minnesota opera's little women program

27
Mark Adamo

Upload: minnesota-opera

Post on 17-Mar-2016

236 views

Category:

Documents


6 download

DESCRIPTION

2001-2002 Season

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

Mark Adamo

Page 2: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

Less Fartsy.

At mnartists.org, it’s all about the art. No gimmicks, just great work by thousands

of Minnesota artists. From poets and painters to actors and artisans, all at the click

of a mouse. Visit today and see for yourself. mnartists.orgA PROJECT OF THE MCKNIGHT FOUNDATION AND WALKER ART CENTER

T H E A R T O F H E R E . N O W .

Page 3: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

a n u n c o m m o n n a m e – a n u n c o m m o n e x p e r i e n c e .

Take advantage of the fine services and amenities available at Gaviidae Common:

FREE Valet Parking with any $20 purchase

FREE Package Delivery to your home, hotel or office with any $50 purchase

Gift Certificates with no service fee

Visit or call Guest Services at 612-372-1222, or log on to www.gaviidaecommon.com for complete details on our full array of Signature Services.

Gaviidae Common • 7th and Nicollet • Downtown Minneapolis

www.gaviidaecommon.com

AnnTaylor

Aveda Lifestyle Store

Bruegger’s Bagel Bakery

Caribou Coffee

Cole Haan

D’Amico & Sons

Franklin Covey

Gaviidae Pendleton

Jessica McClintock

Juut Salonspa

jv & Company

Lin Co.

Masters of LightGallery

Morton’s of ChicagoSteakhouse

Museum Company

Naturalizer

Neiman Marcus

Presence

Regis Salon

Studio VincentJewelry Design

Saks Fifth Avenue

St. Croix Shop

Talbots

Talbots Woman

VanHaveren’sFlowerworks

Vitamin World

Fourth Level Food Court

VanHaveren’s FlowerworksJessica McClintock Lin Co.

Mother's Day is May 12th.

Page 4: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

The Schubert Club Est. 1882

www.schubert.orgWorld Class Recitalsand

ScholarshipsMuseumCommissionsRecordingsGamelanClassical Music Directory

A Web Site to Watch

e t c .

Page 5: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

5• l

itt

le

wo

me

n

ContentsContents

The Minnesota OperaPresident & CEO Kevin SmithArtistic Director Dale Johnson

Chair, Board of Directors Virginia L. Stringer

The Minnesota Opera, 620 North First Street

Minneapolis, MN 55401 (612) 333-2700

www.mnopera.org

The Minnesota Opera

is a member of OPERA America.

This activity is made possible in part by a grant provided by the Minnesota State ArtsBoard through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature. In addition, thisactivity is supported in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.

April 2002

The Minnesota Opera Programis published by Skyway Publications, Inc.

Chief Executive O∑cer Keith Engen Corporate Administrator/Publisher Todd Hyde

Assoc. Publisher/Director of Production Marsha KitchelSenior Account Executives Liesl Hyde, Yvonne Dilts

Creative Designer Michael GutierresProduction Designers Sue Sentyrz Klapmeier,

Jill Adler, Robert Ochsner

SKYWAY PUBLICATIONS, INC. 10001 Wayzata Blvd., Minneapolis, MN 55305

Phone (612) 375-9222 FAX (612) 375-9208

Large-print and Braille programs are available at the Patron Services O∑ce

The Minnesota OperaPresident & CEO Kevin SmithArtistic Director Dale Johnson

Chair, Board of Directors Virginia L. Stringer

The Minnesota Opera, 620 North First Street

Minneapolis, MN 55401 (612) 333-2700

www.mnopera.org

The Minnesota Opera

is a member of OPERA America.

MINNESOTA’S INTERNET SOLUTIONS PROVIDER

KEEPING YOU CONNECTED.

Board of Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Minnesota Opera Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Notes from the Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Little Women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Background Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Mark Adamo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Louisa May Alcott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Coming Up: Don Carlos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Sta∂. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

The Minnesota Opera Orchestra. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

The Minnesota Opera Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Board of Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Minnesota Opera Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Notes from the Leadership . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Little Women. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Background Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Mark Adamo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Louisa May Alcott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The Artists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Coming Up: Don Carlos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Sta∂. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

The Minnesota Opera Orchestra and Chorus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

The Minnesota Opera Fund . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Page 6: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

th

e m

inn

es

ot

a o

pe

ra

•6

Board of Directors

Dominick ArgentoH. Wesley BalkPhilip BrunelleElizabeth Close

Dolly FitermanCharles C. FullnerNorton M. HintzDonald W. Judkins

David P. KeefeLiz KochirasJevne PennockPatricia H. Sheppard

Honorary Directors

Julia W. Dayton, Director Emeritus James A. Rubenstein, legal counsel,Moss & Barnett

Virginia L. Stringer, Chair Susan S. Boren, Vice ChairBruce Nelson, Secretary Loren Unterseher, Treasurer

Kevin Smith, President & CEO

August J. AquilaMartha Goldberg

AronsonKaren BachmanPatricia BauerSusan J. CrockettEllie CrosbyRolf EnghThomas J. Foley

John G. ForsytheSteve FoxR. Thomas Greene, Jr.Heinz HutterPaula R. JohnsonMichael F. Kelly, Jr.Edward J. KeransSarah B. KlingLynne E. Looney

Thomas R. McBurneyDiana E. MurphyJose PerisKimberly S. PuckettConnie RemeleSteven M. RothschildLucy T. SearlsGregory C. Swinehart Catie Tobin

Welcome. U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray ispleased to help bring you The MinnesotaOpera’s production of Little Women. Sponsoring the opera season is just partof our commitment to the arts and qualityof life in our community.

Staging this fine performance takes team-work. From the conductor to the cast mem-bers to the costume designers, manyindividuals are working together to enter-tain you. This team includes managementand patrons – even the audience – whomake a successful production possible.

At U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray, we embraceteamwork. We work with clients to understand their needs and accomplishtheir goals. We work with colleaguesthroughout U.S. Bancorp to provide a comprehensive range of financial solu-tions. And we work with The MinnesotaOpera and other high-quality organizationsto enrich our community.

We’re proud to be part of the team effortyou’re about to experience. Enjoy the performance.

Andrew DuffPresident and CEOU.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray Minnesota Opera Volunteers

The following volunteers contribute their time

and talent in support of key activities of The Minnesota Opera.

Ann Albertson

Laurel Anderson

Jamie Andrews

Gerald Benson

Matt Bluem

Linda Brandt

Jim Brownback

Sue Brownback

Meredith Cain-Nielsen

Kathy Cameron

Joann Cierniak*

Tricia Clarke*

Caroline Coopersmith

Lindsay Craig

Beverly Dailey

Marcia del Castillo

Lee Drawert

Judith Duncan

Sally Economon

Mary Sue Fiola

Jane Fuller

Joan Gacki(Volunteer Chair)

Christine A. Garner

Heather Gehring

Juhi Gupta-Gulati*

Mark Gustin

Mary E. Hagen

Travis Hanstad

John Harris*

Kristen Heimerl

Anne Hesselroth

Alisandra Johnson

Nancy Johnson

Jeanie Johnston

Susan Kalmer

Dianne Kelly

Remigijus Klyvis

Eleanore Kolar

Lucinda Lamont

Shirley Larson

Rita Lavin

Lisa Liveringhouse

Rochelle Lockwood

Rusty Low

Jennifer Madvig

Joan Masuck

Mary McDiarmid

Beth McGuire

Claire McPherson

Verne Melberg

Warren Mitlyng

Linda Morey

Doug Myhra

Dan Panshin

Pat Panshin

Kaye Peters

Sydney Phillips

Bill Phillips

Julia Porter

Jack Richter

John Rosse

Florence Ruhland

John Sauer*

Michael Silhavy

Wendy Silhavy

Wendi Sott

Dawn Stafki

Harry D. Swepston, III

John Thompson

Anne Townsley

Doris Unger

Carolyn Wahtera

Barbara Willis*

Jeremy Wright

Melissa Zschunke

*Lead volunteer

Cafe,Bakery,Wine & Pizza Bar

850 Grand Avenue,St Paul 55105651-224-5687 www.cafelatte.com

Keri Picket

Page 7: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

7• l

itt

le

wo

me

n

Welcome to the Twin Cities

premiere of Little Women.

The opera you will experience

is based on Louisa May Al-

cott’s novel and explores the

heartache, happiness and wis-

dom that change brings to the

beloved March sisters.

At the time Alcott wrote her

novel, this country had been

rocked by the Civil War. As our country is recovering from

the cataclysmic events of September 11, we too can listen

with new ears to the theme Adamo has pulled out of Al-

cott’s writing. Things change.

Little Women beguiles us as audiences at the turn of the 21st

century just as La bohème captured those at the turn of the

20th century. The opera is a lyrical, winsome and emotional

piece, and its depth of feeling and sense of lyricism will

prove it to be an American masterpiece.

I am delighted you are with us today to enjoy this new clas-

sic for the first time.

Dale Johnson

Artistic Director

Welcome to this performance

of American composer Mark

Adamo’s Little Women. This

work has caught the attention

of the opera world in an un-

precedented way.

Little Women is Mark Adamo’s

first opera, composed to his

own libretto after the novel by

Louisa May Alcott. It was such

a hit in its premiere perfor-

mances in Houston Grand Opera’s Opera Studio in March

1998 that HGO committed to a mainstage revival two sea-

sons later. It was at that time that it created a buzz in the

industry, with North American opera companies clamour-

ing to produce the work and the media anxious to broad-

cast it. Shortly after G. Schirmer published the score, Civic

Opera Theatre of Kansas City unveiled a new production in

February 2000. National Public Radio broadcast the

recording of the Houston premiere, PBS aired their 2000

revival on the Great Performances series last August, and

eight new productions are scheduled through 2003.

Few new works have so quickly entered the repertoire. The

Minnesota Opera is in the fortunate position to be able to

introduce Little Women to the Twin Cities early in its life.

We are pleased that you are joining us for this historic oc-

casion.

Kevin Smith

President and CEO

Notes from The Leadership

from Kevin Smith

from Dale Johnson

Page 8: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

This production is a joint collaboration between Indiana University

Opera Theater and The Minnesota Opera. Scenery was constructed at

Indiana University and costumes were constructed at

The Minnesota Opera Costume Shop.

By arrangement with G. Schirmer, Inc., publisher and copyright owner.

The appearances of Ryan Kinsella and Ana Rodriguez, regional final-

ists, and Carlos Archuleta and Matt Boehler, district finalists of the

Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, are made possible

through a Minnesota Opera Endowment Fund established for

Artist Enhancement by Barbara White Bemis.

The Minnesota Opera season is proudly

sponsored by U.S. Bancorp Piper Ja∂ray.

OperaInsights is sponsored by SpencerStuart.

The 2001-2002 Camerata Circle Dinners are sponsored by Rider,

Bennett, Egan & Arundel.

Promotional support provided by Minnesota Monthly.

