New Camerata Opera

presents

 
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The Flea Theater

Composed by Benjamin Britten

Libretto by Ronald Duncan

Stage Director
Bea Goodwin

Music Director
Justin Bischof

Associate & Cover Conductor
Brian Holman

Scenographer
Luther Frank

Associate Scenographer
Jocelyn Grigorie

Costume Design
Sarah Dixey

Director of Artistic Sign Language
Alexandria Wailes

Stage Manager
Miriam Rochford

Assistant Stage Manager
Seth Betzler

ASL Interpreters
Maria Cardoza
Patrick Michael Coble
Stephanie Feyne
Kimberly Hale
Kat Katona
Liz Milana
Bill Moody
Brittany Quickel
Rick Rubin
Tim Smith
Mara Stephens
Lynnette Taylor


Cast

Lucretia (Mezzo-Soprano)
Allison Gish
Lucretia (Actor)
Amelia Hensley
Lucretia (Mezzo-Soprano Cover)
Nicholle Bittlingmeyer
Tarquinius
Stan Lacy
Female Chorus
Helena Brown
Male Chorus
Erik Bagger (5/2, 5/5)
Victor Khodadad (5/4)
Bianca
Eva Parr (5/2, 5/5)
Julia Tang (5/4)
Collatinus
Andrew Dwan
Junius
Scott Lindroth
Lucia
Barbara Porto


The Modus Opera Orchestra

Violin I - Eddie Findeisen
Violin II - David Wei
Viola - Jarvis Benson
Cello - Eric Allen
Bass - Nathaniel Chase
Flute - Ryu Cipris
Oboe - Boris Baev, Keve Wilson
Clarinet - Sam Boutris
Bassoon - Nanci Belmont
Horn - Meredith Moore
Harp - Melanie Genin, Kate Sloat
Percussion - Eric Borghi
Piano - Brian Holman


Synopsis

Prologue

The Male and Female Choruses explain the situation in Rome: ruled by the foreigner Tarquinius Superbus and fighting off a Greek invasion, the city has sunk into depravity. The two choruses describe their own role as Christian interpreters of the pagan story about to begin. Throughout the opera the Male Chorus will narrate the thoughts of the male characters, and the Female Chorus those of the female characters.

Act 1

In an armed camp outside Rome, Tarquinius, Collatinus and Junius are drinking together. The previous night, a group of soldiers rode home unexpectedly to Rome to check on their wives, all of whom were caught betraying their husbands, with the single exception of Collatinus' wife Lucretia. Junius, whose wife was among the faithless majority, goads young Tarquinius, the king's son, into testing Lucretia's chastity himself. The impulsive prince calls for his horse and gallops off to the city alone. At Collatinus' house in Rome, Lucretia is patiently spinning with her servants Bianca and Lucia. She longs for her absent husband. As the women prepare for bed, there is a knock at the door: Tarquinius. Though fearful, they cannot refuse to offer the prince hospitality.

Act 2

As Lucretia sleeps, Tarquinius creeps into her bedroom and awakens her with a kiss. She begs him to go, but certain that she desires him, he rapes her. The following morning, Lucia and Bianca are glad to discover that Tarquinius has already left the house. Lucretia enters, calm but obviously devastated. She sends a messenger asking Collatinus to come home. Bianca tries to stop the messenger, but Collatinus arrives at once (accompanied by Junius). He comforts his wife lovingly, but she feels that she will never be clean again. She stabs herself and dies. All mourn. Junius plans to use this crime by the prince to spark a rebellion against the king. The Female Chorus is left in despair at the moral emptiness of this story. But the Male Chorus tells her that all pain is given meaning, and all sin redeemed, in the suffering of Christ. The two end the opera with a prayer.


Director’s Notes

Sexual abuse is not an event that happens just once, nor is it a string of events that happens over a period of time. Abuse becomes an identifier. A part of you. A victim relives their trauma over and over—taking the roles of omniscient narrator, bystander, themselves. Trauma could manifest immediately , it could lie dormant for years. No two victims experience is the same.

The year is 530 BC…or is it? Abuse of power, a drunken night, a dare. We all tuned in to watch the same scenario play out this past October. And much like Lucretia, we begged for a different fate.  

To be at the helm of this experience was one of the most gratifying in my career. I knew from moment one I wanted to incorporate ASL, a language not often shared on stage, to showcase a different side of victim trauma: voicelessness. Amelia and Alexandria took this idea to new heights, providing an experience that far transcended anything I could have dreamed of.   

Lucretia is a European legend, and a legend contains a universal truth : time is up.

- bea goodwin


Cast

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+ Erik Bagger

Erik Bagger’s role highlights include Tamino, in Die Zauberflöte, Albert in Albert Herring, Alfredo in La Traviata, and Rodolfo in La Bohème. He has performed with companies including New Camerata Opera, The San Jose Stage Company, The Martina Arroyo Foundation, Opera on Tap NYC, North Shore Music Festival, Bronx Opera, dell’Arte Opera Ensemble, Utopia Opera, Opera Noire of NY, Buck Hill Skytop Music Festival, and Wendy Taucher DOT. In June 2017, Bagger made his Carnegie Hall soloist debut, with The Eco-Music Big Band in excerpts from the new opera Angela’s Ring. His voice has been described as “soulful” and of “admirable flexibility” (Voce di Meche). For his strong stage charisma, he has been hailed “consistently amusing” by The New York Times, and a “comic gem” by Broadway World. He holds an M.M. from The Conservatory of Music of Brooklyn College, where he was the recipient of The Brooklyn College Opera Theatre Award.

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+ Nicholle Bittlingmeyer

Nicholle Bittlingmeyer, mezzo-soprano, was born and raised in New York City. She attended the prestigious “Fame” school, LaGuardia Arts, as a teenager, and received both her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College. She was most recently featured in Fresh Squeezed Opera's concert, The Female Gaze. Upcoming engagements include Lola in Cavalleria Rusticana with the Brooklyn Philharmonia Chorus and Aleta in the world premiere of Brittany Goodwin and Whitney George's opera Princess Maleine with dell'Arte Opera Ensemble. Ms. Bittlingmeyer made her Lincoln Center debut in 2016 in the New York City Opera Chorus for Florencia en el Amazonas and also appeared with them in 2018 in the chorus of L’amore dei tre reiOther credits include the title role in Carmen, Dido in Dido & Aeneas, Mother Marie in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Arnalta and Valetto in L’Incoronazione di PoppeaDorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Third Lady in Die Zauberflöte, Paquette in Candide, Meg Page (cover) in Falstaff, Maestra delle novizie in Suor Angelica, Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance, and Bertha in The Grand Duke. Orchestral concert credits include Alto soloist in Handel's Messiah, Alto soloist in Vivaldi’s Gloria, The Angel in Mendelssohn’s Elijah, and the Messenger in Handel’s Judas Maccabaeus. Other concert credits include the title role in Act II of Carmen in a French repertoire concert with the Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra and New York Opera Exchange, as well as mezzo soloist in the world premiere of “1001 Voices” by Jack London and in Franzetti’s “Gauchito and the Pony” with the Queens Symphony Orchestra. Nicholle is currently studying with Sherry Overholt and was recently a scholarship recipient in “The London Masterclasses,” studying with famed mezzo-soprano Jennifer Larmore. Ms. Bittlingmeyer also freelances as a makeup artist, Disney party princess, stage manager, HR admin (every day), and church musician (recently retired after 6 years as a full-time music director).  

