La Fille du Régiment
Donizetti’s LA FILLE DU RÉGIMENT
Friday, May 6th, 7:30pm
Sunday, May 8th, 2:30pm
The Egyptian Theatre
Opera Idaho’s 2010-2011 Artist-in-Residence, Tara Victoria Smith, stars as Marie. La Fille du Régiment opens Friday, May 6th at 7:30pm at The Egyptian Theatre with a matinée performance on Sunday, May 8th at 2:30pm.
Free preview: Tuesday, April 26, 6:30 pm
Short lecture about the opera, followed by a visit to a rehearsal-in-progress
Registration required: call 345-3531 x2
A Preview also will precede the Friday performance one hour before curtain; this preview will be given at The Egyptian Theatre. The preview for Sunday’s preformance has been cancelled. No registration is required.
Synopsis
ACT I. The Tyrolean mountains. On their way to Austria, the terrified Marquise of Berkenfield and her butler, Hortensius, have paused in their journey because a skirmish has broken out. When the Marquise hears from the villagers that the French troops have retreated, she comments on the rude manners of the French people (“Pour une femme de mon nom”). Sulpice, sergeant of the 21st regiment, assures everyone that his men will restore peace and order. He is joined by Marie, the mascot, or “daughter,” of the regiment, which adopted her as an orphaned child. When Sulpice questions her about a young man she has been seen with, she explains that he is a local Tyrolean who once saved her life. Troops of the 21st arrive with a prisoner: this same Tonio, who says he has been looking for Marie. She steps in to save him, and while he toasts his new friends, Marie sings the regimental song (“Chacun le sait”). Tonio is ordered to follow the soldiers, but he escapes and returns to declare his love to Marie. Sulpice surprises them, and Marie must admit to Tonio that she can marry only a soldier from the 21st.
The Marquise of Berkenfield asks Sulpice for an escort to return her to her castle. When he hears the name Berkenfield, Sulpice remembers a letter he found near the young Marie on the battlefield. The Marquise soon admits that she knew the girl’s father and says that Marie is the long-lost daughter of her sister. The child had been left in the care of the Marquise, but was lost. Shocked by the girl’s rough manners, the Marquise is determined to give her niece a proper education and to take her to her castle. Tonio has enlisted so that he can marry her (“Ah, mes amis”). But Marie has to leave both her regiment and the man she loves (“Il faut partir”).
ACT II. The Berkenfield castle. The Marquise has arranged a marriage between Marie and the Duke of Krakenthorp. Sulpice is also at the castle, recovering from an injury, and is supposed to be helping the Marquise with her plans. The Marquise gives Marie a singing lesson, accompanying her at the piano. Encouraged by Sulpice, Marie slips in phrases of the regimental song, and the Marquise loses her temper (Trio: “Le jour naissait dans la bocage”). Left alone, Marie thinks about the meaninglessness of money and position (“Par le rang et l’opulence”). She hears soldiers marching in the distance and is delighted when the whole regiment files into the hall. Tonio, Marie, and Sulpice are reunited. Tonio asks for Marie’s hand. The Marquise is unmoved by the young man’s declaration that Marie is his whole life (“Pour me rapprocher de Marie”). She declares her niece engaged to another man and dismisses Tonio. Alone with Sulpice, the Marquise confesses the truth: Marie is her own illegitimate daughter whom she abandoned, fearing social disgrace.
Hortensius announces the arrival of the wedding party, headed by the groom’s mother, the Duchess of Krakenthorp. Marie refuses to leave her room, but when Sulpice tells her that the Marquise is her mother, the surprised girl declares that she cannot go against her mother’s wishes and agrees to marry a man that she does not love. As she is about to sign the marriage contract, the soldiers of the 21st regiment, led by Tonio, storm in to rescue their “daughter.” The guests are horrified to learn that Marie was a canteen girl, but they change their opinion when she tells them that she can never repay the debt she owes the soldiers. The Marquise is so moved by her daughter’s goodness of heart that she gives her permission to marry Tonio. Everyone joins in a final “Salut à la France.”
Cast & Gallery
Marie - Tara Victoria Smith - click here to visit her website.
Tonio - Marcus Shelton - click here to visit his website.