Special thanks to Miller Meester Advertising for

making the 2001-2002 season preview recording

possible.

9• l

itt

le

wo

me

n

Music and libretto by Mark Adamoafter Louisa May Alcott’s novel (1868-9)

World premiere at Houston Grand Opera

March 13, 1998

April 13, 16, 18, 20 and 21, 2002

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Sung in English with English captions

Conductor Je∂rey Domoto

Stage Director Colin Graham

Set and Costume Designer Robert O’Hearn

Lighting Designer Tom Mays

Wig Master and Makeup Tom Watson

Production Stage Manager Alexander Farino

The Cast

Jo Deanne Meek

Meg, her sister Adriana Zabala

Beth, their sister Ana Rodriguez

Amy, their sister Genevieve Christianson

Laurie, friend of the March sisters John Tessier

John Brooke, Meg’s fiancé Carlos Archuleta

Friedrich Bhaer, friend of Jo Ryan Kinsella

Alma March, mother of the four sisters Kathleen Humphrey

Gideon March, father of the four sisters Lawrence Weller

Cecilia March, aunt of the four sisters Dorothy Byrne

Mr. Dashwood, an editor Matt Boehler

Setting: Concord, New York City and London

just after the Civil War

Little Women is sponsored by TM

Performances of Little Women are being taped for delayed broadcast on Minnesota Public Radio, KSJN 99.5 in the Twin Cities, in June, 2002.

Page 9: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

th

e m

inn

es

ot

a o

pe

ra

•10

Despite all this, Little Women has materialized on the lyric

stage only five times before. Each treatment – Evelyn Ever-

est Freer’s 1920 opera, Scenes from Little Women; Geo∂rey

O’Hara’s 1930s-era operetta; Richard Adler’s 1950 televised

semi-musical; and two Broadway musicals, both titled Joand both produced circa 1966 – strove clearly and sincerely

to sing the March sisters’ story on stage. Yet none of those

incarnations survived its own day.

When I revisited Little Women for the first time since read-

ing it as a child, the novel, with its young, lively characters

in their antique locale, reminded me of opera itself, these

days – an art buzzing with new writing and thinking while

still working with resources (the bel canto trained voice, the

acoustic orchestra) that stabilized one hundred years ago.

Still, before beginning my own adaptation, I examined these

previous treatments to try to answer a crucial question.

What was the book about – overall, not just in its many

episodes – and how could that theme be best expressed in a

design of dramatic actions? In other words...

COMMON PROBLEMS: Pilgrims, No Progress … What’s the conflict? None of these previous projects find

a conflict, an agon, that both challenges Jo with a worthy

antagonist and engages all the sisters past the midpoint of

the story. Meg retorts to Aunt March that she will marry

John, so there – and, in a twinkling, vanishes from action,

reappearing only to deliver the first dewy-eyed March

grandchildren. Alcott lovingly oversees Amy as she sheds

her girlhood like a chrysalis, at last clasping Laurie’s hand

under the Alpine sun. But other versions abruptly pack

Amy o∂ to Europe and abandon her there; she returns mere-

ly to model her new Paris threads in Act iii. In all versions,

Amy’s artistic ambitions shrink to footnotes. In Alcott,

Beth flowers. In a fluent seaside monologue, Beth reveals to

Jo the travail it cost her to embrace death at the last with

open arms. But note how easily her story detaches from any

taut timeline. Onstage, Freer bids Beth farewell in Act i;O’Hara, in Act ii.

Jo, adrift, su∂ers most. The cast’s most vivid character, she

loses momentum during the course of the story only because

she has no foe strong or real enough to engage her. See her

in Act i: scribbling madly in the attic, spatting with Amy,

romping with Laurie, repenting to Marmee.

What’s the conflict? Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 film starring

Winona Ryder as Jo, spins the story of a thwarted woman

artist. Who’s doing the thwarting? Publishers spurn her

only at first. Her family thrills to her

writing. Prompt and respectful reviews

herald her first serious novel.

Nor is this the story of a woman

fighting to define herself against

oppressive men. Name one in LittleWomen! Laurie loves her just the way she

is. Her father wishes she would quiet

down a bit; otherwise he trumpets her

achievements, even as her writing

eclipses his own. Refusing to wed a

usual type, Jo just waits until an unusu-

al type comes along. This little woman

meets every man as an equal.

Is this the story of a free spirit strug-

gling against convention? The Marches

themselves are free spirits, crypto-

More than a century after its publication, Louisa May Alcott’s chronicle of growing

up female in Civil-War era New England remains indispensable American popular fic-

tion. Readers have attended the adventures of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy in more than one

hundred languages. In our own land and tongue, Hollywood has filmed the piece four times

in 60 years. The applause that hailed Little Women in its own century echoes in its rising pres-

tige at the start of our own; writers from Simone de Beauvoir to Joyce Carol Oates have

claimed Alcott as a literary ancestor.

Notes by Mark Adamo

Page 10: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

11• l

itt

le

wo

me

nBohemians. They stand on principle.

Aunt March constantly scolds Mrs.

March for being too idealistic, improvi-

dent – unconventional! But the joyful

March laughter drowns out Auntie’s

querulous caw. Jo takes a husband, and

empowered by a convenient inheritance,

opens a multi-racial Plumfield Boys

Town. Maybe society sni∂ed: but Jo’s

family smiled. What’s the conflict?

A Dramatic Solution To find an answer, we turn to an

unlikely duo: Hugo von Hofmannsthal,

Richard Strauss’s longtime librettist,

and St. Paul the Apostle.

The conflict of Little Women is Jo versus

the passage of time.

Realize this about Jo: almost alone

among adolescent protagonists in classic

American fiction (Tom Sawyer, Holden

Caulfield, Roth’s Portnoy), she’s happy

where she is. Adored by her family, she

adores them in turn. Not so poor as to

starve, Jo is just poor enough to see in

each small windfall gold to delight a

Midas.

Jo knows adulthood will only gradu-

ate her from her perfect home. She

fights her own and her sisters’ growth

because she knows deep down that

growing up means growing apart.

So, Jo spends half the book screaming

No! Don’t change! “I’d marry Meg

myself if it could keep her in the fami-

ly,” she grouses. Jo resents not men but

women, women who grow up and aban-

don their sisters, just cast-o∂ brides-

maids in a deserted aisle. How could she

resent men? Laurie adores her; they are

best of pals for years and years. But then

Laurie’s feelings alter, deepen; he wants

her as a man wants a woman. No! “Why

can’t we go on just as we are?” Jo

implores. Don’t change! On stage and

screen, happy train music and trailing

ribbons herald Jo’s abrupt flight to New

York. Yet in Alcott, Jo herself confesses

to Marmee another reason why she

must leave: “… Laurie is getting too

fond of me” (Chapter 32 – “Tender

Troubles”). Her logic is quintessentially

childlike: All right, Laurie’s changed;

she’ll leave for a while, and he’ll changeback!

In this light, scrutinize the events of

the latter part of Part One; see how

strongly they shape a plot from what

was merely chronicle. Meg’s changed,

and Jo’s failed to stop it; she’s had to

dance at her wedding. Laurie’s changed,

but Jo’s got plans; stay in New York

long enough, and Laurie will soon

change back. All will be as it was. Alas,

Jo doesn’t count on Professor Bhaer.

Exotic, older, intellectual, he introduces

her to Schiller, contemporary German

philosophy, mature male company. She

begins to look forward to his visits.

Who’s changing now? Then, comes the

dire telegram – Beth’s taken a turn for

the worse. What a pivotal point this is:

Cinderella hearing the first of the twelve

fatal chimes. Now Jo’s Don’t Change! is

directed to the mirror. How could she

have even for a moment dreamed of a

life outside home? Homeward she dash-

es. “Beth, don’t die; I won’t let you.”

What is death but the most radical of

transformations? But Beth is already

gone. Even before she dies, she has

become another creature.

Dark days. With Beth’s death, Jo’s

failed. She’s come home, the home she

left to preserve. The house stands. But

the home is changed beyond recall. Dis-

tant Meg is nursing two children,

building a nest of her own. Sweet Beth

is a memory, a piano kept dusted, a

stack of music yellowing on the win-

dowsill. Soon word comes from Italy

that Amy and Laurie have “reached an

understanding.” A weary Jo accepts the

news. She gave up her new life (and

love) to save the old. Now she has noth-

ing.

Now Laurie returns home, a glam-

orous newlywed, Amy in tow. Bound-

ing upstairs to the attic, he finds Jo,

inert on the sofa. She wakes, and exults

– how good to see him! An awkward

moment. They’ve spoken but little of

their great parting of years ago. She will

always live in his heart, Laurie begins,

but … Jo forgives her friend before he

can utter the words. Relieved, delight-

ed, he proposes that they go back exact-

ly to the way it was – to do, in a twin-

kling, the very thing she’s spent the last

bitter years striving for – and failing to

achieve. What will Jo say?

I knew what Jo would say; and, now,

how she would sing it. Didn’t Jo’s jour-

ney call to mind the Buddhist sugges-

tion that a lesson unlearned will reap-

pear over and over again, in di∂erent

guise, until at last the pilgrim makes

progress and grasps the point? Might

that not suggest a score in which, amid

a riot of inflection and color, one could

clearly hear Jo’s music of stubbornness

and resistance tangling with and at last

yielding to an ardent but unstoppable

music of change? In fact, I wanted two

scores: a character music, which made the

emotional journeys of the characters

everywhere clear and traceable, in bold

relief against a narrative music that is as

(...between you and me it flows in silence, trickling, like sand in an hour

glass. Oh, Mignon! But sometimes I hear it flowing— Ceaselessly. Sometimes I arise in the middle of the night and take the clocks and stop them every one...)

— Act I, Der Rosenkavalier

continues on page 12

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I under-stood as a child, I thought as a child; but when Ibecame a man, I put away childish things."

— I Corinthians 13:11

Page 11: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

Mark Adamo’s recent premieres in-

clude Little Women, his first opera,

which he composed to his own libretto

after the novel by Louisa May Alcott.

Upon its premiere in March 1998 by the

Opera Studio of

Houston Grand

Opera, General

Director David

Gockley pro-

nounced it “des-

tined to be an

American clas-

sic,” and sched-

uled Little Womenfor a mainstage

revival of eight performances in March

2000 – making it the first of hgo’s

twenty-some commissions to be so re-

vived. G. Schirmer published the opera

in May 1998; National Public Radio

broadcast the recording of the premiere

the following September; Civic Opera

Theatre of Kansas City unveiled a new

production in February 2000; pbs taped

three performances of the March 2000

Houston Grand Opera revival for broad-

cast on the series Great Performances on

August 29, 2001; and eight new domes-

tic productions are scheduled through

2003, including the East Coast debut of

Little Women in a new co-production by

Glimmerglass Opera and New York

City Opera, which latter company

named Adamo its composer-in-residence

as of July 2001. At Mr. Gockley’s re-

quest, Adamo is currently developing

two new operas for hgo over the next six

seasons: excerpts from the first of which,

Lysistrata, after the Aristophanes comedy,

were performed by New York City

Opera as part of their “Showcasing

American Composers” series in May

2001. He also contributed the scenario to

David Parson’s new ballet for American

Ballet Theatre, on the Pied Piper Fantasyby John Corigliano, which opened at the

Metropolitan Opera in May 2001.

