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Welcome to the Vera of Las Vegas Website. This site is a resource for presenters of the opera, as well as for fans and for Vera's extended family of present, past casts and production teams.

EUROPEAN PREMIERE CAST (IRELAND) | AMERICAN PREMIERE CAST (NYC) | PREMIERE RECORDING CAST (VEGAS)

EUROPEAN PREMIERE & IRELAND TOUR

19,20 November 2004, Hawk's Well Theatre, Sligo, Ireland
23 November 2004, Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Ireland
25 November 2004, Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick, Ireland
27 November 2004, Everyman Palace Theatre, Cork, Ireland
29 November 2004, Town Hall Theatre, Galway, Ireland
2,4 December 2004, The Helix, Dublin, Ireland

The Opera Theatre Company
Chief Executive: Andrew McLellan
Director: Annilese Miskimmon
Musical Director: David Brophy
Designer: Neil Irish
Lighting Designer: Tina MacHugh
Movement Director: Linda Dobell
Video Artist: Ciara Moore

STARRING
Jonathan Peter Kenny ~ Charlotte Page ~ Eugene Ginty ~ Alan Fairs

THE CATCHALLS
Rebekah Coffey ~ Carolyn Dobbin ~ Shirley Keane ~ Bridget Knowles ~ Elizabeth Woods

