Music by Franz Lehár
Libretto by Viktor Léon and Leo Stein
Raphael Schluesselberg, conductor
Stephen Fiol, director
Rebecca Nettl-Fiol, choreographer
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Director's Note
"When, in December of 2013, I was asked to direct this production I was pleased to return to an operetta I have directed and performed many times, but when Nathan Gunn said we would be singing in German and creating our own original English translation of the dialogue I was excited. Creating original elements encourages new approaches and sparks creativity. Alek Schrader, a colleague of Nathan’s who performed this operetta with Nathan at the NYC Met this winter, was willing to provide a translation from the original German text. When Alek and I visited by phone I suggested that we would add local and national references to the text for humor, as is often done in European and North American productions. I began writing to local friends and colleagues asking them to suggest city, state and national issues that might be alluded to in the text that would resonate with our Champaign-Urbana audiences. Given Illinois’ and the United States’ rich history of contentious politics and policies as well as our midwestern location, there was no shortage of ideas sent our way. But Alek was unable to find the original German dialogue. An urgent search ensued. Over four months we contacted the Metropolitan Opera Library, Educational Music Services and opera companies across the United States as well as music colleagues in universities and libraries. Finally Ron and Barbara Hedlund introduced us to David Aronson, a friend of theirs, who has sung for the Vienna Volksoper for 30 years. The Volksoper provided a copy of the original German script and it reached Alek in time for him to have a translation to us by late summer. The editing began. Important to this effort were Ellen Denham, assistant director of this production, Ron Hedlund, Bruno Nettl, Peter Braunfeld, and Nicholas Temperley, who all graciously agreed to read the script and offer suggestions. Although this production aims to return us to a Paris of 1905, we hope you will enjoy the “inside jokes” that suggest our present time and place and allow us to smile at the world that was and the world we know." - Stephen Fiol |
Cast
Hanna - Elizabeth Hoard, Amanda Kasem Danilo - Edward Brennan, Anson Woodin Valencienne - Marla Moore, Lara Semetko Baron Zeta - Adrian Sanchez Camille - Aaron Godwin, Cornelius Johnson Cascada - Chris Anderson St. Brioche - Aaron Godwin, Cornelius Johnson Njegus - Bennett Kosma, Thomas Welsh-Huggins Olga - Emily Alcorn, Rosemary Hamington Praskowia - Amber Farish, Devin Short Sylviane - Eleanora Benedict, Ruth Kenney Kromow - Xiaoyi Zha Bogdanovich - David Catalano Pritschitch - Dan Metz Jou Jou - Claire Swale Dodo - Ellen Bialek Margot - Alexandra Hutton Lolo - Ali Lidbury Frou Frou - Katherine Long Coo Clo - Lauren Brooks Feature Dancers - Alek Tecza, Katja Lindholm Chorus - Katherine Bokenkamp, Gabriella Ciametti, Alicia Hurtado, Lyle Jackson, Philip Meadows, Dick Schacht, Richard Schonberg, Dennis Sims Production Team Chorus Master - Michael Tilley Scenic and Media Designer - Moon Jung Kim Costume Designer - Jess Gersz Lighting Designer - Aaron Lichamer Sound Designer - Tyler Knowles Properties Master - Jose Diaz Libretto Translation - Alek Shrader Hair and Makeup Coordinators - Ellen Danforth, Aimee Beach Musical Preparation - Timothy Accurso, Michael Bagby, Filippo Ciabatti Stage Manager - Matt Grevan Technical Director - Jason Huerta Supertitles - Dennis Helmrich Photography - Darell Hoemann |
