OCTOBER 23, 2020

8:00 PM

University Opera and the Mead Witter School of Music present

I Wish It So:

Marc Blitzstein – The Man in His Music

David Ronis, DirectorThomas Kasdorf, Music Director

Friday, October 23, 2020 at 8:00pm www.youtube.com/meadwitterschoolofmusic

Music and Lyrics by Marc BlitzsteinMusic and Archival Excerpts Compiled and Narration Written by David Ronis

Video Design Dave AlcornCostume Design Hyewon ParkMusical Preparation Thomas KasdorfResearch Assistant/Assistant Director Elisheva ProntProduction Stage Manager Dylan ThorenAssistant Stage Manager Alec HansenTechnical Director Greg Silver

University Opera gratefully acknowledges the support of Opera Props

The compositions of Marc Blitzstein are performed under license from the Kurt Weill

Foundation for Music, Inc.

CASTSarah Brailey *

Kenneth Hoversten #~

Justin Kroll *

Lindsey Meekhof # ^

Steffen Silvis, Narrator

Thomas Kasdorf and William Preston +, Pianists

* University Fellowship Recipients# Opera Props Awards

^ Ann Crow Voice and Opera Fund~ Warzyn-Thorpe Scholarship

+ Perlman Collaborative Piano Graduate Fellowship

MUSICAL NUMBERS

Art for Art’s Sake (The Cradle Will Rock) EnsembleThe Nickel Under the Foot (The Cradle Will Rock) Lindsey MeekhofSend for the Militia (Parade) Sarah BraileyThe Cradle Will Rock (The Cradle Will Rock) EnsembleMusic, Music (Regina) Sarah BraileyExpatriate* (No for an Answer) Kenneth HoverstenBe With Me (Reuben Reuben) Lindsey MeekhofLove at First Word (Reuben Reuben) Sarah Brailey & Justin KrollStay in My Arms Justin KrollThe Rose Song (Reuben Reuben) Sarah BraileyModest Maid Lindsey MeekhofEmily (“Ballad of the Bombardier” from Airborne Symphony) Kenneth HoverstenDisplaced (Goloopchik) Justin KrollThe Russian Language/ Mamasha Goose (Goloopchik) Lindsey MeekhofI Wish It So (Juno) Sarah BraileyThen (The Magic Barrel) Justin KrollIn the Clear (No for an Answer) Kenneth HoverstenIn Twos (This Is the Garden) Ensemble

Music and lyrics of all songs by Marc Blitzstein, unless otherwise noted

PROGRAM GUIDEI Wish It So: Marc Blitzstein – The Man in His Music is a biographical pastiche that tells the story of Marc Blitzstein’s life through his words and music. It consists of twenty-four songs and ensembles interspersed with spoken excerpts from Blitzstein’s working notes and personal letters, tied together with a narration. The musical numbers have been recontex-tualized from the shows in which they originally appeared to illuminate the narrative. The show opens with Blitzstein’s appearance before the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1958, after which we go back in time. Following a brief section on his childhood, we focus on his deep commitment to socially en-gaged art via three pieces from his most famous musical, The Cradle Will Rock (“Art for Art’s Sake,” “The Nickel Under the Foot,” and “The Cradle Will Rock”) as well as a satirical song, “Send for the Militia”. Accompanying the account of Marc’s trips to Europe early in his career, we feature “Music, Music” (Regina), and “Expatriate” (No for an Answer). The next sequence reflects the joys and challenges of his courtship and marriage to Eva Goldbeck with three pieces from Reuben Reuben (“Be With Me,” “Love at First Word,” and ”The Rose Song”) plus the poignant ballad, “Stay in My Arms.”

After that, we go to London, where Marc served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, for “Modest Maid,” and “Emily (Ballad of the Bombardier),” the latter from Airborne Symphony. After the war, Marc’s concern for those who suffered persecution and whose lives were uprooted is represented in “Displaced (Song of the D. P.)” And his continuing desire to promote understanding between the Russian and American peoples emerges comically in “The Russian Language” and “Mamasha Goose.” All three of these songs are from Goloopchik.

Blitzstein’s perpetual yearning for love and his thoughts about maturing are portrayed in “I Wish It So” (Juno), “Then” (The Magic Barrel), and “In the Clear” (No For an Answer). Following that, we consider Marc’s life as a gay man in the pre-Stonewall era with “In Twos” (This is the Garden), and in three settings of poems by Walt Whitman: “Ages and Ages,” “I Am He,” and “As If a Phantom Caress’d Me.”