Sulpice - David Cushing – click here to visit his website.
The Marquise - Cindy Sadler -click here to visit her website.
Hortensius - Timothy Stoddard
Conductor - Michel Singher – click here to visit his website.
Director - Daniel Helfgot – click here to visit his website.
Images courtesy of Chris Brown
Tara Victoria Smith
A native Idahoan, soprano Tara Victoria Smith is Opera Idaho’s Artist-in-Residence for the 2010-2011 season, where she will make her mainstage debut as Marie in Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment. Prior to moving to Boise in 2009, she performed in productions with the Los Angeles Opera. She was “Zweite Meise” in Die Vögel (The Birds) and was also in Carmen. Miss Smith has attended and performed with orchestras and programs around the world including Vocal Science and Pedagogy with Dr. Joel Ewing, the CoOperative Program in Princeton, New Jersey, Operaworks!, International Vocal Institute in Hvar, Croatia and the Il Globo Italian School in Florence, Italy to name a few. Miss Smith is frequently hired as a soloist in many masterworks with orchestra including Brahms’ Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Bach’s Magnificat, and Mozart’s Coronation Mass.
Miss Smith received her Master’s of Music degree from the University of Southern California, where she performed La Fée in Cendrillon. She received her undergraduate degree from the University of Redlands with emphasis in performance, conducting, and composition. In addition to singing professionally, she has a private voice studio and also teaches music at the College of Western Idaho. She also works with choral groups, and frequently adjudicates vocal auditions/competitions. A dynamic performer, Miss Smith has garnered awards from the Beverly Hills Young Musicians Foundation, Leni Fé Bland Foundation, Burbank Young Artist Competition, California Women’s Chorus Competition, Vocal Power Competition, Marilyn Horne Voice Scholarship, and Jeanette McDonald Scholarship.
Marcus Shelton
Tenor Marcus Shelton continues to receive praise for his “excellent control and high notes to blow the roof off.” As a singer and actor on stage, Mr. Shelton continues to impress as evidenced in his recent feature in Opera Now’s “Who’s Hot” section: “[Marcus] used his ample but suave voice with imagination and versatility.”
Marcus has been featured with opera and concert companies around the world including Greek National Opera, Opera Oviedo and the Les Azuriales festival. In February, Marcus made his Seattle Opera main stage debut as Rodriguez in Don Quixote. Marcus has also been seen regularly around the Northwest with Opera Idaho, Tacoma Opera, Skagit Opera, Spokane Opera, and Spokane Symphony, among others. In the past year Marcus’ roles have included Tonio in Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment, Don Ramiro in Rossini’s La Cenerentola with Opera Idaho, Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’Elisir D’amore, the tenor soloist in Orff’s Carmina Burana, Mozart’s Requiem, and Beethoven’s 9th Symphony.
Marcus recently completed his second year as a young artist with Seattle Opera’s Young Artist Program. His roles included Beppe in Donizetti’s Rita, the trio tenor in Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, Rinuccio in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Petit Viellart & Rainette in Ravel’s L’Enfant et les Sortileges, Don Jose in La Tragedie de Carmen, Loge in a children’s adaptation of Wagner’s Das Rheingold, and as Fenton in Verdi’s Falstaff. Marcus last returned to Seattle Opera’s YAP as a guest artist in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
David Cushing
As one of opera’s foremost emerging artists, David Cushing is earning sensational acclaim in his young career. His versatile bass-baritone range is effortlessly demonstrated in a variety of roles including the title role in Don Pasquale, Figaro in Le Nozze di Figaro, Frère Laurence in Roméo et Juliette and Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Of a recent buffo performance, the Boston Herald exclaimed, “his portrayal of hoodwinked old Pasquale, filled with pathos and unself-conscious humor, was a revelation. He could easily specialize in Italian opera’s wealth of foolish-old-man roles and become the basso buffo of his generation.” Next, Mr. Cushing returns to the Boston Lyric Opera as Lesbo in Agrippina, Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Adolfo in Musto’s The Inspector, and Doctor in Macbeth, as well as making his role debut as Leporello in Don Giovanni at the Syracuse Opera.