THE VERA BAND

Piano / Conductor
Clarinet / Soprano Sax / Alto Sax / Bass Clarinet / Alto Flute
Acoustic Bass / Fretless Electric Bass
Percussion
David Brophy
Ken Edge
Joe Csibi
Noel Eccles
CHARLOTTE PAGE, Doll, studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Operatic engagements include First Niece PETER GRIMES for the Royal Opera Covent Garden at the Savonlinna Festival and in Peter Stein’s production for Welsh National Opera, Gretel HÄNSEL UND GRETEL for Welsh National Opera and Opera Northern Ireland, Yum-Yum THE MIKADO, Mabel THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE and Phyllis IOLANTHE for D’Oyly Carte Opera, Polly Peachum THE BEGGAR’S OPERA for Central Festival Opera, Jenny THE THREEPENNY OPERA for The Opera Group, Adele DIE FLEDERMAUS and Norina DON PASQUALE for Crystal Clear Opera, Zerlina DON GIOVANNI for Pimlico Opera, THE ROSWELL INCIDENT for Music Theatre Wales, title-role LA BELLE HÉLÈNE for Court Opera at Holland Park, Galatea ACIS & GALATEA for the English Bach Festival at the Linbury Studio Theatre, Royal Opera House, Despina COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Nora RIDERS TO THE SEA, Adina L’ELISIR D’AMORE, Boy Philip in Andrew Gant’s THE BASEMENT ROOM, Pamina DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE, Cherubino LE NOZZE DI FIGARO and Climene L’EGISTO. She also starred as Christine PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at Her Majesty’s Theatre, London for eighteen months. Foreign engagements include Mélisande PELLÉAS ET MÉLISANDE for Atelier Lyrique, Orleans on tour throughout France, Aldimira ERISMENA for Opera Theatre Company in Ireland, at the City of London, Buxton and Aldeburgh Festivals and concerts in Tokyo. Recent and future engagements include Johann Strauss Gala Concerts for Raymond Gubbay throughout the UK, title role LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR for Haddo House Opera, Paquette CANDIDE for The Opera Group, Mahler 4th Symphony for Cernier Festival, Viennese Concerts for Raymond Gubbay, Yum-Yum THE MIKADO for Carl Rosa Opera on tour throughout the States, Adele DIE FLEDERMAUS for Opera Holland Park, Miss Rowan LET’S MAKE AN OPERA and Rowan THE LITTLE SWEEP for Aldeburgh Festival and Doll in Daron Hagen’s VERA OF LAS VEGAS for Opera Theatre Company.
ALAN FAIRS, Dumdum, studied privately with Audrey Langford, and more recently with Robert Dean. His next engagement will be his debut as The Notary in covent Garden’s production of Der Rosenkavalier. He frequently appears as a guest artist with Welsh National Opera where he has performed the roles of Sacristan Tosca, Bonze Madam Butterfly, Dikoj Katya Kabanova, Swallow Peter Grimes, Basilio Barber of Seville, Foreman Jenufa, Monterone Rigoletto, Talpa Il Tabarro, Dulcamara L’Elisir d’Amore and most recently Bartolo Marriage of Figaro. At Glyndebourne, Alan has sung Antonio Marriage of Figaro and Starveling Midsummer Night’s Dream, but more recently Micha and Kezal in Smetana’s Bartered Bride. With Scottish Opera he was engaged for the role of Bonze in their new production of Madama Butterfly, as well as Kommissar in Der Rosenkavalier. He has also appeared as guest soloist in concert with Scottish Opera. He performed the role of Avocat in Un Re in Ascolte in Geneva. He will return to Glyndebourne for their production of Bartered Bride in Summer 2005. With other companies and festivals Alan has performed many roles which include Don Alfonso Cosi, Don Pasquale, Osmin Entfuehrung, Sarastro Il Zauberfloete, Leporello Don Giovanni, Gremin Eugene Onegin, Oroveso Norma, Geronimo Il Matrimonio Segreto, Falstaff Falstaff and Merry Wives of Windsor, and Alberich Das Rheingold.
EUGENE GINTY, Taco. Eugene started singing while at Durham University and in 1995 made his American debut as Tamino in Die Zauberflöte in Boston. Roles include Don Ramiro Cinderella, Tonio The Daughter of the Regiment and Tamino (The Magic Flute) for English Touring Opera, Count Almaviva Il barbieri di Siviglia for Opera Holland Park, Sandy The Lighthouse, Lucas The Kiss , Tamino/Monostatos The (little) Magic Flute for Opera Theatre Company and most recently Rosei Kantan and Damask Drum by Alexander Goehr. Concert performances include Verdi’s Requiem with the Philharmonia, Hirt Tristan and Isolde at The Barbican, Beethoven’s Ninth at the Royal Albert Hall and The Messiah at the National Concert Hall. Recordings include Strauss’ Deutsche Motette and roles in Il trovatore and Der Rosenkavalier for Chandos. Recent appearances include Mac beth 7 for PanPan Theatre Company in Dublin.
JONATHAN PETER KENNY, Vera. Jonathan read music at Exeter University before training at the Guildhall. For Opera Theatre Company his Handel productions include Polinesso Ariodante, the title role Amadigi, Andronico Tamerlano, Guido Flavio and Bertarido Rodelinda. Other roles include Nireno Giulio Cesare for the Royal Opera, David Saul ( Covent Garden Festival), title role Orfeo Gluck (Scottish Opera), Shepherd Monteverdi’s Orfeo (Salzburg & ENO) and Tobias and the Angel (Almeida Festival). Contemporary operas include Hey Persephone! by Northern Irish composer Deirdre Gribbin. International roles include Hamor Jephtha for the Nederlandse Bach Vereniging, Arsamene Serse with the Gabrieli Consort as well as two premieres at the Polish National Opera. Recordings include Agrippina and Dido and Aeneas with John Eliot Gardiner and Jonathan Miller’s BBC film/CD of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion. Future plans include Trinculo The Tempest (Strasbourg & Copenhagen) and Vera Vera of Las Vegas OTC in November 2004.
ELIZABETH WOODS studied French, Spanish and International Marketing at Dublin City University before pursuing singing studies in Italy thanks to a scholarship from the Istituto Italiano di Cultura at the Scuola Musicale di Milano. She subsequently studied with Dame Joan Sutherland, Mo. Richard Bonynge and Dianne Furlano in the Britten-Pears School for Advanced Musical Studies. With Wexford Festival Opera, she has performed the role of Sophie in the Opera Scenes production of Werther. Elizabeth was awarded the Gerard Arnhold Bursary at the 1998 Wexford Festival where she sang Adele in Die Fledermaus. She returned to Wexford in 1999 to sing the role of Cesnikova in Strasny Dwor. For Opera Ireland, Elizabeth has performed The First Bridesmaid in The Marriage Of Figaro, The High Priestess in Aida and The Woman convict in Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk. She sang the role of Adina in L’Elisir D’Amore for Opera Theatre Company. For the Anna Livia International Opera Festival she performed the role of Giorgetta in Puccini’s Il Tabarro. For Garden Opera, Micaela in Carmen and for both Lyric Opera and RTE Theatre Nights, Hanna Glawari The Merry Widow. Future engagements include a recording of Victorian songs with The National Concert Orchestra.
