Portland, OR. The Barber of Seville is considered one of the great comic operas and Portland Opera is staging a large scale production at the Keller Auditorium on June 7th, a matinee on the 9th, and two more evening performances June 13th, and 15th. John Moore as Figaro, Aleksandra Romano as Rosina, and Jack Swanson as Count Almaviva star in the production. Gioachino Rossini’s opera tells the story of the Count Almaviva, who has fallen for the charming Rosina, and enlists the help of the town barber Figaro to assist in winning her affection. Together they try to outwit her guardian Dr. Bartolo, who also vies for her hand. (Photo by Cory Weaver/Portland Opera.)
A scene from Portland Opera’s 2019 production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. Photo by Cory Weaver/Portland Opera.
Here’s a video about the production:
Eduardo Chama as Doctor Bartolo, Jack Swanson as Count Almaviva, Aleksandra Romano as Rosina, John Moore as Figaro, and Adam Lau as Don Basilio in Portland Opera’s 2019 production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. Photo by Cory Weaver/Portland Opera.
“This production of The Barber of Seville is high energy and high voltage,” says stage director and Portland Opera General Director Christopher Mattaliano. “We’re embracing the conventions of opera, which can be a ridiculous art form, and not apologizing for it. Rossini’s piece sparkles, and I can’t wait to bring this production of one of the most popular opera buffas back to the stage.”
Portland Opera Music Director George Manahan conducts the performance, in a production created by stage director Christopher Mattaliano, set designer Allen Moyer, costume designer James Scott, and lighting designer Paul Palazzo. The cast stars baritone John Moore, who was last seen at Portland Opera as Papageno in The Magic Flute, as the scheming barber, Figaro. Aleksandra Romano, who made her Portland Opera debut in 2016 as Isabella in The Italian Girl in Algiers, joins the cast as Rosina. Tenor Jack Swanson will make his Portland Opera debut as Almaviva, a role he has recently sung with Theatro Municipal de São Paulo, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and Glyndebourne. Eduardo Chama, last seen as Don Magnifico in last season’s La Cenerentola, will sing the role of Doctor Bartolo.
The cast also features bass Adam Lau in his Portland Opera debut as Don Basilio, former Portland Opera Resident Artist Antonia Tamer as Berta, and 2018/19 Resident Artists Geoffrey Schellenberg and Thomas Cilluffo as Fiorello and An Officer.
Jack Swanson as Figaro and Eduardo Chama as Doctor Bartolo in Portland Opera’s 2019 production of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville. Photo by Cory Weaver/Portland Opera.
From Portland Opera:
The Barber of Seville was made possible by generous gifts from OregonLive/The Oregonian, Remy Wines, Portland Internetworks, and Wave Form Systems, Inc. Portland Opera is grateful for the ongoing support of the Arts Impact Fund, The Collins Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Oregon Arts Commission, and Regional Arts & Culture Council.
Fun Facts
Portland Opera performed The Barber of Seville for the first time in 1966. The company has since performed the opera in 1970, 1976, 1984, 1995, 2004, and 2010. For a visual timeline of the company’s performances of the piece, please see the attached PDF.
Although written by different composers, The Barber of Seville is a prequel to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro. Both operas are based on a trilogy of plays by Pierre Beaumarchais.
Rossini claimed that he wrote The Barber of Seville in 13 days! He borrowed from his own works to compose this score – you can hear music from six other Rossini operas in this piece.
Tickets and Information
Performances take place at 7:30PM at the Keller Auditorium, with the exception of the matinee on June 9, which begins at 2:00 PM. One hour prior to each performance, audience members are invited to a pre-show lecture on the first balcony of the Keller Auditorium.
The Barber of Seville will be sung in Italian with projected English translations. Portland Opera is a proud participant in Arts for All—providing $5 tickets for Oregon Trail Card holders.
A limited number of rush tickets (for seniors, students, and United States Armed Forces personnel and their families) are available for performances of The Barber of Seville. Student rush tickets are available online on the Monday before the performances. Call 503-241-1802 Monday through Friday from 10am-5pm for more information.
