The Stag King 1965
Cast into the forest as a child by the governor…
…the king returns to his kingdom, but is tricked by the governor and forced back where he turns into a stag. Eventually he goes back and is transformed again into human form.
Synopsis
Act I
Scollatella rushes into a hall in the castle, dismayed because her clothing may have been ruined by the storm raging outside. She wishes to appear at her best for the ceremony at which the new king, Leandro, will choose a queen. Frightened at being alone, she calls on her doubles who leap from a mirror to keep her company. The sound of coronation bells is heard. Tartaglia, the Royal Chancellor, describes the ceremony as it takes place, heaping scorn on the courtiers who do homage to the young king. Two guards bring in Costanza who does not wish to participate in the forthcoming ceremony. After ascertaining that Costanza has never seen Leandro, Tartaglia describes him as a tyrant, and encourages Costanza to assassinate him, giving her a dagger for that purpose.
A group of forest animals precedes Leandro into the hall. He bids them farewell, and asks them to return to their forest where he was raised. As they leave, he sings of his loneliness in the world of men. Two statues agree to aid him; whenever anyone attempts to lie, they will laugh aloud. A trumpet fanfare signals the beginning of the ceremony at which Leandro will choose his queen. Scollatella and her doubles present themselves to the king, but soon become involved in an argument among themselves. Tartaglia calls for silence, and Leandro questions the ladies on the sincerity of their love for him. Their answers are greeted by peals of laughter from the statues. Costanza is summoned. She begins by berating Leandro, but ends by charming him so completely, and, in turn, falling in love with him. They exchange words of love; Leandro listens for laughter from the statues, but there is only silence. If Costanza were ever to be untruthful to him, he would not wish to know of it, so he destroys the statues.
Tartaglia now seizes the opportunity to accuse Costanza of plotting to kill the king, and has her carried off to prison. Leandro pleads for her freedom, but Tartaglia insists that the laws be upheld. Leandro renounces his throne in order to be able to forgive Costanza and leave the world of men. Cigolotti, a magician, appears and leads Leandro away to the forest. Coltellino (a professional assassin like his father, although a timid one) is ordered by Tartaglia to follow the king and to kill him. Six Alchemists, carrying fantastic but useless inventions, enter in search of Leandro. They wish to present a performance for him, but are told that he has returned to the forest.
Act II
Leandro, led by Cigolotti, wanders through a dark forest. Tartaglia, concerned that Leandro may change his mind and return to the city to claim his throne, follows at a distance. Checco, a minstrel, searching for a parrot, hides behind a tree as he hears Coltellino approaching. As Leandro enters the clearing, Tartaglia throws a dagger at him, but misses. The alchemists, disguised as animals, enter the clearing. They are afraid that they will be shot by hunters, but, on the other hand, they fear that they will be attacked by wild animals if they remove their animal costumes. They run off in a quandary.
Cigolotti awakens the sleeping Checco to warn him of Leandro’s danger, and to give him an eye of crystal in which he will be able to see the king. He also gives Checco a magic formula which should be carried to the king by wind spirits when he needs help. Coltellino rushes in, pursued by the Alchemists. As he and Checco scramble into the trees, a beautiful stag enters the clearing. As it makes its escape, it is wounded by Tartaglia. Seeing Checco, Tartaglia tells him that Leandro is in danger, and forces him to reveal the secret of the crystal eye. As Checco raises the eye, Leandro is seen entering a distant clearing. He pleads for freedom from human cares. Tartaglia listens carefully as Checco whispers the magic formula to the wind spirits. When they raise the eye once more, they see Leandro repeating the magic formula given to him by the wind spirits. He falls to the ground as if dead, then raises up again in the body of the stag which Tartaglia had fatally wounded. Tartaglia rushes to the clearing, and recites the formula over Leandra’s corpse. He falls to the ground, then rises again in Leandro’s body. With a wild laugh, he draws his sword, and severs the head from the Tartaglia-corpse. Now in the body of Leandro, Tartaglia praises Might, Violence and Evil. Checco accuses him of having stolen the body of the king, but Tartaglia has him put in chains. When Tartaglia orders his hunters to capture the stag, the forest closes itself in defense of the king, forcing Tartaglia to retreat to the castle.
