida

  • SEATTLE OPERA INDIVIDUAL DONORSSeattle Opera is incredibly grateful for your donor support—as an investor in our season of programs, you make our community a better place to live, work, learn, and enjoy. Thank you!

    The list below reflects Annual Fund donors at the Amethyst level and higher ($500 and more) beginning July 1, 2016, through March 22, 2018.

    FRIENDS OF SEATTLE OPERAAMETHYST $500–$999Anonymous (62) « ^ • Amy Adams • Kateryna and Scott Adams • Jill Aesoph • Mr. and Mrs. Steven M. Ahrens • Matthew Aimonetti • Patricia Aitken • Lennon Aldort • Katherine Alexander • Marian Alexander and David E. Netboy « • James and Anita Allen • Victor and Lisa Allen • David Almond • Ernesto Alorda ^ • Renate S. Amaral • Gilbert and Mary Jane Anderson • Grieg Anderson • Dr. Philip Anderson • Wil and Suzénne Anderson • Kathy Andeway • Dr. Fred and Dita Appelbaum • David Arbaugh • Barbara Archbold • Irene Aronoff • Dr. Jeanne Arvidson • Joe and Lee Ashley • Cassandra Aspinall • Emily Asplund • Queen Avaava • Nate Averyt « • Betty Azar and Larry Harris • Bruce Babbitt • Robert Baetke • Karyn Baker • Kendall and Sonia Baker • Shawn Baker • Jane and Stephen Baldock « • Marian and Richard Baldy • Anne Ball • William and Madeleine Ball • James A. Banks and Cherry A. Banks • Mary Barbieri • Mr. Nicholas Barker and the late Mr. Ivan Barker • Fred and Gwyn Barkman • Diann Barry • Benjamin Bastian • Gustavo Basualdo and Agustina Eiff • Marcia Batchelor • Tony R. Bautista and Daniel Hirschstein • Sarah Beeson • Yelena Begun • Sheryl and Ross Beirne « • Ekaterina Belkina • Nan and Karen Bentley • Denita M. Benyshek • Jason Bergevin and Kelly Abner • Lisa E. Bergman and David L. Fluharty • William Berley • Drs. Irwin and Ilene Bernstein • Jean Berry ^ ³ • Dr. Lynn Best and Mr. Malcolm J. Best • Donovan Bigelow • Keith and Nancy Birdwell • Sheila Bishop • Sharon Bitcon • C. and K.N. Blassingame • Teresa Bledsoe • Elizabeth Appling Bloch • Robert and Betty Blossey • Terri Boehm • Peg Boettcher • Mr. and Mrs. Brian E. Boldt • Sally and Walter Bonsack • Sarah Bork and Tonya Henninger • Jean Bowman • Paul Frank Bowman • Scott Boyd and Wendy Haas • Richard Bradford • Nancy Rieketts Bradley • Richard and Nancy Brainard • David Branch • Adrienne Brand • Dr. Ann L. Brand • Lawrence Brandt • Reid Branson • Terry F. and Ruth J. Branson • Victoria Bratvold • Mary Anne Braund and Steve Pellegrin • Anitra Breit • Jessica Heath Breitbarth « • Robert Brenner • Renee Brewer • The late Herb Bridge and Edie Hilliard • Kenneth Brown and Joyce Erickson • MaryLou Brown • S Lori Brown • Thomas A. Brown • Victoria W. Brown • Tom and Mary Brucker • Karl and Patricia Brunner • Colin Bryar • Casey and Allison Bui • Katharine Bullitt • Marilu Bumgardner • Stan and Alice Burgess • John Burkhardt and JW Harrington • Olivia Burkland • Jennifer Burtner • Elinor Busby • Nicole Buttermore • Tom Byers and Carol Lewis • Christina Byrne • T.J. Callahan † • Sherrie Caltagirone • Carol Campbell • Tom Campbell • Barbara A. Capron and David A. Holm • Alan Carey • Jean Carlson and Sara Levant • Alaina Carr • Eric Carter • Jack T. Cashdollar • Connie Celum and Linda summers • Dorothy Cervinsky • Titus Chan • Mark Chandler • Warren and Fay Chapman • Virginia D. Chappelle • Ronald D. Chase • Donna Cheesebrough • Leslie Chihuly • Sandra Chiodo and Harry DeTurk • Esther Christoffersen • Dr. T.G. and Mrs. Vaira Pelekis Christopher • Royce F. Church • Juris and Daira Cilnis • Gretchen Claflin • Patricia Clarke and Charles Way • Fran Clifton • Perry and Iris Clisbee • Laura Clise • Luanne Coachman « • Candace Coe • Janet Coe • Barbara Cogburn • Donna Cole « • Roger and Ilsa Coleman « • Jessica Coleman • Jene Colin • Dr. Lisa Conaghan • Ruth Conn « • Nancie Cook and Paulette Martin •

    Robin Coon and Carol Groetken • Andrew and Jennifer Cooper • max cormier • William Cornette • Jean and Michael Couch • Megan Coughlin • Charles Cowan and Rhonda Levitt • Steve Coyne • Alfred Cram • J. Cramer and S. Poppema • Brooke Creswell and Janet Tjarnberg • Roger and Emma Crew • Norma B. Croco ^ • Leonora Cross • Tavia Crowder ^ • John Crowe • Barbara L. Crutcher • Bill and Joan Cullen • D’Adre Cunningham « • Sharon and Jeffrey Cunningham « • Richard Cuthbert and Cheryl Redd-Cuthbert • Bill and Diana Dameron • Steven Danzig • Frederick B. Davis and Ms. Harriet Platts • Dr. Henry Davis and Ms. Barbara Williams • Kathleen K. Davis • Elizabeth Day • Barbara de Normandie • Paula Rimmer ^ • Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey S. Degen † • Diane DeGraff • James deHaas • Dr. and Mrs. Cor deHart • Daphne and Henry Dejanikus • James and Nancy Vive • Dr. Gregory J. del Zoppo • Greg and Pamela DeMichillie • Jan Demorest and Steve Moore • James Dempster • Anne Denman • Geoffrey Deschenes and Meredith Broderick • Dr. Diane DeWitt and Mr. Curtis Thompson³ • Bill DeYoung « • Paula Diehr and Frank Hughes • George and the late Susan Dimitroff • Iain Dixon • Diane Dixon-Payne and Daniel L. Payne • Virginia Dombrowski • Jeffrey Donchez • Deborah Donnell • Barry Dorrans • Ken Dorsch • Douglas Dorton and John Rubino • Douglas and Robin Doucette • Dan and Angela Dougherty • Dan and Elizabeth Douglass • E. Thomas Dowd • Lorraine J. and Ferris L. Dracobly • earl droppo • Fred and Adele Drummond ^ • Drs. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Leonard Su • George and Susan Durrie • Sam and Mona Dworkin • Vasiliki Dwyer • Richard Dyer • Carol Eastman • KarenLee Eaton • Shelby Eaton • Mr. and Mrs. Curt Ebbesmeyer • Scott Eby « • Lewis and Susan Edelheit • Wesley Edmunds • Richard L. Egilsrud • Carol Jean Ehlers • Kaitlin Ehlers • Mitra Ehsan and Harold Prow • Donald and Paula Eismann • Dr. Sadek El-Alfy • Paul and Barb Elliott • Cynthia Ellis • Georgiana Ellis, M.D. • Ashley and Linda Emery • Grace England-Markum • John Ensley • Myron P. Erickson and Marcia McClellan Barton • Jonathan Eskew • Ellen L. Evans • K. Gentry and M. Evans « • Donald Fabian • Harlan Falkin • Lucy Falla • Jean Burch Falls • Lorri Falterman and Stephen Strong • Ferric and Victoria Fang • Dr. Kathryn Fantasia and Mr. Zane Weaver • Jeremiah Farias « • Tyler Farmer • Juli