THE GARDEN STATE OPERA
Francesco Santelli, Artistic Director
Dan Yates, Stage Director
25th SEASON
GIOACCHINO ROSSINI
`LA CAMBIALE DI MATRIMONIO`
with English and Spanish Supertitles
Sunday May 4, 2025, 3PM
Saint John Lutheran Church
140 Lexington Ave, Passaic, NJ 07055
This performance is made possible in part by a grant from the Passaic County Culture and Heritage Council, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and a grant from the Musicians Performance Trust Fund from the Local 16/248 American Federation of Musicians. A special thanks to the Saint John Lutheran Church of Passaic for the use of the Auditorium and the support for the production.
GARDEN STATE OPERA
LA CAMBIALE DI MATRIMONIO
(The Marriage Contract)
Libretto by Gaetano Rossi / Music by Gioacchino Rossini
CAST
Tobias Mill, an English Merchant Jonathan Mildner
Fanny, his daughter Sarah Benzinger
Edward Milfort, Fanny`s lover David Smolokoff
Slook, a Canadian Merchant Wil Kellerman
Norton, Mill`s Clerk James Cottone
Clarina, Fanny`s Chambermaid Liz Culpepper
PRODUCTION TEAM
Stage Director and Set Designer, Dan Yates
Costumes and Props, Dan Yates
Production Assistant, Denise Krous
Music Director, Francesco Santelli
Production Accompanist, Michael Pilafian
Orchestra Contractor, David Schneck
GARDEN STATE OPERA ORCHESTRA
Flute Katherine McClure
Oboe 1 Gerard Reuter
Oboe 2 Gene Turini
Clarinet 1 James Corwin
Clarinet 2 Ray Wheeler
Bassoon Lisa Alexander
French Horn 1 R J Kelly
French Horn 2 Janet Lance
VIOLIN 1
Gregor Kitzis (Concert Master) Janey Choi
VIOLIN 2
Andrea Santora
Pat Constantin
VIOLA
Effie Yuen
Martin Anderson
CELLO
Richard Hothkiss
BASS
Dennis Masuzzo
CONTRACTOR David Schneck
PRODUCTION NOTES
`La Cambiale di Matrimonio` (The Marriage Contract) is a one-act operatic farsa comica by Gioachino Rossini to a libretto by Gaetano Rossi. The libretto was based on the play by Camillo Federici (1791) and a previous libretto by Giuseppe Checcherini for Carlo Coccia's 1807 opera, `Il matrimonio per lettera di cambio`. The opera debuted on 3 November 1810 at the Teatro San Moisè in Venice. It had a run of thirteen performances at Teatro San Moisè. Composed in a few days when he was 18 years old, La cambiale di matrimonio was Rossini's first professional opera. The overture, written when he was a student at the Liceo Musicale in Bologna, is an important part of the modern concert repertoire. As was to become typical of his later career, the duet "Dunque io son" was later reused, to greater effect, in act 1 of The Barber of Seville.
