Cabaret

Cast

Curt Olds
Emcee

Aja Goes
Sally Bowles

Anthony Laciura
Herr Schultz

Billy Tighe
Clifford Bradshaw

Deborah Bowman
Fräulein Kost

Joyce Campana
Fräulein Schneider

Creative

Francesco Milioto
Conductor

Tomer Zvulun
Stage Director

Alexander Dodge
Set Designer

Erik Teague
Costume Designer

Nick Hussong
Projection Designer

Marcella Barbeau
Lighting Designer

Jon Summers
Sound Designer

Melanie Steele
Wig & Makeup Designer

Ricardo Aponte
Choreographer

Stephanie Havey
Associate Director

Book by Joe Masteroff
Based on the play by John Van Druten and Stories by Christopher Isherwood
Music by
 John Kander
Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Originally Co-directed and Choreographed by Rob Marshall
Originally Directed by Sam Mendes
Premiere Date: November 20, 1966, Broadhurst Theatre, New York City

Willkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome! The Discoveries series returns with Kander and Ebb’s Tony Award-winning musical set in 1930s Berlin. Cabaret star Sally Bowles headlines at the seedy Kit Kat Klub, where an entourage of colorful characters entertains and seduces guests looking for refuge, solace, and acceptance against the ominous threat of fascism. When a wholesome American novelist falls for Sally, he tries to convince her to leave the cabaret behind–but in Berlin she’s free…as free as she’ll ever be.

Performed in English with English supertitles
Performed at Pullman Yards

Banner_Performance_CAYA_Cabaret

illustration: Erik Teague

Cabaret is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC. www.concordtheatricals.com
Cabaret Book by Joe Masteroff Based on the play by John Van Druten and Stories by Christopher Isherwood Music by John Kander Lyrics by Fred Ebb
Originally Co-directed and Choreographed by Rob Marshall Originally Directed by Sam Mendes

Bohème Project at Pullman Yards

Pullman Yards
225 Rogers Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30317

For assistance, please call The Atlanta Opera Ticketing Services at 404-881-8885

Bohème Project Performances

Pullman Yards is located just four miles east of downtown Atlanta, less than one and a half miles north of I-20.

Take I-75 North or South to the John Lewis Freedom Pkwy exit, 248C going east. Continue about .75 mile and bear right onto Ga-10/Freedom Pkwy/Carter Center and continue for about .6 mile and turn right onto GA-42/Moreland Ave heading south for about .5 mile and turn right onto the Moreland Ave Ramp and stay left towards DeKalb Ave. Turn left onto Dekalb Ave and continue for 1.1 miles and turn right onto Arizona Ave and Pullman Yards will be just ahead on the left.

Onsite Parking can be pre-purchased through ParkMobile by clicking here.
Use the ParkMobile app to purchase on site at Pullman Yards.

Guests are also encouraged to use ride share services or public transportation.

Accessibility information will be available soon.

Get the Feeling

Runtime

Synopsis

Act I
At the twilight of the Jazz Age in Berlin, the incipient Nazi Party is growing stronger. The Kit Kat Klub is a seedy cabaret—a place of decadent celebration. The club’s Master of Ceremonies, or Emcee, together with the cabaret girls and waiters, warm up the audience (“Willkommen”). Meanwhile, a young American writer named Clifford Bradshaw arrives via a railway train in Berlin. He has journeyed to the city to work on a new novel. Cliff encounters Ernst Ludwig, a German smuggler who offers him black market work and recommends a boarding house. At the boarding house, the proprietress Fräulein Schneider offers Cliff a room for one hundred reichsmarks, but he can only pay fifty. After a brief debate, she relents and allows Cliff to live there for fifty marks. Fräulein Schneider observes that she has learned to take whatever life offers (“So What?”).

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When Cliff visits the Kit Kat Klub, the Emcee introduces an English chanteuse, Sally Bowles, who performs a flirtatious number (“Don’t Tell Mama”). Afterward, she asks Cliff to recite poetry for her, and he recites “Casey at the Bat”. Cliff offers to escort Sally home, but she says that her boyfriend Max, the club’s owner, is too jealous. Sally performs her final number at the Kit Kat Klub aided by a female ensemble of jazz babies (“Mein Herr”). The cabaret ensemble performs a song and dance, calling each other on inter-table phones and inviting each other for dances and drinks (“The Telephone Song”).

