Falstaff,
Verdi's comic masterpiece, will be presented by Puget Sound Concert
Opera in June, 2020 with performances in Seattle and Bellevue, WA
[https://soundcloud.com/user-592836153]
THE PSCO EXPERIENCE
With custom arrangements for chamber ensemble, performed by the best
local talent, our productions are presented at the highest quality. In
our intimate venues combined with the innovative concert opera format,
you will see, hear and feel every note! No need for opera glasses or
the distraction of sets or costumes. Enjoy refreshments at
intermission, have an opportunity to win a free door prize and then
it’s right back to the glorious music!
CAST
SIR JOHN FALSTAFF, AN AGING KNIGHT – MICHAEL DRUMHELLER
Michael Drumheller is originally from Richland, Washington. A favorite
bass- baritone in the Pacific Northwest classical music and opera
scenes, he has been a soloist with Seattle Symphony, Tacoma Opera,
Skagit Opera, Seattle Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Boston Lyric Opera,
Cleveland Orchestra, Orchestra Seattle, and many other organizations,
under the direction of renowned conductors including Robert Spano,
Gerard Schwarz, and Leonard Slatkin. As a recitalist, he is especially
interested in Russian music, and has been an invited performer of
Russian vocal repertoire at the Icicle Creek Music Festival and at
Wellesley College. Mr. Drumheller holds a Master’s degree in Vocal
Performance from Boston University, where he was a student of Phyllis
Curtin. He is an alumnus of the Tanglewood Music Center and holds BS
and MS degrees from MIT. His diverse musical background includes
playing tympani in symphony orchestras and drumming and singing for
his own rock bands. Mr. Drumheller has been a featured performer in
many productions of the late, distinguished Northwest conductor Hans
Wolf, and regularly appears as a soloist for Northwest Chorale, which
raises money for Northwest Harvest.
FORD, A WEALTHY MAN– CHARLES ROBERT STEPHENS
Charles Robert Stephens’s career spans a wide variety of roles and
styles in opera and concert music. His performances show “a
committed characterization and a voice of considerable beauty.”
(Opera News) At the New York City Opera he sang the role of Professor
Friedrich Bhaer in the New York premiere of Adamo’s Little Women,
and was hailed by The New York Times as a “baritone of smooth
distinction.” Since his debut as Marcello in La Bohème, Mr.
Stephens’ New York City Opera roles include Frank in Die Tote Stadt,
Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, and 43 performances as Germont in La
Traviata on tour across the US. Mr. Stephens has sung on numerous
occasions at Carnegie Hall in a variety of roles with the Oratorio
Society of New York (St. Matthew Passion), the Masterworks Chorus
(Messiah), and Musica Sacra (Lord Nelson Mass). Carnegie Hall
performances with Opera Orchestra of New York have included roles in
Otello, Lucrezia Borgia, and Adriana Lecouvreur. Mr. Stephens’ many
operatic roles include Rigoletto (National Theater of Taiwan),
Amonasro (El Paso Opera), Germont (Montevideo, Uruguay and Minnesota
Opera), Rodrigo (Boston Bel Canto), Count di Luna (Boston Bel Canto),
Gianni Schicchi (Buffalo Opera), Tonio ( Di Capo Opera), Enrico
(Connecticut Opera), Sharpless (National Theater of Santo Domingo),
the Barber in Figaro (Hawaii Opera) and many others, with leading
opera companies throughout the U.S. and abroad. Memorable engagements
include the role of the blind Tiresias in Niobe, Queen of Thebes with
the Boston Early Music Festival, Scarpia in Tosca and Rigoletto in
Spokane, Belcore, Sharpless and Escamillio with the Helena Symphony,
Britten’s Cantata Misericordia in Tacoma and Seattle, Verdi’s
Requiem in Philadelphia, Messiah with the Santa Fe Symphony, Portland
Baroque Orchestra, and the Seattle Symphony, Vaughan Williams Sea
Symphony with the Tacoma Symphony, The High Priest in Samson and
Delilah in Birmingham and the Bach St. John Passion with Portland
Baroque and the Northwest Sinfonietta. Festival appearances include
performances at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts and the Methow
Chamber Music Festival, a return engagement at the Spoletto Festival
in the Brahms Requiem with the Westminster Choir and TV appearances in
New York City as a featured artist with “Regina Resnik Presents.”
