The Santa Fe Opera Announces Updates to 2021 Reopening Season
The Santa Fe Opera Announces Ticket Sales to Open June 10, Nightly Simulcasts, Updates to Casting and Safety Plans for the 2021 Season
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Santa Fe, NM — Santa Fe Opera General Director Robert K. Meya today announced updates to the 2021 Season including the latest in ticketing, casting and protocols for a safe reopening, plus nightly on-site simulcasts as part of the company’s 64th summer festival commencing on July 10. The announcement was streamed online and delivered from the open gates of the outdoor Crosby Theatre. Meya greeted viewers stating, “And now, here we are at the gates to The Crosby Theatre – eagerly anticipating the return of music, of song, and of you, our beloved patrons, on Opening Night.”
Meya confirmed that the company recently obtained approval from state officials to increase theater capacity and open up ticket sales on June 10. Meya shared, “This will add approximately 1,000 additional seats for every performance with new availability in every section of the theater. The Box Office is currently ticketing our wait list, and will open sales to the public on June 10, so mark your calendars and visit our website to reserve your seats!” This latest update will allow the opera to seat every row while still maintaining social distancing between groups. Maximum group size remains limited to six patrons, and mask wearing will be required at all times. The company will confirm seat locations no later than ten days prior to performance evenings. The Santa Fe Opera is grateful to its supporters and community for their patience as it works to accommodate all who wish to attend this summer.
Joining Meya was the opera’s new Chief Artistic Officer David Lomelí whose appointment began on May 1. Sharing his excitement for the future, Lomelí said, “My friends, we are experiencing a generational shift in our industry. The Santa Fe Opera will be a multicultural, multicolor family of artists and supporters
gathering here in the Land of Enchantment to host a festival that enhances the human experience through opera – for every audience member who visits us in New Mexico or in the digital realm.” Lomelí and Meya spoke of the opera’s interest in welcoming new audiences and shared messages in both English and Spanish.
In celebration of the 2021 Reopening Season and the Santa Fe Opera’s continued commitment to inclusion and engagement, the opera is proud to reinstate special discounts on tickets for students, seniors, active military and New Mexico residents. First-time ticket buyers from New Mexico can receive 40% off a pair of tickets, allowing community members to experience opera for as little as $25 per person. Students, seniors, and active military will receive a 50% discount on day-of performance tickets. To place orders for these promotions, interested parties are asked to please call the Box Office at 505-986-5900 or 800-280-4654. Meya shared, “This season features four, fully-staged new productions of operas spanning four centuries. With 30 performances, including a special, one night-only concert featuring soprano Angel Blue, we have something for everyone…and now, your seat awaits.”
Announcing Nightly Simulcasts
While the past year presented countless challenges for the Santa Fe Opera, it also inspired the company’s leadership to explore new avenues for bringing opera to its communities. Technology is a critical component for future outreach, and the company has made significant investments in its audio-visual infrastructure. The Santa Fe Opera is thrilled to present nightly simulcasts of every performance on 300 square-foot, state-of-the-art LED walls in its scenic lower parking lot, with views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Each simulcast is supported by newly laid fiber optic cabling, 4K HD robotic cameras, new area mics placed around the stage and orchestra pit, an audio engineer live mixing each performance and veteran simulcast director Bruce Bryant accompanied by production company Staging Solutions. Simulcast tickets will also go on sale June 10, ranging in price from $100 to $125 per vehicle. The simulcast dress rehearsals will provide opportunities for the company to invite New Mexico educators, youth, community partners and families to enjoy this summer’s productions. Shared Meya, “We invite you to lay out your finest spread and enjoy the performance from the safety and convenience of your tailgate picnic in true Santa Fe Opera style.”
Santa Fe Opera Virtual Experiences
In addition to live performances, the Santa Fe Opera invites the public to enjoy an array of virtual experiences. This season, Virtual Prelude Talks will feature opera educator Oliver Prezant presenting on all four productions, as well commentary from the scholar and performer Lucy Tucker Yates, librettist Diana Solomon-Glover and stage director Shawna Lucey. Premiering in July, patrons can look forward to receiving video links as part of their pre-performance reminder email. The Virtual Prelude Talks are supported by The Marilyn & John McConnell Prelude Talks Fund.