REBEKAH COFFEY is a native of Newtownards and a graduate of The Queen’s University of Belfast (B.Mus., First Class). She graduated from The Royal Northern College of Music with a Postgraduate Vocal Diploma. Rebekah has sung Adele in Die Fledermaus (Castleward Opera 1999), Telbaldo, Don Carlos (Stowe Opera 2002), Gretel, Hänsel and Gretel (2003). She covered the role of Emmie in Britten’s Albert Herring (Opera North 2002) and was Kate in Lefanu's Green Children (Buxton Opera Festival 2002). For the RNCM she sang the role of Flora in Britten’s The Turn of The Screw, for which she received high critical acclaim. 2003 highlights include the role of Oscar in Verdi’s The Masked Ball (Wilmslow Opera), Cecelia in a concert performance of Iolanthe (Hallé Orchestra at the Bridgewater Hall under the baton of Carl Davies) and Flora The Turn of The Screw (ETO). Concerts include BBC Radio Ulster Lunchtime Recital series and a recording for BBC “Sing Carols”. Future plans include Peaseblossom Midsummer Night’s Dream and Bridesmaid/cover Susanna Marriage of Figaro (ETO).
SHIRLEY KEANE is from Limerick city, Ireland. She has an honours degree in acting from the Rose Bruford College of Drama and subsequently spent one year on the post-graduate vocal course at The Guildhall School of Music. Shirley has just completed the post-graduate opera course at the Royal Academy of Music for which she received a scholarship. Highlights during her acting studies include Paulina in A Winter’s Tale, Olga in Chekhov’s Three Sisters and Ariel in The Tempest. For Royal Academy Opera Shirley has sung the roles of Valetto in L’incoronazione di Poppea, Lisetta in Il mondo della luna by Haydn and Margarita in The School for Fathers. Also for the Royal Academy Shirley gave the world premiere of five Bax songs as part of the RAM Bax commemoration festival and she was the winner of the Michael Head prize for song and was awarded the Isabella Lucas prize. Other awards included the Margaret Arnold Award from the Arts Council of Ireland, she was a finalist in the Veronica Dunne Opera Competition (Irish section) and a semi-finalist in the Young European Opera Singer’s competition in Milan. Recent oratorio performances include Haydn’s Theresienmesse and Nelson Mass,Beethoven’s Mass in C and Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio.
CAROLYN DOBBIN began her career as a teacher of Art and Design before commencing the Opera course at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2002, where she studies with Patricia MacMahon. At the RSAMD and Castleward Opera, Carolyn has sung the roles of Maddalena (Rigoletto 2004), Dido (Dido and Aeneas '04), Cherubino (Figaro '04), Idamante (Idomeneo '03), Alisa (Lucia di Lammermoor 2002), The Plaintiff (Trial by Jury 2002) and Barbarina (le nozze di Figaro 2001).Squirrel (L’enfant et les sortileges '03) and In 2005, Carolyn will appear as Dorabella (Cosi fan tutte, directed by Sir Thomas Allen) at the inaugural operatic presentation of Gateshead’s new Sage Theatre. Later in 2004, she will be appearing with Sir Charles Mackerras in Der Freischutz in the Edinburgh Festival and for Ireland’s Opera Theatre Company in ‘Vera of Las Vegas’. Carolyn has appeared as guest soloist and given recitals throughout the UK. She has broadcast for the BBC and recently worked on the sound track for the film Solid Air which was premiered at the Edinburgh Festival. Carolyn forms part of a group of musicians called Transfusion including John Wallace that performed at the Kilkenny Festival 2003 and further concerts are planned later this year. She has also performed with Patricia MacMahon and the acclaimed accompanist, Malcolm Martineau in a recital in Edinburgh. She made her debut appearance with Hand Made Opera in May 2004 in an operatic gala in Malta. Other Future engagements include an Opera Gala concert in Oslo, Montsalvatge's 'Cancion de Negro', Horovitz's Lady Macbeth scena and Mahlers Ruckertlied in Glasgow and Belfast. Oratorio performances include, Schubert's Mass in B, Vivaldi's Gloria, Mozart's Requiem, Haydn's Heiligmesse, Handel’s Coronation Anthems, The Russian Requiem by Elis Pehkonen and Handel’s Messiah at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. Future engagements include Beethovens Mass in C and Mendelsons Elijah. Carolyn has won many competitions including gold medal winner at the British Federation of festivals at Warwick University, the Margaret Dick Competition '03 and was runner up for two years in prestigious The Governors' Prize held at the RSAMD and represented the RSAMD in the inter-conservatoire Bruce Millar Competition She has taken part in many courses including the prestigious Samling Foundation, Opera Plus, Hand Made Opera in Italy, and Oxenfoord International Summer School which has led to her participation in Masterclasses with Sir Thomas Allen and Sarah Walker.
BRIDGET KNOWLES was born in Dublin and graduated from UCC with an honours B. Mus. and MA. She began her singing studies with Robert Beare at the Cork School of Music before taking up a place at the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. She has recently completed a year at the National Opera Studio in London funded by Guinness (Diageo PLC) and is currently taking lessons with Felicity Palmer. Her many opera roles include Julius Caeser (Julius Caeser), Eduige (Rodelinda), Isabella (L’Italiana in Algeri), Arsace (Semiramide), Charlotte (Werther) and Suzuki (Madama Butterfly). Her extensive career has featured engagements with Glyndebourne Festival and Touring Opera and RTE. She has also worked under the baton of Sir Charles Mackerras and is a regular performer at the National Concert Hall in Dublin. This is her first appearance with OTC.
ANNILESE MISKIMMON, Director, was born in Belfast in 1974 . She read English Literature at Christ's College, Cambridge and Arts Management at London City University. A staff producer at Welsh National Opera from 1996 until 2001, she has also worked with English National Opera and extensively with the BBC Orchestras and Proms, and at Glyndebourne. Her opera directing career to date has taken her to the San Francisco Opera, Bologna,Toronto, Le Châtelet (Paris), Oslo, Glyndebourne and Frankfurt. She has worked with many of the world's leading conductors including Rattle, Gardiner, Elder, Jurowski, McGegan, and Mackerras. Annilese combines her position at OTC with a busy freelance directing career and with another recent appointment as Consultant Associate Director at Glyndebourne which embraces the training of new directors; and the support and development of young singers. Opera education and outreach includes projects for Glyndebourne; the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment; the National Opera Studio (London); The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School; Beijing Conservatoire; Théâtre du Châtelet; and WNO - working not just with children but also with audiences, young singers, directors, designers and composers. Future new productions include Semele for British Youth Opera, la bohème for English Touring Opera, La Pietra del Paragone for Stanley Hall, and new projects for Glyndebourne Education and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra (with Alexander McCall Smith).
THE VERA BAND

