The Fortunes of King Croesus

Sung in German with English captions projected above the stage.
A co-production with Opera North (Leeds, England).

This season's big American premiere is a 297-year-old masterpiece that reminds us that money doesn't buy happiness. Composed by a contemporary of Handel, this German Baroque opera is a bittersweet and twisting tale of love and conquest where all is right in the end. The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra joins The Minnesota Opera in presenting this long-overdue premiere, starring British tenor Paul Nilon as Croesus.

*Join us in the second floor lobby one hour before curtain for Opera Insights - free, fun and informative pre-show discussion.  

Dates + Performances

Artist Biographies

Carlos Archuleta (Cyrus)

One of the most promising young baritones in the operatic world of today, Carlos Archuleta is an exciting performer full of vitality and magnetic presence. He is at home is diverse styles of singing including the works of Mozart, Rossini, Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini, and those of contemporary composers such as Adams and Adamo.
Mr. Archuleta has been a recent guest of notable companies including the Washington National Opera (Belcore in L'elisir d'amore, Count di Luna in Il trovatore and Nogales in Luisa Fernanda), Dallas (Uncle Salvaor in De Falla's La vida breve), Orlando Opera (Silvio in I pagliacci and Baritone Soloist in Carmina burana), The Minnesota Opera (Papageno in Die Zauberflöte and the title role in Nixon in China), Santa Fe Opera (The Accuser in the world premiere of Bright Sheng's Madame Mao and Opera Roanoke in the title role in Il barbiere di Siviglia. In addition, he has appeared with the Orlando Opera as Belcore in L'elisir d'amore, Utah Opera as Papageno, Dayton Opera as Escamillo, Utah Opera, Opera Aperta, Natchez Opera Festival and Opera Southwest.

Last season, he appeared with New Orleans Opera in the title role of Le nozze di Figaro, Boston Lyric Opera as Sharpless, Tulsa Opera as Escamillo, The Minnesota Opera as the Count in Le nozze di Figaro and Lake George Opera as Marcello. This season includes notable debuts with the New York City Opera as Escamillo and the Cincinnati Opera as Alvaro in Florencia en el Amazonas, and return to The Minnesota Opera as Cyrus in The Fortunes of Croesus. In 2009, he will make a notable debut in London at the Royal Albert Hall as Escamillo.

John David Boehr (Persian Officier)

Andrea Coleman (Trigesta)

Alan Dornak (Halimacus)

The Los Angeles Times hailed Alan Dornak as "an impressive new countertenor on the scene" for his performance of Athamas in Handel's Semele with the Long Beach Opera. Classics Today praised Mr. Dornak for "using his big countertenor voice with authority and accuracy" when he sang the role of Tauride in Handel's Arianna in Creta with New York's Gotham Chamber Opera. Mr. Dornak's engagements in California, New York, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Holland, Spain and Brazil, have established him as an artist of international critical acclaim.

In the 2007-2008 season Alan Dornak appears as soloist in the Messiah with Boston Baroque and performs the role of Halimacus in The Fortunes of King Croesus with The Minnesota Opera. He is currently the principal alto soloist of the Bach Choir, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in New York, a professional performance ensemble which uses period instruments.

He joined the roster of the Metropolitan Opera in 2006-2007, and appeared as alto soloist with the Maryhouse Chorus and Chamber Orchestra, and the Queens Chamber Band, both in New York City. Other recent highlights include the title role in Giulio Cesare with the Hudson Opera Theatre, Handel's Messiah with the Greater Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, works by Bach including his Magnificat in D with the Bach Choir, the Messiah with the Maryhouse Chorus and Chamber Orchestra, Hartke's Tituli at the Church of the Transfiguration (NY) and Joad in Handel's Athalia with the Queens Chamber Band. In the summer of 2007, he taught at Festa Lirica in Italy.

Mr. Dornak first began to pursue his career as a countertenor after singing both the role of the Seaman (tenor) and that of the Spirit (countertenor) in a performance of Dido and Aeneas with the Brandenburg State Theater. With great encouragement from the countertenor Michael Chance, and after being awarded a grant by the Horst and Gretl Will Foundation, Mr. Dornak furthered his studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Dresden where he received two advanced degrees in vocal performance. Immediately after making the transition to countertenor, Mr. Dornak found himself in demand as a concert soloist throughout Germany in regional and international music festivals with renowned early music ensembles such as the Dresdner Kreuzchor, Berliner Lautten Compagney, Dresdner Kammerchor, Sächsiches Vocalensemble, Weimarer Barockensemble, Ensemble Alte Musik Dresden and the Telemannisches Collegium Michaelstein.