Washington’s National Symphony Or-

chestra plans to introduce Adamo’s first

piece for large orchestra, Angelus: Concertofor Harp and Orchestra in the 2003 – 2004

season. Eclipse, the chamber orchestra

a∑liated with the National Symphony

Orchestra, of which he has been com-

poser-in-residence since 1996, commis-

sioned and introduced Alcott Portraits, an

orchestral revisitation of Little Women, in

March 1999. Led by Sylvia Alimena,

Eclipse commissioned and premiered in

March 1995 Adamo’s first extended or-

chestral work: the 40-minute Late Victori-ans, for singer, speaker, soloists and

orchestra, which interweaves a memoir

by essayist Richard Rodriguez with the

poetry of Emily Dickinson to create an

aids memorial. Jonathan She∂er and Eos

Ensemble introduced two movements of

Late Victorians to New York in May 1996

in a benefit concert at Lincoln Center’s

Alice Tully Hall. Mr. She∂er also com-

missioned and introduced to New York

Avow, a miniature (10-minute) chamber

opera, on a concert of six such works

with Eos Orchestra in April 1999.

Adamo’s most recent choral premiere

is Cantate Domino, for soprano, double

choir and percussion ensemble, a millen-

nium commission for the Choral Arts So-

ciety of Washington that was introduced

at the Kennedy Center in the 1999 –

2000 season. Other recent work includes

The Poet Speaks of Praising, for men’s cho-

rus and piano, commissioned by the

gala v Festival; Pied Beauty for unaccom-

panied satb chorus, commissioned by

the Washington Singers; Three Ap-palachian Folk Tunes for soprano and un-

accompanied satb chorus, commissioned

by the Congressional Chorus of the

United States and recently broadcast by

the bbc singers.

Mr. Adamo began his education at

New York University, where he received

the Paulette Goddard Remarque Scholar-

ship for outstanding undergraduate

achievement in playwriting. He went on

to earn a Bachelor of Music Degree cum

laude in composition in 1990 from the

Catholic University of America in Wash-

ington, d.c., where he was awarded the

Theodore Presser prize for outstanding

undergraduate achievement in composi-

tion. He has annotated programs for

Stagebill, the Freer Gallery of Art, and

most recently for bmg Classics; and his

criticism, scholarship and interviews

have been published by Andante.com,

The Washington Post, Stagebill, Opera News,the Star-Ledger, The New Grove Dictionaryof Music and Musicians and ARC Publica-tions. In his spare time, he also wrote the

lyrics to John Corigliano’s two cabaret

songs: Dodecaphonia (or, They Call HerTwelve-Tone Rose) and Marvelous Invention,both of which were introduced to New

York by the New York Festival of Song.

th

e m

inn

es

ot

a o

pe

ra

•12

Mark Adamob Philadelphia, August 1, 1962

distinct as I could make it from the

thematic foreground.

So, Jo’s resistance theme and Meg’s

and Laurie’s change theme, among

others, are written in a free lyric lan-

guage of triad and key. But those

moments driven by language and

story, rather than music and psychol-

ogy, take a kind of dodecaphonic

recitativo secco – crisp and terse, made

from the twelve tones of the horn

melody in the Prologue. That melody

also gave Jo the makings of her exu-

berant scherzando sections in her Act iscena, “Perfect As We Are.” This long

solo, which portrays Jo’s divided feel-

ings by disrupting her long-lined f-

major cantilena with careening dode-

caphonic comedy, best exemplifies

what I dreamed for this piece: a music

in which even the most unlike mate-

rials could fuse into a single music if

the ear is sensitive and the design is

sound.

Here, then, is one composer’s aural

vision of Little Women, meant to illu-

minate its buried Straussian – Christ-

ian? – theme. Who among us, at the

pinnacle of a perfect moment, has not

prayed for the clock to stop? Who

among us has not feared, fought, and

at last forgiven the passage of time?

Alcott herself might be skeptical of

all this attention paid to her little

book. (She also, in Little Women, wrote

the paralyzing sentence, “Jo wouldn’t

be put into the Opera by any means”

– a sentence I did not exactly pin over

my desk.) Still, as Rilke once wrote,

“An artist selects his subjects; that is

his way of praising.” Alcott’s praise of

her characters has enriched genera-

tions of readers. The opera you hear

tonight is but one attempt to return

the favor.

continued from page 11

Page 12: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

Synopsis13

• lit

tl

e w

om

en

Prologue Twenty-one-year-old JoMarch is found writing in the atticof her family home. Her childhoodfriend, Laurie, who has recentlymarried Jo’s youngest sister,Amy, drops by. They discusstheir earlier relationship, andwith some irony, Jo comparestheir situation to Mozart, whocouldn’t have one sister so hemarried the other. Theencounter causes Jo to lapseinto an examination of herlife, and the opera unfoldsin a series of flashbacks.

act i

Scene one It is two years earlier. Inthe attic Jo pledges sorority with sis-ters Amy, Beth and Meg, and invitesLaurie to join as an honorary memberof their exclusive group, the Barris-ters Club. They play a game of“truth or fabrication” designed tomake laundry folding a bit morefun. Alma March calls themdown to dinner, but Jo andLaurie linger behind. Laurieknows the whereabouts ofMeg’s missing glove – histutor, John Brooke, has keptit. This blossomingromance causes Jo someconcern, for she dreads theday when her sisters willleave the nest – to herthey’re “perfect as theyare.”

Scene two Weeks later Meg andBrooke linger in front of the house asJo and Laurie spy from within.Brooke, who is courting Meg, relays achivalrous story about a knight and a

maid as part of a game of“Rigmarole.” The song hassome bearing on their cur-

rent situation, and Megreturns his a∂ection,

though with some trepi-dation. Brooke asks if hemay speak to her fatherthat evening, and laterin the presence ofGideon and AlmaMarch, he asks per-mission for her hand.As Meg hesitates,

wealthy Aunt Ceciliablusters in and is shockedMeg is considering such a

husband, one without a penny to hisname and who knows there’s moneyin the March family. She threatens todisinherit Meg, who, to her own sur-prise, boldly decides to marry for

love. Jo is horrified and grumblesthat the family bond is nowbroken – she’d marry her sisterherself if she could, just tokeep them all together.Meg sagely advises Jo howlife is full of change.

Scene three It is summerof the following year,and the family hasgathered for Meg

and Brooke’s wedding.Brooke announces to thefamily that they would liketo speak the same marriagevows as Gideon and Alma had usedfor their wedding. As they rehearsethem aloud, Laurie is moved by thewords and makes a profession of loveto Jo. Jo is furious – their relationshipis, of course, perfect as it is. If mar-ried, with their headstrong ways,they would certainly destroy oneanother. Amy has overheard theconversation and admonishes hersister’s cruelty. Beth, who has neverbeen strong, collapses in a faint.

— intermission —

act i i

Scene one A year later, Jo has left Con-cord for New York City to pursue herdream of becoming a writer. She alsohopes the separation will be good forboth her and Laurie. She confers withMr. Dashwood, the editor of TheWeekly Volcano, a sensational rag,about a story that bears curiousresemblance to her recent expe-riences. He agrees to buy thestory, and Jo shares the happynews and an accounting of herlife in New York in a letter tothe family. In turn, shereceives news from home –Meg has given birth to twins,and Beth is still ailing. Amyis studying art in Europe and writesto Laurie, who is at Oxford.

Scene two Jo has been spending timewith a German professor, FriedrichBhaer, and late one evening, theyhave returned from the opera. Jo

shares some of her opinionsand experiences, includingher reasons for being inNew York. In London,Amy sketches Laurie in apark – they have caught upwith one another andappear to be enamored. Atsimultaneous moments the

two sisters expound theiropposing views on thesubject of marriage. Jodelights in the successof her racy stories, butBhaer believes herwriting could serve a higher pur-pose. He sings her an enlight-ened song with romantic over-tures, but their idyll is inter-rupted by a telegram from

home – Beth is not expected tolive.

Scene three At Beth’s deathbed Joshares a final moment with her sis-ter. She promises to do everythingshe can to ensure Beth’s recovery,but her sister only wishes for peaceand reconciliation for the entirefamily. Both close their eyes to restfor a few moments. When Jo openshers she realizes her sister has justdied.

Scene four The following spring, Jovisits with Aunt Cecilia and learnsof Amy and Laurie’s marriage.Cecilia praises her niece’s growingstrength and wisdom and announcesshe will leave her home, Plumfield,to Jo in her will. Jo is grateful, butquickly understands all the greatstone mansion represents – isola-

tion, order, life without change,essentially death. She realizesthat it is no world for her.

Scene five and postlude As in thePrologue, Jo is alone writing.

Laurie enters and asks herforgiveness, hoping they canbe friends as before. Jo coun-ters that nothing is thesame as before – things havechanged, and they must

embrace their new relationshipas man and woman and as broth-

er and sister. As Laurie leaves, Jocomes to terms with her own reality.She and her siblings would neveragain be as they were in the summerof their youth – four sisters, one soul.

Jo

Beth

Meg

Amy

Cecilia

Laurie

Page 13: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

th

e m

inn

es

ot

a o

pe

ra

•14

Author of over 50 published writ-

ings, Louisa May Alcott is best re-

membered for her American literary

classic, Little Women. Prompted by her

publisher to write a “girls book” and

her father’s tacit desire for his daugh-

ter to create a story with a strong

moral message, Louisa drew from her

own childhood experiences to produce

a novel in two parts during the years

1868 – 1869.

The trials and tribulations of the

March family are portrayed a bit rosier

than they really must have been. Be-

fore settling into Orchard House, the

Alcotts’ final destination point, the

family was constantly on the move.

Louisa’s father, Amos Bronson Alcott,

was a self-educated, freethinking tran-

scendentalist with a modest back-

ground. His lifelong ambition sought

to establish a school where he could

apply his own novel methodology –

that children are born morally perfect

and the teacher was responsible for ac-

tivating this consciousness. His teach-

ing curricula included Pilgrim’sProgress, a novel he would pass down to

his daughters as an exposition of the

benefits of virtue, and he regarded his

children as “living manifestations of

my intellect.” His various attempts to

set up schools in Pennsylvania and

throughout New England always seem

to land him into trouble when his

teaching methods and ideology

pushed the envelope just a bit too far.

Consequently, his schools rarely re-

mained open for long, and the Alcotts

were chronically short of cash. In-

spired by British transcendentalists,

Bronson attempted to create a com-

mune, a new Eden known as Fruit-

lands, but it failed to survive the harsh

reality of winter and its intellectual

members’ lack of appetite for physical

labor. Bronson found solace and refuge

in Concord where he fell into sympa-

thy with Ralph Waldo Emerson and

Henry David Thoreau, both of whom

became close family friends.

