Grand Duchess of Gerolstein 1979
Vive La Grande-Duchesse!…
…returning to delight audiences with its uproariously funny story set to Offenbach’s elegant, lyrical score.
Synopsis
Act I
The scene is set in the fictional Grand Duchy of Gerolstein, in Europe, in the mid-nineteenth century.
An encampment of soldiers. Gerolstein is ruled by a Grand Duchess who inherited her position at an early age. Her sole tutors have been the diplomat Baron Puck and the General of the Armies Boum. Puck has arranged a war to divert the Grand Duchess from her romantic tendencies which are somewhat reckless even though she’s only 20 and an absolute ruler.
A grand review of the army is about to be held. In the ranks is the young recruit Fritz. He has already made General Bourn jealous by winning the affection of the peasant girl Wanda. The Grand Duchess arrives to review her troops, for romantic as well as battle potential, and Fritz catches her eye. She calls him out of the ranks, first speaks with him, then sings with him and in a matter of moments Fritz is promoted to corporal, then sergeant lieutenant and finally captain, very much to the chagrin of General Bourn. The Grand Duchess withdraws to her state tent to study the battle plans. She receives Prince Paul, heir to a neighboring duchy, who has been waiting six months to propose to her. The Grand Duchess has no interest in marrying Paul but allows him to sit in on the war council. General Boum submits the plans. Corporal Fritz denounces them as nonsense. Boum and Puck counter by claiming that Fritz cannot speak since he is neither a commanding officer nor a noble. The Grand Duchess settles the issue by promoting Fritz to general’s rank and making him a baron. Fritz proposes a plan and the Grand Duchess finds him so charming that she makes him supreme commander of the war, presenting him with her late father’s saber, a potent symbol. As Boum, Puck and Prince Paul plot the downfall of the new favorite, the troops march off to war.
Act II
A reception room in the palace. The war is won and the ladies-in-waiting eagerly anticipate the return of the army and love-life. Supreme Commander Fritz returns in triumph with a tale of victory. The Grand Duchess dismisses the court in order to privately welcome Fritz. Claiming to speak for one of her ladies, the Grand Duchess subtly confesses her passion for him. Preoccupied romantically with Wanda and unable to think of his ruler as a woman, Fritz misses the point. The absolute ruler, not accustomed to having her feelings hurt, immediately desires revenge. She overhears Boum, Puck and Prince Paul conspiring against Fritz and surprises and delights them by joining their plot. All recall the Red Chamber in the right wing of the palace where a former Grand Duchess had her former favorite assassinated. Fritz is assigned to the Red Chamber.
Act III
Scene 1: The Red Chamber. The conspirators are joined by Baron Grog, an advisor to Prince Paul, who captivates the Grand Duchess to such an extent that in return for Grog agreeing to remain in Gerolstein, she agrees to wed Prince Paul. In order to avoid bloodshed on her wedding day, it follows for her to countermand the assassination of Fritz and. in order to promote celebration, to permit him to marry Wanda. Further to promote celebration, the conspirators are permitted to frustrate consummation of the marriage between Fritz and Wanda by a series of wedding night serenades and a mock summons to military command.
Scene 2: The army encampment. Celebrations of the marriage between the Grand Duchess and Prince Paul are at their height when Fritz arrives most improperly. not only tom from his marriage bed in a state of frustration but also waylaid enroute by a jealous husband Boum had misinformed. The Grand Duchess demotes Fritz for permitting the emblems of the supreme commander to be so dishonored. Bourn is reinstated. Puck is awarded keeping of the saber. Fritz and Wanda determine that the best way to serve the country is procreation. The Grand Duchess is amused.