“Explore the Santa Fe Opera,” a Virtual Backstage Tour Experience offers the chance to step behind-the-scenes into the costume, props, paint, scenery shops and more. Each tour will be led by Santa Fe Opera notables including soprano Susanna Phillips and Chief Artistic Officer David Lomelí. Said Meya, “We are especially honored that former Santa Fe Opera Technical Apprentice and Project Runway star Patricia Michaels serves as our host for the virtual backstage tour of the Costume Shop where she once worked.” Declared Lomelí, “In this new era, every single artistic decision has a very palpable impact on the way we will interact with the communities we serve in person, in our house and in the state of New Mexico, but also with all the new audiences abroad and beyond in the digital cyberspace.” “Explore the Santa Fe Opera” will debut on July 10 and will be available to watch on the opera’s website, YouTube and social channels. “Explore the Santa Fe Opera,” a Virtual Backstage Tour Experience is sponsored by Thornburg Investment Management.
Audiences will also have the opportunity to explore the intricacies of creating a world premiere by tuning in to New Mexico PBS for a seven-part series entitled “From Page to Stage,” which documents the making of The Lord of Cries. Tune in to “iCOLORES!” each Saturday at 4 pm MDT on PBS Channel 5.1, or streaming online, beginning July 10. The Santa Fe Opera gratefully acknowledges the Bank of Albuquerque for its generous sponsorship of “From Page to Stage: The Santa Fe Opera’s world premiere of The Lord of Cries.”
2021 Season Casting Updates
The opera is pleased to share the following casting updates for the 2021 Season: the four lovers in A Midsummer Night’s Dream will be performed by Santa Fe Opera Apprentice singers Teresa Perrotta as Helena, Adanya Dunn as Hermia, Duke Kim as Lysander and Michael J. Hawk as Demetrius. Rick Sordelet will serve as fight director for A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Eugene Onegin. Tenor Matthew DiBattista will sing Triquet in Eugene Onegin. Mark Grey serves as the Sound Designer for The Lord of Cries; mezzo-soprano Michaela Martens, who was scheduled to sing Marcellina in The Marriage of Figaro and Larina in Eugene Onegin has withdrawn from the season for personal reasons. Mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer will return to the Santa Fe Opera stage as Marcellina; Apprentice singer Lindsay Kate Brown sings Marcellina on August 24 and 27. Mezzo-soprano Katharine Goeldner, last seen on the Santa Fe Opera stage in 2007 as Dorabella in Così fan tutte, will sing Larina. Due to international travel restrictions, baritone Ashley Riches will be unable to sing the role of Figaro.
A Safe Reopening Season
Detailing the company’s latest plans for a safe reopening, Meya shared, “The journey has been a long one; we have been preparing for our 2021 Reopening Season for the last ten months. Our partners in this journey have been our tireless Governor of the state of New Mexico, Michelle Lujan Grisham, her cabinet and staff. We simply could not have confronted the challenges of the last year without her wisdom and fortitude along with the care and compassion of our elected officials and volunteers. I’d like especially to thank the members of the New Mexico Economic Recovery Council and Santa Fe Opera Board Member Liddie Martinez, who gave us the confidence to make decisions at critical junctures along the way.”
The Santa Fe Opera’s reopening protocols have been developed in collaboration with public health officials, experts in epidemiology and sanitization and local hospital partner CHRISTUS St. Vincent. The company has engaged leading COVID-safety consultants and added a full-time COVID Compliance & Safety Manager to its staff. The company’s preparations for the coming season have been exhaustive and ensure that it can put opera back on stage in the safest possible manner.
The company will not be offering Preview Dinners, Backstage Tours, or any donor events on campus this season. To best support the safety and artistry of the 2021 Season, each of the company’s COVID-19 protocols have been documented in its 94-page Reopening Handbook. Company-wide standards and practices include masking, social-distancing, increased cleaning, electrostatic disinfection of high-traffic areas, and enhanced ventilation and air purification in elevators and restrooms. All artists, musicians and staff will continue to be tested for COVID-19 one to three times per week. To minimize points of contact, the opera has implemented the digital ticketing entry system N-Scan and installed touch-free fixtures in all restrooms. Patrons can also expect to see acrylic shields in public facing locations, campus-wide hand sanitizing stations and safety signage throughout. The opera will not be accepting cash and has adopted cashless technology for all transactions including those in the Opera Shop, Box Office and Concessions. While the company will not be requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test for entry, it is asking all patrons, prior to arrival, to conduct a “self screening” and stay home if not feeling well.
The Santa Fe Opera will continue to update its plans according to the latest medical advice and public health orders and wishes to acknowledge its principal reopening sponsor, The Brown Foundation of Houston, whose support has made a safe reopening possible. The opera also extends thanks to its reopening partners AXCES Research & Health, CHRISTUS St. Vincent and Production Safe Zone.
