ONE DOUBLE BILL. TWO DOUBLE MURDERS.

PART I. The curtain rises on a village square. The townspeople are gathering to greet a traveling troupe of actors who are to perform for them that evening. The actors perform the traditional commedia dell’arte – an improvised comedy of domestic infidelity between the lovely but unfaithful Columbine, her husband Pantalone (Pagliacci), the lover Harlequin, and the valet Zanni (Taddeo) who betrays them all. The leader of the group of actors, Canio, greets the crowd and tells them they are in for a grand spectacle that evening. When someone jokingly suggests that he should keep his eye on his young wife, Nedda, Canio warns he will tolerate no flirting with his wife. The village men go to the tavern with Canio, leaving Nedda alone. Disturbed by her husband’s violent temper and threats, she envies the freedom of the birds soaring overhead. Tonio enters and movingly tells her that he loves her. She laughs at him, saying his soul is as deformed as his body. Furious, he grabs her, but Nedda takes a whip and runs him off. Nedda in fact does have a lover—Silvio, who has come to persuade her to run away with him at midnight. Tonio, overhears their pledge and hurries off to tell Canio, and have his revenge on Nedda. The jealous husband bursts in on the lovers. Silvio escapes and Nedda refuses to identify him even when threatened with a knife. Beppe, another player, has to restrain Canio, and Tonio tells him to wait until evening to catch Nedda’s lover. Alone and broken hearted at the betrayal of his wife, Canio laments that he must play the clown, even while his heart is breaking.

PART II. The villagers, Silvio among them, assemble to see the play Pagliaccio e Colombina. Beppe, dressed as “Harlequin,” appears onstage to greet Nedda, dressed as “Columbine.” The sweethearts get rid of the meddling clown “Taddeo” (played by Tonio) and plot to poison “Pagliaccio”—“Columbine’s” husband. Canio bursts in as “Pagliaccio” and “Harlequin” quickly departs. Thrown into a theatrical situation that mirrors his own life, Canio begins to lose control. Forgetting the script, he demands that Nedda reveal her lover’s name. She tries to continue with the play as the audience applauds what they think is the realism of the show. Taking a knife from the table Canio stabs Nedda to the horror of the crowd who realize that what they thought was improvisation is real. Silvio rushes to the stage to save her. Canio realizes Silvio has been Nedda’s lover and turn and kills him. As the distraught clown weeps over his wife, Tonio then announces to the audience: “The comedy is over.

A band of gypsies has pitched its tents for the night on the bank of a river in the Caucasus mountains. They sing of the freedom their nomadic existence gives. An old gypsy tells the story of his lost love, Mariula who deserted him for another man, leaving him to raise their daughter, Zemfira. Now grown, Zemfira has her own child. She lives with Aleko, a Russian who has abandoned civilization for the gypsy life, but who is not the father of her child. When he hears the old man’s tale, Aleko is outraged that he did not take revenge on Mariula. But Zemfira disagrees. For her, as for her mother, love is free. Secretly, she has grown tired of Aleko’s possessiveness and now loves a young gypsy. While the camp sleeps, Zemfira meets her new lover; kissing him passionately before returning to her own tent to look after her child. Aleko enters and Zemfira taunts him, singing about her wild lover. Alone, Aleko broods on the catastrophe of his relationship with Zemfira. As dawn breaks, he catches Zemfira and her lover together. In a jealous rage he kills them both. Wakened by the struggle and murder, the gypsies gather. Zemfira’s father spares Aleko’s life, since he took revenge on his faithless lover, as the old gypsy could not on his. The gypsies cast Aleko out from them forever.

From the opening lines of Pagliacci, Leoncavallo treats us to something new in opera. The curtain is closed, and out comes one of the actors, not yet in full costume, his make-up not quite finished, to tell us that what we are about to witness on stage is true. He says that all human emotions are exposed in this story, and that he, as the Prologue, is here to prepare us for the tears we are about to witness.

The 2015/16 Season is made possible by a generous sponsorship from

Wells Fargo Private Bank.

In the Romeo et Juliette newsletter I included a quick response to the queries we receive about repertoire; for example, “Why don’t you do

this?” is a question we often receive here at Opera Carolina.

