Portland, OR. The Portland Opera is reaching out to patrons to explain precautions being made to prevent the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Portland Opera also spearheads the Broadway Across America series which commences with Frozen the musical on March 5th. Administrators confirmed, “We intend to stay the course with our public programming schedule.” Administrators explain, “Your health and safety as an audience member is of paramount importance to us, and we want to let you know some of the ways that our team is working to ensure that Portland Opera is contributing to solutions and best practices during this time.”
Oregon Children’s Theater is another organization taking precautions which include the following:
For patrons attending main stage performances, Portland’5 (home of the Newmark and Winningstad Theatres) has taken additional precautions, including increasing the frequency of cleaning and sterilization procedures throughout the entire facility.
For families attending classes at any of our Acting Academy locations, we are working with our partners at Curious Comedy Theater and Multnomah Arts Center to increase cleaning and sterilizing practices. Oregon Children’s Theatre staff and teaching artists are also being trained and empowered to clean even more frequently and to follow the recommended guidelines.
Oregon Children’s Theatre staff and teaching artists are encouraged to remain home should they exhibit any symptoms.
Measures taken by Portland Opera include an extensive deep clean of working spaces and staff has been instructed to follow precautions as recommended by the World Health Organization, in order to mitigate the spread of the disease. Photo by Cory Weaver/Portland Opera.
Portland Opera has also been in communication with Portland’5 Centers for the Arts, who manage and operate its performance venues. The opera has asked for extra sanitation stations and more extensive cleaning and disinfecting between performances. Portland Opera writes it is also confident that the city of Portland will proceed with recommended standards for public health and safety.
Administrators write, “We understand that more cases in the US and our region should be expected, and we realize, as Dr. Robert Redfield, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stated this weekend that the “current risk to the American public is low.” As such, we intend to stay the course with our public programming schedule and offerings. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected].”
Additional Information & Resources on the Coronavirus-19 can be found here:
Portland, OR. Portland Opera announced an executive leadership transition, with General Director Christopher Mattaliano, who has led the company for 16 years, transitioning to the role of Artistic Consultant beginning with the 2019-20 season. Sue Dixon, current Director of External Affairs will serve as Interim General Director as of July 15th. Dixon joined the company in May 2014 as Director of Development and was named Director of External of Affairs in 2017.
“I was incredibly fortunate to become Portland Opera’s General Director in 2003, and the past 16 years have been among the most satisfying and meaningful years of my life,” says Mattaliano. “I have formed deep, lifelong friendships within the Portland community, and have been very blessed to work with a great staff and extraordinary artists. Completing the framework for a new strategic plan that will build Portland Opera’s future created the right time for me to step aside.”
Christopher Mattaliano (seen here in the opera costume shop) was named Portland Opera’s fifth general director in July of 2003.
Mattaliano’s relationship with Portland Opera began in 1990 as a guest artist, directing Massenet’s Manon. After numerous other celebrated collaborations as a guest artist, he was named General Director in July of 2003. Among many highlights during Mattaliano’s tenure, the company saw the creation of the Portland Opera Resident Artist Program in 2005, which has grown into one of the nation’s most competitive young artist programs in the country; an expansion of the company’s repertoire, including over 30 Portland Opera premieres; and an expansion of performance venues beyond the Keller Auditorium to include the Newmark Theatre and the newly created Gregory K. and Mary Chomenko Hinckley Studio Theatre. In addition, under Mattaliano’s leadership the company produced its first two commercial recordings,Galileo Galilei and Orphée by Philip Glass; collaborated with composer John Adams in co-producing Nixon in China in 2005, and produced the work of American composers such as Philip Glass, David Lang, and Laura Kaminsky. Mattaliano’s artistic leadership also included presenting works by major visual artists such as David Hockney, Maurice Sendak, and John Frame; and collaborating with a wide range of Portland organizations, including BodyVox, Portland Art Museum, Chamber Music Northwest, Third Angle, Portland Baroque Orchestra, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Oregon Symphony, PHAME, and Portland State University. Mattaliano’s vision for the company included a focus on connection to community, through programs including free performance simulcasts, post-show conversations, the creation of the Opera a la Cart program, a free Portland Opera Resident Artist recital series at the Portland Art Museum, and a bilingual Spanish and English production of The Barber of Seville, for Portland Opera to Go’s educational programming.