Farris • Craig and Kerri Feeney • Elizabeth and Timothy Feetham • Carol Ferrarini and Rita E. Hagmeyer • Janis Fesenmaier • Frank and Margaret Fickeisen • Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Fickes • Dr. and Mrs. Ira Fielding • Marta Fields • Edgar Figueredo • Vitaly Filimonov • Robert and Kay Filson • Meredith Fine • Dr. Joan Fiore • Paul Fischbach • Catherine Floberg « • CW3 Callum J. Flynn • Joseph Flynn • Jeffrey Fong • Dr. and Mrs. Willis M. Fong • Edwin Fontaine • Christian and Tana Fortini • Russell R. Fosmire and Nancy J. Fosmire ^ • Philippe Foss and Carol Michael • Linda and Brad Fowler • Leslie Fox • Judy Frame • Sonia Frank • Ludmeela M. Fraser • Arlene Frederickson « • Betty L. Friedman • Alan Froelich • Shannon Fry • Albert and Susan Fuchs † • Mr. Bryant Fujimoto • Stefan Fulger • Carole Fuller and Evan Schwab ^ • Dorothy V. Fuller • Ben, Charlotte and Carrie Fulton • Dr. and Mrs. Howard L. Fultz • Virginia and Albert Furtwangler • Cheryl Gagne • Don Gagne • Bruce Galloway • Dr. Denise A. Galloway • Joseph Garbini and Jamie Leschen • Bruce Gardner • Emma Garkavi • Beth Garrett • Nancy Garrett and Jim Armstrong • Gail J. Gazda ^ ³ • Janet A. George •

    George and Christine Gerhold • Matt Geyman • Jan Frederick and Warren Gibbs • Mary Jane Gibson • Dr. Scot N. Gibson • Glenn and Marcy Gidlof « • Cicilie Gildersleeve • Sharon Gill • Kern and Kathleen Gillette • J. Lorne Ginther • Sandra Gipe • Scottland Glenn • Dianne E. Goddard and Dennis Edmonds • Scott Goff • Gregg H.S. Golden « • Peggy Goldman • Roger and Kristine Goodan • Alice Goodwin • Richard Gorman • Steve Gramling • Daniel and Carol Graney • Nancy and the late David Grant • Renate and Patrick Grant • The Greco Family • Joshua and Pam Green • Gare Greene • Sue and Frank Gregory • Drs. Basil and Verena Grieco • Kim Grieff • Scott Griffin • Tyler Griffin • Carol Grossmeyer • Gerlinde and the late Ivan Gruber • Dorothy Guernsey • Gary S. Gunderson³ • Dennis Gursky • Sheila and Paul Gutowski • Kathryn and Lowell Hagan « • Lia and Benjamin Halasz • Katryn Haley • Laverne Hall • Trevor Hall • Tania and Tim Halladay • Roger, Mary, and Barbara Hames • Nancy Hamilton • Rebecca Hamlin • Deborah S. Hammond³ • Albert Hamner • Valerie Hamrick • Linda Hanika • Christine R. Hansen and Peter T. Hurd ^ • Knud Hansen • Ramy Hardwick • Gretchen Harrell • Stephen and Renee Harrison • Robin Harrover • Bryan Hart • Saif Hasnain • Cathi and the late Ken Hatch • Carolyn Hathaway • Nels and Dannielle Haugen « • Lane Haury • Helen S. Hawley • Trafton Haynes • Bob Hays • Emerson Heald • Frances M. Heaverlo • Ken Walkky and Julia Hecht • Maynard and Lise Hedegaard • Dr. and Mrs. Frederick Hegge • Sue Hegyvary • Ann Heideman • Susan Hellwich « • Mr. and Mrs. Louis Hellwig • Charlie and Janice Helming • Stijn Hendrikse • C. Terry Hendrix • Roger Hensley • Nori and Valton Herman • Mark and Judy Hibbard • Carla Higginson • Phil Hillstrom • Allison Hiltner and Jonathan Maas • John Hilton • Mr. and Mrs. Don Hirst • David Hobbet and Kimberly Shin • Sylvia Hobbs ^ • Rod and Nancy Hochman • Thomas