Redlands Opera Theatre’s Professional Cast, Crew Rehearses for Production of Puccini’s Comedic Gianni Schicchi

Redlands Opera Theatre is busy rehearsing the first opera of its 2016-17 season, Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, opening for four performances Nov. 4. Rehearsals are taking place at First Congregational Church of Redlands with the fully staged production staged at Kimberly Hall of the church, 2 W. Olive Ave., Redlands, CA 92373, on Nov. 4, 5 and 12, 13. Performances are at 7 p.m. except on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 3 p.m. Tickets are $28 general, $25 for senior citizens, students and members of the military, and $15 for children, and include refreshments provided by Urth Caffé. Tickets can be purchased at www.redlandsoperatheatre.com and at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2636150. In the opera, wealthy aristocrat Buoso Donati has died. His ridiculously greedy family is far more excited about his fortune than they are saddened by his death. They begin a mad search for his will before local authorities arrive, fearing he has bequeathed his fortune to a monastery. Realizing they will do anything to seize the fortune, Rinuccio suggests asking Gianni Schicchi for advice. Schicchi, a notorious trickster, arrives and proves to be a man of many ideas! The opera is less than one hour in length, and will be presented in Italian with English supertitles. Baritone Brian Jensen sings the title role of Gianni Schicchi. This is Jensen’s third season as a resident artist with Redlands Opera Theatre. After performing in Gianni Schicchi, his next roles will be as Melchior in Amahl and the Night Visitors, and in this season’s revue of Gilbert and Sullivan favorites and musical theater numbers. Tenor Nadav Hart portrays Rinuccio. His past roles include those in Falstaff; Otello; Elixir of Love; Così fan tutte; Don Giovanni; Dialogues of the Carmelites; Elisabeth, Queen of England; The Mikado; Goyescas and Amahl and the Night Visitors. He continues as a classical soloist while completing premedical studies at UCLA and working as a research intern at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Soprano Golda Berkman (making her professional opera debut ay 17) will sing the role of Schicchi’s daughter Lauretta, who hopes to marry Rinuccio. The 17-year-old was one of the youngest Grand Prize finalists in classical voice for the Spotlight Awards of the Los Angeles Music Center and has already performed at Carnegie Hall and Walt Disney Concert Hall. Mezzo-Soprano Victoria Fox portrays Zita, a role she performed during her Master’s Degree studies at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. A resident artist for 2016-17 with Redlands Opera Theatre, Fox has been honored as a James Conlon Music Scholar, is a recipient of the Jeanette MacDonald Operetta Scholarship, and is a two-time Aspen Music Festival Fellow. The role of Nella will be sung by Soprano Christa Stevens on Nov. 5, 12, and 13 and by Soprano Colette Gardner on Nov. 4. Christa Stevens is co-founder and a principal artist with Redlands Opera Theatre as well as music curator of its Opera at the Gables concert series. She is the soprano soloist/section leader at Community Church Congregational, Corona del Mar and is a member of the Wagner Ensemble, The Music Companie and Opera on Tap, LA. Recent roles include those in A Little Night Music, The Medium, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Cosi fan tutte, H.M.S. Pinafore, Faust and Don Giovanni. Colette Gardner returns to the West Coast after two years singing opera in her hometown of Charlotte, NC, where she sang the roles for The Halton Theatre Performing Arts Center. She has performed internationally as a soloist with the Tuscia Opera Festival in Viterbo, Italy and The Rheinplatz Philharmonic Symphony in Neustadt an der Weinstraße, Germany. Tenor Joseph Michels portrays Gherardo. He has toured with Opera a la Carte in The Gondoliers and performed with The Celestial Opera Company in The Bartered Bride, The Abduction from the Seraglio, and Lucia di Lammermoor. He has appeared with the LA Opera chorus and was a Young Artist at Opera New Jersey. He is a staff singer at The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Baritone Eugene Carbajal sings the role of Betto di Signa. Carbajal has performed with the California Philharmonic Chorale, Golden State Pops Orchestra Chorale, Southeast Symphony Chorale, Dream Orchestra Chorus, Camerata of Los Angeles, Pasadena Master Chorale and other groups. Baritone Joseph Dhanens will portray Marco Simone. Dhanens’ recent operatic roles include Frank in Die Fledermaus, Cascada in The Merry Widow and Don Alfonso in Così fan tutte and recent musical theater productions include A Self-help Guide to Killing Your Boss in Los Angeles. Mezzo-Soprano Jessica Gonzalez-Rodriguez will sing the role of La Ciesca. She made her Redlands Opera Theatre debut last Fall as Siebel in its production of Faust, and is now a Resident Artist with the company for the 2016-2017 season. Bass/Baritone John Hansen portrays two roles – Maestro Spinelloccio and Ser Amantio di Nicolao. Hansen has been on stage as a performer and stage director in opera, operetta and musical theater for nearly 40 years. He has sung both dramatic and comedic roles. Opera News described his performance with the Ohio Opera as “delightful.” This will be his premier performance with Redlands Opera Theatre. Soprano Christina Slusarcyzk will portray the roles of Gherardino/Pinellino/Guccio and understudy the role of Lauretta. After receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Voice in 2015 from the University of Redlands, she made her professional opera debut with Redlands Opera Theatre in Mozart's Don Giovanni. Rita Stevens is Music Director and Conductor. Christina Jensen is Stage Director and Tiana Dye is Artistic Director. Ed Yarnelle is Associate Music Director, Piano. Stage Director, Assistant Director is Jessica Bondy. Kevin Enriquez is Lighting Designer and Sara Vander Wall is Mask Designer/Creator. For more information about Redlands Opera Theatre’s production of Gianni Schicchi and its 2016-2017 season, visit www.redlandsoperatheatre.com For more information about Golda Berkman, visit www.goldaberkman.com.