CONDUCTORDavid Robertson PRODUCTIONTom MorrisDEBUT SET DESIGNERTom Pye COSTUMEDESIGNERLaura Ho pkinsDEBUT LIGHTINGDESIGNERJean Kalman VI DEODESIGNERFinn Ross SOUNDDESIGNERMark Grey CHOREOGRAPHERAr thur PitaDEBUT JOHN ADAMS GENERALMANAGERPeter Gelb MUSICDIRECTORJames Levine Opera in a prologue and two acts Libretto by Alice Goodman Monday, October 20, 2014 7:30–10:20 PM Metropolitan Opera Premiere The production of The Death of Klinghoer was made possible by an anonymous gift in honor of John Adams Additiona l funding was receive d from the An n & Gordon Getty Foundation Co-production of the Metropolitan Opera
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PLAYBILL: The Death of Klinghoffer @ Metropolitan Opera
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Transcript
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Met TitlesTo activate press the red button to the right of the screen in front ofyour seat and follow the instructions provided To turn off the displaypress the red button once again If you have questions please ask anusher at intermission
Chorus Master Donald PalumboAssociate Director James BonasMusical Preparation Caren Levine Miloš Repickyacute Liora Maurer
Steven Osgood Jonathan Kelly and Laura PoeAssistant Stage Directors Eric Einhorn and Gregory KellerPrompter Caren LevineEnglish Coach Erie MillsScenery properties and electrical props constructed and painted
by ENO Workshop and Metropolitan Opera ShopsCostumes executed by ENO Production Wardrobe and Metropolitan Opera Costume Department
Wigs and Makeup executed by Metropolitan Opera Wig and Makeup Department
This production uses gunshot effects
This performance is made possible in part by public funds fromthe New York State Council on the Arts
The Death of Klinghoffer is performed by arrangement withHendon Music Inc a Boosey amp Hawkes companypublisher and copyright owner
Before the performance begins please switch off cell phonesand other electronic devices
Alan Opie andMichaela Martensas Leon and MarilynKlinghoffer inAdamsrsquos The Deathof Klinghoffer
K E NH OWA R D ME T R OP OL I T A N
OP E R A
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On board the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro in October 1985 on a 16-daycircuit of the eastern Mediterranean
PrologueChorus of Exiled PalestiniansChorus of Exiled Jews
Act I Scene 1The cruise liner Achille Lauro has been hijacked just a few hours out of the portof Alexandria where a large group of passengers disembarked for a tour of
the pyramids Those remaining on the ship are the old the very young thosedesiring a rest amid the comforts of a floating hotel the crew and service staffThe hijackers are an unknown number of young Palestinian men Not untilmuch later is it discovered that there are four of them Their purpose is notclear Their actions however are definite A waiter has been shot in the leg Theshiprsquos engines have been shut down The first officer has a gun against his headPassengers who had gathered in the dining room for lunch are transferred tothe Tapestry Room which is more easily guarded Americans Britons and Jews
are identified The Captain urges calm
Ocean Chorus
Scene 2On the bridge the Captain is guarded by the teenager Mamoud Mamoud tunesin to various local radio stations He sings of the night of his love for this musicand of his memories The Captain confides his thoughts on the nature of travel
(One passenger an Austrian woman has locked herself into her stateroomwhere she will remain for the next two days) Just before dawn a bird lands onthe shiprsquos railing almost at the Captainrsquos elbow He starts Mamoud rebukes him
Intermission (AT APPROXIMATELY 910 PM)
Act II Scene 1It is 1130 am The Achille Lauro awaits permission to enter the Syrian port
of Tartus The air corridor is deserted as is the sea-road Americans Britonsand Jews have been moved on deck to the Winter Garden which is the onlyplace a helicopter might hope to land Leon Klinghofferrsquos wheelchair cannotbe lifted onto the platform so he sits a little below the others There is noshade Differences among the Palestinians are becoming clearer as is theirisolation from their commanders Molqi the leader on board the ship has not
Synopsis
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
revealed his orders Everyone is on edge One Palestinian torments some ofthe passengers Another Omar invokes the holy death he longs for Mamoud
believes that their radio contacts have betrayed them Omar and Molqi fightMolqi wheels Klinghoffer away
Desert Chorus
Scene 2Klinghoffer is shot Mrs Klinghoffer sitting on the deck in wretched discomforthas no idea her husband is dead The Palestinians announce the murder to the
Captain He must inform the authorities on shore and let them know that otherhostages will die He considers it his duty as Captain to sacrifice his life for theothers Molqi decides that no further killing is necessary During the ensuingradio negotiation the Captain assures Abu Abbas among others that no one hasdied It is thus agreed that the ship will proceed to Cairo where the Palestinianswill be allowed to disembark As the ship begins to move Klinghofferrsquos body isthrown over the side It will drift ashore in Syria
Day Chorus
Scene 3The Achille Lauro has docked in Cairo and the Palestinians have disembarkedThe Captain calls Mrs Klinghoffer to his cabin and breaks the news of herhusbandrsquos death She will not be consoled
mdashAlice Goodman
Visit Klinghoffermetoperaorg to share
your thoughts on todayrsquos performance
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Premiere Theacuteacirctre Royal de la Monnaie Brussels 1991John Adams and Alice Goodmanrsquos powerful opera dramatizes an event fromrecent history the terrorist hijacking of the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro andthe brutal murder of one of its passengers in October 1985 in the Mediterranean
Four Palestinians took control of the ship while at sea which led to a standoffthat lasted for three days Before the passengers many of whom were Americanswere rescued the hijackers shot an elderly wheelchair-bound Jewish New YorkerLeon Klinghoffer and tossed his body into the sea The opera premiering within just a few years of the horrific events overwhelmed audiences at the time andwith the increasingly threatening specter of terrorism today has become evenmore urgent and demanding As with their previous collaboration Nixon in
China composer and librettist have stated that instead of chronicling historytheir intention is to go beyond the facts of world events into the more complexspace of the unknown those areas usually reserved for the unconscious and themythic The drama of Klinghoffer unfolds retrospectively as the shiprsquos captainrecalls what happened during the hijacking It is a framing device similar to theone used in Brittenrsquos Billy Budd and as in that opera the filtering power ofmemory affects the telling of the story Chronological inconsistencies are patentas is the ability to probe unspoken motivations
The Creators John Adams (b 1947) is among the most celebrated composers active todayHis works span a number of genres including large-scale orchestral works andfilm scores Besides The Death of Klinghoffer he has produced several notableworks inspired by contemporary events including the operas Nixon in China (1987 about the Presidentrsquos historic meeting with Chairman Mao) and Doctor
Atomic (2005 on J Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic
bomb both produced at the Met in recent seasons) as well as the choral pieceOn the Transmigration of Souls (2002 commemorating the events of September11 2001) for which Adams was awarded the Pulitzer Prize The American poetAlice Goodman (b 1958) also wrote the libretto to Nixon in China She is currentlyan Anglican priest serving as the chaplain of Trinity College Cambridge The
Death of Klinghoffer was developed in collaboration with Peter Sellars thedirector of the original production
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Setting The action is presented as the memory of the Achille Laurorsquos Captain and as
his retelling of events on board the ocean liner The Met production is set in anunspecified mythical space suggestive of a ship
The MusicWhile the same driving energy that characterizes much of Adamsrsquos work isfound throughout this score The Death of Klinghoffer displays a more somberharmonic palette compared to the bright outbursts found in several of his earliercompositions Klinghoffer rsquos musical language derives from the psychologically
complex and symbolically rich subtexts of the events unfolding on stage theorchestration is highly nuanced and there are extended passages of remarkablelyricism and introspection including the title characterrsquos Act II ldquoAria of the FallingBodyrdquo a beautiful soliloquy transcending realistic notions of time and spaceand the two solos for Marilyn Klinghoffer one before and one after she learnsof her husbandrsquos fate which express her evolving thoughts on mortality Beyondthe individual characters the chorus plays a prominent role The Passions ofBach provided an important structural model with their alternation of powerful
tutti and intimate soul-searching ariasmdashan effective tool for underlining theshift in focus between individual and collective memory The chorus proclaimsits central function as well as its ability to express differing points of view inthe monumental pair of pieces that open the opera the ldquoChorus of ExiledPalestiniansrdquo and the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo They represent in a sense thetwin pillars of the gateway to this complex grave and urgent drama
The Death of Klinghoer at the Met
Tom Morrisrsquos production opening October 20 2014 with David Robertsonconducting Paulo Szot Alan Opie and Michaela Martens in the leading rolesmarks the operarsquos Met premiere
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
ldquoW ersquore human We arethe kind of peopleyou like to killrdquo With thesewords the title character of John Adamsrsquos second opera bravely
addresses the terrorists who will soon murder himmdasha wheelchair-bound elderly man facing off a group of four young hijackers armed not justwith weapons but with festering hatred As an American Jew Leon Klinghofferbecomes the scapegoat of his killersrsquo rage The most sadistic of them known as
ldquoRambordquo replies with a brutal dehumanizing rantThis scene from the second act of The Death of Klinghoffer uses the resources
of opera to dramatize a confrontation whose implications extend beyond thesenseless barbarity of the historical event on which it is based In Nixon in
China Adams and his creative partnersmdashlibrettist Alice Goodman and directorPeter Sellarsmdashfirst experimented with the potential of opera to open up newperspectives on questions that are important to usmdashperspectives unlikely toemerge from the mediarsquos sensationalizing immediate replay of one news eventuntil it is promptly forgotten and another comes along to supersede it
Thus the unlikely topic of President Nixonrsquos historic visit to Communist Chinaat the height of the Cold War became the seed for their approach to the multi-layered art form of opera Adamsrsquos earlier opera Nixon in China presented
angles beyond the familiar events of the Nixon-Mao meeting to muse on thedichotomies between public persona and the inner life between ideologicalmyopia and the weight of history
With The Death of Klinghoffer Adams and his collaborators turned to anevent that had occurred in October 1985 only six years before the opera wascompleted the hijacking of the MS Achille Lauro an Italian cruise ship by fourterrorists organized by the Palestine Liberation Front which culminated in thebrutal murder of one of its passengers (See page Ins3 for historical details of
the event) Unlike the politically iconic source material for Nixon in China theAchille Lauro hijacking involved ordinary people simply attempting to enjoytheir lives who get randomly tragically caught up in the violence of a conflictthat continues to make headline news and at the same time has ancient rootsThe opera is framed as a remembered event along the lines of Captain Verersquosattempt long after the tragedy to make sense of what happened in Billy Budd or the nautical tales filtered through the ldquoeverymanrdquo philosophizing of JosephConradrsquos alter-ego narrator Charles Marlow in Heart of Darkness
What then drew Adams to create an opera from this grim story Becauseof musicrsquos ability to intensify but also to comment on and juxtapose dramaticsituations opera possesses an ldquoemotionally chargedrdquo power according to Adamsthat makes it uniquely suited as an ldquoexpressive vehicle to address terrorismrdquo
The opera opens with a prologue consisting of two choruses The firstrepresents the perspective of the ldquoexiled Palestiniansrdquo the second that ofthe ldquoexiled Jewsrdquo Articulating the background narrative of loss the hijackersbelieve justifies their violence the first chorus voices the sense of resentment
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
motivating them From its gentle sinuous beginnings this music eventually swellsto a terrifying fury setting the chilling words that pledge harm ldquoOur faithwill takethe stones he brokeand break his teethrdquo
Because of the operarsquos in-depth characterization of the Palestinians somepeople have accused Klinghoffer of an implicit anti-Semitism and of condoningterrorism This is entirely off-base Even a casual reading of the text would indicate
that although the opera dramatizes anti-Semitism (and its results) it in no waysupports it
Following the initial US performances in 1991 at the Brooklyn Academy ofMusic and San Francisco Opera in 1992 Klinghoffer was once again produced inthis country in 2003 when it returned to Brooklyn for a concert performance underRobert Spano There was also a semi-staged performance at Juilliard in 2009 andin 2011 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis offered the first full US staging since theoriginal production Last spring Long Beach Opera presented the long-delayed
Los Angeles area premiere (See page Ins4 for a complete production history)The ldquoChorus of Exiled Palestiniansrdquo contains the first foreshadowing of the
violence to comemdasha musical-dramatic microcosm of a fateful pattern that will recurThat pattern is repeated in the long scene in the first act between the Captain andthe teenage Mamoud the most elaborately characterized of the four PalestiniansMamoudrsquos reflective solo expressing his love of music carries echoes of the gentlestrains from the opening chorus It even gives the Captain hope that a way out ofthe stalemate can be found ldquoI think if you should talk like thisSitting among your
enemiesPeace would comerdquo At that point however Mamoud ominously singsldquoThe day that Iand my enemysit peacefullyeach putting his caseand workingtowards peacethat day our hope diesand I shall die toordquo
But violence is integral to Mamoudrsquos narrative He already implicitly anticipatesthe death of Leon Klinghoffer as does another remarkable solo in the second actwhen Omar the youngest of the Palestinians (written as a trouser role for a mezzo-soprano) sings of his longing for imminent martyrdom The fearsome rhythmicenergy accompanying him drives toward a devastatingly loud climax
The opposition between the perspectives of the Palestinians and Jews whichthe opening choruses establish so effectively is only one of several significantpolarities in Klinghoffer Adamsrsquos score eloquently draws attention to Goodmanrsquosallusive imagery of natural oppositions between ocean and desert night and day(all of these engendering two more pairs of choruses) between the limits of earthlydestinations and the freedom of birds in the air or the unbounded sea Territorialidentification is contrasted with the international lineup of passengers travelingon the Achille Lauro Deftly using his orchestra Adams creates haunting delicate
lyrical fabrics that contrast with the violent tumult of the full-on ensembleThe prominence of choruses as a structural and dramatic device creates a
collective consciousness that contrasts with the operarsquos individual characterizationsthose of the four Palestinians the Captain who tries to maintain stability amid thecrisis and the Swiss grandmother as well as the portraits of the Austrian womanand the British Dancing Girlmdashthese last two resorting to satirical stereotypes Notuntil the second act does Leon Klinghoffer come into the spotlight but throughtwo ariasmdashhis brave outburst against the terrorists and after his murder the ldquoAria
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
of the Falling BodyrdquomdashAdams conveys a gripping sense of his individuality And ina few economical exchanges he illuminates the bond of love between Leon and
his wife Marilyn who had kept her cancer diagnosis undisclosed so as not to martheir wedding anniversary cruise together
While Nixon in China had taken its scenario as an opportunity to ramble throughthe history of grand operamdashits conventions from coloratura aria to ensemble finaleorchestral storm music to obligatory ballet-insertmdashthe tragic narrative of The
Death of Klinghoffer impelled Adams to refine his melodic language into elaborateshapes while expanding his harmonic palette Although his stylistic range is wideit feels more integratedmdashperhaps because of the pervasive influence of Bachrsquos
Passion settings as a structural and aesthetic model Bachrsquos St Matthew Passionfor example establishes a grid of events that happened in the past and arenarrated but then prompt meditation on their present meaning Its substantialchoral ldquopillarsrdquo map out this architecture of narration and reflection
The Klinghoffer Choruses in turn are so pivotal that in a sense they usurp therole typically identified with arias as they anchor the events of the opera Similarlythe arias themselves look to Bachrsquos Passions with their balance of vocal and soloinstrumental textures (the Captainrsquos opening soliloquy for example as a dialogue
with solo oboe)As for his approach to word setting Adams has frequently pointed out the
effort he takes to mirror the inflections of the English text in his rhythmic patternsHe likewise expresses his admiration for the poetry of Alice Goodmanrsquos librettomdashboth her constellations of imagery and her mastery of formal constraints such asthe slant-rhyme couplets of her verse for both Nixon and Klinghoffer
After Leon Klinghoffer is murdered Marilyn remains unaware of his fate untilthe operarsquos final scene Both she and Leon had been silent throughout the first act
but it is the music of each that remains most resonant by the end of the opera thefalling scale of Leonrsquos final aria as his lifeless body sinks into the waters conceivedas an elegiac Gymnopeacutedie and Marilynrsquos confrontation with the Captain her musicof grief (in the G minor of the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo)
The frequent claim that The Death of Klinghoffer attempts an ldquoeven-handedrdquoportrayal of the hijacking writes Adams in his autobiography Hallelujah Junctionis ldquoa characterization that puzzles me I didnrsquot start out with the idea of beingevenhanded and I suspect that neither did Alice Goodman Neither of us was
trying to parse out judgment in equally measured doses and neither wasattempting to make of the drama a political forum The tragic results of this act ofterrorism permeate the end of the operahellip [I]t is the image of Marilyn Klinghoffergrief-stricken alone and bereft on the empty stage that the audience takes homeafter the final curtain fallsrdquo
mdashThomas May
Program Note CONTINUED
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Met TitlesTo activate press the red button to the right of the screen in front ofyour seat and follow the instructions provided To turn off the displaypress the red button once again If you have questions please ask anusher at intermission
Chorus Master Donald PalumboAssociate Director James BonasMusical Preparation Caren Levine Miloš Repickyacute Liora Maurer
Steven Osgood Jonathan Kelly and Laura PoeAssistant Stage Directors Eric Einhorn and Gregory KellerPrompter Caren LevineEnglish Coach Erie MillsScenery properties and electrical props constructed and painted
by ENO Workshop and Metropolitan Opera ShopsCostumes executed by ENO Production Wardrobe and Metropolitan Opera Costume Department
Wigs and Makeup executed by Metropolitan Opera Wig and Makeup Department
This production uses gunshot effects