Holford • Norm Hollingshead’s Opera Plus • Nathaniel Hollywood • Irene Holroyd • Alan and Jo Anne Holt • Carol and Greg Home • Lisa Hong • Dr. and Mrs. William B. Hood Jr. • Sue Hoover • Deborah J. Horne « • Jim Horne • Michelle Horton • Donald and Ioulia Howard • David H. Howden • Karen Howe • Patrick Howe • Adrienne Howell • Phillip and Susan Hubbard † • Kevin Huber • Eoin M. Hudson « • Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Huggins • Ron J. Hull • Julie Hungar « • Stan Hungerford • Jeanne Hunt • Michael Hunter • Robert and Kimberly Hunter • Spencer H. Hurst and Jennifer R. Hurst • Catherine Iles • Eveline Ip • Dr. and Mrs. Nichol T. Iverson • Ryan Iwamoto • Arthur D. Jackson Jr. • Douglas Jackson • Laura and Bernard Jacobson • Sara Metzenberg • Jane and Rose James • Barbara Lynne Jamison and Keith Logan • Didi and Johann Jansen • Paul and Susan Jason • Jeri Jay-Kelley • L. P. Jeter • Douglas and Robin Johnson • Norman Johnson • Allan Johnston • Cassandra and Tom Johnston • Elizabeth Jones • Paul D. Joppa and Marguerite McCarty • Sharon Jordan • Judith Joseph ^ • Ron Joshua • Suzanne and Steve Kalish • Don and Ruthie Kallander • Michael and Margaret Kalton • Sinan and Linda Karasu • Nathalie Karpinsky • Mrs. Janet D. Kavadas • Peter Keck • John and Eleanor Kelley • Joachim Kempin • Beth Kinch • Robert Kirkman and Gakyung Chung • Dina Kisseleva • Beverly R. Klein « • Carolina Kohler and James Rumbaugh • Ryan Kosai • George Kraft • Alan R. Kristal and Jason Lamb • Jane Kroger • Kenneth Kuehnl • Peter A. Kuster and Karen Aileen Mackie • Diana and Les Kutas • Sandra Labadie † ^ • Dr. Lynn Lagerquist • Pamela Lam •

    Seattle Opera 2017/18 Season24

  • † = Education & Community Engagement Donor H= Opera Star Monthly Donor^ = Encore Society Memberl= SOWING Circle Member³= Wagner and More Member

    Christy Lancaster • Jane S. Langer • Ritchie Larson and Elizabeth Swisher • Barbara LaSalle • Kristen and Earl Lasher • Lucy Lauterbach • Frank Lawley • Paula and Chris Ledell • Bernadette Lee • David Lee • Elizabeth Lee and the late Henry Mills³ • Jennifer M. Lee • Paul and Liz Leiba • Alice Leiner • Rosemary Leong-Miller ^ • Jean Letellier • Marjorie J. Levar ^ • Ross Leventhal • Tara and Isaac Levin-Delson • Mr. and Mrs. Alan Levy • Stefan Lewis • Victor Li • Shoubee Liaw • Chelsea Lientz • Pauline Lim • Shutze Lin • Lind Family Foundation Fund • Craig and Anne Lindsay • Douglas Lindsey • Anamaria Lloyd • Dr. and Mrs. Lawrence Loeb • Al and Margaret Lowe • Roger Lowe • Nancy P. Lucht • Rosemary and David Lukens • Cheryl L. Lundgren ^ • Laura Lundgren • James Lutz and Debra Boone • Julie Lutz and George Wallerstein³ • Robert A. and Kathleen O. Lutz • Gary Lyman • Katherine M. Mac Donald • Cathleen and David Macellari • Walter and Ruth MacGinitie • Mary MacKenzie and Wes Ono • James Maconachy • Karen Maneman • Linda Mann and Andrew Layman • Marcelo Marquez • David and Helen Marriott • Tom Marsh • Paul Marten • William Martens • Diane P. Martin • Joe Martinez • Margaret Martini • James Mason • Susan Mason and Richard Roth • William H. and