Music by Agostino Steffani (1653–1728)
Libretto by Luigi Orlandi, after Ovid's Metamorphoses
Sun, June 12, 3:30pm | Tue, June 14, 7pm | Wed, June 15, 7pm | Fri, June 17, 7pm | Sun, June 19, 3:30pm
Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, Boston, MA
Fri, June 24, 7pm | Sat, June 25, 7pm
Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center, Great Barrington, MA
Join the Boston Early Music Festival in June for the North American premiere of Agostino Steffani’s Niobe, Regina di Tebe (Niobe, Queen of Thebes) — an operatic masterpiece first performed as the opening spectacle at the 1688 Carnival in Munich. Steffani was a force in shaping the operatic culture of Germany, and had an enormous influence on the music of Handel. Steffani’s gorgeous music will immerse the listener in a magical drama of soaring triumphs and searing tragedy.
Niobe recounts the story of the Queen of Thebes, one of the most tragic figures in Greek mythology, who ruled over the city of Thebes with her husband Anfione. Niobe’s immense pride earns her family the merciless wrath of the gods. With elegant costumes, breathtaking sets, and Baroque flying machines, this heart-wrenching story will come alive in a dazzling spectacle for both eye and ear.
This stunning production will feature a BEMF audience favorite, soprano Amanda Forsythe, in the title role, and the sensational French countertenor, Philippe Jaroussky, who received Europe’s prestigious 2008 Echo Award for Best Singer of the Year, as King Anfione. They head a cast of leading international opera singers, who perform alongside the thirty virtuosos who comprise our three-time Grammy nominated BEMF Orchestra, a colorful ensemble of Baroque dancers, a gifted children’s troupe, and many others.
Paul O’Dette & Stephen Stubbs, Musical Directors
Gilbert Blin, Stage Director
Caroline Copeland & Carlos Fittante, Choreographers
Anna Watkins, Costume Designer
Lenore Doxsee, Lighting Designer
Kathleen Fay, Executive Producer
Abbie H. Katz, Associate Producer
Ellen Hargis, Assistant Stage Director
Cast
Amanda Forsythe, Niobe
Philippe Jaroussky, Anfione
Yulia Van Doren, Manto
Charles Robert Stephens, Tiresia
Kevin D. Skelton, Clearte
Matthew White, Creonte
Jesse Blumberg, Poliferno
Colin Balzer, Tiberino
Jose Lemos, Nerea
BEMF Orchestra
Cynthia Roberts, Concertmaster
Robert Mealy, Miloš Valent, Peter Spissky, Dagmar Valentová, Julie Andrijeski, Cynthia Miller Freivogel, Daniel Elyar & Johanna Novom, violin
Pat Jordan, Laura Jeppesen & David Douglass, viola
Phoebe Carrai, David Morris, Sarah Freiberg & Brent Wissick, basse de violon
Robert Nairn, double bass
Gonzalo X. Ruiz & Kathryn Montoya, oboe & recorder
Mathieu Lussier, bassoon
John Thiessen, Alexander Bonus, Brian Shaw & Kris Kwapis, trumpet
Ben Harms, percussion
Paul O’Dette & Stephen Stubbs, theorbo & Baroque guitar
Maxine Eilander, Baroque harp
Luca Guglielmi, harpsichord
Erin Headley, viola da gamba
Off-stage Viol Consort, Christel Thielmann, director
Caitlin Cribbs, Rachael Ryan & Beiliang Zhu
BEMF Dance Ensemble
Melinda Sullivan, Ballet Mistress
Caroline Copeland, Carlos Fittante & Karin Modigh, featured dancers
Olsi Gjeci, Andrew Trego & Scott Weber, dancers
PALS Children's Chorus
Alysoun Kegel, Artistic Director