This performance is made possible in part by public funds fromthe New York State Council on the Arts
The Death of Klinghoffer is performed by arrangement withHendon Music Inc a Boosey amp Hawkes companypublisher and copyright owner
Before the performance begins please switch off cell phonesand other electronic devices
Alan Opie andMichaela Martensas Leon and MarilynKlinghoffer inAdamsrsquos The Deathof Klinghoffer
K E NH OWA R D ME T R OP OL I T A N
OP E R A
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On board the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro in October 1985 on a 16-daycircuit of the eastern Mediterranean
PrologueChorus of Exiled PalestiniansChorus of Exiled Jews
Act I Scene 1The cruise liner Achille Lauro has been hijacked just a few hours out of the portof Alexandria where a large group of passengers disembarked for a tour of
the pyramids Those remaining on the ship are the old the very young thosedesiring a rest amid the comforts of a floating hotel the crew and service staffThe hijackers are an unknown number of young Palestinian men Not untilmuch later is it discovered that there are four of them Their purpose is notclear Their actions however are definite A waiter has been shot in the leg Theshiprsquos engines have been shut down The first officer has a gun against his headPassengers who had gathered in the dining room for lunch are transferred tothe Tapestry Room which is more easily guarded Americans Britons and Jews
are identified The Captain urges calm
Ocean Chorus
Scene 2On the bridge the Captain is guarded by the teenager Mamoud Mamoud tunesin to various local radio stations He sings of the night of his love for this musicand of his memories The Captain confides his thoughts on the nature of travel
(One passenger an Austrian woman has locked herself into her stateroomwhere she will remain for the next two days) Just before dawn a bird lands onthe shiprsquos railing almost at the Captainrsquos elbow He starts Mamoud rebukes him
Intermission (AT APPROXIMATELY 910 PM)
Act II Scene 1It is 1130 am The Achille Lauro awaits permission to enter the Syrian port
of Tartus The air corridor is deserted as is the sea-road Americans Britonsand Jews have been moved on deck to the Winter Garden which is the onlyplace a helicopter might hope to land Leon Klinghofferrsquos wheelchair cannotbe lifted onto the platform so he sits a little below the others There is noshade Differences among the Palestinians are becoming clearer as is theirisolation from their commanders Molqi the leader on board the ship has not
Synopsis
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
revealed his orders Everyone is on edge One Palestinian torments some ofthe passengers Another Omar invokes the holy death he longs for Mamoud
believes that their radio contacts have betrayed them Omar and Molqi fightMolqi wheels Klinghoffer away
Desert Chorus
Scene 2Klinghoffer is shot Mrs Klinghoffer sitting on the deck in wretched discomforthas no idea her husband is dead The Palestinians announce the murder to the
Captain He must inform the authorities on shore and let them know that otherhostages will die He considers it his duty as Captain to sacrifice his life for theothers Molqi decides that no further killing is necessary During the ensuingradio negotiation the Captain assures Abu Abbas among others that no one hasdied It is thus agreed that the ship will proceed to Cairo where the Palestinianswill be allowed to disembark As the ship begins to move Klinghofferrsquos body isthrown over the side It will drift ashore in Syria
Day Chorus
Scene 3The Achille Lauro has docked in Cairo and the Palestinians have disembarkedThe Captain calls Mrs Klinghoffer to his cabin and breaks the news of herhusbandrsquos death She will not be consoled
mdashAlice Goodman
Visit Klinghoffermetoperaorg to share
your thoughts on todayrsquos performance
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Premiere Theacuteacirctre Royal de la Monnaie Brussels 1991John Adams and Alice Goodmanrsquos powerful opera dramatizes an event fromrecent history the terrorist hijacking of the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro andthe brutal murder of one of its passengers in October 1985 in the Mediterranean
Four Palestinians took control of the ship while at sea which led to a standoffthat lasted for three days Before the passengers many of whom were Americanswere rescued the hijackers shot an elderly wheelchair-bound Jewish New YorkerLeon Klinghoffer and tossed his body into the sea The opera premiering within just a few years of the horrific events overwhelmed audiences at the time andwith the increasingly threatening specter of terrorism today has become evenmore urgent and demanding As with their previous collaboration Nixon in
China composer and librettist have stated that instead of chronicling historytheir intention is to go beyond the facts of world events into the more complexspace of the unknown those areas usually reserved for the unconscious and themythic The drama of Klinghoffer unfolds retrospectively as the shiprsquos captainrecalls what happened during the hijacking It is a framing device similar to theone used in Brittenrsquos Billy Budd and as in that opera the filtering power ofmemory affects the telling of the story Chronological inconsistencies are patentas is the ability to probe unspoken motivations
The Creators John Adams (b 1947) is among the most celebrated composers active todayHis works span a number of genres including large-scale orchestral works andfilm scores Besides The Death of Klinghoffer he has produced several notableworks inspired by contemporary events including the operas Nixon in China (1987 about the Presidentrsquos historic meeting with Chairman Mao) and Doctor
Atomic (2005 on J Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic
bomb both produced at the Met in recent seasons) as well as the choral pieceOn the Transmigration of Souls (2002 commemorating the events of September11 2001) for which Adams was awarded the Pulitzer Prize The American poetAlice Goodman (b 1958) also wrote the libretto to Nixon in China She is currentlyan Anglican priest serving as the chaplain of Trinity College Cambridge The
Death of Klinghoffer was developed in collaboration with Peter Sellars thedirector of the original production
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Setting The action is presented as the memory of the Achille Laurorsquos Captain and as
his retelling of events on board the ocean liner The Met production is set in anunspecified mythical space suggestive of a ship
The MusicWhile the same driving energy that characterizes much of Adamsrsquos work isfound throughout this score The Death of Klinghoffer displays a more somberharmonic palette compared to the bright outbursts found in several of his earliercompositions Klinghoffer rsquos musical language derives from the psychologically
complex and symbolically rich subtexts of the events unfolding on stage theorchestration is highly nuanced and there are extended passages of remarkablelyricism and introspection including the title characterrsquos Act II ldquoAria of the FallingBodyrdquo a beautiful soliloquy transcending realistic notions of time and spaceand the two solos for Marilyn Klinghoffer one before and one after she learnsof her husbandrsquos fate which express her evolving thoughts on mortality Beyondthe individual characters the chorus plays a prominent role The Passions ofBach provided an important structural model with their alternation of powerful
tutti and intimate soul-searching ariasmdashan effective tool for underlining theshift in focus between individual and collective memory The chorus proclaimsits central function as well as its ability to express differing points of view inthe monumental pair of pieces that open the opera the ldquoChorus of ExiledPalestiniansrdquo and the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo They represent in a sense thetwin pillars of the gateway to this complex grave and urgent drama
The Death of Klinghoer at the Met
Tom Morrisrsquos production opening October 20 2014 with David Robertsonconducting Paulo Szot Alan Opie and Michaela Martens in the leading rolesmarks the operarsquos Met premiere
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
ldquoW ersquore human We arethe kind of peopleyou like to killrdquo With thesewords the title character of John Adamsrsquos second opera bravely
addresses the terrorists who will soon murder himmdasha wheelchair-bound elderly man facing off a group of four young hijackers armed not justwith weapons but with festering hatred As an American Jew Leon Klinghofferbecomes the scapegoat of his killersrsquo rage The most sadistic of them known as
ldquoRambordquo replies with a brutal dehumanizing rantThis scene from the second act of The Death of Klinghoffer uses the resources
of opera to dramatize a confrontation whose implications extend beyond thesenseless barbarity of the historical event on which it is based In Nixon in
China Adams and his creative partnersmdashlibrettist Alice Goodman and directorPeter Sellarsmdashfirst experimented with the potential of opera to open up newperspectives on questions that are important to usmdashperspectives unlikely toemerge from the mediarsquos sensationalizing immediate replay of one news eventuntil it is promptly forgotten and another comes along to supersede it
Thus the unlikely topic of President Nixonrsquos historic visit to Communist Chinaat the height of the Cold War became the seed for their approach to the multi-layered art form of opera Adamsrsquos earlier opera Nixon in China presented
angles beyond the familiar events of the Nixon-Mao meeting to muse on thedichotomies between public persona and the inner life between ideologicalmyopia and the weight of history
With The Death of Klinghoffer Adams and his collaborators turned to anevent that had occurred in October 1985 only six years before the opera wascompleted the hijacking of the MS Achille Lauro an Italian cruise ship by fourterrorists organized by the Palestine Liberation Front which culminated in thebrutal murder of one of its passengers (See page Ins3 for historical details of
the event) Unlike the politically iconic source material for Nixon in China theAchille Lauro hijacking involved ordinary people simply attempting to enjoytheir lives who get randomly tragically caught up in the violence of a conflictthat continues to make headline news and at the same time has ancient rootsThe opera is framed as a remembered event along the lines of Captain Verersquosattempt long after the tragedy to make sense of what happened in Billy Budd or the nautical tales filtered through the ldquoeverymanrdquo philosophizing of JosephConradrsquos alter-ego narrator Charles Marlow in Heart of Darkness
What then drew Adams to create an opera from this grim story Becauseof musicrsquos ability to intensify but also to comment on and juxtapose dramaticsituations opera possesses an ldquoemotionally chargedrdquo power according to Adamsthat makes it uniquely suited as an ldquoexpressive vehicle to address terrorismrdquo
The opera opens with a prologue consisting of two choruses The firstrepresents the perspective of the ldquoexiled Palestiniansrdquo the second that ofthe ldquoexiled Jewsrdquo Articulating the background narrative of loss the hijackersbelieve justifies their violence the first chorus voices the sense of resentment
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
motivating them From its gentle sinuous beginnings this music eventually swellsto a terrifying fury setting the chilling words that pledge harm ldquoOur faithwill takethe stones he brokeand break his teethrdquo
Because of the operarsquos in-depth characterization of the Palestinians somepeople have accused Klinghoffer of an implicit anti-Semitism and of condoningterrorism This is entirely off-base Even a casual reading of the text would indicate
that although the opera dramatizes anti-Semitism (and its results) it in no waysupports it
Following the initial US performances in 1991 at the Brooklyn Academy ofMusic and San Francisco Opera in 1992 Klinghoffer was once again produced inthis country in 2003 when it returned to Brooklyn for a concert performance underRobert Spano There was also a semi-staged performance at Juilliard in 2009 andin 2011 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis offered the first full US staging since theoriginal production Last spring Long Beach Opera presented the long-delayed
Los Angeles area premiere (See page Ins4 for a complete production history)The ldquoChorus of Exiled Palestiniansrdquo contains the first foreshadowing of the
violence to comemdasha musical-dramatic microcosm of a fateful pattern that will recurThat pattern is repeated in the long scene in the first act between the Captain andthe teenage Mamoud the most elaborately characterized of the four PalestiniansMamoudrsquos reflective solo expressing his love of music carries echoes of the gentlestrains from the opening chorus It even gives the Captain hope that a way out ofthe stalemate can be found ldquoI think if you should talk like thisSitting among your
enemiesPeace would comerdquo At that point however Mamoud ominously singsldquoThe day that Iand my enemysit peacefullyeach putting his caseand workingtowards peacethat day our hope diesand I shall die toordquo
But violence is integral to Mamoudrsquos narrative He already implicitly anticipatesthe death of Leon Klinghoffer as does another remarkable solo in the second actwhen Omar the youngest of the Palestinians (written as a trouser role for a mezzo-soprano) sings of his longing for imminent martyrdom The fearsome rhythmicenergy accompanying him drives toward a devastatingly loud climax
The opposition between the perspectives of the Palestinians and Jews whichthe opening choruses establish so effectively is only one of several significantpolarities in Klinghoffer Adamsrsquos score eloquently draws attention to Goodmanrsquosallusive imagery of natural oppositions between ocean and desert night and day(all of these engendering two more pairs of choruses) between the limits of earthlydestinations and the freedom of birds in the air or the unbounded sea Territorialidentification is contrasted with the international lineup of passengers travelingon the Achille Lauro Deftly using his orchestra Adams creates haunting delicate
lyrical fabrics that contrast with the violent tumult of the full-on ensembleThe prominence of choruses as a structural and dramatic device creates a
collective consciousness that contrasts with the operarsquos individual characterizationsthose of the four Palestinians the Captain who tries to maintain stability amid thecrisis and the Swiss grandmother as well as the portraits of the Austrian womanand the British Dancing Girlmdashthese last two resorting to satirical stereotypes Notuntil the second act does Leon Klinghoffer come into the spotlight but throughtwo ariasmdashhis brave outburst against the terrorists and after his murder the ldquoAria
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
of the Falling BodyrdquomdashAdams conveys a gripping sense of his individuality And ina few economical exchanges he illuminates the bond of love between Leon and
his wife Marilyn who had kept her cancer diagnosis undisclosed so as not to martheir wedding anniversary cruise together
While Nixon in China had taken its scenario as an opportunity to ramble throughthe history of grand operamdashits conventions from coloratura aria to ensemble finaleorchestral storm music to obligatory ballet-insertmdashthe tragic narrative of The
Death of Klinghoffer impelled Adams to refine his melodic language into elaborateshapes while expanding his harmonic palette Although his stylistic range is wideit feels more integratedmdashperhaps because of the pervasive influence of Bachrsquos
Passion settings as a structural and aesthetic model Bachrsquos St Matthew Passionfor example establishes a grid of events that happened in the past and arenarrated but then prompt meditation on their present meaning Its substantialchoral ldquopillarsrdquo map out this architecture of narration and reflection
The Klinghoffer Choruses in turn are so pivotal that in a sense they usurp therole typically identified with arias as they anchor the events of the opera Similarlythe arias themselves look to Bachrsquos Passions with their balance of vocal and soloinstrumental textures (the Captainrsquos opening soliloquy for example as a dialogue
with solo oboe)As for his approach to word setting Adams has frequently pointed out the
effort he takes to mirror the inflections of the English text in his rhythmic patternsHe likewise expresses his admiration for the poetry of Alice Goodmanrsquos librettomdashboth her constellations of imagery and her mastery of formal constraints such asthe slant-rhyme couplets of her verse for both Nixon and Klinghoffer
After Leon Klinghoffer is murdered Marilyn remains unaware of his fate untilthe operarsquos final scene Both she and Leon had been silent throughout the first act
but it is the music of each that remains most resonant by the end of the opera thefalling scale of Leonrsquos final aria as his lifeless body sinks into the waters conceivedas an elegiac Gymnopeacutedie and Marilynrsquos confrontation with the Captain her musicof grief (in the G minor of the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo)
The frequent claim that The Death of Klinghoffer attempts an ldquoeven-handedrdquoportrayal of the hijacking writes Adams in his autobiography Hallelujah Junctionis ldquoa characterization that puzzles me I didnrsquot start out with the idea of beingevenhanded and I suspect that neither did Alice Goodman Neither of us was
trying to parse out judgment in equally measured doses and neither wasattempting to make of the drama a political forum The tragic results of this act ofterrorism permeate the end of the operahellip [I]t is the image of Marilyn Klinghoffergrief-stricken alone and bereft on the empty stage that the audience takes homeafter the final curtain fallsrdquo
mdashThomas May
Program Note CONTINUED
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Met TitlesTo activate press the red button to the right of the screen in front ofyour seat and follow the instructions provided To turn off the displaypress the red button once again If you have questions please ask anusher at intermission
Chorus Master Donald PalumboAssociate Director James BonasMusical Preparation Caren Levine Miloš Repickyacute Liora Maurer
Steven Osgood Jonathan Kelly and Laura PoeAssistant Stage Directors Eric Einhorn and Gregory KellerPrompter Caren LevineEnglish Coach Erie MillsScenery properties and electrical props constructed and painted
by ENO Workshop and Metropolitan Opera ShopsCostumes executed by ENO Production Wardrobe and Metropolitan Opera Costume Department
Wigs and Makeup executed by Metropolitan Opera Wig and Makeup Department
This production uses gunshot effects
This performance is made possible in part by public funds fromthe New York State Council on the Arts
The Death of Klinghoffer is performed by arrangement withHendon Music Inc a Boosey amp Hawkes companypublisher and copyright owner
Before the performance begins please switch off cell phonesand other electronic devices
Alan Opie andMichaela Martensas Leon and MarilynKlinghoffer inAdamsrsquos The Deathof Klinghoffer
K E NH OWA R D ME T R OP OL I T A N
OP E R A
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On board the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro in October 1985 on a 16-daycircuit of the eastern Mediterranean
PrologueChorus of Exiled PalestiniansChorus of Exiled Jews
Act I Scene 1The cruise liner Achille Lauro has been hijacked just a few hours out of the portof Alexandria where a large group of passengers disembarked for a tour of
the pyramids Those remaining on the ship are the old the very young thosedesiring a rest amid the comforts of a floating hotel the crew and service staffThe hijackers are an unknown number of young Palestinian men Not untilmuch later is it discovered that there are four of them Their purpose is notclear Their actions however are definite A waiter has been shot in the leg Theshiprsquos engines have been shut down The first officer has a gun against his headPassengers who had gathered in the dining room for lunch are transferred tothe Tapestry Room which is more easily guarded Americans Britons and Jews
are identified The Captain urges calm
Ocean Chorus
Scene 2On the bridge the Captain is guarded by the teenager Mamoud Mamoud tunesin to various local radio stations He sings of the night of his love for this musicand of his memories The Captain confides his thoughts on the nature of travel