The 2021 Season
As announced on October 21, 2020, the Santa Fe Opera’s 2021 Season, running July 10 through August 27, presents 30 performances of four operas, including the world premiere of The Lord of Cries by John Corigliano and Mark Adamo directed by James Darrah; the company premiere of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed and designed by Netia Jones; Laurent Pelly’s stylish new production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro; a new production of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin directed by Alessandro Talevi; a celebratory concert featuring soprano Angel Blue in her company debut with 2021 Season artists and The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra led by John Fiore; and two Apprentice Scenes performances. The 64th Season celebrates the inclusion of works new to the world stage alongside audience favorites by Mozart and Tchaikovsky, and features some of opera’s most exciting talent. A variety of time periods and languages are represented, with pieces and perspectives dating from 1786 to 2021, sung in English, Italian and Russian. The season is the second to be led by General Director Robert K. Meya, Artistic Director Alexander Neef and Music Director Harry Bicket, and perfectly fits the time-tested programming model pioneered by Santa Fe Opera founder John Crosby: a balanced and varied repertory of new, rarely performed and standard works portrayed in a new light. The Santa Fe Opera has been working to bring this incredible art form to audiences since 1957, and will continue this work to expand opera’s reach to new and diverse audiences through contemporary works, world premieres and its Opera for All Voices initiative. Said Meya, “The 2021 Season is a tribute to our unwavering optimism for the future of opera and the delight it can bring to viewers of all ages and backgrounds.”
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Stand back and let love conquer.
What’s a bride to do to stop the unwanted advances of her employer? She teams up with his wife to teach him a lesson in fidelity.
The Santa Fe Opera commences its 64th Festival Season with a stylish new production of Mozart’s sparkling comedy The Marriage of Figaro, opening on July 10, 2021. Featuring a dozen well-known and indelible arias, the work is a wealth of musical riches. Further, the operas of Mozart have held a special place at the Santa Fe Opera since the company’s opening season in 1957, when the new company mounted Così fan tutte. This repertory tradition has held strong over the decades, with a Mozart opera having been produced in 55 of 63 prior seasons, none more so than The Marriage of Figaro, which has been performed in 17 prior seasons, more than any other single opera in the company’s repertory.
Inspired by Jean Renoir’s La Règle du Jeu (The Rules of the Game) – itself partly inspired by The Marriage of Figaro – French director and costume designer Laurent Pelly has settled on stylings of the late 1930s, just prior to World War II, a time period closer to the present, but one that similarly was coming to an end. French set designer Chantal Thomas has chosen to build the set on a revolving turntable, alluding to the earth-shattering events that will take place not long after the close of the opera. The opera occurs within a 24-hour timeframe, with the action beginning and ending at the same hour; thus the turntable resembles a large clock, with rotating oversized brass gears to the sides of the stage. This motif slyly refers to Louis XVI’s fondness for watchmaking and building timepieces—a common avocation of the time— as well as to the idea that the countdown to revolution has begun. As the story progresses, the characters are swept away by centrifugal forces that build over the course of the opera and which are stronger than themselves. By Act IV, the clock’s mechanism lies shattered and strewn across the stage. Internationally recognized lighting designer Duane Schuler returns to Santa Fe to further illuminate this beautiful, stylish and timeless production.
Santa Fe Opera Music Director Harry Bicket leads a bright young cast in ten performances that includes Colombian-American soprano Vanessa Vasquez in the role of the Countess; Chinese soprano Ying Fang in her company debut as Susanna; mezzo-soprano and former Apprentice singer Megan Marino in her first turn as Cherubino; and tenor Brenton Ryan as Basilio. Australian baritone Samuel Dale Johnson makes his exciting U.S. Debut as Count Almaviva. Mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer will return to the Santa Fe Opera stage as Marcellina; Apprentice singer Lindsay Kate Brown will sing Marcellina on August 24 and 27. Former Apprentice singer Patrick Carfizzi sings Dr. Bartolo and James Creswell makes his company debut as Antonio. Susanne Sheston is the Chorus Master.
THE LORD OF CRIES
You have been asked once.
He lands tonight, on his ship of ghosts, under the scudding skies. His high, thin voice – ecstasy and ruin! Dracul, Dracula: the Lord of Cries! Deny him not his place.
The Santa Fe Opera’s 17th world premiere will be The Lord of Cries by composer John Corigliano and librettist Mark Adamo, based on the intriguing points of intersection between two classics of Western literature, The Bacchae by Euripides and Dracula by Bram Stoker.
