Friday, March 31st │ 7:30pm
Saturday, April 1st │ 7:30pm
A Verdi favorite, Rigoletto is set in the rich and decadent Italian Renaissance and features some of opera’s most famous arias! Rigoletto, a cursed court jester of the lustful Duke of Mantua, obsessively protects his daughter, Gilda. But when Gilda falls in love with the man her father loathes, Rigoletto’s thirst for vengeance and desperate attempt to stop fate bring about his own tragic undoing. This marks Rigoletto’s return to Columbus after 20 years, in a grand scale collaboration between the Columbus Symphony and Opera Columbus at the beloved Ohio Theatre
It will be performed in Italian with English supertitles.
#RigolettoOC
What’s Interesting About This Opera…
- This is the first grand-scale collaboration between Opera Columbus and Columbus Symphony in the past 20 years.
- Rigoletto features one of the best-known melodies in all of opera: “La donna è mobile.” The tune has been used in countless advertisements, including ads for Italian cuisine (everything from tomato paste to restaurant chains), body spray, scrubbing bubbles, and chocolate chip cookies—as well as two different Super Bowl ads for Doritos. It has also been featured in movie, television, and video game soundtracks, such as The Sopranos, Rocky Balboa, Holmes & Watson, and Grand Theft Auto.
- The staging for Rigoletto at the Ohio Theatre is the biggest set Opera Columbus has done in 20 years. It takes two 53 feet trucks to transport it, 36 people to construct it in 48 hrs. It can be moved, pulled apart and disconnected, mirroring the breakdown of Rigolettos mind as the story goes on.
- Our production is set during a masked ball. Our costume designer, Neil Fortin, has created 24 original masks for the production.
- Rigoletto was written in only 40 days
Listen to Rigoletto on Spotify:
SYNOPSIS
Act One
At a party in his palace, the Duke of Mantua boasts of his way with women. He dances with the Countess Ceprano, and his hunchbacked jester, Rigoletto, mocks the countess’s enraged but helpless husband. The courtier Marullo bursts in with the latest gossip: Rigoletto is suspected of keeping a young mistress in his home. The jester, unaware of the courtiers’ talk, continues to taunt Ceprano, who plots with the others to punish Rigoletto. Monterone, an elderly nobleman, forces his way into the crowd to denounce the duke for seducing his daughter and is viciously ridiculed by Rigoletto. Monterone is arrested and curses Rigoletto.
Rigoletto hurries home, disturbed by Monterone’s curse. He encounters Sparafucile, a professional assassin, who offers his services. The jester reflects that his own tongue is as sharp as the murderer’s dagger. Rigoletto enters his house and warmly greets his daughter, Gilda. Afraid for the girl’s safety, he warns her nurse, Giovanna, not to let anyone into the house. When the jester leaves, the duke appears and bribes Giovanna, who lets him into the garden. He declares his love for Gilda, who has secretly admired him at church, and tells her he is a poor student. After he leaves, she tenderly thinks of her newfound love before going to bed. The courtiers gather outside the garden intending to abduct Rigoletto’s “mistress.” Meeting the jester, they quickly change their story and fool him into wearing a blindfold and holding a ladder against his own garden wall; then they carry off Gilda. Rigoletto, rushing into the house, realizes his daughter is gone and collapses as he remembers Monterone’s curse.
Act Two
In his palace, the duke is distraught about the abduction of Gilda. When the courtiers return and tell him the story of how they took the girl from Rigoletto’s house and left her in the duke’s chamber, the duke hurries off to the conquest. Rigoletto enters, looking for Gilda. The courtiers are astonished to find out that she is his daughter rather than his mistress but prevent him from storming into the duke’s chamber. The jester violently accuses them of cruelty, then asks for compassion. Gilda appears and runs in shame to her father, who orders the others to leave. Alone with Rigoletto, Gilda tells him of the duke’s courtship, then of her abduction. When Monterone passes by on his way to execution, the jester swears that both he and the old man will be avenged. Gilda begs her father to forgive the duke.
Act Three
Rigoletto and Gilda arrive at an inn on the outskirts of Mantua where Sparafucile and his sister Maddalena live. Inside, the duke laughs at the fickleness of women. Gilda and Rigoletto watch through the window as the duke amuses himself with Maddalena. The jester sends Gilda off to Verona disguised as a boy and pays Sparafucile to murder the duke. Gilda returns to overhear Maddalena urge her brother to spare the handsome stranger and kill the hunchback instead. Sparafucile refuses to murder Rigoletto but agrees to kill the next stranger who comes to the inn so that he will be able to produce a dead body. Gilda decides to sacrifice herself for the duke. She knocks at the door and is stabbed. Rigoletto returns to claim the body, which he assumes is the duke’s. As he gloats over the sack Sparafucile has given him, he hears his supposed victim singing in the distance. Frantically tearing open the sack, he finds his daughter, who dies asking his forgiveness. Horrified, Rigoletto remembers Monterone’s curse.