The performance on June 9 at 2pm will include an audio description of the visual and physical events on stage for patrons who are blind or have low vision. For patrons who are deaf or hard of hearing, each performance is visually translated with English text projected above the stage.
Tickets for The Barber of Seville are now available, starting at $35. For more information, and to purchase tickets visit http://www.portlandopera.org or call Patron Services at 503-241-1802. For more information, patrons may also contact the Opera Concierge at [email protected] Monday through Friday from 10am-5pm.
The Barber of Seville Cast and Creative Team
Figaro Count Almaviva Rosina Dr . Bartolo Don Basilio Berta Fiorello An Officer
Conductor Director Costume Designer Scenic Designer Lighting Designer
About Portland Opera
Portland Opera exists to inspire, challenge, and uplift our audiences by creating productions of high artistic quality that celebrate the beauty and breadth of opera.
Since 1964, Portland Opera has contributed to the cultural, artistic, and economic landscape of the city and region that we love. We celebrate the beauty and breadth of the opera repertoire with performances that take place in the Keller Auditorium, Newmark Theatre, and the Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre at the Hampton Opera Center. The company is also a committed educational partner, touring fully staged operas to schools and community centers throughout Oregon and SW Washington region each year, in addition to a host of other efforts designed to make opera accessible for all.
Portland, OR. Over 150 business and community leaders gathered at the Downtown Portland Hilton for the Chess for Success Game Changer luncheon. Stephanie Kralevich from KPTV was the Master of Ceremonies and posed for a photo board member Gwen Thompson. Business leader and alumna of Chess for Success, Chi Nguyen spoke to the crowd about the effect chess has had on her life, and then she reunited with her old chess coach who also happens to be the King of Chess, Steve Rosenfeld. Chess for Success raised $125,000, which is more money for the program than last year. (Photo credit, Brighid Hackett)
Keynote Speaker Chi Nguyen and her chess coach, the King of Chess, Steve Rosenfeld
Shawn Engelberg, Charlie Engelberg (board chair), Nancy Young, and Curits Young (Executive Director)
The luncheon was held on May 2nd.
Laura Katheryn Smith, Phil Margolin (founder and board member), Gwen Thompson (board member), Michael Malone (Program Manager)
From Chess for Success:
Chess for Success is much more than a recreational, after-school club. It’s an intervention and educational support, provided at no cost to families, that closes the achievement gap for economically disadvantaged and minority youth.
Through learning chess, students develop high-level critical-thinking and problem-solving skills that improve self-esteem, behavior, and academic performance, including attendance, grades, and test scores.
Long-term, our goals include improving high-school graduation rates, participation in STEM programs and careers, and college/workplace readiness, ending the cycle of poverty for at-risk youth.
Portland, OR. Supporters rallied to offer hope to families and support mental health in Oregon by attending the fourth annual Trillium Family Services “Keep Oregon Well” Gala on Saturday, May 18th at The Sentinel Hotel. Trillium Group CEO Kim Scott presented Joanne McClarty with the Lifetime Achievement Award. (Photo credit, Tom Cook)
Emma Chamberlain & Dr. Andy Adler raise their paddles
Emcee: Anna Mallery
Trillium Family Services President Jamie Vandergon
Entertainment by Hit Machine
From Trillium Family Services:
Trillium Family Services is Oregon’s largest provider of mental and behavioral healthcare for children and families and has been ranked as one of the most effective children’s mental health organizations in the state. From residential psychiatric treatment to mental health advocacy in the streets, we are committed to transforming the state of Oregon into a safer, more supportive place for all people to live, work, play and learn. A special thanks to all of our sponsors and table hosts who made this event possible, including:
Presenting Sponsor Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon
Gold Sponsors CareOregon Jean Meaks-Koch/Positively People The Standard
Silver Sponsors Concordia Kaiser Legacy Park Academy
Lifetime Achievement Award Sponsor David & Shirley Pollock
Portland, OR. The 24th JDRF Hope Gala honored Arlene Schnitzer and Jordan Schnitzer with a “Living and Giving” Award. Board President Merrie Kay Alzola helped honor Arlene and her son Jordan as JDRF Executive Director Judy Summers assisted. The ballroom of the Sentinel Hotel was filled with 450 supporters for the May 4th benefit. Families affected by Type 1 diabetes say they hope to turn “type one” into type none. The over $640,000 raised at the gala for JDRF was record-setting for the nonprofit. JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research.
