The Glimmerglass Festival’s golden anniversary will be marked by four mainstage productions to address the theme of “The Art of Making Art.”
The Glimmerglass Festival marks its golden anniversary this summer with four mainstage productions and a variety of programs guided by the theme of “The Art of Making Art.”
Known for producing world-class opera, the festival brings top-tier talent to its custom-built Alice Busch Opera House in Cooperstown. From modest beginnings in 1975, when area opera lovers staged Puccini’s “La bohème” in the Cooperstown High School auditorium, the festival has become a nationally renowned company with an annual budget of approximately $10 million.
Fifty years ago, the inaugural show drew a total audience of 1,200. This year’s attendance is projected to be 25,000 with a summer staff of more than 350.
Starting in July, Glimmerglass productions for 2025 include “Tosca,” the Puccini opera that followed “La bohème,” along with Stravinsky’s “The Rake’s Progress,” Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park with George,” and the world premiere of “The House on Mango Street,” inspired by Sandra Cisneros’ novel, with music by Derek Bermel.
Robert Ainsley, Glimmerglass artistic and general director, said each show’s cast, director and technical details possess a quality and reputation to rival any top-tier opera company in the world.
The venue suits both intimate and “the most extravagant productions,” he said. Ainsley was appointed in September 2022 as successor to Francesca Zembello, who served as director from 2011-2022.
“If I had to design my dream season, this would be it,” Ainsley said. “With theater icon John Conklin on board designing all productions, artistic advisor Eric Owens, resident artists bass-baritone Greer Grimsley and mezzo-soprano Luretta Bybee, and the entire talented company, this is just going to be an artistically brilliant summer.”
The 2025 Glimmerglass program
Giacomo Puccini’s “Tosca,” which premiered in 1900, will launch the programming July 11 and play for 10 performances, with Joseph Colaneri, music director since 2009, conducting. Louisa Proske will direct.
Set in 19th century Rome, “Tosca” tells the story of opera singer Floria Tosca and her passion for art as well as for her lover, Cavaradossi. Floria’s famous aria, “I Lived for Art,” falls in Act II of the three-act opera, and in the final act, Cavaradossi sings the romantic aria, “And the Stars Were Shining.”
This year’s musical theater show will be Stephen Sondheim’s 1984 “Sunday In the Park with George,” inspired by artist Georges Seurat’s famous pointillistic painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jette.” The musical opens July 12 for nine performances.
The plot involves the artist in an imaginary discussion about the nature of art versus commerce with his great-grandson, a 20th century artist and scientist. Michael Ellis Ingram will conduct and Ethan Heard will direct. Sondheim’s opening music conveys the pointillistic style of the painting, and the finale reveals the affirmation of artistic purpose for the young artist.
The world premiere of “The House on Mango Street,” opening July 18, will run for six performances. Like Cisneros’ 1984 novel, it is Mexican-American adolescent Esperanza’s coming of age story. Through her eyes, the stories of a neighborhood’s people are revealed along with her own longings and epiphanies. Nicole Paiement will conduct; Chía Patiño will direct.
Cisneros, who grew up in Chicago as the only girl in a family with seven boys, says the connected stories are somewhat biographical, but they also reflect the tales of other women in the community, including some of her former students. Selecting which characters to include in the opera and devising a narrative arc from the book’s vignettes presented challenges to the creators, but Cisneros said the process has been miraculous.
In a call from her home in Mexico, Cisneros spoke glowingly about her collaborator, music composer and clarinetist Derek Bermel.
“If you find another artist who is willing to encourage and respect you, that is everything,” she said. “As a poet, a writer, I’m used to solitude. Working on this opera with Derek, however, is so much less difficult than when I work alone.”
Cisneros met Bermel when she was artist-in-residence at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He wrote a song cycle based on her book that ultimately has grown into the upcoming opera. Cisneros said she listened to the music on a boom box in her kitchen in 2017.