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+ Helena Brown

Lauded as having a "stunningly large round sound," as well as a “steely, velvety” timbre, American soprano, Helena Brown, is quickly distinguishing as a force of nature for the international stages. She was recently awarded the Top Prize, Robert Lauch Memorial Award, in the Wagner Society of New York Competition, Second Place in the Brava Opera Theatre Competition, the Sergio Franchi Award in the Deborah Voigt/Vero Beach Opera Competition, Second Place in the Young Patronesses of the Opera/Florida Grand Opera Vocal Competition, as well as awards and grants from an array of institutions. Helena was a member of Sarasota Opera for their 2017 winter season as a Studio Artist, covering the role of Madame Lidoine (New Prioress) in the Dialogues of the Carmelites. That summer, she returned to the Glimmerglass Festival to sing Isabella in the American premiere of The Siege of Calais and covered Serena in Porgy and Bess. Last season, Helena made her role debuts as Donna Elvira in Don Giovanni with Rioja Lirica/DIVAria Productions and Sieglinde in Die Walküre with Miami Wagner Institute. For the 2018-2019 season, she reprised the role of Donna Elvira with Rioja Lirica/DIVAria Productions and is happy to join New Camerata opera to make her debut as Female Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia.

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+ Andrew Dwan

This is Bass-baritone Andrew Dwan’s first appearance with New Camerata Opera. Previous roles include Figaro in Mozart’s Le nozze di Figaro with San Jose Opera, Kecal in Smetana’s The Bartered Bride with the Music Academy of the West, and Dulcamara in Donizetti’s l’Elisir d’Amore with City Lyric Opera. He also has a passion for contemporary works, with recent performances of Knot an Opera with Fresh Squeezed Opera, Aldous Huxley in Anne LeBaron’s LSD: The Opera premiered at the Disney Redcat Hall, and Oulomenos in Jason Thorpe Buchanan’s Hunger, performed in conjunction with The Industry’s First Take. This summer he looks forward to performing at the Schwabacher Concert with the Merola Opera Program.

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+ Allison Gish

Praised for her “full-flavored mezzo,” (Parterre Box), “substantial instrument and stage presence” (Voce di Meche) and “plushy instrument of vast range” (Oberon’s Grove), Allison Gish is a singing actress based in NYC. This season, she makes role and company debuts as the title role in The Rape of Lucretia (New Camerata Opera) and The Mother in The Consul (Bronx Opera). This summer, she will perform the role of Lucia in La gazza ladra as a Resident Artist at Teatro Nuovo and will join an elite group of singers at the Vocal Program at American Bach Soloists Academy.

Last season, her performance of Lisotta in the American premiere of Salieri’s La cifra was lauded as “hilarious to the nth degree” (Broadway World). In addition to her “knack for comedy” (Oberon’s Grove), Ms. Gish has also received accolades for her dramatic roles, achieving“ fresh shades of self-flagellating nuance” (Log Journal) in her “flawless” (Opera News) portrayal of Green Pants in a critically-acclaimed new production of Robert Ashley's DUST and cutting a “stern presence” in her portrayal of Wine Mom in the world premiere of Jarrar/Goodwin’s Tabula Rasa. Last season saw a number of other role and company debuts: Zita in Gianni Schicchi (City Lyric Opera, formerly ARE Opera), Kathleen O'Fallin in the New York premiere Ricky Ian Gordon’s Morning Star (On Site Opera), Didone in a concert performance of Cavalli’s La Didone (Haymarket Summer Opera Course), and Junon/Melisse in Lully’s Cadmus et Hermione (Amherst Early Music Festival). Previously, she has performed the roles of Giunone and La Natura in Cavalli’s La Calisto (dell’Arte Opera Ensemble), Medoro in Handel's Orlando (Cantanti Project), and covered the role of Alma March in Adamo’s Little Women (The Mannes Opera).

Ms. Gish is a recent graduate of the Professional Studies Diploma at Mannes College (2017) and completed her Bachelor of Music at Louisiana State University (2007). In the interim between her music degrees, Ms. Gish completed a masters in communication disorders at Louisiana State University (2010), publishing her master’s thesis “Vocal Warm-Up Practices and Perceptions in Vocalists: A Pilot Survey in Journal of Voice. She worked as a speech-language pathologist for several years before returning to singing full-time.