DAVID BROPHY, Musical Director / Keyboards. David is a graduate of Trinty College Dublin and of the Dublin Institute of Technology. During the 1990's he participated in masterclasses in England, the Netherlands and Ireland, studying with George Hurst, Jac van Steen and Gerhard Markson. After a period as Apprentice Conductor with the National Chamber Choir, he was the first person to occupy the position of Assistant Conductor with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland. He has also worked with other ensembles, including the RTE Concert Orchestra, Irish Chamber Orchestra, Valdosta Symphony Orchestra, Opera Theater Company, Lyric Opera, Orchestra of St. Cecilia, Vox21 and Crash Ensemble. David has worked with international artists such as Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Hugh Tinney, Harry Sparnaay, Raphael Wallfisch, Mikhail Rudy, Liam O'Flynn, Riverdance and U2. As well as performing throughout Ireland, he has appeared in Europe, Africa, the USA and Canada. His broadcasts include RTE, BBC, CBC (Canada) and a live EBU broadcast to listeners throughout Europe. In 2003, David performed at the opening ceremony of the Special Olympics World Games and directed the Irish premiere of Steve Reich's Music for Eighteen Musicians. He has given many premieres of works by Irish composers, including Frank Corcoran, Raymond Deane, Ian Wilson, and Shaun Davey. David also works as a pianist and accompanist throughout Ireland. As a composer his works have won many awards and have been performed at numerous events, including the Belfast Sonorities Festival.
KEN EDGE, Reeds, was born in Dublin, Ireland. He studied Saxophone with Sydney Egan in the College of Music, Dublin, John Harle in London and Jean Marie Londeix at the Bordeaux Conservatory, gaining the prestigious Premier Prix award of his class. Other awards include Ireland's 'Young Musician of the year' and a number of arts council grants for foreign study and composition. Kenneth has had many new works dedicated to him, most recently John Buckley's Cocnerto for Alto sax and strings, which has been released on CD with Kenneth as soloist with the Irish Cahmebr Orchestra. Kenneth has held the posts of music director of Ireland's Coisceim Dance Theater Company. for which he composed the scores for five of their productions, and artist in residence to the University of Limerick. Kenneth was the original saxophonist for Riverdance, which took him around the world for five years. Kenneth regularly collaborates with pianist/composer Michael O Suilleabhain in their froup Hiberno Jazz. He is also active as a conductor with the new music ensemble Vox 21.
JOE CBISI, Bassist. Former Musical Director of Riverdance, Joe Cbisi has recorded, arranged for and played with Pavarotti, Sting Sinead O'Connor, The Chieftans, the Kirov and Bolsjoi tours, Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Eddie Reader. Additional collaborations include The Celtic Tenors, Maire Breathnach, Luka Bloom, Tommy Fleming, Iarla O'Lionard and David Essex. Originally with the Irish National Symphony Orchestra, Joe has performed as Principal and Solo Bass player with the Irish Film Orchestra and Opera Theater Company. He has collaborated with world-leading composers including Elmer Bernstein, Shaun Davy, Randy Edelman and the Merchant Ivory Film Company, on films such as The Mask, Age of Innocence, The Tailor of Panama, Twelfth Night, and Remains of the Day. Other achievments include Musical Director of Strictly Sinatra, composer of Four Shades of Walter, musical palette for (Real World label's) artist Iarla O'Lionard and involvement in The Beatles Retrospective.
NOEL ECCLES, Percussion, was principal percussionist with the RTE National Symphony Orchestra for 18 years and principal percussionist with Irish Film Orchestras for 14 years. His innovative and original approach to percussion can be heard on numerous film scores and his album credits include: U2, The Corrs, Mike Oldfield, The Chieftans, Van Morrison, Secret Garden, Anuna, Liam O'Flynn, Donal Lunny, Elmer Bernstein, Elvis Costello and Shaun Davey. Noel was a member of the ground-breaking celtic rock band Moving Hearts. An original member and Musical Director of the Riverdance Orchestra, Noel premiered the show in the major cities of the US, Europe, Asia, and Australia. He was percussion soloist on the videos Riverdance live from Dublin, Riverdance Radio City New York and Riverdance live from Geneva. Noel collaborated with composer Shaun Davey on the original music for the Special Olympics World Summer Games Opening Ceremony in Dublin in 2003 and performed The Arrival of the Olympic Flag with a world percussion ensemble of 150 players. The orchestral suite from the Special Olympics Opening Ceremony had its US premiere on St. Patrick's Day 2004 in Symphony Center Chicago. Future projects include touring with The Scots/Irish musical On Eagles Wing, performances with The Story So Far in France and the US and as much opera as he can fit in!
WORLD STAGED PREMIERE (NEW YORK)