Notable engagements include Elijah with Seattle Pro Musica and
Portland Chamber Orchestra, and the Brahms Requiem with the Bellingham
Festival, Choral Arts and Northwest Repertory Singers, Carmina Burana
with the Hartford Symphony, Haydn’s Creation with the North Carolina
Symphony. Last season opened with his 5th appearance with the Seattle
Symphony (opening night concert) and ended with his 11th appearance
with the Helena Symphony (Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony). This season
will include performances of the Monteverdi Vespers as his 5th
engagement with Pacific Musicworks, Messiah with Tacoma Symphony and
Bellevue Ballet, Brahms Requiem in Missoula and Olympia, the title
role in Rigoletto with Northwest Lyric Opera, Bach B Minor Mass with
Seattle Pro Musica and Haydn’s Mass in Time of War with the
Northwest Sinfonietta.
ALICE FORD, HIS WIFE – REGINA THOMAS
Noted for her portrayal of Alice Ford (FALSTAFF) for Repertory OPERA
COMPANY, Los Angeles, Regina Thomas is described as a "buoyant soprano
with solid technique". A high honors recipient in both OPERA AND ART
SONG DIVISIONS AT THE PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL OF THE
EASTSIDE(Bellevue, WA) and a semi-finalist at Il Concorso
Internationale di Canto Lirico (Siena, Italy), Regina completed her
Vocal Performance Masters’ Degree at the University of Washington,
where she studied with renowned Wagnerian soprano, Jane Eaglen. An
outstanding member of the Northwest Musical community for over 20
years, Regina Thomas has performed with a variety of companies
including Kitsap OPERA, Willamette CONCERT OPERA, Bellevue OPERA,
PUGET SOUND CONCERT OPERA, SEATTLE OPERA AND THE SEATTLE OPERA GUILD.
She is currently the OPERA DIRECTOR AND IS A PAST PRESIDENT OF THE
LADIES MUSICAL CLUB OF SEATTLE. OPERATIC ROLES INCLUDE SUOR ANGELICA,
Tosca, Marguerite (Faust), Lady MacBeth (MacBeth), Leonora (Il
Trovatore), Vitellia (La Clemenza di Tito), Prince Orlovsky (Die
Fledermaus), The Mother (Amahl and the Night Visitors), Dorabella
(Cosi Fan Tutte), Mother (Hansel and Gretel) and Judith (Bluebeard's
Castle). In CONCERT, she has performed soprano solos from Beethoven's
9th Symphony, Ein Deutches Requiem and Fauré Requiem as well as
Berio's Folk Songs for Mezzo-soprano and chamber ensemble. _REGINA IS
ALSO THE FOUNDER AND GENERAL DIRECTOR OF PUGET SOUND CONCERT OPERA -
SHE IS THE LADY WHO MAKES ALL OUR WONDERFUL PRODUCTIONS POSSIBLE!_
NANETTA, THEIR DAUGHTER – SERENA EDULJEE
Soprano Serena Eduljee’s current season includes a full schedule in
the Pacific Northwest, including performances as Queen of the
Night/First Lady (Die Zauberflote), Katya (Katya Kabanova), Violetta
(La Traviata), and Gretel (Hansel und Gretel) for the Seattle Opera
previews, Frasquita (Carmen) with Pacific Northwest Opera, and the
title role of Cinderella in Seattle Opera's touring production of
Cinderella in Spain. As a recipient of the Seattle Opera
Guild/OperaPlus Artist Scholarship for 2016, she recently performed as
Frasquita in Pacific Northwest Opera's production of Carmen; and
Alitsa and Raccoon for Seattle Opera’s commissioned cycle Our Earth,
as well as in recital, gala, and chorus performances for Seattle
Opera. Entertainment News Northwest calls Serena “magnetic,”
claiming “Eduljee has one of those luminous stage presences that
make me want to see much more of her in the future.” Among the roles
in her repertoire, Ms. Eduljee has performed as the title role in
Semele,Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Queen of the Night (Die
Zauberflöte), Marie (La Fille du Régiment), Alkandre (Faure's rarely
done, Penelope), and Rosina (Il Barbiere di Siviglia) as well as
covering the roles of Gilda (Rigoletto) and Adele (Die Fledermaus). In
previous seasons, Serena appeared with Skagit Opera, OperaBend and the
Central Oregon Symphony, Opera Mariposa, Portland Summer Opera
Workshop, and Ensign Symphony, for whom she was the soloist for the US
premiere of Tommasso Traetta’s lost motet, In nocte plena, performed
at Benaroya Hall, Seattle. This spring, Serena returns as a featured
soloist for the ten-year anniversary of the Ten Grands Gala at
Benaroya Hall. Serena is thrilled to make her debut with Puget Sound
Concert Opera as Walter in La Wally; and with Vashon Opera as Olympia
(Les Contes d'Hoffmann) in 2018. Serena was a participant in the
OperaWorks Advanced Artist Program in 2013 and holds a Bachelor of
Music degree in Voice Performance from the Jacobs School of Music at
Indiana University. She currently resides in Issaquah.