Lisa Tran and KPTV Celebrity Emcee Elizabeth Dinh
Friends of JDRF raised their bid cards high.
Hope Gala Chairs, Suzanne and Larry Mackin
Youth Ambassadors thank supporters for their help
From JDRF:
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that strikes both children and adults suddenly. It has nothing to do with diet or lifestyle. There is nothing you can do to prevent it. And, at present, there is no cure.
In T1D, your pancreas stops producing insulin—a hormone the body needs to get energy from food. This means a process your body does naturally and automatically becomes something that now requires your daily attention and manual intervention. If you have T1D, you must constantly monitor your blood-sugar level, inject or infuse insulin through a pump, and carefully balance these insulin doses with your eating and activity throughout the day and night.
However, insulin is not a cure for diabetes. Even with the most vigilant disease management, a significant portion of your day will be spent with either high or low blood-sugar levels. These fluctuations place people with T1D at risk for potentially life-threatening hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic episodes as well as devastating long-term complications such as kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, blindness and amputation.
JDRF is the leading global organization funding type 1 diabetes (T1D) research. Our strength lies in our exclusive focus and singular influence on the worldwide effort to end T1D.
Vision: A world without type 1 diabetes
Mission: Improving lives today and tomorrow by accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent and treat T1D and its complications
Portland, OR. Approximately 200 guests attended Ride Connection’s first annual “Lunch in Motion” on May 9th at the Sentinel. This new benefit raised a record-breaking $130,000 for the nonprofit, which provides rides for older adults and people with disabilities. At the event, Ride Connection CEO, Julie Wilcke Pilmer and Keynote Speaker and Ride Connection Board Member, Vicki Schmall posed for a photo. (Photo credit, Andie Petkus)
Representatives from Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon pause for a photo before the program.
The Enterprise Car Sales Team kicking off a $1,000 level of giving.
Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington shows support with leaders from AARP and Washington County Health and Human Services.
Here’s a video about the nonprofit:
Supporters raising bidder cards high.
The program featured three customers who utilize Ride Connection services to access healthy foods and fun social interaction on one of Ride Connection’s community shopping shuttles as well as a keynote speech from Executive Director and Gerontology & Training Specialist with Aging Concerns, Dr. Vicki Schmall.
From Ride Connection:
The success of the event is largely attributed to generous matching donors, The Maybelle Clark MacDonald Fund, Fred Meyer and Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon. Funds raised at the event will help Ride Connection provide the vital services to keep older adults and people with disabilities moving and healthy in the Portland metro communities.
Ride Connection is a private, non-profit organization based in Portland, Oregon, dedicated to coordinating and providing transportation services to people with limited options in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. Our organization has been linking transportation to people in our communities for over 25 years.
We believe transportation is a basic human right. Access to transportation means mobility, and being mobile allows a person to connect with his or her community and other essential life destinations.
Portland, OR. At this year’s Portland Community College (PCC) gala, a sold-out crowd of 600 was taken on a “Voyage to Success”. The evening featured a steampunk theme, student speakers, and a choral performance by Julianne Johnson-Weiss and a group of PCC Sylvania students. Ross Leinhart, Janeese Jackson, Kimberly Cooper and Congressman Earl Blumenauer were on hand. The April 27th benefit at the Portland Hilton raised over $636,000 to support student scholarships. Since its inception in 2012, The PCC Foundation’s Evening for Opportunity has raised more than $3.4 million to help Portland Community College students achieve their dreams of entering the region’s workforce with a family-wage job and become contributors to a vibrant community. (Photo credit, Ronald Cooper and Tom Cook Photo)
Chris and Tom Neilsen, 2019 Patron Award Honorees
PCC President Mark Mitsui addresses supporters
Christy Gardner, PCC Foundation board member John Gardner and former member of the Oregon State Senate and The Campaign for Opportunity Committee Volunteer Chip Shields
PCC Music Department Co-Chair Julianne Johnson-Weiss, Billy Ladd and PCC Elected Board Chair Kali Thorne Ladd
After party entertainers the MarchFourth marching band.