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+ Amelia Hensley

AMELIA HENSLEY- Broadway: Spring Awakening (Deaf West). Off Broadway: I Was Most Alive with You (Playwrights Horizons). Seattle: Skin, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Deaf Spotlight). LA: Spring Awakening (Deaf West), Our Town (Pasadena Playhouse), Broadway Dream (Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts). DC: Hamlecchino, The Lady Becomes Him, A Commedia Christmas Carol (Faction of Fools); Beertown, Peepshow (Dog & Pony DC); Noises Off (Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival).

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+ Victor Khodadad

A classically trained actor and singer, Mr. Khodadad received his MFA in Acting from the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco and a Graduate Professional Diploma in Vocal Performance from The Hartt School of Music in Hartford, CT. He has studied singing with Jerome Pruett, Nicolai Gedda and David Jones. Having performed regionally across the United States, Mr. Khodadad’s repertoire includes Tamino, Don Ottavio, Ferrando, Sesto, Alfredo, The Duke, Rodolfo, Roméo, Lensky, Alfred, Eisenstein, Cavaradossi, Gérald, Nadir, Des Grieux, Nemorino, Count Almaviva and The Male Chorus. Oratorio works include The Messiah, Elijah, The Creation, The Seasons and Die erste Walpurgisnacht. He is a co-founder of New Camerata Opera and the Outreach Director. Camerata Piccola, the branch of NCO that produces children’s opera, brings quality productions for students from Pre-K through High School. Please contact us at info@newcamerataopera.org for more information.

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+ Stan Lacy

Regarded for his richness of tone and infectious stage presence, Stan Lacy has made a name for himself on the stages of New York and the world in operas, concerts and recitals.

This season he premiered the role of Aeneas in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas and this summer he returns to Dell’Arte opera company to offer his first Lescaut in Massenet’s Manon.

Recently, Stan's debut with Bronx Opera as Sid (Albert Herring) garnered praise as "handsome" and "hot-blooded," and was heralded as a "sensual" portrayal of a "working class ladies' man." Stan was also recently heard in the role of Tarquinius (Rape of Lucretia)with Utopia Opera of Manhattan, El Dancairo (Carmen) with State Repertory Opera of New Jersey, Betto (Gianni Schicchi) with Raylynmor Opera of New Hampshire, and Ping (Turandot) with Metro Chamber Orchestra of New York. At home in difficult, contemporary repertoire, Stan recently sang the part of Mittelstaedt in the American premiere of Nancy Van de Vate's All Quiet on the Western Front. He created the role of Remo in Haim Elisha's new serialist opera A Certain Quiet (2015). He sang Count Almaviva in Titus’ Rosina in that opera’s first revival in over thirty years for Dell’Arte Opera in NYC. His portrayal of Judge Danforth (The Crucible) helped to garner a first prize for DiCapo Opera on tour at the MezzoTV Opera festival in Szeged, Hungary. In concert with ensembles in New York and New Jersey, he has sung Elijah, Liebeslieder Walzer, and Messiah, as well as works of Vaughan-Williams, Howells, and Ariel Ramírez. Stan pursued graduate studies at the prestigious Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, and graduated from Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Music.

www.stanlacy.com

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+ Scott Lindroth

Scott Warren Lindroth has been lauded for his “appealing baritone” (New York Times) and “athletic energy” (New York Classical Review). Last season, Mr. Lindroth performed with New Camerata Opera (NCO) in his role debut as Adonis in Blow’s Venus & Adonis, and as Mr. Gobineau in Menotti’s The Medium at House of Yes in Brooklyn. He is thrilled to be joining NCO once again for the role of Junius in its production of Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia.

In 2013, Mr. Lindroth was an Apprentice Artist with Sarasota Opera, joining the company for their performances of Les pêcheurs de perlesOf Mice and Men, Un Giorno di Regno and Turandot. He also portrayed the roles of Sharpless in Madame Butterfly and Marcello in La Bohème in their opera scenes programs. Mr. Lindroth was also a Resident Artist with Dicapo Opera in New York City, where he performed the role of Belcore in L’elisir d’amore.

