Bad Girls
Opera for Earth Porch Concerts
November 13, 2021 | 6:00PM
Doors at 5:30, Performance at 6:00
Tickets
$25 General Admission
$20 NCHM Member/Student
$10 Children Under 12
The Neill-Cochran House Museum is excited to present the Opera for Earth Porch Concerts. Join us as we explore the connection between the arts and nature while experiencing an enchanting performance from the grand front porch of the Neill-Cochran House Museum.
It’s time to celebrate women, specifically women in opera and musical theater. In Bad Girls we hear from some of the most powerful women to grace the stage. This female-centric lineup includes performances from the works of Mozart, Wagner, and Bizet’s Carmen. Join us to laugh and cry, and celebrate these bad girls!
CAST BIOS
JODI KAREM BARRAVECCHIO
A Lebanese-American soprano, Jodi Karēm Barravecchio has been described as having a rich sound and creamy legato as well as being a sensitive performer. She performs in both opera and concert in a variety of roles throughout the United States, Europe and the Middle East. In 2019, she was a prize winner in the Lyra New York International Vocal Competition, Opera Division.
Ms. Karem Barravecchio’s 2019 performances include the role Alice Ford in Fidelio and Gertrud in A Hand of Bridge as well as concert performances in Dubai, UAE and in Germany. Other recent roles include Lady Macbeth at Opera America’s Marc A. Scorca Hall in New York City, as well as the role of Venus in Wagner’s Dresden version of Tannhäuser with Apotheosis Opera in New York. In her portrayal as the Mother in Amahl & the Night Visitors, Karēm Barravecchio “reached emotional and vocal heights that set the pulse racing and the emotional barometer practically bursting”
MONICA CAMAFREITA
A Cuban-American mezzo soprano, Monica Camafreita, is a native of Miami, Florida. She made her Carnegie Hall debut as Soprano Soloist in Rutter's Magnificat with Mid-America Productions. She later relocated to New York City to further her studies at the Manhattan School of Music. She has studied privately with Oscar Diaz, Jr., in Miami, and Neil Rosenshein, Mignon Dunn, Greta Damrau, and David Jones, in NYC.
Ms. Camafreita has appeared on stage throughout the United States and abroad, in both opera and concert. Most recently she has bowed with Brooklyn Opera Works, Regina Opera, New York Lyric Opera, MORE Opera, The Hannah Senesh Society, and New York Opera Forum and has performed such roles as Serpina in Pergolesi's La Serva Padrona, L'Amour in Gluck's Echo et Narcisse, Sophie de Palma in Terrence McNally's Master Class, Zweite Dame in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte, Amore in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice, Almirena in Handel's Rinaldo, Wellgunde in Wagner's Das Rheingold, Inez in Verdi's Il Trovatore, Elisabetta in Donizetti's Maria Stuarda, and La Ciesca in Puccini's Gianni Schicchi.
In late 2019, Monica was a Soloist in the World Premiere of Harry Bialor's The Uprising of the Warsaw Ghetto with the Hannah Senesh Society and, also, the Soprano Soloist in Rutter's Requiem with MORE Opera. In early 2020, Monica was contracted to sing a recital with the Vienna - Tel Aviv Vocal Connection and later in the year Dritte Dame in Mozart's Die Zauberflöte with the Israel Sinfonietta Beer Sheva in Tel Aviv, Israel. She has won various awards and scholarships from South Florida Arts Organizations as well as the National Association of Teachers of Singing and was nominated by the Arts Recognition and Talent Search to receive an award recognition and for her biography to be published in “Who’s Who in America”. Monica is on the board of directors of Opera for Earth Corporation, an arts non-profit, where she serves as the Vice President and Treasurer.
TALIN NALBANDIAN
A native of Los Angeles, California, Talin Nalbandian is an Armenian-American mezzo- soprano. She is currently attending University of Texas, Austin for a Doctor in Musical Arts degree. For the 2021/2022 season, she will be singing Ravel’s Schéhérazade, Der Trommler from Der Kaiser von Atlantis, and the title role of Carmen. Recently, she performed as La Ciesca in Gianni Schicchi with Livermore Valley Opera and was a Second Place winner for the Mildred Miller International Voice Competition. In 2019, she sang the roles of Hansel and Sandman in Hansel and Gretel, and Suzuki in Madama Butterfly with Opera San Josè. That summer, she also returned to Music Academy of the West to sing the role of Ruby in the west coast premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain. Additionally, Talin is a first prize recipient of the Henry and Maria Holt Vocal Competition and the Burbank Philharmonic Kennings-Fischer Competition, as well as a district winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. She has also received awards from the Butler Opera International Competition and the Mentoris Project Vocal Competition. Concert work included singing as the alto soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with Symphony Silicon Valley.