The next day at the boarding house, Cliff has just finished giving an English lesson to Ernst when Sally arrives. Max has fired her and thrown her out, and now she has no place to live. Sally asks Cliff if she can live in his room. At first he resists, but she convinces him to take her in (“Perfectly Marvelous”). The Emcee and two female companions sing a song (“Two Ladies”) that comments on Cliff and Sally’s new living arrangement. Herr Schultz, an elderly Jewish fruit-shop owner who lives in the boarding house, gives a pineapple to Fräulein Schneider as a romantic gesture (“It Couldn’t Please Me More”). In the Kit Kat Klub, a young waiter starts to sing a song—a patriotic anthem to the Fatherland that slowly descends into a darker, Nazi-inspired marching song—becoming the strident “Tomorrow Belongs to Me”. He initially sings a cappella, before the customers and the band join in.

Months later, Cliff and Sally are still living together and have grown intimate. Cliff knows that he is in a “dream”, but he enjoys living with Sally too much to come to his senses (“Why Should I Wake Up?”). Sally reveals that she is pregnant, but she does not know who is the father and reluctantly decides to obtain an abortion. Cliff reminds her that it could be his child and tries to convince her to have the baby (“Maybe This Time”). Ernst enters and offers Cliff a chance to earn easy money—picking up a suitcase in Paris and delivering it to his “client” in Berlin. The Emcee comments on this with the song “Sitting Pretty” (or, in later versions, “Money”).

Meanwhile, Fräulein Schneider has caught one of her boarders, the prostitute Fräulein Kost, bringing sailors into her room. Fräulein Schneider forbids her from doing so again, but Kost threatens to leave. Kost reveals that she has seen Fräulein Schneider with Herr Schultz in her room. Herr Schultz saves Fräulein Schneider’s reputation by telling Fräulein Kost that he and Fräulein Schneider are to be married in three weeks. After Fräulein Kost departs, Fräulein Schneider thanks Herr Schultz for lying to Fräulein Kost. Herr Schultz says that he was serious and proposes to Fräulein Schneider (“Married”).

At Fräulein Schneider and Herr Schultz’s engagement party, Cliff arrives and delivers the suitcase of contraband to Ernst. A tipsy Schultz sings “Meeskite” (“meeskite”, he explains, is Yiddish for ugly or funny-looking), a song with a moral (“Anyone responsible for loveliness, large or small/Is not a meeskite at all”). Afterward, seeking revenge on Fräulein Schneider, Kost tells Ernst, who now sports a Nazi armband, that Schultz is a Jew. Ernst warns Fräulein Schneider that marrying a Jew is unwise. Fräulein Kost and company reprise “Tomorrow Belongs to Me”, with more overtly Nazi overtones, as Cliff, Sally, Fräulein Schneider, Herr Schultz, and the Emcee look on.

Act II

The cabaret girls—along with the Emcee in drag—perform a kick line routine which eventually becomes a goose-step. Fräulein Schneider expresses her concerns about her impending nuptials to Herr Schultz, who assures her that everything will be all right (“Married” Reprise). They are interrupted by the crash of a brick being thrown through the glass window of Herr Schultz’s fruit shop. Schultz tries to reassure her that it is merely rowdy children making trouble, but Fräulein Schneider is now afraid.

Back at the Kit Kat Klub, the Emcee performs a song-and-dance routine with a woman in a gorilla suit, singing that their love has been met with universal disapproval (“If You Could See Her”). Encouraging the audience to be more open-minded, he defends his ape-woman, concluding with, “if you could see her through my eyes… she wouldn’t look Jewish at all.” Fräulein Schneider goes to Cliff and Sally’s room and returns their engagement present, explaining that her marriage has been called off. When Cliff protests and states that she can’t just give up this way, she asks him what other choice she has (“What Would You Do?”).

