Toronto Opera Repertoire
OPERA FOR THE REST OF US!
1967-2010: Celebrating 43 Years of Great Community Opera!
Tetyana Shkymba as Nedda.
Yevgeny Yablonovsky as Tonio and Tetyana Shkymba as Nedda.
Tetyana Shkymba as Nedda and Giovanni Minardi as Silvio.
Stephen Macdonald as Beppe, Kennon Vaughan as Canio and Tetyana Shkymba as Nedda.
Stephen Macdonald as Beppe.
Hanny Djuwati as Nedda.
Kennon Vaughan as Canio and Hanny Djuwati as Nedda.
Alan Li as Silvio and Hanny Djuwati as Nedda.
Kennon Vaughan as Canio.
Kennon Vaughan as Canio, with chorus.
Yevgeny Yablonovsky as Tonio.
Carrie Gray as Santuzza, Kennon Vaughan as Turiddu.
Carrie Gray as Santuzza.
Kennon Vaughan as Canio and Sergio Emer as a villager.
Kennon Vaughan as Canio and Tetyana Shkymba as Nedda.
Hanny Djuwati as Nedda and Kennon Vaughan as Canio.
Yevgeny Yablonovsky as Alfio, Kennon Vaughan as Turiddu, with chorus.
Kennon Vaughan as Turiddu, Jacqueline McIntyre as Lola and Carrie Gray as Santuzza.
Yevgeny Yablonovsky as Alfio, Carrie Gray as Santuzza.
M.Renee Sekula as Lola.
Jacqueline McIntyre as Lola.
Carrie Gray as Santuzza, Elizabeth McLeod as Mamma Lucia.
Chorus.
Scenes from our February 2010 productions of Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana.
confesses his love, but she mocks him and lets in Arlecchino through the window. He boxes Taddeo's ears and kicks him out of the room, and the audience laughs.
Taddeo bursts in, warning that Pagliaccio is suspicious of his wife and is about to return. As Arlecchino escapes through the window, Colombina tells him, "I will always be yours!"
Canio tries to continue the play, but loses control and demands to know her lover's name. Nedda calls Canio by his stage name "Pagliaccio" to remind him of the audience's presence. He answers that if his face is pale, it is not from the stage makeup but from the shame she has brought to him. The crowd, impressed by his emotional and very real performance, cheers him.
Canio, furious and forgetting he's in a play, demands the name of her lover. Nedda swears she will never tell him, and the crowd finally realizes they are not acting. Silvio begins to fight his way toward the stage. Canio, grabbing a knife from the table, stabs Nedda. As she dies she calls: "Help! Silvio!". Canio stabs Silvio and declares: La Commedia è finita! - "The play is over!".
drinking. He asks Nedda to elope with him after the performance and, though she is afraid, she agrees. Tonio, who has been eavesdropping, leaves to inform Canio so that he might catch Silvio and Nedda together. Canio and Tonio return and, as Silvio escapes, Nedda calls after him, "I will always be yours!"
Canio chases Silvio but does not catch him and does not see his face. He demands that Nedda tell him the name of her lover, but she refuses. He threatens her with a knife, but Beppe disarms him and insists that they prepare for the performance. Tonio tells Canio that her lover will surely give himself away at the play. Canio is left alone to put on his clown costume and prepare to make people laugh .
Act 2
As the crowd arrives, Nedda, costumed as Colombina, whispers a warning to Silvio, and the crowd cheers as the play begins.
Colombina's husband Pagliaccio has gone away until morning, and Taddeo is at the market. She anxiously awaits her lover Arlecchino, who soon serenades her from beneath her window. Taddeo returns and
The Story
After the overture, Tonio, dressed as his commedia character Taddeo, reminds the audience that actors have feelings too, and that the show is about real people.
Act 1
The commedia troupe enters the village, and the villagers cheer. Canio describes the night's performance: the troubles of Pagliaccio. As his wife Nedda steps down from the cart, Tonio offers his hand, but Canio pushes him aside and helps her down himself. The villagers suggest drinking at the tavern. Canio and Beppe accept, but Tonio stays behind. The villagers tease Canio that Tonio is planning an affair with Nedda. Canio warns everyone that while he may act the foolish husband in the play, in real life he will not tolerate other men making advances to Nedda.
Nedda, who is cheating on Canio, is frightened by Canio's vehemence but the birdsong comforts her. Tonio returns and confesses his love for her, but she laughs. Enraged, Tonio grabs Nedda, but she takes a whip, strikes him and drives him off.
Silvio, who is Nedda's lover, comes from the tavern, where he has left Canio and Beppe
PagliacciSung in Italian, with English TorTitles. All performances take place at the Bickford Centre, 777 Bloor St. W. at Christie.
Pagliacci
Sung in Italian, with English TorTitles. All performances take place at the Bickford Centre, 777 Bloor St. W. at Christie.