(One passenger an Austrian woman has locked herself into her stateroomwhere she will remain for the next two days) Just before dawn a bird lands onthe shiprsquos railing almost at the Captainrsquos elbow He starts Mamoud rebukes him
Intermission (AT APPROXIMATELY 910 PM)
Act II Scene 1It is 1130 am The Achille Lauro awaits permission to enter the Syrian port
of Tartus The air corridor is deserted as is the sea-road Americans Britonsand Jews have been moved on deck to the Winter Garden which is the onlyplace a helicopter might hope to land Leon Klinghofferrsquos wheelchair cannotbe lifted onto the platform so he sits a little below the others There is noshade Differences among the Palestinians are becoming clearer as is theirisolation from their commanders Molqi the leader on board the ship has not
Synopsis
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
revealed his orders Everyone is on edge One Palestinian torments some ofthe passengers Another Omar invokes the holy death he longs for Mamoud
believes that their radio contacts have betrayed them Omar and Molqi fightMolqi wheels Klinghoffer away
Desert Chorus
Scene 2Klinghoffer is shot Mrs Klinghoffer sitting on the deck in wretched discomforthas no idea her husband is dead The Palestinians announce the murder to the
Captain He must inform the authorities on shore and let them know that otherhostages will die He considers it his duty as Captain to sacrifice his life for theothers Molqi decides that no further killing is necessary During the ensuingradio negotiation the Captain assures Abu Abbas among others that no one hasdied It is thus agreed that the ship will proceed to Cairo where the Palestinianswill be allowed to disembark As the ship begins to move Klinghofferrsquos body isthrown over the side It will drift ashore in Syria
Day Chorus
Scene 3The Achille Lauro has docked in Cairo and the Palestinians have disembarkedThe Captain calls Mrs Klinghoffer to his cabin and breaks the news of herhusbandrsquos death She will not be consoled
mdashAlice Goodman
Visit Klinghoffermetoperaorg to share
your thoughts on todayrsquos performance
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Premiere Theacuteacirctre Royal de la Monnaie Brussels 1991John Adams and Alice Goodmanrsquos powerful opera dramatizes an event fromrecent history the terrorist hijacking of the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro andthe brutal murder of one of its passengers in October 1985 in the Mediterranean
Four Palestinians took control of the ship while at sea which led to a standoffthat lasted for three days Before the passengers many of whom were Americanswere rescued the hijackers shot an elderly wheelchair-bound Jewish New YorkerLeon Klinghoffer and tossed his body into the sea The opera premiering within just a few years of the horrific events overwhelmed audiences at the time andwith the increasingly threatening specter of terrorism today has become evenmore urgent and demanding As with their previous collaboration Nixon in
China composer and librettist have stated that instead of chronicling historytheir intention is to go beyond the facts of world events into the more complexspace of the unknown those areas usually reserved for the unconscious and themythic The drama of Klinghoffer unfolds retrospectively as the shiprsquos captainrecalls what happened during the hijacking It is a framing device similar to theone used in Brittenrsquos Billy Budd and as in that opera the filtering power ofmemory affects the telling of the story Chronological inconsistencies are patentas is the ability to probe unspoken motivations
The Creators John Adams (b 1947) is among the most celebrated composers active todayHis works span a number of genres including large-scale orchestral works andfilm scores Besides The Death of Klinghoffer he has produced several notableworks inspired by contemporary events including the operas Nixon in China (1987 about the Presidentrsquos historic meeting with Chairman Mao) and Doctor
Atomic (2005 on J Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic
bomb both produced at the Met in recent seasons) as well as the choral pieceOn the Transmigration of Souls (2002 commemorating the events of September11 2001) for which Adams was awarded the Pulitzer Prize The American poetAlice Goodman (b 1958) also wrote the libretto to Nixon in China She is currentlyan Anglican priest serving as the chaplain of Trinity College Cambridge The
Death of Klinghoffer was developed in collaboration with Peter Sellars thedirector of the original production
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Setting The action is presented as the memory of the Achille Laurorsquos Captain and as
his retelling of events on board the ocean liner The Met production is set in anunspecified mythical space suggestive of a ship
The MusicWhile the same driving energy that characterizes much of Adamsrsquos work isfound throughout this score The Death of Klinghoffer displays a more somberharmonic palette compared to the bright outbursts found in several of his earliercompositions Klinghoffer rsquos musical language derives from the psychologically
complex and symbolically rich subtexts of the events unfolding on stage theorchestration is highly nuanced and there are extended passages of remarkablelyricism and introspection including the title characterrsquos Act II ldquoAria of the FallingBodyrdquo a beautiful soliloquy transcending realistic notions of time and spaceand the two solos for Marilyn Klinghoffer one before and one after she learnsof her husbandrsquos fate which express her evolving thoughts on mortality Beyondthe individual characters the chorus plays a prominent role The Passions ofBach provided an important structural model with their alternation of powerful
tutti and intimate soul-searching ariasmdashan effective tool for underlining theshift in focus between individual and collective memory The chorus proclaimsits central function as well as its ability to express differing points of view inthe monumental pair of pieces that open the opera the ldquoChorus of ExiledPalestiniansrdquo and the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo They represent in a sense thetwin pillars of the gateway to this complex grave and urgent drama
The Death of Klinghoer at the Met
Tom Morrisrsquos production opening October 20 2014 with David Robertsonconducting Paulo Szot Alan Opie and Michaela Martens in the leading rolesmarks the operarsquos Met premiere
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
ldquoW ersquore human We arethe kind of peopleyou like to killrdquo With thesewords the title character of John Adamsrsquos second opera bravely
addresses the terrorists who will soon murder himmdasha wheelchair-bound elderly man facing off a group of four young hijackers armed not justwith weapons but with festering hatred As an American Jew Leon Klinghofferbecomes the scapegoat of his killersrsquo rage The most sadistic of them known as
ldquoRambordquo replies with a brutal dehumanizing rantThis scene from the second act of The Death of Klinghoffer uses the resources
of opera to dramatize a confrontation whose implications extend beyond thesenseless barbarity of the historical event on which it is based In Nixon in
China Adams and his creative partnersmdashlibrettist Alice Goodman and directorPeter Sellarsmdashfirst experimented with the potential of opera to open up newperspectives on questions that are important to usmdashperspectives unlikely toemerge from the mediarsquos sensationalizing immediate replay of one news eventuntil it is promptly forgotten and another comes along to supersede it
Thus the unlikely topic of President Nixonrsquos historic visit to Communist Chinaat the height of the Cold War became the seed for their approach to the multi-layered art form of opera Adamsrsquos earlier opera Nixon in China presented
angles beyond the familiar events of the Nixon-Mao meeting to muse on thedichotomies between public persona and the inner life between ideologicalmyopia and the weight of history
With The Death of Klinghoffer Adams and his collaborators turned to anevent that had occurred in October 1985 only six years before the opera wascompleted the hijacking of the MS Achille Lauro an Italian cruise ship by fourterrorists organized by the Palestine Liberation Front which culminated in thebrutal murder of one of its passengers (See page Ins3 for historical details of
the event) Unlike the politically iconic source material for Nixon in China theAchille Lauro hijacking involved ordinary people simply attempting to enjoytheir lives who get randomly tragically caught up in the violence of a conflictthat continues to make headline news and at the same time has ancient rootsThe opera is framed as a remembered event along the lines of Captain Verersquosattempt long after the tragedy to make sense of what happened in Billy Budd or the nautical tales filtered through the ldquoeverymanrdquo philosophizing of JosephConradrsquos alter-ego narrator Charles Marlow in Heart of Darkness
What then drew Adams to create an opera from this grim story Becauseof musicrsquos ability to intensify but also to comment on and juxtapose dramaticsituations opera possesses an ldquoemotionally chargedrdquo power according to Adamsthat makes it uniquely suited as an ldquoexpressive vehicle to address terrorismrdquo
The opera opens with a prologue consisting of two choruses The firstrepresents the perspective of the ldquoexiled Palestiniansrdquo the second that ofthe ldquoexiled Jewsrdquo Articulating the background narrative of loss the hijackersbelieve justifies their violence the first chorus voices the sense of resentment
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
motivating them From its gentle sinuous beginnings this music eventually swellsto a terrifying fury setting the chilling words that pledge harm ldquoOur faithwill takethe stones he brokeand break his teethrdquo
Because of the operarsquos in-depth characterization of the Palestinians somepeople have accused Klinghoffer of an implicit anti-Semitism and of condoningterrorism This is entirely off-base Even a casual reading of the text would indicate
that although the opera dramatizes anti-Semitism (and its results) it in no waysupports it
Following the initial US performances in 1991 at the Brooklyn Academy ofMusic and San Francisco Opera in 1992 Klinghoffer was once again produced inthis country in 2003 when it returned to Brooklyn for a concert performance underRobert Spano There was also a semi-staged performance at Juilliard in 2009 andin 2011 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis offered the first full US staging since theoriginal production Last spring Long Beach Opera presented the long-delayed
Los Angeles area premiere (See page Ins4 for a complete production history)The ldquoChorus of Exiled Palestiniansrdquo contains the first foreshadowing of the
violence to comemdasha musical-dramatic microcosm of a fateful pattern that will recurThat pattern is repeated in the long scene in the first act between the Captain andthe teenage Mamoud the most elaborately characterized of the four PalestiniansMamoudrsquos reflective solo expressing his love of music carries echoes of the gentlestrains from the opening chorus It even gives the Captain hope that a way out ofthe stalemate can be found ldquoI think if you should talk like thisSitting among your
enemiesPeace would comerdquo At that point however Mamoud ominously singsldquoThe day that Iand my enemysit peacefullyeach putting his caseand workingtowards peacethat day our hope diesand I shall die toordquo
But violence is integral to Mamoudrsquos narrative He already implicitly anticipatesthe death of Leon Klinghoffer as does another remarkable solo in the second actwhen Omar the youngest of the Palestinians (written as a trouser role for a mezzo-soprano) sings of his longing for imminent martyrdom The fearsome rhythmicenergy accompanying him drives toward a devastatingly loud climax
The opposition between the perspectives of the Palestinians and Jews whichthe opening choruses establish so effectively is only one of several significantpolarities in Klinghoffer Adamsrsquos score eloquently draws attention to Goodmanrsquosallusive imagery of natural oppositions between ocean and desert night and day(all of these engendering two more pairs of choruses) between the limits of earthlydestinations and the freedom of birds in the air or the unbounded sea Territorialidentification is contrasted with the international lineup of passengers travelingon the Achille Lauro Deftly using his orchestra Adams creates haunting delicate
lyrical fabrics that contrast with the violent tumult of the full-on ensembleThe prominence of choruses as a structural and dramatic device creates a
collective consciousness that contrasts with the operarsquos individual characterizationsthose of the four Palestinians the Captain who tries to maintain stability amid thecrisis and the Swiss grandmother as well as the portraits of the Austrian womanand the British Dancing Girlmdashthese last two resorting to satirical stereotypes Notuntil the second act does Leon Klinghoffer come into the spotlight but throughtwo ariasmdashhis brave outburst against the terrorists and after his murder the ldquoAria
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
of the Falling BodyrdquomdashAdams conveys a gripping sense of his individuality And ina few economical exchanges he illuminates the bond of love between Leon and
his wife Marilyn who had kept her cancer diagnosis undisclosed so as not to martheir wedding anniversary cruise together
While Nixon in China had taken its scenario as an opportunity to ramble throughthe history of grand operamdashits conventions from coloratura aria to ensemble finaleorchestral storm music to obligatory ballet-insertmdashthe tragic narrative of The
Death of Klinghoffer impelled Adams to refine his melodic language into elaborateshapes while expanding his harmonic palette Although his stylistic range is wideit feels more integratedmdashperhaps because of the pervasive influence of Bachrsquos
Passion settings as a structural and aesthetic model Bachrsquos St Matthew Passionfor example establishes a grid of events that happened in the past and arenarrated but then prompt meditation on their present meaning Its substantialchoral ldquopillarsrdquo map out this architecture of narration and reflection
The Klinghoffer Choruses in turn are so pivotal that in a sense they usurp therole typically identified with arias as they anchor the events of the opera Similarlythe arias themselves look to Bachrsquos Passions with their balance of vocal and soloinstrumental textures (the Captainrsquos opening soliloquy for example as a dialogue
with solo oboe)As for his approach to word setting Adams has frequently pointed out the
effort he takes to mirror the inflections of the English text in his rhythmic patternsHe likewise expresses his admiration for the poetry of Alice Goodmanrsquos librettomdashboth her constellations of imagery and her mastery of formal constraints such asthe slant-rhyme couplets of her verse for both Nixon and Klinghoffer
After Leon Klinghoffer is murdered Marilyn remains unaware of his fate untilthe operarsquos final scene Both she and Leon had been silent throughout the first act
but it is the music of each that remains most resonant by the end of the opera thefalling scale of Leonrsquos final aria as his lifeless body sinks into the waters conceivedas an elegiac Gymnopeacutedie and Marilynrsquos confrontation with the Captain her musicof grief (in the G minor of the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo)
The frequent claim that The Death of Klinghoffer attempts an ldquoeven-handedrdquoportrayal of the hijacking writes Adams in his autobiography Hallelujah Junctionis ldquoa characterization that puzzles me I didnrsquot start out with the idea of beingevenhanded and I suspect that neither did Alice Goodman Neither of us was
trying to parse out judgment in equally measured doses and neither wasattempting to make of the drama a political forum The tragic results of this act ofterrorism permeate the end of the operahellip [I]t is the image of Marilyn Klinghoffergrief-stricken alone and bereft on the empty stage that the audience takes homeafter the final curtain fallsrdquo
mdashThomas May
Program Note CONTINUED
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
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The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
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Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
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Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On board the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro in October 1985 on a 16-daycircuit of the eastern Mediterranean
PrologueChorus of Exiled PalestiniansChorus of Exiled Jews
Act I Scene 1The cruise liner Achille Lauro has been hijacked just a few hours out of the portof Alexandria where a large group of passengers disembarked for a tour of
the pyramids Those remaining on the ship are the old the very young thosedesiring a rest amid the comforts of a floating hotel the crew and service staffThe hijackers are an unknown number of young Palestinian men Not untilmuch later is it discovered that there are four of them Their purpose is notclear Their actions however are definite A waiter has been shot in the leg Theshiprsquos engines have been shut down The first officer has a gun against his headPassengers who had gathered in the dining room for lunch are transferred tothe Tapestry Room which is more easily guarded Americans Britons and Jews
are identified The Captain urges calm
Ocean Chorus
Scene 2On the bridge the Captain is guarded by the teenager Mamoud Mamoud tunesin to various local radio stations He sings of the night of his love for this musicand of his memories The Captain confides his thoughts on the nature of travel
(One passenger an Austrian woman has locked herself into her stateroomwhere she will remain for the next two days) Just before dawn a bird lands onthe shiprsquos railing almost at the Captainrsquos elbow He starts Mamoud rebukes him
Intermission (AT APPROXIMATELY 910 PM)
Act II Scene 1It is 1130 am The Achille Lauro awaits permission to enter the Syrian port
of Tartus The air corridor is deserted as is the sea-road Americans Britonsand Jews have been moved on deck to the Winter Garden which is the onlyplace a helicopter might hope to land Leon Klinghofferrsquos wheelchair cannotbe lifted onto the platform so he sits a little below the others There is noshade Differences among the Palestinians are becoming clearer as is theirisolation from their commanders Molqi the leader on board the ship has not
Synopsis
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
revealed his orders Everyone is on edge One Palestinian torments some ofthe passengers Another Omar invokes the holy death he longs for Mamoud
believes that their radio contacts have betrayed them Omar and Molqi fightMolqi wheels Klinghoffer away
Desert Chorus
Scene 2Klinghoffer is shot Mrs Klinghoffer sitting on the deck in wretched discomforthas no idea her husband is dead The Palestinians announce the murder to the
Captain He must inform the authorities on shore and let them know that otherhostages will die He considers it his duty as Captain to sacrifice his life for theothers Molqi decides that no further killing is necessary During the ensuingradio negotiation the Captain assures Abu Abbas among others that no one hasdied It is thus agreed that the ship will proceed to Cairo where the Palestinianswill be allowed to disembark As the ship begins to move Klinghofferrsquos body isthrown over the side It will drift ashore in Syria
Day Chorus
Scene 3The Achille Lauro has docked in Cairo and the Palestinians have disembarkedThe Captain calls Mrs Klinghoffer to his cabin and breaks the news of herhusbandrsquos death She will not be consoled
mdashAlice Goodman
Visit Klinghoffermetoperaorg to share
your thoughts on todayrsquos performance
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Premiere Theacuteacirctre Royal de la Monnaie Brussels 1991John Adams and Alice Goodmanrsquos powerful opera dramatizes an event fromrecent history the terrorist hijacking of the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro andthe brutal murder of one of its passengers in October 1985 in the Mediterranean