Cliff begs Sally to leave Germany with him so that they can raise their child together in America. Sally protests and claims their sybaritic life in Berlin is wonderful. Cliff urges her to “wake up” and to notice the growing social upheaval around them. Sally retorts that politics have nothing to do with them and returns to the Kit Kat Klub (“I Don’t Care Much”). At the club, after another heated argument with Sally, Cliff is accosted by Ernst, who has another delivery job for him. Cliff tries to brush him off, but when Ernst inquires if Cliff’s attitude towards him is because of “that Jew at the party”, Cliff attacks him—only to be beaten by Ernst’s Nazi bodyguards and expelled from the club. On stage, the Emcee introduces Sally, who enters to perform again, singing that “life is a cabaret, old chum,” cementing her decision to live in carefree ignorance and freedom (“Cabaret”).

The next morning, a bruised Cliff is packing his clothes in his room when Herr Schultz visits. He informs Cliff that he is moving to another boarding house, but he is confident that these difficult times will soon pass. He understands the German people, he declares, because he is a German too. When Sally returns, she announces that she has had an abortion, and Cliff slaps her. He still hopes that she will join him in France, but Sally retorts that she has “always hated Paris.” She hopes that, when Cliff finally writes his novel, he will dedicate the work to her. Cliff leaves, heartbroken.

On the railway train to Paris, Cliff begins to compose his novel, reflecting on his experiences: “There was a cabaret, and there was a master of ceremonies … and there was a city called Berlin, in a country called Germany—and it was the end of the world and I was dancing with Sally Bowles—and we were both fast asleep” (“Willkommen” Reprise). In the Kit Kat Klub, the Emcee welcomes the audience, and the backdrop raises to reveal a white space with the ensemble standing within. The cabaret ensemble reprises “Willkommen”, but the song is now harsh and discordant as the Emcee sings, “Auf Wiedersehen… à bientôt…” followed by a crescendo drum roll and a cymbal crash.

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Characters & Cast

Emcee

Master of Ceremonies at the Kit Kat Klub

Curt Olds

View Website >

Sally Bowles

The headlining British singer at the Kit Kat Klub

Aja Goes

View Website >

Herr Schultz

An elderly Jewish fruit shop owner who falls in love with Fräulein Schneider

Anthony Laciura

View Website >

Fräulein Kost

A German prostitute living in Fräulein Schneider’s boarding house

Deborah Bowman

View Website >

Come As You Are Festival Frequently Asked Questions

Tickets

Where can I purchase tickets?

Tickets can be purchased online at www.atlantaopera.org/tickets

Cabaret tickets can be purchased at www.atlantaopera.org/performance/cabaret

As One tickets can be purchased at www.atlantaopera.org/performance/as-one

Jay Hunter Morris Cabaret tickets can be purchased at www.atlantaopera.org/performances/#jhmcabaret

Can I purchase tickets on-site?

Tickets will be available for purchase at the main entrance. Card payments only, no cash transactions please. 

I have lost my tickets! What do I do?

No need to worry. Our box office can resend your tickets to your email, print them on-site, or you can access your tickets on The Atlanta Opera app. 

I have to print my tickets received by email if I have a smart phone?

If your ticket has been sent to your email, we can scan the QR code from your phone at the venue. No need to print. 

What are the ticket office hours?

Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm 

Can I get a refund? What is the exchange policy?
All tickets are final sale. The Atlanta Opera has a no refund policy. If a performance is canceled, patron tickets will be refunded or exchanged. 
Is there a seating chart?

The seating layout may be viewed when purchasing your ticket at our website at www.atlantaopera.org/tickets, or to view the map only you can click here.

Are there discounted tickets available?

There are no discounts on Come As You Are Festival tickets for the general public. However, if you are a veteran, you may sign up for free Veteran Tickets at www.atlantaopera.org/tickets/veterans-program

Food & Beverage

Are there dining options available on-site?

Pullman Yards has two restaurants on-site, plus there are food trucks in the yard if you are in the mood to try something new!

There are also two food packages offered for pre-order – more information available at www.atlantaopera.org/tickets/#addon. Pre-order food packages must be ordered 5 days prior to the event date. 

Are there concessions offered in the lobby?

There will be a concession stand with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks offered in the lobby. 

Are there food packages available for purchase?

There are 2 packages available for purchase – A VIP Table Picnic with wine and an Individual Snack Pack.

For more information and to order, click here www.atlantaopera.org/tickets/#addon. Pre-order food packages must be ordered 5 days prior to the event date. 

When and where can I pick up my pre-ordered food package?