Credit: Met Opera
COMING FROM OUT OF TOWN?
Whether you are coming from our of town or just want to make a special night of Maria de Buenos Aires.
Book a hotel visit with Opera Columbus’ hotel partner: Residence Inn Columbus Downtown.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR SPECIAL RATE FOR OC+CSO'S RIGOLETTO
Residence Inn Columbus Downtown for 149 USD per night Book your group rate for Rigoletto Audience Rooms Hotel is located two blocks from the Ohio Theater within easy walking distance. All rooms have a full kitchen with full-size refrigerator and a full-size sleeper sofa. All suites are pet friendly with pet fee. Rate includes complimentary full hot breakfast and internet. Parking is valet only and is $35 per vehicle per night with unlimited in & out privileges. Check-in is 4pm and checkout is noon. PLEASE NOTE: Room reservations are first-come first-serve until room block is full. All reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card at time of reservation being made. Marriott cancellation policy is 48 hours prior to arrival. Guests may also call 888-236-2427 and ask for the group code RGU to reserve 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. PLEASE ENTER CORRECT DATES YOU WISH TO STAY BEFORE CLICKING CHECK AVAILABILITY** Breakfast hours are weekend 7am-10am and weekday 6:30pm-9:30pm. |
Rigoletto Set
COVID-19 SAFETY GUIDELINES
Your safety is our top priority.
Our safety policy was designed in consultation with leading experts in the fields of epidemiology, public health, workplace/industrial hygiene, and infectious diseases.
Updated April 4, 2022
For the performances of 40 Days of Opera throughout the city of Columbus:
- Opera Columbus will no longer require that audience members show proof of vaccination or proof of a negative COVID test.
- Masks are encouraged for all patrons.
The Opera Columbus will continue to monitor government policy changes, Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, government mandates, and public health notices and make changes as necessary or appropriate to ensure the safety of staff, artists, and the public.
Warning
Limitation on Liability/Assumption of Risk
Any person entering the premises waives all civil liability against this premises owner and operator for any injuries caused by the inherent risk associated with contracting COVID-19 at public gatherings, except for gross negligence, willful and wanton misconduct, reckless infliction of harm, or intentional infliction of harm, by the individual or entity or the premises.
Additionally, you, on behalf of yourself and any accompanying minor, voluntarily assume all risks and danger incidental to the event for which the ticket is issued, whether occurring before, during or after the event, and you waive any claims for personal injury, death, illness, damage, loss, claim, liability, or expense, of any kind against Opera Columbus., and its agents, sponsors, officers, directors, shareholders, owners and employees.
To read more about CAPA’s safety protocol, click here.
*Guidelines are subject to change
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Should I Wear?
There is no dress code for the opera! Some patrons choose to dress for a special occasion and others prefer to keep it casual.
Where Should I Park?
Parking is available at the Columbus Commons Parking Garage located off of Rich or Main Street.
When Should I Arrive?
Plan on arriving about 30-40 minutes early. This gives you plenty of time to park, get your tickets from will call if you need to and find your seats without feeling rushed. Latecomers are seated (or stand) in the rear of the theatre until ushers take them to their seats at an appropriate point in the production.
CAST
Hyung Yun *
Baritone Hyung Yun has been acclaimed for his “subtle musicality and grand voice,” and regularly performs on some of the most esteemed opera stages in the United States. With The Metropolitan Opera, he has performed numerous roles including Valentin in Faust under Maestro James Levine, Ping in Turandot, Lescaut in Manon with Renee Fleming in the title role, and Silvio in Pagliacci. With Los Angeles Opera he made his début as Angelotti in Tosca and returned to sing Marcello in La bohème, Micheletto Cibo in Die Gezeichneten, and Lescaut in Manon with Rolando Villazón & Anna Netrebko under the baton of Plácido Domingo. He débuted as Ping in Turandot with the Santa Fe Opera and returned to sing in their 50th Anniversary Gala Concert.
This past season, Yun returned to The Metropolitan Opera to sing Ping for their production of Turandot, performed Germont in La Traviata with Calgary Opera, and Yamadori in Madama Butterfly with Dallas Opera. This season, Mr. Yun returns to The Metropolitan Opera once again for their production of Madama Butterfly, sings Germont in La Traviata with Opera Omaha and performs the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Columbus.
