Don Giovanni - March '19 | BOC Website

DON GIOVANNI

March 28-April 6, 2019

The Ben Franklin Institute of Technology in Boston's South End

Passion Meets Power

BOC’s taut, timely production explores the power of passion and the peril of power in a thrilling, contemporary staging driven by some of Mozart’s most brilliant music. Set in the world of commercial/fashion photography -- where the power of the image can be both seductive and dangerous -- BOC’s Don Giovanni offers a offers a startlingly contemporary take on the nature and power of seduction, the magnetism of celebrity and what happens when the artists we love don’t live up to our expectations.

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Cast

John Bitsas (Masetto)

John Bitsas, baritone, recently completed his MM in Opera Performance at The Boston Conservatory, and received his BM in Voice Performance from Simpson College. Recent roles performed include Guglielmo (Così fan tutte), Owen Hart (Dead Man Walking), Betto di Signa (Gianni Schicchi), Herr Reich (Die lusitgen Weiber von Windsor), and Melisso (Alcina). John has been a Young Artist at Crested Butter Music Festival, Ad Astra Music Festival, and Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre.

Scott Ballantine (Don Giovanni)

Baritone, Scott Ballantine, returns to Boston Opera Collaborative (BOC) as a member for the 2018-19 season. Previous credits with BOC include Schaunard in La Bohème, Hannah Before in As One and Valmont in The Dangerous Liaisons. This season, he looks forward to expanding his specialty in contemporary opera as Father in The Scarlet Ibis. Ballantine spent the summer of 2018 with the Janiec Opera Company, where he had his role debut as Sharpless in Madama Butterfly. www.scottballantine.com

Junhan Choi (Don Giovanni)

Baritone Junhan Choi, a native of South Korea, was recently awarded three special prizes at the 54th Viñas international voice competition in Barcelona which are ‘Mercedes Viñas’, ‘Victoria de los Ángeles’, and ‘Franz Schubert’. He also won 1st place in MetroWest Opera’s Vocal Competition and placed 4th with Audience Favorite prize at Rochester’s Classiac Idol Vocal Competition in 2017. Mr. Choi holds Master’s degree and Graduate Diploma from New England Conservatory of Music.

Sarah Cooper (Zerlina)

Soprano Sarah Joyce Cooper has appeared as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte (CoOPERAtive), Countess in Le Nozze di Figaro (Savannah Voice Festival), Micaëla in Carmen (Martina Arroyo’s Prelude to Performance), Violetta in La Traviata (New York Opera Studio/ Elizabeth R. and Co.), and Mimi in La Bohème (Boston Opera Collaborative). Sarah looks forward to another season as a Principal Artist with Boston Opera Collaborative, where she will perform the role of Zerlina in Don Giovanni.

Leroy Davis (Leporello)

Recent highlights include Papageno in The Magic Flute with Shreveport Opera and Fiorello in Il Barbiere di Siviglia as a Studio Artist with the Florentine Opera. Other credits include Benny in The Ballad of Baby Doe and Sacristan (Cover) Tosca at Central City Opera, bass soloist for Bruckner’s Te Deum with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Don Alfonso as a guest artist in Cosi fan tutte with the New England Conservatory and A Mandarin/Ping in Turandot with Shreveport Opera.

Shannon Grace (Commendatore)

Soprano Shannon Grace obtained her MM from The Boston Conservatory in Vocal Performance in 2013 and her BM in Voice from Ithaca College in 2010. This year she will be performing in BOC’s The Scarlet Ibis (Mother). Past BOC performances include: Dangerous Liaisons (Madame de Volanges), Mirror (Virginia Woolf in From the Diary of Virginia Woolf), Opera Bites 2015-2017 (Lucy, American Flag, Tempo Fuori del Tempo, The Act) and Our Town (Mrs. Webb).

Madison Hatten (Donna Elvira)

Wes Hunter (Ottavio)

Wes Hunter, praised for his "drama, heart, and shining tone," most recently performed as Count Ory in Rossini's Le Comte Ory, Gastone in Verdi's La Traviata, Oronte in Handel's Alcina, Laurie in Adamo's Little Women, and Lindoro in Rossini's L'Italiana in Algeri. Hunter has also performed as a soloist in concert repertoire across the east coast including Mozart's Mass in C minor, Vaughan Williams' Serenade to Music, Handel's Messiah, Britten's Rejoice in the Lamb, and Schubert's Mass in G.

Jessica Jacobs (Donna Anna)

Emily Michiko Jensen (Donna Anna)

Soprano Emily Michiko Jensen was most recently a young artist with Sarasota Opera & Chautauqua Opera. Previous roles include: Marguerite (Faust et Marguerite), Blanche (Dialogues of the Carmelites), Foreign Woman (The Consul), Suzel, (L’amico Fritz), Governess (Turn of the Screw), and Tiny (Paul Bunyan). Originally from San Diego, Emily received a Graduate Diploma & Master of Music in Vocal Performance from NEC, and holds a BM in Vocal Performance from the Eastman School of Music.

Rebecca Krouner (Commendatore)

Mezzo-soprano Rebecca Krouner joins BOC for her second season, after singing Hannah After in As One and in Opera Bites last year. Rebecca was a resident artist at Opera San Jose and holds an MM from Manhattan School of Music and a BA from Brown University. Roles performed include Carmen, Komponist, Azucena and Orlofsky. She's performed locally with Odyssey Opera, MetroWest Opera, Lowell House Opera, Panopera, the Boston Civic Symphony, the Wellesley Symphony Orchestra, and Grand Harmonie.

Andrew Miller (Leporello)

Fran Rogers

Award winning tenor Fran Rogers has been critically acclaimed for his "open, free, and effortless high notes", his "athleticism", and "raw strength and natural timbre". Recent opera credits include Rodolfo in Puccini’s La Boheme, Ruggero in Puccini’s La Rondine, Danceny in Susa’s The Dangerous Liaisons, and Ramiro in Rossini's La Cenerentola. Fran recently made his Boston Symphony Hall debut with the Terezin Music Foundation. He is a regular national anthem soloist for Boston sports teams.

Jennifer Soloway (Zerlina)

Lyric coloratura and Atlanta native, Jennifer Soloway, earned her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Oklahoma City University and her Master of Music in Opera Performance from The Boston Conservatory at Berklee under the tutelage of Rebecca Folsom. Her recent roles include; Cunegonda in Candide, Zina in Dark Sisters and Morgana in Alcina.

Isabelle Zeledón (Donna Elvira)

Nicaraguan-American soprano Isabelle Zeledón is thrilled to make her BOC debut as Donna Elvira during the 2018-2019 season. Past operatic engagements include Tatyana (Eugene Onegin), Alcina (Alcina), Almera (Dark Sisters), and Frau Fluth (Die lustigen Weiber von Windsor). She completed her P.S.C and her M.M. in Opera Performance at the Boston Conservatory. Isabelle received a B.M in Vocal Performance from NEC and a B.A. in International Relations and German Studies from Tufts University.

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Performing March 28 & 30, April 2 & 5:
Junhan Choi, Andrew Miller, Jessica Jacobs, Francis Rogers, Isabelle Zeledon,

Sarah Cooper, John Bitsas, Shannon Grace

Performing March 29 & April 1, 4, 6:
Scott Ballantine, Leroy Davis, Emily Michiko Jensen, Wes Hunter, Madison Hatten,

Jennifer Soloway, John Bitsas, Rebecca Krouner

Creative Team

Tianhui Ng

Greg Smucker

Patricia Weinmann

Ingrid Oslund

Assistant Director & Fight Choreographer

Patricia Au

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Full cast, creative team, and crew bios