Separated by 24 centuries, The Bacchae and Dracula tell virtually the same timeless story, with the same subversive message: We must honor our animal nature lest it turn monstrous and destroy us. The Lord of Cries begins with a strange, androgynous god returning to earth to offer a mortal three chances to “ask for what you want” or risk the consequences. He materializes in Victorian England in the guise of the eponymous “Lord of Cries,” none other than the irresistible antihero of Dracula.
Corigliano creates powerfully contrasting sound worlds to contrast the tidy world of the Victorians with the savage grandeur of the immortals, forging musical drama from the tension and the gravitational pull between the two worlds. Says the composer, “One important point of The Lord of Cries is that this conflict between who we want to be and who we actually are goes on and on; it tormented the ancient Greeks, and it torments us still. So that torment is the score’s real subject.”
The Lord of Cries is only the second opera by John Corigliano, following his acclaimed The Ghosts of Versailles (1991), the Metropolitan Opera’s first commission in three decades. Corigliano’s one-hundred-plus compositions have won him the Pulitzer Prize, four Grammy Awards and an Oscar, and have been performed and recorded by many of the world’s greatest soloists, conductors and orchestras.
Librettist Mark Adamo, an accomplished composer in his own right, has authored the libretti for his four full-length operas, Little Women (1998), Lysistrata (2005), The Gospel of Mary Magdalene (2013) and Becoming Santa Claus (2015). The Lord of Cries marks the first operatic collaboration between Corigliano and Adamo, longtime partners in life.
Johannes Debus returns to the Santa Fe Opera podium to conduct this world premiere production. James Darrah directs, with sets by Adam Rigg, costumes by former technical apprentice Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko, lighting design by Pablo Santiago, projection design by Adam Larsen and sound design by Mark Grey.
The title role of The Lord of Cries is written for superstar countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, who makes his Santa Fe Opera debut as Dionysus. Soprano and former Apprentice singer Susanna Phillips returns to the Santa Fe Opera stage in the role of Lucy Harker. She is joined by tenor David Portillo as Jonathan Harker in his company debut, baritone and former Apprentice singer Jarrett Ott as John Seward, bass Matt Boehler in his company debut as Van Helsing and bass Kevin Burdette as the Correspondent. Susanne Sheston is the Chorus Master.
The Lord of Cries receives its world premiere on July 17, 2021 and runs for six performances.
EUGENE ONEGIN
Buried desires and dreams corroded with rust.
Potent emotion and sweeping drama take the stage as Tatyana’s confession of love is rejected by Onegin who, a little too late, realizes his mistake.
Not seen on the Santa Fe Opera stage since 2002, the company presents a new reimagining of Eugene Onegin, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s sumptuous lyrical drama based on Pushkin’s famous novel, directed by European Opera-directing Prize winner Alessandro Talevi in his company debut. Scenic and costume designer Gary McCann (The Golden Cockerel, 2017), lighting designer Matt Haskins and fight director Rick Sordelet round out the creative team. Eugene Onegin premiered in Moscow in 1897 and though at first it was regarded only as a Russian curiosity, it has since become a standard fixture in the operatic repertoire. Tchaikovsky himself attributed its success to Mahler for having conducted a performance in Hamburg and whom he described as “not some average sort, but simply a genius burning with a desire to conduct.”
The production is led by Australian conductor Nicholas Carter in his return to the Santa Fe Opera podium. The all-star cast includes real-life husband and wife Etienne Dupuis and Nicole Car as the title character and Tatyana, both making their company debuts. The production also includes contralto Avery Amereau in her company debut as Olga, mezzo-soprano Deborah Nansteel in the role of Filippyevna, Katharine Goeldner as Larina, German-Turkmen tenor Dovlet Nurgeldiyev in his U.S. debut as Lensky and bass James Creswell as Prince Gremin. Tenor Matthew DiBattista sings Triquet and Zaretsky will be performed by bass and Santa Fe Opera Apprentice singer Allen Michael Jones. Susanne Sheston serves as Chorus Master.
The Santa Fe Opera’s new production of Eugene Onegin opens July 24, 2021 and runs for six performances.
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Out of this wood do not desire to go.
Mismatched lovers, a group of actors, fairies and their King and Queen are in the forest. Paths cross, so do lovers and, in the end, all’s well that ends well.
The Santa Fe Opera is thrilled to round out its 2021 Season with the company premiere of Benjamin Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in a new co-production with Garsington Opera directed by powerhouse Netia Jones, who also serves as the scenic, costume and projections designer. The Observer describes Jones as “the most imaginative director of opera working in Britain today.”