26, 27 June 2003
(four performances)
The Center for Contemporary Opera
Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater at Symphony Space
New York City, USA
Producer: Richard Marshall
Musical Director: Robert Frankenberry  ~  Stage Director: Charles Maryan
Choreographer: Bruce Heath

STARRING
Shequida ~ Patricia Dell ~ Elem Eley ~ Dillon McCartney

THE CATCHALLS
Nicole Cherniak Hyde ~  Karen Jolicoeur ~  Tara Venditti
Gilda Lyons ~ Alison Quinn McConekey ~ Karie Brown

Rebekkah Ross ~ Lisa Hargus

THE VERA QUARTET

Piano / Conductor
Clarinet / Soprano Sax / Alto Sax / Bass Clarinet / Alto Flute
Acoustic Bass / Fretless Electric Bass
Drums

Robert Frankenberry
Paul Garment
Jeff Carney
Jeff Kraus


[SHEQUIDA is VERA! Click here to visit the Shequida Website.]
SHEQUIDA has been cast to star as Vera. This Juilliard-trained opera singer has more to offer than an already impressive five-octave vocal range. Shequida is witty, charming, a linguist, and a skilled dancer. Michael Musto of the Village Voice said, "with that voice, Shequida brings together the bourgeoisie and the unwashed masses in bravos." After many successful European tours, Shequida signed a deal with USA Network as their spokesmodel for Latin America and Brazil. Shequida then played the lead role in the film, "The Agony of Masks" and had a recurring role on the ABC daytime drama "One Life To Live", as Club Indigo's mixologist, Wendi Mercury.
PATRICIA DELL has been cast to star as Doll. She has a versatile career in concert, recital, opera and musical theater. Regional musical theater credits include Milk and Honey (Ruth), A A Little Night Music (Desiree), The King and I (Anna) among others. Ms. Dell has perfomed with the Center for Contemporary Opera in the past in such roles as Mrs. Smith in The Bald Soprano, Laura Gates in Tale for a Deaf Ear, and most recently, Mrs. Stevenson in Jack Beeson's Sorry, Wrong Number. Last season she played Mrs. Eynsford-Hill in Paper Mill Playhouse's (NJ) production of My Fair Lady and just returned from Florida where she tap danced in Anything Goes at the Riverside Theater in Vero Beach. She is currently on the voice faculty at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
PATRICIA DELL is DOLL!
[ELEM ELEY is DUMDUM! Click here to visit the Eley website.]
ELEM ELEY has been cast to star as Dumdum. Mr. Eley will appear this season at Lincoln Center (Handel’s Messiah), with the New Jersey Symphony (Faure’s Requiem), the Charlotte Symphony, the Calvin Oratorio Society, as well as in recital performances of Summers’ Hamlet Songs prior to recording them. He debuted in Europe last season as the Don in Don Giovanni at the Operafestival di Roma. As Winner of the Joy in Singing Award, he presented his New York recital debut in 1996 at Merkin Hall. He made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1995 as soloist with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and Westminster Choir under Joseph Flummerfelt. Recent engagements included concerts with the Symphony Orchestras of Kansas City, New Jersey, Sioux City, Springfield and Syracuse, the Fairfield County Chorale, the Little Orchestra Society at Lincoln Center, the New England Symphonic Ensemble at Carnegie Hall, the New York Chamber Ensemble in its 10th Anniversary Mahlerthon, the Pennsylvania Sinfonia and Princeton Pro Musica, a recital at Weill Hall to begin the new millennium, and Schubert’s Winterreise at Westminster Choir College.
DILLON McCARTNEY has been cast to star as Taco. He recently made his Italian debut in a duo recital with Luciana Serra at the Teatro Bellini in Catania, and made his South American debut in São Paolo, Brazil in Mozart’s L’oca del Cairo (Biondello). Other recent engagements: Carmina Burana with the Pittsburgh Ballet, Haydn’s The Creation with the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh, and the Mozart Mass in c minor and C.P.E. Bach’s Magnificat with the National Chorale at Avery Fisher Hall, in New York. Last season he made his Carnegie Hall debut in Carmina Burana; other engagements included Carmina Burana with the New Philharmonic of New Jersey, Mozart’s Requiem at Carnegie Music Hall in Pittsburgh, the Messiah with Pittsburgh's Orchestra Nova, and Magnificat at Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh. In 2003 he will again sing Carmina Burana at Carnegie Hall, as well as Mozart’s Requiem and Haydn’s Teresienmesse, at Avery Fisher Hall, in New York. He can be heard in Balada’s Torquemada on the New World label. Other roles: Il matrimonio segreto (Paolo), Daphne (Leukippos), Cenerentola (Ramiro), Die Zauberflötte (Tamino), L’elisir d’amore (Nemorino), La Sonnambula (Elvino), Street Scene (Sam) and Henrick in over 250 performances of A Little Night Music. Trained at Carnegie Mellon and the Manhattan School, he continues to study Italian belcanto technique and repertoire with Randolph Mickelson.
Karen Jolicoeur
KAREN JOLICOEUR's credits range from opera and concert to musical theater and cabaret. As a concert soloist, she has sung the Bach B Minor Mass , Handel’s Messiah , the Haydn Nelson Mass , Mozart Vespers , Orff’s Carmina Burana the Poulenc Gloria , and has appeared at Carnegie Hall in the Fauré Requiem and the Haydn Little Organ Mass . Ms. Jolicoeur has performed in numerous premières for New York composers, including A Summer’s Dream (Toscano), a song cycle that was written for her, with the Greenwich Village Philharmonic. Her 20th century repertoire includes critically acclaimed portrayals of Blanche de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites and Anne Trulove in The Rake’s Progress , as well as Polly Peachum in Threepenny Opera , the Girl in Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti and the Female Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia. She has appeared with L’Opéra Français de New York, Connecticut Grand Opera, Eugene Opera and as a young artist with Central City Opera, the Opera Theater of St. Louis and the prestigious Israel Vocal Arts Institute.
GILDA LYONS is active both as a performer and composer. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Music Composition at the University of New York at Stony Brook. There, she recently premiered her cycle for unaccompanied voice on poems of Anne Sexton, A Small Handful. Other current projects as singer and composer include performances in Steve Reich's Music for 18 Musicians, world premiere performances of the operas Uncovered by Night (Roger Zahab), Broken Pieces (Daron Hagen), and her own work for chamber orchestra and voice The Walled Up Wife. She made her professional debut as a singer with the American Symphony Orchestra, performing the world premiere of her orchestral song cycle Feis. A graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and of Bard College, Ms. Lyons has studied voice with Elaine Valby, conducting with Roger Zahab, and composition with Joan Tower, Anne LeBaron, Daria Semegen, Eric Moe, and Roger Zahab.
Gilda Lyons
Nicole Cherniak Hyde
NICOLE CHERNIAK HYDE has spent her last two summers at the Aspen Music Festival as a member of the Aspen Opera Theater Center. While there she played Mrs. Hildebrand in Kurt Weill's Street Scene and covered Cherubino in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro. Ms. Hyde was also a member of Sarasota Opera’s 2002 Apprentice Artist Program. Previous performances have included Cherubino with the Austrian American Mozart Academy in Salzburg and the University of Minnesota Opera Theater. Last year she presented recitals at Greenwich House Music School and Christ & Saint Stephen’s Church in New York City. She also sang with the Wellspring project at Riverside Church and Cherniak Dance at the Joyce SoHo and Merce Cunningham Studio. The Teaneck, NJ native has received degrees from the University of Minnesota and The Pennsylvania State University.