Susan E. Mason • Dr. Patrick Mathiasen and Jenner Roth-Mathiasen • Dorothy Matsui • Daralyn Mattei • Bruce Crowley and Brenda Matter • In memory of Sue M. Maule • Lucille May • Lori Mayo • Donna McCampbell • Pat McCarthy • K. Ann McCartney • Geoff Corso and Marshall McClintock • Mary H. McConnell • Cathy McCown • Michele McCrackin • Colleen McDonald • Patricia McDonald-Scott³ • Jean F. McGarah • A. Wayne McGuire • Robert M. McIntosh • Ellen and Paul McKaskle • Kerry McMahon • Kathleen McNeill • Eric and Marina McVittie • Mollie McWhorter • William Means • Dr. Robert Meier • Bryant and the late Hilda Merrick • Vera Metz • Julia Metzner • Matthieu Mezil • Zemin Mi • Antonio and Mary-Ann Micale • LaTourelle/Middaugh • Marilyn Milberger • Cathy Miller • Janet Miller • Anne Marie Mills • James Mills • Robert C. and Dr. Marina Tarlinskaya Milnor ^ • Dennis and Deborah Minium • Randa Minkarah and Scott Mullins ^ • Ali Modarres • Alex Modelski • Tom Moench • Alex and Nikita Mogilevsky • Frederick Mohr • Roy Monica • Douglas Montague • Jean Moon • Kristine Moore « • Coe Tug Morgan • Claire Tuohy-Morgan « • Joan Moritz • Lisa Morones • Karoline Morrison • Charles Morton • Elizabeth and Allen Moses • Kent Mueller • Marisa Munoz • Patricia Murphy • Sharon Murphy • Sandeep and Kristina Murti • Suzanne Myklebust • John Narver and Roberta DeVore • Jennifer Nazarko • John M. and Lee C. Neff † • Charlotte Nelson • Eric and Mary Nelson • John and Jane Nelson • Rochelle Nelson • Drew Ness • Kate Ness • Terry Newcomb • Jonathan Ngai • Thu-An Nguyen-Lai • Glenis Nielsen • Lila Nielsen • Bart Nijssen • Ralph Nilsen « • Margarete Noe • Lee Ann Nolan • Kevin Norman • Dariel and Gary Norris • Dr. David C. Norris and Alina M. Kostina • David Ogden • Douglas and Alida Oles • Catherine Stanford • Mark and Leslie Olson • Candy and Bob O’Malley • Martha Oman • Theresa O’Neil • Patrice O’Neill • Paul Onnen • Arturo Ortiz • Elisabet Orville • Ida Ott • Simon Ottenberg and Carol Barnard • Toni Owen • Bernard Pack and Russ Welti • The Packia Raj and Yoo Family • Nils Paellmann • Jacob Page • George and Terry Pagos • Douglas C. Palmer and Meredith Means « • David Parent • David F. Parker • Jon Parker • Patricia S. Parrent ^ • Maryann Parris • Edward Pasanen • Elizabeth Paschke • Suzanne Patneaude • Mark and Pauline Patterson • Sandra Patterson • PD Pavia³ • Mary Ruth Payne • Cynthia Pedroso « • Sheila and Eric Pelz • Martha Pendergast • Christopher and Nancy Perks • Morley Perthou •

    Dave Baugh and Kay Peterson • Claudia and Ingvar Petursson • Beth and Jeff Pfost • Stephen and Allison Phayre • Gwen and Phil Phibbs • Alice and David Phillips • Mr. Chakorn Phisuthikul and Mrs. Marilyn Heinemann • Ron Pilcher • Renee Pitra • Martha and Tom Piwonka • Dieter N. and Laurie Plapp • Charles and Lena Plunkett • Cristina Podlusky • David Pollock • Alice and Don Porter • Gary Potter and Alex Ball • Karla Graue Pratt • Rebecca L. Pringle • The Provost Family • Jonathan Prudhomme • J.T. and Suzi Pundt • David S. Querubin • Eleni Rachaniotou † • Rakowsky Family • K. Carolyn Ramamurti • Rita M. Rambo • Lyndia Ramsey • Lewis and Martha Randall • Patricia Rantos • Tom and Sue Raschella • Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Rea • Mr. and Mrs. Joe K. Reasons • Ray Redd • Dr. and Mrs. Edward Reifel • Bob Reynolds and Lesley Wikoff • Alan and Susan Rhodes • Scott Rhodes • Lucy Richard • The late Catherine A. Richardson • Cynthia S. Richardson • Janice Richardson • Kim Richardson • Lanse and Rebecca Richardson • David Roberts • Roberta Roberts • F Robinson • Joshua Rodriguez • Charlotte Straub Roe • Robert Roemer • Andy Rogers « ^ • Patricia Rognlin³ • Jelcy Romberg • Frank Romeo • Kermit Rosen • Julie Rosmond • David and Patricia Ross • Clemens and Maria Rossell • D. Andrew and Joan Rothrock • Harvey Rothschild • Irene Rozet • Erika and Aaron Rubenson • Thomas and Patty Ruehle • Mark Ruffo • Charles Rundles • Mr. Kenneth J. Russell • Mai Russell and Chris Krejci • Richard Rynes • Tim Saito • Kateryna Samartseva • Mark Samson and Dani Myers « • H. Sanford • Debra Santos • Jacqueline and John Savo • Lisa Schaures • Barbara Scheel • Jeffery Schempp • Bob and Kay Schertzl • Todd Scheuer and Luciana Simoncini • Gisela and Hugo Schimmelbusch • Eric B. Schmidt and Kristin A. Henderson • Dustin Schultz • Nancy Schultz • Sandra Schumann • Aaron Schutzer • Judy Schwab • Lidia Schwarz • Cheryl Scott • Donald L. and Kathryn Scott • Joan M. Scott • Sandra Gay Scott • Therese M. Scott • Jack Seeley • Deborah Senn • Christine Seyfried and William Catterall • John Shafchuk • Rebecca Sheaffer and Brett Schmitz • Andrey Shedel • Christine Shigaki • W. A. Shimabukuro • Anita Shores • Dr. and Mrs. Stuart S. Shorr • Judith Shoshana • Brian and Jeannette Shull • Judith Shulman and Harry Hosey • Fran Siciliano and Kirk Johnson • Don and Goldie Silverman • Rob Simpson³ • Mika and Jenny Sinanan • Michael Sisson • Chuck Sitkin • Ivar and Beverly Skuja • Del and Tony Smith • Dorothy and Burton Smith • Mrs. Barbara Smith • Joshua and Laura Smith • Lori Smith • Pamela Jackson Smyth • Kristian Soholm • Eileen Soskin and Gene Berg • Mark Sparacio • Amy and Roy Sparks • Arlene Spaulding • Dr. Estelle Yamaki and Mr. Robert H. Spaulding • Ronald and Dawnelle Spaulding • Sarah Speck, M.D. • Margo J. Spence « • Jay and Deborah Spenser • Lise-Ann Spirka • Robert and Jeanne Spreen • Jim and Linda Sprenger • Elaine Springer • Janet and Peter Stanley • Mary Jo and Michael Stansbury • Christoph and Ellen Stauder • Peggy Stearns • Jon and Betty Steeds • Drew Steen • George and Lucy Steers • Elizabeth Steinbrueck • Chuck Stempler and Sally McKenzie • Dr. Ted and Donna Steudel • Marion Stewart • Matthew Stewart and Marshall Bilderback • Richard M. Stewart • Kent and Linda Streissguth • James and Mary Suhr • Carolyn Sutton and Cort Liddell • Bob Swoffer • Amos and Barbara Szpiro • Kellie Tabor • Georg and Linda Tady • Justin Talbot • Steve Tarkan • Abbot Taylor • Dawson and Lois Taylor • Janetta Taylor • Jeffrey Taylor and Jeffrey Pittman • Rafael Tello • Carole Terry and Alan Fine • Penny Tetter • Michael P. Theisen, M.D. • Christopher and Regina Thomas † • Val Thomas • Christine Thompson • Linda Thompson and Carol Pearson • Nancy and Jim Thomson † • Mary Anne Thorbeck • Dr. Francis E. Timlin • Penelope Tobiska « • Gerard Tolentino • Suzanne K. Tomlinson • James Toomey • Kathleen Tozer • Kevin Trent • Loch and Susan Trimingham • Harriet and Diana Turner • Kim Turner • Izabella and Andrzej Turski • Harry Uliasz • Janet Ulman • Donella and Richard Ulmer • Kathie Uno « •