Mr. Yun continues to win over audiences and critics alike with dynamic portrayals including Ping in Turandot at San Francisco Opera; Enrico in Lucia di Lammermoor at Minnesota Opera, Tulsa Opera, and Opera Carolina; the title role in Eugene Onegin at Madison Opera; Germont in La traviata with Ash Lawn Opera; Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Washington National Opera; Marcello in La bohème with Minnesota Opera and Tulsa Opera; Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro at Seoul Metropolitan Opera in a David McVicar/Royal Opera House production; and Valentin in Faust with Austin Opera. He also joined the roster of Lyric Opera of Chicago for a production of Il trovatore; appeared as Melchior in the BBC TV production of Amahl and the Night Visitors with Francesca Zambello and Patricia Racette; and appeared in the PBS TV Broadcast for “Domingo & Friends” with Washington National Opera and in a Spanish National TV broadcast of the Concert for Deaf children with Juan Pons, Marcello Giordani & Ruggiero Raimondi. Additionally, Yun recently performed with The Metropolitan Opera for their productions of Turandot, Les pêcheurs de perles, and Roberto Devereux.
During his tenure as a young artist at Washington National Opera, he sang the title role of Don Giovanni under the baton of Plácido Domingo. He returned a few seasons later as a guest artist to sing Marcello in La bohème. Additional operatic highlights include Figaro in Il barbiere di Siviglia with New York City Opera and Valentin in Faust at Palm Beach Opera. He also sang the role of Marcello in La bohème with the Merola Young Artist Program at San Francisco Opera and Ford in Falstaff as part of the Tanglewood Festival Fellowship Program with Maestro Seiji Ozawa.
An in demand international concert artist, Mr. Yun’s favorite engagements include, most recently, Hayes’ Requiem at Carnegie Hall; Händel’s Messiah with Phoenix Symphony, which he performed for eight consecutive seasons; Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 with Tokyo City Symphony; Nielson’s Symphony No. 2 with Philadelphia Orchestra; Verdi’s Requiem at Lincoln Center; and Carmina Burana with the Colorado Symphony.
Mr. Yun has numerous accolades and awards to his credit including The Sullivan Foundation Award, a Connecticut Opera Company Scholarship, and Santa Fe Opera Awards, as well as being a National Finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
David Blalock
Praised for his “fine tenor voice” (Winston-Salem Journal), David Blalock is becoming widely known for his beautiful lyric tone and his varied repertoire. During the 2021-2022 season, Mr. Blalock joined Atlanta Opera as Young Thompson in a recorded production of Glory Denied, returned to the Metropolitan Opera, covering Pong in Turandot and Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos, sang Tamino in Die Zauberflöte at Pensacola Opera, and made debuts with Opera Columbus as Alfredo in La traviata, and the Bar Harbor Music Festival as Ferrando in Così fan tutte.
During the 2022-2023 season, Mr. Blalock sings Gastone in La traviata, and covers Chaplin and Thierry in Dialogues des Carmélites at the Metropolitan Opera, reprises Tamino in Die Zauberflöte at the Northern Lights Music Festival, sings 2nd Jew in Salome at Madison Opera, reprises Young Thompson in Glory Denied at Permian Basin Opera and joins St. Croix Valley Opera for their Opera on the River concert.
Aubry Ballaro *
Quickly gaining attention as a singer possessing a lyric and dramatic voice with good bel canto technique (Indie Opera/Town Topics New Jersey), soprano Aubry Ballarò recently made her international debut as the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor withState Opera Stara Zagora. Soon after, Ms. Ballarò joinedThe Princeton Festival to sing the role of Madame Herz in their 2022 production of The Impresario.
Under the baton of Steven Mercurio, she has appeared twice at the Festival de Musiquede Saint Barthélemy, singing Micaëla in their 2020 production of Carmen, and popular operatic selections in their 2021 concert with orchestra. Ms. Ballarò was a Finalist in the 2021 Vincerò World Singing Competition in Napoli, a winner of the 2019 Bologna International Vocal Competition, as well as a District Winner of the 2022 Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition.
Ms. Ballarò is a recent graduate of the Academy of Vocal Arts, where she was seen performing roles such as Susanna in Le Nozze di Figaro, Musetta in La bohème, Juliettein Roméo et Juliette, and Oscar in Un ballo in maschera.
In 2023, Ms. Ballarò will be returning to State Opera Stara Zagora to debut the role of Violetta Valéry in Verdi’s La Traviata, and will be joining Opera Columbus to debut the role of Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto
Eric McKeever
American operatic baritone Eric McKeever has won consistent praise for his voice of “power and brilliance” (Chicago Tribune) and “considerable flexibility and a communicative presence enhanced by expressive, crystalline diction.” (Opera News) Eric’s 2022-2023 season includes a season of debuts. First, he joins the Delaware Symphony Orchestra in their “Opening Night at the Grand” gala, makes his role debut as Don Alfonso in Così Fan Tutte at Opera Delaware where he serves as an Artist-in-Residence/Artistic Ambassador, sings Falke in Act II of Die Fledermaus with Maryland Opera in their “Ritorna Vincitor” concert, makes house and role debuts with On Site Opera as the title role in Der Kaiser von Atlantis and William Grant Still in Paul Moravec’s Sanctuary Road with the Penn Square Music Festival. And later in the season, he debuts Monterone in Rigoletto with Opera Columbus.