TARA VENDITTI debuted recently with the New York City Opera in Strawberry Fields and The Food of Love; she returned in The Mother of Us All. Other recent roles: Walden’s Kafka: A Letter to My Father (Valli/Felice), with Center for Contemporary Opera, Il Trovatore (Inez), the premiere telecast of Permentier's The Lost Dauphin (Madame Royale), the premiere of John Duffy's Black Water (Michelle) and Out of the Rain (Beth), with which she made her Opera Memphis debut. This season her “Poetry Song Theater” opened at the Flea Theater in Manhattan. A Finalist in the Joy in Singing Award Competition, she was trained at Oberlin, the Manhattan School of Music and the Akademie Mozarteum. She taught voice at Oberlin from 1992-94. She has also appeared with many other opera companies and orchestras in the US including the Santa Fe Opera, Connecticut Grand Opera, Sarasota Opera, Chautauqua Opera, Caramoor Festival, Queensborough Orchestra, Landon Symphony and the American Music Theater Festival.
Tara Venditti
Alison Quinn McConekey
ALISON QUINN McCONEKEY is currently a Master’s student at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music. Mainstage performances at Purchase include roles in The Merry Widow (Anna Glawari), Don Giovanni (Donna Anna, cover), Die Zauberflöte (First Lady), Die Fledermaus, and Suor Angelica. Musical theatre credits include principal and supporting roles in Carousel, Brigadoon, Gypsy, and Oklahoma!, among others. Alison was a top ten finalist in the Miss New York State competition (Miss America Organization), after promoting her platform entitled “Cancer Awareness and Prevention: the Environmental Factors”, last June.
KARIE BROWN's career highlights include performances of many 20th century works, especially those of Kurt Weill and Benjamin Britten. Of her performance at the world premier of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Robert Ward’s opera, Roman Fever (a role the composer asked her to repeat for television), the Durham Independent wrote: “But it was Karie Brown, as Barbara Ansley, who stole the show. Sassy, pert, adventurous, full of life and dance, she was the picture of a 1920’s flapper.” She has sung principal roles with Glimmerglass Opera, New Orleans Opera, Virginia Opera, Opera Memphis, Triangle Opera Theater, Opera Carolina, Southwest Virginia Opera, and the Kurt Weill Fest in Dessau, Germany. She also been engaged for concert and recital appearances with the Philadelphia Orchestra, at New York’s Merkin Hall, and in New Orleans, Santa Barbara, Chicago, Roanoke, and throughout North Carolina.
Karie Brown
Lisa Hargus
LISA HARGUS has been cast to play the role of Trench. New York performances include Ariel in The Tempest; Isabel in Measure for Measure; The Chorus in Anouilh's Antigone; and Arlen in the world premiere of The Star Play. Regional appearances include Wagner in Faustus ( a rock opera); Carol in Oleanna; and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. She is Co-Founder /Artistic Director of 2texans Theatre Company.
REBEKKAH ROSS makes her operatic debut as Trilby. As an actor, she has performed the roles of Antigone in Anouilh's Antigone; Juliet in Romeo and Juliet; Miranda in The Tempest; and readings of The Lesson, Overruled, The Bald Soprano, and Sorry Wrong Number. She is Co-Founder/Artistic Director of 2texans Theatre Company.
Rebekkah Ross
ROBERT FRANKENBERRY, Music Director, is a tenor, pianist, actor and conductor. At the piano, he has worked for organizations such as the Pittsburgh Ballet, Pittsburgh Symphony, Pittsburgh Opera, the Mendelssohn choir of Pittsburgh and the Metropolitan Opera National Council. As principal coach for the Opera Theater of Pittsburgh/Carnegie Mellon University Graduate Program in Opera for the 2000-2001 season, he was music director for Monteverdi’s Madrigals of Love and War, Menotti’s The Old Maid and the Thief, Pergolesi’s La Serva Padrona and Mozart’s La Clemenza di Tito. On stage, his roles range from Mozart in Amadeus to John Adams in 1776 to Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni. He has created several principal roles, including Madam Witch in Seymour Barab’s Sleeping Beauty, John Biddle in Jeremy Beck’s The Biddle Boys and Mrs. Soffel, and George Bates in Roger Zahab’s Uncovered by Night. As a fellow of Millennial Arts Productions’ Baroque Opera Institute, Robert has performed in dramatic works by Monteverdi, Strozzi, Charpentier, Sartorio and Handel in New York City, Palm Beach and at Yale University. He has served on the faculties of the University of Akron, Carnegie Mellon University and Chatham College, and is a charter member of the University of Pittsburgh’s Music on the Edge Ensemble. He holds a BM in Piano Performance from Mercyhurst College and an MM in Voice Performance from Carnegie Mellon University. He is currently a full-time Instructor of Voice and Bassoon at Mercyhurst College.
CHARLES MARYAN, Stage Director. Off Broadway credits include: Cantorial by Ira Levin; New York 1937 by Jose Yjlesias; Mercy Street by Anne Sexton; The World of Wallowitch, conceived by John Wallowitch; and Algonquin Sampler, a literary review conceived with Fred Voelpel. Opera stage director credits include: The Bald Soprano; Markheim; KAFKA; Letter to My Father; The Postman Always Rings Twice; Tale for a Deaf Ear; Transformations; The Medium; The Telephone; Sorry Wrong Number; Angel Levine; Summer for the Center for Contemporary Opera. For the Edinburgh Festival's Fringe 1994, Mr. Maryan directed Personal Affairs, which later performed at London's Etc. Theaatre. He has been an acting consultant for As the World Turns, CBS.
BRUCE HEATH, Choreographer, was Associate Choreographer of the original Broadway production of Sophisticated Ladies and directed the 1999-2000 European tour of the work. Mr. Heath assisted with and choreographed The Black Achievement, Emmy Awards and The Academy Awards shows, the 1994 Olympics and ABC’s Life Goes On and General Hospital. He is the recipient of the Leo Bronze Award for Outstanding Choreography at the Jazz Dance World Congress and the NAACP Award for Director and Choreographer of Sophisticated Ladies. He has been choreographer for several of the Center for Contemporary Opera’s productions.
RICHARD MARSHALL, Producer, produced and conducted the world premiere of Abelard and Heloise, an opera he had commissioned from Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Robert Ward for the Charlotte Opera. Following.this production, Ward and Marshall looked at the opera scene in North America where the works of American composers were almost totally ignored. In an effort to correct this imbalance, the Center for Contemporary Opera was founded, a company devoted entirely to assisting our American composers by offering professional performances of their works. Marshall moved to New York where where he established the company and where, for twenty years, he has devoted himself to building the organization, of which he is General and Artistic Director. With the CCO, he has produced and conducted 41 operas including 14 premieres in a company that has been called “the established modern opera company in New York.”
WORLD PREMIERE RECORDING (LAS VEGAS)

