Arabella 2012
Love… Lust… Mistaken Identity… and a Fateful Glass of Water.
Parents resort to deception to maintain respectability. Will their ruse spoil their daughters’ chances of happiness in love? The answer comes down to a single glass of water in Arabella, a sumptuous romantic comedy with an element of social commentary. Arabella charms with Strauss’ deft characterizations and soaring vocal lines that showcase voices—especially soprano voices.
Synopsis
Act I
Financially strapped but aristocratically entitled, the Waldners have raised their younger daughter, Zdenka, as a boy to cut the cost of her upbringing – at least until her beautiful older sister is married. Posing as their son “Zdenko,” the girl wards off creditors as her mother consults a fortuneteller, who predicts an advantageous marriage for Zdenka’s sister, Arabella. Once mother and older sister have withdrawn, the young officer Matteo enlists his friend “Zdenko’s” help in courting Arabella; it’s that or suicide, he insists.
As Arabella returns from a stroll and dismisses her eager escort, it’s clear she is sought by many other suitors. Three – Counts Elemer, Dominik and Lamoral – have left gifts for her. Zdenka, who secretly loves Matteo, urges her to consider him, but Arabella feels that when the right candidate appears, she’ll know. Count Elemer calls on Arabella to go sleigh riding; as she leaves to change her outfit, she alerts Zdenka to a stranger peering up from the street below. Their father, Count Waldner, returns, upset by his many creditors and continuing bad luck at cards. But no sooner has he told his wife of his latest stratagem – sending a letter and photo of Arabella to his wealthy old army buddy Mandryka – than a caller also named Mandryka is announced. Nephew of the elder, deceased Mandryka, he read the letter and fell in love with Arabella’s photograph. Now he has journeyed from his rich estates in Slavonia to the Waldners’ hotel suite in Vienna solely to lend Count Waldner money and seek his daughter’s hand in marriage.
Unaware of this bright new prospect, Arabella is despondent, wondering why no suitor seems right; perhaps the Coachman’s Ball that evening will brighten her mood. She leaves with Zdenka for their sleigh ride.
Act II
In the anteroom outside the Coachman’s Ball, Count Waldner introduces Mandryka to the Countess and Arabella; recognizing him as the young stranger she noticed earlier, Arabella is instantly drawn to him. Mandryka feels confirmed in his earlier feelings and confides in her, describing his estates, his young wife’s death, and his country ‘s tradition of pledging troth with a glass of water -a symbol of purity. Arabella reciprocates his love, but asks to attend the Ball as a last celebration of youth. When she is named its queen, Mandryka is thrilled and lavishes champagne and flowers on the attendees as Arabella bids farewell to her past suitors. Amid the heightened gaiety she does not notice the desperate Matteo seeking same sign of her affection – or Zdenka, who presses a key into his hand, saying it is from Arabella and unlocks her bedroom. Inevitably, Mandryka overhears; disillusioned and angry, he abandons himself to wine-soaked recklessness until Count Waldner calms him and they return to the hotel.
Act III
Arabella returns from the Ball unaware that Matteo has been in her bedroom, ostensibly with her. Only the absent Zdenka knows the truth. As Matteo tries to slip from the hotel unnoticed, he is baffled to find Arabella already in the lobby, cool and unresponsive; Mandryka, judging the situation as he arrives with the Waldners, urges the Count to demand satisfaction from Matteo. Finally Zdenka rushes in from upstairs. Still in her negligee, she confesses giving herself to Matteo to prevent his suicide, and now, wracked by guilt, considers her own. But she is immediately forgiven by her parents and embraced by Matteo. They withdraw, leaving Arabella and Mandryka in silence. Arabella directs him to have a glass of water sent to her room, and then she, too, leaves. Knowing he doubted her, how will she feel about him now? Reappearing at the top of the stairs with her dignity intact and the water glass in her hand, Arabella rapturously reaffirms her love and their engagement.