Over the past few seasons, Mr. Cushing’s noted engagements include Nourabad in Les Pêcheurs des Perles, Bonze in Madama Butterfly, title role cover in Don Pasquale, Count Horn/Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera and Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata all with Opera Colorado; Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos, Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail and Count Horn/Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera with Boston Lyric Opera; Masetto in Don Giovanni with Florentine Opera of Milwaukee, Nashville Opera and Opera New Jersey; Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Florentine Opera of Milwaukee; the Bonze in Madama Butterfly with Opera Theatre of St. Louis; Colline in La Bohème with Opera Columbus and Opera East Texas; Mephistopheles in Faust with Baltimore Concert Opera; and the leading role of Maometto in Rossini’s rarely performed opera L’Assedio di Corinto alongside renowned soprano Elizabeth Futral with the former Baltimore Opera.
Mr. Cushing first debuted with Boston Lyric Opera in the role of Count Monterone in Rigoletto, and has returned in performances as Angelotti in Tosca, Palèmon in Thaïs, Truffaldino in Ariadne auf Naxos, Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, Count Horn/Tom in Un Ballo in Maschera and Raymond in Lucia di Lammermoor. Other recent performances include his Michigan Opera Theatre debut as Fifth Jew and Capadoccian in Salome, the title role in Don Pasquale and Frère Laurence in Roméo et Juliette with Boston University’s Opera Institute, Alidoro in La Cenerentola with Lake George Opera, the title role in Don Pasquale with Newton Symphony, and Masetto in Don Giovanni with Opera North.
In his recent Symphony Hall debut as soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, the Boston Herald described his performance as “dynamite, with spine-tingling resonance.” Additionally, he has performed as the soloist in Händel’s Messiah, Dvovák’s Stabat Mater, the Brahms Requiem, Fauré Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, Beethoven’s Mass in C, Bruckner’s Te Deum and Schubert’s Mass in G.
Cindy Sadler
Heralded for her rich, satiny voice as much as her impeccable characterizations, mezzo-soprano Cindy Sadler is a force to be reckoned with on the operatic scene. Most recently, she has been noted for her “riotous” and “saucy” Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro at Des Moines Metro Opera, her Mrs. McLean in Susannah with the same company, as well as for her “scene-stealing” turn as the Pigeon and the Snail in the American premiere of Jonathan Dove’s The Adventures of Pinocchio with Minnesota Opera. She sang Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana with San Antonio Opera opposite Andrea Bocelli as Turiddu and Veronica Villaroel as Santuzza. She returned to Austin Lyric Opera as Mère Jeanne, also covering Madame de Croissy, in Les dialogues des Carmélites, and made her Indianapolis Opera debut as a “strongly intoned” Erda in Das Rheingold. She also joined the Brazos Valley Symphony, appearing in the Verdi Requiem. Upcoming performances include return engagements with Lyric Opera of Chicago to cover Stephanie Blythe as Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera and Katisha in The Mikado; and to San Antonio Opera where she will sing La Zia Principessa in Suor Angelica.
Ms. Sadler’s operatic repertoire embraces a wide range of character studies, including Baba the Turk in The Rake’s Progress, for which Opera News cheered her as “an absolute scream”; Dame Quickly in Falstaff, Mrs. Patrick de Rocher in Dead Man Walking, Amneris in Aida, Augusta Tabor in The Ballad of Baby Doe, Erda in Das Rheingold and Siegfried, Tituba in The Crucible and Zulma in Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri. She has performed with Lyric Opera of Chicago, Opera Pacific, Opera Boston, Arizona Opera, the Hollywood Bowl, Austin Lyric Opera, Fort Worth Opera, Austin Symphony, Central City Opera, and Chamber Opera Chicago.
Ms. Sadler’s professional debut occurred in concert performances at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She went on to win international acclaim for her performances in Arizona Opera’s Ring Cycles. As the only cast member to sing in all four operas, Opera News proclaimed that she, “knocked ‘em dead” with a performance that the Deseret News marked as having put her “opulent mezzo” to excellent use.…
An accomplished concert artist and recitalist, Ms. Sadler counts among her repertoire Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with the Youngstown Symphony, the Verdi Requiem and Elijah with the Choral Arts Society of Austin, Handel’s Messiah with the Austin, San Antonio, and Laredo Symphonies as well as many other venues, the Mozart Coronation Mass with the Laredo Symphony, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis and the Bruckner Mass in F Minor with the Austin Civic Chorus, and the Dvorak and Mozart Requiems and the Elgar Sea Pictures with the St. Edward’s University Orchestra.
