Appropriate for children five years and older

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1 November Press Release PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Opera Fort Collins Proudly presents: Amahl and the Night Visitors What: AMAHL & THE NIGHT VISITORS Who: Gian Carlo Menotti, Composer When: Saturday. December :00 p.m. One Hour Matinee Photo Credit: Charles Ralph / Opera Pronto See page 4 for downlad information. Saturday. December :00 p.m. One Hour Matinee Where: The Griffin Concert Hall. University Center for the Arts 1400 Remington Street. Fort Collins. Colorado Tickets* $28 Adult. $12 Child (17 years and under) *Standard box office processing fees not included Purchase: UCA Box Office Web: Ages: Appropriate for children five years and older Media Contact: Vicki Fogel Mykles, OFC Executive Director vmykles@gmail.com Summary: Opera Fort Collins proudly presents Gian Carlo Menotti s Amahl and the Night Visitors, a one-act opera about one boy, three kings and a night filled with miracles that can only occur when selfless hearts are moved. As the Magi rest from their travels in the hut of a poor widow and her crippled son, a delightful tale of compassion and generosity unfolds. Stunning music, beautiful costumes, dancing, laughter, and an inspiring story will delight audiences of all ages. Amahl & the Night Visitors has been the most frequently produced opera in the world since it premiered on Christmas Eve in 1951 on NBC s first televised Hallmark Hall of Fame. It is a perennial holiday favorite of generations of audiences. With family-friendly pricing ($28 adults/$12 children), this fully-staged onehour opera with a professional cast and the Fort Collins Symphony is a perfect way to introduce children to the wonders of a live musical performance. Language: Two Matinees: Sung in English with English supertitles. Saturday December :00 and 4:00 PM 1/6

2 SYNOPSIS: Amahl and the Night Visitors is about a stop that the Three Kings make on their journey to seek an unknown, but wondrous, new-born child. They request lodging for the night in a shepherd s hut of an impoverished widow and her crippled son, Amahl. As the mother s cupboard is bare, villagers come with meager offerings of food for the Kings. A young couple entertains them with a dance. Amahl is intrigued by the luggage they are carrying, so the Kings show the little family the riches they plan to present the mysterious child. Finally, all settle to sleep around a modest fire. Because of her need to provide for her son and lured by the Kings gold, the mother is caught trying to steal it. She repents and the Kings forgive her. The pure-hearted Amahl offers his crutch as a gift to the child that the Kings seek. In this moment of selfless generosity the child is miraculously healed. As the Kings prepare to continue their journey, Amahl s mother consents to let him accompany them as they seek the child. In a world of Black Fridays and Cyber Mondays, this is a work whose message can bond generations in the idea that miracles are wrought from the selfless acts of pure hearts. BACKGROUND: Although known as a stage work and the most frequently-produced opera in the world today, Amahl and the Night Visitors was the first opera commissioned for television. It premiered on NBC Television s 1951 Opera Theatre on Christmas eve as the first Hallmark Hall of Fame production. Gian Carlo Menotti wrote the words and music and staged the opera for its television premiere. He was assisted by composer Samuel Barber. The premiere was conducted by Thomas Schippers. An estimated audience of five million viewers saw that first live performance on television, which became an annual holiday tradition for many years, including new productions by NBC and versions by the BBC. With such creators at the helm, it is no wonder that this work has remained a staple of the popular repertoire since its premiere. SET DESIGN: The unusual OFC set concept is based on the paintings of Hieronymus Bosch (late 15th/early 16th century Dutch painter) whose work is known for its use of fantastic imagery to illustrate moral and religious concepts and narratives. Menotti was specifically inspired in writing Amahl and the Night Visitors by Bosch s Adoration of the Magi multi-panel, hinged wooden triptych (his most famous work is the Garden of Earthly Delights ). Working with scenic designer James Bazewicz, we chose material from a different Bosch triptych of the same name, Adoration 2/6

