HoustonGrandOpera
www.houstongrandopera.org
David Gockley, Director

SAMUEL RAMEY, SERGEI LEIEFERKUS, AND MARL4, GULEGHINA
RETURN TO HOUSTON GRAND OPERA FOR THE COMPANY'S FMST
PRODUCTION OF VERDI'S EARLIEST MASTERPIECE
NABUCCO
April 29 through May 14, 2000

HOUSTON, TX - Houston Grand Opera concludes its 1999-2000 subscription season with the company's first-ever production of Verdi's earliest masterwork - Nabucco in a stunning production by Elijah Moshinsky. The international cast includes bass Samuel Ramey as the prophet Zaccaria, Russian baritone Sergei Leiferkus as the Babylonian King Nabucco, Russian soprano Maria Guleghina as Nabucco's daughter Abigaille, Mexican tenor Rafael Rojas as Ismaele, and American mezzo-soprano Phyllis Pancelia as Fenena. Nabucco opens on Saturday, April 29, 2000 with further performances on May 2, 5, 7ni, 10, 12, and 14m, 2000.

A trio of American Houston Grand Opera Studio artists, soprano Tiffany Jackson, tenor Scott
Scully, and bass Oren Gradus complete the cast as Anna, Abdallo, and the High Priest of Baal
respectively. Director Thor Steingraber will stage Elijah Moshinsky's production with sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Jane Greenwood, lighting by Duane Schuler, and fight choreography by Brian Byrnes.

Houston Grand Opera's Music Director Patrick Summers will conduct the Houston Symphony and Houston Grand Opera Chorus for all performances. Richard Bado is the chorus master and Maria
Luisa Malato is the prompter.

An opera in four parts, Verdi's Nabucco had its premiere in Milan in 1842. Taken ftom the
biblical text of Nebuchadnezzar and set in Jerusalem and Babylon in 587 BC, Nabucco begins with the prophet Zaccaria comforting the Hebrews as the Babylonian army closes in. Nabucco arrives in triumph and Zaccaria threatens to kill Nabucco's youngest daughter Fenena (whom he loves) if the Temple is profaned. To the horror of his compatriots who are unaware that Fenena is a secret convert Ismaele releases Fenena and Nabucco orders the destruction of Jerusalem.

Later in Bablyon, Abigaille discovers she is Nabucco's illegitimate child and that Fenena is
freeing the Hebrews. Abigaille vows to seize the throne herself, but Nabucco returns and ends the revolt. Nabucco proclaims himself God, whereupon a lightning bolt strikes him down and Abigaille seizes the crown that falls from his head. After being converted to Judaism Nabucco's senses are restored, he regains power, and releases the Hebrews.

Artists' Biographies

Russian baritone Sergei Leiferkus (Nabucco) is a leading artist with the Royal Opera and performs regularly in the world's leading opera houses, such as the Kirov, Opera Bastille, Vienna State Opera, the Berlin Staatsoper, the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago, and is also a frequent guest at the festivals of Edinburgh, Salzburg, Glyndeboume, Tanglewood and Ravinia. He also perfonrns frequently in concert and recital.

His diverse operatic repertoire includes Iago in Otello, Telramund in Lohengrin, the title role in Don Giovanni, Count Almaviva in The Marriage of Figaro, the title roles in Eugene Onegin and Prince Igor, and Prince Andrei in War and Peace. He has won acclaim as ScMia in Tosca, Gerard in Andrea Chenier, Escamillo in Carmen, and particularly in the Verdi roles of Macbeth, Simon Boccanegra, Nabucco, Amonasro (Aida) and Renato (Un Ballo in Maschera).

This season's highlights include Un Ballo in Maschera for San Francisco Opera, Otelto for the
Metropolitan Opera and Tosca for Munich State Opera and Washington Opera (both at the Kennedy Center and on tour in Japan), and appearances with the Detroit Symphony and the New York Philharmonic. Mr. Leiferkus made his Houston Grand Opera debut in 1997 as Macbeth.

Mexican tenor Rafael Rojas (Ismaele) has recently begun to establish himself as one of the fine young tenors of his generation. Roles this season included Rodolfo in La Boheme and Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly for New York City Opera. Last season, he sang Alfredo in La Traviata at Boston Lyric Opera and made his debuts with both the New York City Opera and New Israeli Opera as Pinkerton in Madame Butterfly. Last summer he made his Bregenz Festival debut as Riccardo in Un Ballo in Maschera. He also sang the title role in Massenet's Werther at Boston Lyric Opera, Nemorino in L'Elisir d Amore for Seattle Opera, Rafael Ruiz in El Gato Montez with Washington Opera, and Paco in La Vida Breve with Opera de Nice. Mr. Rojas debuted with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1997 and has most recently performed Verdi's
Requiem with the Pittsburgh Symphony led by Mariss Jansons, the Halle Orchestra with Kent Nagano, and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra with David Shallon. The tenor made his Houston Grand Opera debut in 1997 as Macduff in Macbeth.