Ms. Sadler is a graduate of the University of Texas, where she studied with veteran Metropolitan Opera star Mignon Dunn. She currently studies with Gregory Lamar, and resides in Austin.
Timothy Stoddard
Timothy Stoddard [Hortensius], lyric baritone, is a native of Idaho. He is a graduate of Roosevelt University’s Chicago College of Performing Arts (CCPA) and the Lionel Hampton School of Music of the University of Idaho. Timothy’s eclectic interests in the vocal world have led him to a wide variety of roles and venues, equally at home on the recital stage as the opera theater. Recent roles include the Sergeant in The Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert and Sullivan), Ben in The Telephone (Menotti), Hymen in The Fairy Queen (Purcell), and Captain William Clark in the west coast premiere of Michael Ching’s Corps of Discovery. Last season, he interpreted the role of Wagner in Faust for Opera Idaho; this season he was Il Commissario in Madama Butterfly. On the concert stage, Mr. Stoddard has been featured as soloist for Duruflé’s Requiem and Haydn’s Harmoniemesse. His continuing passion for the recital stage has allowed him to interpret many landmark works, such as Schumann’s Liederkreis (op. 39) and Bach’s Peasant’s Cantata. He has been featured in a program of music by Benjamin Britten with faculty of the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University, as well as being engaged by the Saugatuck Chamber Music Festival.
Michel Singher
Michel Singher conducted the other opera featuring a ‘rataplan’ drum chorus, Verdi’s La forza del destino, earlier this season, for West Bay Opera. He recently also conducted Carmen for that company, La Traviata for Opera San José, and The Marriage of Figaro for Rimrock Opera in Billings. Further afield and a bit longer ago, he led Tosca and Un ballo in maschera for Anchorage Opera, Roméo et Juliette for Opera Colorado, the same opera as well as Lakmé and Manon for Arizona Opera, and Pagliacci/Gianni Schicchi for Utah Festival Opera. Other American companies for which he has conducted include Opera Grand Rapids and Buffalo Opera. He has been the cover conductor for three productions at San Francisco Opera.
Born in Paris to a family of musicians on both his father’s and his mother’s side, Michel committed to his profession late, after obtaining an honors degree from Harvard College in History and Literature. His formal music education was at the Mannes School of Music in New York, the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart, and Indiana University (Masters with Honors). His post-graduate education was as an assistant conductor at the Hamburg State Opera (four years), followed by a decade as First Conductor in regional opera houses in Germany, Holland and Belgium.
Michel has led the orchestra, opera and conducting programs at the University of Washington and the Oberlin Conservatory, and also the opera departments at NYU and (in partnership with Daniel Helfgot) San José State. He was for many summers on the faculty of the Music Academy of the West and more recently of the Bay Area Summer Opera Theater Institute. This summer, he will conduct Idomeneo for the Opera Academy of California, in San Francisco.
Michel made his Idaho debut in 1984, conducting the Spokane Symphony Orchestra on tour in Sandpoint.
Daniel Helfgot
Daniel Helfgot’s credits include over 200 productions of over 100 operas, operettas and zarzuelas from the Baroque to the contemporary, including several world premieres. His international credits include shows in Argentina (both at the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires and the Teatro Argentino, La Plata), Austria, Canada, Costa Rica (Opera Nacional), Finland, Germany, Mexico (Opera Nacional), and Sweden. In the US he has directed for such companies as Baltimore; Rimrock (Billings), Festival (California), Chattanooga, Eugene, Knoxville, Memphis, Orlando, Pennsylvania Festival, Sacramento, Spring Opera and Western Opera Theater of San Francisco, Utah Opera, Utah Festival Opera, and Virginia Opera.