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is considered Britten’s most beguiling and enchanting opera. The orchestral music weaves a spellbinding atmosphere that immediately places one in a dreamlike realm. Britten wrote, “Operatically, it is especially exciting because there are three quite separate groups – the Lovers, the Rustics, and the Fairies – which nevertheless interact. Thus in writing the opera I have used a different kind of texture and orchestral colour for each section.”
A piece long-intended but never before performed on the Santa Fe Opera stage, this new production will be led by Harry Bicket and features soprano Erin Morley as Tytania, British countertenor Iestyn Davies in the role of Oberon, tenor Brenton Ryan as Flute, tenor Matthew Grills as Snout, bass and former Apprentice singer Patrick Carfizzi as Starveling, British baritone Ashley Riches as Bottom and bass Kevin Burdette in the role of Quince. The four lovers are performed by Santa Fe Opera Apprentice singers Teresa Perrotta as Helena, Adanya Dunn as Hermia, Duke Kim as Lysander and Michael J. Hawk as Demetrius. Australian dancer Reed Luplau performs as Puck and serves as choreographer. Rounding out the creative team is D.M. Wood, recipient of the United Kingdom’s 2012 Knight of Illumination Award, to serve as lighting designer in her Santa Fe Opera debut, and fight director Rick Sordelet. Susanne Sheston is the Chorus Master.
This long-awaited company premiere opens July 31, 2021 and runs for five performances.
Santa Fe Opera Orchestra Updates
The Santa Fe Opera recognizes the retirement of principal trombonist Mark Fisher after 31 years of distinguished service. The Mason City, Iowa native has also been a regular performer with the Chicago Chamber Musicians, the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival and the Music of the Baroque. He has performed with every major ensemble in Chicago and as a substitute with many of the nation’s leading orchestras including the Chicago Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony, Milwaukee Symphony, Minnesota Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony and the San Francisco Symphony. In addition to his long association with the award-winning Asbury Brass Quintet, Mr. Fisher is the founder and director of the Chicago Trombone Consort, one of the world’s leading trombone ensembles. Head of the Trombone Department at DePaul University, Mr. Fisher has presented recitals and masterclasses throughout the United States, Europe, Canada and Japan. Mr. Fisher is an honors graduate of the University of Northern Iowa and the New England Conservatory of Music. Shared Music Director Harry Bicket, “Mark has been such an integral part of the Santa Fe Opera Orchestra and his artistry and camaraderie will be dearly missed. We wish him all the best in his current position with the Lyric Opera of Chicago and all future endeavors.”
Opera for All Voices Updates
On Saturday, June 19 at 4:00 pm MDT / 6:00 pm EDT Kentucky Opera will present a free online workshop of This Little Light of Mine, a new, one-act opera commissioned by the Santa Fe Opera and its Opera for All Voices consortium partners and co-presented in celebration of Juneteenth. The work, composed by Chandler Carter with a libretto by Diana Solomon-Glover, portrays key events in the life of voting rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer. A Black woman of humble origins, she spoke truth to power, and her tireless efforts culminated in the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The pre-recorded workshop premieres on Kentucky Opera’s YouTube channel and will remain available for on-demand viewing.
The Santa Fe Opera is also pleased to have recently collaborated with Hawaiʻi Opera Theatre on the streaming world premiere of Laura Kaminsky and Kimberly Reed Thomas’ new opera Hometown to the World commissioned by the Santa Fe Opera and its Opera for All Voices consortium partners. This intimate opera springs from the complex intersection of race, religion, ethnicity, and culture that took place in Postville, Iowa, where America’s largest kosher meatpacking plant became the site of America’s largest workplace raid by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. The raid resulted in approximately one quarter of Postville’s residents – most of them Guatemalan – being arrested and deported, decimating the community.
Commissioning and development support for Opera for All Voices was provided by the Melville Hankins Family Foundation, Principal Education Sponsor of the Santa Fe Opera; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; and two OPERA America Innovation Grants, generously funded by the Ann & Gordon Getty Foundation. The commission and production of This Little Light of Mine and Hometown to the World is made possible by an OPERA America Innovation Grant and the generous support of the Melville Hankins Family Foundation. The workshop of This Little Light of Mine is sponsored by Gene and Jean Stark.