“The Board of Directors is exceedingly grateful to Christopher Mattaliano for his 16 years of leadership and vision at Portland Opera,” says President of the Board of Directors, Curtis T. Thompson, MD. “Chris has led our company through a period of artistic excellence during his tenure, and created wonderful community programs and unforgettable productions. We are looking forward to building upon his work with this next chapter for Portland Opera, and with Sue Dixon’s leadership, vision, and commitment to community.”
Dixon, who currently oversees all aspects of fundraising, marketing, sales, communications, and special events, will serve as Interim General Director effective immediately. “In my first five years with Portland Opera, I had a chance to work closely with Chris, our senior team, and the Board of Directors to better serve our wonderful opera patrons, and to connect them with the artistic mission of our company,” says Dixon. “I know first-hand that we have realized many great accomplishments, and also that we have great work ahead of us. As we look toward creating the future, we celebrate Chris’s legacy at Portland Opera. I am honored to be able to build upon a strong artistic and community-based foundation for the company.”
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.
Christopher Mattaliano Biography:
Christopher Mattaliano was named Portland Opera’s fifth General Director in July 2003. In this capacity, he was responsible for all artistic, financial, and administrative aspects of the company.
Previous to this appointment, Mr. Mattaliano was the Artistic Director of the Pine Mountain Music Festival, a summer festival in Iron Mountain, Michigan, that produces a season of professional opera, chamber music, and other genres of music, including folk and jazz.
He brought to the company an intense artistic vision honed from his extensive stage directing experience. Prior to taking the helm at Portland Opera, Mr. Mattaliano achieved considerable regional success, directing five acclaimed Portland Opera productions—Manon (1991), Eugene Onegin (1992), Pagliacci/Carmina Burana (1997), Candide (2002), and Il Trovatore (2002). In 2004, his direction of Rossini’s The Journey to Reims opened his first season as General Director to both popular and critical acclaim. Since then he has directed The Rape of Lucretia (2005), Macbeth (2006), The Magic Flute (2007), Cinderella (2007), Albert Herring (2008), Rigoletto (2009), The Barber of Seville (2010), Pagliacci/Carmina Burana (2010), L’Heure Espagnole/L’Enfant et les Sortilèges (2011), Candide (2012), Falstaff (2013), The Magic Flute (2016), Songs of Love and War (2017), Rigoletto (2018), La Cenerentola (2018), and The Barber of Seville (2019).
In addition to those productions, Mr. Mattaliano has directed productions for the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, San Francisco Opera, Washington Opera, the Canadian Opera Company, L’Opera de Montreal, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Minnesota Opera, Dallas Opera, and Central City Opera, among many others. His work has also been enjoyed internationally at L’Opera de Nice and the Norwegian National Opera.
He has directed world premieres of Hugo Weisgall’s Esther for the New York City Opera, jazz composer Fred Ho’s Journey Beyond the West for the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Peter Westergaard’s The Tempest for the Opera Festival of New Jersey, and the American premiere of Fleischman’s Rothschild’s Violin at the Juilliard Opera Center.
His passion for stage direction has extended well beyond the stages of those many companies. He has taught at the Juilliard School, the Metropolitan Opera Young Artist Development Program, Manhattan School of Music, Yale University, Princeton University, Mannes College of Music, and the New National Theater of Japan. In 1996 his essay on auditioning (“The Dreaded Audition”) was published by OPERA America.
Mr. Mattaliano received his BA in Theater Arts from Montclair State University with additional training at the Trent Park School of Performing Arts in London, England. In 1998 he received the L. Howard Fox Visiting Alumni Award from his alma mater as well as a National Opera Institute Stage Direction Grant.
Since joining the company, his presence is in considerable demand on the national level, leading the keynote panel at the 2004 OPERA America conference and being named to the National Endowment for the Arts’ opera review panel. Mr. Mattaliano served on OPERA America’s Board of Directors from 2005-2011. He continues to direct productions around the country, including recent productions of The Barber of Seville at Michigan Opera Theatre, Candide at Arizona Opera, and Macbeth at New Orleans Opera.