Artists
Ann Howard
Mezzo-soprano
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein
Ann Howard
Hometown: London, England
SFO Debut:
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1974
Past Seasons:
L’Opinion Publique, Orpheus in the Underworld, 1985
Caliban, The Tempest, 1985
L’Opinion Publique, Orpheus in the Underworld, 1983
Adelaide von Waldner, Arabella, 1983
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Carmen, Carmen, 1975 (August 2 – 23)
Hero, L’Egisto, 1974
Leo Goeke
Tenor
Fritz
Leo Goeke
Hometown: Kirksville, MO
SFO Debut:
Fritz, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Past Seasons:
Painter/African Prince, Lulu, 1979
Narraboth, Salome, 1979
Stephen Dickson
Baritone
Prince Paul
Stephen Dickson
Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK
SFO Debut:
Emilio, The Italian Straw Hat, 1977
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1972
Past Seasons:
Papageno, The Magic Flute, 1984
Prince Paul, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Papageno, The Magic Flute, 1979
Guglielmo, Così fan tutte, 1977
Guest, Melusine, 1972
Jack Davison
Baritone
Baron Grog
Jack Davison
Hometown: Bolivar, MO
SFO Debut:
Baron Grog, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1972
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1959
Past Seasons:
Napoléon, Orpheus in the Underworld, 1983
Baron Grog, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Dr. Goll/A Professor, Lulu, 1979
Alcindoro, La bohème, 1974
Baron Grog, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1974
Dr. Goll, Lulu, 1974
Njegus, The Merry Widow, 1973
Fifth Jew, Salome, 1972
Claude Corbeil
Bass-baritone
General Boum
Claude Corbeil
Hometown: Quebec, Canada
SFO Debut:
Nonancourt, The Italian Straw Hat, 1977
Past Seasons:
Don Alfonso, Così fan tutte, 1990
Music Master, Ariadne auf Naxos, 1990
Don Alfonso, Così fan tutte, 1988
Jupiter, Orpheus in the Underworld, 1985
Speaker of the Temple, Magic Flute, 1984
Count Robinson, Il matrimonio segreto, 1984
Jupiter, Orpheus in the Underworld, 1983
Count Waldner, Arabella, 1983
Lothario, Mignon, 1982
Frank, Die Fledermaus, 1982
Don Basilio, The Barber of Seville, 1981 (August 22- 27)
General Boum, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Don Alfonso, Così fan tutte, 1977
Douglas Perry
Tenor
Baron Puck
Douglas Perry
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
SFO Debut:
Timothy, Help! Help! The Globolinks, 1970
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1968, 1969
Past Seasons:
Old P’eng/Old Mountain Dweller, A Night at the Chinese Opera, 1989
Baron Puck, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Journalist, Lulu, 1979
First Jew, Salome, 1979
Bardolph, Falstaff, 1977
Desiré, Fedora, 1977
Dema, L’Egisto, 1976
Don Basilio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1976
Thaddeus Stevens, The Mother of Us All, 1976
El Remendado, Carmen, 1975
Bardolph, Falstaff, 1975
La Rainette/Le Petit Vieillard, L’enfant et les Sortilèges, 1975
Benoit, La bohème, 1974
Baron Puck, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1974
Monostatos, The Magic Flute, 1974 (August 14 – 23)
The Prince, Lulu, 1974
Dema, L’Egisto, 1974
Benoit, La bohème, 1973
Don Basilio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1973
Raoul de St. Brioche, The Merry Widow, 1973
Le Petit Vieillard/ La Rainette, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1973
Baron Puck, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1972
Goro, Madame Butterfly, 1972
Secretary, Melusine, 1972
First Jew, Salome, 1972
Baron Puck, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1971
Monostatos, The Magic Flute, 1971
Don Basilio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1971
Don Basilio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1970
Singer, Opera, 1970
Sellem, The Rake’s Progress, 1970
Timothy, Help! Help! The Globolinks, 1969
First Priest, The Magic Flute, 1969
Fourth Jew, Salome, 1969
Spoletta, Tosca, 1969 (July 5 – 16)
Lackey, Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
Sunny Joy Langton
Soprano
Wanda
Sunny Joy Langton
Hometown: Vienna, VA
SFO Debut:
Wanda, The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1977
Past Seasons:
Annabella, The Confidence Man, 1982
Papagena, The Magic Flute, 1979
Scot Weir
Tenor
Nepomuc
Scot Weir
Hometown: Colorado
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1979
Past Seasons:
Nepomuc, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
First Armored Man, The Magic Flute, 1979
Beverly Hoch
Soprano
Iza
Beverly Hoch
Hometown: Kansas
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1979
Past Seasons:
Iza, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Slave, Salome, 1979
Karen Huffstodt
Soprano
Olga
Karen Huffstodt
Hometown: Peru, IL
SFO Debut:
The Soldier’s Wife, We Come to the River, 1984