Mr. Lindroth’s other operatic roles include Valentin in Faust, Figaro in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Harlequin in Ariadne auf Naxos, Masetto in Don Giovanni, Dancaïro in Carmen, Top in The Tender Land, Marcello in La Bohème, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Papageno in Die Zauberflöte, Marco in Gianni Schicchi and Mandarin in Turandot. He created the role of Kaczynski for the American premiere of All Quiet on the Western Front with the Metro Chamber Orchestra in 2014.

As a concert soloist, Mr. Lindroth performed Mozart’s Requiem under the baton of Kent Tritle at the Manhattan School of Music. He has also performed major works with the Astoria Symphony, including Saint-Saens’ Oratorio del Noël and Beethoven's Die Ruinen von Athen. Other concert engagements include Orff’s Carmina Burana, Dubois’ Les sept paroles du Christ and Bach’s Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis.

In competition, Mr. Lindroth placed second in the Opera Theater of Connecticut Voice Competition, and was a finalist in the Lieder Division of the Liederkranz Vocal Competition, the 2014 Career Bridges Competition and the 2014 American Opera Idol Competition. Mr. Lindroth holds a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Michigan. Mr. Lindroth is a co-founder of New Camerata Opera, as well as its Communications Director.

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+ Eva Parr

Mezzo-soprano Eva Parr is a Co-Founder of New Camerata Opera, and also serves as Art Director. She is an active performer throughout the New York area. Most recently Eva appeared as Ada Lovelace in Kamala Sankaram's Enchantress with New Camerata Opera. She also appeared in Lesley Dill & Richard Marriott's Divide Light, as Mrs. Nolan in Menotti’s The Medium as part of NCO's production of Triskaidekaphilia, and as Countess Stasa Kokozow in The Count of Luxembourg and Other Tales. Favorite past roles include: Carmen (Carmencita in Bed-Stuy), Dorabella (Così fan tutte), Tisbe (La Cenerentola), La Ciesca (Gianni Schicchi), Meg (Falstaff), and Hansel (Hansel und Gretel). She has performed with several companies including The Bronx Opera, DiCapo Opera, The North Shore Music Festival, Opera Lirico d’Europa, Amore Opera, Opera Manhattan, The Garden State Philharmonic, and New Camerata Opera.

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+ Barbara Porto

Soprano Barbara Porto has been praised for her vocal clarity and engaging stage presence. Most recently, she gave a "brilliant performance" in the world premiere of Gabrielle Herbst's First Lady of the Air, as part of Fresh Squeezed Opera's The Female Gaze concert series (New York Classical Review). In December, she sang the title role in Blow's Venus and Adonis with New Camerata Opera.  Other operatic credits include Oberto (Alcina), Mademoiselle Silberklang, Zerlina, Barbarina, Crobyle (Thaïs), Servilia (La Clemenza di Tito), Anna Gomez (The Consul), and Giannetta (L'elisir d'amore).  A California native, Ms. Porto holds a B.A. in both Music and Psychology from Occidental College.  Barbara also holds a M.S. in Special Education from CUNY Hunter College and earned her M.M. Performance degree at Brooklyn College Conservatory of Music.  She resides in New York City, and continues her vocal study with Mark Schnaible.

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+ Julia Tang

Julia Tang, mezzo-soprano, performs actively in New York City. She has studied and performed with The National Opera Institute in Brooklyn, IIVA in Italy, Intermezzo Elardo Young Artist Program in Belgium, and New York Lyric Opera. Tang holds B.M and M.M. degrees from the Conservatory of Music of Brooklyn College. Her performance highlights include: Cherubino and Marcellina (Le nozze di Figaro), La Suora Infermiera (Suor Angelica), Filipyevna (Eugene Onegin), Dunyasha (Tsar’s Bride), and Sorceress (Dido and Aeneas). She was a soloist at Grace Episcopal Church in Nyack. In addition to mainstage opera, Ms. Tang has sung in several of NCO’s children’s operas, including Peter Rabbit, which was recently performed with the Montclair Orchestra in New Jersey. She has appeared as a soloist in Pergolesi’s Stabat mater with the Metro Chamber Orchestra and Handel’s Messiah with Union Church of Bay Ridge Choir, and Grace Episcopal Church in Nyack in the past seasons.


