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 Cascadia Concert Opera is dedicated to per- Board of Directors
forming opera for both new and established
audiences throughout the Pacific Northwest. Bereniece Jones
We are a summer-season production company, Marieke Schuurs
with a unique identity as a traveling perfor- Janene Kirkpatrick
mance troupe, showcasing some of the finest Kevin Helppie
local and regional talent – all professionals who Sandy Naishtat
are willing to donate their expertise, energy, Jaime Galli-McGee
and time to bring quality opera productions to
non-traditional performance venues.
We are committed to developing community Contact
audiences, partnering with educational organi- Cascadia Concert Opera
zations, and creating performance opportuni- P.O. Box 11424
ties for local artists. Eugene, OR 97440
CCO hopes to support other opera organiza-
tions in our area by building audiences and by www.cascadiaconcertopera.org
doing our part to encourage opera’s presence in
our Pacific Northwest arts culture.

The ability to experience live opera, in English, at an affordable price, in a convenient

location is an opportunity that the entire community is entitled to. This is ultimately
the mission of CCO.

1 | CCO 2010 Season

Marieke Schuurs
Giulietta
Marieke Schuurs
earned a Master of
Fine Arts degree in
Vocal Performance
from the Univer-
sity of California,
Irvine. She contin-
ued training with
Ms. Ellen Faull un-
til 2008. She sings both classical and
jazz. She has performed mainstage
roles with Eugene Opera in Il Tro-
vatore, Orpheus in the Underworld,
Pirates of Penzance, The Telephone,
Susannah, The Marriage of Figaro
and Die Fledermaus. She has also
performed with Willamette Concert
Opera and the Oregon Bach Festival.
Her jazz performance group is called
Elegant M and performs original
music. She was Chorus Master with
Eugene Opera from 1999 to 2004. She
was also an active member of Eugene
Opera’s Educational Outreach pro-
gram. Marieke is currently pursuing
her Alexander Technique certifica-
tion. She teaches voice at her private
studio: Cantare Voice Studio. She is a
20 member of the National Assoc. of
Teachers of Singing.
Scott Wagnon Lauren Servias
Nathanael/Franz/Pitichinaccio/Spalanzani
A native of Coeur
d’Alene, Idaho,
Scott is a senior
at the University
of Oregon pursu-
ing his Bachelor’s
Degree in Music
Education for choral
conducting. His
past works include
ensemble for “The Magic Flute” and
“Dido and Aeneas” as well as a mem-
ber of the Oregon Bach Festival Cho-
rus and the Eugene Symphony Chorus
9 | CCO 2010 Season
Allison Sanders
Antonia
Soprano, Allison
Sanders is a versatile
performer who has
performed the oper-
atic roles of Lauretta
in Puccini’s Gianni
Schicchi and Mother
in Menotti’s Amahl
and the Night Visi-
tors. She is excited to join Cascadia
Concert Opera for their second year as
Antonia in Offenbach’s Tales of Hoff-
mann. Ms. Sanders holds a Bachelor of
Arts degree in Music from Western
Oregon University and was named
their Outstanding Vocalist. She also
trained with Professor Faye Robinson
at the University of Arizona and
received a Master of Music degree in
Vocal Performance. Ms. Sanders has
won a number of awards from the
National Association of Teachers of
Singing, as well as being chosen to
participate in Ann Baltz’s 4-week
program of OperaWorks. Along with
performing, Ms. Sanders enjoys
teaching private voice lessons. She
currently resides in Eugene, Oregon
with her husband Moran
Pianist/Répétiteur
Lauren Servias is
thrilled to be playing
a second season with
Cascadia Concert
Opera! In addition
to CCO, Lauren has
served as a accom-
panist for Tacoma
Opera, Seattle Civic
Dance Theatre, Inter-
lochen Arts Camp, and the Oregon
Festival of American Music, among
other organizations. Lauren lives in
Eugene, Oregon with her husband
David, and is a Graduate Teaching
Fellow in Collaborative Piano at the
University of Oregon.