    Lance Vail and Terri Traub • Joseph Van Buren • Dr. Bertil van Boer and Margaret Fast • Sharon VanDerBurns • Pieter and Tjitske Van der Meulen • Muriel A. Van Housen ^ • Dr. Daniel Varadi • James Veale and Michelle Steffen • Peter J. Vennewitz « • Jackie Verbowski • Casilda Vigil • The Vinh-Thomas Family • George Vranas and Peter Johnson • Morris and Penny Wade • Jan Wagner • Andrew L. Walker • Christine Wallace • John Walsh • Mr. and Mrs. Edward Walter • Thomas Walton • Dina Wampold • Rachel Ward • Roger A. Ward • Gail Wasberg • Steven M. Watson and Edwin Garretson • Taylene Watson • Marc Wautier • Danielle Webber • Mrs. Virginia and the late Dr. Ralph Wedgwood • Joanna Wehrwein • Richard and Laurie Weinman • Jennifer Weis • Tom and Joan Wekell • Ms. Dean Weldon • Dorothy Wendler ^ • Lynne Werner and David Olsho • Joel D. Wessenberg • Bruce and Keren Whittemore • Jean and Peter Wick • Michael B. Widmer • Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wiesenthal • Edward Wiggins • Carolyn and David Wiley • Chuck Wilke • Evelyn Bittner and Jason Williams • Julianne Williams • Michael Williams • Dr. and Mrs. Roger Williams • Shannon Williams • Timothy Williams • Jeanette Willis • Ina Willner • Anne and Dan Willott • Dr. Antoinette Wills³ • Beth Wilson and Joseph Rogers • Bernita Wilson Jackson • Ardeth A. Hollo • Dr. Michael and Beth Witiw • Jodie Wohl, M.D. • Peggy Wolff ^ • Flip Wood • Michael Wood • Nancy and Grant Wood • Pat and Judy Wood • David and Susan Woodrum • Larry and James Woods-Palmer • LaVerne Woods • John H. Wott • Christopher Wright • Nora Wright • Robert and Cathy Wright • Roger Wylie • Sung Yang • Joel Yelland • Alexander Yeung • Christine C. Yokan • Constance and Richard Youel • Igor and Polina Zaika • Jacob Zeiger • Mr. Zhang « • Chris and Jane Zimmerman • Samuel Zinner and Walt Mason † • Stephen Zon «

    GARNET $1,000–$1,499Anonymous (29) † « ^ • Dr. and Mrs. John H. Addison • David and Heidi Adkisson • Stephan Adler • Greg and Ruth Aeschliman • Marianna Alexandersdottir • Susan Allan • Mary Ann Allen • Paul G. Allen • Susan Allen • Connie J. Alley • Sohrab Amirghodsi • Corrie Anderson, MD and Virginia E. WIlliams II • Paul W. Anderson • Jerilyn and Paul Anderson • Rebecca Andrews • Ben and Werona Armstrong • David Ashby • Barrie and Margaret Austin • Michael and Helen Baker • Joan Baldwin and James Walsh « • Leonie Barnes • Dr. Sanford C. Barnes • Michael Barras • Tim and Tony Barrick³ † • Mike Barta and Cynthia Shelly • Aldo and Laurie Basile • Ward Beattie • Cheryle Beighle and Stephen Schroeder • Charles and Marie Bender • Diana N. Bennett • Dr. and Mrs. Forrest C. Bennett • Patricia M. Bentz « • Mari