Alan Dornak has triumphed in performances of standard countertenor repertoire such as Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream (directed by Axel Koehler) in Munich and Regensburg and the title role of Giulio Cesare in Dresden and New York. He made his countertenor stage debut with the Berliner Kammeroper as Valerius in Kaiser's Der Tempel des Janus. His success continued with notable engagements with the Berliner Lautten Compagney including roles in two Pallavicino operas, singing Hermia/Aristo in a touring production of L'Antiope and Ubaldo in La Gerusalemme liberata at the Dresden Music Festival. Also at the Dresden Music Festival, he was praised for his "powerful voice" (Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten) for his performances of Odoardo/Lelio in Hasse's La sorella amante. He performed the role of Cleone in Graun's Orfeo with the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (conducted by Ralf Popken) at the Music Festival Potsdam-Sanssouci and the roles of Eris and Sophimene in numerous touring performances of Meder's Die beständige Argenia. These performances inspired a German television documentary, Behind the Scenes with a Countertenor.

His extensive oratorio experience includes performances throughout Germany, Holland and the United States of Handel's Messiah and Joshua, Bach's St. John Passion and Christmas Oratorio, Pergolesi's Stabat mater and Orff's Carmina burana. As a respected recitalist throughout Europe and North and South America, Mr. Dornak has performed solo recitals throughout Germany, at Carnegie Hall (Weill Hall) with The Queen's Chamber Band and throughout Brazil on tour with the Ensemble Il Dolcimelo.

Among his various recordings, Mr. Dornak has gained critical acclaim and earned special recognition from Klassik Heute for his "beautiful voice" and "exemplary" performance in the 2004 recording of J.K. Kerll's Missa Nigra released by Oehmsclassic. Recordings of Mr. Dornak are broadcast on a regular basis throughout the world.

Dan Dressen (Elcius)

Jamie-Rose Guarrine (Clerida)

A native of Peoria, Illinois, Jamie-Rose Guarrine has received acclaim for her vocal beauty, elegant stage presence, and accomplished musicianship. She returned to the San Francisco Opera's prestigious Merola Program in the summer of 2007, where she sang the role of Veronique in the world premiere of Hotel Casablanca by Thomas Pasatieri, "... Bringing a winning vulnerability to the role of the aspiring actress." (San Francisco Chronicle)

For The Minnesota Opera, Ms. Guarrine has sung Zerlina in Don Giovanni, which was hailed by Opera News as "feminine and fresh voiced," and "a scene-stealing surprise" by the St. Paul Pioneer Press. As a second year as a Resident Artist for the Minnesota Opera's 2006-2007 season she performed Rose in Lakmé and Susanna in The Marriage of Figaro. Ms. Guarrine returns to The Minnesota Opera stage in 2008, for the American premiere of The Fortunes of King Croesus. The summer of 2008 marks her debut with the Santa Fe Opera as Barbarina in Le nozze di Figaro, and later she will return to Madison Opera to sing Despina in Così fan tutte.

In 2005 at Central City Opera, she was seen in the roles of Isabelle and Madeline in The Face on the Barroom Floor and Tiny in Paul Bunyan. Other notable credits include Frasquita in Carmen for Madison Opera, Gretel in Hansel and Gretel for Opera for the Young and Laurette in Bizet's Docteur Miracle for the Florentine Opera. 

Ms Guarrine is a 2007 Sullivan Foundation Award Winner. She completed her Master of Music and Doctorate Degrees at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where she was seen in a variety of roles including Despina in Così fan tutte, Constance in Dialogues of the Carmelites, Atalanta in Xerxes, Lucia in The Rape of Lucretia and the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor. Ms. Guarrine is a recipient of the McGlone Award for Outstanding Apprentice Artist from Central City Opera, a finalist for the Jensen Foundation and a first place winner at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in the Wisconsin and Minnesota Districts.         

Christopher Job (Solon)

Recently, with Opera Colorado, Mr. Job was seen as Count Ribbing in Un ballo in maschera, the Sprecher/Second Priest in Die Zauberflöte, Dr. Dulcamara in L'elisir d'amore, Zuniga in Carmen, and Osmin in Die Entführung aus dem Serail, in new James Robinson productions. He created the role of General Godofredo de la Barca in the world premiere of La Curandera, an opera in one act by Robert Xavier Rodriguez, commissioned by Opera Colorado. He was also recently seen as Ramfis in Aïda and Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Opera Fort Collins.