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1979
Past Seasons:
L’Ensoleillad, Chérubin, 1989
Olga, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Felicity LaFortune
Mezzo-soprano
Amelie
Felicity LaFortune
Hometown: Illinois
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1979
Past Seasons:
Amelie, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Rebecca Barber
Mezzo-soprano
Charlotte
Rebecca Barber
Hometown: Indiana
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1979, 1980
Past Seasons:
Second Lady, The Magic Flute, 1980
Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Handmaiden, Salome, 1979
John Crosby
Conductor
John Crosby
Hometown: New York, NY
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, 1957
Past Seasons:
La traviata, 2002
The Egyptian Helen, 2001
Elektra, 2000
Countess Maritza, 1999
Ariadne auf Naxos, 1999
Madame Butterfly, 1998
Salome, 1998
La traviata, 1997
Arabella, 1997
Madame Butterfly, 1996
Daphne, 1996
Countess Maritza, 1995
Salome, 1995
Tosca, 1994 (July 1 – 15)
Intermezzo, 1994
La bohème, 1993 (July 2 – 16)
Capriccio, 1993
Die Fledermaus, 1992
Der Rosenkavalier, 1992
La traviata, 1991 (June 28 – July 6)
Die schweigsame Frau, 1991
La bohème, 1990
Ariadne auf Naxos, 1990
La traviata, 1989 (June 30 – July 12)
Der Rosenkavalier, 1989
Die Fledermaus, 1988
Feuersnot, 1988
Friedenstag, 1988
Madame Butterfly, 1987
Die schweigsame Frau, 1987
Die Fledermaus, 1986
The Egyptian Helen, 1986
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1985
Die Liebe der Danae, 1985
A Florentine Tragedy, 1984
Violanta, 1984
Intermezzo, 1984
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1983
Arabella, 1983
Die Fledermaus, 1982
Die Liebe der Danae, 1982
La bohème, 1981
Daphne, 1981
La traviata, 1980
Elektra, 1980
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1979
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1979
Salome, 1979
Tosca, 1978
Salome, 1978
The Italian Straw Hat, 1977
Fedora, 1977
La traviata, 1976
Salome, 1976
Carmen, 1975
La bohème, 1974
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1974
La bohème, 1973
The Merry Widow, 1973
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1972
Madame Butterfly, 1972
Salome, 1972
Don Carlo, 1971
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1971
La traviata, 1970
Anna Bolena, 1970
Tosca, 1969
Salome, 1969
Madame Butterfly, 1968
La traviata, 1968
Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
Carmen, 1967
La bohème, 1967
Tosca, 1966
Capriccio, 1966
Rigoletto, 1966
La traviata, 1965
Madame Butterfly, 1965
Arabella, 1965
Rigoletto, 1964
Daphne, 1964
La bohème, 1964 (August 22 & 28)
Die Fledermaus, 1963
Madame Butterfly, 1963
Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Salome, 1962
Oedipus Rex, 1962 (and Director)
Perséphone, 1962
Tosca, 1962
Der Rosenkavalier, 1961
La bohème, 1961
The Gondoliers, 1960
Tosca, 1960
Die Fledermaus, 1959
Madame Butterfly, 1959
La bohème, 1958
Wuthering Heights, 1958
Capriccio, 1958
Bliss Hebert
Director
Bliss Hebert
Hometown: Faust, NY
SFO Debut:
The Rake’s Progress, 1957
Past Seasons:
L’incoronazione di Poppea, 1986
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1985
The Tempest, 1985
Violanta, 1984
A Florentine Tragedy, 1984
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1983
Mignon, 1982
The Rake’s Progress, 1981
Erwartung, 1980
Von Heute auf Morgen, 1980
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Salome, 1979
Salome, 1978
Pelléas and Mélisande, 1977
The Marriage of Figaro, 1976
Salome, 1976
Carmen, 1975
La vida breve, 1975
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1975
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1974
The Magic Flute, 1974
Le Rossignol, 1973
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1973
The Marriage of Figaro, 1973
The Merry Widow, 1973
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1972
Pelléas and Mélisande, 1972
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1971
The Magic Flute, 1971
The Marriage of Figaro, 1971
Le Rossignol, 1970
The Marriage of Figaro, 1970
The Rake’s Progress, 1970
Le Rossignol, 1969
The Magic Flute, 1969
The Magic Flute, 1968
Boulevard Solitude, 1967
Don Giovanni, 1966
The Rake’s Progress, 1966
The Stag King, 1965
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
Rigoletto, 1964
Le Rossignol, 1963
Le Rossignol, 1962
The Rake’s Progress, 1962
The Rake’s Progress, 1960
Tosca, 1960
Abduction from the Seraglio, 1959
Regina, 1959
Falstaff, 1958
Allen Charles Klein
Scenic Designer
Allen Charles Klein
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
SFO Debut:
The Rake’s Progress, 1970
Past Seasons:
L’incoronazione di Poppea, 1986 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
The Tempest, 1985 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Mignon, 1982