Four Palestinians took control of the ship while at sea which led to a standoffthat lasted for three days Before the passengers many of whom were Americanswere rescued the hijackers shot an elderly wheelchair-bound Jewish New YorkerLeon Klinghoffer and tossed his body into the sea The opera premiering within just a few years of the horrific events overwhelmed audiences at the time andwith the increasingly threatening specter of terrorism today has become evenmore urgent and demanding As with their previous collaboration Nixon in
China composer and librettist have stated that instead of chronicling historytheir intention is to go beyond the facts of world events into the more complexspace of the unknown those areas usually reserved for the unconscious and themythic The drama of Klinghoffer unfolds retrospectively as the shiprsquos captainrecalls what happened during the hijacking It is a framing device similar to theone used in Brittenrsquos Billy Budd and as in that opera the filtering power ofmemory affects the telling of the story Chronological inconsistencies are patentas is the ability to probe unspoken motivations
The Creators John Adams (b 1947) is among the most celebrated composers active todayHis works span a number of genres including large-scale orchestral works andfilm scores Besides The Death of Klinghoffer he has produced several notableworks inspired by contemporary events including the operas Nixon in China (1987 about the Presidentrsquos historic meeting with Chairman Mao) and Doctor
Atomic (2005 on J Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic
bomb both produced at the Met in recent seasons) as well as the choral pieceOn the Transmigration of Souls (2002 commemorating the events of September11 2001) for which Adams was awarded the Pulitzer Prize The American poetAlice Goodman (b 1958) also wrote the libretto to Nixon in China She is currentlyan Anglican priest serving as the chaplain of Trinity College Cambridge The
Death of Klinghoffer was developed in collaboration with Peter Sellars thedirector of the original production
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Setting The action is presented as the memory of the Achille Laurorsquos Captain and as
his retelling of events on board the ocean liner The Met production is set in anunspecified mythical space suggestive of a ship
The MusicWhile the same driving energy that characterizes much of Adamsrsquos work isfound throughout this score The Death of Klinghoffer displays a more somberharmonic palette compared to the bright outbursts found in several of his earliercompositions Klinghoffer rsquos musical language derives from the psychologically
complex and symbolically rich subtexts of the events unfolding on stage theorchestration is highly nuanced and there are extended passages of remarkablelyricism and introspection including the title characterrsquos Act II ldquoAria of the FallingBodyrdquo a beautiful soliloquy transcending realistic notions of time and spaceand the two solos for Marilyn Klinghoffer one before and one after she learnsof her husbandrsquos fate which express her evolving thoughts on mortality Beyondthe individual characters the chorus plays a prominent role The Passions ofBach provided an important structural model with their alternation of powerful
tutti and intimate soul-searching ariasmdashan effective tool for underlining theshift in focus between individual and collective memory The chorus proclaimsits central function as well as its ability to express differing points of view inthe monumental pair of pieces that open the opera the ldquoChorus of ExiledPalestiniansrdquo and the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo They represent in a sense thetwin pillars of the gateway to this complex grave and urgent drama
The Death of Klinghoer at the Met
Tom Morrisrsquos production opening October 20 2014 with David Robertsonconducting Paulo Szot Alan Opie and Michaela Martens in the leading rolesmarks the operarsquos Met premiere
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
ldquoW ersquore human We arethe kind of peopleyou like to killrdquo With thesewords the title character of John Adamsrsquos second opera bravely
addresses the terrorists who will soon murder himmdasha wheelchair-bound elderly man facing off a group of four young hijackers armed not justwith weapons but with festering hatred As an American Jew Leon Klinghofferbecomes the scapegoat of his killersrsquo rage The most sadistic of them known as
ldquoRambordquo replies with a brutal dehumanizing rantThis scene from the second act of The Death of Klinghoffer uses the resources
of opera to dramatize a confrontation whose implications extend beyond thesenseless barbarity of the historical event on which it is based In Nixon in
China Adams and his creative partnersmdashlibrettist Alice Goodman and directorPeter Sellarsmdashfirst experimented with the potential of opera to open up newperspectives on questions that are important to usmdashperspectives unlikely toemerge from the mediarsquos sensationalizing immediate replay of one news eventuntil it is promptly forgotten and another comes along to supersede it
Thus the unlikely topic of President Nixonrsquos historic visit to Communist Chinaat the height of the Cold War became the seed for their approach to the multi-layered art form of opera Adamsrsquos earlier opera Nixon in China presented
angles beyond the familiar events of the Nixon-Mao meeting to muse on thedichotomies between public persona and the inner life between ideologicalmyopia and the weight of history
With The Death of Klinghoffer Adams and his collaborators turned to anevent that had occurred in October 1985 only six years before the opera wascompleted the hijacking of the MS Achille Lauro an Italian cruise ship by fourterrorists organized by the Palestine Liberation Front which culminated in thebrutal murder of one of its passengers (See page Ins3 for historical details of
the event) Unlike the politically iconic source material for Nixon in China theAchille Lauro hijacking involved ordinary people simply attempting to enjoytheir lives who get randomly tragically caught up in the violence of a conflictthat continues to make headline news and at the same time has ancient rootsThe opera is framed as a remembered event along the lines of Captain Verersquosattempt long after the tragedy to make sense of what happened in Billy Budd or the nautical tales filtered through the ldquoeverymanrdquo philosophizing of JosephConradrsquos alter-ego narrator Charles Marlow in Heart of Darkness
What then drew Adams to create an opera from this grim story Becauseof musicrsquos ability to intensify but also to comment on and juxtapose dramaticsituations opera possesses an ldquoemotionally chargedrdquo power according to Adamsthat makes it uniquely suited as an ldquoexpressive vehicle to address terrorismrdquo
The opera opens with a prologue consisting of two choruses The firstrepresents the perspective of the ldquoexiled Palestiniansrdquo the second that ofthe ldquoexiled Jewsrdquo Articulating the background narrative of loss the hijackersbelieve justifies their violence the first chorus voices the sense of resentment
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
motivating them From its gentle sinuous beginnings this music eventually swellsto a terrifying fury setting the chilling words that pledge harm ldquoOur faithwill takethe stones he brokeand break his teethrdquo
Because of the operarsquos in-depth characterization of the Palestinians somepeople have accused Klinghoffer of an implicit anti-Semitism and of condoningterrorism This is entirely off-base Even a casual reading of the text would indicate
that although the opera dramatizes anti-Semitism (and its results) it in no waysupports it
Following the initial US performances in 1991 at the Brooklyn Academy ofMusic and San Francisco Opera in 1992 Klinghoffer was once again produced inthis country in 2003 when it returned to Brooklyn for a concert performance underRobert Spano There was also a semi-staged performance at Juilliard in 2009 andin 2011 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis offered the first full US staging since theoriginal production Last spring Long Beach Opera presented the long-delayed
Los Angeles area premiere (See page Ins4 for a complete production history)The ldquoChorus of Exiled Palestiniansrdquo contains the first foreshadowing of the
violence to comemdasha musical-dramatic microcosm of a fateful pattern that will recurThat pattern is repeated in the long scene in the first act between the Captain andthe teenage Mamoud the most elaborately characterized of the four PalestiniansMamoudrsquos reflective solo expressing his love of music carries echoes of the gentlestrains from the opening chorus It even gives the Captain hope that a way out ofthe stalemate can be found ldquoI think if you should talk like thisSitting among your
enemiesPeace would comerdquo At that point however Mamoud ominously singsldquoThe day that Iand my enemysit peacefullyeach putting his caseand workingtowards peacethat day our hope diesand I shall die toordquo
But violence is integral to Mamoudrsquos narrative He already implicitly anticipatesthe death of Leon Klinghoffer as does another remarkable solo in the second actwhen Omar the youngest of the Palestinians (written as a trouser role for a mezzo-soprano) sings of his longing for imminent martyrdom The fearsome rhythmicenergy accompanying him drives toward a devastatingly loud climax
The opposition between the perspectives of the Palestinians and Jews whichthe opening choruses establish so effectively is only one of several significantpolarities in Klinghoffer Adamsrsquos score eloquently draws attention to Goodmanrsquosallusive imagery of natural oppositions between ocean and desert night and day(all of these engendering two more pairs of choruses) between the limits of earthlydestinations and the freedom of birds in the air or the unbounded sea Territorialidentification is contrasted with the international lineup of passengers travelingon the Achille Lauro Deftly using his orchestra Adams creates haunting delicate
lyrical fabrics that contrast with the violent tumult of the full-on ensembleThe prominence of choruses as a structural and dramatic device creates a
collective consciousness that contrasts with the operarsquos individual characterizationsthose of the four Palestinians the Captain who tries to maintain stability amid thecrisis and the Swiss grandmother as well as the portraits of the Austrian womanand the British Dancing Girlmdashthese last two resorting to satirical stereotypes Notuntil the second act does Leon Klinghoffer come into the spotlight but throughtwo ariasmdashhis brave outburst against the terrorists and after his murder the ldquoAria
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
of the Falling BodyrdquomdashAdams conveys a gripping sense of his individuality And ina few economical exchanges he illuminates the bond of love between Leon and
his wife Marilyn who had kept her cancer diagnosis undisclosed so as not to martheir wedding anniversary cruise together
While Nixon in China had taken its scenario as an opportunity to ramble throughthe history of grand operamdashits conventions from coloratura aria to ensemble finaleorchestral storm music to obligatory ballet-insertmdashthe tragic narrative of The
Death of Klinghoffer impelled Adams to refine his melodic language into elaborateshapes while expanding his harmonic palette Although his stylistic range is wideit feels more integratedmdashperhaps because of the pervasive influence of Bachrsquos
Passion settings as a structural and aesthetic model Bachrsquos St Matthew Passionfor example establishes a grid of events that happened in the past and arenarrated but then prompt meditation on their present meaning Its substantialchoral ldquopillarsrdquo map out this architecture of narration and reflection
The Klinghoffer Choruses in turn are so pivotal that in a sense they usurp therole typically identified with arias as they anchor the events of the opera Similarlythe arias themselves look to Bachrsquos Passions with their balance of vocal and soloinstrumental textures (the Captainrsquos opening soliloquy for example as a dialogue
with solo oboe)As for his approach to word setting Adams has frequently pointed out the
effort he takes to mirror the inflections of the English text in his rhythmic patternsHe likewise expresses his admiration for the poetry of Alice Goodmanrsquos librettomdashboth her constellations of imagery and her mastery of formal constraints such asthe slant-rhyme couplets of her verse for both Nixon and Klinghoffer
After Leon Klinghoffer is murdered Marilyn remains unaware of his fate untilthe operarsquos final scene Both she and Leon had been silent throughout the first act
but it is the music of each that remains most resonant by the end of the opera thefalling scale of Leonrsquos final aria as his lifeless body sinks into the waters conceivedas an elegiac Gymnopeacutedie and Marilynrsquos confrontation with the Captain her musicof grief (in the G minor of the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo)
The frequent claim that The Death of Klinghoffer attempts an ldquoeven-handedrdquoportrayal of the hijacking writes Adams in his autobiography Hallelujah Junctionis ldquoa characterization that puzzles me I didnrsquot start out with the idea of beingevenhanded and I suspect that neither did Alice Goodman Neither of us was
trying to parse out judgment in equally measured doses and neither wasattempting to make of the drama a political forum The tragic results of this act ofterrorism permeate the end of the operahellip [I]t is the image of Marilyn Klinghoffergrief-stricken alone and bereft on the empty stage that the audience takes homeafter the final curtain fallsrdquo
mdashThomas May
Program Note CONTINUED
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
revealed his orders Everyone is on edge One Palestinian torments some ofthe passengers Another Omar invokes the holy death he longs for Mamoud
believes that their radio contacts have betrayed them Omar and Molqi fightMolqi wheels Klinghoffer away
Desert Chorus
Scene 2Klinghoffer is shot Mrs Klinghoffer sitting on the deck in wretched discomforthas no idea her husband is dead The Palestinians announce the murder to the
Captain He must inform the authorities on shore and let them know that otherhostages will die He considers it his duty as Captain to sacrifice his life for theothers Molqi decides that no further killing is necessary During the ensuingradio negotiation the Captain assures Abu Abbas among others that no one hasdied It is thus agreed that the ship will proceed to Cairo where the Palestinianswill be allowed to disembark As the ship begins to move Klinghofferrsquos body isthrown over the side It will drift ashore in Syria
Day Chorus
Scene 3The Achille Lauro has docked in Cairo and the Palestinians have disembarkedThe Captain calls Mrs Klinghoffer to his cabin and breaks the news of herhusbandrsquos death She will not be consoled
mdashAlice Goodman
Visit Klinghoffermetoperaorg to share
your thoughts on todayrsquos performance
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Premiere Theacuteacirctre Royal de la Monnaie Brussels 1991John Adams and Alice Goodmanrsquos powerful opera dramatizes an event fromrecent history the terrorist hijacking of the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro andthe brutal murder of one of its passengers in October 1985 in the Mediterranean
Four Palestinians took control of the ship while at sea which led to a standoffthat lasted for three days Before the passengers many of whom were Americanswere rescued the hijackers shot an elderly wheelchair-bound Jewish New YorkerLeon Klinghoffer and tossed his body into the sea The opera premiering within just a few years of the horrific events overwhelmed audiences at the time andwith the increasingly threatening specter of terrorism today has become evenmore urgent and demanding As with their previous collaboration Nixon in
China composer and librettist have stated that instead of chronicling historytheir intention is to go beyond the facts of world events into the more complexspace of the unknown those areas usually reserved for the unconscious and themythic The drama of Klinghoffer unfolds retrospectively as the shiprsquos captainrecalls what happened during the hijacking It is a framing device similar to theone used in Brittenrsquos Billy Budd and as in that opera the filtering power ofmemory affects the telling of the story Chronological inconsistencies are patentas is the ability to probe unspoken motivations
The Creators John Adams (b 1947) is among the most celebrated composers active todayHis works span a number of genres including large-scale orchestral works andfilm scores Besides The Death of Klinghoffer he has produced several notableworks inspired by contemporary events including the operas Nixon in China (1987 about the Presidentrsquos historic meeting with Chairman Mao) and Doctor
Atomic (2005 on J Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic
bomb both produced at the Met in recent seasons) as well as the choral pieceOn the Transmigration of Souls (2002 commemorating the events of September11 2001) for which Adams was awarded the Pulitzer Prize The American poetAlice Goodman (b 1958) also wrote the libretto to Nixon in China She is currentlyan Anglican priest serving as the chaplain of Trinity College Cambridge The
Death of Klinghoffer was developed in collaboration with Peter Sellars thedirector of the original production
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Setting The action is presented as the memory of the Achille Laurorsquos Captain and as
his retelling of events on board the ocean liner The Met production is set in anunspecified mythical space suggestive of a ship
The MusicWhile the same driving energy that characterizes much of Adamsrsquos work isfound throughout this score The Death of Klinghoffer displays a more somberharmonic palette compared to the bright outbursts found in several of his earliercompositions Klinghoffer rsquos musical language derives from the psychologically
complex and symbolically rich subtexts of the events unfolding on stage theorchestration is highly nuanced and there are extended passages of remarkablelyricism and introspection including the title characterrsquos Act II ldquoAria of the FallingBodyrdquo a beautiful soliloquy transcending realistic notions of time and spaceand the two solos for Marilyn Klinghoffer one before and one after she learnsof her husbandrsquos fate which express her evolving thoughts on mortality Beyondthe individual characters the chorus plays a prominent role The Passions ofBach provided an important structural model with their alternation of powerful
tutti and intimate soul-searching ariasmdashan effective tool for underlining theshift in focus between individual and collective memory The chorus proclaimsits central function as well as its ability to express differing points of view inthe monumental pair of pieces that open the opera the ldquoChorus of ExiledPalestiniansrdquo and the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo They represent in a sense thetwin pillars of the gateway to this complex grave and urgent drama
The Death of Klinghoer at the Met
Tom Morrisrsquos production opening October 20 2014 with David Robertsonconducting Paulo Szot Alan Opie and Michaela Martens in the leading rolesmarks the operarsquos Met premiere
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
ldquoW ersquore human We arethe kind of peopleyou like to killrdquo With thesewords the title character of John Adamsrsquos second opera bravely
addresses the terrorists who will soon murder himmdasha wheelchair-bound elderly man facing off a group of four young hijackers armed not justwith weapons but with festering hatred As an American Jew Leon Klinghofferbecomes the scapegoat of his killersrsquo rage The most sadistic of them known as
ldquoRambordquo replies with a brutal dehumanizing rantThis scene from the second act of The Death of Klinghoffer uses the resources
of opera to dramatize a confrontation whose implications extend beyond thesenseless barbarity of the historical event on which it is based In Nixon in
China Adams and his creative partnersmdashlibrettist Alice Goodman and directorPeter Sellarsmdashfirst experimented with the potential of opera to open up newperspectives on questions that are important to usmdashperspectives unlikely toemerge from the mediarsquos sensationalizing immediate replay of one news eventuntil it is promptly forgotten and another comes along to supersede it