Finally, we have “Vanzetti’s Last Statement,” from his posthumously completed opera, Sacco and Vanzetti, followed by ”Never Get Lost” (Reuben Reuben). These last two selections speak to Marc Blitzstein’s deep sense of humanity and perhaps contain messages for today’s world.

MUSICAL NUMBERS continued

*Music completed by Leonard Lehrman**Completed by Leonard Lehrman

From Nine Walt Whitman Songs: Ages and Ages Kenneth Hoversten I am He Lindsey Meekhof As if a Phantom Caress’d Me Justin KrollVanzetti’s Last Statement (Sacco and Vanzetti**) Kenneth HoverstenNever Get Lost (Reuben Reuben) Sarah Brailey and Ensemble

DIRECTOR’S NOTEWelcome to tonight’s performance! We are thrilled to be presenting I Wish It So: Marc Blitzstein – The Man in His Music. If you are not familiar with Marc Blitzstein’s work, we’re even more glad you’re joining us, because we feel that Blitzstein simply needs to be known better. His melodies are beautiful and captivating; his harmonies, deeply expressive and emo-tionally resonant; and his lyrics are as smart, insightful, and well-crafted as any of his more famous contemporaries. But, unlike Rodgers and Hammerstein, Kurt Weill, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Leonard Bernstein, his did not become a household name. Why, you may ask? Although works like The Cradle Will Rock, Regina, and his translation of Kurt Weill’s The Threepenny Opera brought him recognition and money, Blitzstein’s politics were decidedly leftist and he was openly gay in an era that was not always friendly to either. Also, the books for his musicals tended to have dramaturgical issues. Neverthe-less, all his shows, including those that were less successful commercially and critically, contain brilliant material. Blitzstein’s genius permeates his work. His is a unique voice and it deserves to be heard more often!

I admit that Blitzstein had only minimally been on my radar until a few years ago. Like many people, my familiarity ended with his most well-known works. But, upon learning that the Marc Blitzstein Papers are among the collection at the Wiscon-sin Center for Film and Theater Research, housed at the Wisconsin Historical Society, my interest was piqued. I loved the idea of creating a show using resources right here in Madison that we can share with the University, the community, the state, and beyond! So, I happily immersed myself in his music, spending time in the archives, and putting together this pastiche. It traces Blitzstein’s life and times by recontextualizing 24 songs and ensembles from his shows, juxtaposing them with spoken excerpts from his working notes and personal letters, all tied together with a narration.

I am deeply indebted to others who have devoted many years to studying Blitzstein – biographers Eric Gordon and How-ard Pollack; Leonard Lehrman, author of Marc Blitzstein: A Bio-Bibliography and editor of the three-volume Marc Blitzstein Songbook; and to Steven Blier, Karen Holvik, William Sharp, and the New York Festival of Song, whose 1991 recording of Blitzstein songs served as further inspiration for this project. I am also very grateful to Mary Huelsbeck, of the Wisconsin Center for Film and Television, for her generosity, help, and guidance. Most importantly, I think I can speak for everyone who worked on I Wish It So: Marc Blitzstein – The Man in His Music in saying that we, collectively, are just so gratified to have this body of work – to enjoy, to perform, and to share. We hope you love it as much as we do.David Ronis

ARTISTIC STAFFDAVID RONIS, the Karen K. Bishop Director of Opera at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, previously taught at Queens College, Hofstra University, and Wagner College. An award-winning director (three recent awards from the American Prize and nine from the National Opera Association Production Competition) his guest directing engagements include Shreveport Opera, SUNY Potsdam, Rutgers University, Queens Symphony Orchestra, Four Seasons Theatre, Madison Bach Musicians, After Dinner Opera, and Manhattan School of Music. The co-founder of the Baroque Opera Workshop at Queens College, he has directed and taught at AIMS in Graz, Austria, La Musica Lirica in Novafeltria, Italy, Westchester Summer Vocal Institute, and the Druid City Opera Workshop. As a performer, he has sung over 50 operatic roles with companies all over the world, concertized extensively, toured nationally in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, and appeared in independent films and nation-ally televised commercials.

