Performances
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Saturday, July 6th | 6pm @ Hammond Hall
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Sunday, July 7th | 2pm @ Hammond Hall
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Synopsis
Act 1:
The elderly and wealthy bachelor, Don Pasquale is eager to marry and produce an heir so he can disinherit his rebellious nephew, Ernesto. Pasquale consults with his friend and doctor, Malatesta, who suggests a seemingly perfect bride: Malatesta's own sister, Sofronia, who is (fictitiously) just out of the convent. Unbeknownst to Pasquale, Sofronia is actually Norina, Ernesto's beloved, and the marriage scheme is a plot to teach Pasquale a lesson. Malatesta fills Norina in on his scheme and they prepare to fool Pasquale.
Act 2:
Ernesto, laments his sad fate and plans to leave for distant lands. Following this, Pasquale arrives to prepare to meet his bride. Norina, in the guise of the demure Sofronia, marries Don Pasquale in a fake ceremony. Almost immediately after the wedding, she transforms into a domineering, spendthrift wife, making Pasquale's life miserable and spending his fortune recklessly.
Act 3:
Norina continues her ruse, further tormenting Don Pasquale by pretending to be unfaithful. Pasquale prepares to stop Sofronia’s affair in the garden by laying a trap but is persuaded to change his plans by Malatesta. After a observer the lovers, Pasquale attempts to confront them. Malatesta reveals the truth to Pasquale: the marriage was a sham, and Sofronia is actually Norina. The plot was designed to bring Pasquale to his senses and to secure his blessing for the union of Ernesto and Norina. Chastened and enlightened, Don Pasquale forgives everyone and consents to the young couple's marriage, and all ends happily.
The elderly and wealthy bachelor, Don Pasquale is eager to marry and produce an heir so he can disinherit his rebellious nephew, Ernesto. Pasquale consults with his friend and doctor, Malatesta, who suggests a seemingly perfect bride: Malatesta's own sister, Sofronia, who is (fictitiously) just out of the convent. Unbeknownst to Pasquale, Sofronia is actually Norina, Ernesto's beloved, and the marriage scheme is a plot to teach Pasquale a lesson. Malatesta fills Norina in on his scheme and they prepare to fool Pasquale.
Act 2:
Ernesto, laments his sad fate and plans to leave for distant lands. Following this, Pasquale arrives to prepare to meet his bride. Norina, in the guise of the demure Sofronia, marries Don Pasquale in a fake ceremony. Almost immediately after the wedding, she transforms into a domineering, spendthrift wife, making Pasquale's life miserable and spending his fortune recklessly.
Act 3:
Norina continues her ruse, further tormenting Don Pasquale by pretending to be unfaithful. Pasquale prepares to stop Sofronia’s affair in the garden by laying a trap but is persuaded to change his plans by Malatesta. After a observer the lovers, Pasquale attempts to confront them. Malatesta reveals the truth to Pasquale: the marriage was a sham, and Sofronia is actually Norina. The plot was designed to bring Pasquale to his senses and to secure his blessing for the union of Ernesto and Norina. Chastened and enlightened, Don Pasquale forgives everyone and consents to the young couple's marriage, and all ends happily.
The Cast
Don Pasquale
Stephen L. Bryant is a Grammy nominated bass-baritone with an international career in opera and oratorio. He has performed with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Houston Symphony, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, and BBC Scottish Symphony to name a few. He has sung with the San Francisco Opera, Netherlands Opera, and New York City Opera as well as many other regional companies in roles from Mozart’s Figaro to George in Carlisle Floyd’s Of Mice and Men. He has performed in two world premieres in works by the Oscar winning composer Tan Dun. These works include The Water Passion presented throughout the US, Europe, Asia, Russia, and Australia and well as the opera Marco Polo also presented in the US, Europe and Asia. Stephen has performed the role of Doctor Bartolo in Winter Harbor Music Festival’s productions of The Barber of Seville and the Marriage of Figaro. He also performed the bass solos in Winter Harbor Music Festival’s performance of Händel’s Messiah this past December.