Sandy Naishtat
Hermann/Luther/Schlemil/Crespel
Lindorf/Coppelius/Miracle/Dapertutto
Sandy Naishtat,
has performed
principal and
comprimario roles
with Eugene
Opera since 1994,
beginning with Sir
Joseph in HMS
Pinafore, and
including Spinel-
lochio in Gianni Schicchi, Antonio in
The Marriage of Figaro, featured
roles in La Traviata, Susannah, La
Boheme, Die Fledermaus, The
Pirates of Penzance, and The Magic
Flute, and as Jupiter in Orpheus in
the Underworld. With Oregon
Opera Theater, he participated in the
world premiere of Tobermory, and in
productions of Cosi Fan Tutte, Il
Campanello, Amelia Goes to the Ball,
and The Marriage of Figaro. With
Oregon Festival of American Music
he performed in Guys and Dolls and
Cascadia Concert Opera would like to thank:
The Wizard of Oz, and portrayed
Captain Kadd in Oregon Mozart
Player’s presentation of The Abduc- Dr. Andrew ElRay Stewart Cook
tion of Figaro. He has also per- The congregation of Central Lutheran Church
formed as soloist with the American Apex Systems Dr. Wayne Bennett
Symphonia, the Oregon Mozart Dr. Mark Beudert
Ann & David Fidanque
Players, and the Eugene Chamber Dr. Kevin Helppie
Singers. He earned his BA in Theater
Bereniece Jones
at Queens College, CUNY, and his
Shaffer McGee & Jaime Galli McGee
MA in Music Theory at the UofO.
Sandy and Nancy Naishtat
Nicholas Larson
John and Janene Nelson
Cantare Voice Studio
Hoffmann Sharon Schuman
Marieke Schuurs
Nicholas Larson Instruction for singers and speakers
teaches voice and
Italian diction at
Oregon State Cascadia Concert Opera is gener-
University. He ously supported by a grant from: Marieke Schuurs
holds a doctorate Award-winning master voice teacher
from the University From training for singers to coaching for
of Missouri-Kansas business speakers, Marieke has more than 20
City, a masters years of experience to help you put your best
degree from the voice forward. Complimentary consultation.
University of Southern California,
and a bachelors degree from the
Eastman School of Music. 541-349-0377 CantareVoiceStudio.com
CCO 2010 Season | 2
 Bereniece Jones Janene Kirkpatrick Shaffer McGee
CASCADIA CONCERT OPERA PRESENTS Antonia Director
The Muse/Nicklaus
Bereniece has Janene Kirkpat- Shaffer has sung
performed principal rick is a doctoral a variety of roles
and supporting
Music by Jacques Offenbach roles for Eugene
student in voice from Nero, in
performance and Monteverdi’s
Libretto by Jules Barbier Opera, Cascadia arts administration L’incoronazione di
Vincent Centeno, Conductor Concert Opera and at the University of Poppea to Albert
Shaffer McGee, Director the UofO Opera Oregon who cur- Herring, in Brit-
Lauren Servias, Pianist/Répétiteur Ensemble in pro- rently studies with ten’s opera of the
Grace Ho, Chorus Rehearsal Pianist ductions of The Milagro Vargas. She same name He
Magic Flute, Lucia di has sung in produc- has also been a member of the San
Annie Reser, Dramaturg and Moderator
Lammermoor, The Mikado, Don tions of Amahl and the Night Visitors, Francisco Symphony Chorus and the
Colleen Gaskill, Coordinator for Chorus Activities Giovanni, Die Fledermaus, Dido and Cosí fan tutte, Little Women, and Die Santa Barbara Choral Society. He is
Aeneas, Gianni Schicchi, Amelia Zauberflöte, and has also appeared as currently working on his Doctorate in
2010 Performance Calendar Goes to the Ball and The Impresario. a concert soloist with Festival Chorale Voice and Composition at the Univer-
The roles included Papagena, Alisa, Oregon, Central Washington Uni- sity of Oregon.
EUGENE Peep-Bo, Zerlina, Adele, Dido, versity Chamber Choir, and Western
The Atrium Lauretta, Amelia and Madame
Jennifer Quinnelly
Oregon University Concert Choir.
August 14, 2010 @ 2:00 PM Hoffmann Heartmelt. Recently, Bereniece was Janene has spent two seasons singing Giulietta
Derek Larson/Nicholas Larson living in Chicago where she per- in the Oregon Bach Festival Chorus Originally from
Actor’s Cabaret formed as a solo artist with organiza- under the direction of Helmuth Rill- Alaska, Jennifer
August 20 & 21, 2010 @ 8:00 PM The Muse/Nicklaus tions such as Chicago Opera Theater, ing, and she currently lives in Eugene Quinnelly holds a
Janene Kirkpatrick/ Annie Reser/ Shelly Larson/ Jillian Luger Light Opera Works, The Goodman with her husband, Rian, and her two Bachelor’s degree
Theater and Pegasus Players. She children, Alana and Nathan.