Louisa May Alcottb Germantown, November 29, 1832; d Boston, March 6, 1888

Louisa May Alcott, c. 1858

cour

tesy

of T

he L

ouis

a M

ay A

lcot

t M

emor

ial A

ssoc

iatio

n

Orchard House courtesy of The Louisa May Alcott Memorial Association

continues on page 20

Page 14: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

15• l

itt

le

wo

me

nThe ArtistsFor more biographical information about these artists,

visit our website at www.mnopera.org

Carlos ArchuletaJohn Brooke

Minnesota Opera Resident ArtistRecently

La bohème; La clemenza di Tito; Lucia di Lammermoor,The Minnesota Opera

La bohème; La traviata, Natchez Music FestivalMadame Butterfly, Opera Southwest (Albuquerque)

The Barber of Seville, Opera Aperta (Boston)Amahl and the Night Visitors, Granite State Opera

Le nozze di Figaro, Longwood Opera Company (Boston)Upcoming

Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Artist

Matt BoehlerMr. DashwoodMinnesota Opera Resident ArtistRecentlyLa bohème; others, The Minnesota OperaLa bohème, Fargo-Moorhead Civic OperaOrpheus in the Underworld; Christopher Sly;

The Consul; others, Des Moines Metro OperaAmahl and the Night Visitors; The Magic Flute;

Le nozze di Figaro; The Threepenny Opera, Viterbo CollegeUpcomingDon Carlos, The Minnesota OperaA Midsummer Night’s Dream, Central City Opera

Ryan KinsellaFriedrich BhaerMinnesota Opera Resident ArtistRecentlyLa bohème; La clemenza di Tito; Lucia di Lammermoor,

The Minnesota OperaMiss Havisham’s Fire, Opera Theatre of St. LouisThe Tales of Ho∂mann, Sarasota OperaLa traviata; The Face on the Barroom Floor; Candide;

Dialogues des Carmélites, Central City OperaPostcard from Morocco; Antigone; others, Boston UniversityUpcomingDvorak Te Deum, Minnesota Orchestra

Ana RodriguezBethMinnesota Opera Resident ArtistRecentlyLa bohème; La clemenza di Tito; Lucia di Lammermoor,

The Minnesota OperaGianni Schicchi; Carmen; Le nozze di Figaro;

L’enfant et les sortilèges, Orlando Opera CompanyLa bohème, Opera North (New Hampshire)Cinderella; Toy Shop, Cincinnati Opera E & OCherubin, IVAI (Tel Aviv)UpcomingDon Carlos, The Minnesota Opera

Kathleen HumphreyAlma March

Minnesota Opera DebutMy Fair Lady, 1990

RecentlyA Christmas Carol, Guthrie Theater

Mahler Symphony No. 2, Twin Cities Elegy ConcertCarmen, Fargo-Moorhead Symphony

Street Scene; Le nozze di Figaro; Faust; Madame Butterfly;Cinderella; Carmen; The Magic Flute; La traviata;

The Tales of Ho∂mann, The Minnesota OperaThe 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins,

The Children’s Theatre Company/Tokyo, Japan Tour

Dorothy ByrneCecilia March

Minnesota Opera DebutRecently

La fille du régiment, Boston Lyric OperaLes contes d’Ho∂mann, Hawaii Opera Theatre

Jenufa; Street Scene; others, Lyric Opera of ChicagoUpcoming

Le nozze di Figaro, Kentucky OperaHamlet, Opera Theatre of St. Louis

S (Perera), Boston Lyric OperaEugene Onegin, Hawaii Opera Theatre

Susannah, Lyric Opera of Chicago

Genevieve ChristiansonAmyMinnesota Opera DebutStreet Scene, 2001RecentlyBroadway Music Spectacular, Ashland ProductionsWonderful Town; The Merry Widow, North Star OperaShawshank Redemption, RPN ProductionsOrpheus in the Underworld, Gilbert and Sullivan OperaLa bohème; La clemenza di Tito; Lucia di Lammermoor;

Turandot; others (ensemble), The Minnesota OperaUpcomingCandide (ensemble; Cunegonde cover), Minnesota Orchestra

Deanne MeekJo

Minnesota Opera DebutRecently

Così fan tutte, Portland OperaDido and Aeneas, Spoleto Festival U.S.A.

Der Rosenkavalier, Opera PacificIdomeneo; Madame Butterfly, Metropolitan Opera

Radamisto, Opera Theatre of St. LouisUpcoming

Le nozze di Figaro, Kentucky OperaFlavio, New York City Opera

Der Rosenkavalier, Opera North (Leeds)

John TessierLaurie

Minnesota Opera DebutRecently

The Magic Flute, Opera Atelier; Edmonton Opera; Opera Company of Philadelphia

Acis and Galatea, New York City OperaA Midsummer Night’s Dream, Aldeburgh Festival

UpcomingDon Giovanni, New York City Opera

Orlando Paladino, Glimmerglass OperaThe Barber of Seville; La fille du régiment, Vancouver Opera

Così fan tutte, Manitoba Opera

Lawrence WellerGideon MarchMinnesota Opera DebutRecentlyFalsta∂; L'incoronazione di Poppea, U of M Opera TheaterThe Most Happy Fella; L’italiana in Algeri;

The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, North Star OperaSt. Matthew Passion; St. John Passion,

University of Minnesota; Bach Society of MinnesotaCarmina burana; Elijah, St. Cloud Symphony UpcomingWinterreise, University of MinnesotaItalienisches Liederbuch, James Madison University (VA)

Jeffrey DomotoConductorMinnesota Opera Resident ArtistRecentlyLucia di Lammermoor; Pagliacci/Carmina burana;

The Barber of Seville; others, The Minnesota OperaNutcracker Fantasy, Minnesota Dance TheatreCover Conductor – Minnesota OrchestraAssistant Conductor – Central City Opera (1999);

Yale Opera; Philharmonia Orchestra of YaleUpcomingDon Carlos, The Minnesota Opera

Adriana Zabala Meg

Minnesota Opera DebutDer Rosenkavalier, 2000

RecentlyLa Cenerentola; Madame Butterfly, Seattle Opera

Le nozze di Figaro; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Wolf Trap OperaThe Barber of Seville; Street Scene; Le nozze di Figaro;

Turandot; educational tours, The Minnesota OperaSchumann’s Mignon Requiem, Minnesota Orchestra

UpcomingXerxes; Street Scene, Wolf Trap Opera

Carmen; Bach Easter Oratorio, Jacksonville Symphony

Page 15: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

H o m e i s a h o m e w h e ni t s h e l t e r s t h e b o d y

a n d c o m f o r t s t h e s o u l .— A g n e s N G

Page 16: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

Through words and pictures, poets and artists have been

defining and re-defining the concept of “home” for

centuries. The professional designers of The Design

Studio of Gabberts understand the “essence of home”—

how it relaxes and revives us and brings pleasure to

family and guests alike. Gabberts’ designers will work

together with you to paint the poetry of your lives into

the spaces in which you live, creating the indelible

spirit the world has come to know as “home.”

Located in the Ga l le r ia on F rance Avenue a t S ix ty -Ninth St ree t in Ed ina 952-927-1515

Page 17: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

th

e m

inn

es

ot

a o

pe

ra

•18

The Artists

Tom MaysLighting DesignerMinnesota Opera DebutStreet Scene, 2001RecentlyLa bohème, The Minnesota OperaA Pueblo Christmas; La Posada; others, Teatro del PuebloNi boca ni sangre, Teatro LatinoAll in the Timing; Four Dogs and a Bone, New Classic TheatreBiloxi Blues; Dancing at Lughnasa; others, Theatre in the RoundUpcomingLa traviata, The Minnesota OperaStreet Scene, Wolf Trap Opera Company

Tom WatsonWig Master and MakeupMinnesota Opera DebutThe Pearl Fishers, 1986RecentlyOpera Theatre of St. Louis (season)Santa Fe Opera (season)The Minnesota Opera (1986-2002 seasons)Metropolitan Opera (season)Jane Eyre; Dirty Blonde, (Broadway)UpcomingDon Carlos, The Minnesota Opera

Colin GrahamStage Director

Minnesota Opera DebutThe Mikado, 1989

RecentlyEugene Onegin; Macbeth, Opera Pacific

Otello, Opera OmahaHippolytus and Aricia; The Tale of Genji; Othello; others,

Opera Theatre of St. LouisThe Ballad of Baby Doe, NY City Opera; San Francisco OperaA Streetcar Named Desire, San Diego Opera; San Francisco Opera

UpcomingHamlet, Opera Theatre of St. Louis

Robert O’HearnSet and Costume Designer

Minnesota Opera DebutCareer Highlights

Lucia di Lammermoor; L’italiana in Algeri; Porgy and Bess;Aida; Die Frau ohne Schatten; others, Metropolitan Opera

West Side Story; My Fair Lady, Michigan Opera TheatreManon Lescaut; Samson et Dalila; others, Opera ColoradoLa traviata; Die Fledermaus; Tosca; others, Miami Opera

Pique Dame, San Francisco OperaAndrea Chénier; The Pearl Fishers; others, New York City Opera

Le nozze di Figaro; L’elisir d’amore; Vanessa, Arabella;Idomeneo; Ariadne auf Naxos; others, University of Indiana

When medical break-throughs are uncovered at U of M research labs, who benefits first? Minnesotans, of course.

New therapies pioneered at

the U often give Minnesotans

first chance at benefitting from

a new discovery. That’s reason

enough to support world-class

medical research right in your

own backyard.

Give to support the research

area of your choice. For more

information, call (612) 625-1440

or 1-800-922-1663. Or, visit

www.mmf.umn.edu

MEDICINE AT MINNESOTASUPPORTING MEDICAL RESEARCH AT THE U

Support

world class

medical

research

right in your

own backyard

Page 18: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

19• l

itt

le

wo

me

nComing Up:

Adult Education ClassA class devoted to Don Carlos will be held on Monday,

April 22, 2002, from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at The Minnesota

Opera Center, 620 North First Street in the Minneapolis

Warehouse District. Learn more about Schiller’s vaguely

historical account of Philip ii and his family’s personal

conflicts su∂ered under the menacing shadow of the Span-

ish Inquisition, a drama that inspired what many musi-

cologists describe as the perfect opera for those who love

Verdi. Call 612-342-9575 for registration information.

Opera InsightsJoin Artistic Director Dale Johnson or the Opera’s artistic

sta∂ one hour before showtime for a 30-minute introduc-

tion to the work. Opera Insights are free and held in

Ordway Center’s mezzanine lobby.

Under the shadow of the Spanish Inquisition, Don Carlos loses his beloved to hisfather’s crown. Verdi masterfully weaves an epic tale of love, duty and valor.

