Musetta (Karen Barraza) and Marcello (Jared Bybee)
Rodolfo (Mackenzie Whitney) and Mimí (Marina Costa-Jackson)
Mimí (Marina Costa-Jackson)
Schaunard (Michael Adams), Colline (Anthony Schneider), Marcello (Jared Bybee), Benoit (Nathan Milholin) and Rodolfo (Mackenzie Whitney)

La bohème

Puccini

Conductor: Christofer Macatsoris
Stage Director: David Gately

February 7–19, 2015


Puccini’s romantic depiction of love and loss among starving young artists in 19th century Paris is among the world’s most beloved operas. The memorable score contains some of the most familiar melodies in opera, performed by AVA’s remarkable Resident Artists.

Philadelphia Inquirer Review

2005sm_000
In 2005, two young singers took the stage in the Helen Corning Warden Theater to sing the roles of star-crossed lovers Mimí and Rodolfo in Puccini’s beloved La bohème. Seven years later Ailyn Pérez (’06) and Stephen Costello (’07) reprised the roles for the Los Angeles Opera.

Zach Borichevsky (Rodolfo) and Jan Cornelius (Mimì) in AVA's 2010 production of La Bohème

In 2010, Zach Borichevsky (’12) sang Roldofo at AVA opposite Jan Cornelius (’11) as Mimí. This season, Mr. Borichevsky made his European debut in the role with the Finnish National Opera in Helsinki and Ms. Cornelius sang Musetta with the Birmingham (AL) Opera.

AVA alumni are regularly featured in productions of La bohème in great opera houses around the world. In the 2014-15 season, Bryan Hymel (’08) and Michael Fabiano (’09) sang Rodolfo in the Zeffirelli production at the Metropolitan Opera; Eglise Guttierrez (’04) and Burak Bilgili (’04) were featured in Opera Naples (FL) production with fourth year Resident Artist William Davenport; and Corrine Winters (’11), Musa Ngqungwana (’14), Steven LaBrie (’13) and Christian Bowers (’13) sang La Bohème with the Washington National Opera.

Cast

* opening night

Mimì – Marina Costa-Jackson* & Vanessa Vasquez
Musetta – Karen Barraza* & Alexandra Nowakowski
Rodolfo – Galeano Salas, Mackenzie Whitney* & Dominick Chenes
Marcello – Jared Bybee*, Armando Piña & Hunter Enoch
Schaunard – Michael Adams* & Jorge Espino
Colline – Nathan Milholin & Anthony Schneider*
Benoit – Nathan Milholin* & Anthony Schneider
Alcindoro –  Nathan Milholin* & Anthony Schneider
Parpignol – Alasdair Kent
Sergente du Doganieri – Jonas Hacker
Un Venditore Amulante – Jonas Hacker
Chorus: Julia Dawson, Kristina Nicole Lewis, Hannah Ludwig, Huanhuan Ma, Sofija Petrovic, Alexandra Schenck

 

Meet the Artists
Vanessa Vasquez ’18
soprano
Mimì
Karen Barraza ’17
soprano
Musetta
Alexandra Nowakowski ’18
soprano
Musetta
Galeano Salas ’16
tenor
Rodolfo
Mackenzie Whitney ’16
tenor
Rodolfo
Jared Bybee ’17
baritone
Marcello
Armando Piña ’16
baritone
Marcello
Jorge Espino ’17
baritone
Schaunard
Nathan Milholin ’18
bass-baritone
Colline, Benoit
Anthony Robin Schneider ’17
bass
Colline, Benoit
Alasdair Kent ’17
tenor
Parpignol
Jonas Hacker ’17
tenor
Sergente du Doganieri, Un Venditore Amulante
Hannah Ludwig ’18
mezzo-soprano
Chorus
Huanhuan Ma ’16
soprano
Chorus
Sofija Petrovic ’15
soprano
Chorus
Alexandra Schenck ’16
mezzo-soprano
Chorus