Unsung Operatic Black Divas and MLK p1

SPONSORS:

A Tribute:

Original Artwork by Amelie Chabannes, courtesy of Unladylike2020

St. Andrew’s River Height s United Church, 255 Oak St. Winnipeg

Unsung Operatic Black Divas and MLK

General Admission: $35 | Seniors: $30 | Students: $25

Erin Cheeseborough | Soprano as Elizabeth Taylor Green fi eld Jonelle Sills | Soprano as Matilda Sissie retta Jones Robert Herriot | Direct or Cary Denby | Collaboratin g Pianist Harlequin Costumes | Elizabeth Taylor Green fi eld’s attire Robert Butler | Matilda Sissie retta Jones attire and all hair PROLOGUE Sikhona Gwintsa | Phoebe Elijah Kanhai | Ian Don Larsen | Profe ssor Joanna Loepp Thie ssen | Cary Script: Spencer Duncanson Script assist: Ted Stebbing, Diane Berger, Judith Panson

Unsung Operatic Black Divas and MLK

Little Ope ra Company | 2025

Unsung Operatic Black Divas and MLK

Sources: The New York Times; Afrocentric Voices in Classi cal Music. Created by Randye Jones. Created/Last modi fi ed: February 15, 2024. Music of Black America ns, 3rd ED

March 14, 2025, 7:00 P.M. March 15, 2025, 7:00 P.M.

Ah Mio Cor (Alcina by G.F. Handel) Sometime s I Feel Like a Motherless Child (Negro Spiritual arr. M Hogan) Home Swe et Home (Clari, the Maid of Milan by Sir Henry Rowley Bishop) Or sai chi L’onore (Don Giovanni by W.A. Mozart) Laudat e Dominium (by W.A. Mozart) Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante (Carmen by G. Biz et) Scandalize My Name (African-American Spiritual)

Repertoire for Ms. Greenfield:

Scandalize My Name (African-American Spiritual) Quan do m’e n vo (La Bohème by G. Puccini) The Je wel Song (Faust by C. Gounod) Gretche n am Spinnrade (by F. Schubert) Old Folks at Home (by Stephen Foster) Ave Maria (Bach / Goun od) Ride on Kin g Jesus (Negro Spiritual arr.)

Repertoire for Ms. Jones

Narrator: Joy Loewen Ensemble: Soprano 1: Margot Harding* Soprano 2: Lillian Mendoza, Claudine Rose Kuffner Alto 1: Donnalynn Grills, Zilla Jones Alto 2: Sonya Williams, Joanna Loepp Thiessen Tenor 1: Jacob Kenny*, Elijah Kanhai Tenor 2: Jyoti Jhass, Jackson Lotz* Bass 1: Don Larsen, Brent Pfeil Bass 2: George Alarape, Ian Hachinski

The Little Ope ra Company Ensemble

Little Ope ra Company | 2025 Unsung Operatic Black Divas and MLK

*soloist

Artists’ Biographies

Jonelle Sills

Erin Cheeseborough

Little Ope ra Company | 2025

Unsung Operatic Black Divas and MLK

Canadian Soprano Jonelle Sills (pr. Ya-Nell) is one of t he most exciting young sopranos of her gene ration. Recently nominated for a 2025 JUNO Award with The Canadian Art Son g Project for Classical Album of the Year f or Known to Dreamers: Black Voices in Canadian Art Song. Named one of CBC Music’s 30 Hot classical musicians under 30 in 2022. Jone lle recently made her company debut at the Canadian Opera Company as Mimi in La bohème, a performance t hat was lauded as being a “beautif ully sensitive Mimi with careful control an d colour” (The Globe and Mail). Past highlights include Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus) and Don na Anna (Don Giovanni) with Edmon ton Opera, Micaëla (Carmen) and Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) wit h Vancouver Opera, Anna Glawari (The Merry Widow) with Toronto Operetta Theatre and in recital for the Prince Edward County Chambe r Festival with the Viano Qu artet. Her company debut with Toronto’s Against the Grain Theatre in Vivier’s Kopernikus earned her a 2019 Dora Aw ard as a member of the ensemble.

Lyric soprano, Erin Cheese borough, is a native of T allahassee, Florida. In the summer of 2024, Erin performed t he role of Sister Rose in Jake He ggie’s Dead Man Walking for the Miami Classical Music Festival. Also, in the su mmer of 2024, Ms. Cheeseborough covered the role of Lady Billows in Benjamin Britton’s Albert Herring for t he Chicago Summer Opera. In 2022, Erin performed t he role of Micaëla in Bizet’s Carmen at the Miami Classical Music Festival. The Sou th Florida Classical Review said of he r performance, “One of the standouts of