The pairing of Aleko with Pagliacci is perhaps the best example of our objective to present a balanced repertoire each year. We strive to pair unfamiliar works with the familiar, and the result is an innovative production like Fidelio balanced by the beautifully traditional Romeo, as well as a treasured classic followed by a U.S. stage premiere. Opera Carolina’s loyal subscribers—THANK YOU—know that if they take this artistic journey with us they may be challenged at times, but hopefully they will rarely be disappointed.

Why pair Pagliacci with Aleko? The two plots are very similar, but the fun, as it always is, is in the music. Rachmaninov’s exquisite score is never violent, while Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci is violent from the opening of the Prologue. Where as the young Russian composer (remember, this is Rachmaninov’s first opera) executes his wayward Zemfira with a fine blade, our Italian maestro bludgeons Nedda with an axe. But in the course of the evening, each exposes real-life emotions that culminate in jealous rage and murder.

It is our hope you will come to this unique double bill with an open heart, and curious ears.

This spring, Opera Carolina is delighted to host baritone Alexey Lavrov, who will be pulling double-duty in our presentation of Pagliacci and Aleko. In Ruggero Leoncavallo’s masterpiece he’ll be in the role of Silvio, while he’ll be making his role debut in Sergei Rachmaninov’s Aleko. The native of the Komi Republic, Russia, took the time to answer five of our questions in advance of this double bill.

Q&A WITH ALEXEY LAVROV

What made you decide to sign on for this particular Opera Carolina production?

I think I’ve been given a unique opportunity to perform these two operas together. The role of Silvio in Pagliacci is a very important role for me now. I’m singing it a lot and I enjoy it very much. The role of Aleko is one I’ve dreamed about since I started my vocal education. The music of Rachmaninov is gorgeous and very close to the Russian people. And the character of Aleko is so dramatic and for that reason interesting for me as an artist and singer! So I feel very excited to perform these two amazing operas in one evening. Dreams do come true!

What is the challenge in playing two different roles (Aleko and Pagliacci) in Opera Carolina’s upcoming double bill?

There are both vocal and dramatic challenges. Vocally, the two parts are written in different tessituras or ranges, so solid technique is needed to do the roles one after another. The dramatic challenge is that the roles are absolutely opposite though the stories are very similar.

Interview continued on next page

Make a Night of ItStart your night early with one of our restaurant partners—or remain Uptown

after the performance with one of our hotel partners:

THE DUNHILL HOTELDunhillhotel.com

237 N. Tryon Street

HOLIDAY INN Hicharlotte.com

230 N. College Street

ARIA TUSCAN GRILLAriacharlotte.com100 N. Tryon St.

THE ASBURYtheasbury.com

235 N. Tryon St.

BLUE RESTAURANT AND BAR

Bluecharlotte.com206 N. College Street

Complimentary valet parking available

PASSION8thepassion8.com

1523 Elizabeth AveComplimentary valet parking available

THE WOODEN VINE Thewoodenvine.com231 N. Tryon Street

Want a Customized Group Experience?Opera Carolina is now offering customized Experience Packages for groups of eight or more. To learn more, call Elizabeth Johnson at 704.332.7177 ext. 110 or email at elizabeth@operacarolina.org

TAKE THE OPERA SHUTTLEFor Thursday Performances - Opera Carolina’s SouthPark Shuttle can give you a lift to and from the Belk Theater. The shuttle departs at 6:15 pm and costs $10 per person. Reservations are required due to limited seats. 

For Saturday Performances try parking on Elizabeth Avenue and taking the new Uptown Trolley.  Call 704.332.7177 x110 or visit operacarolina.org to learn more.  

PARK UPTOWN WITH EASEThe Belk Theater offers a $5 rate for all Opera performances at designated garages after 5 pm on Thursdays and Saturdays, and any time on Sundays. When you arrive at the Belk Theater you can purchase a $5 exit pass from a parking usher. Visit  blumenthalarts.org  for a detailed map or call 704.372.1000 for more info. 