The 2022 Season
As recently shared in the new Destination Santa Fe Opera podcast, the company plans to announce the 2022 Season this fall. Meya shared, “If you have an unused credit voucher on account, we will gladly apply it either to this or next year’s season, which will open on July 1, 2022 and features five new productions.”
Apprentice Scenes
Partially staged scenes from the operatic repertory showcasing the remarkable talent of Santa Fe Opera Apprentice Singers and Technicians will be presented on two consecutive Sunday evenings, August 15 and 22, 2021. One of the best entertainment values of the summer at $15 for Adults and $5 for youth (ages 6-22). Learn more at santafeopera.org or by calling the Box Office at 505-986-5900 (toll-free at 800-280-4654). Walk up orders will be taken by the Box Office on performance evenings only.
PRINCIPAL REOPENING SPONSOR
The Brown Foundation, Inc. of Houston
REOPENING CONSORTIUM
Susan & Philip Marineau
Jacqueline B. Mars
Debra Turner
SIMULCAST SPONSORS
Brooke Suzanne Gray
James V. & Dana Pope Manning
Gene & Jean Stark
REOPENING PARTNERS
AXCES Research & Health
CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center
Production Safe Zone
2021 SEASON INFORMATION
Performance Start Times
July 10 — July 31, 8:30 PM | August 3 — August 27, 8:00 PM
2021 Tickets & Subscriptions
Please note that ticket sales will be made available to the public on June 10. The opera will seat every row while still maintaining social distancing between groups. Maximum group size remains limited to six patrons, and mask wearing will be required at all times. Tickets will be emailed no later than ten days prior to performance evenings. Learn more at santafeopera.org. Walk-up orders will be taken by the Box Office on performance evenings only.
Other useful information for Patrons:
- CASHLESS: The opera will not be accepting cash and has adopted cashless technology for all transactions including those in the Opera Shop, Box Office and Concessions.
- CONCESSIONS: Theater bars will be open and serving alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages. A selection of snack items will be available. Patrons will be assigned to specific terraces to enjoy their snacks and drinks.
- OPERA SHOP: To better serve patrons, the Santa Fe Opera is pleased to announce its new online Opera Shop. The opera’s physical Opera Shop will open at 5 pm on July 10 and be open on all performance nights.
- SAFETY: Company-wide standards and practices include masking, social-distancing, increased cleaning, electrostatic disinfection of high-traffic areas, and enhanced ventilation and air purification in elevators and restrooms. All artists, musicians and staff are being and will continue to be tested for COVID-19 one to three times per week. Patrons can also expect to see acrylic shields in public facing locations, campus-wide hand sanitizing stations and safety signage throughout.
- SEATING: Due to evolving public health guidelines, the company is unable to provide exact seat locations at the time of purchase. Tickets will be emailed no later than ten days prior to performance evenings.
- SELF-CHECK: While the opera will not be requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test for entry, it is asking all patrons, prior to arrival, to self-screen using the CDC’s Coronavirus Self-Checker. The opera encourages anyone who is feeling unwell not to attend a performance. If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, please call the Box Office prior to your performance to discuss your ticket options.
- TAILGATE AMENITIES: Boxed “Tailgate” appetizers and entrees will be available for pre-order through the opera’s hotel partner the Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado. Prices range from $22 to $34 not including tax. Orders can be placed online and must be received no later than 48 hours in advance and can be picked up at the Vladem Kisok on Twomey Terrace behind the Box Office.
- TICKETS: Ticket sales will recommence on June 10; ticket orders will be accepted via phone or online. Walk-up orders will be taken by the Box Office on performance evenings only. Tickets will be delivered as print-at-home or mobile tickets no later than ten days prior to performance evenings. For those planning to show mobile tickets, please have tickets ready for scanning before arriving at the entrance. WiFi will be available at the opera; however, taking a screenshot of your bar code before arrival is recommended.
- ZONES: To allow for social distancing, patrons will be assigned one of seven zones within the theater from which to enjoy terrace views and access restrooms.