SYNOPSIS
Place: London, the chambers of Tobias Mill, 18th Century
The servants Norton and Clarina discuss a letter which has arrived for their master, Tobias Mill, regarding an impending marriage contract from a Canadian businessman, Slook, who is due to arrive later that day. Mill enters, flustered from calculating the distance from the Americas to Europe, and orders the household to prepare for Slook's arrival, including the readying of his daughter, Fanny, whom he intends to marry off to the foreigner. After everyone leaves, Fanny arrives with her lover, Eduardo Milfort; their love has been kept a secret from Mill due to Eduardo's poor financial status. Norton enters and informs the lovers of the impending marriage contract, but their conversation is interrupted by Mill's entrance as the carriage arrives bearing the Canadian. Slook enters harassed by the servants who are trying to take his coat: he is clearly unaccustomed to European greetings. Mill encourages Slook to talk to Fanny and to get to know her, but she remains quite hostile, trying to express her disinterest in marrying him with many "but's". However, she is soon joined by Eduardo, and they both threaten to cut out Slook's eyes and puncture his veins. Slook departs to the safety of his room, Fanny and Eduardo to other quarters, as Clarina and Norton return. Before Slook comes back, Clarina expresses her experiences with love and, then upon his return, Norton informs him that the goods he is interested in acquiring are already mortgaged. Infuriated by this contractual double-crossing, Slook refuses to buy Fanny and tells Mill this. However, he refuses to give a reason fearing retribution from the lovers. Mill then threatens Slook with the prospect of a duel for refusing to carry through with the contract he has incurred. Having encountered three people who wish him dead within hours of his arrival in London, Slook prepares to leave and, when he returns from packing his belongings, he sees Fanny and Eduardo embracing, catching them red-handed, but they tell him about Mill's business-managerial sentiments toward marriage and of Eduardo's poor financial status; Slook responds by promising to make Eduardo his heir so that Fanny may be his. Mill returns and prepares for his duel, although he fears that, if he dies, it may reflect poorly upon his reputation in the market. Slook reveals himself and clandestinely replaces a pistol with a peace pipe which Mill grabs, not realizing what it is. As they head to the field of battle (Slook armed with a pistol, Mill with a pipe), the ensemble rushes in and tries to convince Mill to give up the financial pretensions. Finally Slook convinces Mill to allow the couple to marry and all ends happily.
La cambiale di matrimonio (El contrato de matrimonio) es una farsa musical en un acto de Gioachino Rossini sobre el libreto de Gaetano Rossi. El libreto se basó en la obra de Camillo Federici (1791) y en un libreto previo de Giuseppe Checcherini para la ópera de Carlo Coccia, Il matrimonio per lettera de cambio (1807). La ópera de Rossini se estrenó el 3 de noviembre de 1810 en el teatro San Moisè en Venecia. En España se estrenó el 26 de abril de 1816 en el Teatro de la Santa Cruz de Barcelona. Compuesta en unos pocos días cuando tenía 18 años, La cambiale di matrimonio fue la primera ópera profesional de Rossini. La obertura, escrita cuando era un estudiante en el Liceo Musicale en Bolonia, es una parte importante del repertorio de concierto moderno.
Esta ópera se representa muy poco. En las estadísticas de Operabase aparece con sólo 4 representaciones en el período 2005-2010.
THE ARTISTS
Jonathan Mildner (Tobias Mill)
From the Hamlet of Wallkill, New York, baritone Jonathan Mildner’s earliest memory of singing is on the kindergarten school bus, where he annoyed the devil out of his young classmates. Gratefully, the bus driver was supportive, and he began his formal training in the 10th grade, participating in honor’s choirs of all levels throughout high school. He completed his undergraduate education at Bard College in 2018, and—after several years of gigging, teaching, & recitaling—obtained his Master's degree from the Conservatory of Music at Purchase College, State University of New York. He has appeared as Melchior, Il conte, Don Alfonso, Madame de la Haltiѐre, Papageno, Harlekin, Peter (the Besenbinder), Claudius, Simone, and Ottone, and his concert appearances include Handel's Esther, Lundgren's Missah Ivrit, Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil, Joby Talbot's Path of Miracles, the Mozart Requiem, Alejandro Zuleta's El Oratorio Panhispanico, and Mahler's Symphony No. 2. Jonathan studies with soprano Bonnie Hamilton, and coaches with Hugh Murphy.
Sarah Benzinger (Fanny)
Sarah Benzinger, soprano, is excited to be making her debut with Garden State Opera! Based in New York City and Northwest Arkansas, Sarah has performed in the U.S. and abroad, with engagements at New Music Theater Project NYC, West Bay Opera, Ozarks Lyric Opera, Opera Modesto, MiOpera, Opera Tijuana in Mexico, Opera Nova in Costa Rica. In 2024 she was the first place winner in the Music International Grand Prix competition, a finalist in the Maria Grazia Forghieri Competition, and Opera Ithaca Competition. This season, she is looking forward to singing the role of Euridice (Orfeé) with Libero Canto, as well as making her debut with Amore Opera. Previous roles include Leonore (Fidelio), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), and Musetta (La bohème). She was a Regional Finalist and Encouragement Winner in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.