FRIDAY, APRIL 87PM STUDENT NIGHT

SUNDAY, APRIL 10

1:30PM OPERA PREVIEWWITH MICHAEL CAPASSO, DIRECTOR

GENERAL DIRECTOR OF NEW YORK CITY OPERA

2PM PAGLIACCI + ALEKOPERFORMANCE

5PM POSTLUDE Q&A WITH THE ARTISTS

THURSDAY, APRIL 14

5:15PM PRE CURTAIN DINNER** - LUCE

5:30PM CITY CLUB DINNER WITH PREVIEW – CHARLOTTE CITY CLUB

5:30PM SUBSCRIBER DINNER WITH PREVIEW* – BLUE RESTAURANT

6:15PM OPERA SHUTTLE, SOUTHPARK TO BELK THEATER

7PM OPERA PREVIEWWITH MICHAEL SPASSOVASSISTANT CONDUCTOR

7:30PM PAGLIACCI + ALEKOPERFORMANCE

SATURDAY, APRIL 16

5:45PM PRE CURTAIN DINNER** - LUCE

6PM SUBSCRIBER DINNER WITH PREVIEW* – BLUE RESTAURANT

7:30PM OPERA PREVIEWWITH MILES HOFFMAN

FROM MORNING EDITION ON NPR

8PM PAGLIACCI + ALEKOPERFORMANCE

11PM BRAVO! YOUNG PROFESSIONALS AFTER PARTY @ BLUE RESTAURANT

*By invitation for season subscribers**By invitation for donors at the Benefactor level

or greater

@OPERACAROLINA @OPERACAROLINA OPERACAROLINAOPERACAROLINA

PAGLIACCI + ALEKO

BELK THEATER / SINGLE TICKETS: 704.372.1000 / TICKETS FROM $19

Q&A WITH ALEXEY LAVROVcontinued

What are your thoughts on the unique pairing of Aleko and Pagliacci?

I think it’s a rare combination, but a great one! Especially for me, because I do totally opposite characters. In Pagliacci I’m a tender and loving young man who becomes a victim of a tragic love and gets killed by a very jealous rival. On the other hand, in Aleko I’m also in a love triangle, but this time I’m the betrayed husband blinded by jealousy and I kill the young man that Zemfira, Aleko’s wife, is in love with. I find it challenging and very exciting to portray two characters that are part of similar stories, but are on different sides of it.

In your opinion, what are the parallels between the clown and gypsy cultures that will be portrayed in these two pieces?

I think the main similarity between the two cultures was the spirit of freedom those people had. And this spirit was the reason for all the drama that occurred. I’m more familiar with the gypsy culture because it’s a big part of Russian history. We have many great pieces of literature about gypsy life. Freedom was the most important and precious thing the gypsies had and it was very attractive to other people. They could sacrifice any material goods, but they would never allow their freedom to be taken away by anyone. I think it was pretty much the same for commedia troupes.

To this point, what do you consider to be the highlight of your young career?

The most memorable productions for me so far are Zeffirelli’s Boheme at the Met, Boris Godunov at the Bolshoi theatre in Moscow, a new production of Pagliacci at the Met, and the role of Malatesta in Don Pasquale. But it’s really hard to choose, because I love every production I take part in and I give everything I have to every role I perform. I feel that all of them are important.

The Opera Carolina Academy’s goal is to provide dynamic, age-appropriate opportunities for local teens who are interested in exploring this comprehensive art form. And for young people who have aspirations of becoming a professional singing actor, these

workshops and master classes offer unique opportunities to grow as artists, all while preparing them for the rigors of collegiate study. For Laurel Johnson, a four-year Academy participant, this experience has done just that.

“This experience is one of a kind,” she said. “Not many people get the chance to go to an ‘opera camp,’ so the fact that I have sets me apart from other students. I feel like with the master classes especially, you are really able to see the changes that a voice teacher implements on a student from an outside perspective, and are able to see how it applies to your own life.” Through the summer Workshops—and her own musical studies—Laurel has come out of her artistic shell, and her growth as a musician has been tremendous. Music aside, the Workshops offer an opportunity for personal growth, too.“I was really shy when I first came, but I feel like with voice lessons and all of the great advice I received from the instructors, I was able to overcome it,” she said. Laurel’s personal and artistic growth led to her joining our Opera Chorus this year as a junior member - an honor since teens are rarely invited to join the Chorus. She currently plans to double major in Vocal Performance and Music Education, and her experience with the Opera Carolina Academy definitely played a role in that decision. “I had gone to operas before, and I’ve seen how they work, but to really be in there and to see how they put things together and how they express themselves, it’s kind of like seeing the mechanics of the opera. It was a big influence in my decision to pursue Vocal Performance and Music Ed.” This summer’s Music-Drama Workshop will take place in late July to early August and will feature our core curriculum and a capstone production of the short opera Brundibar. According to Laurel, if you have an interest in music, there’s no reason to hesitate enrolling.