2021 SEASON CASTING
DEBUTS
Avery Amereau (Contralto); Angel Blue (Soprano); Matt Boehler (Bass); Nicole Car (Soprano); Anthony Roth Costanzo (Countertenor); James Creswell (Bass); James Darrah (Stage Director); Iestyn Davies (Countertenor); Etienne Dupuis (Baritone); Ying Fang (Soprano); Matthew Grills (Tenor); Netia Jones (Stage Director); Matt Haskins (Lighting Design); Samuel Dale Johnson^ (Baritone); Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko+ (Costume Design); Adam Larsen (Projection Design); Dovlet Nurgeldiyev^ (Tenor); David Portillo (Tenor); Ashley Riches^ (Baritone); Adam Rigg (Scenic Design); Pablo Santiago (Lighting Design); Alessandro Talevi (Stage Director); D.M. Wood (Lighting Design)
+Former Santa Fe Opera Apprentice, ^U.S. Debut
RETURNING ARTISTS
With most recent Santa Fe Opera appearance
Singers
Kevin Burdette (Candide, Ariadne auf Naxos, 2018); Patrick Carfizzi+ (The Italian Girl in Algiers, 2018); Katharine Goeldner (Così fan tutte, 207); Megan Marino+ (Madame Butterfly, 2018); Erin Morley (The Impresario, Le Rossignol, 2014); Jarrett Ott+ (Candide, Ariadne auf Naxos, 2018); Susanne Mentzer (Jenůfa, 2019); Deborah Nansteel (Roméo et Juliette, 2016); Susanna Phillips+ (La Finta Giardiniera, 2015); Brenton Ryan (Ariadne auf Naxos, 2018); Vanessa Vasquez (La bohème, 2019)
Actors/Dancers
Reed Luplau (The Impresario, 2014)
Conductors
Harry Bicket (Così fan tutte, 2019); Nicholas Carter (Die Fledermaus, 2017); Johannes Debus (Jenůfa, 2019); John Fiore (Madame Butterfly, 2018)
Directors
Laurent Pelly (Candide, 2018)
Designers
Jean-Jacques Delmotte (Candide, 2018); Mark Grey (Doctor Atomic, 2018); Gary McCann (The Golden Cockerel, 2017); Duane Schuler (Jenůfa, 2019); Chantal Thomas (Candide, 2018)
Choreographers & Fight Directors
Reed Luplau (The Impresario, 2014); Rick Sordelet (Roméo et Juliette, 2016)
Chorus Master
Susanne Sheston (2019 Season)
+Former Santa Fe Opera Apprentice
THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte
Premiered May 1, 1786 at the Burgtheater, Vienna
10 Performances — July 10, 14, 23; August 3, 10, 14, 18, 21, 24 & 27, 2021
Sung in Italian with opera titles in English and Spanish
A New Santa Fe Opera Production
Last performed by The Santa Fe Opera in 2013
Production support generously provided by James R. Seitz, Jr.
Creative Team
Conductor: Harry Bicket
Stage Director & Costume Design: Laurent Pelly
Scenic Design: Chantal Thomas
Associate Costume Design: Jean-Jacques Delmotte
Lighting Design: Duane Schuler
Chorus Master: Susanne Sheston
Cast
Countess Almaviva: Vanessa Vasquez
Susanna: Ying Fang*
Cherubino: Megan Marino+
Marcellina: Susanne Mentzer
Marcellina: Lindsay Kate Brown~, August 24 and 27
Basilio: Brenton Ryan
Figaro: TBA
Count Almaviva: Samuel Dale Johnson*^
Doctor Bartolo: Patrick Carfizzi+
Antonio: James Creswell*
Don Curzio: Thomas Cilluffo~
Barbarina: Cheyanne Coss~
Bridesmaid: Alaysha Fox~
Bridesmaid: Ruby Dibble~
The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra and Chorus
*Santa Fe Opera debut, ~Santa Fe Opera Apprentice, +Former Santa Fe Opera Apprentice, ^U.S. Debut
THE LORD OF CRIES
Music by John Corigliano
Libretto by Mark Adamo
World Premiere July 17, 2021 at the Santa Fe Opera
6 Performances — July 17, 21, 30; August 5, 11 & 17, 2021
Sung in English with opera titles in English and Spanish
Production support generously provided by:
The Wyncote Foundation as recommended by Frederick R. Haas & Rafael Gomez
David A. Kaplan & Glenn A. Ostergaard, Brautigam-Kaplan Foundation
Robert L. Turner
Two Anonymous Donors
Additional artistic support provided by:
Drs. Susan & Dennis Carlyle
Agnes Hsu-Tang & Oscar Tang – Tang Fund in honor of Anthony Roth Costanzo
The Carl & Marilynn Thoma Foundation
The National Endowment for the Arts
The performances of Anthony Roth Costanzo are supported by Gene & Jean Stark
The performances of David Portillo are supported by The MacKay Fund for Debut Artists
Creative Team
Conductor: Johannes Debus
Stage Director: James Darrah*
Scenic Design: Adam Rigg*
Costume Design: Chrisi Karvonides-Dushenko*+
Lighting Design: Pablo Santiago*
Sound Design: Mark Grey
Projection Design: Adam Larsen*