During the 2021-22 season, he performed the title role in Don Giovanni in his return to Indianapolis Opera, made his debut with Teatro Grattacielo as the Banditore in Zandonai’s rarely-heard Giulietta e Romeo, covered the role of Monforte in New Amsterdam Opera’s I Vespri Siciliani, made his recital debut in Opera Delaware’s “Sunday Spotlight” Series, covered the title role in On Site Opera’s production of Gianni Schicchi, and made his debut with Washington DC’s Urban Arias as Papa-Daddy in the world-premiere of Why I live at the P.O.
During the 2020-2021 season he recorded Kamala Sankaram’s Looking at You, available on the Bright Shiny Things label and recorded several roles for Experiments in Opera’s Aqua Net and Funyuns podcast opera. Mr. McKeever also recorded Dandini for Opera on Tap’s digital version of La Cenerentola, performed live in Salt Marsh Opera’s outdoor “Music at the Lighthouse” concert, and performed in Little Opera Theatre of New York livestream of “Zemlinsky’s Zimmer.” Mr. McKeever returned to live performances as Marcello in a new production of La bohème with Opera Columbus and performed outdoor concerts with Opera Delaware and Baltimore Concert Opera.
During the 2019-2020 season, Eric received critical acclaim as Charlie in the world premiere of Kamala Sankaram’s Looking at You with HERE Arts in New York, joined Opera Columbus in “Twisted 3”, a collaboration with the Columbus Symphony and Ballet Met, made his role debut as Tonio in Pagalicci in a return to Salt Marsh Opera, and performed in Baltimore Concert Opera’s “Thirsty Thursday” Concert Series. Eric was scheduled to debut the title role in Don Giovanni with Indianapolis Opera, the title role in Rigoletto with Mill City Summer Opera and make his Anchorage Festival of Music debut in Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice, but those engagements were cancelled due to COVID-19.
Recent performances include Sharpless in Madama Butterfly with Opera Columbus, David in L’amico Fritz with Baltimore Concert Opera, Germont in La traviata with Pacific Opera Project, Malatesta in Don Pasquale with Anchorage Opera, the Speaker in The Magic Flute with Florentine Opera, and Frank in Die Fledermaus with Nashville Opera, Finger Lakes Opera, Florentine Opera, and Baltimore Concert Opera.
On the concert stage he has appeared as a soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth with the New Albany Symphony, performed Bernstein’s Songfest with Skidmore College, and made his debut with the Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra in Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice.
Cody Müller
Described as having “a voice that could shake the rafters,” and which “…resonates authority,” Cody Müller, Bass, has been thrilling audiences for over a decade with his rich vocal timbre and compelling stage presence. His career so far has spanned the American states, Canada, and Mexico, performing for over 28,000 people in the spring of 2018 alone. His work on stage spans all genres and his comedic work has been touted as being “…played to the hilt.”
Müller has been engaged by opera companies and orchestras alike, finding a home in all types of repertoire. Some operatic credits include the Commentator in “Scalia/Ginsburg” with the Princeton Festival, Benoit/Alcindoro in “La bohème” with the Columbus Symphony, Sparafucile in “Rigoletto” with the Academy of Vocal Arts, Dr. Bartolo in “Le nozze di Figaro,” the Usher in “Trial by Jury” with Opera Delaware, Henezo in “L’amico Fritz” with Baltimore Concert Opera, Don Basilio in “The Barber of Seville,” Alidoro in “La Cenerentola,” the Four Villains in “Les contes d’Hoffmann” with Bel Cantanti Opera, Gus O’Neill in John Musto’s “Later the Same Evening” with Central City Opera, Don Alfonso in “Così fan tutte,” Marchese in “La Traviata” with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Dr. Gibbs in Ned Rorem’s “Our Town,” Don Magnifico in “La Cenerentola” and The Four Villains in “Les Contes d’Hoffmann” both with Opera in the Ozarks, Leporello in “Don Giovanni,” and Dr. Bartolo in “Le nozze di Figaro” with Eastman Opera Theatre. Müller’s most notable concert performances include Jesus in Bach’s “Matthäus Passion,” Brahms’s “Ein Deutsches Requiem,” Mendelssohn’s “Magnificat,” Beethoven’s “Mass in C,” Handel’s “Messiah,” Bach’s “Mass in B-minor” with the American Bach Soloists, and several Bach Cantatas: BWV 75, 80, 140, 179, & 214.