Directors

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+ Justin Bischof

New York City resident Justin Bischof is one of the most eclectic artists of his generation. He is an internationally acclaimed orchestral & opera conductor as well as concert organist, pianist and improviser. He has performed in some of the world’s great venues including New York’s Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Lincoln Center, Rose Theatre Lincoln Center, Tonhalle of Zurich, Eli Broad Theatre of Los Angeles, St. Paul’s Cathedral London, Notre Dame Paris, Cologne Cathedral, to name a few. He has collaborated with some of the world’s most prominent artists including Joshua Bell, Bright Sheng, Tan Dun and Roberta Peters. As an orchestral conductor, he was worked with numerous ensembles including National Arts Center Orchestra, The Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Vancouver Symphony, the Royal Symphony of Oman, the State Philharmonic Kavkazskiye of Russia, the Arkansas Symphony, the WAAPA orchestra in Perth Australia, and the National Orchestra of Haiti.

He is the Founder & Artistic Director of The Modus Orchestra & Opera of New York City which has presented an Annual Children’s Benefit to help at risk children that has raised over US$1,000,000. This past season, their gala 10thAnniversary Concert featured soloists from the Metropolitan Opera in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.

He made his Australian Opera Conducting Debut in Perth at the WAAPA leading a critically acclaimed production of the Australian Premiere of Robert Ward’s Pulitzer Prize winning The Crucible. This nationally celebrated artistic event was a highlight of the Australian classical music season. Other important opera premieres include the Hawaiian premiere of Menotti’s The Mediumand The Telephone, working with members of The Honolulu Symphony and Hawaii Opera Theatre. As Artistic Director of Modus Opera, he has led several full productions including Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro& Don Giovanni. With international mezzo-soprano Ariana Chris, Maestro Bischof has conducted and led from the piano several benefit concerts entitled Opera Trash at Carnegie Hall and Le Poisson Rouge receiving rave reviews.

He is one of the profession’s most respected organists and has concertized extensively. He has performed numerous premieres for solo organ and with chamber ensembles. He won the First Prize at the 2000 AGO International Organ Improvisation Competition and is a leading proponent of the craft with his all improvisation performances have been met with critical acclaim throughout the world. Bischof has performed and recorded with numerous orchestras including the Zurich Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony and the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt. He will be performing the Middle East premiere of Samuel Barber’s Toccata Festiva for Orchestra and Organ in February 2019 at the Royal Opera House in Muscat Oman with the Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt.

Professor Bischof taught for many years at the esteemed Manhattan School of Music as well as Barnard College Columbia University. He is sought after as a guest professor for master classes around the world. He maintains a private conducting studio for gifted conductors. He serves on numerous boards including as Vice-Chairman of the Alumni Council of MSM.

www.justinbischof.com

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+ Bea Goodwin

Librettist-stage director Brittany (Bea) Goodwin has staged her original operas and the greats in many wonderful theatres across New York City; BAM , (le) Poisson Rouge, LaMaMa Experimental Theatre. She has also created sight specific opera off the stage as well; the gorgeous gardens at the Mount Vernon Museum, Park Slope's historic Montauk Club, behind the gallery walls at the Blue Building. Exposure, her opera with composer Daniel Felsenfeld and Transient Canvas, will go on tour this fall. This August, Goodwin and composer Whitney George are set to stage and conduct their very own adaptation of a lesser known Grimm's Brother Tale, Princesse Maleine at La Mama. This performance is dedicated to all victims of sexual assault. For more on this artist: @be goodwin , begoodwin.com 


Creative Team

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+ Sarah Dixey

Sarah Marie Dixey (Costume Design) Sarah Marie is a New York City based free lance costume designer and seamstress who has worked on multiple Off-Broadway and Broadway productions. She has worked as a seamstress, on-site tailor, stylist, assistant designer, designer, and is currently the full time Wardrobe Supervisor at Stage 42's Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish. Ms. Dixey is also the costume studio construction assistant for several dance designers working with companies from Alvin Ailey to the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, as well as being the dance costume coordinator for the graduate and undergraduate programs at Hunter College.