Last summer, at Glimmerglass Opera of New York, Mr. Job was seen as Caronte in Monteverdi's Orfeo ed Euridice as well as the Poet in Philip Glass' Orphée. He will return to Glimmerglass as a guest artist in the summer of 2008 to sing Capellio in Bellini's I Capuleti e i Montecchi. Mr. Job has been a resident artist with The Minnesota Opera throughout its 2007-2008 Season, singing roles in Un ballo in maschera, Roméo et Juliette and Keiser's The Fortunes of King Croesus.

Mr. Job has to his credit numerous roles and appearances with such companies as The Minnesota Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Opera Colorado, Opera Omaha, Opera Pacific, Des Moines Metro Opera, Aspen Opera Theatre, Opera Theatre of the Rockies and Chautauqua Opera of New York, as well as numerous other opera and concert appearances in countries such as Italy, Israel, Austria, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.

He has performed on Broadway at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall with the New York Philharmonic, where he was featured in two roles in My Fair Lady, sharing the stage with Kelsey Grammer and Brian Dennehy. Other concert appearances include: bass soloist in Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic as well as bass soloist in Verdi's Requiem with the Denver Opera Company. He has also been soloist in Handel's Messiah with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra and the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. Some of the young bass' upcoming concert engagements include solo appearances in Haydn's Creationwith the Greeley Philharmonic as well as Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra to commemorate its 30^th Anniversary Season.

Other roles to his credit, both nationally and internationally, include the title role in Handel's Giulio Cesare, Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro, Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte, Méphistophélès in Gounod's Faust, The Bonze in Madama Butterfly, both Reverend Hale and Francis Nurse in The Crucible, Dr. Grenvil in La traviata, Simone in Gianni Schicchi, Talpa in Il tabarro, Grandpa Moss in Copland's The Tender Land, Alidoro inLa Cenerentola, Seneca in L'incoronazione di Poppea and the title role in Don Giovanni.

Brian Leerhuber (Orsanes)

As Dr. Malatesta, the oil that greases this elaborate conspiracy, Brian Leerhuber was sleazy in character but fleet of voice. Not only did he match Del Carlo’s rapid-fire patter note for note, he complemented it with lyrical passages, as in his compelling ‘Bella siccome un’angelo’ in the first scene of Act I. Del Carlo and Leerhuber stole the show repeatedly, individually and together, but nowhere more entertainingly than at the conclusion of their aforementioned duet, where they lapsed briefly into a broken English (“Don’t-a worry, Don Pasquale”).

       – Walter B. Bailey, Opera News, April 2006

Last season, Mr. Leerhuber created the role of Tom Joad in Ricky Ian Gordon's The Grapes of Wrath to great acclaim with The Minnesota Opera and Utah Opera. He made his debut with the San Francisco Opera as Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus, conducted by Donald Runnicles. Recent highlights of Mr. Leerhuber's career include debuts with the Houston Grand Opera as Dr. Malatesta in Don Pasquale, conducted by Patrick Summers and directed by James Robinson, the Tulsa Opera as Harlekin in Ariadne auf Naxos at Tulsa Opera and title role in Il barbiere di Siviglia in a new production at Santa Fe Opera.

The summer of 2004 found Mr. Leerhuber in the title role of Der Kaiser von Atlantis with Cincinnati Opera under Patrick Summers and at the Spoleto, Italy Festival under James Conlon. Mr. Leerhuber also had an intense 2004–2005 season, which began with the role of Breedley in the world premiere of William Bolcom’s A Wedding at Lyric Opera of Chicago. This production was directed by acclaimed film director Robert Altman and conducted by Dennis Russell Davies. Later in the season, he sang Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro with Austin Lyric Opera as well as Marcello in La bohème in Billings, Montana. He also sang Kaiser for his debut with the Concert Association of Florida under Conlon.