The Rake’s Progress, 1981 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Salome, 1979 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Salome, 1978 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Falstaff, 1977
Pelléas and Mélisande, 1977 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
La Traviata, 1976
L’Egisto, 1976 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
The Marriage of Figaro, 1976 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Salome, 1976 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Falstaff, 1975
La vida breve, 1975 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1975 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1974
L’Egisto, 1974 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1973 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
The Marriage of Figaro, 1973 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
The Merry Widow, 1973
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1972
Pelléas and Mélisande, 1972 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1971
The Marriage of Figaro, 1971 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Yerma, 1971 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
The Marriage of Figaro, 1970 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Suzanne Mess
Costume Designer
Suzanne Mess
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
SFO Debut:
The Rake’s Progress, 1970
Past Seasons:
Eugene Onegin, 1980
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1979
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Eugene Onegin, 1978
Falstaff, 1977
La traviata, 1976
Carmen, 1975
Falstaff, 1975
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1974
La bohème, 1974
The Flying Dutchman, 1973
The Merry Widow, 1973
La bohème, 1973
Don Giovanni, 1972
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1972
The Flying Dutchman, 1971
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1971
Craig Miller
Lighting Designer
Craig Miller
Hometown: Hugoton, KS
SFO Debut:
The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Past Seasons:
Don Giovanni, 1996
La fanciulla del West, 1995
La bohème, 1993
The Magic Flute, 1993
Capriccio, 1993
The Protagonist, 1993
The Tsar Has His Photograph Taken, 1993
Die Fledermaus, 1992
Don Giovanni, 1992
The Beggar’s Opera, 1992
Der Rosenkavalier, 1992
The Sorrows of Young Werther, 1992
La traviata, 1991
The Marriage of Figaro, 1991
La fanciulla de West, 1991
Oedipus, 1991
La bohème, 1990
Così fan tutte, 1990
Orfeo ed Euridice, 1990
Ariadne auf Naxos, 1990
Judith, 1990
La traviata, 1989
La Calisto, 1989
Der Rosenkavalier, 1989
A Night at the Chinese Opera, 1989
Die Fledermaus, 1988
Così fan tutte, 1988
Feuersnot, 1988
Friedenstag, 1988
The Black Mask, 1988
Madame Butterfly, 1987
The Marriage of Figaro, 1988
Ariodante, 1988
Die schweigsame Frau, 1987
The Nose, 1987
Die Fledermaus, 1986
The Magic Flute, 1986
The Egyptian Helen, 1986
The King Goes Forth to France,1986
The Marriage of Figaro, 1985
The English Cat, 1985
The Tempest, 1985
A Florentine Tragedy, 1984
Violanta, 1984
The Magic Flute, 1984
Intermezzo, 1984
We Come to the River, 1984
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1983
Don Pasquale, 1983
Arabella, 1983
L’Orione, 1983
The Turn of the Screw, 1983
Die Fledermaus, 1982
The Marriage of Figaro, 1982
Die Liebe der Danae, 1982
The Confidence Man, 1982
La bohème, 1981
Daphne, 1981
The Rake’s Progress, 1981
News of the Day, 1981
La traviata, 1980
The Magic Flute, 1980
Erwartung, 1980
Von Heute auf Morgan, 1980
Elektra, 1980
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1979
The Magic Flute, 1979
Lulu, 1979
Salome, 1979
George Manahan
Conductor
Chorus Master
George Manahan
Hometown: Atlanta, GA
SFO Debut:
Von Heute auf Morgen, 1980
Previous Seasons:
The Last Savage, 2011
Emmeline, 1996
The Marriage of Figaro, 1995
Modern Painters, 1995
Tosca, 1994 (July 22 – August 27)
Blond Eckbert, 1994
The Magic Flute, 1993
The Protagonist, 1993
The Tsar Has His Photograph Taken, 1993
Don Giovanni, 1992
The Sorrows of Young Werther, 1992
The Marriage of Figaro, 1991 (August 10 – 23)
Oedipus, 1991
A Night at the Chinese Opera, 1989
The Black Mask, 1988
The Marriage of Figaro, 1987
The Magic Flute, 1986
The English Cat, 1985
The Magic Flute, 1984
The Barber of Seville, 1981 Chorus Master; (Conductor, August 22 – 27)
The Rake’s Progress, 1981 Chorus Master; (Conductor, July 29)
La bohème, 1981 (Chorus Master)
Daphne, 1981 (Chorus Master)
News of the Day, 1981 (Chorus Master)
La traviata, 1980 (Chorus Master)
The Magic Flute, 1980 (Chorus Master)
Eugene Onegin, 1980 (Chorus Master)
Elektra, 1980 (Chorus Master)
Die Jakobsleiter, 1980 (Chorus Master)
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein 1979
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