FOR THE LATEST NEWS, UPDATES AND EXCLUSIVE PEEKS BEHIND THE CURTAIN MAKE SURE TO FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA...

JEFF GWALTNEYGLOBAL TALENT, LOCAL APPEAL

As an up-and-coming tenor, Jeff Gwaltney is certainly a well-traveled man. His last two seasons

were spent in London, notably debuting at the Royal Albert Hall as Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, and at Opera Holland Park as Dick Johnson in La Fanciulla del West and as Luigi in Il Tabarro. He has also performed extensively across the United States.

While he will travel to Ireland to perform this season, he will also make his debut with Opera Carolina in Ruggero Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci, which has been paired with Sergei Rachmaninov’s Aleko for an intriguing double bill. But what you might find most surprising about Jeff is where he calls home: he and his wife live in Rock Hill, SC.

Though he frequently goes to New York City to visit his agent—as well as his friends in the industry—there is something about the Charlotte area that appeals to the talented tenor.

“A lot of people may assume artists only want to move to New York, but I’ve never really been drawn to New York other than the diversity that it has with the museums, the theaters, and everything like that,” he said. “I enjoy that, but to live there is not where I want to spend my life. Charlotte is a city I really enjoy coming home to.”

Jeff grew up in rural Florida, so he has Southern roots. He initially moved to the area in 2007 to study

for his Masters Degree in Vocal Performance at Winthrop University. He was drawn there by John Fowler, who still serves as his mentor today.

“Charlotte is a ‘small big city,’” he said. “It’s got diversity, and it’s a new city so there are a lot of things happening that are unique.”

As far as his upcoming performance in Pagliacci, Jeff finds himself in the role of Canio, who leads a troupe of Italian actors who travel to villages for performances. However, once Canio learns he has been betrayed, the story takes a dark turn.

“It’s one of these operas that ends with a death—two deaths, actually,” said Jeff. “My character is the one who loses his cool, and he kills his lover and his lover’s partner.”

A role like Canio has its challenges—

but Jeff doesn’t shy away from accepting them. “One reason Canio’s challenging is because the ‘Vesti La Giubba’ aria is so famous, and the role is so famous,” Jeff said. “You feel the pressure to fill an expectation of an educated public for a role that has been performed by so many incredible artists.”

In April, Jeff is set to add his name to that impressive list of artists. And at Opera Carolina, we’re glad he’s our Canio—and that he continues to call the Charlotte area home.

VISITING THE QUEEN CITY?Jeff recommends heading to Charlotte's craft beer scene. The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery, Wooden Robot Brewery, Birdsong Brewing, and Sugar Creek Brewing Company are just a handful of his favorites. When it comes to restaurants, Jeff has “laid-back” and “more refined” covered. For the former, he loves taking friends to Mac’s Speed Shop, and for the latter, he often

recommends Good Food on Montford.

NON-PROFITORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDCHARLOTTE, NCPERMIT NO. 921

The Elizabeth Roddey Dowd Opera Center1600 Elizabeth AvenueCharlotte, NC 28204 operacarolina.org / 704.332.7177

The 2015/16 Season is made possible by a generous sponsorship from Wells Fargo Private Bank.

ENGAGING. EXCEPTIONAL. ENDURING.

October 22. 27. 30Rossini's The Barber of Seville

January 22. 26. 28Verdi's La traviata

April 23. 27. 29Puccini's Girl of the West

(La Fanciulla del West)

Opera Carolina’s 68th season spotlights familiar, ageless stories

LIFE SET TO MUSIC

Don’t miss all the excitement of the season. For more information about the upcoming season, visit us online at operacarolina.org on April 18th.