A Los Angeles native, Mr. Leerhuber is a winner of the 2003 Sullivan Foundation Award and a former member of the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists. He made his Lyric Opera of Chicago debut as the Novice’s Friend in Billy Budd and then went on to appear as Papageno in the student matinee cast of Die Zauberflöte, as the Marchese in La traviata, as Silvano in Un ballo in maschera and as Sharpless in the student matinee cast of Madama Butterfly. Mr. Leerhuber was also a Young Artist-in-Residence with the Juilliard Opera Center, where he performed in productions of The Rape of Lucretia (Tarquinius) and Gluck’s Armide (Hidraôt). As principal baritone for Opera San Jose for two seasons, he sang the roles of Don Giovanni, Papageno, Danilo, Mercutio, Nick Shadow, Enrico (Lucia), Slim (Of Mice and Men) and Poeta (Il turco in Italia). He has appeared with Festival Opera of Walnut Creek to great critical acclaim as Schaunard and both the Mozart and Rossini Figaros. At the Music Academy of the West, he sang in Rossini’s Il viaggio a Reims (Don Alvaro) and Le nozze di Figaro (Conte).

Other past engagements include appearances with the Santa Fe Opera, Eugene Opera, Rimrock Opera, Rogue Opera, Monterey Symphony, Northwest Indiana Symphony, San Francisco Concert Chorale, Racine Symphony, Opera Buffs and the Berkeley Opera – singing the role of Eumee in the West Coast premiere of Faure’s Penelope. In the summer of 2003, Mr. Leerhuber made his European operatic debut in France at the Lyrique en Mer festival as Guglielmo (Così fan tutte) and Schaunard.

An accomplished recitalist, Mr. Leerhuber has performed for the Marilyn Horne Foundation in the Sixth Annual Birthday Concert at Lincoln Center, as well as in a solo recital at the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York City, and Foundation sponsored recitals in Tyler, Texas and Carmel, California. Other recital credits include the 92nd Street Y in New York City, Alice Tully Hall, the Bank of Brazil Cultural Center in Rio de Janeiro, Ravinia, University of Illinois at Chicago, Appalachian Music Festival, Cleveland Art Song Festival, Hidden Valley Music Seminars, several Sundays At Four concerts from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (broadcast live over KUSC Radio), and a staged version of Wolf’s Italianisches Liederbuch, directed by Frank Corsaro.

Mr. Leerhuber graduated summa cum laude from UCLA, where he performed the roles of Papageno, Testo (Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda) and Riccardo in a concert version of I puritani conducted by Plácido Domingo. He currently makes his home in San Francisco.

Paul Nilon (Croesus)

Susanna Phillips (Elmira)

Alabama native Susanna Phillips has attracted special recognition for a voice of striking beauty and sophistication. In the banner year of 2005, she was the winner of four of the world’s leading vocal competitions – Operalia (both First Place and the Audience Prize), the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, the MacAllister Awards and the George London Foundation. She completed the Ryan Opera Center at Lyric Opera of Chicago in 2007.

In the 2007–2008 season, Susanna Phillips will return to Santa Fe Opera as Countess Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro in a new production by Jonathan Kent. She will perform the notoriously difficult role of Elmira in a Tim Albery production of Reinhard Keiser's The Fortunes of King Croesus in her debut with The Minnesota Opera conducted by Harry Bicket. She will sing another role debut as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni in her first performances with Utah Opera. She will also sing Musetta in La bohème at Madison Opera and Blanche de la Force in Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites at Kentucky Opera. Both are role and company debuts. Concert engagements include Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra, Handel'sMessiah with the Pacific Symphony, and Brahms' Ein Deutsches Requiem at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of New York.

In the summer of 2006, Susanna Phillips made her Santa Fe Opera debut as Pamina in Die Zauberflöte in a new Tim Albery production conducted by William Lacey. During the 2006–2007 season, she sang Diana in a new Robert Carsen production of Iphigénie en Tauride at Lyric Opera of Chicago opposite Susan Graham. She performed Juliette in Roméo et Juliette and Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus. In the summer of 2007, she returned to Santa Fe Opera as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte again conducted by Lacey in a production by James Robinson. She also sang her first performances of the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor in a concert version in her native Huntsville, Alabama.

Her busy 2006–2007 concert season included a performance with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic as part of their annual “Composer’s Festival” under Alan Gilbert. Shealso performed Beethoven’s Mass in C and Choral Fantasy at Carnegie Hall with the Oratorio Society of New York under Kent Tritle. She sang Mozart’s Mass in C with the Huntsville Symphony, Dvorak’s Stabat Mater with the Santa Fe Symphony and Brahms’ Deutsches Requiem with the Santa Barbara Symphony. She also appears opposite baritone Wolfgang Holzmair in Wolf’s Spanisches Liederbuch at New York’sWeill Recital Hall and under the auspices of the Vocal Arts Society of Washington, DC.