The crowd also celebrated the launch of PCC’s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, The Campaign for Opportunity, a movement toward a sustainable, equitable future for Oregon.
“PCC’s Campaign for Opportunity will provide thousands of students with critical
education, and our businesses with the skilled, trained workers we all depend on,” said PCC President Mark Mitsui. For more information, visit pcc.edu/opportunity.
From PCC:
Portland Community College is the largest, most accessible institution of higher education in Oregon. Every year, the college serves about 70,000 students, who go on to become our community’s nurses, firefighters, welders, Web developers, teachers and more.
As the only nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting Portland Community College, the PCC Foundation helps students access education by awarding scholarships and building the capacity of PCC to provide vital educational opportunities for our community.
Vancouver, WA. Bank of America announced Meals on Wheels People as its 2019 Neighborhood Builder grant recipient for the Portland-Vancouver market. The Bank of America award includes a $200,000 gift that is being used to open a first-of-its-kind diner for seniors and community members in Vancouver. David Reiter, Senior Vice President, Bank of America, and Suzanne Washington, Chief Executive Officer, Meals on Wheels People, cut the ribbon with the Vancouver Chamber of Commerce for The Diner Vancouver’s grand opening on May 20th.
The Diner Vancouver is located at 5303 E. Mill Plain Blvd. in Vancouver, Wash. It’s open from 7:00am to 2:00pm daily.
More about The Diner Vancouver, including the menu offerings, is at the link: www.thediner.org.
Marcie Kessel, Development Officer, Meals on Wheels People, with the check from Bank of America.
The diner’s unique model aims to achieve several things: provide choice for senior diners, create a welcoming atmosphere with high quality, locally sourced food, and establish an eating establishment that appeals to seniors, families and the business community. Those age 60 and older who enroll in the Meals on Wheels People program have the option of ordering off a special menu, which meets Older American Act dietary guidelines, and is available on a donation basis. Revenue from paying customers will help support the Meals on Wheels program in Clark County and allow the nonprofit organization to better serve more rural parts of the county. The diner is open daily for breakfast and lunch, is on a bus line for access, and serves comfort food sourced from local ingredients.
Tony Staser, from Meals on Wheels People, poses with attendees from the Vancouver Chamber of Commerce.
Marcie Kessel, Development Officer, Meals on Wheels People, holding the Neighborhood Builders Award with David Reiter, Senior Vice President, Bank of America.
Through the Neighborhood Builders program, each year the bank provides a local nonprofit with a unique combination of leadership training, $200,000 in flexible funding, volunteer support, and a network of peer organizations across the country. Last year’s local winner was All Hands Raised.
“In every community we serve, we’re continuously assessing that community’s changing, evolving needs. And while many of our core clients are homebound seniors who benefit from our home delivery services, our research showed that more seniors locally are actually healthy and mobile and would benefit from more socialization opportunities. Out of that, the idea for this new diner was born,” said Suzanne Washington, Chief Executive Officer of Meals on Wheels People.
Washington adds that seniors will now have choices around when, what and with whom to eat. She noted that today’s seniors do not fit into the same demographic as seniors a decade or two ago, as they want more menu choice, flexibility in dining times and a more traditional restaurant experience. Besides providing a reliable place for seniors to get a meal, the restaurant — which is called The Diner Vancouver — also allows them to socialize with family, friends, neighbors and patrons.