Thus the unlikely topic of President Nixonrsquos historic visit to Communist Chinaat the height of the Cold War became the seed for their approach to the multi-layered art form of opera Adamsrsquos earlier opera Nixon in China presented
angles beyond the familiar events of the Nixon-Mao meeting to muse on thedichotomies between public persona and the inner life between ideologicalmyopia and the weight of history
With The Death of Klinghoffer Adams and his collaborators turned to anevent that had occurred in October 1985 only six years before the opera wascompleted the hijacking of the MS Achille Lauro an Italian cruise ship by fourterrorists organized by the Palestine Liberation Front which culminated in thebrutal murder of one of its passengers (See page Ins3 for historical details of
the event) Unlike the politically iconic source material for Nixon in China theAchille Lauro hijacking involved ordinary people simply attempting to enjoytheir lives who get randomly tragically caught up in the violence of a conflictthat continues to make headline news and at the same time has ancient rootsThe opera is framed as a remembered event along the lines of Captain Verersquosattempt long after the tragedy to make sense of what happened in Billy Budd or the nautical tales filtered through the ldquoeverymanrdquo philosophizing of JosephConradrsquos alter-ego narrator Charles Marlow in Heart of Darkness
What then drew Adams to create an opera from this grim story Becauseof musicrsquos ability to intensify but also to comment on and juxtapose dramaticsituations opera possesses an ldquoemotionally chargedrdquo power according to Adamsthat makes it uniquely suited as an ldquoexpressive vehicle to address terrorismrdquo
The opera opens with a prologue consisting of two choruses The firstrepresents the perspective of the ldquoexiled Palestiniansrdquo the second that ofthe ldquoexiled Jewsrdquo Articulating the background narrative of loss the hijackersbelieve justifies their violence the first chorus voices the sense of resentment
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
motivating them From its gentle sinuous beginnings this music eventually swellsto a terrifying fury setting the chilling words that pledge harm ldquoOur faithwill takethe stones he brokeand break his teethrdquo
Because of the operarsquos in-depth characterization of the Palestinians somepeople have accused Klinghoffer of an implicit anti-Semitism and of condoningterrorism This is entirely off-base Even a casual reading of the text would indicate
that although the opera dramatizes anti-Semitism (and its results) it in no waysupports it
Following the initial US performances in 1991 at the Brooklyn Academy ofMusic and San Francisco Opera in 1992 Klinghoffer was once again produced inthis country in 2003 when it returned to Brooklyn for a concert performance underRobert Spano There was also a semi-staged performance at Juilliard in 2009 andin 2011 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis offered the first full US staging since theoriginal production Last spring Long Beach Opera presented the long-delayed
Los Angeles area premiere (See page Ins4 for a complete production history)The ldquoChorus of Exiled Palestiniansrdquo contains the first foreshadowing of the
violence to comemdasha musical-dramatic microcosm of a fateful pattern that will recurThat pattern is repeated in the long scene in the first act between the Captain andthe teenage Mamoud the most elaborately characterized of the four PalestiniansMamoudrsquos reflective solo expressing his love of music carries echoes of the gentlestrains from the opening chorus It even gives the Captain hope that a way out ofthe stalemate can be found ldquoI think if you should talk like thisSitting among your
enemiesPeace would comerdquo At that point however Mamoud ominously singsldquoThe day that Iand my enemysit peacefullyeach putting his caseand workingtowards peacethat day our hope diesand I shall die toordquo
But violence is integral to Mamoudrsquos narrative He already implicitly anticipatesthe death of Leon Klinghoffer as does another remarkable solo in the second actwhen Omar the youngest of the Palestinians (written as a trouser role for a mezzo-soprano) sings of his longing for imminent martyrdom The fearsome rhythmicenergy accompanying him drives toward a devastatingly loud climax
The opposition between the perspectives of the Palestinians and Jews whichthe opening choruses establish so effectively is only one of several significantpolarities in Klinghoffer Adamsrsquos score eloquently draws attention to Goodmanrsquosallusive imagery of natural oppositions between ocean and desert night and day(all of these engendering two more pairs of choruses) between the limits of earthlydestinations and the freedom of birds in the air or the unbounded sea Territorialidentification is contrasted with the international lineup of passengers travelingon the Achille Lauro Deftly using his orchestra Adams creates haunting delicate
lyrical fabrics that contrast with the violent tumult of the full-on ensembleThe prominence of choruses as a structural and dramatic device creates a
collective consciousness that contrasts with the operarsquos individual characterizationsthose of the four Palestinians the Captain who tries to maintain stability amid thecrisis and the Swiss grandmother as well as the portraits of the Austrian womanand the British Dancing Girlmdashthese last two resorting to satirical stereotypes Notuntil the second act does Leon Klinghoffer come into the spotlight but throughtwo ariasmdashhis brave outburst against the terrorists and after his murder the ldquoAria
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
of the Falling BodyrdquomdashAdams conveys a gripping sense of his individuality And ina few economical exchanges he illuminates the bond of love between Leon and
his wife Marilyn who had kept her cancer diagnosis undisclosed so as not to martheir wedding anniversary cruise together
While Nixon in China had taken its scenario as an opportunity to ramble throughthe history of grand operamdashits conventions from coloratura aria to ensemble finaleorchestral storm music to obligatory ballet-insertmdashthe tragic narrative of The
Death of Klinghoffer impelled Adams to refine his melodic language into elaborateshapes while expanding his harmonic palette Although his stylistic range is wideit feels more integratedmdashperhaps because of the pervasive influence of Bachrsquos
Passion settings as a structural and aesthetic model Bachrsquos St Matthew Passionfor example establishes a grid of events that happened in the past and arenarrated but then prompt meditation on their present meaning Its substantialchoral ldquopillarsrdquo map out this architecture of narration and reflection
The Klinghoffer Choruses in turn are so pivotal that in a sense they usurp therole typically identified with arias as they anchor the events of the opera Similarlythe arias themselves look to Bachrsquos Passions with their balance of vocal and soloinstrumental textures (the Captainrsquos opening soliloquy for example as a dialogue
with solo oboe)As for his approach to word setting Adams has frequently pointed out the
effort he takes to mirror the inflections of the English text in his rhythmic patternsHe likewise expresses his admiration for the poetry of Alice Goodmanrsquos librettomdashboth her constellations of imagery and her mastery of formal constraints such asthe slant-rhyme couplets of her verse for both Nixon and Klinghoffer
After Leon Klinghoffer is murdered Marilyn remains unaware of his fate untilthe operarsquos final scene Both she and Leon had been silent throughout the first act
but it is the music of each that remains most resonant by the end of the opera thefalling scale of Leonrsquos final aria as his lifeless body sinks into the waters conceivedas an elegiac Gymnopeacutedie and Marilynrsquos confrontation with the Captain her musicof grief (in the G minor of the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo)
The frequent claim that The Death of Klinghoffer attempts an ldquoeven-handedrdquoportrayal of the hijacking writes Adams in his autobiography Hallelujah Junctionis ldquoa characterization that puzzles me I didnrsquot start out with the idea of beingevenhanded and I suspect that neither did Alice Goodman Neither of us was
trying to parse out judgment in equally measured doses and neither wasattempting to make of the drama a political forum The tragic results of this act ofterrorism permeate the end of the operahellip [I]t is the image of Marilyn Klinghoffergrief-stricken alone and bereft on the empty stage that the audience takes homeafter the final curtain fallsrdquo
mdashThomas May
Program Note CONTINUED
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Premiere Theacuteacirctre Royal de la Monnaie Brussels 1991John Adams and Alice Goodmanrsquos powerful opera dramatizes an event fromrecent history the terrorist hijacking of the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro andthe brutal murder of one of its passengers in October 1985 in the Mediterranean
Four Palestinians took control of the ship while at sea which led to a standoffthat lasted for three days Before the passengers many of whom were Americanswere rescued the hijackers shot an elderly wheelchair-bound Jewish New YorkerLeon Klinghoffer and tossed his body into the sea The opera premiering within just a few years of the horrific events overwhelmed audiences at the time andwith the increasingly threatening specter of terrorism today has become evenmore urgent and demanding As with their previous collaboration Nixon in
China composer and librettist have stated that instead of chronicling historytheir intention is to go beyond the facts of world events into the more complexspace of the unknown those areas usually reserved for the unconscious and themythic The drama of Klinghoffer unfolds retrospectively as the shiprsquos captainrecalls what happened during the hijacking It is a framing device similar to theone used in Brittenrsquos Billy Budd and as in that opera the filtering power ofmemory affects the telling of the story Chronological inconsistencies are patentas is the ability to probe unspoken motivations
The Creators John Adams (b 1947) is among the most celebrated composers active todayHis works span a number of genres including large-scale orchestral works andfilm scores Besides The Death of Klinghoffer he has produced several notableworks inspired by contemporary events including the operas Nixon in China (1987 about the Presidentrsquos historic meeting with Chairman Mao) and Doctor
Atomic (2005 on J Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic
bomb both produced at the Met in recent seasons) as well as the choral pieceOn the Transmigration of Souls (2002 commemorating the events of September11 2001) for which Adams was awarded the Pulitzer Prize The American poetAlice Goodman (b 1958) also wrote the libretto to Nixon in China She is currentlyan Anglican priest serving as the chaplain of Trinity College Cambridge The
Death of Klinghoffer was developed in collaboration with Peter Sellars thedirector of the original production
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Setting The action is presented as the memory of the Achille Laurorsquos Captain and as
his retelling of events on board the ocean liner The Met production is set in anunspecified mythical space suggestive of a ship
The MusicWhile the same driving energy that characterizes much of Adamsrsquos work isfound throughout this score The Death of Klinghoffer displays a more somberharmonic palette compared to the bright outbursts found in several of his earliercompositions Klinghoffer rsquos musical language derives from the psychologically
complex and symbolically rich subtexts of the events unfolding on stage theorchestration is highly nuanced and there are extended passages of remarkablelyricism and introspection including the title characterrsquos Act II ldquoAria of the FallingBodyrdquo a beautiful soliloquy transcending realistic notions of time and spaceand the two solos for Marilyn Klinghoffer one before and one after she learnsof her husbandrsquos fate which express her evolving thoughts on mortality Beyondthe individual characters the chorus plays a prominent role The Passions ofBach provided an important structural model with their alternation of powerful
tutti and intimate soul-searching ariasmdashan effective tool for underlining theshift in focus between individual and collective memory The chorus proclaimsits central function as well as its ability to express differing points of view inthe monumental pair of pieces that open the opera the ldquoChorus of ExiledPalestiniansrdquo and the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo They represent in a sense thetwin pillars of the gateway to this complex grave and urgent drama
The Death of Klinghoer at the Met
Tom Morrisrsquos production opening October 20 2014 with David Robertsonconducting Paulo Szot Alan Opie and Michaela Martens in the leading rolesmarks the operarsquos Met premiere
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
ldquoW ersquore human We arethe kind of peopleyou like to killrdquo With thesewords the title character of John Adamsrsquos second opera bravely
addresses the terrorists who will soon murder himmdasha wheelchair-bound elderly man facing off a group of four young hijackers armed not justwith weapons but with festering hatred As an American Jew Leon Klinghofferbecomes the scapegoat of his killersrsquo rage The most sadistic of them known as
ldquoRambordquo replies with a brutal dehumanizing rantThis scene from the second act of The Death of Klinghoffer uses the resources
of opera to dramatize a confrontation whose implications extend beyond thesenseless barbarity of the historical event on which it is based In Nixon in
China Adams and his creative partnersmdashlibrettist Alice Goodman and directorPeter Sellarsmdashfirst experimented with the potential of opera to open up newperspectives on questions that are important to usmdashperspectives unlikely toemerge from the mediarsquos sensationalizing immediate replay of one news eventuntil it is promptly forgotten and another comes along to supersede it
Thus the unlikely topic of President Nixonrsquos historic visit to Communist Chinaat the height of the Cold War became the seed for their approach to the multi-layered art form of opera Adamsrsquos earlier opera Nixon in China presented
angles beyond the familiar events of the Nixon-Mao meeting to muse on thedichotomies between public persona and the inner life between ideologicalmyopia and the weight of history
With The Death of Klinghoffer Adams and his collaborators turned to anevent that had occurred in October 1985 only six years before the opera wascompleted the hijacking of the MS Achille Lauro an Italian cruise ship by fourterrorists organized by the Palestine Liberation Front which culminated in thebrutal murder of one of its passengers (See page Ins3 for historical details of
the event) Unlike the politically iconic source material for Nixon in China theAchille Lauro hijacking involved ordinary people simply attempting to enjoytheir lives who get randomly tragically caught up in the violence of a conflictthat continues to make headline news and at the same time has ancient rootsThe opera is framed as a remembered event along the lines of Captain Verersquosattempt long after the tragedy to make sense of what happened in Billy Budd or the nautical tales filtered through the ldquoeverymanrdquo philosophizing of JosephConradrsquos alter-ego narrator Charles Marlow in Heart of Darkness
What then drew Adams to create an opera from this grim story Becauseof musicrsquos ability to intensify but also to comment on and juxtapose dramaticsituations opera possesses an ldquoemotionally chargedrdquo power according to Adamsthat makes it uniquely suited as an ldquoexpressive vehicle to address terrorismrdquo
The opera opens with a prologue consisting of two choruses The firstrepresents the perspective of the ldquoexiled Palestiniansrdquo the second that ofthe ldquoexiled Jewsrdquo Articulating the background narrative of loss the hijackersbelieve justifies their violence the first chorus voices the sense of resentment
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
motivating them From its gentle sinuous beginnings this music eventually swellsto a terrifying fury setting the chilling words that pledge harm ldquoOur faithwill takethe stones he brokeand break his teethrdquo
Because of the operarsquos in-depth characterization of the Palestinians somepeople have accused Klinghoffer of an implicit anti-Semitism and of condoningterrorism This is entirely off-base Even a casual reading of the text would indicate
that although the opera dramatizes anti-Semitism (and its results) it in no waysupports it
Following the initial US performances in 1991 at the Brooklyn Academy ofMusic and San Francisco Opera in 1992 Klinghoffer was once again produced inthis country in 2003 when it returned to Brooklyn for a concert performance underRobert Spano There was also a semi-staged performance at Juilliard in 2009 andin 2011 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis offered the first full US staging since theoriginal production Last spring Long Beach Opera presented the long-delayed
Los Angeles area premiere (See page Ins4 for a complete production history)The ldquoChorus of Exiled Palestiniansrdquo contains the first foreshadowing of the
violence to comemdasha musical-dramatic microcosm of a fateful pattern that will recurThat pattern is repeated in the long scene in the first act between the Captain andthe teenage Mamoud the most elaborately characterized of the four PalestiniansMamoudrsquos reflective solo expressing his love of music carries echoes of the gentlestrains from the opening chorus It even gives the Captain hope that a way out ofthe stalemate can be found ldquoI think if you should talk like thisSitting among your
enemiesPeace would comerdquo At that point however Mamoud ominously singsldquoThe day that Iand my enemysit peacefullyeach putting his caseand workingtowards peacethat day our hope diesand I shall die toordquo
But violence is integral to Mamoudrsquos narrative He already implicitly anticipatesthe death of Leon Klinghoffer as does another remarkable solo in the second actwhen Omar the youngest of the Palestinians (written as a trouser role for a mezzo-soprano) sings of his longing for imminent martyrdom The fearsome rhythmicenergy accompanying him drives toward a devastatingly loud climax
The opposition between the perspectives of the Palestinians and Jews whichthe opening choruses establish so effectively is only one of several significantpolarities in Klinghoffer Adamsrsquos score eloquently draws attention to Goodmanrsquosallusive imagery of natural oppositions between ocean and desert night and day(all of these engendering two more pairs of choruses) between the limits of earthlydestinations and the freedom of birds in the air or the unbounded sea Territorialidentification is contrasted with the international lineup of passengers travelingon the Achille Lauro Deftly using his orchestra Adams creates haunting delicate
lyrical fabrics that contrast with the violent tumult of the full-on ensembleThe prominence of choruses as a structural and dramatic device creates a
collective consciousness that contrasts with the operarsquos individual characterizationsthose of the four Palestinians the Captain who tries to maintain stability amid thecrisis and the Swiss grandmother as well as the portraits of the Austrian womanand the British Dancing Girlmdashthese last two resorting to satirical stereotypes Notuntil the second act does Leon Klinghoffer come into the spotlight but throughtwo ariasmdashhis brave outburst against the terrorists and after his murder the ldquoAria
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
of the Falling BodyrdquomdashAdams conveys a gripping sense of his individuality And ina few economical exchanges he illuminates the bond of love between Leon and
his wife Marilyn who had kept her cancer diagnosis undisclosed so as not to martheir wedding anniversary cruise together
While Nixon in China had taken its scenario as an opportunity to ramble throughthe history of grand operamdashits conventions from coloratura aria to ensemble finaleorchestral storm music to obligatory ballet-insertmdashthe tragic narrative of The
Death of Klinghoffer impelled Adams to refine his melodic language into elaborateshapes while expanding his harmonic palette Although his stylistic range is wideit feels more integratedmdashperhaps because of the pervasive influence of Bachrsquos