Act III
Evil elements have gained control of the city, but the townspeople have not lost hope. Whispering voices repeat a legend which warns that when a stag walks through the streets, murderers will die. Costanza and the stag meet in the city square. She feels a strange affinity to the animal, but as she approaches, it flees. Tartaglia, a victim of persecution mania, sees Costanza and demands to know why she has hidden herself from him. As he tries to embrace her, she runs off. The townspeople fill the square to watch for the stag which has been seen near the city. Suddenly the stag appears and there is a moment of hushed tension as Costanza also returns. Tartaglia aims at the stag and shoots, as Coltellino, his arm guided by Cigolotti, shoots at Tartaglia. As Tartaglia sinks to the ground, Coltellino runs off in horror, believing he has finally killed the king. Leandro recites the magic formula over the corpse, falls to the ground, and regains his own body. He and Costanza again exchange promises of eternal love.
Artists
George Shirley
Tenor
King Leandro
George Shirley
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
SFO Debut:
Oedipus, Oedipus Rex, 1962
Past Seasons:
L’Egisto, L’Egisto, 1974
Oleander, Melusine, 1972
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1972 (July 8 – 14)
Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni, 1972
Alfredo, La traviata, 1970 (August 8 – 22)
Cavaradossi, Tosca, 1969 (August 21 – 23)
Duke of Mantua, Rigoletto, 1966 (August 20 – 27)
King Leandro, The Stag King, 1965
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1965 (August 14 – 25)
Edgardo, Lucia di Lammermoor, 1965
Alfredo, La traviata, 1965 (August 20 – 28)
Duke of Mantua, Rigoletto, 1964 (July 17 – August 29)
Alwa, Lulu, 1964
Apollo, Daphne, 1964
Don Jose, Carmen, 1964 (July 10, 15, 25, August 5)
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1963 (July 6 – 10, August 17 – 23)
Alwa, Lulu, 1963
Porcus, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni, 1963
Italian Tenor, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Cavaradossi, Tosca, 1962
Mildred Allen
Soprano
Costanza
Mildred Allen
Hometown: Mississippi
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1957 (July 12)
Past Seasons:
Mimi, La bohème, 1967 (July 29 – August 26)
Micaela, Carmen, 1967
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Costanza, The Stag King, 1965
Zerlina, Don Giovanni, 1963
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1963
St. Margaret, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
La Chauve-Souris/La Princesse, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Anne, The Rake’s Progress, 1960
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1959
Adele, Die Fledermaus, 1959
Alexandra Giddens, Regina, 1959
Mimi, La bohème, 1958
Despina, Così fan tutte, 1958
Nanetta, Falstaff, 1958
Isabella, Wuthering Heights, 1958
Donald Gramm
Bass-baritone
Tartaglia
Donald Gramm
Hometown: Milwaukee, WI
SFO Debut:
Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Past Seasons:
Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, 1976 (July 16 – 23, August 18-24)
Spencer Coyle, Owen Wingrave, 1973
Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, 1973 (July 21 – August 11)
Leporello, Don Giovanni, 1972
General Boum, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1972
Golaud, Pelléas et Mélisande, 1972
Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, 1971 (July 30 – August 7)
General Boum, Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1971
Philip II, Don Carlo, 1971
Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, 1970
Enrico, Anna Bolena, 1970
Nick Shadow, The Rake’s Progress, 1970
Papageno, The Magic Flute, 1969 (August 16 – 22)
Gabriel, Die Jakobsleiter, 1968
Papageno, The Magic Flute, 1968 (July 5 – 10)
Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
The Doctor, Wozzeck, 1966
Nick Shadow, The Rake’s Progress, 1966
Leporello, Don Giovanni, 1966
Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Bartolo, The Barber of Seville, 1965
Tartaglia, The Stag King, 1965
Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
Dr. Schon, Lulu, 1964
Dr. Spinelloccio, Gianni Schicci, 1964
Peneios, Daphne, 1964
Dr. Schon, Lulu, 1963
