Hansel and Gretel - ballstatemusic.com

1 COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS ADMINISTRATION Robert A. Kvam, dean Michael O Hara, associate dean SCHOOL OF MUSIC ADMINISTRATION Ryan Hourigan, director Rebecca Braun, assistant to the director Linda Pohly, coordinator of graduate programs in music Kevin Gerrity, coordinator of undergraduate programs in music SCHOOL OF MUSIC VOICE FACULTY Meryl Mantione, mezzo-soprano & voice area coordinator Cara Chowning, opera/vocal coach Kathleen Maurer, mezzo-soprano Craig Priebe, bass-baritone Yoko Shimazaki-Kilburn, soprano Elizabeth Truitt, soprano Jon Truitt, baritone & director of opera Mei Zhong, soprano UPCOMING OPERA THEATRE EVENTS Third Annual Opera Gala Saturday, February 2 | 7.

2 30 | Sursa Hall Mozart s Don Giovanni Friday, March 29 | 7:30 | Sursa Hall Sunday, March 31 | 2 | Sursa Hall Series LXXIII Number 67a & 67b In keeping with copyright and artist agreements, use of recording and photographic devices are permitted only by approved university personnel. Food and drink are prohibited in all concert halls; we request your cooperation. This performance of Hansel and Gretel is a Papermoon Opera Production: Jefferson Ridenour, sets Maureen Thomas, costumes Brian B. Moore, lights Kris Kirkwood, projections Joyce Merrill, props Fenlon Lamb, artistic director Alayna Powell, director of production Hansel and Gretel Libretto by Adelheid Wette Composed by Engelbert Humperdinck Production by Papermoon Opera Productions Saturday, November 17, 2018 | 7:30 Sunday, November 18, 2018 | 2 SURSA PERFORMANCE HALL Sometimes in the world of opera the stars align and you have to just trust that reality.

3 That s what happened for this production of Hansel and Gretel and our association with the great team at Papermoon Opera Productions. Our new coach Dr. Cara Chowning told me that she had worked with them on a previous production of the opera AND that it happened to coincidentally be stored nearby AND that a member of the technical staff had recently been hired by Ball State s Department of Theatre and Dance. In the world of theatre when that many things line up without you doing anything it s pretty much a sign! We re very pleased with the innovative design that they ve brought to us, made almost entirely of PAPER (even the costumes!)

4 Keep an eye out for all the creative uses of the material tonight. Hansel and Gretel is a great piece because it works on so many levels. Children enjoy it, of course, because of its familiar story and relatable characters. Adults can also appreciate its message that faith in something outside ourselves can be a refuge in our darkest hour, that even though the woods are scary there can also be forces of good looking out for us, and that sometimes your own ingenuity can be the answer to your prayers. It holds a special place for me also as the first opera I saw in person in the 4th grade. I loved it then and I love it now. I hope you do too!

5 JON TRUITT has established a national presence as a stage director and operatic baritone in the United States, having recently directed professional productions of Barber of Seville, Die Fledermaus, South Pacific, Madama Butterfly, La Traviata, Hansel and Gretel , Pagliacci, Suor Angelica, the Merry Widow, Le nozze di Figaro, La Boheme, Don Giovanni, The Elixir of Love, and Die Zauberfl te. His professional production of Die Zauberfl te was featured in Opera America magazine and his award-winning script translation has been remounted multiple times around the country. Dr. Truitt also appears regularly with professional opera companies across the United States, including the New Orleans Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Asheville Lyric Opera, Mobile Opera, Pensacola Opera, St.

6 Petersburg Opera, Opera Illinois, the Crested Butte Music Festival, Jacksonville Opera, Soo Opera Theatre, and the Jefferson Performing Arts Society. He has appeared as Germont in La Traviata, Figaro in Barber of Seville, Marcello in La Boheme, Don Giovanni in Don Giovanni, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, Eisenstein in Die Fledermaus, Ford in Falstaff, and more than forty other roles in the baritone repertoire. On the concert stage, he has sung with many regional symphonies and in numerous public solo recitals. Dr. Truitt additionally serves as the Director of Opera and Associate Professor of Music at Ball State University.

7 Recently, he was a semi-finalist for the American Prize in Stage Directing for his work at the University. He also co-directs an opera young artist program each summer with his wife, soprano Elizabeth Truitt, for Asheville Lyric Opera in North Carolina and was the founder of the Crested Butte Opera Young Artist Program. He is a two-time apprentice artist with the Des Moines Metro Opera, a Metropolitan Opera Regional finalist, and a NATSAA Indiana State Winner. DIRECTOR S NOTE & ABOUT THE DIRECTOR Rebekah Julianna Shamel*.. Gretel Alexandra (cover) Gretel Katharine Heather Reed*.. Hansel Isis , The Mother Marcel , The Father Rachel , The Sleep Fairy Cheyenne Johnson*.

8 Sandman, The Sleep Fairy Sylvie Fairy Aasia Sampley*..Dew Fairy Maegan Witch Mindy Wesley*..The Witch * denotes Sunday cast Seth Allen Claudia Armbruster Zac Biddle Joseph Bloom Cameron Clevenger Sylvie Dowd Stephen Fernung Lindsay Fields Alex Gushrowski Aaron Holloway Cheyenne Johnson Alix Latta Rachel Lesh Gabe McGill Erin Moody Carrington Neal Emily Reed Jordan Rieser Aasia Sampley Nicole Stewart CHORUS/BALLET Emma Andersen++, vln. I Taylor Matthews, vln. I Grace Marshall, vln. I Tian Li, vln. II Emily McCroskey, vln. II Alex Karker, vln. II Miranda Blevins, viola Megan Grady, viola David Pira, cello John Woodward, cello Ian Elmore, bass Paola Cubillos, flute Sarah Loos, oboe Liz Felsted, clarinet Luke Vasilarakos, cl.

9 Sierra Watson, bassoon Corinne Edom, hn. Emily Schroeder, hn. Gilmar Cavalcante, tpt. Austin Hinkle, tbn. Maria Brown, harp Aaron Kaluza, perc. Peter Douglas, piano ORCHESTRA BURRIS LAB SCHOOL STUDENTS Olivia Barber Keira Greiner Greta Hannon Paige Harris Catherine Kinsella Cameron Milleman Katelyn Moudy Nola Mullins Vivian Papandria Gabby Park Madelyn Pearce Lilly Sloan CAST, CHORUS, & ORCHESTRA ++concertmaster SYNOPSIS ACT 1: At Home Gretel stitches a stocking, and Hansel is making a broom. Gretel sings to herself as she works. Hansel mocks her, singing to the same tune a song about how hungry he is. He wishes for mother to come home.

10 Gretel tells him to be quiet and reminds him of what father always says: When past bearing is our grief, God the Lord will send relief. Hansel complains that one cannot eat words, and Gretel cheers him up by telling him a secret: A neighbor has given mother a jug of milk, and tonight she will make a custard for them to eat. Hansel , excited, tastes the cream on the top of the milk. Gretel scolds him and tells him he should get back to work. Hansel says that he does not want to work, he would rather dance. Gretel agrees, and they begin to dance around. Just then Mother enters, and she is furious when she finds that Hansel and Gretel have not been working.