Passion settings as a structural and aesthetic model Bachrsquos St Matthew Passionfor example establishes a grid of events that happened in the past and arenarrated but then prompt meditation on their present meaning Its substantialchoral ldquopillarsrdquo map out this architecture of narration and reflection
The Klinghoffer Choruses in turn are so pivotal that in a sense they usurp therole typically identified with arias as they anchor the events of the opera Similarlythe arias themselves look to Bachrsquos Passions with their balance of vocal and soloinstrumental textures (the Captainrsquos opening soliloquy for example as a dialogue
with solo oboe)As for his approach to word setting Adams has frequently pointed out the
effort he takes to mirror the inflections of the English text in his rhythmic patternsHe likewise expresses his admiration for the poetry of Alice Goodmanrsquos librettomdashboth her constellations of imagery and her mastery of formal constraints such asthe slant-rhyme couplets of her verse for both Nixon and Klinghoffer
After Leon Klinghoffer is murdered Marilyn remains unaware of his fate untilthe operarsquos final scene Both she and Leon had been silent throughout the first act
but it is the music of each that remains most resonant by the end of the opera thefalling scale of Leonrsquos final aria as his lifeless body sinks into the waters conceivedas an elegiac Gymnopeacutedie and Marilynrsquos confrontation with the Captain her musicof grief (in the G minor of the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo)
The frequent claim that The Death of Klinghoffer attempts an ldquoeven-handedrdquoportrayal of the hijacking writes Adams in his autobiography Hallelujah Junctionis ldquoa characterization that puzzles me I didnrsquot start out with the idea of beingevenhanded and I suspect that neither did Alice Goodman Neither of us was
trying to parse out judgment in equally measured doses and neither wasattempting to make of the drama a political forum The tragic results of this act ofterrorism permeate the end of the operahellip [I]t is the image of Marilyn Klinghoffergrief-stricken alone and bereft on the empty stage that the audience takes homeafter the final curtain fallsrdquo
mdashThomas May
Program Note CONTINUED
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
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The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
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Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Setting The action is presented as the memory of the Achille Laurorsquos Captain and as
his retelling of events on board the ocean liner The Met production is set in anunspecified mythical space suggestive of a ship
The MusicWhile the same driving energy that characterizes much of Adamsrsquos work isfound throughout this score The Death of Klinghoffer displays a more somberharmonic palette compared to the bright outbursts found in several of his earliercompositions Klinghoffer rsquos musical language derives from the psychologically
complex and symbolically rich subtexts of the events unfolding on stage theorchestration is highly nuanced and there are extended passages of remarkablelyricism and introspection including the title characterrsquos Act II ldquoAria of the FallingBodyrdquo a beautiful soliloquy transcending realistic notions of time and spaceand the two solos for Marilyn Klinghoffer one before and one after she learnsof her husbandrsquos fate which express her evolving thoughts on mortality Beyondthe individual characters the chorus plays a prominent role The Passions ofBach provided an important structural model with their alternation of powerful
tutti and intimate soul-searching ariasmdashan effective tool for underlining theshift in focus between individual and collective memory The chorus proclaimsits central function as well as its ability to express differing points of view inthe monumental pair of pieces that open the opera the ldquoChorus of ExiledPalestiniansrdquo and the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo They represent in a sense thetwin pillars of the gateway to this complex grave and urgent drama
The Death of Klinghoer at the Met
Tom Morrisrsquos production opening October 20 2014 with David Robertsonconducting Paulo Szot Alan Opie and Michaela Martens in the leading rolesmarks the operarsquos Met premiere
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
ldquoW ersquore human We arethe kind of peopleyou like to killrdquo With thesewords the title character of John Adamsrsquos second opera bravely
addresses the terrorists who will soon murder himmdasha wheelchair-bound elderly man facing off a group of four young hijackers armed not justwith weapons but with festering hatred As an American Jew Leon Klinghofferbecomes the scapegoat of his killersrsquo rage The most sadistic of them known as
ldquoRambordquo replies with a brutal dehumanizing rantThis scene from the second act of The Death of Klinghoffer uses the resources
of opera to dramatize a confrontation whose implications extend beyond thesenseless barbarity of the historical event on which it is based In Nixon in
China Adams and his creative partnersmdashlibrettist Alice Goodman and directorPeter Sellarsmdashfirst experimented with the potential of opera to open up newperspectives on questions that are important to usmdashperspectives unlikely toemerge from the mediarsquos sensationalizing immediate replay of one news eventuntil it is promptly forgotten and another comes along to supersede it
Thus the unlikely topic of President Nixonrsquos historic visit to Communist Chinaat the height of the Cold War became the seed for their approach to the multi-layered art form of opera Adamsrsquos earlier opera Nixon in China presented
angles beyond the familiar events of the Nixon-Mao meeting to muse on thedichotomies between public persona and the inner life between ideologicalmyopia and the weight of history
With The Death of Klinghoffer Adams and his collaborators turned to anevent that had occurred in October 1985 only six years before the opera wascompleted the hijacking of the MS Achille Lauro an Italian cruise ship by fourterrorists organized by the Palestine Liberation Front which culminated in thebrutal murder of one of its passengers (See page Ins3 for historical details of
the event) Unlike the politically iconic source material for Nixon in China theAchille Lauro hijacking involved ordinary people simply attempting to enjoytheir lives who get randomly tragically caught up in the violence of a conflictthat continues to make headline news and at the same time has ancient rootsThe opera is framed as a remembered event along the lines of Captain Verersquosattempt long after the tragedy to make sense of what happened in Billy Budd or the nautical tales filtered through the ldquoeverymanrdquo philosophizing of JosephConradrsquos alter-ego narrator Charles Marlow in Heart of Darkness
What then drew Adams to create an opera from this grim story Becauseof musicrsquos ability to intensify but also to comment on and juxtapose dramaticsituations opera possesses an ldquoemotionally chargedrdquo power according to Adamsthat makes it uniquely suited as an ldquoexpressive vehicle to address terrorismrdquo
The opera opens with a prologue consisting of two choruses The firstrepresents the perspective of the ldquoexiled Palestiniansrdquo the second that ofthe ldquoexiled Jewsrdquo Articulating the background narrative of loss the hijackersbelieve justifies their violence the first chorus voices the sense of resentment
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
motivating them From its gentle sinuous beginnings this music eventually swellsto a terrifying fury setting the chilling words that pledge harm ldquoOur faithwill takethe stones he brokeand break his teethrdquo
Because of the operarsquos in-depth characterization of the Palestinians somepeople have accused Klinghoffer of an implicit anti-Semitism and of condoningterrorism This is entirely off-base Even a casual reading of the text would indicate
that although the opera dramatizes anti-Semitism (and its results) it in no waysupports it
Following the initial US performances in 1991 at the Brooklyn Academy ofMusic and San Francisco Opera in 1992 Klinghoffer was once again produced inthis country in 2003 when it returned to Brooklyn for a concert performance underRobert Spano There was also a semi-staged performance at Juilliard in 2009 andin 2011 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis offered the first full US staging since theoriginal production Last spring Long Beach Opera presented the long-delayed
Los Angeles area premiere (See page Ins4 for a complete production history)The ldquoChorus of Exiled Palestiniansrdquo contains the first foreshadowing of the
violence to comemdasha musical-dramatic microcosm of a fateful pattern that will recurThat pattern is repeated in the long scene in the first act between the Captain andthe teenage Mamoud the most elaborately characterized of the four PalestiniansMamoudrsquos reflective solo expressing his love of music carries echoes of the gentlestrains from the opening chorus It even gives the Captain hope that a way out ofthe stalemate can be found ldquoI think if you should talk like thisSitting among your
enemiesPeace would comerdquo At that point however Mamoud ominously singsldquoThe day that Iand my enemysit peacefullyeach putting his caseand workingtowards peacethat day our hope diesand I shall die toordquo
But violence is integral to Mamoudrsquos narrative He already implicitly anticipatesthe death of Leon Klinghoffer as does another remarkable solo in the second actwhen Omar the youngest of the Palestinians (written as a trouser role for a mezzo-soprano) sings of his longing for imminent martyrdom The fearsome rhythmicenergy accompanying him drives toward a devastatingly loud climax
The opposition between the perspectives of the Palestinians and Jews whichthe opening choruses establish so effectively is only one of several significantpolarities in Klinghoffer Adamsrsquos score eloquently draws attention to Goodmanrsquosallusive imagery of natural oppositions between ocean and desert night and day(all of these engendering two more pairs of choruses) between the limits of earthlydestinations and the freedom of birds in the air or the unbounded sea Territorialidentification is contrasted with the international lineup of passengers travelingon the Achille Lauro Deftly using his orchestra Adams creates haunting delicate
lyrical fabrics that contrast with the violent tumult of the full-on ensembleThe prominence of choruses as a structural and dramatic device creates a
collective consciousness that contrasts with the operarsquos individual characterizationsthose of the four Palestinians the Captain who tries to maintain stability amid thecrisis and the Swiss grandmother as well as the portraits of the Austrian womanand the British Dancing Girlmdashthese last two resorting to satirical stereotypes Notuntil the second act does Leon Klinghoffer come into the spotlight but throughtwo ariasmdashhis brave outburst against the terrorists and after his murder the ldquoAria
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
of the Falling BodyrdquomdashAdams conveys a gripping sense of his individuality And ina few economical exchanges he illuminates the bond of love between Leon and
his wife Marilyn who had kept her cancer diagnosis undisclosed so as not to martheir wedding anniversary cruise together
While Nixon in China had taken its scenario as an opportunity to ramble throughthe history of grand operamdashits conventions from coloratura aria to ensemble finaleorchestral storm music to obligatory ballet-insertmdashthe tragic narrative of The
Death of Klinghoffer impelled Adams to refine his melodic language into elaborateshapes while expanding his harmonic palette Although his stylistic range is wideit feels more integratedmdashperhaps because of the pervasive influence of Bachrsquos
Passion settings as a structural and aesthetic model Bachrsquos St Matthew Passionfor example establishes a grid of events that happened in the past and arenarrated but then prompt meditation on their present meaning Its substantialchoral ldquopillarsrdquo map out this architecture of narration and reflection
The Klinghoffer Choruses in turn are so pivotal that in a sense they usurp therole typically identified with arias as they anchor the events of the opera Similarlythe arias themselves look to Bachrsquos Passions with their balance of vocal and soloinstrumental textures (the Captainrsquos opening soliloquy for example as a dialogue
with solo oboe)As for his approach to word setting Adams has frequently pointed out the
effort he takes to mirror the inflections of the English text in his rhythmic patternsHe likewise expresses his admiration for the poetry of Alice Goodmanrsquos librettomdashboth her constellations of imagery and her mastery of formal constraints such asthe slant-rhyme couplets of her verse for both Nixon and Klinghoffer
After Leon Klinghoffer is murdered Marilyn remains unaware of his fate untilthe operarsquos final scene Both she and Leon had been silent throughout the first act
but it is the music of each that remains most resonant by the end of the opera thefalling scale of Leonrsquos final aria as his lifeless body sinks into the waters conceivedas an elegiac Gymnopeacutedie and Marilynrsquos confrontation with the Captain her musicof grief (in the G minor of the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo)
The frequent claim that The Death of Klinghoffer attempts an ldquoeven-handedrdquoportrayal of the hijacking writes Adams in his autobiography Hallelujah Junctionis ldquoa characterization that puzzles me I didnrsquot start out with the idea of beingevenhanded and I suspect that neither did Alice Goodman Neither of us was
trying to parse out judgment in equally measured doses and neither wasattempting to make of the drama a political forum The tragic results of this act ofterrorism permeate the end of the operahellip [I]t is the image of Marilyn Klinghoffergrief-stricken alone and bereft on the empty stage that the audience takes homeafter the final curtain fallsrdquo
mdashThomas May
Program Note CONTINUED
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
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middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
ldquoW ersquore human We arethe kind of peopleyou like to killrdquo With thesewords the title character of John Adamsrsquos second opera bravely
addresses the terrorists who will soon murder himmdasha wheelchair-bound elderly man facing off a group of four young hijackers armed not justwith weapons but with festering hatred As an American Jew Leon Klinghofferbecomes the scapegoat of his killersrsquo rage The most sadistic of them known as
ldquoRambordquo replies with a brutal dehumanizing rantThis scene from the second act of The Death of Klinghoffer uses the resources
of opera to dramatize a confrontation whose implications extend beyond thesenseless barbarity of the historical event on which it is based In Nixon in
China Adams and his creative partnersmdashlibrettist Alice Goodman and directorPeter Sellarsmdashfirst experimented with the potential of opera to open up newperspectives on questions that are important to usmdashperspectives unlikely toemerge from the mediarsquos sensationalizing immediate replay of one news eventuntil it is promptly forgotten and another comes along to supersede it
Thus the unlikely topic of President Nixonrsquos historic visit to Communist Chinaat the height of the Cold War became the seed for their approach to the multi-layered art form of opera Adamsrsquos earlier opera Nixon in China presented
angles beyond the familiar events of the Nixon-Mao meeting to muse on thedichotomies between public persona and the inner life between ideologicalmyopia and the weight of history
With The Death of Klinghoffer Adams and his collaborators turned to anevent that had occurred in October 1985 only six years before the opera wascompleted the hijacking of the MS Achille Lauro an Italian cruise ship by fourterrorists organized by the Palestine Liberation Front which culminated in thebrutal murder of one of its passengers (See page Ins3 for historical details of
the event) Unlike the politically iconic source material for Nixon in China theAchille Lauro hijacking involved ordinary people simply attempting to enjoytheir lives who get randomly tragically caught up in the violence of a conflictthat continues to make headline news and at the same time has ancient rootsThe opera is framed as a remembered event along the lines of Captain Verersquosattempt long after the tragedy to make sense of what happened in Billy Budd or the nautical tales filtered through the ldquoeverymanrdquo philosophizing of JosephConradrsquos alter-ego narrator Charles Marlow in Heart of Darkness
What then drew Adams to create an opera from this grim story Becauseof musicrsquos ability to intensify but also to comment on and juxtapose dramaticsituations opera possesses an ldquoemotionally chargedrdquo power according to Adamsthat makes it uniquely suited as an ldquoexpressive vehicle to address terrorismrdquo
The opera opens with a prologue consisting of two choruses The firstrepresents the perspective of the ldquoexiled Palestiniansrdquo the second that ofthe ldquoexiled Jewsrdquo Articulating the background narrative of loss the hijackersbelieve justifies their violence the first chorus voices the sense of resentment
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
motivating them From its gentle sinuous beginnings this music eventually swellsto a terrifying fury setting the chilling words that pledge harm ldquoOur faithwill takethe stones he brokeand break his teethrdquo
Because of the operarsquos in-depth characterization of the Palestinians somepeople have accused Klinghoffer of an implicit anti-Semitism and of condoningterrorism This is entirely off-base Even a casual reading of the text would indicate
that although the opera dramatizes anti-Semitism (and its results) it in no waysupports it
Following the initial US performances in 1991 at the Brooklyn Academy ofMusic and San Francisco Opera in 1992 Klinghoffer was once again produced inthis country in 2003 when it returned to Brooklyn for a concert performance underRobert Spano There was also a semi-staged performance at Juilliard in 2009 andin 2011 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis offered the first full US staging since theoriginal production Last spring Long Beach Opera presented the long-delayed
Los Angeles area premiere (See page Ins4 for a complete production history)The ldquoChorus of Exiled Palestiniansrdquo contains the first foreshadowing of the
violence to comemdasha musical-dramatic microcosm of a fateful pattern that will recurThat pattern is repeated in the long scene in the first act between the Captain andthe teenage Mamoud the most elaborately characterized of the four PalestiniansMamoudrsquos reflective solo expressing his love of music carries echoes of the gentlestrains from the opening chorus It even gives the Captain hope that a way out ofthe stalemate can be found ldquoI think if you should talk like thisSitting among your
enemiesPeace would comerdquo At that point however Mamoud ominously singsldquoThe day that Iand my enemysit peacefullyeach putting his caseand workingtowards peacethat day our hope diesand I shall die toordquo
But violence is integral to Mamoudrsquos narrative He already implicitly anticipatesthe death of Leon Klinghoffer as does another remarkable solo in the second actwhen Omar the youngest of the Palestinians (written as a trouser role for a mezzo-soprano) sings of his longing for imminent martyrdom The fearsome rhythmicenergy accompanying him drives toward a devastatingly loud climax
The opposition between the perspectives of the Palestinians and Jews whichthe opening choruses establish so effectively is only one of several significantpolarities in Klinghoffer Adamsrsquos score eloquently draws attention to Goodmanrsquosallusive imagery of natural oppositions between ocean and desert night and day(all of these engendering two more pairs of choruses) between the limits of earthlydestinations and the freedom of birds in the air or the unbounded sea Territorialidentification is contrasted with the international lineup of passengers travelingon the Achille Lauro Deftly using his orchestra Adams creates haunting delicate
lyrical fabrics that contrast with the violent tumult of the full-on ensembleThe prominence of choruses as a structural and dramatic device creates a