Emperor of China, Le Rossignol, 1963
Leporello, Don Giovanni, 1963
Don Alfonso, Così fan tutte, 1962
Emperor of China, Le Rossignol, 1962
Tiresias, Oedipus Rex, 1962
Second Bass, Renard, 1962
Tiresias, Oedipus Rex, 1961
Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro, 1961
Carol Toscano
Soprano
Scollatella
Carol Toscano
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
SFO Debut:
Fiakermilli, Arabella, 1965
Past Seasons:
Scollatella, The Stag King, 1965
Praskovia, The Nose, 1965
William Whitesides
Tenor
Checco
William Whitesides
Hometown: Columbus, NC
SFO Debut:
Alfredo, La traviata, 1965 (June 30 – August 7)
Past Seasons:
Arturo, Lucia di Lammermoor, 1965
The Nose, The Nose, 1965
Checco, The Stag King, 1965
Paul Franke
Tenor
Coltellino
Paul Franke
Hometown: Boston, MA
SFO Debut:
Marco Palmiere, The Gondoliers, 1960
Past Seasons:
Spoletta, Tosca, 1966 (July 2 – 16)
Chaplain, Dialogues of the Carmélites, 1966
Sellem, The Rake’s Progress, 1966
Count Elemer, Arabella, 1965
Fiorello, The Barber of Seville, 1965
Goro, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Don Basilio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Police Commissioner, The Nose, 1965
Coltellino, The Stag King, 1965
Gherardo, Gianni Schicchi, 1964
Alcindoro, La bohème, 1964
La Rainette/Le Theiere, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
The Prince, Lulu, 1964
Don Basilio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
Borsa, Rigoletto, 1964
Porcus, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1962
Hussar, Mavra, 1962
Sellem, The Rake’s Progress, 1962
Herod, Salome, 1962
Spoletta, Tosca, 1962
Oedipus, Oedipus Rex, 1960
Sellem, The Rake’s Progress, 1960
Lar Lubovitch
Dancer
Cigolotti
Lar Lubovitch
Hometown: Chicago, IL
SFO Debut:
La traviata, 1965
Past Seasons:
Cigolotti, The Stag King, 1965
The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Linda Phillips
Soprano
Scollatella II
Linda Phillips
Hometown: Red Cloud, NE
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1965, 1966, 1967
Past Seasons:
Barbarina, The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
Frasquita, Carmen, 1967 (July 1 – 15)
Shepherd, Tosca, 1966
Scollatella II, her double, The Stag King, 1965
Irene Liden
Mezzo-soprano
Scollatella III
Irene Liden
Hometown: Austin, TX
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1963, 1965
Past Seasons:
Kate Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Scollatella III, her double, The Stag King, 1965
Un Pâtre, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Orphan, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Nancy Gay
Soprano
Scollatella IV
Nancy Gay
Hometown: Gainesville, FL
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1965
Past Seasons:
Scollatella IV, her double, The Stag King, 1965
Distinguished Matron, The Nose, 1965
Sylvia Davis
Soprano
Statue
Sylvia Davis
Hometown: Oakland, CA
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1964, 1965
Past Seasons:
Statue, The Stag King, 1965
La Chauve-Souris, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
Frasquita, Carmen, 1964 (July 10 – 25)
Sakiko Kanamori
Soprano
Statue
Sakiko Kanamori
Hometown: New York, NY
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1965
Past Seasons:
Statue, The Stag King, 1965
Kenneth Riegel
Tenor
Alchemist
Kenneth Riegel
Hometown: West Hamburg, PA
SFO Debut:
Herod, Salome, 1998
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1965
Past Seasons:
Alchemist, The Stag King, 1965
David Clark
Tenor
Alchemist
David Clark
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1965, 1966, 1967
Past Seasons:
El Rememdado, Carmen, 1967 (July 1- 15)
Notary, The Barber of Seville, 1967
Third Jew, Salome, 1967
Joseph, La traviata, 1965
Don Curzio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Alchemist, The Stag King, 1965
Ludlow Hallman
Baritone
Alchemist
Ludlow Hallman
Hometown: Carbondale, IL
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1964, 1965
Past Seasons:
Alchemist, The Stag King, 1965
Marco, Gianni Schicchi, 1964
Schaunard, La bohėme, 1964 (August 1)
Customs Officer, La bohème, 1964
Thomas Jamerson
Baritone
Alchemist
Thomas Jamerson
Hometown: Baton Rouge, LA
SFO Debut:
Baron Duphol, La traviata, 1968
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1964, 1965