The VIP Table Picnic with wine and Individual Snack Pack will be available for at the concessions bar in the warehouse lobby when the lobby opens 1.5 prior to curtain. (6:30pm for 8pm show, 12:30 for 2pm show)

Can I bring food and drink into the theater?

Food and drink that is purchased on-site are permitted at tables and seats inside the house. No outside food or drink is allowed. 

Can I bring my own food and drink to Pullman Yards?
No outside food or drink from outside Pullman Yards is permitted. The only exception is bottled water. 

Your Visit to Pullman Yards

Where is Pullman Yards located?

225 Rogers Street NE, Atlanta GA 30329

Is the performance indoors or outdoors?

The performance will be inside a warehouse at Pullman Yards.

When should I arrive at Pullman Yards?

The warehouse lobby will open 1.5 hours prior to curtain. (6:30pm for 8pm show, 12:30 for 2pm show) 

Seating will open 30 minutes prior to curtain. (7:30pm for 8pm show, 1:30 for 2pm show) 

Please try to arrive an hour prior to curtain to account for potential traffic. 

When will the lobby and seating open?

The warehouse lobby will open 1.5 hours prior to curtain. (6:30pm for 8pm show, 12:30 for 2pm show) 

Seating will open 30 minutes prior to curtain. (7:30pm for 8pm show, 1:30 for 2pm show) 

Please try to arrive an hour prior to curtain to account for potential traffic. 

How long is the performance?

Cabaret is approximately 2 hours 40 minutes 

As One is approximately 2 hours 

Jay Hunter Morris Cabaret is approximately 90 minutes 

Will there be a pre-performance talk?

There are no pre-show talks for Cabaret. 

There will be a talkback at the very end of As One as an integral part of the performance.

Is there a content advisory? Is this performance suitable for children?

Cabaret Content Warning: 
This performance contains mature themes including profanity, depictions of violence and sexual situations, reference to abortion, alcoholism, drug use, Nazi imagery, and the rise of the Nazi party. 

As One Content Warning:
This performance contains mature themes including profanity, sexual or suggestive content, drug use, and depictions of violence against the transgender community. 

Will I be able to understand the performance?

Cabaret and As One will be sung in English. 

There will be supertitles for As One.

There will NOT be any supertitles for Cabaret. A Cabaret ASL performance is offered on Friday, June 17 @ 8pm. Please call 404-881-8885 or go online at tickets.atlantaopera.org/130090/132514  to purchase tickets. 

Is there a dress code?

There is no dress code, but we suggest that you wear closed-toe, flat shoes, or your favorite tennis shoes. The parking lot is an ADA approved gravel lot. Please wear comfortable clothing to keep cool as the venue may be warm. 

Will it be hot inside this venue?

The warehouse theater may get warm as there is no air conditioning but there will be fans. It is 10°F cooler inside the venue than it is on the outside. 

Where can I park?

Patron parking is in Lot A, just in front of the performance warehouse. We highly encourage rideshare. 

Parking is purchased through ParkMobile for $21. 

To pre-purchase parking, patrons may go online at app.parkmobile.io/venue/pullman-yards-opera/events  

Parking may be purchased on site at Pullman Yards via the app parkmobile.app.link/SYLSYDYShR  

Is there public transportation available near Pullman Yards?

Nearby is Marta Edgewood-Candler Park stop (2-minute drive, 19-minute walk from the station to Pullman Yards). We highly encourage rideshare. 

What services are available for visitors with disabilities?

Accessible parking is available at the front of Lot A.  

The ASL performance for Cabaret is Friday, June 17 @ 8pm. Tickets are available for purchase by phone at 404-881-8885 go online at tickets.atlantaopera.org/130090/132514. 

Accessible seats are offered in every section for all performance dates. Accessible tickets are available for purchase by phone at 404-881-8885. 

What happens if I am late?

Late seating is offered at the back of the theater based on available seating or standing room. Patrons may return to their original seats at intermission. Please try to arrive an hour prior to curtain to account for potential traffic. 

May I take photos or recordings?

No photography or recording is permitted during the performance. 

Will there be a place to check my bag?

There will not be a bag check at Pullman Yards. Large bags must be left in your vehicle. Small backpacks and purses may be placed under your seat. 

What if I have a question at the theater?

An information and community engagement table will be located by Shop Opera in the lobby. One of our staff members will be happy to assist you! 

What if there is an emergency?