As a 2005–2006 member of LOCAA, Ms. Phillips sang Frasquita (Carmen), Pamina and Papagena (Die Zauberflöte) as well as Countess Ceprano (Rigoletto). She covered First Lady (Die Zauberflöte), Micaëla (Carmen) and Euridice (Orfeo ed Euridice).

Recent concert and oratorio engagements include Carmina burana, Mahler’s Symphony No. 4, Mozart’s Coronation Mass, the Fauré and Mozart Requiems, and Handel’s Messiah. In April 2004, Ms. Phillips made her Carnegie Hall debut with Skitch Henderson and Rob Fisher with the New York Pops. Ms. Phillips’ recent operatic roles include Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Ermione (Oreste), Countess Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro) and Juliette (Roméo et Juliette).

Ms. Phillips has sung in venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress and Alice Tully Hall under the auspices of the Marilyn Horne Foundation, the Brooklyn Friends of Chamber Music, Wednesdays at One, Sacred Music in a Sacred Place and The Mozart-Haydn Festival in Mexico City.

Ms. Phillips is also the winner of the Marilyn Horne Foundation Competition, and was awarded grants from the Santa Fe Opera and the Sullivan Foundation. Most recently, Ms. Phillips was the first prize winner of the American Opera Society Competition and the Musicians Club of Women in Chicago.

Christian Reinert (Eliates)

Tenor Christian Reinert began his career in Minnesota with The Minnesota Opera. After several seasons, he moved to New York City to pursue serious vocal studies under the tutelage of renowned Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano, Mignon Dunn. Once in New York, Mr. Reinert quickly became known as an extremely talented, young and exciting tenor. Following a brief period of study, he was contracted by the Baltimore Opera to be a part of its Young Artist Program. After two years, Mr. Reinert returned to New York to pursue his master’s degree at the highly esteemed music conservatory, the Manhattan School of Music. While attending school, he was prominently featured in the school’s opera productions as well as maintaining a lively career outside the academic world. Most recently, he attended the well known summer opera festival Glimmerglass, where he was contracted to sing the role of the Prussian Officer in the premiere performances of The Greater Good, a new piece commissioned for Glimmerglass Opera, cover the role of Steva in Jenufa as well as sing a recital of German lieder. While at Glimmerglass, Mr. Reinert received great acclaim for singing Steva and “saving the day” after the principal tenor became ill. Mr. Reinert was also praised for his fine interpretive ability of German lieder and art song. His operatic repertory includes Rodolfo in Puccini’s La bohème, Pinkerton in Madama Butterfly, Lysander in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, the title role in Gounod’s Faust, Steva in Janacek’s Jenufa, Roméo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette and Bénédict in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict. His oratorio experience includes Handel’s Messiah, Verdi’s Messa da Requiem, Dubois’ The Seven Last Words of Christ, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, Randall’s Peachable Kingdom and Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia. Mr. Reinert has been a Young Artist at The Minnesota Opera and the Baltimore Opera. He has been a winner of the Palm Beach International Opera Competition and has received numerous scholarships. He has been involved in summer opera festivals in Italy, Israel, Arkansas and New York. He will return this summer to Glimmerglass to sing two supporting roles in Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo and cover the role of Heurtebise in Phillip Glass’s Orphée. As a Resident Artist for The Minnesota Opera this season, Mr. Reinert sings the roles of Armfelt in A Masked Ball, Roméo in Romeo and Juliet and Eliates in The Fortunes of King Croesus. His future plans include performing the roles of Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor for Fort Worth Opera, Don Jose in Carmen for the Ash Lawn Opera Festival, Cassio in Otello for Kentucky Opera and Alfredo in La traviata for Opera Birmingham.

Vale Rideout (Atis)

Vale Rideout's engagements in the 2007-2008 season include singing Ferrando in Così fan tutte with Boston Baroque; Frank in the world premiere of Elmer Gantry with Nashville Opera; Atis in Keiser's The Fortunes of King Croesus with The Minnesota Opera; Tamino in Die Zauberflöte with Tulsa Opera; the Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia and Sam in Susannah, both with Central City Opera; as soloist in Britten's War Requiem with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Lorin Maazel conducting, also with the Grand Rapids Symphony; and Messiah with the Pensacola Symphony.