Müller’s lifelong passion is commissioning works specifically written for the young bass voice. He has sung the works of Patrick Dunnevant and Cortlandt Matthews, and is always looking for new composers to join him in this effort.
An avid choral musician, Müller has performed with various professional ensembles including William Weinert’s VOICES in Rochester, NY, David Schelat’s Master Singers of Wilmington, Delaware, and is currently employed by the Taylor Festival Choir in Charleston, South Carolina.
As Müller is highly sought after both for solo and ensemble appointments, the 2022-2023 season will see Müller make debuts at multiple houses including Opera Columbus. Müller is a graduate of the prestigious Academy of Vocal Arts, The Eastman School of Music, and Belmont University. He currently resides in Austin, Texas.
Hilary Ginther *
Mezzo-soprano Hilary Ginther continues her trajectory as a bravura artist in several branches of the classical European repertoire. In the summer of 2022, she headlined Opera Omaha’s Opera Outdoors concert with major excerpts from the roles of Santuzza (Cavalleria rusticana) and Éboli (Don Carlos). During her all-Italian 2022-2023 season, she makes an international role debut as Elisabetta (Donizetti’s Queen Elizabeth I) in Maria Stuarda for her return to Musica Viva Hong Kong, a rare Puccinian venture as Suor Angelica’s La maestra delle novizie for her return to Opera Omaha, her Opera Columbus debut as Maddalena in Rigoletto, and her Central City Opera debut as Emilia in the rarely performed Rossini Otello.
Further recent Italian roles include Adalgisa (Norma), in which she made her internationally broadcast Asian debut with Musica Viva Hong Kong, and Rosina (Il barbiere di Siviglia) which she debuted at Florida Grand Opera and has since reprised with Fargo Moorhead Opera and Opera on the James. In the French repertoire, Ms. Ginther has earned success both as the familiar Carmen as well as Anne Boleyn in the rare Saint-Saëns grand opera Henry VIII, with which she made her Odyssey Opera debut. Additionally, her affinity for Tchaikovsky has been confirmed by her performances as Olga in Opera Omaha’s Eugene Onegin and the title role of New Orleans Opera’s Joan of Arc (The Maid of Orléans).
Ms. Ginther’s experience in contemporary American works includes her Philadelphia Orchestra debut as a featured soloist in Bernstein’s MASS under the direction of Yannick Nézet-Séguin, a performance recorded and released by Deutsche Grammophon, her New York City Opera debut as Lureen in the North American premiere of Brokeback Mountain, her Los Angeles Opera debut in a double bill by Gordon Getty, Usher House & The Canterville Ghost, the comical Lady Meresvale in the New York premiere of Floyd’s Prince of Players, and the world premiere of Musto’s The Inspector with Wolf Trap Opera.
Robert J. Kerr
Known for his stage savvy, Robert Kerr’s foundation in opera began in musical theater. Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times wrote of his Falstaff: “He made words matter and conveyed the self-delusion of this likable laughingstock… “. Known to Opera Columbus audiences, Robert Kerr returns this season in Tosca and Fellow Travelers. His past performances with the company include the King in Aida; the world première of The Flood by Korine Fujiwara with libretto by Stephen Wadsworth; the title role of Gianni Schicchi; and, Tonio in Pagliacci. Notable credits include a return to Rose Theater with Atsushi Yamada conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra of New York in an all-Verdi concert; he was Pooh-Bah in The Mikado with Performance Santa Fe!; the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Projects Columbus in addition to the title role in Gianni Schicchi with the company. He has been heard as Germont in La traviata with the Philharmonia Orchestra of New York at Lincoln Center and as soloist in Mozart’s Requiem; and, has appeared with the local symphonies on numerous occasions. In prior seasons, Mr. Kerr returned to Japan for engagements in performances of Requiem by Minoru Miki in Natori and reprising the work at Rose Theater at Lincoln Center; he has covered the role of the King in El Gato con Botas with Gotham Chamber Opera; and, was soloist with the New York City Opera Orchestra in a Japan tour of Carmina Burana. Other engagements include his appearance at the Kennedy Center Honors with Sondra Radvanovsky and Joseph Calleja in an Aida tribute to honoree, Martina Arroyo. Equally at home in musical theater, Mr. Kerr has sung King Hildebrand in Princess Ida with So. Ohio Light Opera; the role of Peachum in The Threepenny Opera with Amarillo Opera; and Pooh-Bah in The Mikado.