Thomas Kasdorf currently serves as Associate Lecturer in Voice Coaching in the Mead Witter School of Music at UW-Madison. He received his DMA in Collaborative Piano Performance in 2020 from UW Madison, where he studied with Professor Martha Fischer. Previous UW Opera credits include: Così fan tutte, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Into the Woods, A Kurt Weill Cabaret, Albert Her-ring, Beatrice et Benedict, L’amico Fritz, Ariodante, The Marriage of Figaro, and Medea. Thomas has long held an interest in musical theatre and has performed in over 200 productions as an actor, pianist, musical director, stage director, and conductor. Thomas is currently the Artistic Director of Middleton Players Theatre, an Artistic Associate with Four Seasons Theatre, and Artist in Residence with Middleton Community Orchestra. “Keep the arts alive!”

Dave Alcorn is a freelance videographer and digital marketer based in Madison, WI. With an undergraduate and master’s degree in music performance, he specializes in creative videos for the performing arts, having recorded over 500 concerts, performances, and events. His company, Microtone Media, works with artists, community members, and businesses to document and create video projects varying from weddings and religious ceremonies to commercials and documentaries. Outside of freelance work, Dave is the Director of Digital Marketing at Overture Center for the Arts. For more information, visit microtonemedia.com.

Hyewon Park is an alumna of UW-Madison with an MFA in Theater and Drama. She began her career as a production designer for the K-dramas in Seoul. She has worked with Seattle Opera, De Maurier (Australia), Lucky Duck Production (NYC), Overture Center, Milwaukee Chamber Theater, UW Theatre, Forward Theater and Regent Drama.

Elisheva Pront graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance in December, 2019. In addition to performing, Elisheva enjoys directing and doing work behind the scenes. In 2017, she studied abroad in Vienna, Austria where she performed and directed scenes at the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES Abroad). At UW-Madison, she assistant directed Le Nozze di Figaro, as well as directed scenes in the Opera Workshop class. She plans to pursue further degrees in higher education for performance and directing.

Dylan Thoren is a junior at UW double majoring in Theatre and Communication Arts. He is delighted to be working with David again after working together on Così fan Tutte and Into the Woods. Other favorite stage management credits include Clybourne Park, Twilight Bowl (UW Theatre), and She Loves Me (Attic Theatre). Dylan wishes to thank David for being a joy to work with throughout this process, and his stage management mentor, Jahana, for her support.

Alec Hansen is a freshman here at UW majoring in Vocal Music Performance and Spanish. He is thrilled to have the opportunity to work on his first production with UW Opera. This is his first time working on a show through the lens of being a stage manager, so he would like to thank both Dylan and David for their mentorship, support, and willingness to help him learn during this brand new undertaking.

Renee Knight’s professional life has encompassed art, business, and education. After apprenticeships with performing artists in New York, she returned to the Midwest to found Cycropia Aerial Dance Company and Fragile Pathways Environmental Arts and Education. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Art at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1994 with an emphasis in glass and became a product developer for Electronic Theatre Controls completing New Product Development Executive Education Certification at UW-Madison in 1998. In 2016 she shifted to the film industry, focusing on hair and make-up, and completed certifications in film and television makeup and cosmetology in 2018. Renee is currently a member of OneOneTwoSix Production Company in Los Angeles: Film credits are “Sanzaru” 2018 feature film, “Hunter” 2016, “Round River 2015, “Make Your Mark” 2017 Producers Guild Short Film, “What’s Good” 2018 Music Video.

CASTHailed by The New York Times for her “exquisitely phrased” singing and by Opera UK for “a sound of remarkable purity,” soprano Sarah Brailey enjoys a career that resists specialization. Recent highlights include Handel’s Messiah with The Saint Paul Cham-ber Orchestra; performing with Kanye West and Roomful of Teeth at the Hollywood Bowl; and The Soul in the world premiere recording of Dame Ethel Smyth’s The Prison. She has appeared on four GRAMMY®-nominated albums and was a soloist on the premiere recording of Du Yun’s Angel’s Bone, winner of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Music. Co-founder of Just Bach, a monthly con-cert series in Madison, Sarah is also the Artistic Director of the Handel Aria Competition and co-host of Musica Antiqua on WORT 89.9FM. Sarah belongs to Beyond Artists, a coalition of artists that donates a percentage of their concert fee to organizations they care about. Sarah is pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree with Professor Paul Rowe.

