CCMOnStage OPERA Presents

L’AMANT ANONYME (THE ANONYMOUS LOVER) 

Music by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges 
Libretto by Stéphanie Félicité de Genlis 

Feb. 17-20, 2022, Cohen Family Studio Theater

  • Conductor Caleb Glickman*
  • Director Alison Pogorelc*
  • Scenic Designer Sean Haffey*
  • Lighting Designer Baron Leon*
  • Costume Designer Natasha Cox*
  • Sound Designer Patrick Kiernan*
  • Wig & Make-Up Designer Kelly Yurko
  • Production Stage Manager Quinn Morgan*
  • Props Manager Maddy Burns*

*CCM Student

L'Amant Anonyme will last approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.

Director's Note

By Alison Pogorelc

In the past year, there has been increased attention surrounding this neglected 1780 chamber opera by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. Bologne’s extraordinary life, artistic success and influence have recently captured the interest of many, as he was a pioneering Black composer, contemporary with Haydn and Mozart. 

On the surface, his charming chamber opera, L’Amant Anonyme, explores themes of love and romance typical in the High Enlightenment period and sexual awakening that occured during the late 18th century. At that time, there was an increasing rejection of grand baroque spectacles and a newfound interest in themes relating to a more personal human nature. 

Such is the case for this opera, as well as its source material, the play by Stéphanie Félicité de Genlis. Similar to our composer, Madame de Genlis has fallen into a kind of anonymity, though her accomplishments as a writer and educationalist are just as exceptional — especially for a woman of that period.

As I began my work on L’Amant Anonyme, I was first struck by the charming moments of absurdity juxtaposed with intense emotionality represented by the strum und drang musical style. At its core, this piece is an exploration into the fear of the unknown; what it means to leave the comfort of familiarity and trust in new (and sometimes anonymous) possibilities. 

I quickly began to draw parallels to the cinematic style of the French New Wave (Nouvelle Vague), a film movement in the 1950s and '60s which gave birth to a new filmmaking approach, rejecting the traditional techniques of larger film studios. The films of the French New Wave are highly self-aware, often deemphasizing plot to focus on universal themes, such as human existence and love. 

Many New Wave directors embraced naturalism and spontaneity, which along with their low-budgets and improvisational style creates a “homemade” or “anti-technique” quality. 

Our production channels the philosophical and stylistic ideas of this cinematic movement, both aesthetically and dramatically pushing the boundaries of what might be deemed “traditional” for a piece of this period. Taking inspiration from the films of Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Demy, Agnes Varda, and other directors of the movement, we bridge naturalism with surreal extremes to highlight the intense emotional journey of our protagonist Léontine as she struggles to move on from her past and embrace the unknown. 

It seems only fitting that this piece, conceived by two mavericks in their day, be approached in a style which challenges dramatic expectations. We hope that our interpretation of this piece highlights the durability of their work and encourages our audience to explore other anonymous artists whom history has forgotten.

The Place and Time

South of France, Léontine’s Country Home, in 1960

The Company

  • Léontine | Victoria Ellington^, Rachel Kobernick~
  • Valcour | Haksung Lee
  • Ophémon | Justin Burgess^, Erik Nordstrom~
  • Jeanette | Felicity Tomkins^, Tanya Harris~
  • Colin | Jinpark Choi^, Logan Wagner~
  • Dorothée | Ariana Maubach^, Tess Klibanoff ~   

^Thursday/Saturday Performances  ~Friday/Sunday Performances

Orchestra Roster

L'amant Anonyme Orchestra Roster

Caleb Glickman, conductor

Violin I

  • Yasmine Bougacha

Violin 2

  • Mable Lecrone

Cello

  • Violet Huang

Cello

  • Samantha Powell

Bass

  • Naomi Sarchet

Harpsichord

  • Gongming Jiang

Graduate Assistants

  • Robbie Garza
  • Xiao Geng
  • Brian McCann
  • Sophie Mok
  • Vaughn Richardson
  • Hannah Schendel