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+ Luther Frank

Luther Frank is a scenographer of dance, theatre, opera, and live arts based in NYC. Specializing in light, projections, and visual design, his recent credits include Red Emma and the Mad Monk(The Habitat Theatre Company), Tabula Rasa(Cantanti Project), Ours(The Autonomists), Titus(New York Deaf Theatre), and Sans(Danse Theatre Surreality). He has worked as the advance moving light programmer on two Broadway national tours (Motown! The Musical 2017, Something Rotten 2018 B/C Tour) and has designed events at several iconic New York spaces such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The American Museum of Natural History, The Waldorf Astoria, and Lincoln Center. Designs for private concerts include artists such as Alessia Cara, Eddie Vedder, Alicia Keys, Elle King, and Ludacris. Luther was recently invited to lecture at Scandlight 2018, an international design conference in Malmo, Sweden, speaking on the topics of live design efficiency and philosophy. Luther holds a B.A. in Theatre from Florida State University and an M.F.A in Stage Design from Southern Methodist University in Dallas.www.franklighting.com

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+ Jocelyn Grigorie

Jocelyn Girigorie is a Freelance Scenic and Lighting Designer and recent graduate of Southern Methodist University (SMU). Recent theatre credits include Adding Machine (Theatre Three Dallas), Enemies/People (Second Thought Theatre) as well as associate designer for Red Emma and the Mad Monk (Tank Theatre) and the Directorfest for the Drama League. She is excited for her next few designs including Cinched and Strapped which will be opening in June at Theatre Three Dallas and Evening Conservatory Festival at the Stella Adler Studios opening the end of May. 

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+ Brian Holman

American conductor Brian Holman has performed on four continents to great acclaim. Principal Conductor of New Rochelle Opera (La bohème), Brian debuts this season with Opera Orlando (Les contes d’Hoffmann), Inland Northwest Opera (Le nozze di Figaro), Red River Lyric Opera (Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi), and Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra at Casino du Liban. Brian returns this summer to New Rochelle (La traviata) Red River Lyric (La Cenerentola), and joins New Camerata Opera (The Rape of Lucretia). In 2020, he will conduct premiere of Larry Delinger’s Beauford for Marble City Opera. Brian has worked with New York City Opera, Cleveland Opera Theater, Opera Africa, Marble City Opera, Treasure Coast Opera, and has performed at Harare International Festival of the Arts, Mediterranean Opera Festival in Sicily, and Film Fest Tucson.

An accomplished pianist, lauded for his “considerate and attentive” support (Spokesman-Review), Brian has performed in recital with many acclaimed singers, including Nelly Miricioiu, Laquita Mitchell, Aprile Millo, Stella Zambalis, Francisco Casanova, Hans-Pieter Herman, John Mac Master, James Valenti, Lester Lynch, Daniel Borowski, Nini Cáffaro, Dawn Padmore, and Kofo the Wonderman.

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+ Alexandria Wailes

Alexandria Wailes (Director of Artistic Sign Language) is a multi-hyphenated artist.

She was the DASL for the Broadway revival of Children of a Lesser God, Public Theatre’s 40th anniversary of Runaways and currently, her work can be seen in King Lear at the Cort.

Acting credentials include- Broadway: Deaf West’s Spring Awakening and Big River (Tony Honoree for Ensemble). NY/Regional: Mother Courage, A Kind Of Alaska, Gruesome Playground Injuries, Love Person, Sleeping Beauty Wakes (LA Ovation nominated), Playwrights Horizon’s I Was Most Alive With You and the Pasadena Playhouse/Deaf West Theatre production of Our Town.

On TV: ‘Law & Order: Criminal Intent’, ‘Nurse Jackie’, ‘Conviction’. On film: ‘The Hyperglot’ and ‘Always Chasing Love’. On webseries: ‘High Maintenance’ and ‘Don’t Shoot The Messenger’.