“It has been a dream of mine to stage this work,” said Artistic Director Johnson. “It isVerdi’s most heartfelt, subtle and melancholic score. There’s an emotional complexityto it, an anger turning inward. There is no clear-cut villain; everyone makes the wrongchoice and is unable to change the course of destiny.”

The Minnesota Opera will present the revised 1884 version in French with an exquis-itely conceived production from England’s Opera North directed by Tim Albery. AsJohnson states, “The line of the music is best suited to the original French language -it is more lyric and intimate.”

Paul Charles Clarke (Faust) and Julian Gavinalternate in the title role. Jason Howard (Macbeth) and Carlos Marín (Lucia) singRodrigue, and Indra Thomas and GeraldineMcMillian (Tosca, Aida) sing Élisabeth.

Don Carlos is sponsored by West Group.

Don Carlos by Giuseppe VerdiMay 11, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 19, 2002

English translations projected above the stage.

To learn more about Don CarlosPlease visit our website at www.mnopera.org or consider the opportunities listed below. On the website you will find

casting updates, artist biographies, synopses, background notes, suggestions for further reading and listening,

ticket services and other company information.

Page 19: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

th

e m

inn

es

ot

a o

pe

ra

•20 Louisa’s mother, Abigail May

(Abba) was descended from two pres-

tigious New England families, the

Quincys and the Sewalls, the former

associated by marriage to John Han-

cock. Her father, Colonel Joseph May,

earned his rank while serving in the

American Revolution. Abba fell in

love with Bronson’s ideals more than

with the man himself, much to her

strict father’s discontent. Those ideals

became her only source of comfort as

Bronson’s improvidence became her

burden. Abba was forced to find sup-

port for the family by working and by

borrowing from her richer relatives.

Her tireless generosity became a

source of great inspiration to Louisa –

Abba’s e∂orts in helping the poor, in

supporting abolitionism and in pro-

moting woman’s su∂rage elevated her

to an almost god-like status in her

daughter’s eyes. “Mrs. March,” the au-

thor once stated, “is all true, only not

half good enough.”

Like Jo in Little Women, Louisa was

second born, at times a tempestuous

child, a tomboy in her own eyes and

the polar opposite of her passive older

sister Anna (Meg). Anna was, in her

father’s eyes, the exact example of

what his educational theories pro-

scribed, while Louisa quite obviously

fell short of his expectations.

Two other sisters followed, Beth,

who appears to be an exact replica of

her counterpart in the novel, and May

(Amy). Beth (also called Lizzie) con-

tracted scarlet fever through her

mother’s charity work with an in-

fected family (in the novel, it is Beth’s

own generous act that lands her into

trouble), and although she recovered,

she remained weak until her death

two years later in 1858. May was

somewhat talented as an artist, and her

illustrations decorated the first edition

of Little Women. Louisa’s success

yielded a trip to Europe for her and

her sister. On subsequent journeys,

May became a skilled imitator of

Joseph Turner, and one of her land-

scapes was accepted into the Paris

Salon. She married while traveling

abroad and later died of complications

from the birth of her only child.

Writing became a compulsion for

Louisa both in her journals and in cre-

ating scenarios for her and her sisters

to perform. She soon looked to it as a

viable source of income for her strug-

gling family. Early works, such as

“Pauline’s Passion,” “The Skeleton in

the Closet” and “A Whisper in the

Dark” were faintly lurid melodramas

published under an assumed name and

had great appeal to repressed Victorian

sensibility. Other works, such as

Moods, Work and Hospital Sketches, have

autobiographical traces, either dreamt

or realized. Hospital Sketches in particu-

lar is drawn from Louisa’s experiences,

albeit brief, as a Civil War army nurse.

Posted in Washington d.c. she was

confronted with the most horrific ca-

sualties from the front line. She fell ill

herself and was treated with calomel, a

mercury-based cure-all that frequently

Louisa May Alcott continued from page 14

612-371-5656 • minnesotaorchestra.org612-371-5656 • minnesotaorchestra.org612-371-5656 • minnesotaorchestra.org

Based on Voltaire’s classic satirical novel, Leonard Bernstein's Candide

is one of the best-loved works of American musical theatre. Don't miss

this semi-staged performance featuring Broadway and Twin Cities talent.

B

Thursday, June 27 - Sunday, June 30Thursday, June 27 - Sunday, June 30

Tickets: $20 $35 $45 $50 $65Tickets: $20 $35 $45 $50 $65

Minnesota OrchestraPresents

Minnesota OrchestraPresents

Page 20: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

21• l

itt

le

wo

me

nleft the patient in a worse condition.

Louisa was haunted by the e∂ects of

mercury poisoning, with persistent ill

health and premature death. She never

married, and her writings often feature

a spirited heroine in control of her des-

tiny, again shaking the very founda-

t ions o f Victor ian thought and

precedence.

Alcott began Little Women at the

age of 35, carefully extracting or oth-

erwise recreating the happier moments

of a childhood oppressed by desperate

poverty, a depressed and exhausted

mother and a reclusive father. Louisa

marks him as curiously absent, either

fighting the Civil War, injured in

Washington, or in the retreat of his

study, reading and philosophizing.

Marmee is depicted as saintly, a

woman of infinite wisdom with a solu-

tion to every problem. Louisa is careful

to illuminate Bronson’s moral teach-

ings as Abba’s counterpart teaches her

daughters the lessons of life.

Part One initiates the friendly rela-

tionship between the Marches and

their rich neighbors, the Lawrences, an

older gentleman who was friendly

with Alma’s father and his young

grandson Theodore, who goes by Lau-

rie (to avoid being mocked as “Dora”).

At various points each March girl has

her eye on him, yet his real life inspi-

ration remains elusive. Various theo-

ries draw attention to a young man

Alcott befriended in Europe (known as

“Laddie”), others point to unsent let-

ters to Emerson and Thoreau written

full of passion and girlish adulation.

She was also the confidante of young

Alfred Whitman, a somber schoolboy

whose company she enjoyed. Louisa

would not divulge any hints – she pre-

ferred that Jo stay single and only suc-

cumbed to pressure to have her paired

with an older intellectual, Friedrich

Bhaer, at Little Women’s conclusion.

Jo’s inheritance of Plumfield and its

subsequent conversion into a home for

wayward boys led to two sequels, LittleMen and Jo’s Boys, both successful in

their day.

Little Women is constructed in a se-

ries of 47 short, often disconnected

episodes, yet Adamo skillfully adapts

most of the major events into a more

sustained narrative in an opera com-

posed of nine scenes. Act i ends as Part

One of the novel, with the wedding of

Meg and John Brooke. The sharing of

Gideon and Alma’s vows (likely de-

rived by the fact Anna Alcott and her

husband John Pratt chose for their

wedding day the thirtieth anniversary

of Bronson and Abba), are counter-

poised by the turbulence of Laurie’s

frank admission of his feelings for Jo

and her rejection (an event occurring

later in the novel). Like Jo’s confronta-

tion with Laurie, Louisa regarded her

sister Anna’s wedding with equal dis-

dain, “I mourn the loss of my Nan and

am not comforted … I moaned in pri-

vate over my great loss and said I’d

never forgive J. for taking Anna from

me … I’d rather be a free spinster.”

Another variant is Adamo’s especially

poignant scene where Aunt Cecilia be-

queaths Plumfield to Jo, emphasizing

the themes of family, transition and

fear of isolation that permeate the

opera. (In Alcott’s Little Women, Jo

learns of the surprise inheritance at the

very end, only after Cecilia March has

passed away. ) The prologue and

postlude are drawn from Chapter 43,

in which Jo examines her life to date

and the eventuality of becoming a “lit-

erary spinster” while reencountering a

freshly wed Laurie. Unlike the conclu-

sion of Part Two, where everyone lives

happily ever after (with the exception

of Beth), Adamo’s Act ii ends with a

question mark, leaving us to ponder

what the future holds for Jo and

Bhaer, perhaps more in line with

Louisa’s original intent to leave her

heroine unwed and independent.

Visually speaking, Robert O’-

Hearn’s design for this production is

inspired by Orchard House, the most

permanent of the Alcotts’ many resi-

dences. Although the autobiographical

events of Louisa’s novel probably took

place at Hillside, an earlier family

dwelling next door (later the residence

of another famous writer who settled

in Concord, Nathaniel Hawthorne),

the author probably had in mind the

happier times spent in Orchard House

as she put to paper the various child-

hood adventures of her and her three

sisters. Orchard House is now home to

The Louisa May Alcott Memorial As-

sociation.

Learn to KnitWe have fabulous yarns,

silk ribbons, beads, buttons and more …

Classes for adults & children

Interior Design

residentialcommercial

81 S. 9th St.

suite 340

minneapolis

t612.333.0526

w w w . g u n k e l m a n s . c o m– David Sander

Page 21: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

th

e m

inn

es

ot

a o

pe

ra

•22

StaffPresident & CEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kevin SmithArtistic Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dale JohnsonGeneral Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Humleker

ArtisticArtistic Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roxanne Stou∂er CruzArtistic Associate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Floyd AndersonEducation Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Holly CarpenterDramaturg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . David SanderProduction Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alexander FarinoStage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yasmine KissAssistant Stage Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lee HendersonOPERA America Stage Management Fellow . . . . . .Trevore RossResident Artist Music Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Bruce StasynaChorusmaster/Head Coach . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph Lawson

Resident Artist Instructors . . .Carlotta Dradi-Bauer, Miriam Scholz-Carlson,

Doug Scholz-Carlson, Stuart Pimsler, Nancy Tibbetts

Resident Artists . . Carlos Archuleta, Matthew Boehler, Je∂rey Domoto,

Ryan Kinsella, Laura Loewen, Ana Rodriguez, James Valenti

Education Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Raymond Berg, Peggy Endres,

Kenny Kiser, David Moore, Jonathan Niel,

Janet Paone, Joseph Schlefke, Elise Skophammer,

Roger Skophammer, Casey Stangl,

Ed Williams, Joan Womeldorf

Mentor Connection participant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Megan Furman

CostumesCostume Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Gail BakkomAssistant Costume Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Beth SandersDrapers . . . . . . . . . . . . Chris Bur, Angela Patten, Yancey ThriftFirst Hands . . . . . . Helen Ammann, Mark Heiden, Valerie HillWig/Makeup Assistants . . . . . . . Jodi Heath, Emily Rosenmeier

Dyer/Painter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Marliss JensonStitchers . . . . . .Jennifer Dawson, Jeanne Finch, Stephanie Vogel

SceneryScenic and Lighting Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom MaysTechnical Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stuart SchatzScenic Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Holly CarpenterAssistant Lighting Designer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Nicole SimoneauProperties Master . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stanley Dean HawthorneProperties Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike LongCharge Painter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael BolinScenic Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Debra JensenProduction Carpenter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . J.C. AmelScene Shop Foreman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rod AirdCarpenters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patrick Dzieweczynski,

Mike McQuiston, Steve Rovie

AdministrationController . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Je∂ CoutureOperations/Systems Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve MittelholtzAccounting Associate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jennifer ThillEvents/Volunteer Coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah CurtisExecutive Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Theresa Murray

DevelopmentDevelopment Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bill VenneInstitutional Gifts Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jaime MeyerDevelopment Assistant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Vicky Emerson

Marketing/CommunicationsCommunications Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lani WillisTicket O∑ce Manager . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason YoungReceptionist/Information Specialist . . . . . . . . . . . . . Malia Long

THE AMERICAN

SWEDISH INSTI-

TUTE

2600 PARK

AVENUE

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

55407

TIME:10 A.M. TO 4 P.M.