Mr. Rideout's 2006-2007 season included his debut at the San Francisco Opera performing Alfred in Die Fledermaus. He also sang the roles of Ralph Rackstraw in HMS Pinafore with the Anchorage Opera and Roméo in Roméo et Juliette with the Tampa Performing Arts Center. He appeared as soloist in Carmina burana with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, Messiah with the Seattle Symphony, Mozart's Mass in C Minor with the Huntsville Symphony and in an evening of opera arias and ensembles with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. He collaborated again with Lorin Maazel as Male Chorus in The Rape of Lucretia, with performances at the conductor's estate in Virginia, and was asked immediately thereafter to join Mo. Maazel as soloist in Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in Rome. In the summer of 2007, he sang Prince Charming in Cendrillon with Central City Opera.

Recent highlights include his Los Angeles Opera debut in Parsifal; the role of Peter Quint in a special production of The Turn of the Screw, produced by Lorin Maazel; George Gibbs in the professional premiere of Ned Rorem's Our Town with Lake George Opera; and Martin in Aaron Copland's The Tender Land at the Bard SummerScape Festival. He has been heard as Jacquino in Fidelio with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, Belmonte in Die Entführung aus dem Serail with the Ann Arbor Symphony, Rinuccio in Gianni Schicchi with the OK Mozart International Festival, Bogdanowitsch in The Merry Widow with Chautauqua Opera and the American premiere of Heinrich Sutermeister's Die Schwartze Spinne with the Gotham Chamber Opera. In addition, he appeared as Almaviva in Il barbiere di Siviglia with the Merola Opera Program.

Mr. Rideout made his Carnegie Hall debut singing Bach's Magnificat and returned to sing Mozart's Requiem. He also sang Handel's Messiah with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra in an immediate re-engagement after having just joined the symphony for his first performances of Haydn's Creation. Other concert highlights include the role of the Snowman in Ned Rorem's A Childhood Miracle with the American Masters and Magic Circle Repertory Opera Ensemble in celebration of the composer's 80th birthday, his American Symphony Orchestra debut in a program of short Hindemith operas, the world premiere of Mel Marvin's Guest from the Future at the Bard Music Festival, an appearance with the Connecticut Ballet in H.K. Gruber's Gloria: A Pig Tale, Haydn's Creation with the Huntsville Symphony Orchestra and his return to the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra as soloist in the Mozart Requiem. Mr. Rideout has been a featured soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of St. Luke's, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Chorus, Naples Philharmonic (FL), BBC Singers, and symphonies in California, Colorado and New York. Also in New York, he has also performed with the ENCORES! Series at City Center.

His extensive experience in musical theater includes Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera (Hamburg, Germany), Tony in West Side Story with Opera Grand Rapids, Tony in Terrence McNally's Master Class, Maltby and Shire's musical revue, Closer Than Ever, and the national tour of Cabaret directed by Sam Mendes and Rob Marshall.

Vale Rideout recently was awarded first prize in Savannah Music Festival's 2006 American Traditions Competition. He was a 2003 regional finalist in the Metropolitan National Council Auditions and a finalist in the Denver Lyric Opera competition. The Colorado native can be heard on the Newport Classics recording of The Ballad of Baby Doe, the world premiere recording of Kurt Weill's The Eternal Road and upcoming recordings with Third Angle Ensemble.

Tim Albery (Stage Director)

Opera productions include: Don Carlos, Passion (The Minnesota Opera); Beatrice and Benedict, The Magic Flute (Santa Fe Opera); Don Giovanni, The Ring, Fidelio, The Midsummer Marriage (Scottish Opera); War and Peace, Billy Budd, Peter Grimes, Lohengrin, From the House of the Dead (English National Opera); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merry Widow (Metropolitan Opera, New York); Chérubin (Royal Opera House, Covent Garden); The Trojans (Welsh National Opera, Opera North, Scottish Opera and Opéra de Nice); Madama Butterfly (Opera Zuid); Simon Boccanegra, Ariadne auf Naxos (Bayerische Staatsoper, Munich); Benvenuto Cellini (Netherlands Opera); La Wally (Bregenz Festival); Rodelinda, Götterdämmerung (Canadian Opera Company); La finta giardiniera, Katya Kabanova, Luisa Miller, Idomeneo, One Touch of Venus (Opera North UK). Upcoming: Der fliegende Holländer, Royal Opera House – Covent Garden (UK).

