Our debut performance paired two rarely heard Mozart gems: Der Schauspieldirektor and his first opera, Bastien und Bastienne. The production was presented as a benefit for our partner organization, MYCincinnati.
June 9 and 10, 2012
Hoffner Lodge in Northside
Conductors: François López-Ferrer (June 9) and Isaac Selya (June 10)
Der Schauspieldirektor (The Impresario)
This work premiered in 1786 as part of a double bill alongside Salieri’s Prima la musica e poi le parole (“The music before the words”). Emperor Joseph II commissioned both works as a comic opera competition, pitting an Italian opera buffa against a German Singspiel. The plot of the opera itself focuses on a competition. Buff, an experienced singer who runs his own opera company, is auditioning three singers for roles in a new production of Mozart’s Bastien und Bastienne. His casting call attracts a variety of applicants. After the three contestants audition, they sing a trio taunting one another. Buff announces the results, and the four sing a conciliatory finale praising teamwork over selfishness. Our production also incorporated Pedrillo’s aria from Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail, sung by Monsieur Vogelsang in his audition.
Roles (in order of appearance)
- Buff (baritone): César Méndez-Silvagnoli
- Madame Herz (soprano): Samantha Stein-Stinson
- Mademoiselle Silberklang (soprano): Danielle Messina
- Monsieur Vogelsang (tenor): Ryan Connelly
Bastien und Bastienne
Although the 12-year-old Mozart had already written a sacred Singspiel (Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots) and a secular oratorio in Latin (Apollo et Hyacinthus), Bastien und Bastienne is his first actual opera. The overture sounds exactly like the beginning of Beethoven’s Symphony no. 3 (“Eroica”), but it is unlikely Beethoven ever heard Bastien. The plot revolves around a romance between two shepherds, Bastien and Bastienne. When Bastien attracts the attention of a rich noblewoman, Bastienne grows jealous. She enlists the help of the local factotum and ostensible shaman Herr Colas. Colas’ antics initially imperil the lovers’ relationship, but eventually the two are reconciled.
Roles (in order of appearance)
- The Noblewoman (dancer): Mandy Milligan
- Bastien (tenor): Ryan Connelly
- Bastienne (soprano): Danielle Messina
- Herr Colas (baritone): César Méndez-Silvagnoli
Producers
Dr. Al and Mary López, Robert Amott and Janice Flanagan, Mary Ellyn Hutton, Marilyn Z. Ott
Supporters
Dr. Ezra and Varda Stieglitz, Dr. Herbet Halpern, Dr. Merril, B. Goldberg, Judith Brody, Larrie Howard, Dr. Rena Selya Cohen, Rabbi George and Sarah Barnard, Chris and Rich Connelly, Dr. Solomon Jekel and Dania Jekel, Wendy McDougal, Sonja Rethy, S.H. King, Mrs. W. Robert Kilbourn, II, Jeffrey and Gayna Bassin, Emily Holden, Alberto Oliveira, Paul Hachmann, Claire Lee, Ben Birnbaum, Blake Richardson, Matthew A. Tosca, Rick Sarason and Anne Arenstein, Josh Whelchel, George DuChaine, Catherine Keen, Leslie S. Marcus, Brian Thornton, Dr. Ilan Mizrahi, Lev Novikov, Katya Gorovaya, Noni Rudavsky, Richard Young, Ruka Shironishi, Saya Callner