Treemonisha (2000)
Opera in Two Acts
World Premiere
Commissioned by Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Music by Minoru Miki
Libretto by Colin Graham adapted from the book by Lady Murasaki Shikibu (c.1000 AD)
Photo Gallery
Cast
George Cordes*
Figaro
Sari Gruber
Susanna
Kevin J. Glavin*
Doctor Bartolo
Kathryn Day
Marcellina
Deanne Meek*
Cherubino
Gary Lehman*
Count Almaviva
Jon Kolbet
Don Basilio
Pamela Armstrong*
Rosina
Scott Toperzer
Antonio
Daniel Brenna
Don Curzio
Danielle Martin*
Barbarina
Saundra DeAthos*
Peasant Girl
Heather Johnson*
Peasant Girl
*Company Debut
Creative Team
Stefan Lano*
Conductor
Christopher Alden
Stage Director
Allen Moyer*
Set Designer
Gabriel Berry
Costume Designer
Christopher Akerlind
Lighting Designer
Tom Watson
Wig & Makeup Designer
Kathryn LaBouff
English Diction Specialist
William Lumpkin
Chorus Master
Ben Malensek
Repetiteur
Julie George*
Intern Assistant Stage Director
Cristobel Langan
Stage Manager
Patrick Siler*
Assistant Stage Manager
Melissa A. Sorenson*
Intern Assistant Stage Manager
*Company Debut
Synopsis
Figaro wants to get married to Susanna today and spends the day fighting the Count’s efforts to prevent him. The Count wants to bed Susanna and spends the day trying to postpone her marriage to Figaro. The Countess spends the day plotting to get her husband’s love back — despite her strong attraction to Cherubino.
Cherubino wants to make love to all women, particularly the Countess, and spends the day being discovered by the Count in a variety of compromising situations. Marcellina spends the day trying to force Figaro, whom she fancies, to honor an old debt agreement whereby he must pay her off or marry her.
The lawyer Bartolo is happy to help Marcellina pursue Figaro because he’d like to entrap the man who once foiled his own marriage to the Countess. In the afternoon, Marcellina and Bartolo discover that Figaro is their son and spend the early evening getting married to each other.
Basilio, always fascinated by any whiff of scandal, spends the day always fascinated. Antonio is concerned about his garden when it is sullied by a fleeing man and about his daughter Barbarina, who loves Cherubino but also enjoys the favors of the Count.
Curzio serves as the Count’s legal counsel. Susanna spends the day juggling the insults, advances, orders, confidences, and mistakes of almost everyone.
This production is made possible by a major gift from an anonymous donor.
Stefan Lano’s engagement as conductor is sponsored by The Edward Chase Garvey Memorial Fund.
The costumes for this production are underwritten by an endowment gift from the estate of Marjorie Wyman.
The preview presentation of The Marriage of Figaro for St. Louis area students and seniors was made possible by Southwestern Bell Foundation.
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