Kenneth Hoversten is a baritone in his first year pursuing his master’s degree in Voice Performance. He received his bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. While at Concordia he most notably performed the role of Figaro in Rosina Remembered: a pastiche of Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro and Rossini’s Barber of Seville, as well as Tobermory in Jorge Martin’s Tobermory. He was also a part of the biographical chamber project Sister: Show Me Eternity high-lighting text settings of Emily Dickinson. He has performed a number of shows with the Fargo Moorhead Opera and created roles for operatic compositions by emerging young composers. This is his first show with the University Opera.

Justin Kroll, tenor, is beginning studies for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance at UW–Madison. A nativeTexan, Justin holds a Master of Music degree in Voice Performance and a Bachelor of Music in Music History & Literature from Baylor University, and an Associate of Arts degree in Music from McLennan Community College. An active performer, some of Justin’s recent operatic performances include: Narcissus in a premiere performance of Christopher Cerrone’s All Wounds Bleed with Latitute 49, Lensky in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin with the Russian Opera Workshop, Spoletta in Puccini’s Tosca and Don Pelagio in F. J. Haydn’s La Canterina with Painted Sky Opera of Oklahoma City. In competition, Justin represented the USA at the 6th UNISA (University of South Africa) International Voice Competition in Pretoria, South Africa, and was a finalist in the Texoma Region Finals of the 2020 NATS Artist Awards competition.

Mezzo-soprano Lindsey Meekhof enjoys performing a variety of repertoire in the Midwest. Recent performances include Hip-polyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with UW Opera, Maddalena in Rigoletto, Prince Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel with the South Bend Lyric Opera. Recent concert repertoire has included appearances with the Madison Bach Musicians and Just Bach. Lindsey earned a B.M. from the University of Michigan and an M.M. from Texas Tech. In addition to performing, Lindsey has taught as an adjunct professor of voice at Saint Mary’s College and Indiana University South Bend. She is studying for her Doctor of Music degree at the University of Wisconsin. Her favorite thing to do is spend time with her niece Piper and nephew Ollie.

Steffen Silvis is currently finishing his Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Theatre Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he has also served as dramaturg for David Ronis’ productions of Verdi’s Falstaff and Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Silvis is both a playwright and an actor, who has appeared in the University Theatre productions of The Beaux’ Stratagem and Stupid Fucking Bird, both directed by Patricia Boyette. Silvis was formerly the theatre critic for Portland’s Willamette Week newspaper and The Prague Post in the Czech Republic. His writing has appeared in American Theatre Magazine, and other publications, and he provided the introduction to the recent publication of Robert Nichol’s Daily Lives in Nghsi-Altai. Silvis has also won an NEA/Annen-berg Fellowship and an O’Neill Fellowship for his criticism.

William Preston is pursuing his master’s degree in collaborative piano at the University of Wisconsin-Madison under the direc-tion of Martha Fischer. He received his bachelor’s degree and a professional performance certificate from The Pennsylvania State University with Timothy Shafer. Coming from Bucks County, PA, Will has chosen to study collaborative piano because of the joy he feels performing on stage with friends and colleagues. Getting to work with so many people and perform so frequently is what is so exciting about the collaborative degree. After this year, he will have completed his degree.

Professor of Voice and Opera Mimmi FulmerMarketing and Operations Manager Molly SchumacherRehearsal Pianists Thomas Kasdorf, William PrestonAssistant Stage Manager Alec HansenStoryboard Creator Teresa SarkelaMusic Copyist DaSean StokesCostume Assistant Ashley DuncanHair and Makeup Renee Knight

Video by Microtone Media

PRODUCTION AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF SPECIAL THANKS TO:Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research

Mary Huelsbeck Brady SansoneEric Gordon Julia Rottmayer Howard Pollack Brian HellerSteven Blier Baoli LiuMimmi Fulmer Kerry O’NeillSusan Cook Martha FischerWendy Johnson Constance HolperinSusan Zaeske Steffen SilvisEric Murtaugh Gary BarnesPaul Rowe Anne BrutoskyJim Doing Scott Shapiro

Mead Witter School Of Music Voice and Opera ProgramWe wish to thank our supporters for many years of impactful generosity to the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Opera program in the Mead Witter School of Music. Your support ensures that the Mead Witter School of Music can attract and retain the high-est caliber of faculty to support its student performers. Gifts to the Opera program provide fellowships, teaching assistantships, scholarships, and awards for graduate and undergraduate students in order to recruit the best-quality talent from around the country and the world, making UW-Madison one of the best schools in the country for voice and opera studies.