“This is a new approach that hasn’t been done before within the Meals on Wheels organization. Here in the Portland-Vancouver area, we’re both an entrepreneurial and philanthropic community, and the thoughtfulness that went into this new diner model really interested us at Bank of America. This project is truly addressing an identified community need in a creative and innovative way,” said Roger Hinshaw, Bank of America’s market president for Oregon and Southwest Washington. “This unique project is an example of what our Neighborhood Builders program seeks to support, which is impactful programs and solutions that address local community needs.”
Monique Barton, senior vice president at Bank of America, added: “Over the many years that we’ve partnered with Meals on Wheels and supported them philanthropically, we’ve seen first-hand how impactful their work is. We’re excited to be directing this additional support to ensure even more local seniors have nutritious options while maintaining their independence. We’re optimistic that this new diner will make a real difference in helping Meals on Wheels People achieve even more financial sustainability, to further expand its resources to address need in Clark County and throughout the Portland Metro region.” Barton noted that over the past 15 years of the BofA Neighborhood Builders program operating in the Portland market, this is the first time it’s being earmarked for a project in Vancouver, Wash.
Suzanne Washington said that so far, feedback from the community has been strong. “Right out of the gate, business has been robust. In the first few days we were open, we’ve had amazingly positive response from seniors and the community alike. We’ve also seen a lot of multi-generational diners coming in together. The Diner is truly moving us closer towards achieving our vision of no senior going hungry or lonely — all while providing an additional revenue stream, and creating new workforce development opportunities in the region,” she said. “I’d call that a win-win-win!”
In addition to sharing the news about 2019’s Neighborhood Builder winner, BofA’s Hinshaw also relayed that going forward, the Portland-Vancouver market will select two local nonprofits each year to be recipients of Neighborhood Builder $200,000 awards, up from one in recent years. Local nonprofits can learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/neighborhoodbuilders.
From Bank of America:
Through the Neighborhood Builders program, we deploy capital and build cross-sector partnerships to advance nonprofit leaders addressing economic mobility and social progress issues in the communities we serve. Since 2004, we’ve invested more than $220 million in 49 communities — including Portland — partnering with more than 1,000 nonprofits and more than 2,000 nonprofit leaders by delivering flexible funding, leadership development and a network of peers. Fifteen years on, Neighborhood Builders is one of the nation’s largest philanthropic investments in nonprofit leadership development. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about or www.bankofamerica.com/oregon.
From Meals on Wheels People:
Meals on Wheels People has been changing lives one meal at a time since 1970. They provide 5,000 nutritious meals every weekday at dozens of neighborhood dining sites throughout Multnomah, Washington and Clark counties and through Meals on Wheels delivery to homebound elderly. Their service not only alleviate hunger and social isolation, but allow seniors to live independently with dignity in their own homes. Aging in place reduces depression, falls and hospitalization as well as the high cost of institutional care. For more information, visit www.mowp.org.
Boring, OR. Families with blind or visually impaired children came out to the Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) Campus to learn about the K9 Buddy program on April 27th. At an afternoon picnic, Kids like Charlie and his parents learned about the program, and were able to interact with GDB employees and families that have a K9 Buddy dog to see if the program is a fit for them.
Owen and Theodore
Jazzy and Henrietta
The K9 Buddy program matches carefully selected dogs with youth in Washington, Oregon, and California who are blind or have low vision, but are not yet ready to care for a guide dog. These “K9 Buddies” offer comfort and companionship while teaching the child responsibility, and give the child an opportunity to begin exploring the guide dog lifestyle at a young age.
Four current K9 Buddy child and dog pairs were in attendance, along with their families. Chris Benninger, President and CEO of Guide Dogs for the Blind, also flew up from the organization’s campus in San Rafael, California to attend the picnic. Other GDB instructors and employees, as well as several working guide dogs and guide dogs in training, also made appearances. After an educational session about the K9 Buddy program, lunch was served. The families attending then had time to socialize, make crafts, and say hi to the dogs.