Russian soprano Maria Guleghina (Abigaille), one of the most highly acclaimed dramatic sopranos of our day, has performed on the world's leading stages, including La Scala, the Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna State Opera, Royal Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, and San Francisco Opera. She made her Houston Grand Opera debut in 1995 as Odabella in Attila. Ms. Guleghina has been particularly identified with the title role in Puccini's Tosca, and also for her portrayals of the Verdi repertoire. She has been heard as Abigaille at La Scala under Riccardo Muti, the Paris Opera under James Conlon, and at the Arena di Verona. Other important roles include the title role in Aida, Amelia in Un Ballo in Maschera, Elvira in Ernani, Leonora in 11 Trovatore, Amelia Grimaldi in Simon Boccanegra, Desdemona in Otello, Maddalena in Andrea Chenier, the title role in Fedora, Puccini's Manon Lescaut, Lisa in The Queen of Spades, and Tatyana in Eugene Onegin. This season Ms. Guleghina sings Tosca at La Scala under Maestro
Muti and in Rome, Norma in Seville, and Elvira in Ernani at the Vienna State Opera. Future engagements include 11 Trovatore and Aida in Munich and Abigaille at the Metropolitan Opera.

American bass Samuel Ramey (Zaccaria) commands an impressive breadth of repertoire encompassing virtually every musical style from Argante in Handel's Rinaldo, which was the vehicle for his acclaimed Metropolitan Opera debut in 1984, to the dramatic title role in Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle, in which he appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in a production televised by PBS. Mr. Ramey's interpretations embrace the bel canto of Bellini, Rossini and Donizetti; the lyric and dramatic roles of Mozart and Verdi; and the heroic roles of the Russian and French repertoire. He has established an unequaled reputation for his portrayals of the devil in Gounod's Faust, Boito's Mefistofele, and Berlioz's The Damnation of Faust, and he also frequently performs the sinister Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress and the four Villains in The Tales of Hoffmann. In 1996, Mr. Ramey presented a sold-out concert at New York's Avery Fisher Hall titled "A Date with the Devil" in which he sang fourteen arias representing the core of this repertoire, and he continues to tour the program throughout the world. He was most recently
seen at HGO last season as Mefistofele, and previously as Olin Blitch in Carlisle Floyd's Susannah, the title role in Attila, and Argante in Rinaldo.

Mezzo-soprano Phyllis Pancelia (Fenena) is making her Houston Grand Opera debut. She has appeared on many of the finest international operatic, symphonic, and recital stages in repertoire ranging from the baroque era to that of the present century. This season's operatic engagements include Sesto in Giulio Cesare for Florida Grand Opera and the title role of La Cenerentola for Cincinnati Opera. Recital and symphonic engagements include a North American tour with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center performing Brahms' Songs for Alto, Viola and Piano, Opus 91, the Minnesota Orchestra in Copland's The Tender Land, and the Ensemble Orchestra de Paris for Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with John Nelson conducting. Last season Ms. Pancella sang the title role in Carmen for English National Opera, Maddalena in Rigoletto for the Opdra Bastille, Amastre in Xerxes for the Canadian Opera Company, and the title role in lack Beeson's Lizzie Borden at New York City Opera, also telecast live on PBS's Great Performances. Future appearances include Giovanna Seymour in Pittsburgh Opera's Anna Bolena under
the baton of Richard Bonynge and Carmen with Daniel Oren at the New Israeli Opera and the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, Italy.

Creative team biographies

Houston Grand Opera Music Director Patrick Summers is known for his diverse operatic experience and enthusiasm for a wide range of works including period scores, bel canto, late romantic opera, and contemporary music. Maestro Summers made his acclaimed HGO debut last season conducting Christopher Alden's new production of La Traviata and later led the Houston Grand Opera Orchestra in the world premiere of Tod Machover's Resurrection. This season Maestro Summers conducted HGO's The Elixir of Love and Little Women which was filmed for broadcast over PBS's Great Performances. Maestro Summers also leads this spring's world premiere of Carlisle Floyd's Cold Sassy Tree. He has been closely associated with San Francisco Opera since 1989, where he has conducted a vast repertoire ranging from Monteverdi's L 'Incoronazione di Poppea to Andre Previn's A Streetcar Named Desire. Last season, he
was named San Francisco Opera's principal guest conductor and returns there this fall to conduct the world premiere of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking. Maestro Summers has also enjoyed a close association with the Opera Australia in Sydney where he conducts each season, most recently Handel's Rinaldo. Maestro Summers made his Metropolitan Opera debut in December 1998 conducting Die Fledermaus, and returned to conduct the Met's Millennium Gala. He recently conducted the Orchestra of St. Luke's for a recording of bel canto arias featuring soprano Renee Fleming.