In the case of an emergency, please find any front of house staff member for assistance. 

I lost an item at Pullman Yards, who can I call?

Please call Guest Services at 470-528-2200 to inquire about any lost items. 

Safety

What are the health and safety protocols?

Masks are encouraged for all patrons. 

The Atlanta Opera will continue to monitor government policy changes, Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, government mandates, and public health notices and make changes as necessary or appropriate to ensure the safety of staff, artists, and the public. 

Do I need to wear a mask?

Masks are encouraged for all patrons. 

Ensemble

Gorilla / Victor

Brandon Nguyen

Frenche

Gwynn Wolford

Customs Official

Curt Olds

Herman

Jacob Attaway

Rudy / Hans

Patrick Coleman

Rosie

Rachel Shiffman

Lulu

Bailey Jo Harbaugh

Texas

Matti Steriti

Helga

Terelyn Jones

Bobby

Peyton McDaniel Davis

Composer

John Kander (b. 1927)

John Kander, the composer half of the legendary songwriting team, Kander and Ebb that has produced CabaretWoman of the YearThe Act and the incomparable Chicago, was born in Kansas City, Missouri on March 18, 1927.

Kander began studying music as a child and in his early career worked as a conductor and accompanying pianist for many productions. From 1955 through 1958, Kander was choral director and conductor for the Warwick Musical Theatre in Rhode Island. He was also the pianist for The Amazing Adele and An Evening with Bea Lillie. He was the conductor for the 1957 New York revival of Conversation Piece and arranged the dance music for the productions of Gypsy (1959) and Irma la Douce (1960). Kander made his Broadway composing debut in a 1962 collaboration with James Goldman. The production, A Family Affair, was short-lived but included hit songs such as “Anything For You”, “There’s a Room in My House” and “Harmony”.

In 1964, Kander was introduced to Fred Ebb, a lyricist who had experienced some minor success with novelty tunes.

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The first successful Kander & Ebb collaboration was on the song “My Coloring Book,” recorded by Kitty Kallen, Sandy Stewart, and Barbra Streisand. The duo’s first stage musical, Golden Gate, went unrealized, but it did convince producer Harold Prince to hire them for his new Broadway show Flora, The Red Menace, a satire of Greenwich Village bohemian culture and radical politics that starred Liza Minnelli in her Tony Award-winning Broadway debut. Though not a hit, the show solidified Kander and Ebb as a team and Liza Minnelli as a star.

The next year, Prince commissioned Kander & Ebb to create the score for a musical version of I Am A Camera, which was to be produced under the name of Cabaret. In 1966, Cabaret opened, winning seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Score of the Season Award. The original production ran for 1,166 performances, has been revived three times, and produced a 1972 film version starring Liza Minnelli (a role which earned her a Best Actress Oscar Award).

1968 produced two other musicals, The Happy Time and Zorba and three years later the team produced 70, Girls, 70. In 1972, Kander & Ebb wrote a number of songs for Minnelli’s television special, Liza With a Z, which received an Emmy for Outstanding Single Program – Variety or Popular Music.

After contributing five songs, including “How Lucky Can You Get” and “Let’s Hear It For Me,” to the 1975 movie Funny Lady, they launched the Broadway musical Chicago, which was largely overlooked during its original run but was revived to massive success two decades later. Chicago had another incarnation in 2002, when the film version received an Oscar for Best Picture and revived the movie musical.

In 1977, Kander & Ebb collaborated with Martin Scorsese on the movie New York, New York; the title song was introduced by Minnelli, and later recorded by Frank Sinatra, and became the unofficial theme song of New York City. The Minnelli Broadway vehicle The Act also opened that year.

After a four-year absence from Broadway, Kander and Ebb returned with 1981’s Woman of the Year, which starred Lauren Bacall and was based on the 1942 Katharine Hepburn movie. The Rink, which opened in 1984, starred Chita Rivera and Minnelli, with the songs “Colored Lights”, “Chief Cook and Bottle Washer,” and “Mrs. A.” In 1985, Kander & Ebb opened Kiss of the Spider Woman and Steel Pier in 1997.

For nearly five decades, Kander and Ebb have been one of Broadway’s preeminent songwriting teams, the longest-running music-and-lyrics partnership in Broadway musical history. Minnelli once said, “The greatest thing about Kander and Ebb is you sing their songs and you feel good.”