From 1982 to 2000 Daniel was the Resident Director and Director of Production for Opera San José where he created 60 productions defining the company’s artistic output, established all its production departments and led the design process for the renovation of its performing venues, the Montgomery and the California Theaters of San José. He was also Producer and Director for the Pennsylvania Opera Theater in Pittsburgh, PA. In Argentina, he was Production Director and Artistic Coordinator for the Opera, Ballet and Symphony seasons at the Teatro Argentino and directed the Project for the Design and Development of the Center for Performing Arts in La Plata, where he also founded the Teatro Musical de Cámara and the Festival Musical de Noviembre, and was Resident Assistant Director and Rehearsals Coordinator for the Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires. His directorial work also includes tango and cabaret shows.
Daniel produced several opera radio programs and directed opera broadcasts of his own operatic productions for television in Argentina and an award winning production for PBS in the US. As a journalist, also in Argentina, he was the editor of the Sunday’s edition of the daily El Día where he wrote extensively about music and the arts and also founded and directed the by-monthly Ritmo, a magazine dedicated to the performing arts and architecture. Daniel translates opera libretti from Italian, Spanish, German and French for English and Spanish supertitles and writes operatic dialogue versions for the English, Spanish and German repertoire. He is also the author of the libretto for the opera The Tale of the Nutcracker with music by Craig Bohmler premiered in 1999. He has received the Opera Director of the Year 2009 award from the Classical Singer Magazine, an award from the Arts Council Silicon Valley and has been honored with the Koret Israel Prize.
Daniel is the author of The Third Line: The Opera Performer as Interpreter, a definitive book on the training of singers, originally published by Schirmer Books followed by a revised edition titled The Third Line: The Singer as Interpreter, a book widely used by individuals, universities and conservatories. His teaching experience includes a guest professorship at the Musikhochschule of the Vienna University, Austria and the leadership of the Vocal and Vocal Accompanying Programs at the Music Academy of the West, Santa Barbara, California. He is constantly in demand throughout US campuses, with guest appearances at the National Academy of the Arts in Taipei, Taiwan; the Instituto Superior de Arte, Teatro Colón, Argentina; the Academy of Music in Åland, Finland, etc. Currently, he teaches Opera Styles and Interpretation at San José State University, California where he also directs the Opera Theater productions.
Daniel maintains an active private coaching studio in San José, CA.
Chorus Members
Victoria Arriero, Soprano
Victoria Arriero is a classically trained coloratura soprano from Weiser, Idaho. She has been training for four years under the tutelage of DeNice Jensen and has performed throughout the Treasure Valley. Ms. Arriero loves many genres of music, and her repertoire reflects that devotion. Ms. Arriero loves to learn new and challenging pieces, from English love songs to operettas in many different languages. Her stage roles have included Maria in Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story and Mable in Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance.
Heather Ballantyne, Soprano
Heather Ballantyne has been a member of the Opera Idaho Resident Company for several years and has had the opportunity to perform in Opera Under the Stars, Opera Idaho Christmas programs, and Puccini’s Suor Angelica. When not performing with the OI, Ms. Ballantyne involves herself with several community theatre groups. Her greatest loves are her family and performing. Most recently, she was able to share the stage with two of her children in Spotlight Theatre’s production of Bye, Bye Birdie.
Ms. Ballantyne studied Music Education at BSU and was in the studio of Karma Ellsworth. She currently resides in Nampa with her husband and five children.
Darcee Cuillard, Soprano
Darcee Cuillard has been singing for as long as she can remember. As a third grader, she experienced her first choral experience taking what she learned home and teaching her then five-year-old sister harmonies. Now she feels privileged to have the same sister as her vocal coach! Her education also includes studying voice at Boise State University.
Ms. Cuillard has played in several musical theater productions in California and Idaho, including lead roles in Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance and Lionel Bart’s Oliver. She has been involved with community chorales as a member and as a soloist, including solos in Handel’s Messiah. She has performed in full community recitals in California and Idaho. She has also performed with Opera Idaho in Opera Idaho Sings Christmas, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s South Pacific, and assisted in previewing Douglas Moore’s The Ballad of Baby Doe. La Fille du Régiment is her first full opera participation, and she states that she is hooked.
Melody English, Soprano
Melody English is a student at Boise State University where she studies Vocal Performance under the instruction of Dr. Laura Rushing-Raynes. She actively participates with The BSU Meistersingers and the Opera Theatre program where she has performed as Laurie in Copland’s The Tender Land and the Spirit in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. In the last few seasons Ms. English has performed in choruses including Star Wars: Live in Concert, Opera Idaho’s South Pacific by Rodgers & Hammerstein and Amahl and the Night Visitors by Gian Carlo Menotti, The Boise Philharmonic’s John Williams Concert, and the Boise Baroque Orchestra’s production of Dido and Aeneas by Henry Purcell.
Lisa Hecht, Mezzo
Lisa Hecht has sung with Opera Idaho since the 1980’s and has been a member of the Resident Company since its inception. She has enjoyed performing at the Velma Morrison Center for the Performing Arts, the Egyptian Theatre, the Idaho Botanical Garden, and elsewhere in Strauss’s Die Fledermaus, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and Suor Angelica, and now Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment, as well as in Christmas and New Years’ shows, Opera Under the Stars, and many others. Her roles have included geishas, nuns, villagers, society women, and Disney characters. Outside of Opera Idaho, Ms. Hecht has sung with the Boise Baroque Orchestra, as a soloist in Handel’s Messiah, with the Hewlett-Packard jazz band (Boise Straight Ahead) for over a decade, and has twice had the pleasure of singing at Carnegie Hall.
Ms. Hecht has had a demanding but rewarding day job at Hewlett-Packard for 31 years and has two wonderful daughters who support her singing habit!
Sharon Hubler, Mezzo
Sharon Hubler loves to sing and had her first solo performance at the age of 12. She has served as Executive Director of the Idaho Foundation for Parks and Lands for 34 years. She was also appointed to the Idaho Commission on the Arts. Ms. Hubler has served for many years on boards for several performing arts organizations, including the Boise Philharmonic, Opera Idaho, and Ballet Idaho.
Vicki Kreimeyer, Soprano
Vicki Kreimeyer sings with the Boise Philharmonic Master Chorale and the Boise Baroque Orchestra. She was a featured soloist in the Knock ‘Em Dead Theater’s production of A Little Night Music by Stephen Sondheim.
Ms. Kreimeyer has sung with Opera Idaho since the early 90′s, including as a featured soloist in the company’s first Opera Under the Stars. Recently, she has sung in the chorus for Ned Rorem’s Our Town, Gounod’s Faust, Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, and currently in La Fille du Régiment, also by Donizetti.
Currently, Ms. Kreimeyer studies voice with DeNice Jensen. She has served as a member and President of the Opera Idaho Board of Directors. During the day, she can be seen at the Boise Public Library as Adult Services Manager.
Lindsay Macias, Soprano
Lindsay Macias studied under Dr. Judy Marlett at Northwest Nazarene University where she earned a degree in Vocal Performance in May 2010. Ms. Macias’ experience as a young singer includes the role of Mabel in Gilbert and Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. She also sang a long list of art songs in various languages. In the future, Ms. Macias plans to attend graduate school and to further her career as a singer.
Felix Eisenhauer, Tenor
Over the years, Felix Eisenhauer has proven himself a versatile artist at the piano, which has allowed him to work with many art groups in Boise, most notably Ballet Idaho, Opera Idaho, and the Boise Philharmonic. His most recent performance had him playing Prokofiev’s Violin Sonata No. 1 while engulfed in dancers with Ballet Idaho.
Behind the scenes, Mr. Eisenhauer works tirelessly as the accompanist for Opera Idaho, rehearsing most of their season, including Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Rorem’s Our Town, and Rossini’s La Cenerentola. He has also branched out into musicals, most recently playing for productions of Cats and the Broadway tours production of Wicked in Boise. In addition to playing, he teaches at the College of Western Idaho, maintains a healthy private studio, and is the German/English translator for De Haske Publications, a subsidiary of Hal Leonard. His “free time” is spent taking his dog on walks along the Boise River. Mr. Eisenhauer looks forward to performing Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm Variations with the Meridian Symphony in August 2011. For more information, go to Mr. Eisenhauer’s website: www.felixeisenhauer.com
Tim Judy, Tenor
Tim Judy originally hails from Nebraska. His first exposure to opera was at age 12 when he was cast as Amahl in the Menotti opera, Amahl and the Night Visitors. After attending Pepperdine University in Malibu, California, he married and continued to sing in choirs while raising a family. His interest in opera was rekindled a few years ago when he enrolled in an opera workshop and performed in scene selections from Mozart’s Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro, Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, and Bizet’s Carmen. This is Mr. Judy’s first involvement with Opera Idaho, and he is looking forward to performing in future shows.