3 of the Magi for its theatrical storybook feeling. Once opened, the triptych becomes the architectural structure for the hut. A door and window are cut into the side panels and a large drawer/bed cut into the center section. The painting of the central panel is the only artwork on the set not inspired directly by Bosch. OFC artistic director Brian Clay Luedloff wanted a large Madonna and Child to echo the warm relationship between Amahl and his mother. The result is an amalgam of several different images that were used for inspiration. The set was originally produced for LyriCo: the Light Opera Company of St. Louis and built by the scenic shop at Lyric Opera of Kansas City. PERFORMERS: OFC is fortunate to have Nathaniel Braswell in the role of Amahl, a talented young singer with whom northern Colorado audiences are very familiar. Joining Nathaniel are Antoine Hodge and the OFC Apprentice Artists. The performance features guest conductor Glen Cortese (The Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra), the Fort Collins Symphony, the OFC Chorus, and dancers Alexandra Trosper and Arthur Beutel. The Mission of Opera Fort Collins is to entertain, enrich and educate through the professional presentation of opera productions and community engagement programs. OFC is a non-profit performing arts organization. Post Office Box 503. Fort Collins. CO info@operafortcollins.org Opera Fort Collins Contacts Artistic Director Brian Clay Luedloff luedloff@operafortcollins.org Music Director Wes Kenney batons2@earthlink.net Chorus Master /Outreach Director Dr. Gerald Holbrook mawaka@aol.com Executive Director Vicki Fogel Mykles mykles@operafortcollins.org 3/6

4 Photos available at Picasa: 202/AmahlTheNightVisitors?authuser=0&authkey= Gv1sRgCPm1l-icx5fhUw&feat=directlink Photo credit: Charles Ralph / Opera Pronto 4/6

5 Meet the Opera Fort Collins Artists Soprano Nathaniel Braswell (Amahl) 13, is excited to return to the Opera Fort Collins stage in his favorite role of Amahl. Previous roles include Ebby in Scrooge, the Musical, Kurt in Sound of Music, Fyvish in Fiddler on the Roof, Young Patrick in Mame, Frederic in Pirates of Penzance, Winthrop in The Music Man, Sid in Tom Sawyer, Dull in Love s Labour s Lost, Billy in Honk, Michael in Peter Pan, and a street urchin in Carmen. Nathaniel is a six-year member of Centennial Children s Chorus and a Library Pal volunteer for the Poudre River Public Library District. When he is not on stage, Nathaniel enjoys competitive archery as well as speech and debate. He wishes to thank his voice teacher, Cynthia Vaughn, as well as Brian Luedloff and the OFC staff for giving him another opportunity to love Opera from the inside out. Bass-baritone Antoine Hodge (King Balthazar) returns to Opera Fort Collins as King Balthazar in Menotti s Amahl and the Night Visitors. Recent engagements include bass soloist in Liza Lehmann s In A Persian Garden at the Broadway Music School, Loveland Opera Theatre s Verdi gala, OFC s Gift of the Magi, and ensemble work with Central City Opera. Past roless: Betto and Amantio di Nicolao in Gianni Schicchi, the Master of Ceremonies in Cendrillon, Mr. Page in The Merry Wives of Windsor, Mr. Gobineau in The Medium, Yundt in The Anarchists, Don Bartolo in Le nozze di Figaro,and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola. Concert stage works, include: Schubert s Mass in G, Vaughan WIlliams Hodie and Serenade to Music, Haydn s Lord Nelson Mass, and numerous performances of Handel s Messiah. Upcoming engagements: bass soloist in Beethoven s 9th with Colorado Springs Chamber Orchestra in Beethoven s 9th Symphony and The Doctor in Vanessa with Boulder Opera Company. Mezzo-soprano Dana Kinney (Director) returns to OFC for a third season and as a first-year Master of Music student with Dr. Tiffany Blake at Colorado State University. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Northern Colorado, studying with Dr. Melissa Malde. Past roles include Mama McCourt (cover) in The Ballad of Baby Doe, Phoebe in Yeoman of the Guard, the title role in Carmen (cover), Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte, Zita (cover) in Giannni Schicci, and Lady Angela in CSU s fall production of Patience. Ms. Kinney is an active stage director throughout the Rocky Mountain region. She has directed/assistant directed for Loveland Opera Theatre, the Operain-Education production of The Impresario, and Don Giovanni. She directed her own version of Don Giovanni in 2013 with a newly founded opera company, Rocky Mountain Chamber Opera. Ms. Kinney s OFC assistant director credits include Carmen, Gift of the Magi, Barber of Seville, Daughter of the Regiment. She directs the OFC Season 34 production of Amahl & the Night Visitors. Tenor Nathan Snyder (King Kaspar) is a native of Fruita, Colorado. He made his Opera Fort Collins debut as Sam and Father Chappelle in The Ballad of Baby Doe. Currently, he studies with Dr. Derek Chester in the Master of Music program at the University of Northern Colorado. Mr. Snyder received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Music Performance from Bethel College. Recent roles include Martin in The Tender Land, tenor soloist in Handel s Messiah, and chorus in the Wichita Symphony s productions of Carmina Burana and Beethoven s Mass in C Minor. 5/6

