AVA Opera Blog

Holidays at AVA

The days are getting shorter, the sales are popping up on every corner, and...yes, you can hear sleigh bells in the snow. The holiday season is upon us, and as we prepare to wish everyone we know a happy new year, let’s look back on another successful year at AVA.

2016 brought stunningly sung operas from AVA’s Resident Artists: Massenet’s Werther, Puccini's Gianni Schicchi and Il tabarro, Verdi’s Rigoletto, Rubinstein’s The Demon. In addition, it brought our French European Journey, as well as the return of our annual events the Giargiari Bel Canto Competition and Jubilate!

We said goodbye to four resident artists (from top): Dominick Chenes, Marina Costa-Jackson, Alexandra Schenck, and Mackenzie Whitney ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

but welcomed nine new resident artists: mezzo-soprano Alejandra Gomez; soprano Rebecca Gulinello; tenor Abraham Bretón; soprano Claire de Monteil; tenor Roy Hage; baritone Christopher Kenney; tenor Mackenzie Gotcher; tenor John Matthew Myers; and baritone Timothy Renner (picured above).

We have even more in store for 2017. Lucia di Lammermoor and Die Zauberflöte will return to AVA to close out our season in the new year. We’ll take the second and third European Journeys to the Czech Republic and Germany respectively, and will celebrate the spring with the return of Jubilate!  Finally, we’ll send off this year’s graduating class with an unforgettable farewell recital. You can get tickets for all of the season’s remaining performances at http://www.avaopera.org/productions/tickets/. Oh, and…

 

Gabriella Rose Balsam is a senior advertising major at Temple University, and an intern in AVA's Marketing Department.

The Demon Cheat Sheet

 

What is The Demon? 

A Russian opera in three acts composed in 1871, based on the poem of the same name by Mikhail Lermontov.

Composer

Anton Rubinstein composed the work and Pavel Viskovatov wrote the libretto.

Composer Background

Anton Grigorevich Rubinstein (1829 - 1894) was a Russian pianist, composer and conductor who became a pivotal figure in Russian culture when he founded the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. Rubinstein is best remembered for his opera, The Demon and for being a celebrated pianist and educator, most notably as famed composer, Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky's composition teacher.

Characters of The Demon - casting information

Prince Gudal

Tamara, his daughter

Rebecca Gulinello and Christopher Kenney perform during a rehearsal of "The Demon"
Photo: Rachel Meirson

Tamara's Nurse

Prince Sinodal, Tamara's betrothed

Sinodal's servant

Courier

Demon

Angel

Setting

Time: unspecified

Place: Georgia

Opera Background

As previously stated, the opera is based on a poem of the same name by Mikhail Lermontov. Lermontov's poem was banned as sacrilegious until 1860, however it was its popularity that caused Rubinstein to use it as the basis for his opera.

 

Major Plot Points

Act I

During a storm in the Caucasian mountains, a chorus of evil spirits call upon the Demon to destroy the beauty of God's creation. The Demon sings of his hatred for the universe and rejects

Ethan Simpson, second-year Resident Artist performs in rehearsal

Photo: Rachel Meirson

the Angel's plea for him to reconcile with heaven.

Tamara awaits her wedding with Prince Sinodal by a river with her attendants. The Demon sees her, falls in love and promises her that "all the world will kneel before her" if she returns his love. Tamara is fascinated but frightened by him and returns to the castle.

Prince Sinodal's caravan is making its way to Tamara's father, Prince Gudal's court for his marriage to Tamara but is delayed by a landslide. The Demon appears and vows that Prince Sinodal will never see Tamara again. The caravan is attacked by Tatars and Prince Sinodal is mortally wounded. Before he dies, he tells his servant to bring his body to Tamara.

Act II

The festivities for the wedding have begun. A messenger announces that Prince Sinodal's caravan has been delayed. Tamara senses the presence of the Demon and becomes fearful. When Prince Sindoal's body is presented before her, Tamara is overcome by grief but to her horror, keeps hearing the supernatural voice of the Demon and his promises. She begs her father to let her enter a convent.

Act II

The Demon intends to enter the convent where Tamara is living, believing that his love for her has opened his spirit to goodness. An Angel tries in vain to stop him.

Tamara prays in her convent cell but is still troubled by thoughts of the Demon, who keeps appearing to her in her dreams. The Demon now appears in reality, declares his love for her and begs her to love him in return. Tamara tries to resist her attraction to him but fails as the Demon kisses her in triumph. The Angel suddenly appears and shows her the ghost of Prince Sinodal. In fear, Tamara struggles out of the Demon's arms and falls down dead.

The Angel proclaims that Tamara has been redeemed by her suffering, while the Demon is damned to eternal solitude. The Demon curses his fate. In the final Apotheosis, Tamara's soul is carried to Heaven accompanied by angels.