Supporters of UW-Madison’s Voice and Opera Program

$50,000 or moreAnonymousOscar Rennebohm Foundation Inc John P. and Tashia F. Morgridge Charles W. BishopMargaret C. WinstonChun C. LinAnn C. and James F. CrowAlbert O. and Nancy J. NicholasJohn & Carolyn Peterson Foundation University of Wisconsin Opera Props Kathleen HarkerKay M. and Martin A. Barrett George W. GjermundsonWaldon R. Welty

$25,000 - $49,999AnonymousMelinda M. and Karlos Moser Charles F. and Mary P. Anderson

$10,000 - $24,999AnonymousJohn L. PetersonEdward V. and Marilyn M. Schten Charles P. and Martha L. CaseyCarol L. and Dean SchroederBeatrice A. and Laurits R. ChristensenEdwenna Werner

$5,000 - $9,999Franklin C. CrowGail B. and Daniel F. SheaDiane K. Endres BallwegMargaret E. and Ronald W. Wallace Kathleen M. and Ulfert Hornemann Carl E. and Mary S. Gulbrandsen Annabelle S. and John F. GallagherBenjamin M. Peckham

$1,000 - $4,999Virginia E. and John KruseFrederic S. Merritt and Mimmi K. FulmerGary L. Antoniewicz and Martha A. TaylorDavid R. Newby and Kathleen McElroy Brigitte Behm-ManoogianBetty M. and Tomoji AkagiElizabeth A. CampbellCarl J. and Catherine C. Rasmussen Joann F. and Joseph W. ElderWilliam L. FarlowBarbara J. and James H. Furstenberg Nan Guptill Crain and Robert L. Crain James S. and Kathryn K. Vaughan Thomas H. SchleisShirley S. and Seymour AbrahamsonRosemary JohnsonHelen R. SchmedemanShirley S. and Stanley L. InhornNola W. WallaceBarbara H. KlotzKenneth J. BuresKato L. PerlmanCatherine H. and Howard J. Brooks Kay A. Heggestad and Paul A. Wertsch Bruce M. HomannPamelia J. and Robert C. KellyIlona KombrinkFred and Sheila KriegerRobert G. Lange and Mary R. TatgeGertrude M. Meyne-BatesJames A. and Rumi O’BrienMary C. PendletonGeorgia M. ShambesJean A. TaffsMichael D. TeenerLew W. Wallace

$100 - $999Dolly J. SchoenbergBodoh Quartz IncRuth Z. HorrallJean B. and Werner G. Frank Studio Jewelers LtdCheryl J. and James A. GrygaTerry L. HallerRobert L. GreschAnne L. and Robert D. WoodsonEunice BoardmanElizabeth and Henry PringleMonie B. ArchieC M BallardDon R. BeffaBell Moore & Richter SCA Christine and Richard F. BishopAllan H. BoneMira L. BonhamGwang-Tsai and Shui Y. ChenJennifer M. and Martin J. ChiaveriniJudith S. and William A. CraigAllan J. DeptulaEdith Moser Chair FundGregory M. and Mary C. FarnhamAgustin and Rosie HerranGerald L. and Suzanne W. HerrmannTerry J. KryshakPaul O. and Renate E. MadsenSusan C. McLarenDelmar C. MeskeMary M. MohsGerrod C. PagenkopfKathryn E. ParkinsonFrances E. and Martin W. PetermanHarry H. PollockPorta Bella RestaurantRuth B. RichardsonSusan S. and Jon G. UdellLorna War eldLaurence A. WeinsteinJeanne V. YoungMary Ellen PetersJohn W. and Margaret B. BarkerDavid C. HottmannHein JungAnn K. WallaceCharles S. LundeMichelle L. Melnick-Kaboff and Joel Z. MelnickHanna Cook-WallaceColleen F. and William C. FeistBarbara E. and Ronald KleinKenneth D. and Lisa V. WestLinda M. Clauder