Benjamin Bunsold
Tenor, Benjamin Bunsold, has performed over 40 leading operatic roles and concert works nationally and abroad. Some of those include Nemorino (L’elisir d’amore) for Opera in the Heights (TX), Fenton (Falstaff) for Fort Worth Opera, Alfredo (La traviata) for Asheville Lyric Opera, and as Roméo (Roméo et Juliette) for Center Stage Opera in Los Angeles. He has appeared with such companies as St. Petersburg Opera, Opera Memphis, Charlottsville Opera, Cleveland Opera Theater, Opera Idaho, Shreveport Opera, Opera Delaware, Opera North Carolina, Drei Groschen Oper in Munich, Germany, and has sung several roles for Opera Columbus. He has been a Young Artist with Fort Worth Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Utah Festival Opera, and Opera Tampa.
An active concert soloist, Benjamin has performed Handel’s Messiah with the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, the Kalamazoo Orchestra, and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. Concerts include being chosen as the tenor soloist in the “Great American Voices” Concert Tour sponsored by the National Endowment of the Arts, tenor soloist in Saint-Saëns’ Christmas Oratorio with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, Beethoven Mass in C with the Knox County Symphony, and Mozart’s Requiem for the Fairbanks Symphony in Alaska. He holds a BM from Ohio Wesleyan University, an MM from the University of Illinois, and has completed additional graduate work at the Ohio State University.
Darren Templeton *
Darren Templeton, bass-baritone, is a current graduate student in The Ohio State University’s Master of Music Voice Performance Program and student of Dr. Katherine Rohrer. After teaching middle and high school voice, choral music and coaching soccer for 6 years, Darren joined the military. He recently retired as a Major in 2021 after serving 27 years in the Marine Corps and the Army. Recent singing engagements were as the bass soloist in M. Haydn’s Requiem in c with Trinity United Methodist choir and orchestra in Columbus, OH November 2022 and the role of King Balthazar December 2022 in Amahl and the night visitors in Marysville, OH. Darren is a recent vocal winner in The Ohio State’s Concerto Competition. In July 2023, Darren will be attending the summer opera training program, International Performing Arts Institute (IPAI) in Bavaria Germany.
Anabella Petronsi
Anabella Petronsi, is a 3rd year DMA student in Voice Performance with the Singing Health Specialization at OSU under the tutelage of Dr. Blosser, where she serves as a Graduate Teaching Associate. She graduated from the National University of Arts in Argentina with a BM in Voice Performance and from The Ohio State University with an MA in Music Education. She has sung L’ Enfant (Ravel), Barbarina (Mozart), Dame 2 (Mozart), Serpetta (Mozart), Papagena (Mozart), Despina (Mozart), Poesie (Charpentier), Berenice (Rossini), Mrs. Webster (Candey), Mirror 1 (Albinarrate), Mariquita Sanchez (Scher), and Heraldo (Lambertini), Sorceress (Purcell), Giovanna (Verdi). She worked as an Artistic Administrator, Director of Operations and Special Projects and Events for the Department of Musical Arts at the National University of Arts in Argentina. She also sang with Enhorabuena Company, Ensemble Tempus, and Opera of Columbus. She is a member of the Columbus Symphony Choir.
Hannah Bullock
Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, Hannah Marie Bullock is a new and emerging artist making her footprint in the opera world. She was most recently seen in her debut performance of Micaela (Carmen) in a co-production between Camerata Bardi and Teatro Grattacielo in Heraklion, Crete. Further international engagements include a young artist position with the inaugural Opera for Peace Academy in Rome, Italy in Summer 2022. In Summer 2021 Ms. Bullock had the pleasure of performing Contessa Almaviva (Le Nozze di Figaro) with the International Summer Opera Festival of Morelia.
In addition to a budding international career, Ms. Bullock is frequently engaged at home. Recent performances with Opera Columbus include Countess Ceprano in the Spring 2023 production of Rigoletto and Moremi in the 2022 production of Vanqui. Other recent engagements include Bess (Porgy and Bess), with Opera Project Columbus.
Ms. Bullock is a graduate of Capital University with Bachelor of Music in Music Technology and of Ohio University with a Master of Music in Vocal Performance. In addition to performing, Ms. Bullock serves as the Director of Operations for Graves Piano Company in Columbus. She thoroughly enjoys working with the Columbus community to promote local music and artists.
Sophia Longo
Sophia Longo, Soprano, is a native to the greater Columbus area cultivating her reputation as a dynamic, genuine, and passionate vocal artist. Sophia is a graduating senior at The Ohio State University’s School of Music earning her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance. Building experience on the opera stage, Sophia has performed in countless opera scenes productions from Ohio to Minnesota to Italy as characters including Butterfly (Madama Butterfly), Patience (Patience), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), and Countess (Le Nozze di Figaro). She has also taken on roles as Cendrillon (Cendrillon), Little Red (Into the Woods), and Ariel (The Little Mermaid). Sophia made her Opera Columbus debut in 2021 in the Chorus of Tosca.