collective consciousness that contrasts with the operarsquos individual characterizationsthose of the four Palestinians the Captain who tries to maintain stability amid thecrisis and the Swiss grandmother as well as the portraits of the Austrian womanand the British Dancing Girlmdashthese last two resorting to satirical stereotypes Notuntil the second act does Leon Klinghoffer come into the spotlight but throughtwo ariasmdashhis brave outburst against the terrorists and after his murder the ldquoAria
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
of the Falling BodyrdquomdashAdams conveys a gripping sense of his individuality And ina few economical exchanges he illuminates the bond of love between Leon and
his wife Marilyn who had kept her cancer diagnosis undisclosed so as not to martheir wedding anniversary cruise together
While Nixon in China had taken its scenario as an opportunity to ramble throughthe history of grand operamdashits conventions from coloratura aria to ensemble finaleorchestral storm music to obligatory ballet-insertmdashthe tragic narrative of The
Death of Klinghoffer impelled Adams to refine his melodic language into elaborateshapes while expanding his harmonic palette Although his stylistic range is wideit feels more integratedmdashperhaps because of the pervasive influence of Bachrsquos
Passion settings as a structural and aesthetic model Bachrsquos St Matthew Passionfor example establishes a grid of events that happened in the past and arenarrated but then prompt meditation on their present meaning Its substantialchoral ldquopillarsrdquo map out this architecture of narration and reflection
The Klinghoffer Choruses in turn are so pivotal that in a sense they usurp therole typically identified with arias as they anchor the events of the opera Similarlythe arias themselves look to Bachrsquos Passions with their balance of vocal and soloinstrumental textures (the Captainrsquos opening soliloquy for example as a dialogue
with solo oboe)As for his approach to word setting Adams has frequently pointed out the
effort he takes to mirror the inflections of the English text in his rhythmic patternsHe likewise expresses his admiration for the poetry of Alice Goodmanrsquos librettomdashboth her constellations of imagery and her mastery of formal constraints such asthe slant-rhyme couplets of her verse for both Nixon and Klinghoffer
After Leon Klinghoffer is murdered Marilyn remains unaware of his fate untilthe operarsquos final scene Both she and Leon had been silent throughout the first act
but it is the music of each that remains most resonant by the end of the opera thefalling scale of Leonrsquos final aria as his lifeless body sinks into the waters conceivedas an elegiac Gymnopeacutedie and Marilynrsquos confrontation with the Captain her musicof grief (in the G minor of the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo)
The frequent claim that The Death of Klinghoffer attempts an ldquoeven-handedrdquoportrayal of the hijacking writes Adams in his autobiography Hallelujah Junctionis ldquoa characterization that puzzles me I didnrsquot start out with the idea of beingevenhanded and I suspect that neither did Alice Goodman Neither of us was
trying to parse out judgment in equally measured doses and neither wasattempting to make of the drama a political forum The tragic results of this act ofterrorism permeate the end of the operahellip [I]t is the image of Marilyn Klinghoffergrief-stricken alone and bereft on the empty stage that the audience takes homeafter the final curtain fallsrdquo
mdashThomas May
Program Note CONTINUED
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
motivating them From its gentle sinuous beginnings this music eventually swellsto a terrifying fury setting the chilling words that pledge harm ldquoOur faithwill takethe stones he brokeand break his teethrdquo
Because of the operarsquos in-depth characterization of the Palestinians somepeople have accused Klinghoffer of an implicit anti-Semitism and of condoningterrorism This is entirely off-base Even a casual reading of the text would indicate
that although the opera dramatizes anti-Semitism (and its results) it in no waysupports it
Following the initial US performances in 1991 at the Brooklyn Academy ofMusic and San Francisco Opera in 1992 Klinghoffer was once again produced inthis country in 2003 when it returned to Brooklyn for a concert performance underRobert Spano There was also a semi-staged performance at Juilliard in 2009 andin 2011 the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis offered the first full US staging since theoriginal production Last spring Long Beach Opera presented the long-delayed
Los Angeles area premiere (See page Ins4 for a complete production history)The ldquoChorus of Exiled Palestiniansrdquo contains the first foreshadowing of the
violence to comemdasha musical-dramatic microcosm of a fateful pattern that will recurThat pattern is repeated in the long scene in the first act between the Captain andthe teenage Mamoud the most elaborately characterized of the four PalestiniansMamoudrsquos reflective solo expressing his love of music carries echoes of the gentlestrains from the opening chorus It even gives the Captain hope that a way out ofthe stalemate can be found ldquoI think if you should talk like thisSitting among your
enemiesPeace would comerdquo At that point however Mamoud ominously singsldquoThe day that Iand my enemysit peacefullyeach putting his caseand workingtowards peacethat day our hope diesand I shall die toordquo
But violence is integral to Mamoudrsquos narrative He already implicitly anticipatesthe death of Leon Klinghoffer as does another remarkable solo in the second actwhen Omar the youngest of the Palestinians (written as a trouser role for a mezzo-soprano) sings of his longing for imminent martyrdom The fearsome rhythmicenergy accompanying him drives toward a devastatingly loud climax
The opposition between the perspectives of the Palestinians and Jews whichthe opening choruses establish so effectively is only one of several significantpolarities in Klinghoffer Adamsrsquos score eloquently draws attention to Goodmanrsquosallusive imagery of natural oppositions between ocean and desert night and day(all of these engendering two more pairs of choruses) between the limits of earthlydestinations and the freedom of birds in the air or the unbounded sea Territorialidentification is contrasted with the international lineup of passengers travelingon the Achille Lauro Deftly using his orchestra Adams creates haunting delicate
lyrical fabrics that contrast with the violent tumult of the full-on ensembleThe prominence of choruses as a structural and dramatic device creates a
collective consciousness that contrasts with the operarsquos individual characterizationsthose of the four Palestinians the Captain who tries to maintain stability amid thecrisis and the Swiss grandmother as well as the portraits of the Austrian womanand the British Dancing Girlmdashthese last two resorting to satirical stereotypes Notuntil the second act does Leon Klinghoffer come into the spotlight but throughtwo ariasmdashhis brave outburst against the terrorists and after his murder the ldquoAria
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
of the Falling BodyrdquomdashAdams conveys a gripping sense of his individuality And ina few economical exchanges he illuminates the bond of love between Leon and
his wife Marilyn who had kept her cancer diagnosis undisclosed so as not to martheir wedding anniversary cruise together
While Nixon in China had taken its scenario as an opportunity to ramble throughthe history of grand operamdashits conventions from coloratura aria to ensemble finaleorchestral storm music to obligatory ballet-insertmdashthe tragic narrative of The
Death of Klinghoffer impelled Adams to refine his melodic language into elaborateshapes while expanding his harmonic palette Although his stylistic range is wideit feels more integratedmdashperhaps because of the pervasive influence of Bachrsquos
Passion settings as a structural and aesthetic model Bachrsquos St Matthew Passionfor example establishes a grid of events that happened in the past and arenarrated but then prompt meditation on their present meaning Its substantialchoral ldquopillarsrdquo map out this architecture of narration and reflection
The Klinghoffer Choruses in turn are so pivotal that in a sense they usurp therole typically identified with arias as they anchor the events of the opera Similarlythe arias themselves look to Bachrsquos Passions with their balance of vocal and soloinstrumental textures (the Captainrsquos opening soliloquy for example as a dialogue
with solo oboe)As for his approach to word setting Adams has frequently pointed out the
effort he takes to mirror the inflections of the English text in his rhythmic patternsHe likewise expresses his admiration for the poetry of Alice Goodmanrsquos librettomdashboth her constellations of imagery and her mastery of formal constraints such asthe slant-rhyme couplets of her verse for both Nixon and Klinghoffer
After Leon Klinghoffer is murdered Marilyn remains unaware of his fate untilthe operarsquos final scene Both she and Leon had been silent throughout the first act
but it is the music of each that remains most resonant by the end of the opera thefalling scale of Leonrsquos final aria as his lifeless body sinks into the waters conceivedas an elegiac Gymnopeacutedie and Marilynrsquos confrontation with the Captain her musicof grief (in the G minor of the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo)
The frequent claim that The Death of Klinghoffer attempts an ldquoeven-handedrdquoportrayal of the hijacking writes Adams in his autobiography Hallelujah Junctionis ldquoa characterization that puzzles me I didnrsquot start out with the idea of beingevenhanded and I suspect that neither did Alice Goodman Neither of us was
trying to parse out judgment in equally measured doses and neither wasattempting to make of the drama a political forum The tragic results of this act ofterrorism permeate the end of the operahellip [I]t is the image of Marilyn Klinghoffergrief-stricken alone and bereft on the empty stage that the audience takes homeafter the final curtain fallsrdquo
mdashThomas May
Program Note CONTINUED
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
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8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
of the Falling BodyrdquomdashAdams conveys a gripping sense of his individuality And ina few economical exchanges he illuminates the bond of love between Leon and
his wife Marilyn who had kept her cancer diagnosis undisclosed so as not to martheir wedding anniversary cruise together
While Nixon in China had taken its scenario as an opportunity to ramble throughthe history of grand operamdashits conventions from coloratura aria to ensemble finaleorchestral storm music to obligatory ballet-insertmdashthe tragic narrative of The
Death of Klinghoffer impelled Adams to refine his melodic language into elaborateshapes while expanding his harmonic palette Although his stylistic range is wideit feels more integratedmdashperhaps because of the pervasive influence of Bachrsquos
Passion settings as a structural and aesthetic model Bachrsquos St Matthew Passionfor example establishes a grid of events that happened in the past and arenarrated but then prompt meditation on their present meaning Its substantialchoral ldquopillarsrdquo map out this architecture of narration and reflection
The Klinghoffer Choruses in turn are so pivotal that in a sense they usurp therole typically identified with arias as they anchor the events of the opera Similarlythe arias themselves look to Bachrsquos Passions with their balance of vocal and soloinstrumental textures (the Captainrsquos opening soliloquy for example as a dialogue
with solo oboe)As for his approach to word setting Adams has frequently pointed out the
effort he takes to mirror the inflections of the English text in his rhythmic patternsHe likewise expresses his admiration for the poetry of Alice Goodmanrsquos librettomdashboth her constellations of imagery and her mastery of formal constraints such asthe slant-rhyme couplets of her verse for both Nixon and Klinghoffer
After Leon Klinghoffer is murdered Marilyn remains unaware of his fate untilthe operarsquos final scene Both she and Leon had been silent throughout the first act
but it is the music of each that remains most resonant by the end of the opera thefalling scale of Leonrsquos final aria as his lifeless body sinks into the waters conceivedas an elegiac Gymnopeacutedie and Marilynrsquos confrontation with the Captain her musicof grief (in the G minor of the ldquoChorus of Exiled Jewsrdquo)
The frequent claim that The Death of Klinghoffer attempts an ldquoeven-handedrdquoportrayal of the hijacking writes Adams in his autobiography Hallelujah Junctionis ldquoa characterization that puzzles me I didnrsquot start out with the idea of beingevenhanded and I suspect that neither did Alice Goodman Neither of us was
trying to parse out judgment in equally measured doses and neither wasattempting to make of the drama a political forum The tragic results of this act ofterrorism permeate the end of the operahellip [I]t is the image of Marilyn Klinghoffergrief-stricken alone and bereft on the empty stage that the audience takes homeafter the final curtain fallsrdquo
mdashThomas May
Program Note CONTINUED
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
On October 3 1985 the Achille Lauro cruise ship set sail from Genoa Italyon what was planned as an 11-day tour of the Mediterranean Sea Four days
later shortly after leaving the port of Alexandria four armed young Palestinianmen who had boarded using false identities seized control of the ship firingautomatic weapons in the air and commanding the captain Gerardo de Rosato re-route the ship to Syria
The four men were sent by Muhammad Zaidan also known as Abu al-Abbasthe founder and a leader of the Palestinian Liberation Front the original intentof their mission remains a subject of debate Once in possession of the shipthey demanded the release of several dozen Palestinians being held in Israeli
prisonsAmong the passengers and crew on board (more than 400 people at that
point) were Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer a Jewish couple from New Yorkcelebrating their 36th wedding anniversary and Marilynrsquos 58th birthday with agroup of friends Mr Klinghoffer was wheelchair-bound as a result of two strokesIn the course of the hijacking the terrorists shot Klinghoffer and dumped himand his wheelchair overboard
After a three-day ordeal the ship arrived in Port Said Egypt and the four
Palestinians surrendered to Egyptian authorities having been promised safeconduct if they released the ship But later once it was discovered that they hadkilled Leon Klinghoffer US forces intercepted the commercial plane that wascarrying the hijackers forcing it to land at a NATO base in Sicily The hijackerswere convicted and imprisoned in Italy although all were eventually releasedon parole including one who escaped from prison but was recaptured Abbaswas captured by American forces in Baghdad in 2003 dying there in custodythe next year The Achille Lauro continued in use but on November 30 1994
the ship caught fire abandoned by the crew it sank off the coast of Somaliatwo days later
Marilyn Klinghoffer died of cancer four months after the hijacking TheKlinghoffers are survived by their daughters Lisa and Ilsa Klinghoffer In 1987the family founded the Leon and Marilyn Klinghoffer Memorial Foundation ofthe Anti-Defamation League which is dedicated to developing educationallegislative and legal responses to terrorism
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera offered this space in its program for the following
commentary from the daughters of Leon Klinghoffer
Twenty-nine years ago our 69-year-old wheelchair-bound father Leon Klinghofferwas shot in the head by Palestinian hijackers on the Achille Lauro cruise shipThe terrorists threw his body along with his wheelchair overboard into theMediterranean A few days later his body washed up on the Syrian shore
Tonight as you watch The Death of Klinghoffer a baritone will play the roleof Leon Klinghoffer and sing ldquoThe Aria of the Falling Bodyrdquo as he artfully fallsinto the sea Competing choruses will highlight Jewish and Palestinian narratives
of suffering and oppression selectively presenting the complexities of the Arab-Israeli conflict The terrorists portrayed by four distinguished opera singers willbe given a back story an ldquoexplanationrdquo for their brutal act of terror and violence
We are strong supporters of the arts and believe that theater and musiccan play a critical role in examining and understanding significant worldevents The Death of Klinghoffer does no such thing It presents false moralequivalencies without context and offers no real insight into the historical realityand the senseless murder of an American Jew It rationalizes romanticizes and
legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father Our family was not consulted bythe composer and librettist and had no role in the development of the opera
Our father was one of the first American victims of Middle Eastern terrorismNearly three decades later after Pan Am 103 911 and countless other attacks andthreats Americans live under the deadly threat of terrorism each and every day
For our family the impact of terrorism is obviously deeply personal We lostour father because of the violent political agenda of these terrorists The traumaof his murder never goes away Our father was caring creative thoughtful and
smart As a young man he invented the rotisserie oven the first of its kind Afterhis stroke our father continued to use his one good arm to repair anythingthat needed fixing With the help of our mother he never allowed his disabilityto limit his enjoyment of good times with his family and friends who meanteverything to him He loved life and lived it to the fullest He was an inspirationto us It is particularly sad that the life of such a vibrant and gentle man couldend suddenly in such a hate-filled and violent manner
Our father is also a universal symbol of the threat terrorism poses to our
societies our values and our lives Indeed we have dedicated our lives sincethis tragedy to educating about terrorism and putting a personal face on thevictims and their families
Terrorism cannot be rationalized It cannot be understood It can never betolerated as a vehicle for political expression or grievance Unfortunately The
Death of Klinghoffer does all this and sullies the memory of a fine principledsweet man in the process
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met a concert performance of Aida andadditional engagements with the St Louis Symphony as well as concerts with the RoyalConcertgebouw Orchestra and Orchestre National de FranceMET APPEARANCES Le Nozze di Figaro Billy Budd Die Entfuumlhrung aus dem Serail CarmenThe Makropulos Case (debut 1996) and Two BoysCAREER HIGHLIGHTS This year he celebrates his tenth season as Music Director of the St LouisSymphony and became Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Sydney SymphonyOrchestra With over 50 operas in his repertoire he has appeared at many of the worldrsquosleading opera houses including La Scala Munichrsquos Bavarian State Opera Parisrsquos ChacircteletHamburg State Opera Santa Fe Opera Lyon Opera and San Francisco Opera Previousposts include Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and Music Director ofParisrsquos Ensemble Intercontemporain
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTIONS Doctor Atomic (composer debut 2008) Nixon in China (conductordebut 2011)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS A composer conductor and writer he occupies a unique positionin the world of classical music His groundbreaking operatic works Nixon in China andThe Death of Klinghoffer have been produced worldwide and have been followed morerecently by Doctor Atomic and A Flowering Tree His other theatrical and symphonic worksinclude Harmonium Grand Pianola Music Harmonielehre and El Dorado all created forand premiered by the San Francisco Symphony the 1995 song-play I Was Looking at the
Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky a multilingual retelling of the nativity story El Nintildeo in2000 On the Transmigration of Souls in 2002 Dharma at Big Sur for electronic violin andorchestra in 2003 My Father Knew Charles Ives and City Noir which received its premiere