Talin has worked with Virginia Opera, Des Moines Metro Opera, Sarasota Opera, and Wolf Trap Opera. Some roles include Maddalena (Rigoletto), 1st trio member (Trouble in Tahiti), Caverna (L’Opera Seria), Bianca (The Rape of Lucretia), Dorabella (Così fan tutte), First Nursemaid (Street Scene), Marcellina (Le Nozze di Figaro), Mallika and Mistress Bentson (Lakmè), covering Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni) and Mrs. Jones (Street Scene). Talin holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Pepperdine University and a Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music.
PROGRAM
Champagne Song (Die Fledermaus)
This is a song that celebrates champagne and how it solves many problems, brings lovers together and scatters your troubles away.
Barcarole
This is from the opera, Tales of Hoffmann by Offenbach. In this duet for soprano and mezzo, they describe the beautiful night of love where Zephyrs embrace and caress.
Lakme duet
One of the most famous duets that has been featured on British Airways commercials, various movies and commercials.
Sull’aria
From the opera Le Nozze di Figaro, where the Countess dictates a letter to Susanna meant to be delivered to her philandering husband, Count Almaviva.
Prendero (Cosi)
From Mozart’s opera Cosi fan Tutti, when Dorabella and Fiordiligi find out their fiancées have had to leave the country to go to war, they meet some Albanian gentlemen and decide there’s no harm in being friends.
Quando men vo
This aria from Puccini’s La Boheme is the perfect aria for Musetta to sing to get her ex boyfriend jealous by singing long, gorgeous phrases while flirting with any man who will give her attention.
Je veux Vivre
This aria is from Romeo et Juliette. In this aria, Juliette sings this aria to confess to her nurse that at the ripe age of 13, she isn’t ready to get married and wants to have fun before she becomes a wife.
Angelina After the boat race (La Regatta Veneziana)
Rossini’s song cycle celebrates Momolo’s win when Angelina gives him lots of kisses for his victory.
E un anatema
Ponchielli’s opera La Gioconda is one of the powerhouses of all opera. In this duet of rivals, Gioconda and Laura have found themselves in love with the same man, Enzo. Just as Gioconda wants to stab Laura, she sees her mother’s crucifix around her neck and helps to save her life instead. Of course, the opera ends with Gioconda stabbing herself after she has helped Laura and her lover, Enzo, escape.
Lohengrin Duet
Wagner’s opera, Lohengrin is a famous battle of good versus evil when Elsa attempts to convert Ortrud by repentance, but Ortrud wants nothing of the sort.
Che piu t’arresti + t’acea la notte
In Verdi’s opera, Il Trovatore, Leonora tells of her excitement when she hears the Troubador call her name in the lonely night.
Habanera
Carmen can’t decide who she loves. But there is one thing for sure. If you love her, she won’t love you. And if she loves you, you better watch out!
Mon coeur
Dalilah seduces Samson with her beautiful, long lyrical phrases and passionate poetry. And we all know how that ended.
Si vuol di Francia / Ah quando all’ara
Dich teure Halle
Wagner’s opera Tannhauser has the good girls and the bad girls. In this aria, Elizabeth sings of her love of the beautiful hall in which Tannhauser would sing. She is uplifted now that he is back and will sing again.
Ebben, ne andro lontana
This masterpiece is a daughter’s “goodbye” to her father when she leaves her home for the love of a man.
Gypsy song
Carmen and her gypsy friends celebrate their dancing at Lilas Pastia’s
Presented in Partnership with:
Opera for Earth Corporation is a 501(c)3 corporation that uses performing arts to raise awareness to the value of preserving and caring for our natural resources. Opera for Earth also uses performing arts to raise funding for environmental education for children in grades K - 8. We are opera singers who really care about the environment. We don't want to eat toxic food or drink water with contaminants. We want to live in a clean environment. We understand the inspiration that nature carries to music and we carry that to our audience.