WHERE:THE AMERICAN

SWEDISH INSTITUTE

COST:$8 IN ADVANCE

{THROUGH APRIL 26}

$10 AT THE GATE

$5 KIDS AGES 5-16

EXPERIENCE THE

SHARED CULTURE,

HERITAGE & FRIENDSHIP

BETWEEN MINNESOTA

AND VÄRMLAND.

• OUTDOOR CAFÉ

• STORYTELLING • MUSIC

• DANCE • FUN FOR KIDS

• FOLK COSTUMES

• EXHIBITS • CRAFTS

VÄRMLANDSJUBILEETA FAIR CELEBRATING THE PROVINCE

OF VÄRMLAND, SWEDEN

APRIL 27 & 28, 2002

(612) 871-4907www.americanswedishinst.org

Lonna Mosow’s Center for Mind Body Fitness.6409 City West Parkway • Eden Prairie, MN (952) 941-9448

FROM

JOSEPH

P I L AT E S

S T RO N G A N D S T R E TC H E D.T H E U LT I M AT E W O R KO U T F O R M I N D A N D B O DY

Page 22: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

th

e m

inn

es

ot

a o

pe

ra

•24

The MinnesotaOpera OrchestraViolin IKristen Christensen,

concertmasterJulia Persitz

David Mickens

Sheila Hanford

Violin IILaurie Petruconis

Elizabeth Decker

Stephan Orsak

Viola Annette Caruthers

Vivi Erickson

CelloJames Jacobson

Adriana la Rosa Ransom

BassJohn Michael Smith

Flute/Piccolo/Alto FluteMichele Frisch

Oboe/English HornMarilyn Ford

Clarinet/Bass ClarinetSandra Powers

Bassoon/ContrabassoonCoreen Nordling

HornCharles Hodgson

Piano/Celesta/SynthesizerBruce Stasyna

PercussionMatthew Barber

HarpAndrea Stern

Offstage ChorusMadeline Cieslak

April Hanson

Karen Weaver

Karin Wolverton

, ₍ ₎ -

songs from the heartlandSpring Concert

SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2002 / 7:30 P.M.COLONIAL CHURCH OF EDINA

EDINA, MINNESOTA

With Special Guest Composer Libby Larsen

JAMESSEWELLBALLET

www.jsballet.org

SPRING 2002 SEASONCo-presented by The O’Shaughnessy at the College of St. Catherine 2004 Randolph Avenue in St. Paul

April 19, 20, 26, 27 (8 pm)April 28 (2 pm)

Call for Tickets: TicketMaster 612.673.0404 orO’Shaughnessy 651.690.6700

Page 23: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

th

e m

inn

es

ot

a o

pe

ra

•26

The Minnesota Opera FundIndividual Donors: The Camerata Circle

The Camerata Circle is The Minnesota Opera’s highest category of personal support. With this designation,we recognize these very special friends for their commitment to the tradition of opera in our community.

Platinum Mrs. Judson BemisMary and Gus BlanchardJudy and Kenneth DaytonDolly J. FitermanJohn and Ruth HussHeinz and Sisi HutterThe Art and Martha Kaemmer Fund of

HRK FoundationPeter J. KingConstance and Daniel KuninPatricia LundMr. and Mrs. Walter S. MeyersMrs. George T. PennockMary W. Vaughan

Gold AnonymousMary A. AndresAugust J. Aquila and Emily HaliziwKaren BachmanDavid Hanson and

William BiermaierMr. and Mrs. James BingerRod and Susan Boren Darlene J. and Richard P. Carroll Sally J. EconomonRolf and Nancy EnghN. Bud and Beverly Grossman

FoundationAlfred and Ingrid Lenz HarrisonBryce and Paula JohnsonLucy Rosenberry JonesMichael F. and Gretchen S. KellyWarren and Patricia KellyEd and Pat KeransThomas and Barbara McBurney

Diana and Joe MurphyMrs. John M. Musser†

Bruce and Sandy NelsonTimothy and Gayle OberJose Peris and Diana GuldenRebecca Rand and

E. Thomas BingerConnie and Lew RemeleMr. and Mrs. Steven RothschildFred and Gloria SewellVirginia L. and Edward C. StringerGregory C. SwinehartTanrydoon Fund of

The Saint Paul FoundationC. Angus and Margaret Wurtele

Silver Anonymous John Andrus, IIIMartha and Bruce AtwaterPatricia and Mark BauerJoseph and Judy CarlsonWilliam Voedisch and

Laurie CarlsonRachelle Dockman ChaseBurt and Rusty CohenDr. James E. and Gisela CorbettEllie and Tom Crosby, Jr.Rondi Erickson and Sandy LewisMr. and Mrs. John ForsytheConnie Fladeland and Steve FoxLeslie and Alain FréconR. Thomas Greene, Jr.Stephen and Patricia HaynesJay and Cynthia IhlenfeldGerald JohnsonStan and Jeanne KaginLyndel and Blaine King

Mrs. James S. KochirasMr. and Mrs. Ted KolderieLynne LooneyLeland T. Lynch and Terry Saario Fund of

The Minneapolis FoundationRoy and Dorothy Ann MayeskeHarvey T. McLainMary Bigelow McMillanRobb and Lynne MorinNelson Family FoundationWilliam and Barbara PearceMarge and Dwight PetersonLila and Bruce PriebeLois and John RogersE. Elaine and Roger SampsonKay Savik and Joe TashjianFrank and Lynda SharbroughRenate M. SharpKevin and Lynn SmithMrs. Irene G. SteinerCharles Allen Ward Fund of

The Saint Paul Foundation

Bronze Anonymous (2)Eric and Donna AanensonChloe D. AckmanCordelia Anderson and

John HumlekerMr. and Mrs. Edmund P. BabcockAlexandra O. BjorklundMr. and Mrs. Paul G. BoeningRalph and Kathleen CadmusElwood F. and Florence A. CaldwellDavid and Jane CooperDr. Susan and Richard CrockettMrs. Thomas M. Crosby, Sr.Mary Lee and Wallace Dayton

Cy and Paula Decosse Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation

Lori and Tom FoleyBradley A. Fuller and Elizabeth LincolnChristine and W. Michael GarnerMr. and Mrs. R. James GesellIeva GrundmanisRosalie He∂elfinger Hall Fund of

The Minneapolis FoundationCli∂ton K. Hill and Jody RockwellDorothy J. Horns, M.D. and

James P. RichardsonElizabeth A. HueyJacqueline Nolte JonesMr. and Mrs. William KlingJerry and Joyce LillquistBenjamin Y. H. and Helen C. LiuDavid MacMillan and Judy Krow

James and Judith MellingerTom Murtha and Stephanie LenwaySusan OkieMr. and Mrs. William PhillipsKim and John PuckettNorm Rickeman and Kathy MurphyBurton G. Ross and

Cynthia Rosenblatt Ross Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation

John RosseMr. and Mrs. John C. RowlandLucy and Mark SearlsStanislaw and Krystyna SkrowaczewskiJames V. and Susan W. SullivanMichael SymeonidesMr. and Mrs. George H. TesarCatie Tobin and Brian Naas†deceased

Benefactors Anonymous Kim A. AndersonPaula A. AndersonAn Anonymous Gift from a DonorAdvised Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation

Dr. Thomas and Ann BagnoliAmy and Ford Watson Bell in honorof Elinor W. Bell

Thomas L. and Joyce E. BrucknerDr. and Mrs. Jim BurdineJoann M. D. CierniakSusan Cogger and Terry WilliamsJe∂ and Barb CoutureJohn G. and Ida J. Davies

The Denny Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation

Thomas and Mary Lou DetwilerMr. and Mrs. Carl B. Drake, Jr.Joyce and Hugh EdmondsonEster and John FeslerHenry and Anice FleshPatricia R. FreeburgLois and Larry GibsonMr. and Mrs. John F. GrundhoferDon and Arlene HelgesonCharlotte KarlenMr. and Mrs. Erwin KelenMary L. Kenzie Family FoundationE. Robert and Margaret V. Kinney

Fund of The Minneapolis FoundationLisa C. Kochiras

Maria KochirasHelen L. KuehnClinton and Judith LeeIlo and Margaret LeppikBill LongThornton LyfordDan and Sue MalinaMargery MartinSamuel D. and Patricia McCullough

Mary McDiarmidJames P. McFarlandMrs. John H. MyersAlbin and Susan NelsonAllegra ParkerKaren B. PaulJodi and Todd Peterson

Frances and George ReidKen and Nina RothchildJe∂rey Scherer and Lea BabcockDr. and Mrs. Richard J. SchindlerMahlon and Karen SchneiderRalph S. Schneider and Margaret McNeil

Stephanie SimonHelene and Je∂ SlocumJulie Jackley SteinerDon and Leslie StilesLois and Lance ThorkelsonBill Venne and Douglas KlineEllen and Fred WellsNancy and Ted Weyerhaeuser

PatronsAnonymousFred Amram and Sandra BrickQuentin and Mary AndersonWoodbury H. and Cynthia

AndrewsJames and Gail BakkomThe Reverend Richard S. BauderGrace BeekJudith and Arnold BrierConley Brooks FamilyJohn and Anne CarusoJudith and Roger ColtonSage and John Cowles, Jr.Bill and Kate CullenSia DimitriouSalvatore S. FrancoDavid K. GardnerHoward and Heidi GilbertRobert and Ellen GreenJerold and Kathleen HahnDr. Walter A. Hall, M.D.Mr. and Mrs. Jack HelmsFrederick J. Hey, Jr.Helen and James Hubbell

Foundation

Ekdahl Hutchinson Family Fundof The Minneapolis Foundation

Paul and Diane JacobsonJames L. JelinekDr. Robert and Susan JosselsonNancy and Donald KappsMr. and Mrs. Thomas A. Keller, IIIRobert L. Kriel and

Linda E. KrachJoan and Joe LapenskyRobert L. Lee and

Mary E. Scha∂nerRoy and Mary LetourneauSidney and Diane LevinMichael and Diane LevySy and Ginny Levy Family Fund

of The Minneapolis FoundationEileen and Henry LexauMrs. Malcolm S. MackayHella MearsL. David MechSheila and Paul MeginnisDr. Joseph Meland and