Here’s a video about the program:
From Guide Dogs for the Blind:
Since 1942, Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) has been creating partnerships between people, dogs, and communities. With exceptional client services and a robust network of instructors, puppy raisers, donors, and volunteers, we prepare highly qualified guide dogs to serve and empower individuals who are blind or have low vision from throughout the United States and Canada.
All of the services for our clients are provided free of charge, including personalized training and extensive post-graduation support, plus financial assistance for veterinary care, if needed. Our work is made possible by the generous support of our donors and volunteers; we receive no government funding.
At GDB, we believe that a dog can make a remarkable difference in any child’s life by fostering a sense of caring, companionship, and a sense of responsibility through the human/animal bond. Our K9 Buddy Program matches specially selected dogs to become wonderful pets and buddies to children and young adults who are blind or visually impaired and their families. A dog can contribute to heightening of sensory development, motivating a child to learn and enhancing self esteem. The K9 Buddy program connects the child/family with our community of puppy raisers and other supporters, including agencies and organizations for the blind. K9 Buddies are offered free-of-charge.
Portland, OR. The Oregon Convention Center’s Portland Ballroom was filled with over 550 supporters who are working to “Strike Out ALS.” The April 27th baseball themed benefit raised $435,000. Jim Criswell hugged his granddaughter to thank her for a donation to the cause. With this funding, the ALS Oregon and SW Washington Chapter will continue to participate in critical public policy, enhancing care services programs and funding promising research.
Athan & Eliza Sircy give their piggie bank as a contribution in honor of their Papa, Jim Criswell, who is living with ALS
Special Appeal speaker, Nicole McCabe, sharing her personal journey with ALS.
Dr. Lou Libby of The Oregon Clinic and his wife, Jocelyn sporting their best baseball attire
Bidders enjoying the festivities
The ALS Association Oregon and SW Washington Chapter:
We want to share our gratitude to Valerie Hurst for emceeing the evening, and to Graham Crow for helping make it so fun to participate! Many thanks to all of our sponsors and underwriters. We are also appreciative of all of the local businesses that contributed items to the auction! We want to express our gratitude for the 50+ volunteers that make the event possible.
Most of all, thank you to our amazing donors who helped make this event a record breaking gala for our chapter!
Portland, OR. White Bird Co-Founders Paul King and Walter Jaffe posed with Emcee Poison Waters at the nonprofit’s annual gala. “S’Wing Ding” was the benefit’s theme and featured 1940s and 50s dance numbers. The fundraiser to support White Bird’s dance programming was held on May 4th at Vibrant Table’s Loft at 8th Avenue in Southeast Portland. The event featured Art Abrams Swing Machine Big Band, performances by the Jefferson Dancers and Swing dancers Austin Buchholtz and Phoenix Gray. White Bird raised $98,000 to continue its diverse dance programing that brings dance companies from around the country and around the world to Portland. (Photo credit, Michael Cary Photography)
Regional Arts and Culture Council’s Helen Daltoso (center), joined in the celebration as one of the many arts community guests.
Jefferson Dancers dazzling the crowd during one of the evening’s dance performances.
The White Bird team members Ivy Farrell, Rya Greene, Matthew Bade, David Nolfi, Beth Whelan, Paul King, Walter Jaffe
The 2019 White Bird Awardees, Left to Right: Michael Curry, Trevor Wilde, Subashini Ganesan, Beth Whelan, Shaun Keylock. Not pictured: Darci and Charlie Swindells
The 22-year-old organization presented the 2019 White Bird Awards to esteemed members of the arts community: Michael Curry, Lifetime Achievement in the Arts Award; Darci and Charlie Swindells, Angel Award; Subashini Ganesan (New Expressive Works), Community Engagement Award. White Bird also presented the Barney Commissioning Prize to emerging northwest choreographers Shaun Keylock, Beth Whelan and Trevor Wilde who will be using the prize to create new works for a future White Bird season. Other celebrated guests included Jacques Heim, Artistic Director of Diavolo in Los Angeles and local swing dancers Kali Henson and Austin Neverman. The gala brought 100 guests together to celebrate White Bird’s dedication to presenting world-class dance to the Portland community.
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