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Dr. Malatesta
Henry Horstmann is a baritone currently based out of Glen Cove, New York. His debut with WHMF was in March 2020, where he performed Schubert's epic, posthumous song cycle "Winterreise" with Deiran Manning at the piano. Henry returned in 2022 as Figaro in WHMF's production of "Il barbiere di Siviglia", and was Count Almaviva in the 2023 production of "Le nozze di Figaro". Recently, Henry was Strephon in the Gilbert and Sullivan Light Opera of Long Island's production of Iolanthe, and was also a Peer and Lord Mountararat cover for the same show with Bronx Opera (yes, very confusing indeed!). This past fall and winter, Henry was also involved in Utopia Opera's production of H.M.S. Pinafore as the Boatswain, and was also Filiberto/Marco in Bronx Opera's production of Il Signor Bruschino/Gianni Schicchi. After Don Pasquale, Henry will be returning to Long Island to perform Gaston in "Beauty and the Beast" at Merrick Theater. He hopes that this show brings you laughter and enjoyment and he wishes the best of performances to his fellow castmates.
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Ernesto
Based in Albany, NY, Joshua Gurwitz is a lyric tenor who has performed a wide variety of operatic and music theater roles. In addition, Mr. Gurwitz has been a featured soloist in an eclectic range of concert repertoire from J. S. Bach’s Christ Lag in Todesbanden to Reena Esmail’s pioneering new work, This Love Between Us. In 2018, Mr. Gurwitz was awarded first prize in the Advanced Division of the Joel Dolven Vocal Awards, a competition run by the Mendelssohn Club of Albany, NY. He has also won honors in 2011, 2012, and 2014 at the Art Song Festival held by the Eastern New York chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS). Most recently, Mr. Gurwitz sang the Count in Rossini’s Barber of Seville, Don Basilio in Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro, and was tenor soloist in Handel’s Messiah. For the 2024 season, Mr. Gurwitz will be making role debuts as Ernesto in Donizetti’s Don Pasquale and Ferrando in Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte at the Winter Harbor Music Festival. Mr. Gurwitz is a graduate of the vocal performance programs at the University at Albany, SUNY and the Aaron Copland School of Music, CUNY.
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Norina
Newly minted soprano Gabriela Fagen is a multi-faceted vocal artist well versed in baroque, classical and bel canto styles. This year marks her return to the Winter Harbor Music Festival after appearing in last year’s production of Le nozzle di Figaro as Cherubino. Ms. Fagen was contracted as a studio artist with Teatro Nuovo for two seasons, covering Rosina in Il barbiere di Siviglia in 2021, and was slated to cover Alceo in Il vero omaggio, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This past season, Ms. Fagen performed in the chorus of Cambridge Chamber Ensemble’s staged production of Handel’s Samson, and as the alto soloist in Mendelssohn’s Magnificat and in Haydn’s Mass in c minor with the Marblehead Festival Chorus. Additional recent roles include Sesto in Giulio Cesare, Dryade in Ariadne auf Naxos, and Unulfo in Rodelinda with Indiana University Opera Theatre, Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus with Lyric Opera Studio Weimar, and Dritte Dame in Die Zauberflöte with the Prague Summer Nights Festival. Ms. Fagen holds both a Master and Bachelor of Music from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, and currently resides in Brookline, Massachusetts.
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The Notary
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Born amid the storm tossed rocks of what is now a booming tourist town, Aidan Pasha has become a known figure amid the local theatre community. Whether it’s singing with the Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Maine, preforming in productions put on by The Grand, or Lamoine Community Arts. Or even selling ads for Acadia Repertory Theatre; This enigmatic figure tries to keep his finger on the pulse of local entertainment. And is proud to work with The Winter Harbor Music Festival once more in this production of Don Pasquale, enjoy.
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