Librarians

  • Rebecca Flank
  • Kristin Welke

Production Staff

  • Technical Director | Stirling Shelton
  • Assistant Stage Managers | Rachel Ledington, Jie Min
  • Production Assistant | Annalee Crosser
  • Supertitles Operator | Indy Caramelli
  • Assistant Production Managers | Leah Berry, Emma King
  • Assistant Lighting Designer | Sydney Riddle
  • Assistant Costume Designer | Chloe Marstellar
  • Assistant Wig and Make-Up Designers | Colin Gallaher, Tiara Jones
  • Wardrobe Crew Head | Abby Powers
  • Wardrobe Crew | Ranease Brown
  • Costume Crew | Corey Cochran, Savannah Brooks, Amira Rowe
  • Costume Graduate Assistants| Meredith Buckley, Maria Ortiz Lopez, Brittannie McKenna Travis, Natasha Cox, Clara Cavins
  • Head Electrician | Will Meckstroth
  • Light Board Operator | Will Meckstroth
  • Electrics Crew | William Baker, Paige Baumann, Aiden Bezark, Jason Bowden, Natalia Carlson, Abby Fluck, Andrew Gange, Oliver Hunt, Kathryn Ingram, Ashton Karp, Tal Kochav, Ian MacIntosh, William Meckstroth, Dionte Mercado, Claire Michels, Nate Miller, Bella Pfeiffer, Sydney Riddle, Riley Rowan, Kyle Strickland, Eli Suarez, Vincent Vandeleest, Rama vanGils, Samuel Wilson
  • Lighting Graduate Assistants | Baron Leon, Alex Mason, Kristen Peck, Alaina Pizzoferrato
  • Assistant Technical Director | Logan Vanderpool
  • Set Construction Crew | Mia Adrian, Shelby Allred, Annalee Crosser, Peggie Dona, Izzy Dillon, Abby Fluck, Sophia Gamble, Hannah Kate Hawver, Alex, Husiung, Ashton Karp, Bri Kelley, Benji Lookatch, Emily Mallendick, Nate Miller, Liz Mitan, Meredith Randall, Anika Shirvalker, Brady Smith, Cassie Smith, Macay Smith, Lucia Thill, Lauren Wooten
  • Staff Scenic Artist | Karolyn Hasselfeld
  • Scene Shop Assistants | Mckenna Brennan, Maya Eberhardt, Aaron Graham, Nick Hunley, Thomas Iodice, Grace Mayo, Stephanie O’Rear, Janay Sukkarieh, Logan Vanderpool
  • Set/Props Running Crew | Benji Lookatch
  • Assistant Sound Designer | Alec Group
  • Production Sound Engineer | Frank Jernigan
  • Sound Board Operator | Frank Jernigan
  • Sound Shop Graduate Assistants | Alex Brock, Ryan Hurt, Patrick Kiernan, Aaron Woodstein
  • Wig and Make-Up Running Crew | Brian Cheung
  • Props Construction Crew| Madisen Frazier, Simon Knox, Maddy Byrns, Suzanne Barnes, Ali Flanagan, Rachel Ledington, Sage Shepard, Melanie Reitman, Lauren Wooten, Mia Adrianne, Hunter Lee, Nick Hunley, Lucas Hummeldorf, James Allison, Oliver Hunt, Rosa Gavriilidis
  • Props Graduate Assistant | Finley Fields
  • Stage Management Office Assistant | Jie Min

next
On stage

Upcoming must-see events + top news from UC's College-Conservatory of Music

Tickets for CCM's spring 2022 events are on sale now! View our full calendar of events.

Performance information and updates will be shared on the CCM website and in our Next OnStage e-newsletter.

Be the first to know about future ticket on-sale dates and more: sign up for our email list.


CCM News

1

US Coast Guard Band's 'Heartland Harmonies' tour presents...

May 20, 2024

The United States Coast Guard Band brings its "Heartland Harmonies" concert tour to UC's College-Conservatory of Music on Tuesday, June 25, 2024. The free concert is presented in Corbett Auditorium as part of the band's tour through the American South and Midwest regions for public performances and educational outreach.

2

CCM Voice alumna receives Richard Tucker Career Grant

May 16, 2024

A UC College-Conservatory of Music alumna recently received the 2024 Richard Tucker Career Grant and made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera. Elena Villalón (BM Voice, ’19) is one of three recipients of the $10,000 grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation.

3

CCM shares 2024 alumni and distinguished service awards

April 26, 2024

UC's College-Conservatory of Music is proud to present alumni and distinguished service awards to outstanding members of our community at the end of each academic year. The 2024 awards are presented to four accomplished alumni and one dedicated patron in a private virtual event on April 23.

Load More
Debug Query for this

CCMpower

CCMpower is a volunteer group of fans, advocates and alumni dedicated to empowering students and fueling the future of the arts through scholarship opportunities and more.

The competitive scholarships CCMpower provides help attract and retain the best and brightest students, nurture professional development opportunities and – in turn – continue CCM’s tradition of excellence for the next generation of student-artists. Join or renew your CCMpower membership today to help provide critical scholarship funds.

Join or renew your CCMpower member today to help provide critical scholarship funds. Visit ccm.weshareonline.org to learn more.

