Chautauqua Institution

A male chorus of anvil workers plies their trade at the local forge, a solitary voice sings of the suffering of the poor. A local Roma woman enters and sings of her concern about her beloved granddaughter, Salud. The Grandmother fears Salud loves too much, and will suffer. Salud enters, she is passionately in love with a wealthy young man named Paco. Salud waits for Paco to come to her, consumed with terror that he will leave her.

Paco enters, and Salud is joyous again; the young lovers sing of their devotion. Salud’s Uncle enters, he has discovered that Paco is already engaged to a woman of his social class. The Grandmother pleads for peace, as she fears for Salud’s wellbeing - they do not tell Salud of Paco’s deception. The Uncle and the Grandmother sing of their cursed life, and Salud bids a tender goodbye to Paco - they promise to see each other “tomorrow evening.” Again, the chorus sings of the plight of the poor.

Act 2

The next day, in a wealthier part of the city: wedding festivities are in progress

In the courtyard of Paco’s wealthy family's house, guests gather to celebrate his marriage to Carmela. The guests tease the young couple, and a wedding Cantaor sings of their joy and the young bride’s beauty. Dancers are brought in to celebrate the union.

Salud arrives, and waits outside the house. She is determined to confront Paco with his betrayal. The Uncle and the Grandmother arrive, horrified to see that she has learned the truth. The Grandmother pleads for peace and salvation; the Uncle wants to confront Paco. Salud sings of her despair, and inside, at the wedding, Paco becomes uneasy and unsettled.

Salud and the Uncle interrupt the festivities, astonishing the bride and the guests. Paco, horrified and angry at Salud’s actions, denies he knows her and orders her to be thrown out. Her heart broken, Salud falls dead at his feet.

About La Vida Breve

La vida breve (The Brief Life) is an opera in two acts by Manuel de Falla to an original Spanish libretto by Carlos Fernández-Shaw. It was written between August 1904 and March 1905, but not produced until 1913. The first performance was given (in a French translation by Paul Millet) at the Casino Municipal in Nice on 1 April 1913; a premiere inMadrid performances followed in 1914.

Rich and lush, with hints of both verismo and Wagnerian mysticism, this is a jewel of an opera. Just over one hour long, the tragic story of Salud and her faithless lover Paco is dense with emotion, symbolism, and pathos. Rarely performed, but beloved within the operatic community, the students and faculty of the Opera Institute (and our special guests from Dance) are delighted to share this extraordinary work with the audiences of Chautauqua.

Cast List

Salud – Sarah Zieba

Abuela – Christine Powell-Thomas

Paco – Alexander Bonner

Voice of the Forge - Dominic Armstrong*

Tio Sarvoar – Reever Jay Julian

Carmela – Michaela Larsen

Manuel – Wayne Arthur

Wedding Singer – Luis Vega-Torres

Vendors - Huijie Sun, Elizabeth Palumbo, Gabrielle Guida, Dominic Townsend

Ensemble - All members of the Chautauqua Opera Conservatory

Dancers - Chloe Oronoz, Channell Botha, Ryan Smallwood, Josie Kirk, Jeffrey Davis, Jasiah Doyle, Bruno Khilkin Secches, Ellis Wolf Annunziata

