PACIFIC OPERA PROJECT
JULY 12-21, 2024
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OUR TEAM
Josh Shaw
Founding Artistic Director & CEO
Katherine Powers
Executive Director
Teila Theisen
Director of Education & Community Engagement
Felicia Freitas
Operations Manager
Rae Shrum
Digital Content Manager
Julia Johnson
Recital Series & Social Media Coordinator
Anahit Poturyan
Development Associate
Megan Schulze
Box Office Manager & Youth Program Educator
Sounding Point
Marketing & Communications
Sarah Sturdevant
Production Intern
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Rick Ellingsen
Board President
Bruce Merritt
Vice-President, Secretary pro tempore
Eric Hayne
Treasurer
Bettyna Bluwal
Jennifer Diener
Alden Lawrence
Ming Liu
Jessica Mamey
Matthew Miles
Doraine Meyer
Phil Meyer
Jennifer Miller Hammel
Felix Racelis
Josh Shaw
Doris Shimabukuro
Rob Webb
ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Alice Coulombe
W. Allan Edmiston, M.D.
Alan Freeman
Paul Gurian
Simon Holt
Hettie Lynne Hurtes
David Kasunic
William T. Kennedy
Shigemi Matsumoto
Robert Ronus
Brigitta Troy
Ian White-Thomson
SPECIAL THANKS
Elizabeth Clark
for housing Ms. Enyart
Rick & Sharon Ellingsen
for housing Ms. Blaustein
Colin Gibsen
for housing Mr. Stark
Rusalka
JULY 12-14 & 19-21, 2024
7:30PM
DESCANSO GARDENS
MUSIC BY
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK
NEW ENGLISH LIBRETTO BY
JOSH SHAW
2 hours & 20 minutes
including one intermission
THANKS FOR COMING!
We'd love to hear about your experience at the show. Please take a minute to complete our audience survey.
SYNOPSIS
An operatic retelling of The Little Mermaid story, Rusalka is a Czech fairy-tale about a mermaid who longs to become human to be with the Prince who often visits her lake. When her father Vodník, the water sprite, cannot help her, she turns to Ježibaba, a witch. She sings of her love in the beautiful Song to the Moon. Ježibaba casts a spell to make Rusalka human, but in return, she must give up her beautiful voice. If she cannot make the Prince fall in love with her, she must return to the water, and both she and the Prince will be cursed. The Prince falls in love with the fragile, silent Rusalka, until a bold foreign princess arrives at the castle and seduces the Prince. Vodnik arrives to save Rusalka from heartbreak and threatens the Prince. When the Prince turns to the foreign princess for help, she reveals herself to be an evil witch who has cast a spell on him. Having failed to win the Prince’s love, Rusalka is again confined to the lake, but she is no longer a nymph, nor human. She asks for pity from Ježibaba, and for a release from her damnation. This time, she must take the Prince’s life in order to save her own, but she refuses, throws away the dagger and is offered into the lake. In her sorrow, she becomes a wraith of the lake – a siren, forced to take the life of any man who passes by. The sick Prince seeks her out to ask for her forgiveness and, knowing that it will be fatal, asks her for one last kiss.
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THE OFFICIAL PODCAST OF POP!
CAST
ARTISTIC TEAM & CREW
Rehearsal Pianist
Benjamin Beckman
Sound Engineer
Drew Sensue-Weinstein
Light Designer
Grace Berry
SupertitleS
Devi Bhatti
Set Construction
David Handler
ORCHESTRA
Flute
Eve Bañuelos
Violin
Hannah Murray
Clarinet
Virginia Figueiredo
Harp
Jacqueline Marshall
Bass
Stewart Rosen
Horn
Preston Shepard
Piano
Benjamin Beckman
Opera is for Everyone
Even Children!
POP’s Education Department offers high-quality, low-cost opera education at school, at home, and in the theater!
- 4-8 week in-school and afterschool programs
- Discounted tickets for children and families
- FREE family-friendly opera events
Visit pacificoperaproject.com/education for more information.
POP Education Programs are supported by community members like you.