 


Sponsors

Louise Dieterle Nippert Trust
Scholarship and Resident Artist Sponsor
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
CSO/CCM Diversity Fellowship Sponsor
The Corbett Endowment at CCM
Dance Department Sponsor
All-Steinway School Sponsor
Louise H. & David S. Ingalls Foundation, Inc.
Community Partners
The Joseph and Frances Jones Poetker Fund of the Cambridge Charitable Foundation, Ritter & Randolph, LLC, Corporate Counsel
Visiting Artists & Thinking About Music Sponsor
Dr. & Mrs. Carl G. Fischer 
Greg Mathein 
Gary & Barb Cummins 
Jim & Linda Miller 
George & Carroll Roden
Musical Theatre Department Sponsors
Genevieve Smith
Opera Production Sponsor
Rafael and Kimberly de Acha
Opera D’Arte Sponsor
An Anonymous Donor
Estate of Mr. William A. Friedlander
Mrs. William A. Friedlander
Dr. Randolph L. Wadsworth
Judith Schonbach Landgren and Peter Landgren
Mr. & Mrs. Harry H. Santen
Elizabeth C.B. Sittenfeld
Mr. & Mrs. Thomas E. Stegman
Mrs. Theodore W. Striker
Mrs. Harry M. Hoffheimer
Ariel Quartet Sponsors
Jan Rogers
Willard and Jean Mulford Charitable Fund of the Cambridge Charitable Foundation
Choral Studies Sponsors
Anonymous
  Classical Guitar Sponsor

Mr. & Mrs. Joseph W. Hirschhorn
Orchestral Sponsor
Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation
Starling Pre-Collegiate Sponsor
Starling Strings Sponsor
Dr. Timothy E. and Janet L. Johnson
Thom Miles and Roberta Gary
Organ Department Sponsors
Keyboard Club of Cincinnati
Louis and Susan Meisel
Piano Department Sponsors
Kevin and Nancy Rhein
   Wind Studies Sponsor
Buddy Rogers Music
LINKS Sponsor
Sponsors listed as of Sept. 7, 2023

General Information


Box Office

Located in the CCM Atrium, the Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 12:30-6 p.m.; Saturday, noon-4 p.m.; and one hour prior to curtain for all ticketed performances. MasterCard, Visa and Discover cards are accepted.

  • Location: CCM Atrium Lobby next to Corbett Auditorium
  • Telephone: 513-556-4183
  • Email: boxoff@uc.edu
  • Mail: CCM Box Office, P.O. Box 210003, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0003

Parking

Convenient parking is available in the CCM Garage at the base of Corry Boulevard off of Jefferson Avenue. Additional parking is available in garages throughout the UC campus. Any questions concerning on-campus parking should be directed to UC Parking Services at 513-556-2283.


Tax Credit

If you find that you cannot attend your performance, your tickets may be donated for tax credit as a charitable contribution. Simply notify the Box Office prior to the performance to release your seats, and give your name and address. A tax donation receipt will be mailed to you.


COVID Careful

The health and safety of our community remains our top priority. Based on current conditions, performance venues will be reduced to 50% capacity and all individuals, including audience members and performers, are required to wear facial coverings indoors, following guidelines from the CDC and UC's physician-led COVID response team. Additional measures may be in place as conditions develop based on guidance from the CDC and UC's physician-led COVID response team. Visit the UC Public Health website and CCM's COVID-19 website for additional information and updates.


Lost and Found

If you have lost an item, contact lost and found at 513-556-9413.


House Policies

The House Manager has been instructed to minimize the disturbance to patrons already seated when accommodating latecomers. The director and producer of each production select times that are least likely to interrupt the performance, and latecomers will be seated only during these times. Latecomers who miss these opportunities will not be admitted until intermission. Children under the age of 6 will not be admitted.


Cameras, Phones and Recording Devices

The video or audio recording of performances is prohibited.

The use of cameras, with or without flashes, recording devices, cellular phones and other electronic devices inside the theater is prohibited. Please leave them with the House Manager.


Smoking and Refreshments

Smoking and refreshments are not permitted in the theater. Effective May 1, 2017, smoking and tobacco use (including chewing tobacco and electronic cigarettes) shall be prohibited by students, staff, faculty, visitors, vendors and contractors at all times in or on University of Cincinnati properties, including events on university property during non-school hours. This includes all shelters, indoor and outdoor theaters and athletic facilities, bridges, walkways, sidewalks, residence halls, parking lots, and street parking and garages owned by the university.


Hearing Enhancement

Telex listening devices are available for checkout during performances in both Patricia Corbett Theater and Corbett Auditorium. Please inquire at the Box Office.


Wheelchair Seating

Wheelchair seating is available in both Corbett Auditorium and Patricia Corbett Theater. Seating is limited, so reservations should be made with the Box Office when ordering tickets. These seats are subject to availability.


Group Sales

The Box Office can accommodate groups for major productions and concerts. Preview and benefit performances are also available for some productions. For more information, call the CCM Box Office at 513-556-4183.


CCM Faculty and Staff

CCM's faculty and staff and its state-of-the-art facilities make possible the professional training and exceptional education on which CCM believes the future of the arts relies. The school's roster of eminent faculty regularly receives distinguished honors for creative and scholarly work, and its alumni have achieved notable success in the performing and media arts. More than 150 internationally recognized faculty members work with students from around the world, specializing in eight areas of study.


Know Your Exit

Map depicting exits from Cohen Family Studio Theater

Performance dates and repertoire are subject to change. View CCM's current calendar of events.

The purpose of these performances is educational, and they are part of a University of Cincinnati academic program.