Willamette Oaks Retirement Center in Music Educa-
has also appeared throughout Eu-
August 31, 2010 @ 7:30 PM Lindorf/Coppelius/Dr. Miracle/Dapertutto rope with New York Harlem Theatre
Philip Engdahl tion from the
Kevin Helppie/Sandy Naishtat University of
where she sang the roles of Bess and Hermann/Luther/Schlemil/Crespel Alaska, Anchorage
Central Lutheran Church Clara from Porgy and Bess. She also
Sept. 26, 2010 @ 3:00 PM as well as a Mas-
Olympia enjoys performing concert repertoire Philip Engdahl ter’s degree and
Alison Slade/Heather Holmquest and has performed the soprano solos performs frequently Doctorate in Vocal Performance from
SALEM from Mozart’s Requiem, Handel’s as a baritone soloist the University of Oregon. While in
Messiah, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass, in Oregon and
Salem Chamber Orchestra Antonia Alaska she sang frequently with the
Poulenc’s Gloria, Faure’s Requiem Northern Califor-
Summer Soiree Bereniece Jones/Allison Sanders Anchorage Opera Company in their
and others. nia. Recent perfor-
August 12, 2010 @ 7:30 PM performances of La, Sonnambula,
mances include the Faust, Pirates of Penzance, as well as
Giulietta Amanda Christensen role of Count the role of Gretel in Hansel and Gretel
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church Marieke Schuurs/Jennifer Quinnelly Almaviva in the
Sept. 11, 2010 @ 7:00 PM as part of an opera awareness project
The Voice Eugene Opera in conjunction with UAA and the
AMP’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Betto and
Capital Manor Retirement Home
Hermann/Luther/Schlemil/Crespel Amanda Chris- community. Since her move to Eu-
the Lawyer in Cascadia Concert gene, Oregon, Jennifer has been seen
Sandy Naishtat/ Phillip Engdahl /Kevin Helppie tensen was born
Sept. 21, 2010 @ 7:00 PM Opera’s production of Gianni Schicchi, performing with the Oregon Opera
and raised in
Prince Yamadori in Eugene Opera’s Ensemble in various scenes programs,
Nathanael/Franz/Pitichinaccio/Spalanzani Pocatello, Idaho
PORTLAND Madama Butterfly, Don Giovanni in including Rake’s Progress, The Rape
where she com-
Scott Wagnon/Derek Larson the AMP’s Don Giovanni, Doctor of Lucretia, and La Boheme. Her roles
The Old Church pleted her under-
Bartolo in the UO’s performance of include Fanny in La Cambiale di
August 25, 2010 @ 12:00 PM graduate degree
Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, Fiorello
The Voice in music at Idaho Matrimonio, Mrs. Segstrom in A Little
in Mozart’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and
Sherman Clay Pianos Amanda Christensen/Jillian Luger State University. Night Music, the Mother in Amahl
Count Ceprano in Verdi’s Rigoletto and the Night Visitors, First Lady in
August 29, 2010 @ 2:00 PM She then received
Chorus her master’s degree from Portland
with Eugene Opera. He also performs Die Zauberflote, First Knitter in
in Eugene with Central Lutheran Barab’s A Game of Chance, and Miss
Colleen Gaskill Jillian Luger State University under the direction
LINCOLN CITY Church, where he has been a soloist in Jessel in The Turn of the Screw. Other
Heather Holmquest Tom Talaba of Ruth Dobson. She is currently
Cascade Head Music Festival several major works, including Ga- engagements have included Mozart’s
finishing up her doctoral degree in
Sept. 17, 2010 Jana Barker Webb Parker briel Fauré’s Requiem and Haydn’s Solemne Vespers and Handel’s Mes-
voice performance and arts admin-
Carol Newman Steven Gutierrez Creation Mass. siah.
istration still under the tutelage of
3 | CCO 2010 Season Ruth Dobson. CCO 2010 Season | 8
Alison Slade Kevin Helppie Heather Holmquest
Olympia Lindorf/Coppelius/Miracle/Dapertutto Olympia
Since receiving her Hermann/Luther/Schlemil/Crespel Heather Holmquest
degree in voice Kevin Helppie, is a PhD student ACT I
performance and baritone, performs in music theory Act I opens at a tavern in Nuremberg as several students are sharing drinks and conversation. Hoffmann, a
pedagogy from frequently at the University well known poet, is in love with an opera prima donna, Stella and agrees to meet her after her performance
Penn State Univer- throughout the of Oregon, with a while Counselor Lindorf looks on. Hoffmann’s muse senses trouble in Lindorf and transforms into the poet’s
sity in 1999, Alison Northwest. He has supporting area in friend, Niklaus, in order to stay near him through the night. As the students continue to drink they ask Hoff-
has been actively recently been a vocal performance. mann to entertain them with singing and his many adventures in love.