*guest faculty member

MSFO Personnel

Violin I

Jameson Darcy, concertmaster

Paula Sastre

Yvonne Lee

Ophir Dahari

Evan Schuman

Anna Sykes

Blake Armstrong

Byron Laing

Charlotte Fong

Veronica Rokicki

Rhianna Lingle

Cade Carter

Violin II

Rebekah Geller, principal

Noah Ghosh

Jamily Lee

Tianyu Liu

Ian Jenson

Kana Aihara

Zihua Ma

Frances Norton

Pavlo Kyryliuk

Cecelia Santiago

Maxwell Fairman

Caleb Frailey

Viola

Alondra Damian-Noyola, principal

Kate MacKenzie

Chloe Kitzmiller

Alison Wang

Martha Mulcahy

Kamilah Brown

Josh Corwin

Daniel Castorena

Mira Vaughn

Ariana Mascari

Cello

Layla Morris, principal

Noah Vin

Ethan Hess

Benjamin Smith

Lekai Li

Milo Klise

Myla Wyrick

Alexandra Dillulio

Ewan Manalo

Nathaniel Stone

Double Bass

Sunny Lin, principal

Zoe Harris

Stan Legan

Carson Fast

Aidan Lobenstein

Paolo Garcia

Austin Beck

Flute

Alex Lehmann

Carter Reynolds

Emma Westerfield

Oboe

Kearsen Erwin

Celia Wojcik

Erin Yun

Clarinet

Lauren Enos

Hongbo Liang

Caroline Weiss

Bassoon

Jason Capozucca

Noah Eastman

Heather Hippchen

James Smelley

Horn

Lilah Costanzo

Jordan Petan

Louis Roy

Amir Sharipov

Cristina Vieytez

Trumpet

Dasara Beta

Jordan Ku

Elijah Leonard

Kirk Morrison

Trombone

Griffin Rupp

Elijah Van Camp-Goh

Bass Trombone

Iris Liu

Tuba

Parker Burkey

Percussion

Jose Diaz

Will Morgan

Connor Speakman

Patrick Sorah

Harp

Beth Henson

Celeste

Leo Choi

About the Opera Conservatory

The Chautauqua Opera Conservatory is designed to guide and empower young artists through training and vast performance opportunities in a wide array of repertoire with excellent faculty. Under the leadership of Denyce Graves-Montgomery, Artistic Advisor, and Jonathan Beyer, Director, a dynamic group of singers study, coach, and perform in an idyllic setting on the grounds of the Chautauqua Institution.

About the Music School Festival Orchestra

Each summer we enroll 81 of the most promising young instrumentalists from here and abroad to join us for an exciting summer of music making. Our students are typically 18 to 28 and enrolled in (or recently graduated from) undergraduate or graduate studies.

The School of Music at Chautauqua considers orchestral work, private study, and chamber music each to be vital components of the program. The orchestra rehearses daily for the majority of the summer and performs its concerts in Chautauqua’s 4,400-seat outdoor Amphitheater. Other facets of orchestral study include sectionals, repertoire classes and mock auditions all run by our professional faculty. Topics covered include the psychology of auditioning, performance issues/anxiety, and instant feedback providing priceless insight into the professional road ahead.

The chamber music program runs throughout the festival. Students receive regular coaching from our distinguished faculty and have multiple performance opportunities. Percussionists participate in a two-week chamber music residency with Michael Burritt, concluding with a percussion ensemble concert. Many of the ensembles mix with the opera conservatory, piano and even theater and dance programs to provide a wide and diverse offering of performing experiences.

Private study rounds out the curriculum with each student receiving six private lessons with a member of Chautauqua’s world-renowned faculty. Master classes from both resident and guest faculty are part of the program as well. Climate-controlled practice cabins provide an ideal environment for the personal work that goes into a summer of artistic growth.

