2016 Festival: Violetta and her Sisters
August 13–28
The Rose Nagelberg Theater
155 East 25th StreetOur “Violetta & Her Sisters” theme encompassed numerous stories of the French demimonde, including grisettes and courtesans, and the men who loved (and tried to control) them. The title of our festival came (with kind permission from publisher Faber & Faber) from a 1994 collection of poetry and essays edited by Nicholas John. Verdi’s La Traviata was paired with Massenet’s Manon along with a season program that included the first act of Puccini’s La Rondine and the first and fourth acts of Leoncavallo’s La Boheme. A total of 14 performances was rounded out with a recital including nearly a dozen different composer’s settings of poems from Baudelaire’s “Fleurs du mal.”
La Traviata
August 13, 14m, 20m, 21m, 25, 27
Kyle Pfortmiller, Stage Director
John Spencer IV, Conductor and Music Director
| August 13, 20m, 25 | August 14m, 21m, 27 | |
|---|---|---|
| Violetta Valéry | Bonnie Frauenthal | Margaret Newcomb |
| Alfredo Germont | Jose Heredia | Jeremy Brauner |
| Giorgio Germont | Jeremiah Johnson | Paul Khoury |
| Flora Bervoix | Hillary Grobe | Magda Gartner |
| Gastone | Christopher Lilley | Christopher Lilley |
| Barone Douphol | Jay Chacon | Nobuki Momma |
| Marchese d'Obigny | Boris Teodoro | Jason Barrameda |
| Dottor Grenvil | Kofi Hayford | Nick Webb |
| Annina | Ileana Santamaria | Natasha Nelson |
| Giuseppe | Christopher Allison | Christopher Allison |
| Commissionario | Jason Barrameda | Boris Teodoro |
Manon
August 20, 22, 24, 26, 28m
Victoria Crutchfield, Stage Director
Chris Fecteau, Conductor and Music Director
| August 20, 22, 24, 26, 28m | Covers | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Manon Lescaut | Olivia Betzen | Rebecca Richardson | |
| Le Chevalier des Grieux | Sean Christensen | ||
| Lescaut | Stan Lacy | ||
| Guillot Morfontaine | Andrew Surrena | Nathan Peterman | |
| De Bretigny | Nobuki Momma | ||
| Le Comte des Grieux | Nick Webb | ||
| Poussette | Kristina Malinauskaite | Taylor Kirk | |
| Javotte | Perri Sussman | Natasha Nelson | |
| Rosette | Magda Gartner | Hillary Grobe | |
| L'hotelier | Kofi Hayford | ||
| Deux Gardes | Douglas Sabo | ||
| La Servante | Taylor Kirk | ||
| Le Portier du Séminaire | Kofi Hayford | ||
| Un Sergent | Boris Teodoro | ||
| Un Archer | Nathan Peterman |
Scenes from the demi-monde
August 19, 23
Bea Goodwin and Joule Voelz, Stage Director
David Štech, Conductor and Music Director
Staged presentation with piano of Puccini’s La Rondine, Act I and Leoncavallo’s La Bohème, Act I (excerpt) and IV (complete), featuring members of the ensemble and covers from our Manon and La traviata productions.
| August 19, 23 | Cover | |
|---|---|---|
| Magda | Rebecca Richardson | Kristina Malinauskaite |
| Ruggero | Sean Christensen | |
| Prunier | Douglas Sabo | |
| Rambaldo | Nobuki Momma | |
| Lisette | Emily Hughes | |
| Périchaud | Jay Chacon | |
| Gobin | Nathan Peterman | |
| Crébillon | Bert Boone | |
| Ivette | Zoe Marie Hart | Zoe Marie Hart |
| Bianca | Taylor Kirk | |
| Suzy | Nicholle Bittlingmeyer |
La bohème (Leoncavallo) — Show Cast List
| August 19, 23 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Marcello | Jose Heredia | |
| Rodolfo | Jay Chacon | |
| Musette | Magda Gartner | |
| Mimi | Ileana Santamaria | |
| Barbemuche | Nick Webb | |
| Gustavo Colline | Bert Boone | |
| Gaudenzio | Christopher Allison | |
| Un Becero | Nathan Peterman | |
| Eufemia | Nicholle Bittlingmeyer |
Chansons de Baudelaire
August 27m
Song settings of the great 19th century French poet Baudelaire by Debussy, Duparc, Fauré, Vierne, d’Indy, Charles Loeffler, Judith Lang Zaimont & Ellen Mandel, plus piano works of Hahn and Godard.
Creative Team & Production Staff
Mary Ellen Stebbins, Lighting DesignerKaren Rich, Production Coordinator
Kasey Burgess, Production Manager