teaching and per- soloist with the St. This is her first
forming in the James’ Portland performance with
Pacific Northwest the Cascadia Opera ACT II
Bach Cantata
and East Coast. She has been a fac- Company. This spring, she per- Hoffmann’s first tale for the students is about his great love in Paris, Olympia. As a student of physician,
Series, Willamette
ulty member of three music schools in Master Chorus, the Boise Master formed the role of the Queen of the Spalanzani, Hoffmann is invited to meet his lovely daughter, Olympia. Hoffmann is entranced by Olympia’s
Boston; established children’s choirs; Chorale, Festival Chorale Oregon, Night in the University of Oregon’s sparkling eyes and falls in love with her. Hoffman is blinded by love for Olympia and does not see that she is a
acted as music director and vocal Portland Symphonic Choir, Corvallis concert performances of Die Zau- mechanical doll, despite Niklaus’s hints. Hoffman realizes his folly at the end of the act and is heartbroken.
coach for musical theater productions; Repertory Singers and Salem Reper- berflöte, and she performed in the
and maintained a private vocal studio. chorus of the Eugene Opera’s pro-
tory Theater. Last fall he was a guest
duction of Le Nozze di Figaro this
ACT III
Alison has recently moved to Eugene teacher and recitalist in Finland and
past winter. She hopes to develop a
Hoffmann has fallen in love with Antonia, the daughter of Crespel, who is a young singer. Antonia’s mother
in 2010 and enjoys spending time with Latvia. He also performs jazz music
performance career in early music was a gifted singer but died of a strange fever brought about by singing, and this illness has passed on to her.
her husband, son and two cats. and has performed with the Dave
and in teaching music theory In an effort to save her from a premature death, Crespel has taken his daughter to Munich, hiding her from
Derek Larson Brubeck Quartet and Dave Frischberg
Hoffmann. Once Hoffmann finds her, he and Antonia once again declare their love but are interrupted as
and the Western Hemisphere Orches- Shelly Larson
Hoffmann tra. In collaboration with Forrest
Crespel hears them and forces Antonia to promise him she will never sing again. Dr. Miracle arrives, and
Kinney, he has composed & published The Muse/Nicklaus offers his services to save Antonia although he was unable to save her mother. Upon being left alone with
Nathanael/Franz/Pitichinaccio/Spalanzani
two books of modern art songs. Kevin Shelly Larson at-
Antonia, Dr. Miracle conjures the voice of her mother who pleads with her to sing. Inspired by her mother’s
Derek Larson has a Doctor of Musical Arts Degree tended Montana voice and the magic of Dr. Miracle, Antonia sings into a frenzy, causing her ultimate demise.
holds a Master’s in from the University of Washington, State University
Vocal Performance Master of Music Degree from Indiana and studied vocal ACT IV & V
from the Univer- University and a Bachelor of Arts performance with Having lost Antonia, Hoffmann plunges into depression and travels with Niklaus to Venice. Venetian en-
sity of Oregon. Degree from Western Washington Dr. Jon Harney. tertainments along the canals are provided by Giulietta, a courtesan who is living at the palace of her lover,
Recently, Derek University. Dr. Helppie is on the board Operatic experi- Schlemil. Captain Dappertutto introduces himself as a friend of the courtesan who would be friendly to
has participated in of directors of Cascadia Concert Opera ence includes Bas-
and is Professor of Music at Western
Hoffmann. Giulietta is fickle and can be bought, as she was by Dappertutto to steal Schlemil’s reflection. In
the Astoria Mu- tienne in Mozart’s
sic Festival as an Oregon University, where he oversees exchange for a diamond ring, Giulietta agrees to seduce Hoffmann to steal his reflection for Dappertutto. An
Bastien und Basti-
apprentice singing the vocal program. enne, Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte and
excellent actress, Giulietta convinces Hoffmann that they will be together and that she will be his, if he kills
the roles of Tamino from Die Zauber- Bizet’s Carmen. Other roles include Schlemil to set her free. Though Niklaus feels danger approaching Hoffmann duels with and kills Schlemil,
flöte, Eisenstein from Die Fledermaus, Jillian Luger alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah, only to find Giulietta’s betrayal as she leaves in the arms of her servant.