Allison Steiner
CREATIVE
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi (Italian: [dʒuˈzɛppe ˈverdi]; 9 or 10 October 1813 – 27 January 1901) was an Italian opera composer. He was born near Busseto to a provincial family of moderate means, receiving a musical education with the help of a local patron. Verdi came to dominate the Italian opera scene after the era of Gioachino Rossini, Gaetano Donizetti, and Vincenzo Bellini, whose works significantly influenced him. In his early operas, Verdi demonstrated a sympathy with the Risorgimento movement which sought the unification of Italy. He also participated briefly as an elected politician. The chorus “Va, pensiero” from his early opera Nabucco (1842), and similar choruses in later operas, were much in the spirit of the unification movement, and the composer himself became esteemed as a representative of these ideals. An intensely private person, Verdi did not seek to ingratiate himself with popular movements . As he became professionally successful he was able to reduce his operatic workload and sought to establish himself as a landowner in his native region. He surprised the musical world by returning, after his success with the opera Aida (1871), with three late masterpieces: his Requiem (1874), and the operas Otello (1887) and Falstaff (1893). His operas remain extremely popular, especially the three peaks of his ‘middle period’: Rigoletto, Il trovatore and La traviata. The bicentenary of his birth in 2013 was widely celebrated in broadcasts and performances.
Giuseppe Verdi
Francesco Maria Piave
Respected and admired by audiences and musicians alike, Rossen Milanov is currently the music director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (CSO), Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, and newly appointed chief conductor of the Slovenian RTV Orchestra in Ljubljana. Milanov has established himself as a conductor with considerable national and international presence. He recently completed a seven-year tenure as music director of the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias (OSPA) in Spain. Nationally, he has appeared with the Colorado, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Baltimore, Seattle, and Fort Worth symphonies, National Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center, Link-Up education projects with Carnegie Hall and the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, and with the Civic Orchestra in Chicago. Internationally, he has collaborated with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra de la Suisse Romand, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Aalborg, Latvian, and Hungarian National Symphony Orchestras and the orchestras in Toronto, Vancouver, KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic (South Africa), Mexico, Colombia, Sao Paolo, Belo Horizonte, and New Zealand. In the Far East, he has appeared with NHK, Sapporo, Tokyo, and Singapore symphonies, Hyogo Performing Arts Center, and Malaysian and Hong Kong Philharmonics. Milanov has collaborated with some of the world’s preeminent artists, including Yo-Yo Ma, Itzhak Perlman, Joshua Bell, Midori, Christian Tetzlaff, and André Watts. During his 11-year tenure with the Philadelphia Orchestra, Milanov conducted more than 200 performances. In 2015, he completed a 15-year tenure as music director of the nationally recognized training orchestra Symphony in C in New Jersey, and in 2013, a 17-year tenure with the New Symphony Orchestra in his native city of Sofia, Bulgaria. His passion for new music has resulted in numerous world premieres of works by composers such as Derek Bermel, Mason Bates, Caroline Shaw, Phillip Glass, Richard Danielpour, Nicolas Maw, and Gabriel Prokofiev, among others. Noted for his versatility, Milanov is also a welcomed presence in the worlds of opera and ballet. He has collaborated with Komische Oper Berlin (Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of Mtzensk), Opera Oviedo (Spanish premiere of Tchaikovsky’s Mazzepa and Bartok’s Bluebeard’s Castle – awarded best Spanish production for 2015), and Opera Columbus (Verdi’s La Traviata). An experienced ballet conductor, he has been seen at New York City Ballet and collaborated with some of the best known choreographers of our time such Mats Ek, Benjamin Millepied, and most recently, Alexei Ratmansky in the critically acclaimed revival of Swan Lake in Zurich with the Zurich Ballet and in Paris with La Scala Ballet. Milanov was recipient of an Arts Prize by The Columbus Foundation. Under his leadership, the Columbus Symphony has expanded its reach by connecting original programing with community-wide initiatives such as focusing on women composers, nature conservancy, presenting original festivals, and supporting and commissioning new music. In Princeton, he celebrated his tenth anniversary as music director, and under his leadership, the orchestra has established an excellent artistic reputation and has been recognized for its innovation and vital role in the community. Milanov studied conducting at the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School, where he received the Bruno Walter Memorial Scholarship. A passionate chef, he often dedicates his culinary talents to various charities.