Courtesy Songwriters Hall of Fame

John_Kander.png

Lyricist

Fred Ebb (1929-2004)

Fred Ebb, the lyricist half of the legendary songwriting team, Kander & Ebb that has produced CabaretWoman of the YearThe Act and, of course the incomparable Chicago was born in New York City, NY on April 8, 1935.

His lifelong love of the theater began while Ebb was still a child, and independently from the rest of his family, as there was no music ever performed or listened to in his childhood home. He graduated from New York University and following received his Masters Degree in English Literature from Columbia University. In the early 1950’s, Ebb worked at a hosiery company, in a department store credit office, as a trucker’s helper, and bronzed baby shoes.

His first songwriting opportunity came when a friend introduced him to songwriter Phil Springer, a composer whom Ebb credits for teaching prosody, form, AABA as opposed to Verse-Chorus, and technique in general. The Ebb-Springer team worked with eight hours every day writing songs in New York’s famed Brill Building. The first professional songwriting assignment came in 1953 when he and Springer were hired by Columbia Records to write a song for Judy Garland called “Heartbroken.” Highlights from the Springer-Ebb catalog include “How Little We Know”, “Santa Baby”, “Moonlight Gambler” and “Nevertheless I Never Lost the Blues”.

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Throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s, Ebb wrote for nightclub acts and revues, as well as for the television series This Was the Week That Was. After a few unsuccessful Broadway productions, Ebb was introduced to composer John Kander in 1964. The legendary team would stay together for 21 years.

The first successful Kander & Ebb collaboration was on the song “My Coloring Book,” recorded by Kitty Kallen, Sandy Stewart, and Barbra Streisand. The duo’s first stage musical, Golden Gate, went unrealized, but it did convince producer Harold Prince to hire them for his new Broadway show Flora, The Red Menace, a satire of Greenwich Village bohemian culture and radical politics that starred Liza Minnelli in her Tony Award-winning Broadway debut. Though not a hit, the show solidified Kander and Ebb as a team and Liza Minnelli as a star.

The next year, Prince commissioned Kander & Ebb to create the score for a musical version of I Am A Camera, which was to be produced under the name of Cabaret. In 1966, Cabaret opened, winning seven Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Score of the Season Award. The original production ran for 1,166 performances, has been revived three times and produced a 1972 film version starring Liza Minnelli (a role which earned her a Best Actress Oscar Award).

1968 produced two other musicals, The Happy Time and Zorba and three years later the team produced 70, Girls, 70.

In 1972, Kander & Ebb wrote a number of songs for Minnelli’s television special, Liza With a Z, which received an Emmy for Outstanding Single Program – Variety or Popular Music. After contributing five songs, including “How Lucky Can You Get” and “Let’s Hear It For Me,” to the 1975 movie Funny Lady, they launched the Broadway musical Chicago, which was largely overlooked during its original run but was revived to massive success two decades later. Chicago had another incarnation in 2002, when the film version received an Oscar for Best Picture and revived the movie musical.

In 1977, Kander & Ebb collaborated with Martin Scorsese on the movie New York, New York; the title song was introduced by Minnelli, and later recorded by Frank Sinatra, and became the unofficial theme song of New York City. The Minnelli Broadway vehicle The Act also opened that year.

After a four-year absence from Broadway, Kander and Ebb returned with 1981’s Woman of the Year, which starred Lauren Bacall and was based on the 1942 Katharine Hepburn movie. The Rink, which opened in 1984, starred Chita Rivera and Minnelli, with the songs “Colored Lights”, “Chief Cook and Bottle Washer,” and “Mrs. A.” In 1985, Kander & Ebb opened Kiss of the Spider Woman and Steel Pier in 1997. In 1999, Ebb wrote and directed Minnelli on Minnelli, starring Liza Minnelli in a Broadway tribute to the movie musicals directed by her father Vincente Minnelli.

Courtesy Songwriters Hall of Fame

Fred_Ebb.png

Conductor

Francesco Milioto

A rising star in the younger generation of conductors, Francesco Milioto is forging a unique career as a versatile interpreter of both the operatic and orchestral repertoire. He is currently Music Director of OPERA San Antonio and Artistic Advisor to the Florentine Opera in Milwaukee. Mr. Milioto also enjoys guest conducting relationships with a wide variety of organizations, and cover/assistant conductor positions with several distinguished opera companies. Praised for his energy and integrity on the podium, the Chicago Tribune has said, “Milioto presided with Bernsteinesque bravura.”