Chorus Master: Susanne Sheston
Cast
Lucy Harker: Susanna Phillips+
Dionysus: Anthony Roth Costanzo*
Jonathan Harker: David Portillo*
John Seward: Jarrett Ott+
Van Helsing: Matt Boehler*
Correspondent: Kevin Burdette
Agave: Leah Brzyski~
Autonone: Rachel Blaustein~
Ino: Megan Moore~
Captain: Robert Stahley~
The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra and Chorus
*Santa Fe Opera debut, +Former Santa Fe Opera Apprentice
EUGENE ONEGIN
Music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Libretto by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky based on the novel by Alexander Pushkin
Premiered March 29, 1879 at the Maly Theatre, Moscow
6 Performances — July 24, 28; August 6, 12, 20 & 26, 2021
Sung in Russian with opera titles in English and Spanish
A New Santa Fe Opera Production
Last performed at the Santa Fe Opera in 2002
Production support generously provided by:
Jane Stieren Lacy in honor of Brad Woolbright
Robert & Ellen Vladem
The performances of Nicole Car and Etienne Dupuis are supported by:
The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation
Creative Team
Conductor: Nicholas Carter
Stage Director: Alessandro Talevi*
Scenic & Costume Design: Gary McCann
Lighting Design: Matt Haskins*
Fight Director: Rick Sordelet
Chorus Master: Susanne Sheston
Cast
Tatyana: Nicole Car*
Olga: Avery Amereau*
Larina: Katharine Goeldner
Filippyevna: Deborah Nansteel
Lensky: Dovlet Nurgeldiyev*^
Triquet: Matthew DiBattista
Eugene Onegin: Etienne Dupuis*
Prince Gremin: James Creswell
Zaretsky: Allen Michael Jones~
Peasant: Joseph Tancredi~
Captain: Ethan Vincent~
The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra and Chorus
*Santa Fe Opera debut, ~Santa Fe Opera Apprentice, +Former Santa Fe Opera Apprentice, ^U.S. Debut
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Music by Benjamin Britten
Libretto by Peter Pears based on William Shakespeare’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Premiered June 11, 1960 at the Aldeburgh Festival, England
5 Performances — July 31; August 4, 13, 19 & 25, 2021
Sung in English with opera titles in English and Spanish
A Company Premiere
Co-production with Garsington Opera
Production support generously provided by Avenir Foundation, Inc.
Sarah Billinghurst Solomon & Howard Solomon
The engagement of Harry Bicket is supported by Joseph M. Bryan Jr.
The engagement of Netia Jones is supported by The Marineau Family Foundation
The performances of Erin Morley are supported by the Peter B. Frank Principal Artist Fund
The performances of Iestyn Davies are supported by The MacKay Fund for Debut Artists
Creative Team
Conductor: Harry Bicket
Stage Director, Scenic, Costume and Projections Design: Netia Jones*
Lighting Design: D.M. Wood*
Choreographer: Reed Luplau
Fight Director: Rick Sordelet
Chorus Master: Susanne Sheston
Cast
Tytania: Erin Morley
Oberon: Iestyn Davies*
Flute: Brenton Ryan
Puck: Reed Luplau
Snout: Matthew Grills*
Starveling: Patrick Carfizzi+
Bottom: Ashley Riches*^
Quince: Kevin Burdette
Hermia: Adanya Dunn~
Helena: Teresa Perrotta~
Lysander: Duke Kim~
Demetrius: Michael J. Hawk~
The Santa Fe Opera Orchestra and Chorus
*Santa Fe Opera debut, ~Santa Fe Opera Apprentice, +Former Santa Fe Opera Apprentice, ^U.S. Debut
About The Santa Fe Opera – The Santa Fe Opera annually draws 85,000 people from New Mexico and around the globe. Nestled atop a mountain vista in northern New Mexico, the company’s iconic Crosby Theatre is open on three sides, allowing visitors to enjoy performances complemented by the elements. Since 1957 the company has presented over 2,000 performances of 175 operas by 89 composers spanning five centuries of opera, creating a legacy of 45 American premieres and 16 world premieres.
The mission of the Santa Fe Opera is to advance the operatic art form by presenting ensemble performances of the highest quality in a unique setting with a varied repertory of new, rarely performed, and standard works; to ensure the excellence of opera’s future through apprentice programs for singers, technicians, and arts administrators; and to foster an understanding and appreciation of opera among a diverse public.