MEG PAGE – RACHELLE MOSS
Contralto Rachelle Moss made a notable debut as Kate Pinkerton in
Sarasota Opera’s production of Madama Butterfly. Sarasota newspaper
Your Observer, praised her portrayal as “regal”. In the 2018-2019
season Ms. Moss portrayed the title role in Carmen and Commendatora in
Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Operamuse, Bianca in The Rape of Lucretia
with Tacoma Opera, and Fire in Seattle Art Song Society’s Elemental
Recital. She will return to Puget Sound Concert Opera as Orsini in
Lucrezia Borgia and make her debut at St. Petersburg Opera singing
Maestra delle Novizie and covering La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica
as an Emerging Artist. Rachelle also enjoys singing both operetta and
concert repertoire. She has performed the roles of Mrs. Lovett in
Sweeney Todd with the University of North Texas and Effie in The
Ballad of Baby Doe with the Spotlight on Opera; as the Alto soloist in
Handel’s Messiah and Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Federal Way
Symphony; and as the Alto soloist in Mozart’s Coronation Mass with
Kansas City Kansas Community Chorus. Ms. Moss was an 2016-2017
Apprentice Artist at Sarasota Opera. She has received numerous awards
including: a Career Grant from the Seattle Opera Guild, an
Encouragement Award from the Metropolitan Opera National Council, the
Mary Cook Memorial Award for Outstanding Apprentice Artist from
Sarasota Opera Guild, and the Stuart R. Silver Scholarship from
Sarasota Opera. She holds a Bachelor's in Music History and Master's
in Vocal Performance from the University of North.
FENTON, ONE OF NANETTA’S SUITORS – LUKE NORVELL
Luke Norvell is a tenor studying voice and music education at The
Master's University, where he also sings actively in the Los Angeles
area. After having sung various bass and baritone roles such as Frank
Maurrant in Street Scene, Sprecher, Second Priest, and Second Man in
Armor in Die Zauberflöte, Ben in The Telephone, and Vater in Hänsel
und Gretel, he has made the transition to tenor. He made his operatic
tenoral debut singing Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus in July 2019 and
has since sung Monostatos, First Priest, and First Man in Armor in Die
Zauberflöte. On the concert stage, he has sung the tenor solos for
Mozart's Requiem and in competition, he has both a first and a second
place finish in the NATS LA Collegiate Auditions.
DAWN PADULA ( MISTRESS QUICKLY)
Dawn Padula, mezzo-soprano, is a versatile performer of opera,
oratorio, musical theatre, jazz, and classical concert repertoire.
Opera roles include Carmen (Carmen), Azucena (Il Trovatore), Lady Jane
(Patience 2018 Gregory Awards People’s Choice Award Nominee), Lady
Blanche (Princess Ida), Ruth (The Pirates of Penzance), Cherubino (Le
Nozze di Figaro), Suzuki (Madama Butterfly), Meg (Falstaff), The Third
Lady (The Magic Flute), the Witch (Hansel and Gretel), Maddalena
(Rigoletto), Isabella (The Italian Girl in Algiers), Erika (Vanessa),
and the Sorceress (Dido and Aeneas). In the Pacific Northwest, she has
performed with Tacoma Opera, Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society,
Kitsap Opera, Concert Opera of Seattle, PLU’s Jazz Under the Stars,
Puget Sound Concert Opera, the Tacoma Concert Band, the Oregon
Symphony, the Portland Symphonic Choir, the Seattle Bach Choir, the
Second City Chamber Series, Classical Tuesdays in Old Town Tacoma
Concert Series, Lakewood Playhouse, and Opera Pacifica. With Seattle
Opera, she is a member of the Supplementary Chorus. In June 2017, she
toured to Varna and Sofia, Bulgaria as the mezzo-soprano soloist in
Mozart’s Requiem with the Pazardzhik Symphony. In August 2017, she
released her debut classical solo album, Gracious Moonlight, featuring
Dominick Argento’s Pulitzer Prize winning song cycle, From the Diary
of Virginia Woolf. Dr. Padula is currently the Director of Vocal
Studies at the University of Puget Sound School of Music.