Thomas A. KuczmarskiNathaniel J. StampleyHelen G. BruckDennis L. and Katherine A. DornKate A. GordonWilliam H. and Vicky V. KnoedlerAimee E. and Eric J. MessnerDonna and Peter NapoleoneEvan F. and Jane S. PizerDora and Steve RubinEugenia A. SchoenSelma S. and Daniel K. Van EyckAllison R. and James M. SeatonE David and M Jean CrononJohn L. EverardJohn J. GibbensHelen C. HayMark Marquess and Jen BlodauNicholas E. and Elaine H. MischlerDavid L. and Tamara SchoenbaumEsther H. and Fayette G. TaylorJames A. and Kay A. LindbladeJane M. and Michael C. FerrisDiane G. HeatleyMona C. Wasow and Richard A. BrualdiLois A. DickLinda M. and Robert W. GraebnerCatherine W. and Frank R. GreerMiriam E. KerndtLisa L. MartinMartin PetkovichDavid O. StaatsJamie D. Van EyckDan and Pat M. CornwellJohn B. WhiteEmmett L. BennettDianne L. Sattinger and Randall C. Wilkins Wea Credit UnionRosemary M. Dorney and Timothy N. Fast Audrey S. HandlerJames and Joan E. KrikelasSarah J. and Michael VoichickMichael T. QuietoSchool of MusicMary F. AllenCarla J. and Fernando L. AlvaradoBach Dancing & Dynamite Society IncPetra and Miroslav BackonjaHoward S. and Lindy BardenDiane M. and Robert C. BlessBoardman & Clark LLPRachel E. BordeauxDoleta Chapru and Warren O. HagstromAlex and Maxine Constantine

John W. CraigMary L. DevineWalter E. and Londa J. DeweyJohn W. Douglass and Laura Johnson Douglass Edgewood High SchoolJane M. EisnerGeorgia T. GarnerAlexander GokhshteynMary GordonCarolyn W. Heidemann and Karl Andersen John O. HolzhueterCarol HullandHelen N. and Theodore J. Iltis Jussi Bjorling Society USAJacob I. Kap and Maria S. Speller Robert E. KrainerGisela and John E. KutzbachMarcia A. LewisMadison Community FoundationMadison Montessori Society dba Montessori Children’s HouseMadison Savoyards LtdLynn K. and Gary A. Mecklenburg Marty J. MyersBarbara L. and Larry K. Nichols Seymour V. ParterClaudia J. and Suresh S. PatilJoy S. PerryJack D. and Lori L. PoulsonAnn H. ReberHelen L. RemalyDeborah H. RobinsonMaia RosalGary and Jill K. Rosenshield Frank J. RoubChristopher J. RyanNelda H. and Reuben W. Smith Michael J. Sweet The Hyperion OrchestraDonald E. ThompsonScott TonerJudith E. TopitzesJohn S. TortoriceLinda J. and Richard A. Valiga Carolyn L. WhiteWhite Oak ChapelJudith O. and William A. Willis Anonymous

If you’d like to give to the Karen K. Bishop Fund for Voice and Opera, go online at supportuw.org/giveto/VoiceOpera or make your check payable to the University of Wisconsin Foundation and in the memo line write “Bishop Fund for Voice and Opera #132620002.” Please mail your check to the address below. If you have any questions about giving, please contact Rebekah Sherman at rebekah.sherman@supportuw.org or (608) 572-2077.

University of Wisconsin Foundation US Bank LockboxBox 78807

Mission Statement University Opera is a cultural service of the School of Music at the University of Wisconsin-Madison whose mission is to provide comprehensive operatic training and performance opportunities for our students and operatic programming to the community. Students sing principal, supporting, and chorus roles in main stage productions, one- act operas, and programs of opera scenes. In addition, we offer training for directors, conductors, and pianists, and, when possible, provide opportunities for student de- signers, actors, and dancers. Showcases for faculty, alumni, and guest artists are presented when appropriate.

SupportUniversity Opera deeply appreciates the support of alumni, friends and community organizations who help make our season possible. Because of the expensive nature of opera, the university can fund only a fraction of our budget. Generous donors have helped underwrite productions and support students who would not otherwise have been able to come to UW-Madison. Universi-ty Opera is grateful for the assistance of the Ann Crow Fund for Voice and Opera, the Dara Elizabeth Welty Memorial Fund, and the Karen K. Bishop Fund for Voice and Opera for making a quality season available to our students and our audiences. Our goal is an annual operating fund to ensure an infrastructure to recruit and provide opportunities for the very best singers. Need exists on all levels; we welcome your inquiries. To find out more about how you can be part of our program, please contact Rebekah Sherman (rebekah.sherman@supportuw.org) at the UW Foundation or David Ronis (ronis@wisc.edu).

SUBSCRIBE here for news and events, send an email to: join-somnews@lists.wisc.edu for latest news and event announcements.