Previous DASL work on ‘Wonderstruck’, Netflix’s ‘Master of None’, Sundance Now’s ‘This Close’ seasons one and two and S.3 of Quantico.

www.alexandriawailes.com


Production

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+ Miriam Rochford

Miriam Rochford is a freelance stage manager who finally considers herself a New Yorker, 3 years after she moved here from her native Florida. Miriam has had the pleasure and good fortune to stage manage for several opera and theatre companies in her time here in NYC. You may have seen her name attached to projects with New York Deaf Theatre, dell'Arte Opera Ensemble, Ensemble Studio Theatre, and Bronx Opera. She is a founding member of ASL Cabaret NYC, and is never happier than when she is creating opportunities for Deaf talent. She recently launched her website miriamrochford.com, of which she is very proud even though it is the most basic Wix format available. Miriam sends her love and good wishes to her Florida family, and keeps her Dad in her thoughts at every turn.

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+ Seth Betzler

Seth Betzler (Assistant Stage Manager) Broadway: Children of a Lesser God, Deaf West's Spring Awakening. Opera: p r i s m (Beth Morrison Projects / LA Opera, Prototype). National Tours: Jersey Boys ('17-'18).  Off-Broadway: Skintight (Roundabout), X: Or, Betty Shabazz v. The Nation (The Acting Co.), Travisville (Ensemble Studio Theatre), The Climb (Cherry Lane Theatre), Pushkin (The Sheen Center). New York: Language of Angels (The New School). Regional: The Last Five Years (WMPAC), The New World (Bucks County Playhouse). ActuallyCurse of The Starving ClassThe Rose Tattoo, & Romance Novels for Dummies all at The Williamstown Theatre Festival. 


Board

Kim Anderson
Erik Bagger
Phillip Bettencourt
Nancy Hager
Scott Lindroth
Alexa Smith

Advisory Board

Rachel Cooper
Deleen Davidson
Omar Khan
Christian Lang
Yeoryia Megremis
Miriam Rochford



Thank you to our 2018-2019 donors!

Patron ($100-$249)

Elizabeth Acosta
Paul Ashey
Elisabeth Beaird
Philip Bettencourt*
Erik Bagger*
Derek Box
Douglas Brin
Rachel Cooper*
Adriana Dilancea
Carl Engelbert
Jennifer Erdman*
Amy Kirkland*
Beth LeBas*
Beth Moses
Isabella Marriott*
Richard Marriott*
Nathan McCoy*
Mercy O’Bourke*
Joshua Rose
Dan Smith
Mira J. Spektor
Janet Stoupel*
Terri Zucker*

Advocate ($250-$499)

Ali Reza Khodadad*
Adam Bagger*
Caren & Noah Geberer*
Betsy Porto*
Karen Taylor*
Tiel Guarino*

Steward ($500-$999)

Kristina Dunatov*
Stan & Nora Lacy*
Robert W. Bosworth
Bettie Bosworth
Marty Jeiven

Leader ($1000+)

Kim Anderson
Guy T. Anderson
Michael Douglas
Paul Gridley
Hats Kagayama
Ghareman Khodadad*
Margaret Lacy*
Donald Thomas*
Jerry Yan*

*Camerata Core Subscriber


Special thanks to

New Camerata Opera thanks all of the ASL Interpreters who generously donated their time and energy to this production.

Peter & Eileen Brandon
Classic Stage Company
Derek Box
Kristina Dunatov
H & K Arts Management
Taylor Holister
The Ice Plant
Marty Jeiven
Nora Lacy
Nicole Leone
M. Leone Accountants
Isabella Marriott
Mercy O’Bourke
Andrew and Linda Parr
Skyler Smith
Virtuoso Web Design

 

New Camerata Opera is a 501(c)(3) organization, which means that your donations are 100% tax-deductible. ​Every dollar counts and goes towards supporting opera, so thank you for your generous support!


By arrangement with Boosey & Hawkes, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.

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