Madama Butterfly Review TheproductionsofOperaWesternReserve,whichtakeplaceinYoungstown’sornateStambaughAuditoriumtendtobeofahybridnature--aninterestingmixofestablishedprofessionalsinthepositionsthatreallydemandsuchexperience,whileyetofferingsteppingstonestothenewcomersinourmidstwhodesperatelyneedsuchexposuretobegintheircareers. Thankstotheuntiringeffortsofthatcraftyveteranofoperaandtheater,David Vosburgh,theoverallpresentationisentirelyprofessionalinappearance.Hedoeswonderswithabudgetnotfarremovedfromtheshoe-stringcategory.Thisyear’sproductionwasagorgeouslyluminousMadama ButterflybyGiacomoPuccini,andoneofthemostoftenproducedoperasintherepertoire.Puccinispecializedinbeautiful,lyricalmusicthatrequiresstrongactingabilitiestoaccuratelyexpresstheenormousemotionhecreates.Theleadquartetherewereallstrongactorsaswellassingersofextraordinarycapability,regardlessoftheirages. Theheroineofthepiece(ifshemaybereferredtoassuch)isCio-CioSan,ayoungJapanesegirlwhofallsinlovewithavisitingUSNavyofficer,LieutenantBenjaminFranklinPinkerton,inthesummerof1905.Theymarry,andofcourse,heleaveswithhisship.Threeyearslater,he’snotyetreturnedagain,butCio-CioSannowhasachild,andlittlemoneytokeephersmallhousehold. Misook Yun,aprofessoratYoungstownStateUniversity,radiatedstrengthandfragilityatthesametimeinthecomplexroleofCio-CioSan.Hersopranovoicedisplayedthesesamequalities,whilealwaysremainingclearanddistinct.Herbigaria‘OneFineDay’(Un bel di)deservedthelargeovationitreceived.IntheroleofhermaidSuzuki,recentCIMgraduateIrene Robertswasexcellent,accuratelyportrayingsubservienceandprotectivenessofheryoungmistress.(Thetwoladieswieldedtheirbroomsagainstaninvaderwithgreatvigor,promptinggentlelaughterfromtheaudience.Youcouldalmostexpectahigh-fiveafterwards,butthatwouldhavebeentotallyoutofcharacter,evenifhumorous.) AsPinkerton,asomewhatthanklessrole(he’snowherevisibleduringthefirstsceneofAct2,andevenmostofthesecondscene,butyethemustbehandsomeandhaveaheroicandlyricaltenorvoice,Clayton Hilleyfilledthebillverywell.Hislastaria‘Farewelllittlehousefilledwithhopeandflowers’(Addio, fiorito asil di letizia e d’amor)wastrulygorgeous.He’ssuchacad,however,thatwhenhedoesreturn,hebringsanAmerican-bornwifewithhim.Carrie Minenok,astudentatYSU,accuratelyportrayedKateasyoungandwillingtocareforPinkerton’slove-child. Brian Keith Johnson,whohasperformedmanytimesinthisarea,aswellaselsewhere,wassimplyoutstandingasSharpless,theU.S.Consul,whohelpsPinkertonsetupthemarriage,eventhoughheisn’tsureofthewholething,andexpressesregretwhenhediscoversCio-CioSan’splight.Johnsonhasalargeandagilebaritonevoicewhichheutilizeswithgreatfinesseandemotion. YSUstudentsMax Pivik(TheBonzeandPrinceYamadori)andMatthew Miles(Goro)shouldhavenodifficultyinfurtheringtheircareersaftergraduation,beingpossessedoffinevoicesandactingabilities. MusicDirectorandConductorSusan Davenny Wyneristrulyamarvel.Sheinvestseverynotewithenergyandemotion,allowingthesingerstobreathewhilenevercoveringuptheirvoices.Herorchestrawassuperb,especiallyconcertmasterJohn Wilcox,whoperformedasweetduetwithCio-CioSan.ThecombinedchoruswaspreparedbyChorusMasterHae Jong Lee,withassistancefromCarol BairdandSue Ellen Harris Davis. Mr.Vosburghdesignedtheattractivesetanddirectedtheaction.Lightingdesign—veryimportantinthisopera—wasbyJ. Anthony Ferrello.Barbara Lucedesignedthecolorfulandfestivecostumes.StageManagerJoyce Joneskepttheactionproceedingsmoothly. WiththeperformancefallingasitdidmidwaybetweenElectiondayandVeteran’sDay,itwasveryappropriatetohaveacolorguardfromthe910th Air WingpresentarmsforthesingingofourNationalAnthem.Thefullhousewasinfinevoice,andthereweremorethanafewsnifflesandtearsmixedinwiththeresultingapplause. From Cool Cleveland contributor Kelly Ferjutz artswriterATroadrunner.com

OPERa Western Reserve, Youngstown, OHIO

Editors:Bernadette LimJacqueline BiboJohnnethen Pierce

Volume 3

Contributors:David Vosburgh

Diana Farrell

Spring 2009

“I enjoyed Madama Butterfly... and it looked like everyone else in the house did too... the OWR really caught on this year.” -Guy D’Astolfo, The Vindicator Entertainment Editor