Past Seasons:
Captain of the Royal Guard, The Bassarids, 1968
Struggling Soul, Die Jakobsleiter, 1968
Djura, Arabella, 1965
Captain of the Guard, The Barber of Seville, 1965
Commissioner, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Alchemist, The Stag King, 1965
Customs Officer, La bohème, 1964
Robert Pappas
Bass
Alchemist
Robert Pappas
Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1965, 1966
Past Seasons:
Jailer, Tosca, 1966
Usher, Rigoletto, 1966
Count Lamoral, Arabella, 1965
Alchemist, The Stag King, 1965
Ray Morrison
Bass
Alchemist
Ray Morrison
Hometown: Hendersonville, NC
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1965, 1966, 1967
Past Seasons:
Messenger, La traviata, 1965
Alchemist, The Stag King, 1965
Robert Baustian
Conductor
Robert Baustian
Hometown: Storm Lake, IA
SFO Debut:
The Barber of Seville, 1957
Past Seasons:
Die Jakobsleiter, 1980
Pelléas et Mélisande, 1977
The Marriage of Figaro, 1976
The Cunning Little Vixen, 1975
Così fan tutte, 1975 (July 30)
La vida breve, 1975
L’Enfant et les sortilèges, 1975
The Magic Flute, 1974
Le Rossignol, 1973
L’Enfant et les sortilèges, 1973
The Marriage of Figaro, 1973
Pelléas et Mélisande, 1972
The Marriage of Figaro, 1971
The Magic Flute, 1971
The Marriage of Figaro, 1970
Le Rossignol, 1970
Le Rossignol, 1969
The Magic Flute, 1969
Die Jakobsleiter, 1968
Perséphone, 1968
The Elixir of Love, 1968
The Magic Flute, 1968
The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
Boulevard Solitude, 1967
The Barber of Seville, 1967
Dialogues of the Carmelites, 1966
Don Giovanni, 1966
Cinderella, 1966
The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
The Stag King, 1965
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1965
The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
L’Enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
L’Enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Don Giovanni, 1963
Mavra, 1962
Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1962
La traviata, 1962
Così fan tutte, 1962
The Marriage of Figaro, 1961
The Ballad of Baby Doe, 1961
The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Cinderella, 1960
The Barber of Seville, 1959
Abduction from the Seraglio, 1959
Cinderella, 1958
Falstaff, 1958
Così fan tutte, 1958
The Tower, 1957
Bliss Hebert
Director
Bliss Hebert
Hometown: Faust, NY
SFO Debut:
The Rake’s Progress, 1957
Past Seasons:
L’incoronazione di Poppea, 1986
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1985
The Tempest, 1985
Violanta, 1984
A Florentine Tragedy, 1984
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1983
Mignon, 1982
The Rake’s Progress, 1981
Erwartung, 1980
Von Heute auf Morgen, 1980
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1979
Salome, 1979
Salome, 1978
Pelléas and Mélisande, 1977
The Marriage of Figaro, 1976
Salome, 1976
Carmen, 1975
La vida breve, 1975
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1975
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1974
The Magic Flute, 1974
Le Rossignol, 1973
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1973
The Marriage of Figaro, 1973
The Merry Widow, 1973
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1972
Pelléas and Mélisande, 1972
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1971
The Magic Flute, 1971
The Marriage of Figaro, 1971
Le Rossignol, 1970
The Marriage of Figaro, 1970
The Rake’s Progress, 1970
Le Rossignol, 1969
The Magic Flute, 1969
The Magic Flute, 1968
Boulevard Solitude, 1967
Don Giovanni, 1966
The Rake’s Progress, 1966
The Stag King, 1965
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
Rigoletto, 1964
Le Rossignol, 1963
Le Rossignol, 1962
The Rake’s Progress, 1962
The Rake’s Progress, 1960
Tosca, 1960
Abduction from the Seraglio, 1959
Regina, 1959
Falstaff, 1958
Lawrence Reehling
Scenic Designer
Lawrence Reehling
Hometown: Hanover, PA
SFO Debut:
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1965
Past Seasons:
The Magic Flute, 1974
The Magic Flute, 1971
The Magic Flute, 1969
The Magic Flute, 1968
The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
Boulevard Solitude, 1967
Wozzeck, 1966 (Scenic and Costume Designer)
Dialogues of the Carmelites. 1966
Don Giovanni, 1966
Cinderella, 1966 (Scenic and Costume Designer)