Dr. Mary Hobbs MelandMr. and Mrs. Gale MellumMs. Marianne Merriman

Robert MessnerSteve MooreSandy and Bob MorrisMr. and Mrs. Richard NicholsonConstance S. OtisJames A. PayneMr. Daniel PennieElizabeth and Andrew RedleafLawrence M. RedmondChristine Roberts and Ric LarsonThomas D. and Nancy J. RohdeJames and Andrea RubensteinMs. Karen SchnatterlyWilliam K. She∑eldThe Harriet and Edson Spencer

Fund of The MinneapolisFoundation

Drew StewartDana and Stephen StrandHenry and Virginia SweattDan and Trudy ThompsonLoren and Angi UnterseherWill Volk

AssociatesAnonymous

Anonymous AtheistCarla Olivia AlcornSandra A. AntonelliKay C. BachKay and Tom Barrett Family

Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation

Dan Berg and Welcome JerdeFund of The MinneapolisFoundation

The Coleman Bloomfield Fund ofThe Saint Paul Foundation

Kenneth BrittonMr. and Mrs. R. James BrownbackLela BrownleeRich Wescott and

Judith Brown-WescottRobert and Gerry BullardJennifer Case PhelpsDr. and Mrs. David W. ClineRoxanne and Joseph CruzMr. and Mrs. Frederick CzeswikMr. and Mrs. Bruce B. DaytonMr. and Mrs. John DonaldsonRuth D. DrakeMr. and Mrs. John A. Eagon

Dr. Isabel FeinsteinMr. Charles FitchCarolyn D. FitermanIris C. Freeman and

Warren WoessnerTerence Fruth and Mary McEvoy

Family Fund of The MinneapolisFoundaton

Linda and Bret GappCarol and Mike GarbischKatherine and Robert Goodale, Jr.Ruth E. HanoldDouglas and Doris HappeMargaret HelgesonGareth D. HiebertJ. Andrew Holey and

Gary S. WhitfordJean McGough HoltenMr. and Mrs. Joseph HumseyTodd and Liesl HydeRuth E. JonesJane and Jim Kaufman Fund of

The Minneapolis FoundationCharles C. Kerl and Marcia

McCartyCarole and Joseph Killpatrick

Laura and Joseph KiserArthur C. and Milly D. Klassen Kyle KossolMrs. Walter KunzJill M. KunzeMs. Anne LabovitzMark and Elaine LanderganMrs. Doris S. LarsonLeo and Carole LeomporraMs. Kathleen LindbladJoan E. MaddenThomas Kleinschmit and

Liana MageeMaren and Mark MahowaldMr. and Mrs. Robert MandersCathy ManloveGeorge MartinSheila McNallyKristine MertaThomas and Jane MillerSteven J. MittelholtzJon and Lynne Montague-ClouseShirley Moore

in memory of DaveTheresa and Jim MurrayMr. and Mrs. Edward Neira

Page 24: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

27• l

itt

le

wo

me

nThe Minnesota Opera Fund

Individual DonorsMs. Marjorie NewtonDr. and Mrs. Franklin NormanGlyn R. NorthingtonDerrill M. PankowKathy and Don ParkMary Helen Pennington, M.D.Kern and Kathryn PetersonMr. and Mrs. John S. Pillsbury, Jr. Nicole and Charles PrescottMs. Karen RawayDr. Ann RockRockler Companies, Inc.Robert E. RocknemDr. Hanan J. RosensteinWarren SampsonJohn H. Sargent, M.D. and

Janice J. SargentKaren A. Scha∂erBill and Althea SellJohn SetterholmCherie L. ShreckPhilip Sie∂George SmalleyElizabeth Snelson and

Brett GemloWarren StortroenMr. and Mrs. Rolf SvendsenCraig and Janet SwanVilis VikmanisEmily WadsworthMr. and Mrs. Charles WebsterSandy WeisenburgerDavid and Karin WendtHelen and J. Kimball WhitneyDavid and Rachelle WilleyFred and Eleanor WinstonDr. James A. Zeese

FriendAnonymous (4)Paul and Val AckermanCarolyn M. AdamsBarbara and Joseph Aiken-AliLarry and Kathy AllenArlene Goodman AlmRoland C. AmundsonMs. Melissa AndersonJane S. AngristDr. Howard J. Ansel, M.D.

Genevive AntonelloMr. and Mrs. Joseph ArmitageDr. and Mrs. Orn ArnarPhillip AsgianFran BabbittKay C. BachMs. Ruth BachmanRobert F. Ball, IIIBeverly Balos and

Mary Louise FellowsThomas and Ann BarlandAndrew Baron and

Shelley Dowhanik-BaronCharles L. BathkeMs. Lynn BauerRon and Gay BaukolMs. Jeanne BeattyDr. Gardner BemisBarbara and Paul BennGerald and Phyllis BensonKenneth J. BerglundAnna and Rollin BergquistInez and John BergquistRobert F. BishawDiane and David BlakeJorge BlancoMr. and Mrs. James BlilieMr. and Mrs. Robert BodsgardMs. Doris BogardusFred and Carolyn BogottHerman Boman, Jr., and

Joyce Marie BomanTodd BosterRose BoughtonJames and Lynn BowePenny J. BoyleMs. Margaret A. BrackenMr. Raymond BradleyJoan BroughtonBarb BrownPhilip L. and Ellen C. BrunerEmilie and Henry BuchwaldMr. Charles BuehlerWilliam Busch, Jr.Ruth H. BustaDawn Carlson and Gary GustafsonJerome and Linda CarlsonNancy S. and Robert H. CarlsonDr. Alan E. and Ruth Carp

Ben and Joanie CaseBeverly ChristensonMark G. ChristensonMr. and Mrs. James F. ClarkMs. Mary Ann ClarkMs. Pamela ClarkeMr. Thomas B. ClevelandElizabeth S. CloseSandy and Doug ColemanMr. Steve ColemanSyd and Kay ConstantineBurt and Jeanne CorwinMr. and Mrs. Robert CottrellDr. and Mrs. Jim CraigTimothy C. and

Nancy K. CroninMr. and Mrs. John CrosbyMs. Joan CurtisRobert and Marilyn DavidsonMr. and Mrs. John de RosierDr. Amos S. and Sue DeinardKeith and Linda DonaldsonMary DoyleMr. and Mrs. Peter A. DoyonDorothy R. DrummondCarol Du∂JoAnn D. DunkelNancy and Pierre DussolMr. and Mrs. Welles EastmanMark and Carol EngebretsonJean Evans and Ron MelanderSteve and Janet EverlyFriends of Bart KoeppenTom R. FarmMr. David E. FeinbergBarbara J. FeltMs. Elizabeth FennellyJoyce and Harold Field, Jr.Andrea FikeCatherine C. FinchMr. John J. FlynnRick Fossey, Stacey Michels and

Nancy McNamaraCharlotte FramptonDon and Betty FriborgJane FullerMs. Joan GackiPhillip and Bonnie GainsleyGreta and Paul Garmers

Frank and Shirley GarnerHeather Kirby GehringMs. Nancy GladMrs. Norma GobranKathryn GoehlJ. Diann GoettenJohn D. and Mary R. GouldRichard and Marsha GouldMary Ann GrageLee GremillionMary and Bayliss GriggsMr. and Mrs. Bruce GrussingMrs. Dorothy GuilfordMargaret GulbrandsonAlpha M. GustafsonElizabeth GutmannMr. Frederick HaasMr. and Mrs. Jerold HahnJulie and Jim HallDavid HamerlaJohn L. HannafordPhillip HansenDiane HansonMs. Kathryn C. HarperMr. and Mrs. Wilbert HarriVirginia R. HarrisPatricia S. Hart and A. S. LangAlfred E. HauwillerMs. Phyllis Perrizo HeathDean K. HedstromEileen HeinzellerMr. and Mrs. Mel R. HendrixGregor HenriksonMs. Anne E. HesselrothBarbara HillJacqueline J. Hill and

Donald J. ChristensenRuth HinkerJulie HoffVirginia HofmannMr. Stuart HollandCharles and Kathi HolmesThe Reverend and

Mrs. Henry H. HooverJohn HovanecBurton and Sandra HoversonMr. Je∂ HudsonWorth L. HudspethJohn O. Irvine

Mr. Guglielmo IzziOwen and Barbara JenkinsMr. and Mrs. Tom JensenDale A. JohnsonDouglas and Catherine JohnsonMs. Georgette M. JohnsonJames D. and

Kathleen M. JohnsonMargaret and Allan JohnsonSteven and Jeraldin JohnsonSuzanne JohnsonMr. Greg JohnstonHerbert F. KahlerDr. Morton and Merle KaneJudith and Cli∂ord KashtanKate Kavanaugh and Jon BjorlieMrs. Stephen F. KeatingMr. and Mrs. Vernon KenneyBeverly KespohlJanet Keyes and Mark HatherlyJohn C. KimJanice L. KimesBetty V. and James F. KoernerMs. Janis I. KonkeMr. and Mrs. Paul M. KrauseMr. James KromhoutMr. and Mrs. David KruidenierSteven and Marie KukerDean LambertLand for Sale, Inc.Mr. and Mrs. Andrew LarsonMr. and Mrs. Clayton K. LarsonWilliam and Gladys LaughlinDavid J. Lauth and

Lindsey C. ThomasMs. Tisa LawlessMarcene M. LawsonMrs. Bela S. LazarMr. and Mrs. Jim LeathermanDonald and Joann LeavenworthMr. and Mrs. Thomas J. LeeLucinda LegelHelen LeslieDennis and Marcia LetourneauMr. and Mrs. Morris G. Levy, Jr.Mrs. Vera LikinsMr. and Mrs. Keith N. LindquistMs. Marjorie A. Loe∑erAnn Longfellow

Mr. and Mrs. Walter H. Lorshbough

Dr. and Mrs. S. A. LovestedtDr. and Mrs. Kristofer LundJudy and Neilan LundCarole M. LundgrenEudene LupinoDr. and Mrs. Fred A. LyonDr. and Mrs. James D.

MacGibbonMr. and Mrs. Cargill MacMillan, Jr.Frank and Regina MaguireDonald and Rhoda MainsThomas G. MairsKristine and Peter MaritzMary and Phil MattesonMs. Patricia A. MaynardArthur McFarlandDonald and Alice McIlrathMs. Kathleen M. McLaughlinRoberta and Robert MegardCurtis and Verne MelbergJoan MellenDouglas and Cindy MerriganJoseph MicallefDavid and LaVonne MiddletonRobert and Sue Helen MidnessMary E. MillerVirginia MillerMr. and Mrs. Edward L. MillsMilica MitterhauserSusan MolderPolly and Dick MooreWilliam and Imelda MuggliJudith and Aaron NathensonMr. Ronald NaumanGregory NeeserJohn Neess and Mark ThomasMr. Fritz A. NelsonPeter and Carol NelsonRaymond and Jane NelsonMs. Barbara NemerJoseph and Judith NeumeierLucia NewellDr. and Mrs. William L. NicholsNancy E. NolanCharles NovakDorothy NovakMr. and Mrs. Stan Nyquist

Proceeds help supportCourage Programs

and you can receivea tax deduction

based on fair market value.

