OPERA PARALLLE PRESENTS POULENCS LES MAMELLES DE TIRSIAS AND WEILLS MAHAGONNY SONGSPIEL APRIL 25, 26 AND 27 AT YERBA

BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS SAN FRANCISCO, March 25, 2 !" Opera Parallle presents Francis Poulencs Les mamelles de Tirsias and Kurt Weills Mahagonny Songspiel conducted by Artistic Director Nicole Paiement at San Franciscos Yerba Buena enter !or t"e Arts at # p$m$ April %&' %( and % p$m$ April %) in an inno*ati*e approac" +"ere bot" are presented in one sin,ular production concept$ Weills e*ocati*e Mahagonny Songspiel opens and closes t"e e*enin,' !ramin, Poulencs surrealistic opera, Les mamelles de Tirsias. -"e public is in*ited to pee. be"ind t"e scenes in ad*ance o! t"e production as t"e company o!!ers t"ree !ree pre*ie+ e*ents$ Snea. pre*ie+s are presented at ( p$m$ April / in t"e Sol 0osep" 1ecital 2all o! San Francisco onser*atory o! 3usic and at (456 p$m$ April 7( at 8oet"e 9nstitut$ An open re"earsal at : p$m$ on April 7/ +ill also pro*ide an insiders ,limpse at t"e process o! t"eatrical sta,in, muc" li.e t"e +orld en*isioned by oncept and Sta,e Director Brian Stau!enbiel in one o! t"e lar,e industrial spaces t"at !ormerly "oused t"e ;<ploratorium$ =nder t"e leaders"ip o! conductor and Artistic Director Nicole Paiement and oncept and Sta,e Director Brian Stau!enbiel' Opera Parallle presents t"is un!or,ettable' t"eatrical >ourney +"ere t+o landmar. +or.s are united into one production t"rou," t"e creation o! a ne+ ori,inal storyline$ Opera Parallles ?berstory be,ins +it" t"e >a@@Ain!used Mahagonny Songspiel by Kurt Weill as a t"eatrical troupe pulls a !uturistic boat on +"eels searc"in, !or paradise and t"at no+Ararest o! commodities' +ater in t"e s"attered +orld o! a "ars" desert en*ironment$ ;ncounterin, a ,roup o! desert nomads' t"e troupe sets up its tra*ellin, t"eater and o!!ers a per!ormance o! Poulencs outra,eously surreal satire Les mamelles de Tirsias$ -"e e*enin, concludes +it" a return to e<cerpts !rom Weills Songspiel, t"is time presented in retro,rade +it" t"e ori,inal ,uns"ot o! t"e openin, bar ec"oin, t"rou," t"e t"eater to close t"e e*enin,$ B9n my opinion' no matter +"ere +e loo. or "o+ !ar +e ,o' our indi*idual searc" !or utopia is truly a ne*er endin, a!!air'C said Artistic Director Nicole Paiement$ B-"ese combined +or.s re!lect t"e on,oin, dri*e in "uman nature to !ind a better li!e$C

Kno+n !or +or.in, in parallel +it" ot"er art !orms' "ence t"e name Opera Parallle' t"e company collaborates on t"is production +it" OD coA!ounder K- Nelson' t"e 1esound ;nsemble and t"e San Francisco 8irls "orus$ K- Nelson is +or.in, closely +it" Brian Stau!enbiel to create c"oreo,rap"y !or t"e cast t"at +ill distin,uis" t"e t"eater troupe !rom t"e desert nomads t"rou," a uniDue p"ysical lan,ua,e$ 3embers o! t"e 1esound ;nsemble and t"e San Francisco 8irls "orus participate in bot" Mahagonny Songspiel and Les mamelles de Tirsias portrayin, a nomad tribe and orp"an c"ildren.