The Nose, 1965 (Scenic and Costume Designer)
The Stag King, 1965
Willa Kim
Costume Designer
Willa Kim
Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
SFO Debut:
The Stag King, 1965
Past Seasons:
Turandot, 2005
The Magic Flute, 1984
The Magic Flute, 1974
Le Rossignol, 1973 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
The Magic Flute, 1971
Le Rossignol, 1970 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Help! Help! The Globolinks, 1970 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Le Rossignol, 1969 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Help! Help! The Globolinks, 1969 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
The Magic Flute, 1969
The Magic Flute, 1968
Georg Schreiber
Lighting Designer
Georg Schreiber
Hometown: Albuquerque, NM
SFO Debut:
Rigoletto, 1964
Past Seasons:
The Mother of Us All, 1976
Salome, 1976
L’Egisto, 1976
The Marriage of Figaro, 1976
La traviata, 1976
The Cunning Little Vixen, 1975
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1975
La vida breve, 1975
Così fan tutte, 1975
Falstaff, 1975
Carmen, 1975
L’Egisto, 1974
Lulu, 1974
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1975
The Magic Flute, 1974
La bohème, 1974
Owen Wingrave, 1973
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1973
Le Rossignol, 1973
The Merry Widow, 1973
The Marriage of Figaro, 1973
La bohème, 1973
Salome, 1972
Pelléas et Mélisande, 1972
Madame Butterfly, 1972
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1972
Yerma, 1971
The Flying Dutchman, 1971
The Marriage of Figaro, 1971
Grand Duchess of Gerolstein, 1971
The Magic Flute, 1971
Don Carlo, 1971
Opera, 1970
The Rake’s Progress, 1970
Anna Bolena, 1970
The Marriage of Figaro, 1970
Le Rossignol, 1970
Help! Help! The Globolinks, 1970
La traviata, 1970
The Devils of Loudun, 1969
Le Rossignol, 1969
Help! Help! The Globolinks, 1969
The Magic Flute, 1969
Così fan tutte, 1969
Salome, 1969
Perséphone, 1968
Die Jakobsleiter, 1968
The Bassarids, 1968
The Elixir of Love, 1968
La traviata, 1968
The Magic Flute, 1968
Madame Butterfly, 1968
Salome, 1967
The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
Boulevard Solitude, 1967
Cardillac, 1967
Carmen, 1967
The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
The Nose, 1965
The Stag King, 1965
Arabella, 1965
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1965
Madame Butterfly, 1965
The Barber of Seville, 1965
La traviata, 1965
Lulu, 1964
La bohème, 1964
Daphne, 1964
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
Gianni Schicchi, 1964
Carmen, 1964
The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
Ron Sequoio
Choreographer
Ron Sequoio
Hometown: Houston, TX
SFO Debut:
The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
Past Seasons:
The Elixir of Love, 1968
La traviata, 1968
Dr. Medicus, Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
The Stag King, 1965
La traviata, 1965
L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
Carmen, 1964
Jack the Ripper, Lulu, 1964
John Moriarty
Chous Master
John Moriarty
Hometown: Fall River, MA
SFO Debut:
Director, Salome, 1962
Past Seasons:
Conductor, The Rake’s Progress, 1970
Director/ Chorus Master, La traviata, 1965
Chorus Master, The Barber of Seville, 1965
Chorus Master, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Chorus Master, Lucia di Lammermoor, 1965
Chorus Master, Arabella, 1965
Chorus Master, The Stag King, 1965
Director/ Chorus Master, The Nose, 1965
Chorus Master, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Chorus Master, Rigoletto, 1964
Chorus Master, The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
Director/ Chorus Master, Gianni Schicchi, 1964
Director/ Chorus Master, Carmen, 1964
Chorus Master, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
Chorus Master, Daphne, 1964
Chorus Master, La bohėme, 1964
Chorus Master, Die Fledermaus, 1963
Chorus Master, Don Giovanni, 1963
Chorus Master, Madame Butterfly, 1963
Director/ Chorus Master, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Chorus Master, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Chorus Master, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Chorus Master, Le Rossignol, 1963
The Stag King 1965
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