The cover of the CRI release. 8,9,10 March 1996
The University of Nevada Opera Theater Orchestra & Chorus
Ham Concert Hall, Las Vegas
Conductor: Donna Hagen
Executive Producer: Daron Hagen
Producer: Benjamin Milstein
Chorus Master: Lynn Trippy
Recording Engineers: George Safire, Jeff Basso
Mastering Engineer: Adrian Carr

Doll
Dumdum
Taco
Vera

Carolann Page
Paul Kreider
Patrick Jones
Charles Maxwell

The Catchalls
Amy Albritton, Wendy Carlin, Kristin Clark, Kathleen Marx, Deborah Mulenbruck, Jennie Pecoraro, Stephanie Rose, Carrie Stelflue, Kelly Ward

The Vera of Las Vegas Orchestra

Violin A (Concertmaster)
Violin B
Viola
Cello A
Cello B
Contrabass
Oboe / English Horn
Clarinet 1 / Soprano Sax / Bass Clarinet
Clarinet 2 / Alto Sax / Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Trumpet
Trombone
Drum Kit
Percussion
Acoustic Guitar
Acoustic Guitar / Electric Lead Guitar
Electric Bass
Fretless Bass
Acoustic Yamaha Piano
Clavinova P-100 Keyboard
Alesis Qs6.1 Synthesizer
Orchestral Vocalist 1
Orchestral Vocalist 2
Orchestral Vocalist 3
Teresa Ling
Martha Gronemeier
Bernadette Bedia
Andrew Smith
Timothy Stanley
Kevin Thomas
Juanita Tune
Steven Dawson
Dan Philippus
Janis McKay
Daniel Pass
Nathan Tanouye
Chris Benham
Samuel Provost*
Priscilla Shoals
Abe Rein
Christopher David
Benjamin Milstein*
Lynn Trippy
Rachel Eckroth
Daron Hagen*
Gilda Lyons*
Samuel Provost*
Aaron English*
* overdubbed in post-production
CAROLANN PAGE, Doll, has earned critical and popular acclaim as the creator of the roles of Pat Nixon in Adams’ Nixon In China, Celia in Floyd’s The Passion of Jonathan Wade, Mamah Cheney in Hagen’s Shining Brow, and Doll in Hagen’s Vera of Las Vegas. Notable roles in the standard repertoire for which she has achieved renown include the heroines in Les Contes d’Hoffman, Manon, Musetta in La Bohême, Elvira in Don Giovanni, Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus,Susannah, Birdie in Regina, and Anne Truelove in The Rake’s Progress. She has appeared in numerous American and European opera houses including Houston Grand Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Miami Grand Opera, Los Angeles Music Center Opera, Pittsburgh Opera, New York City Opera, Knoxville Opera, Central City Opera, the Edinburgh Festival, the Netherlands Opera and the Bobigny in Paris. Ms. Page has performed as featured soloist with the orchestras of Cleveland, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Dallas, the Boston and San Francisco Pops, and the St. Paul and St. Luke’s Chamber Orchestras. Notable appearances in Europe include the London Sinfonietta, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, and the Budapest Concert Orchestra. On recordings, she may be heard (and seen) as Pat Nixon in John Adams’ Nixon in China on the Grammy Award-winning recording, and on the Emmy Award-winning PBS “Great Performers” series, Lucas Foss’ Song of Songs with the Milwaukee Symphony, Gayle in Michael Tippet’s The Ice Break with the London Sinfonietta, Tribute to Sondheim Live from Carnegie Hall, and Man of La Mancha with Placido Domingo.  On Broadway, Ms. Page was seen as Cunegonde in Hal Prince’s revival of Candide and in George Abbott’s Music Is. Off-Broadway she has created the roles of Eleanor Roosevelt and Evelyn Lincoln in First Lady’s Suite for the New York Shakespeare Festival at the Public Theatre, and Majorie in Allegro with the Encore Series at City Center. National credits include A Little Night Music, Street Scene,Most Happy Fella, Carousel, A Streetcar Named Desire, and The Odd Couple. In 1995, Ms. Page made her directing debut with the New York premiere of the chamber opera Brontosaurus by Landford Wilson and Kenneth Fuchs at the Circle Rep Lab. Ms. Page received a Bachelor of Music degree from The Curtis Institute of Music and is a founding faculty member of the Professional Musical Theatre Workshop at the Manhattan School of Music.
PAUL KREIDER, Dumdum, serves as Chair of the Department of Music at the Northern Kentucky University and was formerly Chair at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. His career began with numerous roles with the Lyric Opera of Chicago for six seasons, and as principal baritone with the Landestheater Salzburg for three years. He has performed in the world premiere of Ashoka’s Dream at the Santa Fe Opera in 1997 and created the role of Kane in the world premiere of Hagen’s Bandanna. He appears on Deutsche Grammophone in Bernstein’s recording of La Boheme, the CRI label in Hagen’s Vera of Las Vegas, and a series of Arsis CD’s devoted to Hagen’s music. Credits include the Vienna State Opera, Maggio Musicale in Florence, Rome, National Opera of Slovenia, and Tokyo, Japan, the Minnesota Opera, Lake George Opera, Atlanta Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Marin Opera, Chicago Opera Theater, and the Arizona Opera companies, the Great Woods Festival, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Austria's Mozarteum Orchestra, Las Vegas Philharmonic, Tucson Symphony and the New Mexico Symphony.
