2019: ‘Voices from the Tower’ Festival
August 10–26
Summer Shares at La MaMa
66 East 4th Street (btw Bowery & 2nd Ave)Our 2019 Festival celebrated the powerful presence, contributions, and leadership of women in opera from its very origins. To booken this story, we offered Francesca Caccini’s 1625 opera La liberazione di Ruggiero, the first opera by a woman, and the premiere of the newest: Princess Maleine, by composer Whitney George and librettist Bea (Brittany) Goodwin. Rounding out the repertory season were “Scenes from the Tower” (featuring Cendrillon by Pauline Viardot, and extended excerpts from Mary, Queen of Scots by Thea Musgrave, and Mrs. President, by Victoria Bond), and a song recital entitled “Les Boulangers” (with repertoire by Lili and Nadia Boulanger, Alma Mahler, Clara Schumann and Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, as well as premieres by Martha Sullivan, Ellen Mandel, and Barrett Cobb. The festival comprised a total of 14 repertoire performances as part of “Summer Shares at LaMama.”
La liberazione di Ruggiero
August 10, 15, 17 and 23 at 7:30 pm, and August 11 and 25 at 2:00 pm
Sarah Young, Stage Director
Charles Weaver, Conductor and Music Director
| August 10, 15, 25m | August 11m, 17, 23 | |
|---|---|---|
| Ruggiero | Markel Reed | Nobuki Momma |
| Alcina | Heather Jones | Merav Eldan |
| Melissa | Ilanna Starr | Stephanie Feigenbaum |
| Nettuno | Connor Lidell | Brian Alvarado |
| Pastore | Cory Gross | Christopher Fotis |
| Sirena | Robin Clifford | Alessandra Altieri |
| Una dama disincantata | Heather Bobeck | Rebecca Richardson |
| Nunzia | Clara Lisle | Micaela Aldridge |
| Astolfo | Tyler Dobies | Tyler Dobies |
Princess Maleine
August 16, 20, 22 and 24 at 7:30 pm and August 18 at 2:00 pm
Bea Goodwin, Stage Director
Chris Fecteau and Whitney George, Conductor and Music Director
Synopsis
Video excerpt:
Maleine Trailer Clip – The Pie Aria from Karen Rich on Vimeo.
| August 16, 18m, 20, 22, 24 | Cover Cast | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Princess Maleine of Harlingen | Elyse Kakacek | AddieRose Brown | |
| Prince Hjalmar of Ysselmonde | Jeremy Brauner | Geddy Warner | |
| King Hjalmar of Ysselmonde | Eric Lindsey | Rick Agster | |
| Queen Anne | Lucas Bouk | Lisa Faieta | |
| Aleta, Lady-in-Waiting to Princess Maleine | Nicholle Bittlingmeyer | ||
| The Fool | Jeffrey Mandelbaum | Jeffrey Freuler | |
| Petit Allan, son of Queen Anne | Megan Vanacore | Melyn Saenz | |
| Vanox, a guard of Marcellus' realm | Gabriel Hernandez | ||
| Stephano, a guard of Marcellus' realm | Connor Lidell | Shane Brown | |
| Angus, Prince Hjalmar's lieutenant | Shane Brown | Connor Lidell | |
| Queen Godelive of Harlingen | Kristina Malinauskaite | Anna Woiwood | |
| King Marcellus of Harlingen | Jonathan Harris | ||
| Princess Ursula of Jutland | MaKayla McDonald | Melyn Saenz |
Scenes from the Tower
August 21, 24m
Lauren Hlubny and Emily Bishai, Stage Director
Beau Dream and Whitney George, Conductor and Music Director
| August 21, 24m | ||
|---|---|---|
| Le Baron de Pictordu | Brian Alvarado | |
| Marie, called Cendrillon | MaKayla McDonald | |
| Armelinde | Jessica Harika | |
| Maguelonne | Kristina Malinauskaite | |
| La Fée | Heather Bobeck | |
| Le Prince Charmant | Cory Gross | |
| Le Comte Barigoule | Tyler Dobies |
Mary, Queen of Scots — Show Cast List
| August 21, 24m | ||
|---|---|---|
| Mary, Queen of Scots | Lisa Faieta | |
| James Stewart, Earl of Moray | Connor Lidell | |
| James Hepburn, Earl of Bothwell | Gabriel Hernandez | |
| Lord Gordon | Jonathan Harris | |
| Mary Seaton |
Mrs. President — Show Cast List
| August 21, 24m | ||
|---|---|---|
| Victoria Woodhull | Anna Woiwood | |
| Henry Ward Beecher | Geddy Warner | |
| Joseph Treat | Tyler Dobies | |
| Elizabeth Tilton | Robin Clifford | |
| Isabella Beecher | AddieRose Brown |
Les Boulangers
August 17m
*denotes world premiere
* “Selons…” (for Addie Rose Forstman) by Martha Sullivan, texts by Zhang Ruoxu, translated into French by Judith Gautier from Le Livre de Jade
Addie Rose Forstman, soprano; Edward Forstman, piano
Selections from “Clarières dans le ciel” Lili Boulanger
texts by Francis Jammes
Alessandra Altieri, soprano; Robin Clifford, soprano; Rebecca Richardson, soprano; Edward Forstman, piano
Lieder of Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel & Clara Schumann
Megan Vanacore, soprano; Geddy Warner, tenor; Melyn Saenz, soprano; Christopher Fotis, baritone; Tyler Dobies, tenor; Caitlyn Koester, piano
* “Laugh of the Medusa” by Barrett Cobb, text by Marcy Jellison
Clara Lisle, soprano; Beau Dream, piano
Fünf Lieder by Alma Mahler
Connor Lidell, baritone; Merav Eldan, mezzo soprano
Selections from “Les heures claires” by Nadia Boulanger and Raoul Pugno, texts by Emile Verhaeiren
Ilanna Starr, mezzo soprano; Micaela Aldridge, mezzo soprano; Stephanie Feigenbaum, mezzo soprano; Ji Hea Hwang, piano
* “The Sphinx” by Ellen Mandel, text by Jean Cocteau, translated by Albert Bermel
Anna Woiwood, soprano; Chris Fecteau, piano
Creative Team & Production Staff
Joo Kim, Scenic DesignerDante Olivia Smith, Lighting Designer
Claire Townsend, Costume Designer
Steven Brenman, Technical Director
Maggie Snell, Production Manager