Pedrillo from Die Entführung aus soprano soloist in Mozart’s “Missa
The Voice
dem Serail, and as Der Knarr in the Brevis” and winner of the Montana Now back at the tavern in Neuremberg, Niklaus becomes Hoffmann’s muse again, reminding him that art will
Astoria Music Festival’s production of The Muse/Nicklaus State University 2008 Concerto Com- never leave but will thrive through his love and sorrows.
Wozzeck. Past roles include Gherardo Jillian Luger is an petition with “Voi Che Sapete” from
in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, Aeneas Arizona native and Mozart’s La Nozze di Figaro and
in Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, Bastien recent graduate of “Mesicku Na Nebi Vysokém” from
in Mozart’s Bastien und Bastienne and the University of Dvorak’s Rusalka. Chorus roles in-
tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah and Oregon. She has clude Mozart’s Requiem and Verdi’s
Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day, Mozart’s sung with the Eu- Requiem.
Requiem, and Britten’s Cantata Aca- gene Opera and the Cascadia Concert Opera provides increased access to high quality opera perfor-
demica. Astoria Music mance by addressing the two greatest barriers for audiences: cost and convenience,
Festival, and would
like to thank the
but we need YOUR help to continue that effort. Please visit our website for more
Cascadia Concert Opera for this information on how you can help us continue to make opera that’s for everyone.
excellent opportunity. www.cascadiaconcertopera.org
7 | CCO 2010 Season CCO 2010 Season | 4
 Jacques Offenbach, (1819-1880)

B orn in Germany but moved to France to continue his cello training at Conserva-
toire. Establishing himself as a cello virtuoso, Offenbach began to play for the
Opéra-Comique in Paris. In 1850 he took the baton as a conductor at Téâtre Français
but was not well received by the French operatic elite. In the 1855-56 season Of-
fenbach moved to a smaller theater he called Bouffes Parisiens where he became
a successful composer of one-act operettas. Works for this theater include Les deux
aveugles, Ba-ta-clan and his first multi-work operetta Orpheus in the Underworld.
Later in his career, Offenbach attempted to move into the Grand Opera sphere
but was rejected socially as a “German” Frenchman during wars between the two
countries and was forced to move to Spain to ensure his family’s safety. At this time
Offenbach went on international tours of Italy, Austria and the United States. Once
he was able to return safely to Paris, his former operetta success was out of style
and Grand Opera was still the highest form of entertainment. Only his last work,
The Tales of Hoffmann, is considered to fit into the Grand Opera genre and is also thought by many to be his master-
piece. Based on a play of the same name by Jules Barbier which premiered in Paris in 1851, the opera follows three
stories by ETA Hoffmann by placing Hoffmann himself as the title character in each story. ETA Hoffmann had a wide
following as an author and artist, known today as the novelist behind one of the world’s most beloved ballets, The
Nutcracker. Taking up his pen on The Tales of Hoffmann, Offenbach spent the last years of his life on composition and
revision, leaving the opera unfinished at the time of his death in 1880. The Giulietta act (ACT IV in this performance)
existed only in pieces, and the 1881 premier of the opera left it out entirely though some excerpts had been implant-
ed into other acts. Due to the state of the existing Giulietta act, students of Offenbach and other editors attempted
to put the act together and complete previously unfinished orchestration based on the treatment of the instruments
throughout the rest of the opera. There are four widely accepted scores, each of which has been regularly performed.
One mode of performance growing in popularity at the present is performing only what is extant in Offenbach’s
handwriting in order to create the most authentic performance possible.

Vincent Centeno Annie Reser

Conductor
Vincent received his M.M.
in Piano Performance
from De Paul University
in Chicago. Before com-
ing to Eugene, he served
as the Music Director of
the People’s Music
School in Chicago for
eight years. In addition,
he served as the conduc-
tor of the Philippine Performing Arts Choir of
Chicago and Genesis Opera. He is currently at
the University of Oregon pursuing a doctoral
degree in music theory with a supporting area in
choral conducting.
The Muse/Nicklaus
Anne Reser, soprano, is a mu-
sicology student at the Univer-
sity of Oregon. She received her
Bachelor of Music from Simpson
College and Master of Music
from Stephen F. Austin State
University, both in Vocal Perfor-
mance. Roles she has perfomed
include Second Lady in the UO
production of Die Zauberflöte,
Louise in Rogers andHammer-
stein’s Carousel, Suor Genevieve in Suor Angelica and
La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi, both Puccini operas. She
has also performed with Des Moines Metro Opera in
productions of Puccini’s Turandot and Britten’s Glori-
ana.

CCO 2010 Season | 6