Little Ope ra Company | 2025 Unsung Operatic Black Divas and MLK

Rob Herriot Canadian stage direct or Rob Herriot’s career has taken him to ope ra companies and universit ies across North America. Herein Winnipeg, he has directed produc- tions of Cosí fan Tutte, La Cenerent ola, Madama Butter fl y, Lucia di Lammermoor, La Boheme, Carmen, Rigoletto an d Don Pasquale (Manitoba Opera), Barber of Seville, Don Pasquale (L ivermore Valley Opera), Cosí fan tu tte (Opera Kelowna), Three Decembers, T he Magic Flute, At the Statue of Venus and A Tall Order (The Little Ope ra Company). He is currently a returning dire ctor for Opera Nuova, Canada’s leading young art ist summer program. As a teacher and mentor, he has directed production s of Tuck Everlasting, The Fairy Que en, Tartuffe, Beatrice and Benedict, Don Giovanni, Oklahoma, La Boheme and Patience. Virtual production s include I Need Opera and Dance (director) for The Little Ope ra Company, writer and director for the 3-episode series All Those Arias (writer and direct or) for The Little Opera Company and The Manitoba Opera, as well as write r and director for the Manitoba Opera’s 6-part se ries Opera School. Other product ions include Wizard of Oz, Cinderella an d Beauty and the Be ast for Winnipeg’s Rainbow Stage.

the even ing was Erin Cheeseborough as Micaëla. Her Act III aria, “je dis que rien ne m’épouv ante” soared with an emotionally charged rendition, communi- cating where Micaëla fi nds strength after being deeply hurt by Don José.” In prior summers, while attending the Harrower Summer Ope ra Workshop, Ms. Cheeseborough performe d Santuzza in Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rustican a, and Cio-cio san in Puccini’s Madame Butter fl y in several opera scenes performances. Othe r roles in Ms. Cheeseborough’s repertoire include The Mother in Amahl and the Night Visitors, La tasse chinoise in L'e nfant et les sortileges, and Donna An na in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Erin has also been a member of the e nsemble for Opera Tampa’s La bohème, as well as f or Opera Orlando in their produ ctions of La Traviata and Carmen. Ms. Cheese borough is a graduate of the College of Music at Florida State Unive rsity where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music.

Little Ope ra Company | 2025

Unsung Operatic Black Divas and MLK

Joy Loewen Joy believes in the transformative power of stories and is passionate about supporting the creators who make t hem. Over the past 30 years, Joy has held several le adership roles in Canada’s audiovisual in dustry, promoting greater re presentation in stories. She is currently the Vice President, Growth & Inclusion at the Can ada Media Fund responsible for the development, design and delivery of the CMF’s inclusion and growth strategie s. Before joining the CMF, Joy was CEO of the National Scre en Institute where she led the creation of more than 20 different programs. Joy was also a f ounding member of the programming team that launched the Women ’s T elevision Network (now W Network) in 1995 and programmed feature fi lms for the Gimli Internation al Film Festival. Her innovativ e and collaborative spirit earned her t he Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022 in recognition of outst anding service to her province; Playback Canada’s Changemaker of t he Year in 2023, East by Northwest’s 2024 Global Conne ctor Award and Women in Film and Television’s 2024 Special Jury Award of Distinction.

Cary Denby Cary is a skilled and versatile collaborative pianist with ove r 40 y ears of playing experience in an d around Winnipeg. She is honoured to serv e as the collaborative pianist for the L ittle Opera Company presentation of Unsung Operatic Black Divas and MLK. Cary is active in the community and has collaborat ed with such organizations such as t he Manitoba Opera, Canzona Choir, the Winn ipeg Singers, Rainbow Stage, the Roy al Manitoba Theatre Cen tre, the WSO, as well as with choirs at the Unive rsity of Manitoba, various soloists, school choirs, churches and community groups.

CE NTENNIA L CO N CE R T HALL

APRIL 5, 9, 11

Sung in Italian with projected English tra nslation s.

BE SWEPT AWAY INTO A WORLD OF YOUNG LOVE & ROMANCE This true-to-life s tory of struggling young artists living life to the fullest in Paris will make you laugh and break your heart. One of the most romantic operas ever wr itten. Soaring, lyrical, and intensely emotional.

A T IME LESS T A LE OF LOVE & LOSS

2024/25 SEASON PRESENTED BY

TICKETS: mbopera.ca ❘ 204-944-8824

SUZANNE TAFFOT

Mimì

HUGO LAPORTE

Marcello

ZACHARY RIOUX

Rodolfo

CHARL OTTE SIEGEL

Musetta

CLARENC E FRAZER

Schaunard

DAVID WATSON

Benoît/ Alcindoro

AL EX HALLIDAY

Colline

Board of Directors: Robert Campbel l, President Donnalynn Grills, T reasurer Odette Heyn, Director Lisa Rumpel, Director Eldene Spencer, Director Spencer Duncanson, Artistic Director Maybelle Pacak, Director Darrell Marleau, Director Rob Herriot, Director Rory Runnells, Director Don Larsen, Director Emeritus Diane Berger, Director Emeritus Peter Klymkiw, Director Emeritus

Acknowledgements : Our many Contributors and Funders: Charlotte Lindsay, the choir, staff and congregation of St. Andrew's River Heights United Church Ted Stebbing, Diane Berger, Judith Panson, Lars Treloar Nolan Kehler | Classic 107 Kevin Burgin | CJOB

Media Public Relations: Lead Marketing and Promotional Photography | Heather Milne Marketing and Webmaster | Don Larsen Program / Original Poster Design | Stephen C. Boyd Technical Support | Steve Denby