6 Baritone Revere Taylor (King Melchior) is a second-year Master of Music student at University of Northern Colorado. He holds a Bachelor of Music from New Mexico State University and a Certificate of Higher Education from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He made his OFC debut as the Corporal during 2012 in Daughter of the Regiment. Mr. Taylor s recent roles include Rambaldo in La Rondine, William Jennings Bryan in The Ballad of Baby Doe, Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night s Dream, Germont in La traviata, Belcore in L Elisir d amore, the title role in Le Nozze di Figaro, Falke in Die Fledermaus, Ben in The Telephone. In Scotland, he appeared in The Tales of Hoffmann and Scottish Opera s production of Prokofiev s The Love of Three Oranges. This past summer, he appeared as Abdallo in Nabucca and Il Messegero in Aida with Opera Classcia in Germany. Soprano Anna Christine Woiwood (Mother) is a second-year Master of Music student at University of Northern Colorado. She debuted with Opera Fort Collins during 2012 in Daughter of the Regiment. Recent performances include Magda in La Rondine, chorus in The Ballad of Baby Doe, the third boy in Die Zauberflöte, Gertrud in Hansel and Gretel, Katisha in The Mikado, and Dorabella in Cosi fan tutte. She was a featured soloist in Verdi s Gloria and also received honorable mention in SEMO s Concerto and Aria competition. Recently, she won the Amelia Guthrie Promising Singer of Merit Award. Glenn Cortese (Guest Conductor) is in his seventh season as music director of the Greeley Philharmonic and his ninth season as artistic director of the Western New York Chamber. He was named music director emeritus of the Oregon Mozart Players after serving as artistic director for nine seasons. Recent guest engagements include: the Wolftrap Opera, Charleston Symphony, Sapporo Festival Orchestra, Slovak Radio Orchestra, Sofia Philharmonic, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Mexico City Philharmonic, Colorado Springs Philharmonic, Paducah Symphony Orchestra, Lafayette Symphony, Billings Symphony, Lyric Opera of Cleveland, and Annapolis Symphony. He appeared as guest conductor both in the United States and abroad with the symphonies of New Jersey, Florida Philharmonic, Austin, Mexico City Philharmonic, North Carolina, Colorado Springs, Bangor, Meridian, Queens, New Amsterdam, New Orleans Philharmonic, International Chamber Orchestra, Belarus State Philharmonic, Noorhollands Philharmonisch, Orquesta Sinfonica Carlos Chavez, San Francisco Conservatory, Cleveland Institute, and Altenburg Landeskappele Orchestra. In 1994, Mr. Cortese began his tenure as music director of the East-West International Symphony Orchestra in Altenburg, Germany. In 2011 he conducted the world premiere of John Musto s new opera, The Inspector, at the Wolftrap Opera. Other guest conductor opera credits include: the Florida Grand Opera, New York City Opera, Cleveland Lyric Opera, Maryland Opera Studio, Bowdoin Summer Music Festival Opera Theater, Manhattan School Opera Theater, and East West International Opera Theater. He has conducted at numerous summer festivals including Chautauqua, Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, American Dance Festival, The New York Music Institute, Sewanee Music Festival and the Brevard Music Center. A strong advocate of new music, he has conducted over 150 premieres. Mr. Cortese is an accomplished composer and winner of numerous awards including: the Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Joseph E. Bearns Prize # # # 6/6