in 2009 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Among his recent works are the oratorio TheGospel According to the Other Mary (2012) Absolute Jest (2012) and a new SaxophoneConcerto (2013) His autobiography Hallelujah Junction was published in 2008
David RobertsonCONDUCTOR (SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA)
John AdamsCOMPOSER (WORCESTER MASSACHUSETTS)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2003)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Work on Broadway includes The Testament of Mary All My Sons Top
Girls Cyrano de Bergerac The Glass Menagerie Medea and Fiddler on the Roof (TonyAward nomination) Opera credits include Cosigrave fan tutte Judith Weirrsquos Miss Fortune (Bregenz Festival and Covent Garden) Death in Venice (La Scala Premio Franco Abbiatidella Critica Musicale Italiana Award) Messiah ( Lyon and ENO) Thebans Henzersquos Elegy
for Young Lovers Monteverdirsquos LrsquoOrfeo (ENO) The Cunning Little Vixen (Glyndebourne)and Cosigrave fan tutte Le Nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni (Lyon Opera) Other recentcredits include Witness Uganda (American Repertory Theater) John Gabriel Borkman
(Abbey TheatreBAM) The Wolf from the Door The Low Road and NSFW (Royal Court)Sinatra (West End) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells) Mother
Courage Major Barbara and Measure for Measure (Royal National Theatre) Happy
Days (Royal National BAM world tour) Julius Caesar (Barbican Centre Paris Madrid)Powerbook (London Paris Rome) and The Angel Project (London Australia and LincolnCenter Festival)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS He is Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic has been Associate Directorof Londonrsquos National Theatre since 2004 and was Artistic Director of the Battersea Arts
Centre from 1995 to 2004 Direction at Bristol Old Vic includes Swallows and AmazonsJuliet and Her Romeo and A Midsummer Nightrsquos Dream (also at Kennedy Center andat Italyrsquos Spoleto Festival) Elsewhere he has directed The Death of Klinghoffer (EnglishNational Opera) Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (National Theatre) War Horse (as co-director for the National Theatre with productions in Londonrsquos West End and on Broadwaywinner of the 2011 Tony Award for best director) and written and adapted A Matter of Life
and Death (National Theatre) Nights at the Circus and The Wooden Frock (Kneehigh) allwith Emma Rice He also produced Coram Boy (National Theatre) and Jerry Springer The
Opera for Battersea Arts Centre
Tom PyeSET DESIGNER (LINCOLN ENGLAND)
Tom MorrisDIRECTOR (BRISTOL ENGLAND)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for her debut at the MetCAREER HIGHLIGHTS She often works as a set and costume designer and her credits includeThe Seagull (Headlong Theatre) A Farewell to Arms (Imitating the Dog Theatre Company
where she is also an Associate Artist) Cosigrave fan tutte (English National Opera costumes)Too Clever By Half (Royal Exchange Theatre) Juliet and Her Romeo (Bristol Old Vic) Shoes (Sadlerrsquos Wells Theatre costumes) King Lear (National Theatre Chile) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland and international tour) Faustus (Headlong Theatre winnerof the 2004 TMA Award for Best Design) and Othello Stockholm and Beautiful Burnout (Frantic Assembly) Opera work includes Cosigrave fan tutte for English National Opera (setsand costumes) The Rakersquos Progress for Welsh National Opera (sets) LrsquoElisir drsquoAmore forNew Zealand Opera (sets) and Falstaff for Opera North and English National Opera (sets)
THIS SEASON Macbeth and The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met
MET PRODUCTIONS Eugene Onegin (2013) Attila Don Giovanni and Eugene Onegin (debut 1997)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Guillaume Tell Die Zauberfloumlte and Parsifal in Amsterdam The Magic
Flute and The Death of Klinghoffer at the English National Opera Iphigeacutenie en Aulide and
Iphigeacutenie en Tauride in Brussels Pelleacuteas et Meacutelisande in Rome La Traviata at the ViennaFestival Les Contes drsquoHoffmann at La Scala Don Giovanni in Lyon Meacutedeacutee at the Theacuteacirctrede Champs-Eacutelyseacutees Carmen for Parisrsquos Opeacutera Comique La Damnation de Faust in NaplesAlcina at La Scala Death in Venice in Brussels and La Juive for the Paris Opera His work inthe theater includes Festen for Londonrsquos Almeida Theatre Cabaret in Londonrsquos West EndThe Year of Magical Thinking on Broadway and at Londonrsquos National Theatre and PeterBrookrsquos productions of The Cherry Orchard The Mahabharata The Tempest Macbethand King Lear for the National Theatre He has also lit numerous works for the Royal CourtTheatre including most recently The Low Road He received an Olivier Award in 1991 forRichard III and White Chameleon and the 2004 Evening Standard Award for Festen and isan Associate Artist at the Royal Shakespeare Company
Laura HopkinsCOSTUME DESIGNER (KANSAS CITY MISSOURI)
Jean KalmanLIGHTING DESIGNER (PARIS FRANCE)
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and The Curious Incident of the Dog in
the Night-Time on BroadwayMET PRODUCTION Eugene Onegin (debut 2013)
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He recently shared the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Lighting Designwith Tim Lutkin for Chimerica and shared the 2013 Olivier for Best Set Design with BunnyChristie for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Additional recent workincludes director Mike Nicholsrsquos Broadway production of Pinterrsquos Betrayal and RupertGooldrsquos London production of American Psycho Additional credits include American Lulu and Das Portrait (Bregenz Festival) The Death of Klinghoffer and Death in Venice (EnglishNational Opera) A Dogrsquos Heart and The Magic Flute (Netherlands Opera) The Master
and Margarita and Shunkin (Complicite) La Clemenza di Tito and The Adventures of Mr
Broucek (Opera North) Beacuteatrice et Beacuteneacutedict and The Turn of the Screw (Viennarsquos Theater
an der Wien) Rinaldo and Knight Crew (Glyndebourne) Damned By Despair and GreenLand (National Theatre) and The Lady from the Sea (Scottish Opera)
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer at the MetMET PRODUCTION Doctor Atomic (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent projects include sound design for Weinbergrsquos The Passenger for Houston Grand Opera and Lincoln Center Festival Oklahoma and The Sound of
Music for Lyric Opera of Chicago and Adamsrsquos El Nintildeo and The Gospel Acording to
the Other Mary He also designed sound for The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut atEnglish National Opera The Bonesetterrsquos Daughter at the San Francisco Opera and (assound designer and artistic collaborator) for Adamsrsquos On the Transmigration of SoulsAdditional performances include works at Avery Fisher Hall Carnegie Hall Londonrsquos RoyalAlbert Hall and Barbican Centre Sydney Opera House Concert Hall and AmsterdamrsquosConcertgebouw He designed the sound for the world premiere of Doctor Atomic at theSan Francisco Opera in 2005 He made his Carnegie Hall debut as a composer in 2003and has been commissioned by Brusselsrsquos La Monnaie to write an opera based on MaryShelleyrsquos Frankenstein scheduled to premiere in spring 2016
Finn Ross VIDEO DESIGNER (LONDON ENGLAND)
Mark GreySOUND DESIGNER ( VIENNA AUSTRIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON The Death of Klinghoffer for his debut at the MetBorn in South Africa and trained at London Contemporary Dance School the Portuguesechoreographer works internationally on his own productions as well as on commissions
theater opera musicals and film He has worked with companies including ROH2 BalletBlack Phoenix Dance Theatre Candoco Dance Company Bare Bones and Theatre RitesHe recently choreographed a duet Facada for dancers Natalia Osipova and Ivan VasilievFor Londonrsquos Royal Opera he has choreographed Carmen and La Donna del Lago Heis currently Associate Artist for DanceEast at the Jerwood Dance House His work hasalso been seen at English National Opera National Theatre Young Vic Parisrsquos Theacuteacirctredu Chacirctelet Barcelonarsquos Liceu Los Angeles Opera on Broadway and in the West EndHis dance theater adaptation The Metamorphosis (for ROH2) was performed in New
York at the Joyce Theater and was also nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New
Dance Production It won the South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance as well as the 2012 UKNational Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography
THIS SEASON Marilyn Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer Judith in Bluebeardrsquos Castleand Gertrude in Hansel and Gretel at the Met Gertrude with Munichrsquos Bavarian StateOpera and Herodias in Salome with the Santa Fe OperaMET APPEARANCES Kundry in Parsifal the Aunt in Jenufa (debut 2007) Second Norn inGoumltterdaumlmmerung the Countess in Andrea Cheacutenier and Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Ortrud in Lohengrin at the Vienna StateOpera and in Graz Kostelnicka in Jenufa in Zurich and Gertrude and Marilyn Klinghofferwith English National Opera She has also sung the Nurse in Die Frau ohne Schatten at theLyric Opera of Chicago Judith and Kostelnicka with English National Opera Margarethein Schumannrsquos Genoveva at Bardrsquos SummerScape Festival and the Voice of the Queen inBasil Twistrsquos production of Respighirsquos La Bella Dormente nel Bosco at the Spoleto FestivalUSA and Lincoln Center Festival
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Mamoud in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debut as well as debuts withthe Seattle Opera as Angelotti in Tosca Berlinrsquos Komische Oper as Escamillo in CarmenCarnegiersquos Zankel Hall in performances of The Classical Style and with the Los Angeles
Chamber OrchestraCAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include Argante in Rinaldo for his debut at theGlyndebourne Opera The Classical Style at Californiarsquos Ojai Festival and Young Emile inTerence Blanchardrsquos Champion Mad Duck in Unsuk Chinrsquos Alice in Wonderland Zaretskyin Eugene Onegin and Mamoud with Opera Theater of St Louis He has also appearedwith the Phoenix Symphony sung Carmina Burana at Lincoln Centerrsquos Rose Theater andthe Forrester in Janaacutecekrsquos The Cunning Little Vixen and Tiridate in Handelrsquos Radamisto atthe Juilliard School
THIS SEASON ldquoRambordquo in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met and Sparafucile in Rigoletto
and Don Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Vienna State OperaMET APPEARANCES Bonze in Madama Butterfly the Jailer in Tosca Second Knight in Parsifal and Mandarin in Turandot (debut 2013)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include debuts with the Boston SymphonyOrchestra and Philadelphia Orchestra and the Father-in-Law in Milhaudrsquos Le Pauvre
Matelot and Zuniga in Carmen with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap OperaHe has also sung the Commendatore in Don Giovanni at the Juilliard School Colline inLa Bohegraveme with Central City Opera and Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with OperaColorado He is a graduate of the Metrsquos Lindemann Young Artist Development Program
Aubrey AllicockBASS-BARITONE (TUCSON ARIZONA)
Ryan Speedo GreenBASS-BARITONE (SUFFOLK VIRGINIA)
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Omar in The Death of Klinghoffer for his Met debutCAREER HIGHLIGHTS After graduating from Skidmore College in dance and art historyhe moved to London where he become a member of Transitions Dance Company and
received his masters degree in performance from Trinity Laban Conservatory of Musicand Dance He has performed works by Russell Maliphant and toured internationallywith Dublinrsquos award-winning dance theatre company Junk Ensemble in The Falling Song
He is a performer with Punchdrunk Theater Company appearing in The Drowned Man
A Hollywood Fable and Sleep No More Film Credits include Anna Karenina and The
Muppets Most Wanted He made his debut with English National Opera in 2012 as Omar
THIS SEASON Leon Klinghoffer in The Death of Klinghoffer and Baron Mirko Zeta in The
Merry Widow at the Met Waltonrsquos Belshazzarrsquos Feast with the Colorado SymphonyOrchestra and Elgarrsquos The Dream of Gerontius with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra
MET PERFORMANCES Fieramosca in Benvenuto Cellini Faninal in Der Rosenkavalier Sharpless in Madama Butterfly and Balstrode in Peter Grimes (debut 1994)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS He has sung Germont in La Traviata with Welsh National Opera ElgarrsquosKing Olaf with the Bergen Philharmonic Beckmesser in Die Meistersinger von Nuumlrnberg
at the Bayreuth Festival the title role of Falstaff with English National Opera Sharpless atCovent Garden and Welsh National Opera the title role of Rigoletto with Opera Northand Opera Company of Philadelphia Scarpia in Tosca with Canadian Opera CompanyLeon Klinghoffer with English National Opera and Dr Kolenatacute y in The Makropulos Case at La Scala He has also sung at Parisrsquos Bastille Opera Berlinrsquos Deutsche Staatsoper LyricOpera of Chicago and Los Angeles Opera
Jesse KovarskyDANCER (CHICAGO ILLINOIS)
Alan OpieBARITONE (REDRUTH ENGLAND)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Plan BigDid you know there are three simple waysto make a gi to the Met that will truly havean impact
middot Give to the Pooled Income Fund and receiveincome for life (and save on taxes too)
middot Make the Met a beneficiary of your IRA401(k) or other retirement plan
middot Include the Met in your will or trust
To learn more about the Metrsquos planned giving opportunitiescall us at 2128707388 email us at encoresocietymetoperaorgor visit us online at metoperaorglegacy
CREATE AN OPERATIC LEGACY
A scene from Die Zauberfloumlte PHOTO CORY WEAVERMETROPOLITAN OPERA
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
THIS SEASON Molqui in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Nikolaus Sprink in Kevin PutsrsquosSilent Night at Lyric Opera of Kansas City Tamino in Die Zauberfloumlte at the GlimmerglassFestival and a return to Carnegie Hall with the Collegiate Chorale of New York in The
Road of Promise a concert adaptation by Ed Harsh of Kurt Weill and Franz Werfelrsquos TheEternal Road MET APPEARANCES Arturo in Lucia di Lammermoor Brighella in Ariadne auf Naxos Tybaltin Romeacuteo et Juliette and Edmondo in Manon Lescaut (debut 2008)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent engagements include Rodolfo in La Bohegraveme at LondonrsquosRoyal Albert Hall Macduff in Macbeth with Palm Beach Opera Tamino with PittsburghOpera and Nadir in Les Pecirccheurs de Perles with Fort Worth Opera He has also sungwith Washington National Opera Pittsburgh Opera Santa Fe Opera Chicago SymphonyOrchestra and Los Angeles Philharmonic He is a member of the operatic tenor group
Forte which had its debut in 2013 on televisionrsquos Americarsquos Got Talent
THIS SEASON The Captain in The Death of Klinghoffer at the Met Escamillo in Carmen atthe Glyndebourne Festival and Count Almaviva in Le Nozze di Figaro on tour with theAix-en-Provence FestivalMET APPEARANCES Dr Falke in Die Fledermaus Lescaut in Manon Escamillo and Kovalyovin The Nose (debut 2010)CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Recent performances include the title role of Eugene Onegin withAustralian Opera Filip Filippovich in Alexander Raskatovrsquos A Dogrsquos Heart for his debut atLa Scala Kovalyov for his debut with the Rome Opera and Escamillo at the San FranciscoOpera He sang Emile de Becque in the Broadway revival of South Pacific (for which hewon the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical) and has also appeared as Guglielmoin Cosigrave fan tutte at the Paris Opera Eugene Onegin Donato in Menottirsquos Maria Golovinand Danilo in The Merry Widow in Marseille des Grieux in Massenetrsquos Le Portrait de
Manon in Barcelona Marcello in La Bohegraveme in Bordeaux and Don Giovanni in DallasWashington and Bordeaux
Sean PanikkarTENOR (BLOOMSBURG PENNSYLVANIA)
Paulo SzotBARITONE (SAtildeO PAULO BRAZIL)
The Cast and Creative Team CONTINUED
Visit metoperaorg
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium
Facilities and Services
8102019 PLAYBILL The Death of Klinghoffer Metropolitan Opera
Art gallery located in the South Lobby featuring leading artists Open Monday through Friday6pm through last intermission Saturday noon through last intermission of evening performances
ASSISTIVE LISTENING SYSTEM Wireless headsets that work with the Sennheiser Infrared Listening System to amplify sound are availablein the South Check Room (Concourse level) before performances Major credit card or driverrsquos license
required for depositBINOCULARS For rent at South Check Room Concourse level
BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Large print programs are available free of charge from the ushers Braille synopses of many operas areavailable free of charge Please contact an usher Affordable tickets for no-view score desk seats may bepurchased by calling the Metropolitan Opera Guild at 212-769-7028
BOX OFFICE MondayndashSaturday 10amndash8pm Sunday noonndash6pm The Box Office closes at 8pm on non-performanceevenings or on evenings with no intermission Box Office Information 212-362-6000
CHECK ROOM On Concourse level (Founders Hall)
FIRST AID Doctor in attendance during performances contact an usher for assistance
LECTURE SERIES
Opera-related courses pre-performance lectures master classes and more are held throughout theMet performance season at the Opera Learning Center For tickets and information call 212-769-7028
LOST AND FOUND
Security office at Stage Door MondayndashFriday 2pmndash4pm 212-799-3100 ext 2499
MET OPERA SHOP
The Met Opera Shop is adjacent to the North Box Office 212-580-4090 Open MondayndashSaturday10amndashfinal intermission Sunday noonndash6pm
PUBLIC TELEPHONES
Telephones with volume controls and TTY Public Telephone located in Founders Hall on the Concourse
levelRESTAURANT AND REFRESHMENT FACILITIES
The Grand Tier Restaurant at the Metropolitan Opera features creative contemporary American cuisineand the Revlon Bar offers panini crostini and a full service bar Both are now open two hours priorto the Metropolitan Opera curtain time to any Lincoln Center ticket holder for pre-curtain diningPre-ordered intermission dining is also available for Metropolitan Opera ticket holders For reservationsplease call 212-799-3400
RESTROOMS
Wheelchair-accessible restrooms are located on the Dress Circle Grand Tier Parterre and Founders Halllevels
SEAT CUSHIONS
Available in the South Check Room Major credit card or driverrsquos license required for deposit
SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPSFor information contact the Metropolitan Opera Guild Education Department 212-769-7022
SCORE-DESK TICKET PROGRAM
Tickets for score desk seats in the Family Circle boxes may be purchased by calling the MetropolitanOpera Guild at 212-769-7028 These no-view seats provide an affordable way for music students to studyan operarsquos score during a live performance
TOUR GUIDE SERVICE
Backstage tours of the Opera House are held during the Met performance season on most weekdays at315pm and on select Sundays at 1030am andor 130pm For t ickets and information call 212-769-7028Tours of Lincoln Center daily call 212-875-5351 for availability
WEBSITE wwwmetoperaorg
WHEELCHAIR ACCOMMODATIONSTelephone 212-799-3100 ext 2204 Wheelchair entrance at Concourse level
The exits indicated by a red light and the sign nearest the seatyou occupy are the shortest routes to the street In the event offire or other emergency please do not runmdashwalk to that exit
In compliance with New York City Department of Healthregulations smoking is prohibited in all areas of this theater
Patrons are reminded that in deference to the performing artistsand the seated audience those who leave the auditorium duringthe performance will not be readmitted while the performanceis in progress
The photographing or sound recording of any performance orthe possession of any device for such photographing or soundrecording inside this theater without the written permissionof the management is prohibited by law Offenders may beejected and liable for damages and other lawful remedies
Use of cellular telephones and electronic devices for any purposeincluding email and texting is prohibited in the auditorium at alltimes Please be sure to turn off all devices before entering theauditorium