David Smolokoff (Edoardo)
Praised for his “warm tone and deep expressiveness”, David Smolokoff is a Manhattan based operatic tenor and soloist. David has sung with New York City Opera, Sarasota Opera, Utah Festival Opera, New Jersey Light Opera, Light Opera of New Jersey, The Narnia Festival in Narni, Italy, and the Festival of the Aegean in Athens, Greece among others. He has been a soloist with the Indianapolis Baroque Orchestra, as well as New Jersey’s Orchestra by the Sea and The Greater
Shore Concert Band. Among other operatic roles, David has performed Rodolfo in La Boheme, Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni, and “The Witch” in Hansel and Gretel.
Equally at home on the musical theater stage, David has portrayed several leading roles including Pippin in Pippin, Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Beast in Beauty and the Beast, and Tony in West Side Story.
This Summer, David will sing the role of “Frederic” in Light Opera of New Jersey’s production of Pirates of Penzance. Davidsmolokoff.com, Instagram: Castadivo
Wil Kellerman (Slook)
Virginia native baritone Wil Kellerman has been described as "superb...a promising voice" (OperaWire) and "winning" (Schmopera) in recent performances. Wil was recently a Tyler Young Artist at Opera on the James, and performed the role of Dolibano in the North American premiere of Coccia’s Matilde at Opera Southwest. Other appearances included The Marshall Opera Project at Lincoln Center, Marullo in Rigoletto with Regina Opera, and second prize winner in Georgia Symphony’s Beethoven 9 competition. The 2023 season saw Kellerman debut as Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro with Winter Harbor Music Festival in Maine, The Commander in The Handmaid’s Tale with Glow Lyric Theatre, Charley Johnson in Kurt Weill’s Lady in the Dark and Marquis de la Force in Dialogues of the Carmelites with Bronx Opera, and as Petrucci/Astolfo in Lucrezia Borgia with New Amsterdam Opera. Wil is a graduate of James Madison University and Mannes College of Music.
James Cottone (Norton)
James Cottone, baritone, brings warmth, wit, and versatility to the operatic and concert stage. A recent winner of the Concert Artists International Competition, he made his Carnegie Hall debut this season singing Schumann’s Drei Gedichte, Op. 30. He was last seen as the Lord Chancellor in Bronx Opera’s Iolanthe, where his comic timing and patter dexterity were praised. This spring, he joins Garden State Opera as Norton in Rossini’s La Cambiale di Matrimonio. James is the baritone soloist and section leader at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Cold Spring Harbor. His repertoire spans from Gilbert & Sullivan to sacred masterworks by Bruckner and Poulenc. He is also an accomplished educator, serving as an award-winning elementary music teacher and Big Apple Teacher of the Year Fellow in New York City. Equally committed to vocal health and longevity, James integrates Alexander Technique, Lessac Voice Work, and yoga into both his performing and teaching. He holds degrees in Music and Education and actively mentors emerging music educators across the city. Upcoming projects include new recital collaborations and continued exploration of classic bel canto roles.
Liz Culpepper (Clarina)
Elisabeth Culpepper, soprano, hails from Austin, TX, and is based in New York City. She began her undergraduate degree at the University of Texas as an Early Music soprano and began her operatic studies as a mezzo-soprano upon entering graduate school at Indiana University. She received her Master of Music from IU in 2017. A bel canto lover, Liz specializes in the repertoire and has been a regular performer with Teatro Nuovo since 2022. As a Resident Artist, she covered the roles of Calbo in Maometto II (2023) and Romeo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi (2025). In 2024, Liz made her Lincoln Center debut with the company singing La Comare in Crispino e la Comare. In addition to her work with Teatro Nuovo, Liz has been a Resident Artist with Sarasota Opera and was a Resident Artist with Indianapolis Opera during their 2023-2024 season. During her time with Indianapolis Opera, Liz performed the role of Mércèdes while covering the title role in Carmen. She also sang Nica in Charlie Parker’s Yardbird and Petra in A Little Night Music. She is so excited to make her debut with Garden State Opera in the role of Clarina!
