OPERA PARALLLE PRESENTS NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE OF ANYA17 JUNE 20, 21 AND 22 AT MARINES MEMORIAL THEATER SAN FRANCISCO,

February 25, 201 Opera Parallle presents the North American premiere of Anya17, composer Adam Gorb and librettist Ben Kayes unflinching look at the harsh realities of modern sla ery and human trafficking! "ed by #onductor and Artistic $irector Nicole Paiement% performances take place at & p!m! 'une () and (* and + p!m! 'une ((% at ,an -ranciscos .arines .emorial /heater! #ritics ha e praised the opera for music that is both 0brutal% poetic% and ra12 and a 0mar el of boisterous in enti eness%2 describing Gorbs musical language as combining 0the spikiness of 3astern 3uropean idioms 1ith the sly smoothness of 4a55% anne6ing the 7est 3nd musical for Natalias gaudy numbers% but approaching the intensity of Berg in the remarkable interlude for unison instruments that marks Anyas lo1est point!2 /imed to coincide 1ith Opera Americas annual conference% this year in ,an -rancisco% Anya17 is a i id reminder of the po1erful role art can play in e6ploring the deepest human emotions% and shining light on some of the most difficult of issues! ,umming up his e6perience after Anya17s 3uropean premiere in Germany% one critic stated 08 one sits 1ith open eyes% ears% and beating heart% and is astounded!2 Anya17 dramati5es the li es of three young 1omen trafficked and sold into se6ual sla ery! 36perts claim human trafficking is a 9:( billion industry% second in si5e only to the drug trade! /he ;, ,tate $epartment estimates that bet1een ()%))) and +)%))) people are trafficked into the country each year for in oluntary ser itude or modern<day sla ery% 1ith ,an -rancisco and the Bay Area ranking among the top () destinations according to the -B=! "ibrettist Ben Kaye 1as initially dubious about tackling a sub4ect so far remo ed from his life in the 3nglish countryside% but soon disco ered that trafficking could be found 1ithin a :) minute dri e of 1here he li ed! /he reali5ation that human trafficking occurs in small to1ns as 1ell as

larger cities inspired these 1ords in his Anya17 libretto% 03 ery day! in your country! your street! On your ery doorstep!2 Ne1 >ork soprano Anna Noggle% 1ho is kno1n for her dramatic stage presence and 0po1erful rich oice%2 portrays Anya% an innocent girl sold into the se6 trade! Acclaimed German baritone ?ictor Benedetti% 1hose stunning Ne1 >ork #ity Opera debut in the title role of Don Giovanni garnered him the companys $ebut Artist of the >ear A1ard% portrays ?iktor% the main trafficker! .s! Noggle is 4oined by coloratura ,ha1nette ,ulker as .ila% a teenage mother 1ho finds herself among the trafficked girls% and dramatic soprano "aura Krumm as 3lena% a 1oman ensla ed for many years% 1ho e entually becomes instrumental in Anyas emergence from the under1orld! .e55o soprano #atherine #ook sings the dual roles of Natalia% a girl originally trafficked 1ho turned trafficker% as 1ell as the role of #arole% a counselor 1ho pro ides care and hope of rehabilitation to the ictims! /enor Andres @amire5 returns to the stage 1ith Opera Parallle after his heart<1renching appearance in the companys production of Goli4o s Ainadamar% in the dual role of ;ri% Anyas apparent sa ior% 1ho betrays her% and Gabriel% the antithesis of ;ri 1ho truly lo es Anya! @esident #oncept $esigner and ,tage $irector Brian ,taufenbiel collaborates once again 1ith a strong artistic team to bring Anyas terrifying 1orld to life! 'oining him is set designer $a e $unningA ideo designer $a id .urakamiA lighting designer .atthe1 AntakyA costume designer #hristine #rookA pro4ection designer -rBdBric BoulayA and 1ig and make<up artist 'eanna Parham! Opera Parallle continues its tradition of 1elcoming the public to peek behind the scenes at a ,neak Pre ie1 1ith performance and commentary on 'une C at the Kanbar #enter for the Arts% as 1ell as an open staging rehearsal 1here guests can 1atch the director% conductor% and singers 1ork together in a hands<on rehearsal on 'une *: at .arines .emorial /heater! /he companys final dress rehearsal on 'une *C is open to an in ited group of community<based organi5ations from the anti<trafficking community free of charge! =n addition% the company has organi5ed a series of e ents in the community to emphasi5e the interaction of opera and social issues! /hese include a reception for the consular community and people from the anti<trafficking community on -ebruary (D at the German #onsulate% a -orum presentation at Grace #athedral in .ay% and a panel discussion 1ith Opera Parallles artistic leaders and Anya17 composer Adam Gorb on 'une *&! Prior to Opera Parallles 'une performances of Anya17% the companys ()*:<()*+ season includes a uniEuely staged production of Poulencs surrealistic opera buffa, Les mamelles de Tirsias, intert1ined 1ith 7eills e ocati e Mahagonny Songspiel, 1hich opens and closes the performances! Opera Parallle designed the production to address the timely and rele ant concerns of Poulencs surreal o erpopulated 1orld and 7eills utopic 1ishes for nir ana! /he productions 1ill be held April (F% (G% and (D at ,an -ranciscos >erba Buena #enter for the Arts "am @esearch /heater!