Email learn@pacificoperaproject.com to become a donor or volunteer, and help us bring high-quality performing arts education to youth members.
POP IS SUPPORTED BY
The Ahmanson Foundation
Colburn Foundation
City of Los Angeles Dept of Cultural Affairs
Little Tokyo District Neighborhood Council
Los Angeles County Dept of Arts & Culture
Office of LA County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis
National Endowment for the Arts
Perenchio Foundation
Pasadena Showcase House for Arts
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
THE POP FAMILY
This list reflects donations made between Jan 1, 2023 - July 1, 2024.
$50,000+ TOP HAT & TAILS
Rick & Sharon Ellingsen
California Arts Council
Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture
Perenchio Foundation
Ronus Foundation
$25,000+ VELVET CAPE
Alice Coulombe
Jennifer Diener
Catherine Jurca & Scott Fraser
Bill & Priscilla Kennedy
The Ahmanson Foundation
City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs
Colburn Foundation
The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation
$15,000+ SMOKING JACKET
David Mason
Bruce & Valerie Merritt
Mimi Rotter
California Small Business Relief Grant Program
National Endowment for the Arts
$10,000+ SILK GLOVES
Doris Shimabukuro
Orange County Opera, Inc
Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts
$5,000+ VEST
Richard Johnson & Rosalie Blum
Marlene Schall Chávez, Ph.D.
Penny Donnelly
Bill & Ellen Ireland
Kathryn Lane
Daniel Majoros
Christopher Reed & Pat O’Brien
Phil Meyer & Kenneth Robbins
Monica & Trevor Roper
Eric Small
Frances Joan Wells
LA County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis
LA Philanthropic Committee for the Arts
$2,500+ MONOCLE
Manuel & Herminia Balboa
Elaine Blomeyer
Nick Burlett & Jessie Dove
Fred & Nancy Golden
John & Gabourie Langer
Jessica Mamey
Larry Nash & Felix Racelis
David & Mary Beth Redding
Brigitta Troy
$1,000+ ASCOT
Luvi Avendano
Stephen Block
Bettyna Bluwal
Francisco Bracho
Fred Chapel
Dr. W Allan Edmiston
Eric Futterer
Colin Gibson
Capri Haga
Erica Hahn
Jon Hall
Patrick Hare
Eric Hayne
Judy Hopkins
Phil & Susan Hopkins
Mark Irwin
Roger George & Cynthia Johnson-George
Hap Lawrence
Channing Lushbough
Kevin Maguire
Frank & Susan Malinowski
Doraine Meyer
Louis & Kathy Moret
Alan E. Muraoka
Michael & Marianne Newman
Doug & Patricia Patterson
Donald & Carole Roback
Philip & Janet Rotner
Gavin Troster
Bill Wall
Christopher & Aimee Westcott
Barbara & Ian White-Thomson
Joe & Yoko Yamaguchi
Los Angeles Breakfast Club Foundation
$500+ WINGTIPS
Bruce Anderson
Benjamin W. Grant Barnes
Robert Bailey
Marianne Behzadi
Alice Bennett
Ellie Bloomfield
Paul Gurian & Barbara Callas
Peter & Beverly Conley
Andrea M Corcoran
Kathy Crandall
Steve Dunham
Burke Farrar
Walt Fidler
Wendy Goldzband
Cynthia Ison
Andreas Kraemer
Elaine Kramer
Jefferson Lanz & Eve Norel
Raulee Marcus
Doug Murakami
Jennifer Miller Hammel
Dace Pavlovskis
Rodney & Ruth Punt
Charles & Barbara Schufreider
Jeffery M. & Laura E. Scott Sellers
Irene Ujda
$250+ BOWLER HAT
Graham & Carla Balzun
Susan Bardfield
Amanda Boesche
Mary Bosak
Jim Bright Jr & Lucy Farber
Clifton & Jeannine Cates
Virginia Clark
Elisabeth Clark
Pat Cross
Frederick Dear
Mike & Virginia Fawcett
Steven & Claire Finnk
Monica Fishman
Gary & Mary Follett
Dr. James & Mary Martin
Frankie Glass
Paul & Carol Levin
Keri Levitus
Mont Levy
Sam Linkchorst
Joanna & Fred Linkchorst
Jill Mabley
Fred Manaster
Barbara Merkle