-o .eep +it" t"e surreal aest"etic o! Apollinaires play' t"e c"orus mo*es in and out o! t"e story' eit"er as actors in t"e play or audience to t"e play$ Poulenc and Weil transitioned early on in t"eir careers !rom opposite ends to similar ends Poulenc +ent !rom t"e bour,eois Parisian intellectual to t"e music "all' and Weill +ent !rom t"e +orld o! "i," modernism to more popular !orms o! t"eater$ Bot" ma*eric. composers +anted to communicate directly to t"e audience in a style t"at +as closer to t"e popular musical idioms o! t"e day' suc" as >a@@ and cabaret$ ontrastin, Poulencs surrealism to Weills ob>ecti*ism Opera Parallle creates dramatic contrast t"at !urt"er emp"asi@es t"eir common social commentary$ ;c"oin, t"e inter+o*en t"eme o! Opera Parallles concept' t"e ma>or roles in eac" opera !eature t"e same sin,er$ Baritone 8abriel Preisser per!orms Bobby in Mahagonny Songspiel and Ee mari in Les mamelles de TirsiasF soprano 1ac"el Sc"ut@ is 0essie and -irGsiasHEa cartomacienneF tenor -"omas 8lenn is "arlie and Eacou!HEe >ournalisteHEe !ilsF Daniel illi is Billy and Ee directeurHPrestoF me@@o soprano 1enGe 1apier is Bessie and Ea marc"ande de >ournau<F Ale.sey Bo,dano* is 0immy and Ee messieur barbu$ 1oundin, out t"e cast o! Les mamelles de Tirsias is current Adler Fello+ baritone 2adlei," Adams portrayin, Ee ,endarmeF "oral parts +ill be sun, by members o! t"e 1esound ;nsemble and t"e San Francisco 8irls "orus$ Stau!enbiel collaborates once a,ain +it" a stron, artistic team to create a !uturistic +orld on sta,e$ 9n addition to c"oreo,rap"er K- Nelson' t"e team includes set desi,ner Da*e Dunnin,F li,"tin, desi,ner 3att"e+ Anta.yF costume desi,ner "ristine roo.F *ideo artist Da*id 3ura.amiF pro>ection desi,ner FrGdGric BoulayF and +i, and ma.eAup artist 0eanna Par"am$ Poulencs o*erpopulated +orld in Les mamelles de Tirsias and Weills utopic +is"es !or nir*ana are issues rele*ant to our reality' and t"e production desi,ned by Opera Parallle addresses t"ese timely concerns$ Eater in t"e season' t"e company presents t"e Nort" American premiere o! Adam 8orbs Anya17, a bold +or. addressin, t"e brutal realities o! modern sla*ery and "uman tra!!ic.in,$ 8orb and "is brilliant librettist' Ben Kaye' "a*e an a+ardA+innin, partners"ip rooted in operas about e<treme conditions and Anya17 is t"e latest in a series o! "i,"ly sociallyAconscious operas$ Opera Parallle presents Anya17s 0une %6' %7 and %% at 3arines 3emorial -"eater in con>unction +it" t"e %67: Opera America con!erence$ Dont miss t"is opportunity to e<perience Opera Parallles production o! Poulencs Les mamelles de Tirsias and Kurt Weills Mahagonny Songspiel on April %&' %( and %)' %67: at San Franciscos Yerba Buena enter !or t"e Arts Eam 1esearc" -"eater$ -ic.ets priced !rom I5& to I/6 are on sale 0anuary %:' %67:$ -"ey can be purc"ased in person at t"e YB As bo<

o!!ice located inside t"e 8alleries and Forum Buildin,' )67 3ission Street at -"ird' o*er t"e p"one at J:7&K /)#AA1-S J%)#)K or online at ybca$or,$ Ca#$ L%#$ a&' B%()ra*h%+# (, $h+ Ar$%#$# P(-.+&c/L+# Ma0+..+# W+%../Maha)(&&1 S(&)#*%+. Ee mari Bobby 8abriel Preisser -irGsiasHEa artomacienne 0essie 1ac"el Sc"ut@ Ee ,endarme 2adlei," Adams Eacou!HEe >ournalisteHEe !ils "arlie -"omas 8lenn Ee directeurHPresto Billy Daniel illi Ea marc"ande de >ournau< Bessie 1enGe 1apier Ee messieur barbu 0immy Ale.sey Bo,dano* "orus 3embers o! 1esound ;nsemble and t"e San Francisco 8irls "orus Full bio,rap"ies o! t"e artists and production team can be !ound on Opera Parallles +ebsite at +++$operaparallele$or,$ A2(-$ O*+ra Para..3.