PATRICK JONES, Taco, appeared on Broadway as Ubaldo in The Phantom of the Opera. He has sung with the Vancouver Opera, the Santa Fe Opera, Opera Malaga (Spain), Chautauqua Opera, Madison Opera, and Teatro Lyrico D’Europa. In addition to his operatic work, Mr. Jones has sung as tenor soloist for the Verdi Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, and the Bach Magnificat. He has sung Loge to James Morris’ Wotan in Wagner’s Das Rheingold in Valencia, Spain, and sung the roles of Pirelli (Sweeney Todd), Don Basilio (Le Nozze di Figaro), Pong (Turandot), Bardolfo (Falstaff), Beppe (Pagliacci), and Scratch (The Devil and Daniel Webster).
CHARLES MAXWELL, Vera, began his studies as a tenor, but soon discovered his very special talent as a counter tenor with a vocal range of three octaves. In 1994, he made his debut in Vienna as Apollo in Britten‘s Death in Venice, in 1995, his New York debut in the world premiere of Daron Hagen’s Merrill Songs. Successful engagements followed as Aziz/Thief in Moritz Eggert’s Helle Nächte in the Berlin Biennale 1997, as well as Purcell’s Faire Queen at the Bayerische Theater Akademie in 1997. In 1998/99 he appeared in Chicago at the Theater an der Wien. During that same season he also sang Dido and Aeneas in Bielefeld and returned to Vienna in the role of Prince Orlofsky. In 1999/2000 Charles Maxwell sang the Swiss first performance of Salvatore Sciarrino's opera The Deadly Flower at the Theatre of Lucerne under the baton of Beat Furrer and the roles of Mago Christiano, Araldo and Donna in Rinaldo at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. In January 2001, Charles Maxwell sang the role of Mephostophiles in Alfred Schnittke's Historia von Dr. Johann Fausten, the Austrian premiere produced by the Neue Oper, Vienna.
PAUL MULDOON, Pulitzer Prize-winning Librettist, was born in 1951 in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and educated in Armagh and at the Queen's University of Belfast. From 1973 to 1986 he worked in Belfast as a radio and television producer for the British Broadcasting Corporation. Since 1987 he has lived in the United States, where he is now Howard G. B. Clark '21 Professor in the Humanities at Princeton University. In 1999 he was elected Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford. Paul Muldoon's main collections of poetry are New Weather (1973), Mules (1977), Why Brownlee Left (1980), Quoof (1983), Meeting The British (1987), Madoc: A Mystery (1990), The Annals of Chile (1994), Hay (1998), Poems 1968-1998 (2001) and Moy Sand and Gravel (2002). A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Paul Muldoon was given an American Academy of Arts and Letters award in literature for 1996. Other recent awards are the 1994 T. S. Eliot Prize and the 1997 Irish Times Poetry Prize. He has been described by The Times Literary Supplement as "the most significant English-language poet born since the second World War."
[Paul Muldoon]
Daron Hagen
DARON HAGEN, Composer. Daron's music is variously described as "utterly brilliant" (New York Times), "dazzling," (The New Yorker), "big, bold, and glittering" (The Los Angeles Times), and "of considerable artistic achievement and of uncompromising seriousness" (Times of London Literary Supplement). He has been described as "an inspired melodist" (Fanfare), possessed of "a sophisticated, wide-ranging musical mind" (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel), and the creator of "dangerously beautiful melodies" (New York Post). "Daron is music." (Opera News). The composer of orchestral, chamber, choral, and vocal compositions, as well as film scores and five internationally-performed operas, Hagen's work has been a programming staple of world-class orchestras and soloists since his debut as a composer (Philadelphia Orchestra, 1983) and as a concert pianist (Denver Chamber Orchestra, 1986); the New York Philharmonic, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Brooklyn Philharmonic, National Symphony Orchestra, the United States Marine Band, the American Composers Orchestra, pianist Gary Graffman, the Kings Singers, cellist Sara Sant'Ambrogio, and flautist Jeffrey Khaner have all championed his work. Awards and fellowships include two Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center Residencies, an Opera America Grant, the Charles Ives Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Bearns, Nissim, and Barlow Foundation Prizes. A graduate of the Curtis Institute and of Juilliard, Hagen currently serves as President of the Lotte Lehmann Foundation.

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