Canio
Tonio
Beppe
Silvio
Nedda
Villagers
Kennon Vaughan
Yevgeny Yablonovsky
Stephen Macdonald
Alan Li (Feb 12, 14, 20, 28) / Giovanni Minardi (Feb 17, 26)
Hanny Djuwati (Feb 14, 20, 26) / Tetyana Shkymba (Feb 12, 17, 28)
Sergio Emer & Peter Price
Performances Feb 12, 17, 20, 26 at 7:30 pm. Matinees: Feb 14 and 28, at 2 pm.
Chorus: Don Ballanger, Silvia Croci, Elenita Diaz-Raiha, Sergio Emer, Karla Escalante, France Ewing, Jennifer Fry, Tita Griffin, Gerald Hannon, Sarah Helmers, Brad Hoover, Heather Jamieson, Karen Johnston, Ayse Kinnaird, Chantal LaBarge, Julie Leach, Ivan Lemus, Alan Li, Kate Madden, Terri Mandel, Vivien Mann, James Matthews, Kathleen McBride, Jacqueline McIntyre, Elizabeth McLeod, Giovanni Minardi, Renée Moreau, Meredith Nicholson, Phong Pouxai, Peter Price, William Redelmeier, M.Renée Sekula, Gerrit Seppenwoolde, Tetyana Shkymba, Brittany Stewart, Henry Tang, Sandra Tang, Kathy Wert, Leah Wiener, Sybil Wilkinson, Carine Wood
Director
Conductor
Pianist
Rehearsal Pianist
Stage Manager
Assistant Stage Managers
Supertitles
Make-up Artist
Giuseppe Macina
Adolfo De Santis
Valentin Bogolubov
Henry Renglich
Enza Bambina
Anna Plugina, JoAnna Black
Gerald Hannon
Gerrit Seppenwoolde
Lighting Design
Lighting Board
Stage Crew
Set Design
Gabriel Graziano
TBA
Robert Balogh, Gabriel Graziano
The title means "Rustic Chivalry," but it's really all about settling scores, country-style.
Lola is the village hottie. She's married to Alfio, but carrying on an affair with her ex, Turiddu. He's knocked up another girl, Santuzza, but isn't interested in her anymore.
Santuzza decides to settle scores by telling Lola's husband about her affair. Alfio has his own way of settling scores -- a duel to the death. Hot-blooded and passionate, this audience favourite runs for six performances only, in a double bill with Pagliacci.
Bickford Centre Theatre
777 Bloor St. W. at Christie.
Feb 12, 17, 20, 26 at 7:30 pm and
Feb 14 and 28 at 2 pm.
Cavalleria Rusticana
Easter dawns in a Sicilian village. Turiddu is heard in the distance singing about Lola, wife of the prosperous carter Alfio. Townsfolk and fieldworkers mingle in the piazza, then disperse. Santuzza approaches Mamma Lucia's tavern looking for Lucia's son Turiddu; the old woman says he is away buying wine. Alfio arrives with his friends, boasting of his horses and of his new wife, Lola. He leaves as the villagers follow a procession to mass.
Santuzza, who is unwilling to enter the church, stays behind to tell Mamma Lucia that Turiddu has abandoned her for his old flame, Lola. The old woman leaves for mass, and Santuzza confronts Turiddu. Lola saunters in, infuriating Santuzza with her brazen arrogance. Lola enters the church, and Santuzza resumes her pleading, but Turiddu refuses to listen. Pushing her to the ground, he runs into the church. Santuzza curses him.
When Alfio arrives, Santuzza reveals that his wife has been cheating on him. Alfio swears to get even and rushes off, followed by the now conscience-stricken Santuzza.
Intermezzo
The villagers exit the church and join Turiddu in a drinking song, but the atmosphere becomes tense when Alfio appears, insulting Turiddu and challenging him to a knife fight. Turiddu admits his guilt but will go through with the fight, for Santuzza''s sake as well as for honour. Alone with his mother, Turiddu thanks her for the wine and begs her to take care of Santuzza if he doesn't come back. As Mamma Lucia waits anxiously in the piazza, shouts are heard in the distance. A woman runs in screaming that Turiddu has been killed.
Sung in Italian, with English TorTitles. All performances take place at Bickford Centre, 777 Bloor St. W.
Lola
Turiddu
Alfio
Mamma Lucia
Santuzza
Jacqueline McIntyre (Feb 12, 20, 28) / M.Renée Sekula (Feb 14, 17, 26)
Elizabeth McLeod
Carrie Gray
Chorus: Don Ballanger, Silvia Croci, Elenita Diaz-Raiha, Sergio Emer, Karla Escalante, France Ewing, Jennifer Fry, Tita Griffin, Gerald Hannon, Sarah Helmers, Brad Hoover, Heather Jamieson, Karen Johnston, Ayse Kinnaird, Chantal LaBarge, Julie Leach, Ivan Lemus, Alan Li, Kate Madden, Terri Mandel, Vivien Mann, James Matthews, Kathleen McBride, Giovanni Minardi, Renée Moreau, Meredith Nicholson, Phong Pouxai, Peter Price, William Redelmeier, Renée Sekula, Gerrit Seppenwoolde, Tetyana Shkymba, Brittany Stewart, Henry Tang, Sandra Tang, Kathy Wert, Leah Wiener, Sybil Wilkinson, Carine Wood
Hanny Djuwati completed her Bachelor degree at the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music, and her Master's degree in France. She has participated in several international voice competitions, taking second place at the UPMCF (L'union Professionelle des Maitres du Chant Francais) in Paris, semi-finalist at Bilbao International Voice Competition in Spain, the Guangzhou International Voice Competition in China, and the Asia Voice Competition in Singapore.