+ Opera Parallle is a pro!essional opera company' in residence at San Francisco onser*atory o! 3usic and t"e only or,ani@ation in t"e Bay Area t"at presents contemporary opera e<clusi*ely$ O*er t"e last !e+ years' Opera Parallle "as brou,"t many superb productions o! contemporary +or.s to t"e community$ -"ese include4 Os*aldo 8oli>o*s Ainadamar; Eeonard Bernsteins Trouble in Tahiti in a double bill +it" Samuel Barbers A Hand of ridge; a public +or.s"op readin, o! t"e companys !irst commission' Dante De Sil*as !esualdo, "rin#e of Madness; t"e a+ardA+innin, +orld premiere o! 0acDues Des>ardins reAorc"estration o! 0o"n 2arbisons The !reat !atsby; t"e Bay Area premiere o! P"ilip 8lass $rphe; t"e !irst West oast per!ormances o! 0o"n 1eas c"amber *ersion o! Alban Ber,s %6t" century masterpiece %o&&e#'F t"e +orld premiere o! Eou 2arrisons opera (oung )aesar in con>unction +it" +"at +ould "a*e be en t"e late composers /6t" birt"dayF and *our Saints in Three A#ts by composer Lir,il -"omson and librettist 8ertrude Stein' in combination +it" t"e +orld premiere o! Euciano "essas A Hea+enly A#t in a collaboration +it" SF3O3A$ 9n prior years' under t"e name ;nsemble Parallle' +it" its mission more broadly !ocused on contemporary instrumental music' t"e company presented 7%& per!ormances includin, %# +orld premieres' released 7% recordin,s and commissioned 7/ ne+ +or.s$ For more in!ormation on t"e company' *isit +++$operaparallele$or,$ CALENDAR EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE O*+ra Para..3.+ Pr+#+&$# S&+a4 Pr+5%+6 (, Les mamelles de Tirsias 6%$h Mahagonny Songs iel

9n!ormal lecture by Artistic Director Nicole Paiement and oncept Desi,ner Brian Stau!enbiel +it" musical e<cerpts !rom cast members$ W"ere4 Sol 0osep" 1ecital 2all' San Francisco onser*atory o! 3usic W"en4 ( p$m$ April /' %67: -ic.ets4 Free and open to t"e public O*+ra Para..3.+ Pr+#+&$# S&+a4 Pr+5%+6 (, Les mamelles de Tirsias 6%$h Mahagonny Songs iel 9n!ormal lecture by Artistic Director Nicole Paiement W"ere4 8oet"e 9nstitut W"en4 (456 p$m$ April 7(' %67: -ic.ets4 Free and open to t"e public O*+ra Para..3.+ Pr+#+&$# O*+& R+h+ar#a. (, Les mamelles de Tirsias 6%$h Mahagonny Songs iel Lie+ers are in*ited to +atc" t"e director' conductor and sin,ers +or. to,et"er in an actual sta,in, re"earsal in preparation !or per!ormances t"e !ollo+in, +ee.$ At t"e conclusion o! t"e re"earsal' Nicole Paiement and Brian Stau!enbiel +ill lead t"e cast and audience members in a li*ely Duestion and ans+er session$ W"ere4 -o+n Sc"ool !or Boys J!ormerly t"e ;<ploratoriumK %)&6 0ac.son Street W"en4 : p$m$ to ( p$m$ April 7/' %67: -ic.ets4 Free and open to t"e public Note4 -"is e*ent is o!!ered in an intimate location$ PreAreser*ed seatin, is a*ailable !or donorsF t"e ,eneral public can attend on a !irstAcome' !irstAser*ed basis$ O*+ra Para..3.+ Pr+#+&$# Les mamelles de Tirsias 6%$h Mahagonny Songs iel Mahagonny Songspiel 3usic by Kurt Weill and libretto by Bertolt Brec"t Les Mamelles de Tirsias 3usic by Francis Poulenc' based on t"e play by 8uillaume Apollinaire W"ere4 Yerba Buena enter !or t"e Per!ormin, Arts Eam 1esearc" -"eater W"en4 # p$m$ April %&' %(' %67: and % p$m$ April %)' %67: -ic.ets4 I56 to I/6 +it" a 76 percent discount !or YB A members and students PHOTO CREDIT ara 8abrielson H Ste*e DiBartolomeo MEDIA CONTACT Karen Ames ommunications Kristin Sc"ellin,er4 .ristinM.arenames$com Karen Ames4 .arenM.arenames$com J:7&K (:7A):): NNN