Long devoted to Verdi's operas, Elijah Moshinsky (Production) has directed them with great success at the Met, Covent Garden, the Welsh National Opera, and Opera Australia. His many Covent Garden productions include five Verdi works, among them Aida and Attila. Moshinsky studied philosophy at Oxford University. After directing in Oxford and with a touring Shakespeare company, he joined Covent Garden. He created a sensation there with a new Peter Grimes that later triumphed at La Scala.
Since then his productions have earned acclaim throughout Europe and North America (including the Met's recent Queen of Spades and Makropulos Affair, and Elektra in Washington). His work ranges from Broadway's Shadowlands and the Royal Shakespeare Company's Lord of the Flies to five Shakespeare plays for the BBC and a new film, Anorak of Fire.

Thor Steingraber (Director) is making his Houston Grand Opera debut. This summer he debuts with Santa Fe Opera directing Le Mozze di Figaro, an opera he will also direct for the Los Angeles Opera next season. Mr. Steingraver new production of I Capuleti e i Montecchi premiered at Los Angeles Opera earlier this season, a production which will also appear at the Minnesota Opera and New York City Opera in upcoming seasons. Mr. Steingraber is on the staff of Lyric Opera of Chicago as an assistant and associate director, and has forged his directing career in regional American companies such as the Portland and Utah operas. He was instrumental in creating Opera Colorado's young artist program, acting as director in its inaugural year. He also served as director of production for the first five seasons of the Utah Festival Opera.

Set Designer Michael Yeargan, a native of Dallas, is an associate professor of stage design at the Yale School of Drama and principal designer for the Yale Repertory Theatre. Work on Broadway includes Terrence McNally's Bad Habits and The Ritz, Hay Fever, Athol Fugard's A Lesson from Aloes, and the recent The Gershwins' Fascinatin' Rhythm. He has worked extensively in America's regional theaters, mostly at Hartford Stage, the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, American Repertory Theatre, Chicago's Goodman Theatre, Baltimore Center Stage, the Shakespeare Theatre, and the Guthrie Theater. Recent designs include the world premieres of Carlisle Floyd's Cold Sassy Tree, John Harbison's The Great Gatsby for the Metropolitan Opera, Andrd Previn's A Streetcar Nanied Desire for San Francisco Opera, Bolcom's A View from the Bridge for Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Central Park for Glimmerglass and New York City Opera, as well as Luisa Miller for San Francisco Opera. Mr. Yeargan will also design the
fall 2000 world premiere of Dead Man Walking for San Francisco Opera. Other opera credits include Attila, Simon Boccanegra, Stiffelio, I Puritani and Aida for the Royal Opera and Ariadne auf Naxos, Otello, and Cosi fan tutte for the Metropolitan Opera. He has worked frequently with Glinimerglass Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington Opera, Dallas Opera, and Houston Grand Opera. HGO audiences have seen his work in Carousel, Susannah, Rigoletto, Madame Butterfly, and Cold Sassy Tree.

Award-winning costume designer Jane Greenwood has worked extensively in opera, dance,
theater, film, and television. For the Metropolitan Opera, she designed costumes for the world premiere of The Great Gatsby and Dialogues of the Carmelites and for New York City Opera she designed Marco Polo and Orfeo. While designing for other major opera companies (Houston, San Francisco, Covent Garden, and Philadelphia), Greenwood has established a reputation as one of New York's busiest designers and has received a career total of twelve Tony Award nominations. Theater work includes The Last Night of Ballyhoo and Once Upon a Mattress and film work includes 84 Charing Cross Road and Glengarry Glen Ross.

Lighting Designer Duane Schuler is resident lighting designer at Lyric Opera of Chicago, where
he has created lighting for more than 120 productions since 1977. This season his productions there were Falstaff, the world premiere of A View from the Bridge, Macbeth, Die Fiedermaus, L'Elisir d'Amore and Carmen. He has designed many productions for Houston Grand Opera including this season's Tristan and Isolde and the world premiere of Carlisle Floyd's Cold Sassy Tree. One of the most successful lighting designers of his generation, Schuler is closely associated with many major opera companies, including the Metropolitan Opera, where this season he designed the world premiere of The Great Gatsby and Mefistofele. Other recent Met productions include Samson et Dalila, Carmen, the Zeffirelli production of La Traviata, and the company premiere of Capriccio. This season's engagements also include Rigoletto at Los Angeles Opera and Swan Lake at American Ballet Theatre.