To say that Opera Western Reserve’s Educational Outreach Program is busy would be quite an understatement! In it’s third year, the program has reached a level of popularity that the company would have never expected. In the fall alone, it has tied the number of performances in the last two years combined and is currently booked for an additional nine performances that reach all the way into July 2009! This year the troupe has traveled from Niles to East Liverpool, Salem to Howland and almost everywhere in between. They have performed for thousands of students in eastern Ohio and even had a performance at the Summer Arts Festival broadcast on local television (Armstrong Cable). There have been numerous repeat performances at schools such as Washington Elementary in Niles and local businesses like Barnes & Noble of Boardman. This season’s troupe has expanded the program significantly. The Educational Outreach program has offered four different ways for students to experience opera. First of all, The Opera Trunk, which has allowed teachers to introduce their classroom to opera at their own pace with books, videos, recordings and other treasures buried inside, is a great hands-on way for kids to get to know the music. Secondly, the Fun with Opera program – previously imprOvPERA – is still a hit among the masses! This fun-filled performance teaches the audience important opera lessons and then puts them to work in an improvised opera scene! There have also been several performances of the Highlights program, where a thirty minute version of OWR’s mainstage production of Madama Butterfly,

narrated in English by Suzuki, was presented in the schools and followed by discussion and Q&A sessions with the students. A major project that came to fruition this fall was a Mini-Mainstage performance of Madama Butterfly, which was funded by the Youngstown Opera Guild. This morning of opera gave students the chance to see a one hour performance complete with lights, costumes, a beautiful set and English supertitles projected on the stage of Stambaugh Auditorium. The Opera Western Reserve Young Artists – who were all seen on the mainstage of Madama Butterfly – sang the principle roles of the morning show with piano and English narration. The morning was a huge success and the group is currently brainstorming another Mini-Mainstage show for Carmen next fall. The Educational Outreach Program is fueled by the talent of OWR’s Young Artists, lead by a team of veterans including Educational Outreach and Programming Director, Diana Farrell, a soprano from Wilbraham, MA, currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the Cleveland Institute of Music after graduating with her Masters from Youngstown State University. Lauren Hess, from Poland, OH, the Assistant Director and an original troupe member since 2006, is in her final year at YSU and currently auditioning for graduate schools. Max Pivik of Plum, PA, is another three-year veteran to the program and is graduating from YSU in the spring. New singers this year include Carrie Minenok, soprano from Austintown, Matthew Miles, tenor from Boardman, and Elizabeth Walker, mezzo-soprano from Natrona Heights, PA. For a third year, the talents of Karen Lyn Fisher, resident of Boardman, OH, accompany the troupe on the piano. Ms. Fisher was a music teacher in the Boardman schools for many years and is an active accompanist in the Youngstown area. Again, “busy” simply doesn’t describe the schedule for OWR’s Young Artists this season, but you’ll hear no complaints from them! These “opera”tunities are great fun and gratifying for these young singers – not to mention exciting, educational and entertaining for their audiences! The troupe will be holding auditions again this spring to replace the valuable talent that will be moving on and is looking forward to bringing opera to even more students in the Youngstown area in 2009.

Fri. January 30 7pm Highlights from Madama Butterfly Holy Trinity ChurchValley Lyric Opera 724.588.6278

March 27, 29, April 4 Il Barbiere di Siviglia State Theater, ClevelandOpera Cleveland 216.791.5000

Sun. February 1 Lunch and Concert: Musical Valentines YoungstownStambaugh Auditorium/Christman Hall 330.259.0555

Sat. March 28 8pm Swing into Spring: The Romance of Dance! A Gala WarrenPackard Music Hall Warren Philharmonic Orchestra 330.399.3606

For Information on YSU Theater’s Spring Season Call the Box Office 330.941.3105

Sat. April 25 Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 Finale Thiel CollegeStambaugh Chorus with Greenville Symphony 330.759.1819

March 13, 15 When in our Music God is Glorified Various VenuesSeraphim Chorus www.seraphimsings.com

Sun. April 26 12:30pm Lunch and Concert: American Salute YoungstownStambaugh Auditorium/Christman Hall 330.259.0555

For Information on Youngstown Symphony Orchestra concertsCall the DeYor Performing Arts Center 330.744.0264

Sat. May 9 12pm La Cenerentola Tinseltown Theater, BoardmanEncore Broadcast: Wed. May 20 7pm 330.965.2335

Sun. March 15 Spring Concert: A Bridge Over Troubled Water YoungstownSt. John’s Episcopal Church Stambaugh Chorus 330.759.1819

May 29, 31 In the Good ‘Ole Summertime Various VenuesSeraphim Chorus www.seraphimsings.com

Sat. March 21 12 pm La Sonnambula Tinseltown Theater, BoardmanEncore Broadcast: Wed. April 1 7pm 330.965.2335

June 19, 21, 27 Falstaff State Theater, ClevelandOpera Cleveland 216.791.5000

Save the DatesYoung Artists performing a Mini-Main Stage Production

Farrell as Butterfly and Pivik as Sharpless

OPERA Western Reserve Young Artists

Hess as Suzuki

OWR’s Wish ListDo you have:

o Costumes

o Hand/Power Shop Tools

o Art Items for our Summer Festival Silent Auction

o Antique-look furniture

that you would like to donate to OPERA Western Reserve?