Portland, OR. Audience members leapt to their feet for a standing ovation on opening night at Portland Opera‘s production of Verdi’s Rigoletto. The dramatic favorite drew thousands to see the complicated tale of a court jester, his innocent daughter and the philandering Duke who seduces her. Trish Tulley, Wendy Baker, Liz Wackerle, and Connie Gougler were among the many VIPs who stopped for a photo on the red carpet before Rigoletto.
Barry Banks as the Duke and Katrina Galka as Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto. Photo by Cory Weaver.
Stephen Powell in the title role of Portland Opera’s production of Verdi’s Rigoletto. Photo by Cory Weaver.
This short video has a taste of the music with Katrina Galka as Gilda.
Here’s a look at some the red carpet moments:
Christopher Smith and JaNae Hagel attend the opening night of Portland Opera’s Rigoletto. Photo by Trace Downen.
Ivy Zhou attends the opening night of Portland Opera’s Rigoletto. Photo by Trace Downen.
Barbara and Dr. George Dechet attend the opening night of Portland Opera’s Rigoletto. Photo by
Mark and Julia Barnes attend the opening night of Portland Opera’s Rigoletto. Photo by Garrick Antikajian.
Judy and Dr. Louis McCraw attend the opening night of Portland Opera’s Rigoletto. Photo by Garrick Antikajian.
Taylor Theis and her grandmother attend the opening night of Portland Opera’s Rigoletto. Photo by Garrick Antikajian.
Ian Plosker and Sara Bergqvist attend the opening night of Portland Opera’s Rigoletto. Photo by Garrett Downen.
Ruth Poindexter at the opening night of Portland Opera’s Rigoletto. Photo by Garrett Downen.
Remy Drabkin and Laura Pedroni attend the opening night of Portland Opera’s Rigoletto. Photo by Garrick Antikajian.
“Lyricism and legend converge with the devil in this timeless and new vision of Gounod’s epic, infused with the visual art of John Frame. Rising international opera star Angel Blue makes her Portland Opera debut as Marguerite to Jonathan Boyd’s Faust.s
When the devil appears and offers Faust a second chance at youth in exchange for his soul, he makes the pact, and then uses his newfound powers to seduce the youthful and innocent Marguerite—with tragic consequences.
One of the most popular operas of the last two centuries, lyricism and legend converge in Gounod’s unforgettable masterpiece. This groundbreaking production is infused with the vision of sculptor and visual artist John Frame, who exhibited at the Portland Art Museum in 2012. After years in the making, Frame’s remarkable creative vision translates to the stage with powerful and deeply evocative sets and costumes, sculpture 3D projections, and more.
Join us for a storybook tale about true love and generosity of spirit, directed by Christopher Mattaliano. This new production of Rossini’s classic opera will glitter as brightly as Cinderella’s royal ball gown.
Revisit one of the oldest stories ever told in this mythological journey to the underworld. With thousands of role petals, a full chorus, and a ballet, we’ll witness the transformative power of love and music and Gluck’s celebrated opera.
Portland Opera exists to inspire, challenge, and uplift its audiences by creating productions of high artistic quality and is proud to be a part of the region’s thriving artistic and business community. We celebrate the beauty and breadth of the opera repertoire with four main stage performances each season. Our 2018 main stage opera season includes Verdi’s Rigoletto, Gounod’s Faust, Rossini’s La Cenerentola, and Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice. 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. Portland Opera is pleased to present the company’s fifth annual Big Nightconcert on April 14, 2018 at 7:30 PM at the Keller Auditorium. Music Director George Manahan will lead soloists, orchestra, and chorus from the 2018 season in an evening of opera’s greatest hits. The program, hosted by General Director Christopher Mattaliano, will feature popular works by Verdi, Wagner, Mozart, Rossini, and Bizet, as well as a few Broadway favorites.
“We’re incredibly excited for this year’s Big Night concert as we kick off our 2018 season,” says Christopher Mattaliano. “Big Night is a celebration of opera, and also a celebration of the amazing talents that breathe life into the masterpieces of our art form. We love taking this opportunity to highlight our orchestra and chorus, and share an evening of fun with our audience.”
