Jonathan Khuner, artistic director
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Jonathan Khuner, artistic director |
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2008 Season All Berkeley Opera performances are held at the 
This production of L'Elisir d'Amore will have one more performance - at the Lincoln Theater in Yountville on Sunday, April 27 at 5:00 p.m. For more information go to www.lincolntheater.com.
Gaetano Donizetti
In Italian with English supertitles
Conducted by Donato Cabrera Directed by Robert Wineapple Set Design by Lili Smith and Kevin Keul Costume design by Tammy Berlin Lighting Design by Cameron Mock CAST
Adina, a wealthy young woman ........ Angela Cadelago
Gianetta, a peasant girl ........ Elena Krell Nemorino, a young peasant ........ Andrew Truett Belcore, a sergeant of the garrison ........ Torlef Borsting Dr. Dulcamara, a quack ........ Paul Cheak Peasants, Soldiers, villagers, a notary, a landlord........ Heidi Bendorf, Toni Dine, Ron Dritz, Vincent Fogle, Alan Frank, Terry Gordon, Roberta Gould, Harlan Hays, Gerd Kaluski, Peter Mendiara, John Nash, Liz Pasha, Patricia Prewitt, Lilie Robertson, Andrea Shupack, Cathy Thompson, Mimu Tsujimura, Christian Voitenleitner, Annabelle Weldon Saturday, March 15, 8:00 p.m. The country bumpkin loves the village beauty. She possesses a bit of money, education and sophistication, whose lack he laments, feeling that it creates an impassable gulf. His redeeming quality of complete and untutored sincerity makes him both a victim of charlatanry and the ultimate victor in amore. A patent-oil salesman and a narcissistic recruitment officer breeze into town to fill out the cast of hilariously colorful characters. The infectious charm of this favorite opera lies in its balance between naïveté and depth in its sunny narration of requited love, told through bel canto melodies of irresistible beauty — all of which comes to life on the intimacy of the small stage. 
A Double Bill of Béla Bartók’s
Bluebeard's Castle In Hungarian with English supertitles Visual art by Naomie Kremer Technical and Visual Assistant Mark Palmer CAST
Bluebeard ........ Paul Murray
Judith ........ Kathleen Moss and Maurice Ravel’s
L’enfant et les sortilèges In French with English supertitles Visual art and production design by Ariel Projection design and animation by Jeremy Knight Puppetry by Michael and Valerie Nelson Choreography by Cecily Khuner Costume Construction by Jillian Khuner and Naomi Straus CAST
L'Enfant (The Boy) ........ Patrick Dowd, Misha Brooks
Fire / Princess / Nightingale ........ Ann Moss Shepherdess / Bergère / Owl / Bat ........ Raiña Simons White Cat / Squirrel ........ Vanessa Langer Mama / Chinese Cup / Dragonfly / Shepherd ........ Paula Chacon Teapot /Arithmetic / Frog ........ Norm DuVol Grandfather Clock / Black Cat ........ Anders Froehlich Armchair / Tree ........ Michael Grammer Dancers ........ Lauren Alpert, Valerie Balcom, Cecily Khuner, Christopher Warhuus for both operas: Artistic and Musical Director: Jonathan Khuner Assistant Conductor: Emily Senturia Stage Director: Phil Lowery Lighting Designer: Rob Anderson Saturday, May 3, 8:00 p.m. In a unique multi-media staging of two 20th century masterpieces, we meld music and art to probe the secrets of the inner mind of a legendary villain (Bluebeard) and the magical inner world of a child's capricious mind. Both of these operas are famous for their exquisite beauty of orchestration and depth of imagination.  Giacomo Puccini’s In Italian with English supertitles
Conducted by Jonathan Khuner Director TBA Saturday, July 12, 8:00 p.m. While Tosca needs no introduction to opera lovers, mainstage productions at large opera houses often force the interpreters to resort to the stereotypical melodramatic posturing of grand opera, in an attempt to make the characters seem larger than life. |
Patrick Dowd as L'Enfant. Photos by Eliot Khuner.