/ickets to Opera Parallles production of Adam Gorbss Anya17 held 'une ()% (* and (( at .arines .emorial /heater are priced from 9:F to 9*)) 1ill go on sale .arch *! /ickets can be purchased at citybo6office!com% or through Opera Parallles 1ebsite% 111!operaparallele!org! Ab!u" O#era Para$$%$e Opera Parallle is a professional opera company% in residence at ,an -rancisco #onser atory of .usic and the only organi5ation in the Bay Area that presents contemporary opera e6clusi ely! O er the last fe1 years% Opera Parallle has brought many superb productions of contemporary 1orks to the community! /hese includeH Os aldo Goli4o s Ainadamar; "eonard Bernsteins Trouble in Tahi i in a double bill 1ith ,amuel Barbers A !and o" #ridge; a public 1orkshop reading of the companys first commission% $ante $e ,il as Gesualdo, $rin%e o" Madness; the a1ard<1inning 1orld premiere of 'acEues $es4ardins re<orchestration of 'ohn Iarbisons The Grea Ga sby; the Bay Area premiere of Philip Glass &rphe; the first 7est #oast performances of 'ohn @eas chamber ersion of Alban Bergs ()th century masterpiece 'o((e%)A the 1orld premiere of "ou Iarrisons opera *oung +aesar in con4unction 1ith 1hat 1ould ha e been the late composers C)th birthdayA and ,our Sain s in Three A% s by composer ?irgil /homson and librettist Gertrude ,tein% in combination 1ith the 1orld premiere of "uciano #hessas A !eavenly A% in a collaboration 1ith ,-.O.A! =n prior years% under the name 3nsemble Parallle% 1ith its mission more broadly focused on contemporary instrumental music% the company presented *(F performances including (& 1orld premieres% released *( recordings and commissioned *C ne1 1orks! -or more information on the company% isit 111!operaparallele!org! CALENDAR EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE O#era Para$$%$e Pre&e'"& Anya17 .arines .emorial /heater% G)C ,utter ,treet & p!m! 'une ()% (*% ()*+ and + p!m! 'une ((% ()*+ /icketsH 9:F to 9*)) 1ith a *) percent discount for students .usic by Adam Gorb and libretto by Ben Kaye Anya17 Anya ?iktor .ila NataliaJ#arole ;riJGabriel 3lena Anna Noggle ?ictor Benedetti ,ha1nette ,ulker #atherine #ook Andres @amire5 "aura Krumm

-ull biographies of the artists and production team can be found on Opera Parallles 1ebsite% 111!operaparallele!org! S'ea( Pre)*e+ !, Anya17 =nformal lecture by Artistic $irector Nicole Paiement and #oncept $esigner Brian ,taufenbiel 1ith musical e6cerpts from cast members! Kanbar #enter for the Arts% ++ Page ,treet G p!m! 'une C% ()*+ /icketsH -ree and open to the public O#e' S"a-*'- Re.ear&a$ !, Anya17 ?ie1ers are in ited to 1atch the director% conductor% and singers 1ork together in an actual staging rehearsal follo1ed by a li ely Euestion and ans1er session 1ith Nicole Paiement% Brian ,taufenbiel and the cast! .arines .emorial /heater% G)C ,utter ,treet + p!m! to G p!m! 'une *+% ()*+ /icketsH -ree and open to the public NoteH Pre<reser ed seating is a ailable for donorsA the general public can attend on a first<come% first<ser ed basis! Pa'e$ D*&/u&&*!' !' Anya17 Attendees are in ited to a panel discussion among Opera Parallles Artistic $irector and #onductor Nicole Paiement% @esident #oncept $esignerJ,tage $irector Brian ,taufenbiel% and Anya17 composer Adam Gorb! .arines .emorial /heater% G)C ,utter ,treet G p!m! to DH:) p!m! 'une *&% ()*+ /icketsH -ree and open to the public PHOTO CREDIT Anna Noggle J ,te e $iBartolomeo MEDIA CONTACT Karen Ames #ommunications Kristin ,chellingerH kristinKkarenames!com Karen AmesH karenKkarenames!com L+*FM G+*<D+D+ NNN