His theater work has included Wallenstein and Macbeth (RSC); Berenice (National Theatre); Attempts on Her Life (Royal Court Theatre); Mary Stuart (Greenwich Theatre); Nathan the Wise (Soulpepper, Toronto).

Harry Bicket (Conductor)

Internationally renowned as an opera and concert conductor of great distinction, Harry Bicket is especially noted for his interpretation of the baroque and classical repertoire, and from the beginning of the 2007–2008 season takes up the position of Artistic Director of The English Concert, one of the UK’s finest period orchestras. Born in Liverpool, he studied at the Royal College of Music and Oxford University and is also an accomplished harpsichordist.

He made his triumphant Metropolitan Opera debut in December 2004, conducting a new production of Rodelinda with Renée Fleming and David Daniels, and was immediately re-engaged for Cesare in 2006–2007 and La clemenza di Tito in May 2008. His Glyndebourne Festival debut in 1996 was Peter Sellars’ landmark production of Theodora with Dawn Upshaw, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson and David Daniels, returning in 1999 and 2003. His debut with the Bayerische Staatsoper in 2000 (Rinaldo with David Daniels) resulted in return engagements every year through to 2007, and in 2001 his first Barcelona production, Giulio Cesare, earned him the Opera Critics Prize for best conductor. He has since returned for A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2005) and Ariodante (2006). The year 2003 saw debuts with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, conducting Partenope, and with the Royal Opera House – Covent Garden conducting Handel’s Orlando, which received an Olivier Award nomination for Best New Opera Production.

Other productions have included Santa Fe Opera (Agrippina); Opera Australia (Julius Caesar); Scottish Opera (Gluck’s Orfeo); Florida Grand Opera (Poppea); New York City Opera (Figaro, Entführung, Clemenza, Rinaldo); Royal Danish Opera (Gluck’s Orfeo); Glimmerglass (Partenope); New Israeli Opera (Poppea); Aldeburgh Festival (Purcell’s Faerie Queen); Los Angeles Opera (Cesare); Canadian Opera (Rodelinda); Welsh National Opera (La clemenza di Tito); and Opera North (Radamisto, The Return of Ulysses, The Magic Flute).

His symphonic programs often showcase his gift for choral repertoire, from the great passions, masses and oratorios of the baroque and classical eras to the works of Fauré, Elgar and Tippett. He has a strong following in Europe and North America, where he appears widely with period orchestras and ensembles, including Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The English Concert and the Handel and Haydn Society, as well as festivals such as Glimmerglass, Spoleto, Aspen and Santa Fe. Projects with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment have included a Handel Channel 4 television documentary, Glyndebourne Festival Opera and five commercial recordings.

He has also enjoyed great success with leading mainstream symphonic orchestras in Europe and North America, and his New York Philharmonic debut in 2006 resulted in an immediate re-invitation. Other highlights of the last few seasons have included St. Matthew Passion with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, Messiah and Missa solemnis with Minnesota Orchestra and critically acclaimed debuts with the Israel Philharmonic and Royal Stockholm Philharmonic. Guest conducting has also included visits to Los Angeles Philharmonic, Hallé, San Francisco Symphony, Bayerische Rundfunk, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, Houston Symphony, Munich Radio, St. Louis Symphony, Bournemouth Sinfonietta, Seattle Symphony, Orchestra of St. John’s Smith Square, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, NACO Ottawa, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, and Indianapolis Symphony.

Last season included his critically acclaimed debuts with the English Concert (performances in the UK and Spain) and the New York Philharmonic. He also returned to the RLPO and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (recording and concerts with Ian Bostridge) and opera conducting included Bayerische Staatsoper (Orlando), Los Angeles Opera (Poppea), Santa Fe Opera (Platée) and a much-anticipated return to Metropolitan Opera (Cesare).

Plans for 2007–2008 and beyond include his debut with Chicago Symphony, returns to Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic and Rotterdam Philharmonic as well as concerts, recordings and tours with The English Concert. Forthcoming opera engagements include Croesus with Opera North and The Minnesota Opera, Clemenza at the Metropolitan Opera and three further productions at the Liceu, Barcelona.