Call us at 330.480.0693 or mail this coupon.

We’ll arrange to pick it up.

Theopera-lover’sinfatuationwithCarmenhasonlyseemedtogrowintheyearssinceits1872debutattheOpéra-ComiqueinParis.Roundlycriticizedbythecontemporarycritics,itssoaringmelodiesandrawpassionshaveprovedtheirstage-worthinessbymakingitoneofthemostperformedoperasever.The“goodboy,”DonJose,luredawayfromhischildhoodsweetheartbythe“badgirl,”Carmen,totheirmutualdestruction,isasprimalastheimageof the moth to the flame, and just as inevitable. Bizet and his two librettists, Meilhac and Halévy, Frenchman all, were able to pluck their characters (and, adding a few not found there) from the novel by another Frenchman, Prosper Mérimeé, and “musicalize” them into the very epitome of the hot-blooded Spaniards in our imaginations. Mix together such colorful images as young soldiers, lusty bullfighters, and Gypsy smugglers, and you have the recipe for a rousing tale of love and jealousy, excitement and danger, all safely on the other side of the orchestra pit. OPERAWesternReservehaschosenCarmen as its first foray into French opera and will perform it in the manner in which it was first conceived, a melodrama with spoken dialogue to even more starkly set off the flights of lilting and pulsating melodies and rhythms that have kept it in center stage for over 130 years. After all, how could it beresistedwheneverywomansecretlyimaginesherselfasaCarmenandeverymanlongstobeherEscamilloorDonJose? Come and join use as we all fall under Carmen’s and Bizet’s spell of immortal melodies when OPERA Western Reserve,underthebatonofSusanDavennyWyner,bringsCarmentolifeonthestageofStambaughAuditoriumonFriday, November 6, 2009.

Carmen: Like a Moth to a Flame

We Invite You to Join Our Community Support Campaign:

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Name: _______________________________________Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________Phone: _______________________________________Credit Card: __________________________________Signature: ____________________________________ Master Card Visa Exp. Date: ________

For donations of $100 or more, please make check out to the Youngstown Foundation with Opera Western Reserve on the

memo line. Please mail this form to:Opera Western Reserve, 1000 Fifth Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44504

THANk YOu!

Opera Western reserve WelcOmes tWO neW members tO Our YOung artist grOup. In January two new “Young Artists” joined the Opera Western Reserve’s Young Artist Program. The first, Robert Pierce (top), a baritone, is a native of Painesville, Ohio. He has sung roles in Béatrice et Benedict (Claudio), The Merry Wives of Windsor (Mr. Ford), Amelia Goes to the Ball (The Husband), The Marriage of Figaro (Count Almaviva), and Die Fledermaus (Frank). He has also performed as a soloist for the Fauré’s Requiem and the Mozart Coronation Mass with the Westerville Symphony. In 2008, he graduated with a Bachelor of Music from Otterbein College where he studied with David Price, and he currently attends the Cleveland Institute of Music in the studio of Clifford Billions. The second, is Lindsey Anderson (bottom). Ms. Anderson, a mezzo soprano, is a second year Masters student, studying under the direction of Mary Schiller at the Cleveland Institute of Music. At the Cleveland Institute, Ms. Anderson has performed in Suor Angelica (La Zia Principessa), Béatrice et Bénédict (Ursule), and Die Zauberflöte (Third Lady). Ms. Anderson has also participated in various master classes with star baritone, Nathan Gunn, as well as renowned coaches such as Warren Jones and Mikhail Hallak. In July of 2008, Ms. Anderson attended the Bay Area Summer Opera Theatre Institute in San Francisco. At BASOTI, she sang the role of Zita in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi and performed in several scenes from Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia and Bizet’s Carmen.

Watch for the Youngstown Opera Guild’s Spring Event

Opera Western ReservePatricia Fleck Kavic, Chairman/General Director

Susan Davenny Wyner, Music Director/ConductorDavid L. Vosburgh, General Manager/Production Director

We’d like to thank...Aimee and Lulu Seidel Foundation

Denise DeBartolo YorkHelen and Walter Bender Memorial Fund

Home Savings Charitable FoundationJane F. Lamb Charitable Foundation

Ruth H. Beecher Charitable Trust Walter E. and Caroline H. Watson Foundation

William B. Pollock II & Kathryn Challiss Pollock FoundationThe Youngstown FoundationThe Youngstown Opera Guild

Zita M. and Joseph DiYorio Charitable Foundation

... for their support!

Contents

Madama Butterfly ReviewOWR’s Young Artists

Save the datesIntroducing Carmen

1000 Fifth AvenueYoungstown, OH 44504-1673

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