Werther

Opera Company of Philadelphia • March 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 2001 at the Academy of Music

Scenic and Lighting Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Kay Walker Castaldo • Assistant Director: David McCarty • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Hair and Makeup Design: Tom Watson • Conductor: Jacques LaCombe

Bailiff: Perry Ward • Johann: Hung Yun • Schmidt: Melvin Lowery • Sophie: Jennifer Welch-Babidge • Werther: Richard Leech (Misha Didyk on March 16 & 23) • Charlotte: Rinat Shaham • Brühlmann: Benjamin Harbold • Kätchen: Rebecca Hatcher Lisak • Albert: John Hancock

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“The operas of Massenet are a rare commodity in the American Mid-West, and none had ever been produced by INDIANAPOLIS OPERA until the company mounted a dreamily beautiful new production of Werther. A basic simple setting designed by Boyd Ostroff had only some tree projections on veil-like hangings with a few solid, realistic pieces to set the scene. But Ostroff’s magical lighting supplied a mood-creating fantasy” – Charles H. Parsons, Opera Magazine, December 2003

“Stage director Kay Walker Castaldo provided another excellent coordination of stage action, including “extras” portraying Werther and Charlotte dancing and caressing behind a gauze curtain – envisioned several times through Werther”s eyes while steeped in his lonely misery. Set designer Boyd Ostroff presented a sky of hazy clouds as a backdrop for Acts 1 and 2, and a wintry forest in Act 3 – symbolic of Werther”s coming doom.” – Tom Aldridge, NUVO, 3/19/2003

 

 

 

Design Evolution

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Final Design Sketches

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Production Photos

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Construction Photos

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Backstage Photos

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Design and Technical Drawings

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werther_programProduction Staff

Director of Production and Technology: Boyd Ostroff • Production Manager: Gregory Prioleau • Props Coordinator: Cindy Felice • Lighting Coordinator: Drew Billiau • Staff Scenic Artist: Karen Tennant • Costume Director: Richard St. Clair • Stage Manager: Margo Maier • Asst Stage Managers: Tamara Broitman, Kimberly Pross • Assistant Director: David McCarty

Technical Director: John Callahan • Properties Master: Lou Petrucci, Jr • Master Electrician: Timothy Johnson • Asst Electrician: William Hennessy • Flyman: Timothy Callahan

Shop Carpenters: John Callahan, William Ringland, David Williams, Timothy Callahan, Matthew McIntyre, Paul Lodes, Thomas Bowen, John Damiani

Scenic Artists: Sarah Baptist, Matthew Hamilton, Krzystof Bratun, Lori Marks

Props Artists: Lisa Leaverton, Dunia Kravchak, Jennifer Haley, Kate Carbone

 

 

Scenery Data

  • Built Jan-Feb, 2001 at the Opera Company of Philadelphia Production Center / Frankford Arsenal
  • Scenery construction budget: $125,250 • Actual cost: $103,397 • Total rental income: $30,000 as of May 2011
  • Load-in crew: 14 • Run Crew: 16  (carpenters, flymen and props only) • 8 hours required for load-in • 1 truck required for shipping
  • Currently owned by Fort Worth Opera

 

Werther (2003)

Indianapolis Opera • March 14, 16, 2003 at Clowes Memorial Hall

Scenic and Lighting Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Kay Walker Castaldo • Choreographer: David McCarty • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Wig and Makeup Design: Susan Stone • Conductor: James Caraher

Werther: Gran Wilson • Charlotte: Elizabeth Batton • Albert: Don Davis • Sophie: Robin Blitch-Wiper • Bailiff: Mark Gilgallon • Schmidt: Joseph Levitt • Johann: Ron Berry • Brühlmann: Ben Hilgert • Kätchen: Kristin Gornstein

 

 

Production Photos (2003)

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Backstage Photos (2003)

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werther_indy_programProduction Staff (Indianapolis Opera)

Artistic Administrator: Stephen Goldberg • Technical Director: Douglas Shockley • Asst Lighting Designer: Katherine Inman • Stage Manager: Sherrie Dee Brewer • Asst Stage Managers: Deborah Jo Barrett, Kim Forbes • Costume Coordinator: Delane Wood • Props Master: David Robie

Head Carpenter: Mike Ray • Asst Carpenter: Don Heintzelman • Head Electrician: Jeff Quinn • Asst Electrician: Jeff Edwards • Head Properties • Robert Pierpont

 

 

 

 

 

Production History

Opera Company of Philadelphia • March 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 2001 (premiere) • Scenic and Lighting Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Kay Walker Castaldo • Asst Director: David McCarty • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Hair and Makeup Design: Tom Watson • Conductor: Jacques LaCombe

Indianapolis Opera • March 14, 16, 2003 • Scenic and Lighting Design: Boyd Ostroff • Director: Kay Walker Castaldo • Assistant Director: David McCarty • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair • Conductor: James Caraher

Kentucky Opera • November 28, 30, 2008 • Scenic Design: Boyd Ostroff • Costume Design: Richard St. Clair



 

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