This year’s Big Night concert will feature 3 principal artists, as well as the four members of Portland Opera’s 2018 Resident Artist program, who will share the stage with the Portland Opera orchestra and chorus. The principal artists are baritone Stephen Powell, who will sing the title role in Verdi’s Rigoletto this season, soprano Vanessa Isiguen who returns to the Portland Opera stage after her appearance in last season’s La Bohème, and tenor Barry Banks, who makes his company debut in this concert before singing the role of the Duke in Rigoletto.
Resident Artists Helen Huang (soprano), Thomas Cilluffo (tenor), and Shi Li (bass) also make their Portland Opera debuts, with soprano Kate Farrar returning for her second year in the program. Nicholas Fox returns as Chorus Master, with Daniel Meeker as Lighting Designer.
The 2018 Big Night concert is presented by Umpqua Bank. Portland Opera appreciates the ongoing support of funders including The Collins Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, Oregon Arts Commission, Work for Art, the James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation, and The Regional Arts & Culture Council, including support from the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Arts Education & Access Fund.
Tickets for Big Night are now available, starting at $25. 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 the 2018 Big Night concert. For more information, and to purchase tickets visit http://www.portlandopera.org/production/big-night-2018/ or call Patron Services at 503-241-1802. For more information, patrons may also contact the Opera Concierge at [email protected].
About Portland Opera
Portland Opera exists to inspire, challenge, and uplift its audiences by creating productions of high artistic quality and is proud to be a part of the region’s thriving artistic and business community. We celebrate the beauty and breadth of the opera repertoire with four main stage performances each season. Our 2018 main stage opera season includes Gounod’s Faust, Verdi’s Rigoletto, Rossini’s La Cenerentola, and Gluck’s Orfeo ed Euridice. 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, September 10th, 2015. If you couldn’t join the thousands who flocked to Pioneer Courthouse Square for The Standard’s Annual Volunteer Expo, you’re in luck. We’ve got all the information and website links to explore over 125 local nonprofits that could use your time.
A full list of links of nonprofits is at the bottom of our story.
R. Richard Crockett, (left) is the Program Operations Director & Volunteer Coordinator at Chess for Success.
Classroom Law Project is a non-profit organization of individuals, educators, lawyers, and civic leaders building strong communities by teaching students to become active citizens.
The Standard’s Volunteer Expo has repeat participants year after year, here’s a look at some nonprofits which continue to recruit volunteers:
Jenny Bedell-Stiles and Andy Meeks from Friends of Trees
talks with Casey Rhodes and Clark Hays.
Jenny Chu from Literary Arts
New Avenues For Youth volunteers are a hit every year because they dish out the free Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream!
Rachel Randles from Oregon Historical Society
The Volunteers of America recruited some new volunteers!
Special Olympics Oregon has room for coaches and event volunteers.
Newspace Center for Photography promoted its multidimensional photography resource center and community hub for students, working artists, professional photographers, educators, and photo-enthusiasts of all types.
Latino Network’s Edgar Ortega
Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro Area had a colorful display.
The Work for Art’s Community Fund and Arts Education Fund support more than 80 arts and culture organizations every year—encompassing dance, visual arts, music, literary arts, media arts, theater, cultural arts, and arts education.
IMPACT NW drew prospective volunteers who learned that each year over 60,000 low-income children, youth, families, seniors, and adults with disabilities participate in Impact NW’s comprehensive anti-poverty programs.
The YMCA was handing out information about programs.
People who stopped by The Q Center booth were met with a friendly smile.
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Oregon Chapter staffers promoted their many volunteer options.
Reps from the Feral Cat Coalition of Oregon explained their work on behalf of local cats and kittens.
American Red Cross volunteer recruiters had the trademark red vests!
The mission of the Make-A-Wish Oreogn Foundation® is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
Northwest Pilot Project began in 1969 as an all volunteer agency to provide basic supports for seniors at risk of losing their ability to live independently.
Miracle Theatre Group is The Northwest’s premiere Latino arts and culture organization.
Camp Fire offers opportunities for volunteers who like to work with kids.
Bridge Meadows is a multi-generation housing community serving Oregon’s vulnerable populations; foster youth, adoptive parents and elders (55+).
Here’s a list of links to charities at the The Standard’s Volunteer Expo. Please consider donating your time, and tell them PortlandSocietyPage.com sent you!
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