Artists
Erin Wall
Soprano
Arabella
Erin Wall
Hometown: Calgary, Canada
SFO Debut:
Daphne, Daphne, 2007
Past Seasons:
Vanessa, Vanessa, 2016
Arabella, Arabella, 2012
Susan Graham and Friends Gala Concert, 2012
Antonia/Stella/Giuletta/Olympia, The Tales of Hoffmann, 2010
Heidi Stober
Soprano
Zdenka
Heidi Stober
Hometown: Waukesha, WI
SFO Debut:
Thalie & Folly, Platée, 2007
Past Seasons:
Sandrina, La finta giardiniera, 2015
Ada Leverson, Oscar, 2013
Zdenka, Arabella, 2012
Musetta, La bohème, 2011
Tigrane, Radamisto, 2008
Mark Delavan
Baritone
Mandryka
Mark Delavan
Hometown: Princeton, NJ
SFO Debut:
Altair, The Egyptian Helen, 2001
Past Seasons:
Jack Rance, La Fanciulla del West, 2016
Mandryka, Arabella, 2012
Susan Graham and Friends Gala Concert, 2012
Simon Boccanegra, Simon Boccanegra, 2004 (July 31 -August 28)
Germont, La traviata, 2002 (July 20 – August 12)
Zach Borichevsky
Tenor
Matteo
Zach Borichevsky
Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA
SFO Debut:
Matteo, Arabella, 2012
Past Seasons:
Anatol, Vanessa, 2016
Susan Graham and Friends Gala Concert, 2012
Brian Jagde
Tenor
Count Elemer
Brian Jagde
Hometown: Plainview, NY
SFO Debut:
Cavaradossi, Tosca, 2012
Past Seasons:
Narraboth, Salome, 2015
Count Elemer, Arabella, 2012
Dale Travis
Bass-baritone
Count Waldner
Dale Travis
Hometown: Trenton, NJ
SFO Debut:
A Bailiff/Clerk, The Sorrows of Young Werther, 1992
Past Seasons:
Sacristan, Tosca, 2023
Benoit/Alcindoro, La bohème, 2019
Don Alfonso, Così fan tutte, 2019 (July 17)
Doctor Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, 2013
Doctor Grenvil, La traviata, 2013
Sacristan, Tosca, 2012
Count Waldner, Arabella, 2012
Speaker, The Magic Flute, 2010
Superintendent Budd, Albert Herring, 2010
Don Alfonso, Così fan tutte, 2007
Doctor Bartolo, The Barber of Seville, 2005
Doctor Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, 2000 (August 7 – 25)
Speaker, The Magic Flute, 1998
Don Pedro, Beatrice and Benedict, 1998
Count Waldner, Arabella. 1997
Trulove, The Rake’s Progress, 1996
Peneios, Daphne, 1996
Antonio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1995
Mr. Ruskin, Modern Painters, 1995
Innkeeper, The Protagonist, 1993
Victoria Livengood
Mezzo-soprano
Adelaide
Victoria Livengood
Hometown: Thomasville, NC
SFO Debut:
Adelaide, Arabella, 2012
Kiri Deonarine
Soprano
Fiakermilli
Kiri Deonarine
Hometown: Austin, TX
SFO Debut:
Fiakermilli, Arabella, 2012
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2009, 2010
Past Seasons:
Butterfly’s Cousin, Madame Butterfly, 2010
Suzanne Hendrix
Mezzo-soprano
Fortune Teller
Suzanne Hendrix
Hometown: Charles City, IA
SFO Debut:
Zulma, The Italian Girl in Algiers, 2018
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2011, 2012
Previous Seasons:
Fortune Teller, Arabella, 2012
Tosca, 2012
The Pearl Fishers, 2012
Maometto II, 2012
King Roger, 2012
Christian Sanders
Tenor
Welko
Christian Sanders
Hometown: Westcliffe, CO
Past Seasons:
Prison Chaplain, Oscar, 2013
Welko, Arabella, 2012
Tosca, 2012
The Pearl Fishers, 2012
Maometto II, 2012
King Roger, 2012
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2012, 2013
Jonathan Michie
Baritone
Dominik
Jonathan Michie
Hometown: Rochester, NY
SFO Debut:
Prince Paul, The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 2013
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2010, 2012
Past Seasons:
Baron Douphol, La traviata, 2013
Dominik, Arabella, 2012
Tosca, 2012
The Pearl Fishers, 2012
Maometto II, 2012
King Roger, 2012
Mr. Gedge, Albert Herring, 2010
Joseph Beutel
Bass-baritone
Lamoral
Joseph Beutel
Hometown: Fort Wayne, IN
Previous Seasons:
Lamoral, Arabella, 2012
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2011, 2012
Ryan Milstead
Baritone
Djura
Ryan Milstead
Hometown: Okolona, MS
Past Seasons:
Djura, Arabella, 2012
Tosca, 2012
Maometto II, 2012
King Roger, 2012
American Tailor, The Last Savage, 2011
Second Apprentice, Wozzeck, 2011
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2011, 2012
Matthew Newlin
Tenor
Jankel
Matthew Newlin
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Previous Seasons:
Condulmiero, Maometto II, 2012
Jankel, Arabella, 2012
Tosca, 2012
The Pearl Fishers, 2012
King Roger, 2012
English Tailor, The Last Savage, 2011
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2011, 2012
Edwin Vega
Tenor
Servant
Edwin Vega
Hometown: New York, NY
Previous Seasons:
Servant, Arabella, 2012
Fourth Jew, Salome, 2006
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 2006, 2012
Sir Andrew Davis
Conductor
Sir Andrew Davis
Hometown: Ashridge, England
SFO Debut:
Albert Herring, 2010
Past Seasons:
Arabella, 2012
Tim Albery
Director
Tim Albery
Hometown: Harpenden, United Kingdom
SFO Debut:
Beatrice and Benedict, 1998
Past Seasons:
Ariadne auf Naxos, 2018
Capriccio, 2016
La finta giardiniera, 2015
Arabella, 2012
The Magic Flute, 2010
The Magic Flute, 2006
Beatrice and Benedict, 2004
Tobias Hoheisel
Scenic & Costume Designer
Tobias Hoheisel
Hometown: Frankfurt, Germany
SFO Debut:
The Magic Flute, 2006
Past Seasons:
Ariadne auf Naxos, 2018
Capriccio, 2016
Arabella, 2012
The Magic Flute, 2010
David Finn
Lighting Designer
David Finn
Hometown: St. Paul, MN
SFO Debut:
Arabella, 2012
Susanne Sheston
Chorus Master
Susanne Sheston
Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT
2025 Season
SFO Debut:
2008 Season
Past Seasons:
2024 Season
2023 Season
2022 Season
2021 Season
2019 Season
2018 Season
2017 Season
2016 Season
2015 Season
2014 Season
2013 Season
2012 Season
2011 Season
2010 Season
2009 Season
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