Image_FrancescoMilioto

Director

Tomer Zvulun

General and Artistic Director of The Atlanta Opera since 2013, Israeli born Tomer Zvulun is also one of leading stage director of his generation, earning consistent praise for his creative vision and innovative interpretations. His work has been presented by prestigious opera houses in Europe, South and Central America, Israel and the US, including The Metropolitan Opera, Washington National Opera, Seattle Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Dallas, San Diego, Boston, Pittsburgh, Minnesota, Montreal, Buenos Aires, Israeli Opera, and the festivals of Wexford, Glimmerglass and Wolf Trap, as well as leading educational institutes and universities such as The Juilliard School, Indiana University, and Boston University.

Tomer spent seven seasons on the directing staff of the Metropolitan Opera where he directed revivals of Carmen and Tosca and was involved with more than a dozen new productions. He is a frequent guest director in companies such as Seattle Opera (Semele, La Bohème, Eugene Onegin, Lucia di Lammermoor), Dallas Opera (Die Fledermaus, La Bohème), Houston (Flying Dutchman, Rigoletto), Wexford Festival (Silent Night, Dinner at Eight), Cincinnati Opera (Magic Flute, Don Giovanni, Flying Dutchman), Wolf Trap (Falstaff, Don Giovanni), Israeli Opera (Dead Man Walking, Giulio Cesare) among others. His European premiere of Silent Night at the Wexford Festival received two Irish Times Awards and traveled from Ireland to Washington National Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival and the opera companies of Atlanta, Austin and Salt Lake City.

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Zvulun directed over 15 new productions in his home company in Atlanta, including Dead Man Walking, Flying Dutchman, Soldier Songs, Silent Night, Maria de Buenos Aires, La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, Lucia di Lammermoor, Magic Flute, and Eugene Onegin to name but a few. During Tomer’s tenure, the company’s fundraising has tripled, resulting in twice the number of productions presented annually. His focus on innovation has garnered national attention and resulted in a Harvard Business School case study chronicling The Atlanta Opera’s turnaround, an International Opera Awards nomination, an ArtsATL Luminary Award, and an invitation to deliver a TEDx Talk about innovation in opera.

His upcoming projects include a new Rigoletto in Houston; a new Salome in Atlanta and Kansas City; revivals of his acclaimed production of Eugene Onegin in Montreal, Seattle and Palm Beach; Silent Night at Utah Opera; and Madama Butterfly and Glory Denied in Atlanta. He is currently working on developing a world premiere based on Anne Frank’s Diary and Sensorium Ex, a world premiere based on a story about artificial intelligence.

Tomer’s recent shows have traveled across continents, receiving critical acclaim for their striking visuals and cinematic quality. Some of them included The Flying Dutchman (Houston, Cincinnati, Atlanta), Dinner at Eight (Wexford Festival, Minnesota Opera), Eugene Onegin (Seattle, Atlanta, Detroit, Kansas City), Lucia di Lammermoor (Seattle, Atlanta, Cleveland) Silent Night (Wexford, Atlanta, Glimmerglass, Washington, Austin), Soldier Songs (Atlanta, San Diego), Dead Man Walking (New Orleans, Atlanta), La Bohème (Seattle, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Atlanta, Dallas), Lucrezia Borgia (Buenos Aires), Gianni Schicchi (Juilliard, IVAI Tel Aviv), L’heaure Espagnole (Juilliard), Magic Flute (Cincinnati, Atlanta, Indiana University), Don Giovanni (Wolf Trap, Cincinnati), Die Fledermaus (Dallas, Kansas City), Falstaff (Wolf Trap, Des Moines), Rigoletto (Boston, Atlanta, Omaha, Charlotte), Madama Butterfly (Atlanta, Castleton Festival, New Orleans), Tosca (National Theatre Panama, Atlanta) and Semele (Seattle).

Tomer Zvulun was born and raised in Israel, attended the open University in Tel Aviv and Harvard Business School and makes his home in Atlanta.

Headshot_ZvulunTomer