Dan Yates is pleased to be working with Francesco Santelli and The Garden State Opera again. Previously Dan directed The Silk City, Francesca Da Rimini, Il Tabarro, La Serva Padrona, Bastien und Bastienne, Suor Angelica, L’Oca Del Cairo, Cavaliera Rusticana and Francesco Santelli’s original opera’s Il Consulente Matrimoniale and Il Negozio Di Campagna for GSO. Dan directs for the Opera/Music Theatre Workshop at Caldwell University, performs professionally as an actor and singer, is the Artistic director of the Yates Musical Theatre for Children and teaches Speech and Theatre courses at Kean University and Montclair State University. He lives in West Orange with his wife Deirdre and children Alexandra and Emily.
Francesco Santelli, Conductor and Composer is a native of Rome, Italy,
is the founder and artistic director of the Garden State Opera in New Jersey.
Mr. Santelli has been music director of the Henry Street Opera in New York City from 1988 to 2000, guest conductor of the Brooklyn Opera Theatre and the Connecticut Opera Theatre, the Henry Street Symphony, the Vivaldi Camerata Orchestra, Coro Lirico, Intercity Performing Arts, music director of the International Symphony and the New York City Symphony. As a composer/librettist Mr. Santelli has written, among other works, the operas `Un Destino Immortale` (on the voyage of Christopher Columbus to the New World), Mississippi, Il Poverello (on the life of Saint Francis of Assisi), The Marriage Counselor, An Angel in the Park, the comic opera Il Negozio di Campagna. In the fall of 2013 the New Jersey premiere of Tamar da Timna (on a biblical story), an opera commissioned by the Assisi Music Festival, took place at Caldwell University. With the Assisi Music Festival in Assisi, where he is composer in residence, he has conducted his `Assisi Concerto` for organ and orchestra, and `Il Poverello` in Assisi and Cortona at the Teatro Signorelli. Mr. Santelli has conducted the premiere of his latest opera ` The Silk City` (on the 1913 Silk Strike in Paterson) for which the LoConte Foundation gave a $20,000 grant. The Garden State Opera has been active in New Jersey in different counties since 2005 and in NYC since 2018. Mr. Santelli has conducted a production of Cimarosa
‘ Il Matrimonio Segreto’ in August 2015 at the Altamura Center for the Arts upstate New York.
Born in Detroit, Michael Pilafian holds degrees in music history from the University of Michigan and piano accompaniment from Eastern Michigan University. He is currently pianist for New Jersey Verismo Opera, Taconic Opera, Gateway Classical Music Society, the Liederkranz Chorus, and Manhattan College. For the past fifteen years, he has directed the Pilafian Ensemble, a vocal and instrumental chamber-music group. From 2004 to 2014, he served as pianist for Maestro Vincent LaSelva, both for classes taught by him in The Juilliard School´s Evening Division and for the New York Grand Opera. In the same period, he was pianist for the Center for Contemporary Opera, and has also played for the Bronx Opera, Queens Opera, and Island Lyric Opera. For ten years, Mr. Pilafian was the pianist and music director of the Richard Flusser´s After Dinner Opera, and has played concerts in twenty-six countries with Opera New York, the Ambassadors of Opera, and Karlsrud Concerts. He has played in the vocal studios of Carolina Segrera, Rita Patané, Renata Scotto, Licia Albanese, Enrico DiGiuseppe, Loretta DiFranco, Regina Resnick, Ellen Repp, Teresa Stratas, Mario Bertolino, Michele Farruggia, Felix Knight, Gustava Weiss, Vivian Mordo, Gustavo Lopez-Manzitti, amd Patricia Racette. In addition, he has also improvised piano music for classes at the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance and at the New York School of Ballet.
Saint John Lutheran Church was founded in 891 and is a congregation of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. In 1982 St John was added to the
National register of Historic places. Its stained-glass windows are a beautiful
piece of art. St John is a church committed to show the love of God to the
community. Our ministries focus on taking the good news to the community
by preaching and doing. We are happy to have with us the Garden State Opera
with its music for our neighborhood.