Rossen Milanov
Hailed “a rising star of stage directing [whose] approach to directing refreshes hope for the future of opera,” Eve Summer is a director, producer, and choreographer. She has been described as having “a gift for translating classic symbolism into familiar detail with just enough flippancy to bring out the fun of the opera without skewing the emotional equation.” Recent directing credits include The Glimmerglass Festival, Trouble in Tahiti; Opera Columbus, Tosca, Don Giovanni; Curtis Opera Theatre, Così fan tutte, Albert Herring; Opera Saratoga, The Barber of Seville; Opera Grand Rapids, Così fan tutte, The Mikado, Don Giovanni; Tulsa Opera, The Little Prince; Opera Orlando, The Tales of Hoffmann, Lizbeth; Opera Carolina, Don Giovanni; Connecticut Early Music Festival, Xerxes; A.J.Fletcher Opera Institute at UNCSA, Volpone; Opera Tampa & Opera in Williamsburg, The Pearl Fishers; MassOpera, Carmen; Boheme Opera New Jersey, Aida, Lucia di Lammermoor; and the world premiere of Larry Bell’s opera Holy Ghosts at the Berklee Performance Center. Eve’s work has been called “eye-poppingly contemporary,” “a riveting, glorious production from beginning to end,” and “can only be described as brilliant.” Critics raved that her production of Xerxes was “a delight, and a testament to Summer’s gift for banishing stodginess from an art form too often seen as fossilized and elitist”. Critics hailed her recent Albert Herring at Curtis as “exuberant and delightful,” “a drawing room tour de force,” and declared “It is hard to imagine how the performance could have been improved. It was sensational.” Her style is naturalistic, modern, and rooted in the visceral truthfulness of stage plays where she started her directing career. Her theater productions have included The Merry Wives of Windsor, Extremities, A Midsummer night’s Dream, The Woolgatherer, ‘Art,’ Two Gentlemen of Verona and her own play Neighbors, an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Thomas Berger. A former professional ballet dancer and choreographer, Eve’s choreography credits include a commission to choreograph a new ballet, Jeanne’s Fantasy, by composer Mark Warhol for the premiere with Contrapose Dance and Fort Point Theatre Channel, Elektra at Des Moines Metro Opera, Falstaff at Opera Colorado, and Don Giovanni at Boston Opera Collaborative. She recently collaborated with renowned choreographer Karole Armitage on the critically acclaimed American premiere of Philip Glass’ Opera-Ballet The Witches of Venice at Opera Saratoga. Eve has served as staff director and choreographer at many opera companies including Boston Lyric Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Des Moines Metro Opera, Opera Colorado, Tulsa Opera, Opera Saratoga, and Opera Boston. www.EveSummerDirector.com 
Eve Summer
Neil is a graduate of Boston University with an MFA in Costume Production, and additionally holds a Bachelors degree in History from Providence College. Fortin is returning to Opera Columbus after designing Tosca in December of 2021. He has most recently designed Opera Omaha’s production of Eugene Onegin in April of 2022 and has constructed historical millinery for a variety of West end Shows in England as well as the BBC’s Sanditon. As an ongoing project Fortin has collaborated with his husband and formed Thomas Fortin Menswear an English silk accessories company. Fortin has also worked with the American Repertory Theater, the Huntington Theater Company, The Boston Conservatory Pegasus Early Music Festival, Commonwealth Shakespeare, Actors Shakespeare Project, The Walnut Hill School, and the Metro Stage Company. 
Neil Fortin
Marcella Barbeau (she/her) is a lighting designer based in New York City. Her recent credits include: The Threepenny Carmen, The Threepenny Opera (The Atlanta Opera), Dolores Claiborne, Pelléas et Mélisande (Boston University Opera Institute), Native Gardens, Barefoot in the Park, The Lifespan of a Fact, True West (Gloucester Stage), and Trayf (New Repertory Theatre). She has assisted designers at the English National Opera, Nationaltheatre Mannheim, National Theatre Munich, Boston Lyric Opera, American Repertory Theatre, Cincinnati Opera, and the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis. In 2015, she was the lighting design fellow for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. As a Chinese American designer, Marcella actively seeks to collaborate and amplify the voices of fellow BIPOC artists of all intersectionalities. She received her Master of Fine Arts from Boston University and frequently visits her hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.
Marcella Barbeau *
*Opera Columbus debut
In Partnership With
And it doesn’t stop there…
SALON: COSTUMES AND COCKTAILS WITH NEIL FORTIN
March 14th l 6pm l Zoom
Be taken back to the Renaissance era with Neil Fortin, costume designer of Rigoletto. At this FREE event, you will learn all the tricks and tips behind theatrical costume creation, and learn how these play into the world of OC+CSO’s Rigoletto and create a fashionable, unforgettable experience
DON’T TELL GRETTA
March 12th l 6pm l District West
Cast members from Rigoletto join Gretta Goodbottom at District West for “Don’t Tell Gretta”, a live piano cabaret.
Save the Date! March 12th at District West. Show begins at 6pm.
COFFEE WITH THE CREATIVES
March 24th l 12pm l Ohio Theatre, Rehearsal Room 4
Sip coffee, and join us for a live Q+A with the creatives behind OC + CSO’s Rigoletto:
Conductor, Rossen Milanov
Stage Director, Eve Summer
And Costume Designer, Neil Fortin