 

Previous Performances:

The opera had its first Philadelphia performance on April 29, 1922 at the Forrest Theater in a Russian Grand Opera Company production. It was produced again in 1928 and then was not performed in Philadelphia until the Russian Opera Workshop produced a concert version in 2015. 

Pianist and music director, Ghenady Meirson directions the Resident Artists during rehearsal

Photo: Rachel Meirson

Ticket info

Performances are held on December 10, 13 and 15 at 7:30pm at AVA's Helen Corning Warden Theater. Tickets can be purchased here.

 

Samantha van Adelsberg is a Los Angeles native working in AVA's marketing department and managing the AVA Young Professionals group. Samantha holds two degrees from Binghamton University in English and Vocal Performance and is an active rock vocalist in the Philadelphia music scene.

AVAround the World - December 2016

Welcome to another installment of AVAround the World - November 2016 Edition. In this post, we continue to chronicle the upcoming monthly engagements of AVAlumni spanning the globe. From role debuts, concerts and festivals, July is proving to be a busy month for our talented AVAlumni. Check out the updates below!

 

Baritone Michael Adams ('15) will perform on December 22 - January 5 as Marcello in Grand Théâtre de Genève's production of La boheme. During AVA's 2015 production of La boheme, Michael sang the role Schaunard.

Bass Burak Bilgili ('04) is set to perform a New Year's Concert in Istanbul at Kultur University. The performance will be held on December 20. More information can be found here.

Christopher Bolduc ('10), baritone, is also scheduled to perform the role of Marcello in La boheme with Hessisches Staatstheater. The production will open on December 4 - 23. 

Tenor Zach Borichevsky ('12) is set to continue his run with the Metropolitan Opera as Edmondo in Manon Lescaut. The performance began in November and will continue through December 10.

Christian Bowers ('13), baritone, will perform the role of Maximillian in Candide with Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse. The production will open on December 20 - 30. Along with Christian, fellow AVAlumna Cynthia Cook ('11), mezzo-soprano will be performing as Vanderdendur/ La Baronne in the production. 

Bass Scott Conner ('12) will sing the role of Police Commissionar with Covent Garden, Royal Opera House's Der Rosenkavalier. The performance opens on December 17 - 22 then picks up again after the new year on January 8 - 24, 2017.

Tenor Stephen Costello ('07) will perform Romeo in Romeo et Juliette with Korea National Opera in South Korea. The performance will open on December 8 and 10. 

 

Colleen Daly ('09), soprano, is performing as a soloist for Holiday Joy, a concert performed by Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra. The performance will take place on December 9 and 10. The concert will feature orchestral and vocal music including traditional season favorites.

Mezzo-soprano Allegra De Vita ('16) will perform as a soloist in Handel's Messiah with New Haven Symphony Orchestra at Sacred Heart University. The performance will take place on December 15 - 18.

Soprano Ellie Dehn ('06) is set to perform the role of Musetta in La boheme at Teatro di San Carlo on December 16, 18 and 21. Ellie will also perform as a soloist in Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with Santa Fe Symphony on December 31.

Joyce DiDonato ('95), mezzo-soprano, will continue her lineup of performances as a concert soloist in In War & Peace: Harmony Through Music. Joyce travels to Stanford University, Berkeley, Kansas City, Chicago, Rochester and NYC from December 2 - 31. A video of Joyce can be viewed here depicting these performances.

Jeffrey Halili, tenor, will perform as the tenor soloist for Handel's Messiah at Tindley Temple United Methodist Church in Philadelphia on December 4 with fellow AVA Resident Artist third-year mezzo-soprano Hannah Ludwig.

Bryan Hymel ('08), tenor, will perform at Teatro alla Scala on December 7 - January 8, 2017 as F.B. Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly.

Soprano Shelley Jackson ('14) continues her run as Micaela in Carmen with Teatro Massimo Palermo. The performance opened on November 27 and continues through December 3.

Sydney Mancasola ('14), soprano, will perform the role of Musetta in La boheme with Oper Frankfurt. The performance will begin on December 2.

Soprano Angela Meade ('09) will sing the title role in Anna Bolena with Teatro de la Maestranza. The performance will run through December 8 - 16.

Chloé Moore ('14), soprano, will perform with Annapolis Opera on December 4 as a soloist in the concert, Arias and Encores. Chloé will perform with fellow AVA Resident Artist second-year soprano, Meryl Dominguez. The concert will showcase a mix of favorite arias, duets and ensembles from classic opera and operetta.

Soprano Latonia Moore ('04) is scheduled to continue her run at the Metropolitan Opera as the title role in their production of Aida. The performance will continue on December 2.

Mezzo-soprano Alexandra Schenck ('16) will perform as a soloist at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion on December 11. Alexandra will perform operatic and advent selections along with fellow AVA Resident Artist, baritone and second-year Anthony Whitson-Martini.

 

It is never our intention to omit any AVAlumni. If you notice any discrepancies, please contact [email protected].