Andrew Paroczai
Michael & Cynthia Perry
Matthew Pirnazar
Anahit Poturyan
Allen Riberdy
François & Carol Rigolot
Geoff Elliott & Julia Rodriguez-Elliott
Jessica Rollins
Susanne Spangler
Jim Sohre
Kay Tornborg
Aviva Weiner
Robert Woods
$120+ HANDLEBAR MUSTACHE
Rose Aleman
Sharon Algozer
Murray Aronson
Matthew Hanser & Amy Miller
Ron Barnett
Martha Benedict
Henry Bloomstein
Robert & Joan Braun
David Brown
Nancy & Martin Chalifour
Dana Chin
Maureen Crow
Anne Marie De La Vega
Patricia DiStefano
Ned Jordan & Marie Drouet
Diana Farrell
Ellen Fenger
Ed & Mimi Fisher
Gary Freeman
Eddie Gamarra
Nurit Glass
Brenda & Braeden Harris
Catherine Hayes
Bridget Highfill
Sherry Hutson
David Kasunic
James Koss
Nicholas Lau
Ed & Judy Lieb
Charles Lingo
Karen Ming Liu
Pam & Bob McCoard
Maurice Meysenburg
Maloy Moore
Finnian & Emily Murray
Sarah Olim
Rachel Payne
Scott Peer
Patrick Quion
Lourdes Reybin
Curtis & Marilyn Robertson
Julie Rogers
Marisa Rubino
Alan Schack
John Seidenstricker
Richard Seligman
Mary Suzanne Siegel
Patty Silversher
Dennis Simanaitis
Marcus & Rebecca Sjowall
John & Mary Tavetian
Kathie Tomasulo
Mia Unson
Dunning Wilson
Todd Withers
Joann Zajac
What are the perks?
POP VOLUNTEERS
WE NEED YOUR HELP to keep POP doing our best work! There many ways to get involved, from helping with airport pickups, to ushering at events, to connecting with patrons to show our appreciation. POP volunteers also get exclusive opportunities meeting our artists, event invitations, and earning POP swag. Not to mention meeting other opera lovers like yourself!
To get started, go to pacificoperaproject.com/volunteer
UPCOMING
COMMUNITY EVENTS
THE MIKADO
August 17, 2024 | 5:30PM
at Festival of Arts Laguna Beach
The all-star cast of POP’s riotously funny 2019 production of The Mikado returns one night only for a 90-minute performance of Gilbert & Sullivan’s beloved comedy at the Laguna Beach 2024 Festival of Arts, Pageant of the Masters. This performance is free to the public!
cinderella
2024-2025 SEASON
NOV 2-10, 2024
The Garibaldina MB Society
4533 N Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90065
A site specific production, moving the action of this slapstick comedy by a student of Donizetti, to the late 1960s. Set in the venue itself, The Garibaldina Club is one of LA’s hottest retro spots and has recently been profiled multiple times in the LA Times. This production will offer table and regular seating. Pasta, dessert, wine, and a full bar will be offered.
JAN 10-19, 2025
The Highland Park Ebell Club
131 S Avenue 57, Los Angeles, CA 90042
US premiere production! POP’s colorful period production of this comedy of errors features some of the best of Salieri’s music and a plot similar to Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte. Complete with table seating, food, and wine and presented on the elaborate proscenium set originally built for Ercole su'l Termodonte. Kyle Naig will lead from the harpsichord and Josh Shaw directs.
JUNE 13-22, 2025
Heritage Square Museum Lawn
3800 Homer Street
Los Angeles, CA 90031
The season closes with a grand production of Gilbert & Sullivan's H.M.S. Pinafore, a comedic tale of love and hijinks on the high seas. Set amongst the gorgeous Victorian village at Heritage Square Museum, this show features table seating, wine, and bring-your-own-picnicking. Opera Las Vegas Music Director, Josh Horsch, returns to POP to conduct, and Josh Shaw directs this lively, outdoor production.