Robert Sandberg, Tenor
Robert Sandberg has always loved singing—from school choirs to a rock ‘n’ roll band—and is a long-time opera fan. He has taken voice lessons with Norman DeVol of the San Francisco Opera and currently studies with Opera Idaho’s Artist in Residence Tara Victoria Smith.
Mr. Sandberg’s dramatic personality feels at home on the stage. He is thrilled to make his operatic debut in Donizetti’s La Fille du Régiment.
Jeffrey Torp, Tenor
A native of the Northwest, Jeffrey Torp has been involved in music for more than 40 years. Mr. Torp’s background as a keyboardist, guitarist, and vocalist has led to inclusion in diverse music projects ranging from “Americana on Tour,” a touring production celebrating the roots of music of America; to “Pilot Error,” a local ‘Best of Boise’ rock band. He is currently the touring keyboardist for Nashville recording artist Denae Gardner.
Mr. Torp currently studies vocal technique under the tutelage of Tara Victoria Smith.
Michal Jarolimek, Bass
Michal Jarolimek grew up in Rupert, Idaho, and holds a B.A. in Vocal Performance and Music Theory from the College of Idaho and an M.A. in Vocal Performance from the University of Arizona. Favorite roles performed include Tevye in Bock, Harnick & Stein’s Fiddler on the Roof, Duke of Plaza Toro in Gilbert & Sullivan’s The Gondoliers, and Bridegroom in Stravinsky’s Les Noces. Mr. Jarolimek enjoys ensemble singing and is a member of Boise’s Critical Mass vocal ensemble and Opera Idaho’s Resident Company. Recently, Mr. Jarolimek appeared as Frank in Opera Idaho’s production of Rorem’s Our Town. He currently works at Dunkley Music in Boise as the Music Manager.
Fernando Menendez, Bass
Born in Guatemala, Fernando Menendez began studying voice there as a student of Dr. Angélica Rosa Sepúlveda. After moving to Idaho, his love for the art form led him to continue his training, and he is currently a student of Jason and Michele Detwiler. Since August 2009, Mr. Menendez has performed with the Opera Idaho chorus in Gounod’s Faust, Rossini’s La Cenerentola, Menotti’s Amahl and The Night Visitors, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific, Rorem’s Our Town, and in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.
Steven Slupe, Bass
Steven Slupe is from Caldwell, Idaho, and is currently a senior at The College of Idaho, where he is majoring in vocal performance. Mr. Slupe has sung in productions both at The College of Idaho and beyond, taking lead roles in operas such as Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffman, Menotti’s The Telephone, Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, and Purcell’s Dido & Aeneas, as well as supporting roles in Dvořák’s Rusalka, Puccini’s La Bohème, Verdi’ La Traviata, and many others.
Mr. Slupe is also very active in Theatre at The College of Idaho, recently appearing in Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, The Passage, and Romeo & Juliet. Mr. Slupe previously appeared with Opera Idaho in the Fall 2010 production of Gounod’s Faust. In April 2011, Mr. Slupe was offered a fellowship at the Fletcher Opera Institute at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, where he will be attending graduate school in the fall.
Donizetti Down & Dirty
Thursday, April 28 • 6:00 pm
Beside Bardenay • Boise • 610 Grove Street
Similar in style to the annual Puccini Martini Blast, the development of Donizetti Down & Dirty promises to be an Opera Idaho sensation! Begin your Donizetti La Fille du Régiment experience with a martini and an excerpt of what the May 6 & 8 production promises. Singers will sing selections from the performance guaranteeing a fabulous evening.
Reserve your tickets today by calling 345-3531 x 2. Tickets are $20 and include entertainment and hors d’oeuvres. Cocktails are not included in your ticket price but can be purchased separately during the evening.