His discography includes five recordings with the OAE, including a collection of Handel opera arias with Renée Fleming (Decca), and selections from Handel’s Theodora, Serse and the cantata La Lucrezia with Lorraine Hunt Lieberson (Avie), which was nominated for a Grammy Award. His Gramophone Award-nominated CDs include Sento Amor with David Daniels featuring arias by Gluck, Handel and Mozart (Virgin Veritas) and Il tenero momento with Susan Graham featuring arias by Mozart and Gluck (Erato). His latest recording, Handel arias with Ian Bostridge, was released in summer 2007 to outstanding reviews.

Tim Claydon (Choreographer)

Tim Claydon trained as a classical dancer. He has worked as an aerialist and choreographer for companies including The Generating Company, No Fit State and Scabeaus. For Opera North he worked as Assistant Director on The Bartered Bride, Orfeo ed Euridice, Duke Bluebeard's Castle and Peter Grimes, a production that he recently revived and as choreographer on La rondine, The Elixir of Love, Falstaff and The Fortunes of King Croesus.  

Thomas C. Hase (Lighting Designer)

His work in the United States includes: Los Angeles Opera; New York City Opera; BAM, Seattle Opera; The Goodspeed Opera, The Skylight Opera Theater, The Portland Opera, New Orleans Opera, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park; Center Stage Theatre, Alliance Theatre, The Dallas Theater Center, The Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, Maine State Music Theater. Recently he designed John Doyle's Company on Broadway to national critical acclaim.

Leslie Travers (Set and Costume Designer)

Theater: Twelfth Night (Chichester Festival Theatre); The Duchess of Malfi (West Yorkshire Playhouse); The Persian Revolution (Lyric Hammersmith); The Man and Two Gaffers (York Theatre Royal); Shirley Valentine (Derby Playhouse); Majnoun (Lyric Hammersmith, Riverside Studios and Tour); Death By Heroin(e) (Riverside Studios); Streets of Rage and Silent Cry (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Taj (UK Tour); Vurt (Contact Theatre - Winner of Arthur Peter Design Award and nominated for Manchester Evening News Design Award); Veriete (Lindsay Kemp Company, World Tour). Dance and ballet: Le corsaire (Asahi Award 2007), The Nutcracker (Asahi Award 2006) and Swan Lake (K-ballet, Japan Tour - Asahi Award 2005); Some? (Space 211, Paris); The Lark Ascending (English National Ballet). Opera: I Capuleti ed i Montecchi (Opera North / Opera Ireland - opens October 2008); The Fortunes of King Croesus (Opera North; The Minnesota Opera); Iolante and Gianni Schicchi (Royal Academy of Music); Le nozze di Figaro (Graz Opera - Ring Award 2005); Les contes d'Hoffmann (Stockholm); Hans Heiling (Strasbourg Opera - European Opera Prize). Leslie trained at the Wimbledon School of Art.

Set design for The Minnesota Opera’s upcoming production of The Fortunes of King Croesus

(designer: Leslie Travers)

Set design for The Minnesota Opera’s upcoming production of The Fortunes of King Croesus

(designer: Leslie Travers)

Set design for The Minnesota Opera’s upcoming production of The Fortunes of King Croesus

(designer: Leslie Travers)

Set design for The Minnesota Opera’s upcoming production of The Fortunes of King Croesus

(designer: Leslie Travers)

Many men wealthy beyond measure are nevertheless unhappy, and many that have neither poverty nor riches have yet great happiness … he who ends his life well, then I judge him to be the happy man … but till he dies, so long do I hold my judgment, be not happy indeed, but fortunate. It is impossible that any man should comprehend in his life all things good … we must regard the end of all things, how they shall turn out; for the gods give to many men some earnest of contentedness, but yet in the end overthrow them utterly.

² translation by John D. Arnn from Text, Music and Drama in Three Operas by Reinhard Keiser (dissertation, Rutgers, 1987).

³ John Warrack, German Opera from the beginnings to Wagner. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Keiser's Opera 

  Aurora 1710
Julius Caesar 1710
Croesus 1711
Cato 1711
Carolus V 1712
Diana 1712
Heraclius 1712
L’inganno fedele 1714
Fredegunda 1715
Artemisia 1715
Das römische April-Fest 1716
Achilles 1716
Julia 1717
Tomyris 1717
Trajanus 1717
Jobates und Bellerophon 1717
Cloris und Tirsis 1721
Psyche 1722
Augustus 1722
Ulysses 1722
Ariadne 1722
Cupido 1712
Bretislaus 1725