DR. CAIUS – STUART LUTZENHISER
Stuart Lutzenhiser hails from Seattle and is a frequent soloist in
arts organizations around the Northwest. He has appeared with Tacoma
Opera, North Bay Opera, the renowned Pocket Opera of San Francisco,
Seattle Gilbert and Sullivan Society, Vancouver Opera and Seattle
Opera, as a member of their Preview Artists program, and as far away
as Maracaibo, Venezuela. A regular with local symphonies and choral
groups, he has performed with the Yakima Symphony, Thalia
Philharmonic, Milwaukee Symphony, Whatcom Symphony, Bremerton Symphony
and can be heard on the Seattle Pro Musica recording of the
Rachmaninov Vespers. Mr. Lutzenhiser holds a Masters Degree from
Indiana University where he was also awarded a Performer's Certificate
as an outstanding recitalist. An advocate of contemporary, he has
performed the world premieres of Corigliano's Of Rage and Remembrance
and McGary's St. Mark's Passion. When not busy singing, Stuart keeps
his hands full with his wonderful wife Melissa and their two children,
Helen and Alice.
PISTOLA, A FOLLOWER OF FALSTAFF – ADAM STERLING
(bio coming soon)BARDOLFO, A FOLLOWER OF FALSTAFF – NAMAREA
RANDOLPH- YOSEA(bio coming soon)CONDUCTED AND ARRANGED BY DAVID MCDADE
David McDade is the Head of Coach/accompanists for Seattle Opera, also
serving as a musical advisor for the Young Artists Program. He has
been active as an accompanist and conductor of opera, and has been a
member of the music staff of Portland Opera and Washington National
Opera. He has been both an accompanist (Seattle) and judge (Spokane)
for the MONC auditions, and a judge for the Sun Valley Opera Vocal
Competition. His varied background includes credits as french hornist,
vocalist, and actor. He is a graduate of Portland State University
(BM, vocal performance) and The Peabody Conservatory (MM, conducting).
CHORUS MASTER/PIANO – JOHN BURKHARDT
John Burkhardt (chorus master/piano) currently serves as chorus master
and principal accompanist for Puget Sound Concert Opera. John has
arranged and conducted numerous PSCO productions including Lucrezia
Borgia, La Damoiselle Elue, Andrea Chenier, Don Giovanni and I
Capuletti ed I Montecchi. John has served as the principal accompanist
and chorus master for Bellevue Opera as well. He works for University
of Washington Tacoma, managing their communications. He is musically
active in the Unitarian Universalist church and has been an opera and
musical theater pianist for many years in Seattle and elsewhere.
CONTACT INFORMATION & SOCIAL MEDIA
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Email: info@pugetsoundconcertopera.org
Falstaff
AN OPERA BY GIUSEPPE VERDI
LIBRETTO BY ARRIGO BOITO BASED ON THE WORK OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE,
PRESENTED CONCERT STYLE WITH A CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE SUNDAY, JUNE 7TH, 6:00 PM AT RESONANCE AT SOMA
TOWERS IN BELLEVUE. TICKETS FOR THE BELLEVUE PERFORMANCE ARE AVAILABLE
HERE [https://resonance.events/event/your-event/psco-falstaff]
PRICE: $20 IN ADVANCE, $30 AT THE DOOR
SYNOPSIS
Sir John Falstaff is an aging, foolhardy nobleman. He currently owes
so much money, his credit is no longer good. To rebuild his fortune,
he plans to seduce a wealthy middle-class woman into funding his
lifestyle. He writes Alice Ford a romantic letter and believes she
will fall swooning into his arms due to his charm and titled status.
To hedge his bets, he also writes to Meg Page. Unfortunately, his plan
has some flaws.
* He writes EXACTLY the same letter to both ladies.
* They just happen to be best friends.
* Neither the letter nor Sir John himself are in ANY WAY appealing to
these happily married young women.
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06/06/2020 Last update