She is currently studying with Maria Kastellitz and Stuart Hamilton.
Originally from Glasgow, Scotland, Stephen started singing in Buffalo area rock bands, then rock opera roles such as Judas and later Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar, and in the rock opera Tommy. Stephen also recorded vocal tracks for many jingles before moving to Philadelphia. While living in Philadelphia, he performed as a tenor lead in various G&S productions, as Alfred in Die Fledermaus, as Bumerli in The Chocolate Soldier., and as Karl Franz in Philadelphia Concert Operetta Theater's production of The Student Prince, before moving back to Buffalo last year. He will be performing the title role in the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus's November 2009 performance of Benjamin Britten's St. Nicolas.
Yevgeny Yablonovsky, a qualified physicist, has pursued operatic singing as a second career. Born in Kiev, Ukraine,Mr. Yablonovsky has performed in Canada, Ukraine, Russia and Lithuania. His operatic credits include the title role in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Germont in Verdi's La Traviata, Robert in Tchaikovsky's Iolanta, Prince Yeletsky in Tchaikovsky's The Queen of Spades, Enrico in Donizzetti's Lucia di Lammermoor, the title role in Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Belcore in Donizzetti's L'elesir d'amore, Silvio in Leoncavallo's I Pagliacci, the title role in Verdi's Rigoletto, Renato in Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera and most recently Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen.
Giovanni Minardi is delighted to perform the part of Silvio in his first solo role with the Toronto Opera Repertoire. As well as joining TOR this year, Giovanni became a member of the Coro Giuseppi Verdi under the direction of Maestro Giuseppe Macina and recently played the part of Baron Douphol in the concert version of La Traviata. Giovanni is currently preparing for the role of Giorgio Germont in the duet from La Traviata, to be performed in TOR's upcoming Opera Excerpts. Prior to TOR and Coro Giuseppe Verdi, Giovanni was a member of the Mississauga Festival Choir and the Jubilee Singers. Giovanni credits his love and growing passion for Opera to his voice trainers and former members of TOR, Nihal Fonseka and Caroleve Thompson-Fonseka, accomplished tenor and soprano respectively, who initially introduced him to Opera and encouraged him to join Coro Giuseppe Verdi. Giovanni is currently studying opera and voice training with Maestro Giuseppe Macina, who has encouraged and prepared him for the solo roles he is performing today. Giovanni wishes to thank his loving wife Joanna, who has been a pillar of strength and moral support throughout this past year.
Carrie Gray is an osteopath, a registered massage therapist and a mother of three. Five years ago, Carrie's life-long love of music drew her to study voice with Pam Birrell. An unexpected talent was there, waiting to be discovered. Since then she has won music competitions, and has become a featured soloist and chorister with the Peterborough Singers and a local church choir. In 2007, Carrie made her operatic debut with TOR in the difficult role of Violetta in La Traviata. The following year she sang Amelia in Verdi's A Masked Ball, and more recently has added Mozart to her repertoire, with Elettra in idomeneo and Vitellia in La Clemenza di Tito.
Jacqueline McIntyre received her Bachelor of Music degree in piano and voice from Queen's University and her Associate Diploma from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Voice Performance. She has won awards in various competitions in the Greater Toronto Area and heads her own music studio, A Cappella Music Studio, in Oshawa, Ontario where she lives with her husband and two children. Jacqueline currently studies with voice teacher Marjorie Sparks and opera coach Don Tarnawski.
Tetyana Shkymba graduated from the University of Dragomanova in Kiev with a diploma as a music teacher. For the last four years she has been a vocal soloist with the Toronto Mandolin Orchestra, performing at various Ontario venues.
In her first effort at an operatic role, Tetyana has embraced the role of Nedda with enthusiasm.
Kennon Vaughan celebrates his fourth season with TOR, as well as his evolution from the lyric to the dramatic tenor repertoire. Previous roles have included the Duke in Rigoletto, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor and Rodolfo in La Boheme. Kennon currently studies with Denise Williams.
Alan Li is tackling the role of Silvio in a TOR production for the second time. Previous TOR appearances include Count Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia, Rememdado in Carmen, Ferrando in Cosi fan tutte, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, Sharpless in Madama Butterfly, Lescaut in Manon, Borsa in Rigoletto and Alfredo in La Traviata.
Elizabeth McLeod is delighted to be back at TOR this year in the contrasting roles of Cherubino (Figaro) and Mamma Lucia (Cavalleria Rusticana). A health care professional in real life, she has enjoyed a variety of roles with TOR, including Suzuki in Madama Butterfly, the Principessa in Suor Angelica, Maddalena in Rigoletto and Ulrica in Un Ballo in Maschera.