2025 School of Music Opera Conservatory Faculty and Staff

Opera Conservatory 2025

Denyce Graves, artistic advisor

Jonathan Beyer, director

Resident and Guest Faculty

Dominic Armstrong

Nicole Cabell

Rachel Calloway

Claudia Catania

Maxine Davis, Feldenkrais Practitioner

Damien Geter

Maya Goell, directing intern

Emma Griffin

John Holiday

Kimille Howard

Rhoslyn Jones

Dietlinde Maazel

Kevin Short

Nathan Troup

Carol Vaness

Laura Ward

Kensho Watanabe

Vocal Coaches

Donna Gill

Joel Harder

Jeremy Chan

Manuel Arellano

Donald Lee III

Shaobai Yuan, student collaborative pianist

2025 School of Music MSFO Faculty and Staff

Instrumental 2025 Faculty

Jaren Atherholt, oboe

Alicja Basinska, collaborative pianist

Aaron Berofsky, violin and chair of strings

Bill Bernatis, horn

Curtis Burris, bass

Michael Burritt, percussion

Cristina Cutts, tuba

Eli Eban, clarinet

Pedro Frenandez, chair of percussion

Shannon Hesse, collaborative pianist

Roger Kaza, horn

Akiko Konishi, collaborative pianist

Brian Kushmaul, percussion

Owen Lee, bass

Eric Lindblom, bass trombone

Madeleine Olson, harp

Nurit Pacht, violin

Lynne Ramsey, viola

Mark Robbins, horn

Jeff Robinson, bassoon

Richard Sherman, flute and chair of winds

Matt Strauss, percussion

Almita Vamos, violin

Kathryn Votapek, chair of chamber music

Felix Wang, cello

Micah Wilkinson, trumpet and chair of brass

Chris Wolf, trombone

School of Music Administration

Sarah Malinoski, Director, Chautauqua Schools of Performing and Visual Arts

Samantha Minardi-Lopez, Manager of Student Services & Arts Education Business Coordinator