All performances of Nabucco are held in the Wortham Theater's Brown Theater, Texas at Smith.
Nabucco is sung in Italian with English surtitles, English translations projected over the stage.
The Southwestern Bell Pre-Curtain Lecture Series is 30 minutes before each performance. Guest
speakers present a 20-minute informal lecture on the sixth floor of the Grand Foyer. These presentations, free and open to all ticket holders, are intended to enhance the audience's enjoyment by preparing them for the production they are about to attend.

The Wortham Theater Center features easy wheelchair access to both theaters, with a choice of
seating locations and ticket prices. An infrared listening system, generously underwritten by Pennzoil-Quaker State Company, is available and free of charge at all performances. Please call HGO Subscriptions at (713) 546-0246 or 1 (800) 346-4462 for details. Descriptive services for persons with vision loss are available with 48-hour advance reservations. Please call HGO Education and Outreach at (713) 546-0231 for details.

Single tickets for Nabucco, priced from $22 to $182, are available by telephone at (713) 227-
ARTS, out of town at 1 (800) 828-ARTS, in person at the Wortham Ticket Center located in the lobby of the Wortham Theater Center, or on the website at http://www.houstongrandopera.org. Ticket prices include all city surcharges.
Subscription packages are still available by calling (713) 546-0246 or on the website at
http://www.houstongrandopera.org.
Student and senior citizen rush tickets are $26 (one ticket per ID) and go on sale at noon (12:00
p.m.) the day of performance, subject to availability. To check availability, please call (713) 227-ARTS or 1 (800) 828-ARTS.

All performances of Houston Grand Opera's production of Verdi's Nabucco are held in the Wortham Theater's Brown Theater, Texas at Smith, Houston, TX. Sung in Italian with English subtitles

Performance Dates
Saturday, April 29, 2000 at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, May 2, 2000 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 5, 2000 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 7, 2000 at 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 10, 2000 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 12, 2000 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 14, 2000 at 2:00 p.m.

Ticket Information:
ò Single tickets for Nabucco priced from $22 to S 182 (inclusive of all city surcharges) are currently on sale.
ò Single tickets are available by telephone at (713) 227-ARTS, out-of-town at 1 (800) 828-ARTS, in person at the Wortham Ticket Center located in the lobby of the Wortham Theater Center, or on the website at http://www.houstongrandopera.org.
ò Call (713) 546-0200 during regular business hours for general information.
ò Subscription packages are still available by calling (713) 546-0246 or on the website at
http://www.houstongrandopera.org.
ò Student and senior rush tickets are $26 (one per ID) and go on sale at Noon (12:00 p.m.) the day of performance, subject to avaflability. Call (713) 227-ARTS or 1 (900) 828-ARTS the day of performance to check on availability.
ò Disabled access: (713) 546-0246 or 1-800-3464462; TDD: (713) 546-0246 or 1 (800) 346-4462;
Descriptive Services: (713) 546-0231.
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Call Houston Grand Opera at (713) 546-0200 during business hours for general information.
Shell Oil Company Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Robert J. Bruni, and Gloria Bruni Knight are the guarantors for Nabucco
Nabucco underwriters are Mr. and Mrs. Gerald A. Cooney,
Joyce Z. Greenberg in memory of Jacob Greenberg, The Nicandros Foundation,
Carrin Patrnan and James Derrick, Dr. and Mrs. Franklin Rose, and Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.

Since its inception in 1955, Houston Grand Opera has swiftly moved from a small regional organization into the fitlh-largest opera company in the United States. With David Gockley as its general director, HGO has widened its circles, both in repertoire and in reach. The company has an international reputation for conunissioning and producing new works (24 world premieres and six American premieres since 1973) as well as a reputation for reaching out to new audiences. HGO has toured extensively, including trips to Japan, Italy, Egypt and France, and the company is the only one in the United States to win a Tony, two Grammys and two Emmy awards. HGO has an eye on the future of opera too, launching not only the acclaimed Houston Grand Opera Studio (a program designed to train young singers for major careers) but also the Conununity Connections Initiative (a multi-pronged program aimed at educating and developing new audiences). For its 1999-2000 season, Houston Grand Opera's budget-is $19 million. ----
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