763-520-0540www.courage.org

Page 25: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

th

e m

inn

es

ot

a o

pe

ra

•28

The Minnesota Opera FundIndividual DonorsMr. Cole OehlerDiane and Je∂rey OertelRabbi Stacy K. O∂nerPatricia A. O’GormanDennis OlsonThomas Olson and

Elizabeth LewisLinda OlupThe Reverend and

Mrs. Robert A. OnkkaRuth and Ahmad OrandiDolores OreyKay Smith and Arnold OstebeeFrederick M. Owens, Jr.Mr. Brian J. PactolMr. and Mrs. G. Richard PalenMs. Heather PalmerDan and Pat PanshinDonald Pastor and David GoldsteinMs. Lois R PattenDonna L. PauleyJerry PeckJoanne L. Pehler

Deane G. PetersSharon and Gregory PetersonAimee K. PetraNancy PetullaPatricia PeylaSandra Resnick and

Walter PickhardtJ. Michael PickleMs. Joanna PierceJohn and Norma PiersonSally and George PillsburyMr. and Mrs. Michael PorcaroBarbara PoulterJoan M. PrairieMr. Troy PriemJames and Constance PriesRobert and Jean Ra∂ertyLee D. RandallMs. Eleanor A. RandelsDan and Kari RasmusOlivia S. RayConrad and Teresa RazidloEd S. Reay

Katharine S. ReynoldsMr. and Mrs. A. X. RobbinsRobert RoseSteve and Trish RowleyAnn SagnesThomas and Sheva SandersMary SavinaAly and Rob SayreJames A. ScarpettaKathleen and Eugene Sche∑erMs. Sue SchiessMr. Ross SchmidtLee SchneiderMs. Marcia SchultzLawrence and Mary SchwankeSummer SeidenkranzMr. Johann SfaellosRichard and Kay ShagerJanet and Irving ShapiroRobert and Anne Shea∂George and Janet SheetsDepartment of Classical Studies

at UNCG

Lester ShenMrs. Judith ShermanJames and Carol SimonsonElla and Richard SladePhyllis SnowDon Sommers and Brad SharkMr. and Mrs. Archibald SpencerJon Y. SpoerriJ. Jerome StanleyMs. Eleanor S. SteenDr. Susan StortiJoseph StraussCurtis L. SwensonDonald and Eileen SytsmaCharles O. and Marlys R. TaflinKathy TezlaJoyce ThielenIrma ThiesDr. and Mrs. Andrew J. ThomasMr. and Mrs. David ThomasMrs. Phyllis M. ThompsonMs. Sara Jean Thoms

Mr. Curtis ThorpeDr. and Mrs. F. B. Ti∂anyRobert and Eleanor TrnkaMr. and Mrs. Ron TrokRalph and Hollida UnderwagerMr. and Mrs. Stephen UrionStephanie C. Van D’EldenRon WahlbergThe Wallin FoundationLana K. WarehamDorothy B. WebberMr. and Mrs. James WeinelReverend Robert B. WellischEvelyn and Robert WelshJane and LeRoy WesleyPatricia WhitacreJohn and Sandra WhiteG. Marc and Tracy WhiteheadJean and Gil WhitsonDexter D. and Paulette N.

WhittemoreSandra and Dale Wick

Carolynn C. and Paul D. WigginBarb WildesMs. Wendy J. WildungJohn M. WilliamsMr. Robert WilliamsMr. and Mrs. James J. WillisLani WillisKristopher K. Wilson, Sr.Mr. and Mrs. John W.

Windhorst, Jr.Anthony WinerMartina and Douglas WinnBarbara and Sherman WinthropJean C. WirsigSuzanne Witterholt and

Jonathan UeckerMargaret and Fancher WolfeMr. and Mrs. Charles E. WoodwardJane U. YoungKathy and Howard ZackRichard A. ZgodavaChester and Judy Zinn

Corporations and FoundationsPlatinum3MAid Association for Lutherans/

Lutheran BrotherhoodAmerican Express Minnesota Philanthropic

Program on behalf of American ExpressFinancial Advisors and American ExpressTravel Related Services Co.

Andersen FoundationBlandin FoundationThe Bush FoundationThe Cargill FoundationDeloitte & ToucheDeluxe Corporation FoundationEcolab FoundationGeneral Mills Foundation

Ann and Gordon Getty FoundationAnna M. Heilmaier Charitable FoundationHoneywell FoundationThe MAHADH Fund of HRK FoundationThe McKnight FoundationMarshall Field’s Project ImagineThe Medtronic FoundationThe Andrew W. Mellon FoundationMinnesota MonthlyMinnesota State Arts BoardNorthwest Airlines, Inc. FoundationReliaStar Financial CorporationSkyway Publications, Inc.The St. Paul CompaniesTarget Stores, Marshall Field’s and Mervyn’s

with support from the Target Foundation

TranstopTwin Cities Opera GuildU.S. Bancorp Piper Ja∂ray Foundation on

behalf of U.S. Bancorp Piper Ja∂rayU.S. BankWells Fargo Foundation on behalf of:

Wells Fargo Bank MinnesotaWells Fargo Brokerage ServicesWells Fargo Institutional Investments Lowry HillWells Fargo Private Client Services

West Group

GoldAccentureADC Telecommunications, Inc.

Bemis Company FoundationDorsey & Whitney FoundationErnst & YoungR. C. Lilly FoundationMcGladrey & Pullen, LLPMoss & BarnettNational City BankAlice M. O’Brien FoundationPricewaterhouseCoopers LLPRahr FoundationRider, Bennett, Egan & ArundelRobins, Kaplan, Miller & CiresiSpencerStuartStar Tribune FoundationValspar FoundationXcel Energy Foundation

Lakewinds Natural Foods 17523 Minnetonka Blvd., Minnetonka (952) 473-0292

Linden Hills Co-op 2813 West 43rd St.Minneapolis (612) 922-1159

Mississippi Market 1810 RandolphAve. Saint Paul (651) 690-0507—and—622 Selby Ave.Saint Paul (651) 310-9499

Seward Co-opGrocery & Deli2111 EastFranklin Ave. Minneapolis (612) 338-2465

Valley Natural Foods 13750 County Road 11, Burnsville952-891-1212

Wedge Co-op 2105 Lyndale Ave. So.Minneapolis (612) 871-3993

Twin Cities Natural Food Co-ops

Food engineered by Mother Nature.The seven member-owned Twin Cities Natural Food Co-ops are proud to bring

you a beautiful array of fresh, natural and organic foods every day.

River MarketCommunity Co-op 221 N. Main St.Stillwater (651) 439-0366

St. Peter Food Co-op119 W. BroadwaySt. Peter507-934-4880

Growth, Healing and Psychotherapy

For All Ages

651•646•89852265 Como Ave.

St. Paul

Talk with someone who can help.

Page 26: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

29• l

itt

le

wo

me

n

These lists are current as of February 28, 2002, and include donors who gave gifts of $100 or more to the Minnesota Opera Fund since January 1, 2001. If your name is not listed appropriately, please accept our apologies, and call Bill Venne, Development Director of The Minnesota Opera, at 612-342-9565.

The Minnesota Opera Fund

Minnesota Opera SponsorsSeason SponsorU.S. Bancorp Piper Ja∂ray

Gala Dinner SponsorEcolab

Production SponsorsLucia di Lammermoor, U.S. Bancorp Piper Ja∂ray

La clemenza di Tito, American Express MinnesotaPhilanthropic Program

La bohème, Marshall Field’s Project Imagine

Little Women, RBC Dain Rauchser

Camerata DinnersRider, Bennett, Egan & Arundel

Opera Insight LecturesSpencerStuart

Corporations and FoundationsSilverThe Bayport FoundationBest Buy Children’s FoundationBoss FoundationChadwick FoundationDellwood FoundationDigital Excellence Inc.Leonard, Street & DeinardMary Livingston Griggs and Mary Griggs

Burke FoundationMcNeely FoundationThe Nash FoundationThe Casey Albert T. O’Neil FoundationRBC Dain Rauscher FoundationMargaret Rivers FundSchwegman, Lundberg, Woessner & Kluth, PASit Investment AssociatesTennant FoundationSchool Arts Fund of United Arts/COMPASU.S. Trust CompanyWenger Foundation

Bronze Faegre & BensonHogan & HartsonHutter Family FoundationMayo FoundationMcVay FoundationMinnesota Mutual FoundationLawrence M. and Elizabeth Ann

O’Shaughnessy Charitable Income Trust inhonor of Lawrence M. O’Shaughnessy

The Jay and Rose Phillips Family FoundationThe Elizabeth C. Quinlan FoundationSt. Croix FoundationCharles B. Sweatt FoundationTilka DesignTozer FoundationWalcro Inc.

BenefactorsAlliance Capital ManagementElmer L. and Eleanor J. Andersen Foundation

Athwin FoundationAvedaBrock-White Co., LLCHorton, Inc.The Hubbard FoundationKPMG LLPMarsh USA, Inc.Miller Meester AdvertisingMusicland Group, Inc.The Ritz FoundationThe Southways Foundation

PatronsBachman’sBailey Nurseries, Inc.The Burdick Family Charitable FoundationC.S. McCrossan, Inc.H.B. Fuller Company FoundationThe Hubbard FoundationLarson, Allen, Weishair & Co., LLPLe Jeune Investment, Inc.

Padilla Speer Beardsley Inc.W.A. Lang/AcordiaIrene Hixon Whitney Family Fund of

The Minneapolis Foundation

AssociatesAnonymous

FriendsPaper Packaging Group, Bemis Company, Inc.Do The GoodGeorge H. and Marjorie F. Dixon Charitable

FoundationHammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc.MacKay, Inc (Florence, Kentucky)McGough ConstructionSaint Paul College ClubSt. Paul Linoleum and Carpet

Good listening {TAKES PRACTICE.}

Nancy Meeden651.282-9650

Amy Sperling651.282-9615

Crocus Hill Office

North StarOpera

Where Operais Always Fun

Everything Sungin English

Opera DemystifiedMay 5, 2002

Landmark Centerfor admission:651-224-1640

Countess MaritzaStarring Norah Long

June 14 – 23, 2002for tickets:

651-343-3390

��

��

Page 27: Minnesota Opera's Little Women Program

2002-2003International

Artist Series109th Season

Denyce GravesMEZZO-SOPRANO

Thursday, April 24, 2003 8pm

SEASON TICKETS: $145, $125, $105, $85 • Call 651.292.3268 Ordway Center for the Performing Arts

Gil Shaham, VIOLIN • Yefim Bronfman, PIANOTruls Mørk, CELLO

Tuesday, October 22, 2002 • 8pm

Garrick Ohlsson, PIANOEwa Podles, CONTRALTOFriday, November 22, 2002 • 8pm

Ivan MoravecPIANO

Friday, March 21, 20038pm

he Schubert Clubhe Schubert Club

Mitsuko UchidaPIANOThursday,February 6, 20038pm

´