Alyssa Shimmel, Administrative Assistant

Becky Mack, Head Librarian

Mariana Mathewson Bernstein, Connections Coordinator

Robert Bussell, Piano Technician

Igor Gersh, Resident Luthier

MSFO Student Assistants

MSFO Student Librarians

Dasara Beta

Caleb Frailey

MSFO Manager

Paola Garcia

MSFO Percussion Assistant

Jose Diaz

MSFO Donors and Scholarships

A. Chace Anderson Fine and Performing Arts Scholarship

Peggy and Andy Anderson Family Scholarship Fund

Barakat Scholarship

The Michael L. Barnett Scholarship Fund

Constance M. Barton

Evie and Stacey Berger

The Chuck Berginc Scholarship

Alexander W. & Edna L. Bouchal Memorial Scholarship

Ward T. Bower Memorial Scholarship

Frederick Percival Boynton Scholarship

Lowell and Frances Hyam Brentano Fund

The Gladys Brooks Scholarship Endowment Fund

Shirley Budke Memorial Fund for Blinf Students

The Edwin L. Bullock Scholarship

The Lillian B. Bullock Scholarship

Anne S. Burden Music Scholarship

The Carnahan-Jackson Scholarship Fund

The Chautauqua Amateur Musicians Program (C.A.M.P) Scholarship

The Chautauqua Golf Club Scholarship Fund

Clark Scholarship Fund

Joseph Clarke Scholarship Fund

Clarkson Family Scholarship

The William Cole/King Scholarship

Beverly and Bruce Conner Scholarship Fund

The Bettsy and Ellis Cowling Scholarship for MSFO

The Daley Family Fund

Elaine and Erroll Davis Scholarship for MSFO

Diamond Jubilee Class of 1948 Scholarship

Dietrich Family Endowment for Music at Chautauqua

The Bina Edkin Eckerd Memorial Fund for the Fine and Performing Arts

David Effron Conducting Fellowship

The Michael and Jane Eisner Scholarship Fund

Mary Cummings Paine Eudy Scholarship Fund

The Falk Scholarship Fund

Beverly and Marvin Fiegelman Scholarship Fund for the Performing Arts

Genevieve Foote Findley Scholarship[

Ted and Deborah First Scholarship

Dr. Stephen Fudell Memorial Scholarship Endowment

The Harriet B. and Ralph T. Geller Memorial Scholarship

General Scholarship Fund

Jeffrey and Norma Glazer

Glendorn Foundation Scholarship Fund

The Alfred E. Goldman Scholarship

The Jesie D. Grassie Class of 1882 Scholarship

The Arlene Hajinlian Music Scholarship

G. Thomas & Kathleen Harric Music Scholarship

Harris Scholarship for Performing Arts

Veda Hartman Memorial Scholarship

Ruth Higby Have and Della and David Higby Music Scholarship

Hebrew Congregation Music Award

James Heegeman

William and Pauline Higie School of Music Scholarship

Robert P. Hiller Scholarship Fund

Elke Kieserling Hoppe Scholarship

Cyril T.M. Hough Memorial Scholarship Fund

The Hultquist Foundation Inc

Ruth M. Skinner Hutchins Scholarship Fund

The Lucinda Ely Johnson Scholarship

The Teresa M. Joyce. Ph. D., Scholarship

The Max and Edythe Kahn Scholarship Fund

Rebecca McCrea Kamen Cello Scholarship

Thomas E. Kaufman Memorial Music Scholarship

The Danny Kayne Music Scholarship Fund

Konneker Scholarship

Felicia and Andy Landis Memorial Fund

The LaPenna-Koch Scholarship

The Marilyn G. Levinson and Nathan Gottschalk First Chair Award for MSFO Endowment

Craig J. Luchsinger Memorial Scholarship for Violin

Ernie Mahaffey

Sal and Kay Marranca

Lillian W. Masters Scholarship Fund

The Lucille J. McClure Memorial Music Scholarship Fund

Samuel R. McClure II Brass Scholarship

Everett and Sarah Holden Mc Laren Scholarship

Hilda Jo Anne Milham Scholarship

Milks Family Scholarship for Brass Music

The Ralph J. Miller and Florence L. Miller Memorial Scholarship in Music

The Elmer G. Molyneaux Scholarship

The Mary Louise Molyneaux Scholarship

Moore Scholarship Fund for Music

Jack I. and Barbara J. Morris Memorial Cello Scholarshop

Music School Festival Orchestra Chairs

Music School Festival Orchestra Scholarship

Lily Lee Nixon Fund

Mr. And Mrs. Danford Nobel Scholarship

The William F. Northrop Memorial Music Scholarship

The Fayette S. Olmstead Foundation and Pittsburgh National Bank Charitable Trust Fund

Mary Elizabeth Peffer Music Scholarship

Pennsylvania Scholarship Fund

Pennybacker Memorial Scholarship

The Penrose Scholarship Fund

Charles John Petre Memorial Fund Trombone Award

William and Jane Pfefferkorn Scholarship for Music

Robert and Mary Pickens Scholarship

The Ernest W. and Jeannette McClure Poller Scholarship

Av and Janet Posner

Av and Janet Posner Music Scholarship

Henry Rauch Memorial Scholarship

The Douglas A. Raynow Memorial Scholarship

The Reed Family Scholarship

Joseph w. and Marilyn Hyder Richey Scholarship Endowment

Jospeh H. and Florence A. Roblee Scholarshipp

The Rotary Club of Jamestown Community Service Fund (RCJCSF) Scholarship

Glen and Ruth Roush Scholarship Fund

The Catherine Prussing Rodgers Scholarship

The Josette and Ronald Rolley Scholarship

Mary McQueen Ross Scholarship

Elmer S. and H Lorraine Sachse Scholarship Fund

The Sack Family Scholarship

Ann and Isidor Saslav Violin Scholarship in Honor of Mischa Mischakoff

James Scamman Memorial Scholarship

The Henrietta W. Schlager Scholarship

The Shreveport Friends’ Music Scholarship

The Dr. William T. and Virginia W Smyth Fund

Robert and Joan Spirtas Scholarship

The Suzanne Gaider Sroka Scholarship

Stephen Still and Terrie Tucker

George and Marianne Strother Scholarship Fund

Dan and Ann Sullivan

Dessie B. Tichenor Scholarship Fund

Barbara and Albert Turbessi Memorial

Tustin Memorial Fund

Glenn G. Vance Music Scholarship

Nina T. Wensley Scholarship

The Drs. Frits & Corrie Wiebenga Scholarship Fund

The Rachel Wilder and Phil Lerman Scholarship

Elaine Wolfe and Barry Silverman

Jeffrey and Claudia Wood

The John B. Yoder Music Scholarship

Chadwick Young Scholarship

We are grateful for the generous support of the MSFO from the following donors and organizations, scholarship funds, and permanent endowment funds held by the Chautauqua Foundation, ensuring the continuation of classical music training at Chautauqua