October 5, 2015
Don Giovanni (2015), Venessa Vasquez as Donna Anna
PHILADELPHIA — Academy of Vocal Arts’ Resident Artists will perform in the Mozart favorite, Don Giovanni, opening at 7:30 on November 7, 10 and 12 at AVA’s Helen Corning Warden Theater in Center City; November 14 at the Zoellner Center at Lehigh University in Bethlehem; November 17 and 19 at Centennial Hall at The Haverford School in Haverford and November 21 at Central Bucks South High School in Warrington.
Mozart’s sublime tragic comedy Don Giovanni is widely regarded as the first Grand Opera ever performed in Philadelphia, debuting at The Chestnut Street Theater in 1818. This will be AVA’s seventh production of the opera since its AVA debut in 1986-87.
AVA first presented Don Giovanni in 1986-87 and continued with performances in 2000, 2005 and 2011 which featured many alumni who have gone on to significant professional careers.
Burak Bilgili, Latonia Moore and Othalie Graham performed in the 2000 production. Mr. Bilgili debuted with The Metropolitan Opera in 2004, Ms. Moore in 2012 and Ms. Graham frequently performs the title roles in Turandot and Aida internationally (most recently with the Nashville Opera in October, 2015).
The opera was again performed in 2005 with Ellie Dehn, Bryan Hymel and Michael Fabiano. Mr. Hymel and Mr. Fabiano have gone on to win the prestigious Richard Tucker Award and have both made their debuts at The Metropolitan Opera in lead roles. Ms. Dehn also enjoys a successful international career and will reprise the role of Donna Anna with Opera Köln this season.
In 2011, Don Giovanni was performed with AVAlumni Michelle Johnson, Taylor Stayton, Chrystal E. Williams and Nicholas Masters. Both Ms. Johnson (Yardbird) and Mr. Stayton (Il barbiere di Siviglia) performed with Opera Philadelphia during their 2014-15 season and all four have sung in Opera Philadelphia productions. Mr. Stayton made his Metropolitan Opera debut earlier this season.
Don Giovanni (2015), André Courville as Leporello and Anush Avetisyan as Donna Elvira
The 2015 cast includes 2014-2015 honorees from the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions (MONCA) as well as award-winners from the Gerda Lissner Foundation, Loren L. Zachary Competition and judges’ selections from AVA’s Giargiari Competition. MONCA Grand Finalist Jared Bybee is scheduled to sing the title role for certain performances; Zachary Award Top Prize winner and 2014 Giargiari Bel Canto Competition First Prize winner André Courville will sing Leporello for certain performances.
The production will also feature five first-year AVA Resident Artists: baritone Ethan Simpson as Don Giovanni; soprano Meryl Dominquez as Donna Anna; soprano JoAna Rusche as Donna Elvira; soprano Allegra De Vita as Zerlina; and baritone Anthony Whitson-Martini as Masetto.
Christofer Macatsoris, conductor
Jeffrey Buchman, stage director
| Don Giovanni | Jared Bybee Daniel Noyola Ethan Simpson |
| Donna Anna | Meryl Dominguez Vanessa Vasquez |
| Donna Elvira | Anush Avetisyan JoAna Rusche |
| Leporello | André Courville Nathan Milholin |
| Zerlina | Allegra De Vita Alexandra Nowakowski |
| Masetto | Jorge Espino Anthony Whitson-Martini |
| Commendatore | Anthony Schneider |
| Don Ottavio | Jonas Hacker Alasdair Kent |
AVA’s Free Opera Preview will be held on October 21, 2015 at 5:30pm in the Helen Corning Warden Theater at the Academy of Vocal Arts, 1920 Spruce Street, Philadelphia. Maestro Macatsoris, Mr. Buchman and the Resident Artists will be featured in a discussion and preview of the production.
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THE ACADEMY OF VOCAL ARTS
Celebrating its 81st season, the Academy of Vocal Arts is regarded by many as the premier opera
training school in the world. AVA provides four years of tuition-free training. It is dedicated
exclusively to the study of voice. The student body is intentionally small and admission highly
competitive. More than 200 singers from across the globe audition each year for the fewer than 8
spots available in each class. The program is limited to fewer than 30 total Resident Artists,
who are immersed in a uniquely intensive and highly personalized program where they learn from
world-renowned faculty. They receive training in voice, vocal repertoire, acting, stage combat,
opera history, several languages, and each year are presented in three to four fully-staged
opera productions accompanied by the professional AVA Opera Orchestra. They are cast in leading
roles that they will in all likelihood continue to perform for the rest of their careers.
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