“It was so beautiful I was overcome with emotion,” she recalls. “We decided to move forward together to create something, and it’s been a long, but wonderful process. We didn’t know what we were doing. We made a lot of mistakes and learned from all of them. It required me to cross borders from text to music, and Derek always led the way, accepting my missteps and encouraging me.”
Cisneros said she and Bermel sometimes “feel like kids who say, let’s put on a show” as they see the stories transition from printed page to opera stage. His music blends styles and genres to accurately portray the diversity of Cisneros’ characters, employing salsa, merengue, aria, rap, and more.
“This opera is especially timely and appropriate right now,” Cisneros said. “It deals with some controversial material and sheds light on conflicts that are resolved in caring ways. And, the music is just beautiful.”
Cisneros views herself primarily as a poet. It was during her studies at the Iowa Writers Workshop that she realized there was a lack of literary voices from her background and culture. The novel, praised by critics, has been translated into 26 different languages and sold more than six million copies.
Despite its popularity, it has been banned in some communities.
“That puzzles me,” Cisneros said, “because I wrote the book with such love. I think people will feel that love flow from the stage. Art is medicine, and I hope this opera fills the prescription for all who see it.”
With a nod to Glimmerglass’s reputation for reviving baroque opera, Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rake’s Progress,” draws on that style although its three acts and epilogue were composed in 1951. As Stravinsky’s only full opera, it follows 18th century protagonist Tom Rakewell and his servant Nick on a quest for wealth and power. The Rake achieves riches but is discontent with his lot and yearns for deeper meaning. Tricked into selling his soul to the Devil, he meets a dreadful end.
“The Rake’s Progress” will have a six-show run beginning July 19. Eric Sean Fogel will be director/choreographer, with Colaneri conducting. Ainsley said the many plot layers and energetic dancing will make this a monumental production.
Filling out the Glimmerglass season are Francesca Zambello’s original production of “Odyssey,” a youth opera; a special appearance of Broadway star Bernadette Peters on July 31, free noontime concerts at four locations in Cooperstown, and special event dinners.
“In this gorgeous New York State countryside by Otsego Lake, we are building on half a century of tradition,” Ainsley said. “We are imagining everything we can offer by way of superb opera, community outreach, young artist training, and purely terrific all-around entertainment.”
‘Thrive and prosper’
Mary-Jo Merk, secretary of the first board of directors, was recruited by founder Peter Macris, who was chair of foreign languages at SUNY Oneonta, because she taught English and oversaw theater productions at the high school.
Macris and the first maestro, Charles Schneider, drew “top-drawer singers” from New York City as leads, and welcomed professionally trained local talent for supporting roles and chorus.
Merk credits the community for supporting Glimmerglass and raising it to its present stellar position among the world’s opera companies.
“In those first 12 years, even before we had air conditioning, you could look around the packed auditorium and see the school bus driver, the local doctor, the farmer from the valley, the school teacher—representatives from all segments of our community—enjoying opera. We performed everything in English before the theater was built in 1987, when we began to present opera in its original language.”
Soon to be 80, Merk continues to serve on the Glimmerglass board and is still active in theater. (She’s scheduled to direct a Halloween play this fall.) She counts her long association with Glimmerglass as one of her finest life achievements. Every festival success brings her joy.
“It’s like being a parent and watching your beloved child thrive and prosper,” she said.
Glimmerglass Festival details
Where: 7300 St. Highway 80, eight miles north of Cooperstown
Season: Mainstage productions run in repertoire (series) and additional programming
Tickets: Single tickets $38 to $200 depending on seating; discounts for those 12 and under
Box office: (607) 414-6711
Information: info@glimmerglass.org
Accessibility: First floor accessible; no elevator to upper level.
Parking: Free across road from theater; handicapped parking on grounds.
Extras: Tables for picnics, pre-show luncheons, food and beverages are sold at the bistro.