Organization

Chautauqua Opera Festival

Singer

Baritone

Mark Delavan

Horace Tabor

Soprano

Cree Carrico

Baby Doe

Mezzo-soprano

Leann Sandel-Pantaleo

Augusta

Contralto

Raehann Bryce-Davis

Mama McCourt

Bass-baritone

David Crawford

Bryan

Tenor

Jesse Darden

Father Chapelle

Andrew Lunsford

Chester A Arthur

Conductor

Steven Osgood

Stage director

Jay Lesenger

Set designer

Erhard Rom

Costume designer

BG FitzGerald

Lighting designer

Michael Baumgarten

Choreographer

Teddy Kern

Orchestra

Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra

Others

Chautauqua Opera Young Artists

English

The Ballad of Baby Doe

Chautauqua

United States

Norton Hall

The Ballad of Baby Doe Moore,D

Public

Approved

The Ballad of Baby Doe is an opera by the American composer Douglas Moore that uses an English-language libretto by John Latouche. It is Moore's most famous opera and one of the few American operas to be in the standard repertory. Especially famous are the title heroine's five arias: "Letter Aria," "Willow Song," "I Knew it Was Wrong", "Gold is a Fine Thing", and "Always Through the Changing." Horace Tabor's "Warm as the Autumn Light" is also frequently heard. Distinguished sopranos who have portrayed Baby Doe include Beverly Sills (Moore's favorite interpreter of the role), Karan Armstrong, Faith Esham, and Elizabeth Futral.

The opera's premiere took place at the Central City Opera in Colorado in 1956. Hanya Holm and Edwin Levy directed the production, and sopranos Dolores Wilson and Leyna Gabriele alternated in the title role. The opera's New York premiere, directed by Vladimir Rosing, was presented at the New York City Opera in 1958 in a revised version which added the gambling scene in Act 2 and an additional aria for Baby Doe. At the time, further revisions were being considered, but these were abandoned upon the sudden death of Latouche.

The Ballad of Baby Doe by Moore, D. S., From (2014/2014), Directed by Jay Lesenger,, Conductor Steven Osgood, Norton Hall, Chautauqua, United States

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues